Shaken, stirred and swizzled – get the drink of your dreams at Brisbane’s best cocktail bars

+81 Aizome Bar, West End
What makes +81 Aizome Bar so special? Where do we start? For one, the sleek West End cocktail bar looks incredible, with a meticulously designed minimalist aesthetic inspired by the bars of Ginza and Shinjuku creating a transportive setting. Second, Tony Huang – the bartender behind Aizome’s trapezoidal counter – is one of the best mixologists in Brisbane. Tony’s hyper-seasonal cocktail menu is divided into two sections. The first is dedicated to fresh cocktails that are modern expressions of classics, made with Japanese tea and fresh seasonal fruit. The second is all about Tony’s famed neo cocktails – aged libations that Tony tells us are made over a five-day process. No matter which drink you pick, you’ll be blown away by Tony’s ingenuity and talent.

Antico, Brisbane City
If there’s one hospitality crew whose name is synonymous with cocktails, it’s Cuatro Group. The team behind a number of bars on this list is known for crafting cocktail-driven venues and its newest, Burnett Lane’s Antico, is no exception. The 45-seater boasts an old-world charm that seeps into the decor and the drinks menu. Antico’s cocktails boast the silhouette of an established favourite, but with twists that make the most out of hyper-seasonal Queensland produce. Of course, if you want a simple negroni, you’ll still get a great one – Antico’s is made using specially crafted vermouth and gin, elevating the classic to a whole new level.

Bar Brutus, South Brisbane
The Julius Pizzeria team’s slender cocktail-specialist sibling is consistently one of the busiest spots on Fish Lane. Though framed as a spirited aperitivo joint, Bar Brutus’ menu goes far beyond simple Campari sodas. In addition to five signature spins on the classic spritz (the Slow Pash is our pick, with Brookies Slow Gin, passionfruit, Select Aperitivo, prosecco and ginger beer), Bar Brutus slings top-notch concoctions like the Something In The Orange Gin (rhubarb, passionfruit, mango and lemon ) and the Papapaloma (tequila, grapefruit, lychee, mezcal and lime).

Bar Hugo, West End
This Hardgrave Road haunt specialises in a few things – vermouth, wine and martinis. And while few spots whip up a better dirty martini, the Bar Hugo crew aren’t slouches when it comes to cocktail making. Cocktail wiz and co-owner Nick Sebar is filtering his love of vermouth into a clutch of low-ABV cocktails and two zero-alc options. The house signature Hugo Spritz is a refreshing number worth a try, mixing Aubrey elderflower liqueur with Threefold limoncello, prosecco and lemon soda. Though Bar Hugo’s cocktail list is vermouth centric, classic stir-down cocktails are also available, including a white negroni made using a peach verjuice reduction.

Barry Parade Public House, Fortitude Valley
Few bartenders know more about cocktails than Daniel Gregory and Brennen Eaton. The seasoned drink slingers are two thirds of the ownership crew behind Barry Parade Public House. While Barry Parade looks like the place where you could easily sink a few jars, the drinks offering is a few notches above your run-of-the-mill schooner slinger. Here, the crew is balancing forward-thinking mixology with evergreen staples, serving an ever-changing range of cocktails made using boundary-pushing techniques. The must-try signature is the Strawberry Sundae Milk Punch – an ode to the Ekka strawberry sundae made with Wheatley cocoa butter vodka, strawberry gum, cream sherry and waffle-cone milk. Barry Parade’s back bar is also stocked with a solid array of rare and vintage spirits – a trove of left-of-centre independent bottlings and whiskies worth exploring.

Before & After, Brisbane City
If you love amaro, semi-subterranean laneway bar Before & After is the perfect joint for you. But, even if amaro isn’t your thing, Before & After’s owner George Curtis has crafted an incredible and inventive cocktail offering that boasts something for everyone. Try the Banana Cocktail, a mix of Archie Rose white cane spirit, RHUBI Mistelle, strawberry, coconut, lemongrass, agave and CO₂, or opt for the aromatic Creature Comfort, which blends Hayman’s sloe gin, Cocchi Rosa and Creme de Mure with curry leaf.

Canvas Club, Woolloongabba
An OG of Brisbane’s mixology scene, Canvas continues to be at the pointy end of the city’s cocktail pyramid. Since opening in 2010, the bar – housed within a heritage-listed gem on Woolloongabba’s famous Logan Road cul de sac – has earned wide acclaim, thanks in no small part to its talented team of drink makers that use inventive techniques to bring out the best in every beverage. Canvas Club’s cocktails typically fuse fresh fruits with top-shelf spirits. Take Canvas Club’s Queen Anne’s Revenge, for example, which mixes Don Julio tequila and absinthe with smoked lemon, passionfruit and rosemary.

Club Felix, Brisbane City
Located in between Naldham House’s ground-floor brasserie and Cantonese-inspired top-floor restaurant The Fifty Six is Club Felix. Described by its operators as a “working cocktail lounge with French influences and late-night snacks,” Club Felix boasts a sense of chic sophistication and informal approachability. Here, it’s all about the classics. Cocktails such as Sidecars, French 75s and Juleps are available alongside a clutch of signatures like the Brulee Flip (cognac, fortified wine, burnt sugar syrup, chocolate bitters and grated chocolate) and the Cafe Felix (spiced rum, coffee, vanilla syrup, macadamia and wattleseed liqueur and grated chocolate).

Death & Taxes, Brisbane City
The Cuatro Group’s crown jewel is a whisky-lover’s dream. The Burnett Lane boozer boasts hundreds of bottles along its back wall, but in addition to its top-tier range of spirits is an equally impressive cocktail list that is worth exploring thoroughly. The menu changes regularly, with a different theme informing each new list. That said, there are some legacy cocktails that we think are must-try options, like the Wishing Well (Slane Irish whiskey, Ruby port, raspberry, kaffir lime and ginger beer) and the Blood Brother (Bulleit Bourbon, passionfruit, raspberry vin cotto, orange blossom and mandarin). 

