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The Pot Still, Glasgow
Glasgow
G2 2TH
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Pot Still
The Pot Still is a small traditional bar with a serving counter on the left wall that faces high tables in the centre and banquettes down the right-hand wall. At the rear is a raised seating area. The bar supports standard keg alongside four hand pumps that were drawing Stow Brewery’s Dhu Brew, Skye Black, Broughton’s Sin Bin and Loch Lomond Brewery’s Southern Summit. I think the main draw for the other customers who had filled the bar on a recent midweek evening was the huge whisky choice available from shelf after shelf on the back bar. On the food front, pies are available during the day. There was some background music playing, but it was hardly audible over the chatter, so it didn’t really need to be on. I really liked it in here, but not enough to shell out for the advertised Pot Still T-shirts, glasses or keyrings.
On 27th November 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5233 recommendations about 5201 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Pot Still
A Glasgow institution,and an interesting place to drink,it's all very traditional both externally and within.You enter into the tap room with cast iron vertical columns with high drinking ledges to prop your drinks while consuming vertically.There are a few benches at the periphery while up a few steps is a seating area with leather bound fitted benches and small seating stools.The noteable feature is the whisky collection which extend to ceiling height all around the bar,a ladder is used to fetch high up bottles.There are even locked glass cabinets holding some very valuable bottles.The choice is vast.
Maps on the walls celebrate various distilleries and regions where you will find them.
It's not all whisky ,there are 4 beer pumps,an unusual sight these days ,offering on my Friday afterwork trip two real ales Orkney Dragon Head Stout and Born Blonde (unforgettable ,NBSS 2).I should have stuck to the whisky,that's this places USP.
However it's worth a visit to see an authentic Glasgow drinking bar,it attracts a good mixed crowd of young and old.
On 6th March 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Pot Still
An unfussy, comfy and traditional place split over two levels with banquettes and ornate ceiling (sadly dowdily painted). 700+ whiskies advertised and stored in the impressive dark wood bar gantry, this includes a ‘malt of the month’ for £2.50 which is excellent value and was heartily accepted by the missus. Three Scottish cask ales; over my two visits I tried the Top Out (NBSS 3.5) and Orkney Island Life (3) though on both occasions they were both a tad warm despite decent turnover. There are also apparently some interesting Franconian bottles in the fridge too. In a more offbeat note, there are old barrels repurposed as sinks in the toilets. This is a nice gentle all-rounder and is a bit of a default in the centre though its relatively bijou size means that you need to time your visit.
On 1st March 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Pot Still
A good traditional pub with over 750 different bottles of whisky to choose from. There was also a choice of four ales on handpump, which were Loch Lomond West Highland Way, 3 from Broughton, Merlin's Cross, Glasgow Way and Wee Jock. The pub also serves a choice of hot pies.
On 6th November 2021
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Pot Still
A small pub located just off one of Glasgow’s main thoroughfares and a short stroll from the shopping district, it’s a traditional looking pub with green paintwork on the outside and etched glass in the windows, as well as some stained glass in the orch.
Internally it’s quite compact and quite traditional in terms of décor with a wood strip floor and a high ceiling that had some quite elaborate cornice work in places. The bar counter took up much of the left hand side, and this was quite impressive with a very extensive range of whisky bottles stretching on shelving all the way up to the ceiling. Handily there was a ladder there to allow the bar staff to reach the upper levels. Fitted and padded bench seating was off to the right, with further seating up a couple of steps at the rear. A number of old black and white photographs of the locale and the river were dotted around the walls, whilst a small TV was up above the porch, although it was not in use on my visit. A sign said that this was apparently Scotland’s best pub, although I think that was based on it being awarded the AA Pub of the Year in 2018.
Beers on tap were Skye Black, Cairngorm Trade Winds, Orkney Gold and Orkney Northern Light. The solitary cider meanwhile was Magners. Overall I thought this was a great pub, and if only they improved the cider selection it would be a real cracker.
On 2nd March 2020
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1947 recommendations about 1860 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Pot Still
5 years on and I return to the same pub, this time on the way back from Still Game at the Hydro - rather than on the way there.
An absolute joy. There are signs throughout the city that say "people make Glasgow". Never is that more true that in here - lovely locals, very accommodating to the people that travel all over the world to sample the reputation.
Loved it.
