The Bowery

Not gonna lie, I didn’t even realize this place existed the first several times I went to the valley. But, I finally got the inside scoop and checked it out. I totally dig bars like this that are kind of inconspicuous and chill. They have live music (I now know after a few trips in), cool art work on the wall, and it’s rad to sit at the bar because the bartenders are really on it. They have a a nice cocktail menu, of course. They also have a small area out back.

Now this is what it’s all about. I was trying to find a certain bar in Brisbane, and The Bowery was it. I turned down probably 5 – 10 bars that I had bookmarked before I settled here, and it was probably due to another bartender’s recommendation and the free live jazz. I had an Old Fashioned-​like beverage and some good conversation with the knowledgeable staff. I’d definitely come back to this joint if I’m ever in Brisbane again.

Considering I’m not the biggest fan of the Valley, this is a really nice spot!
I think word ‘classy’ would nicely describe it.
Love their cocktails! PLENTY to choose from! Espresso martini is my definite favourite!
It’s quite narrow inside, so if you get there on late Friday night, you’ll have to fight your way to the back!
Don’t get discouraged by few tables in front, there is more in the back! Also right in front there is a little stage you can dance your feet off. And music is good too!
Few nice beers on tap to choose from, and usually quite nice crowd.
Probably one of my favourites in the valley.

My first visit to The Bowery was a great one but since then, each time has been subsequently less great! I agree with all the reviews that there is no place to dance but the music is great and makes you want to dance.
In addition, I waited ages for drinks and then on my way back to the table, other patrons ran straight into me knocking ½ of the concoctions out of the glasses. :(I basically paid for 4 drinks and ended up having 2.5 drinks to give to my friends. That’s really terrible. If they could expand the space between the bar and the benches, everyone would be a lot happier.
If you can find a booth or seat to chat with friends, it’s great but if not, making space can be a bit tricky. I like it but I don’t think it’s my go-​to in the Valley especially after my last experience.

As a regular my partner and I have seen the gradual decline of this place. It used to be really good, staff were attentive and interested, but has declined into mediocrity; cocktails are poorly made and take the bar staff f o r e v e r to make, service somewhere between indifferent an non-​existent, drinks overpriced and poor value. These little black ducks won’t be back… Time to find a new top shelf cocktail bar… shame really…

Nicely designed bar tucked away amongst the bright lights of the valley.
Good range of varied cocktails but the place smelled damp and musty — and they asked one of my party to leave because he said he didn’t like his cocktail. He probably deserved it though.

Tucked away near an alley, The Bowery is a bar that offers the best drinks around Brissy. It’s interior is a bit dark and mysterious, and a bit reminiscence of what one would picture a something in a U.S. 20’s scene, though not quite. I think it’s just that it reminded me of Bourbon and Branch in San Francisco, which takes on a speakeasy atmosphere and serves amazing cocktails and drinks.
When I was there, they had a band, which was a bit loud for how big the place was, but it was fitting for the atmosphere. The drinks don’t come cheap (about $ 20 a pop) and isn’t much of a party atmosphere, nor is it good for dancing, but it’s definitely a casual classic bar for a close group of friends.

It’s Saturday night on the eve of my departure and I can’t think of a better way to spend it other than pub crawling in the valley. I’ve heard great things about the valley — could it be the Sunshine State’s ‘The Place to be’?
Now it’s a cool night so (even though I couldn’t miss the smell of booze when the airtrain doors opened at the station) it might actually be quiet but Nooooohh! — The atmosphere, the crowd — it’s a ripper!
Stop 1 — The Bowery — Love it! Love it! Love it!!! It kinda reminds me of Melbourne’s Seamtress but on a massive amount of steroids… It’s hip, trendy and simply a cool place to hang out and chill. Alright alright, I have to admit that this place is packed to the rafters — you literally have to queue and weave your way through to to order a drink but, tell you what, it’s worth it. Their cocktails are brilliant. They are quite pricey when actually but, would you expect any different for a good cocktail? & besides, I think that I’m at a stage where I can (once in a while) fork out a bit, grab a seat and relax instead of drinking cheap piss just for the sake of getting wasted.
Even though The Bowery was full and quite loud actually which can be a bit off-​putting to some, I couldn’t help but give it 5 stars because you know what? I don’t blame the place itself — it was plenty of seating both inside and out the back. It’s just that great that it gets a hug turnout so find yourself a nice little spot and you’re set.
If you’re on a date (You like the girl, she’s great value & you don’t mind spending a bit on her — alright alright. I take it back — my bad!), make sure you head to The Bowery.

One of my favourite Brisbane nightspots, The Bowery will excite all of your senses, especially your tastebuds. The Bowery is home to Brisbane’s best Bloody Mary (in my humble opinion), and all of the cocktails are phenomenal and worth the $ 16 or more you pay for them. The dimly lit, long and narrow bar will make you feel like you’ve walked into a 20’s speakeasy and instantly boosts the Valley’s class levels. On weeknights there’s usually a jazz/​funk band jamming away in the corner and there are usually, on Fridays and Saturdays especially, more bums than seats in the house. If you want to settle in for the night get in early to snag a booth or a couch and knock back a martini or two. Otherwise, the long line at the bar and cramped standing space can make The Bowery more of temporary drop-​in point.

The bowery is the kind of place I can imagine rich and artsy people would hang out at (i.e. a successful poet, if there is such thing). Since I am only one of the two (artsy, not rich), I can only dream of one day making this place my regular hangout. This does not mean I can not splurge every now and then sip on a $ 20 cocktail.
I just love the look of this place, yes it is dark but in a very classy and almost seductive way. The wooden furniture is simply divine and I even like the smell of this place. I like to sit down in the outdoors area when I come here as I find it very relaxing.
All the spirits and alcoholic drinks served here are boutique and top shelf so anyone expecting a bundy rum or a 4XXXX beer may be disappointed. If you prefer your gin and tonics made with Tanqueray rather than Gordon though, you are in luck!
I can’t say I visit this place too often but when I do, I always have a good time and leave feeling classy rather than trashy.

