Air Organic 36 Kelvingrove Street. 56-) 5201. Sun—Thu l lam—l lpm; l‘ri/Sat
l lam—midnight.
This used to be Bar Miro and was dearly loved by all for the comfy seats and chilled atmosphere. but. in its current form as a modern minimalist bar on an organic thetne. it's proving just as popular. Looking like something from 2()()/ meets James Bond circa ()etopussy. Air ()rganic is split into two completely separate floors. l'pstairs you‘ve got the classy restaurant championing organic dishes. and downstairs it's a rocking style bar. ftill of a skatey crowd heading off to places like The Arches and The Sub (‘lub. Check ottt hip hop 1)] Paul (‘awley playing on a Friday night.
Happy ltout‘s.‘ Mon Sun 5- 7pm. Bottles of Rolling R()('l\' £7.25. pint o/‘organie ale [1. vodka mixer and gin ((- tonie II.
The Attic 44—46 Ashton Lane. 33-1 6688. Sun—Thu Sam-l lpm; Fri/Sat 8am~midnight
Although this bar is upstairs from the ('ul I)e Sac (and owned by the same company) you couldn‘t find a more different atmosphere. The small bar is chilled and mature with a hip clientele. As well as their noodle menu. The Attic also make freshly prepared fruit and veg drinks which are perfect for a Sunday recovery session. Most of the time this place is a relative haven of tranquillity above the usual mayhem of Ashton Lane. btit it gets btisy at the weekend. and it’s worth getting in early to grab one of the window seats.
Babaza 25 Royal lixchange Square. 20-1 010]. Wed—Sat 5.30pm 3am; Sttn
9pm 3am. l-‘ree before I lpm.
Like Yang round the corner (which is owned by the satne company) Babaza is one of those places that opens early evening as a bar and runs right through until the wee small hours. The surprisingly large. subterranean venue is decked otit in sumptuous Moroccan style. complete with hidden alcoves. deep. comfy seats to sink into and dim moody lighting. I)Js usually kick off from around 1 lpm. playing a good-time house mix fora 25-plus age group who. while being dressy. aren't too afraid to shake it about a bit on the little dance floor. especially on the mental Sunday nights. Happy hours: ll'ed Sat. 5.30 /().3’()/mi doubles/or singles; Sun most drinks [I plus general drinks promos every nigltt. Bacchus st) (ilassford Street. 57: oust). Mon-Sun l lam rmidnight.
Although named after the god of liquor- fuelled revelry. Bacchus is a civilised experience. A scrubbed-up version of The
128 THE “ST 3—17 Dec l998
13th Note which used to occupy this Merchant (‘ity site. Bacchus combines polished wood and lustrous colours to create a pristine ambience suited to those who like a classy btit not stuffy drinking environment. I)Js liven things tip on Friday and Saturday evenings. (‘ocktail and shooter list available.
Happy hour: Mon PM .i 7pm.
Bar Bola l-l-l Park Road. 339 2992. Mon-Thu noon-l l.3()pm; Fri/Sat
noon midnight; Stiii 12.30— 1 1.30pm. Twisted metal features. a mosaic-covered exterior and beautifully carved wooden seats give Bola a vaguely Spanish feel. but don't let that ptit you off ~ it's in no way a themed pub. That bit further away from other bars. this place tends towards being more of a cool neighbourhood hangout. rather than just another style bar. so there's usually an interesting mix of people hanging otit. from academics to the CtiulCl' \Ves’t [ind sort.
Happy ltours.‘ .llon Thu 4 7pm. Pints of 'Iennents. some spirits and sntall glasses olivine [1.40.
Bar Ce Lona 427 Sauchiehall Street. 332 2528. Mon Sun Ham-midnight.
A dead. dead trendy place which pitches itself overtly as a style bar. The Bar ('e Lona crowd is good-looking. dressed tip
and a little bit older than those in some of
the other bars in the area. While there's a restaurant in the light and airy basement. most of the action takes place tip in the bar at ground level. with its huge picture windows looking otit onto the street so everyone walking by can see where you're drinking and what you‘re wearing. l)ls come in Tuesday and 'I‘husday-- Sunday with a mix that ranges from Latin house to contemporary cltib classics. Happy ltours.’ Sun 'I'ltu all day. Fri/Sat
5 Spin. \odka mire): selet‘ted bottled beers. tequila all U. sangria 50p and i'ot‘k‘tutls‘ [2.50.
Bargo 80 Albion Street. 553 4771.
Mon Sun 1 lam midnight.
When this htige open venue sittiated in the Merchant ('ity was built a couple of years back. it was the most expensive bar ever to be constructed in Scotland. Althotigh Bargo wasn't the bttsiest when it opened. word has got round. and now this ultra-modern bar. with a few classic touches. is popular with a wide-ranging crowd from students to business drinkers. Picked by i-I) magazine as one of their top bars in the cottntry. Bargo oozes cool. btit not so much as to lose sight of the fact that it's a place to hang out and drink beer. They‘ve recently had a bit of a re- fit. ptittiiig in a new menaninc level with a permanent DJ box for the l)Js playing house and garage 'I'hursday Saturday. Permanent student promos.
Bar 91 9l (‘andleriggs. 552 52! l.
Mon Sun llammmidnight.
