Boom Boom Room

Overview

The sandstone building on the corner of George and Elizabeth streets has been home to many things over the years, including Queensland's first radio station, government departments, offices, cafes and a bank. These days, it's the site of one of Brisbane's hottest places to eat, drink and hang out.

Patrons will need to head down to the basement of the heritage-listed art deco building to find Boom Boom Room. Chinese diner Donna Chang lies above it.

The duo are ventures from the Ghanem Group — the folks behind Blackbird Bar & Grill on Eagle Street, Byblos Bar & Restaurant at Portside and Bisou Bisou in the valley. Boom Boom Room launched as a Japanese restaurant and bar in 2020, but the group switched gears in February — the underground supper club is now serving up an Asian street food-inspired menu.

Executive Chef Jake Nicolson and Head Chef Lyndon Tyers draw on their travels through Japan, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Korea and Indonesia to produce the ultimate fusion plates.

Bites like lobster siu mai with ginger and lemongrass broth pour-overs sit alongside rendang beef curry and a nuoc cham-glazed BBQ barramundi. Boom Boom Room regulars will be pleased to know that the crowd-favourite yakitori remains on the menu.

The cultural mash-up continues with dessert and drinks: think matcha affogatos with Vietnamese coffee gelato, a passionfruit rum concoction infused with five-spice, and a whiskey-and-banana-liquer-spiked mix with caramel miso. A pair of $79 banquets (one of them vegan) is on hand for the indecisive. 

Decked out in rich reds, blues and black, Boom Boom Room leans into its decadent bunker-like surrounds. Old bank vaults are transformed into private rooms, while the bars sit underneath arched corridors with plenty of booth seating. Burlesque shows and live soul and jazz performances tend to dominate the early evenings, while Thursdays are dedicated to vinyl sessions.

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