Sweet Dessert Shop is my 'weeknight' dessert stop - it's quick and easy and temporarily quells my…read moresweet tooth until the weekend when I can go for some fancy dessert. Depending on your taste, I suppose Sweet Dessert Shop could be considered exotic and fancy. It is an Asian style dessert joint offering 'sweet soup styled desserts', the most popular being the tofu range with bean toppings. They also do coconut milk based desserts, glutinous balls and some varieties of ice kacung (shaved ice with topping- traditional Malaysian dessert). Most desserts are under $5 and can be easily packaged for take away. This place is definitely worth a try if you're curious about Asian style desserts.

I have to say, I love visiting restaurants with menus that feature sloppy spelling and grammar, or…read morehilariously misconstrued translations. So for me, dining in Sunnybank is an absolute treat! The Sweet Dessert Shop had myself and a bunch of friends in tears the other night, and not just because the desserts were simply delicious (I'll get to that later). What should have read as 'black glutinous rice' was written as 'black glutious rice', which would evoke a completely different taste, and possibly be regarded as bordering somewhat on cannibalism. Translations aside, the Sweet Dessert Shop dishes up a mean sugary feast, that'll have your cavity-stricken teeth asking for more. My personal favourite is shaved ice with red beans ($4.80), which successfully combines the crunch of ice with the chewiness of the red beans. On a cold day, the hot mochi ($3.50) is fabulous. For those not in the know with Asian desserts, mochi hails from Japan and is basically glutinous rice (aka sticky rice) molded together to form a rice cake paste. It is chewy, sweet and oh-so-addictive. Fortunately this place is cheap, so when you have to revisit for the third time in a week, it won't blow a hole in your budget!

When you travel, so many things may feel the same, and others different. This was one of the…read morelatter. This place is primarily a social club centered around the Brisbane Lions sport team. It's open to all, but you need to be a member for certain things. It's a bar, restaurants, social club, and casino, which was surprising to me how prevalent gambling is coming from a place where it's not allowed at all. Thankfully the casino area is kept separate from the rest. This review is just for the restaurant and bar part, which I loved. My friends live within walking distance so we strolled over. I took a look at the menu and had to order the grilled barramundi, the famous Australian fish. It was cooked to perfection, soft and flakey. They had a nice selection of beers too, which mostly leaned toward macro lagers but also had some local styles. It was a comfortable and casual place to relax and have a meal.

The atmosphere here is amazing. The staff are always friendly and remember you. Food wise there are…read moregood options and it's always a good portion size. There is an endless amount of pokies to play which is always good at busy times. The live music is always entertaining And the sports bar is great too. Overall I always feel safe here. The staff and security put in effort to maintain a friendly and safe environment and I always look forward to going here.

Oh, the old BAT! How I love thee with such fond memories of yesteryear when I played Violet in…read moreWilly Wonker & The Chocolate Factory. Nestled on Petrie Terrace, there have been so many good times had in this venue and I'm so glad it's still around. In terms of Brisbane theatre it's a bit of an icon and a talking point. So many performers started their careers within the walls of the Arts Theatre and hopefully it will keep happening for decades to come! It's always good to keep an eye out on their season. And if you have kids who want to be involved in theatre there are frequent auditions for kids shows and always something to entertain them during school holidays. It's a great thing to support local theatre and the arts, so why not jump onto the Arts Theatre website and see if there's a play or musical to tickle your fancy. You won't get a more intimate or local experience in any other theatre in Brisbane.

Gosh. I love this place…read more I've been to a good few shows here over the years, and my last visit was my second viewing of Avenue Q in this venue. First up, this place is small, and yes, it's an amateur run place. I love how cozy it is. We were back row and still incredibly close, and they definitely get some great talent. There's a bar (you can't take alcohol into the theatre, but the bar opens a hour before the performance, and there's usually an intermission) with a limited range of alcoholic drinks, but you can get the usual soft drinks, snacks and ice creams too. I am particularly fond of BAT because they appear particularly fond of Terry Pratchett, so that's a big win in my books. Don't go in expecting QPAC, just go along, have fun and support a community theatre. There needs to be more places like this.

