Dows Public House

The very very last stop on the Unilocal Pub Subcrawl.
I «think» it is just a bit of a standard city centre pub. My memory is a bit hazy, but I remember that by this stage Rocco «I can’t handle my beer» G was sleeping standing up and Tony had gone home as the drinking pace had got to tough for him to handle. (He may or may not have had a last train to catch)
This is not somewhere I would normally go and we only ended up here as another establishment turned members of the team away for being to drunk or was it having no ID? I can’t remember TBH.
In the end they did us a favour, as Dows welcomed us with open arms for our last pre club drink. How else would you want to finish a subrawl, other than with singing along to the locals doing karaōke?
All in it turned out to be a great place to finish up, although I am guessing unless you have been to 15 odd pubs before it, the locals might look somewhat less friendly than I remember.
I would probably rule this place out as being one to visit in normal circumstances.

Dow’s is your typical kind of Scottish boozer. I’m not sure if there are food options and even though it’s situated just outside the train station, it seems a place more for locals and people finishing a hard shift than anything else.
Booze is cheap, there are cheap beers on tap and you’ll be able to get a seat Busy with a mix of clientele over the weekend. It’s fine for a couple of drinks but with its introverted atmosphere I wouldn’t stick around in here for too long.

There are worse pubs in the area admittedly. But then again that’s a bit like saying there are worse bad guys in a prison. In other words, it’s still not good.
Dow’s is a pub you nip into for a pint before a train and even then, generally only if you’re already half cut and simply cannot do without. In saying that, it doesn’t actually have the «regulars only» feel which the tired and tattered exterior would suggest.
Instead this is almost solely a pit stop pub. Fine if you want to catch a bit of the game before the 7.52 to Dalmuir. Not so good for a night out.

Possibly the best example of a pub near a busy train station. It’s quite old fashioned, dark and altogether a bit grim inside, although, the jutebox, constant sport on tv and the locals chatter generally creates a pleasant enough atmosphere.
It really is the only sort of place that you stop pre-​train travel, as otherwise, there’s nothing that really invites you in (despite the advertisements of saturday karaōke nights, and a free function room available for hire…).
A step up from an old mans pub, but a step down from a station bar. Hmmm…

An unassuming pub on Dundas street, right oppisite the side entrance of Queen Street station, Dow’s is always good for a quick drink while you’re waiting for the train. (not that I would even consider doing such a thing)
The prices aren’t that cheap, and you kind of get the feeling that there are no regulars as such, just people passing through. Nevertheless, it has everything required of a pub these days: a screen perpetually playing sport, a well-​stocked, up-​to-​date jukebox and a couple of fruit machines.
No seats were available the last time we went in, most of them being occupied by grumpy-​looking couples, their rapport and shine being eroded by years of unspoken resentment and monotony.
Outside, black cabs circle, picking up travellers, business people and late-​night workers. To conclude, it’s really only a stop-​gap when you want a quick drink and I would feel very out of place if I turned up here in my glad rags and leopard-​print platforms…

this bar has one major advantage — it’s right at the entrance to queen street station, making it a handy place to refuel after another harrowing experience at the hands of the great british rail system!
friday and saturdays are karaōke nights, so be warned — listening to a balding persian murdering ricky martins’ she bangs can be almost as harrowing as the aforementioned train journeys (if not more so!).
there’s a free-​to-​hire function room up the stairs with a well stocked bar. it’s a nice space for a party — i played a stand up gig there on saturday (for the yorkhill childrens foundation) which was great craic!
overall, worth a look if you fancy a couple of cheap jars in a proper old mans’ pub.