Top Rated Nightlife in Glasgow

Located in the heart of the city, this friendly pub needs no introduction among whiskey enthusiasts. The Pot Still is housed in a quaint historic building from the 19th Century, and is extremely popular for its exhaustive selection of malt whiskeys. The pub's collection spans the entire world and has something for all tastes. The wood-dominated interiors and warm lighting create a comfortable atmosphere to enjoy your drinks with good company. There's delectable home-cooked fare if you're peckish.

There is an endearingly informal air at Cafe Gandolfi and this despite its considerable popularity. The smooth, polished-wood decor helps to lend a calming ambiance; add to this a bohemian aspect and you are approaching the friendly, rule-phobic charm of the place. Breeze in, ponder over a coffee, or sit down to a serious discussion over a serious meal. They do not mind what kind of punter you are here, and there's no rush. The menu is essentially Scottish, although the variety and contemporary stance of the place is such that its cuisine frequently steps outside the borders of such a cumbersome label.

Sub Club, which had a body sonic dance floor installed in 2006, has been hosting hit musical acts since 1987. This underground dance club hosts musicians and DJ artists from all over the world and describes its guests as hedonists. DJ Magazine voted Sub Club into the top thirty clubs in the world in 2008. Sub Club is also one venue hosting the Glasgow Film Festival, so be sure to check out the films.

Sleazy's is the place to go if you like your bars dark and atmospheric. On the ground floor are cozy booths, a few armchairs and a pool table, for which there's always a queue. Downstairs is a popular venue for local bands, the standard and style are eclectic but you might catch the next big thing on their way up. During the day there's a good selection of bar food available with lots of vegetarian options. This is a favored hangout for off-duty local bands, so if you're a big fan of The Delgados or Belle and Sebastian keep your eyes peeled, but put the autograph book away or your cool factor will be severely compromised.

Open for business in its present incarnation since the late 1920s, this is a warm Tudor-style pub that always has live music sessions on the go, whether pre-arranged or spontaneous. It claims to be the city's oldest bar as it was built in 1792 but this is hotly contested, both by historians and certain other pubs. Bar meals are served during the day, but the Scotia's purpose in life is to bring music to the people. They have Celtic folk and blues sessions, cover bands and jolly singalongs. This is a fantastic place to meet some real Glasgow characters since it's a popular haunt of local writers, poets, musicians and raconteurs.

This pub was built around 1870 for John Whyte when it was fashionable to have island bars. It has absolutely tons of history surrounding it and is a bit of a Glaswegian institution. You can find it in the Guinness Book of Records for having the UK's longest continuous bar. It is one of only a few old-fashioned, friendly and welcoming places to relax with a pint in the city center, and it provides a welcome respite from the mass of ultra-trendy style bars.