Brisbane’s Top Cocktail Bars To Be Seen Sippin’ In

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 bar is bringing Israel’s nocturnal party capital to Brisbane. 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 or mad for all things Marvel, 1st Edition Bar will change the way you drink.

Mr & Mrs G are the cool parents on Eagle Street pier and they’re welcoming all to the family. A Brisbane institution with an expansive vantage point overlooking the Story Bridge, they’re the first and last stop on a night out in the CBD. Recognised for a signature cocktail list that rivals many, impeccable service, and delectable tapas, it’s no surprise we’re frequent flyers. Using premium alcohols and liquors including Pavlova Gin and Herradura Silver Tequila, their signature cocktail menu offers a menagerie of memorable names including The Dirty Sanchez, Giselle in Love, Jugo Feliz, and a Spring in Pauda. Sit back behind a plate of mixed olives, a carefully curated cocktail, and experience the Brisbane River in all its glory.

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! 

A true James Street icon, Gerard’s Bar is loved by locals for its laidback yet sophisticated vibe. Park yourself in their courtyard under their twinkling fairy-lit tree and let the drinks flow as you sip away your worries, and bump into old friends. With a modern interior that commands the small hole-in-the-wall space, Gerard’s bar is just the place to be – and be seen – from 4pm well into the night. With delicious bites to accompany, it’s no wonder getting a seat is tricky, but if you’re keen to keep the good times going, swing on over to Gerard’s Bistro for a meal worth ‘gramming!

Home of stellar views, impeccable cocktails, and live music well above water level is Mr Percival’s. Known and loved by Brisbanites as a vibin’ overwater bar, it’s a top contender for cocktails by day or night. Take your pick from a full bodied negroni or a tropical cherry topped Piña Colada for the classics, or delve into something more complex like the Hendricks Midsummer Solstice with pear, raspberry, vanilla, lemon, and rhubarb bitters. Paired with a plate of shucked oysters, choose the panoramic view of Brisbane River or head inside amongst Anna Spiro’s eclectic sub-tropical interior filled with perfectly mismatched 60s patterns and colours.

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. 

For a martini that even James Bond would approve of, head to The Inchcolm Bar, where they have the formula down to a science. From the seductive silhouette of the glass to the frosty cold serving, The Inchcolm’s love affair with the martini dates all the way back to the 1910s! The late wife of the original owner Marie Jean Thompson – who was one of Brisbane’s original socialites – wowed the crowds with her martinis as The Inchcolm continues to do today. Kick back in the velvety surrounds during their daily Martini Hour from 5.30pm-6.30pm or sip to the tune of live jazz on Thursday nights. The speakeasy-esque backdrop also plays host to wine and a selection of other indulgent spirits so you can whet your whistle in perfect style.

Take cues from Hawaii and head to this late-night grungy surf shack for cocktails that put the ‘good time’ in Suzie Wongs Good Time Bar. Accessed through a retro fridge door in the heart of The Valley, the cocktail list is sweet, fun, and eccentric. From the bubble-gun shot with tropical rum, bubblegum, and lime, to the Ring Of Fire with two Jack Daniels’ flavours, banana, pineapple, and bitters, the menu is full of winners, including the Suzie’s Party Punch which might be vague on the details but delicious on the tastebuds. Chill out with their frozen tipples that are also available in group serves so you’re whole gang can sip on the goodness together!