GLASGOW

  1. Around George Square

 There are 22 pub trails in Glasgow. There are ten trails in the centre of the city, plus five in the West End, two on The Southside across the river and four going East.

Three trails explore three of the main streets in the city centre HOPE St; RENFIELD St and WEST NILE St

Two trails are around Squares; GEORGE SQUARE and the OLD FRUIT MARKET in Merchant City.

Another five, trails take in : QUEEN St & GLASSFORD St, JAMAICA St/ST ENOCH, BATH STREET , WATERLOO St & BOTTOM of HOPE St and CHARING CROSS .

Across the river Clyde, on the South side are PAISLEY ROAD WEST and QUEEN’S PARK trails.

Going east are trails for Around THE TRONGATE, up GALLOWGATE , DUKE STREET, Dennistoun and along to SHETTLESTON

In the West End there are more trails - St George's Cross subway to Kelvin Bridge , BYRES ROAD , KELVINBRIDGE , KELVINHALL TO PARTICK and MARYHILL

Plus the SUBWAY CRAWL - 15 subway stops and the closest bars.

Glasgow pubs around George Square

GLASGOW: GEORGE SQUARE TRAIL

From Glasgow Central walk to Queen St Station via the pedestrian areas along Gordon St and up Buchanan St. Turn right onto West George St and see Waxy O’ Connors a few doors along on the left.

From Queen St Station exit by the main door and walk along the alley opposite this (at the side of Dow’s pub) to the back door of Waxy O’Connors.

Leave here by the back door onto the alley. Walk along here to Queen St station and turn right to find Dow’s and The Vale (now closed) side by side.

Walk along the front of the station to George Square where Camperdown Place used to be under the main station building. Continue along the side of George Square and at the corner the Millennium Hotel has a bar called Georgics (The Alchemist) on the corner.

Walk along to the next corner and turn up to the left (North Fredrick St) and find The Ark on the right hand side. Come back down to George Square and turn left moving away from the Square to walk along George St for almost three blocks turning right at Albion St to walk down to The Press Bar. Walk down Albion St turning right and walk along Ingram St back towards George Square. Walk past Montrose St on the right then next right turn into a pedestrianised area hidden across the pedestrian area and then downstairs is Katie’s Bar. Then on the opposite corner is Committee Room 9. Walk back to Geeorge Square where on the next corner is The Piper. Leaving here and continuing round the square to the final corner. Her just down to the left is Drouthys and on the opposite corner is The Counting House.  Next door (away from the square) is The Anchor Line. And next door again is The Citizens. Down an alley opposite and to the right from The Counting House is The Auctioneers.

 A place this size is bound to have its own guides to illustrate the vast quantity, quality and styles of pubs.

CAMRA in Glasgow

Glasgow guide illustrating top ten pubs in different styles of drinking (and dining) eg Style pubs or Live Music pubs.

Timeout listing of best pubs

A good proportion of the pubs have real ale but many do not. The west coast still has a bit of a lager flavour - occasionally only lager. Real ale is not limited to trendy style pubs, and not even in many of these.

Glasgow does not have the tourist grouping of pubs as found in Edinburgh - they are mainly aimed at Glasgow folk.

Practically every pub offers food at lunch or all day

Waxy O’Connor’s ★

Waxy O’Connor’s is an interesting bit of a warren. The design is to give the impression you are sitting in rooms found in the roots of a tree (with organ pipes) From the front door you can go straight ahead or upstairs or round and downstairs. There are three levels plus a large landing space between ground and first floor. Once upstairs you can look down on the downstairs space. There are three serving areas and lots of small drinking areas some on raised floors giving it an intimacy.

Have one here and look around

  • Heavy : Camden Pale Ale; Chieftan; Neck Oil; Caffreys

  • Lager : Tennent's ; Heineken; Camden Helles; San Miguel

  • Cider : Magners Guinness

 Dow’s Bar

Dow’s is a one roomed lounge pub with function room (120 people) above. Mainly small round tables with stools. A pleasant bar to sit at.

