Felons is one of those places in Brisbane that you’ve either been to or at least know about. If you haven’t yet been, you should definitely pay it a visit, as it’s one of the funnest places to dine and drink at in Brisbane. So what’s so good about it? The location for starters, Felons Howard Smith Wharves is right in the CBD under Story Bridge. The beers, which are tasty indeed, are brewed on site and the pizza bases are some of Brisbane’s finest.
The Atmosphere
Felons is definitely one of the liveliest places in Brisbane, without a doubt. Howard Smith Wharves is a relatively new precinct that has 11 establishments which you can dine and/or drink in, apart from Felons. At any given time the area is crawling with people. The wharf is also right under Story Bridge on the water, which is a beautiful part of Brisbane City.
One of the best parts about Felons is that even though it’s so popular, it’s large enough that you won’t have to wait long for a seat. The place is enormous! You can also sit inside or outside, but I typically sit outside as the views are so nice. On this particular occasion, we arrived on a Sunday evening and it was busy. This is saying something, as Brisbane – which is certainly shedding its large country town reputation – is still often quiet on a Sunday night.
We strolled along the lengthy deck at Felons Howards Smith Wharves and found three chairs surrounding a barrel that overlooked the river. There’s also a whole other section to Felons, the Barrel Hall, which I’ll discuss later. This place really is big!
The Food – Felons Howard Smith Wharves
On this night we all decided to eat pizza by the river. I had the Funghi, which had roasted mushrooms, taleggio, smoked provola, thyme & parsley and I added prawns to it. The topping was tasty for sure, but what really stood out was the pizza base, which was uber delicious and not too heavy – the kind that you can fold yet it wasn’t floppy. The only other base I’ve had in Brisbane that was comparably good was at Oche in Fortitude Valley.
I was there with my partner Nikki and our friend Amanda. Amanda had the parma, which she enjoyed and Nikki, who is gluten intolerant, ordered the funghi with a gluten-free base and vegan cheese. She was honestly surprised how good the base was and said she could hardly believe it was gluten-free. It’s safe to say the pizzas here are definitely winners and if you check out my video below, we all agreed we’ll return to Felons Howard Smith Wharves.
The Wine
Lately I’ve been experimenting with cheaper red wines at home, hoping I’ll stumble upon another good one (as we have our favourites). We’ve had a few misses lately, so when we ordered a carafe of house red wine, I wasn’t expecting too much. It was surprisingly good and Nikki and I agreed it’s better than the last couple of bottles we’ve bought at home. So if you’re thinking of ordering the house red, it’s definitely worth drinking here!
The Views
The views at Felons Howards Smith Wharves, if you get the right spot (which is not hard), are amazing. As I mentioned earlier, we managed to get a spot right by the river, situated halfway between the Brewery & Bar and the Barrel Hall. This is a perfect spot as you can clearly see Story Bridge and the city behind it, whereas if you sit under the Brewery & Bar roof, you’ll just see the river (which is still good). Our friend Amanda, who was visiting from Sydney, was impressed.
This is definitely a great spot to bring your out-of-town buddies to show them what Brisbane is capable of. As I’ve mentioned, this is particularly the case on a Sunday night, when a lot of the town is dead and Felons is lively!
Brewery & Bar
Even though I didn’t hang in or drink from Felons Howard Smith Wharves Brewery & Bar on this night, I’ve done so before. I did, however, pass through here briefly, which you’ll see at the end of my video (below). Anyway, I’ve had a few sessions here before and my favourite is the Felons IPA, which is definitely a pleasant drop. At 6.2%, a couple of these will put a smile on your face, and this fruity, refreshing beer that has a malty kick goes down well on a Sunday session.
I’ve not tried any of the other beers here, of which there are many, so if you have let me know your thoughts. I will say again though, that Felons is really big and the Brewery & Bar is like its own establishment, with its spacious interior and large bench tables. Other things Felons Howard Smith Wharves Brewery & Bar offers is brewery tours, beer tasting and even takeaway beers.
Felons Barrel Hall
Felons Howard Smith Wharves gets a little confusing, it’s that big! Further down the wharf you’ll find another section of Felons, the Barrel Hall. This is basically an extension of the brewery, except with cultural performances and food and drink that takes inspiration from Europe. I’ve seen people playing ping pong here and Felons puts on regular events here too. Think of it as the slightly more festive section to Felons. It was pretty quiet in here when I passed through to go to the toilet, but it’s usually a lively quarter. Check out Felons’ website to see what’s on.
Check out our experience in my video below.
Our Thoughts Overall
- Felons Howard Smith Wharves is definitely one of the better places in Brisbane to have a Sunday session, as it’s lively, accommodating and certainly has atmosphere.
- This is the spot to show off Brisbane to any friends coming from out of town. Of course, if you’re just visiting Brisbane yourself, Felons Howard Smith Wharves will give you a good idea of what Brissie is like. In fact, I’ve got a friend visiting from Sydney soon and I’ll be taking him here for a Sunday sesh.
- The pizzas really are good here. Go for a pizza by the river!
- No need to book as there’ll be somewhere for you to sit. Just be prepared to walk a bit, as Felons is big!
- Parking can get a bit tricky in the city, so come early to sort that out. Best to get public transport in. I would even recommend doing a river scooter ride all the way in!
