This is a fab little spot for breakfast but make sure you book a table in advance as they get so busy! My advice would be go early as the later you go, and the busier it gets, the more hit and miss the servic, especially on weekends. Weekday service is much more steady and the food is always good here, my favourite breakfast being the mushrooms. The views are wonderful so request a table at the windows, they are perfect for entertaining the kids as you can usually spot heaps of crabs on the rocks below. A little walk down the pier and up the lighthouse tower after brekkie is always good too.
Melly M.
Place rating: 3 London, United Kingdom
This was the 2nd time I had been to Hillary’s. On the first occasion, I was hungry and thirsty and even worse — I got burnt to pieces. I looked like the little bits of bacon pictured in the recent photo I uploaded of my salad from Toscanini’s. Anyway, me and my sister went back to Hillary’s and as always, I was hungry so we went to Spinnaker’s for a spot of lunch. Spinnaker’s is a café/restaurant just by the harbour on what feels like the much quieter part of Hillarys. There’s a nice view across the water which is filled with boats. The car park was close to empty and there were only a few tables of people inside. We sat down and had a quick perusal through the menu. The chicken and avocado sandwich with chips jumped out at me and my sister wanted some salt and pepper squid. We were good to go. I went up to the bar to order and was told it was table service. This was the first time I had an order taken at the table by a waiter and also the first time that I’d be paying for food at the end of the meal. The waitress came over and was apologetic about our small wait to be seen. We weren’t really bothered but she sort of gestured to the busyness of the restaurant which baffled me a little as it was so quiet. We waited what felt like an age for the food. Again, the waitress kept popping over and apologising and again, this wasn’t too much of a hardship — we just didn’t understand why it was so slow when there were only 4⁄5 tables occupied. When my sandwich arrived, I was a little surprised at how small it was. Basically the size of the palm of my munchkin hand. I deconstructed to have a look through and I noticed that the cheese that was advertised as part of the sandwich was absent. Luckily, I’d been bemoaning how Aussies seem to put cheese in or on everything and I was absolutely fine with just chicken and avocado, because it’s a winning combination. I was also happy with my chips, that were proper hand cut chips. I was happier with a small portion of these over the standard fare in Perth — a half tun serving of salty fries(although these are also winning when one is carrying a slight hangover). Unsurprisingly, we then faced a considerable wait for our table to be cleared and the bill to arrive. I was worry the seasons would change and our trip to the beach be under threat so when the bill did show up, I launched myself toward the bar to par and we shuffled off to splash about in the water. My actual rating is 3.5 stars as 4 is too high and 3 too low. But if you’re going to make me a teeny little sandwich, at least get it out and into my belly a little quicker, OK?
Erin J.
Place rating: 1 Perth, Australia
I don’t really know where to start… a few of us decided to have a mid-week lunch here. Took a while for them to take out order(we had to flag someone down) We all waited lover an hour for our meals. One of my friends dishes was served raw. The meals were very over priced. The staff weren’t hospitable and not once came over to check on us or apologise for the delay in food. Just a very average place. A real shame because the location deserves more.
Jordan C.
Place rating: 1 Alexander Heights, Australia
We walked in and grabbed a complementary water took the just to the table to pour four glasses but got the jug snatched off of me really rudely then they took the coffees over but couldn’t remember witch was soy and witch was milk? Really you just made it! I ordered a cider and paid for it then got told that I can’t have it because I’m not eating but everyone else at the table was my wife went to put sugar into her drink but there was no raw sugar? And the waitress swore to my 80 year old nana and the prices are a con for this level of service!
Steve O.
Place rating: 3 Ellenbrook, Australia
Spinnaker’s restaurant at the back of the Hillary’s boat storage and marina. Decided to have my birthday dinner at this restaurant. Arrived at the booking time which was at 5.30pm so we can beat the Saturday night rush. Saturday night rush. Is that a cricket I can hear in the silence. There was a table of three sitting ordering their food as we were showen to our table. Phew lucky we booked. Although we did score a table by the window facing the jetty and light beacon. Anyway… The waitresses were courteous and friendly. They were very helpful when the sun was shining brightly in my date’s face with the lowering of the outside blinds. We ordered two glasses of New Zealand Oyster Bay Sparkling Rose to toast my birthday and we chose to have the Beef Fillet on a bed of mash potato with brocolini in a lemon butter. I also ordered peppercorn sauce with mine. While we waited we chatted and enjoyed our sparkling rose, looking at the activities going on outside our window. We been sitting for a while and still no meal. My date made a comment on she might take a bite out of the table if the meal didn’t arrive soon. She then decided to powdered her nose. While she was away I called the waitress and ordered some garlic bread so we could fill the hunger hole. No sooner than I ordered the garlic bread the other waitress delivered our meal. Ha Ha. that’s just classic. The Beef Fillet was well presented. It was a good poportional size on it’s bed of mash with brocolini on the side with peppercorn sauce on mine. It was a good choice as without it my date said the meal was quite bland. The beef fillet meal was a bit pricey at $ 43.00 the sparkling rose was $ 10.00 a glass. The prices were mid-range on other menu items. The place was still empty at 7.30pm when we left. The meal was quite good but the wait for the meal was way to long. I have been there for lunch and had the pepper squid the restaurant was full on that day. So maybe it was just a slow night.
