Funky cafe This is a lovely cafe with an edgy vibe and a nice upstairs seating area. The food and drinks are very well presented, but they seem overpriced. I had lunch with 2 friends and whilst they enjoyed their seafood subs, they were still hungry afterwards. My deli sandwich was flavoursome and very filling, but it didn't taste all that fresh. We decided we wouldn't go back there again! read more

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The cutest little cafe and coffee shop for lovers of matcha. The best ambiance anywhere in Brisbane City. I highly recommend not only the drinks, but also the delicious sweets and treats read more

Great spot, good food! Great to catch up with friends and chat before moving in to dinner.

Probably the best matcha you could find in the city proper. The place has a great vibe for casual conversations with friends or meetups with acquaintances. Yummy desserts but not too many food options. read more

I would say "hidden" next to a long and funky sign that read, 'Passion Tree', was an earthy and peaceful Japanese fused cafe. The moment you walk in, you are greeted with a long list of drinks and goodies to choose from. Sticking to the theme of balance and nature, your journey further in will be graced with a glass cabinet of flourless cakes, banana bread and slices of joy waiting to be devoured. I chose the 50% matcha cake (7 AUD), whereas my friend chose the 28% matcha cake (don't quite remember what percentage but approximately). We shared the Kyoto cold brew (5.80 AUD) which was served in a triangular flask. Bringing me back to secondary school chemistry, I was hoping the cafe had the correct balanced equation for matcha's noble aroma and the texture of the flourless cake. You can definitely taste the bitterness, earthiness and vegetal taste of matcha in your slice of cake. Weighed instead of identical sliced, the portion of the cake can be deceiving as mine came in two chunks vs. my friends, which was a slab. The texture of the flourless cake was crumbly, dense but with a slight spring to it. We both agreed that the 50% matcha cake was actually sweeter and taste preferred than the 28% matcha cake. On the other hand, the coffee was a winner. Rich in aroma and not bitter at all, the drink provided us with a subtle awakening force and a cleanser to the matcha cake. However, the crushed ice made drinking the cold brew fussy because we had small bits of ice in our mouths. Don't forget to visit upstairs for more seating! I know i will be making trips here frequently read more

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Bonsai Botanika is an aesthetically pleasing Japanese inspired cafe that has opened up on Elizabeth Street (Brisbane city), where east meets west in an Ikea Swedish decor kind of way. Loved the soft lighting emanating from metallic looking and shiny copper looking domes hanging from the heigh ceilings providing a cosy atmosphere. There's also something about the downstairs area which reminds me a little of a supermarket. It must be the displays of fruit & bread near the counter, and the bicycle outside carrying a basket of goodies. There are 3 levels, with the second containing a bar, and the third also touted to be a bar, according to one of the staff members. It sounds like when it does open, Bonsai Botanika could be a fun place to hang out, with DJs and cocktails said to be a fixture at this level. The atmosphere at Bonsai Botanika lends itself to weekday date nights, friday after work drinks, friendly catch-ups with friends from out of town you want to impress, as well as for finding your own space for "me" time in your own little corner. Bonsai Botanika appears to have a selection of typical Japanese dishes, such as Ramen, Katsu, and gyozas, but prices seemed a little steep, between $13 - $20. What appealed to us however was their selection of cakes and sweets, and the "brews" on offer. After much deliberation, consulting with staff and ogling of various cakes, we decided to go with the flourless white chocolate pistachio cake and also ordered the hot chocolate with hazlenut. We went upstairs to level 2, so that we could admire more of Bonsai Botanika, as it is kind of enchanting looking at this place. I'm sure you eventually get use to it, but I imagine its a bit like meeting Adriana Lima for the first time. You'd just get lost in her eyes, initially, and then daydream in admiration. When our order got delivered upstairs, it was in such a presentable manner, and slightly different from the usual. The "chocolate" for our hot chocolate came in a flask, and similarly for our flourless white chocolate pistachio cake, they included a light custard orange cream; to be poured from a flask. It was like a sweet version of an episode of Breaking Bad. The hot chocolate was amazing, probably one of the better ones I've had in a long time. And the cake? well, just simply magnificent. Perfect texture and delightful flavour. The light custard orange cream just added more "wow-factor". Totally impressed. Afterwards we chatted to staff, who were very friendly and provided prompt service throughout the night. Sure they weren't busy, but great first impressions and even better customer service is always something I look out for. We have heard of some negative feedback from other customers about Bonsai Botanika, mostly about the food, but I suppose as with any new places, it is something they're working on. Though we haven't tried or sampled what's on offer on their menu, we definitely want to come back! However, for us, the hot chocolate & flourless cake was a huge hit, and purely based on that, I am a fan of Bonsai Botanika read more

