Secretive saloon Brooklyn Standard is the newest venture from Brisbane restaurateur Adam Barton and his business partner Emmanuel Sakellarakis. As the owner of Cove Bar & Dining in South Bank, Adam has worked within the increasingly dynamic Brisbane entertainment scene for many years, and noticed a dearth of quality music venues in Brisbane City. After spending lots of time in Brooklyn over the years, he noticed what was missing in Brisbane – a comfortable music venue that placed equal value on good music, drinks and service. His new venue is located on Eagle Lane, tucked away underground in what was formerly the basement of the Tank Hotel, just a short walk from the Riverside business and dining precinct.

After stripping the venue back to its foundations, Adam and his team remodelled the entire space, adding half-brick lining to match the original brick walls, timber finishings and authentic vintage decorations bought in Brooklyn. The venue now blends New York hipster-chic with an old-school speakeasy vibe thanks to the warmly lit walls, neon signs, spacious leather booths and patterned carpet. Brooklyn Standard embodies an old-world saloon feel, yet is coupled with a comfortable and spacious stage area boasting top-of-the-line sound equipment. Bands can plug in and play through Vase amps and instruments purchased for the venue.

The bar stocks a highly curated range of beer, including seven tap varieties and 14 bottled beers. With a predilection for top-shelf rum, Adam and Brooklyn Standard’s manager Justinn Debeer have chosen to stock the bar with a healthy selection of rums and plenty of other liquors. The cocktail list contains 20 classic concoctions as well as a specialty fitting for tap cocktails. Although there is no food service at Brooklyn Standard, food trucks will park along Eagle Lane to provide hungry patrons with delicious eats.

The music showcased on the Brooklyn Standard stage will be varied and colourful. Jazz, soul, funk and blues will be just a portion of the styles performed by Brisbane’s established and emerging musical talent, with a distinct focus on up-and-coming talent from the local scene. Bands will perform at Brooklyn Standard every night from Monday to Saturday, with the aim to have a consistent rotation of quality acts on the bill.

Brooklyn Standard is setting a new precedent for inner-city entertainment – proving that there is a desire amongst live-music fans for a small-to-medium venue that caters to niche music genres. For full trading hours and contact information, check out our Stumble Guide.