A real Texas honky-tonk open since 1964, with live country music and a wood dance floor that's now a designated state historic landmark. 📍 3201 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704, USA
James White built The Broken Spoke by hand in 1964, a mile outside Austin's city limits at the time, and it's operated continuously ever since as one of the last true Texas dance halls — the kind of place with a chicken-fried steak dinner in front and a wood dance floor with a live country band in back. In April 2023 the state formally recognized it as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, but it never stopped being a working honky-tonk rather than a museum piece. Regulars two-step in loose circles around the floor most nights music is booked, and beginners are welcome — nobody minds if you're still counting steps under your breath. It sits on South Lamar surrounded by the newer, glossier version of Austin that's grown up around it, which is exactly what makes stepping inside feel like time travel. Go on a night with live music, wear boots if you've got them, and expect a cover charge at the door.
#hidden_gem