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

Nice and quiet bar, a little bit low key. This is the kind of bar you take a date to or just to gab with your friends. The bartenders are super nice and inviting! I enjoyed my drink, but you can't really mess up a vodka cranberry. read more

Okay, so....adorable. The boys behind the bar won major, major points for tuning into Project Runway this evening. Srsly. Even though we had a hard time hearing it, it still was one of the best evenings I've had out with the ladies in a while. Dirty Bill's is the dive bar that isn't, meaning that it is clean, comfortable and completely lacking pretension. It's manly, but is willing to cater to the ladies. It's already a favorite of mine! read more

Had such a good time at Dirty Bills! Bar was obeying all Covid rules but it was great to be out and have some socializing and beverages ! read more

I love this place and it's cheap craft beer. I love the absence of d-bags. I love the random iPod. I love the Sucio. read more

Got a message saying my purse I had left was here, came by a week later and was told my purse was no longer there. Received another message a week later it had been a staff theft and an employee named Ekkoe had stolen my purse. Incredibly disappointing and simply an act of theft. read more

New doorman is awful. Rude and aggressive. We went here Saturday night. Used to know the previous doorman who left recently. Will never be returning on how he treated my female friend that day with no care in the world. AWFUL. Go next door to any other bar. You will thank me later. read more

First stop of the night, Loved the music and fun vibe but when the bartender said "I didn't even look at you and you started yelling your fucking order at me" (mind you he was standing at the exact opposite side of the bar from me) is when I was done. Too bad one person in my party already had a drink or we would have left immediately. Someone else in my party turns and says "do you know him or did he just say that to you?!" NOPE no clue who the asshole is. The bartender came back around and my friends ordered a drink, why... because we were waiting for the other person to finish theirs. He asked what I wanted and I gave him a piece of my mind and not a damn dollar of my business. There are other bars with the same fun vibe and better customer service, I won't be back. read more

Dirty Bill's - Response on my Facebook review - Dive Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

An aptly named place - Dirty Bill's - emphasis on the "Dirty" of course because I don't know who Bill is, but I assume he is quite soiled. Ha ha okay, I am through being cheese. So Dirty Bill's is, here's a shocker - a dive bar. It's pretty no frills with a few arcade games and mp3 jukebox. The bar itself is an elongated pathway from the entrance - it's not particularly spacious, but will do if you're with a few good friends looking to kick back a few drinks. Dirty Bill's definitely has a "neighborhood" kind of feel. A place for the locals to gather and meet and meet up with one another - I can't fathom this being a good ole' college bar for the fraternity and sorority crowd, but I'm sure it's happened before. In my limited experiences the bartenders are pretty terrific - served quickly, fair prices and if you choose to engage in chit chat with them - they will respond quite eagerly. Nothing I like more than the reliable Texan friendliness. I guess I should mention you shouldn't smoke too closely to the entrance here - they didn't opt for the additional permit for that? So take your tobacco elsewhere should you need a nicotine fix. read more

It's not a dive bar if your well liquor is Tito's and you get charged $10 a drink during happy hour. Keagan sucks and is super rude also. Not a cool bar. Go anywhere else. read more

I love this bar so much. It's so divey, but the music is always great, the staff and bartenders are so nice and it just feels like home. The layout of the bar is extremely conducive to meeting people, so it's a great place to make friends, dates or whatever. Somehow the bathroom lines always manage to stay short too. West can be a mess, but Dirty Bills is a great little read more

Most fun place on the whole street by far. Great music, strong cocktails, and always a great time. Anybody who says otherwise doesn't know what a good time is, especially the person who rated this place 1 star bc they were called out for not tipping. Gtfo and stay out - you obviously have no class (or money, cheapskate!) read more

Despite my best judgement, my friends insisted that this is the coolest bar off of West 6th. The door guy was sitting down on a bar stool, which is always a bad first impression. The music apparently came from one of those "classy" internet jukeboxes that allow just about anyone with $1 to put the worst music on. There were three bartenders working all on the same end of the bar although it was not that busy. One of the bartenders did manage to make it to the other side of the bar occasionally only to keep her head down and to wash glasses. If you screamed at her, as one of my friends did, she would get you a drink and throw your change down on the bar. I found customer service lacking and the atmosphere to be douche-y. To add insult to injury, I posted something about my experience at the bar here on Twitter only to be harassed by people I assume to be representatives of the bar! To the woman on Twitter that invited me on a blind date on Wednesday, I hope you are the manager or the owner- Maybe I'll be there to talk to one of them about this! I work in the service industry downtown and have never been so offended by a bar as to leave a bad review before. Stay away from Dirty Bills and don't be intimidated by the bar on Twitter! There are much better places to spend your hard earned money! read more

