5000 bookings before new $35m northside hot spot even opens
Flame-kissed steaks, a kids’ arcade, half-court basketball and wall-to-wall sport. The northside’s newest pub venue opens this week after a booking frenzy.
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Brisbane’s booming northside will score a new social hub this week when the $35 million Dakabin Hotel swings its doors open.
More than 5000 diners snapped up reservations within 48 hours of the family-run Comiskey Group advertising the opening date.
The ceremonial first beer pour will be auctioned, with the winning bid matched dollar-for-dollar by the company’s recently acquired Eumundi Brewery, going to a yet-to-be-named local charity.
Director Rob Comiskey, whose group is best known for crowd-pulling landmarks Eatons Hill Hotel and Sandstone Point Hotel said the rush on reservations was unprecedented.
“Four thousand locals registered early just to beat the rush – we’ve never seen demand like it,” he said.
“That enthusiasm tells us Dakabin was crying out for a venue that caters for everyone, from parents with toddlers to serious sports fans.
“It’s a fun way to christen the taps and put something straight back into the community,” Mr Comiskey said.
Unlike its bigger sibling venues, Dakabin Hotel is a single 340-seat restaurant that runs twin kitchens.
A “Western” line turns out pub classics and comfort plates inspired by the Americas and Europe, while an “Eastern” kitchen fires up a hibachi grill for Japanese yakitori, Thai salads and Indonesian satay.
Tables spill onto a shaded terrace overlooking manicured lawns and a sunken firepit.
Inside, the “Sin Bin Sports Bar” is wired for wall-to-wall action with a 6m mega-screen and a circular ticker streaming live Fox Sports feeds.
Electronic darts, pool tables and 40 gaming machines round out the adult toys, but the headline grabber is a half-court basketball floor tucked beside a kids’ arcade - an Australian first for a pub, according to Ms Comiskey.
Live acoustic sets will ease patrons into Friday knock-offs before DJs take over after dark.
Weekends bring family-friendly sessions in the beer garden, with roaming entertainers pencilled in for school holidays.
The hotel is on a 3.75-hectare parcel at Alma and Old Gympie roads, opposite Woolworths.
A $15 million retail centre rising alongside will welcome Guzman y Gomez, KFC, Zarraffa’s Coffee and a NightOwl servo later this year; with several tenancies still on the market.
Construction director David Comiskey said finishing touches were still being added this week.
“Our crew has logged some long nights to hit the date, but we’re proud of the result,” David said.
“We wanted Dakabin’s first impression to scream world-class without losing that laid-back Queensland vibe.”
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