The pair behind the popular Salt Bar Hamilton, Lloyd Russ and James Anderson, have taken over Electric Avenue on Logan Road in Woolloongabba, along with Mrs J. Rabbits, the hidden bar. Finding it is half the fun. Mrs J. Rabbits is a cosy hidden bar that looks out over Logan Road, with its own cocktail menu, a rotating range of beers and a very different feel to the pub below.
Both are open as usual, and a new chef and new menus will arrive by late November. With other big and exciting changes scheduled as we roll into 2027, now is the time to get reacquainted, or newly acquainted, with Electric Avenue and Mrs J. Rabbits.
A baby clinic, an antique centre and a ghost
The heritage building at 23 Logan Road opened in 1928 as the Woolloongabba Baby Clinic, and some say part of the clinic never left. Footsteps have reportedly been heard on the stairs when nobody else is in the building, and the story goes that it’s the clinic’s old matron, still doing her rounds.
The building later became an antique centre, a rabbit warren of treasures crammed into every room, and Electric Avenue has carried that spirit through since it opened as a pub in 2017. Much of the decor came from The Gabba’s antique precinct. There’s taxidermy, walls of old pictures and a mismatched collection of vintage lights, plus small details you’ll only notice on your third or fourth visit. It’s a quirky pub with a proper English feel, and not a space you get bored with quickly.
Meet the new owners
Lloyd is from England, so an English pub is home turf. Lloyd is managing director of That Hospitality Group and a former general manager of Salt Bar Hamilton, with more than 19 years of running busy bars, pubs and restaurants. James started out in venues and gaming rooms, founded the hospitality marketing and loyalty business Hop To It Collective, then opened Salt Bar Hamilton. The pair formed That Hospitality Group together when they bought Electric Avenue and Mrs J. Rabbits.
Their vision builds on what regulars already like about the place, with more of the English pub and a few surprises along the way.
What’s new at Electric Avenue
The first change is close. By late November, a new chef will be in the kitchen, with new food and cocktail menus to match.
In the new year, the outdoor space once known as the Toy Room becomes The Brixton Market, a nod to the south London neighbourhood and the Caribbean culture that has shaped so much of modern Britain. Outdoor seating is part of the plan, so you’ll be able to bring the dog along while you have a pint or try the latest Spirit of the Month.
Mrs J. Rabbits is getting a revamp of its own. Best of Brisbane was lucky enough to see the designers’ plans. I won’t give too much away, but I will say it’s going to be a wonderland, and you’d be mad as a hatter not to keep an eye out for the finished renovation in the new year.
Before the menus change
There’s still time to try the current menu, which sticks to English pub classics. The ploughman’s board comes with homemade bread, prosciutto, brie and piccalilli, and the bangers and mash lets you choose your sausage and your mash. Leave room for sticky toffee pudding.
Lady Trieu is the current Spirit of the Month, and the A Trieu Spritz is the one to order: Lady Trieu Contemporary Gin with Aperol, grapefruit, mango and tonic. Get in before the new cocktail list lands.
Then go exploring for Mrs J. Rabbits, the hidden bar, which pours an always-rotating independent craft beer and a changing range of local, interstate and international bottles and tins, plus wine by the glass and Champagne by the bottle.
A regular for every occasion
If there’s someone you want to impress, this is where to bring them. Book dinner at Electric Avenue, then take them on an adventure to discover Mrs J. Rabbits, the hidden bar, for after-dinner drinks. It’s the kind of date they’ll be telling their friends about.
Electric Avenue works just as well for an after-work drink, dinner with friends or a family catch-up. It’s a popular spot for weddings too. The venue holds up to 100 for cocktails downstairs, or 140 with Mrs J. Rabbits.
I’ve had the tour, found my way to the hidden bar and seen what’s planned for it, and I can see why locals keep coming back. James and Lloyd have a clear vision and a great team, and I’m keen to see where they take it. Electric Avenue is about to become one of my regulars. Make it one of yours.
Where: 23 Logan Road, Woolloongabba
When:
Electric Avenue
Tuesday to Thursday: 5pm to 9pm
Friday: 5pm till late
Saturday: 12.30pm till late
Sunday: 12.30pm to 9pm
Mrs J. Rabbits
Wednesday and Thursday: 6pm to 9.30pm
Friday and Saturday: 6pm to midnight
Sunday: 6pm to 9.30pm
Cost and bookings: Book a table online or send a function enquiry through the Electric Avenue website.