Well you can't say much about the Thirsty Nickel...well much good that is. I was meeting up w/a friend last night, and personally this wouldn't have been my top choice to go to, but the other friend she was with is a fan of the Nickel, therefore we HAD to go. Well I got there almost 30 minutes early, got a beer at the small bar and just posted up to people watch. a DJ was onhand spinning music that I could have heard on the radio (96.7 or 93.3), so ya nothing special there. Not to mention he was blowing a whistle into the mic. Hearing whistles is annoying & loud enough, but hearing it blown through a Mic/speaker system is just freakin obnoxious. But obnoxious doesn't stop there. It then rolls into some of the girls there. Within that first 30mins or so, as I was posted up, I got approached by 2 separate girls, and within the first couple of minutes of conversation, they bluntly asked why I hadn't bought them drinks & shots yet. My response..."Well since you walked over to me all by yourself, you are capable of walking to any of the bars in this place ...And since you're speaking english to me, you obviously know how to talk, therefore you're capable to order your own drink while you are there at the bar. Now move along" Now don't get me wrong, I usually don't have an issue with buying a drink or a shot for a girl if I'm interested, but if I'm gonna spend my money on your drink/shot, it's going to be my decision, NOT YOURS. On the other hand, the beers weren't bad. $3.00 for a bud light is fine by me. PLus the cute girl behind the bar even covered one of my beers, because I showed the common respect of calling her by her name and was patient rather than "HEY YOU!!! (while waving money & hand in air)". Only thing about the small bar towards the front is they have a limited selection of beer choices, like maybe 6 or 7 tops. Other any choices you have to head to the main bar, which can be a pain at times, but oh well. But like I said earlier, not much good can be said of the Thirsty Nickel. It's just another bar on 6th trying to do something different but failing resulting in the getting the same experience that you can get at any of the zillion other bars on 6th. I will say it's better than Coyote Ugly, but that's not saying alot to begin with. read more

Two words: Frosty Bombs I'm a girl and I love my girly drinks! I always hit up this bar when I make a trip down to sixth and it's only for their frosty bomb shot. So if you like a good girly shot come to this bar and get a frosty bomb! p.s. do not get a lemon drop here...probably one of the worst I have ever had. read more

Chilled at this bar for a while. Loved the music videos that played with the music.Dj was selective with pop and hip hop music, didn't play full songs through but just enough. The crowd was chill and the drinks were reasonably priced. Only issue was one bartender charged me 50 cent more than the other which was odd.. I figured that would be his tip since he charged more for a drink I just ordered 15 mins ago with a diff bartender. Overall I'd visit again, great vibes read more

THE place in Austin to watch Chicago Blackhawk hockey games. And to be a Bro. Casual college bar ambiance that is expected on this part of 6th street. The musician working hard for his money was good and personable. Our waitress was responsive and imaginative (she successfully created "lemonade" for a John Daley out of things I wouldn't have previously thought would taste like lemonade). Having said all of these things, I knew going i, that I was entering a Bro Cave and the Bro factor finally got to where Gal Pal and I couldn't stick with the game and left at the end of the 1st period of the Blackhawks playoff game. If I am forced to, I can focus on the bar's good points and make it through another visit, but I don't see ever asking to go there. read more

I think this bar appeals to a very specific crowd. Regrettably, I am not a part of the crowd it appeals to. We went in relatively early on a Friday night but the bar counters and table tops were already dirty and sticky. Most of the other cliental were upwards of 35, so if you're looking for an older group, this is probably the way to go. The band playing was decent, but nothing unique or out of the ordinary, just some covers of Lynard Skynard and so on. read more

Dear Bartender, Thank you for being so nice to me during my visit. I know that you could have made WAY more money off of somebody else, but you made me very comfortable sitting at the bar sipping on my $.50 Diet Coke which you kindly refilled it over and over again without me asking. It's good to know that non-drinkers don't have to feel like the plague at college bars. I wish I could have tipped you a Benjamin. xoxo, Sally read more

