GLASGOW

Glasgow pubs around Byres Road - two trails

GLASGOW: BYRES ROAD and ASHTON LANE

Take the subway from anywhere and alight at Hillhead. Turn right and almost next door is the The Curler's Rest. In here you have to decide whether to visit the pubs in Ashton lane and return to Hillhead Underground or wander down Byres Road to Kelvinhall Underground. Each has a potentially ten pubs while the Ashton lane trip has less walking as often the pubs are next door to each other.

(1) Ashton Lane trip

Spin back to the subway station and walk past it turning left at the corner into Ashton Lane which has several pubs along it. The first is a multi-roomed food and drink experience called The Ubiquitous Chip which has firstly in the lane The Wee Pub and around the corner The Pub which has a ground level bar and an upstairs one as well. Continue down the right side and find Innes & Gunn Westend Brewery Tap. Then opposite here is Brel. Walk back up this side to Vodka Wodka and opposite The Pub is Jinty McGuinty’s. Continue along the lane (called Great George Lane) past the car park and cross over the road then continue along the lane (Cresswell Lane) which has cafes and shops. At the end of this lane, cross over and up to the right is the lane (Burgh Lane) continuing. This has the backs of businesses and their rubbish bins. At the end of this lane to the right is The Hillhead Book Club and directly opposite is The Parlour. Walk down to the Byres Road and turn right walking up to the corner to the church which is now Oran Mor at the traffic lights. Cross over and walk down to BeGin. Walk down Byres road to the underground across the road.

(2) Byres Road

Come out of The Curler’s Rest and turn right walking up Byres Road to the corner where the church at the traffic lights is now Oran Mor. Cross over and walk down to BeGin. Continue walking down Byres Road and find Tennents. Leave here by the side door and turning right walk along the side road, Highburgh Rd. Five blocks takes you to The Rock. Leaving The Rock cross over and go down the road opposite where past the corner building is an old church now called Cottiers with bar and theatre. Leaving walk around the building turning up at the Y-junction then right along Havelock St which will take you back down to Byres Road. Cross over Byres Road and walk up a little to Tobolabamba West End. Cross over the road to The Aragon a little down. Continue to walk down to Gumbo (closed) and then find the entrance door (look carefully) to The Record Factory. At the bottom of Byres Road and across the street is The Three Judges. Walk along to the subway and opposite it is The Bag O'Nails. Cross over to Kelvinhall Subway

Curler’s Rest has two entrance doors with both taking you into a large room with low ceiling. There is a mix of seating with banquette seating around walls and under windows either side of the doors and on the side walls for a short distance. There are taller tables and stools in middle of the room and opposite the servery. Half way in the room changes shape where the servery is along the right-hand wall. Half way along the servery and opposite the counter there are stairs for upstairs and the main room opens out after this. Here there are some large low tables with low slipper chairs and there is a dining room feel beyond this. The low ceiling, subdued lighting and dark wood furniture combine to give a relaxing atmosphere. Food served

Have a pint here

Has been a regular in Good Beer Guide including 2024, 2025

Real ale:        Curler’s rest IPA and Proper Job (both St Austell); Jack Black , Stewart’s 80/- (both Stewart’s), Oragutan (Bays Brewery)

Heavy/Pale Ale;        Neck Oil; Faith Hazy Pale Ale; ;  Joker IPA,

Lager:         Corona, Camden Helles, Innes & Gunn, Pravha, St Mungo; Peroni; Madri

 Cider: Mortimer Orchard, Mortimer English Berry                                            Guinness

The Ubiquitous Chip is a drinking and eating complex with Brasserie, Restaurant, rooftop terrace and three bars - The Wee Pub, and at the corner a ground level bar and an upstairs bar, plus some outside seating by the lane.

Upstairs there is a long thin bar area with the servery on the right hand wall. There is a mix of table styles along windows opposite servery. Stools at wooden servery with copper metal counter. Greene King purchase

Half pint here

Bitter/Pale Ale:       Bitter & Twisted, Clwb Tropical, Edinburgh PA

Lager:        Estrella Gallia, Fustenburg , Liquid Chip Craft Lager, Heidi weiss

 Cider: Old Mout  Cider, Thistle Cross                                             Guinness

Innes & Gunn West End Tap  door to bright front of house with large screen on wall round to right showing beers available. Into the room there are long wooden tables and benches. The room gets darker as you move into it but is well lit  with usual orange lights. The servery starts a quarter of the way into room against far right wall. and opposite the servery  fare our seater wooden tables. A corner has some green banquette seating for those avoiding benches.

pint here

Drink selection shown in picture up above

Brel is at thin restaurant bar with a narrow entrance. The bar is round to left, restaurant entrance straight ahead, while to the right and up a few steps is a larger seating area. There is a tall servery along the back wall with three small tables opposite it. The restaurant is up and behind the servery. The seating up to the right is dining style with bench seating and plain chairs set in a room with white brick tiled wall. Light wood dominates servery,  tables, floor and seating. Through from the restaurant area is an attractive outside drinking/dining area.

