By Dinushka Gunasekara | 10th June 2022
The more the merrier is a great rule of thumb until it’s time to head out and your gang are squeezing two to a chair and onto each other’s laps. However, lucky for you and your crew, there’s plenty of room in this town for you all.
Whether you’re attempting a tightrope balance of dietary requirements or just need some room to keep any friendly fire at bay, we’ve found Brisbane’s best restaurants for groups, taking the stress out of pleasing your people!
Did we miss someone from the list? Let us know here!
Brisbane City
Kicking back with your best mates on the weekend while enjoying casual, delicious bites and refreshing drinks is a guaranteed good time, and there’s no better place to make that happen than down at Howard Smith Wharves (HSW). Located on the river with breathtaking views of the Story Bridge and the city skyline, HSW has a wide range of restaurants ideal for you and your crew. From Felons Brewing Co. and Felons Barrel Hall where the beer flows and the food is cheap and cheerful, to the festive vibes at La Mexicana and refined dining at Greca, finding a space big enough to host your buddies is a breeze. Kick on with a table at Mr Percival’s, where the atmosphere is pumping, or plonk yourselves down on some bean bags on the green along the river. Whichever way your crew loves to celebrate, the fun never stops at HSW!
Milton
If you’re looking for a venue to host you and your crew for an unforgettably good time, Cedars Restaurant is where you’ll find the action. Combining the freshest Middle Eastern and Lebanese flavours with premium ingredients and classic cooking techniques, this space brings out the fun with every bite – and that’s just the half of it! With a relaxed, yet atmospheric dining scene, Cedars Restaurant delivers memorable food at affordable prices, quality service, and an easy dining experience. You’ll love their tasty range of share plates from their mezze menu, with every order that hits the kitchen cooked up fresh for your enjoyment. So, whether you’re hosting a birthday bash or a work dinner, Cedars Restaurant has all you need to make your event go off without a hitch.
Fortitude Valley
Gather the gang for a great night out when you reserve a table for your crew at Kenjin. Serving up modern Japanese with a western twist, it’s not just the food that brings in the crowds – it’s the atmosphere. A restaurant til 9pm, Kenjin then transforms into a nightclub, After Dark, meaning you and your besties can feast before the fun begins without having to trek to another destination. With share plates and nibbles comin’ in hot and heavy, it’s easy to mingle with your mates while getting in a bite, and with dark interiors, neon lights, and epic cocktails, the scene is already set for a memorable night out!
Newstead
Bringing the flavour and flair from Italy, Salt Meats Cheese (SMC) in Newstead is a guaranteed good time, especially for those booking in groups! Paying homage to their roots and heritage while spicing things up with modern, innovative twists, and a little theatre, each dish on the menu will warm your heart and have you singing amore! Vibrant and full of atmosphere, your table is not complete without a few cocktails to boot, and boy, do they know how to make the perfect Aperol. With an antipasti shared offering as well as pastas, pizzas, and desserts, sharing is caring when you bring your crew to SMC. Ciao!
Fortitude Valley
They say the Italians do it better, and no restaurant makes good on that promise quite like La Costa Restaurant. Whisk yourself away from the winter chill when you book a table here, as they bring the Italian summer to Brunswick Street, 365 days a year. Within this historic site, you’ll find a menu that celebrates the best flavours of Italy, starting with bites from the sea as well as a plethora of Italian-inspired dishes, served up with a smile. Celebrating all things delish, the vibrant and welcoming atmosphere contributes to the reason it’s such an inviting place to bring your people, who’ll tease their taste buds with hearty mouthfuls, thirst-quenching cocktails, and good times to boot.
Lutwyche
Grab the gang and head on down to the Crown! With 140 years keeping Brissy locals happy and fed, the newly renovated pub now plays host to a vibey beer garden, bistro, and bar, so there’s plenty of room for your crew. Let the live music on Fridays and Saturdays serenade you all, as you soak in the laid back atmosphere, whether you’re catching a live game at the sports bar or enjoying a sip at the garden bar. Promising produce-driven pub fare as well as modern dishes to satisfy everyone dining there, there are also monthly Drag Bingos, Sunday Jazz, Steak Night, and Trivia Night to ensure never a dull moment at Crown Hotel.
Brisbane City
As the city’s resident chic and timeless restaurant, Motorwagen is the perfect place to post up you and your crew. With a passion for bringing people together, no matter the occasion, casual bookings of up to 14 are welcome to kick back in the restaurant or outdoor terrace with a range of approachable and seasonal menus to keep all tastes happy. For brekky, choose between the group menu with your choice in dish alongside a coffee or juice for $27.50 per person, or dig into a share-style spread with pastries, fruit platters, and a drink for $40 per person. Later in the day, you’ll experience modern European dining at its finest, with top notch service and contemporary, Insta-worthy dishes you’ll be licking off the plate!
