We’ve all been there—you rock up to a quality restaurant with your mates, have a good chat, peckish for a bite, and then it happens. You have an 'indecisive' amongst you. Peckish turns to hungry which turns to starving as you patiently sip on your fifth complimentary glass of tap water, wishing they would just make their bloody mind up and order.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. There is hope, and it comes in the form of Urban List's round up of Brisbane/Meanjin's best banquets. The agony of choice is banished and plentitude reigns supreme as the whole table is treated to a repast of the finest dishes in the house that'll impress even the pickiest eaters—no decisiveness required.
Even better, we’ve rounded up the Brisbane banquets that come in at under $70pp, for when you’re indecisive, but also on a budget—or you’ve just got that one cheap person who doesn’t see the value in a $100 set menu at Agnes (it’s so worth it, FYI). Find them sorted by budget below.
Under $40
King Tea
100 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington
Ravenous after a day in the office or don’t feel like cooking? At King Tea in Paddington, you can indulge in their king’s banquet for just $30pp if you're seated before 6pm from Monday to Thursday. Available for groups of four and more, you get your choice of two entrees, three mains and of course their signature egg fried rice. At this point we recommend skipping the arvo gym sesh, you’ll work up a sweat getting through this one.
Mrs Brown’s
32 Commercial Road, Newstead
Mrs Brown's Feed Me package is designed for you to sit back, relax and let them feed you like family. With not one but two banquet packages on offer, the only choice you have to make is how much you want to spend. Their famous snack set option for $35pp features their famous prawn dumpling served on red nam jim sauce and honey lemon chicken wings plus plenty more. If you’re looking for something a little more filling, opt for their $55 classics option, with mains such as rotisserie chicken and paprika roasted carrots. It doesn’t get much better than this.
Under $50
Ruby My Dear
12 Longland Street, Newstead
Classy, retro, vinyl-spinning jazz bar is how one would describe Ruby, My Dear and as of recently, they can now add banquet sensation to their list of descriptors. Serving up a six-piece lunch every Friday to Sunday from $49pp, featuring namero snapper with wasabi leaf and ruby ponzu, and vegetable dumplings with a chilli crunch, you’ll be glad you found this Brisbane banquet.
Phat Boy
300 George Street, Brisbane CBD
If you’re after a Thai feast, Phat Boy has you covered with their spread of spring rolls, satay skewers, chilli and basil beef stirfry, crispy chicken green curry and unlimited jasmine rice for as little as $35pp. There’s also a heftier $45pp option for the hungry sorts, and both are available any time.
Under $60
Rich & Rare
97 Boundary Street, West End
Image credit: Rich & Rare | Facebook
Looking for a nine-course lunch or early dinner? Then look no further, because Rich &Rare is serving up the goods for $54pp between 11am-6pm every single day. With the likes of their famous artisan sourdough, jamon iberico, oyster mignonette, seared scallops, miso butter barramundi, sirloin steak with mushroom sauce and sides of shaved parmesan iceberg lettuce and rosemary salt fries, you will be left full and fulfilled. There’s even dessert involved.
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Fosh Bar and Restaurant
39 Hercules Street, Hamilton
You won’t believe how good the banquet Fosh is dishing for $54pp is—in fact, it might even have you Hooked. Though you’ll have to head in before 6pm to score it, this spread is worth an early dinner time, featuring whipped taramasalata and soft brioche, oysters, scallop crudos, fish curry, fluffy roti, a sirloin steak with crispy fries AND dessert. See why you’ll be impressed?
Massimo
123 Eagle Street, Brisbane CBD
Get in quick for Massimo’s pronto banquet, which features eight dishes for just $54pp between 11am and 6pm daily. Indulge in freshly oven-baked pistachio focaccia, rich ricotta and basil pomodoro and their famous loin of the eye fillet served with potatoes and iceberg salad, whilst making your way through a long list of Italian-inspired cocktails. Perched along the river, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to the Sicilian coastline—without the expense of course.
Dark Shepherd
Queen's Wharf, Brisbane CBD
Image credit: Dark Shepherd | Supplied
Gather your flock for the ultimate Mediterranean feast at Dark Shepherd, who is carrying on the banquet tradition of sister Tassis venues Fosh, Rich & Rare, Massimo and more with their own $54 edition serving up fire, flavour and flair from 11am-6pm on the daily. Ask for The Big Chop Banquet and you can sink your teeth into a nine-piece spread featuring classic tzatziki and pillow bread, fresh oysters, pastitsio bites, lamb ribs, calamari, and a lamb tomahawk cutlet. And no banquet is complete without dessert so save room to indulge in the chef's sweet finale.
