TNQ Writer
A big part of travelling is finding the perfect spot to have a cold drink at the end of a day adventuring. Here's where to quench your thirst in Cairns, whether you're a cocktail connoisseur, beer buff, gin junkie or simply love a glass of wine with a view.
Ask anyone who’s been to Cairns and they’ll tell you discovering its reef and rainforest is thirsty work. Add the fact the city has a climate that rarely (if ever) dips into single figures and there’s a good chance you’ll be parched come sundown. But good news, Cairns has been quenching thirsts since its first bar opened in 1877 and the city has only been perfecting its forms of hydration ever since.
Oak & Vine
Cocktail-sipping views don't get much better than the ones at Oak & Vine
Cocktail-sipping views don't get much better than the ones at Oak & Vine
Lagoon views are the perfect accompaniment to cocktails
Lagoon views are the perfect accompaniment to cocktails
If you like the idea of downing a brew with a view, take the elevator to the rooftop of Oaks Cairns to find Oak & Vine. Making the most of its Coral Sea frontage, Oak & Vine draws a crowd with some of the best views in Cairns served up alongside Peruvian share plates, signature cocktails and a selection of artisan gins.
Calypso Club
Explore the charm of Calypso Club, a coastal retreat blending playful vibes with sophistication. Situated within Crystalbrook Riley and unveiled in October 2023, this vibrant rum bar and seafood kitchen draws inspiration from leisurely coastal days. With a curated music program, it crafts an ideal seaside ambiance. Immerse in the laid-back elegance, unwind, and groove to the tunes, as this haven captures the essence of coastal living.
Rocco
Enjoy a sky-high tipple at Rocco
Enjoy a sky-high tipple at Rocco
The interior of Rocco is as beautiful as the views
The interior of Rocco is as beautiful as the views
You’ll find Cairns’ highest bar, Rocco, at Crystalbrook Riley – the jewel in this five-star hotel’s crown. Soak up panoramic views of the Coral Sea and Cairns Esplanade from its 12th floor location while you tuck into Mediterranean-inspired share plates. While you might be happy sharing the sumac cured Tasmanian salmon with harissa yoghurt, take it from us, Rocco’s cocktails are best savoured solo.
MOKU
Enjoy a tropi-cool day at the city's only swim up bar
If ever there was a destination made for a swim-up bar, Cairns is it and Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort has taken the plunge by creating the city’s only swim-up bar, MOKU. If cocktails in your cozzie isn’t your thing, snag a spot under the palms at Moku Beach Club and Moku Bar and Grill for poolside bevvies and bites.
The Vine Room
The Vine Room
The Vine Room
The Vine Room
The Vine Room
The Vine Room
The Vine Room
Bringing a taste of the Mediterranean to the Cairns waterfront, The Vine Room combines Southern European-inspired flavours with the fresh produce of Tropical North Queensland. Located on the Esplanade, this stylish venue is designed for long lunches, relaxed dinners and sunset cocktails, with alfresco seating and ocean views creating a holiday atmosphere.
Salt House
Wet your whistle at a suitably waterfront location at the Salt House
Wet your whistle at a suitably waterfront location at the Salt House
Salt House has stunning Mediterranean vibes
Salt House has stunning Mediterranean vibes
Charcuterie board at Salt House
Charcuterie board at Salt House
If you choose your drinking holes based real estate, it doesn’t get better than the waterfront Salt House on the Cairns Marlin Marina. Every table clocks a view of Trinity Inlet, the Coral Sea and Cairns’ surrounding mountains from its modern, boat-shed design. If you’re not doing dinner and drinks in the main restaurant, head straight to the bar section with its day beds, ponds and fire features. With tapas, woodfired pizza, share boards and an olive menu to accompany the cocktail list, you might physically be in Cairns, but this bar feels very Mediterranean at the same time.
Hemingway’s Brewery
Safe the reef whilst enjoying a 7th Heaven Tropical Ale
Safe the reef whilst enjoying a 7th Heaven Tropical Ale
Pull up a stool in the heritage listed building
Pull up a stool in the heritage listed building
Set inside a heritage-listed building overlooking Trinity Inlet, pull up a bar stool and soak up the atmosphere at this local favourite. Since all of their house-made brews give a nod to their tropical location, you can give your taste buds a tour of North Queensland and save yourself the kilometres. Bump Track, anyone?
Miss Chief Bar & Eatery
Experience love at first sip at Miss Chief
Settle down in one of Miss Chief’s intimate booths or relax on an outdoor swinging sofa and sip on Miss Chief original cocktails such as Berry White and Finning Delishious. Pair your tipple of choice with something from the hunted & gathered Asian inspired menu, such as Korean fried cauliflower bites and 14hr slow-cooked pork belly.
KOI Bar & Restaurant
KOI Bar & Restaurant
Set on the Cairns Esplanade, KOI brings a modern Asian dining experience with a strong focus on flavour, cocktails and atmosphere. The menu is designed around contemporary Asian-inspired dishes and share plates, making it a great choice for long lunches, dinner dates and sunset drinks by the waterfront.