5.0 Stars Location Overview: This location is perfect for bar hopping. This bar is dead set in the middle of 6th St. This bar is very spacious, room for two bars on opposite sides of the room, beer pong table, adult size connect four game and sitting areas, and stage for live bands. Customer Service: The customer service here is pretty good, the girl that served my boyfriend and I was well on it with the drinks. We were greeted right away by the bartender and local guitarist (whom, I assume was a regular). During games of beer pong she checked on us to make sure we were covered on drinks. We were recommended new drinks and every time and even drinks we had never tried before. The guitarist played some really good music of my personal taste -- he went back any forth between old school 708's and 80's rock to 00's pop. He did requests and a little bit of his own stuff. Quantity/Quality: Walking into the bar it is very spacious and the beer rack goes on and on and on. The quantity of alcoholic beverages was well covered on beer in this establishment. The quality of the mixed drinks was my personal favorite, they were in the middle of strong and weak. (My boyfriend likes to taste the burn from the liquor). All drinks served and made were up to pare. Side Notes: Definitely a college or younger crowd setting. The beer pong table is a little out of place (kind of in the way) but so much fun to play. Definitely great for big crowds of people. read more

Door guy with the Nixon watch is a Tool. Beers on Monday were not cheap quite a surprise. Definitely wasn't 21 trying to get blackout drunk, because Jager was cheap. Yeck. Detestable coal based liquid. So you lost a star for skinny Ronnie D at the door. This Monday was a blast because of bar sized Jenga and four brits that hardly knew the game. Add one wobbly table and some alcohol. Mixed once, serve in a Blue bottle. Epic game. Both women were 5 feet tall. The wobbly table was already four feet high, made for an interesting game. Lame punching game only gives one try for a dollar, I see why it was a bad decision with stupid pricing like that. Anyway the bartenders were cool. No people watching here, unless you watch the cops through the front window. Prices werent great but I'll def return for more Jenga. read more

Older crowd. Dirty venue. Cheap beer. A group of us decided to try this place out before our showing at the Alamo Drafthouse. We walked in, were shocked at how cheap the Shiner was and sat down. Venue as a whole was dirty. Our group also agreed that it was an older crowd. Saw a bartender stand on the bar, unzip his pants and plop down in front of a birthday girl who proceeded to take a shot out of his pants...which was uncomfortable. Germaphobic me was more concerned about the dirt/piss on the bottom of his shoes that was not all over the bar top (which didn't get cleaned). But hey - it might be your type of place. If not, keep walking, there are plenty of other options on 6th street. read more

So here's what you need to know about Thirsty Nickel: It's a college bar and as such there's going to be loud music and drunk people, just like any other college bar. The floor guys do a great job of trying to keep things clean, but when it gets busy things can get messy. That's just the way it is with popular college bars. If you can't hang go somewhere that's more your speed, like Applebee's or Chili's. The atmosphere is great. The staff is awesome and friendly and the drinks are just as good. Basically every member of the staff is attractive as well so while you're waiting for drinks you always have something nice to look at. Sometimes it can take a bit to get drinks but that's just part of being in a busy bar on 6th. The bartenders can make a HUGE variety of shots to fit any tastes and are well worth a wait. The prices vary, but are cheaper than bars and lounges on West 6th. Thirsty Nickel is always running awesome specials and has promos with liquor companies. The promos almost always include free shots. Frosty, the general manager, does a great job of making every night into a huge party. At other bars I get annoyed when the music is paused for announcements made over a microphone, but at Thirsty Nickel I don't mind. Frosty makes hilarious comments and is extremely entertaining. He's a real people person and at the end of every night he stands at the front door and says goodbye until everyone is out. I think this says a lot about how much they value their customers. I don't know any other bar where the GM does this. During the week the bartenders usually set up a playlist for music, but on the weekends there are live bands and a Dj. The Dj seems to have a tendency to play the same songs every night, but he does take requests. He sticks with current hits and plays some good flashback hits too so I'm always satisfied. During SXSW they have free concerts with lots of different bands. They also have multiple televisions that they play movies on each night and a big screen that's great for sporting events. Happy hour at the Thirsty Nickel is the same cool atmosphere but much more laid back. It's always a good time. I love when they have themed parties! Thirsty Nickel also has an ATM inside the bar (convenient!) and a pool table which can be fun. I don't know what the other review by "Ruben" was talking about but obviously he thinks he's God's gift to 6th street and women. Girls don't ask guys they are trying to get with for drinks. Speaking from experience, girls ask guys that are unattractive and look stupid for drinks because we know we can get away with it. This isn't something new. Girls always try to get guys to buy them drinks- it happens in every bar! Anyways if you want to go somewhere that you can have a great time dancing and getting drunk this is the spot! read more