Pompette
Queen's Wharf, Brisbane CBD
If you love sophisticated French fare, say 'bon appetit' to Pompette’s sparkling Ooh La La Banquet, which we have to say is damn good value for this chic Parisien spot. For just $54pp, you can savour an eight-piece banquet that's available from 11am-6pm seven days a week. Starting with a crispy baguette and butter, you'll then savour your way through cured beef biltong, scallops, salmon filet, salade verte, French fries and the pièce de résistance: Boeuf Filet en Croûte—eye fillet wrapped in puff pastry with jus and mushrooms. And yes, of course there's desssert.
Luckies
4/210 Oxford Street, Bulimba
For $54pp, Luckies is serving up a banquet of its best eats—with a completely vegan friendly option too. You’ll find their famous kingfish sashimi, Sichuan calamari and sweet and sour pork on their main menu, but if meat is not your thing, swap it out for the five spice popcorn cauliflower and kung pao eggplant available on their vegan menu, which is only $49pp—cheap as (their eggplant) chips. Best of all, this one’s available any time.
IPPIN Japanese Dining
2/97 Boundary Street, West End
Image credit: IPPIN Japanese Dining | Instagram
You, me and the $58pp Natsu Banquete at IPPIN, say no more. Serving up an seven-piece banquet, with crowd favourites including edamame scallop, sashimi, karaage chicken, aburi kingfish roll and grilled salmon, IPPIN is the new hotspot for shared dining experiences. Just a hot tip—we recommend booking in your long lunch early, because this exclusive deal fills up quickly and is only available until 6pm.
Yamas Restaurant
45 Mollison Street, West End
Bit of an ancient Greece fan? Or perhaps just a fan of the Greek gods (how could you not be)? Then the Zeus Banquet is right up your alley. With a variety of meats, cheeses and breads on offer, including their famous mixed souvla and lemon potatoes, this one is sure to delight all of us mere mortals on a budget. For only $55pp you can dine with the gods every day of the week at Yamas Restaurant until 6.30pm.
The Green
1/27 James Street, Fortitude Valley
If you need an excuse to finally check out The Green for dinner, their new $55 set menu might be just the ticket. Alongside their larger $75pp set menu, you can now feast on a smaller, but no less delicious version of ‘Dark Green,’ their dinner service available every Friday and Saturday night. Though the menu changes regularly, you’ll be nibbling on the likes of homemade Lebanese bread, brown butter hummus and roasted eggplant stuffed with spiced lamb mince as you settle in, then indulging in your choice of charcoal roasted whole fish or perhaps a slow braised spiced beef cheek along side fried potato and fattoush salad for mains.
Opa Bar + Mezze
123 Eagle Street, Brisbane CBD
Image credit: Opa Bar + Mezze | Instagram
A big fat Greek feast is what is being offered at Opa Bar + Mezze every single day of the week before 6pm. For $60pp, you can indulge in a seven-piece banquet with signature items including pita bread dipped in their white fish roe mousse, succulent slow cooked lamb shoulder with dollops of tzatziki and warm filo filled to the brim with custard and mastiha—our mouths are just watering thinking about it.
Mexicali Bar Y Taqueria
142 Oxford Street, Bulimba
Margarita in hand, vibes by the bucketload and a whole Mexican banquet to make your way through. Mexicali’s chef’s banquet is loaded with spicy jalapeno poppers, corn chips, blue swimmer crab tostada and chimichurri rump camp tortillas—to name just a few. Let’s not forget about the finale, cajeta caramel churros served with vanilla bean gelato. Next thing you know you'll be singing Tequila after indulging in this $59pp fiesta.
Under $70
Botellon Spanish Tapas & Wine Bar
1/327 Honour Avenue, Chelmer
Botellon Bar is here to entice you over to their neck of the woods with their Sunday set banquet for $65pp. The menu changes weekly, but you can bet it will be full of Spanish-inspired eats that are a little different to what is on the stunning tapas bar’s usual menu.
Stanley Restaurant
5 Boundary Street, Howard Smith Wharves
Image credit: Stanley Restaurant | Instagram
Don’t pigeonhole Stanley Restaurant in the ‘unaffordable’ box, because this Cantonese spot on the Wharves just got better with a Classic Banquet available for $65pp. Entrees include famous Sichuan dumplings, cucumber and snow pea salad and crispy salt and pepper squid. Moving onto mains, the sweet ‘n’ sour chicken served with pineapple contrasts perfectly to their stir-fried green beans and pork. And to finish, there’s anise sugar and passionfruit golden-fried choux pastry. All you need to do is gather three friends and book a table.
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Image credit: King Tea | Facebook
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