GLASGOW
3. Along Renfield St
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 along Renfield St
GLASGOW: RENFIELD STREET TRAIL
From Glasgow Central walk out the main entrance and turn right and walk to the corner. Going down to the right is Union St while up to the left is Renfield St. This crawl is going wander up the left hand side of Renfield St then down the opposite side back to the train station.
Walk up a few blocks to the crossroads with West George St. on the corner is The Merchant. Walking up and across a lane is The Maltman and further up at the corner is Revolution. In the middle of the next block is The Raven. Continuing up and on the corner with Sauchiehall St is Lauders.
Walking up a further block and crossing over diagonally The Atholl Arms starts the return journey. On the corner across for here is Walkabout. Wander down a few blocks and opposite The Raven is The Renfield Bar. Another block down and opposite The Merchant is Missoula. In the middle of the next block down is Revolucion de Cuba . A further block down on the corner is The Drum and Monkey.
Half way down this final block, just before Renfield St ends, is Drury Lane. Turn left into this and visit The Horseshoe, Drury St and The Yes Bar.
The station is back at the crossroads marking the end of Renfield St.
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
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 Merchant
The Merchant (Stonegate Pub Co) is a large attractively finished two floor pub. A variety of styles of seating - booths, small and large tables; low and tall tables. Excellent service. Booths just in front of bar then dining tables beyond this.
Have one here
Real ale : Shing Knight Pale Ale; Outlaw king Golden Ale (both Loch Leven); Dark Moor (Kelburn)
Bitter / Pale Ale :John Smith; Brewdog Hazy Jane; Neck Oil; Blue Moon; Innes and Gunn Mangoes On The Run (American IPA)
Lager : Coors; Peroni; Tennents; Birra Moretti; Carlsberg; Menabrea; Asahi; Stella;
Cider: Strongbow; Strongbow dark Fruit Guinness
The Maltman ★
The Maltman (Belhaven) is a large open plan room with stairs at far end leading to an smaller upper seating area which looks out over the main bar. More than a menu on table joint it has an attractive serving area with stools
have one here
Bitter/Pale Ale :Belhaven Best; Neck Oil
Lager :Peroni; Innes and Gunn Lager; Tennents; West 4; Flint Eye Lager
Cider : Old Mout Cider Berries & Cherries Guinness
Revolution
Revolution, Renfield St, Glasgow
Revolution, Renfield St, Glasgow - tall tables and barrels with small topped stools opposite servery
Revolution, Renfield St, Glasgow - up to the right
Revolution, Renfield St, Glasgow - up to the right
Revolution, Renfield St, Glasgow - servery and through to back booths
Revolution, Renfield St, Glasgow - servery and going round
Revolution has the central servery to the left of entrance and round to the left. There are some four steps to the right leading to upper area which is very light as it has the corner windows.. The upper area has dining height tables and chairs. The chairs may be fashionable but remind one of schools in the 1970s and church halls. There are a couple of tall tables opposite the servery. Beyond the servery to the left there opens out a area of banquette seating in large booths. White distressed brick/tiled walls and exposed air conditioning ducts seem to work. Food swerved until 9pm.
Heavy/pale ale: Brooklyn Brewery Summer Ale
Lager: Amstel; Birra Moretti; Estrella; San Miguel; Tennents
Cider: Orchard Thieves; Old Mout Cider
The Raven ★
The Raven. The main door opens to small flights of stairs with tables to the side. They lead to an open bar area where there is considerable standing area and a shelf table. Opposite the bar and round to the right is a dining area and stairs to upstairs part of pub.
Have one here
Was a regular in Good Beer Guide (last 2022)
Real ale :McEwan’s IPA; Daleside Porter; Bravehop
Craft beer :Gladeye IPA (Drygate); Ceasar Augustus (William Bros); Deadmans hand (Blackjack); Mosaic (Adnams)
Bitter :Caledonian Best; Samuel adams
Lager :Haverlee; Stella; Tennents; Menabria
Cider :Magners Guinness
Lauders
Lauders, Glasgow - older front
Lauders, Glasgow
Lauders, Glasgow
Lauders, Glasgow
Lauders is a corner pub with entrances from both streets. There is a large almost semi-circular bar with stools around it. Beyond the bar there is seating following it all around the room. The seating is split into different areas some of which are raised. The room opens out around the right-hand side. There is also, up a few stairs, a family room.
Have one here
Bitter: Belhaven Best; Punk; Chieftain IPA (Franciscan)
Lager: Tennent’s; Coors; Bud Light; Hop House 13; Peroni; Carling; Innes & Gunn
Cider: Strongbow Guinness
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Who owns your pubs?
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Interesting articles to read
PUB QUIZ
Who wrote The Ballad of Reading Goal?
