Get Sipping With Brisbane’s Best Cocktail Bars

Get ready for a night of disco ball punch, Middle Eastern vegetarian morsels, and after dark DJ sets as you enter Bar Kazba. Tel Aviv nightlife is nothing short of wild and stimulating, and this cocktail bar is bringing Israel’s nocturnal party capital to the heart of Brisbane City. Influenced by the flavours of ancient Arabian spice routes, settle in and indulge in the trail of the month, taking you through each section of the menu including seasonal signatures, fizzy bubbly, sips for sharing, and smoky creations, plus so much more. Get deep into the vibes with their Seven Species sip – an olive oil and date gin creation paired with pomegranate juice, fig liqueur, ‘yallager’ house lager, and fresh Muscat grapes, or order up a Turkish Coffee Martini – a twist on the caffeine cocktail we all know and love. Using Middle Eastern cordials and unique garnishes derived from the region’s produce served in vessels from bazaars all makes for one truly exotic experience. 

If you’re a sucker for a superhero series, this hidden bar on California Lane will rival any Comic-Con experience. With walls splashed with superheros and a comic-covered bar top, this intimate space seating 22 will transport you out of Brisbane and straight to Gotham City. Serving up Asian-inspired eats and killer cocktails, keep things wickedly sweet and order Harley Quinn’s dry gin with lemon, fairy floss, gold flakes, and rosé Cuvee. Or perhaps an illusively strong Spidey’s Marg, mixing top-shelf tequila, Cointreau, agave, and lime – either way, you’ll savour every sip. Whether you’re a DC devotee, mad for all things Marvel, or just like trying something a little different, 1st Edition Bar will change the way you drink.

This contemporary cocktail bar nestled at the end of Spencer Lane is Brisbane City’s destination for Friday knock-off cocktails. You read right, pouring only one day a week from 4pm, Dawn’s opening hours certainly set them apart. They know their corporate crowd oh so well and perfectly cater to our need for a chilli marg after yet another week on the grind. With an ever-evolving cocktail menu and tasty bites to boot, find yourself drinking alfresco with brilliant DJs on the decks, or inside amongst the green velvet couches and French inspired side tables. Either way, your Friday is looking fabulous! 

Named after a surgeon in the Royal Navy who was the first to add lime cordial to gin came The Gimlet, and subsequently Dr Gimlette. Inspired by the premier cocktail bars around the globe, expect table service and perfectly executed cocktails curated by none other than Death & Taxes’ Anthony Burke. Boasting luxury Italian leather booths, a nine-metre marble bar, and heritage brickwork, escape the bustle of our CBD and rest easy knowing you can order any and every type of martini, both shaken and stirred from two designated carts. With charming illustrations to help you choose your perfect gimlet, fresh highball, riffed stir down, or luxury concoction, raise your glass in one of Brisbane’s oldest buildings.

Thai-inspired cocktails make up the menu of LOS, aka Land of Smiles. Situated above Southeast Asian celebrated restaurant, sAme sAme, this pistachio green rendered bar is tucked away from the James Street flutter. With names that you can’t help smile at, think: Yee-Sip Swizzle with Havana Club 3 años white rum, strawberry, Thai basil, cassia honey, and lime, or the Phuket, I’ll Have Two with Corazon Blanco tequila, pineapple, passionfruit, orgeat, lime, agave, whites, and soda. Sink into a lounge and let the day slide into evening at LOS. 

With a flair for tantalising flavours and gorgeous riverside views to boot, Bar Pacino has certainly proved itself as an iconic Eagle Street destination. Grab a drink (or a jug) of their delicious cocktails named after Drake songs, like the fruity Popstar or Trust Issues with rum, mandarin, pineapple, and passionfruit (duh!). Those on the ‘gram will probably recognise Bar Pacino for their famous blossom cocktail tree, which is adorned with your choice of four different martinis and served on a backdrop of the Brisbane River in all its glory. When hunger strikes, their Italian-inspired menu is sure to hit the spot, filled with hearty classics and modern twists. Start with a Nutella shot, and let the good times roll!

Nestled discreetly behind an orange door on Ann Street, Savile Row is one of Brisbane’s finest hidden cocktail joints. Inspired by the iconic London Mayfair strip and the aristocracy who resided there, this bar’s atmosphere is as charming as its drinks. With a brand-new cocktail menu featuring 16 cocktails designed to encapsulate the experience of walking down Savile Row, these sips are truly designed to please the most discerning cocktail connoisseurs. With an emphasis on not just the drinks but the space, atmosphere, staff, and guests, a visit to this venue will be immersive and oh-so-impressive.