Half pint here

Pale Ale:      Neck Oil

Lager:       Birra Moretti , Weihenstephaner, Heineken Silver, St Mungo, Amstel

Cider: Strongbow                                      Guinness

Vodka Wodka is a very narrow bar which means only a couple of small tables and the rest standing. There is a large outdoor seating area with heaters at some covered tables and also at back of the three levels. The servery is against the back wall and is tall and long with a door to left of the servery accessing the outdoor area.

Half pint here

Lager:       Asahi

 Cider: Strongbow                                              Guinness

Jinty McGuinty’s is an Irish styled bar with a long thin interior, with a small conservatory and large outside garden and benched area. The compact servery is round to the left taking up the left side wall. The room stretches out in front of it with sectioned off booths down the left and barrel tables down the right against the window. Its Irish credentials are shown by the flag and various quotes on the wall from famous Irish writers. There is an attractive fireplace where the room gets narrower at the far end. there are a few round tables dotted outside the front on Ashton lane. The rear outside area has rows of picnic tables for sitting at and more barrel style tables for standing around.

pint here

Heavy:       Ember 80/-, Seven Peaks (Drygate)

Lager:        Stella;  Tennent’s;   Heverlee, Staroperamen

 Cider: Magners                                      Guinness

The Hillhead Bookclub name gives the idea of a community cafe/bar however it may welcome the community but it is a large place, with a wow factor from being on two floors with a mezzanine landing on way up to top level which overlooks the ground floor rather than covers it. Upstairs and mezzanine have dining style tables while the ground floor has tall tables opposite the servery and beyond that lots of booths with dining table seating. The lighting inside is low, but attractive, which combined with the dark wood makes the large room rather dark and relaxing. Above the mezzanine area is a large screen. A nice long servery against the right hand wall has a gantry well stocked with spirits and books.

pint here

Bitter/Pale Ale:      Jubel beer cut with peach, Neck Oil, Camden Pale, Leveler

Lager:       Tennent’s;   Corona, Heverlee, Bones lager, Camden Helles

Cider:                                               Guinness

The Parlour is a one roomed bar with plenty of outside seating. The servery is along right side wall with dark tiles and wooden counter. there are two  long tall tables in front of servery then beyond that two lower tables. there is red banquette seating back and left side. Along the windows are glasses shelves with chair backed stools overlooking the outside seating. Stone tiles on floor and brickwork and tiled walls give a contemporary feel with plenty of light coming in the windows.

Half pint here

Bitter/Pale Ale:       Icebreaker, Yardbird PA

Lager:       Pravha, Parlour Scottish Craft Lager , Asahi, Peroni, Staroperamen

Asahi

Cider: Carling Cider, Aspall                                             Guinness

Oran Mor is a very successful converted church. There are two restaurants (John Muir and a brasserie); live music and Victorian bar. It is famous for lunchtime “pie, a pint and a play”.

 The servery a long oval in the middle of the room. Wooden flooring, pillars supporting ceiling and stained glass windows as expected from a converted church. There are small booth like areas with banquette seating and tables down the left hand wall. To the right of the servery is a double row of tables down the room and more tables against the left wall.  The seating/tables are broken into small areas and booths. Servery now has two sets of eight taps set on a curved copper pipe on each side of the oval.

Lighting is subdued and with the furniture, counter and gantry being dark wood the large room has an intimate feel with great use being made of stained glass.

Have a pint here visited by MacKay & Stevenson in Still Goin’ Round

Real ale:     Deuchers;  Lia fail;  Dark Oran Mor; Pentland (Stewart’s)

Heavy/Pale Ale:       Caledonia Best;  Gladeye IPA; Ember; Innes and Gunn Session Ale; Jubel Beer with Peach

Lager:        Tennent’s;   Heverlee;  Kelvin Pilsner;   Menabrea;  Hells (Camden)

Cider: Magners Guinness

BeGin is the bar-diner of The Hilton. There is a small balcony for limited seating outside and then the entrance takes you to a large rectangular room with the square servery coming off the right-hand wall at the very end. Opposite the counter are two tall tables and a large TV screen. The main area contains round and small tables for dining. Stools are around the servery and free salty snacks are offered. The ceiling is low and so is the lighting, though during the daylight hours a lot of light comes in the front window.

Half pint here

Heavy:      Goose IPA;  Honker’s Ale;   312 Goose Island

Lager:       Stella;  Tennent’s;   Leffe;  Blue Point Toasted Lager

                                                Guinness

Topolabamba is a Mexican street food place rather than a bar. Although there are some stools at the counter where the two taps are.

This was previously Bar Soba

Half pint her

Lager:                    Elbooacho; Elmelor

The Hill is another corner bar, however this one is more of a triangular shape. It has windows on two sides and the servery angled against the left wall with an attractive modern gantry behind it. There is seating around the windows. Armchair style stools are along the bar counter. Some tall tables are in the middle of the room. there is outside seating

Have a pint here

Heavy:    Peculiar IPA;  Coast to Coast

Lager:    Fosters;  Redstripe;  Amstel

Cider:    Strongbow cloudy Apple