Image by Julia Forrest

The Stand Comedy Club is a bit of an institution in Scotland. It was first established in in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket, before setting up its sister venue in the basement of an old Victorian School in the west end of Glasgow.

Tables in a good spot are quite hard to come by if you arrive late, so it’s worth coming early and getting a drink first. It’s all quite dark and dingy inside, but the atmosphere is always great.

Many top comedians including Frankie Boyle and Stewart Lee have performed at the Stand. You could be lucky enough to see “The Next Big Thing” or maybe just cringe your way through someone’s 5 minutes of fame, but the one thing you can be guaranteed of, is that there’s something new every night! It’s a great place to go out on a date or with friends, just don’t sit too near the front if you are not too comfortable with being part of the act.

Comedy lovers can get their fix of laughs every night of the week, and with tickets starting from as low as £2 it’s a great alternative to pubs or clubs. It’s presence as Glasgow’s only full-time comedy club has helped The Stand be one of the key venues at the Magners Comedy Festival (held in March every year).

Tuesday nights host “Red Raw” show with around 10 beginner acts getting the chance to showcase their talents (or lack thereof), and a seasoned headliner act to finish off the evening.

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The Stand | Bars, Theaters | Show from £ 2.00
333 Woodlands Road | West End
19:30 – 23:00 daily

Image by Julia Forrest

Bar 10 has been around for more than twenty years and is one of a number of bars in the area to carve out a niche in the post-work dinner and drink fare.

Serving up Mediterranean food at a reasonable price, Bar 10 offers a laid back spot for eating and drinking, and friendly service. Among various types of draft and bottled beer, Bar 10 offers a great mid week deal of £8.50 for a bottle of wine.

The crowd includes a mix of patrons that vary in age and intention, but students and young locals are the norm. For drinking, Bar 10 functions as a jump-off point, a barhop stop or just a place to wind down. There’s something different on each night, from poker to acoustic night, and the weekends you’ll usually find DJ’s play a mix of funk and soul.

The bar’s retro and cool sort of atmosphere is great, but the location is the main winner for me without a doubt. It’s inexplicably secluded despite being right in the middle of Glasgow, and perfect during the day for a book and a bowl of soup as it is for drinks with friends in the evening.

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Bar 10 | Bars, Restaurants (Mediterranean) | Main meal £ 12
10 Mitchell Lane | City Centre
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 00:00, Sun 12:00 – 00:00

Image by Julia Forrest

This restaurant opened in 2010 but it feels like old New York inside. Described as Glasgow’s first boutique steakhouse and cocktail bar, this venue is a great place to go out to at the weekend. The Butchershop is located at the corner of Sauchiehall street, making it very convenient for anyone in the West End. It’s warm, opulent interior with low lighting and chic staff make it a great place to see in the evenings.

The food is certainly inspired by the name with the menu focusing predominately on steaks and burgers, but there are other less meaty options available for vegetarian and fish eaters. Carnivores especially will enjoy the deliciously tender 28 day aged Scottish Sirloin and thick, hand cut chips. And you can grab yourself a bargain with the pre-theatre menu, offering a choice of 2 or 3 courses for a very reasonable £12.95 or £15.95.

The Butchershop also prides itself on their rather delicious cocktails. At around £8(ish) a drink, it’s not cheap, but in my opinion, it’s worth it. If you want to learn how to mix your own cocktails then it’s worth considering the Cocktail Master classes that the Butchershop put on. You get to drink the drink you make, plus you get a two course meal thrown in for good measure!

If you love your steaks and cocktails a little more grown up than the usual chain restaurants that pop up all over the city, this one is definitely for you.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
The Butchershop | Bars, Restaurants (Steakhouse) | Dinner £ 25
1055 Sauchiehall Street | West End | +441412293999
Mon – Thu 12:00 – 00:00; Fri – Sat 12:00 – 01:00

Image by Julia Forrest

Stereo is an vegetarian cafe/bar, music venue and nightclub and generally a pretty cool place to hang out. Close enough to the city centre, just one street away from Central Station but the almost hidden entrance makes this venue seem almost exclusive. I was surprised to learn that the building was designed by Charles Rennie MacKintosh, but lay derelict before Stereo took over the space in 1997.

After dark the basement venue lends itself to show small/relatively unknown musical acts or you may end up at the semi-regular dubstep night.

Stereo is one of those kind of places that’s a certainty – open till 3 and can pitch up at anytime. Who or what you’ll see when you get there is a bit more hard to predict, it’s usually always a great mix though, from metal bands to proper folkies, the music is always different. The thing I love most Stereo is that on the stairs downstairs, there are posters for bands covering every inch of the walls (and some parts of the ceiling), making it impossible to tell what colour the walls actually are.

You’ll find exclusively vegetarian and vegan fare upstairs in the relaxed cafe. There are always a couple of soups of the day to sample, while the main course specials might include hearty sandwiches made with homemade flat bread. Prices are quite reasonable but take advantage of the Meat Free Mondays offer, where you can try 5 Tapas for £5.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Stereo | Bars, Music, Restaurants (Vegan) | Dinner £ 10
20 Renfield Lane | City Centre | +441412222254
Food 12:00 – 21:00 daily, Bar Mon – Tue 12:00 – 01:00, Wed – Sun 12:00 – 03:00

Image by Julia Forrest

The Blue Dog serves up killer cocktails that will delight many a cocktail aficionado. The decor is sophicated and classy, and the music is jazz based and relaxing. On some nights a live band or DJ will play. It’s dark, cozy and pretty sexy. Everything could want from a cocktail bar. Plus it’s one of only a few places in Glasgow that stays open until 03:00. There used to be a resident piano player but unfortunately he is no longer there.

The barstaff are very knowledge and it’s fantastic to watch them mix your drink with all the ingredients. The Blue Dog specialises in amazingly concocted cocktails, and the sticky fingerprint menu boasts around fifty or so delicious and tasty drinks to suit every tastebud. The ‘Scandinavian Sunshine’ martini is a refreshing sip that manages the perfect balance between fizz and juice, while the pink coloured ‘Whole lotto Rose’ is a perfectly girly drink.

The staff at the Blue Dog take the time to execute your drink to a minimum level of perfection, even during busy periods. While you may be waiting a few minutes longer here than your average bar, you can at least sip your ‘Mai Tai’ knowing that a little bit of love was used.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Blue Dog | Bars | Cocktail £ 7.00
151 West George Street | City Centre | +441412290707
18:00 – 03:00 daily