Cairns Nightlife: The Best Bars & Live Music

Cairns may be best known as the gateway to the reef and rainforest, but once the sun drops the city centre comes alive with a compact, walkable cluster of bars, breweries and live music rooms. Most of the action is concentrated in Cairns City, where you can move between cocktail bars, a brewery taproom and live-music venues on foot, while a handful of options further out in Edge Hill, Trinity Beach, Palm Cove and Port Douglas round out the wider scene.

Why Cairns delivers

The big drawcard for a night out in Cairns is how close everything sits together. In the city centre alone you'll find cocktail-leaning bars like nōknōk, Three Wolves, Flamingos Tiki Bar, The Conservatory Bar, The Brass Bookie, Miss Chief Bar & Eatery and Summer Bar, plus Macalister Brewing Company for those after locally brewed beer and Elixir Music House if live music is the priority. Spread the net wider and you can pair drinks with a meal at coastal spots such as The Bluewater and Trinity Beach Tavern at Trinity Beach, Ellis Beach Bar & Grill near Palm Cove, and The Tin Shed in Port Douglas, while Edge Hill offers Dunwoody's Hotel and the Tanks Arts Centre.

Highlights

• Cocktails in the city: nōknōk, Three Wolves, Flamingos Tiki Bar, The Conservatory Bar and The Brass Bookie are all in Cairns City and within easy walking distance of one another.
• Live music: Elixir Music House in Cairns City focuses on live performance, and the Tanks Arts Centre in Edge Hill is an established arts venue worth checking for events.
• Local beer: Macalister Brewing Company in Cairns City for a brewery setting.
• A drink with a meal: Miss Chief Bar & Eatery in the city, plus The Bluewater (Trinity Beach), Ellis Beach Bar & Grill (Palm Cove) and The Tin Shed (Port Douglas).
• Pub nights out of the centre: Trinity Beach Tavern at Trinity Beach and Dunwoody's Hotel in Edge Hill.

Our top picks

Hand-picked from our highest-scoring listings:

• nōknōk — Cairns City
• Three Wolves — Cairns City
• Flamingos Tiki Bar — Cairns City
• The Conservatory Bar — Cairns City
• Tanks Arts Centre — Edge Hill
• The Bluewater — Trinity Beach
• Macalister Brewing Company — Cairns City
• The Brass Bookie — Cairns City
• Miss Chief Bar & Eatery — Cairns City
• Ellis Beach Bar & Grill — Palm Cove

Explore more

Browse all bars, pubs, live music, breweries in Cairns.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the main nightlife area in Cairns?

Most of the listed bars and music venues are in Cairns City, including nōknōk, Three Wolves, Flamingos Tiki Bar, The Conservatory Bar, The Brass Bookie, Miss Chief Bar & Eatery, Summer Bar, Macalister Brewing Company and Elixir Music House, which makes it easy to move between venues on foot.

Where can I see live music in Cairns?

Elixir Music House in Cairns City is listed as a live music venue, and the Tanks Arts Centre in Edge Hill is an arts venue worth checking for programmed events. We don't have confirmed line-ups or schedules, so check directly with each venue before heading out.

Are there options outside the city centre?

Yes. Trinity Beach Tavern and The Bluewater are at Trinity Beach, Ellis Beach Bar & Grill is at Palm Cove, The Tin Shed is in Port Douglas, and Dunwoody's Hotel is in Edge Hill.

Is there a local brewery in Cairns?

Macalister Brewing Company is listed as a brewery in Cairns City.

What are the opening hours for these venues?

We don't have confirmed opening hours for the venues listed, so it's best to check each venue's own channels before you visit.