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Like other reviewers have noted, Bonsai looks cool. The fit out is superb and it leaves you feeling like you're no longer on Elizabeth Street, Brisbane but perhaps in the backstreets of Tokyo in a cool hidden cafe. I've been to Bonsai twice now, admittedly only for drinks and a cosy spot to while away a few hours in between meetings. Each time, I've been left to my own devices. Thumbs Up. But each time the drinks I've ordered (first visit a coffee and second an iced green tea) have been lackluster. Thumbs down. I wasn't expecting the coffee to be amazing so I'll happily write that one off to ordering poorly on my behalf, but the iced green tea was nothing like I'd imagined. I'd imagined literally a cold green tea. Instead I got a milky cold green tea with cream. Again, this is probably my own ordering error but the jolting difference in expectation to reality left a bitter taste in my mouth. No literally, the tea was very bitter in taste. I agree with Gosia M, too, that it's easy to visit Bonsai and not realise that there is a section upstairs for small bar bites and fuller meals. read more

Bonsai Botanika - Counter area - Japanese Near Me - Brisbane, QLD

Pretty nice interior design. Nice place to chill and stay for long hours with your buddies with coffees and teas but the menus are somehow too complicated. The drinks doesn't taste as special as u what u are paying for. I recommend is a good place to sit for long hours to talk or maybe to bring a girl on a date for a cup or coffee, and that is all. read more

Bonsai Botanika - Dark hot chocolate. - Japanese Near Me - Brisbane, QLD

Bonsai why have you given me so much (or any) tomato sauce ALL OVER my breakfast??? All I'm tasting on this, what could be delicious, serve of eggs, bacon, tomato, spinach and chorizo is tomato sauce... Don't forget the parmisan cheese grated all over everything also. Where I'm not getting tomato sauce, I'm getting parmisan. The saltiest meal I think I've ever eaten. For a place with great hot and cold drinks (which I've enjoyed here previously) the food is absolutely terrible. Sorry people, I really don't like writing bad reviews and I think this may be my first one star review but I am totally unsatisfied and still hungry because of this breakfast. My one tip - come here but ask for no sauce! (Which isn't even on the menu so I had no idea it was going to be drowned in it). I do not understand the sauce?! read more

Bonsai Botanika - Long black anyone? - Japanese Near Me - Brisbane, QLD

Yay, finally used Yelp while I was actually out and about to pick out a lunch spot for my friend and I in the city today, after reading a couple of others' reviews we settled on Bonsai Botanika as we generally like to go somewhere not packed and out of the way. Like others have said it has three levels, though this is hard to tell when you walk in. The first level looks just like a rustic little cafe with not a lot of seating, though I found the more you walked around the place the more hidden seating you could find, pushed up against walls bar-style. We chose to sit on the second level - the third level was not open today, maybe just a dinner thing? Even so, there was plenty of space and it was quiet in the middle of lunch rush, which I like. Ordering was weird and confusing though - you had to order on the level you were eating on, but all the staff were downstairs. I went downstairs to check with staff and ended up ordering from the breakfast menu while I was there, but then my friend who was ordering from the lunch menu had to ring a bell at the second level bar to call someone up, despite only just having spoken to them about wanting to order....It was pretty confusing, I guess at times when there are more staff on this might be a bit more logical, but it was a hassle. It seems like the first level you order breakfast/coffee, second level is lunch, and third is dinner. We sat down to wait and were served our drinks pretty quickly - mine was a pear, pineapple, and cinnamon juice that tasted like apple pie and completely won me over, and my friend's was a matcha green tea latte. For lunch, I had a quiche lorraine and my friend had a bowl of ramen served in a bowl so huge and heavy you could probably brain someone with it. We were both super happy with our meals and drinks, so for food we'd give Bonsai 4.5 stars, but the logistics of getting that food plus the kind of slow and not very helpful service takes it down to 3 stars. I would probably visit again just because I enjoyed being tucked away in a relaxing atmosphere, which is a godsend in the middle of the CBD. read more

