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    The Ark

    3.2 (31 reviews)
    InexpensivePubs
    Open 12:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)

    The Ark Photos

    THE ARK ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Juke Box
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - The Ark

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    Reviews With Photos

    Steven B.

    The Ark is one of the Scream franchise pubs that predominantly attracts a young student population, and specifically those from Strathclyde University. It rests just up the hill from George Square, round the corner from Strathclyde Universities Student Union. It is always busy. Service at the bar can take a while and even once a food order has been placed don't count on getting it in 15 or 20 minutes. I have waited up to 1 hour at peak times before. Basically, if you're a student with a day off or one class in the afternoon, it is ideal. If you only have an hour on your lunch break, it isn't well suited for your needs. The pool table is always busy, and the jukebox always has a backlog of a billion 'student anthems' to sift through before you can listen to a song. There's also a pool table outside and tables in the outdoor smoking patio which is ace for those rare blistering summer days. The food is average, but you get what you pay for. It is reasonably priced with good promotions that help keep the place packed with students everyday of the week. The beer and burger combo is a constant source of delight. There's a good quiz on Sunday evenings where entrants get a free voucher for a meal. You can also sign up a for a Yellow Card to get discounts throughout the year. It only costs £1 and so pays for itself really. These guys know how to keep the punters coming back. UPDATE: The Sunday Quiz has now moved to the Sauchiehall Street Scream Pub, The Hall.

    Taken by Liz
    Liz K.

    The service in here is not the fastest, so I wouldn't recommend it for lunch if you only have an hour between lectures. We chose to sit on the mezzanine level for lunch. The seats are covered by large, soft, slightly boggin couches. There is a very student vibe in here, emphasised by the fact you're not allowed to wear tracksuit bottoms - you actually get asked to leave when wearing them. The decor is a bit bashed up, possibly deliberately, possibly not, but it all adds to the atmosphere. The cheeseburgers are alright for a quick lunch, served in a crispy bun. Watch the drink prices, though, they aren't as cheap as you may expect.

    taken by Adele
    Adele R.

    I first discovered The Ark as I embarked upon my adventures as a student, overjoyed at the prospect of purse friendly pints and bargainous burgers. I was not disappointed. True to the student pub stereotype, The Ark (part of the Scream pub chain) offers great deals on food and drinks, for your enjoyment between hijacking the jukebox, playing your pals at pool, or taking part in the Sunday quiz. Serving up a beer and a burger for a thrifty three pounds fifty, this is a great place for a not so healthy, cheap and cheerful lunch (or boozy breakfast, if you really want to live up to the stereotype).

    Gordon W.

    Looking at the Ark from the outside for the first time, this modern-looking building looks like more of a nightclub than a bar. It may not quite live up to expectations but it at least makes good use of the space inside. Being situated a stone's throw from Strathclyde University, the Ark attracts a good bit of student activity similar to sister pub Curlers in the west end (also owned by the Scream chain), while attracting less of the older age groups than the latter. It is definitely a pub for the younger crowd on the whole, though often it is more football-daft young lads than anything else, due to the regular live Sky Sports games shown on the televisions inside. If you enjoy live sport, this is a great place. There is a huge projected screen in the middle of the bar, while there are a few smaller TVs dotted about. When the 'fitbaw' is not on, the screens give way to music videos, which are selected via a jukebox, with plenty of genres and artists to choose from. This is something that always attracts me to Scream pubs, as this facility is not available in a lot of places. And one pound for three songs is pretty reasonable. There is a good bit of space in this large pub, with a nice upstairs balcony in addition to the main bar. There is also a large beer garden out the back, which is very nice to sit in on a long summer evening with an ice cold Magners (aah!). There is some nice and comfy sofa seats, though seating can be hard to get at weekends. There are also three pool tables, though they are unfortunately so tightly crammed in that you cannot avoid having to hit the wall, or another person for that matter, as you take aim. One pool table with space would surely be better than three without. The Ark is also a good place to go if you're after cheap drinks or food, like all the Scream places; especially the beer and burger deal. The pints are good, though watch out because there is an ever so common situation of certain pumps being out of order. The Ark was always a regular haunt for me as a student with its tasty and cheap food and drink, where you could always catch the football. I would definitely recommend it to anyone in the younger age groups.

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    18 years ago

    Think this is a great place for students. No frills, cheap drinks and food. Bar staff put up with us in some ridiculous drunken states!

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    The Ark Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - The Ark

    The manager was very accommodating in putting football on one of the TVs.

    Mentioned in 7 reviews

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    The Pot Still - 1000 whiskies

    The Pot Still

    4.7(153 reviews)
    0.4 miCity Centre
    ££

    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.

    Photos
    The Pot Still - Amazing whisky selection!

    Amazing whisky selection!