History History

Have a half pint here

  • Heavy : Belhaven Best

  • Lager : Tennent's ; West 4; Pravha; Stella;

  • Cider : Strongbow Guinness

Pub Jukebox:

Alcohol themed music to listen to while you browse.

cigarettes & alcohol - Oasis

 The Vale now closed

The Vale is very basic pub where the service is excellent. Servery is to left with a nice curving counter rounding a corner. It also seems slightly higher than most bars. Seating or stools around the walls leaving a large space in the middle. The marble style floor is well worn (and patched) at the bar. Music venue /function room (for 40) is upstairs.

History

Have one here

Real ale : Jaw Drop Drift; Skye Red

Heavy : Caledonia Best

Lager : Tennent's ; Stella;

Cider : Magners

 Camperdown Place now CLOSED

Camperdown Place is a small pub by the JD Wetherspoon chain standard. It is set below street level therefore is a bit dark inside. The stairs take you down to seating to the right with servery to the left and more seating in front of the bar. There is also outside seating by the road overlooking George Square

CAMRA Good Beer Guide 2013, not 2016

Have one here

Real ale : Hawkshead Windemere Pale ale; Hawkshead Bitter; Hawkshead Lager; Hawkshead Dry Stone Stout; Deuchers; March of the Penguins; Caledonian 80/-; Mermaid Red (Coronado Brewing Co)

Craft : Devils Backbone

Heavy : John Smith;

Lager : Tennent's ; Carling; Heineken; Amstel; Stella; Tuborg; Fosters

Cider : Strongbow Guinness (+ice cold)

CLOSED during refurbishment of Queen St Station

 Georgics closed

Georgics is the bar of The Millennium Hotel. It has three distinct drinking areas. Closest to the bar is the blue area with a pool table. Round to the left of the bar is a red sitting area. Through from this is a tabled area along the wall size windows looking over George Square.

Have a half pint here

  • heavy: John Smith

  • lager: Fosters; Heineken; 1664

  • Cider: Strongbow Guinness

PUB QUIZ

In the weakest lnk how many correct answers have to be strung together in a round to win the maximum?  

answer at foot of page

 The Ark

The Ark is a big barn of a place. A sports bar with craft ale, mainly BrewDog) and no real ale anymore. Tall table and bench style seating to the right-hand side with bar along to the left. There are tall tables in front of bar with stairs on the far wall leading to a mezzanine second floor with its own small bar for busy periods.. In front of the bar to the left is a raised are with benches and dining style seating. Beyond the bar is a large outside drinking area (claims to be biggest in city). There are lots of small TVs, including some in booths, and one giant screens.

Have one here

  • Real Ale all gone now

  • Beer : Wingman; Power Plant; Easy Livin’; Long White Clouds; Punk IPA, Hazy Jane , Elvis Juice, Planet Pale, Ale 2 The King, Neck Oil; Lunar Haze

  • lager : Peroni, Tennent's ; Feierabend; Madri

  • Cider : Strongbow Dark Fruit, Inch’s Guinness

 The Press Bar

The Press Bar has a rectangular servery accessing four sides. The servery brown wood with brass tubes along the front and chair style stools with red upholstery. The right side of the room has standing and a small shelve for resting glasses on. The left hand side is wider and has Banquette seating. At the back there is a recess up a few steps having banquette seating.

  • Heavy/bitter: Bellhaven Best; Neck Oil

  • Lager: Tennent’s; Madri; Birra Moretti; Bearface (Drygate)

  • cider: Strongbow; Strongbow Dark Fruit Guinness

 Katie’s Bar ★

Katie’s Bar is hidden away in the building sitting as the focal centre of the pedestrianised area. The only indication of its presence is an entrance door with a large K at the side. This leads to a flight of stairs down to a large catacomb basement area with lots of bare stone arches supporting brick. The layout has several seating areas with a mixture of dining and tall tables and chairs including one with a small stage for performances. The servery is round to the right.

