NOW EXPERIENCING:Long Chim

A Thai-inspired bar that says yes to thoughtful (and delicious) drinking and snacking while sidestepping the genre’s cliched tropes.

Long Chim Perth Courtyard
Why you goLong Chim is Thai for “come and taste”, and the people of Perth have been only too happy to oblige – with good reason. Asian-inspired bars and aren’t a new thing, but few treat the genre with the respect and verve shown here by Long Chim. Opened in 2015 by Australian chef David Thompson – one of the world’s most respected advocates for Thai food culture – this 170-person basement bar channels the energy and tastes of Bangkok street food with great success. Located in the graceful State Buildings, Long Chim has a grungy aesthetic and splashes of colourful neon that are a contrast to the rest of the precinct, but while the look might feel raw, the food and drink are prepared plenty of skill and a whole lot of polish.
Why you stayStaff here are well-versed in showing guests a good time. The volume dial on the stereo is set at house-party levels, and the playlist swings from ’90s-era Mariah Carey to Fleetwood Mac. The pace is up-tempo, with fast-moving waiters working and walking hard to keep tables fed and watered. The diverse crowd takes in everything from workplace lunch buddies to groups on a big night out. A shrinking violet this ain’t.
Long Chim Perth Dining Room
Long Chim Perth Cocktail Collection
What drink to orderLong Chim’s kitchen is famous for never taking short cuts with its cooking (more on that later), and the bartenders apply similar thinking to the drinks side of things. Cocktails are a particular strength and roam around Thailand for their inspiration rather than just Bangkok. A thick gin and pineapple soda tastes luscious rather than sweet, while a Cognac Old-Fashioned made with mandarin-infused vermouth and a jasmine flower syrup works as both a nightcap and a drink match for dessert. Otherwise, the beer and wine offering (including the baller bottles on the list’s cute “Just Got Paid!!!” section) has also been designed to play well with the frequent bursts of epic chilli heat in the food.
What to pair it withLong Chim is attached to a restaurant, and the full menu is available throughout the entire space, making it a breeze to upgrade a visit from drinks to dinner. For those that want to keep things casual, grilled skewers of sweet and fatty pork are the stuff of finger-food dreams, and the same goes for fried chicken wings showered with shallots and coriander. For something more substantial, consider textbook versions of Thai cuisine standards – green papaya salad, perhaps, or pad Thai and fried rice gussied up with crab meat. Alternatively, broaden your Thai dining horizons with a note-perfect sour orange curry with mashed prawn. Mango with sticky rice is one of a handful of suitably Thai (and sweet) ways to sign off.
Long Chim Perth Irish Gold Rush Cocktail
Long Chim Perth Bar Area
Regular’s tipAlthough competition is fierce for prime-time bookings at the restaurant, both the bar area and courtyard are set aside for walk-ins. The wire stools at the bar – and, in the restaurant, their corresponding stools at the counter facing the semi-open kitchen – offer vantage points and TikTok-able moments galore. Although Long Chim is at its busiest during lunch and dinner, the bar is open all-day with a shorter, snacky menu offered in the afternoons. The final bit of icing on the rice cake: a visit to Long Chim is a fine excuse to bring yourself up to speed with everything else happening at State Buildings.
Make it fancySure, business attire might be a common sighting at Long Chim – State Buildings is, after all, in the heart of the CBD – but the people in suits here are more likely debriefing with buddies than discussing quarterly projections. If you don’t mind the noise (DJs occasionally spin here on weekends), the hustle, buzz and casualness of Long Chim makes it an excellent option for dates as well as a stop on a CBD bar crawl.
Hibiscus Sour Cocktail at Long Chim Perth