The Pursuit of Hoppiness

The Pursuit of Hoppiness is a craft beer bar and kitchen at Shop 24, 152 Shore St W in the Raby Bay Harbour precinct at Cleveland, with outdoor tables looking straight over the marina. It is the casual end of the harbour strip: rotating independent craft beer on tap, a fridge of specialty cans, share plates and weekend live music, and dogs are welcomed at the outside tables, which makes it an easy stop after a swim at the nearby dog beach.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the outdoor, undercover waterfront seating; the indoor dining room is off-limits, as is standard under food-safety rules. The paved area gives a dog room to settle on a mat beside the table, and staff are generally accommodating with a water bowl on request, though bringing your own removes any doubt on a busy afternoon. Ask for an outdoor table when you book so the dog is not left circling the entrance.

The vibe

The tap list rotates through independent and local craft beers with specialty cans in the fridge, backed by easy cocktails and wine. The food runs to share plates rather than heavy steakhouse mains: bruschetta, burrata, chicken and mushroom arancini, Nepalese momos, popcorn chicken and satay skewers, with vegetarian and vegan options across the menu, plus a Brewers Board built for a group. Local acoustic acts and bands play most weekends, so it is as much a low-key evening venue as a lunch stop.

Getting there and parking

Trading starts around 11:30am on weekdays and 11am on weekends, running into the evening. The bar sits within the Raby Bay Harbour complex on Shore Street West, with free public parking around the precinct and Cleveland Station a short ride away for anyone arriving by rail.

Pair it with

Raby Bay Dog Beach is a few minutes away for an off-leash swim in the sheltered cove, and GJ Walter Park Beach Dog Off Leash Area is close behind it. Hog's Breath Cafe Cleveland is next door along the harbour if you are working through the strip, and the boardwalk between the two is an easy on-leash warm-up.

Pepsi: arancini and a tap beer on the waterfront while the dog supervises the yachts.

More bayside tables are on the Queensland dog friendly restaurants guide, or browse Cleveland for the suburb set.