We were two Chicagoans visiting Austin during the Blackhawks play off push and realized we were at risk of missing a game. After we were recommended this Blackhawks bar, a river of relief ran over us! When we walked in, we were welcomed by a sea of Blackhawks jerseys, Chicago style hotdogs, Italian beefs, and Texas/Chicago love T shirts. I was in love!!! The bar itself was pretty dark and ridiculously loud, but it was nice to be surrounded by Chicago-lovers and the drinks were cheap and decent! read more

Looking for a Chicago Blackhawks , Chicago Bears, Chicago Bears game in Austin, Texas? Look no more! You found it! read more

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Two stars for bumping music (eg, "Independent Women" by Destiny's Child). Advertised as a Cubs bar, but not a single tv of the 10 in there playing the game... asked, "can you put the game on?" "Sure!" Ten minutes later, "hi... can you really put the game on?" "Umm yeah, I'll try to find a remote..." you know where this is going so I'll spare you the next five steps. Drinks blew. I've never seen a fuller, more jam-packed selection of alcohol with such an uninspired bartender - "can't make that" is her personal motto. read more

Came here last Friday with a group of co-workers. Loved it! The bartender was friendly and attentive. He made everyone stiff drinks and I asked for a fruity concoction...he served up something nice. I liked the music and the atmosphere for cool. We plan to return next time we do happy hour as a group! read more

Wasn't told they would force a 20% tip and I was by myself. Will dispute with credit card company. Still shit business practice. I'll call my CC company to remove the entire tip because of their bad practices read more

I've been here on a non-weekend day, and the atmosphere is actually pretty decent. These fellas sport live music most nights, have a pool table in the back, and have Super Jenga, so as far as bars go, I'm all for it. If you go on a Saturday night, you might lose some of the atmosphere because Dirty 6th is crawling with underage kids who are drunk off their faces. (Back up, I'm not judging. I was one of those kids a few years ago.) I suggest hitting up on a Wednesday night or something if you've got some time in the evening. Beat the rush and lose the puking drunkards. Unless you're into that thing, of course. God, you're a rascal. read more

I met here for a group even and overall I think it was a good experience. Here is my breakdown of the experience. 1. Parking was pretty solid as long as your willing to walk maybe a 1/2 mile or so. If you've ever been downtown then you know this is not too bad of a walk. It's on west 6th so it's not the typical party scene, but it's by no means boring either. 2. Ambience was cool. Very much a bar atmosphere but there was adequate space and there seemed to be enough bar space. Staffing seemed a little light but still sufficient. 3. Space was a but limited, maybe because of the size crowd we were with. There was actually 2 very large parties there at the same time so that may have contributed to the congested feeling I got. I would definitely come back here and hopefully with just a few friends. It seemed run well and it was clean. I didn't eat anything so I don't know if they even serve food but as far as being a bar they do a nice job. read more

One star for the live music. One star for the super sized board games that they have in the bar. The only reason I'd come back here is if I happened to stumble inside when I was drunk without realizing where I was. Awful service! Had a terribly rude and condescending bartender. Came here during the day because of a comedy show down the street. Recently just moved from NYC and was stunned by the low prices. But the cheap drinks (but awful shots) aren't worth the hassle. read more

This place is always a go to for me, but Ashley and Tiana set the bar even higher!! Bad ass ladies! Thanks for the great service.

