Salsa Bar & Grill
ProHighlights
- Open-air Queenslander restaurant on Wharf Street looking over Dickson Inlet
- Whole venue for up to 120 seated or 200 standing, or half the room for about 60
- No hire fee: minimum spends start at $3,000 for a weekday half-venue lunch
About Salsa Bar & Grill
Salsa Bar & Grill is a long-running Port Douglas restaurant set in an open-sided Queenslander on Wharf Street, in the middle of town with views across Dickson Inlet. Palms and tropical planting surround the building, and the menu leans on local produce from the reef and the Tablelands. The venue is made for warm evenings. Polished timber floors, louvred windows and an east–west aspect let the breeze run through the room, so it stays comfortable even on humid nights. For functions you can take the whole restaurant, which seats 120 or holds 200 for a standing canapé event. Half sole use gives you either the courtyard or the inside room, each seating around 60 depending on the table plan, and smaller groups can book one long table. Food is handled by the in-house kitchen, with set menus where guests choose their dishes on the night, canapé selections with heartier substantial items, and dessert samplers. Many dishes can be adjusted for gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan and vegetarian guests. The bar pours cocktails, local and imported beers and a long wine and spirits list, and drinks cannot be brought in. There is no venue hire fee. Instead a minimum spend applies to sole-use bookings, covering food, drink and a 10% service charge, and it changes with the day, the time and whether you take half or all of the room. Lunch events finish by 4:30pm so the room can be reset, and evening events wrap up at 11:30pm. Amplified music is allowed for full sole-use bookings within a set volume limit.
Inclusions & amenities
Venue type
Budget
Food & drinks
Features
Pricing
Full sole use is $6,000 for a weekday lunch and $8,000 on weekends, and $10,000 for an evening from Monday to Thursday or $12,000 from Friday to Sunday. Set menus run from $85 to $105 per person, and canapé packages start at $60 per person for eight pieces, with a minimum of 20 guests. Minimum spends can shift between peak and quieter periods.
Food
Many dishes can be made gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan or vegetarian if requirements are given when the menu is chosen.
Beverages
Availability
Frequently asked questions
How many guests can Salsa Bar & Grill hold?
The whole restaurant seats 120 or takes up to 200 for a standing canapé function. A half sole-use booking of either the courtyard or the inside room suits about 60 seated guests, depending on the table layout.
Is there a room hire fee?
No. Sole-use events are priced on a minimum spend made up of food, drinks and a 10% service charge. Half the venue starts at $3,000 for a weekday lunch and $4,000 on weekends, while a full evening reception ranges from $10,000 midweek to $12,000 from Friday to Sunday.
What menu styles are available?
You can choose a set menu (from $85 per person, with guests picking their dishes on the night), a full canapé function, or a combination of the two. The kitchen can adapt many dishes for gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan and vegetarian guests.
Can we bring our own drinks or caterer?
No. The restaurant is fully licensed, so BYO is not offered, and outside catering is not permitted. The one exception is a wedding or celebration cake.
What time do functions finish?
Lunch events need to clear the room by 4:30pm so it can be set for dinner. Evening events finish at 11:30pm, with all guests out shortly before midnight under the liquor licence.
Where we are
Suitable occasions
Amy McConnell
a month ago
We were recently lucky enough to have our wedding reception at Salsa in Port Douglas. Rhys, Paul & the team were nothing short of amazing. From the first point of contact right through to our day, both were extremely pro…
Gill Flynn
a month ago
It's been a long time since our last visit, but it was just as good as we remembered! Beautiful setting, fabulous food and great service ... what could be better? Well worth booking in advance as it's very popular. We en…
Karen Mellican
2 months ago
Incredible food. Great service and a perfect position on a beautiful day. Would have gone again if there were reservations. Next time I visit Port Douglas I'll book twice cocktails are a must. We did share an entree m…
Southern Explorer
3 months ago
We wandered into Salsa without a booking on the night the Port Douglas festival kicked off and the parade was on, and somehow they still found us a table—Legends!! The food was absolutely EPIC, and the Decadent Tasting…
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