Where To Find 30 Of The Gold Coast’s Best Bars In 2026
Danielle Read
Contributor | Urban List
Gold Coast bars shine across our fair city. Where the views are pristine, the vibe teeters between lowkey to bustling. And beverages flow from taps, and pair perfectly with plates. It's thirsty work sipping around the Gold Coast's bar scene, but someone's got to do it.
So what makes a Gold Coast bar one of the best? For me, the drinks list must slam. So whether you're thirsty for a local brew, a known classic or a creative creation – you're quenched. The service must consistently deliver and a setting with its own standout quirk makes for memory-making stuff.
To make your next sipfest simple, I’ve compiled a bucket list of the best bars on the Gold Coast/Kombumerri Country to sink a drink with the locals. Scroll on for 30 of the best bars on the Gold Coast in 2026.
How we choose: Consistent service, cultural relevance, vibey ambiance, sustainability where possible, and real-world buzz from our team and community.
Gold Coast's Best Bars At A Glance
- Jump To The Best Gold Coast Rooftop Bars
- Jump To The Best Gold Coast Wine Bars
- Jump To The Best Cocktail Bars On The Gold Coast
- Jump To The Best Hidden Gold Coast Bars
- Jump To The Best Gold Coast Bars For Groups
The Best Gold Coast Rooftop Bars
Mr P.P.’s Deli & Rooftop
43 Nerang St, Southport QLD 4215
Mr P.P.’s Deli & Rooftop is one of the best bars for when you're floating around the northern end of the Gold Coast. Downstairs, hidden behind the guise of a deli, Mr P.P.’s cosy wine bar is perfect for knock-off drinks or a sociable Saturday night. You can come and hang with the CBD office workers for sunset drinkies and pizza on the rooftop and you'll likely walk away with a handful of new friends.
INSIDER INTEL
- It's right on the tram line, for an easy trip home
- Dreamy sunset views from this rooftop hit different over the cityscape
Aviary Rooftop Bar
5 Melia Ct, Southport QLD 4215
Aviary Rooftop Bar is one the northern Gold Coast's most-loved watering holes year 'round. The bustling rooftop bar is located in the Southport Sharks precinct and boasts sweeping views of the Surfers Paradise skyline and the Gold Coast Hinterland. Expect creative cocktails, a rotating tapas menu and regular events nights at Aviary. The sunsets from here are seriously beaut.
INSIDER INTEL
- It's inside the building to the right of Southport Sharks, take the elevator to the top floor
- Live music plays from indoors through to the rooftop speakers for the best of both worlds
- Locals sip and save with specials 4pm - 9pm Thursdays
The Island Rooftop
3128 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
Gold Coast’s biggest rooftop bar and sprawling alfresco patio, The Island Rooftop delivers on coolness for Surfers Paradise's after-dark scene. With DJs, a retro-styled cocktail bar, ample seating and leafy nooks, this Gold Coast bar boasts stunning rooftop views and you're almost always guaranteed a good night here.
The Island also homes a Penthouse floor with a retractable roof and terrace bar up amongst a sea of highrises. This space is available for private event hire and is a serious showstopper. Trust me, my wedding reception here saw jaws on floors.
INSIDER INTEL
- Saturday's bottomless graze lunch features a decent three course spread, a series of spritzes and cocktail carafes. For $89 it's a top way to experience this Gold Coast rooftop bar
- If you're in the mood to carry on into the wee hours, from personal experience, splurging on a night at The Island is well worth it
The Collective Rooftop
1128 Gold Coast Hwy, Palm Beach QLD 4221
Gone are the days Palm Beach was a sleepy beachside suburb that you’d pass through enroute to the airport. Thanks to vibing hangouts like The Collective and its so-hip-it-hurts rooftop bar, the 4221 is officially on the drinking map.
The perfect time to visit? Magic hour, just as the sun dips behind the hinterland and order one of their famous cocktail trees to share. Open 5pm til late weekdays and 12pm til late weekends, expect occasional rooftop takeovers featuring epic new looks, cocktails and bites from restaurants below catering to all dietary requirements.
INSIDER INTEL
- My top pick for a cocktail tree
- There's a decent lineup of local, international and low alcohol beers
- You can order food from any of the five onsite restaurants direct to your table
Justin Lane Rooftop
1708-1710 Gold Coast Hwy, Burleigh Heads QLD 4220
Life is best lived outdoors, which is why Justin Lane’s rooftop bar is a top contender for best rooftop bar on the Gold Coast. Located closeby to the iconic Burleigh Heads, resist the urge to order takeaway and pull up a seat at the heaving rooftop, frequented by DJs and celebs alike.
