I have been to Tom's plenty of times over the last half dozen years and it definitely try's to be a lot of things but doesn't always quite get there. The front bar with the TAB is generally frequented by your blue collar workers who come in for a few (or a lot) of beers after work. At the back there is a restaurant, gaming room and kids play area. The kids play area is a nice touch for familys and is definitely something that a lot of other pubs don't offer. The food itself is pretty standard with the prices being a bit more on the expensive side. The gaming room is always pretty busy. Not a bad pub for a change of venue but there is plenty of competition for a beer drinker's patronage in the Townsville area.

The highlight of the seaview hotel has to be their beer garden area which sits just opposite the ocean. It is a great place to have a beer with friends and the atmosphere with the sea breeze just makes you feel thirsty. There are plenty of evenings/afternoons where live music is played and there is also a juke box for other occasions. The pool tables are old and have a bit of lean on them but are always fun for some friendly banter. The Seaview regularly helps out local community groups by letting them sell raffle tickets there. One time I even saw them host crab races which drew quite a crowd. There is also a steakhouse, gaming room and bottleshop attached to the hotel. The steakhouse meals are quite nice but pretty expensive compared to other places I feel. For me the Seaview is always great place to have a beer.

Approximate cost: $25-45

Bully's is one of the older nightclubs in Townsville and caters to more of an electric dance music crowd. Bully's opens every night of the week and there is regularly a line up to get in (but don't assume that means it is going to be anywhere near full when you actually get inside). I don't mind going to Bully's with friends for a change once in a while, particularly if they really enjoy dancing to this music. Occasionally they will have little dance off type or twerking competitions where the girls can win free drinks which can be entertaining. Drinks are generally on the expensive side and there is also a cover charge which changes depending on the evening. There is a decent area for dancing and also a number of areas with seats and tables where you can attempt to make conversation over the music. Bully's adds some much needed variety to the Townsville nightlife and I would admit to missing it if wasn't there.

Molly Malones is a great place to get your night started when getting ready to head out on the town. Better known as Molly's to us locals, Molly's is a good place to start at in the evening and get a good cheap meal of your normal to be expected pub grubs. The food is generally pretty basic but there is very much a homely feel to it and the prices are always affordable. Molly's has recently had a bit of a makeover and feels much more spacious then it once did as they now have a bit more space to utilize. At the main front entrance bar area they still have live music regularly played and a small dance floor area while out the back now they have a much bigger dancefloor area with a DJ playing the latest hits for everyone to bump, dance and grind the evening away. This bigger dance area opens Friday's and Saturdays for sure but does not on every week night. The craic is always good here as is the service and the beer prices. This place also always seems to attract plenty of backpackers as well which add to the friendly relaxed vibe. Whether I want to have a quiet beer with friends or hit dance the floor I can always find something fun to do at Molly's.

Flynns Irish Bar and Bistro but just affectionately known to locals as Flynn's is always one of the busiest but relaxed and good humoured night spots in Townsville. I know Flynn's does open during the day but whenever I walk past it is very quiet. Once the sun begins to set it is a whole new story though with people of all ages ready to have a great evening, night and early morning all walking in the door. Flynn's has something for everyone with a beer garden out the back with plenty of seating so that you can talk with old friends or just as likely with new ones you have made and then inside there is a small stage area where we regularly have live music played and also karaoke gets done. There is a small dancefloor for people to kick their heels up and plenty of seats around the wall for all the people watchers. The staff are a fun bunch who in my visits have always provided service with a smile. Flynn's also have the only round pool tables I know of in all of the Townsville area and there is always whatever type of big game sport you are after of the football codes on the numerously placed TV's. Flynn's is definitely one of my favourite places to hit on a Friday or Saturday night.

