SITE PARTNER:

Best Brisbane Bars with Live Music

Updated: Apr 28, 2026

From jazz to rock'n'roll to r'n'b, folk and blues, here's 14 of the best Brisbane bars with live music:

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

The Ruby Jazz Club

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

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

The Sound Garden

The Sound Garden is a stunning, mammoth 2-storey atrium bar in the heart of Fortitude Valley

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!

Top Things To Do In Brisbane This Week

Saplings

Saplings is a powerful, funny and deeply human work drawn from real stories

Jul 15-18

Jumpers & Jazz in July

Looking for a colourful, country winter experience?

Jul 16-26

Arterial

Prepare to be moved by Arterial an award-winning contemporary circus performance

Jul 17

Ravel & MacMillan

Music, colour and rhythm collide at QSO's Ravel & MacMillan

Jul 17-18

Open Studios Sunshine Coast

Looking for the perfect winter weekend escape?

Jul 17-19; 24-26

2026 UCI BMX Racing World Championships

The world’s best BMX racers are in Brisbane this July for the 2026 UCI BMX Racing World Championships.

17 - 25 Jul

Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever

Dress up in red for a real life re-enactment of the famous Wuthering Heights film clip

Jul 18

The Princess Theatre Brisbane Open House

Brisbane Open House 2026

Take a peek inside Brisbane’s prominent and landmark buildings

Jul 18-19

Milton by Moonlight Market

Spend a magical night out under the moonlight with food, music & more

Jul 18

Brisbane Open House

Take a peek inside some of Brisbane’s most prominent buildings for free when Brisbane Open House returns for a weekend to remember

Brisbane Open House 2026

MUST DO

International Cake Show Australia

From full day workshops to mini decorating classes, there's something for everyone at the International Cake Show Australia

International Cake Show Australia

THIS WEEKEND

Top Things to Do July 10-12

From a giant antiques fair and the Queensland Garden Show to a family friendly dinosaur festival and rooftop winter igloo & fire pit experience

This Weekend July 10-12

BRISBANE GUIDE

Day to Night in Paddington

Follow our Must Do-approved itinerary for the ultimate day-to-night adventure through Paddington

Day to Night in Paddington

COMING UP

What's On in August in Brisbane

From Grezefest, The Gospel According to Paul, The Music of Barbra Streisand and Peaks to Points Festival to whale watching, the top things to do in August in and around Brisbane

Wjat's on in August

HOT TICKET

Arterial

Prepare to be moved by Arterial, an award-winning contemporary circus performance that combines breathtaking acrobatics, acro-dance and powerful First Nations storytelling

Arterial

THE GUIDE

Winter School Holidays Jun-Jul

Keep the kids off the screens this holiday with these great shows, activities and events, from fun in the snow to epic shows, exhibitions and more

June July School Holiday Guide

BEST OF BRISBANE

50+ Best Restaurants in Brisbane

Looking for the best restaurants in Brisbane? Then check out this guide for the must-do dining experiences from the city to the suburbs

Best Restaurants in Brisbane

Best Of Brisbane

Brisbane's Best 50 Bars

Whether you're after breezy drinks by the river, a stiff whiskey in an underground bar, a cosy laneway hideaway or a rooftop with views, here's 50 of Brisbane's best bars

Best Bars in Brisbane

A Spectacular Barbra Streisand Tribute Hits QPAC