The drinks menu is loaded with oen of the widest ranges of whiskeys, bourbourns and rums I've seen on the Gold Coast. And it's the fresh take on classics that always has me back for sunbasking and sips. My current obsession is the passionfruit and chilli Tommy's margarita with lime and agave.
INSIDER INTEL
- A top contender for a rooftop bar that delivers on whisky, tequila and mezcal
- Their $70 long lunches feature bottomless drinks, bites, pizza, pasta and salads
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Sueño Rooftop
2217 Gold Coast Hwy, Mermaid Beach QLD 4218
INSIDER INTEL
- A visit here at golden hour is life-affirming stuff
- Bottomless brunch runs every weekend 12noon 2pm, featuring burrata, chargrilled chicken, watermelon ceviche and more with Tommy's margs, frozen cocktails, house wine and beer for $149 per person, or a non-alcoholic option for $119 per person
The Exhibitionist Bar
Level 5/135 Bundall Rd, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
The Exhibitionist Bar boasts breathtaking panoramic views of the vibrant arts precinct, the Surfers Paradise skyline and the stunning Gold Coast waterways. If that's not enough to get you excited, this epic rooftop bar also features a luscious tapas style bar menu with specialty cocktails, an extensive wine list, house-made sodas and local craft beer.
Want to drop in after a browse around the free gallery for a cheeky Prosecco and hot chippies? You really can. It's honestly such a nice spot to punctuate your gallery visit. Between taking in artwork, catching a movie, watching a stage show, attending a market or even a workshop, working up a thirst here is easy to do.
INSIDER INTEL
- Find it on level 5 at the HOTA Gallery
- Time your visit right to eavesdrop on sound check for big name acts playing at the neighbouring ampitheatre (I caught Missy Higgins once)
The Best Gold Coast Wine Bars
Paloma Wine Bar
12 James St, Burleigh Heads QLD 4220
It would be impossible to write about the Gold Coast's best bars without writing about Australia's best wine bar, according to Australia’s leading luxury food title, Gourmet Traveller. Crowned Australia's wine bar of the year in 2023, Paloma was the only Queensland venue to be nominated for the award.
Since opening in November 2021, Paloma has made waves in the Gold Coast dining scene with its impressive minimal-intervention wine list, European-inspired menu and refined yet laidback vibes. It's home to a curated selection of regularly rotating wines destined to quench your craving.
INSIDER INTEL
- It's walk-in only
- Keep an eye out for wine list takeovers by wine producers with cult-like followings
- Happy hour's 4pm - 6pm, Thursday and Sunday
Destino
Sanctuary Cove, Shop 38C Masthead Wy, Hope Island QLD 4212
Don’t be fooled by the 'wine bar' denomination—Destino has a few little tricks up its sleeve. By day it masquerades as a homewares store and espresso bar, then turns into a vibing wine and tapas bar from noon, without being gimmicky. As the sun sets against the Sanctuary Cove marina, you’ll want to dig into a dip or two, or try your hand at crafting your own cheese platter—it'd be a sin to choose just one between the Woombye Triple Cream Brie and French Fourme D'Ambert Blue. Naturally, get both.
The elevated cocktail list is where it's at. Pop the purple monkey with it's butterfly pea gin and guave topped with a cloud of smoke trapped inside a bubble for a theatrical edge. Though for a two in one there's something pretty phenom about the matcha man's dry gin and matcha brew ft. Greek yoghurt, vanilla and lemon.
INSIDER INTEL
- The first bar pour is from 12 noon
- DJs spin from 7pm Friday and Saturday
Rosella's
1734 Gold Coast Hwy, Burleigh Heads QLD 4220
Boasting an all-Aussie natural wine list, Rosella's really has something for every larrikin. VB tinnies and cocktails that feature Wizz Fizz are also on offer at this Australiana-themed bar. I dub it an absolute must if you find yourself in Burleigh.
Then there's the cocktails. While I personally love the Ranch Water from Hound & Stag Brewery, you just can't argue with the blackcurrent, Quandong and Beudi Blanco 'Bushwater' from Rosella's, infused with a mixed bag of jellies. Then there's the Fantale drop that features Daintree Dark choc. Pull up a stool, chat to the always-friendly bartenders, sip on tipple and snack XXXX and Squash Damper. What's not to love?
