Best bars in Brissie

1

 

Flavour-packed cocktails are the icing on the cake at this Fortitude Valley super-venue. A retractable glass roof and a 10-metre waterfall create a luxe atmosphere for drinking and dining.

2

 

Venture past the entrance and its Barbie doll heads. Inside, you'll discover a realm where gorgeous hipsters sip cocktails, rub shoulders and eavesdrop on each other.

3

 

With the DJs on the decks until very near daybreak, it's probably best to wear your most comfortable dancing shoes if you plan on attending this Valley nightclub.

4

 

Retro '70s style is alive and well here, thanks to the shagpile carpet wall and bean bags. Grab a mojito and soak up DJ sounds on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

5

 

The suave cocktail setting and live music here will have you looking around for a James Bond type to share a martini (or a signature Somatini) with. Shaken, not stirred. With an interior that mixes 007 chic with 'Get Smart' cheek, this place is as hard to pin down as a real secret agent spy.

6

 

This secret hideout of a bar attracts those who fancy elaborate, caffeine-spiked cocktails and streaming sessions of funk and jazz. The Bowery is a blink-and-miss phenomenon. Its inconspicuous street appearance would fit right into a movie set tracing America's old years of alcohol prohibition.

7

 

Looking for some respite from the sequined masses? Then put on your VIP boots and head in for some Mediterranean therapy. Though named for the ancient southern Spanish fortress and former mosque, there's nothing particularly holy about this opulent lounge bar, which has already taken out the title of best new nightclub at the Australian Bartender magazine awards in 2006.

8

 

Take your sneakered feet and skateboard to this come-as-you-are establishment in the Valley. Looking to hark back to the good old days of the area, this bar has loads of live music and will welcome you - mohawk and all.

9

 

Previously gracing East Brisbane, this lounge and restaurant bar has joined the party in Fortitude Valley. Serving everything from coffee to cocktails, this hip spot also offers a food menu full of sharable options.