Montes Beach Bar and Restaurant

Montes Beach Bar and Restaurant sits right on the sand at Hideaway Bay near Cape Gloucester, with tables under the coconut trees and one of the better sunset seats in the Whitsundays. It is genuinely dog-friendly: well-behaved dogs on lead are welcome across the outdoor beachfront areas, which makes an easy case for pairing it with a walk along the water.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome on lead on the sand and deck seating out front, and staff are used to dogs stretched out beside sun loungers. Bring your own water bowl as a backup on busy days, and call ahead if you are coming on a weekend with live music so they can hold you an outdoor dog-friendly spot. One thing to know: the beach bar is a separate business from the neighbouring Montes Reef Resort, which does not take pets, so this is a dining stop rather than a stay.

Max: Toes in the sand, fish of the day and a dog asleep under a coconut palm. Aim for golden hour and call ahead on music nights.

The food and drink

The kitchen leans on fresh local seafood and relaxed coastal modern Australian cooking, from the fish of the day to grill favourites and chicken wings, with a solid list of tropical cocktails, cold beer and wine built for sunset sessions. Live music runs every weekend. The bar opens daily, with the kitchen serving through the afternoon into the early evening, so lunch or a late-afternoon table both work.

Getting there and parking

The address is Unit 2 Captain Jack Drive, Cape Gloucester, roughly a 45 to 50 minute drive from Airlie Beach, with free parking on site. A courtesy bus covers the local area for guests staying at Hideaway Bay and Dingo Beach, running from 10am to 9pm with bookings essential, and an 11-seater bus serves trips from Airlie Beach, Proserpine and Bowen when booked as a full bus both ways. Arrange it when you book your table.

Close by with the dogs

The beach straight out front is the obvious pre- or post-lunch walk, and Dingo Beach a short drive away has a stinger net in season. If you are staying over, Cape Gloucester Resort and Sinclair Bay Resort are nearby options to check for their own pet arrangements.

More of the area is on the Cape Gloucester destination page and in the QLD restaurants index.