brisbane city cbd bars

Looking for the best bars in Brisbane CBD? From the riverside to the laneways, basements to rooftops, Brisbane CBD is home to a fantastic range of bars for every occasion. 

One-of-a-kind is the glamorous Boom Boom Room in the old heritage-listed bank vault underneath Donna Chang.

Brisbane's oldest laneway  Burnett Lane is the go-to for cosy micro bars – the glamorous Antico in an old beauty school, Spanish-flavoured Alba Bar & Deli, old world whisky bar Death & Taxes and subterranean Brew whilst Gresham Lane is home to another bar in a heritage-listed bank, The Gresham.

It's hard to find - in a laneway off Elizabeth St - but 1980's rock'n'roll boozer Alice is worth seeking out and the trickiest of all to find - subterranean amaro bar Before + After, whose entry is in a laneway behind an historic carriageway off George St is also a must visit.

Down in the riverside/gardens precinct Malt Bar is a fabulous cocktail retreat in the lower level of an 1860's market place and a stroll away down Spencer Lane Medierranean-style Dawn on Spencer packs a discerning crowd into its courtayd and chic upstairs space. On the upper floor of the old Port Office the arcaded verandahs of Moo Moo Bar are Brisbane's answer to Raffles and diagonally opposite in an old warehouse is vintage Italian bar Toscano Bar. In this area you’ll also find the Doo Bop Jazz Bar and upstairs in an old warehouse Frog's Hollow Saloon.

On the waterfront Riverland has great bar food and views and overwater bars Will & Flow and Mr Percival's  has the royal box of seats while inland at midtown CBD the Brooklyn Standard is a rustic basement American style bar with live music and underground bar and other basement bars worth checking out are Dr Gimlette and Miss Demeaour.

The CBD is also home to two rooftop bars - Sixteen Antlers and Fiume Bar (underneath the Story Bridge).

Whether it be an intimate cocktail bar, a lively music bar or a funky wine bar, check out this guide: