The best Brisbane restaurants and bars for groups

A night out with all of your favourite people can sometimes feel as though you’re compromising quality for (your) quantity. Be it a special occasion, a first-time visit to Brisbane with the family, or just gathering friends for a night out, you need a Brisbane bar or restaurant to suit.

Gather everyone you know – and don’t trim the fat; these are the Brisbane’s best restaurants for groups.

The best Brisbane restaurants for groups

Hellenika at the Calile

Residing inside the terrazzo-tiled, pastel-hued dream that is The Calile in Fortitude Valley, book a table out on Hellenika’s rooftop terrace overlooking the hotel’s elegant pool. Serving thoroughly modern Greek fare with flair, dishes here are meant for sharing; saganaki, grilled lamb ribs and their famous taramosalata with house made bread make for easy, fuss-free group dining.

As well as a selection of a la carte dishes, Hellenika also offers a number of banquet options for large group bookings, making catering for your inflated head count a breeze.

Where: The Calile, 48 James Street, Fortitude Valley

Honto

Hidden down a no-through road in centre of Fortitude Valley, Honto is the last thing you’d expect behind such an unassuming entrance. Inside, however, oozes the kind of grown-up glamour you’d expect from a hatted Japanese restaurant.

Honto may make for quite the romantic setting – its moody lighting and elegant food a culinary flame for date night- this Brisbane restaurant does more than merely provide for large groups, it encourages it.

The restaurant’s banquet works perfectly for seven or more people; tuna hand rolls, kingfish with yuzu kosho ponzu, handmade steamed gyoza and the house special short ribs in ginger and soy glaze make light work of ‘communal’ dishes. Match with paired wines and you’re away.

Where: Alden Street, Fortitude Valley

Bar Alto 

For one of the best alfresco group dining options in Brisbane, make reservations at Bar Alto. Positioned inside the cultural hub that is  Brisbane Powerhouse, this modern Italian bar and restaurant is a great spot for large groups – even better if you’ve just been to see a show.

The former power station makes for quite the dramatic dining location, with sweeping views of the Brisbane River at New Farm Park. Book a table on the terrace overlooking the water and tuck in to woodfired pizza and pasta, paired with local wines.

Where: 119 Lamington Street, New Farm

Greca

With its sister venue, The Apollo, in Sydney, a firm favourite with locals, Brisbane’s relaxed little sister, Greca, is the beating heart of the Howard Smith Wharves precinct. Owner Jonathan Barthlemess has taken inspiration from his ancestral home, where dining with friends and family is celebrated often.

A very modern Greek taverna, Greca is all about long lunches and slow dinners, designed, naturally, with large groups in mind. Share the famous honey-drenched saganaki, before splitting the melt-in-your-mouth slow-roasted lamb shoulder with your fellow diners.

Where: Howard Smith Wharves, 5 Boundary Street, Brisbane City

Donna Chang 

Right in the heart of the city, Donna Chang is upscale Asian restaurant perfect for any occasion. Boasting an AGFG hat, the menu flips traditional Chinese cuisine on its head, serving modern interpretations of your all-time favourites.

When you’ve a group after something a little bit special, book a spot in the private dining room. Floating above the main dining hall, ascend the stairs of the old heritage-listed building, close the doors of your private dining room, have a wine poured by your group’s personal waiter, and forget about the outside world.

Tip: After dinner head downstairs to the underground Japanese bar, Boom Boom Room Izakaya, for yuzu cocktails and boutique Australian wines by the glass.

Where: 171 George St, Brisbane City

Happy Boy

Pairing boutique wines with provincial Chinese dishes, Happy Boy has seamlessly merged the familiarity of your favourite comfort food with hard-to-find small batch wines from around the country.

The wallet-friendly prices, sleek, minimalistic fit-out and meticulously curated wines ensures Happy Boy is always buzzing. Group bookings are encouraged to devour the banquet menu of chef favourites – including the classic chilli chicken and numbing fish in Sichuan broth – and bookings can be made for inside the restaurant or outside on the deck under the fairy-lit Fig trees.

Where: East Street, Fortitude Valley

Sake 

Another enviable riverside location in the city, Sake is a must for group dining – especially if your party digs authentic Japanese dishes with a distinctly Australian twist. The award-winning menu is full of hero dishes like Hiramasa kingfish, miso glazed toothfish and popcorn shrimp, but if you’ve got your eye on it all go with the chef’s omakase menu.

Groups of eight or less will suit the communal banquet tables to a tee, but for something extra special (read: spacious) hook up with one of the private dining rooms.

Where: Eagle Street Pier, Brisbane City

E’cco Bistro

A Brisbane restaurant icon with 23 years under its belt, E’cco is still one of Brisbane’s hottest restaurants. For those in need of a supersized group booking, E’cco’s private dining room hosts up to 35 people, and offers a chefs five-course tasting menu with matching wines. Problem solved.

