11 Brisbane Bars Everyone Needs To Visit

Fine establishments everywhere.

1. Canvas

Canvas / Via Facebook: canvasbrisbane

The kind of place that will even impress your ~hipster~ friend from Melbourne, this is actually one of the most inviting, comfortable venues in Brisbane. Try the chips with chipotle mayo, comb the drinks list, and check out the back garden.

Where: You'll find Canvas at 16B Logan Road (the trendy end), across from The Gabba. Look for the shop with a blackbird above it.

2. Heya

Heya / Via Facebook: heyabarbrisbane

Walking into Heya is like walking into a bizarre cyberpunk version of Japan, with kitschy signs, posters, and murals everywhere. More than that, Heya is actually four bars in one, serving whiskey, beer, cocktails, and 80s nostalgia. Drop in after midnight for some unique late-night snacks.

Where: Beside Zuri Lounge, at 367 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley.

3. BOSC

BOSC / Via Facebook: boscwestend

A hidden gem in West End, BOSC boasts a small but well chosen range of Australian craft beers and gins. Add to that a friendly neighbourhood bar vibe, a BYO food policy, and a giant Jenga set, and you've got the perfect Brisbane hangout. If you can't decide what to drink, try BOSC's very own 445.

Where: 69 Vulture Street, West End, opposite the Cupcake Shop.

4. The Gresham

The Gresham / Via Facebook: TheGreshamBar

One of Brisbane's classiest venues, this is the place to go when you feel like sinking into a leather armchair and not getting up for anybody. You will have to get up to order drinks, but the extensive collection of beer, wine, and spirits makes it worth your while. If The Gresham served bar food, no one would ever leave.

Where: Nestled in a corner of the NAB Building at 308 Queen Street. It's enough to make anyone become a banker.

5. Papa Jacks

Papa Jack's / Via Facebook: papajacksbar

This New Orleans-inspired den is all about classic cocktails. If you're looking for something strong, this is the place for you. From a Sazerac to an Old Fashioned and everything in between, the bartenders at Papa Jack's can help you party like it's 1899.

Where: The corner of McLachlan Street and Connor Street, at the north end of Fortitude Valley.

6. Leftys Old Time Music Hall

Via felixandson.com.au

The only thing missing from this sprawling rockabilly music hall is swinging saloon doors. I suppose they're a health and safety hazard. Lefty's is big, brash, and velvety, but it's worth braving the crowd for the old fashioned bags of popcorn and some toe-tapping tunes.

Where: 15 Caxton Street, near Petrie Terrace. Look for an old sign and a large doorway.

7. Brooklyn Standard

Brooklyn Standard / Via Facebook: brooklynstandardbar

A basement bar with a focus on music, Brooklyn Standard is the next best thing to living in New York. Along with local bands, you'll find a big range of American craft beer, some classically inspired cocktails, and a great sense of humour.

Where: You'll need to find the hidden entrance in Eagle Lane, off Queen Street. Don't worry, the neon bar sign is a give away.

8. Cowch

Cowch / Via Facebook: cowchsb

This dessert bar offers much more than just a glass of wine with your elaborate chocolate cake. The friendly staff know how to whip up some equally elaborate dessert drinks, and the bar has something for everyone. Try the Crème Brûlée cocktail.

Where: 179 Grey Street, Southbank, between Subway and the pharmacy.

9. Junk Bar

Junk Bar / Via Facebook: thejunkbarashgrove

One of the trailblazers in the rise of high quality suburban bars, Junk Bar looks like an op-shop which serves alcohol. Mismatched furniture, records, glasses, and assorted trinkets are everywhere - eclectic is an understatement. But even when the bar is busy, it still manages to feel intimate and cosy.

Where: Between a formal dress shop and a Chinese restaurant at the corner of Ashgrove Avenue and 215 Waterworks Road.

10. Tomahawk Bar

Tomahawk Bar / Via Facebook: Tomahawkbarbrisbane

Before Tomahawk, it wasn't easy to know where to get a good beer at Southbank. Now it's just hard to choose which good beer you want. The vast and varied range of craft and international beers can seem daunting to a newcomer, but the staff know their brews and are always ready with a recommendation.

Where: 182 Grey Street, Southbank, between the roundabout and the train station.

11. Shady Palms

Shady Palms / Via Facebook: shadypalmscafe

It's no secret Brisbane loves cafes, and a cafe which morphs into a bar at night gives you the best of both worlds. The kitchen serves up some decidedly different bar food - prawn toast with your beer? But the atmosphere is more like a relaxed house party. Check out the backyard and the graffiti-covered laneway attached to the venue.

Where: 427 Logan Road, Stones Corner, at the opposite end of the shopping street from the Stones Corner Hotel.