  • Lager:    San Miguel;  Brooklyn; Carlsberg

  • Cider:    Kingstone                                            Guinness

 Committee Room No 9

Committee Room No 9 is basically one rather large room with very high ceilings. The sides to right and left of the door are higher up than the large central space which is down a short flight of stairs. The upper area has mainly dinning sized tables and chairs while the lower area has tall tables and stools. The servery is on the wall diagonally opposite the door. Large TVs and giant drop down screen for sports – BT, Sky, Prem

  • Beer: Camden Hells; Camden Pale, Belhaven best

  • Lager: Tennent’s

  • Cider: Magners Guinness

The Piper

The Piper opens to the bar straight ahead. In front of this is a large wooden floored area with stone walls and pillars. The tables are all dining style tables. There are some more dining tables in a narrow strip to the right of the bar.

Have a pint here

  • heavy:        Caledonia Best;  Ossian; Disco Forklift Truck; Innes and Gunn IPA

  • lager:         Piper Lager; Tennent's ; Innes & Gunn Lager; Heverlee; Menabrea

  • Cider:         Magners Apple; Magners dark Fruit Guinness

 Drouthty’s

Drouthty’s

History

  • Heavy/Pale ale:                 Punk IPA;  Chieftain; Camden Pale; Joker

  • Lager:                                    Carling; Coors;  Peroni;  St Mungo; Lost (Brewdog);  Innes & Gunn; ABK Hells German lager

  • Cider:                                    Strongbow;  Strongbow Dark Fruit                                                            Guinness

The Counting House ★

The Counting House (Wetherspoons) is on a corner facing George Square. It’s an old bank with an impressive dome window. Lots of seating in main area and in what would have been bank offices.

Regular in Good Pub Guide, including 2023, 2024

Have one here

  • real ale: Moose River American Pale Ale; Old Jock; Black adder Stout; Doom Bar; Abbot; Belhaven 80/-; Pacific Simco Pale; Kelburn Sunriser

  • heavy: John Smiths, Belhaven Best; Joker IPA; Punk; Innes & Gunn Original; Planet Pale

  • lager: Coors Light, Tennent's, Stella; , Heineken, Corona, 1664; Joker Lager; Bud Light; Innes & Gunn Lager; Leffe

  • Cider: Thistly Cross; Stowford Press Guinness

 The Anchor Line

The Anchor Line

A central rectangular bar dominates this room. The counter has a marbles top and has red chair stools all around the four sides. The room has tiled floors and ornate ceiling. Booths to right and left of servery with seating in the window area overlooking the road. A cocktails and food establishment, as different from JD Wetherspoon’s, next door, as you can get except for the ornate ceiling.

  • Bitter: Belhaven Best

  • Lager: Anchor Line Lager; Budweisser ; Samuel Adams; Schiellhalion Guinness

The Citizen was The Trading House

The Citizens

This is a large room with ornate ceiling and the servery on the right-hand wall. At left of servery you can see racked kegs which deliver to the fonts. Tall tables and stools at front window and opposite bar counter. The pub stretches back beyond the end of the counter. Just beyond entrance is a flight of stairs leading to a floor above and overlooking the bar. This floor has more seating

  • Heavy/Pale Ale:                Gladeye IPA (Drygate);  Caledonia Best;  Disco Forklift Truck

  • Lager:                                    Tennent’s;  Heverlee; Kelvin (Drygate)

NEWS

Whereas when it was the Trading House:-

The Trading House - Difficult to know what beers are on offer as few fonts have labels. This is deliberate policy so that you can ask their knowledgeable staff. They can direct you to the Beer menu or the 75 page beer Almanac.

Keg: Passionate Blond, Trading House Lager; Samuel Adams, Pacific (New World Trading Co)

Lagers: Brahma; Peroni Red; Quilmes; Sol; Pacifico Clara; Asahi Super Dry; Red Stripe; Heineken; Budvar Original; Krombacher Pils; Beer Lao; Narragansett; St Austell; Alhambra Reserve; Peroni; Estrella

Wheat Beers: Erdinger Hefe-Weizen; Erdinger Alkoholfrie; Paulaner;

Blonde Beers: Leffe; Kona Big Wave; Duvel; Affligem Blond; Delirium Tremens;

Pale Ale: Little Creatures; Sierra Nevada; Gamma Ray (Beavertown); Fuller's Honey dew; Kona Fire Rock; Lancaster Bomber (Thwaites); Honkers Ale (Goose Island); 8 Ball (Beavertown)

