Unless you live under a rock, you already heard the 6th Street Dive is open again under new ownership. What you may not know is how its history reads like a Tex-Mex flavored episode of Friends! Starting in 2016, friends Brandon Stevens and Nick Williams opened the 6th Street Dive with its “Hoosier Texican” menu. This spring, after closing, friends Jeff Hamann and Mike Felt bought and reopened the bar keeping its name, menu, friendly “Dive Vibe” AND SUNDAY BRUNCH!!!!!
But hold up, this Friends episode also includes staff. In 2016 Santos Esparza was hired after friends told him the Dive needed experienced kitchen staff. Fast forward to 2024. After both he and former Dive bartender and friend, Joe Wilson, left for other jobs, Joe reconnected with Santos to let him know the new owners wanted him back. Thanks to a call from a friend of a friend of a friend, Santos is back at the Dive!
Hungry for more Dive history? Nahhhhhhhhh, time to dish up our favorite Tex-Mex!!
Jo, what did you get?
I ordered scrambled eggs with cheese and the Dive’s awesome salsa plus a Mimosa. This might not sound like the most exciting brunch, but I would have to disagree, it was fabulishous! There were plenty of eggs cooked just right, a good amount of cheese with their great salsa adding just the right amount of flavor. Then how can you go wrong with a mimosa - orange juice and Prosecco? This made for the perfect Sunday brunch beverage. The Dive has my vote, a place that will accommodate my weird eating habits always makes me happy!
Kay, how about you?
The menu called my dish Huevos Rancheros, but the egg is optional? It was actually 2 cheese & onion enchiladas. I got the optional egg on top. It comes with rice and beans, or potato ‘hash’ and beans. Mine came with rice and breakfast potatoes. The enchiladas and eggs were perfect and plenty. After I had a taste of Tetia’s beans, I will definitely order it with beans next time. The enchiladas were special because they weren’t smothered in the kind of sauce most restaurants use on them. Really, just a perfectly spiced combo of melty cheese and onions in corn tortillas topped with an egg—sublime! The house hot sauce complemented everything, and the Bloody Mary bar is surprising and fun. So glad The Dive is back!
Linda? What?! No appetizers?
Maybe next time. My go-to was the Chilaquiles. The tortilla chips on top were crisp and did not sog down. The pulled chicken was delicious and flavorful. The sunny side egg was the perfect topper and blended well with everything! Happy dance!!
And Tetia?
I ordered the Veggie and El-Mo Tacos. They came with home fries and beans. Both tacos were very tasty. I really enjoyed the kick that the homemade Dive hot sauce added to the spice that the pico brought to the taco party.
The El-Mo Taco has southern fried chicken, and it was super moist and delicious. The chicken in combination with the hot queso was a flavor fiesta in my mouth. Highly recommend. The veggie taco has big chunks of fried avocado! Made my day.
Jerry, you look sad …
Someone beat me to my first choice, but I ordered the Chicken Flautas instead and was not disappointed. The dish came with three flautas topped by queso, sour cream, and a generous portion of both rice & beans on the side. What more could you ask for? How about a fun atmosphere, great service and a place where you run into so many people you know. I like Dive’s atmosphere as much as I do the Tex/Mex menu. In case you can't tell I’m already a big fan.
Ken, you’re a breakfast kind of guy, right?
Believe it or not, going to brunch was my first time to the Dive since it reopened (Ken doesn’t get out much 😆) I had the Huevos Rancheros, but they were not your ordinary Huevos Rancheros. Instead of an open-faced tortilla with egg and sauce on top, it has two cheese and onion enchiladas, with an amazing red sauce on top. Egg is optional. The beans and rice were equally tasty. I would highly recommend this entree!
Whitney, was ready for brunch! Whitney, can one say love, love, love too many times when talking about the best ever …
The Texican Chicken and Waffles, she said were a combination of spicy and sweet that really is to die for, and the raspberry reduction is the perfect addition to balance out the spice! The fries were wonderful, and of course, everything is better with Dive sauce! The Bloody Mary bar brought a joy to my heart like nothing has before or will again. It’s a party in a glass, custom crafted by moi for moi and that’s juuust the way I like it!
Margy, last but not least?
My go-to at the Dive is always their Veggie Taco with deep fried chunks of avocado and Dive hot sauce. Like no other taco in town! To brunch it up I added the sweet potato hash ... SWEET! … in other words, yes very good. To top off an already perfect breakfast, what better way than a Spicy Bloody Mary. Next time, I might try the optional “build your own” Bloody Mary Bar but I had such confidence in Chris, our server, I let him build it for me. Perfect as usual. What more can I say? If you haven’t been to the 6th St. Dive since it reopened AND started serving brunch again, get going amigos!!!