Super rude bartender a group of us walked because of a scavenger hunt contest. I ask her about clues that was supposed to be in the bar. She looked at me like i was crazy and kept saying "no,no,no" before I was even done asking my question. We were going to end the hunt by having a round of drinks since but thankful I did not give them even 5 cents of my money! read more

Thirsty’s - Dont go here super rude bartenders - Dance Clubs Near Me - Austin, Texas

This is perhaps one of my favorite bars on E. 6th next to its sister bar Dizzy Rooster. I make sure to take all my out of town visiting friends here! I challenge anyone to find a better group of "southern gentleman" than the owners - GREAT guys. I know many of the bartenders and the entire staff really will go above and beyond to make each visit to the bar an enjoyable one. PROS: Thirsty has a great atmosphere and I enjoy going there when it's busy or on a slower night. On busy nights its fun to get wild and let loose and slower nights it's the perfect place to kick back and have beer. I like that it has tables at the front and back of the bar so you can still get the 6th street experience, yet maintain a sense of privacy with friends. The pool table in the back is a plus, as well as the constant flow of themed parties hosted throughout the year. Also on weeknights the bartenders control the music so if you request something (good) they will, 9 times out of 10, play it for you. Another plus is if you are a girl that dances on bars- you will never got thirsty here. Also, the a/c keeps the bar comfortable even when it's packed. CONS: Sometimes cougars are on the prowl and even then, girls aren't safe from these drunk bitches. Also if you are a hot girl and want to go somewhere with your girlfriends that you can talk without being bothered...this might not be the best place. A lot of the time it's a good location no matter what, but there are the rare occasions when older (male) creepers just wander around looking for a chick to pester (but then again its hard to find a bar this doesn't happen in). If you are a guy the male creepers shouldn't be an issue. *Some of the other reviews complain about the drinks, but you have to order the right stuff from the right people. Katie and Frosty (the GM) are great bartenders to order from. For girls, Frosty makes a good pink lemonade cosmo and Katie can whip up just about anything you can dream up, not mention she's gorgeous. There are also great drink specials during the week- especially $2 Tuesdays. Regular drink prices are average, not overly-expensive by any means. When the bar is packed it can be hard to get a drink, but that's normal on 6th and it really doesn't take more than a few minutes as long as you are aggressive and know what you want to order....aka don't be the guy that stands there going "um well..I think I want a...uh actually well....um..(5 minutes later) how much are your domestics?" read more

By the time my 2 buds and I rolled by this place we were easily lured in by the live band, it was a Thursday night the weekend before the F1 race and being the buzzed LAers we were we abliged the friendly door man and entered for a brewski. I liked the wide open floor, after seeing the pics here it looks like it can get hot with a crowd for the right band! The sound level was decent to still kinda talk. Should we be back next year I hope to catch this place with a big crowd on hand! read more

Loved this place for the music and nothing else. I went in to listen to the band. Super dark inside and total dive bar. I didn't care because music brought me and no one else seemed to like the band. I asked the bartender the bands name and he Said he didn't know. What? I ordered two beers and left after the guys took a break. read more

Went to the Thirsty Nickel a few times while at SXSW and loved it everytime. The bands (this was during interactive) were all great, and the drinks were all cheap enough. Love the indoor lofted area to hang out as a group and take in better views of the stage, and the double bar set up meant you rarely were waiting in line for drinks. Wouldn't hesitate to hang out here again if I had to hang out on sixth street. read more

This bar was okay. The music was good but there wasn't anyone dancing really when we came in. Our group ended up dancing while we were in there but no one else did really there. The dance floor is a raised floor right at the windows. So that was cool. They gave us free rum and coke but some girls thought it was too strong and the bachelorette thought it was too weak lol. I thought it was okay, it didn't taste weak or too strong. This place didn't have too many people when we went in and when we left. We ended up staying here maybe about 20 minutes if that. read more

Thirsty’s - Dance Clubs Near Me - Austin, Texas

Was walking by with a friend that was in town from Wisconsin and the bartender waved us in...I was a little hesitant, because Good Charlotte was playing loudly, but we were thirsty and hot so we decided to give it a whirl. The bar was empty, as it was a Sunday afternoon, but the drinks were pretty good, the bartender was super friendly and we had ourselves a little emo-singalong for the rest of the afternoon. All in all, a great time. :) read more

