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Detail Pages
Tennents, Hillhead, Glasgow
Hillhead
Glasgow
G12 8DJ
Pub Type
Oak Tree (Mitchells & Butlers)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Tennents
On a street corner and very close to the university,it has a classic exterior,while the interior has at some stage been opened out although there are some features such as the rear wall panelling.The high ceiling helps gives some atmosphere,but the modern lino on the floor looked too functional.Lots of seating around the perimeter,there is also a side snug with a few seating booths.
Stories on the walls on this being men only until the late 70's stretch credulity,although I can imagine the university objecting to it's opening in the 1880's.
It's in the 2022 GBG,but I had heard stories of a boring ale range ,so saddened when on ordering my Oakham Citra it ran out.Darkstar Hophead (NBSS 2.5)was not a great replacement but better than the other options Fullers London Pride and Doom Bar.The one interesting ale was Titanic Plum Porter which I declined as this was the start of a very big crawl.However for that alone I would give decent marks,so this place just about makes it on a West End pub crawl list.
On 5th March 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Tennents
Arriving at 5.15 on a Friday we discovered that all the tables in the large open-plan main room were reserved so we were COVID-shoved in a bland basement bar. All the ales were upstairs which made ordering tricky as nobody really knew what was on, so up I trudged to give it a visual, and a bland selection it proved to be with only one of interest. Anyway after an extended faff it eventually arrived, a Northern Monk Eternal (NBSS 3) alongside a softie for the missus; either prices are at the extreme end of the Glasgow spectrum or I was overcharged. Got the feeling some of the staff weren’t that interested in serving a small and mildly awkward order and frankly I was happy to drain it and shove off – why couldn’t they just list the beers downstairs on a piece of paper?? Perhaps securing a seat upstairs would have made for a better visit but you play the hand that’s dealt, and this one was a fold; it certainly doesn’t live-up to the standards described in some of the more sepia reviews below.
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 Tennents
A good traditional pub where the staff know their beers. The main features in here apart from the splendid bar area, was the original cornice work, cast iron columns and large windows. Eight handpumps with seven in use on our visit. Pretty mainstream - Tribute, TT Landlord, Doombar, Wainwright, London Pride. Two Scottish ales were Stewart Brewing Co, Jack Back and Stewarts 80 shilling, locally called 80 bob or Heavy. I went for the Stewart's 80 Bob, which was slightly dark in colour.
On 28th October 2021
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Tennents
This large, iconic street corner pub was packed on a freezing cold Tuesday night with a really assorted crowd and seems to be something of an institution amongst the local community. The pub is pretty spectacular, boasting an impressive peninsula servery which services a single open plan room which was obviously once sub-divided into a series of smaller rooms but has since been knocked through. The servery has a lovely, long curved counter and grand bar back with an integral clock and a legend that reads "Glasgow's Finest Ale House". Large windows with obscured lower halves along two sides of the room allow plenty of light in, giving you ample opportunity to inspect the bar in detail. Modern floorboards and a cream and grey colour scheme contrast with the large amount of dark wood throughout the pub, creating quite a nice balance between modern and traditional. Comfy banquettes run around the edge of the room, supported by some decent looking chairs, and are broken up by a few nice etched glass partitioning screens. The side entrance has a lovely stained glass porch which is another attractive traditional feature and makes up for modern intrusions such as the TV screens showing muted Sky Sports News and a war documentary. A small side room can be found by following a corridor past the gents toilets and here there are a few more seats, mainly in the form of banquettes in what is apparently referred to as the "Wee T" area. Reasonably priced food was available and I noticed a few folk were enjoying a bite to eat but on the whole this felt like more of a drinkers pub to me.
Such credentials were enhanced by the ale range which comprised Fullers London Pride, Caledonian Deuchars IPA and 80/-, Draught Bass, Marstons Pedigree, Harviestouns Bitter and Twisted, Williams Bros Birds & Bees, Sharps Doom Bar, St Austell Tribute, Taylor Landlord and Inveralmond Lia Fail with one final handpull out of action. Perhaps a little mainstream for some tastes, but that's not a bad range at all and my Birds & Bees was very drinkable and didn't last very long in the glass. The staff seemed very friendly and I thought there was a rocking atmosphere for a fairly bog-standard mid-week evening.
