After work bevvies on Fridays, dinner-turned-drinks on Saturdays or leisurely mimosa brunches melting into Sunday arvo rooftop sessions—our cocktail game is strong here in Brisbane/Meanjin. Choose your bar wisely and you’ll even find local distilleries stocked on shelves alongside other boutique spirits, shaken and stirred with housemade syrups, sustainable ingredients and a creative garnish or two, proof that we’ve come a long way since the days when a daiquiri was as creative as we got.
Whether you stick to old faithful favourites such as espresso martinis, pina coladas and spicy margaritas, or you chase alcohol-infused adventure at the hands of your mixologist, these are the best cocktails bars Brisbane has to offer, thoroughly tested (and we mean thoroughly) by the booze hounds here at Urban List.
Cobbler
7 Browning Street, West End
Feeling frisky for whisky? Cobbler is your bar. With 150+ variations of the spirit on offer, this is the place whisky lovers dream of—and the first of its kind in Queensland. But they don’t just offer whisky. Check it out on a Monday for a margarita night, or come on any regular day for a taste of their wide range of cocktails.
Death & Taxes
38 Burnett Lane, Brisbane CBD
Image credit: Death & Taxes | Facebook
Tucked away down Brisbane’s oldest lane, Death & Taxes is a nice reprieve from all the negativity in the world—especially things like death and taxes, pun intended. The brain-child from the masterminds behind Dr Gimlette and Antico, this venue has the sophisticated yet grungy vibe you’d expect from London underground bars. Sleek leather booths, chandeliers, street art outside, and a 54-page-strong cocktail menu—it’s the recipe for a good night.
The End
73 Vulture Street, West End
The epitome of everything West End represents, The End is a bar of plants, vintage furniture, hanging lights, and creative cocktails. Can't decide between all the cool concoctions on the menu? Just try the cocktail of the day—the bartenders here love to try new things. Add in a couple of DJ sets every week, and a dash of live music every now and then, and you’ve got a Brisbane staple.
Maker
9 Fish Lane, South Brisbane
Test your luck to see if you can be one of the 20 people to make it into Maker—one of Brisbane’s tiniest bars. The intimate hole-in-the-wall joint has a dark and moody aesthetic, adding to the already secretive vibe. Expect Aussie spirits, wines, and beers, and expect them to be GOOD—but not as good as their specialty, which is uber creative cocktails.
Maya
757 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley
Image credit: Maya | Facebook
Inspired by Mexico’s Riviera Maya, you can bask in the sunlight amongst the cacti and stone walls at Maya, the Valley’s lush rooftop joint. Serving up a wide variety of margaritas, tequila lovers can’t get enough of this place. We’re talking mango jalapeno margaritas, lychee margaritas, and even ones with cinnamon sugar, hibiscus, lavender and vanilla. Are you kidding? Genius.
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Stan's Lounge
5 Boundary Street, Howard Smith Wharves
Hidden above Stanley's is this moody, sophisticated bolthole where the martinis are ice cold, the lights are turned down low and vinyl DJs play vibing tunes most nights of the week. Skilled at pouring classics like lychee martinis and mango daiquiris, the bartenders at Stan's Lounge also very good at coming up with something new on the spot if nothing takes your fancy. And if you've got cash to splash, cast your eye on the vintage and premium cocktails section, which use rare gins, whiskeys and tequila to make 1970s style sips.
Frog’s Hollow Saloon
26 Charlotte Street, Brisbane CBD
Pull on those cowboy boots—it’s time to yeehaw our way into Frog’s Hollow Saloon. Whiskey, fairy lights and barrels adorn this Texan-inspired bar, which is as much about the cocktails as it is about the moonshine (ok, there's no moonshine—but there is some 400 bottles of whiskey/whisky). Trust the charming bartenders to give you a drink you’ll love—they know what they’re doing.
Viscosity
11B/25 Connor Street, Fortitude Valley
Image credit: Viscosity | Facebook
An immersive experience of molecular mixology, Viscosity is a bar for the secret science lovers. Their insanely creative fluro-coloured drinks come in a range of vessels, including beakers, test tubes, lightsabers, and even Frankenstein’s head. The bar itself has neon lights, dry ice, and a rave vibe. A party you won’t forget—or maybe you will.
The Gresham
308 Queen Street, Brisbane CBD
With one of the most impressive back bars you’ll ever see, you’ll be spoilt for choice at The Gresham. They have a whopping 75 page drinks menu, with four pages just for their cocktails—including a whole section just for you to pick out ingredients for their specialty Old Fashioned. But those cocktails aren’t the only thing that’s old fashioned here. Decked out with Chesterfield couches and decor to match, step into the 19th century for a drink or two.
