Eaton Tavern

Eaton Tavern is the big family pub on Albatross Crescent in Eaton, a few minutes south of Bunbury on the way to the Ferguson Valley. It runs a bistro, a sports bar with pool tables and TAB, an arcade for kids and a regular live music lineup, and it opens from 11am every day, staying open until midnight on Friday and Saturday.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables, on lead and stayed on lead, which is the arrangement most South West pubs run. Keep them clear of doorways and out of the bistro, sports bar and arcade areas, and be prepared to move if the outdoor area narrows near the entrance. Water bowls have a habit of appearing if staff spot your dog, but on a hot Eaton afternoon it is worth carrying your own until one lands.

Max: time your visit for a weeknight if your dog is social but still learning pub manners. Weekend dinners pack the outdoor tables and the foot traffic from the arcade keeps things busy until late.

The vibe

The bistro menu leans generous: porterhouse, pork ribs, a seafood plate and the chicken and waffles that get mentioned more than anything else. Families dominate the early evening, the sports bar takes over later, and there is usually something on the calendar between live music and footy on the screens. It is relaxed rather than refined, and nobody minds a dog settling under a table on the deck.

Getting there and parking

The tavern sits at 1 Albatross Crescent, Eaton, with plenty of parking on site. It is an easy stop off the Old Coast Road route between Bunbury and the Ferguson Valley wineries, and the Eaton Fair shopping centre is close by if you need supplies first.

While you're out there

Watson Reserve and Leicester Reserve are both nearby for an off-leash run before you settle in for lunch, and they make the difference between a restless pub dog and a sleeping one.

More options are on the Western Australia dog friendly pubs list and the Eaton destination guide.