I was having a solitary drink at the bar one night, having told Carlos the bartender, "I need a little" with just a gesture. My Irish whiskey came quickly, and the beer that chased it was tall, cheap and cold. That's when I heard a growl in my ear from the fella next to me. "You know that guy?" he asked, the sneer in his gravelly voice unmistakable. I didn't even need to look up from my glass to see whom he was talking about. Maggots like him are always looking for trouble. "Yeah, that's Dirty Bill. You wanna be looking some place else, cully." Dirty Bill's gaze, meanwhile, never wavered. The wanna-be tough guy chuckled unconvincingly under his breath, which was as foul as a witch's bung whole. "Don't look like much to me," he growled. "Well, that's his way," I said, feigning disinterest but switching my glass to my left hand all the same, letting my right fall near the butt of the big iron on my hip. "This is his place, after all, I suppose he can look how he likes." I finished my whiskey, setting the glass on the bar and giving the mouthy stranger next to me a hard look. He was ugly, all right, with mean dullard's eyes, dirt on his neck and teeth that looked as nasty as his breath smelled. I shifted my gaze back right, making that gesture again, the index finger of my hand touching the thumb, moving slightly up and down as if to say, Just a touch more, barkeep, No need to be a hero. My hands said that, but my eyes shot Carlos a glance that warned him that trouble was brewing. Carlos recognized both my drink order and my concern, and shot his own look at both Dirty Bill and the stranger. Dirty Bill's gaze still never wavered. And that's when it happened. "Hell, if was wearing that stupid lookin' hat on that stupid lookin' head, I'd be findin' ..." My right hand moved with speed that baffled the eye, clearing blued steel from leather in a rush, the left hand never dropping the whiskey. The cocking of the hammer silenced the bar like a church. The maggot stopped mid-sentence as he felt the cold steel of the barrel pressed against his cheek. His eyes widened in stupid surprise, though his sneer never left his face. "Now you want to watch your mouth, maggot. Dirty Bill's is a nice place, despite it's blue collar feel and laid back vibe. This might look like neighborhood bars in New York or Chicago, and the drinks may be cheaper than anywhere on West 6th, but you need to remember that this is Austin, and Dirty Bill, he's got friends. Just take a look around." The maggot's eyes flitted about the bar, and now real fear opened on his face like a blooming rose, as he saw the myriad of eyes looking down at him now, all Dirty Bill's friends. "Finish up, and move on, " I said, " or you're gonna meet one of Dirty Bill's friends that you don't wanna, maggot. That'd be Mr. .45 long Colt." I sipped my whiskey coolly, and when the maggot shifted nervously out of the bar, I holstered my iron without another word. Through it all, Dirty Bill's gaze never wavered. read more

This is a much needed sanctuary in the "grown ups" part of 6th Street, where the neighborhood is dotted with flip-flop, pitcher drinkers and starched-up Goose splurgers. Dirty Bill's offers a medium between the two, which is the kind of bar that made Austin great to begin with. The most glaring feature is the rail-car design of the bar, which is prevalent in places like New York or Europe, but unique to Austin, making its intentions as a raucous dive-bar very much believable. The owner, bartender, and on down to the doorguy are extremely pleasant and give off a CBGB vibe, as though Dirty Bill's is a detoured tavern on an eclipsed side street of a buzzing downtown bar district. Prices are Austin-cheap, which is a few dollars below typical big-city prices. My favorite choice behind the bar is the newly "imported" (outside of Missouri, for clarification) Boulevard Wheat. I'm impressed that they made this a tap-choice, which is yet another gravitational draw back to DB's. read more

This is your basic dive bar. It is a very small, intimate place on W 6th. If you're going with a group you will most likely be standing. There are two U-shaped tables and some small desk like places where someone can sit and the other person stand. People LOVE this place. Closer to midnight this place got packed. There is hardly any diversity here though..as far as the customer. Staff is nice and drinks are good. read more

This was one of the ABSOLUTE WORST experiences I've had at a bar in Austin. The bartender was so incredibly rude. We asked him why he was acting that way and he proceeded to let us know that we were "lucky" that he allowed us to open up a tab. Is it a privilege to be able to open up a tab at a bar? That's news to me. After the bartender continued with his nasty comments, our friends mother decided to step in defend us. The bartender PROMPTLY snatched her drink away from her and chunked it dramatically in the trash. At that point we decided it was best to leave and as we were walking out the door the same bartender screamed "WHY ARE YOU SO OLD?" at our friend's mother. I have never seen someone treated that way at a bar. I was absolutely appalled. Anyways, I hope that you all will PLEASE take this review into consideration when deciding whether or not to visit this bar. One of my favorite things about Austin's bar scene is how friendly and welcoming the bartenders always are -- this was an absolute embarrassment. read more

