The incredible views from Brisbane’s new rooftop bar

A panorama is stunning from this new Valley rooftop bar and restaurant, but do the food and service match up to it?

What’s not to like about a rooftop bar? Lights! Views! Outdoor drinking!

The city’s first was at Limes boutique hotel in Fortitude Valley’s Constance Street, which opened in 2008, but inner-city rooftop hangouts are still rare enough to pique interest. The latest is Iris, which opened in early May atop newbie Hotel X in the Valley’s Brunswick Street.

A striking canopy of purple and pink dangling faux wisteria greets patrons as they pop out of the lift on the top floor but the view is the real stunner, a panorama over the rooftops to the light-garlanded Story Bridge, the bling of city high-rises and to the mountains to the west.

Stunning: Views of the city and the Story Bridge from new rooftop bar Iris.

A section of the roof is louvred ready for opening if conditions allow and potted olive trees are dotted around. At one end is a long, curving bar and clusters of bare, marble-topped tables with tall chairs spaced across the grey tiles that also stretch down to the restaurant section, bordered at the back by a crimson banquette. This is another enterprise from the Ghanem Group, which has restaurants including Blackbird and Donna Chang in the CBD in its portfolio, as well as the French bistro Bisou Bisou on the ground floor. Going by its layout, it appears Iris is as much about the restaurant as the bar, with its eye-catching array of cocktails, mocktails, kombuchas, sodas, sangrias and selzers topping out a selection that also includes a strong spirits showing and a global wine list.

After a friendly and efficient greet and seat, it’s hard work to get attention from staff and it’s almost half an hour before we have a drink in hand, surely an issue in a bar.

The service is sluggish throughout the evening and, although everyone is pleasant enough when we abandon waiting and raise a hand for assistance, our questions about the menu largely remain unanswered. Almost every interaction is with a different staff member, which doesn’t help.

Colourful fare: fish tacos at Iris in Fortitude Valley.

The menu works its way around the Mediterranean, with starters, tapas, vegetables, a section dubbed “a little bit bigger” and flatbreads. From the tapas list we consider the cumin-spiced fish tacos but take a Spanish focus with croquettes ($15) filled with manchego, the traditional sheep cheese, and Serrano jamon. They’re just warm rather than hot and quite thickly crumbed.

Iris spread: BBQ pork ribs pinchoes with macadamia honey glaze

The prawns a la plancha ($21) are hefty grilled specimens, draped in a translucent strip of guanciale (cured pork jowl) sitting over a sauce of aje blanco, or white gazpacho, a pleasing match-up of flavours.

From the “bit bigger” section, including pincho pork ribs or spiced wagyu picanha, come piquillo peppers ($17) stuffed with salt cod that isn’t especially salty and pepped up with lemon and parsley pangrattato.

There’s a Moroccan grilled chicken pide and flatbreads with a choice of toppings, vongole, raw lamb tartare, or ours, wild mushroom, with artichoke and aged manchego ($19). The bread is not exactly flat, rather a thick, puffy cloud that is pleasant enough.

This offering of passable food continues with dessert. The fig-misu ($14), with mascarpone mousse, spiced fig, chocolate and marsala, doesn’t seem worth the deviation from the standard tiramisu.

Expansive views: Iris stop Hotel X in the Fortitude Valley

The Persian pistachio and olive oil cake ($12) sits amid a pastry collar with candied orange and ricotta ice cream and a furl of fairy floss on top, it’s better but the pastry seems too much.

Iris is an eye-catching venue, but as a restaurant experience it’s underwhelming. I would revisit for a drink, as the view, decor and beverage range appeal, but service needs to ramp up or it soon becomes the focus rather than the city lights.

Iris Rooftop Bar and Restaurant

Food 2.5 stars

Ambience 4 stars

Service 2.5 stars

Value 3 stars

Overall: 3/5 stars

Hotel X, 458 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley

Mon-Tue from 4pm, Wed-Sun from 11.30am to midnight. irisrooftop.com.au