I liked this place and thought it had a bit of a spark to it that some of the other pubs in the city centre and this part of town seemed to lack. The beer seems to be kept in good shape, the locals are friendly and there is plenty here to explore which means the place will reward repeat visits. Definitely worth a look if you happen to be in the area and perhaps worthy of a session if you can get past the fairly mainstream ale range.
On 6th May 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Tennents
We utilised Tennants Bar a couple of times during our trip to Glasgow. Yes it’s a fairly large open plan drinking den, but appeared to be always well used and there was an interesting crowd generating a lively atmosphere for our visits.
As others have mentioned, one of the Tennannts Bar main attraction is the number of real ales on offer.
For our visits all twelve of the pumps were in operation. But disappointingly for a Londoner, with the exception of the 80/- and the Bitter and Twisted on the permanent list the rest were options ubiquitous in the Smoke. And the three guests of Adnams Broadside, Woodfordes Champions and Wadworth 6X unfortunately don’t set the pulse rating for someone south of Watford Gap.
But the 80/- and the Bitter and Twisted were on good form and I can think of a lot of worse places to drink them.
On 8th September 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2109 recommendations about 1991 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Peter Rydings left this review about Tennents
Bit of a let down it was talked up on the open top bus the last pub to ban women in until the 1972 12 hand pulls had a pint of reverend James bit warm. Was told on the bus its had a woman manager ever since it lifted the ban.
The open top buses are good for pub crawls and getting your bearings of cites they usually take about an hour and you can hop of and on all day In Glasgow like Edinburgh your ticket last for two days
On 15th February 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 948 recommendations about 917 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about Tennents
Tennents is very much pub of big reputation and despite being a fair trek from the City Centre, is generally one of the first names on the list for beer tourists.
The pub itself I found a little disappointing visually, not much more than a large cavernous room with high ceilings propped up by slender columns, plain décor and little that really catches the eye and even the random, mostly unannotated, pictures and portraits were all seemingly unconnected or relevant to the area. The multiple TV’s (showing football on my visit) give the place more of a sports bar ambience than a traditional ale house and it all felt very male dominated so learning that women were banned here until 1972 didn’t really come as a shock! There is also a basement bar which I didn’t visit.
The main reason for a visit is obviously the ales and it certainly doesn’t disappoint on that front with a selection that included Fullers IPA, Caldonian Deuchars, Harviestoun Bitter & Twsted, Moorhouse Honey, Brewsters Roll In The Hay, Liberation IPA, TSA Double Expresso, Harviestoun Natural Blond and Atlas Wayfarer IPA. There were another 3 pumps unused. There was also a basic food menu with burgers and pizzas around £5/£6 with various special deals advertised.
The pub was busy but comfortable and service was good. Although the beers were excellent, I can’t help feeling being underwhelmed by the the general feel of the place and whilst I’m glad I went, I’m not sure I would make a big effort to revisit unless there was something else nearby to warrant the effort.
On 4th April 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
E TA left this review about Tennents
The single large U-shaped bar in this Victorian corner pub has various snugs created by dividers around the walls. Still proclaiming itself "Glasgow's Premier Alehouse", it probably deserves the accolade as not many come close. It is, in any case, a regular GBG entry. The clientele is a mixed bag of workers, students and locals, plus a variety of dogs. The general experience is shaped by the availability of newspapers, cheap (but good) food and a variety of sports events on the tv screens. Twelve ales on tap, I had a pint of Natural Blonde, which was in perfect condition. This is a traditional pub in a modern setting and is a must for ale lovers. It makes a first class crawl when tied in with the Three Judges and the Doublet.
On 16th January 2012
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3278 recommendations about 3243 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Kake Pugh left this review about Tennents
Not much to add to the comments below, except that on my visit last week the ales all appeared to be £2.50-£2.60/pint. There's no step to get in, but I didn't check the toilets.
On 14th November 2010
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 4 recommendations about 4 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
I L left this review about Tennents
A large one roomed high ceiling place with a central ornate timber bar topped with a clock, there were 11 hand pumps on during our visit ranging from Scottish brews to beers as far away as London, including Youngs Special and Fullers London Pride. we went for the Orkney Dark Island which was well kept and well under three quid a pint. We arrived just after opening on a weekday and the place was already filling up with older regulars and students coming for breakfast. A full English breakfast start at £1.99 which looked excellent value but just a shame that we had already eaten! Well worth the trip out from the centre of the city on the Underground.
On 18th October 2010
- rating: 9
[User has posted 287 recommendations about 284 pubs]