There’s a Hidden Karaoke Room at Tigerfish, Cottesloe’s New Coastal Bar

Listen closely at Tigerfish and you might just catch the faint trace of Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline. Or perhaps a valiant cover of Bohemian Rhapsody. Or maybe, if it’s a particularly patriotic evening, the unmistakable swell of Horses. Those distant tunes lead back to the venue’s hidden karaoke room. The faint buzz is a barely audible reminder that the glossy coastal bar plays by its own rules. 

The Prendiville Group’s new bar and dining destination is just steps from the shore, taking over the Cottesloe Beach Hotel’s under-utilised function space, the Velvette Lounge. Instead of the pizzas, pints and acoustic guitarists you find next door at the Cott, Tigerfish delivers punchy snacks, creative cocktails and local DJs spinning vinyl on weekends. Tigerfish is unapologetically a bar first; the walk-in-only front section that makes up more than half the venue is saved for spontaneous sunset drinks and snacks. You can still stay for dinner though, with the back half of the venue offering an extended menu with full table service.

“We describe the venue with three words,” says general manager Mark Rutter. “Harmony, place and spirit. Harmony between dishes and drinks, balance in the conversation and the space. Place: celebrating the specific cultures and terroirs. And spirit: fun, approachable, alive.”

The “spirit” is tangible behind the bar. Led by award-winning bartender Brendan Scott Grey, Tigerfish’s drinks list sets the tone for the food, music and mood. Cocktails highlight both Australian and Asian ingredients, from the fruity and refreshing Tigerfish House Punch (which is a take on the brandy-based Fish House cocktail that was popular in the 1920s), to the Junmai Ginger Martini, an unorthodox Dirty Martini made with house-picked ginger from the kitchen. The drinks program also boasts an extensive saké list, plus local wines that sit alongside Old World drops from France, Germany and Austria, including plenty of bottles meant for toasting. 

“It’s very much a celebratory venue,” says Rutter. “People are ordering champagne and rosé, cocktails, magnums of whatever they fancy. It’s about big bottles, big times, and having fun.”

Executive chef Steven Ryu’s menu is designed to complement the drinks rather than compete with them, channelling the chaos and colour of Southeast Asian street stalls while staying firmly grounded in WA produce. 

“We’ve taken pockets of authenticity from different regions, specifically West Chinese, Indonesian and Thai,” Rutter says. “It’s a direct reference to the lineage and cultures of those areas. The dishes are classic, with a little Steven Ryu twist, and everything is made from scratch without pre-made sauces or shortcuts so the flavours are bright, bold and completely original.”

Highlights include house-made fish finger bao topped with pickled cucumber and fish roe mayonnaise, and banana-leaf roasted fish of the day swimming in Ryu’s fragrant green curry sauce. 

The interiors are very Cottesloe. Canary yellow accents and varied shades of blue mimic the world-famous beach on its doorstep, with rattan furnishings under palm-leaf ceiling fans adding to the elevated coastal feel. 

“We want people to feel like they can come in for a crisp beer after the beach, or settle in for a proper meal,” says Rutter. 

Or, of course, participate in cathartic singalongs in the hidden karaoke room, with a magnum of rosé within arm’s reach. 

Tigerfish

104 Marine Parade, Cottesloe

No phone

Hours: 

Tue to Sun, midday–late

@tigerfishbar

www.tigerfish.com.au