NOW EXPERIENCING:Can You Keep a Secret?
Drinks Directory|Non-alc Options|Good for groups|After work drinks

Can You Keep a Secret?

619-621 Stanley Street, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102
Phone
0420 634 743
Website
canyoukeepasecret.com.au
Instagram
@canyoukeepasecret33

Read time 4 Mins

Posted 24 Aug 2022

By
Fiona Donnelly

Inside Queensland's Can You Keep a Secret?

This quirky Woolloongabba bar goes its own way with retro styling and groovy op-shop flair forming the backdrop to killer cocktails and great tunes that bring a house-party vibe.

The setting inside Can You Keep a Secret? in Queensland
Why you goThey call Can You Keep a Secret? the bar love built. Certainly you can feel – and see – the attention to detail lavished here. Even before you hit the bar, duck in through the side entrance and you can check out CYKAS's small but beautifully edited selection of clothing from the ’60s and ’70s. The vintage vibe continues inside the front bar where there's heaps of bric-a-brac, one-offs collected over decades, with retro artworks adorning the walls along with religious iconography and antique mirrors  – and that’s just for starters. There are two more fully loaded rooms out back. These heritage digs have been restored right back to the original brick and at CYKAS it’s pretty much retro a-go-go - but always in the best, unpretentious, yet carefully put-together way.
Why you stayBrisbane has a swag of sophisticated watering holes. CYKAS isn’t trying to be one of them. It’s more about community and heart than obscure spirits from unlikely countries or overly elaborate cocktails. Expect a well-mixed crowd of regulars and newcomers drawn in by a lively mix of local artists who play original tunes on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. On Fridays and Saturdays vinyl rules – anything from bossa nova to disco, funk and jazz. Here for a cocktail and a quiet deep-and-meaningful? Just head to one of the two back rooms. In keeping with the front bar’s vibe and CYKAS ethos, these are kitted out with comfy, plush retro sofas – there’s even a vintage TV set and sideboard in one, a fake wood-burning stove in the other. It’s like being at a house party in someone else’s home. Perhaps your granny’s. The good news is someone else will keep the knick-knackery dusted.
It's a cosy vibe at Wollongabba's Can You Keep a Secret?
The bar seating at Can You Keep a Secret?
What drink to orderAn Old Fashioned would be the way to go here. And there are twists on the classics as well – a smoky version of the perennially popular Espresso Martini, starring Stolen smoked rum, for instance. Twelve bucks scores you a “Champagne” cocktail – though at this price it’s made with Casa Sparkling from King Valley rather than the house brut by France’s Champagne Collet. Here with a gang? Jugs of Pimm’s or Sangria are a no-brainer. If you’re the night’s designated driver, UpFlow’s non-alcoholic beers are on pour, including the stout, IPA  and lager. And for those who prefer to keep things trad, XXXX and Guinness make the cut. The focus here is on Aussie drinks, but with some notable and welcome exceptions.
What to pair it withSure, the back room with its massive vintage TV set, low-lit standard lamps and comfy couches might resemble your grandma’s parlour, but there’s no sweet little kitchen to match at CYKAS. You can BYO food, or order a pizza at the bar from Highgate Hill’s Stone & Brew. In the snack department you’ll find something salty to accompany that drink – olives, lime-and-chilli bar mix and suitably retro pretzels, all sourced locally from West End OG legend Mick’s Nuts.
Why we love itFriendly staff, cool surrounds and local music or classic vinyl bangers – it’s hard not to love CYKAS, but it’s impossible to keep it a secret.
The distinctive decor at Can You Keep a Secret?
Decor at Can You Keep a Secret bar
Regular’s tip

Keep an eye on the CYKAS website, Facebook page and Instagram feed. Sometimes the venue gets booked for a function and the news will be posted there. If you miss it, make tracks to It’s Still a Secret, CYKAS’s newer sister bar in West End. 

Regulars know you can also score the occasional discount on CYKAS’s vintage clothing if you ask nicely.

 

Don’t leave withoutTaking time to riffle through the cool vintage clothing rack on the way in. Who knows when you’re going to need a snappy 1970s power suit with high-waisted flares and a natty tailored jacket? You could even wear it next time you pop by.
Authour image
Fiona DonnellyFood writer Fiona Donnelly turned her love of bars and restaurants into a career – and she’s still pinching herself.
Tags
Drinks DirectoryBarGood for groupsParty vibesGreat tunesDate nightNon-alc OptionsCasual catch-upKiller cocktailsBrisbaneAfter work drinks
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