I don't care if this is the worst gay bar in Austin, I love it anyway. This bar has got the three-D's down to a science - divey, dark and drunk. They definitely don't take anything seriously, and that makes it extra awesome. Beer, booze, video games, an ultra-expensive internet jukebox and friendly bartenders. What more do you need? Oh, and I should note: they don't have champagne glasses, so if you try to order the Champagne of Beers, you'll have to drink it from a pint glass. read more

This place is Terrible!!! I went on a busy Friday night and was told by the Bouncer at the Door that they were at capacity. Once I turned around and walked 5 feet he let the person behind me right in. Then as I was explaining the situation to the two girls I was with he hailed me over and let me in. This is definitely a small bar but it is not a dive bar, because a dive bar should never be this packed. I could barely squeeze my way through to get to the end of the bar. I didn't even bother trying to get a drink. From the reviews I was expecting something completely different, but I saw the same crowd you come to expect from the area except a bit drunker (Which isn't a good thing) and without the hot girls. I walked out feeling dirty and violated then went across the street to Starbar where there is always room to breathe. read more

A well-heeled party of six is comfortably enjoying drinks and conversation at the Belmont. One member of the party, a toupeed, pseudo-hipster, INSISTS that we go to Dirty Bill's, this cool new bar. We'll LOVE it. Promise. Me: It's not a dive, is it? Him: No, it's not a dive. Me: It *really* sounds like a dive ... A pedicab ride later, and we're at our new destination. And it's definitely a dive. imagine a bar the size of a stripped-out Greyhound bus. The door of the latrine has been left open, and the stench is overwhelming. We're packed in like sardines, shoulder to shoulder, yelling at each other over the sound of music and other people's conversations. "At capacity?" Right ... I'm thinking that this has to be a fire hazard. The gnome theme/pictures were amusing for about two minutes. Then the wait began for our drinks -- which we never got, because after a half hour and no bar service, we were seriously outta there. Sweating profusely. Ears ringing. Vocal cords throbbing. And, god help me, I'm actually thinking: "I'm way too old for this." Dirty Bill's might have been an amusing but largely forgettable little jaunt during my college days, but this was one of the single worst bars I've had the (dis)pleasure of experiencing as an adult. Might be tolerable during the week in the early evening, when you have a chance at actually getting seated ... and served. read more

Many places advertise and promise to be a dive bar. Though in reality it's just a bar. I assure you this is a dive bar at its finest. What makes a good, fun dive bar. Inexpensive drinks, a positive attitude, cheap thrills and a good crowd there trying to have fun. Bar is a bit narrow in the middle and it could get a tad hot inside but you should be fine. It wasn't too packed while I was there, though I could see that problem occurring based upon the setup of the place. In the end, this is where you want to go for a fun dive bar experience in Austin. read more

This is my new favorite bar, and not only because one of the owners is my gym husband. Seriously, it's got a great atmosphere in the middle of what has become West Douche Street. I feel totally at home here watching Project Runway and sipping on an ice cold Topo Chico. HOLY SHIT I'M SO LAME! No, but seriously, I like it. It's long and narrow reminding me of a few bars in college that I used to love, and lots of bars in the northeast that are dark and cozy. The kicker for this bar though, is the case of Phish ticket stubs and other memorabilia that I could sit and stare at all night. It takes me right back to my days of parking lot grilled cheese and long flowy skirts and spinning to Page kickin my ass with a piano solo during YEM. Wash your feetsies and drive me to Fierenze indeed. The biggest bonus? I didn't hear one Phish song while I was there. I totally outgrew that phase in case no one noticed... read more

I have no idea how anyone could have looked at this space before the bar was here and thought "what a great place for a little bar"! - but they really pulled it off. Although the sign up the street at another establishment says tiniest bar in texas, I think DBs might want to challenge them. This place is really small - super narrow and not real long. They manage to make it work well though. The bar takes up the majority of the East wall, but they have some seating areas both at the bar and along the West wall. People tend to stand in between, but somehow there is enough space to move about. This is not your typical Ranch or J Blacks crowd. Most of the people here look like they either walked over from Wahoo's or rode down on their skateboards or BMX bikes. Everyone is chill and seems to just get along with everyone else - a nice change of pace from all the roid-rage and frat-mania that surrounds this place. A couple TVs typically have skating, biking or boarding videos on - why can I not stop watching the ones where people hurt themselves? Great service always. A few video games in the front - no food service. Check it out. read more

