This bar was pretty cool, though I have come to notice that from a lot of bars down in Brisbane's…read moreWest End. In fact, I found that this particular bar did happen to have quite a bit of character about it. Okay, it was a little dark inside, but that is something that I have come to expect, and it is also easily missed, though from the crowds inside that doesn't seem to be the case, though I suspect it does have a lot to do with word of mouth, if that happens to count these days. Still, as a bar, this place wasn't all that bad.

The End released their new winter cocktail menu a week or two ago, and if there's one thing that…read moremakes me giddy with joy, it's a warm cocktail on a cool winter evening. The "Winter Warmers" section of the menu is short but sweet. Mulled Wine or a Hot Toddy for $14, or toasty warm rum (either Hot Buttered or Milk Punch) for $15. With Bacardi Oakheart spiced rum, dark cacao, spiced brown sugar syrup, chocolate bitters and yes, butter, I couldn't go past the Hot Buttered Rum. I watched the bartender cut off a slab of butter and drop it in the little saucepan used to make each individual drink, and I knew it was going to be an exciting time for me. The drink came served with two marshmallows and half a scotch finger biscuit (snapped lengthways, well done) and a warning - "let it cool for a bit, cos it's really f*cking hot". I truly relished our time together on the couch, accompanied by a bun from the Bun Mobile, parked outside for the evening. The marshmallows got absolutely annihilated in the (correctly described) really f*cking hot liquid and I highly recommend dunking the scotch finger. Knowing Brisbane's weather, I advise you to get in quickly for a Winter Warmer, because soon enough it'll be too warm outside again for a hot drink to seem anything but insane.

It's not so much the pub that draws me in to the Step Inn as much as it is the bands. It was one of…read morethe better venues for local bands to play at for a while there. Now it's home to some trance nights and I hear strong reports that the Step Inn is still a good place to get loose. The space is a little awkward in that the different sections of the pub are organised strangely. There's not much seating in any of the rooms outside of the corner bar, and even then it's not really comfortable. The beers are relatively cheap, and if you see a good gig, you won't have that much to complain about. It is a rough and ready pub, and you should perhaps come there a little rough and ready yourself.

I've been to the Step Inn a few times to see friends play and it's always been a great experience…read more (It's clean, central, and the drinks are relatively cheap.) They've got a few areas packed into the space; the first, a separate bar area where more unknown bands play, the other an open area complete with a stage, snooker tables, old school arcade games, and pokies. It's a great venue to frequent if you want to support local Brisbane bands, but make sure you eat dinner beforehand. They don't serve food here and don't welcome it either; my chips and I were booted out the door. Besides that, they don't have many strict rules besides wearing hard soled shoes.

Sabotage Social Club is a great place to hang out. I spent most of my night here with a few good…read morefriends. The drinks in comparison to most places is pretty reasonable, $8 for basics. We also ordered some pizza which was extremely hearty, and came out on a wooden serving board. As the night went on the crowd got stranger, and more wild (expectantly). Dave the owner loves his punk and rock, so most of the music you'll be hearing is somewhere between these two genres with some hip-hop thrown in there. No complaints about the staff, they were extremely helpful and patient. Making great suggestions on what to drink also which was nice if you're an umm-er and an uhh-er. I would definitely return here in a heartbeat. Nice to see some new bars opening in Brisbane. My suggested time to enjoy this happening spot would be a littler earlier on a weekday so that can enjoy all that it has to offer!

A great place to have a beer or two or three.....sadly they had on my visit no dinner menu, but the…read moreinterior is really great and the stuff is very friendly. They recommended us one restaurant. Visit it, it is worth it!

Scammed by one dancer. Did not charge big amount but she said you touched and you should pay me.read more

One of the nicer adult entertainment venues in Brisbane city. I've dropped in a couple of times -…read morewith and without male friends. Female patrons are treated somewhat cautiously, but after speaking to several of the dancers I found that the others became relaxed and approachable as well. Perhaps it was the fact that I was buying them all drinks? The pool tables add a more relaxed vibe to the place, although one is slanted very slightly as one of the girls showed me. She explained the Pool Sharks usually use that to their advantage by placing bets on the table on slow nights. There is also a coin machine to change your notes if you have trouble finding the change for a game. The stage shows are constant, and the skill of many of the dancers is breathtaking. The stage rotates slowly, and I was informed that the poles are all static (not spinning). I advise keeping your seat when the performer is close to you as I saw a man narrowly avoid being accidentally fly-kicked in the head. The dancers are fully naked by the end of their performance (four songs, usually). The music is most often hip hop, RnB, or dance/techno, with the occasional rock n roll or latino style song thrown in. The ladies all look fabulous and the costumes are the sort of thing you'd find in Rihanna's "naughty" drawer. The bucks parties I witnessed were loud and looked like fun, with the buck receiving special attention from most of the girls. Doors are at 5pm every day, and entry ranges from $10-$20 depending on the night and how busy it is inside. Word of warning to the ladies: take two or more male friends the first time you visit, as the dancers will guess you "just got dragged along" (it was actually my suggestion XD). Drink prices range from $8 to $20, and bottles of spirits, champagne, wine, etc can also be purchased through the bar along with the attention of multiple ladies.

found this place awful. Super trashy with pretty bad music and vibe. We had some drinks and a…read morelittle dance then got the hell out. Wouldn't recommend to anyone.