Savile Row
667 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley
Behind the mysterious orange door in the Valley is your favourite classy bar—Savile Row. The tribute to London’s slick tailoring precinct, this joint has a huge crystal chandelier, moody lighting, and a back bar so big they need a ladder to get to that rum you want. We’re not kidding—it’s the second largest back bar in Australia. You want it? They got it.
Canvas
16B Logan Road, Woolloongabba
Image credit: Canvas | Facebook
Located in the most fun (and hard) suburb of Brisbane to spell, Canvas is a “living canvas”. Graffiti, climbing vines, and eclectic vintage finds line the walls, while the bartenders work to make every cocktail a masterpiece. The mixologists are as creative as the art on the walls, coming up with drinks like Queen Anne’s Revenge, the Great Escape, and Canvas-Cola.
Bar Kazba
1000 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley
A nod to the vibrant nightlife of Tel Aviv, Bar Kazba serves up cocktails with a Middle-Eastern twist. Take a seat in their 1940s style lounge and try one of their signature cocktails—a smoked cacao an pomegranate old fashioned, an aleppo pepper margarita, or a Za’atar negroni. Whatever you choose, you’re in for a tasty time.
Finney Isles
702 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley
Step through the bright blue door into the 1920s—Finney Isles style. The cocktail, wine, and charcuterie bar serves up terrific tipples, gourmet grazing platters, and a jolly good time. The 50-seater venue is intimate and classy—perfect for a first date. Though the back bar is full of limited edition spirits, the cocktails are where the bartenders really shine. Bespoke never tasted so good.
Cielo
209 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley
Image credit: Cielo | Facebook
Sex on the roof? Don’t worry, that’s just the name of one of Cielo’s many unique cocktail creations. Sip their Italian-inspired cocktails on a rooftop reminiscent of the Amalfi Coast. Yellow booths, greenery, and an insane view take centre stage here, but that doesn’t mean the drinks and food aren’t to die for. Put us down for one lamington martini and margherita pizza, please.
1st Edition
356 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley
Claiming to be “the hero that Brisbane deserves”, 1st Edition is a comic book inspired bar and eatery in the Valley. Street art murals covering the walls, comic book panels covering the bar, 1st Edition has nerds covered. From Marvel to DC, you’ll want to utilise your knowledge to order up a superhero-themed cocktail or two. We’d recommend an “Invisible Girl”—lamington infused vodka in a cocktail? Super.
Antico
48 Burnett Lane, Brisbane CBD
The devastation of Burnett Lane’s icon Super Whatnot’s closure didn’t last long when Antico came to stay. The moody and sleek bar is hidden behind a grungy exterior—but you’ll know you’re in the European-inspired joint as soon as you walk in. Dimly lit by chandeliers, you can sip on classic cocktails in a comfy leather booth. Mamma mia.
Babylon Garden
145 Eagle Street, Brisbane CBD
Image credit: Babylon Gardens | Markus Ravik
An oasis on the banks of the Brisbane River, Babylon Garden is the easy breezy bar you’ve been looking for with those after-work drinks. Order up some Mediterranean-style eats to share, have a Turkish espresso martini, and spill that hot goss you’ve been waiting all week for. Whispering about your work crush, surrounded by trees, stone columns, and food and drinks as delicious as him? Count us in.
Purple Palm
6/148 Logan Road, Woolloongabba
Bringing a taste of Palm Springs to Brisvegas, Purple Palm is a go-to spot for gin-lovers. A combination of luscious indoor and outdoor spaces, you’ll be greeted by waving palm trees, string lights, and exposed brick. They’ve got a ten foot wall of gin—so get that tonic ready. Not your poison? Grab a signature cocktail instead.
LOS
46 James Street, Fortitude Valley
LOS, aka Land Of Smiles, stays true to its name, turning those frowns upside down with every drink. Upstairs from sAme sAme, this deep green bar is moodily lit, with hanging plants in abundance. The cosy joint serves up cocktails inspired by South East Asian flavours, and a variety of tequilas—over 110 bottles of it, to be exact.
Dr Gimlette
109 Edward Street, Brisbane CBD
Image credit: Dr Gimlette | Facebook
Named after the war surgeon who came up with the genius idea to mix gin and lime cordial, Dr. Gimlette is not a bar to miss. Located in one of the oldest buildings in Brisbane, it’s an old school sophisticated venue—in case you didn’t get the memo from the nine-metre long white marble bar. Specialising in gimlets and martinis, they also serve up a range of well-balanced cocktails—or antidotes and remedies, as they call it.
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Image credit: Cobbler | Facebook
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