I wasn't admitted into this club for wearing camo shorts. Manager is extremely rude and uneducated. Pass this place up. There are plenty of bars and clubs that are friendly and better than place. read more

We were not allowed inside the bar because we were dressed so nice for this place!! as we stand at the entrance the "boss" tells the bouncer to not let us in because we had stolen some beers? We were wearing long coats and they wanted to search us because he thought we were hiding something underneath, the guy was not nice at all, drinking while you are working doesn't help, he caused drama and wanted to fight, he was disrespectful to the girls we were with and told us to go back to Mexico! And two of them are not even Mexican, they are Brazilian! Ignorant guy seriously! Anyways I hate writing reviews or texting so I better make this short . They need to get that guy some help ASAP he cannot be racist in this city! After he called us names he was like I AM NOT RACIST! I HAVE A BLACK FRIEND ! There's no need for that Mr Cowboy fan ! If you work in that environment you cannot be racist! read more

Thirsty’s - Dance Clubs Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Thirsty Nickel deserves a stop if you're ever downtown on a weekend. This place gets packed and I mean PACKED, whether it's the music or the drinks, I like it cause it's a good place to get your groove on. The DJ is probably one of the best on 6th, he actually gets involved with the crowd and plays one of the best mixes I hear while clubbing. If you like big crowds and good music to dance to, check this place out. read more

I'll go here during the day. Steven is the best bartender and crowd consist of usuals. There's always a beer pong table set-up for anyone that's down to play. During the evening they have live bands. On the weekends the DJ is always the same and dependable. Makes the girls dance, and that's what matters. It's right on the corner intersection so it makes a good place to start your bar-hopping ($2 you-call-its). read more

Again, I think I was an unlucky one at Thirsty Nickel. So my friend said he has had nothing but good experiences with the bartenders and people at TN, so what the heck, it was my 21st ( 8/14) and I wanted to I guess sample all the bars on a sunday night. So we hit TN first and we sit at the bar, no attention is drawn to us, or a "hey i'll be with yall in a minute", nothing. Finally a bartender at the opposite ends helps us, we order for me a shiner and for my friend a soco on the rocks. So bartender cards my friend and then me, then he procedes to say "youngster" which I am expecting since it was only my 21st bday. So I wipe the bottle, and when I turn to talk to my friend I reach back and the bartender has my drink, asks the patrons next to me what day it is, they say the fourteenth and he says happy birthday and gives me my drink back. WTH! I understand having to card someone, I get it. But you just carded me and then you take my drink away! Idk, not alot of things bug me, but service and people like that do. To top it off he never gave our change back for the drinks, once we finished we walked out. End of story read more

I had one of those "It was cool until..." nights. So my group stopped into the Thirsty Nickel, one because I liked the name, two the band was really good and three because they weren't overly packed like all the other bars in the area. Then within 10 minutes the music got louder and a mass of people started pouring in. Things got crazy with the band and crowd, people were pumped, and all of a sudden the drummer goes into a solo. He goes from his drums to a girl holding a beer bottle; they both start walking over to our table as he is playing. He gets over to us (here is where the "It was cool until"), he starts banging on our table and chairs, then our beer glasses, and he did this for so long I was parched. He just kept playing and playing final I couldn't take it anymore, but what was I supposed to do?? I could try to reach for my drink, only to get slapped by the stick; was my drink really worth it?! Or maybe just get crazy, slap the stick out of his hands but then risk the mob and band turning on me. Finally I got so wrapped up in it, I looked down at my drink and turn to this "I think I'm putting on this great show" drummer and give him the "Dude, go away so I can get to my drink" look... lucky for me I didn't take anymore then that. I was smooth sailing the rest of the night. read more

Thirsty’s - Dance Clubs Near Me - Austin, Texas

This has to be one of the WORST MANAGEMENT at any Bar that I've been too. I was physically assaulted by one of the bartenders when honest to the man up stairs. I was staring at him, He called me over to him and then proceeded to grab the back of my head and Slam it on the Bar. Mangers would not give me the persons name that did that to me and also said that there cameras don't work. To top it off I got the cops involved and they were a joke. The Male officer was cracking jokes with the manger and I said what's so funny he said nothing man I've known this manager for years. The cops said that The Manager didn't have to give me the guys name after I was assaulted here. Beware it's a skinny male somewhat tall has a hat and wore it backwards Don't look at him too much he might snap on you like he did me. The cops told me that you are in other words out of luck. And said that if his cameras Don't records there's no proof. read more