Ormiston House is almost 150 years old and truly exudes the charm and elegance of a bygone era…read more I've been there a few times for functions and it is stunning with its sprawling flower filled gardens overlooking Moreton Bay to Straddie. If you're not part of a special event there, like the annual Mercedes Benz day out, or symphony under the stars, you can visit with a small donation to the Trust volunteers of $5 adults and $1 kids, and add a paltry $4 and $2 to enjoy Devonshire tea on the gorgeous, shady verandah on any Sunday from March to November between 12pm and 4pm. Take a stroll through the historic house and grounds and you can even bring your own picnic to enjoy under a shady tree on the lawn. Make sure to go when the camellias are blooming.

I wish I could enlarge the font so you'd really get the tone I'm using when I say I F**KING LOVE…read moreTHE WAITING ROOM. It's this kind of place that is the reason West End has a reputation for being community minded. It is a DIY music space that is open for local musicians to use for recording, rehearsing and playing gigs. It also opens it's doors to visual artists as well. If you're looking for a place to exhibit your work, look no further! You can also hold workshops there. Hell, let's put it this way, if you're a musician or artist and you've got an idea but need some space to do it, you may as well send these guys an email. It's thewaitingroombrisbane@gmail.com I always like to wander past The Waiting Room on the weekends- there's usually something good happening there. The space is awesome too. It's an old Queenslander that has been tangled up with blue and yellow fairy lights. Depending on what's going on, people usually bring their own grog, find a camp on the floor and watch the band that's playing. At least they're the kinds of gigs I've gone to at The Waiting Room. The gigs that the The Waiting Room put on are usually quite diverse, representing the vast population of musicians who use the space. Going to The Waiting Room for a gig is like going to a fully decked out house party. You rock up with your six pack, walk up the back stairs and rearrange the fridge or esky so you can fit your beers in. You meet some kid you've met around the traps "yeah, yeah man, I've seen you around- good to meet you" and you go watch the band together and bum a smoke off him (or he off you) when you go out back into the garden. You know the deal.

I'm reviewing the Waiting Room both as someone who has hired out the space to put on my own show…read moreand as a regular punter. Cam Smith, the guy who runs the venue, is absolutely wonderful to deal with. He's genuinely passionate about music and puts in a lot of effort to make this a unique Brisbane venue. The place itself is an old Queenslander that has been appropriated into a live music venue. The atmosphere is more akin to a house party than being at an actual venue. except the band that's playing have a professional sound tech with a real mixing desk and PA! (Hint: there's also a bathroom downstairs, so don't wait around upstairs like a sucker) If you're putting on a show, you basically get full control of everything. You organise your own bands, set up your own person at the door, charge your own entry fee, and set your own times (though due to noise restrictions things need to finish up around 11). It's all BYO alcohol, so there's no worrying about the bar or licensing. It's also cash only. Entrance is at the rear, so if you're wandering past and hear some noise that you'd like to check out the front door isn't going to be much help. There's no preferred genre of music that plays here, so you never know what you could be in for. Yes the venue is on the smaller side (I believe max capacity is 80), so busier gigs mean you're less likely to actually see the band play (especially as there is no elevated stage), but I believe the laid back party atmosphere makes up for this. The smaller shows hold a special charm, with many of the patrons just setting up camp on the floor for a quiet night of enjoying the live music.

Cinema 5 has lines down the screen and stinks. In general the non-gold cinemas are in bad repair…read more bad counter service, too.