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I went here on Saturday for the third time and unfortunately I have to remove a star. For a Saturday afternoon a month before Christmas I only saw two staff. And I was there for an hour atleast. I had to wait awhile to order. The food and drinks took awhile. As it was last time, it was very busy and noisy on the second level. Half of the light bulbs had blown out on the second level and one was flickering. You can see how dark it was from the picture I took of the cake. For $9 for a slice of cake, you'd expect better. I will go once more in the future and hopefully they have hired more staff and replaced the bulbs otherwise I won't be back. The green flourless cake was great and the Canadian and coke fine. read more

Bonsai Botanika - CC 'n' Coke $8. - Japanese Near Me - Brisbane, QLD

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Avo toast was overpriced because it looked and tasted like avocado from a bag, not to mention that the toast was soggy and egg was cold. Ordered a coffee hoping it would be better-- burnt and bitter. read more

Now I need to start of being a tad critical of this little place - but not too much because frankly, I love the name. This is a bit of a weird destination but a funky little chill place to hang I can imagine... downstairs is the cafe, and the upstairs Ramen restaurant is a bit strange but I thought in a good way, it's all Japanese after all. Where I draw the line is the ramen. I have been spoilt with my Hakataya but not spoilt enough to say that he $2.80 charged for a 1/2 boiled egg is pretty crazy. The ramen didn't really taste like ramen, but normal instant noodles that were over-boiled and soft. The boiled egg was tiny... not quite sure if it was a quail egg... not quite sure if it was a chicken egg.. too scared to ask really. Not too crazy about the ramen here... but the cakes and cafe section is the only saving grace here. read more

Walking around Brisbane in an unexpected midweek layover. I stumbled in to this place just around the corner from my hotel, pleased to find some place to sit out of the humidity and grab a drink and a bite. Grateful for a tall glass of something fizzy with plenty of ice in it. I was surprised to see people slurping up ramen in 30c+ heat!! I got a little cake which was beautiful but typically Asian (not very sweet) which was just perfect for the mood I was in. read more

It is not immediately clear what you have walked into when entering Bonsai Botanika. Is it a bakery? Is it a food store? Is it a cafe? Where are all the tables? Why can I smell ramen? These questions form the creative genius behind what this establishment strives for. It is indeed a cafe. It is also a bar. And a ramen and grill restaurant. Split across three levels there is a mecca of Japanese inspired food and drinks on offer. The ground level cafe has a full suite of espresso and filter coffee options, hot chocolate and cakes. There is also some seating in the form of a communal table. On the second level is more seating with a mix of bar-style high tables, conventional tables and a long curved bench overlooking the cafe. This level also has a full bar. The top level houses the dining area and a ramen and grill kitchen. On this visit I was in search of an afternoon coffee break and so I ordered a single origin flat white and a flourless white chocolate cake. Due to the limited seating in the ground level I was nearly going to takeaway until by shear accident that I noticed the stairs leading upwards, to which I ventured. The coffee was the trusty Ethiopian Yirgaceffe. Unfortunately when ordering, I was asked if I wanted it in a cup or a mug. The inner coffee snob in me sees this as instant points loss, especially given the range of specialty coffee brewing methods on offer. The flourless white chocolate cake was the redeemer, giving that lovely melting in your mouth texture. It was served on a quaint metal plate with a side of cream and a small cup of a sweet lemony sauce. Divine. The creative eclectic design that is Bonsai Botanika has much to promise but similarly its downfall where passers by, or even those that enter, are not fully aware of what is available. I hope to return and sample the ramen and grill upstairs. read more

