Want to know where the very best small bars in Perth are?
Our city is heaving with new and exciting small bars.
You’ll experience world-class service, beautiful decor, creative cocktails, amazing wine lists, the world’s best boutique beers and tantalising food you’ll never forget.
Yes, gone are the days where Perthites need to travel to Melbourne, Sydney or Singapore to experience the best in small bars. Explore the very best, world-class bars in Perth below.
Bar Lafayette
About: Expect delicious craft beer, creative cocktails and yummy bites in a stylish venue with timber floors and vintage decor. A popular post-work haunt, an excellent go-to place for any Perth cocktail lover. Top service and passionate staff.
Location: Brookfield Place, 125 St Georges Terrace, Perth City.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BarLafayette
Choo Choo’s
About: You’ll likely experience uber-cool 90’s tunes and a relaxed vibe all night. The expert barkeeps at Choo Choo’s are bloody good. Not sure what cocktail to get? The guys at Choo Choo’s will create the perfect cocktail for your tastes. You’ll almost certainly be going back after you experience Choo Choo’s.
Location: Brookfield Place, 125 St George Terrace, Perth.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChooChoosBar
Clarences
About: Clarences is an intimate venue with classic decore, old town urban vibes with exposed-brick walls and vintage lights. The Mount Lawley locals would love to keep this intimate bar a secret to themselves, but alas, the word is out. Expect great service, good drinks and cosmopolitan food from head chef James Kalas.
Location: 566 Beaufort St, Mount Lawley WA 6050
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Clarences/130618970330145
Ezra Pound
About: Named after the controversial American poet, Ezra Pound serves unique beers, wines from the bottle, and cocktails served in glass jars. Right in the heart of Northbridge off China Town – you’ll always make new friends here. You’ll also discover super friendly staff and funky old furniture.
Location: Williams Lane, Northbridge.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ezrapoundbar
Five Bar
About: One of the best around, you could spend hours here chatting away to your friends or making new ones. Lots of craft beers on tap to choose from and a great wine list. In the thick of it on Beaufort Street, you’ll also get table service for you and your crew.
Location: 560 Beaufort Street, Mt Lawley
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FiveBarPerth
Helvetica
About: Love whisky? Expect to find the very best Scotch and the finest selection from Japan and around the world. An eclectic, intimate bar with a retro-chic atmosphere, serving cocktails and bar snacks. Intimate and fun, you’ll find Helvetic down a windy laneway in Perth’s busy financial district.
Location: 101 St Georges Tce, Perth
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Helvetica-Bar/977629172260897
Mechanics Institute
About: Probably the coolest small bar in Perth, Mechanics is found in a heritage listed building used as a place for education from as far back as the 1800’s. It’s sometimes hard to get in – but well worth the wait. One of the best wine lists in town and awesome beer. You’ll also get access to a Flipside Burger below. You can’t go wrong.
Location: 222 William Street, Northbridge (down a laneway)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MechanicsInstituteBar
Old Faithful
About: Meat lovers rejoice. Old Faithful Bar & BBQ – dedicated to the art of “low and slow” smoked meats. Expect delicious boutique beer, a nice red wine or a good bourbon to wash to goodness down. Vegetarians avoid.
Location: 86, King Street, Perth.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oldfaithfulbar
Swallow Bar
About: A pretty good excuse to head to Maylands. Expect wicked cocktails, global bar snacks, and live jazz in a hip, cosy locale with vintage decor and booths.
Location: 198 Whatley Cres, Maylands
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SwallowBar
The Classroom
About: Awesome cocktails, craft beer and global bar snacks. You’ll discover amid school-themed graffiti, textbooks and backpacks, take your mind back to the old school yard. One of the best bars you’ll ever go to, anywhere in the world.
Location: 1/356 Charles St, North Perth
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/classroombar
Varnish on King
About: Busy every night. Its cosy, noisy and fun. Walk in from King Street and discover a basement level boutique bar with floorboards and exposed bricks. A passerby would never know Varnish was there, but trust me – its going off down there. The team specialise in the world’s best whiskey, brown, barrel aged cocktails and hearty, creative food (including the famous ‘bacon flights’).
Location: 75 King Street, Perth
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VarnishOnKing
Dominion League
About: The Dominion League is one of the best new small bars in Perth. Expect lots of hipster beards, a unique beer list and some very, very creative cocktails that you won’t forget.
Location: 84 Beaufort St, Perth
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDominionLeague
The above bars were all finalists for the Small Bar of the Year in 2014, according to the Small Bar Association (with the exception of new entrant ‘Dominion League’)
Awesome small bars in Perth like those listed only exist thanks to advocacy from policy makers, the public and a new generation of owners and professional, passionate staff. In the last few years, their work has helped transform Perth into a more vibrant and exciting city.
So get out there and explore what Perth’s fledgling bar scene has to offer. Make sure you thank your bar staff, make some new friends and always drink responsibly.
Learn more about the best small bars in Perth at the SBA of WA Inc. website.
Which Perth small bar is your favourite? What did we miss? Tweet us @TweetPerth using #BestPerthBars
