Excellent cocktails. The food was also outstanding. I was pleasantly suprised to find steak in Scotland that was tender, well marbled , perfectly seasoned, and cooked to my specification (rare!). The service and atmosphere were perfect for the business dinner we enjoyed. read more

What an interesting setting for a fabulous restaurant. It was a cold rainy evening so the fact that a steakhouse was tucked away in the grand Central Station a few hundred feet from our hotel was a real plus and the fact that it turned out to be our best dining evening in Glasgow was even better. From the atmospheric blue lit metal staircase down to the converted subway tunnel that somehow they had made cozy and welcoming it was positive from start to finish. The rump steak was tender and flavorful and the bernaise sauce really made it all the better. we took a chance on the Tempranillo for a bottle of wine and it was very smooth. waitress was welcoming and knowledgeable. This makes for a nice evening on the town that's a little different! Highly recommended! read more

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Food was terrific and in par with the best steakhouses in the US. Service was good even though we were there late. In a really cool spot below the train station, easy to miss if you aren't looking for it. Recommended for anyone traveling to Glasgow. read more

A bit hard to find (a small door just inside the train station), but worth it. Really great atmosphere is well done by repurposing an old subway tunnel. The staff is cheery and friendly. The food is excellent. Really well done read more

Stumbled across this hospitable little hidden spot below Glasgow Central train station and very happy to have done so. Authentic Scottish food with a twist, using fresh ingredients. None of us regretted what we ordered; rather we regretted not being able to eat more. Also, if you're a gin aficionado, ask the server to suggest something that fits your palate and pairs with your meal. With +120 options on the gin menu, you will not be disappointed. read more

As soon as I heard about Alston a few months ago, I was totally intrigued - could there be anything cooler than a restaurant underneath Central? What really sealed the deal for me was oor Briony's photo of the roast chicken main with mash, it looked so delicious I knew I just had to have it! Myself and the boyfriend decided to come here a couple of months ago for lunch, as a sort of do-over for my birthday dinner, as we'd had a particularly disappointing time at The Raven (see previous review, I'm still rather sad about it to be honest.) The pre-theatre menu with 2 courses for £12 is such an absolute bargain, especially given the quality of the food - obviously there are other places where you can get that sort of deal but you might be disappointed with what you get. Having already decided what I was having, because of the aforementioned photo and the fact that I always look up menus online (sometimes to my detriment if I pure get my heart set on something and then it's not available for whatever reason, I never learn!) my belly and I were very excited for the chicken coming our way! And oh. Oh that chicken. I still think about it sometimes. It's without a doubt one of the best things I've ever eaten in my entire life! The flavours of the bacon, leek, red wine jus and the chicken itself went together so well and everything was cooked to absolute perfection - so delicious!! The mash was probably the best I've had in a restaurant, as I'm usually left pretty disappointed but not in this instance! Went for an Eton Mess for dessert as well, which was really very good, the meringue was lovely and the strawberries weren't too tart. I convinced myself I probably wouldn't manage to eat the whole thing, but I think deep down I knew that was a downright lie and I scoffed the lot ha. The marvellous spread they put on for us at the Doors Open Day party cemented my need to come back to Alston for another proper meal - and luckily I've been on about it so much that my steak-loving Dad has decided he'd quite like to go for his birthday, result! It's almost a month away, but I'm already looking forward to it! I do have one teeny wee niggle, seriously pains me to do this, but I think the soft drinks are quite overpriced unfortunately. I paid £2-something (£2.30 maybe?) for a Coke, which would've been fine except it was literally - and I do mean literally - the smallest bottle of Coke I have ever seen, I think it was about 200ml! However, having had a swatch of the alcoholic drinks (I was driving and so couldn't indulge, story of my life) they seemed to be not too bad, so I think I'll definitely have to try a cocktail or two next time! read more

Alston Bar & Beef - Eton Mess - massive and delicious! - Steakhouses Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

Alston has an amazing selection of gin, which is my primary reason for loving this place. I first visited the Alston for a Yelp gin tasting evening - I would never have noticed it otherwise, and it really opened my eyes to how different gin can be, depending on the brand and the mixer. So I can genuinely blame/thank Alston for my new found gin obsession. There was a group of us visited on Saturday night, and Alston were good enough to reserve seating for us. Great seats too, with a view of the bar, and right beside the door - perfect for people watching. I merrily worked my way through the Scottish selection, starting with The Botanist, then Boe, Caorunn, Gilt, Daffy's (not even on the menu - check me!) and finishing with a Plymouth Sloe (OK, I deviated from Scotland for the Sloe). Caorunn, served with sliced apples is definitely a favourite, but the Boe and the Gilt were also totally delicious. I think the Gilt just edged it. I also had a taste of the PCA Sloe, and I'd say that's much nicer than the Plymouth - much jammier, like a jam donut. Hey, I didn't say I knew technical posh language about gin, I just like drinking it! I love the decor in here too - it's so fresh, classic and stylish, and the staff are lovely too - real experts and friendly. Plus it's just cool that it used to be a street underneath Central Station. I'll definitely be back. Alternating between here and Gin 71 does seem to be a bit of a plan. read more

