Police have praised a man who used a bar stool and a pot plant to fight off a machete-wielding thief at a Gold Coast tavern in the early hours of Friday morning.

The 29-year-old patron intervened when the balaclava-clad man demanded cash from a female staff member at the Mermaid Beach Tavern about 12.45am.

He then threw a pot plant at the robber before chasing him out of the hotel and tackling him, forcing him to drop the stolen cash.

The pub patron was unharmed in the attack. ( Supplied: Queensland Police )

"It's not something we encourage but I think it was a spur of the moment and a reflex action for him and it was very courageous by him (sic) and I think he should be commended for his actions," Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Dane Sheraton said.

The unknown masked man fled the scene and is still at large.

Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Sheraton said officers are scouring all available evidence for leads.

Acting Senior Sergeant Dane Sheraton said the patron showed great bravery. ( ABC News: Steve Keen )

"We are reviewing CCTV footage, there is some very clear footage of the incident, and we are taking witness statements," he said.

"We will follow up with any forensic evidence that has been gathered overnight.

"We don't know his identity, we have a loose description of him, but he was wearing a balaclava and a hoody during the incident."

Police said they are looking for a Caucasian man aged between 45 to 50 years. He is described as having a large build, balding with brown hair, shaven, a large nose and an Australian accent.

The patron and staff member were unharmed during the incident.