What Five Stars? because this place is exactly the kind of dive bar that makes Austin weird in the best possible way. Dirty Bill's is gloriously unapologetic. You walk in and immediately know you are not in some polished Instagram cocktail lounge. It is loud, a little gritty, and full of people who are clearly there to have a good time and not pretend otherwise. The beer is cold, the Lone Star flows like Texas water, and the vibe is pure old school Austin. And yes, the legendary bathroom situation deserves its own paragraph. The men's room features a giant ice filled trough for a urinal, which feels like something out of a 1970s roadside saloon documentary. Somehow it is both ridiculous and perfectly on brand. It actually becomes a conversation starter because you walk out laughing and immediately tell your friends they have to see it and go pee. The crowd was friendly, the bartenders were quick with the beers, and nobody was taking themselves too seriously. I ended up staying longer than planned, drinking Lone Stars and talking to random people like we had known each other for years. If you want craft cocktails served with a rosemary sprig this is not your place. If you want a hilarious, slightly chaotic, authentically divey night in Austin with cheap beer and great stories, Dirty Bill's absolutely delivers. Five stars and I would go back in a heartbeat. read more

Dirty Bill's - Dive Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

Dirty Bill's (gotta love the name) is literally right next door to J. Carvers where we had dinner. Dirty Bill's was on and popping!!! We were drawn in by the music. They were spinning some popular tunes. The place was packed with a very fun crowd. It appears to be a bar you come to have drinks and chat. There was a small area where dancing could take place, but no one was dancing at the time. The staff including the general manager was super friendly. It felt like a wedding reception as you came into the club where you were greeted...very warm and welcoming. We had a drink and stayed a short while. It looked like a place you could come for a girls or guys night out or celebrating a fun occasion. Will definitely consider Dirty Bill's for a future fun evening... read more

See all

Love this place! We had so much fun Kate was amazing! She took great care of us and created such a great exp for us!

Dirty Bill's is probably the perfect name for this bar to be quite honest. What a divey dive bar!!! I looooved it! Was in town for work and came here after dinner with some coworkers. Even though it was late on a Tuesday, it was pretty buzzy in here! This is definitely your typical dive bar. Looks like your typical dive bar. They only had one bartender working, so it was a bit of a wait for a drink, but not bad!! I got my typical gin & tonic and it was perfect. The music and vibe in here was definitely a good one. A lot of after work cocktails it felt like so definitely fit for us, too. The bar is filled with Christmas lights above, which is so cool. There were photos on the wall of I'm assuming frequent customers, and I kep thinking, hm, I'm not but I would totally put my own photo up on that wall haha. The bathrooms were grungy but considerably clean honestly. Definitely would come back here and recommend for a great spot to grab a casual drink with friends! read more

Dirty Bill's - Inside! A vibeeee - Dive Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

If you're an elderly or middle aged Millennial, this place is for you. Music from the late 90s, early 2000s, cheap drinks that will remind you of college and friendly dive bar scene. The type of spot you can go to alone, chat with the bar staff and make new friends. Gets rowdy after 11pm-ish. read more

If you are looking for a dive bar in West Sixth this is your place. I came on a Saturday and it was really fun. There's a DJ playing all the hits from the 2000s to present. Everyone is having a good time. There is a little bit of room in the back to dance and sing with friends and it can get crowded but the everyone is friendly and having a good time. For us around in the 90s and 2000s, you will feel some retro vibes with the MD 20/20 which goes for a good price a bottle that can be shared with the group. read more

Dirty Bill's is a fun and unexpected little dive bar on West Sixth that's full of character. Dirty Bills is a vibe, the music is bumping, and you feel like you've stumbled into a secret meeting place for the select few. The branding's playful, and you'll spot random folks around town wearing "Sucio" hats, which means 'dirty' in Spanish. Normally, dive bars aren't my scene, but Dirty Bill's manages to keep it fun--definitely a solid 101 to the dive bar scene. read more

Great bar to visit for cold beers in Austin TX. A must visit dive bar. Cool memorabilia inside and great part of town. read more

See all

My favorite dive bar in Austin! The music is always middle-school pop hits that every single person knows the words to which make it a really fun time. The drinks are cheap and it's a cramped space but honestly it's way more fun this way. Would not recommend for a large party but it's really fun for smaller groups who don't mind dancing in a tight space. read more

Dirty Bill's - a crowd of people outside of a dirty bill's - Dive Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