Bonsai Botanika - Japanese Near Me - Brisbane, QLD

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I'm not 100% sure that Bonsai Botanika knows what is going on because their menu is all over the place. Downstairs is attempting to be a coffee shop and I think the upstairs is a noodle shop. The reason we walked into this cafe was because it looked super interesting and seemingly was the only cafe open in Brisbane on a public holiday. We wanted brunch and we got what might have been brunch, it was hard to tell with the sweet tomato sauce and bucket loads of parmesan cheese covering everything. The food seemed fairly eclectic for brunch and was very salty. The coffee was quite good but a little weak for my liking, I should have ordered a strong one! read more

Loved the dark chocolate flourless cake & milk chocolate hot chocolate with almond milk ^_^ A very calm environment to relax and sip away at the beautifully prepared and displayed beverages I'd definitely recommend ! read more

This place has so much potential and it really is a shame to see the beautiful interior and amazing drinks let down by mediocre service. The upstairs dining area/ramen restaurant is probably the cosiest hangout around and I would definitely bring a girl here in future :) The service is extremely underwhelming, no one was overly enthusiastic about working in such an awesome pace and it was a real downer. It seemed to be all Europeans working there (working holiday visa?) and i've seen more enthusiasm in 7/11 at 3am on a sunday morning. Maybe they should give some Asian international students the work and they won't take it for granted. The food and drinks were amazing, the milk chocolate was so good as was the green tea cake and chocolate cake. Don't order tea from here though, $4 gets you a quarter of a pot.. read more

Walked in mid-morning and I wanted breakfast and my friend wanted morning tea. Suffice to say we both got what we wanted. Any place that offers baked beans and toast gets my vote! My friend had a delicious looking croissant and the coffees were hot and excellent. May be a little pricey, but the ambience and the service was a plus. They have a third floor which is a bit of a mystery as the staff member was not sure when it would open; but he offered to remove the barricade and let me have a lookie-wookie. It looked impressive and hopefully they turn it into a Japanese bar or a place that you can take a date too that is out of the public eye #winning :) Nice place and certainly worth a visit. read more

Bonsai Botanika - Baked beans on sourdough with a flat white. Gets my vote :) - Japanese Near Me - Brisbane, QLD

It is not often that i hand out a 5 star review, but Bonsai Botanika earns them all, and that is just for how cool this place looks. A cafe, bar, restaurant, lounge... it is a venue for any mood. Just coffee, done. Dessert, yum. Dinner, delish. Come and try it, you will be glad you did. BONSAI !!! read more

Bonsai Botanika - From the loft. - Japanese Near Me - Brisbane, QLD

I just came back here again feeling a little peckish. Atmosphere is a lot more lively than last time round with about a 50/50 ratio of Asian to Caucasian (I figure if Japanese approve than it must be good!) Breakfast was a mix of scrambled eggs, bacon, chorizo sausage, cheese served with a small but deliciously fresh garden salad. I can't get over the coffee being served in clear Perspex cups (I much prefer porcelain) but it was tastes nonetheless. Overall aside from this little coffee quirk, this place is excellent. There's groups of people here but it's also perfect for a single guy to write a review and do a bit of blogging from his iPad. I've never been to Japan, but if this is their idea of breakfast and coffee, then I really want to go! read more

