Nightlife in Glasgow

From trendy craft beer drinking dens to traditional old boozers, pub culture is an important part of Glasgow life. There’s a huge variety of watering holes to sample, but where will you choose to go for a 'wee dram'?

Tucked away in a lane near Central Station, the Horseshoe is an icon of the Glasgow pub scene. A well-preserved relic of the Victorian era, it boasts the longest bar in Europe (104 feet and three inches, if you were measuring) along with an impressive display of horse-related knick-knacks. Famous for its karaoke nights upstairs, the food is incredibly reasonable - there’s not many places you can get a decent steak for under £8.

If you love whiskey, head straight to the Bon Accord on North Street. Although it’s a Scottish ale house with a changing rota of beers (up to 800 different ones every year), it’s just as famous for its malts, with over 400 different types of whiskey to try. Warm and lively, there’s a great atmosphere and great pub grub to soak it all up, with clootie dumpling and custard for pudding.

If craft beer’s your thing, head to Brewdog, TripAdvisor’s top rated Glasgow pub. With an Argyle Street location that’s perfect if you’re out shopping (or staying at our hotel near Argyle Street) it has a stylish, deconstructed décor and knowledgeable staff who certainly know their way around the menu. And what a menu! From their famous Punk IPA to guest ales, this is craft beer nirvana. Enjoy live music, and try one of their famous burgers washed down with a perfectly-paired beer.

Hope you packed your disco trousers, because Glasgow is Scotland’s clubbing capital. Every weekend, clubbers from all over the UK make the the pilgrimage to lose themselves in the music - and, if you’re staying at one of our city centre Glasgow hotels, you can be part of the party-loving crowd. We recommend you visit the ex-church venue Oran Mor.

If you’re in town for a night at the Sub Club (or the ‘Subby’ as it’s known locally), you’ll have to look hard to even find the place. All the action takes place behind a little doorway off Jamaica Street marked only by a submarine logo. Even when you get in, it’s hard to believe that this tiny basement room is home to the most important clubbing institutions in the world. Established by a group of art students in 1983, it’s also one of the oldest and has seen famous DJs such as LCD Soundsystem spinning the decks. These days, nights like Subculture and Optimo put the Sub Club firmer on the raver map.

Centrally located on Sauchiehall Street in the heart of the city’s nightlife, Nice ’n’ Sleazy is a total institution on Glasgow's clubbing scene. Cool and quirky, its infamous red basement downstairs has its own roster of house and guest DJs who play a mix of garage, dubstep, grime and house, with some rock ’n’ roll and new wave thrown into the mix.

To say this club caters to everyone’s taste is an understatement. Also planted on Sauchiehall Street, The Garage opens seven days a week and it’s without a doubt one of the most popular places to get down in Glasgow. Oh, and the biggest club in Scotland. Nights are set aside for different genres of music and gigs plus it’s the perfect place for private hiring if you’ve got a party or celebration to be had.

Not sure what kind of bar you fancy? Head to Sauchiehall Street as it’s the hub of the weekend bar scene. But if the pace there is too much for you, there are great times to be had in trendy Merchant City. And, with a Premier Inn hotel near Merchant City, you couldn’t be closer to all the late-night action.

Snuggled cosily along Renfield Lane in the city centre is Stereo, a vegan restaurant by day and late-night bar by night. With an industrial looking building (built  by Scottish architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh) expect everything from house and techno nights to electronica and reggae nights. The colourful bar serves student-priced drinks while the vegan menu is actually extremely popular and well-renowned. What more could you want for a day to night out?

The Flying Duck is a hidden gem of a bar/cafe/club all rolled into one. With a Renfield Street location, it has a glittering menu of club nights as well as pub quizzes, board game evenings, film nights and drawing clubs. Cheap as chips drinks follow sweetly behind a tasty, inexpensive vegan menu that includes macaroni cheese and decadent milkshakes. This shabby-chic venue and menu has never looked so good.

Want to know where Glasgow goes to rock? Maggie Mays is a late night bar famous for its free live music. Open till 3am every night of the week, you can catch rocking guitar sessions upstairs and DJs hosting indie, rock ‘n’ roll nights downstairs in the basement. Every one of their cocktails is named after a song!