Can you believe it? We’ve made it to the end of another year. It’s been a busy one for the local hospitality scene and we’ve welcomed creative new restaurants, sophisticated cafes and casual diners and, with them, a string of new essential dishes.

This year cafe and restaurant openings have outpaced bars, but the bar openings we’ve seen in 2025 have been worth getting excited about.

Here – in alphabetical order – are five new bars we got excited about in 2025.

Bar Ole, Iluka

Husband-and-wife duo Ryan and Nikki Esqulant spent years living and working in Spain and falling in love with the Spanish lifestyle and hospitality. With Bar Ole, the Esqulants wanted to bring the warm and lively energy of a Spanish tapas bar to coastal Iluka. Using produce that is either grown in WA or imported from Spain, the chefs serve classic tapas dishes as well as heartier grilled dishes such as rib eye, Spanish jerk chicken, pork loin and market fish. The drinks list follows suit and almost exclusively comprises Western Australian or Spanish wines – an exception is French champagne. The cocktail list naturally offers red and white sangria, as well as fruity takes on classic cocktails.

Deadbeat, CBD

This CBD speakeasy takes you back to a time when headbanging and skate culture were all the rage. Tucked down a CBD laneway, Deadbeat’s gritty fit-out pays homage to the unapologetic defiance of ’80s and ’90s subcultures. The cocktail list includes relics from the past like Snake Venom (lemon vodka, melon, sour apple and an acid solution) and Electric Juice (a house juice blend with a choice of spirit), as well as a range of boilermakers.

Mons O’Shea, Fremantle

There’s a small brass bell on the wall inside the snug at Mons O’Shea, Fremantle’s new Irish pub. Give it a ring and moments later a friendly face will appear through a small, golden glass hatch to take your order. A minute after that, your drink slides back through. It’s part tradition, part theatre, and one of the many details that define the character-filled venue.

It’s been almost a decade since Fremantle farewelled Rosie O’Grady’s, the suburb’s last true Irish pub, and locals have clearly missed the craic. The 120-person venue already has the sort of worn-in warmth and solid roster of regulars that most pubs would take years to foster. Where many newer Irish pubs across Australia lean into cliché, Mons O’Shea keeps things real.

There are two Guinness taps for simultaneous pours, as well as Guinness 0.0. The menu from Petition alum Jane Collins is equally Irish. Among the carb-heavy plates, expect the trending spice bag, black-and-white pudding Scotch eggs and a line-up of toasties.

The other key element of the pub’s success comes down to third-generation publican Simon McCarthy, who moved to Australia from Ireland 10 years ago. The sharp-witted publican has the easy warmth of someone born for the trade. It’s this quiet pride and unforced hospitality, echoed by a team with lilting Irish accents, that is largely responsible for the welcoming atmosphere Mons O’Shea so effortlessly possesses.

The Leadlight, Northbridge

The Leadlight opened in December 2024, narrowly missing our 2024 best new bars wrap. It was a major win for Northbridge. “Finally the inner-city suburb has the beer garden it deserves,” noted Broadsheet writer Madeline Wallman at the time. Taking over the old Ruinbar site, The Leadlight has a zhooshed-up interior and a significant outdoor expansion. The team behind Picabar has created a relaxed neighbourhood spot with an Italian-American-inspired bistro menu – including a conti roll-like panuzzo. There are also 18 tap beers and reasonably priced wines from local producers.

Lil’s Rooftop, CBD

Pre-pandemic, the 600-capacity space formerly known as Tiger Lil’s was a hotspot for revellers and, despite lying dormant since 2020, its heaving dance floor, neon red lanterns and sticky bar are etched in the memories of millennials across the city. Following an extensive revamp, the familiar space has been reborn as Lil’s, a polished bar and Mediterranean-inspired eatery that still knows how to throw a party. During the week there are Italian-leaning share plates. On the weekends the old party persona comes out with DJs, live percussionists and room to dance.

Reporting by Lucy Bell Bird, Jasmine Loda-Batey, Sarah Schmitt and Madeline Wallman.

The Best of 2025 is proudly presented by Square, Kia, NAB and Four Pillars. The bars in this article were selected independently by Broadsheet's editors.