Pubs & bars, Budget and Student friendly
Sorted by place / most viewed / distance. Showing 25, 50, 100 per page.
- Maggie Mays
Outstanding contemporary Scottish restaurant, with a bustling bar and all-year entertainment - Moskito
Moskito is a laid-back bar with an extensive drinks list as well as great food - King Tut's Wah Wah Hut
A legendary live music venue serving cosmopolitan pub food - The Canon's Gait
Impeccable gastro pub food, Royal Mile’s best real ale, with cellar bar available for hire
Waxy O'Connor's
44 West George Street,
Glasgow,
G2 1DH
The first thing you notice on entering Waxy O’Connor's is the sheer size of it. The different rooms and levels make it possible to find a cosy nook even when the pub is busy. Added to this, the wood interior gives a reassuringly traditional feel for an…
80 Glassford Street,
Glasgow,
G1 1UR
Weekends are busy at this Merchant City bar, catering for the post-work and pre-club crowd. The interior is stylish, with comfy low cushioned benches, bar stools and standard tables offering seating options to suit your night. Be careful to arrive early…
Bar 91
91 Candleriggs,
Glasgow,
G1 1NP
Regularly filled with an eclectic mix of professionals, students and families, Bar 91’s welcoming vibe and contemporary interior see it busy all day. In addition to the usual array of mainstream lagers, there are beers from the nearby West Brewery…
Bar Gandolfi
64 Albion Street,
Glasgow,
G1 1NY
It may no longer be a hidden secret, but the bar in the loft above Café Gandolfi still offers an intimate seclusion difficult to find in Merchant City. Inside, stunning handcrafted furniture contrasts with exposed metal beams overhead that somehow…
60 Trongate,
Glasgow,
G1 5EP
If you believe the deep-fried Mars bar is an urban myth, proof of its existence can be found at Maggie May’s, an indie/folky music venue and pub with a surprisingly civilised restaurant tucked away at the back of the bar. The crisply battered…
Barça Tapas and Cava Bar
Princes Square, 48 Buchanan Street,
Glasgow,
G1 3JN
Situated in upmarket Princes Square, Barça’s top floor terrace is a prime spot overlooking the courtyard and soak up the buzz. Inside this spacious urban style brasserie is a lively cava bar at one end with regular cocktail masterclasses and salsa…
Bar Ten
10 Mitchell Lane,
Glasgow,
G1 3NU
Bar Ten’s narrow space, alongside its zinc tables, marble bartop and alley-way location, has always given it a rather European feel. And it still retains a bit of an edge from its glory days as a ‘pre-club’ venue, too, with an older, but trendy, crowd…
50–60 King Street,
Glasgow,
G1 5QT
As befits a busy live venue, 13th note has a cool and funky vibe that attracts music and arts lovers of all ages. A cavernous red room with large windows hosts the bar area with the café perched a few stairs up at the back. The mood of the room changes…
Mono
12 Kings Court, King Street,
Glasgow,
G1 5RB
Mono has been serving Glasgow’s veggie and vegan clientele for ten years now and it’s easy to see the attraction. The room has an indie vibe with a raised platform for the eating area, a good-sized stage for visiting musicians and a long colourful bar…
The Arches Café Bar & Restaurant
253 Argyle Street,
Glasgow,
G2 8DL
In the Arches’ subterranean dining room, regularly changing installations – often by local artists – provide the backdrop to interesting, well-executed food. An appetising menu includes adventurous options such as deep-fried baby octopus and wood…
The Tearoom @ The Butterfly and the Pig
153 Bath Street,
Glasgow,
G2 4SQ
The 'odd pair', it states in the blurb, and they could be talking about the mismatched cutlery and crockery. A step back in time to a more genteel age awaits on climbing the stairs to the sister venue of the Buff Club and companion piece to the…
Bunker
193–199 Bath Street,
Glasgow,
G2 4HU
For such grand subterranean dimensions, Bunker does an impressive job of always feeling busy. Even during quiet afternoons a healthy young crowd fills the bright, airy space. When lights go down and the indie/chart music gets louder, it’s busier still…
Moskito
200 Bath Street,
Glasgow,
G2 4HG
The ambient beats and distinctive green-turquoise hue of Moskito have been with us for more than a decade now, making it the elder statesman of Bath Street. Like its neighbouring bars, the location’s great for workers from the nearby offices, as well as…
King Tut's Wah Wah Hut
272a St Vincent Street,
Glasgow,
G2 5RL