Dating from the day s when style bars and numbers were inextricably linked. Bar 9l
is a cosy btit audaciously designed space iii the Merchant (’ity. The decor combines a number of features — exposed brick walls. boldly-framed mirrors and an impressive metal relief mural over the bar. Industrial-strength flavoured vodkas are among the more ttnusual drinks on offer btit the spectrum of clubbers. students and hipsters who frequent the place are just as happy with lager. In other words. a stylish bar btit without particular pretensions.
Happy l1()lH'.' 5-8pm every day.
Bar Sauza 73 Queen Street. 22l 2200. Mon—Sun noon midnight.
This small basement under R(‘is is dedicated to converting (ilasgow into a city of tequila tipplers. from the name of the place down to the imaginative selection of tequila derivatives behind the bar. Some of their flavoured tequilas work better than others btit the overall inebriating effect is the same. and Bar Sau/a certainly boasts a young ttp-for-it pre-club crowd. DJs further liven tip proceedings from Thursday-—Saturday and occasional Sundays. They claim to make the best marguerita in town. Promos: trio/ruit margueritasfor tlte prit‘e olom’. flavoured tequila [I a shot on ll't’rl/lltu.
Bar 10 ll) Mitchell Lane. 243 2099. Mon—Sat ltlam—midnight: Sun
I 1.30am midnight.
\Vhen Bar It) opened in '92. the style bar formula in (ilasgow was born: cool minimalist design. I)Js spinning funky tunes and. of course. a young fashionable crowd. Six years. on the bar hasn't lost any of its pull. still being the preferred city centre place to meet and get a pre- club bevvy in before hitting the likes of The Arches. Yang and The Sub Club. Bar ll) pulls in a mixed gay/straight crowd attracted by the Mediterranean inspired menu. relaxed coffees during the day and the stissed vibe at night.
Perntanent promos on ali'opops and bottled lu't’t‘s.
Brel 39—43 Ashton Lane. 3-12 4966.
Sun- Thu l()am~ l lpm. Fri/Sat
lllam midnight.
The decor is rustic continental. the vibes are tres e/iie and the beverages of choice are Belgian beers and wine in this long. narrow bar situated in the West lind‘s busiest drinking thoroughfare. A down- to-carth. culturally clued-up twenty- and thirty something crowd frequent this dimly-lit watering hole named in homage to doomy Belgian crooner Jacques Brel. There's a consistent programme of events including live jam on Saturday afternoons. eclectic live music on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. I)Js on Thursday and Sunday evenings and a spoken word event on the last Sunday afternoon of every month.
Happy hour: 4 7pm. diseount beers. wine and vodka.
From left. clockwise Air Organic. Bargo and 8ar10
ERE’S LOOKING AT YOU Kl
Melissa Gilchrist and Adam Lambeth at Bar Budda
It was big grins all round at Bar Budda when 23-year-old Melissa Gilchrist was out showmg the sights of Glasgow to Australian friend,
Adam Lambeth. One of Melissa’s favourite bars, she explained that She was 'in here all the time’ before inflicting serious damage on a tug of Kamikaze, a liver-worrying mix of vodka, triple sec, lemon and lime. i Earth-wt: aidinr-rrxci m; ?I. em. "4-.‘ a -: u :- -~- :5) “M “J i' 5"“
Budda H2 St Vincent Street. 221 5660. Mon—Sun midday-midnight.
This mellow bar has made a comfy addition to (ilasgow‘s style bar ranks and there’s now a Budda club above the bar. The decor is inspired by North Africa and Turkey with lattice shutters over the windows. miniature Buddhas by the bar and drapes and cubby holes suggesting a harem atmosphere. llowever. Budda encourage nothing more nefarious than a relaxed drinking session with their enticing promos. During the week. the low lighting and soul and jazz background sounds make for a laid-back evening. but at the weekends you'll have to be vigilant to bag one of their loungable couches.
Happy hour: 5- 7. 30pm every day. lager £1.30. ii'ine £1.60. vodka/gin and mixer £7.40. plus promos changing every nigltt including Ital/1priee margueritas andjugs (lft'Ut‘klUl/S.
Candybar 185 Hope Street. 353 7420. Mon-Sun noon—midnight.
This is the kind of place where you have to fight your way to the bar at weekends. It really is that busy despite only starting trading in the summer. The (‘andybar was opened and designed by two youngish guys who had been working round the style bars for years. so they know their stuff. It's minimal. modern and very fast moving. There's a leather front to the bar. btit we've never seen it because there's always hundreds of people in front of it. Dress-wise it tends to be pretty smart. especially at weekends. with the tinjority of people heading off to Trash. Babaza. Tunnel or Archaos.
Happy hours: Mon Sun Spin—8pm. Draught lager: house wine £1.50. pints of Beek 's and Stella [1.70.
Cul De Sac Bar 4-1—46 Ashton Lane. 33-1 8899. Sun—Thu noon—l lpm. Fri—Sat noon—midnight.
To many people. The (‘uldy is an institution and indeed it was one of the first style bars to open in (ilasgow. Years on. the place has still got what it takes. with a recent refit smoothing down the rough edges. lt's stylish in more of a street style way rather than suit style. with a hefty proportion of students hoisting themselves onto the benches in front of the bar. Pretty much packed from open to close. the music is first rate. with The .lengaheads ibig beat) on a Thursday night. drum & bass on Wednesday and Sunday and underground clubby sounds Friday and Saturday.
Happy hours: 5 7pm every day. Pints of Miller: «S’()/- and eider [1.50. whiskey and vodka mixer £1.37). wine £1.40.
Continued over page