Where: Haven, 8/63 Skyring Terrace, Newstead

Eat Street Northshore

The home of street food in Brisbane, Eat Street Northshore is where to dine on the latest trends and classics, be it Korean wings, a dozen oysters, towering burgers or fantastical desserts. With over 50 permanent food trucks and small bars, you’re in no danger of not finding something you love.

As well as casual seating situated right around the grounds, groups can book one of the private dining areas and bars, complete with river views, naturally. This is the river city after all…

Tip: For first timers, use this guide to navigate Eat Street Northshore’s best dishes.

Where: 221D Macarthur Drive, Hamilton

Gerard’s Bistro

Award-wining dining in Brisbane doesn’t come more iconic than Gerard’s Bistro – especially if you’re looking for large group dining. Taking inspiration from the Maghreb region and the Middle East, the food at Gerard’s is rich in flavour and ideal to share.

Dine alfresco on the long tables dotted along the laneway or choose a more exclusive setting in the private dining room. Seating up to 32 guests expect a seasonal menu of hyper local ingredients: anything from coal-roasted duck, woodfired Turkish breads, to grilled eggplant and pomegranate or white nectarine sorbet - whatever’s in season - and an expertly curated wine list.

Where: Gerard’s Lane, 14 / 15 James St, Fortitude Valley 

1889 Enoteca

For the ultimate group dining experience, head to Woolloongabba’s award-winning 1889 Enoteca. Classic Italian dishes paired with a globally recognized wine list means even the fussiest of your dining crew will feel satiated.

Book the restaurant’s private wine cellar for a large private dining room unlike any other. Seating up to 42 guests, the stripped brick walls, and row upon row of aged wines makes for arguably the most dramatic group dining experience in town.

Where: 10-12 Logan Road, Wooloongabba

Libertine

It’s Libertine’s seductive blend of French Vietnamese cuisine and expertly crafted cocktails that make it a Brisbane dining favourite, and a great place for your next group outing.

The fairy-lit European-style courtyard is ideal for those balmy Brisbane nights, while inside the moody Parisian décor and leather booths cater perfectly for smaller group dining options.

Where: The Barracks, 61 Petrie Terrace

The best Brisbane bars for groups

Felons Brewing Co 

Boasting a prized riverside location, sweeping river and CBD views, a beer garden, plant-filled patio, waterfront promenade and classic German-inspired beer hall, Felons Brewing Co is an obvious choice – whether you’re a group of two or 20.

A casual bar and dining spot any night of the week, Felons is a walk-in restaurant, but, for groups of eight or more, you can pre book a table inside the brewery, taking the pain out of finding enough seats for all your party.

Where: Howard Smith Wharves, 5 Boundary Street, Brisbane City

Brewdog

The Scottish-born brewery, Brewdog has made quite the impression on the riverbank at Murarrie, East Brisbane. An expansive beer garden and terrace overlooking the Brisbane River, it makes for a fun group booking venue for lazy days with friends and family.

Inside, the taproom-slash-beerhall boasts 28 taps of locally brewed beers where group bookings have the difficult choice of long booth dining amongst the brewery, or outside under the pergola. Burgers, woodfired pizzas and wings with beers are the specialty here, but the menu is large and the choices are many for any fussy members of your party.

Where: 77 Metroplex Ave, Murarrie

The Back Room at The Gresham

While it’s well known amongst locals as one of Brisbane’s best drinking dens, it’s The Back Room at The Gresham, literally in the bar’s back room, which makes for a fantastic alternative venue for you and your group of revellers.

Instead of sharing space with all the other punters, all after an expertly poured cocktail or two, indulge in your own private dwellings - complete with leather chesterfield couches and elegant seating for up to 20 people.

Tip: order thick-cut toasties or a grazing table for your group

Where: Gresham Lane, Brisbane City

Southbank Beer Garden

Overlooking South Bank’s iconic city beach, Streets Beach, Southbank Beer Garden ticks all the right boxes when it comes to Brisbane bars.

Sweeping CBD, Brisbane River and beachside views, an enormous garden terrace (complete with hanging vines and potted plants); it makes the perfect venue for large groups – whether you’re just here for a few refreshing drinks or settling in for a hearty pub feed.

Where: Stanley Street Plaza, South Brisbane

Mrs Brown’s Bar & Kitchen

Local neighbourhood bar, Mrs Brown’s lies in the heart of Newstead – Fortitude Valley’s (slightly) quitter sister suburb. Serving up local wines and beers, cocktails, and delectable bar snacks, book a spot for any sized group or occasion.

Where: 32 Commercial Road, Newstead