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Beer of the Week (w/e 14th April 2024) with Thuck Phat
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The Hengler's Circus (JD Wetherspoon), Glasgow
Glasgow
G2 3HU
Pub Type
J D WetherspoonReviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Hengler's Circus (JD Wetherspoon)
This corner 'spoons on Sauchiehall Street looks attractive from the outside but that the highlight.The interior is a sea of pine,cheap furniture and a raised section to the right but everything looks worn.The L shaped bar does contain 14 handpumps split over three banks ,and the guest beers tend to sit on the rightmost bank but the choice on my trip was a series of low ABV bitters and pales from undistiguished brewers ,not helped by the 'spoons beer festival which tends to specialise in these poor brews.There are decent ale brewers in Scotland and none appeared here.
It's in the GBG but that seems a triumph of quantity over quality,a commom mistake by local CAMRA branches.
A poor 'spoons despite keen and attentive staff,there's no need to visit.
On 25th March 2023
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Hengler's Circus (JD Wetherspoon)
Generic, large open-plan and soul-less JDW to the point of me making little in the way of notes, beyond it being burnt orange and cream coloured. My beer was Skye Black by Isle of Skye and a long-pour tasting meh it was too (NBSS 2). GBG-listed – Glasgow has too many entries, as evidenced by the plethora of Spoons cluttering the Guide.
On 1st March 2022
- rating: 5
[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 Hengler's Circus (JD Wetherspoon)
This is quite a busy pub this one, mainly frequented by the local students, plus it's only around the corner from the Kings Theatre. There were 14 handpumps in operation on our visit, as their Real Ale Festival was on. Some of the pumps were doubled up, so that narrowed the choice down slightly. Luckily for us they had a Conwy Brewery IPA on. The majority of the students were drinking Jugs of some sort of blue concoction.
On 13th November 2021
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Hengler's Circus (JD Wetherspoon)
This is a pretty huge, soulless Wetherspoons branch on the lively Sauchiehall Street. The pub has a vast, L-shaped layout with a similarly shaped servery along the back wall and following the room as it extends down the left hand side towards the rear. The bar has a simple panelled counter with a marble top and quite a pleasant and effective bar back. Lots of high tables and stools have been positioned opposite the bar, with regular tables and chairs appearing under the large windows along the front and left hand sides. The decor throughout is pretty bland – red pillars and cream walls broken only by a rather abstract looking frieze design that runs around the top of the walls – even the usual local photos and info boards seemed to be kept to a minimum, although the sheer size of the premises means that there is an awful lot of wall space to fill, which may be part of the problem. Otherwise, it was just the usual slot machines and muted TV screens showing 24 hour news channels to distract you from the essential dullness of the place.
Thankfully, things were a bit more inspired on the ale front, with an impressive six guest ales available on this visit along with five ‘Spoons regulars. Unfortunately for me, all of the guest ales were located on a cluster of hand pumps at the far end of the bar which I failed to spot on arrival, meaning I was left to select from the usual offerings and wound up with an uninspired pint of Caledonian Deuchars IPA.
I really struggled to find something about this place that made it stand out from the crowd, other than its size, but couldn’t come up with anything. It exactly the sort of place that people complain about when they describe Wetherspoons’ pubs as soulless drinking barns, and I can’t imagine wanting to visit again.
On 27th April 2018
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Hengler's Circus (JD Wetherspoon)
The Hengler's Circus is smaller than most other Glasgow Spoons but on my Friday night visit was quieter until later on. It's an L shaped room with a raised area at one end. I saw no sign of a pinball machine.
The bar has two sets of four hand pumps and one of six but for me the choice was a bit dull as most of the beers were from down South! The choice was Green Jack Lurcher Stout, Sambrook's Junction, London Pride, Hanlon's Yellow Hammer, GK Abbot, Doom Bore, Williams Birds and Bees, Swannay Dark Munro and 6 festival beers. I was eating here so went for the more expensive Devil's Backbone as the "free" pint.
I thought this was a reasonably good JDW.
On 9th November 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Hengler's Circus (JD Wetherspoon)
L shaped corner pub. Usual spoons deals and selection.
On 13th April 2013
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Hengler's Circus (JD Wetherspoon)
Fairly standard 'L'-shaped bar, with usual 'spoons furniture and decor. However, it seemed to have a good choice of beers from local micro-breweries from the eight handpumps, all remarkably well-priced at just £1.65. Mind you, the orange juice that I had on my breakfast visit cost £1.75! NB - It doesn't serve alcohol before 11am.
On 28th January 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Hengler's Circus (JD Wetherspoon)
Named after an early 20th Century circus that was based a few doors away, this modern Wetherspoons is quite formulaic albeit not quite the blandest in town.
The sizeable L shaped interior has all the ‘Spoons hallmarks and décor, inoffensive and comfortable enough but a bit on the contrived and plastic side.
The bar counter is quite long so you’d rarely have to queue behind anyone for service. One side has lower ceilings and a rasied end around a circular hub whilst the main body of the bar has quite high ceilings and feels a bit open and impersonal. There are plenty of window seats to watch the world go by. One highlight not often found within Wetherspoons hallowed halls is a pinball machine.
The Beer selection is above average without stretching itself – 3 guests and an “available soon” among the regular suspects.
The place is fine if you know what Wetherspoons are all about but doesn’t really carry much beyond the stereotypical ‘Spoons outlet and very much a seen one, seen ‘em all feel to it unless you are a Pinball Wizard.
On 18th November 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]