Interesting place! Definitely an Austin staple, however, very limited space in that place and prepared to be crammed in there like a sardine. Very cool and eclectic vibe and it's definitely worth checking out and grabbing a drink. Not the greatest when it's super busy though. Quick service and good drinks! read more

Tanner was the best bartender we've had in Austin ! Everything was exceptional. Music , drinks, service ! We will be back read more

Dirty Bill's - Tanner was the best bartender we've ever had 10/10 Austin experience. Dirty bills is the best! - Dive Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

If you like being treated like garbage for ordering a drink this is the place for you. I tipped a dollar per beer which requires zero effort to serve and the next time I went up they flat out refused to serve me. Apparently a dollar wasn't enough for them and they hit me with the classic "we don't work for free" line. Funny because they also "don't do" mixed drinks so what exactly do they do besides act like they are too good for their own job. If you enjoy bartenders who think handing you a Bud Light is an art form this is your spot. Otherwise go somewhere that actually wants customers. Zero stars if I could read more

We ordered some drinks with our card and were planning on tipping cash. The bar tenders saw we signed the check without writing a tip and said "we don't work for free, if you want a drink you can buy one again" wouldn't give us our money back either. Very fraudulent and shady business. Was a cool spot if it weren't for the service. read more

Dirty Bill's - Dive Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

Okay - my fiancé pointed out Dirty's as we drove in and WE HAD TO GO. After someone recommended it, it was a sign. This is a dirty bar HAHA! BUT it's fun. Someone described it as a dive, but this was not a dive - it's way too popular. We still had a great time. Drinks were fair for the area. The bartender made good shots. Have some good cheap beer options. The DJ was fun and had a projector playing matching music videos. He also did a great job of playing through the decades. We definitely had a good time. The bathroom was sketchy and I did not sit on the toilet seat, but whatever. I guess if you're drunk enough you don't care. Out of all the places we went to in the area, definitely preferred this one. read more

why not? tell me. downtown Austin. $1 mystry beer / brownbag beer today i got this one great ambience for a hot summer and no questions about the service read more

Dirty Bill's - ipa beer fire eagle $1 - Dive Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

People seem to like the party atmosphere but you have to get by the power tripping bouncers first. Both myself, a friend and a couple in line in front of me, on separate occasions have had instances with the bouncers being overly aggressive, unwilling to answer questions and entirely unfriendly. IF you get in, there's no concept of fire code or making sure people have enough space to move around, they just pack you in like sardines. read more

This is a true divey- safe space bar. We stumbled in on recommendation on a Sunday night during their 14th anniversary. Enjoyed the dancing and music and everyone was friendly. Bathroom was surprisingly clean too. read more

It pains me to make this review: I used to always go to Dirty Bills when I lived in Austin, and I always had a good time. I was in from and out of town and truly enjoying myself until I found out that some people at the bar and me had our phones pickpocketed. I can't blame dirty bills for this, but just be careful. It's a busy and often packed bar and someone can easily take your belongings while you're distracted because of this. I hope they can crackdown on this, but I unfortunately will not be going back until they do so. read more

Love the vibe of this place. Super small bar, but amazing music. They always have the best djs and the best bartenders. Pham is the best bartender ever! Highly recommend! read more

See all

I had a strange experience at this bar. My friend and I ran to the restroom not realizing it was just before 2am. It hit closing time while we were in there and a masked gentleman immediately started pounding on the door verbally harrassing us. I understand that it was closing time, but we couldn't have been in there more than a couple minutes past. the entire incident was unnecessary and very unsettling. needless to say I don't intend to ever return and wanted to warn other females of the same. read more

Suuuch a cute little bar (especially in the winter months!) Came here with some colleagues to grab a drink on a weeknight and it was rather slow - I think we might've been the only ones in there, now that I think about it. Bartender was super cute and friendly. Didn't have the beer I was looking for, but it's something I normally find in Washington and not Texas, so... Still ended up finding something I liked. :) Music was great and I'm sure this place is hoppin' on the weekends. Not sure if this is a year round thing, but it's super fun to be here during the winter because it's decorated with tons of multicolored Christmas lights on the ceiling. Love. read more

I love this bar. My only wish is that it were a bit bigger and they made the drinks a little less watered down. I ordered a whiskey on the rocks and it wasn't even two fingers of whiskey with a whole bunch of ice. I decided to order something different after that and it was better. The drinks are affordable compared to other bars off W 6th. You'll find a diverse crowd here and the vibe is always fun. They play the best music. It's always the place I either start, or end, my night out. read more

