Intermission is exactly the kind of bar Brisbane’s theatre scene has been waiting for.
Sitting right out the front of The West End Electric in Brisbane’s ever-colourful West End, the brand-new venue from Strut & Fret doesn’t just feel like a handy spot for a pre-show drink. It feels like it belongs there. Like it’s always been part of the experience, just waiting for someone to finally open the door and pour the first round.
Intermission is intimate, glamorous and quietly indulgent, with all the polish you’d expect from the company behind some of Australia’s, and the world’s, best cabaret shows. But what makes it work is that it doesn’t feel cold or over-designed; there’s warmth to it. Personality and a little bit of mischief. It’s theatrical, of course, but never tries to shove the theme down your throat.
The design, by James Browne, is where Intermission really starts to show off. The hand-thrown gold flake floor is impossible to ignore, and nor should it be. It glows under the lights and gives the whole room that little flash of theatre before you’ve even made it to the bar.
But it’s not just one big statement piece doing all the work. The more you sit with the room, the more you notice. Gold accents, dark timber, the hanging flower planters, the vintage furniture, the full-size double bass tucked into the space like it wandered in from a smoky jazz club.
It all feels considered, but not stiff. Stylish, but still lived-in enough that you actually want to settle in.
And despite all of that it somehow still feels relaxed. That was the real surprise for me. There are several seating areas inside and out, and the flow between them works beautifully. The interior has that moody, old-world wine bar charm, while the outdoor areas make the most of Brisbane’s warm evenings.
It’s very easy to imagine popping in for one drink and accidentally losing a few hours, which is probably the clearest sign of a very good bar. Then there are the drinks, which are absolutely the headline act.
The Choc Top Martini is the obvious crowd-pleaser, arriving with the head of a mini Cornetto sitting proudly on top. It’s playful without being silly, nostalgic without feeling like a gimmick, and dangerously easy to drink.
The Werther or Not is another favourite, giving every grandparent’s favourite hard lolly a very grown-up second life. It’s sweet, smooth and beautifully balanced, the kind of cocktail that could get you into trouble very quickly.
The Candy Shop, with pink gin, raspberry and rose water, is also a standout. Light, floral and just indulgent enough.
The food menu leans into Spanish and French influences, with the sort of elevated but relaxed bites that make sense in a space like this. It gives you exactly what you want alongside a good drink and never feels like it’s trying to upstage the bar itself. It’s generous, stylish and very easy to share, either before a show, after one, or during that dangerous little window where “just one more” starts sounding like a perfectly sensible idea.
Unsurprisingly, opening night was a hit. Strut & Fret knows how to make an entrance, and the evening had all the right ingredients: live musical moments from some of their incredibly talented artists, a room full of energy, and a Moët & Chandon champagne tower poured by Sydney-based performer Emma Mylott. The night was glamorous, lively and very much in keeping with the world Strut & Fret has built around The West End Electric.
The secret door connecting Intermission to the theatre is a lovely touch too. It gives the venue a genuine connection to the performance world next door, rather than making it feel like a bar that simply happens to share the same address. You can have a drink, bump into artists, pull apart the latest show with friends, or decide on a whim to see whatever is playing through the wall.
Intermission is more than a supporting act for The West End Electric. It’s its own destination. Brisbane has no shortage of places to drink, but very few balance glamour, warmth and personality this well. Consider the curtain well and truly raised.
Intermission, a new bar and kitchen by Strut & Fret is open now. 125 Boundary Street West End Qld 4101.
Website: https://seeyouatintermission.com/
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/seeyouatintermission/
Images supplied.
Opening hours:
Tuesday 4-10pm
Wednesday – Thursday 4pm til midnight
Friday – Saturday 2pm til 1am
Sunday 12pm til midnight
Walk-ins welcome
