Brisbane's 20 Most Popular Bars of 2023
Sprawling breweries, riverside terraces, reborn heritage-listed venues and rooftop haunts — they’ve all grabbed your attention in 2023.
Feeling thirsty? Whether you fancy a cocktail, a cold one or a glass of vino, there's always somewhere to quench that urge in Brisbane. This city loves its wine havens, breweries, sky-high sipping spots and multi-level riverside gardens. And if a bar has something fun to do while you're there, Brissie adores that as well.
How do we know this? They're the type of watering holes that you've been searching for in 2023 — and these are the results. Our most-viewed bars and pubs of the year provides a nifty overview of your recent go-tos, as well as a roadmap of places to visit if you haven't yet.
All that's left is to head back to your pick of the bunch and say cheers to Brisbane's most popular drinking spots — as chosen by your busily clicking fingers, and including everything from sprawling breweries to reborn heritage-listed favourite that are now several venues in one.
Image: Riverland.
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BarMassimo Restaurant & Bar
123 Eagle Street, Brisbane City
Get a taste of the Amalfi Coast with bottomless lunch and Aperol spritzes on Eagle Street.
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BarBrewDog DogTap Brisbane
77 Metroplex Avenue, Brisbane
Open since 2019, the Scottish brewery's first Aussie outpost has arcade games, brunch fare and a bottle shop.
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BarBabylon Garden
145 Eagle Street, Brisbane City
This two-tier waterfront bar on Eagle Street cascades down to the river, and serves up Middle Eastern and East Mediterranean bites and cocktails.
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BarB. Lucky & Sons Fortitude Valley
315 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley
An adults-only arcade bar from the Holey Moley team.
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BarHijinx Hotel Chermside
Gympie And Hamilton Roads, Chermside
This OTT challenge-room bar chain launched its first Brisbane location, joining Holey Moley at Chermside.
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BarCarmen Tequileria
70 James Street, Fortitude Valley
James Street's new tequileria heroes agave cocktails and small-batch mezcals.
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BarThe Gatsby Lounge Bar
740 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley
The revamped GPO now boasts a 1920s-themed lounge bar, complete with the venue's old vault.
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BarClaw BBQ & Grill Brisbane
56 King Street, Bowen Hills
If you're after seafood, boozy slushies and watching sport, King Street has just the 1000-person crab shack for it.
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BarRegatta Hotel
543 Coronation Drive, Toowong
Drink riverside at this Brisbane institution with a jam-packed history.
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BarSOKO Rooftop
7 Symes Street, Fortitude Valley
Towering above the Jubilee Hotel, this luxe 14th-floor restaurant and bar serves up Peruvian and Japanese cuisine.
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BarViva La Cali
22 McLachlan Street, Fortitude Valley
The 1st Edition crew has added a new laneway bar and restaurant to Fortitude Valley's California Lane.
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BarLina Rooftop
80 Tribune Street, South Brisbane
This 1500-square-metre beach club-inspired bar with a 30-metre infinity pool sits on a South Brisbane rooftop.
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BarFiume Rooftop Bar
5 Boundary Street, Brisbane City
Peer over the river, hang out on daybeds by the pool and sip cocktails — all on Crystalbrook Vincent's rooftop.
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BarRoyal Hotel
1259 Sandgate Road, Nundah
This 135-year-old Nundah pub has relaunched with a new music venue after a $1.1-million makeover.
