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The State Bar, Glasgow
Glasgow
G2 4NG
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
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 2727 recommendations about 2727 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 5081 recommendations about 5064 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 3382 recommendations about 3381 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 1338 recommendations about 1324 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 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 State Bar
Attractive old pub just off Sauchiehall Street, featuring a large - for the space - island bar (albeit at the price of relatively little seating). Traditional look and feel, and you can see why it is a local Camra award winner. Seven real ales on handpump, including four from Mordue, but I went with the Falcon & Stewart's Pelican wheat beer (£3.40).
On 15th May 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Paul McScotty left this review about The State Bar
Situated on a side street just off the top end of Sauchiehall St (heading into the West end) The State Bar is a bit of a hidden gem. A very pleasant looking bar from the outside with hanging baskets of flowers and a tidy black frontage - inside as you enter is no less impressive, a traditional looking bar with wood panelling , red ceiling, thin pillars, and lighter coloured walls, it also has brass lights with a variety of various & interesting picture, cartoons , beer advertising signs & large pub mirrors etc on the walls all giving it a certain style. The central dark wood (with brass surrounds) bar area is very well stocked with an excellent selection of whiskeys and other spirits, a really large selection of standard pump beers so many I cant recall them all (from Guinness to Tennent's to Staropramen) all at reasonable prices (£3;10 a pint) plus a really good selection of real ale (from 5 - 8 at a time) real ales change regularly (pity State hasn't got a website for the bar) . There is ample seating with a few booth areas near the windows and seats and table to the right of the bar and enough space at the bar to stand if that is preferred. Staff are friendly and there are always enough on at one time so you get served pretty quickly - clientèle are mixed but mostly over 40 (with a few younger folk / groups) and seem pretty nice. 2 TV screens are on volume low and has papers, mags etc around during the day for a read. State has a famous and popular comedy club and pub area can be busy when an act is on - overall a great bar for a pint and to chill out (I hear they also do good food but only at lunchtime) Toilets are a bit small though for a busy bar - only downside is that for a bar with such a large range of beers I cant see a website (the Comedy club has one though) but I doubt you would be disappointed visiting on speck (plus its near other cools bars like the Griffin, Variety etc) Well well worth a vist
On 16th May 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 44 recommendations about 42 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The State Bar
7 real ales served from an ornate old style island bar. Has a live venue area.
On 14th April 2013
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The State Bar
The State Bar is one of Glasgow’s more notable and esteemed pubs with a long standing reputation for its ales.
The interior is a single room with high ceilings sprouting a few fans and long dangly lamps. The centerpiece of the pub is eyecatching oval island bar with a quote bearing half canopy held up by pencil columns and a rack of dangling tankards. The front section is fairly basic with stools and standard pub furnishing whilst the rear has a slightly more opuklent feel with some leather armchairs. Throw in a few barrels, pendulum clocks, McKeowans etched windows and a sprinkling of original features and it all adds up to a fine traditional pub interior.
Of the ales, there were 7 available on my visit; Herok & Howells Festival Ale, Kelburn Gold Hops, Fyne Avalanche, Caledonian 80/-, Houston Killenan, Deuchars IPA and Stewart Edinburgh No 3. Prices were quite reasonable and quality was good. If there is any downside to the selection it is that they are all local (i.e. Scottish) beers so whilst we southern beer tourists may relish the prospect of working our way through them, to the locals it may be a case of same old same old.
The pub has strong theatre connections which can be evidenced by the copious pictures of theatre celebrities and posters mixed in amongst the film stars, brewery mirrors and sundry old pics of town. There is a regular live music programme and long standing comedy club that is held on the first floor.
This is certainly one I would seek out again for a return visit.
On 4th April 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]