The Sandbar
The Sandbar is a single-location beachside restaurant, bar, and function venue in Scarborough Beach, Western Australia, founded in 2013 and serving food, beverages, live music, and private events to local residents and visitors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersScarborough Beach, Australia
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Sandbar does
The Sandbar is a single-location beachside restaurant, bar, and function venue at 1 Scarborough Beach Road, Scarborough Beach, Western Australia. Founded on 31 August 2013 by Ben Randall following a public naming competition that drew over 1,200 submissions, the venue operates daily from 7am until late (including public holidays) and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner using fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. The venue hosts a recurring calendar of live music, comedy nights, quiz nights, and JazzConnect events, and also operates a dedicated cocktail bar whose 'Matcha Made in Heaven' creation by bar manager Marina Vidal won WA's Best Cocktail 2025 from the Australian Hotels Association and Don Julio.
The core product is dine-in food and beverage service, supplemented by four additional revenue streams: takeaway orders placed via the meandu.app platform, private functions and events for up to 130 guests with dedicated canape, pizza, and set menus, gift voucher sales (including a $50 newsletter-prize mechanic for Club Sandbar subscribers), and an award-winning cocktail program. The business uses no proprietary technology; operations rely on third-party SaaS (meandu.app for takeaway, nowbookit.com for bookings and gift vouchers). Distribution is exclusively walk-in and direct, with no delivery partnerships or franchise footprint.
Ownership and leadership are concentrated: Ben Randall has been owner and venue manager since inception; Lauren Nolan became a part-owner and Functions Manager in December 2022; the broader team includes a Restaurant Manager (Hayley Cavendish, ~7-year tenure) and two bar managers (Igor and Marina). The company is privately held, locally owned, employs approximately 55 people, and operates exclusively within Western Australia. No institutional investment, M&A activity, or expansion beyond the single Scarborough site is disclosed.
The Sandbar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Sandbar
- Legal name
- The Sandbar Scarborough
- Website
- https://sandbar.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The Sandbar is a single-location beachside restaurant, bar, and function venue in Scarborough Beach, Western Australia, founded in 2013 and serving food, beverages, live music, and private events to local residents and visitors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Sandbar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Restaurant Services
- NAICS
- Food Services and Drinking Places (722)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Rooftop Bars & Beach/Pool Bars (THAFAEAJ)
Keywords
Where The Sandbar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Scarborough Beach
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Sandbar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Dine-in Food & Beverage Sales: Core revenue from food and beverage sales through sit-down dining service. The venue offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus with diverse cuisine options featuring fresh, locally-sourced ingredients.
- Takeaway Orders: Takeaway food and drink orders placed through external platform meandu.app, enabling customers to order for pickup.
- Functions & Events Catering: Private event hosting with dedicated function spaces. Offers canape, pizza, and set menus for events. Catering for up to 130 guests with exclusive room hire options.
- Gift Vouchers: Digital and physical gift vouchers sold to customers for use on future food and beverage purchases.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Dine-in Menu Pricing |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Function/Event Catering |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Gift Vouchers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
The Sandbar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Sandbar Scarborough is a beachside bar and restaurant overlooking Scarborough Beach in Western Australia, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily from 7am until late. It offers a diverse menu of fresh, locally-sourced ingredients, an award-winning cocktail bar, weekly live music, function and event hosting for up to 130 guests, and takeaway orders through the meandu.app platform.
Product overview
The Sandbar Scarborough is a single beachside dining venue offering a unified hospitality experience centered around its restaurant and bar service. The core offering consists of beachside dining with a diverse menu of fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. Additional services include live music events, function and event hosting (catering for up to 130 guests), an award-winning cocktail bar, takeaway service, and specialized catering menus (Canapés, Pizza, and Set Menus) for private events. The venue operates as a single location without a modular product architecture.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Beachside Dining Restaurant All-day beachfront dining venue overlooking Scarborough Beach, offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus built around fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. Open daily from 7am until late, including public holidays, for walk-in diners and takeaway customers.
- Live Music Events Regular live music performances featuring established and emerging artists across multiple genres, including scheduled weekly performances, comedy nights, quiz nights, and JazzConnect events at the Scarborough Beach venue.
- Function & Event Hosting Private event hosting for corporate presentations, birthday parties, and other occasions, with three function space options and capacity for up to 130 guests, including exclusive room hire.
