Cheap, cheerful and great food? Five Brisbane restaurants that tick all the boxes

Saccharomyces is the type of place where you can meet up with friends, talk, laugh, drink, eat well and generally share some good life vibes.

While beer is definitely Saccharomyces’ specialty, it’s also become quite the food hub. Try one of their Belgian boulettes – what’s a boulet you ask? A huge meatball. Choose your sauce (beer gravy, tomato basil or creamy meat broth) and your side (wedges, mash, sprouts or salad). Go for the platter if you’re with friends.

Of course there are other options, such as baked camembert, fried chicken bites and Sunday roasts but why go past the perfect beer accompaniment? And get them before they disappear – when the kitchen goes back to fully functional maybe the cannon balls aka boulettes will roll out the door? But we suspect not because they’re so damn delicious.

Whatever you do, be sure to book as it gets busy at Saccharomyces.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Boulette baguette with slaw and wedges ($19)

A courtyard, a cosy downstairs, a fantastic selection of beers, entertainment and cheap eats? The Burrow has it all.

Most of The Burrow’s meals are under $20. You’ll find burgers (vego, vegan), salads, and sides to share. So let’s start with the salads cos usually they can be sorely poorly. Not at The Burrow: you can’t beat the watermelon sugar version which has watermelon, strawberry, red onion, olives and lots of green leaves. Not only will you feel virtuous you’ll also feel zippy as the mint livens your taste buds.

Grab a burrito bowl (brown rice, salsa verde over guac, corn chips and salad-y stuff) and head for the courtyard if it’s a definitely-not-inside day.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Loaded fries ($14)

Embassy has been doing great city pub food for a very long time. It’s a city staple that hasn’t gone all fancy schmancy but still offers something different. Pulled jackfruit burger, anyone?

If you’re craving a burger the Embassy has cheese, chicken and beef, and we like the chilli dog too. Of course they have schnitties and lunch rump steak – all under $20 and all served with fries and salad.

Perhaps you want to spend the afternoon gaming away? They have plenty of board games, so add beers and snacks for indoorsy fun. Try chicken wings or arancini balls as great sides for whatever drink you choose.

Also, keep an eye out for specials, especially the loaded dogs!

Dish Cult’s top pick: Chilli Dog with smoked frankfurter, chilli con carne, cheese and pico de galo ($18)

If you’ve ever been to a footy game at Suncorp Stadium then you’ve walked past Brewski. Next time, stop in, though on game day, you’ll be rubbing shoulders with plenty of Brewski fans.

Brewski is a firm fave among many for meeting and eating. Oh, they have great beer too. But today we’re all about the food.

Poutine is a much under-appreciated beer partner here in Australia. For the uninitiated poutine is Canadian for a bowl of fries, smothered in cheese curds, gravy and anything else an imaginative chef can offer. In Brewski’s case, they’ve added brisket, cheeseburger sausage or pastrami to their poutine options. Don’t ask – just order and eat.

While Brewski offers burgers and wings, our hearts go out to the humble beer-battered pickles and onion rings.

Definitely book ahead, this joint gets seriously jumping.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Cheeseburger spring rolls ($12.50)

Maybe it’s the 40 beers on tap that will attract you to Beerhaus but for us it’s the fab food specials.

Expect a cheery uplifting vibe and we don’t know if it’s the brightly lit bar in the centre or the arcade games – but it’s a place where you go when you want good beer and a really good feed.

Can’t think of anything that goes better with beer than wings and Beerhaus offers two types: those with sauces (four kinds) and rubs (two kinds). We’re sticklers for traditional buffalo but usually add in garlic and parmesan rub. You can order any amount from 10 to 100 pieces.

Celebrating something? With 100 wings for $99 why wouldn’t you go to Beerhaus and save yourself the hassle of cooking and cleaning – let someone else do the work is our motto.

Take advantage of the daily specials and visit Thursdays when the wings are 1 cent (until 7pm) or Fridays when they’re $1 (until 7pm). Wings are served with veggies and blue cheese dip.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Burgers on a Tuesday ($12)