This is an awesome area in Austin. Great for young crowds with all the bars, families to take a stroll, and older crowd to sit outside, have a drink, and people watch. Electric Taxi buses were cool, all lit up and blinged out. Only downside is all the abandoned electric scooters. Come on people, at least put them out of the way instead of just strewn out on the street. read more

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Listen. I get it. Rainey Street used to be the cool trendy hip Austin thing like no other. Then we ruined it. It got so good we kicked it in its teeth, removed half of it and added more polished versions or huge condos. I hear that. I understand. We move on. It's still Rainey Street, the sign for the Street is the same. There are more polished things but a lot of the old are still operating and rocking. 1/2 step is solid for an amazing cocktail. Bangers is a nice beer garden addition. The Hotel Van Zandt that went in is whatever. But Geraldine's on the 4th floor, choice. Views you could never get on Rainey before you now can. So, there is a lot to still be said for Rainey. It's a great choice to hit up a lot of options. 6th Street can get aggressive and too crowded sometimes. Rainey is here to help. read more

Great little street to wander up and down. We especially enjoyed food bring a restaurant with seating in the front so we could people watch. Many great food choices including Mexican, American, and sweet desserts. If you are looking for a less chaotic version of 6th street - this is your place. read more

This place is a nice cool spot with a bunch of bars in the area Everything you need for a fun filled night is available You go bar hop and then head back around the area the the food truck area and choose one of the many options for food read more

Are you tired of drunken underage kids vomiting their way across dirty sixth? How about the pretentious vibes and those vodka tonic drinkers on West Sixth? Not in the mood for some clubby music on fourth and fifth streets? Well do we have you covered! Come on over to Rainey Street and enjoy a plethora of bars converted from quaint little houses. There's various styles of music featured at all the bars and I must say one of my favorite ones is the Container Bar. No need of running into club kids, as this street is more of a kickback and knock bar a few drinks (or 10) type of scene. The music is great but you'll find ample seating at these bars. Everyone is dressed pretty casual on this street and there's plenty of food options when you're craving a late night bite. So grab your friends and enjoy a night or a Sunday Funday here. read more

THEY CALL IT "GENTRIFICATON"; I CALL IT A FRIGGIN' SHAME. It's clear that NOBODY who's posted a review of the Rainey St. "District" (so far) has lived in Austin for more than, maybe FIVE MINUTES. They never considered that this used to be a NEIGHBORHOOD, not a Bar "District". Let me quote from the Federal Aviation Administration: "A condition where the plane descended to a level below that of the ground." What's that, you ask? That's the FAA's definition of a PLANE CRASH. It doesn't sound quite as bad, when ya put it THAT way, does it? "GENTRIFICATION" is the same thing; a polite-sounding word for a despicable practice; NOTHING polite about it. Nothing I can do to stop it, but that's not gonna stop me from COMPLAINING. If you're not familiar with the term, look it up; I'm not your Teacher. If you find yourself using the term, and you're not a detractor, YOU are probably the offender. Or as I see it, the enemy. I'd call the "Gentrification" of Rainey St. more of a TRAIN WRECK myself. I've seen neighborhood after neighborhood get "GENTRIFIED". Many times it's a residential neighborhood, where properties are bought up and "improved". Sometimes it involves Bulldozing down a perfectly good structure, whose architecture "fits" with the neighborhood it's situated in. Then, ya put up some architectural MONSTROSITY that intentionally clashes with everything else around it, that's too big for the lot it sits on, and pat yourself on the back that you got such a "great deal" on the Real Estate you purchased, how "cheap" it was. Of course, some "little people" had to be "displaced" in order to accomplish this. Many had their homes paid off, with manageable property taxes, 'till a group of Corporate (or Private) developers came in and basically "took over". Suddenly, property values start skyrocketing, and they can't afford to live there anymore. Problem is, they were there FIRST. But that doesn't matter, especially to the invaders that moved in, unwelcome and uninvited. It's usually a gradual process of "takeover"; by the time the surrounding (and surrounded) neighbors realize what's going on, it's too late. Rainey St. is just the most recent example of this process, except that THIS time, we now have ANOTHER "Bar District", like we really NEED one? I don't live there, but I remember when Rainey St. was a quiet little neighborhood, with FAMILIES living there, people like you and I. Well, like me, anyway; I can't speak for you. Most of 'em are gone, but I see a few "holdouts", a few homes where people are still RESIDING. I'm sure it's only a matter of time, but I applaud them anyway. And the longer they stay, the more they'll be able to squeeze outta those greedy Developer-bastards. Not a thing wrong with that, IMHO. So, I can't really "rate" the businesses that have taken over the area, because of the methods used so they could locate there. But I might review some of the Food Trailers. And that's only because they can MOVE, and they'll probably get pushed out too, eventually. I've posted some pictures of what Rainey St. looks like as of the tail-end of June, 2013. NOT pictures of the businesses that are now there; I'll leave it to others to do that, and they will. I didn't caption all of the pictures; I think the un-captioned ones speak for themselves. I want you to see what your "boutique" restaurant / bar looked like BEFORE Rainey St. got overrun. The now-empty, boarded-up shells are the former homes of real people. Do ya think that many people decided to just get up and move, all at once, of their OWN VOLITION? Wish I'd taken pictures of S. Lamar "before". I shoulda seen THAT one coming; my former residence, Bluebonnet @ Frazier, was an early casualty, many years back now. Now it's a bunch of pretty lil' McMansions. I used to mow my elderly next-door neighbor's yard (Mrs. Nitschke); she'd keep me stuffed with veggies from her half-acre garden! Her house is gone too. "My" (rent) house, on the corner, now just a memory, was "The Old Frazier House", at one time a huge place, and probably historic. Hey, is there a street out there named after YOU? Me neither, unless ya count "Larry Ln.", off E.38th St. No, that doesn't count. But we MUST Bulldoze the "old" to make way for the "new"; that's what's called "Progress", right? At least the "Warehouse District" was just THAT, before it went commercial. Just a bunch largely unused warehouses; nobody had to be kicked out to create it. Not so with Rainey St. Or, "RAINIE" St., as one person calls it. Just adds insult to injury. But it will make an ideal Playground for all the folks in the Condos, just down the street. So to all you Pub-Crawlers, enjoy your new "District", but the pictures posted serve as a reminder that it came at a PRICE. Hope it was worth it; did I ruin yer buzz? ....Naaaaaah! Party on, Austin... larrythediner . read more

