GLASGOW

3. Along Renfield St

 There are 23 pub trails in Glasgow. There are eleven trails in the centre of the city, plus five in the West End, three on The Southside across the river and three going East and of course the famous Subway Crawl

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, Around THE TRONGATE, BATH STREET

WATERLOO St & BOTTOM of HOPE St and CHARING CROSS .

Across the river Clyde, on the South side are PAISLEY ROAD WEST , SHAWLANDS and QUEEN’S PARK trails.

Going east are trails for up GALLOWGATE , DUKE STREET, Dennistoun and along to SHETTLESTON

In the West End there are more trails - GREAT WESTERN ROAD two trails covering Great Western Road and Woodlands Road via St Georges Cross to

Kelvinbridge Undergrounds

BYRES ROAD - two trails one down Byres Road and the other using Ashton Lane ,

FINNESTON,

KELVINHALL TO PARTICK - two routes back and forward between Kelvinhall and Partick subway stations

and MARYHILL - two trails split into top and lower

Plus the SUBWAY CRAWL - 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 The Slug & Lettuce (was 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

Pub Jukebox:

Alcohol themed music to listen to while you browse.

lager & ale - Kim Mitchell

 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 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)

Keep track of beers available at The Raven on untapped

Real ale       : Town of Surfside (Mallinsons); Make it Cascade (York Brew); Cauld Reekie Black Forrest

Craft beer    :Pacific Breeze; Neck Oil; Dead Wax; Hey Mr DJ; Che Guava; Obi Wan Cannoli

Cold Town beers = Pilsner; Pale Ale; Baltic IPA

Bitter            :Camden Pale Ale

Lager           :Tennents; St Mungo; Birra Moretti

Cider :Inch’s Guinness

no alcohol: Heineken 0.0

 Lauders

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

PUB QUIZ

Who wrote The Ballad of Reading Goal?

Answer at foot of page

 The Atholl Arms

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    :Caledonia Best; Gladeye

Lager   : Innes & Gunn; Tennent’s; Menabrea

cider    :Magners; Magners Dark Fruit    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. Pictires of a sunny Australia playing behind bar make you wish it was warmer outside

have a half pint here

Bitter    : Brixton Alliance Pale Ale;

Lager   : Heineken; Fosters; Tennent’s; Birra Moretti; Brooklyn Pilsner; Amstel; Peroni; Camden Hells

Cider:    Strongbow; Strongbow Dark Fruits; Rekorderlig 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,

 Slug & Lettuce (was Missoula)

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 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, 2025

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, 2025

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

  • Trail 1 - Around George Square

    (blue with black dot icon)

    Waxy O’ Connors

    Dow’s

    The Vale (now closed)

    Camperdown Place (closed)

    Millenium Hotel

    The Alchemist

    Flight Club

    The Ark

    The Press Bar

    Committee Room No 9

    Katie’s Bar

    The Piper

    Assaggin i(was Doppio Malto)

    Drouthys

    The Counting House

    The Anchor Line

    The Citizen (was The Trading House)

    The Auctioneers

  • 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

    Hope & Vincent

    Ad Lib (closed)

    The Toby Jug

    The Smokin' Fox (formerly The Hope)

  • Trail 3 -renfield St

    (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

  • 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

  • Trail 5 - around the Fruitmarket

    (grey icons)

    Bar 91

    Beer Cafe

    The Metropolitan

    Marmalade Skies (was Boudoir Wine Bar) - closed

    Bar Square (closed)

    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

    Mharsanta

  • Trail 6 - Waterloo St and bottom of Hope St

    (yellow icon)

    The Smokin’ Fox (was The Hope)

    Kitty O'Shea's (downstairs)

    Kitty O'Shea's (was El Camino and was The Drop)

    Rhoderick Dhu

    The Woods

    The Waterloo

    The Duke’s Umbrella

    Sir John Muir

    Oswald’s (was Kellys ;was Quarter Gill)

    Lafferty's (was No 16 Bar & Kitchen was Sotto; was The Two Heided Man)

    Denholms

    Solid Rock Cafe

    The Alpen Lodge

    The Park Lane

    26 Hope St

  • 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

    Poco Loco (was The Pavement )

