The best open mic night I've ever been to. We're visiting from Los Angeles and we found them around…read morethe corner from where we're staying. We saw a bunch of musicians walking towards the venue and stopped a gentleman (who was absolutely phenomenal) to learn more and he shared that Mondays, this is the place to be for live music. Everyone was amazing and we couldn't ask for a better way to spend the night in Glasgow. 5 stars well earned!

That we were going to Nice n Sleazy on Sauchiehall (pronounced SUCKY-hall) Street had been…read moredetermined before we departed London. Actually, in truth, I may have gotten word that this mission was not optional while en route to Scotland. In any case, there was no way we were going to pass up the opportunity to visit this Glasgow institution (deemed so because a friend of mine once sat next to Brad Pitt here) and partake of their £2 White Russians. There's free wifi to delight your internet-deprived drinking companions and plenty of people watching to be had. Our night was sadly cut short when smoke began to fill the room and I suggested we skedaddle. Once outside we discovered the street in process of being shut down and multiple firetrucks working on extinguishing the fire above. Past its prime Nice n Sleazy certainly is but that doesn't mean you shouldn't also put this bar on your Glasgow to-do list.

Nice little dive bar. Beers were less than £5 and you can get cocktails for that much also. They…read moreserve dogs and wings too, but I got there too late for the meal service. I liked the seating at the bar, and the two bartenders working were very nice. Young crowd, good music. Looking forward to going back and trying the food!

Small pub, massive whisky selection -- and I mean massive. We're talking over 1,000 whiskies on the…read moreshelves, plus a solid lineup of beers on tap. It's cozy, crowded, and buzzing with life -- often standing room only and packed shoulder-to-shoulder with locals and travelers alike. If you're a whisky fan (or even just whisky-curious), do yourself a favor and try one of their Scotland whisky flights. It's like taking a mini tour of the country's whisky regions without ever leaving your barstool -- and without worrying about driving. The bartenders really know their stuff and are happy to guide you toward something you'll love. A quick heads-up: no football colors allowed, which keeps the atmosphere friendly and relaxed no matter who you support. And speaking of friendly -- the locals here are as welcoming as they come. This is exactly the kind of place where Scotland's famous pub culture shines. Prices are surprisingly reasonable too, so you can sample a few drams without feeling guilty. Whether you're a seasoned whisky nerd or just looking to experience the local vibe, this is the spot. Pull up a stool (if you can find one) and enjoy a proper Scottish night out

Even if you are not a whiskey fan, this place is worth visiting if you're in town. Just to see…read moretheir ginormous, or hmm, whiskey-normous, selection of bottles lining the wall, and the bartenders going up and down the ladders to fetch them. This may prompt you to feel like ordering a drink. You are in good hands and they can totally recommend something that you may like. Their selection is so huge they don't have a menu, you just have to ask for your label or take their recommendations. Naturally, most of the selection is Scottish whiskey, but if you somehow prefer otherwise, (say you are a local tired of Scotch... or just want to reaffirm nothing beats a Scotch?) they do offer whiskey from other countries, as well as beer and ciders, as well as gin, rum and the like. They do offer pies and other bar food, but we went after dinner and just couldn't stomach more food, tempting as they may sound.

The chances are, if you find yourself in this neck of the woods, you're lost…read more While Castle Vaults lies just a stones throw from Great Western Road, so secluded is its location that many Glaswegians are unaware of its exact whereabouts. In actual fact, this is probably a good thing, as although safe enough and cheap, the bar is run down and not a particularly pleasant place to enjoy a pint. During my visit here I was joined by a man I'd never met before, who proceeded to tell me a very lengthy tale about a fall out he'd hand with auntie, who I'd also never met. Mind numbing. In many ways, he seemed genuinely thrilled just to have a new face in the bar to vent to and that, perhaps, tells you all you need to know about this place.

Was with a group of friends and was not allowed in because I was wearing athletic-style shorts…read more This was despite the fact that many of the women were wearing skimpy clothing. Would have appreciated a publicly posted dress code but I guess that would be too much effort.

Why step into a place with one genuine bartender, well theres no reason. The live music is there…read morebut there is no kindness or appreciation upon being served. We as customers must understand that beer/ale is overpriced at bars but we are there for the enviroment. I do not think that there is a manager in place and if there is please rid of the unhappy employees, its a bit of a drag seeing subpar workers.