There was a time when every young buck in town knew Tut’s as the venue where Oasis famously got signed. It’s still going strong in the music stakes, with an impressive list of of artists that have graced the stage listed on the staircase leading up to…
Nice'n'Sleazy
421 Sauchiehall Street,
Glasgow,
G2 3LG
Sleazy’s is a legend in this town, a must-visit for indie kids and elder statesmen of the music/arts scene, and its shabby interior can be forgiven, such is the atmosphere. Be it organic cider, white Russians or Buckfast, your tastes are catered for. In…
Baby Grand
3–7 Elmbank Gardens,
Glasgow,
G2 4NQ
With its proximity to Charing Cross Station, the Premier Inn and the motorway, the long-established Baby Grand is handily placed to cater for commuters, visitors and business folk, particularly during the day. At night the area is quieter but a…
Chinaski's
239 North Street,
Glasgow,
G3 7DL
Named after a Charles Bukowski alter ego, Chinaski’s maintains its underground roots by eschewing any signage on the exterior in an effort to deter large groups of rowdy drinkers from nearby Sauchiehall Street. During daylight hours the bar is bright…
The Lansdowne Bar & Kitchen
7a Lansdowne Crescent,
Glasgow,
G20 6NQ
With walls covered in plasma screens and a plethora of comfy booths, it is easy to see why the Lansdowne is considered by many to be among the best sports bars in town. To the rear of the spacious bar is a conservatory area, primarily a function room…
Ivy
1102–1106 Argyle Street,
Glasgow,
G3 8TD
From the street there’s little to see, but the heavy doors of the Ivy open into a small bar manned by some of the most enthusiastic staff you’ll meet in Glasgow. It plays host to six draft beers including the citrusy Joker IPA and more unusually 100…
The 78
10–14 Kelvinhaugh Street,
Glasgow,
G3 8NU
This charming laid-back café/bar has the feel of a country house – set incongruously just off Argyle Street. A long bar dominates the rustically informal room with a line of aged wooden tables, an open fireplace and comfy armchairs hogging its large…
The Grosvenor Café
The Grosvenor Theatre, Ashton Lane,
Glasgow,
G12 8SJ
Located above the well-known Ashton Lane cinema, the Grosvenor is a bar which captures the atmosphere of the film experience. A large projector screen plays out silent pictures throughout the day, while the bar’s décor harks back to the cinematic…
Brel
39–43 Ashton Lane,
Glasgow,
G12 8SG
Brel's become a West End fixture not just for its European-influenced food and drink but for a certain relaxed continental vibe giving it a rare sophistication so close to the university. The back beer-garden fills up on sunny days and also offers a…
The Rio Café
27 Hyndland Street,
Glasgow,
G11 5QF
The Rio Café’s 1950s diner-style décor and vibe has made it something of an institution in Glasgow’s West End, and it’s menu offers up tempting options whether you’re in for breakfast, lunch, or just a snack. The burgers come large and tasty, and even a…
Cottier's
93–95 Hyndland Street,
Glasgow,
G11 5PX
Stencils on the walls, fairy lights and candles add plenty of character and atmosphere to proceedings in this converted church. Service is genuinely warm and helpful while suitably informal given the relaxed surroundings. The carpaccio of Inverurie beef…
The Bank Café Bar
443 Clarkston Road,
Glasgow,
G44 3LL
The Maclay Inns group, five of whose premises are featured in this section, tend to choose interesting buildings for their ventures that add a nice bit of character. In the case of The Bank it is, indeed, a former bank, now popular residential café/bar…
Bar Milano
2 Mains Avenue, Eastwood Toll,
Glasgow,
G46 6QZ
From its pleasantly neutral décor and friendly service to the suburban location, Bar Milano ticks all the boxes for a comfortable neighbourhood trattoria. It’s housed in a converted bank but where such buildings often possess a cold grandeur, the…
The Caley Sample Room
42–58 Angle Park Terrace,
Edinburgh,
EH11 2JR
Nowadays, with every establishment that serves more than crisps seeing fit to label themselves a ‘gastropub’, it’s refreshing to discover somewhere that’s actually deserving of the title. The Caley Sample Room’s commitment to using artisan suppliers and…
Avoca Bar & Grill
4-6 Dean Street,
Edinburgh,
EH4 1LW
Set into a relatively snug pair of rooms on a side street off Stockbridge’s main drag, this modern but lived-in bar feels like a bit of a nook, a welcome discovery when you find it. It’s a proper local for the diverse clientele of Stockbridge and…
Filmhouse Café Bar
88 Lothian Road,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9BZ