Alston Bar & Beef - The Botanist in blue... - Steakhouses Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

Ever since I first visited Glasgow Central Station's underground restaurant Alston Bar & Beef, I've been a firm fan, going back time and again. I like to think of Alston as Glasgow's best kept secret which you enter via a secret passage door - blink and you'll miss it. I cannot keep raving about the food to everyone around me and if someone asks for any restaurant recommendations in Glasgow, I make sure Alston is at the top of the list. This time around, I climbed down the Timorous Beasties staircase to sample their new Wednesday Steak & Lobster deal. For £40 for two, you can order a 250g dry aged rump steak, 1/2 North Atlantic lobster or a North Atlantic lobster roll each. The deal also includes a large portion of chips, lashings of garlic butter and a bottle of house wine to share. Sounds like a perfect way to spend a Wednesday. What's even better is that the deal starts at 12 until closing which means if you want a rather decadent lunch, you can! Before our main course arrived, we ordered some starters. For my mom, Chicken liver pate with toast & red onion chutney. I opted for lemon & coriander crab cakes with lemon mayo & mixed leaves. Both delicious and beautifully presented... but we're really here to learn more about Steak & Lobster Wednesday, aren't we? The restaurant uses a Montague oven which reaches extremely high temperatures and when cooking steaks, it allows the meat to be tender and juicy inside while being perfectly charred on the outside. The end result on my recent visit? A perfectly cooked medium rare rib-eye steak that I would gladly eat every day of the week if I could. Alongside the steak, our massive platter had a mountain of chips. Yes, a mountain, that's the only word to describe the amount before my very eyes. Not that I'm complaining. There was also a little boat of garlic & sage butter, ideal for dipping your chips into and drizzling onto your steak if you so wished. Naturally, I did. Who can resist a good garlic butter? On the other platter, a half lobster and a rather appetising lobster roll with another boat of garlic & sage butter. The lobster was cooked perfectly, soft light succulent meat with some lemon squeezed on top- glorious. The only downfall for me? I wish there was more. As we weare sharing, there wasn't much lobster meat to go around, especially as it was so light. A whole lobster would have been perfect. It was my first time trying a lobster roll. I wasn't quite sure what to make of it at first but after my initial bite, I was sold. A lightly garlic toasted brioche roll filled with a creamy mayonnaise mixture of meat from half a lobster. It was extremely light and seemed more like an afternoon snack than a full blown meal for dinner, for me personally. It was delicious though, even more so when dipped into the garlic butter boat. My initial scepticism was unwarranted. My mom however wasn't a fan of the lobster roll. She's a firm lobster fan and loved the creamy mayonnaise mixture but disliked the brioche roll. She's just pernickety. The Steak & Lobster deal comes with a bottle of house red, rose or white wine, however, as I've stopped drinking alcohol, I opted for a few mocktails that were whipped up for me based on my favourite fruit juice- grapefruit. My mom rarely drinks alcohol but on this occasion, she ordered a small glass of white wine along with a soft drink. After a short break, we ordered a couple of desserts. Crumbed pear which is by far the best dessert Alston do. It is a masterpiece of whole poached pear with shortbread crumb and creme anglaise. A more refined version of a crumble and damn it's good. We also ordered the dark chocolate mousse with a warm salted caramel sauce and pistachio biscotti. It was seeing the word pistachio that made me order this. I'm a sucker for anything pistachio, as some of you will know. Addicted is an understatement. This was a rather rich decadent dessert and I would have preferred having the salted caramel sauce on the side to drizzle over instead of it being on top of the mousse. That's my own preferred choice. Overall, dinner was superb. I love Alston Bar & Beef and if you've never been before, you really should. It is honestly really hard to ever criticise the food that comes out of their kitchen. The new Steak & Lobster deal is amazing value for the great quality food you are presented with. read more

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Alston is right up there with some of the hippest bars in Glasgow. The door is located just inside the Gordon Street entrance of Central Station, and when I say a door I mean literally there is a door and that is it. You descend down what surely must be the coolest stairs in the city in to what feels like a prohibition style hidden club. The vibe in the restaurant is contemporary industrial style chic with lovely tunnel shaped rooms,exposed brick walls painted white, really lovely tiled floors and exposed pipes along the roof. In the bar there are some seriously cool decanter lights, in fact the whole lighting design is very clever it's intimate but feels well-lit and airy. The staff were brilliant, our waiter was on hand with lots of suggestions and recommendations which I always enjoy - I like waiting staff that know the food and are excited about it. They were attentive and super fast. I couldn't fault them. I really loved that the plates are all printed with the Alston logo and each plate that was set in front of us had the logo at the top of the plate facing us...it's the little things that make me happy. The menu at Alston was absolutely up my street, it is full of tempting dishes along with an assortment of steaks, sauces and sides to choose from. I chose to start with the beef & roquefort croquette served with horseradish cream. The food arrived reasonably quickly the portion size wasn't huge but it was beautiful, it was light and fluffy and so incredibly tasty, the horseradish cream just added the smallest hint of heat which was perfect. A special mention has to go to the bread which came with Mr Geeks soup, they had toasted it lightly on an oiled grill which gave it a slightly meaty smoked taste, it was amazing. For my main I went for a medium sirloin with garlic & sage butter and sides of sweet potato fries and a house salad. Only one word is needed to describe my steak.... Perfection! As good a steak as I've had in the city. It was cooked exactly right for me and was so flavoursome, the butter came in a separate little pot which I loved because I don't like it all melted over the steak. The house salad was full of lovely little treats like beetroot, mini gherkins and peas. The sweet potato fries were delicious and really well seasoned. My meal was incredible and I could rave about it for days. Even after all that food we still had room for dessert, the waiter suggested that we try the crumbed pear with creme anglaise, my friends Louise and Stuart both took him up in his recommendation but I was not to be tempted away from trying the chocolate tart with mascapone & raspberries. My dish was luscious, the tart was thick and short which was filled with a dark, bitter and creamy goo, this was perfect with the raspberry infused mascapone. It was incredible. Stuart let me try a little bit of his pear which I am happy to say lived up to our waiters hype. Word of warning it is a pretty pricey, not ridiculous but it is worth looking at the menu before you book. We had a wonderful evening and I can not wait to visit again soon. read more