Dr Gimlette, Brisbane City
The third of Cuatro Group’s inner-city haunts, Dr. Gimlette is a suave sipping spot nestled within a heritage-listed space on Edward Street. Boasting a world-class team of shakers and stirrers, this bar offers a bevy of balanced cocktails. Dr. Gimlette’s signature concoctions are divided into categories such as fruit forward, highballs, technically driven, stirred down and boozy, luxe and gimlet variations. Although advanced apparatus (such as centrifuge juicers and sous vide systems) and theatrical flourishes like liquid nitrogen are in play, the menu is still grounded in simplicity, with most mixtures made using four or five ingredients, tops. Love a martini? You’ll get a kick out of Dr. Gimlette’s martini cart, allowing guests to make their dream martini from a multitude of vodkas, gins and garnishes.

Frog’s Hollow Saloon, Brisbane City
One of Brisbane’s best spots for a drink is undoubtedly Frog’s Hollow Saloon. This 60-seater whisky and cocktail bar can be found on Charlotte Street, with a cadre of cowboy-hat-wearing bartenders offering service-driven warmth and a touch of roguish charm. Frog’s Hollow boasts a vast selection of whisky, with a weighty tome listing drops sourced from all of the notable Scottish makers, as well as choice whiskies from the Americas, Ireland, Australia, France and Japan. Frog’s Hollow takes a ‘less is more’ approach with its cocktails, but don’t think for a second that the drinks are basic. A crack team of Brisbane’s best bartenders are behind the menu, so you’ll definitely find something exceptional.

The Gresham, Brisbane City
Another familiar face on this list is The Gresham – Brisbane City’s heritage-listed home of top-flight cocktails and atmosphere. If you’re seeking a cosy space in which to sip on top-shelf rum, whisky and wine, you’ve come to the right place. Since 2013, this bar has been taking a progressive approach to hospitality, with a cocktail list that warrants multiple visits. The Gresham is welcoming to all walks of life – if you’ve got an open mind, the skilled (and friendly) bartenders here will promptly blow it away with skill and ingenuity. But, if we were to make a suggestion, it’s hard to ignore The Sunnyboy – a long-time staple of The Gresham’s cocktail list made with coconut butter-washed vodka, pineapple juice, passionfruit puree and vanilla syrup.

Maker, South Brisbane
What this Fish Lane cocktail-slinging hideaway lacks in space, it more than makes up for in quality. Boutique laneway bar Maker marries disparate flavours into distinctive and enticing combinations, pushing the boundaries when it comes to cocktail composition. Some of Brisbane’s best mixologists earned their stripes here. We encourage anyone unfamiliar with Maker to settle in for a memorable experience – if you can score yourself a seat, that is!

Milquetoast, Brisbane City
Though Milquetoast already boasts a spot on our Best Wine Bars list, there’s much more to this laneway haunt than just vino. Cocktail maestro and venue manager Aidan Perkins (formerly of Exhibition, Hôntô and Agnes) oversees a list that champions seasonal ingredients and utilises contemporary techniques ranging from fermentations to house-made tinctures and sodas. The house signature is the Caspar Milquetoast, a must-try spritz-style sip made with Four Pillars rare dry gin, vanilla, lactofermented pineapple and clarified toasted milk-toast soda.

The Nixon Room, Fortitude Valley
Stepping inside the plush and intimate interior of The Nixon Room is a little bit like stepping back in time. The bar’s mid-century modern aesthetic is matched with a similarly classic beverage program. Martinis rule The Nixon Room’s cocktail menu alongside a clutch of signature concoctions, all of which pair sublimely with a tight menu of snacks. Look for the gold door off Robertson Street!

Ruby My Dear, Newstead
The Happy Fat Group knows a thing or two about cocktails. Want proof? Park your posterior on one of the cushy banquettes at the gang’s Japanese-inspired vinyl bar and restaurant, Ruby, My Dear. Ask for the yellow-hued sake negroni (made with Roku gin, sake and suze) or the silky Hard Boiled Wonderland (Chita whisky, plum, cherry and coconut) and you’ll find all the proof you need.

Savile Row, Fortitude Valley
The art of cocktail making is easy to learn, but hard to master. Believe us when we say the crew at Ann Street hideaway Savile Row is composed exclusively of cocktail masters. Behind the venue’s orange door is a moodily glamorous space that offers a tailored approach to drinking. If there’s a specific drink that you’re after, there’s a very good chance you’ll be able to get it here. That said, Savile Row’s signature cocktails are some of the best around. Try the Savile Highball, a refreshing blend of whisky, cognac, passionfruit, chamomile and soda.

Stan’s Lounge, Brisbane City
Located above Stanley at Howard Smith Wharves, Stan’s Lounge is a dark and moody parlour that serves modern takes on timeless cocktails alongside Cantonese-inspired snacks. The beverage program is headlined by a killer martini menu, which allows sippers to fashion their favourite variation from a selection of spirits, garnishes and tinctures. Up next is a range of signature cocktails, including the likes of the Stan’s 75 (a riff on the French 75 with gin, fino sherry, mandarin, Thai basil and champagne), the Dragon Margarita (tequila, dragonfruit, passionfruit and makrut lime) and the Bonus Track (rye whiskey, cognac, lapsang souchong, chocolate and walnut). Stan’s trove of vintage spirits (many dating back to the 60s and 70s) are also funnelled into a range of ultra-premium cocktails.