Why did it take me more than a decade to check out Dirty Bills? I guess everything is all in good timing. But I sure've been missing out - especially around the wintry holidays when the bar is decorated with lights; it's warm, cozy, and yes, still a lil' dirty and all divey. We went on a rather "slow" night with just a sprinkle of people inside - but the music was still great, the vibe was upbeat, and honestly, I don't know why we left. read more

The bouncer on Saturday night was absolutely the rudest individual I have encountered and I used to work at a Pub that was the last stop on a night out where people were intoxicated. (turning away people seemed to be my job after a certain hour) BUT Bouncer person.... it was not even late and it was day 2 of the holiday weekend. How he speaks to people - as he is on his power trip- is just astonishing. I get it... its probably tough dealing with the drunk people that you come across on a daily basis but this was uncalled for. DONT WORK IN A PEOPLE BASED INDUSTRY IF YOU HATE PEOPLE! AVOID THIS BAR AT ALL COSTS! not worth ruining your night because as you approach the doors this guy is on a good one. I have another group going to Austin and they had this bar on their itinerary- I said immediately take this place off and stay away! Why does this place still get recommended when there are so many nice bars with incredible bartenders, staff, hilarious door guys, and great music within steps ?!? ENJOY AWESOME AUSTIN AND GO TO ANY OTHER BAR! read more

Great place to come if you want your phone stolen, with no support from the bouncers or bartenders. I asked security if they could take a look at footage and they completely disregarded me and acted like I was an idiot. Not cool. Great MD20/20s though. read more

The bouncer Jose, Juan or whatever is the rudest person I've ever met. He literally never smiles and thinks he owns the place. Also they kick you out for no reason. They thought I was a person using a fake ID when I'm 30 years old. The told me to go back in when they said they were mistaken when I was rudely kicked out for no apparent reason. The staff needs to get it together.I used to love this bar back in the day. read more

My wallet was stolen, I walked in here at 2 am to ask if they had any footage. They immediately assaulted and tackled the male friend I was with because they were technically closed. Door still unlocked, very calm entering and asking. Police charges have been filed. Enter at your own risk, staff are clearly unhinged. read more

Awesome little dive bar, definitely worth a visit. The drinks are affordable and the vibe is cool. All of the bartenders were great but Allen really made our visit the best! If you get a chance you can snap a picture with Dirty Bill! We will be recommending this place from now on. read more

See all

Austin was pretty dead on New Year's Day so when I noticed a bunch of people walk into an unassumming spot with the name Dirty Bill's, I thought maybe it's a strip club? I mean, what better way to start the year. Thankfully, it happened to be the coolest dive bar we stumbled upon in Austin. Locals were having a great time listening to awesome music in a small room adorned with Christmas lights and a donkey pinata sporting some disco balls (yes, exactly how you picture it). It was awesome. And best of all were the music videos! We could have watched those videos and jammed out to the music all day. Drinks were also awesome. It was such a fun way to end our last night in Austin. read more

The bouncer has such a power trip over my cup of water, I asked if I could throw it away inside or if I could leave it at his chair and he said no so I said okay that's annoying I'll go throw it away over there, and then he wouldn't let me in over water!! 0/10 don't recommend, there's so many other amazing bars and this was just not it. Literally go anywhere else! read more

I once considered this Dirty Bill's a safe place, but now I feel it is just another Austin bar that represents the worst if Texas. I have been to Dirty Bills dozens of times but tonight was a night like no other. I invited my friend to the bar because I thought it was a place where individuals could be them selves. I found out this wasnt the case. I had an individual disparage me because of my race and sexual orientation while the owner sat beside him. I've never felt so ashamed and embarrassed. I ended up leaving, with the staff apologizing as I left. Unfortunately, the individual staid because of his relation to ownership. Dirty Bill's is just another example of how people take advantage of minorities for their own personal gain. It's ashame because the bartenders are good people. Unfortunately, ownership prefers their friends. read more

Christmas in July? No no no christmas any month of the year. Love this place, love the people in it and everything about it. Pretty personal bathroom but I can't guarantee it won't flood. Cheers. 5 stars read more

One of the coolest hideaways in Austin Texas to enjoy a cold beverage. I go back every time I'm in town.