Such a cool concept! This is a great place to go bar hopping south of downtown Austin. There are a lot of old houses converted into bars and funky dive restaurants. The old homes all look to have been built around a century ago, and have been gutted and reinforced to hold up to rowdy parties, live bands, and beer! There are food trucks dispersed up and down the area, with lots of places to grab some grub, or find a portapotty. The area with bars and restaurants is spread over several blocks up and down Rainey St, so I'd recommend biking it. Parking can be challenging through here. The bars and restaurants along here vary in price and theme, so be sure to check them all out. read more

This is the most amazing concept ever. Find an area with a bunch of uninhabited, dilapidated, or otherwise unwanted houses. Turn every house into a house party complete with bars backyard games, and beer pong and what do you have? Rainey Street! Although people come and go on Rainey and some businesses are clearly catered for the potentially not 21 and over ... this place is still awesome. You can park in the lot, and just walk around and "house hop" between the various bars here. My favorites are Clive, Craft Pride and Icehauser (sp?) The staff at every bar is usually friendly, and this area is frequented by cabbies, and uber / lyft drivers alike so you will have no problems finding a ride home. Definitely worth checking out! read more

This is a must when you are in Austin. Skip Sixth street! Rainey Street offers a trendy, sophisticated row of bars. There may be the occasional drunk college kid, but it is not as full of them as Sixth Street. Also, I feel like the bars in Rainey Street offer quality drinks than the junk they serve on Sixth Street. Rainey Street isn't as big, but it offers a good amount of bars. You also get different variations. From modern bars like Container Bar and more laid back bars like Banger's. If you're hungry, feel free to make a stop at some of their small food vendors. Also, the whole street is well maintained. FYI - if you're parking at the lot after 8pm, there is a flat fee of $5 (no proration). read more

Super fun, nice crowd, good places to drink. This is the heart of Austin fun!!! Nice for an afternoon or evening with a group of friends! read more

Ugh. It does *not* feel more grown up than 6th Street, as one Yelper has claimed, that is silly. 6th is at least grungy/gross/fun. Rainey is the land where the basic bitches roam free. It started off as a cool concept, and it's architecturally nice, but, I mean really folks. read more

When in Austin and interested in good, sophisticated live music and drink, GO TO RAINEY STREET. 'Half step' is a great craft cocktail joint, 'Craft Pride' has excellent Texas craft beer choices and live music, and 'Lucille' had a nice vibe complete with hammocks and fans with misters (important in the Summer). Great energy on this street. An Austin experience. read more