The good: Nothing else like this bar in west 6th district. I feel like I'm in a NYC bar. The crowd and staff is usually all about having a drink and relaxing while enjoying some great music. What more can you ask for in a bar? The bad: It is dark so don't expect to see much. Also it is also small and narrow so if you're claustrophobic this is not the bar for you. read more

This place is awful. Some girl was checking our ids on the way into the bar. Then as we got in, a guy stopped me and asked for my birth year. I said 1994 and he asked for my id. I was already id'd on the way in so I was confused and said I already got Id'd. He kept telling me to get out because supposedly I gave him attitude but honestly I just had no idea why I was being id'd twice. This bar was super disorganized and unprofessional. I felt so discriminated against. read more

This was a nice place. I loved the disco balls and the Christmas lights. It was in a great location. Good music choice decent drink choices. It was a little dirty but hey it's Dirty Bills. And big plus... cable tv.. IN COLOR! read more

The sign looks like an upright poop in front of a double handled mug. The bar is uncomfortably narrow and annoying to walk through. That is all. read more

I walked into Dirty Bill's and took a look around. I thought to myself the following: This place is narrow. Like boxcar narrow. But, also long. Like a rectangle... or boxcar. Cool. This place is dim. Like I don't realize how drunk I am cause I've been sitting in the dark, but when I stand up and go outside the light hits me and I realize I should've stopped at the 3rd glass of $3 wine. OMG!!! There is a Mrs. Pac-Man machine. Please let it be the fast version. Please. Please. Please. YES! It's the fast version. Wait a minute... it looks like I can also play Donkey Kong and Galaga among 15 other games on this machine. Holy. Crap. Is the TV playing one of those fashion decorating challenge shows? Why, yes. Yes it is. Sweet beer selection. Look! They even have Colorado's Dale's Pale Ale on tap. I'll have one to remind myself of home. I wish this place was in Colorado... I highly recommend this place to locals and out-of-towners alike. It's a classically awesome bar. If for nothing else, the pictures of Dirty Bill (a gnome) alone. read more

DB's doesn't give a fuck what my Yelp review says. And I like that. I've had a midget dump a bucket of ice on our table. I've had a tranny hit on me. They sell Grape Chiroc on select nights. A lot of gansta rap most nights. The bathroom is technically open to the public. The have a tv. And liquor. And a door. What's really funny is that this place is surrounded on all sides by places that are going for the exact opposite crowd. A good place to hide! read more

We come to this bar almost every time we go out. One of our favs because of the music and vibe. However, had a horrible experience last night. We were ordering drinks from Corey and he poured us shots with just about a splash in it. We mentioned it, in a joking manner, and he got extremely defensive, took the drinks away and wouldn't serve us. We tried to speak to him but he completely ignored us, served everyone around us and kept looking at us with a smile. We approached the manager, Leslie I believe, and she wouldn't even give us the time of day. We mentioned what had happened and was very rude and told us to leave and tough luck. Not one to write reviews however because of the experience we had a place we really enjoy, just felt it was right. read more

There is something I really, really love about this place. Is it possibly the skate/bmx vibe this place gives off? Maybe. Regardless of what "it" is, I love this bar. For starters, the A/C works great. That goes a long way in the summer. Then add in the fact that there is $2 Coors everyday on tap. Yes. That alone is why I want to go there. There is a bike rack right outside. There is food next door. And across the street. Yes, you are very close to West 6th Street. But this bar is special. The people that work here are nice. The people that go here are nice. It's a very 'go hang out and watch TV when you are bored' bar. And the bartenders don't care. Another plus for the video games in the corner. And the gnome that is infamous. I haven't figured out if he is the "Dirty Bill" but with a bar this sweet, I don't really care either. And the limo....ahhh ask about the limo! read more

This is like a Dirty 6th bar on West. IN LOVE. Me and a few friends came here after Kung Fu Saloon since it's right across the street. Great drink specials :) We were drinking Coors Light all night long. And apparently, if you ask the bartender Carlos for just a little bit and do the motion with your thumb and index finger he'll pour you a shot of whiskey! Fantastic! read more

Oh yea, yet another fun local spot with MAGIC HAT 9! I love that beer and I love this bar. Definitely a dive, killer beer selection, cool peeps and NO HIPSTERS!!! At least for now. The coolest part of this bar is all the pictures of Dirty Bill (The Roaming Garden Gnome) with celebrities and band members of all types. From Les Claypool to Modest Mouse or Bill Murray, that little guy gets around. Check out all the cool tunes on the Jukebox too! read more

