The University Club of Western Australia — Restaurant in Western Australia

The UWA club is one of mixed identities. As if it’s still trying to work out what it is.

Take the cafe. The grounds are lovely, overlooking the lawns and Matilda Bay shore. But as a cafe, there are still quite a number of things to work on.

Breakfast service. Crowded. New buffet. But it’s a mash of scrambled eggs, soft bacon, tinned baked beans and generic hash browns on soggy toast. With a muesli and fruit buffet. And don’t even get me started about the mushrooms in a bath of cream sauce that look like it has barely been touched. Think of food at the Airport lounges. The coffee is still yet to arrive after 30 minutes and you can tell the staff are under pressure, given the length of the queue to even order your breakfast. The cashier even had to be prompted to give me a plate.

Dinner. Has a pub vibe. Themed buffets are usually acceptable but again, the menu ideally should modernise in creativity and execution.

The patronage is also mixed. In the restaurant, it tends to be the older, reserved crowd. Noisy dinner conversations and phones are (understandably) not condoned. It has that air of pretence. The staff have been there a while and know the members. The food, is reliable and ‘safe’. One of their strengths is you can almost always get a booking. The wine list has gradually crept up in price ; as has the meal pricing. So be aware that it approaches fine dining pricing. YMMV.

Then there are functions. And here, the UWA club can shine. Central location. Ample parking. A communicative functions team. And facilities to hold every function from a large conference to a simple dinner.

So I’m not sure what the UWA club is. Or who their target patrons are. It seems like it is trying to appeal to all but still has...

Have been in here before to the cafe area. Nothing special. The barista took one look at me and didn't say a word as I walked up to him to order a coffee.Definitely had a bit of attitude, which will get him nowhere. I do realise that i was not Andrew Forrest and I was not wearing a 3-piece suit and 50+ years old, however just a genuine g'day, how ya going, what would you like today, would have been nice. I ended up giving him an over-complicated order just to see if i could test his skills and if he could command such rudeness as he was a master barista. Unfortunately, he could not. He produced one of the most average, bland and luke-warm coffee's that I have ever had. After taking one sip, I was about to launch this cup into the stratosphere, hoping that it would come back down at pace and end me. However, I ended up just throwing it into the bin in front of the bloke. Other than that, this place is not too bad. Nice meeting rooms etc. Underground parking is also a really nice option, however don't drive in there when one of the UWA club staff is around as they will stare you down as you drive in, as you park and as you walk away, as if you are parking in the lounge room of their...

As a member, I’ve had the pleasure of using the club’s facilities on several occasions, and I’ve always been impressed. I particularly enjoy taking friends to the high teas in the Club restaurant, thanks to the consistently high quality of the food, impeccable service, and elegant presentation. The food is always delicious, and the service truly exceptional. Veletta, the Club restaurant manager, goes out of his way to make us feel welcome, while Luisa and Fidelia stand out for their warm and attentive approach in their roles as waitpersons.

We confidently held three private functions at the Club in 2024, knowing we wouldn’t need to worry about a single detail. The highlight of our membership experience was hosting our daughter and son-in-law’s wedding reception there. Everything was flawless – the food was perfect, the service outstanding, and Julie, the events coordinator, exemplified professionalism and dedication in every aspect of her role. We look forward to being members for years to come. We also appreciate the tremendous staff behind the scenes. It’s easy to see that our experience is the outcome of a well coordinated...