The service was first rate and good beyond expectations. In America you buy 4 wings you get two…read moreflats and two drumets. I got 5 full wings covered in BBQ and fried onion chips. The testator tots as side were piled high and could eat all. The wife got a burger and fries and burger was perfect and fries piled high. We would come back if in Scotland and recommend to anyone

Easily accessible to Kings Cross. Had the Châteaubriand that was excellent. Great food and service.read more

I love the music in this dingy wee bar but every time I have been in the toilets have been flooded…read more The first time was several years ago and last night we went in around midnight. No-one else was in the bar but in the first cubicle the toilet bowl was covered in black bin bags and the second was splattered with vomit. Absolutely disgusting and unacceptable. Floors were swimming. This appears to be an on going issue which has never been resolved and I am at a loss as to why the place is still allowed to be open under these conditions. It's a disgrace and a serious health risk. Can't imagine how they can afford to stay open when customers forced to leave due to unusable toilets. Maybe it's a money laundering front. Filthy.

Total dive bar but open late so decent place to hang. People were smashed when we arrived at 1:00…read moreAM, lots of dancing & loud music. I was told there were some drug situations in the men's restroom. The crowd got a little rowdy towards the end of the night but the staff were nice enough. Cheap drinks

I've always had a healthy respect for the Variety, but it's at times been tinged with my dislike of…read morethe hipsters and crusties among the clientele. However, post Elite Event on Thursday night, I took one look at my get up, acknowledged my penchant for waistcoats, skull ties and facial hair, and gave my self a shake. So, with a bunch of Elites, some Comic Con brains and a desire for a post event pint, The Variety was the destination. You know the one thing that really, really, really rocks about this place. In my ten plus years living in Glasgow, this joint feels like it's not changed one bit. Aye it's a bit grubby, but it's the grubby of an awesome vintage leather jacket. Old, bashed, a bit faded, but just amazing looking and comfortable as all hell in a basket. Drink wise, i'm certain this place could do with a wee overhall in terms of what's on tap. Bottled seems like the way to go if you wish to avoid the massive brands. Ok, it's not an ale pub, but let's look elsewhere. Williams Bros anyone? So aye. This place is back on my map. I feel like it's maybe an age thing, but I felt well comfortable sporting this place!

Dear Variety Bar,…read more You scared me earlier this year when you told us you were closing. I thought we were close, how could you do that to me? I was all upset because never again would I get to enjoy the feeling of walking into a bar in the middle of 1970s New York, from the dimmed lighting, to the always interesting music choices. I thought I'd have to go somewhere else to enjoy a great choice of real ales and bottled beers. I was sure that I'd never again get to see the wee fishies swimming round in the fish tank at the top of the stairs. All those people that like to bring their dogs to hang out? They'd have to go somewhere else. There would be no retro vibes to take in while you were waiting for a gig at The Garage, or just on the spur of the moment. But you didn't stay closed, and you're back open once more. I knew you couldn't close and treat me like that. We're too close for that to happen, right? Right! And the best bit? You haven't changed a bit. Never go changing, Variety. Never. Your friend, Tony.

Good for beer or shots and music, otherwise no. Had chili that was ground beef and spicy salsa over…read morerice. We each had a cocktail that was a rendition of a classic cocktail and they were weak and pretty bad. Atmosphere was decent dive bar, good for hanging out, and I'm sure the beer and whiskey is fine just avoid the food and cocktails.

3.5 is more accurate, but you know.... good music, good drinks. Food was OK…read more A great late night place when you are hungry in Glascow.

Super tasty! On my…read morevisit, we ordered many things from the menu, the Sunday roast dinner, pork bites in maple syrup, and pudding. Everything was great. We also shared a giant endless pot of tea. This place is really a special place, the day's menu is full of charm, and the service is excellent. When I was there, the dining area was quiet with plenty of available seating, definitely not a cramped place! I hope to return sometime, it was a great experience, food and all. I liked it so much I picked up a couple of their shirts to keep the memory.

This was a higher rated local pub we tried and about a 12 minute walk from our Hilton. It was…read moreearly at 5:00pm and not busy. 3 of the 4 of us ordered the fish and chips (17.95 GBP) just to try another joint. The wife ordered their "Fisherman" which is pan seared Scottish coley or pollock (for 27 GBP). The battered fish with the chips was more delicately done here and delicious. As an aside I tried several times to find a place here in Glasgow or in Edinburgh that did a "special" fish and chips, that is breaded with crumbs and not battered, but apparently no one does that healthier old school preparation anymore (and I need to inform my old work colleague who hailed from Glasgow and gave me this inside tip that it's not practiced anymore). I also had a Chieftain IPA. The side of peas were dryish and not flavorful and small portioned and not done as well and tasty as I have had in London or Perth, just saying. We also had their sticky toffee pudding with ice cream for dessert and that was good. The fries were mediocre. Server was friendly and attentive. 4 stars overall and a nice local flavor Glasgow outing.