What a great club! We went here for New Years Eve, so this review may not be relevant to how things…read morealways are. We spent $150ish per person on a drinks package. It was all you can drink for five hours. And it wasn't crappy drinks. It was wine, beer, and premium spirits. The package also included food. We were a bit skeptical, but were shocked when we saw the spread of food. It was full on barbecue with sausages, chicken, beef, bread, and salads. It was amazing! The club itself is very cool. There are different rooms with really cool retro furniture, the lighting over the dance floor creates an awesome atmosphere, and the bartenders were all great. My only reason for four stars versus five is there were men in the women's bathroom. There were bouncers outside of the bathroom, so I'm not sure why men were being allowed in. It was really uncomfortable and alarming.

Okay, while this place is strictly a whiskey bar, and I tell you what, they have a huge selection…read moreof whiskey as well, if the bar is anything to go by, they do also have options of non-whiskey drinkers like me. Yeah, basically you can get a beer here, and it is pretty decent beer as well. However, this is one of those places you come to if you like whiskey. Still, I personally quite liked the bar, since the atmosphere, and the beer, was pretty good.

Cobbler is a new comer to the bar scene in West End. A gorgeously appointed space, lit with candles…read moreand Edison globes, the sweet sounds of French Chill and Trip Hop greet you, and welcome you in. The ground floor gives way to a grand timber bar, and an impressive wall of over 175 whiskeys, with barmen greeting punters and mixing some stunning cocktails, under the gaze of the vintage penny farthing adorning the bare brick walls. Cobbler has become my favourite midweek haunt for a quick cocktail (or three) with friends, and it just does not disappoint. The staff are gifted when it comes to their craft, and are gracious in recommending a new drink, or trying a different mix of an old favourite. It's a strictly BYO Food affair, but it only adds to the charm of the space. There's an upstairs lounge with recliners, and a internal deck that overlooks the space below. With drinks named like 'The men of the night's watch', and the 'Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster' it's clear Cobbler doesn't take itself too seriously, and it leaves it up to its drinks to speak for it. Parking is a challenge, but hey, welcome to West End. If you're up for a quiet drink, or a fancy yourself a whiskey enthusiast, I challenge you to find a more enjoyable place to sip, contemplate the world, or just people watch.

As far as tequila bars goes, it is one of the best in the Queensland . As soon as you enter you can…read moresmell the essence of Mexico . It's laid back and the drinks are suburb. They have a huge variety of cocktails, and the guys behind the bar a very helpful, I mean , where else can you design a drink, name it, and drink it , all at the same time, and they actually put it down in a gold covered book. And put it on there drinks venue.

X and Y lives and breathes cool. And I don't just mean cool as in pretty awesome, the whole place…read morehas a chilled out, laid back vibe accentuated through its ambience, lights, and design. Walking in, the place is illuminated by neon lights that cast spellbinding shadows across the dark walls and floors. You can head straight for the bar to grab a drink, wander to your right and dance to whatever tunes the DJ is kind enough to play, collapse in one of the lounges hidden behind grille walls, or mosey on outside to chat to your friends in the smoking area. X and Y is really quite laid back and you can choose whether you want to be a dancing queen or chill on the lounges and glare at everyone. Downstairs, another bar awaits you with a casual lounge area and a tiny dance floor. When I've gone, we've always been lucky enough to convince the DJ to play us some Beatles and Beach Boys while the heavier beats rage on upstairs. Whether I'm up for a bit of a dance or to hang out with friends in a chilled atmosphere, X and Y always provides a great stop along the way of a Saturday night. Here you'll always run into someone you know and if you take advantage of all it has to offer, you'll rarely have a bad time. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for gigs, live music, and opportunities to book it for a function.

I first went to X & Y on Friday night for a private function in the downstairs bar and I was quite…read moreimpressed. The bar seems intimate with is couches and small stage but don't be fooled. It has a sizable cocktail bar downstairs, and the smoking area outside is in a funky cube with nice graffiti on the walls. There is also a fish tank in the bathroom. The bar staff were very nice (even turning down the music at the start of the night so we could all talk more easily at the party) and knew how to whip up some nice drinks. One bonus here is that they still serve a Vodka redbulls with the whole can of redbull, unlike other places which give you a third of the can. And when I tipped the bartender he was so thankful and when I tried to tip him again later in the night he flat out refused to take it from "such a lovely girl" :-)