Cul De Soc
44-46 Ashton Lane. 334 8899. Sun—Thu noon—l lpm: Fri—Sat noon—midnight. The Culdy is one of the proverbial institutions on Ashton Lane (the other being the ['biquitous Chip). Shotild owners Big Beat ever open these bars the length and breadth of country. remember that the fun began here — and it keeps coming. This is w here you can recover from any post-Christmas blues with the Slam/Glasgow L'nderground records extravaganza on Monday 27 December. The current DJ rotation includes the jazzy new comer Shu llirata on Wednesday. a bit of early Blood (if the Sub (‘lub on Thursday. and Soma's Jim Hutchison on Saturday. And the so-called Millennium will link the Ctil De Sac with cross-mews neighbours Brel in a street party.
Happy hour: 5 7pm every day. Pints of .llillel' and (S()/- [1.50. selected ivliisky/vmlka and dash [1.30.
Cul De Soc Southside/llttio
l()7‘) Pollokshaws Road. ()49 4717. Mon—Thu l lam~l lpm; Fri-~Sat
l lain—midnight: Sun noon—l lpm.
The big change at Cul De Sac Southside was the conversion of its first floor restaurant into a second Attic bar. Jtist as on Ashton Lane. the idea was to create a different mood. a more atmospheric space where one might go to escape the iii-your-lace fun of the Ctil De Sac. But given minimal promotion at its opening in March. many still think it is a restaurant —- hence the recent campaign and a reference to the best kept secret on this side of town. Btit once they discover the Attic's salubrious surroundings. Southsiders will be grateful.
Happy hour ((‘ul l)e Sac only): 5 -8/ii)i daily. lagei: heavy. bottled beers and
froren cocktails £7.50. plus promos on
Wed evening.
Firebird
l32l Argyle Street. 334 0594. .‘vlon—Wed l lam—midnight; Thu—Sat l lam—lam; Sun l2.3()—-l lpm.
L'ndoubtedly one the best additions to the established West [End scene in the past year. So taken was Tllt’ Li'st’s liating and Drinking Guide that it waxed rhapsodic in a stream of altered consciousness review, and the bar has not escaped the attentions of such other style signifiers as The Face and Arena. Time to knock the place down a peg‘.’ Not at all. Spend your days and nights here. The wood-fired oven is unparalleled for pizza and as the DJs' perch (Wednesday—Sunday ).
Happy hour: .llon—l’ri 5— 7pm. Pints of draught and glasses ofwine £1.50; slice. salad and bottle ofheer or glass ofivine £4.50.
Groucho Soint Judes 190 Bath Street. 352 8800. Mon—Sat noon—midnight. Sun 5pm—midnight. Designed nothing like its partial namesake. Soho‘s private Groucho Cltib. Glasgow‘s version is international
modern with clean lines and back lighting. It is not a members-only club. btit there is something logical in this partnership. as Bobby Paterson had decided to name the hotel/restaurant/bar after the patron saint of lost causes before teaming tip with the owners of the London media hotspot (whose name was inspired by the mustachioed Marx Brother). The subterranean bar features a list of classic cocktails nearly as long as your yard-arm — Rob Roy. Manhattan. Cosmopolitan. etc — to match the classy interiors of this Bath Street tip-and- comer. No DJs here. but a funky downtown mix contributes to the groove. .\'o happy hour: Ina a bottle of champagne is [5 between 5 »7._i’()pm and the spirits come in the more generous 3’5ml measure.
Hovono
250 Hope Street. 248 4466. Mon—Sun noon—4am.
Fancy a dance‘.’ Havana. with its late. late license. is becoming more and more of a Cuban theme club. an arrangement that has opened the floor to classes in salsa and flamenco dance on several nights each week. The bar‘s list of many rum-based cocktails might jtist loosen you tip enough to give it ago. If your idea of cutting a rug is less rehearsed. Friday and Saturday DJs still favour house and techno.
Happy hour: livery day 57an Thu 5pm» 4am; most cocktails [3. spirits and mixer £1.35. plus various specials every night/rout 7pm.
living Room
5 Byres Road. 339 85] l. Sun-Thu
l lam—l lpm; Fri—Sat l lam—midnight. lron scroll work. exposed brick wall. an upholstered mirror frame. faux-stone bar: this and those gigantic. dripping candles await you at the Living Room. towards the bottom end of Byers Road. This popular boho hang-out also lets no night pass without some kind of additional entertainment. Since you ask: Monday is Phat Dave (when house spirits and mixer are jtist a pound). Tuesday is Quiz Night at 9pm. Wednesday sees The Jengaheads. Thursday is Free Party Collective (underground and deconstructed disco). Friday is Brian Murnin's singalong session. Saturday has Walker and Hughes' pre-club sounds. and Sunday features G-Man from 4~8pm and. after an hour break. Traxx until 9pm.
Happy hour: More—Sun 5—8pm; pints. bottled beer. wine by the glass and
selected spirits and mirror [1.70. bottle of
house wine [5. pi::a and pintfor £2. 75.
llo'o
l58h Bath Street. 33l 2257. Mon—Sat noon—midnight; Sun (ipin—midnight. Chef to the stars John Quigley may have moved on from here. but Mojo still draws the afternoon lunching punters from nearby offices and suffers little at night with a combo of students and young professionals. The lime green walls seem to glow and settees. with their Afro-:‘ssia
upholstery. are as comfortable as ever. DJs play on Tuesday and Thtirsday—Saturday. with the weekend sounds being somewhat more notable. spun as they are by 23rd Precinct's jazzy ftink-ineister Billy Woods.