Brothers Leagues Club is a huge social hub in the Townsville community and provides a considerable range of community minded activities. Brothers is a fully licensed premises which features a sports bar with TAB and Keno, a restaurant, coffee lounge area and pokies room. Brothers is a great place to come down and have lunch or dinner and then walk out onto their patio/outdoor area and watch either a local senior or junior game in progress. If you're favourite team is playing any of the major football codes you will be able to find it on one of their TVs inside while you enjoy your beer. The restaurant provides very good pub and basic family meals for more than reasonable prices. It is always worth checking out the specials of the day as they make good prices even better. My favourite is the Reef and Beef which I'm pretty sure is the special on Wednesdays. If you join up at the club you also can get discounts on your dining and beer. Even though I proudly admit to supporting a few different teams in the local football competition I genuinely value what Brothers does for the local community as they sponsor a huge amount of local charitable events and functions. You can't really go wrong spending an afternoon or evening at Brothers whether it is to watch the football with mates or dinner with the family.

Approximate cost: $10-25

The Cleveland Bay Seafood outlet has been providing the local Townsville public with quality seafood for years. Despite not having as big a store front as some other seafood outlets in the area Cleveland Bay certainly packs a lot into its small display windows. To make sure you don't short change yourself on something really nice you have to make sure you pay attention to the signs and boards put up indicating what else they have out the back and the current prices they are charging. There is a heap of locally fresh caught seafood available and you are able to buy your prawns and crabs there either cooked or uncooked. The last lot of prawns I bought there were so good that we ate them in one sitting and then I had to go back and get more for the following day. The service I have had there has always been prompt , polite and friendly. The prices charged are generally about the same and maybe a bit cheaper than some other seafood outlets in the area as they rely less on advertising than some of their competitor businesses. It is definitely worth checking these guys out before you buy your next big order of seafood.

Ingham Road Seafood's is a long established local family run business in the Townsville area. The staffs here do a fantastic job at encouraging you to buy more than you were originally going to buy because everything looks delicious! These guys pride themselves on having the freshest of products and a lot of the seafood you will see on display comes fresh from the local area. Virtually all of the seafood to my knowledge also has the information provided as to whether it was caught wild or farmed and where it originates from. Depending on what you fancy there are options to buy either uncooked or already prepared seafood such as cooked prawns and crabs ready to eat there and then. Ingham's is also well known for their fresh shrimp cocktails which you can see beckoning you to purchase near the register and believe me they are an indulgence worth trying. The prices are based on the season and are generally fair and what you would find yourself paying at other similar shops. Try to buy early or pre-order around the normal holiday rush times such as Easter and Christmas as the one inconvenience with this business is the lack of parking near it.

I've been dropping into A Mays Inn Meats at least a couple times a month over the last 5 years to check out what sorts of bargains and specials they might have on that day. These guys are a little local business but run a huge butchers shop and always offer a professional service with a big smile. They have a wide range and variety of meats including beef, pork, chicken, lamb and some seafood's along with some more exotic types such as crocodile, deer, kangaroo and goat. There are literally hundreds of different types of meat cuts to choose from and they also have ready to cook meals in place such as a number of different stir-fry's and pot roast meats with veg. There is also available a lot of fresh basic vegetable and grocery items that you might need when preparing your dinner which saves you having to stop to pick up anything else on the way home for dinner. I often do my dinner shopping for the evening and sometimes for the week while I am in here. These guys also sell a lot of hunting products for dogs here and also pet food. I have always found the meat to be of a great standard from here with my favourite items being the rib fillet steak and the home made popcorn chicken. A Mays Inn Meats also offer delivery for orders over $100 in the Townsville area. When you go in make sure you checkout their daily specials plus also their reduced item area where you can get some real bargains if you are looking for something for dinner that night or the next.

Approximate cost: $1-100

I have been going to Pete's Barber shop to have my haircut for about 5 years now. Pete is a good barber and a friendly guy who it is very easy to have a good conversation while getting your hair cut. Pete's shop is definitely a very traditional one with a complete focus from what I have seen on men's haircuts. Pete provides classy normal style traditional type haircuts and I notice a lot of conservative style men bring their son's in for a haircut when they are getting their own done. Pete's prices are very good and admittedly are what first brought me through the door for the first time. His quality of work and sense of humour keep me coming back. Pete doesn't take appointments and operates on a walk in basis. Always a good idea to bring some reading material with you in case there is a bit of line up but there are also magazines and the newspaper for you to read while you are waiting. A good inexpensive place to get a professional looking man's haircut. (Cash only business)

Approximate cost: $12-20