Guys!!! What the hell??? Many years ago I worked for PMFM and it was very well known that the Witch’s Cauldron was the best place to eat in Subi. Recently I visited with my wife because she had never eaten there before and I have to admit, I’m really gutted. It’s a Wednesday arvo, 1pm. There’s three other tables plus us. The waitress had ZERO personality and was clearly uninterested in being there. Zero for customer service! I had one glass of wine and it took over 25 minutes for her to come back and ask if I wanted another drink. Seriously I was tempted on getting my own drinks like being at McDonalds. I used to love the garlic chilli prawns. It used to be served on a bed of white rice and was just to die for. You drowned fresh prawns in a litre of oil and gave me a third cup of rice. At least the bread was fresh. You used to be the number one place to go when in Subiaco. KFC down the road looks so much better. OK, so that’s my rant, here’s some feedback. Customer service in a lot of places around Perth really sux so that;s the first thing to fix. If your staff hate dealing with customers, tell them to look for a jog driving a dump truck. Customer service is the highest priority, even if the chef is useless, your floor staff can save your business!!! PRIDE!!! Do you know how hard it is to find work these days? There are people out there who will give their all to help you build your business, I know this because I own a business involved in retail, customer service and tourism. You can do so much better, you had an awesome reputation so lets go back to that! I love you guys but I’m not feeling it. I want to feel it so impress me!!! I’ll be back in March for my birthday, I know you can do this, don’t let me down!
Evan C.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Perth, Australia
Went there for the first time after hearing so many reviews. Food was great and reasonably priced, however the staff could not explain items on the menu, food came out a random times, the restaurant fit out was extremely dated and was worsened by the cheap chairs and tables, clearly defective light switches and dirty walls. Quite disappointed.
Kathy C.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Mosman Park, Australia
Did breakfast with group ladies at this place through enjoyed it On sitting down we were given complermenty juice lime no charge we all had different meals mine was French toast with slices Apple between bread with maple syrup with cream others had omelettes pancakes Eggs bacon mince beans on toast the Coffee was good was able have coffee in mug all of us agree great breakfast. And would definitely go again…
Suz F.
Rating des Ortes: 2 Perth, Australia
Blergh. Not my choice of restaurant for lunch, was taken as a client for a work lunch and thank god because honestly — WAY overpriced and the service experience was so average. If you have to go here, and you have a choice, don’t sit inside. The only way I would consider returning would be for lunch to do the business special which is about $ 55pp for 2 courses. I had the beef salad, and it was essentially just that. A small fillet of beef sliced(perhaps 5 slices) and placed to the side of a salad with mustard. And it was $ 36. Give me strength. Don’t get me wrong, it was very tasty and cooked well but not for that price. Not keen to return.
Steve O.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Ellenbrook, Australia
I’ve heard about the weekend breakfasts at the Witches Cauldron and next time I was in town I was definitely going to try it. I made a 7.30am booking the day before but was running late this morning, I rang ahead and there was no trouble in changing the time. In fact the lady who answered the phone was very pleasant and nothing was to much trouble. Big ticks in my book. So on arrival with my two other breakfast guests was greeted at the door by the waitress with a huge beaming smile who propmtly escorted us to the table by the opened french doors. Ordered some coffee and checked out the menu. I was there for eggs Benedict with ham, my son wanted scrambled eggs with bacon and sausages. My second guest wanted the eggs Benedict with salmon. As we waiting three glasses of kiwifruit juice with finely cushed ice were served to us. Very refreshing and quite unexpected. Great service. It’s the little things that make for a very enjoyable experience. Well you could have knocked my son over with a feather. The size of the breakfast that he ordered was mammoth and his eyes lit up as it was put in front of him. The eggs Benedict that we ordered were just as plentiful, both types ordered was well presented and looked so delicious and believe me the first bite I took just melted in my mouth. The Hollandaise sauce tasted beautiful. We took our time eating our breakfast, enjoying the atmosphere the aroma of fresh coffee, the smells of a great breakfast and the ambient noise of the traffic and pedestrians going about their Saturday morning rituals just loved it. The big surprise was the french toast. With toast with apple inside cut into triangles stood on their ends covered in cinnamon sugar with beautiful strawberries on the side with cream and maple syrup absolutely devine. Check out the photo. What a way to finish a great breakfast. Throughly enjoyed my breakfast experience at the Cauldron. Will recommend the weekend breakfasts to everyone.
Melissa K.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Perth, Australia
I have to say I was really looking forward to our work Christmas party at the Witch’s Cauldron recently, but the overall dinning and service experience was quite average. I think I was shocked when I entered the restaurant and walked towards our table, as I don’t think I expected the interior décor to be so out of date and daggy, it hadn’t changed since my last visit in the early 90’s. The alfresco tables outside did look more appealing. We arranged to have a set menu which I thought was very good value at $ 74 per person. With a choice of 5 entrees, 6 mains and 4 deserts to choose from, it was ideal for our group of 14 as everyone found something that appealed on the menu. Overall the food was fine, some dishes were excellent including the calamari for entrée, but the chef seemed to mess many of the steak orders up on our table including mine! I asked for medium and was presented rare, I would expect more from a restaurant that has a reputation for a good steak. I would highly recommend the sticky date pudding for desert, this was delightful and enjoyed by most of our group. Would I go back? Think some updates are necessary before I considered it.
