Helvetica Bar is self described as a bar hidden amongst the office towers of Perth’s Central Business District.
Helvetica Bar is subtlety located in a alleyway on Howard Street (Real address is rear 101 St Georges Terrace) in Perth. This bars website indicate they are very much about their “whisk(e)y”.
The venue is low lit with a lounge at the back, bar on on side and high bar tables on the other. The music is very contemporary and the atmosphere is very relaxed, for once it is possible to have a conversation. Helvetica is very Melbourne inspired and has a young and urban professional feel to it.
After a little trouble finding the venue my friend, nobody special, and I entered up the stairs where we were greeted by a bartender at the bar. I ordered a Booker’s Bourbon ($15) and my friend ord
ered a beer (can’t remember what – $7/8 Italian import). As my drink was being poured very carefully (read: 29.99ml), I looked around the venue and spotted some stairs, ‘whats up stairs’ I asked. ‘A sweat shop’ replied the bar tender with a sarcastic tone. It was not until I read the tapas menu that I confirmed my suspicions that there were larger sized meals being served up there, but they missed out this time due to the gratuitous comment.
The clientele at Helvetica seemed to be in the late twenty’s to mid thirty’s and all looked like young professionals. For a venue that specialises in whiskey, it seemed odd that the majority of men were drinking beer, with the women drinking cocktails and wine. But that is Perth for you.
Will I be returning to Helvetica? Yes. Their beverage list is very appealing to me as a whiskey drinker and is unlike other venues in Perth. However another comment such as the one above will quickly turn me off.