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This restaurant is in an underground chamber of the main train station in Glasgow. My wife & I went there without any reservation. The staff accommodated us immediately. The mixed grilled meat plate was very good; but I would prefer some more vegetable. The grilled beef bone marrow was creamy and flavorful. The pan fried sea bream was well seasoned; its skin crunchy. The staff was friendly and efficient. But due to its enclosed environment, the noise level in this restaurant was high, requiring louder voice to make conversation across our table. In spite of its noise level, I recommend this restaurant since its dishes and service are very good. read more

Alston Bar & Beef - Mixed grilled meat. Yes, there's beef bone marrow also. Could use more veggie. But everything is delicious. Rating: Very Good. - Steakhouses Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

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An update now I've been here for food, and the extra star is well deserved. It's definitely serious about its steaks, and all of the other steak-heavy restaurants are going to have to look over the shoulder, as I was really impressed with the quality of what was on offer. The starters definitely aren't an afterthought: my ham and roquefort croquette was really nice, especially when you mixed it in with all of the accompaniements (sorry, can't remember what else you get with it!), and the scallops I tried were also really good (extra marks for the black pudding this comes with - really, really good). I went for the sirloin with chips, and all were cooked brilliantly. The steak was cooked just the way I liked it, and was well seasoned. The chips and sauce come in their own containers, which is handy, and the chips were lovely - think decent thickness hand cut rather than thin frites. Didn't have a dessert, but what I saw looked pretty tempting. The staff were all really friendly, and even with the restaurant pretty full you didn't really have to shout over everyone. Also loved the cut glass drinks glasses - makes you feel all sophisticated! It's not cheap, but then most steak places aren't. Definitely worth a go, at least for the pre-theatre, but I have a feeling that if you started on that you would definitely be back for the full a la carte experience. Highly recommended. read more

Alston Bar & Beef - Croquette starter. Lovely. - Steakhouses Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

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I love lists; they keep me sane at work when there's a million and one things to be done and just not enough hours in the day. Alston Bar was so good that I'm struggling to put it into words that aren't simply 'wowza' and 'steak and gin, gin and steak!!' So, in honour of such a wonderful steak and gin experience, here's why I loved Alston Bar and Beef in list-form. I loved: The warm, friendly welcome on arrival. In fact, the service really was great from start to finish. Staff were so helpful, attentive, and generally seemed to be enjoying themselves. Being served with a genuine smile is always the cherry on the cake. The cocktail list. Can we all just take a moment to appreciate the existence of the gin & gingerbread cocktail? With Caorunn gin, lime juice & orange bitters and finished with oh-so-tasty homemade gingerbread beer, I wished with all my heart that my glass was bottomless. Alas, it wasn't and now I'm longing for my next sip. I need more of this delicious concoction in my life and preferably as soon as possible. The food. It was all mouth-wateringly scrumptious. From the croquette to start to the medium rare fillet steak with sweet potato fries and garlic and sage butter. My first experience of restaurant sweet potato fries did not disappoint. They'd been cooked and seasoned to delicious sweet-potato-fry-perfection. And the steak...It was all kinds of meaty pleasure. So, so good. In short, I really liked Alston! - I'm sure it won't take much tempting to lead me back for more steak and gin very soon. read more

Alston Bar & Beef - The fillet steak with sweet potato fries. - Steakhouses Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

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Great food! We went for my husband birthday and we both got steaks. They were easily some of the best we've ever had. I had requested when we booked to be seated in a quiet area and the staff definitely made sure that happened. Alston has such a fun and chilled out atmosphere and because of its speakeasy feel, you do feel like you're in a very exclusive spot. Would definitely go back here. read more

Alston Bar & Beef - "Beef board" starter - Steakhouses Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