On 3rd October 2019
- rating: 10
[User has posted 1337 recommendations about 1323 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Pot Still
Sadly I hit this place at probably the worst possible time, office kicking out on a weekday. Despite that I did manage to get a crowded seat but couldn't see what the beers were at the bar due to people hogging stools.
It's been well described below but is basically a small Scottish bar with a split level room and the bar counter on the left.
There are four hand pumps and spotted the familiar clip of Knops Musselburgh Broke (£3.50) which was in good nick and not overpriced.
I thought this place was OK but would try and return at a quieter time.
It's GBG 2018 listed.
On 18th May 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Pot Still
This place is easy enough to miss in passing, but it’s a superb city centre ale house with a fantastic heritage interior that really demands a visit whenever you’re in Glasgow. You enter through a quite brilliant stained-glass porch into a compact bare boarded room with the servery immediately over to the left. The bar has a nice dark wood counter and impressive high bar back with mirrored and stained-glass sections. It also has some really dazzling high shelves which have been used to store various bottles, mainly whisky, and which extend around the front and back walls, requiring a ladder to access them. The ceiling is crossed with attractive filigreed beams and is supported by a few sturdy pillars through the centre of the room. Seating comes mainly in the form of benches and chairs, some organised into semi-private, booth-like forms, with additional seating available in a nice raised rear section under a collection of black and white photos and a few mirrors. Elsewhere, the old photos cover much of the pubs anaglypta lined walls, along with a few bits of breweriana and other interesting odds and ends. The pub was still nice and busy as it approached closing time on a Sunday evening, generating a nice, warm atmosphere in its cosy, slightly cramped confines.
The pub seemed to have a Harviestoun’s theme going at the bar, as four of their ales were on – Engine Oil, Veterans, Tracer and Golden Ale – alongside Jaw Brew Drift. I gave the latter a try and received a very easy drinking pint from the cheerful barman. The landlord of another Glasgow pub that I visited the following day, commented that this was his favourite pub in the city for beer and service (other than his own, of course!).
This is a great little bolt-hole in the middle of the city which rewards visitors with warm, comfortable surrounds and some top-quality ale. I really liked this place and regretted leaving to the end of a long day in the field, as I probably didn’t do it proper justice. Definitely one to put near the top of any ‘to do’ list for the city.
On 20th March 2018
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Pot Still
Attractive pub with a split-level interior and a tall bar-back featuring a huge array of malts (some requiring a ladder to reach). Traditional furniture and decor, with unusual decorated ceiling beams above the main part of the bar. Four handpumps, offering Deuchars IPA, Kelburn Red Smiddy and two from Loch Ness: Light Ness and Madness - One Hop Beyond (£2.95). Good atmosphere, and well worth seeking out.
On 21st August 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Pot Still
Dating from 1835, the Pot Still has a long standing history of family ownership that has given the place a degree of stability rarely enjoyed and to this day it remains a fairly unspoilt, unfussy and traditional pub removed from the more trendy bars and theme pubs that tend to blight city centres.
The interior was significantly altered in the early 1980’s and now has a single room main bar with the counter to left, bare floors, high ceilings propped up by a series of columns, patterned glass windows depicting the pub name and 2 large bays of seating. At the rear is a cosy raised balcony section with tartan carpet, leather banquette seating and a handful of pictures and mirrors. The pride of place must be the impressive bar back laden with around 300 bottles of whisky for which the pub is reknown. The ales aren’t quite so statistically impressive with 3 available across the 4 handpumps at the time of my visit - a brace from Fyne Ales (Hurricane Jack and Jarl) and one from Kelburn (Cart Noir) with the fourth pump unused. Unfortunately the Jarl ran out before I had a chance to try it leaving just 2 for the evening. Quality was fine and service friendly.
My Sunday evening visit was initially no more than a one pinter to tick the place off the “to do” list however a shortage of seating led me to the balcony section where I was ushered in by a group of traditional musicians (who apparently meet every Sunday evening) and was treated to an entire evening of high quality folk singing and musicianship that I would have gladly paid to see in any concert hall although I declined the offer to play and sing! Only the loud grating voice of an inconsiderate American tourist took the shine off things. Before I knew it, 8pm had become 11.30pm and I left having had one of the best pub sessions in memory. If I ever find myself in Glasgow on a Sunday evening, I know where I’ll be heading. Well worth a visit.
On 10th February 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]