INSIDER INTEL
- This place is tiny and walk-ins only, so avoid peak times if you can
- Expect some of the most creative drops, and glassware on the Gold Coast
Garden Kitchen & Bar
The Star Gold Coast, 1 Casino Dr, Broadbeach QLD 4218
There’s a lot to love about the The Star in Broadbeach, which has been attracting locals in droves for years, partly thanks to the swanky Garden Kitchen & Bar. This leafy, sun-drenched outdoor bar is a hotspot for Sunday drinks or Saturday night wines; basically any occasion where you wanna dress up and live it up.
Having impressively won awards at Australia's Wine List Of The Year Awards in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024 and 2025, use this as your sign to venture beyond your usual prosecco and into more adventurous drops.
INSIDER INTEL
- The firepit package is Fridays from 4pm and weekends from noon, and offers a two-hour charcuterie box and bottole of wine of your chooce for $99
The Best Cocktail Bars On The Gold Coast
The Roosevelt Lounge
75 Surf Pde, Broadbeach QLD 4218
No expense was spared to create the Roosevelt Lounge, a game-changing 1920s American-inspired lounge bar and restaurant in Broadbeach. If you’re not made of money, you’ll definitely feel like it after a night spent lounging around looking glamorous in sinkable leather chesterfields and red velvet booths with cocktails made right in front of you at your table.
Finding it hard to squeeze into a pozzie in Broadbeach? I've found this cocktail bar to be surprisingly quiet on otherwise bustling nights, so drop by just in case you can slink away from the crowds for a sip or twenty.
INSIDER INTEL
- Thursdays 6pm - 8pm see cocktail and bar bites at deal prices
The Cambus Wallace
4/2237 Gold Coast Hwy, Mermaid Beach QLD 4218
The Cambus Wallace is recognised, and rightly so, as one of Gold Coast’s best cocktail bars. This dimly-lit and nautical-themed bar and eatery is one of my go-tos. They've been around since 2013 and basically invented the Nobby's Beach night scene, but in a totally humble style.
If you're feeling cheeky, order one of their famous pickleback shots and see where the night leads. Honestly, this has got to be one of the best Gold Coast cocktail bars I've found for its tasty tipple, friendly bar staff and epic acts strumming in the corner.
INSIDER INTEL
- It's got that local watering hole feel
- Walk-ins only, live music Fridays and Saturdays, vinyl DJs Thursdays
- Long nights perched at the bar with friends and crafty mixologists here always end well
Granddad Jack's
45 Lemana Ln, Miami QLD 4220
Granddad Jack's is a name synonymous with the Gold Coast bar scene—the fully functioning craft distillery houses a tasting room bar with incredible cocktails and craft brews calling your name. This unpretentious distillery bar is dog-friendly and you can also book in for a private distillery tour.
Offering craft gin, vodka, qhiskey and liqueur, the cocktail menu here is next level. Each month the crew release a new limited release spirit so you can come, sip, then take to shake up cocktails of your own. How good.
INSIDER INTEL
- You can also book to make your own gin, in an Australian first
- Owners Jess and Luke built this place with family and have never looked back. It's been the most inspiring groundroots story to see unfold
Malibu Racquet Club
1740 Gold Coast Hwy, Burleigh Heads QLD 4220
This breezy, Cali-esque cocktail bar is located in the heart of the Burleigh bar strip and is decked with a sleek wrap-around bar, high arched windows and pops of green. The kitchen is headed up by Paul Macnish, formerly a private chef for the British royal family and the concise menu showcases raw dishes and small nibbles.
It's intimate, its sun-drenched, it's begging to feature on your 'gram. Of course, the star of the show is the brilliantly creative and oh-so-photogenic cocktails—the chilli coconut marg is a must.
INSIDER INTEL
- Malibu Margs Thursdays is a thing here
- It's steps away from Rosella's and the perfect duo location lineup for retro vibes
The Best Hidden Bars On The Gold Coast
Burly Bar
3/60 Currumbin Creek Rd, Currumbin Waters QLD 4223
Inside Currumbin's The Warehouses sits bar-forward establishment Burly Bar. Industrial luxe by character, this place was artfully designed by award-winning design house Studio Plenty and brought to life with custom furniture by talented Atelier and Glenn Warren Projects.
This place was created by the team behind locally famous and aesthetically iconic, Burly Gin. Their signature cucumber, berry, and citrus-infused gins encapsulate the coastal essence of the Gold Coast and it’s clear that the same dedication and craftsmanship that went into building Burly Gin is now imbued into Burly Bar.