- Handcrafted Cocktail Bar Handcrafted cocktail bar service featuring locally-inspired creations, including the WA's Best Cocktail 2025 'Matcha Made in Heaven' by bar manager Marina Vidal, made with local gin, Midori, matcha, lemon, and Sandbar's signature touch.
- Takeaway Service Takeaway food and drink ordering service for customers to order meals for pickup, delivered through the meandu.app platform.
- Function Catering Menus Specialized catering packages for private functions and events, including a Canapés Menu, Pizza Menu, and Set Menu tailored to guest count and event requirements.
- Gift Vouchers Digital gift vouchers available for purchase in $50 denominations, redeemable for food and beverage purchases at the venue.
Companies that use The Sandbar
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Sandbar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Sandbar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Sandbar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- The Trustee: Perth bar and dining venue with multi-space layout (bar, restaurant, rooftop) and event hosting. Comparable WA single-operator venue with similar function/catering model and cocktail-led beverage identity.
- The Backlot Perth: Perth West Perth venue combining bar, restaurant, and live entertainment/events. Comparable WA independent operator with an event-driven, community-focused model and similar function-hosting capability.
- The Aviary Perth: Perth CBD multi-level bar and dining destination with rooftop, live entertainment programming, and private function spaces. Comparable on entertainment-driven foot traffic and cocktail-led positioning, though not beachfront.
- Petition Kitchen & Bar: Perth CBD restaurant and bar with seasonal menus, cocktail program, and private dining. Comparable WA independent hospitality operator with strong beverage-led positioning, though CBD rather than beachfront.
Direct peers
- Indiana Cottesloe: Cottesloe Beachfront restaurant and bar with all-day dining, takeaway, and event functions. Directly comparable premium beachside venue in the same Perth coastal dining precinct.
- Il Lido Cottesloe: Premium beachfront Italian restaurant and bar overlooking Cottesloe Beach, Perth. Comparable all-day beachside dining venue with strong beverage program and event/function capability in the same coastal Perth market.
- Bathers Beach House: Beachside restaurant and bar in Fremantle, Western Australia, offering casual dining with ocean views, similar event hosting, and a comparable 'destination beach bar/restaurant' positioning in the Perth market.
- Odyssea City Beach: Beachside café, restaurant, and bar at City Beach in Perth, Western Australia. Direct peer offering all-day beachfront dining with function/event facilities in an adjacent coastal suburb.
- The Paddington Alehouse: Family-owned Perth pub/alehouse previously operated by Sandbar founder Ben Randall (2003–2013). Comparable single-venue WA hospitality operation with similar bar-focused, community-driven model.
- Cottesloe Beach Hotel: Iconic beachfront hotel, restaurant, and bar overlooking Cottesloe Beach in Perth, Western Australia. Directly comparable single-venue beachside hospitality operator with all-day dining, live entertainment, and function spaces in the same metro market.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Sandbar social profiles
Digital presenceThe Sandbar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Sandbar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
The Sandbar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Sandbar M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Sandbar
What does The Sandbar do?
The Sandbar Scarborough is a beachside bar and restaurant overlooking Scarborough Beach in Western Australia, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily from 7am until late. It offers a diverse menu of fresh, locally-sourced ingredients, an award-winning cocktail bar, weekly live music, function and event hosting for up to 130 guests, and takeaway orders through the meandu.app platform.
Is The Sandbar a public or private company?
The Sandbar is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Sandbar founded?
The Sandbar was founded in 2013. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is The Sandbar based?
The Sandbar is headquartered in Scarborough Beach, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does The Sandbar make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Dine-in Food & Beverage Sales are the primary driver. The others are takeaway Orders, functions & Events Catering and gift Vouchers.
Who are The Sandbar's main competitors?
Regional players on record are The Trustee, The Backlot Perth, The Aviary Perth and Petition Kitchen & Bar. Direct peers are Indiana Cottesloe, Il Lido Cottesloe, Bathers Beach House, Odyssea City Beach, The Paddington Alehouse and Cottesloe Beach Hotel.
Does The Sandbar have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Sandbar.
What industry is The Sandbar in?
The Sandbar's product category is Restaurant Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAEAJ, Rooftop Bars & Beach/Pool Bars. Its NAICS code is 722 and its SIC code is 5810.