I've been a couple times now, and it's quite a nice little place tucked away in the middle of the city. It's also a lot bigger than you might first think, with multiple levels. First visit was in summer, and I had a refreshing juice concoction that was incredibly refreshing. Second visit was after work in winter, and we made our way upstairs to get a table. I went with a hot chocolate (and you have a range of choices, from white chocolate, through to three different strengths of cocoa), but it was kind of a mistake. The place is like a furnace. Even with the windows open on a cold night I was sweating in a t-shirt. The hot chocolate arrived, a mug full of warm milk, and a flask (yes, the science kind) of the chocolate. I guess this lets you mix it just how you like, but it does remind me of those restaurants where you cook your own food. When I go out I want it cooked for me, I cook my own food at home. Anyhow, there's food available (I had a try of the sweet potato chips, actually pretty good and a friend swears by their green tea cake), but I haven't sampled much yet. And you can have an alcoholic drink from the upstairs bar too. It's a nice, cosy place, and it's one I'm sure I'll be back to. read more

I had brunch here with a mate. The food was good and my double shot flat white was AMAZING! It's a cool little restaurant/cafe/bar with nice earthy furnishings, my only issue was the music was too loud. But it was fairly good! read more

Bonsai Botanika - Japanese Near Me - Brisbane, QLD

All about the vibe. Japanese hipster fusion, it's hard to put your finger on exactly what the vibe is here, but whatever it is, it's working. The downstairs serves a range of teas, coffees matcha and delicious looking cakes, while the upstairs is the place for ramen, spicy fried chicken and other goodness. I enjoyed my food but the score was definitely lifted by the relaxed zen ambience. Great look with modern furniture softened by wood and lots of light. read more

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I agree with a lot of other reviewers, this place has the potential to be a really amazing place to come have coffee with friends and get something to eat but is let down by poor service. Pretty much the majority of staff are Europeans who happen to be working here on a working holiday visa since, there aren't a lot of places in Brisbane that will accept people who are from overseas and are looking for work for a few months before they go back home. The least thing they could do is be a little bit more friendly and happy to customers and not look like they don't want to be here faces. Other than that, I ordered a take away milk hot chocolate and it was probably one of the best hot chocolates i've had in a long time so thumbs up for that. read more

You'll know instantly when you walk past Bonsai Botanika if you want to go in. "Hipster as f***" is really the only apt description for the decor and aesthetics of this place. It is amazing to look at though, very charming. I only got hot chocolate and cake here, so can't really comment on the mains. (Except to say you don't even know they exist until you go upstairs!! - make of that what you will.) Hot chocolate was amazing even for the price, lovely and rich. Cake was good - incredibly overpriced but if you walked in here expecting anything else you're kidding yourself. It was an experience. With its oddly varied menu and haphazard layout, I'm not sure anyone would be eating meals here very regularly. But it's a quirky, fun little place - great for coffee on a long overdue catch up or a date. read more

A very cute and cosy place, albeit a confusing first visit. It's true that one the outside you really don't know what kind of place this is...a cafe, eatery, retail store?? After eyeing this place for a while I decided to give it a try. There's a big menu at the front, and also at the ordering counter which makes it feel a bit uncomfortable if you're the type to look through the menu before ordering instead of ordering what you know and like as you could be standing there for minutes. Anyway, i ordered the Madagascar Hot Chocolate (there are about 4 other selections to choose from!) and found a seat upstairs. They brought up the hot chocolate which was served deconstructed style. I like my hot chocolate creamy so I wouldn't have minded more milk in the hot chocolate. All in all, I enjoyed my hot chocolate here. The ambience is cosy, and the bar-style seats makes it perfect for introvert or solo seating, and the tables make it a good place for visiting with a group of friends. read more

Ramen was awesome, aesthetics was awesome- definitely coming back. Only downside is the price, which is a bit on the high side

This place is great! Beautiful coffee, beautiful food and beautiful decor. You should definitely give it a try! Service was efficient and friendly too. The noodles are delicious and the pork belly pancake is good enough (although I won't get it again), but the best thing about this place is the flourless white chocolate cake. It is really, really, really fantastic! So addictive! :-) read more

Delicious breakfast, amazing coffees. Do not understand why this place wasn't busier on a Sunday!