Kardinya Tavern

I went with a group of friends for a Friday night catch up and dinner. Big Mistake. Friday night isn’t the night to go if you want to have a catch up that includes talking. Friday night is Karaōke night. Music is very loud, even before people start singing.
When you order a main meal the salad bar is included. The variety in that salad bar has improved. Main meals are averagely priced. While my chicken parmigiana looked nice it tasted average.
A friend got the ribs and she really enjoyed it.
Staff are friendly and the main meals did come out quickly. They were however really really slow in bringing out coffees.
If you’re into Karaōke go on a Friday night but if you want to be able to have a nice chat go on another night.

The Kardy is old school — not necessarily bad or good — it just is a bit of a time travel.
The bistro section was pretty full even for after 8pm on a weeknight. My friend and I went through to the bar/​tab side and ordered off the bar menu.
Walking through the doors to the bar section was like a cliché from a movie — two girls walking into a bar being the only women… It wasn’t too weird though as they dismissed us relatively quickly. They had horse racing, and golf, and about 8 different tv screens to watch… Important stuff in a TAB.
We ordered food & pints of cider (bummers & orchard crush were on tap) and ordered food — Chicken Schnitzel BLT & a Steak Sandwich. At around $ 16 each they weren’t too pricey.
The Turkish bread was soft & fresh, and the chicken was cooked through without being over cooked. The steak was nice, but overpowered by the cheese they put melted onto the bread. The one leaf of lettuce was a bit pitiful and they could have used done more salad. The chips were nice & crunchy on the outside but fluffy on the inside.
Not a bad meal, but not a place to seek out. Worth the visit if you are near by and it is convenient (the locals love it [I totally get that saying now]).
It’s not pretentious, doesn’t try to be pretty. But if you don’t like swilling a cloud of cigarette smoke every time the door opens? I suggest you stick to the bistro side.
Don’t rule it out if you are nearby, but I wouldn’t be making a special trip. Though I do imagine the bistro would be good for group dinners.

Suburban beer barns aren’t exactly my scene, but The Kardy is a fairly decent place to stop in for a drink. It’s actually a bit of an institution in this part of town. The bar during the week is pretty quiet, but when they have covers acts, karaōke and live entertainment the place can be a lot of fun. If you feel a bit grossed out by Northbridge and are maybe a bit older than 25, you’ll possibly find this is more like your kind of scene come the weekend. They do pretty decent pub grub in their bistro section (try the Atlantic Salmon) but it’s all a bit overpriced for me. If I’m gonna pay $ 24 – 38 per plate, I’m going to do it in a very nice restaurant somewhere; not a suburban pub. If that doesn’t bother you, you’ll have a good time here, but if price is a concern there are a lot of other options in this area. When you’re finished up your meal, the bottle shop is pretty well priced for you to grab some takeaways for afters at home too. This is a good suburban pub but it’s a bit expensive for what it is.

The Kardy (as it is known) has a bit of a local following, so my single visit may not do it justice. If you feel I’m wrong, do post a review.
In any case, Kardy strikes me as an average bar. It boasts a restaurant of sorts as well as a bar and a Thirsty Camel bottle shop. Since it is situated right next to the Kardinya Shopping centre it may be a good choice for people passing and locals, but I can’t see anything that would make somebody seek out The Kardy to visit and spend and evening. The drinks are alright, average priced. Design is kinda outdated (or maybe I’ve been spoiled by new and well-​designed bars and clubs I’ve been frequenting).
Overall, for what it tries to be, The Kardy does the job. But it all screams average. Ah, well. I wish I could give it 3.5 stars. :/