Answer at foot of page
The Atholl Arms
Atholl Arms, Glasgow - older frontage
Atholl Arms, Glasgow - new frontage
Atholl Arms, Glasgow
Atholl Arms, Glasgow
Atholl Arms, Glasgow
The Atholl Arms is a corner pub entered from either street. It has changed outside from red in colour to grey with larger windows. The Renfield Street door takes you to a small standing area and a larger area to right with seating for dining. In this area the windows are now floor to ceiling. The bar loops round and follows four stairs down to take you to a lower area. The two rooms are opened up together.
have a half pint here
Bitter :Belhaven Best
Lager :Carling; 1664 Tennent’s
cider :Magners, Strongbow Guinness
Walkabout
Walkabout is a very large open plan Aussie theme pub with a semi-circular performing area and dance space. The large area is broken up into smaller, but still large sections. Including a soft sofa area and dining tables. This is a sports and party venue. Plenty of giant TVs for sport and lots of room to party and dance.
have a half pint here
Bitter :John Smith
Lager : Heineken; Fosters; Carling; Stella
Cider: Aspall Guinness
The Renfield Bar
The Renfield Bar - The small snug has been opened out so that there is only one room now which means the windows light up the bar making it much more lighter. There is a dark wood gantry and counter with stools. Seating around the sides and window has standard tables with a mix of stools and chairs. Beyond the counter the room opens up a little with tall tables and chairs along the side.
Have one here
Bitter :John Smiths
Lager :Heverlee; Carling; Tennents;
Cider : Magners Dark Fruit; Strongbow Guinness,
Missoula
Missoula, Glasgow
Missoula, Glasgow
Missoula, Glasgow
Missoula, Glasgow
Missoula, Glasgow
Missoula, Glasgow - older layout
Missoula has a long servery on wall opposite door. Three stairs to left lead up to large area with lots of dining height tables with banquette seating along left wall. to the right of the entrance are booths along the window. between booths and servery are firstly a row of dining height tables hen a row of tall tables. Décor is a bit industrial with brickwork from shoulder height to exposed air conditioning. A very attractive and light space.
It is part of the Stonegate Pub Company
half pint here
Bitter : none
Lager : Tennent’s; Birra Moretti
Cider :Strongbow Guinness
Revolucion de Cuba ★
Revolucion de Cuba is a very large high ceiling Cuban Cocktail Bar, tapas and restaurant. The main servery takes up the length of the right hand side and has lots of stools. The large room is a mixture of table sizes with to right them tending to be tall while to left standard size with shapes vary from large round to long seating eight with brown, red or green seats depending on position in room; smaller tall round tables and chairs are closer to the servery.
There is a mix of tile and wooden flooring. Industrial air condition and light supports hang from the ceiling.
Revolution Bars Group
half pint here
Bitter : Neck Oil; Lagunitas Daytime
Lager : Peroni; Amstel; Tennent’s; Birra Moretti ; San Miguel ; Madri
Cider :Aspall Suffolk
The Drum & Monkey
The Drum & Monkey, Glasgow
The Drum & Monkey, Glasgow - front door
The Drum & Monkey, Glasgow
The Drum & Monkey, Glasgow
The Drum & Monkey, Glasgow - back room
The Drum & Monkey, Glasgow
The Drum & Monkey, Glasgow
The Drum & Monkey, Glasgow
The Drum & Monkey, Glasgow
The Drum & Monkey is a Nicolson's pub in the city centre. It has a small horseshoe bar. Slightly raised area to the right and a quieter sitting area through from the left. Ornate ceiling and large fireplace shows it was converted from other use. However, it has nice low-lit ambience.
Good Beer Guide (CAMRA) regular, including 2023, 2024
Have one here
real ale : Captain Cat, SOS, Silver Dollar, London Porter, Nicolson's Pale Ale.
heavy:
lager: Tennent’s, Peroni, Becks, Stella Black, San Miguel
Cider: Strongbow Guinness
The Horse Shoe ★
The Horse Shoe is a regular in pub books looking for iconic pubs. Set down Drury Street (actually a lane) in Glasgow city centre. A building of historic importance according to Historic Scotland. Downstairs is a centre bar in a horseshoe shape to the front with the rear of each leg curving out to give two lobes.
Upstairs lounge
Good Beer Guide (CAMRA) regular including 2023, 2024
Reccomended by Anthony Cooke author of A History of Drinking: The Scottish Pub Since 1700 link
Have one here
real ale : Bitter & Twisted (Harviestoun), Caledonian 80/-, Summer, Deuchars (Caledonian)
heavy : Belhaven Best; Tennent's Special, Caffrey's
lager : Tennent's
Drury St bar and Kitchen
Drury St bar and Kitchen is a large downstairs bar. More of an evening venue than lunch time.
Have half pint here
heavy: nil
lager: Steampunk; Brooklyn Brewery; Grimbergen Blonde; Carlsberg; Starpoperaman ; Tuborg;San Miguel
Cider: Somersby
The Yes Bar Closed
The Yes Bar (nee Vespars) styles itself as a retro Italian cafe-bar. Street level small bar with formica and plastic retro style furnishing. Upstairs is balcony seating looking over the centre of the small bar. Where is the Scottish beer? Brewdog and Innis & Gunn
Have one here
real ale: 45 IPA
heavy John Smith
lager : Heineken; Fosters; Amstel; Birra Moretta; Sagres; Three Hop Lager
Cider Strongbow Guinness
Links for Glasgow city centre Pubtrails
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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
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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)
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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)
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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)
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
Links to pages and sites
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Books on Beer
A variety of recommended books to improve your knowledge of beer and brewing
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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.
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Books on Pubs
A veriety of recommended books that describe the history and development of the public house.
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CAMRA
The Campaign for Real Ale
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Places visited by Pubtrails
Villages, towns and cities which appear on this website.
“Reality is an illusion brought on by lack of alcohol.”
— Seb Protz
ANSWER: Oscar Wilde