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The Crystal Palace (JD Wetherspoon), Glasgow

Pub added by elizabeth mcgraw
36 Jamaica Street
Glasgow
G1 4QD

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Pub Type

J D Wetherspoon

Reviews (Current Rating Average: of 10) Add Review see review guidelines


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Real Ale Ray left this review about The Crystal Palace (JD Wetherspoon)

Large corner Spoons over two floors, access to the first floor was either via a grand looking staircase or a lift. There were 2 banks of 5 handpumps, plus a further 3 upstairs pumps in the upstairs bar. Large polished brass chandeliers were the main feature here, along with a brass fitted pot shelf over the main counter. The Spoons Real Ale Festival was on, so managed to get Salopian Hop Twister and Butcombe Gold.

On 3rd November 2021 - rating: 6
[User has posted 3378 recommendations about 3378 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Pub SignMan left this review about The Crystal Palace (JD Wetherspoon)

Another Glasgow branch of Wetherspoons and, as with the nearby Sir John Moore, another Wetherspoons catering to those passing through Glasgow Central station. It’s another massive premises, made to look even larger on my visit when there can’t have been more than a dozen customers in on a Monday night. Huge plate glass windows down two sides of the room give plenty of light but set you up for plenty of ogling from passersby. The bar is all the way over on the right hand wall with a very typical ‘Spoons counter and bar back. Loads of high tables and stools run through the centre of the pub, leaving standard tables and chairs confined to a series of raised areas to the front and rear of the room. There is also additional seating to the rear in a secluded space that was pretty much unlit on my visit, making it tricky to take a proper look. Some nice wood panelling can be found around the room and the staircase to the toilets had a beautifully worked banister, but once again, you really have to scratch around to find anything of much interest. There are ‘crystal’ chandeliers throughout the room, which I assume is a nod to the pub’s name, but aside from that, it was left to the TV screens showing a muted sports channel and the ‘Spoons info boards to create some visual distraction.
I noted three ‘Spoons regulars on the bar but an impressive seven guest ales from which I opted for a pint of Rudgate Evil Elf, which was in pretty good shape. The lone barman seemed very friendly and brought drinks over to one table which I thought was good of him. He also dealt with some spilt drinks very quickly and efficiently, despite seemingly being the only person on duty.
It’s difficult to warm to these Wetherspoons, as they are just so big and devoid of interest, but this one seemed to have a little something extra that made it marginally more enjoyable than others I had tried. Worth a look if you’re waiting for a train or perhaps as part of a crawl, but Glasgow has plenty of better pubs and I can’t see me coming back here again.

On 27th April 2018 - rating: 5
[User has posted 3102 recommendations about 3102 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Aqualung . left this review about The Crystal Palace (JD Wetherspoon)

I first attempted to visit here on a Saturday afternoon late last October but couldn't get near the bar let alone served. It's been more than well described below. I thought that there was a disproportionate amount of high tables and chairs in the downstairs bar. I have to admit I didn't look upstairs. On a Wednesday afternoon it wasn't busy and getting served was easy.
The downstairs bar has ten hand pumps which had two available soon, one unused, the Scottish JDW Trio Of Doom, Dartmoor Jail Ale, Sambrook's Battersea Rye, Milestone Aegir and Ramsbury Chalk Stream. I was disappointed that there was no Scottish beers on apart from the mandatory Deuchars but the Sambrook's Battersea Rye (£2.59) was excellent. It seemed ironic drinking this after travelling all the way from London.
I thought overall this place was OK for a city centre Spoons.

On 10th July 2017 - rating: 6
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Steve C left this review about The Crystal Palace (JD Wetherspoon)

The Crystal Palace is a large open plan Wetherspoons with floor to ceiling windows that offer magnificent views of the Lidl supermarket opposite. Along the length of the right-hand wall is the long bar that faces a sea of high tables. There is a flight of stairs that lead up to a first-floor seating area, but I did not investigate during this visit. Behind the staircase to the left of the bar is some standard seating used for dining or when the pub is busy at the weekends. The usual JDW menu with meal deals aplenty is available. The bar is stocked with standard keg products and I counted ten hand pumps in two banks of five. There is also a large bottled craft beer menu for those with money to burn.

I found the service to be polite and would have no problem returning here for another beer.

On 10th July 2017 - rating: 7
[User has posted 5179 recommendations about 5148 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


peter ashworth left this review about The Crystal Palace (JD Wetherspoon)

Basic Wethys pub with all the trimmings, but was quite surprised that they did not serve beer on a Saturday till 11 am.

On 22nd February 2014 - no rating submitted
[User has posted 2318 recommendations about 2275 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


hondo . left this review about The Crystal Palace (JD Wetherspoon)

Large 2 floor 2 bar wetherspoons. Does what it says on the tin no more no less.

On 1st February 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 Crystal Palace (JD Wetherspoon)

A very curious-looking building, with fully glazed facade at street level and multiple full-height arched windows in each storey above. Inside, the main bar has high ceilings and chandeliers which look rather out of place above the typical 'spoons furniture and decor. Very lively, with football being shown on two large screens and other TVs scattered around the bar. Four of five handpumps in operation; mostly standard offerings but thankfully Houston Tartan Terror from a local micro-brewery was also available (£2.30). I didn't realise that there is another bar of similar size at first floor level until just before leaving, and this appeared to have some real ale on too but was rather quieter with no football showing.

On 28th January 2012 - rating: 6
[User has posted 8066 recommendations about 8066 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Roger Button left this review about The Crystal Palace (JD Wetherspoon)

Apparently influenced by the Crystal Palace centerpiece of the Great Exhibition of 1851, the glazed merits of this large Wetherspoons (originally a warehouse and furniture showroom) were lost on me due to a mass of exterior scaffolding, a moonless night and this being the last port of call during a solid day’s pubbing.

The vast interior spans 2 levels and seemed very hollow, not helped by the large amounts of open spaces and the fact that the place was surprisingly quiet. There was little that struck the eye beyond the typical ‘Spoons characteristics other than a mural of what looks like the interior of a medieval Palace.

The beer selection was quite poor for Wetherspoons with just 5 hand pumps with a fairly mundane selection of Bombardier, Abbott and 3 from Caledonian (Deuchars, Marching Orders and Flying Scotsman), not really much that couldn’t be found elsewhere without a great deal of searching.

I probably didn’t see it under the best circumstances but I get the impression it is little more than a functional meeting place for the masses and I would find it hard to drum up any great enthusiasm to return given that there are better ‘Spoons in town, let alone better pubs.

On 10th January 2012 - rating: 4
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


E TA left this review about The Crystal Palace (JD Wetherspoon)

A typical 'Spoons in a former furniture store, The Crystal Palace is spread over two floors. The main bar is glazed on two sides, has impressive (albeit incongruous) glass chandeliers and cast iron columns and feels a bit like sitting in an airport lounge. There are tv screens which were silent, and gaming machines which were rather annoying. Also on the ground floor is a smaller family room. There is a second, quieter bar upstairs which can be reached by the cast iron staircase, and the original lift with its wrought iron cage can be used by wheelchair users. Outside was very dirty and off-putting. There were 5 ales on - I had Kelburn Dark Moor which was served at the right temperature, but it was past its best, not consistent with its GBG listing. Worth including in a crawl, but it wasn't a very comfortable place to spend an evening.

On 5th January 2012 - rating: 5
[User has posted 3272 recommendations about 3237 pubs]