Meh. Austin condescendence settled among neat old homes. Something about the whole area just didn't settle right with me and my wife. Bartenders at three places were rude, something my wife and I rarely encounter. Seemed the whole area (with a few exceptions) were a bit stuck on themselves. I've not encountered this before, so it was an awkward scenario. Maybe it was because we were in our 50's and this is geared to younger affluent scenes? Not sure. The food trucks were mostly closed, so not many food options st 5pm on a Saturday. We tried various pubs, stayed several hours, and then went to another area to have fun. Just wasn't our scene. read more

We went to every bar on rainey street that night, no joke. So fun, the people are extremely nice, none of those creepers like in LA, hmm tx is only mid way for CA and MD........ Anyways, do check it out, it looks totally different during the day time. read more

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A street full of house parties. Rainey Street is a collection of renovated houses turned into bars. They all have different vibes and themes to them, which is a lot of fun. Be warned, it gets P A C K E D quite often, especially with bachelorette parties. There are also plenty of food trucks around if you get a case of the munchies after bar-hopping. If you love visiting new bars and exploring different night life spaces, you must visit Rainey. Not in to night life? Steer clear, there are hordes of quite drunk people everywhere and lots of music. That being said, you could catch a calmer atmosphere early evening on a weekday if you still want the experience minus the crowds. read more

Fun street for all your boozing escapades. Hop around the many historic country houses turned bars and enjoy the slow flow of Texas y'all. read more

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I was recently in Austin for a bachelorette party and we all loved Rainey Street. I was here on a Saturday afternoon, and then again on Sunday evening for the EAGLES(!) vs Dallas football game. On Saturday we visited several bars with a group of 17 girls. We started at beer garden, then went to the fun place across the street with the slide and big giraffe, and honestly I know we went to at least one more bar after that but the exact details are slightly fuzzy. That giraffe bar had some pretty strong (but good) drinks! Sunday evening we went to one outside bar that had a full dance floor at 6pm! After that we went to more of a sports bar with a food truck outside that severed delicious chicken and tater tots. I feel like Rainey Street is something that every college town should have. It's a super fun atmosphere with lots of selections of bars. read more

We enjoyed our time here a lot more than we did on 6th Street. A lot more music, better drinks, and a tamer crowd. Really good music! The drinks were good quality. Loved all the food trucks. We had a great time! read more

When you don't want to the touristy side of Austin, Rainey Street is the place to be. I love it because it is a very chill atmosphere from each bar to the various food trucks. I've come at night and during daytime and had fun. If you want to have a good Sunday Funday, Rainey Street is the place to go. Do you have a dog and have don't want to leave them, bring them to Rainey Street. They also have live bands on Sundays. Most bars are pet friendly. I did not no that until this past weekend. If you are lucky try to get good parking on the street. If not there is a parking lot, but you have to pay for parking. read more

This street is a must visit when in Austin! I love this section of the city. It's a gem where there lots of great eateries, drink and music. The vibe coming in to this little street is incredible! Go here for fun! read more

A fun night out, very walkable with enough food and drinks around to keep you happy. Gets pretty busy around 10-11pm (and onwards, I'm sure) on a Saturday. I prefer it as it feels a little more "grown up" than 6th Street. read more

This place is amazing! Sadly, I wish we could be visited this place on a weekend before it got too late. There are a ton of bars and food trucks to visit. We got here late on a Monday night and stopped in at craft bar to grab some locals beers. Pretty chill place, they have a N64(Mario party and others) and service was excellent. Our bartender was friendly and knowledgable and recommended some good things for us out of towners. Outside behind the bar is a pizza food truck along with a nice outdoor patio. The pizza was a bit pricey however it was one of the best pizza I've had. Pizza isn't about how cheesy or how many toppings you can fit. It's about the sauce/dough and was truly flawless! I recommend grabbing a beer to drink with. With that said, come early when the food trucks and bars are open. I'll be sure to stop here again on my next visit to Austin. read more

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Rainey St is amazing. Great live music: I was lucky to catch some country, rock and jazz. Drinks are nice, and the food trucks serve some good food. Just loved the vibe here! read more

This place is awesome!! So many different places to check out. Cool fun atmosphere with good drinks, good music and good food, up and down the street. You can start on one side of the street and go all the way down then cross over and come back down the other side. Gotta check this area out! read more

Great area of Austin to enjoy an evening out with friends. From Craft Pride, Bangers and the great selection of food trucks, Rainey Street is just a good time. read more

Really enjoyed this small strip of bars. Everything was so convenient and the old houses created a fun atmosphere. Will be back!

