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Glasgow, Scotland, has a reputation for being one of the hardest-drinking cities in the world. I know this firsthand, since I spent a couple of years living there.
That said, while the locals might like a good drink or five, Glasgow isn’t especially known for having a cocktail culture. It’s not a fancy city.
Back when I lived there during my student days, cheap and plentiful drinks were the specialty of most Glasgow bars. While happy hour rules have eliminated cutthroat prices, most demand is still in the form of pints and spirit-and-mixer drinks.
However, there are still a few places in the city where you can enjoy a high-quality drink. Here are my favorite cocktail bars in Glasgow.
The Best Cocktail Bars in Glasgow, Scotland
Bluedog
Bluedog is a great bar with live music and quality cocktails. The swanky lounge has a great vibe with velvet and dim lighting. It’s been open since 2003, but they consistently strive to keep things fresh. The owners also own several other bars and restaurants in Glasgow.
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The cocktail menu is divided into sections titled “Old Dogs,” “New Tricks,” “Old Fashioned,” “Classics,” “Margaritas,” and “Negronis.” They’re all good, but I personally like to check out the New Tricks.
The house cocktail Blue Dog supports the charity Musicians Against Homelessness, with a pound from each drink going to help.
On my most recent visit, I enjoyed the Caledonia, which had a nice blend of Scottish flavors, while my girlfriend had the Ra-Ra-Rasputin, which was dessert in a glass, but still refreshing.
Bluedog has live music every night, including jazz and open mic nights, and it’s open until 3 am, making it a great place to hang out late.
Address: 151 W George St, Glasgow G2 2JJ, United Kingdom (map)
Website
The Anchor Line
Glasgow was once one of the world’s greatest shipbuilding cities. In tandem with this industry, the Anchor Line grew to be a prominent shipping company.
Although the days of steamships are long gone, The Anchor Line has been reborn as one of the best restaurants and cocktail bars in Glasgow. The Anchor Line is located in the former offices of the steamship company, along with the Native Hotel Glasgow.
I’d been wanting to visit The Anchor Line for years. Their iconic advertising is memorable, with art covering the walls of the restaurant and bar rooms.
I have a print of one of their posters hanging on my wall, since it includes references to two cities that are near and dear to my heart, Glasgow and New York.
I went with some old friends and had an enjoyable evening catching up with them. For my first drink, I wanted to have some local flavors, so I opted for the Speyside sour.
Later, I had the cherry Negroni from their Negroni menu. It was a nice, sweeter version of the classic cocktail.
The dinner menu at The Anchor Line has a strong emphasis on seafood and meat, with a New York influence. Not wanting anything too heavy, I decided to have two starters, both of which were delicious: the Scottish scallops and the lobster and prawn bisque.
The old ships of the Anchor Line were known for their excellent Scottish hospitality. The Anchor Line of today is continuing that tradition.
Address: 12–16 St Vincent Pl, Glasgow G1 2DH, United Kingdom (map)
Website
The Last Bookstore
There’s something compelling about a literary-themed bar. The idea of having a drink in a private library is one that I’ve always found to be elegant. It’s what I would do if I had such means.
But until I own my book-filled mansion with secret rooms, The Last Bookstore will do just fine.
The walls of the bar are covered in bookshelves. Unlike some cheap places that have fake books or wallpaper that looks like books, all of the books are real.
The tie-in to the theme doesn’t stop there. The cocktails are also inspired by various authors.
First, I had the Thompson, which was not overly sweet and had a good balance.
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Next, I had the Stevenson – Mr. Hyde, which had nice, fruity flavors. It was warming, but balanced.
My friends enjoyed the light, refreshing, and lemony Doyle, the Fitzgerald, and the Suskind.
The bar also serves a Mediterranean-inspired food menu with bar snacks, small plates, and desserts.
Address: 157 Hope St, Glasgow G2 2UQ, United Kingdom (map)
Website
Tiki Bar & Darts Den
I love a good tiki bar. Glasgow might be one of the least-tropical cities in the world, but Tiki Bar & Darts Den brings a bit of warmth to Scotland.
The main bar has tiki decor, of course, including a thatched ceiling and walls, chandeliers made of seashells, straw, and rope, and bamboo on the bar front and chairs.
The Tiki Bar Glasgow serves your standard tiki favorites, such as mai tais and piña coladas, but all the syrups, cordials, and tinctures are made in-house. The drinks are all the better for it. They also offer over 140 different rums.
As another nice touch, the tiki mugs are made locally by Garnet McCulloch at FireWorks Studio. Since they’re high-quality, they’re rentable (or purchaseable) in order to prevent theft.
There’s also excellent music, including indie rock, as well as some other pop hits and cool mood stuff, such as soul and R&B.
The bar also has darts upstairs and foosball in the main room.
Unfortunately, the kitchen was closed when I visited, so I couldn’t try the food. This hadn’t been posted on social media, so it was a surprise and a bit of a disappointment when we arrived. I’d been looking forward to having some Thai food. Next time!
Address: 214 Bath St, Glasgow G2 4HW, United Kingdom (map)
Website
For more places to drink in the city, check out my list of where to find the best craft beer in Glasgow.
