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Best Brisbane Bars with Live Music

Updated: Jul 31, 2026

From jazz to rock'n'roll to r'n'b, folk and blues, here's 13 of the best Brisbane bars with live music:

The Ruby Jazz Club is a gorgeous speakeasy featuring live jazz music, classic cocktails, and 1920s-era charm, tucked away behind a red door

The Alligator Club

The Alligator Club is a game-changing New Orleans-inspired live music and cocktail bar hidden away at the end of a funky laneway

Suzie Wong's Good Time Bar

A cool Hawaiian-themed dive bar in an historic Fortitude Valley building, accessed by a retro refrigerator door

Brooklyn Standard

Brooklyn Standard is Brisbane’s coolest basement bar - a dim-lit brick cellar accessed by a secret laneway door where live music

Lefty's Music Hall

Seating booths, bar and hall inside Lefty’s Old Time Music Hall bar

Lefty's Music Hall is like a lavish honky tonk saloon meets bordello beamed up from the deep south of 19th century America

An old war igloo was converted into a sensational bar and music venue that is one of Brisbane’s fave destinations with onsite 2-storey beer garden

The Junk Bar

The retro cocktail lounge and bar on a New Farm Corner has a live music basement bar, The Skukum Lounge

Black Bear Lodge

Upstairs above the old Cosmo Coffee Shop is this Twin Peaks meets Blue Velvet bar

Doo-Bop Bar

Doo-Bop Bar brings live music to the streets of Brisbane, with a cool basement bar and upstairs Piano Bar

Greaser Bar

Greaser is a secret subterranean bar of retro American-style cool in the cellar of a 130-year-old heritage Fortitude Valley building

Ric's Bar

With live indie bands, space invaders, party-worn décor and a balcony, Ric’s Bar is a Valley Institution

Within the four walls of The Fortitude Music Hall, lies this 300 capacity multipurpose venue that features a diverse program of artists

The historic weatherboard club by the river has for decades been the home of jazz in Brisbane, including evenings and monthly brunch

Still hungry for more suggestions on where to eat out in Brisbane, head to our comprehensive Eat & Drink section HERE! Happy grazing!

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