After two visits for drinks only, I finally managed to eat here, we have some family over from Canada and decided to go somewhere nice for dinner. There were seven of us for seven last Saturday the staff were all very welcoming and remembered me from being in before. My Brother in law has a Neurological disorder and bravely conquered the stairs, when we arrived in the restaurant the staff offered to take him up in the service lift after our meal. We ordered a variety of drinks me a pint of Innes & Gun very nice,some wines and other beers no delicious cocktails tonight. Only three of the party had starters,Roasted Golden Beetroot Balsamic roasted walnuts & Greek Feta & Pan fried Scallops, pea puree parma ham & black pudding times two, all appreciated and enjoyed with relish. There was a variety of mans two Mixed Grills which were huge portions and beautifully presented, Maple roast pork chop with Stornoway black pudding, baby roast potatoes and caramelized apple & sage leaves times two, Pan fried Sea Bream with peas two ways, baby roast potatoes, onions and lemon bearnaise sauce, 500gm dry aged bone in Rib steak with pepper sauce and mash. last but not least Chicken Breast,coconut and coriander marinade,crispy chicken skin,stem broccoli and leek and coriander puy lentils. A variety of food and flavours all delicious and thoroughly enjoyed, sadly no room for pudding as tempting as the choices were. The staff were all very attentive and very friendly without being intrusive, as promised the three lads went up in the service lift to keep Bro-in- law company. A great night was had by all, we will definitely be back. read more

Alston Bar & Beef - The bar - Steakhouses Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

I was here last year for the awesome Yelp gin tasting night, just after the Alston opened. That night gave me a (previously non existent) appreciation for gin. I've made it my mission to try as many different varieties as possible, but somehow haven't made it back here. Until Friday. I was meeting a friend for a night out and, remembering that she's also quite into her gin, thought that The Alston would be a good idea. The Alston is immaculately clean and very stylised - it puts me in mind of a Norwegian bar I saw on tv once, icy white with bluey lighting. The toilets do that irritating thing where, instead of actually just saying ladies/gents or having the universal icons, they have pictures of deer - with horns for gents, without for ladies. Try figuring that out when you're all ginned up! I saw at least 6 folks just starting at the doors trying to figure them out... When we arrived it was extremely busy so we just squeezed ourselves into a space at the bar. We were immediately furnished with a drinks menu, and away we went..from sloe gin, London no3, a raspberry/ginger thing, to my new favourite, Cold River. Once the dinner crowd were done, we grabbed a table and settled in. Most of the gins were around £3.50, with the more expensive ones just over a fiver. A glass of prosecco is also cheaper than a wine. I still haven't eaten here, but absolutely will. The menu looks great and is reasonably priced - the food I saw being served looked and smelled awesome. The staff were really attentive and immediately started us a tab, without us asking, even though they didn't do that for most other folks there. The Alston is somewhere I could happily spend an evening, working my way through their gin menu and chilling out. read more

Alston Bar & Beef - Steakhouses Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

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Time for an update. After a previously bad experience I decided to give Alston another try and I returned for a work dinner. First impressions were good, the staff were really friendly and we got seated pretty quickly. For starters I had Cullen Skink which was was very very good. Super creamy with huge potato chunks and thick with fish. There was also lots of lovely bread and butter on the side. For mains I had a amazing sirloin steak with mash. The steak was cooked to perfection and melted as you cut it. The mash was great once you added some bernaise sauce. For dessert I had peach Melba. It was my least favourite thing, but that was more about taste than it being bad. It was still a good (super sweet) dessert. All in a great dinner and a much better experience. The service is as efficient and super friendly. The only let down was we were sat next to a fire door and the staff kept opening and closing it which created a massive draft. Still did not spoil a lovely meal. I'm glad I went back. read more

Alston Bar & Beef - Peach Melba - Steakhouses Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

Right in the Railway station down a big flight of neon steps, this looks more like a cool underground bunker than a restaurant! I was in a group of four and we were sat very quickly as it was a weekday lunch. The set menu is awesome and only £14 for two courses. Some great choices. I ordered the chicken liver pate (absolutely incredible) and a burger with cheese and bacon (good, but not mind blowing and fell apart pretty easily). In all this is a very well priced spot for a good quality lunch. read more

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Good concept: underground steak + gin a tails flick from the trains in a place named after the street that ran overhead before Central Station landed. Ride in, beef up, ride out. If you're coming in from out, turn left just after you pass through the smoker smog. Descend the neon cyan staircase. Enter through glass, face the kitchen and turn left. We're promptly greeted, verified and seated by a busy yet efficient young lady in black. Menus and wine list produced, water preferences taken (tap - Scottish tap is better than most mineral) and jackets hung up. Saturday afternoon at 1pm. When we enter it's about a quarter full. At departure, it's heaving, even the bar. The clientele is mostly well past the people carrier and school run stage. Many Ladies Who Lunch. The decor is white-washed overhead arches spanning banquettes and furniture upholstered in the same neon accent. We ordered a couple of starters, a flat iron steak and a rib-eye with mash and Bearnaise sauce. The wine list has a heavy emphasis on gins and cocktails. The set menu is good value Generally all competently done and well presented. Not ground-breaking but I'll take consistent competence over inconsistent brilliance. Positives: - true to concept: large gin selection, lots of beef - good quality meat - friendly welcome, reasonably attentive & personable service - no mobile phone reception (truly, this is a good thing) - screen with live departures (the waitress tells us that people kept running up and down to check their trains so they installed the screen) Negatives: - seasoning - steak not consistently cooked: a medium bavette is medium-rare in parts - sauce cold - mash barely warm, under-seasoned and not as silky as it should be . More butter please. - not cheap but some good value options esp. on set menu - cocktails fairly expensive - tends to get busy and noisy with ladies who lunch - a substantial lag between order and delivery: about 35 minutes for starters (most of which just required frying), about 50 minutes for mains. Overall: a good experience - quality product sympathetically cooked with good level of service. What stopped it being a great experience were the details, as usual. Recommendations for Value Hunters: - skip the starters & fancy cocktails. Have a beer instead. - go for the set menu read more

