Sixth Street on a Budget: A Simple Guide for Single Girlies
Friends clubbing
Please drink responsibly.
One of the things I look forward to on the weekends is going out with friends. Despite the various times we agree to try something new, we always end up on 6th Street. Therefore, I decided to share the best way to navigate Dirty Sixth.
My friends and I have one rule when it comes to Dirty Sixth:
Never pay for anything
The Jackalope
The only thing that needs to be paid for is the Uber to and from home. Ideally, we arrive at 6th street around 10:15 pm to get the bracelet at Mala Vida. There's a cover charge of $20 after 10:30 pm (though it might be after 11 pm now), and paying that fee would break our one rule. As long as you acquire the bracelet you can go in and out of the club. Sometimes we hang out there for a bit, but we usually leave to get free drinks since it's still early and most places are empty.
Getting free drinks on 6th Street is incredibly easy, and honestly, that’s the main reason we always end up there. After Mala Vida, we usually make our way up the street to check out the other bars. The trick is to walk in the middle of the street so the bouncers can spot you. Most of the time, they'll approach and ask if you want a free drink, especially if you're only with a group of girls.
I’ve talked to bouncers before, and they told me that if they see a guy with you, they assume he’s your boyfriend and that he should be the one buying your drinks.
The spots where free drinks are basically guaranteed include Voodoo Room, Burnsides Tavern, The Lodge on 6th, and The Jackalope. Some bouncers will even invite you back for a second round later in the night.
Free drinks are usually some kind of mixed drink, and here are my favorites:
Cranberry Vodka: A classic, simple mix that’s perfect for starting the night without an awful taste. Definitely a go-to if you want something light and easy.
Tequila Sunrise: If you’re not a fan of vodka, a tequila sunrise is a great alternative. It’s a bit stronger but still pretty smooth.
AMF (Adios Motherfucker): This is probably the strongest mixed drink you can get. If you’re looking to start the night strong or don’t want to drink too much because you hate constantly needing to pee, order three of these, and you’ll be good for the rest of the night. Fair warning it doesn’t taste great.
Moonlight
After hopping between bars, grabbing drinks, dancing, gossiping, flirting with strangers, and making new girlfriends in the restroom, it's usually around midnight. By then, 6th Street starts filling up, so we’ll either head back to Mala Vida or, if we missed the cutoff earlier, go to Mala Fama (may charge a fee depending on the time and how crowded it is). Around 12:40 am, we make a quick stop at Thirsty Nickel for one more free drink, and then head to Tiki 311 where they often offer free champagne.
We also save about 40 minutes to end the night at our favorite spot, Moonlight, which is at the far end of the street. There's no point in going to Moonlight early, though, because it’s often dead until about an hour before closing at 2 am.
That’s the best way I can recommend having a fun time at 6th street on a budget!
