The Sovereign Arms Review

Review by Carley McHugh

Beckham. Bowie. Beatles.

The British invasion has hit Australian shores for many years now, and not even Joondalup is safe. The Sovereign Arms has re-created the old English-style bar into a classy, yet affordable, night out.

Whether you're a middle-aged man who loves your football or a 20 year old preparing for a big night out, this is the place to be.

Before walking in the door you feel the British culture wash over you with a large knight in shining armour greeting you at the door way. Although the carpet is not the best choice, the large bar that stretches across the room makes up for it. If you ever get lost trying to find the bathroom,follow the flags and they'll lead the way! There is an outdoor alfresco area that is perfect for some fresh air and you can still hear the music. However, if you are a girl going out with boys, be aware the 11 plasma TV's that continuously show sporting matches may keep their attention for most of the night.

Although there are plenty of cocktails & spirits to choose from, these guys pride themselves on their beer and wine collection. There are over fifty Australian and international beers to choose from. This definitely creates a higher male to female ratio on sport event nights. Beers range from less than $5 for a Carlton Mid Lager up to $12.00 for an Asahi. Cocktails are not badly priced, ranging from $12.90 to $16.90 - you cannot go past the Pina Tartan & Emerald Eyes! Duck in on a Wednesday night and receive cocktails for under $10 all night!

The Sovereign Arms does also serve affordable and tasty food – Guinness pies and bangers & mash are just some of the English favourites. The food served makes The Sovereign Arms a great place for an afternoon Sunday session. Although it’s not overlooking the beach, it’s an easy place to get to for locals living up north.

Friday & Saturday nights are usually the best nights to go. However it does get pretty crowded and being pushed into a corner while trying to enjoy a cocktail is not ideal. The music ranges from club-style to pub-style music to cater for the mixed crowd. But there is a DJ on the weekends so there is plenty of dancing opportunities.

It's hard to keep track of the British inspired bars that are popping up around Perth, but The Sovereign Arms takes the class of Britain & mixes it with the awesome Australian club scene. It is the perfect starter place for those living in the northern suburbs as it is a relaxed atmosphere andalso walking distance to the train station to continue the night in the city.




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A Second Review of The Sovereign Arms

Review by Emma Chitty

My major interaction with this Joondalup pub is, sadly, nights spent padding to Grill’d burgers across the walk in my tracksuit pants. This week though, I actually made it inside, in clothes appropriate for public, looking for some lunch.

You couldn’t really find a pub in a more convenient place for locals than The Sovereign Arms. In Joondalup, the pub sits in the shopping precinct, in a courtyard with a coffee shop, burger bar, movie cinema and Timezone. The convenient location means the clientele is very diverse, coming to somewhat of an uneasy truce: tradies perched on high tables outside, business men in smart attire having lunch, couples, groups and even a few people enjoying a cheeky pint on their own between errands.

The Sovereign has three major areas: firstly, there is outside, which is a combination of long bench tables and higher tables with stools for a couple of people. There are big fans out there for the hot days and screens, and you can grab anything on the menu if you don’t mind being your own waiter/tress. There is both smoking and non-smoking areas out there, too. Inside, there is a big bar curving around one wall from the restaurant area, where we sat to the pub area, where the karaoke magic happens. The restaurant side is home to wooden tables and chairs, with couch seats along one wall, and is all table service. The pub area has lots of different seating options, depending on your group size, and hosts DJs and acoustic music on different nights.

The Sovereign does a little bit of everything, which leads me to think it’s not really known particularly for anything – if I had to say, I’d say it’s a decent place for sport as there’s screens everywhere. However, I’ve also experienced their karaoke nights and been to family lunches and big group gatherings there, and found that everything works. They also get into events that come around, hosting days such as Oktoberfest and Melbourne Cup coming up, and St Patrick’s and St George’s day.

The menu at The Sovereign isn’t anything particularly fancy, but it certainly does the job if you’re after a pub meal and there are a lot of options. We had a tasting plate and chips, and I washed it down with a midi of Bulmer’s Pear Cider. One of the highlights of the menu for me is their ‘Business Bites’ – food they claim is ‘quick and easy’ and designed for people popping in for something to eat in the middle of a busy day. You can snap yourself up a Salt and Pepper Squid Salad for $17.90, a Wagu burger for $19.90 or a beef and Guinness pie for $17.90, and be in and out in no time. For those of us on a more casual timetable, there’s a 400g T-bone steak for $25.90, Vegetarian Tartlet for $19.90 or a Tasmanian Salmon Fillet for $23.90. If you’re still peckish at the end of it all, I spotted a cake window too, and you can get coffee and cake for $6.90.

Overall, The Sovereign Arms is a good place to pop in to – I don’t know if I’d be spending a whole day or night there, or standing in a line to get in (which I’ve often seen on the weekend nights!) but it’s good food, good service and if you live around the area, an easy spot to go in between other things in your day.

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