Downtown with Sixth Street and Rainey Street Restaurants
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Downtown with Sixth Street and Rainey Street - browse our top choices for Restaurants during your stay.
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15 Recommendations
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1. Casino El Camino
$ | Sixth Street District |Most definitely the best place on the notorious “Dirty Sixth Street” strip of downtown to chow down is Casino El Camino, a longtime favorite of Austin burger lovers. Locals arrive in hungover droves around midday on the weekends, when wait times for signatures like the Amarillo and Buffalo burgers can stretch upward of an hour. But this iconic juke joint is worth the wait as you'll find out once sated by their trademark Bloody Marys, stacked with bacon, pickled okra, taquitos, and, yes, even meatballs. The hearty Angus-beef burgers deliver a classic artery-clogging ecstasy, especially when paired with a greasy basket of verde chili fries.
517 E. 6th St., Austin, Texas, 78701, USA512-469–9330Known For
- Trademark Bloody Marys with wild ingredients like taquitos and meatballs
- Texas-size portions
- Punk rock jukebox and a gritty vibe to match
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2. Emmer & Rye
$$$ | Downtown |The standard for Rainey District fine dining since 2015, eating at Emmer & Rye is an immersive experience that's best enjoyed when the expert servers take the reins. Prix-fixe dinner menus of their signature rustic American cuisine are available, but this exclusive dining delight comes with the option to partake in creative dim sum offerings from a circulating fleet of carts that crisscross the sleek interiors.
51 Rainey St., Austin, Texas, 78701, USA512-366–5530Known For
- Savory stand-outs, like dry-aged Wagyu tartare and Blue Beard Durum spaghetti
- Popular with preshow Moody Theater crowds
- Dim sum service that creates memorable culinary experience
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch -
3. Parkside
$$$$ | Sixth Street District |A gem in the midst of Dirty Sixth, Parkside’s austere interior features exposed brick walls, a shotgun bar, and bare light bulbs suspended by black cables. Celebrated chef Shawn Cirkiel has created an equally simple menu, but delivers on taste with fresh oysters and ceviche-style offerings from the raw bar, in addition to a meat-centric array of bone marrow appetizers, savory grilled lamb, and shareable portions of steak and (perfectly crisped) fries. Floor-to-ceiling windows look onto 6th Street for ideal people-watching while lingering over desserts like homemade doughnuts, served warm and sugar-dusted in paper sacks. Dinner can be pricey, but the daily happy hour (5:30–7 pm) is one of the best bargains in the city.
301 E. 6th St., Austin, Texas, 78701, USA512-474–9898Known For
- Extensive raw bar
- Lively downtown location that makes dinner reservations a must
- Happy hour specials
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch, Reservations recommended -
4. Texas Chili Parlor
$ | Downtown and the Capitol Area (Second Street and Warehouse District) |Don't miss out on the state dish of Texas at this downtown icon. Just a stroll away from the Capitol, the Chili Parlor has been a favorite of legislators, lobbyists, and local hellraisers alike for a midday meal (or late-night beer) since 1976. Get a gut-sticking bowl of bean-less chili (marked X, XX, and XXX for spice), an ice-cold Lone Star beer, or a fully loaded Bloody Mary, and soak up some Old Austin history.
1409 Lavaca St., Austin, Texas, 78701, USA512-472–2828Known For
- Low-key reputation for celeb sightings
- Daily lunch crowd of state and Capitol employees
- One of the best living legends of old-school Austin dive bars
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5. Via 313 Pizza
$$ | Downtown |Detroit lives in Austin at the capital city's delicious purveyor of deep-dish pies. Its original location, a tiny trailer at the back of an east-austin dive bar, is still slinging pizzas for late-night crowds, but they have recently expanded with another trailer and brick-and-mortar locations popping up all over town, including here on Rainey Street. Long wait times can be expected because of the depth of Via 313's goodness, so try to plan ahead of your cravings.
96 Rainey St., Austin, Texas, 78701, USA5122-609–9405Known For
- The city's heavyweight champion of Detroit-style deep dish
- Long wait times
- Simple favorites like the Detroiter (a pepperoni deep-dish topped with pepperoni casing)
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. Arlo Grey
$$$$ | Downtown |Lady Bird Lake views stun at this flagship endeavor by Top Chef 10 winner Kristen Kish within the LINE Hotel. The elegant presentations of French- and Italian-inspired dishes, made with seasonal Central Texas–sourced ingredients, are impressive but pricey. The burrata with pear mostarda and grilled sourdough and a crispy rice dish with crab and saffron aioli are standouts. It might lack on authentic local flavor, but it's certainly a luxurious on-site amenity for hotel guests; the sleek dining room is also a great spot to view the Congress Bridge bats.
111 E. César Chávez St., Austin, Texas, 78701, USA512-478–2991Known For
- International spotlight thanks to Top Chef winner
- Constantly rotating crowd of locals and guests at the LINE Hotel
- Patio seating next to the small outdoor pool
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch -
7. Comedor
$$$ | Downtown |This contemporary Mexican restaurant (from acclaimed chef Philip Speer) has people arriving in droves for the bone-marrow tacos with pecan gremolata. Servers will encourage you to mix and match inventive plates for the table. Brunch here is always bumping, and happy hour is a fabulous time to enjoy house margaritas and discounted tacos and tostadas.
501 Colorado St., Austin, Texas, 78701, USA512-499–0977Known For
- Signature bone-marrow tacos
- Hot Sunday brunch that requires reservations
- Striking architecture and interior design
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.–Sat. -
8. La Condesa
$$ | Downtown |After an award-winning start in 2013, this sophisticated spot for modern Mexican cuisine has remained solid. Diners can still expect reliable mainstays, such as crispy pork shoulder carnitas tacos with black beans and tangy tomatillo-avocado salsa, and don't miss the the house ceviches (try the Acapulco) or the guacamole sampler, with varying seasonal combinations like watermelon with queso fresco or toasted almonds and chipotle puree. The popular Sunday brunch doesn’t disappoint.
