Pubs & bars, Budget, Student friendly, Wi-Fi

36 places

Sorted by popularity

Chinaski's

239 North Street, Glasgow, G3 7DL

Patrons here live it up while the bar’s inspiration Charles Bukowski looks disdainfully down from a portrait on the wall. Mind you, even the hedonistic Buk would have struggled to work his way through the extensive range of quality rums and bourbons.

Maggie May's

60 Trongate, Glasgow, G1 5EP

Located in the heart of the Trongate, Maggie May’s is known predominantly as a lively music spot and bar. The restaurant at the back of the venue offers ‘a wide variety of dishes with a twist of Scottish influence’, and is a good option if you are after…

Mono

12 Kings Court, King Street, Glasgow, G1 5RB

Microbrewery appreciation starts early at Mono, where vast silver vats line one wall, piping homemade lemonades directly to the bar for a refreshing alternative to the usual drinks, which are of course also available. Young parents bring their kids to…

Distill

1102–1106 Argyle Street, Glasgow, G3 8TD

Until recently called the Ivy, Distill's new name hasn't changed it from being a haunt for the hip, with a young cool crowd attracted to a fashionable part of the city. The range of rums is the widest in Scotland and the house rum is the excellent…

The Rio Café

27 Hyndland Street, Glasgow, G11 5QF

Brightening up Partick for several years now with its 1950s American diner-style décor and assorted retro touches such as big tubs of sweets behind the bar, Rio Café offers a little something for everyone. Serving food from breakfast through dinner…

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The Cloisters

26 Brougham Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9JH

Beer is now the only religion left in Cloisters: a dark sanctum of guest cask ales, and a shrine to craft beer bottles from Alloa to Australia. And lo, all else was sacrificed to the holy trinity of malt, yeast and hops. Once the token, no-nonsense pies…

The Street

2 Picardy Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3JT

Floor-to-ceiling windows lend the top deck of this popular nightspot a slightly aquarium feel, while those wishing to lurk with the monkfish have plenty of options in the labyrinthine space downstairs, which can be hired out for private parties and has…

The Orchard

1/2 Howard Place, Canonmills, Edinburgh, EH3 5JZ

The Orchard is a popular stopping point for passers-by heading to and from the Botanic Gardens and tempted by a refreshment in the wood panelled bar or possibly at the outdoor tables if weather permits. It also has a loyal band of regulars and is a…

The Grosvenor Café

The Grosvenor Theatre, Ashton Lane, Glasgow, G12 8SJ

Set in a stylish venue with a touch of grandeur, the Grosvenor Café is a fixture for socializing along the ever-popular run of bars down Ashton lane. Originally part of the classic cinema still running downstairs, there’s a suitably luxurious feeling in…

The Left Bank

33–35 Gibson Street, Glasgow, G12 8NU

The Left Bank has a truly varied clientele; from families to students and even the odd dog. Chunky wooden tables, big glass windows and a smattering of fairy lights make it feel warm and intimate both downstairs or on the mezzanine. Thanks to a cracking…

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Nice'n'Sleazy

421 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3LG

Sleazy’s, as the city’s hipsters so fondly call it, is a Glasgow institution as far as music/arts venues go, and among those rarities with a 3am licence all week. The interior may feel like a well-worn leather jacket, dragged through the bowels of…

The 13th Note Café/Bar

50–60 King Street, Glasgow, G1 5QT

A long-established live venue, the 13th Note mixes cool retro booths in its spacious bar with an ever-so-slightly more formal dining area in the back, while the jukebox battles occasional thumps of bass from basement gigs. Outside of big nights out…

Ecco Vino

19 Cockburn Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1BP

With new management since August 2012 there has been a renewed focus on the quality of the wine and food. There is an Italian focus to the wine list but it also features interesting choices from around the world, with 30 or so available by the glass and…

The Tearooms@The Butterfly and the Pig

151 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 4SQ

There is a buzz of excited pleasure as you enter this artfully designed retro dining room; lacy tablecloths, mismatched flowery cups, saucers and teapots provide the setting for groups of friends quaffing fizzy wine and feasting on cakes and sandwiches…

Cottier's

93–95 Hyndland Street, Glasgow, G11 5PU

Despite being festooned with an abundance of fairy lights and flickering candles and boasting a burnished golden ceiling, the dining room of this converted church has an intimate, relaxed feel. Chef Jonathon Macfarlane (formerly Ubiquitous Chip) is a…

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Moskito

200 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 4HG

Situated on a corner of Bath St, Moskito has watched neighbours come and go for 13 years while managing to retain its customer base of twenty-somethings. Subtle changes have taken place over the years – expanding in size, while obtaining a late licence…

WEST Brewery

Building 4 Templeton Building, Glasgow Green, Glasgow, G40 1AW

New breweries are springing-up across Scotland amid the craft beer revolution, but the country’s only German-style microbrewery sits apart from that trend, by drawing its inspiration from centuries-old Bavarian traditions. WEST can be found in most good…

The Arches Café Bar & Restaurant

253 Argyle Street, Glasgow, G2 8DL

The question that springs to mind on entering the Arches underneath the Heilanman’s Umbrella does not concern its myriad of titles – bar, nightclub, theatre, live music venue, restaurant – but why one of the most relaxing spaces to drink and eat in…

The Basement Bar and Restaurant

10–12a Broughton Street, Edinburgh, EH1 3RH

Given its neon signage and the staff’s long-standing penchant for Hawaiian shirts, the Basement has never been a byword for subtlety and sophistication, but instead is a slightly ironic slice of Miami teleported into a Scottish cellar. It’s clearly a…

Baby Grand

3–7 Elmbank Gardens, Glasgow, G2 4NQ

Tucked away behind the King's Theatre, this brasserie has been on the city restaurant scene for 20 years. The layout includes a long, thin bar with an open kitchen, a blackboard showing specials, quirky artworks and candles flickering on black tables.

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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 Soba

11 Mitchell Lane, Glasgow, G1 3NU

The stylish City Centre branch of Bar Soba attracts a cosmopolitan mix of shoppers sipping wine, pre-clubbers enjoying unusual cocktails and diners looking for contemporary Asian food. All rub shoulders with ease as the bar area, with subdued lighting…

The Lansdowne Bar & Kitchen

7a Lansdowne Crescent, Glasgow, G20 6NQ

There’s a whole lot going on beneath this leafy residential crescent – themed-dining events, DJs, quiz nights and Six Nations Rugby equate to something for all. Spacious yet homely, it’s a true laidback local that extends a warm reception beyond its…

Bacchus

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…

The Caley Sample Room

42–58 Angle Park Terrace, Edinburgh, EH11 2JR

This building used to house nearby Caledonian Brewery’s beer tasting warehouse, but now the world’s IPAs, porters, pale ales and pilsners fill the tankards, including 50 craft beers and eight Scottish casks. The saloon splits equally into a bar and…