INSIDER INTEL
- It's run by father-son duo, Piri and Richard Bennett
- Gin-forward cocktails are the drinks lists stars
Bar Leo
Riviera Plaza, 7/4 Panitz St, Bundall QLD 4217
The self-confessed 'hidden gem' of Sorrento, Bar Leo boasts an impressive wine list, a team of attentive staff and an airy, light-filled interior that is a welcomed addition to the northern Gold Coast's best bars. With it's alfresco, bay window or tabe-dining, sip 'til your hearts content, and then sip some more.
INSIDER INTEL
- My pick for your go-to on Sundays for spritzes
Little Vine Room
Shop 3D/31 Currumbin Creek Rd, Currumbin Waters QLD 4223
Little Vine Room feels like you've pulled up a stool at an old friend's house, but that old friend has seriously good taste, great banter and a exceptional knowledge of good tipple. Taste your way around cheeses and charcuterie then cheers your tulip glass with the best.
It's tucked away in a little set of shops, often brimming with mountains of fresh fruits about to be prepared for garnishes and even doggos are welcome. If you dare, try the gin sour with limoncello, aperol and strawberry jam and a sprinkling of dragon fruit sherbet.
INSIDER INTEL
- It's hard to beat an afternoon perched at the bar window snacking on freshly popped kernals and sipping goblets of Aperol with friends
- Bookings are by call or text on 0403 311 623
Soho Place
4/2713 Gold Coast Hwy, Broadbeach QLD 4218
Soho Place in Broadbeach was the Coast's first official 'small bar' and it's home to a cult-like following. Operating completely without a kitchen or food menu, step through the ‘hidden in plain sight’ red telephone box entryway and you’ll be stepping into a window-less vortex where hours may mysteriously disappear.
INSIDER INTEL
- Live music, DJs and open mic nights are hosted here on the reg
- It's available for private hire
Lockwood
7B Justin Ln, Burleigh Heads QLD 4220
Lockwood was the Gold Coast’s first truly speakeasy-style hidden bar. Converting what was once a storage room into an atmospheric watering hole that oozes old soul—with seductive mood-inducing blues and rockabilly tunes and some of the stiffest twist-on-the-classic cocktails in town.
If you’re yet to hunt down Lockwood’s bar in the back alley of Burleigh, it's time to finally experience why the hype is real. DJs are on the decks Thursday through Sunday 8pm til late.
INSIDER INTEL
- To access, head to the laneway sandwiched between Gold Coast Highway and James Street
NAÂMi
47 James St, Burleigh Heads QLD 4220
This speakeasy bar is hidden behind the shopfront of a banh mi takeaway joint, so you already know it's going to be cool. Slip through NAÂMi's nondescript back door and you’re instantly transported to the bustling alleyways of Hanoi.
This isn’t any old bar—the bespoke cocktail menu boasts twelve extravagant drinks which can only be described as multi-sensory experiences. I'm talking about new sights, tastes, sounds, and textures that will completely reshape your concept of the drinking experience.
INSIDER INTEL
- Bar snacks just launched here, available 5 - 9pm Thursday through Saturday
- $25 cocktail, mortadella bun and chips are the stella deals you'll find here
Nightjar
Justin's Laneway, 1731 Gold Coast Hwy, Burleigh Heads QLD 4220
Tucked away in a back alley car park in much-loved Burleigh Heads, Nightjar, a rock'n'roll dive bar secreted away behind a rollerdoor, has got all the industrial feels. Come for the artful cocktails and pumping tunes that pair perfectly with this hidden locale's vibe.
INSIDER INTEL
- Look for the roller doors and Nightjar neon
- There's live music, DJs and 2 for 1 cocktails 6pm - 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays
The Best Gold Coast Bars For Groups
Sandbar
52 Esplanade, Surfers Paradise QLD 4217
With its hip and breezy fit-out, all-round good vibes and excellent cocktails, Sandbar is well deserving of its spot among the best bars on the Gold Coast. Particularly if you're looking to sip by the sea with your mates.
Offering a staggering 100-plus bottled and draft craft beer options, it’s the most extensive range of frothies on the Gold Coast. Salty sea breezes come at no extra cost.
INSIDER INTEL
- Wick and sip events roll out every second Thursday
Nineteen At The Star
Level 19, The Darling at The Star Gold Coast, 1 Casino Dr, Broadbeach QLD 4218
Everyone knows the wildest nights start the classiest, so if you’re looking to kick off your evening with an aura of sophistication, head to the mind-blowing Nineteen at The Star lounge bar on, you guessed it, the 19th-floor of The Star Gold Coast's six-star hotel, The Darling.