India Pale Ale: 13 Guns (Crafty Dan); All Day IPA (Founders); Goose Island; Proper Job (St Austell); East India PA (Brooklyn); Raging Bitch (Flying Dog); Snake Dog (Flying Dog);

Dark Beer: Anchor Porter; Black Betty (Beavertown); Nutty Black (Thwaites); Millionaire (Wild Beer Co); Nitro Milk Stout (Left Hand); Ticketybrew (Dubbel)

Fruir beer: Hollows Ginger Beer; Strawberry Lambicus (Timmermanns); Cuvee Brut (Liefmans); Kriek (Lindemans)

Speciality: Tank 7 (Boulevard); Samichlaus; Rum Finish(Innes & Gunn) Cuvee Rene Gueuze (Lindemans); Wild Goose Chase (Wild Beer Co); Duchesse De Bourgogne;

Auctioneers

Auctioneers is found down a short side street. It is a large pub set out for dining during the day. Entrance takes you to a seating area and then onto the bar with a large standing space. Round to the right is a big seating area with dining style tables.

No real ale anymore

Have one here

  • Heavy/Pale ale:                 Punk IPA;  Chieftain; Camden Pale; Joker

  • Lager:                                    Carling; Coors;  Peroni;  St Mungo; Lost (Brewdog);  Innes & Gunn

  • Cider:                                    Strongbow;  Strongbow Dark Fruit                                                            Guinness

PLACES TO VISIT WITH PUBTRAILS

 The towns and villages highlighted on this web site have a wide variety of pubs and beers in them.  All of the places are great to visit, whether for a day or longer, and most have tourist attractions for all of the family.

There is a large variety of pubs throughout the different towns shown below. Some you may wish never to visit again but even discovering these can be interesting. There are pubs that you would not take your wife into. While some you could not take your girlfriend into. A few you would not take either into. However, most of the pubs are very pleasant.

HOME MAP of places visited

Alnwick Ambleside Anstruther Bakewell Bamburgh Barnard Castle Bath Berwick upon Tweed Birnam & Dunkeld Bourton on the Water Bowness on Windermere Bridge of Allan Chester Chichester Dunblane Dunoon Edinburgh Ely Fort William Glasgow Gourock Greenock                   Helensburgh   Inverness Kelso Keswick Knaresborough Largs Linlithgow Lyme Regis Melrose Montrose Newton Stewart North Berwick Norwich Oban Pebbles Penzance Portree Pitlochry Quorn Richmond Rothesay St Andrews Seahouses Seend Shrewsbury Skipton Stirling Stratford-upon-Avon Stockton Heath Whitby Windemere Whitstable York

You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline — it helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer.

Frank Zappa

Links for Glasgow city centre Pubtrails

  • Trail 1 - Around George Square

    (blue with black dot icon)

    Waxy O’ Connors

    Dow’s

    The Vale (now closed)

    Camperdown Place (closed)

    Georgics

    The Ark

    The Piper

    Committee Room No 9

    Katie’s Bar

    Drouthys

    The Counting House

    The Anchor Line

    The Citizen (was The Trading House)

    The Auctioneers

  • Trail 2 - HOPE STREET

    (light blue icon)

    Stereo

    The Old Hairdressers

    The Society Room

    The Pot Still.

    Molly Malone's.

    MacConnell's

    Ardnamurchan (was Trader Joe's)

    Rufus T Firefly

    NYC Bar

    Ad Lib

    The Toby Jug

    The Smokin' Fox (formerly The Hope)

  • Trail 3 RENFIELD STREET

    (green icon)

    The Merchant

    The Maltman

    The Raven

    Lauders.

    The Atholl Arms

    Walkabout

    The Renfield Bar

    Revolution

    Missoula

    Revolucion De Cuba

    The Drum and Monkey

    The Horseshoe.

    Dury Lane Bar & Kitchen

    Yes Bar - closed

  • Trail 4 - WEST NILE St

    (red icon)

    Vroni's Wine Bar

    The Shilling Brewing Co.