Had been meaning to try the Alston for a while as had heard good things about it - was not disappointed. The setting, the service and the food were all fantastic. The corn cob and pork starter was sublime, though not a first date dish - a little bit messy! My companion ate the scallop starter which looked great. Steaks were excellent and cooked perfectly. The onion petals were delicious and the chips fluffy on the inside with just the right amount of crunch to the outside. The truffle mac and cheese my partner had I was initially wary of, as truffle oil can be so overpowering but this was subtly flavoured and I really enjoyed it. Desserts were the least enjoyable part of the meal - the brownie was good but the deconstructed pear crumble lacked a sour or bitter note - everything was the same flavour, though beautifully presented. Cocktails and wine were again delicious and good value. Our waiter, Graeme, I think, was friendly, discreet and bang on time and the best bit is that he passed my acid test for good restaurants - do they bring you the bill when you ask for it, or do they leave you sat there for eons waiting? I'm happy to report that it was brought straight away once requested. Thanks, Graeme! Definitely would return and will try and swing by on a Wednesday for their special offer next time. read more

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So I am a fan of the alcohol. Unfotunately, I've not been able to have a meal at Alston yet, but the atmosphere and handiness of the place means that I've had a drink or two. Their gin menu is very plentiful and varied meaning that there are a lot of different options for different palates. They also serve wine, prosecco, champagne, beer, whisky and spirits. I would take a trip down here for the decoration and sheer uniqueness of the place. It is a cost little hive that can get busy so pick and choose your day and time wisely. I am hoping to come here soon for some food and will update my review accordingly! read more

Alston Bar & Beef - Steakhouses Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

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We came for the Sunday roast after reading a review that stated it was one of the top 5 in Glasgow. Oh my God - are we glad we did! This was one of the finest meals we have ever had! My husband and I went against the review and opted for the beef, which was trimmed to perfection and perfectly cooked. Our son ordered the chicken and it also was perfection. Every aspect of this meal was superb, from the Yorkshire Pudding, to the mash, to the roasted potatoes and vegetables. All beautifully played on a deceptively savory sauce. Did I mention dessert? I had the Eaton Mess while my son did a trio of ice creams. This is an absolute must if your in Glasgow on a Sunday! Oh, and you can order the 1, 2, or 3 plates option between the choices of a starter, an entree, and dessert. My husband had a starter and an entree while my son and I did entrees and desserts. The set Sunday roast menu is both easy and affordable for the wonderful quality you receive. A few note: The entrance is difficult to find! It is located within the train station and is just in the door and behind the back entrance to a coffee shop. It looks like little more than a staircase. The restaurant is located in the old catacombs under the train station as has a modern and sophisticated feel with blue lighting and white walls. We were traveling with our 5 year old and had to ask if children were allowed and they are during main meal times. Remember that Sunday roast is an afternoon event. We got there around 3 pm and seating was available. We just can't say enough about the quality of this meal! It's an absolute must! read more

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Shame I have to disagree with previous reviewers. Again, 3 star seems harsh but there are no half stars and 4 would be too generous. Such a nice space, could potentially be amazing with the right furniture and decor but it looks like a rushed finish and just doesn't have that steakhouse or speakeasy feel. Especially given its play on the history of Alston St etc. Washed white brick everywhere, blue led lights and poor furniture/upholstery made the ambience a real disappointment for me, especially after the striking entry staircase. The cocktails were nice enough, however given that this is a specialist Gin bar, some better info/interaction from the servers with regards to what you like, which gins would suit etc would be a very welcome and nice touch. The food was fairly pricy but decent, however nowhere near warm enough particularly the steak and mash (although the sides were boiling?). Can't REALLY complain too much about that though as we were very hungry and munched through anyway! Had we not been on a timescale, it would have been sent back. It's a real shame, I can't recommend this restaurant and won't be returning due to the areas where it falls short for me. read more

Alston Bar & Beef - Cool Staircase - Steakhouses Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

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This place is a great sign of the burgeoning state of Glasgow's eating culture. Underneath what used to be a rather unpleasant part of Central Station, Alston exudes class and modern decor. Primarily a Gin bar, I bought a Hendricks G&T and a French Gin that eludes me along with a pint of an IPA for me. That lot came to £16.40, ouch. They are serving nice Tonic bottles but charging £1.50 for them. A pint at £4+ is sadly commonplace these days. We got to our tables and ordered our food. Please don't go here is you want a budget meal. They are pricey, good but pricey. I would say they are about 20% over the quality of their food with their pricing. My Alston Burger was £15. For that money I expected something truly marvellous. What I got was tasty enough with some nice pulled pork on it but I would think a tenner a fair price for it. My wife had chicken and mash, our pal the maple pork chop. Both really enjoyed their food. The desserts were nice enough too, though my salted caramel was warm and runny sitting on top of a chocolate mousse. Tasted nice enough but runny just warm caramel is a sauce, not a "caramel" as such. The pistachio biscotti was a little bit stale around the edges but very tasty. Our bill for three was £78 and we enjoyed it quite a lot. Not sure I would eat there regularly but I wouldn't hesitate recommending it to people, with a price caveat thrown in! read more