Here's the deal: I don't drink, I don't get carded, and the only reason I go to Rainey Street is I like hanging with certain people who do bar crawls there. Since the venues are more alike than different to me, I'm just going to lump them all together under this one heading: Bar 96 It's a bar, it's got booze, and a big patio. http://www.yelp.com/biz/bar-96-austin?sort_by=date_desc The Black Heart It's a bar, it's got booze, and a big patio. http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-black-heart-austin?sort_by=date_desc Lustre Pearl Bar Uh, a bar with booze and a big patio, but the bonus here is hula hooping and the occasional crawfish boils they have. http://www.yelp.com/biz/lustre-pearl-bar-austin?sort_by=date_desc Clive Bar Bar/booze/patio, always crowded but never frenetic. A big distinction for me. http://www.yelp.com/biz/clive-bar-austin?sort_by=date_desc Bar llegal The bar within a bar. How often will you Mezcal? Just do it and cross it off your list. http://www.yelp.com/biz/bar-ilegal-austin?sort_by=date_desc Bungalow Another BBP with possibly the worst Diet Coke ever. Even the bartender thought it was weird. Not a big deal, kind of amusing actually, and just part of a fun Saturday night. http://www.yelp.com/biz/bungalow-austin?sort_by=date_desc The White House I have no idea what this place is. You make a $5 "donation" up front, you get a ticket and a token, you put the token in one of the charity boxes, and you give the ticket to two guys who give you whatever you want to drink, and then tell you to come back for more. Well, okay then. The patio is cool but it was the four food trailers here on Saturday night that appeared to be the main attraction. http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-white-house-austin-2 Javelina I root for the underdog, and that's how I see this place. It's newer, smaller, at the end of the street, and they have food. Hope they do well. http://www.yelp.com/biz/javelina-austin?sort_by=date_desc Lucille Why did I think this was some kind of guitar museum? Smallish but cool patio, hammocks, all day Sunday happy hour. The guy bartenders wouldn't give me the time of day, but the young lady bartender was very sweet. Diet Coke didn't suck, and there wasn't a charge. This is when I tip well. http://www.yelp.com/biz/lucille-austin-2 Banger's Sausage House and Beer Garden This place is more restaurant than bar to me, and probably should get an award just for being in the right place at the right time. Clever concept, smart food, good service, and one enormous patio. There's no way they can't succeed. But you gotta feel for some of the doggies you see in that dog run, who must feel like they've been abandoned for a damn sausage and beer. http://www.yelp.com/biz/bangers-sausage-house-and-beer-garden-austin?sort_by=date_desc Icenhauer's I still think Icenhauer's rules - the best redesign, the best patio fireplace, and the best booze concoctions I've seen on Rainey Street. Let's see how it fares with all the New Kids on the Block. http://www.yelp.com/biz/icenhauers-austin-2?sort_by=date_desc read more

All I have to say is huh? All I have to say about Rainey Street is that it reminds me of college greek parties. The houses turned into bars and restaurants is a neat idea but it definitely attracts a certain type of person namely college frat boys, young drunks, those into status and girls/boys looking to score. I might have caught this place at a bad time but every place was overcrowded partially due to football Sunday. Most had extremely long lines to go into the place and there's a lot of construction going on in this area that makes the roads/sidewalks and traffic horrible. I'll give this area another shot when I come back to ATX but for now this is my take on it. read more

Came here for my friend's bachlorette party. Went to every single bar on the block... I kid you not!!! and drank a sh*tload and had the time of our lives! We ended the night at the foodtrucks, had some super spicy Thai food. Drink responsibly and take Uber there so you don't have to drink and drive! read more

Super cool location in Austin, the selections here! I appreciated all of the scooters here for all the hipsters to bar hop efficiently. Graj-Mahal is the bees-knees though! read more

Rainey Street was about half a mile from JW Marriott which is where we were staying. Took an E-Cab (aka golf cart) over to check it out. We were not disappointed. Live music, old homes converted to bars, food trucks galore...everything I think of when I think of Austin! We visited Lustre Pearl first because the bouncer was sooo nice and invited us in, there's ping pong to play and a great terrace up the stairs and behind the building. Icehauser had a great two man band with guitar and amazing clarinet - go figure. We grabbed a drink at Blackheart which was by far the best drink I've ever tasted - Croquette: Mescal drink with a smokey kick...YUM!! If you don't like crowds go around 5:30-6p as it starts to get crazy after 7p, but if you love the crowds start a little later - to each their own! read more

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Houses/Restaurants/Bars + Food Trucks + Young Professionals (20s & 30s) = Rainey Street This has the makeup of a college frat house but yet it isn't.. Maybe because everybody here is in their 20s and 30s. This is more of an organized social gathering that you would see in the movies. Everybody is mature and enjoying a good old time. The stuff of movies I would tell ya. There are ample of food selection, music, bars so there is a bit for everybody. A lot of tourists come here as well so everybody is pretty friendly and just enjoying themselves. read more