400A W. 2nd St., Austin, Texas, 78701, USA512-499–0300Known For
- Staggering tequila and mezcal selection
- Weekend crowds from surrounding Second Street shops
- Slightly steep price tag
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues., Reservations strongly recommended -
9. Lamberts
$$$ | Downtown |Smack in the middle of Second Street, Lamberts draws a broad range of downtown business crowds, local foodies, and tourists, all for its stylish take on Texas barbecue. You know this isn't your father's barbecue joint when you hear Belle & Sebastian coming from the speakers instead of Willie or Waylon; for further evidence, there's Chimay beer on tap and a $23 "breakfast Frito pie" on the Sunday brunch menu. Appetizers range from Asian-style crispy wild boar ribs to broiled Gulf oysters with apple-smoked bacon. The restaurant, housed in a historic two-story 1873 brick building, features a lovely whitewashed brick interior, leather booths, and an upstairs bar with adjacent seating area and a stage where bands perform weekly.
401 W. 2nd St., Austin, Texas, 78701, USA512-494–1500Known For
- Mouthwatering Sunday brunch that's worth a reservation
- All-night happy hour on Monday
- Hip atmosphere with weekly live music performances
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10. Medici Cafe
$ | Downtown |Medici Roasting's downtown location offers convenient walk-up window service just a few blocks south of the State Capitol amidst the city's bustling shops and businesses. There is also a beautiful outdoor seating area that is ideal for lunch breaks and midmorning socializing.
804 Congress Ave., Austin, Texas, 78701, USA512-827–2770Known For
- Tricky parking
- Swift service that accommodates grab-and-go orders
- Downtown location popular with the fast-moving business set
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed weekends -
11. Pelóns
$ | Downtown |Situated between some of the city’s best music venues, this lively joint has reasonably priced Tex-Mex standards you can enjoy on the oak tree-shaded patio. Or just indulge in the drink menu full of house margaritas, specialty cocktails, and premium tequila flights.
802 Red River St., Austin, Texas, 78704, USA512-243--7874Known For
- Great happy hour specials
- Excellent margaritas
- Ultimate pregaming spot for music shows
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12. Stubb's Bar-B-Q
$ | Downtown |This Red River staple, which traces its roots to a legendary Lubbock barbecue joint founded in 1968, is known as much for music as food. The casual venue, an old stone building with wooden floors and tables, suits the fare, which many local barbecue aficionados rate as average; the hickory-smoked choices—beef brisket, pork ribs, sausage, chicken, and turkey breast—are tasty enough, but sides, like spicy serrano creamed spinach, are definite crowd-pleasers. Plus, their popular line of barbecue sauces and rubs make for great souvenirs. Music, with indoor and outdoor stages that host local bands and touring headlining acts throughout the year, is a main component, especially during the always-crowded Sunday gospel brunch.
801 Red River St., Austin, Texas, 78701, USA512-480–8341Known For
- Gospel brunch for saints and sinners alike
- Tasty brisket before (or after) a live show
- Swift service with a smile
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13. the backspace
$$ | Downtown |This stylish pizzeria, another hit from chef/restaurateur Shawn Cirkiel, is one of Austin’s best bets for classic Neapolitan pizza and authentic Italian antipasti. Tables are hard to come by in this intimate downtown space, but the service and menu are laid-back and approachable. Antipasto selections, like baked ricotta and eggplant caponata, rival the main attraction: thin-crust, wood-fired pizzas, from margherita to the popular fennel sausage. Desserts, like ricotta cheesecake and salted caramel panna cotta, are artful—served in small mason jars—and delicious.
507 San Jacinto Blvd., Austin, Texas, 78701, USA512-474--9899Known For
- Cozy date-night ambience
- Seasonal antipasto selections
- Classic Neapolitan pizzas fired in an Italian brick oven
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon., Reservations essential -
14. The Iron Works Barbecue
$$ | Downtown |From its creekside perch in the shadow of the Austin Convention Center, this spot caters to name-tagged conference attendees, construction workers, and thoroughly starched office workers alike. Dependable house specialties include pepper-crusted smoked pork loin, tender brisket, and Flintstones-size beef ribs (the junior rib plate will satisfy all but the hugest of appetites). Wrought-iron grills, forged here when the building was an ironworks, hang from the rafters. It's a charming (albeit slightly raucous) and authentic slice of Texas cuisine, even if it's not the best barbecue joint within city limits.
100 Red River St., Austin, Texas, 78701, USA512-478–4855Known For
- Historic site complete with outdoor patio
- No-frills counter service
- Unbeatable downtown location
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. -
15. Truluck's
$$$$ | Downtown |Pricey-but-excellent fish, shellfish, and steak are served in handsome surroundings that suggest a businesspeople's yacht club here at Truluck's, part of an upscale chain with restaurants in Texas and Florida. Every Monday is all-you-can-eat crab claw night, but you can get Truluck’s signature stone crab any day of the week at the downtown and northwest locations. Alaskan king crab is also expertly rendered, if expensive. Don't miss the jumbo lump crab cake and the hot-and-crunchy trout over citrus aioli sauce with a mango-jalapeño marmalade. The second-story dining area has floor-to-ceiling views of the surrounding Warehouse District and skyline.
400 Colorado St., Austin, Texas, 78701, USA512-482–9000Known For
- Signature crab cakes
- Show-stopping desserts
- Special-occasion dining
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch, Reservations required
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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