When it comes to getting rowdy, Brisbane/Meanjin’s varied bar scenes have us covered for most occasions and impulses. Here at OB真人视讯 we love West End for casual drinks and tomfoolery, while the Valley is brilliant for a pumped up night of cutting shapes, but the CBD is a dense jungle of rollicking goodtimes any night of the week. Not to mention, it’s literally on the doorstop when the entire business district knocks off.
Whether you're in need of a vino after a long day of window shopping or it's Friday afternoon and you are ready for a beery wind down, here are our picks of the best bars in Brisbane City
Babylon Garden
145 Eagle Street, Brisbane CBD
Nestled on the banks of the Brisbane River is Babylon Garden, the brand new bar connected to chic Middle Eastern restaurant, Babylon. With a view of the Story Bridge and city lights, the al fresco bar is the perfect place to drag your coworkers after roughing through another week. Low leather banquettes make a comfy spot for you to sit and sip a Turkish Espresso Martini while spilling all the tea. And if you’re feeling peckish, order some wood fired angus beef rump hünkar beğendi style and a marinated half chicken to share. You won’t be disappointed.
The Merchant Exchange
80 Ann Street, Brisbane CBD
Image credit: The Merchant Exchange | Website
So thoroughly hidden away inside the Heritage Lanes precinct that you may not even find it all (keep trying, it's worth it), is all about whisky and cocktails served up in a refined setting. With interiors inspired by the heritage building it resides in, here you can sip on a well-aged dram or a classic cocktail while you snack on cheeseboards and other snacks from their neighbour and sister venue, Little Miss Sunshine (more on them below).
Club Felix
Level 1, 33 Felix Street, Brisbane CBD
Inside stunningly refurbished heritage buidling that is Naldham House is , a supper-club style space on the first level with a silky oak timber bar and plush lounges in Yves Klein Blue. Dishing up an entirely distinct menu of snacks and small plates, world-class cocktails and Coravin wines, they've also got a heavy focus on Champagnes if you like to get bubbly. We should also mention the terrace bar outside as a more relaxed option, which has it's own menu of Euro-style eats, so take your pick.
Little Miss Sunshine
80 Ann Street, Brisbane CBD
Cocktail bars, the city has plenty, but breweries, not so much. Introducing Little Miss Sunshine, the CBD’s very own brewery. Spreading across two levels, this place is all about sunny vibes, house beers and local cuisine. The cozy yellow booths are the perfect spot to snack on saucy harissa wingers and haloumi skewers alongside a pint from one of their 28 taps. If you're in need of a solid feed, you’ll find pub classics like beer battered barramundi and chips and wagyu cheeseburgers on the menu, or more Mediterranean offerings like lamb kofta with flatbread and tabbouleh salad.
Antico
48 Burnett Lane, Brisbane CBD
Image credit: Antico | NIRA Creative
This European-inspired Brisbane city bar from the team behind Death & Taxes is perfect for your cocktail loving crew. Step into the moody Antico on Burnett Lane and find a glamorous interior, complete with a gleaming chandelier, dark leather booths and a sleek black marble bar. The short but sharp menu features sips like the ‘If You Are Not Into Yoga,’ a pina colada-inspired sip served up in an uber cute tiki cup, and the ‘Lady Sage,’ featuring gin, chartreuse, apricot brandy, citrus and fresh pineapple. This bar is not to be missed.
Cicada Blu
33 William Street, Brisbane CBD
This open-air rooftop spot at The Star Brisbane is definitely the highest bar in Brisbane City. Boasting uninterrupted views from 100 up, is the ultimate spot for sunset drinks. Unwind in the breeze as you sip one of their exotic elixirs or bold botanical infusions. As the night goes on, dance along to the rising beats and be amazed by the incredible lighting installation inspired by cloud formations and summer storms.
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Alice
195 Elizabeth Street, Brisbane CBD
This hidden 80s-themed rock and roll bar offers nothing but good vibes. Tucked down a laneway with nothing but a red neon sign indicating it's there, the dimly lit is unexpectedly slick, as are the cocktails being poured behind the bar. While bourbon is the star liquor here, it's not the only spirit you'll find being shaken, stirred and muddled into intricate sips. With music coming courtesy of a restored jukebox, you’ll be able to dance all night, long seven days a week (well, until 3am).