    The Iron Horse - closed

    The Station Bar

    The Intermezzo

    Alfie’s (was Alfredo's)

    Cul Cuil (was The Courtyard)

    All Bar One

    Innes & Gunn Talroom

    Los Iguanas

    Revolution

    Ross's Original Bar

    Tabac

    August House

  • Trail 5 - AROUND THE FRUITMARKET

    (grey icons)

    Bar 91

    Beer Cafe

    The Metropolitan

    Marmalade Skies (was Boudoir Wine Bar) - closed

    Bar Square

    The Tap Room (was Steak, Rattle and Roll which was Bar Espagnol Mercado)

    O'Neil's

    Bar Soba

    Bar Gandolfi.

    Bar Home

    Babbity Bowster,

    Strathduie (was Macgregor's Pie & Ale Howf and before that Strathduie !)

    The Black Bull

    McChuills

    Connolly’s LIQR (was LIQR and before that The G-Lounge)

    Blackfriars of Bell St

  • Trail 6 -A circle around Waterloo St & Hope St

    (yellow icon)

    The Smokin’ Fox (was The Hope)

    Kitty O'Shea's

    El Camino (was The Drop)

    Rhoderick Dhu

    The Woods

    The Waterloo

    The Duke’s Umbrella

    Sir John Muir

    Oswald’s (was Kellys ;was Quarter Gill)

    No 16 Bar & Kitchen (was Sotto; was The Two Heided Man)

    Denholms

    Solid Rock Cafe

    The Alpen Lodge

    The Park Lane

    26 Hope St

  • Trail 7 - Queen St and Glassford St

    (purple icon)

    Biere Halle

    The Lab

    Wonderbar

    Sloans

    Rocky O' Sullivans CLOSED

    Strata CLOSED

    Max's Bar & Grill

    Thundercat

    The Spiritualist

    Cairns

    Steps Bar

    Blane Valley

    Bacchus

    Rab Ha's

    The Pavement

    The Doghouse

    The Gallery Bar

    The Amsterdam

    The Oriental (closed)

  • Trail 8 - Jamaica St- St Enoch

    (brown icon)

    O'Neil's (was The Royal Scott)

    The Grant Arms

    The Crystal Palace

    Macsorley's

    The Imperial

    The Mint & Lime

    Lauristons

    Gallagher’s (was Kelly’s and was Coyote)

    Hootenanny

    Times Square

    Crafty Joe's (taken over by Times Square)

  • Trail 16 - Charing Cross

    (yellow with small square)

    Bavaria Baurhaus

    Slug & Lettuce

    Bon Accord

    Chinaski’s

    The Locale

    Driftwood

    The Hall

    Nico’s

    Kilt & Kocktails

    The Hengler’s Circus

    The State

  • Trail 10 - Bath St

    (red with small square)

    Golf Loung

    Buck’s Bar

    Bloc+

    The Butterfly and The Pig

    Palomino

    Slouch

    The Griffin

    Tiki Bar and Kitsch Inn

    St Judes

    Howlin’ Wolf

    Malones

    The Bay Horse

  • Trail 19 - Paisley Rd West

    (dark blue teardrop)

    Lauriston Bar

    The Quayside bar

    The Union Bar

    The Old Toll Bar

    The Viceroy

    The Bellrock

    Grapes

    The District bar

    Kensington Bar

    Park Bar

  • trail 22 -Queen's Park

    McNeil’s

    The Regent

    Titwood Bar

    TheBbungo

    Allison Arms

    MJ Heraghty

    Victoria Bar

    Ryan’s bar

    The Bell Jar

    The Rose reilly

    Queen’s Park Cafe

  • Trail 9 - Around The Trongate

    (orange with large square icon)

    Grace’s Irish Sports Bar

    Buck’s Bar

    Boteco do Brazil

    Maggie May's

    Avant Garde

    13th Note -(closed)

    Old Empire Bar (closed)

    Whistler on the Green

    The Old Ship Bank Bar

    The Winds

    The Victoria & Clutha

    The Scotia

  • Trail 17 - up the Gallowgate

    Chrystal Bell & Co

    MacKinnon’s

    The Gate (check opening)