Any self-respecting cinema-goer knows that no trip to the Filmhouse would be complete without a pre-movie bowl of nachos from their bustling café-bar. A haven for lovers of independent and arthouse film, the Filmhouse is awash with cinéastes nursing one…
The Cloisters
26 Brougham Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9JH
Despite the name and former-church setting, the only monks you’ll find in The Cloisters are those behind the bar – in the form of guest beers like the fruity (and potent) Westmalle, brewed by Belgian Trappists. They’d no doubt approve of the no-frills…
Earl of Marchmont
22 Marchmont Crescent,
Edinburgh,
EH9 1HG
Much like its Canongate sister the White Horse, the Earl is a grand mixture of classic Edinburgh local and funked-up eclectic touches. The crowd is a hotch-potch of students, cheery thirty-somethings and a clutch of venerable regulars decorating the…
Hard Rock Café
20 George Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 2PF
Some restaurants are all about the expectation game. Launched in London over 40 years ago, the Hard Rock has since exported its rather cookie cutter approach all over the world, but should you go in expecting generous portions of decent, if rather…
Malone's Irish Bar
14 Forrest Road,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2QN
Malone's Irish Bar certainly can’t be accused of misrepresenting itself. Owned and run by natives of the Emerald Isle, the cavernous property oozes Irishness from its street-level entrance area, the large central room with tables for dining and large…
Villager
49–50 George IV Bridge,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1EJ
One of those versatile bars that often seems like a good idea for its perky cocktail list (a modernised one will be introduced very soon, retaining six old favourites and the same proactive attitude to decent ingredients), comfy sofas, and very…
Negociants
45–47 Lothian Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1HB
Negociants celebrates its twentieth anniversary this year as one of the most popular bars among Edinburgh’s student population. Year-round the place bustles, particularly at weekends, while the Edinburgh Festival brings a tourist clientele attracted by…
City Café
19 Blair Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1QR
Pull up your pop socks and pick a song for the juke box: the City Café is your Grease-shaped American diner. Its red banquettes are just right for a short lie down after eating more than your fill of the great BBQ sharing platter, with sticky pork ribs…
The Basement Bar and Restaurant
10–12a Broughton Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3RH
Situated below street level, this bar looks like the sort of place American sitcom characters would head for after a hard day’s mirth-making, thanks to the obligatory neon sign, mustard-coloured walls and staff dressed in Hawaiian shirts. It could be…
The Brass Monkey
14 Drummond Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9TU
Drummond Street’s long-established original branch of the Brass Monkey is a bar with a mainly studenty crowd and a bunk-seated cinema in the back room showing classic films at 3pm every day. It now has a sister venue on Leith Walk with its own big…
2 Picardy Place,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3JT
With its Coronation Street-aping sign, its dual-aspect floor to ceiling windows and the big iron ramp which stretches almost the length of the bar and back, the Street is a landmark pub in the Broughton/Picardy Place area. Its main business is a more…
Barioja
15-19 Jeffrey Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1DR
Barioja has been dishing out its albondigas for over a decade, so could be considered a pioneer of the still relatively youthful Edinburgh tapas scene. Sitting alongside its big sister restaurant, Iggs, it’s seen competition come and go over the years…
232 Canongate,
Edinburgh,
EH8 8DQ
The Canon’s Gait is a pub with plans. It has become something of a hub for Edinburgh’s Gaelic community, and hosts Scottish folk music three nights a week: as a large space in the traditional heart of the city it takes to these roles well. It backs up…
The King's Wark
36 The Shore,
Edinburgh,
EH6 6QU
First and foremost the King’s Wark is a good, solid pub. The dark wood tables and floors have been lovingly restored, Scottish ales are served on tap and the bar is well-stocked with a healthy combination of pub classics and well-selected imports. The…
42 places.
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