Happy hour: Mon—Sat 3—8pm selected draught beers. spirits and wines reduced.
Monkey Bar
100 Bath Street. 572 0001. Mon—Fri
l lam—midnight; Sat noon—midnight: Sun (spin—midnight.
Although you might wince at the recent introduction of big-screen Sky TV and Dreamcast games consoles. so-called style bars often must evolve or die. As with most venues in this neck of the woods. the clientele follows the informal shift of post- work drinkers followed by clubbers on their way elsewhere later in the night. A new cocktail list features some more creative inventions. including a shooter called ‘After liight' with Kahlua. Bailey‘s lrish Creme and Creme de Menthe. Happy hour: livery day 3—8pm. draughts
for [1.50: lied/Sun most drinks [1.
Nomod
53 West Regent Street. 572 ()()()7. Sun—Mon noon—midnight.
This bar and restaurant which opened in September has replaced the Cajun/French Froggies (no matter what it says on the pavement). Nomad has used slightly
muted oranges and yellows with a touch of
blue — pltis yards ofgauzy. flowing materials suspended from the high ceiling — to re-create the atmosphere of a modern North African club. It seems to work. Cocktails come by the jtig and the shooter list highlights the Flatliner: Cuervo Gold. Sambucca and Tabasco. Food is available until 9pm. Nomad is another city centre venue pitching pre-club atmosphere with DJs Thtirsday—Sunday.
Happy hour: .l’lon—l’ri 5—«S’pm jugs of cocktails £1095. four-pint pitcher of Miller [6. house wine £7.60. gin/Bacardi and dash 1.7.3.5.
Dblomov
372—374 Great Western Road. 339 9177. Sun-Thu l lam—1pm: Fri—Sat
l lam—midnight.
L'pscale without being uptight. ()blomov brings a bit of Central and Eastern European savoir-faire to Glasgow. The first bar in Scotland to offer absinthe. they continue to serve up the green mind- bender (£4) with the correct care — that is to say. following the ritual of melting a spoon of sugar before mixing the flaming syrup up into the spirit and adding a bit of water. As you might expect. a variety of Russian vodkas as well as Czech beers such as Budwar and Pilsner L'rquell are available. A string quartet plays every Thursday (with extra dates to be added around Christmas). As a Millennial alternative. ()blomov plans to open at 5am on 1 January and serve breakfast to hungry revellers still on their feet.
Happy hour: 5—7pin. vodka fl. selected draught beers [1.50.
Ublomov
24 Candleriggs. 552 4251. Sun~Mon
l lam—midnight.
A smaller version of the West lind bar. offering the same rich interiors and warmth. Couches in the lounge tip from are separated by the length of the bar from the dining area to the rear. The sounds on the system are as often as not soulful and satisfying. According to manager Diane Graham. it's a ‘sanctuary for philanderers and philosophers alike'. Nostrovia? Happy hour: 5~7pm, vodka [1. selected draught lieers [1.50.
Ucho
l5() West Campbell Street. 332 1032. Mon—Sun noon—midnight.
()cho is trapped in an edifice that is one of the more forgettable off Sauchiehall Street. Yet if you venture upstairs. you will be pleasantly surprised by the discreet lighting and adobe hues. soft sofas. and general buzz. Monday night‘s quiz is accompanied by bottled beer for £1. DJs take control for the remainder of the week and students rule the roost on happy Tuesday nights.
Happy hour: ~J—«S’pm daily. vodka and gin plus mixer £1.45. Miller £1.30. Tue «‘i’pm-~ midnight vodka. gin. whisky mixers 60p.
October Cofé
2 Princes Square. Buchanan Street. 22l ()3()3. Mon—Sat l lam—midnight; Sun noon—5pnv
Just below the glass ceiling at the top of the Prince Square shopping centre. ()ctober Cafe has long been popular with shoppers. Overlooking the entire atrium. it must be said that the lly-on-the-roof view makes for a rather pleasing place to while away the hours. When night falls. the younger and dolled-up dancing crowd sample the happy hour specials and the pre-club Tunnel DJs. New for December is a Sunday rotation with Barry Gemmel. Lisa Littlewood and others reviewing the decade.
Happy hour.‘ Mon—Thu 6pm-~niidniglit. l-‘ri~Sun 6—9pm. Selected bottle beer: vodka/gin/rum and mixer £7.60, house wine and shooters [2. cocktails [3.
Polo Loun e
84 Wilson Strgeet. 553 I22 I. Mon—Thu noon—lam; Fri—Sun noon—3am.
The rather opulent centrepiece of what some refer to as Glasgow’s Gay Village. the Polo Lounge bar. with its basement disco. still offers that gentleman‘s club- cum-Highland lodge atmosphere. The furnishings are in tune with the preserved nature of this listed landmark building. which is a blend of Greek revival a la Alexander Thomson with l880s French. No happy hour per se. btit drink promos such as half-price cocktails on Wednesday and doubles-for-a-single most evenings. In the main club. DJ Michele mixes indie and 90s dance tracks on Friday and DJ Ina goes a bit camp with house and anthems. If you get tip that marble staircase before the club begins (usually 10pm). entry is free.
The List Bar Guide 1999 7