    The Pot Still
    The Pot Still

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    The Raven - The crowd

    The Raven

    3.8(54 reviews)
    0.3 miCity Centre
    ££

    I'm really loving The Raven at the moment. Since we had our Yelp event last year it has really…read moreencouraged me to go back for more. Well, they did give us a splendiferous spread with copious plates of delicious food to try. In January they had a Winter Sale on with some meals available at £4 and £5 so decided to take advantage of this with my bestie and fellow Yelper Angela B. As a result I ended up with a taste tantalising wee mac and cheese topped with bacon bits including a wee bucket of chips. Not bad for a fiver. Boom! I've also frequented for drinks and they have an excellent bar selection, there's even some cheeky fruit beers in there. Yay! I would highly recommend popping in for a wee swally or a sit down meal within the designated dinning area. It's pretty, it's relaxing and the music is pretty good with some 90's indie beats to tickle your ear drums. Other music probably plays at other times. It's also bang smack right in the middle of town so super handy but ladies beware of the icy blast of the hand-drier in the toilets. Ice burns beware! Please note, not in the Urban Dictionary sense. "(noun): an insult so harsh, that it is both freezing and red hot. Often used sarcastically, like after "yer maw" jokes." Boab: "I wiz playing fitbaw last night." Shug: "I wiz playing with YER MAW last night!" Boab: "Ohhhhh, ICE BURN!" Enjoy and no ravens were harmed within writing this review.

    I was in Glasgow and heading off to a real ale festival, and thought I'd better grab some food…read morefirst in preparation, so I decided to pop in here and check it out, maybe have a pint while I decided where to go to eat. I opted for the taster plank - 1 third of a pint of three different ales, served in a plank with the beer names written on. That in itself is a great touch, a few places don't identify which beer is which. I had a Casear Augustus from Williams Brothers, a Fake Lager from Brewdog and a Witless IV from Red Willow Brewery - as you can see, there's a great range to choose from and the staff were really helpful and knowledgeable about them all. While I was looking around and supping my drinks (the Witless was the pick of the bunch, fact fans!) I noticed the menu. I knew that The Raven were offering food, but wasn't too sure what. Looking at the menu, it looked pretty nifty so I figured I'd just eat here, and I was glad I did! The food is BBQ based - low and slow smoked pork, burgers, ribs, that sort of thing. There's been an explosion of this kind of food in Glasgow recently, I perhaps lay the blame at the feet of Adam Richman and Man vs. Food (my dream job too, it has to be said) but I'm not complaining! I opted for a pulled pork burrito with a side of spicy cheesy fries, and at £9 for the two, it was a steal. They arrived quickly, the fries in a basket and the burrito served on a platter. I was given cutlery before the food arrived, and what looked like a carrying case full of sauces, salt, pepper, kitchen roll and a great sight, a wet wipe! A great thing to have when eating what is esssentially finger food! There wasn't a long wait at all for the food; The burrito was lovely, really filled to the brim and fresh - but the spicy cheesy fries were stunning. Covered in jalapenos, cheese and a smoky, spicy BBQ sauce, they were quickly devoured. I could honestly have had a second helping of those on their own. A great first impression here, not just for the great food, but for the really helpful and friendly staff, and the attention to detail that the whole place shows. It's somewhere that I can see me returning to time and time again.

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    The Raven - The stairs

    The stairs

    The Raven
    The Raven

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    Bloc+ - Fried chicken and chips

    Bloc+

    4.3(106 reviews)
    0.4 miCity Centre
    ££

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

    Came here for dessert . I had been eyeing there unique offerings and knew this was a must for when…read moreI finally had a chance to visit Glasgow ! Had the Goth ice cream which a black coconut ice cream With Jäegermeister syrup black sprinkles and wafer .Coconut creamy meets chocolate bitters and orange citrus . The syrup they use is sweet and thick and adds another dimensions of texture to this already complex up desert . Absolutely fabulous . I will definitely be back to try their buckfast shake . --- Came back the next day because I wanted to get their extremely limited goth dessert again which they were sold out of . Sad . But at least I had the chance to take advantage of their £4 Tuesday burger meal deal . I added caramelized onions for an extra pound but would recommend springing for the cheddar cheese or bacon for an extra £2 which is still a good deal ! As the the taste ? It's £4 burger with fries . No complaints ! As for the buckfast shake ...what an interesting concoction . It's strong ...I can only imagine what having straight buckfast would be like ..I'm glad my first time was in shake form as I'm sure the cream and milk toned down the alcohol and sharpness a lot . The overall flavor really grows on you . It reminds me of like a Neapolitan shake ( heavy on the chocolate and strawberry and no vanilla ice cream ) with a crap ton of added fermented strawberries and maraschino cherries and maraschino cherry syrup . If I was the chef I'd tweak this by adding a rum flambé banana slice or just banana in general would be so nice . I like this place a lot and would low key love to be a business partner or be able up a similar place in the States . Definitely a gem in Glasgow.

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    Bloc+ - Pizzas til 3am

    Pizzas til 3am

    Bloc+
    Bloc+ - Pizza and wing menu

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    Pizza and wing menu

    The Ark - pubs - Updated May 2026

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