The Flour Factory - Queen Street, Perth

The inviting front window leads you in, but you are immediately hit by the fact you have stumbled into a cliche of what a designer bar should be, it falls short of making a statement of intent. In saying that it is a very pleasant bar.

If expensive, high end cured meat and a menu that would be at home in a Michelin starred restaurant is your thing, then this place is for you. Pitched at money this place caters to those willing to spend hundreds of dollars, but for that you do not receive much in return, unless you want a cheap but quality hot dog or pizza. A poor selection of tap beers is made up for with a fine range of bottled beer from around the world.

While the staff are forthcoming and engaging at times, the lack of attentive service on a night that wasn't particularly busy was disappointing, considering when you do speak with the staff it is a good experience.

If this bar had opened a few years ago the unique location in a former flour mill would have made it the stand out place to be. But with such an influx of good small bars opening in Perth, this is a bar with so much promise that just ends up being pretty ordinary. 

Peter says "Some of the staff were really really good and talkative, go test this place out yourself and come to your own opinion, it just didn't do it for me."

Tony says "The bright lights draw you in only to be slightly dampened upon entering the bar itself. Modern in design to a point but overdone and unoriginal. I had real high hopes for this bar but those expectations were just not met."

Check out their website - http://theflourfactory.com

Bobèche - St Georges Terrace, Perth

The attention to detail and magnificent cocktails makes Bobèche one of the best bars in Perth. You are taken back in time and across the world into a prohibition era speakeasy that really does deliver the goods.

The attention to detail in preparing cocktails is exceptional, while the cocktail selection is limited they are expertly made. The bar also has an extensive wine list, a pretty good range of bottled beer and a couple of standard tap beers. A craft American Pale Ale would be a welcome addition to the beer selection.

The design and decor is brilliant, period fixtures and fittings add to the effect that you have not only stepped back in time, but you are on a different continent. As well as being experts in making and preparing the drinks the staff's knowledge extends to the origins of the cocktails on the menu. Add to that Free popcorn and a nice snack menu and this place is perfect for setting up camp for the evening.

Tony says "It's like being thrown back in time without the tackiness that goes with a theme bar, if you have the cash to splash this place offers nice escapism from the hum-drum of modern life"

Peter says "Love this little bar, nice cocktails and Fat Yak on tap, who could ask for more"

Check out their website - www.bobeche.com.au

Samson's Paddock - Glyde Street, Mosman Park

As you walk through the front door, the first impression is a spartan bar, that doesn't have much to offer and you couldn't be more wrong.

Walking through the bar each member of staff welcomes you and you look around at the decoration and design you realise that you have stumbled into a hidden treasure.

Close to Mosman Park Train station and the 98/00 and 103 bus routes, Samson's Paddock holds the premier position in a row of shops just off the Stirling highway. With an extensive outside area and an excellent kitchen, this place could be straight off 'Grand Designs'. The multi level outside area is heated by log fires and patio heaters in the winter and covered with parasols and awnings in the summer. It really is a all year round drinking nirvana strategically positioned between Perth and Fremantle.

Reasonably priced wine specials are a plus though the overpriced beer does let this place down. Dish, Wine, Whiskey and Beer of the week is a bonus. The menu offers an excellent selection of nibbles, shares and meals which are made with local and seasonal produce.

We went for a pint of Trumers, an Austrian Pilsner, at 4.9% it just slides down and disappears just that bit too quickly, leaving you asking for another and trying to recall how many you have consumed. This place is well worth a trip to Mosman Park and there is plenty of on-street parking on the nearby streets.

Peter says "The kind of place you go back to time and time again, a friendly welcome and good service complements the good drink selection, highly recommend."

Tony says "A lovely little local for anyone living near by, I wish I was that little closer so I could fall into that category."

Check out their website - http://samsonspaddock.com.au/

Shadow Wine Bar - William Street, Northbridge

High end dining and good wine meets trendy Northbridge, you could possibly say that this place is on the wrong side of the tracks. But whoever decided to place it there made a good decision.

The key feature in this bar is the design, look up and see the exposed pipe work, air vents and beams. The endless concrete adds to a look of industrial elegance with a utilitarian scheme that transcends time.

Spotlessly clean, this bar has helpful staff who are eager to please. An extensive wine list including a Pinot Gris by the glass (which is extremely rare in Perth) is excellent, they also have a nice selection of Australian beers and ciders - all of which are reasonably priced.

This place is designed to attract the 'glitterati' of Perth, fashionable, chic and stylish, which offers a stunning venue to sample great wine.

Tony says "Having not been a regular of wine bars, I was very impressed by what was offered, slightly out of place for Northbridge but a good venue."

Peter says "The architectural design impresses almost as much as the extensive wine list, the design adds a level of class and the staff provide good friendly service, this place is very much at the top end of bars in Northbridge."