I love this whole area. From what the Cabbie said this area has only been open for a couple of years. It definitely was not around when I was in school. It's perfect for me at this current age. The crowds are a bit older, so probably other graduates coming back to party. The houses are a cool treat, not super packed so you can actually grab a drink, and the prices are not that much more. read more

This is a MUST if you are in Austin. I cannot stress enough how awesome Rainey Street is. A street of converted houses into restaurants and bars. The vibe here is incredible. It really comes to life at night. We checked out a lot of different spots, but from talking to locals, there really isn't a bad one. Highly recommend you peruse and see what strikes your fancy. read more

After dinner we were looking for a place to drink. Earlier in the day someone recommend Rainey Street to us, so I asked my local friend if we should go there. She said, "How about we drive over there and then we decide" knowing full well the answer to that would be no. NO WAY. So we drove over there. It's literally a hipster haven that has been apparently over-run with the American equivalent of chavs. I felt like everyone from Essex had managed to find their way to Austin on a summer night. No thank you. I mean I guess the idea of houses that are now bars is cool (if you're a hipster). And food trucks are always nice, but why would anyone want to deal with the awful people that are drunkenly staggering around the street being obnoxious. I guess I'm old. Seriously, maybe it was cool once, but I can't even imagine how it is cool now. read more

love these converted houses into bars, so much fun. I would definitely recommend this for those of you who want to go out but the 6th street scene is just too college. This place has a variety of bars and kick back lounges for anyone. Love the concept and wish they had this in Cali read more

I'm sure in a couple of years (maybe even months) Rainey St will become over populated and over rated but for right now it's tons of fun! The politics behind the homes being converted into bars is a hard one for the locals. As a visitor, I found it added to Austin's friendly and relaxed charm. Every single bar had well crafted beer, friendly service and nice people overall. It was easy to access and to hop from one bar to another. IF you get hungry, there's an area with trailers (they've thought of everything!) & of course being Austin, there was wonderful live music everywhere. Looking to avoid the rowdy scene on 6th? Go to Rainey St! read more

On a trip down 6th street (nightmare) I stopped into a smoke shop. A local chick there said that we should check out Rainey Street. She described it as a street of houses that were turned into bars. Obviously, we had to check this out. When we arrived I was surprised at how cute the area was. It was a week night and it was very cold, so there weren't really crowds. However, I can see this place being SLAMMED on a nice night. There's plenty of options. If you're a visitor to Austin like I was note that these places only take cash. In, fact Austin LOVES having ATM machines pretty much everywhere. It was kind of humorous to see them every couple of feet. We bounce about from a couple of places. All of them had a different style and the spot we ended up at was great! Our hotel was right of 6th street, and it would be a shame for anyone to walk down that street and skip this one. A big plus is that you won't be hassled by aggressive homeless people here. This is a perfect spot to spend the afternoon or night. I'm almost 10 years past the college age, but I'm sure the University students love this spot, I would have! Just as a side note I see some people criticizing this place for being hipster. If you are one of those anti-hipster people skip it. It's for sure got that vibe. read more

Ever watch basically ANY teen movie in the 90's? Remember those awesome house parties they would have? You know what I'm talking about - that suburban house, filled with people dancing in that fantastic backyard until the wee hours of the night. The crowd's relentless energy reverberating through the walls alongside the musical hum. And you wonder - where are these parties and why can I never seem to find one? Look no further. They actually exist. In real life on Rainey Street in Austin, Texas. Located only a few blocks away from the Colorado River, this once sleepy residential street, steps to downtown, has been transformed into a row of cocktail lounges, bars and restaurants. Each single-family home, uniquely different from the next, invites the patron into a structure reminiscent of the ultimate house party - with ample backyards and porches to boot. You can walk into one home and feel transported into a true speakeasy while another invites you to hula hoop alongside a crawfish boil. Want a backyard with fire pits illuminating DJs spinning the best damn 90's hip-hop set ever? It exists. Want that PLUS a tree lined backyard to dance the night away? Yup. They have that too. Every home has a different name with a different theme - but my advice? Just walk down the street and stop in them all and enjoy the different vibes. You'll find a little bit of Clueless here, a sprinkle of Can't Hardly Wait there and a whole lotta House Party everywhere. And if you thought this street couldn't get any better - the end has a food truck court with tons of sinful delights for the 2am crave. You never have to be envious of the 90's house party again. read more

We were there on a very windy Tuesday so there wasn't anything going on. Plus it was early so the trucks weren't open yet. However, it's a really cool vibe and next time I will go a little later so I can really get a feel and taste of the place. I definitely recommend it read more