Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Random news of the day with Tris39
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The State Bar, Glasgow
Glasgow
G2 4NG
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
paulof horsham left this review about The State Bar
Another pub on the outer western reaches of Central Glasgow with an island bar. The State Bar has many traditional touches, including old photos and tiled wood carvings, an old street map of the city on the ceiling, though what was presumably once a traditionally tiled floor is now wood.
There's 7 hand pumps on that island bar, though one is unclipped today, leaving 2 Oakhams, 1 each from Thornbridge and Almasty and 3 from Scottish brewers. These are supported by numerous colourful keg fonts, a considerable number of which offer The Big T. Champions League is displayed on at least 2 screens, though fortunately with the sound off at present.
All in all, not a bad pub, my enjoyment only spoiled by the heaviness of the Stewart Brewery ale I opted for, butthis will be down to style, rather than any fault on the pub's part.
On 28th May 2026
- rating: 7
[User has posted 663 recommendations about 616 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The State Bar
Attractive pub with a recreated grand, traditional look and feel just off Sauchiehall Street, featuring a large - for the space - island bar (albeit at the price of relatively little seating). On this visit, I found six of the seven handpumps in use, including Stewart's State No 3 (a 90/- I was advised, £4.65), and a good selection of other cask ales so you can see why it is a local Camra award winner.
On 6th April 2025
- rating: 8
[User has posted 9175 recommendations about 9175 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Strongers . left this review about The State Bar
The State is a very traditional and ornate pub with a central oval island serving counter that supports standard keg alongside Birra Moretti and seven hand pumps. During a recent midweek evening visit five were in operation drawing Swanney Brewery’s Island Hopping, Oakham’s Green Devil and Citra, Stewart Brewing’s State Number 3 and Ossett’s Jet. I went for the Swanney which was OK for a very weak session beer. Around this island counter is standard furniture in the left rear, banquettes in the right rear and beer shelves and banquettes across the front. The service was friendly and I enjoyed my visit, so I think this place is worth going out of the way for.
On 11th December 2024
- rating: 8
[User has posted 6674 recommendations about 6636 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The State Bar
This pub had its interior ripped out in the 1960s, but it has been restored to a certain extent in recent years and received an accolade from Camra for it. The magnificent bar counter has seven hand pumps with five beers on at the time of my visit. The Almasty Green was inevitably hazy and sweet, and the Ossett Leviathan Rising, a West Coast IPA, was more like an English best bitter, but both were in very good nick (NBSS 3.5 on average). Worth the walk out from the centre.
On 14th November 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 4804 recommendations about 4399 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The State Bar
This is a must visit.The interior is classic with an island bar ,wood panelling ,traditional furniture and a very pleasing atmosphere.It also wasn't rammed at 6pm on a Friday,and the doorman was friendly.Take a walk around and enjoy.
We settled in the front section to one side around a round table.The pub is rightly a GBG regular and the choice on my visit was Oakham Citra (NBSS 3.5) and Green Devil IPA,Fallen Chew Chew,Fyne Simcoe and Stewarts State No. 3.Thats a decent line up and would tempt me into a session next time I'm around.Agree with Quinno,this pub and the Bon Accord are the best for real ale in central Glasgow and makes avoiding the keg bars on Sauchiehall Street a worthwhile stroll between the two.
On 6th March 2022
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3180 recommendations about 3180 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The State Bar
Big traditional place; central, oval-shaped island bar, herringbone floor, red ceiling, frosted windows featuring scotty dugs. COVID restrictions stopped me taking more of this in, alongside the fact it was rammed with a great atmosphere. Plenty of cask available with an eclectic range, I plumped for Oakham Green Devil which seems to be a regular (NBSS 3.5) and Saltaire Cherry (4). Busy and bustling, I’d have happily stayed for session if I didn’t already have a crawl list set for this (for me) virgin pub city. Vies with Bon Accord as the best in show.
On 1st March 2022
- rating: 9
[User has posted 6166 recommendations about 6146 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The State
Very comfortable pub this one, with a respectable atmosphere. The interior has lots of dark timberwork, a central island bar along with a low bar counter. It was quite reminiscent of a typical London pub, especially overhearing adjoining tables having after work drinks and missing their trains, getting another round in and making a later train.
Seven Handpumps with five ales on, Oakham Citra, Oakham Green Devil, Saltaire Blonde, Stewarts State No 3 and Fyne Ales Clachan Dubh. Other features here was the map on the ceiling and brass rails around the bar.
On 13th November 2021
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3747 recommendations about 3747 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The State
Very nice traditional pub - with central bar serving multiple Oakham brews.
All deep mahogany woods and traditional pub furniture.
Good Beer Guide 2020.
On 3rd October 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1859 recommendations about 1825 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The State
This is an old Scottish bar that has been more than well described below. The huge island bar at the front is an unusual feature. The only annoying thing for me was the TV screens showing some boring sport "news" that nobody seemed to be taking much notice of.
I found a board in a corner listing the beers dotted around the bar and they were Stewart's State IPA & Radical Road Porter, Oakham Citra, Bishop's Farewell & Green Devil IPA, a Torrside Stout and Anarchy Straight Jacket. I went straight for the Green Devil which was a very reasonable £3.50 and in excellent nick. I liked this one a lot. On the day the beer choice was miles better than the JDW over the road.
It's GBG 2018 listed.
On 18th May 2018
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The State
This is a lovely traditional pub just off the main thoroughfare of Sauchiehall Street. The pub is dominated by a magnificent island servery which is in an oval shape with a marble topped counter, brass foot and hand rails, and some lovely worked wooden pillars supporting a great curved gantry with old tankards hanging from it and slogans printed on the inside. The bar back is similarly constructed and the overall effect is pretty outstanding, with the servery being the undoubted star of the pub. It serves a well appointed room which is partly bare boarded and partly carpeted. A large stone relief next to the entrance is a most unusual feature and there is very limited seating on this side of the pub thanks to the narrow gap between bar and side wall. Things open out more to the right and rear where padded banquettes and chairs serve a wide range of tables. This part of the room is decorated with old playbills, photos of stars of the stage and other such theatrical bits and there is also a particularly pleasant stained glass window here too, depicting a Scottish terrier. The back wall has lots of historic photos of Glasgow and a huge mirror in a very unusual frame. Several TV screens dotted around the room were showing a live football match with the commentary just about audible over a very busy Monday evening crowd.
There seemed to be handpulls dotted around all corners of the bar, so working out the full range took a bit of time but gave me the chance to properly take in the excellent servery. The options I noted were Oakham JHB and Citra, Cromarty Red Rocker, Farmhouse and Credence Valhalla, Anarchy Sublime Chaos and Stewartstown State No 3, which I believe is a house beer. An attentive barman picked me out in the crowd and served up a very nice pint of the JHB which was in great shape and one of the best pints I had in Glasgow.
I really warmed to this place which I thought had bags of character, a good, lively atmosphere and some great beer. The place obviously has a strong local following, as evidenced by the great turnout on a Monday evening and I would most certainly look to call in here again the next time I’m in the city.
On 16th April 2018
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3387 recommendations about 3387 pubs]