GLASGOW
13. Kelvingrove
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 KELVINGROVE
Seventeen venues available on this trail. A few too many, however, it is easy to cut out places by ignoring the ones which are more like restaurants or to high up the trail, or too low down, or off of Argyll St.
Take the train to Exhibition Centre and do not go the down the walkway. Instead go out onto Minerva St and walk up this following it round to right to find Argyle St at the next junction.
GLASGOW: KELVINGROVE
Opposite this corner is The Brass Monkey and across the junction Lebowskis. Walk up Argyle St to The Dirty Duchess and across the junction The Taproom. At the next corner turn right onto Kelvingrove St and The Grove will be on your right. Further up Kelvingrove St low down and across the next corner is The Big Slope. Leave Kelvingrove St and turn along Sauchiehall St. At the corner two blocks along is The Snaffle Bit. You could return to Argyll St cutting out three visits or by continuing up Sauchiehall St there is The Butchershop and then on and opposite Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is Brewdog. Backtrack a corner from here and turn up Hastie St where at the top and across the road is Dukes.
Walk down from Dukes and back onto Argyll St. Here on the left is The Islay Inn and further down is The Park Bar. Cross over Argyll St and turn left and just along Kelvinhaugh St is No. 78. Back on Argyll St corner at the corner is The Kelivingrove Café. Now going down Argyll St there is The Ben Nevis on the next corner. In the middle of the next block is The Finneston.
Now walk along Argyll St back towards the junction you first entered Argyll St by. Across the road at the left end of this busy junction is The Brass Monkey and at the other end is Strip Joint.
Cross the road to walk back to the Exhibition Centre station.
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 - controversial
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
Lebowskis
Lebowskis (West) - The room has a triangular shape. Door on corner has booths going down left wall and seating along to the right by the window. The servery is the far side of the triangle. Quite a bit a standing room in the middle around thin shelf counter. Wooden floor tiled around servery. At right of servery the window side of room continues past the servery into some more seating beyond
Have a pint here
Bitter/heavy: Shipyard; Hidden Lane Tropical Ale
Lager : Hop house 13; Estrella; Heineken
Cider : Guinness
Dirty Duchess
Dirty Duchess is a small one roomed bar. The servery is on the left side short wall. Dark brown wood on walls, wooden floor, dark red upholstery and low lighting make the room dark, even with lots of mirrors, and atmospheric. There is some well upholstered booth seating and several tall tables and (out of place) uncomfortable metal stools.
Have a half pint here
Craft : Lagunitas
Lager : Birra Moretti
Cider : Strongbow dark Fruit; Symonds Founders Guinness
Pub Jukebox:
Alcohol themed music to listen to while you browse.
Down at the twist & shout - Mary Chapin Carpenter
Taphouse
Taphouse has a café design with windows on two sides as it is on a corner. Some seating outside up side of it. Light wood flooring, counter and furniture. Banquette seating to room to left and around on left wall. Main room has tall tables and stools and the servery against far wall. Around sides are dining sized tables
Have a pint here
Bitter/heavy: Twisted Thistle; Chieftain
Lager : Staroperaman; Taphouse Bar & kitchen Lager; Blue Moon; Paolozzi
Cider : Aspall
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
The Grove
The Grove (Belhaven) A small one roomed locals pub. Servery along the left wall with some seating either side of it. Banquette seating along right wall with stools and chairs. Centre of room has more tables and chairs. History - OLD GLASGOW PUBS
Half pint here
Bitter/heavy: Icebreaker pale Ale; Belhaven Best
Lager : Stella; Tennent’s; Carling
Cider : Strongbow; Guinness
The Big Slope
The Big Slope is to be found on the corner slightly below pavement level with a lot of outside seating enclosed in the area between pavement railings and the wall of the building. The servery takes up the left-hand short side wall with the room stretching down to windows at the far end. Lots of dining style tables down the sides. Low ceiling and slightly basement with low lights gives a comfortable feel
Have a pint here
Beer : Joker
Lager :Amstel; Heineken; Black Isle Organic; Birra Moretti; St Mungo
Cider : Orchard Thieves
PUB QUIZ
What happened in 1971 while Calgary's KFSM radio station was playing Carole King's 'I Can Feel The Earth Move' ?