Absolutely loved my dinner here on a recent Saturday night out with a friend. The steak was amazing one of the best I've had in Glasgow and the gin cocktail to start was lovely. I loved the all of the food and the buzzy atmosphere in this place was just great. I had booked the table for 7.30 and didn't leave till almost 22.00 and the staff really didn't bother us or try to get us to leave. I was already excited about returning here while I was still eating!! There were some groups and birthdays eating too and it seemed like a great place for that so I've booked my graduation dinner for Alston and I can't wait. It's also got a lovely bar area and a nice place to pop in for a few drinks. read more

Alston Bar & Beef - Gorgeous steak and chips and the extra sides of mushrooms and onion rings were gorgeous. I barely needed the sauce - Steakhouses Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

In short, the 500g bone-in rib is the best steak in Glasgow. We have been here four or five times and I have had the bone-in rib, medium rare, three times. It is a carnivore's dream! Make sure you're hungry and in the mood for meat as it really is a good slab! Mrs G normally has the 300g rib-eye and it, too, is brilliant. The quality of meat on offer is top notch! I've had the burger for a work lunch too and that is also fantastic! And the gin? Wow! What a selection! I'm drooling writing this and need to get back there soon! read more

I've now visited Alston and tried the a la carte menu, so I thought that was worthy of a review update. I ordered the pan fried scallops, pea puree, parma ham & black pudding (£9) as a starter. Now, I've lived in Glasgow for 5 years and have adopted a love of most things Scottish: haggis, oatcakes and potato scones ... but I have never, ever had a black pudding that I liked. I even considered asking them to leave it off the dish but figured I'd just eat around it. The dish was beautifully presented on a slate and had three plump scallops with a lovely puree and crispy parma ham. And the black pudding. I decided to give it a try to see whether I still hated it - and I didn't. I actually really liked it, it was soft, spicy and subtle and I scoffed the lot. Parma ham and peas should get married, and so of course they went really well together. As I mentioned in my previous review, the portion sizes are small in the starters but I actually think that's a good thing as you'll have a whopping steak to eat. For main I had the 227g dry-aged Fillet (£27) with mash, béarnaise sauce and a side of chips (double carbs, I win). Again, a really lovely piece of meat which was perfectly cooked and was so rich and succulent. The steak is seriously memorable and I can't fault it. I devoured every last mouthful and was glad that there was the perfect sized amount of béarnaise sauce for the steak. Service was great as per my last visit, and again it was an all-round lovely experience. I was perfectly happy with both the a la carte and pre-theatre menu so I'm not too fussy about what I go for next time. read more

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Steak and frit Tuesday today. The steak tastes good but not as tender as I wish. Fries (chips) are crispy and soft in centre, not too salty at all. That's perfect imo. The high ceiling, stone walls, and cool lightings make you very comfortable. I totally forgot about the fact that it's at the lower level of the central train station, as in dungeon! read more

Alston Bar & Beef - Calm lightning and stone Wall - Steakhouses Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

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Popped in here with four friends and I was delighted to find that their standards remain high. The food is excellent, the service prompt without being pushy, and I think the atmosphere hits a great sweet spot of high class without being too exclusive. I started with the Lemon & Coriander Crabcakes. Three well fried, yet still soft and succulent inside, crab cakes, with a hint of coriander and a nice tang from the lemon mayonnaise. That set me up well for the fillet steak. I ordered mine with mash and béarnaise sauce on the side. The meat was perfectly cooked to medium rare, and I could've just pulled it apart rather than cutting it. It was delicious, buttery and smooth, with just enough char on the outside to complement the gentle flavour. The béarnaise sauce is one of my favourites and again, not much to criticise here. It's got a sharp tang to it but doesn't overpower. The mash was ok, and probably the weakest part of the dish as it's just a little on the dry side, plus I think the portion is a little on the large side, perhaps less mash and one more veg might be a better option? (some roasted miniature carrots perhaps?). We washed our meal down with a very nice Malbec (can't recall which one, Argentinian I think) and declined the dessert menu as we were all nicely full. What a wonderful restaurant, can't wait to go back again. read more

Was struggling to think of somewhere to go for lunch near Central and had heard good things about the Alston, so decided to pop in. I was pleasantly surprised by the surroundings and the warm welcome. With it being a Sunday, they had a number of roasts on offer, which is what I was craving. The food was excellent. Succulent roast beef, with all the trimmings, really tasty!! The only thing that stopped me giving it five stars, was that service was all over the place towards the end of the meal. We seemed to have three people dealing with our table, which resulted in menus for desserts being given to us and then someone else asking what we were having 30seconds later and then someone else coming with the bill (which we never asked for), a minute after that! All in all I'll be recommending to others, and I'm looking forward to going back for dinner in the near future! read more