Nick C.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Fortitude Valley, Australia
A nice place that has a solid reputation for food and service. The menu was quite diverse and offered a good spread of meals across food groups. I had the garlic prawns for entrée which were just fantastic. Plenty of prawns swimming in a light garlic sauce that was very tasty indeed. For my main I had lamb chops medium rare which were also quite good. Service was good and fast however the place was not busy the night we were there.
Ben B.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Houston, TX
One of the few restaurants I found in Subiaco still open past 3pm on a Saturday. One of us had the businessman’s special 3 course meal and I ordered off the regular menu. Both of us had the garlic prawns as a starter based on the recommendations I read on Unilocal – we agreed that they are disgusting. These must be frozen prawns that are thawed and then dumped unseasoned into a boiling hot bunch of garlic and butter. It’s horrid – some of the prawns were not properly deveined. Fortunately, the meal improved from there. We had the herb-crusted beef filet and the Angus sirloin as entrees: the sirloin was fried but cooked to the right temperature and the fillet was delicious. We had the sticky pudding and chocolate 3 ways for dessert – all wonderful. Service was pleasant, but a bit slow between courses. I recommend the restaurant for the beef, but do not order that garlic prawn starter!
Eva N.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Perth, Australia
Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of eating at the Witch’s Cauldron. I still remember the first time I tasted their Garlic prawns with garlic and chilli($ 26.80 entrée). They were so plump, juicy and full of flavour I remember using the bread to soak up every last bit of butter in the dish, and I’ve been ordering it since. On this occasion, I was attending a work dinner on a Friday night. Service: Upon entering, friendly staff members were waiting to take me to my seat and the pleasant service continued throughout the evening with prompt waitresses to take orders, food coming out reasonably quickly and wine and water being topped up regularly. Food: The food hasn’t changed much in 40 years, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. It’s always been consistent whilst I’ve been going there, and according to my work colleagues — who have in fact been eating at the Witch’s Cauldron since it opened– it’s been constantly good since they’ve been visiting too. On the table to share we had garlic bread $ 5.80, fresh bread with butter or virgin olive oil & balsamic vinegar($ 4.80), and for mains a garden salad with mixed greens, avocado, snow peas, asparagus, nuts & vinaigrette($ 14.50). I ordered the garlic prawns with garlic and chilli($ 26.80) as an entrée and the chicken filled with mushroom duxelle, on risotto & a port jus for mains($ 32.90). The garlic prawns were just how I remembered them, juicy, buttery, and so tasty that I used handfuls of bread from the table to soak up every last bit of sauce left in the dish. The mains followed suit with the juiciest, most tender chicken breast I’d had in a long time. My colleagues ordered a variety of dishes including black angus steaks($ 44.00-$ 46.60), duck breast with marmalade glaze & bok choy served with pilaf rice($ 42.10) and gnocchi with beef, basil & Persian feta($ 30.00). I would say it’s safe to assume everyone enjoyed their dishes as much as I did as silence fell upon our normally chatty group as we tucked into our mains. The portions at the Witch’s Cauldron are medium, with quality definitely valued over quantity here. After a fabulous meal I couldn’t help but polish my meal off with an affogato, whilst others at the table had a variety of coffees. I don’t know if the affogato is even on the menu as I ordered it off the top of my head, but it came out looking gorgeous. It was served in a martini glass with an extra shot of coffee on the side, and tasted sensational, as a good coffee should. Price: With entrees ranging from $ 3.60 for an oyster, $ 17.70 for soup of the day and going up to $ 46.60 for the Black Angus peppered fillet(250g) and $ 48.80 for garlic prawns with steamed rice mains. The Witch’s Cauldron is not the kind of place you go to gorge yourself on large quantities of cheap pasta or pizza. In my opinion, you get what you pay for here, quality food at a price that suits. Atmosphere: The Witch’s Cauldron has many section of the restaurant that can be enjoyed. From booths to large tables, the restaurant has a front, back and upstairs area that can be enjoyed depending on the occasion. The restaurant is clean, and the atmosphere –though differing in various parts of the restaurant– seems to have a slight classic, nostalgic feeling about it. The best way to explain it would be to say it’s nice, but not so nice that it could be seen as luxurious. Summary: Everyone I know seems to have nostalgic memories of the Witch’s Cauldron and I’m not surprised. Every time I’ve gone I’ve had nothing but good service, good food and a good time. I’d go as far as to say that in my opinion, the Witch’s Cauldron may be the most consistently good restaurant in Perth. The Witch’s is nice, without being luxurious. The food is good and the prices are reasonable, meaning that just about anyone can have the pleasure of coming by to enjoy the Witch’s offerings. I’d highly recommend it if you’re looking to take your parents out for a nice family dinner or if you’re looking for a place last minute place to entertain business clients.
