7 Glasgow Bars You Have To Try!

As someone who has lived just outside Glasgow for my whole life, and who has studied and worked in Glasgow since I was eighteen, I'd say I have a pretty good knowledge of the city centre - so I thought I'd share that with you! If you're visiting Glasgow and you're looking for somewhere close to the train station to stop off for a drink, I've got you covered! Here are seven bars, each within walking distance of Glasgow Central Station (and Argyle Street and Queen Street stations too!), and the drinks I'd recommend ordering there!:

October (Princes Square):

This is one of my favourite Glasgow haunts. Whether you are looking for food or just for a cocktail, October has a really nice, chilled out vibe, while still feeling pretty sophisticated. I think this is partly due to the location in the gorgeous Princes Square shopping centre - it just oozes luxury, so even just popping in for a soft drink feels like a bit of a treat. That said, the prices are not extravagant!

I'd recommend: The Vanilla Apple Sour cocktail.

Hortons (92 West George Street):

If my friends and I can't decide where to go for a catch up, we inevitably end up in Hortons - it's a firm favourite! By day it is a chilled out bar-come-restaurant, and by night it is a lively hub for after work drinks, weekend nights out, and it even has a bit of a club vibe on Friday and Saturday when it stays open till 3am and some of the tables are pushed aside to make way for a dance floor. The music is usually good, the staff are friendly, and it is home to my favourite cocktail in the whole of Glasgow...

I'd recommend: The Bellini Martini.

The Old Hairdressers (Renfield Lane):

If you're into more of a hipster vibe, might I suggest popping along to The Old Hairdressers in Renfield Lane? This bar is literally a two minute walk from Central Station, and is definitely one of the hidden gems in the city centre if you know where to look! It's a nice choice for a date night, or a quiet catch up with a friend, since the music tends not to be blaring too loudly and the drinks are fairly reasonably priced considering how close it is to the train station. It has a very unfinished look - bare walls with artsy posters and a sort of mishmash of chairs. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but I like it!

I'd recommend: If you're a beer fan (which I'm actually not, but I'm aiming for variety in this post!) there is an interesting selection in here, which my friends have praised!

Palm Sugar (175 Buchanan Street):

For a more "grown up and classy" choice, check out the Palm Sugar Lounge on Buchanan Street! Admittedly, I haven't been there later in the evening - my friend and I used to pop in here for a cheeky after-uni glass of wine sometimes, so usually we were here between 5 and 7 - but at that point it was fairly quiet, so a good place to relax after a busy day at work, uni, or maybe even a day of Christmas shopping!

I'd recommend: A glass of rose (this list wouldn't be complete without a rose recommendation!)

Strata (45 Queen Street)

Strata is a recent discovery for me, I've only been a couple of times but I've really enjoyed it both times! Nikki, Roisin and I went a few weeks ago (see this vlog for footage!) and I ordered what was one of the best cocktails I've had in a long time (see recommendation below!). It's a slightly longer walk from central station, but is less than a five minute walk from both Queen Street and Argyle Street stations.

I'd recommend: A Passionfruit and Apricot Daiquiri

Sir John Moore (260-292 Argyle Street):

In the interests of keeping this post one hundred percent purse friendly, I thought I'd include the Sir John Moore, which is a branch of Wetherspoons across the road from the downstairs entrance to Central Station on the corner of Argyle Street and Hope Street! If you're keeping an eye on your bank balance, or you have very little time before your train but want to squeeze in a quick drink before you go, this is one of the handiest pubs for the station! It's cheap and cheerful, with a typical Wetherspoons menu, but it's definitely somewhere we head to for a quick bite to eat every so often!

I'd recommend: A bottle of Rekorderlig, in whatever fruity flavour they have that day!

Bunker (193-199 Bath Street):

This is a last minute add on, but I have to recommend Bunker on Bath Street! This is somewhere my uni friends and I used to pop into for a drink before we'd go out with our dancing shoes on back in the day, but more recently I've discovered what a brilliant place this is in terms of deals on meals! There are some really excellent deals on (any main meal for £5 on a Monday, for example), and the food is amazing! I'll throw in a quick food recommendation here - if you're a pulled pork fan, the pulled pork pizza is incredible!

I'd recommend: An Appletini.

So there we have it - seven different pubs and bars to check out on your next few trips into Glasgow!

Let me know if you've been to any of these bars, or if you have any Glasgow night out recommendations! :)

Thanks for reading!