The entrance is like the setting for one of those cool hip clubs in new York you see in films, but when you get in it's a nice ambiance, Great for a relaxed drink with friends, work colleagues or even meeting future partners or in laws. read more

Alston Bar & Beef - As it says on the menu a "hendricks" perfect serve, as recommended by the helpful staff. - Steakhouses Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

I'm eating way too much red meat at the moment, so I decided to go to Alston Bar & Beef to eat some more! I popped in for a drink a few weeks ago so luckily I knew where it was, it's not easy to find unless you know its there. Its almost unheralded entrance is within the Gordon Street doorway of Central Station, you have to push in a brick and turn a candlestick to open the portal - well not really but it definitely is not obvious. On walking down the stairs you enter the room at the service window, turn left and what immediately struck me was how similar it was to McChuills but way posher. It is housed in two arches, it has enormous aged mirrors at the end to make it feel lighter, it is very slick and definitely feels more restaurant than bar. The focus in the drinks menu is most definitely gin, I would guess it is probably second only to Gin71 for the selection, but it majors in cocktails also. The menu, well, the menu is meaty, well meaty, they serve minimum 35 day dry-aged steaks and given we were on a tight timeline we thought that was a great option for dinner that evening. I opted for a start of Scallops, pea-puree, black pudding and parma ham, followed by a 300g Sirloin Steak, my partner went for a 300g D-Rump steak. The starter came very quickly and tasted as it should, except for the pea puree being the most unusual element and it certainly added to the flavours. I don't get crispy parma ham though, what's wrong with it being soft? Still very pleasing so far anyway. The mains came and we realised why the D-Rump might be a little cheaper (still £17 though!), it literally is I reckon the rounded part of the rump, ie it's not a consistent thickness. We both have our steaks medium rare as a rule and obviously to have a D-shaped steak cooked the same all the way through would be difficult, apparently they managed it though. The steaks were succulent and yes, at least as good as the Butchershop in my estimation. The chips were far superior. So for the simple fact I can't fault the food or the service it's a full set of stars from me! read more

Have been wanting to visit here since it opened a few months back and finally booked a table for my sister and I last week. Firstly - location. Couldn't be better, no longer city centre based for work (boohoo) I arrived by train on a rainy Thursday evening and was delighted I didn't have to step a foot outside. Headed down the cool staircase and into the very stylish restaurant. Loved the white walls, blue lighting and exposed pipes, all felt very trendy like a cool New York or London bar. We chose to eat from the set menu, great value 2 courses for £12. We skipped a starter and went straight for a main. I chose the oven roast chicken, was perfectly cooked, tender and moist. the flavour of the bacon and leeks perfectly complimented the chicken and mash. My sister opted for steak frites, very impressed by the size and quality of the steak. Perfectly cooked and delicious flavour. We both had the pear crumble for dessert, not your typical crumble - more of a 'deconstructed' crumble with full poached pear on a bed of crumble with ice cream. Really delicious. Only comment is - I'm a chocoholic so would have liked to see a chocolate option on there! This place is unusual, quirky and elegant. I will absolutely be returning. One last thing - the signs on the toilet doors are a little confusing - a silhouette of a stags head and a deer head... I did pause outside both doors for longer than I probably should have to figure out what one I was! That was only after one glass of fizz! Cute touch just slightly confusing (for some!) read more

Your probably wondering "it's been a while. Has Barry finally found the ultimate burger and is now locked in a room somewhere in a state of meaty rapture or has he choked on a errant bit of tomato and his funeral didn't rate a yelp event?" Well neither truth be told it's been a while since I have been out for a burger but when I saw the burger on Alton's menu I thought I would give it a whirl. Now as already stated the Alton is a bit hard to find as it's tucked away behind the gates of central and there is a decimate feel of descending into something secret as you go down the stairs. The interior is "crisp", reminded me of something you would find in a vodka advert as opposed to a gin bar. They host a large selection of gins and gin cocktails as well as all the other staples of the alcohol world. The menu had enough option to provide a healthy choice yet sparse enough not to overwhelm and from this menu I opted for the 35 day aged rump beef burger! Ground beef with cheese, parma ham, pickled gherkins and lettuce, I was already happy with the lack of tomato so no need to alter the burger. Now the burger was slightly too large for grab and munch and after a couple of bites had to plate it and go for the cutlery. This is where I discovered where the problem lay, the brioche bun! It was simply to spongy, repelling the knife like when a fat guy gets punched in the stomach in a cartoon. This lead to the third and final tactic, deconstruction. This meant that the lettuce and bread got ditched I'm afraid. Now I must stress the rest of the burger tasted lovely in its separate parts but when it's £15 a shot I want to enjoy it all. I should also add that at the time I had an eye infection that was knocking me a bit silly do this may have altered my experience slightly. Over all I give it 3 out of 5 Jules, a good but not great burger. I would say I would try it again but to be honest would probably opt for steak. read more