Mexicairns
Mexicairns
Mexicairns
Mexicairns
Mexicairns
Mexicairns
Mexicairns
Bringing a new kind of night out to Cairns, Mexicairns combines Mexican-inspired dining, cocktails and interactive entertainment under one roof. Located on Lake Street, the venue pairs tacos, share plates and frozen margaritas with games including bowling, darts, shuffleboard and more, creating a lively social hub for groups, celebrations and casual catch-ups.
Nude Amigos
Located at the Cairns Pier precinct, Nude Amigos brings a lively Mexican-inspired dining experience to the waterfront. Expect tacos, share plates, colourful cocktails and plenty of margaritas! Making it a fun choice for groups, celebrations and casual nights out.
Wolf Lane Distillery & Three Wolves
One craft cocktail at Wolf Lane Distillery, and you'll be howling for more
One craft cocktail at Wolf Lane Distillery, and you'll be howling for more
Sip on something different at Three Wolves
Sip on something different at Three Wolves
You’ll be howling for your friends to come down to Abbott St once you’ve discovered Wolf Lane Distillery and small bar, Three Wolves, which both serve up speciality whisky and house-made gin. Slip into Three Wolves for tapas and craft cocktails in an intimate setting or visit Wolf Lane Distillery to meet the makers and taste test the tropics with spirits infused with mango, grapefruit, finger lime and Davidson plum.
Flamingos
Enjoy a suitably tropical experience at Flamingos Tiki Bar
Say Aloha to Flamingos, the CBD’s own tiki bar hiding beneath street level on the Cairns Esplanade. Skip the indecision of their extensive cocktail menu and go straight for their signature drops – the classic Zombie or a Flamingos original – both served in glassware as Instagrammable as the bar itself.
Wild Pony Saloon
Wild Pony Saloon
Wild Pony Saloon
Wild Pony Saloon
Wild Pony Saloon
Adding a playful new edge to Cairns’ nightlife scene, Wild Pony Saloon brings a western-inspired cocktail bar concept to the CBD. With creative drinks, music and a lively atmosphere, it’s a fresh option for those looking to continue the night after dinner.
nōknōk
For cocktail enthusiasts, nōknōk adds a more refined drinks-focused experience to Cairns’ CBD. The venue focuses on creative cocktails and a relaxed atmosphere, making it an ideal stop for an after-dinner drink or part of a Cairns bar crawl.
Boardwalk Social
Social by name and by nature, grab your pals and head to Boardwalk Social
What has indoor hanging plants, green wicker chairs and more natural light than you can possibly fit into a photo? Boardwalk Social at Crystalbrook Collection’s Flynn hotel. Less standalone bar and more market-inspired precinct, forget what you know of hotel bars because this one bucks the trend. On the drinks list you’ll find 36 beers on tap and 40 gins catering to a broad palette, much like their food menu which runs from poke bowls to pizza.
The Conservatory Bar
Embrace the speakeasy vibes of The Conservatory Bar
Looking for a place to wine-down? Say hello to The Conservatory Bar. With 350 different drops on the menu, the collection speaks to owner Ross Steven’s experience in the industry. Resembling a traditional Queenslander on the outside, inside you’ll be met with chandeliers and chesterfields, creating a cosy speakeasy vibe.
Howlin' Jays
Chick-ety check out Howlin' Jays for chicken & cocktails
There’s a new iconic duo in Cairns to rival the reef and rainforest – fried chicken and frozen cocktails – which you’ll find at Howlin’ Jays. You can easily see how they arrived at their tagline “the house of good times” when $4 will buy you “shit beer” and “crap tequila”. Grab your friends, don’t wear white and get ready for a whole lot of chicken served with six different spice levels. Like it hot? Their XXX Scoville-worthy sauce is available on demand.
Cairns Brewery Tours
Become a brewery connoisseur with Cairns Brewery Tours
Why settle for visiting one brewery when you can make a day out of it with Cairns Brewery Tours? Discover why beer tastes better when you know how it was made with their half-day brewery tour, covering a handful of breweries, distilleries and local haunts in the Cairns CBD and surrounds.
Rattle N' Hum
Your taste buds will hum with a trip to "rattle", as the locals call it
Serving Cairns locals since 1997, Rattle N’ Hum has perfected the delivery of good times, cold beers and hot food across four locations – Cairns Esplanade, Port Douglas, Palm Cove and Cairns Airport. This is the spot to head for big-screen sports but you’ll find something on here seven days a week.
Harbourside Bar & Kitchen
Harbourside is Cairns' first and only natural wine bar
If you like your boozy bevs on the healthy side make way to Harbourside Bar & Kitchen, Cairns’ first and only natural wine bar. Located on the northern end of the Cairns Esplanade, this newly opened bar and restaurant has already won several awards, including the Best Award of Excellence 2020 from leading wine magazine Wine Spectator.