My group had an absolutely TERRIBLE experience here. We went to this bar thinking it would be a fun end to our night with some good tunes. We sat at the bar and proceeded to change the songs on the jukebox, but the bartender rudely criticized our choice in music and kept throwing out similar rude comments at our group. I understand our group of 5 girls can be a lot to handle, but the things he was saying were just SO condescending! We were giving him business for crying out loud. My friends and I were also with a friend's mom who felt the need to defend our group because of his behavior. She asked the bartender why he was being so condescending, and he was immediately offended and proceeded to say things like he let us change the music and let us come into his bar- as if this was a privilege for us to pay him our money for drinks. He took away the mom's beer dramatically and threw it into the trash can- very unnecessary- and called her "old." I understand that we were slightly under the influence BUT YOU ARE A BARTENDER and should be able to deal with these situations in an appropriate manner. Nevertheless, I will NOT be back here, and I hope my reviews are credible enough that people will take my word not to go here as well. read more

Dirty Bill's really reminds me of the type of place you come across in New York, where space is at a premium: it's a straight shotgun setup, shoehorned in between Wahoo's and Key Bar, with a long bench and mini-tables to the left, the bar stretching forward to the right. And while you can make the argument that it purports to be a dive, fact is that the space is much more efficient (and frankly, cleaner) than most dives. Logistics of the space dictate that the walkway is pretty much always crowded, and I'm certain that it won't take much to make this place full. But I do know this: that this end of 6th needed something different. And Dirty Bill's might be just what we ordered. That and a cold one. read more

Dirty Bill's - Dive Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

Is this it? That's what I thought as I stepped into the darkish, smallish space off West 6th. I was here for the Blackeyed Pea Eating Contest, and for a business championing an event of gustatorial excess, I expected a place with, well, some excess. My eyes adjusted to the lighting, and I started to like what I saw. There were good places to sit along the walls. Good seating makes for good conversation. And that makes for a good time at ye old bar. It's surprising how many places muck this up. I was raised by a Nintendo, so the retro video games peppered throughout caught my eye next. An old and crazy uncle of mine used to have a massive jar full of quarters. We were in awe this cache of wealth. He always said, "These quarters are from me never playing PacMan in the arcades." Worry not, dear uncle, for these video games are all free to play. Everything else was quite nice...plucky and unpretentious, one might say. The music was excellent and not too loud. Bartender and GM's were quite friendly, and drinks featured a high goodness / dollar ratio. The monthly eating contests are a lot of fun, albeit disgusting and horrifying fun. Good luck beating their house pro, a frighteningly proficient eater named Billy. He smacked down my buddy, himself a badass eater, in the aforementioned Blackeyed Pea battle. What I'm trying to say here, is that Dirty Bill's is a great little bar. It's a nice oasis amid the West 6th streetiness of the West 6th bar district. Check it out for a chill time. read more

My friend from Jersey introduced to me to Dirty Bill's. I probably could just stop my review with that statement since it pretty much sums up what this bar is about. DB's is dark, narrow and like it's namesake dirty! It is because of these qualities that makes me love this place. The drinks are cheap, the jukebox has thousands of songs, and the bartenders are quick to serve. I can't forget to mention the limo stamped with the word "dirty" that will pick you up around town and will bring you to the bar. Yes kids, you too can be just like Chamillionare - ridin' dirty! read more

Dirty Bill's - Ridin Dirty - Dive Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

I haven't reviewed Dirty Bill's even though I've been here a million times? What's wrong with me? Ah yes, now I know why... it's literally going to take the collective bits and pieces of each one of those visits to compile one complete review. The culprit of this situation truly is the copious amounts that I end up drinking here every time. It's hard to put your finger on it, but this tiny bar seems to ooze everything I love in a bar out of it's elf pores. It's dark, it can be crowded, the music is awesome, the bartenders know me, the drinks are stout, the beer selection just right (not too many choices, just the right ones) and did I mention Dirty Bill reigns over all from his clear plastic cube above? Try and make it down here after 10:00pm on most nights, you won't regret it until the next morning when your hangover is killing you. read more

Dirty Bill's - Here's Dirty Bill! - Dive Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

Un lugar divertido para pasar el rato con amigos. Las bebidas están bien, al igual que la comida.

From what I remember (lol-the shots were strong) this place was great. I absolutely love that the ceiling was entirely lit up almost Christmas style with piñatas. The DJ played some great music that corresponded with the video on a projector screen on the back wall. The bartender seem to be able to keep up with the busy crowded on a Saturday night. This was a recommendation of a few people and I'm glad I went. They have it listed as a dive bar, but I would not consider this place is a dive bar at all. read more