Broken Spoke
Dance hall · South Lamar ·
Live music, dancing, chicken-fried steak, and Texas history
Live music, dancing, chicken-fried steak, and Texas history
"A classic Austin honky-tonk where actress Meghann Fahy celebrated the premiere of her film by "pounding beers and barbecue," sharing a multi-slide Instagram post that emphasized the venue's reputation for a quintessential Austin good time." - Courtney E. Smith
"A South Lamar honky-tonk known for its lively, down-home country atmosphere; during a late-night visit the singer two-stepped on the dance floor with a mustached partner, posed for photos at the bar, and even sang a country song in a bathroom plastered with photos of George Strait." - Nadia Chaudhury
"Fortify yourself on some chicken-fried steak before partaking in some country dance lessons to live bands at this truly iconic honky tonk on South Lamar. There are indoor areas." - Darcie Duttweiler
"Dance at a historic dance hall offering lessons and hosting performances by country legends." - Amanda Ogle Amanda Ogle Amanda Ogle is a writer and editor who specializes in travel, food and drink, sustainability, and general lifestyle topics. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, National Geographic, Condé Nast T
"A Texas Historical Marker was installed on the building on April 12, officially recognizing a South Lamar honky-tonk long considered an iconic Austin bar and concert venue. That venue, the Broken Spoke, was originally opened by James and Annetta White in November 1964 and has hosted country music legends including Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, the Chicks, George Strait, Garth Brooks, Midland, Sturgill Simpson, and Charley Crockett. To qualify as a Texas landmark it had to meet requirements including being around for at least 50 years, having associations with important historical events, and retaining architectural integrity; there are currently 16,000 markers in the state of Texas. At a ceremony Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott called the Broken Spoke a “crucial touchpoint with our Texas culture, connecting us with our heritage and with each other.” Founder James White died in 2021 at 81, and the venue remains in the family, operated by Annetta and their daughters Terri White and Ginny White-Peacock, along with Ginny’s husband Michael Peacock. The resolution proposing its historical status began last year, after the venue and Terri were featured on the Austin season of Netflix’s Queer Eye; shortly after those episodes, now-defunct Gawker2.0 collected many online reviews alleging racist, sexist, and homophobic treatment by Terri and others at the Broken Spoke, which Terri denies, though an unnamed longtime Austin-based country act said she stopped visiting because of late owner James White’s comments about George Floyd and the 2020 protests and that “As the years went on, it just became more of an openly misogynist, racist, sexist bar to me.”" - H. Drew Blackburn