Bar Miette
443 Queen Street, Brisbane CBD
Image credit: Bar Miette | Instagram
Sister venue to Supernormal just downstairs, Bar Miette has a more relaxed, European vibe—and the views to match. The riverside terrace bar boasts enviable views of the Story Bridge—an attribute it takes full advantage of by having all of its drinking and dining space outdoors. While it's one of our favourite spots for a business lunch or long, lingering dinner, for the afterwork and weekend crowd, there’s also a tailored list of classic cocktails and an extensive wine list, poured from a stunning curved bar inside.
Milquetoast
199 Elizabeth Street, Brisbane CBD
Along the same alleyway as Alice, this inner-city wine bar is breaking the mould of the Brisbane city bar scene. Inside a what was once garage, the interior of will make you feel right at home, with a quirky collection of mismatched furniture, a timber bar and pendant lights suspended above. All about creative cocktails, standouts include the Caspar Milquetoast, a spritz that mixes Four Pillars rare dry gin, sparkling wine and vanilla with lacto-fermented rhubarb and clarified toasted milk-toast soda, or perhaps you’ll want to try the No Loitering with Batanga blanco tequila, house wasabi liquor, elderflower and citrus.
The Gresham
308 Queen Street, Brisbane CBD
Trading within a heritage-listed building, we think The Gresham is pretty special. This sentiment has been echoed time and again with the Gresham taking home the gong for National Bar of the Year several times. Rather than set their sights on any one liquor in particular, The Gresham prefers to play with all the crayons in the box and provide the best in wine, whisky, gin, rum and anything else your tippling palate desires. Basically, there's no such thing as a bad sip here.
Dr Gimlette
109 Edward Street, Brisbane CBD
Image credit: Dr Gimlette | Instagram
Another sister venue to CBD hotspot Death & Taxes is , a cocktail bar located in one of Brisbane’s oldest buildings. Moody lighting, hardwood floors, exposed brick, and a nine-metre marble bar make for a dark and mysterious vibe. Add in one of their signature cocktails—or as they call them, antidotes and remedies—and you’ve got a regular James Bond scene on your hands. Get me a martini, shaken, not stirred, stat.
Brooklyn Standard
Eagle Lane, Brisbane CBD
Lager flows and live music blasts every night at Brooklyn Standard. This subterranean chunk of New York’s coolest borough is the ultimate go-to for a good night, featuring Brooklyn Lager on tap and live beats in your ears of the funk, soul, and rhythm and blues persuasion. For snacking, Brooklyn Standard offers a tidy menu of American classics like jalapeño poppers, mozzarella sticks, and wings, but really, you come for the live tunes and the drinks, the food is just a late night bonus.
Frog’s Hollow Saloon
26 Charlotte Street, Brisbane CBD
Need an escape from the hustle and bustle of city life? Step into for a breath of some fresh country air. If you like your whiskey with a side of Luke Combs, you’re in the right place. Wine barrels, wagon wheels, and cowboy hats adorn the inside of this outback bar. Order up some chilli biltong and chicken liver pate and get keen to sit around hand-carved tables to talk about the good old days.
Death & Taxes
36 Burnett Lane, Brisbane CBD
Image Credit: Death & Taxes | Instagram
If you’re a fan of more sophisticated gin joints, prepare to meet the reaper and head on down to Death & Taxes. No, seriously—on your way in, you’ll be greeted by a giant mural of Death himself, but don’t let that put you off. This old-world cocktail lounge comes from the minds behind Cobbler, Savile Row and Finney Isles, and just like its sisters, the bar comes fully stocked. Whether you’re into whiskey or wine, you’ll be spoilt for choice, but don’t stop there—the team at Death & Taxes have been dubbed the masters of mixology, so you may want to try a cocktail (or five).
John Mills Himself
40 Charlotte Street, Brisbane CBD
Trading as a café through the day, by night John Mills Himself turns into a whisky slinging speakeasy. This broom cupboard bar has a cosy, intimate feel perfect for a wind down after a hard day—perfect for knock offs with the team. Where drinks are concerned, John Mills like to keep it local. All their beers and wines are sourced from within a 250km radius of Brisbane, while their spirits list is comprised almost exclusively of bottles from Australian distilleries.
Before + After
Laneway Basement, 181 George Street, Brisbane CBD
Majority of the time, we wouldn’t recommend walking into a basement off an alleyway during all hours of the night, but for Before + After, we will. The phrase “I know a place” directly refers to this hidden bar. Impress your date by taking them for a sneaky cocktail before or after dinner—hence the name. The dimly-lit venue serves up intimate vibes and a carefully curated alcohol selection for all your aperitif and digestif needs.