    Bar ‘67 (check opening)

    226 Gallowgate

    Hielan Jessie

    The Wee Man’s Pub

    The Drover

    Van Winkle (check opening)

    Luke’s & The Flying Ox

    Traders Lounge

    The Old Burnt Barns (check opening)

    Braemar

    Tollbooth Bar

  • Trail 18 - Duke Street, Dennistoun

    The Bristol bar

    The Louden tavern

    The Duke Bar

    the Crown Creighton

    The Alexandra Bar

    The Snug

    The Palais

    Redmond’s of Dennistoun

    The Drover

    The Wee Man’s Bar

  • Trail 21 -Shettleston

    Snedden’s Inn

    The Palaceum

    The Town Tavern

    The Cottage Bar

    The Marquis

    The Drum

    The Portland Arms

    The Railway tavern

    The Kirkhouse

    Miller’s

Links for Glasgow West End & Subway Pubtrails

  • Trail 11 - St George's to Kelvinbridge

    (lime green with tick icon)

    The Castle Vaults

    The Hug and Pint

    The Scallion (was Munro's then The Bull and now ..)

    Wintersgills

    The Lansdowne - closed

    Webster's

    Inn Deep

    Cooper’s

    Bakehouse

    The Left bank

    Stravaigin

    The Doublet

    Schoolhouse

    Dram!

    Arlington

    The Carnarvon Bar

  • Trail 12- Byres Rd

    (light blue icon)

    Curler's Rest

    the Wee Pub/The Pub

    Innes & Gunn Brewery Tap

    Brel

    Vodka Wodka

    Jinty McGinty’s

    Hillhead Book Club

    The Parlour

    Oran Mor

    BeGin

    Tennent's Bar

    Bar Soba

    The Aragon

    The Hill - closed

    Gumbo - closed

    The Record Factory

    The Three Judges

    Bag O'Nails

  • Trail 13 - Kelvingrove

    (red with tick)

    Dirty Duchess

    Lebowskis

    Taphouse

    The Grove

    The Big Slide

    The Snaffle Bit

    The Butchershop

    BrewDog

    Dukes Bar

    The Islay Inn

    The Park Bar

    No 78

    Kelvingrove Cafe

    The Ben Nevis

    Finnieston

    Brass Monkey

    Strip Joint

  • trail 15 - Kelvinhall to Partick and back

    (maroon circle with square or tic)

    To To

    Kelvinhall Patrick Stumps Bar Three Judges

    The Fiddlers The Dolphin

    Victoria Bar Bag O’Nails

    Quarter Gill Storm Queen

    The Linsmor Smiddy Bar

    Sparkle Horse Tenement Bar

    Bauhaus Windsor Tav.

    Record Factory Rosevale Tav.

    Gallus Deoch An Dorus

  • trail 20 - Maryhill

    LOWER

    The Castle Vaults

    The Tower

    the Star & Garter

    Munn’s

    The BrewHaus

    The Botany Bar

    The Woodside Inn

    The Royalty Bar

    UPPER

    The First & Last

    Kelvin Dock

    The Punch Bow;

    The Viking Bar

    The Lockhouse

    Harvey’s Bar

    The Ram’s Head

  • Trail 14 - Glasgow Subway

    Waxy O'Connors

    Jackson’s

    Castle Vaults

    The Hug

    The Doublet

    Curler’s Rest

    The Bag O' Nails

    Deoch and Doris

    Brechin's

    The Louden Tavern

    Kensington

    The Bellrock

    Stanley Bar - closed

    The Old Toll Bar

    The Lord Nelson - closed

    Laurieston

    Times Square

Interesting pages and sites

  • Books on Beer

    A variety of recommended books to improve your knowledge of beer and brewing

  • Stevenson & MacKay

    Craig Stevenson and John MacKay use their bus passes to visit pubs the length and breadth of Scotland.

    They have recorded their adventures in seven books.

  • Books on Pubs

    A veriety of recommended books that describe the history and development of the public house.

  • CAMRA

    The Campaign for Real Ale

ANSWER: 9