Check out their website - http://www.shadowwinebar.com.au/

Canton Lounge - Hay Street, Perth

As Jules Verne was writing the chapter of Around the World in Eighty Days where Passepartout was sitting in an opium den in Hong Kong, he clearly had the Canton Lounge in mind. This place could be straight out of the pages of the novel

The doorway is set back and leads into a long brick lined passage which in turn leads you to a set of stairs that takes you up to the bar, as you walk along the passageway you are transported into an ornate Chinese designed bar. During the week this place is great to sit back relax and enjoy a drink with some friends and on a Friday it becomes one of the places to be in Perth.

Upstairs the venue opens up in front of you, a stylish and elegant design that matches the name. The bar seems exclusive and you can imagine a burly doorman asking if your name is on the list. In some other parts of the world you would be paying hundreds of dollars to enter a place like this or it could easily be the VIP area of a larger bar.

The barman was friendly, engaging and had a love for craft beers and an expert knowledge of cocktails. We went for a Yona Yona Ale, which is an American style Pale Ale brewed in Nagano, Japan, it was a stunning choice.This place has great beer and hospitality and it even has a piano if you want to tickle the ivories! (though we are not sure if you are allowed to) If beer isn't your thing then they have a great selection of whiskeys and other spirits, they also do snacks and nibbles and have a decent sized outdoor area.

Tony says "Brilliant bar, reminded me of a place in East London I know very well, would happily kick back and make this a venue to enjoy the whole evening. The attentive and helpful staff just makes this bar even better. Bring along your mates and check this place out"

Peter says "As you walk in for the first time you wonder what this place will be like, as you turn at the top of stairs you are instantly hit by an impressive venue, the bar staff made this place for me, couldn't be more helpful and chatty. Get yourself down to the Canton Lounge and ask the barman to recommend a craft beer."

Check out their website - http://www.cantonbar.com.au

Hula Bula Bar - Victoria Street, Perth

If a kitsch tiki themed bar, that serves cocktails filled with so much booze they can knock out a small rhino is your thing; then this place is for you!

Tacky as hell, the allure of this bar sucks you in. This place is everything you ever imagined a themed tiki bar to be, all wrapped up and spat out in its full glory. A fabulous little place and little being the main word.

Specialty drinks and a solid cocktail list was complemented by a good beer selection. Brilliant staff were prepared to make any cocktail whether on or off the menu. Interesting and captivating in their skills, the staff were able to suggest the perfect cocktail after just a couple of quick drink related questions. We went for the classic fruity Rum based cocktail, a Mai Tai, it was expertly made and so so easy to drink. Mocktails galore cater for the non-drinkers or those trying to sober up and don’t forget the free toy with most cocktails.

Out of the way, it really is a tropical paradise in the heart of Perth. Exotic décor and cool tunes makes you imagine you are on the set of Blue Hawaii back in the 60s. Most of all it takes you to an island paradise somewhere in the remote Pacific.

Peter says “A little bit of the Pacific served up in the centre of Perth, much better than I imagined it would be and with cocktails laced with copious amounts of booze, it’s time to let the good times roll!” 

Tony says “Instagram was invented for this place. Great décor, music and drinks, the staff are engaging and knowledgeable and the cocktail was the best I have drunk in years”

Defectors Bar - Beaufort Street, Mount Lawley

Defector Bar, how to describe, style and substance all wrapped up in one place.

An unassuming entrance leads you to a dark set of stairs which take you up to a place which may not technically be a small bar, but the compact space opens up with interior design abounds. The top of the stairs leads you to possibly the best stocked bar in Perth.

A clash of designs and kitsch low brow art make this place different and funky. An alternative vibe with great music makes the gut reaction to stay and drink the night away with the possibility of making new friends.

With good beer on tap and by the bottle and extremely friendly staff, this place just keeps hitting the mark. On the ever present 950 bus route it is easy to get to and more importantly easy to get home from. It is the perfect place to start and/or finish your evening.

Tony says "Walking up the stairs is like falling down the rabbit hole, the world upstairs is totally different to the world at street level, a venture into the unknown. A cracking little venue that will not fail to impress even the most hardened of bar veterans"

Peter says "Sit back, relax, enjoy a good beer, take in the music and the world around you, while away the hours, talk politics, put the world to rights, be the renegade you always wanted to be and enjoy this awesome bar"

Check out their website - http://defectorsbar.com.au

The Old Laundry - Angove Street, North Perth

The Old Laundry was a chance encounter, spotted as we drove past and we went back to investigate. First impression slick, trendy and sophisticated while still feeling accessible and welcoming. 

The soft lighting is gentle on the eye and the designed decor would fit straight into any home lifestyle magazine. A good range of beers is matched by an excellent cocktail selection with special offers, the staff provide a prompt, friendly engaging service.

This place is well worth a trip out of the city, however it is a place for a few drinks before you head off elsewhere for the rest of the night. Have a meal to start your evening and try the good food and ask the bar staff to recommend a cocktail.

We went for a 'Brewdog Punk IPA' a hoppy little number that came by the can rather than on tap, so so easy to drink and a superb suggestion from the barman.

