The Breakwater Review

Review by Emma Chitty

Picture this: sunshine, water, boutiques, kids swimming and playing and people wandering past with fish and chips or ice-creams. This was my outlook from The Breakwater on Sunday afternoon.

A classy establishment, complete with chandeliers, a sleek bar and polished floor, the Breakwater is a far cry from the run down, cover-band playing pub it used to be. Well, that’s what I’m told, anyway. They renovated when I was seventeen. The Breakwater I have become familiar with has the Lower Deck downstairs, with a bar and inside and outside seating areas. Upstairs, there is Ishka restaurant, Aokya Suite function room and my favourite, Reid’s Lounge.

The clientele at The Breakwater is as vast as I’ve seen at a venue – from eighteen-year-olds right through to older generations. Occasionally I have seen a family with children during the day, but that’s quite rare. Large groups, small groups and couples are all catered for with a variety of seating areas.

Downstairs lends itself to bigger groups, and I think in general a younger clientele. It’s buzzing, with lots of choices for seats; some high bench tables, some small tables, couch chairs and pod seats. The L shaped bar is the feature of this area, serving a large range of cocktails, wine, champagne, beers and ciders. Most of the cocktails will set you back $18, while a pint of the 5 seeds draught on tap will cost you $10.90. Pints of beer are around $12.50 on average, while Rekorderlig prices rear their ugly head at $15.90 a pop.

Upstairs, Reid’s Lounge is perfect for a drink and some tapas. There is an L shaped couch along a wall, with lots of tables, and pod seats for different groups to sit on. You’re often sitting quite close to the next group up there, but that doesn’t really bother me. On Sunday, we sat on one of the couch seats on the balcony, which was perfect for what I wanted.

I’ve only been to Ishka restaurant once on my sister’s eighteenth birthday, and it was lovely – I found that is has a different feel to the rest of the pub as it’s not as relaxed, but for an occasion like that it was nice. The menu at The Breakwater is absolutely beautiful: pizzas, tapas, plates to share and main meals are available. On Sunday, I had a James Squire Orchard Crush cider and my boyfriend and I shared the Ocean Tastes plate with prawns, scallops, fish, chips, salmon and squid ($36) and some Turkish bread with oil and vinegar ($10). I’m a big fan of the sharing kind of food, which they do wonderfully. If you’re more of a main meal type of person, you can get yourself a salmon dish for $26.90, poached chicken salad for $24.50 or a steak sandwich for $25.

There’s a few deals going at The Breakwater, including half price pizza Tuesdays and cheap drinks on Wednesdays. Ishka also has a midweek lunch special running from Monday to Thursday. The Wednesday specials are great, including $6 cider midis, $10 Rekorderligs and 4 Budweiser stubbies and a pizza for $35.

Overall, The Breakwater is classy without being unapproachable. The staff are friendly, the food is amazing and the outlook can’t really be beaten in my opinion. You’re also only a minute’s walk from a new dress, Aussie cork hat or a waterslide ride should you feel the need, which is always a plus.


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A Second Review of The Breakwater

By Lidia Aniela

Out in Perth’s sprawling northern suburbs, finding a decent drink dispensary can be a challenge. If the local tavs and alehouses aren’t your scene, it’s slim pickings in the options leftover. But with every rule there comes an exception – in this case, the Breakwater is that exception.

Aptly named, the Breakwater sits perched at the edge of Sorrento Quay in Hillarys Boat Harbour. In recent times this multi level establishment has developed a reputation as the major drawing card of the northern suburbs, pulling crowds from all corners of Perth’s metro radius. It’s secret for success? Great atmos, ringside views of the Indian Ocean and a standout drinks menu to placate even the hardest-to-please patrons.

In a previous life this venue was known as The Breakwater Tavern. Around 2008 the owners ordered a re-work, eschewing the Breaky’s image as a working class watering hole in favour of a more sophisticated model for fine wining and dining. As they say in Hollywood, it’s amazing what a little work can do. Post-facelift, the Breakwater boasts a slew of prestigious awards including Australian Hotels Association ‘Best Overall Hotel’ in 2010 and has won over a whole new (and much younger) customer base.

The immense building is spliced into four interior spaces- dominating the ground floor is the appropriately monikered Lower Deck. Thankfully, there’s not an iota of nautical kitsch in sight. Here, minimalist and sleek is the name of the game. The Lower Deck spills out into an al fresco area, creating the perfect backdrop to enjoy a western sunset with a signature Western Sunset cocktail in hand (or for the gents, a frosty draught beer) If you can’t fathom a bevvie without a bite, fear not. The gourmet snacks featured on the restrobar menu will tide you well through a Sunday session. On weekends, you can even come back for breakfast. Be warned though despite the surroundings, beachwear is an absolute no-no. Avoid a fashion faux pas and go for ‘Hello, sailor’ rather than beach bum.

One floor up you’ll find Reid’s Lounge, where twinkling Swarovski chandeliers and dark timber columns blend to create the last word in cocktail bar decadence. There’s a tangible air of what it must have felt like to order a Manhattan on the Titanic. Your jaw might hit the floor in tandem with the wine list, so be prepared to part with your hard-earned. In a celebratory mood? Armand de brignanc ‘Ace of Spades’ bubbly will set you back a cool $550 a pop. Also located on the top level is the Akoya Suite, a private function space, and Ishka Restaurant.

In just two years the revamped Breakwater has revitalized Perth’s northern beaches. It’s stylish, it’s modern, and like the Titanic, the Breaky shows no signs of slowing down.

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