Tee E.
Place rating: 2 Australia
Went there for breakfast and I must say it was well below the standard one has come to expect these days. Ordered the Florentine with smoked salmon — poached eggs had obviously been done in some sort of cup and we’re over cooked. The hollandaise(if you can call it that) was thin and tasteless and there was only a tiny amount draped over the top as if it were a garnish. The smoked salmon under the eggs had become cooked, which made me think it had been sitting on the pass far too long — not a good look. Another party at our table had a hash brown that basically had come out of a package. Overall not a great food experience. The view is nice and staff are friendly so at least it was pleasant enough. I’ve heard the lunch is better.
Tanesh N.
Place rating: 5 Perth, Australia
First time visit to Hillarys and we’ve fell in love with this place. Especially the Dog Beach — free hugs and cuddles from Perth’s finest four-legged friends. A real-estate agent had recommended coming through here to sample the Salt and Pepper Calamari Entrees with a glass full of SSB :-P The house wasn’t too impressive and I was starting to think that perhaps we should not go on his recommendation. Happy to say that we stuck to it and our tastebuds thanked us for doing so. Sitting in Spinnakers you have a 180-deg view of the marina and I would highly recommend it to anyone who prefers a quieter spot seeing that the restaurants and café on the marina can get really boisterous. Enjoying our gigantic portion of Calamari, tastefully laid of a basil-type greens and an Asian side-salad, you felt like you were a member of their Boat club, seeing that the service was spot-on. Definitely going back here for more next time we’re here.
Lynn M.
Place rating: 3 Australia
Stop with the overpricing people! Just because you are in Hillary’s does not mean that you can charge above the odds, its not fair on us simple folk. Sometimes all you need is a quiet table and a friendly smile serving you a coffee and you will gain a return customer forever. Not so difficult. Now you may think from my rant that I should have only given them 2 stars but they have their upside too. The food is quite fresh and tasty and on the larger side. Their views are stunning and definitely add to the whole experience Still, come on Spinnakers, look after your customers and you will never have an issue.
Cissi T.
Place rating: 3 Australia
Spinnakers is a café on the far side of Hillarys boat harbour. It is a fairly popular place catering to variety of people, from passerbyers wanting a takeaway coffee, to those looking to fuel up after a brisk walk along the coast. The service at Spinnakers is friendly and efficient. The takeaway coffee is at a decent price, and are well made, with a good balance of cream and coffee. They also have a tempting range of muffins and cakes. Their breakfast is generously portioned, although on the expensive side. Their lunch, on the other hand, is not as generously portion, and the prices are again on the expensive side. The food itself is well-made, but it can burn a small hole in your pocket. Spinnakers is a fairly popular place, perhaps due to its accessible location, although be prepared to spend.
Matthew C.
Place rating: 3 Sorrento, Australia
I have complained, in some of my other reviews, about the cost of breakfast along the coast. There tends to be a disconnect between the portion size and cost: even when the former is ample, the latter falls on the wrong side of West Coast Highway robbery. Spinnakers is the exception. The cost of certain breakfast items is still high – a big breakfast and a couple of coffees will set you back upwards of twenty-five dollars – but the portion size practically demands it. Indeed, this is the biggest big breakfast I’ve had around these parts, requiring not only an appetite but endurance, willpower and any number of other qualities commonly associated with marathon running. Tackling the knee-high pancake stack is like playing Jenga except that the pieces covered in mixed berry compote. The place still charges three or four dollars more than places in the eastern states might, but you kind of forget about all of that when you’re trying to make out the plate through the food. The building itself is very modest from the outside – I originally thought it must have been a bait and tackle shop or something – but the views across the water are marvellous. Located at the end of the marina, next to the lighthouse, Spinnakers does lunch and dinner, too, though my experience is limited to breakfast. But it wouldn’t surprise me if those meals, too, were generous to the point of being excessive.