If we can't afford to stay the night in this high-roller hotel, it doesn’t mean we can’t pretend with an evening elevated above the glittering lights of Broadbeach with a group of friends.Whether you're celebrating, reuniting or the 'three months from now but I can only do Thursday' has rolled around, this group-friendly bar has you covered.
INSIDER INTEL
- Spritz Saturdays offers a three hour drink and share menu for $89 per person, featuring a trio of spritzes, freshly shucked oysters and a cheese selection
The Loose Moose
75 Surf Pde, Broadbeach QLD 4218
The Loose Moose has without question the city’s most epic bar fit-out for groups. With its steampunk and 1920s prohibition Americana styling, plus a twist of its Canadian cousin, I'm obsessed with the long-table style cheersing that goes on here.
Come for the mind-blowing list of 80 different beers and 160-plus whiskies and then stay for the finger-licking menu seven days a week.
INSIDER INTEL
- The Aether Mango Sour is a must sip
- There's a wide selection of draught beers for those who err towards choosing what's on tap
- It's walk-in for groups under 6, and bookings available for 6+
Bine Craft Beer Bar
1/28 Chairlift Ave, Nobby Beach QLD 4218
A trailblazer for craft beer on the Gold Coast, Bine Craft Beer Bar rocks my world with cheeky mid-week dealers, epic sliders, juicy parmigianas and regularly rotating craft beer taps. Head here any weekend night and you'll see why it's a crowd favourite among the best bars on the Gold Coast for groups.
INSIDER INTEL
- Walkins only
- There are drink paddles
- $6 tap refills Thursdays
- $22 cheeseburger and beer deals Friday through Sunday
Precinct Brewing Co.
17 Christine Ave, Miami QLD 4220
Precinct Brewing is the kind of bar you can take your work mates to and your mate-mates too. You’re sure to notice it—the colourful, graffiti-covered entrance on Christine Avenue boasts a vibrant kaleidoscope of dinosaurs, rainbows and snakes and ladders.
The industrial-chic brewery offers an impressive 12 beers on tap, all made onsite and regularly rotating. There's also plenty of boutique vino, local spirits and cocktails for all flavour favourites.
INSIDER INTEL
- Bookings are for groups 8+
- The fairy floss vodka cooler is next level
- Beer and bao, pizza and share plates – it's all here, baby
Local Burleigh
1744 Gold Coast Hwy, Burleigh Heads QLD 4220
While Local Burleigh describes itself as 'an elevated pub', it absolutely deserves to be on your Gold Coast bar hit-list. The sprawling 250-seater venue houses four distinct spaces, including a sun-soaked dog-friendly beer garden.
Local slings up an all-day dining menu and an extensive array of drops, craft beers and inventive cocktails using ingredients that are – you guessed it – local.
INSIDER INTEL
- Dogs are invited
- There's a beer garden, main bar, front terrace and booths to suit every mood
Burleigh Pavilion
3A/43 Goodwin Terrace, Burleigh Heads QLD 4220
Easily boasting one of the best views on the Gold Coast, the Burleigh Pavilion (or The Pav to locals) has fast become a go-to spot for sinking tipples while watching the sunset with a group of favourite people.
With places to park your surfboard and showers to wash off the salt, this joint is beach to bar at its finest during the weekdays and 'beachside luxe' on the weekends.
INSIDER INTEL
- The blood orange spritz is a party in a glass
- Head here when the surf's pumping for a front row view of the surf scene
El Ranchero
Mo's Desert Clubhouse, 6/36 Central Dr, Burleigh Heads QLD 4220
Snuggled next to big sis Mo's Desert Clubhouse, El Ranchero is the margi-slinging hot spot for tequila, Dolly Parton worshipping and sundrenched arvo sipping that you'll never want to end.
With its calendar brimming with thirsty workshops, speed-friending and bingo, be sure to add this bar for groups to your radar for your next hurrah or just because bev.
INSIDER INTEL
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It specialises in margaritas and is the perfect pre-gig hangout
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There's an onsite food truck with changing vendors for bites in the sun
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It's open Fridays 12 til 10pm, then by event weekends
Looking For More? Check Out:
- The Gold Coast's best breakfasts
- The Best Restaurants in Burleigh Heads
- The Best Gold Coast Restaurants for Long Lunches
Image credit: Hayley Williamson, Brooke Darling & Kaitlin Maree for Urban List and supplied (Instagram)
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