Blackfriars of Bell St, Glasgow

Gastro Pub? Student Den? Music Venue? It seems to be a combination of all 3 but at the same time didn’t really feel like any of them on my visit. Situated in the fashionable Merchants Quarter, the Blackfriars seems to fit into the agenda of a wide spread of people who will like some aspects but not others. The main bar section is knocked through but is sectioned into 2 or 3 areas including one end that was more for the dining. It has a quite simplistic approach with bare floors and some battered looking furnishings, a few stools at the bar and some padded seating arranged train carriage style. Ephemeral music posters adorn walls and pillars and whilst it all sounds a bit tatty and disjointed, it does all seem to compliment each other. Downstairs is a basement bar that is used for gigs, comedy and club nights and is open until the small hours. This is one of Glasgow’s better known pubs for ales, twice winning the Glasgow CAMRA Pub of the Year although things were a bit short for my visit with just 3 available - Broughton Bramling Cross, Inveralmond Thrappledouser and Cairngorm Black Cow. A fourth pump had Addlestones cider and 2 other pumps were not in use although to be fair I wasn’t there at anything like peak time. I also noted a good selection of global bottled beers. Unfortunately I didn’t note any details regarding food. On my experience I wouldn’t call the place an essential stop but would certainly pop in again especially given that I probably didn’t do the place justice on my brief off peak visit. I do think that it is one of those places where you probably need to pick your time to get the best out of it to suit your requirements.