Bars & Pubs

18 Of Brisbane’s Best Beer Gardens To Sip A Schooner

By Ranyhyn Laine
12th Jan 2023

The beloved Brisbane beer garden. A spacious habitat where humans come to meet, discuss the daily grind and most importantly, sink glorious, golden beers amongst the shady foliage. 

But what really makes a beer garden? Although us Aussies can’t claim its creation (let’s give a collective thanks to Germany), we’ve certainly perfected, and to us, a beer garden is only deserving of its name if it’s outdoors (or at least allows for a good breeze and plenty of sunlight), features more craft brews on tap than fancy cocktails on the menu, and has at least one form of plantlife in the near vicinity. 

Accordingly, we’ve rounded up our city’s best, so let’s raise a schooner and make a toast to Brisbane’s most impressive outdoorsy beer hangs.

The Prince Consort 

Fortitude Valley 

The Prince Consort has no less than nine separate spaces to drink in, but we’re going to focus on one—the Garden Bar. Boasting a lengthy bar (so more space to squeeze yourself to the front of the queue), loads of greenery hanging overhead, a big screen television and a stage for live tunes, it’s the kind of bar you want to hang out in all day and long into the night. And if you do get bored of it? Well there’s four other bars to go find. 

The Boundary Hotel 

West End 

Hidden behind the heritage facade of this West End icon is a groovy all-weather beer garden with a retractable roof, not to mention a rooftop bar and backyard decked out in picnic tables and striped umbrellas. Basically, you’ve got choices, lots of choices. There’s no shortage of beers on tap and everything from burgers and pizzas to delicious pub classics on the menu.

BrewDog DogTap 

Murrarie 

The industrial zone of Murrarie may seem like an odd spot for a brewery, but judging from the weekend crowds in Dogtap’s beer garden on a sunny day, nobody minds in the slightest. The outdoor area overlooking the river is the perfect spot to sink a few of BrewDog’s signature brews, with giant yard games to play if you get bored. Bonus, it’s dog-friendly, so take your 

The Osbourne Hotel 

Fortitude Valley 

a beer garden with wooden walls and lots of plants

One of the first hotels in Brisbane back in the 1800s (that's proper OG Brisbane vibes right there gang) The Osbourne Hotel  has a lot of history around these parts, but in it’s modern rendition, it also happens to be one of the most beautiful bar and beer gardens in Brisbane. With exposed brick, a vaulted glass roof ceiling, lush plants and leafy areas, this gorgeous alfresco space screams balmy evening vibes, with capacity for up to 400 patrons—a pretty big space, then.

The Plough Inn 

South Bank 

One of the OGs, The Plough Inn has been around since the dawn of South Bank (at least, we don’t remember it ever not being there…). Don’t worry, it’s had a few refurbs since then, and is looking better than ever, with some very chill garden vibes in their outdoor area. Always buzzing, the beer is ice cold, there’s live tunes every weekend and the burrito spring rolls are a must order. 

The Triffid 

Newstead

The Triffid in Newstead is Brisbane's most iconic live music venue and bar tucked away in the booming ‘burb of Newstead. With a hot line up of gigs from some of the country's and the world's hottest acts, and a bar and beer garden outside amongst the corrugated iron and greenery that are open for drinks and good times even if no one's on the stage, The Triffid is renowned for good music and good time for a very good reason. 

The Normanby 

Red Hill 

It might be over 130 years old, but The Normanby’s beer garden certainly doesn’t look like it after a recent refresh that gave the old girl a new lease on life—albeit one sans that iconic fig tree (RIP). With plenty of shady seating thanks to some new greenery, you’ll definitely find somewhere to knock back a brew and maybe tuck into a bowl of beer battered chips for good measure.

Brisbane Brewing Co 

West End 

Slip down a sneaky little alley off Boundary Road and you’ll find yourself in a beery oasis, complete with spacious outdoor area and top things to munch on. At Brisbane Brewing Co you could sample one (or two) of their 10 freshly brewed beers, which you’ll also find at their Brewhouse in Woolloongabba.

Revel Brewing Co

Morningside 

While the interiors of Revel Brewing Co's massive, heritage-listed home are pretty impressive, it's their outdoor beer garden where we'd choose to drink. Lined with picnic tables under shady umbrellas, it’s just the spot to sip your way through their range of bevvies from oatmeal stout to crisp cider, all brewed for and inspired by their loving locals. They also offer a bunch of snacks and pizzas to round out the experience. 

Pig 'N' Whistle

Fortitude Valley

Adorned in enough fairy lights to be seen from space, the Fortitude Valley Pig 'n' Whistle is a surprisingly classy addition to Brisbane's beer garden scene. A frothy or two in the sun in this palm-fringed outdoor drinking hole and you'll be shouting this Brisbane bar's praises as loud as the rest of us.

Felons Brewing Co

Howard Smith Wharves

Situated along the riverfront underneath the Story Bridge, Felons' outdoor areas include seating overlooking the CBD and stretching right along the boardwalk, large grassy gardens with shaded picnic benches and white-washed stone seating underneath shady pergolas out back to shelter from the sun.

Salisbury Hotel 

Salisbury 

One of the many Aus Venue Co-owned pubs to have scored a makeover in recent times, Salisbury Hotel’s came with a breezy, outdoor beer garden complete with picnic tables under striped umbrellas and festoon lighting. Sure the inside bars look pretty schmick now too, but why would you drink inside when you could enjoy the afternoon sunshine? 

The Crown Hotel 

Lutwyche 

 Lutwyche's local, The Crown Hotel has been serving schooners and pub eats for over 140 years but more recently, it has served up a transformation worthy of its' own makeover TV show complete with the development of a new beer garden. Adorned in street art and striped umbrellas, it’s definitely not what you’d expect to find in the middle of Lutwyche, but we’ll take it.

Koala Tavern 

Capalaba 

Not to keep repeating ourselves, but Koala Tavern is another of those pubs you won’t recognise if it’s been a while since you stopped in for a pint. The best thing to come out of their recent multi-million dollar refurb is a massive beer garden (seriously, it’s immense) with picnic tables and shady seats aplenty. There’s even a playground if you want to entertain the kids for a while. 

Cleveland Sands Hotel 

Cleveland 

Ok ok, last newly refurbished pub, we promise. But Aus Venue Co is really on a tear right now, and the Cleveland Sands Hotel has also had the million-dollar reno treatment. The new beer garden here has breezy coastal vibes, with all white furnishings and a fishy theme, making it the perfect spot to down lobster and prawn sliders and salt and pepper squid while you sip.

Brisbane Brewing Co

Woolloongabba

A beer garden with temperature control? Yes please. While it might look like a classic old school pub from the outside, Brewhouse is all class on the inside, with a modern industrial look and plenty of gourmet eats to chow down on while you enjoy and ice cold beers. There’s multiple spaces to explore too, so don’t just stick to the beer garden whenever you visit. 

Buffalo Bar 

Brisbane City 

Another heritage building that hides a greenery adorned open air beer garden inside, Buffalo Bar is the perfect spot for post work beers, especially if it’s been a tough week. If you need something harder than beer, the whiskey selection is top notch, and might have you confusing the twinkling fairy lights with stars after you’ve had half a dozen. 

Catchment Brewing Co 

West End 

Deep in inner city brewing territory is where Catchment Brewing Co and pour their specially-crafted beers. With an art deco ambience and gourmet pub food offerings matched perfectly to their beers, the street art covered laneway out the back is where to go for beer garden vibes right next to the beer brewing tanks. 

Just want a good beer, no matter the setting? Check out Brisbane's best craft breweries here.

Image credit: Individual venues

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