The best things to do at night in Brisbane

Brisbane's dining scene continues to soar from strength to strength, so spend evenings tasting your way through the city's best restaurants, its newest hotspots and fine-diners. 

Being unable to decide on dinner is a problem as old as, well, dinner. To skip all the confusion, take the CityCat ferry from the city to Hamilton for a night of nibbling at Eat Street Northshore.

From American-style burgers to Vietnamese bao buns, every corner of the globe is covered, transporting your taste buds from salty snacks through to sugar-coma. Stroll through the elaborately decorated laneways (we’re talking everything from boats and giant marine creatures to fluoro lights and disco balls) to sample different cuisines from over 50 stalls, without leaving the banks of the Brisbane River.

2. Paddles and platters

Switch up your usual daylight view of the Brisbane River with a twilight kayak tour of the city as it basks in the evening lights. 

Riverlife offers 5pm tours Thursday - Sunday each week, where you'll spend 90 minutes gliding along the river in an illuminated kayak, passing under the Story Bridge, along South Bank and the CBD before returning to shore to devour a grazing board of cheese, dips and veggies along with an assortment of chilled beer, wine and soft drinks.

3. Head to Howard Smith Wharves

What do you do when you have a balmy tropical climate all year round? Drink outside, of course.

Howard Smith Wharves has been a mainstay on the nightlife scene for locals and visitors since it opened in 2018, now home to a precinct full of breweries, over-the-water bars and eateries. Always pumping and always a good time, check out this guide for everything you need to know.

4. Go to the game via Caxton Street

It’s hard to think of a street in Brisbane that comes more alive than Caxton Street on Game Day. NRL fan or not, a packed Caxton Street on State of Origin night is an experience every sport fan should have once. 

Home to hallowed sporting ground of Suncorp Stadium, Caxton Street has your game day activities sorted, with more pubs, bars, and restaurants than you’ll have hours to spare before kick-off. And once the full time whistle blows, you can head back here to try local craft beer from Brewski or check out legendary live-music venue Lefty's.

5. Get your game on

Step back in time at Netherworld, a bar-slash-diner-slash-old-school-arcade perched on the cusp of Fortitude Valley.

Enter the monster-themed underworld to find pinball, arcade classics and Nintendo consoles, with gaming relics dating back to the 70’s, and a high scoreboard with your name begging to be written all over it.

Another option lies within the historic TCB Building is B. Lucky and Sons, an arcade bar with all the classics from space invaders to hoops and Mario Kart. Bring your competitive streak for this one.

6. Cancel your curfew with GOMA Up Late

Get yourself to the cultural heart of Brisbane (that is, South Bank) and stroll past Queensland’s Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) to see James Turrell’s Night Life, a light installation on the facade of the building that runs from sunset to midnight (the whole sequence runs for 88 minutes). Even better, nab tickets to one of the gallery's incredible Up Late events - where exhibition spaces are filled with live music, art talks and pop up bars. Past Up Late's have featured Chet Faker, Wolfmother and Katie Noonan - so watch out for new event announcements. 

Pair this with dinner at one of the restaurants in buzzing Fish Lane and a walk along the river (maybe with a gelato from Messina in hand) and you have a very solid Brisbane date night.

7. Scale the Story Bridge

The once dingy alleyways of Brisbane have been transformed (with new options still popping up), with enough hidden gems to fill this guide.

Packing some of the best Italian food, live music, eclectic homewares and op-shops, seek and you shall find inside Brisbane’s twinkle-lit laneways after dark.

9. Tune in for live gigs

Brisbane’s pumping live music scene received a massive boost in 2019 with the opening of Fortitude Music Hall. The largest ballroom/theatre styled venue in Australia, Fortitude Music Hall has a 3,000 person standing capacity and was inspired by some of the world’s most loved live music venues – from classic art deco theatres to larger clubs, while still paying homage to the iconic venues of Brisbane’s past.

Other classics including the Triffid, Brightside and the Tivoli are all amazing venues for checking out local and touring talent.

10. Sip and swish a paintbrush

If you thought Brisbane’s West End couldn’t get any more artistic, think again. The creative district is home to Cork & Chroma and the order of events is simple: hold a paintbrush in one hand and a glass of Pinot Grigio in the other.  

Get your creative juices flowing at their relaxed painting classes. Everyone is given a picture to replicate under the guidance of a professional artist, but expect lots of laughter, especially if your end product still resembles a stick figure.