Terry V.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Nashville, TN
Yummy pancakes! I had just landed in Perth and my friend took me here for pancakes. They had two specials so ordered one of each and would share. There was the white macadamia with strawberries and then the raspberry pancakes with sugar sprinkled on top. White macadamia won! I had a chai latte that was nice as well. We sat outside and it wasn’t to busy. The staff were nice and friendly but didn’t check on us after serving us our meal. It’s a great spot and wonderful location. When we were ready to head out, we walked inside to pay the bill.
Kristen G.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Shenton Park, Australia
The atmosphere here is nice but not as swanky as I expected from the outside looking in. They have high chairs available for children. Many people around us clearly were having a formal night out but this is not a restaurant I would personally pick for that. The food was so-so. Sort of bland and not so creative. They do have a fairly extensive wine list though!
Leanne P.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Perth, Australia
When I lived in Subiaco I would walk past the Witch’s every day and smell those garlic prawns! I went for a work lunch one afternoon and although I did not order the garlic prawns I went with the homemade gnocchi, delicious. This is a beautiful fine dining restaurant with a classic charm to it. The restaurant has been around for years and with good food and excellent service it will continue to be around in Subiaco. It is located on Rokeby road and has plenty of indoor and alfresco seating. It is pricey though and more for a special occasion.
May M.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Perth, Australia
apparently the garlic prawn is famous here — but the smell is so strong i was scared to order it… instead, i had the $ 552 course(tue/wed in feb) with salt & pepper squid & macadamia chicken. the salt & pepper squid is cut like fries & the dips that went with it were nice. the chicken was soft & juicy. not a cheap restaurant, but decent food.
Tracy C.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Perth, Australia
Witch’s Cauldron is a Perth institution and with good reason. The staff here are top notch professionals, I wish that all the restaurants and cafes I frequent were this good. The food is consistently good, no matter meal or day of the week. The breakfast here is one of Perths great secrets. For around $ 20 you get a large cooked breakfast that is tasty and filling. All breakfast meals come with a complementary mint lemonade. It is well worth the money. The Witches Cauldron is a bit of a mixed bag and has some disappointing bits, which is why I had to downgrade their stars. It is high class, with real fabric napkins and professional service. However, the Coffee is pretty average, they need to get a proper barista in to get their coffee up to scratch, from what I can tell it is just the normal staff that make it and you can tell. The tea is from teabags that you would probably have in your cupboard. I would have expected that for such a fancy restaurant they would have quality loose tea. Otherwise you can depend on Witchs Cauldron for a great night out with delicious food and impeccable service.
Kirk L.
Rating des Ortes: 2 Australia
Giving WC2+ stars based only on food. Garlic Prawns are great… Steaks marginal… Fish/Chips nice portion. Service was terrible for a quiet Sunday night although our waitress was helpful for choices. Not one Entrée or Main came out together. Dessert took close to 20 minutes and then one of them was still not done when others were served. We were comped that dessert and when we got the bill, we were overcharged for drinks we never ordered. Disappointing.
Brian C.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Australia
Witchs’ Cauldron is a Perth icon. At lunchtime this place is filled with businessman wheeling and dealing. It is a great place to celebrate a special occasion or just to enjoy their great food. The staff are always professional and friendly. They are knowledgeable about the menu and happy to recommend a wine to go with your meal. The food is absolutely top notch. The menu is comprehensive and covers most tastes. The garlic prawns are my favourite. The servings are on the larger size. I no longer bother with an entrée, to ensure I have enough room for dessert. What a lot of Perth people don’t realise is that this place does a mean cooked breakfast at a very reasonable price. Perfectly cooked crispy bacon, like the Americans do so well. Creamy scrambled eggs. Complimented with a fresh and sweet mint drink. The décor is a little on the old and boring side. It could do with a facelift.
Claire H.
Rating des Ortes: 2 Sydney, Australia
This restaurant is a bit of an old classic. It’s one of the few fine-dining eateries in Subi that have stood the test of time as it’s restaurant neighbors gather cobwebs and shut up shop. I’m surprised. This style of cooking is not my thing. I imagine it would appeal to blokes who grew up on steak and mash and didn’t venture much outside of that. It’s very old-fashioned and uncomplicated cuisine. Think Sirloin steak with mashed potatoes and cream sauce, and grilled Dhufish with baked potato, cabbage and radish. The food is unadventurous and very pricey. I’ll donate a couple of stars for on the ball service and the classy, comfortable atmosphere.
Sorcha M.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Western Australia, Australia
I went to Witch’s Cauldron last week with a friend and we had the set business lunch menu. It’s expensive enough for such a casual restaurant($ 59), but there’s no denying that the food is superb. Usually with set menus you know what you’re going to choose after one glance, but not so in this case, it’s so hard to choose, everything on there sounds so good, but do not leave here without tasting their garlic chilli prawns, they are outstanding! I also had the steak which was good(not great) and the icky sticky pudding for dessert(the highlight). A lot of people say this place is over priced for their offering, but I have to disagree!