I thought I should share my story as my wife and I had a bad experience at this place. Between sets at sxsw my wife and I we sitting at the back bar (for our first drink of the night), and we noticed an inebriated immature adult dancing on the bar with a bar stool on his chest. Did I mention he was in ski boots and swim trunks? Come to find out through the bartender, Brendan, was the owner of the bar. After he slipped and fell on the bar and regained his footing he waited for his bouncers and approached us asking 'who did it?'. After telling him there was nobody who assisted his fall, he kicked us out for being 'laughing assholes'. I find his behavior unprofessional and a poor reflection of the 6th street bar scene. read more

I was showing an out-of-towner around. When we walked past Thirsty Nickel, the guy outside said, "Hey guys, there's free pizza and BBQ in here!" Dubiously, I asked him what the catch was. "There's no catch. Just walk in and grab some." So we went in and helped ourselves and sat at the bar. The first problem came when my buddy looked at the bartender to order, but waited until the bartender was done with those people. The bartender took my friend looking at him in some other way because he said in a rude tone that he was going to finish with that order first. Well, duh. Strike one, this was a Sunday afternoon with maybe 50 people in the establishment and 10 at the bar. No need for an unfriendly tone, which bothered my friend, but I tried to move past it. Then he came over to us and my friend wanted to order a Coke. He asked us for our IDs, and as we were pulling them out, he told us in a rude tone that we needed to order alcohol. "You can't come in and eat our free pizza and not order alcohol. If you don't drink alcohol then you have no business being at a bar." Me being a person who doesn't drink and having had more than plenty of fun sober memories at other bars everywhere took great offense to this. I understand the situation. I get it. I'm not stupid. My friend would have been more than willing to order alcohol, but there's something unwelcoming about the tone this crummy bartender took so we got up and left. This place can kiss my ass. read more

yall fucked up I'm a local will never step foot in there again an will tell everyone the same. was always treated like a friend by Steve but apparently they done communicate. too many choices by thirsty nipples read more

Went to this place for xmas. First they false advertise that they had 5 dollar pitches of beers and thats what had sold me and my gf so we where like cool let go. When we get to the counter. They lady was like qe dont sell beer pitches and we where like ???? Okay whatever we let it go and just order a regular beer. At the end our tab was 39 dollars when my first two beer where only 7 dollars and i only had 9 so it shouldve been. 31.5 i sign and put tip as cash because i never add tips to my card always cash . So my total was 39 that i had signed for plus 9 dollars we left cash tip. To only find out they had charged me a tab of 35 dollars not 39 and then and extra 20 dollar fee for god know what. If thats they way you guys run business to keep open and steal from people my suggestion to the owner is shut down if you can afford to stay open and have to charge people hidden fees. read more

I walked in here with a friend for a quick drink before heading to the airport. Despite the generally fratty atmosphere (a negative in my book), I was surprised by how friendly the bartender was - we ordered Blue Moons and, as a consolation for lacking citrus to complement our hefeweizen, the bartender poured shots of orange rum into our bottles. This was delicious and awesome. read more

The guitar player was entertaining but the female bartender was more interested in sitting on the cooler and gambling in some dice game.anytime we needed something she acted as if we were intruding on her day.will not be back.she had no personality,don't think we saw her smile once. read more

been a year since i was last there. this time was better but still not what i would call a good experience. the same bartender was last time followed me out the bar and got in my face was still there and still had a shit attitude. from acting like a dick to the sound guy who was there trying to fix the issue to doing more shots than i could order drinks (it would have been far too much effort for him to step away from his friends and his shots of Patron to actually serve paying customers drinks). they ran out of two different drinks before the 3rd inning of the Cubs game as well. the Cubs viewing party didnt fail, just the bar itself! read more