Riverbar & Kitchen
71 Eagle Street, Brisbane CBD
Image credit: Riverbar & Kitchen | Instagram
Riverbar & Kitchen has certainly earned its place as a Brisbane dining institution, but it’s their drinks menu that has us tickled pink (or maybe we’ve just had one too many?). Their extensive range of beer, wine and spirits caters to every tastebud, and their cocktail jugs are always a crowd pleaser. Add to that the backdrop of the Brisbane River and Story Bridge, and the Riverbar becomes the perfect place to kick off a cheeky Friday afternoon sesh.
Fat Angel Sports Bar & Grill
Eagle Lane, Brisbane CBD
Known for being Brisbane’s most authentic American sports bar, a night at Fat Angel will transport your taste buds Stateside. The crew behind the bar have curated the perfect menu to nibble on during the big game. Think chicken wings, French fries—all ideal for pre and post-game snacking. Of course, where there’s food there’s booze, and Fat Angel has a tonne of American beers to choose from, both on and off-tap. But if you prefer an Aussie brew, don’t fret—there’s plenty of those on the menu, too.
Riverland
167 Eagle Street, Brisbane CBD
A night at Riverland is more than just a meal—it’s a multicultural dining experience. Coming out of two 40ft shipping containers are an iconically Queenslander menu and a Traveller menu that rotates through a new international cuisine every season. But of course, it’s not a meal without a drink in hand, which you can grab from the 80ft long bar, so you spend less time lining up and more time letting loose.
Bar Pacino
175 Eagle Street, Brisbane CBD
Image credit: Bar Pacino | Instagram
If we’re talking about an offer you can’t refuse, going to Bar Pacino should be your first thought. The Italian-inspired bar serves up some insane views of the Story Bridge while serving up bistro-style eats and killer cocktails. With the likes of burgers, pasta, pizzas and salads, you’re spoilt for choice on the food front. And, as for drinks, their fully stocked bar includes six original house cocktails, as well as all of the classics you’ve come to know and love.
Winghaus
144 Edward Street, Brisbane CBD
With interiors reminiscent of an American diner, you’ll find Winghaus stacked with high tables, leather booths and bar seating, while the walls are covered with vintage sports memorabilia and nostalgic signage, as well as 20 odd big screen televisions to tune into all the sports you can handle. There’s even foosball tables for challenging your mates until the beer starts to affect your hand-eye coordination. While the wings are a major drawcard (no surpises there), there's also nothing lacking in the booze department, with forty beer taps pouring Bavarian beers and Australian craft brews. With margaritas, sangria, negronis, Aperol spritzes and espresso martinis all also on tap—consider us there.
Miss Demeanour
Rowes Lane, Brisbane CBD
Underground bars are cool. Laneway bars are too. So, when we tell you Miss Demeanour is a combination of both, we expect you to grab your card and panadol and race on over for a night you won’t remember. The restaurant, bar, and live music venue has an extensive menu, including creative cocktails like the Machu Beetchu—a beetroot margarita—and the Poor Unfortunate Loser—a mix of dark rum, plum, shiraz, aperitif, clove, and lime. Not much fun to order, but definitely fun to drink.
Hibiscus Bar & Terrace
72 Queen Street, Brisbane CBD
Image credit: Hibiscus Bar and Terrace | Instagram
Let your drinking take you sky high at , a nostalgic rooftop bar atop the Hyatt Regency. With an infinity pool overlooking Queen Street and a bar that just won’t quit, you’re guaranteed “tipples, nibbles, and a grand old time”. Their mocktail ist is just as long as their cocktail list, making sure that everyone is catered for. And, speaking of catering, their bar food isn’t bad either, offering up pizzas, chicken skewers, and antipasto boards. We hear they’re to die for.
Toscano Bar & Kitchen
2 Edward Street, Brisbane CBD
The 2022 and 2021 winner of Australia’s Wine List of the Year, you can trust to have a wine for you. The four-page list includes Italian and Australian reds, whites, bubbles, and even dessert wines. A sophisticated black, white, and deep emerald interior welcomes you in, and the smell of the South Italian-style pizzas makes you stay. Why whine when you can wine?
Sixteen Antlers
Level 16, Corner of Ann & Roma Streets, Brisbane CBD
Look, we’re not quite sure what animal has , but after a few drinks at this rooftop bar in Brisbane City, you might be seeing that many on a regular deer. Elevate your after-work drinks—by 16 floors, to be exact—while overlooking Brisbane with a bevvy or two. Share a jug of Berry Spritz and watch the sun disappear behind the city skyline as you devour some mini charcoal sliders.Looking for more Brisbane City drinking and dining inspiration? Head here:
Image credit: Babylon Gardens | Markus Ravik
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