Answer at foot of page
The Snaffle Bit ★
The Snaffle Bit, Glasgow - lounge right, bar left
The Snaffle Bit, Glasgow - lounge
The Snaffle Bit, Glasgow - lounge
The Snaffle Bit, Glasgow - lounge
The Snaffle Bit, Glasgow
The Snaffle Bit, Glasgow - bar
The Snaffle Bit, Glasgow - bar
The Snaffle Bit, Glasgow - bar
The Snaffle Bit, Glasgow
The Snaffle Bit (Belhaven) Another corner pub and one of the few to have separate bar and lounge. The main door at the front takes you to lounge to right and bar to left. The two rooms are connected at the rear. Around the corner is a side door to lounge. There is outside seating either side of main door. The bar has a long servery on middle wall and same servery, though half the length, serves the lounge. The bar has banquette seating around three large semi-circular booths and wooden flooring. In the lounge there is a pool table by the front windows. Banquette seating and long tables down left side leading to servery at end while other side has small booths. There is a tiled floor by the counter and carpet at the seating.
A pint here
Bitter/heavy : Belhaven Best; Icebreaker Pale Ale
Lager : Tennent’s; Carling; Stella; West
Cider : Strongbow Guinness
The Butchershop
The Butchershop is mainly a restaurant with a small bar area while waiting on meal or just for a bit of privacy from busier bars.
A half pint here
Beer : Neck Oil; Gamma Ray
Lager : Heineken; Birra Meretti
BrewDog ★
BrewDog opposite Kelvingrove Art Gallery is a smaller attractive slice of the chain. It has the usual BrewDog brews on the display above the bar. It is not alone in the are to go for the stripped back brickwork and old floor. Servery is on the right of the rear wall with some booths on the short right-hand wall. Dining sized tables and chairs along window at front and side with some tall tables in middle. Bright and airy during the day there is food, dog bowls (not to eat) and even young children welcome (highchairs available) making it accessible to a wide range of folk.
Have a pint here
Among the many brews available were
Heavy/pale ale: Punk IPA, Dead Pony; Elvis Juice; Planet Pale; Brewhouse Collective
Lager : Kingpin; Deluxe Helles
Sunmaid Stout; Jet Black Heart; Siren m4u
Dukes
Dukes is a small one roomed café/bar which is very light as there are windows on two side reaching nearly to the ground. The servery is along the left-hand wall with some bar stools. It is not alone in the area in having walls stripped back to the brick, metal plates from ceiling to hold lights, aged wooden floor and uncomfortable old chairs. A couple of booths are at the rear wall. It has a nice comfortable relaxed feeling.
Have a pint here
Beer: Workbench (Fine Ales); Joker; Caesar Augustus;
Lager : Tennent’s;
Cider : Sam Smiths Cider Reserve; Sam Smiths Organic Cider Guinness
The Islay Inn
The Islay Inn is corner bar with the longer side around the corner. Going in via the Argyll St door the servery is along the left wall. There is a seating area to the right of the entrance. Beyond the servery and up two steps is a larger seating area with tables up both sides and a fireplace in the far wall. Dark wood and low lighting around the servery and stools along counter. Live music most nights; Bands Friday and Saturday, with open mike on Sunday, and jam sessions Monday and Thursday while Wednesday is the Quiz. Food served.
have a pint
Bitter/heavy: Belhaven Best; Twisted Thistle
Lager : Carling; Tennent’s; Stella; Innes & Gunn
Cider : Strongbow and Strongbow Dark Fruits Guinness
The Park Bar ★
The Park Bar, again a corner bar. The entrance takes you to a servery straight ahead which then curves around to the left to serve the large main room. In far corner is a raised area for performers. The large room has seating around the sides between windows and doors and a large standing area. More seating is around and down the right-hand side of the servery. Music at night and food served.
have a pint here
Bitter/heavy: Caledonia Best
Lager : Stella; Tennent’s; Hop House 13
Cider : Magners Guinness
The 78 Bar and Kitchen
The 78 Bar and Kitchen is a one roomed bar diner with French windows to open to outside in good weather. The long servery is against the far wall with dining style tables along sides and front windows and in the middle of the room. Plenty of standing room at bar and lots of bar stools.
