Restaurant in Perth, Australia
Smoked meat, cold beer, zero fuss.
Old Faithful on King Street is Perth's most straightforward BBQ bar — smoked meat, cold beer, and no pretension in the CBD. Easy to book and well-suited to groups or casual celebrations, it delivers reliability over refinement. If you want a no-ceremony dinner with genuine BBQ credentials, this is the call; for a formal occasion, look to Besk or Balthazar Perth instead.
Old Faithful is the go-to BBQ bar on King Street for a reason: it delivers exactly what it promises — smoked meat, cold beer, and no pretension. If you want a relaxed, no-fuss meal in Perth's CBD with genuine BBQ credentials, book here. If you're planning a formal celebration dinner or need a quiet, conversation-first room, look elsewhere.
At 86 King St in Perth's West End, Old Faithful sits in a neighbourhood that rewards casual, drop-in dining. The name signals the approach: reliable, unpretentious, and built around the kind of cooking that takes time to do properly. Wood smoke is the signature here — it greets you at the door, and everything on the table reflects it. This is not a venue that asks you to dress up or plan weeks in advance. Booking is easy, which makes it a practical option when plans come together last-minute.
Lunch at Old Faithful tends to be a quieter, more relaxed affair , better suited to a working lunch or a casual solo visit. The room breathes more easily mid-afternoon, and you're less likely to be competing with the post-work crowd for space at the bar. Dinner is where the energy lifts: the King Street foot traffic picks up, the beer list gets more attention, and the whole experience leans harder into its bar-and-BBQ identity. For a special occasion, the dinner window gives the visit more occasion weight , though don't expect white-tablecloth formality. This is a celebration in flannel, not fine linen.
Yes, with appropriate expectations. Old Faithful is not competing with Perth's fine-dining tier , venues like Besk or Balthazar Perth occupy a different category entirely. What Old Faithful does is carve out a reliable, high-comfort spot for exactly the kind of meal Perth does well: generous, direct, and centred on quality produce treated honestly. Compared to broader Australian benchmarks like Brae in Birregurra or Attica in Melbourne, Old Faithful isn't in the same conversation , but it was never trying to be. Book it when you want smoked meat done well without ceremony.
| Detail | Old Faithful | Canteen Pizza | North Port |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booking difficulty | Easy | Easy | Moderate |
| Price range | Not listed | ££ | ££ |
| Style | Bar & BBQ | Casual pizza | Modern cuisine |
| Leading for | Groups, casual occasions | Solo, casual | Lunch, date |
| Location | 86 King St, CBD | Perth CBD | Perth |
For more options across the city, see our full Perth restaurants guide, our full Perth bars guide, or explore our full Perth experiences guide.
| Venue | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Old Faithful - Bar & BBQ | — | |
| North Port | ££ | — |
| Fervor | — | |
| Balthazar Perth | — | |
| Besk | — | |
| Canteen Pizza | — |
What to weigh when choosing between Old Faithful - Bar & BBQ and alternatives.
BBQ-focused menus are inherently meat-heavy, so Old Faithful at 86 King St is not the strongest pick for vegetarians or vegans. Check directly with the venue before visiting if dietary requirements are a factor, as the kitchen's core offering centres on smoked proteins. Carnivores with no restrictions will find the format suits them well.
The menu centres on smoked meats, which is the reason to come here. Pair whatever you order with something cold from the bar — the two-part format of BBQ and beer is the whole point of a visit to King St. Ordering outside the smoked meat category would be missing the venue's strength entirely.
If you want a step up in ambition, Besk and Balthazar Perth are operating in a different tier entirely — more considered menus, higher prices, booking harder to secure. Canteen Pizza on the other hand offers similar casualness with a different format. Fervor is the move if you want something distinctly Western Australian in character. Old Faithful sits comfortably in the drop-in, low-commitment bracket — closer to Canteen Pizza than to Fervor or Besk.
Yes. The bar-forward setup at 86 King St suits solo visitors well — counter seating and a casual atmosphere make eating alone here comfortable rather than awkward. Lunch is particularly well-suited: quieter, more relaxed, and no pressure to linger. It is one of the more solo-friendly spots in Perth's West End.
Not the right call. Old Faithful is built around informality — smoked meat and cold beer in a no-pretension room on King St. For a birthday dinner or anniversary, Besk or Balthazar Perth offer the setting and service level that a special occasion warrants. Old Faithful is where you go after a big occasion, not for one.
Casual bar-and-BBQ venues on King St typically handle groups reasonably well, and Old Faithful's relaxed format suits that kind of gathering. For larger groups, contacting the venue ahead of time is sensible — the room gets busier in the evening, and securing space without notice at peak times is a risk. Groups looking for a private dining room should look elsewhere.
Come in expecting a casual, unpretentious experience — this is not a reservation-essential, dress-to-impress venue. Old Faithful at 86 King St, Perth delivers smoked meat and cold beer in a West End setting that rewards relaxed visits over planned occasions. The format is simple: eat well, drink well, leave satisfied.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