    BrewDog

    The Gallery Bar

    The Amsterdam

    The Oriental (closed)

  • 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 - closed

    Lauristons

    Gallagher’s (was Kelly’s and was Coyote)

    Hootenanny

    Times Square

    Crafty Joe's (taken over by Times Square)

  • Trail 9 - Around The Trongate

    (orange with large square icon)

    Grace’s Irish Sports Bar

    Buck’s Bar

    Boteco do Brazil

    Maggie’s Rock n Rodeo

    Avant Garde

    13th Note -(closed)

    Mono

    Whistler on the Green

    The Old Ship Bank Bar

    The Winds

    The Victoria & Clutha

    The Scotia

  • Trail 10 - Bath St

    (red with small square)

    Golf Lounge

    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

  • Trail 16 - Charing Cross

    (yellow with small square)

    Bavaria Baurhaus

    Slug & Lettuce (closed)

    Bon Accord

    Chinaski’s

    The Locale

    Driftwood

    The Hall

    Nico’s

    Kilt & Kocktails

    The Hengler’s Circus

    The State

East End and Southside links

  • Trail 17 - up the Gallowgate

    Chrystal Bell & Co

    MacKinnon’s (closed)

    The Gate (check opening)

    Bar ‘67 (check opening)

    226 Gallowgate

    Hielan Jessie

    The Wee Man’s Bar

    The Drover

    Van Winkle (check opening)

    St Luke & The Flying Ox

    Traders Lounge

    The Old Burnt Barns (check opening)

    Braemar

    Tollbooth Bar

  • Trail 18 - 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • Trail 23 - Shawlands

    Trail 23 - Shawlands

    Trail 23 - Shawlands

    Old Stag Inn

    Quaich

    Loc's

    The Millwood

    James Tassie

    Phillies of Shawlands

    The Granary

    Georgic

    The Corona

    Sweeney's on the Park

Links for Glasgow West End & Subway Pubtrails

  • Trail 11 a nd b - 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

    Webster's

    FORK A

    Inn Deep

    Cooper’s

    The Belle

    The French Horn (was Bakehouse)

    Bank Street Bar Kitchen

    The Left Bank

    Stravaigin

    The Doublet

    or FORK B

    Schoolhouse

    Dram

    FF West End

    Arlington

    The Drake

    Camerons

  • Trail 12- Byres Rd (a) & (b)

    (light blue icon)

    Trail (a) Ashton Lane

    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

    Trail (b) Byres Road

    Curler’s Rest

    Tennent's Bar

    Cottiers

    The Rock

    Topolabamba (was Bar Soba)

    The Aragon

    The Hill - closed

    Gumbo - closed

    The Record Factory

    The Three Judges

    Bag O'Nails

  • 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

    El Jefe's

    No 78

    Kelvingrove Cafe

    The Ben Nevis

    Finnieston

    Brass Monkey

    Strip Joint

  • trail 15 - Kelvinhall to Partick and back

    (maroon circle with square or tic)

    Partick to Kelvinhall

    Stumps Bar

    The Fiddlers

    Victoria Bar

    Quarter Gill

    The Linsmor

    Sparkle Horse

    West End Tavern

    Record Factory

    Gallus

    Kelvinhall to Partick

    Three Judges

    The Dolphin

    Bag O’Nails

    Storm Queen

    Smiddy Bar

    Tenement Bar

    Windsor Tav.

    Rosevale Tav.

    Deoch An Dorus

  • trail 20 - Maryhill

    LOWER

    The Castle Vaults

    The Tower

    the Star & Garter

    Munn’s

    The BrewHaus

    The Botany Bar CLOSED

    The Woodside Inn

    The Royalty Bar

    UPPER

    The First & Last

    Kelvin Dock CLOSED

    The Punch Bow;

    The Viking Bar

    The Lockhouse

    Harvey’s Bar

    The Ram’s Head

  • 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

  • Books on Beer

    A variety of recommended books to improve your knowledge of beer and brewing

  • 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.

  • Books on Pubs

    A veriety of recommended books that describe the history and development of the public house.

  • CAMRA

    The Campaign for Real Ale

  • 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