Dissent Cafe and Bar

181 City Walk, Civic (Garema Place). A small live-music room opened in 2025 with gigs most nights of the week and a free Monday open mic.

About Dissent Cafe and Bar

Dissent Cafe and Bar is a live-music cafe and bar at 181 City Walk in Garema Place. It opened around the start of 2025, and its website shows an establishment year of 2024. It was set up by Dave Howe, who previously booked acts at The Polo.

RiotACT described the room as an intimate, nice-sized space, with a stage that fits six to eight musicians and bare walls left for local artists. The programming was described as open to almost any act. The kitchen is a casual one, with snacks, pizzas and other meals by day and a smaller menu during evening gigs.

HerCanberra's September 2026 guide gives free open-mic Mondays from 7pm, gigs Wednesday to Sunday, and a weekday opening time of 4pm. The ACT Government's May 2026 live-music guide also lists Dissent for eclectic live music. The venue's What's On page did not list dates when checked, so look at its socials for the line-up.

Written by LateOne.au, checked 13 October 2026. Sources: hercanberra.com.au, region.com.au, visitcanberra.com.au, dissentcafeandbar.com.au. Hours and door policies change, so check with the venue.

Area: Civic
Music: Local acts, open mic, eclectic gigs
Best nights: Gigs Wed–Sun; open mic Mon 7pm
Address: 181 City Walk, Canberra City ACT 2601
Address: 181 City Walk, Canberra City
Open mic: Mondays from 7pm, free entry
Gigs: Wednesday to Sunday
Weekday opening: 4pm

Good to know

Open mic is free and starts at 7pm on Mondays (HerCanberra, Sep 2026).
Evening gigs run with a limited food menu.

Getting there

Light rail ends at Alinga Street, in the middle of Civic, and City Interchange (the bus station) is a short walk away. Late rideshare pick-up zones are on London Circuit, Genge Street and Alinga Street.

Last services and walking times change: use the live public transport directions or Transport Canberra on the night, and see getting home for late rides.

Official site & what’s on ↗Directions by public transport ↗Getting home

Check the venue’s own listings for tonight’s program, hours and door policy.

Map & Street View

Open in Google Maps ↗Directions ↗Street View ↗

Pin from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors). Street View opens the nearest street photo; entrances can be round the corner, so check the venue’s own directions.

Around Dissent Cafe and Bar

Within a ten-minute walk: Fiction (2 min, club), King O'Malley's (2 min, pub & live music), ChiChiz Bar (4 min, lgbtqia+ bar), Highball (5 min, rooftop bar), Molly (5 min, late cocktail bar) and Smith’s Alternative (5 min, pub & live music). Plus 4 more nearby.

Walking times are estimates from the map, not routes.