If I could rate this place zero stars I would. Terrible service from the get-go. Total unenthusiasm…read moreas you walked in. The staff at the front desk were a young boy with brown hair and a young girl with ginger hair. My son and his friend came in looking to watch the new Deadpool and Wolverine movie. After the two fifteen-year-olds get asked for their source of identification, to which they had none I had to come in and purchase a ticket to watch the film with them. Before the movie started, I went to the bathroom, leaving the kids with their friends and his mother, who coincidentally where also going to see the movie. Before I returned, my sons friend rang me saying that they were rudely escorted out of the cinema. Now from what I heard, the boys were not disruptive in any way but when given a harsh warning from the ginger haired girl they tried to think of a way to stay. So they asked his friend's mother to say that she was looking after them until I got back. When the rude girl returned, she started yelling and pointing for the boys to get out right away. Now up to this point it was only 10 minutes into the film. After trying to talk to the girl, and she not listening, the boys left. My boys then asked for a refund but were told that they had already watched "half" of the film and had committed a crime. Some back and forth later and we left without seeing the movie and 80 DOLLARS down the drain. Horrible experience overall. If I recall the girls name was Elena. We think that it is only fair if Elena gets spoken to about general communication.

Before the Queensland Museum moved to the cultural precinct at South Brisbane, it called the Old…read moreMuseum it's home from 1899 until 1986. It was designed by George Henry Male Addison and was built in 1891 after the original building that stood there was destroyed by the fires of 1888. It is if you ask me, one of the most beautiful and opulent landmarks of inner city Brisbane. The Old Museum stands out like a glimmer of hope in the midst of a concrete jungle. The modern and renovated Royal Brisbane Hospital is just over the bridge, the Ekka showgrounds are just underneath it, and the more industrial zone of Bowen Hills is directly behind it. If you stand back and take in the entire landscape, it becomes easy to see how far Brisbane has changed through the ages. Quite frankly, I like the Old Brisbane better than the new one if the Old Museum and other heritage listed buildings of her kind are anything to go by. The Old Museum is now a venue for a multitude of events. The Finders Keepers markets are held there biannually, international and local musicians play there frequently (Amanda Palmer! Beth Orton!), travelling showcase events like the Bohemian Masquerade Ball have held their Brisbane leg of the tour there, and the Burlesque Bombshell Academy holds burlesque dancing workshops there. Holy dooley. The Queensland National Ballet, Queensland Police Pipes and Drums, Queensland Youth Choir and Zen Zen Zo Phyiscal Theatre are all tenants of the Old Museum too. Even though there's a seemingly endless line of groups and people in and out of there all the time, you can hire the venue space. There's a lot of information on the website, and it appears that all you have to do is write them a proposal of what you'd like to do there, and when, and they'll decide yay or nay and get back to you. When I was a little kid, my mum took me for a picnic on the grounds of the Old Museum. With all of my traditional girly notions still intact, I told her I wanted to get married there one day. Apparently I got very excited about the whole idea, and when she told me it had closed down and I couldn't have my wedding there, I wailed. Well, look, some 20 years later, and the dream place of my nuptials is a venue for hire. Now all that's left is for me to find that poor bastard who'd put up with me 'forever more'.

Although I am relatively new to the Brisbane scene, it wasn't long…read morebefore I found out about the charming and handsome Old Museum. Character literally flakes off these old beams and floorboards, this space provides a truly beautiful and intimate setting. Not just a pretty face the Old Museum has played host to myriad events. This old gal has seen everything from Amanda Palmer, Designer Markets and the QLD youth choir being staged beneath her red brick arches. My favourite event here has to be the Finders Keepers markets, the old halls are perfect for this vintage themed event and the gardens make for a kickass concert space/picnic area. (Perfect for those languid summer afternoons and eve's I recommend grabbing some friends and heaving a picnic basket to the lawn.)

Great venue, good atmosphere, it's a shame that the service was horrible and I wasted $44 on two…read morecocktails that tasted like dishwashing liquid. Atmosphere 6/10 Venue 10/10 Value for money and service 0/10 Will be back but will drink before I go.

This place was awesome. I've been to a few video game bars, but none of them have come anywhere…read moreclose to this awesome place. Basically it is a pub, but it is full of all types of video games, and not only that but they also have a pretty decent selection of board games as well. Honestly, this place it literally a geeks paradise, and a guy like me could spend ages in here, especially if I happen to be gaming. Okay, it isn't open all that long, namely near the weekends, and in the evenings, but it is still a pretty awesome pub.