The Anti-West-6th-Street bar and a very welcome change a scene of starched shirts, rooftop decks, calamari, and walls of plasma TVs. This is our best 'big city bar' laid out blue-collar shotgun style, no windows, and a couple TVs around so you have something at which to point and bitch (e.g. That Colt McCoy, what a pussy) Facts: - Service is always stellar and super-friendly - Drink Specials - no nickel pitchers or anything, but it's refreshing to find any discounts in this area - No Kitchen - Best collection of photos in the city - Bill (garden gnome) with many famous folks - great conversation starter for a date (You hate Lance Armstrong? Me too!!!) - Yes, parking sucks here too - but you really should be riding your bike anyway read more

Is there any bar in the entire W. 6th neighborhood that even comes close? Are there any bartenders that do their job better than at DB's? Are there any back booth tables that are darker? Nay. I say nay, good sir. Come together with one friend or a crew, and sit on the pew style bench. Feel the love and fellowship. Recommended nights: Wednesdays, for a rotating crew of DJ's, mostly hip hop Sundays, for GoGo Garcia's enabling of Sunday Funday evenings read more

We parked it here on a chilly thursday night and proceeded to drink A lot. What started out as a pretty empty shotgun style bar quickly turned into a packed house. The drinks were pretty strong (or was I drinking doubles?) and people were friendly and inevitably started a dance floor. Loving the gnome theme, pretty reasonably priced drinks and a respite from the popped collar set. Plus, TOTAL bonus: They have a Dirty limo that will pick you up and bring you to bills. Seriously. read more

To quote Bette Davis, "What a dump!" Hey, we were, at least, forewarned. It is exactly as advertised: DIRTY. Walking in, the first sensory experience is DARK. Next, COOL. Then, STICKY. As in, your shoes stick to the floor. We just wanted a late afternoon cocktail without a lot of students and the place wasn't too busy. Well, that changed quickly. We sat at the odd little tables (which were quite functional) and watched the place fill up with loud groups of disparate types. Interesting mixed clientele. A fight almost broke out (the offenders were asked to leave.) Y'all enjoy yourselves. read more

Dirty and the guys love to have people out for any event, but they cater to the people who just want to hide out in the bar. Tuesday night's are cult movie night with all the trimmings. Instead of going through the hassle of Alamo Drafthouse, you just walk in get your White Russian and sit down and get some Lebowski. Thanks to Carlos and the killer staff. read more

"Here Comes the Neighborhood," I growled as I walked through the doors. I wouldn't have felt comfortable enough in any of the other bars on this block to do that. I also wouldn't have felt like telling some goofy old punk rocker stories or wearing flip flops into downtown if we had been going anywhere else. This is a comfortable bar. If you can be comfortable in a bar the width of a train car, with pictures of a well traveled gnome, a barstaff who wears all black and is just as willing to give you the finger as serve you a beer I would say this is the place for you. That isn't to say they aren't nice, they are. I just have respect for people who aren't ready and willing to outright kiss my ass. I would liken sycophantic servers to having an adviser like Rasputin. You know, the guy who brought Tsar Nicholas to his doom. Okay, so that's reaching. But I would also be inclined to say that sometimes getting drunk is a lot like going into battle. Good bar, cheap tallboys, cool staff, and good company. The only thing other than that I like to see is interesting people. Oh it's got that too... read more

You won't find me in Dirty Bill's on a weekend. But that's not a bad thing. It's a terrific space for weeknight drinking with a couple of pals, but the narrow space could easily get overcrowded if more people like it as much as I did. On the night I met up with Yelp's own fantasy football nuts here, I was the only woman in the place (with about 30 guys) until fellow Yelper Erika G. showed up. That's not a bad thing, either. Aside from one guy making some tipsy googly-eyes in my direction, I felt totally at ease. It avoids the typical downtown bar missteps -- it's neither fratty, nor meat-markety, nor too dirty to touch anything, nor themed-cheesy, nor full of shiny-shirted sleazeballs. Tap beer selection is versatile and narrowly tailored, bottles offer more options, and the liquors are standards. Music (from the juke box) leaned toward the rock hits a bunch of straight guys can listen to together without feeling awkward -- nothing too sentimental, few female singers, nothing too heavy or dated. Atmosphere is jovial (though I'm actually not a fan of the namesake gnome, Dirty Bill), bartender was generally prompt, and bathrooms were perfectly serviceable, with some fun mural work on the walls. I'll be back whenever it comes up as a weeknight beer option. read more