Bar Bloc Bar Bloc

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• What are these?

• Average price 2 courses:
   £10 (lunch)
   £10 (evening meal)
• House wine: £9.50 per bottle

• High point: Cool, relaxed vibe
• Low point: Very busy on Saturday nights
• Food served: Mon-Sun noon-9pm
• Bar open: Sun-Wed noon-1am; Thu-Sat noon-3am
• Delivery: Will deliver pizzas within walking distance
• Open since: 2001
• Also offers: Vegetarian options (at least 25% of menu), Childrens portions, Take away

The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 is now in the shops.

This review is from the 2007 edition.

The Spartan décor of this city centre basement bar - black walls, industrial columns, red leather seating - is perhaps intended to evoke secret student hangouts in Cold War Russia. The menu quotes a fictitious letter from Stalin: 'Dear Mr McConnell, I am writing to complain about the smoking ban. There are enough cigarettes for everyone.' It is not too hard to imagine skinny, beret-wearing youths discussing Kafka while smoking strong fags and drinking black coffee here. Indeed, Bloc is a popular venue with students from the nearby Glasgow School of Art, and the menu covers all the usual pub bases, concentrating on burgers and wraps with some good two-for-one deals on pasta and pizzas. The nachos come with a spicy home-made salsa and fat dollops of sour cream and guacamole. The vegetarian burger includes a soft, floury bap with lots of fresh salad and chunky wedges. Most dishes are accompanied by a choice of fries, potato wedges or nachos. Music is featured most nights, with a particularly popular jazz combo on a Saturday. Yes, Mr Stalin, there are enough cigarettes for everyone - too many, in fact.