What Glasgow pub WON'T be full of parties this Saturday?

[a11y_m]

We're going on a night out on Saturday in Glasgow - well, actually it's a birthday but who and what age isn't important . Only problem I anticipate is finding a pub that won't be packed out with drunken parties and Christmas nights out, with it being the final Saturday before Christmas...

Any suggestions for a pub:
- with a good chance of a seat
- decent drink
- not pretentious, i.e. not the likes of November
- where you can hold a decent conversation (I'm out with a bunch of mates I don't get a chance to catch up with often enough, lots to talk about)
- city centre location (staggerable to Queen St station)
- which is preferably not a meat market (we're all attached)
- which is suitable for a bunch of late-20/early-30-somethings...

I'm sounding like a right grumpy old git

At the moment we're thinking of the Committee Rooms (previously the Rat and Parrot) and there's always a generic Wetherspoons to fall back on but I'd rather not if I can help it.

Any ideas folks? I know some of you enjoy a good bevvy so hoping for some inspirational ideas

Cheers
Ally

[RDM]

Scotia Bar?

[Taffer]

The Pot Still on Hope St. would be a good bet if your decent drink means malt whisky - fairly traditional, and less than half a click from Queen St. station.

[OlberJ]

Get yourself round to what used to be The Bastille. It's got one entrance through a little archway on Argyle street and the other on, i think, Buchanan St. It's hidden away enough it's not on the party stretch and if you get there early enough there's a good chance you'll all get seats.

If it's not raining it's got a nice wee courtyard to sit in as well.

[BigAlinEmbra]

The Crosshouse.

[Andrew[MG]]

O'Henry's in Jury Street should be quiet enough to get a seat and it's small enough that the bar will never get too busy. It's not exactly fancy but it gets better clientèle than the Horseshoe across the road. My mate works behind the bar so I quite often pop in for a shandy

[scotty_d]

Andrew[MG] said:

O'Henry's in Jury Street should be quiet enough to get a seat and it's small enough that the bar will never get too busy. It's not exactly fancy but it gets better clientèle than the Horseshoe across the road. My mate works behind the bar so I quite often pop in for a shandy

Nice little pub but is was busy last weekend hard to get a seat.

[ApexJimi]

I'd say you're struggling at the best of times to get a quiet (decent) pub at the weekend in Glasgow, never mind the last weekend before Christmas!

Interesting suggestions though, I'll keep 'em in mind

[duka]

the horseshoe

[Stablelad]

Hard one that. Everywhere will be busy. You'd be better going to a restaurant if you want to have a chin-wag. Table service and no queueing for the bar too! Not much use if you're clunge-spotting though (unless your waitress is fit!)

[walt762]

duka said:

the horseshoe

Horseshoe was stowed out last Saturday & will probably be worse this Saturday.

[duka]

walt762 said:

duka said:

the horseshoe

Horseshoe was stowed out last Saturday & will probably be worse this Saturday.

it's always busy upfront, but at the back LHS beside the fireplace is a good spot - how about the Griffin?

[dome]

Get yourself to the Butterfly and Pig on Bath street-cracking live music and a good atmosphere and the attatched club(The Buff Club) plays all sorts of wierd and wonderful music, including a bit of northern soul which floats my boat

[KB_S1]

dome said:

Get yourself to the Butterfly and Pig on Bath street-cracking live music and a good atmosphere and the attatched club(The Buff Club) plays all sorts of wierd and wonderful music, including a bit of northern soul which floats my boat

B&P is great but not very good beer.
Griffin can be great too, has some very good beer but quite a trek to Q.St.

There is a nice bar in the Merchant City indoor place but can't remember its name, actually there is a few good places down that way. May be a better bet than the centre.

[sherman]

KB_S1 said:

dome said:

Get yourself to the Butterfly and Pig on Bath street-cracking live music and a good atmosphere and the attatched club(The Buff Club) plays all sorts of wierd and wonderful music, including a bit of northern soul which floats my boat

B&P is great but not very good beer.
Griffin can be great too, has some very good beer but quite a trek to Q.St.

There is a nice bar in the Merchant City indoor place but can't remember its name, actually there is a few good places down that way. May be a better bet than the centre.

There is an O'neils and a few other pubs in the Merchant square that i assume is the indoor place you are talking about

[OlberJ]

Merchant City will be absolutely stowed to the brim for works do's though.

I'm telling ya, the old Bastille is what you want.

[jardinec]

Not the Arches - i'm off there for our crimbo boozefest.

I nominate:

http://www.chinaskis.com/ or http://www.theblacksparrow.co.uk/index.php

possibly both as they are next door to each other, and both pretty damn good.

[a11y_m]

Cheers folks, loads of suggestions for places that I've not heard of or been to yet. Well, I've heard of a couple of them but I'll have a good look at them later :-)

TBH I'd be happy with anywhere that sells decent lager...

Ally

[KB_S1]

OlberJ said:

Merchant City will be absolutely stowed to the brim for works do's though.

I'm telling ya, the old Bastille is what you want.

I have just worked out where you are talking about.
Can't think what it is called now though, went to a band promo night in the summer.
It was good.

[OlberJ]

Aye it's now got the name of the place that's above it, starts with an S or something.

It's a cracking wee pub.