Last Friday night I got a text from my friend saying we needed to try this new bar in town and can I meet her outside of Central because it's on Gordon Street, okay no problem. Unfortunately for me I've been a terrible yelper recently and I didn't know of this new bar opening, so we spent approximately 15 minutes searching high and low for this mysterious bar before I suggested that it very well could be inside Central station. It is. I'm an idiot. Alston is Glasgow Central's newest food spot and it's definitely one I'm going to be visiting more often. I didn't try any of the food on my first visit but fully intend to do so before I move to London in 4 weeks (cry). Though I didn't try the food, the cocktails we had were absolutely amazing - all of them were gin based and with gin being my favourite I couldn't decide so we tried a few! Definitely worth having a sit in here and trying a couple too! It's a beautiful bar, it's so nicely designed and the staff were lovely. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because the service last week was absolutely awful - it took 20 minutes for us to get cocktails and the table next to us got their food bill for free because of bad service. It wasn't even busy which is why I had an issue with the length of wait, but I'm hoping it's just a starting out thing that they'll fix soon enough! read more

Out for Sunday lunch although I ate from the A La Carte menu. My ham hock was great as was my sirloin steak. The Parmesan and truffle chips were delicious but the sautéed mushroom side was far too heavily salted. My partner's Sunday roast was everything you could hope but again the vegetables were bordering on inedible through over salting. Service was friendly and relaxed. The Gin list is superb and not to be missed. read more

There's something great about a restaurant that's hidden out of the way and is completely unassuming from the outside. Almost out of sight to the left of Central station after the main entrance, take the stairs to climb down to a funky, blue-lit and classy basement, where gin is the speciality on the drinks menu. Choosing a simple pate for a starter, the portion sizes were huge! I shared mine and we still had bread and pate left over. It was beautiful, the only reason we left some was for fear of being too full to eat all of our mains. Having never been on board with the whole burger revolution that has taken Glasgow by storm over the past couple of years, I surprised myself by ordering the burger due to recommendation that they serve the best burger in Glasgow. And I think this might be it. Great brioche bun, tender meat, cheesy cheese (no, like really cheesy) and I chose to finish it off with a big dollop of red onion chutney. Bonus point: you get to choose how it's cooked! Can't beat a really rare cooked steak burger. The dessert, Eton mess (which I'm ashamed to say I'd never tried before) even surprised me - just a lovely pile of strawberry, meringue-y goodness. Only slight drawback was it is a little pricey: £60 for 3 people and that was including just one glass of wine. You certainly do pay for quality but we were eating off the £14 for two courses menu, so didn't expect the final bill price. Go now and stuff your face, just watch out for drink prices and supplement charges before you order. read more

I was here recently for the first time for a Yelp event (which was fab!) and was really impressed by everything, so I decided to come again for me and my boyfriends 2 year anniversary dinner. It was fairly busy when we went, but that didn't stop the staff from attending to us quickly when we arrived. They were extremely friendly and helpful. We both ordered a steak, as they were so delicious when I previously tried them at the event. However when they arrived, we were both quite disappointed. The steak itself was cooked to perfection, it was mainly the presentation and the lack of any real flavour from the steak - there wasn't much seasoning and the pepper sauce was quite bland. For the price that we paid for the 2 steaks, we definitely expected more for the overall presentation. read more

AMAZING. It's very trendy here, which usually isn't my scene, but the food is so good that I didn't care. Five words: smoked brisket mac and cheese. Order this. Aside from that, the burger is fantastic. Come hungry, and wear stretch pants. (And know that you have to walk into the train station.) read more

Ate here recently on a work night out. Great location under Central, although feel the decor could have played on that more. The blue lighting and white tiling reminded me more of a swimming baths than a steakhouse. The important bit, the fillet steak was superb, if a little on the small side. Side orders are a must and add greatly to the meal. In particular the truffle Mac N' Cheese was a favourite at our table. Drink prices were a tad mental, with not a particularly brilliant selection on offer outside of wine. I expect to pay more for drinks in a restraunt but the £6 mark for a bottle of cider or a pint of IPA is a little far for me. Dessert was underwhelming. I was dissapointed to find my cheesecake came "deconstructed", basically meaning I was served a plate of biscuit crumbs, a dollop of cream and some strawberries all separated. Others desserts were served in unneccesarily deep tumblers and tall glasses they had to dig through and scrape around, bored of my own dessert, watching my colleagues tackle theirs was like watching something off the Crystal Maze. Definitely a lot to improve, but assuming you're coming for the quality of the beef, you won't be dissapointed. read more

I've been to Alston a couple of times-once for a very tasty roast beef on a Sunday and another time for a burger as part of the rebel burger bash. It's a nice use of the space below central station although kind of hard to find unless you know you're looking for it-which may not be such a bad thing! The highlight of my Sunday roast was the meat, which was juicy and delicious and cooked just right. The Yorkshire pudding was also great, as were all the veggies and I remember a good gravy also. Some of my friends ordered dessert but thankfully the waitress forgot to bring mine out as I wasn't enormously taken with what the others ordered. The burger I had here for the rebel burger bash was actually their vegetarian option and it may well have been the best of the bunch! It had a lovely panko crumb-I am a sucker for a panko crumb, and looked better than the meat option to me. The selection of drinks etc is very good, I need to go back sometime! read more