Police are continuing to investigate the armed robbery of an East Brisbane hotel last night.

Around 11.30pm, two armed men entered the bar area from Didsbury Street armed with a firearm and a machete.

One of them threatened two employees behind the bar, demanding the woman fill up a bag with money from the till.

In the meantime, the second offender, armed with a machete, ushered three patrons inside from the designated smoking area and instructed them to lay on the floor.

A fourth patron then emerged from the gaming area and struck the second offender over the head with a stool, causing him to fall.

The first offender then dropped the bag of cash and then two men fled the scene with a small sum of cash.

No staff or patrons were physically injured during the incident.