A few points on Bowery, based on my experiences:
1. This isn’t a bar for dancing. Yes, there is music, but no official «dance floor». Occasionally people can be found dancing by the DJ, but this is uncommon. It’s more about lounging and enjoying the atmosphere and having conversations with new people.
2. There are mixed opinions on the lighting. I’ve visited this place very frequently recently and it’s always on the darker side inside. The outside smoking area is dark, too. There is a light that can be turned on, which I prefer, but most patrons like the dark so the staff keep it off.
3. I’ve never found the outdoor smoking area to be packed, and people often come out here for the night air and tables and to chat rather than smoke.
4. The cocktails are, hands-​down, the best in Brisbane. If you’re like me and looking for a strong but sweet cocktail drink, all you need to do is tell the bartender what you’re looking for and they’ll say, «I know just the thing», make you a drink and it is ALWAYS DELICIOUS. It’s like they can read your mind.
5. The crowd is hip, respectable and I’ve never seen a fight happen here.
6. Yes, you will have to queue for a long time at the bar if you visit late at night. Occupy your time by chatting with your fellow queuers: they don’t bite.
7. This is my favourite bar, hand-​down, in Brisbane.

The Bowery is Brisbane’s original cocktail bar. I can count on one hand the number of places in Brisbane that serve cocktails of this calibre. The dark, prohibition-​era style bar stretches elegantly down the length of the room and faces a row of leather booths. Out the back there’s banquette seats, little tables, and an outdoor courtyard area.
If you want to take advantage of The Bowery at its best, try to come on a weeknight or before eight on weekends, because its best enjoyed when its quiet and you can hear the sultry jazz from the speakers and watch the bartenders expertly craft your drink. When it gets busy, it’s still fun but the music is louder so you won’t be able to conduct a conversation as easily and you’ll have to fight your way to the bar.
The Bowery’s cocktail list is extensive but includes a lot of the classics. It’s definitely hard to choose a favourite but the drinks I’ve found myself ordering over and over for the past five years are the Corpse Reviver No. 2, the Southside, and the Swann Cocktail. They also do a mean Negroni.
The bar staff are professionally and very talented. They offer good service and better drinks and they’re generally James Dean looking types which doesn’t hurt.

I imagine Bowery Bar to be like one of those underground lounges you read about in historic English novels; home to girls in flapper dresses and men in bowties. In other words, where I would rather be. Well, it’s not exactly the 1920s and Bowery Bar isn’t exactly in London, but it does still posses a quixotic charm.
I only ever stop in at Bowery, I never stay, but that’s only because you get little to no reception inside and because the drinks are very expensive. But hey, what do you expect from a cocktail bar? If you want to test a guy’s dedication I’d say take him to the Bowery Bar and see if he’ll buy you a drink. If yes, he’s a keeper. Because at $ 18 a pop, he’d want to like you quite a bit. Bowery somehow manages to be classy and casual at the same time though. Some of my friends popped in one night after attending a ball (bowties and all, I was very happy), and they fit in spectacularly. But you can also just rock up, sit back and have a casual drink and a conversation. It’s a pretty relaxing way to spend a night in the valley.
It’s a cosy little place, so you kind of have to fight over seats in a show of seat-​scouting skill (of which I have none), but when you get the coveted sinking lounge seats, it’s glorious. Despite it’s hectic pricing, I really like Bowery Bar for a laidback night out. The dim lighting casts a sort of eerie yet romantic spell over the place, and will always make me think of flapper dresses, bowties, and martini glasses.

While The Bowery is great for a cocktail early in the night on a Friday and Saturday, after about 11pm, especially if there is band or DJ playing, it gets a little claustrophobic. The bar is tiny and the line-​up for the bar can end up in the laps of the people sitting in the booths opposite, leaving no room at all for a thoroughfare. As for the dance-​floor, which is wedged in between the front door and bar, there is about enough room for 5 – 6 people to dance comfortably or 20 to just kind of sway as they try to avoid knocking out the people coming through the door. While the cocktail list is fantastic, I recommend getting in and getting out early before the crush starts!

If you like a good cocktail then The Bowery is the place to go. This bar is reminscent of a 1920s prohibition sort of joint, with classy bartenders and jazz music. There are booths tucked along the brick walls and couches in and around the place. It will get busy on a weekend so if you are looking to have a drink and partake in some quiet musings about life, I recommend coming early or on another weeknight, like a Sunday. The bartenders definitely know their stuff and the cocktail menu is extremely impressive. I highly recommend you check this classy cockail bar out.

Some could describe the Bowery as a place for a great cocktail. They wouldn’t be wrong in so much as being inaccurate. The Bowery is a whiskey bar and it’s probably the greatest god damn bar in Brisbane for anyone that enjoys a fine whiskey.
Let’s start with the atmosphere. It’s dark, quiet (though at times when it’s busy /​have jazz bands it can be loud) and extremely well lit. The Bowery isn’t priced or made for people looking to do shots or down a jug of beer. It’s a place of refinement and taste — of subtle class and appreciation for alcohol. In the Bowery, it’s not about the destination of drunkenness, it’s about the journey.
The selection is top class, ranging from Japanese to Scotch, Irish and a few others. The bar staff are supposedly paid higher than any other bar and I’m not surprised. The staff take their job seriously and do it with conviction and dedication. I prefer Bowery on a weekday, as it’s a great place to nurse a drink with a friend.
For the smokers out there, there’s a small section out back but it gets crowded quickly so be quick.