Tony says "A perfect place to start your evening, it is a great place to warm up for your night out, it may be a little to slick straight off the pages of a magazine"

Peter says "Happy to come back for a drink in the near future, it just isn't a bar for the whole night, it is maybe too clinical and sterile and that in some ways makes this bar slightly less charming. In saying that 'nice' is the best way to describe this place"

No website but check out their Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/theoldlaundry

The Stanley - Cambridge Street, Wembley

What a great little bar, the small bar licence was created for this place. As you walk through the door you are instantly hit by the bric-a-brac and random curios. Whether it is Jesus looking down on you or North Korean worker looking on as you select your drink, this place intrigues, brilliant set-up in a small space.

Weihenstephan Pilsner and Hefe on tap and a fine selection of Australian bottled beers coupled with a pretty impressive wine list is great for such a small bar. The friendly and knowledgeable staff know their stuff. Chintz and kitsch are two good words to describe this little treasure, it won't fail to impress.

Away from the city centre a warm welcome awaits anyone who ventures here, wooden floors, rugs and comfy leather seats add to the vibrant and bubbly atmosphere. For a Sunday evening this place is kicking, a good crowd making the most of a nice venue during the wet and windy Perth winter.

Peter says "Get in early, grab a couch and settle in for the evening, this is the perfect place for a Sunday session, actually the perfect place for a session in general any day of the week"

Tony says "Left me with nothing but good impressions and somewhere I will recommend to anyone and everyone who will listen"

No website but check out their Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Stanley/165491456813324?fref=ts

The Stables Bar - Hay Street, Perth

It is easy to be blasé about a place like the Stables, just another rustic, plain, simple, unsophisticated bar in the centre of Perth, but that is also the point. It possibly is the quintessence of what a bar should be.

Set back off Hay Street slightly away from the hustle and bustle the Stables provides a charming venue, its plain and simple layout and design and friendly staff means you couldn't ask for more. The ambient noise and good music draws you in.

The service is well above what you may expect, happy courteous staff have an excellent product knowledge, however, the downside is the selection of beers is poor and the seasonal craft beer is a standard choice in most bars, but that is one of the few negatives. 

Put it on your list, it is well worth a look and definitely the kind of place that you will head back to.

Tony says "Pleasantly surprised by a bar that is so easy to walk by, an enjoyable experience with friendly staff"

Peter says "Amazed, how could I have missed this bar on countless occasions, a diamond in the rough that would be improved by pint glasses and a larger beer and cider selection. All in all a nice laid back atmosphere and a brilliant unique venue"

Check out their website http://www.thestablesbar.com.au for more information.

The Laneway Lounge - Murray Street, Perth

The Laneway is one of the best known bars in Perth, just off Murray Street this bar offers some of the best Jazz in WA. Talented performers grace the stage on a daily basis serving up classic tunes that are so pleasing on the ear.

Though not that busy during our visit the bar had a great ambience, as you walk in you realise that you have entered a classy establishment. The layout and design radiant the same elegance of the voice coming from the stage.

The wait at the bar added a sense of annoyance in what is otherwise a fine place. The table service was no quicker, though in saying that once we had been served the drinks arrived promptly. We opted for a "Barrow Boys Pedlers Pale" A punchy hoppy little number that leaves a pleasant after taste and is so easy on the palette.

The longing for a decent drink from the enormous menu is ultimately what keeps your seated and stops you decanting to another bar, the faux sophistication works well with a younger, happy go lucky crowd. This makes it the place to be if you want to be there and know that you belong.

Overall it is nice place and a great Jazz venue, though it comes across as somewhere that has possibly become complacent in the top echelons of the Perth small bar scene and no longer feels the need to try or impress.

Peter says "Location literally makes this bar a hidden gem and the huge beer and wine list is extremely impressive, a good improvement would be more wines being available by the glass"

Tony says "Really love the aesthetic which gave me an expectation of service that was never met"

Check out their website http://www.thelanewaylounge.com.au

Bar de Halcyon - Wolf Lane, Perth

In a world where first impression count, Bar de Halcyon hits the nail on the head, set back off Murray Street on the trendy Wolf Lane, Bar de Halcyon is a stand out venue and the pinnacle of the small bar scene in Perth.

Modern with a rustic twist, great customer service compliments the design and ethos of a modern bar that is striving for perfection. A great selection of cocktails and an awesome bottled beer selection is only slightly let down by the lack of boutique tap beer.

This place is perfect for chilling out with your mates, while clearly this is the place to be at the end of a working week and weekends, it just has so much more to offer. It is hard to fault this little star and ultimately the only gripe would be the lack of pint in hand.

Tony says "Propping up the bar is a real plus, great set up that makes interaction with the staff a must, the beer selection is excellent and makes your life that little bit harder in a good way"

Peter says "The moment you walk through the door you know you have made it into somewhere pretty special, a chilled out atmosphere makes this the place to be, a great venue to take time out with your mates and enjoy good beer and company"

Check out their website and pay them a visit - http://bardehalcyon.com.au