Herston
Sip and swing all weekend with your crew at Victoria Park, where nothin’ but good times are found. From their 18-hole putt-putt course that’s fully licensed to the scenic two-tiered Bistro cafe, you and your gang can enjoy a fun-filled full day out in this stunning precinct atop the parklands. After working up an appetite on the putt-putt course, grab a feast alfresco-style at the Bistro, serving up fresh seasonal food with a smile. Bookings are essential though, so make sure you secure your crowd a table.
Fortitude Valley
Follow the fragrant flavours of Southeast Asian cooking on Ada Lane and you’re in for an extra spicy group hang. This modern Thai restaurant has plenty of room to feed your crew to the tune of sizzling woks with a banquet menu of the restaurant’s most popular dishes required for groups over seven. With kingfish ceviche, chicken burgers in smoked sriracha, coconut turmeric curry, and banana blossom salad serving as just a few of the delicious features on the menu, every palate will be sure to be pleased.
Newstead
Think you can’t find anywhere to fit your group? How do two converted World War II plane hangars sound? With bookings of up to 16 available online, Stratton is the modern industrial venue made for laidback and loud nights catching up over drinks and share-style plates. The choice is yours here, with over 35 cocktails alongside a flavour-based wine list and beer selection, as well as a menu offering something for everyone, whether it’s cheeseburger dumplings, braised beef short ribs, or bolognese pizza.
Brisbane City
If the occasion calls for your finest, Donna Chang is the one for the job. The modern Chinese restaurant soars within an expansive space in the heart of the city, boasting pastel hues and lush greenery. Simple in its elegance, their plush booths are perfect for cosying up with your nearest and dearest, as you feast on Sichuan flavours and authentic Cantonese cuisine. Whether you opt for a la carte or sit back and dig into one of their two banquet menus, you’re in for dining that ignites everyone’s senses.
Fortitude Valley
Under the fairy lit trees in The Valley, you’ll find a large banqueting and drink hall where tasty Chinese food is served in the most generous of portions. With a focus on the wok cooking of Southern China and Hong Kong as well as the Guangdong style of traditional BBQ cooking, the approachable menu is definitely a crowd pleaser. Plus, with its convenient location, you’re perfectly positioned for kicking on well into the night!
Hamilton
Got a hungry crew of picky eaters? Then cover all your bases with over 70 drool-worthy food stalls at Eat Street! Built from 180 repurposed shipping containers, Eat Street boasts cuisines from all around the globe making it practically impossible to not find a dish that will tickle your fancy. The neon hub also stages some of the best local live entertainment around town, so you can take your bites with a side of groovy beats.
Newstead
Under the regal gaze of Mrs Brown, this airy space serves up an elevated bar experience made for spending with good company. Sip down and cheers to your faves or dig into the share-style menu dusted with Asian flair, featuring paratha pancakes, rotisserie chicken in a secret ten-spice rub, and flavourful sides. However you spend your sesh at Mrs Brown’s, it’s sure to be equal parts leisurely as it is lively in a home-away-from-home.
Fortitude Valley
Enjoy the effortlessly indulgent vibes of the Greek islands right here in Brisbane, when you snag a cabana for your gang poolside at Hellenika. Bookings of up to ten can be made with just a few clicks on their website, setting you up for a delightfully fresh and boozy long lunch or delicious dinner spread. Like a private dining experience in the open-air of the stunning Calile Hotel, whatever the moment calls for, Hellenika will no doubt deliver.
New Farm
You might think heading out on a whim with a group is only possible if your destination is a public park, but Brisbane Powerhouse’s resident haunt proves otherwise. Groups of up to ten are welcome as walk-ins at Mary Mae’s to enjoy the uninterrupted river views, sun-drenched terraces, and all-day dining menu of re-imagined European classics. Or, set up shop at the bar and enjoy unique takes on the usual suspects, as well as a homegrown range of Brisbane-brewed beers.
Manly
Whether you’re parked up on the park benches by the water or nestled inside the light-filled restaurant, take your band of buddies to the place where the city meets the bay. The unrivalled wraparound views of Moreton Bay aren’t the only reason why Manly Boathouse can’t be beat – the calming restaurant will whisk you all away to coastal paradise. With four group dining areas separated by dreamy linen curtains, groups between 12 to 16 will enjoy a secluded experience made extra special with the seasonal set menu.
Is your party too big to share? Check out Brisbane’s best private dining rooms here.
Notorious for turning a random encounter into a three-hour conversation and running across streets to pat a dog, Dinu is a curious girl who loves a good story. Her extensive knowledge of Donald Glover is yet to come to good use and she would do basically anything for a hash brown. Catch her bombarding her friends with articles she thinks they should read or spending way too much time creating the perfect playlist.