Real ale: (three pumps but only one in use) Top Out Smoked Porter
Beer: Neck Oil; Lagunitas; Drygate Wheat Beer
Lager: Heineken; Birra Moretti; Amstel; Krusovice
Cider: Symonds Founder; Strongbow Cloudy Apple
The Kelvingrove Café ★
The Kelvingrove Café still has the feel of the café it once was and is indeed more a café bar. Entrance at left of the shop window and takes you into the main area. There are seats along the window to the right while the servery is round to the left and against the left wall. Banquette seating and small round tables opposite servery which has marble top and brass rails fittings and bar stools along it. Several large mirrors and high ceiling give the impression of a larger place. Lots of light coming in the large shop windows. Wooden floor which is tiled at counter area. Down the side of the left-hand side of the servery counter is banquette seating and four round tables, with a large art-deco chandelier up above. Lots of good food and snacks. Some outside seating during the dry days.
Have a pint here
Bitter/heavy: Disco Forklift Truck; Northern Monk Eternal
Lager : Menabrea; Camden Hells
Cider : Aspall Black Isle stout
The Ben Nevis
The Ben Nevis is yet another corner bar and has the entrance on the angle so that when you go in the servery is straight ahead. To the left of entrance is a large fireplace with some seating either side. The servery is along the left wall and behind it is displayed a large collection of whisky right up to the top of the high ceiling – seven shelves tall (some are sloping). A ladder is placed to access the higher shelves. Wooden servery, tables and floor. Right of door and far wall have banquette seating with small tables and stools. Middle of room has some thin tables with stools. The look seems to be cosy bothy and indeed folk music is played regularly. Stone walls, dark wood and concealed lighting, with not a lot of light from the windows.
Regular in Good Beer Guide, including 2023, 2024
Have a pint here
Real Ale : White (Neptune); Hopopotamus Export Ale (Broughton)
Bitter/heavy: Seven Peaks (Drygate); Munich Red; Caledonia Best; Kernal Pale Ale
Lager : Bear face (Drygate); Hop House 13; Menabrea; Tennent’s; Heverlee
Cider : Adlestones Cloudy ; Magners Guinness
The Finnieston
The Finnieston has a door in centre of premises and one of the few on this trail which is not on a corner. Down a few steps to main room. Dining seating to right while to left the servery runs along the side wall. Some small round tables opposite servery. Stools at counter and lot of standing area. Beyond the servery are some booths and the restaurant. Walls are wood or green tiles
Have a pint here
Bitter/heavy: Hidden Lane 88; Shipyard; Hidden Lane Tropical Ale; Friels
Lager : Hop House 13; Revisionist; Estrella
Brass Monkey
Strip Joint
Strip Joint is another corner bar with counter on left wall and windows round to right and up right-hand wall. Booth seating along windows either side of door. The main area of the room is dominated by four long tall tables with stools on wooden floor. Industrial look with piping on tables and with exposed lighting, pipes on the wall and walls of brick. Has a small selection of LPs for purchase
Have a pint here
Beer : Neck Oil and Gamma Ray (both Beaver Town); Tiny Rebel Club Tropica; Lagunitas Pale Ale
Lager : Bones (Beavertown); Amstel; Red Stripe; Heineken
Cider : Strongbow and Strongbow Dark Fruits Guinness
Glasgow pub trails map
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
-
Who owns your pubs?
-
Interesting articles to read
-
Who owns your beer?
-
Comparing pubs in Scotland with England
Links to 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.
“I feel sorry for people who don’t drink. When they wake up in the morning that’s the best they’re going to feel all day”
— Frank Sinatra
ANSWER: it was hit by an earthquake