The Doublet

It’s taken me far too long to discover the Doublet but we had an hour to kill so headed there for pre-​Shish Mahal drinks. It really was a case of love at first sight for this traditional pub. It can best be described as an old blokes neighbourhood boozer that a discerning younger crowd has taken to its heart. We sat in the main bar downstairs for a few pints and observed a cracking selection of gins and whiskies on the shelves.
The prices were pretty keen for this part of town, and a whole lot cheaper than the much bigger pub along the road (no names, no pack drill). The slightly cosier looking lounge bar will be getting some of our attention next visit. Great spot for a very decent pint. Friendly vibe. Recommended!

The Doublet is what I’d call your typical ‘old man’s pub’ and it is therefore excellent.
They have some nice beers, and surprisingly, some nice gins too. There’s not a massive range of beers, but it’s a wee pub, and there’s only so much beer you can try in a night anyway. Last time I was there, I had a Bellhaven Black — I think that’s what it was. It was really good.
My dad has been an on-​off regular of this pub over the years and, for some reason which I’ve not quite got to the bottom of, there’s a photograph of him on the wall. I discovered this when I was there on the Unilocal subcrawl, and proudly yelled ‘there’s ma da!’, much to people’s surprise and possibly disbelief.
Staff are friendly and down to earth — they just get on with it basically, and manage to put up with the subcrawlers with good grace and not even a raised eyebrow. It’s also a great wee pub if you want a quiet drink and a chat too as there’s no background music, so you can hold a conversation. I must be getting old.

The Doublet is one of those pubs that looks mighty odd from the outside. Don’t let that put you off. In fact, feel smug about the fact that you know about it, and others will pass it by.
Was in here last night for a pre-​GMT-​open-​mic pint with Barry & Tony, the latter of whom discovered that the food has levelled up since we were last there. He had a plate of bread & olives plus olive oil & balsamic for £3, not bad. At least one punter picked up the new menu and went «OOOOH!», while the manager said «yes, it’s changed a bit since you were last here!» Bodes well.
It’s the sort of pub where you could come and enjoy a quiet pint, or an event in the upstairs bar. You could play cards, hide from horrible Glasgow weather, and have a chat. It is oddly bright though, really could do to turn the lights down a wee bit.

I am going to be honest. My memory of here is a tiny bit hazy. We were getting towards the end of the subcrawl and I had therefore already had a few beverages. I pushed to go to the Doublet over Inn Deep as I had never been to it before and had heard good things. We got the tube, whilst some of the group «walked» (insert taxi, I think) the distance. They won, so enough said on that.
Other recollections are they had no IPA’S to offer when I asked, so I had a bottle of Belhaven Amber Ale, which was not bad. Although I was surprised they did not have more choice from the other reviews I had read on Unilocal.The staff member I spoke to was also not overly friendly about helping me pick an alternative beer either.
I liked that we could sit outside and enjoy some of the non-​rainy weather that we were getting by that point of the day. Although again I am not sure that staff were that happy about us being outside.
I feel that I need to give this place another chance as I came away thinking it was ok, but not amazing. If I was doing the subcrawl again, I would probably pick the alternative option at this stop…

Every time I’m out this way, wherever I am, or going, or even been — I make a beeline for The Doublet.
From the outside, it looks… well, not much. I heard a touristy type (well, an American voice anyway) describe it as «quaint» and I think that fits perfectly. That extends to the inside as well — it’s barely changed over the years, and when it has? It’s just been replaced, not upgraded. It’s perfect.
The staff are amongst the cheeriest and most helpful folk you could come across — if you had to pick a pub and point to it and say «That’s Glesga!» then this would be up near the top of your list. They even put up with a slightly well oiled Unilocal Subcrawl team arriving in two batches, as for some reason, it had turned competitive at this point!
The drinks are varied, even West beers are on tap and there’s a fine spirits range too.
Plus they have a Unilocal approved sign in the window! What’s not to love???
Get yourself down here, plonk yourself either inside, or outside on a fine day and watch the world go by and just lose yourself in one of the finest pubs in Scotland, let alone Glasgow.

You have got to love this little tudor oddity in the westend, a wee secret in kevinbridges, pop inside for lovely selection of draft and bottles, great friendly staff and an array of customers from the jovial to the old gentleman of varied disposition, a wee toasty why not, make it a royale the old guy at the bar say so I do. . beer and toasty in warm wee snug with some political banter in the background, aw. ..

When l used to live nearby here as a student l used to walk by thinking this was an old mans pub.
It must have been a quiet night as the upstairs bar was closed we headed to the main bar got our drinks and found ourselves a table. The bar had a mixed crowd but mainly older than the younger punter.
A good selection of drinks on offer, this bar must be doing something right as it has out lasted many pubs that have moved on over the years.

How come I hadn’t been before? I had noticed many times when driving by but I think my mind had put it into the ‘old man’s pub’ category.
This place was suggested by a friend but had a good tip to go to the back bar instead. I got there about 5pm on a Friday but unfortunately the upstairs back bar wasn’t opened yet. So instead I hung out with the old guys until my friend turned up. Oh the banter!!! My old man bar instinct was partly right and the front bar was mostly filled with them older men folk generation.
After a while the back bar opened and we were the first in. I also ordered food, as I was pure starving. It wasn’t a big selection as they don’t have a kitchen. I noticed a microwave so presumed it was cooked in there. I didn’t care and the mac and cheese I had tasted delicious.
The back bar unfortunately doesn’t have a great range of drinks, it reminds me a bit of a bowling club. Still plenty but I blame me getting used to all these fancy town/​West End drinks.
There’s also a juke box so I certainly got some banging tunes on. The place soon filed up with lots of younger folk. I remember one guy coming and realising this is where all the young kids hang out left pretty quickly. Oh man there was this one guy who really looked as if he should have been downstairs. He had a short sleeve smart shirt on tucked into his beige chinos. We felt a wee bit uncomfortable as he sat at the bar himself but he probably was just people watching and I think especially us lassies. Eep! Och he was harmless, just a tad weird.
I would certainly go back and after trying some alternative drinks I think I’ll stick with a Baileys at £1.95. Nice!

Love this place, it may be old fashioned, but I would rather sit in here with a pint, exchanging stories with the locals. No heirs or Graces kind of place they exact way I like it.

Ah, The Doublet — one of my personal favourites and it’s often my go-​to pub for meeting friends. I love the place!
If I go in during the week for a few pints, it tends to be downstairs — and there’s always a nice crowd of regulars who are full of banter. E.g. One of them called me Elvis Costello — and every time he saw me throughout the course of the evening, he would sing ‘Oliver’s Army’ at me — it was quite funny!
So, during the week, downstairs is good fun and cosy. Come the weekend (which officially starts at 4:30pm on a Friday), it’s upstairs. That’s where all the cool kids go! And me too, actually.
Then there’s the jukebox — it’s a cracker! One of the best I’ve come across in recent times.
The single best thing about The Doublet is the mixed crowd that frequent it; eighteen year old trendy students, middle aged men and women, OAPs having a ‘half and a half’, and me and my cronies — it’s very friendly and welcoming and it never fails to make me smile!
Go there and enjoy it, at the Double (t)!

The Doublet is exactly the kind of place you’d expect to find a drunk man in a cardigan with a dog-​eared book hanging out of his back pocket. For my money, this is an excellent thing and something that should be embraced. It’s a real hotch potch of a pub, part mock Tudor, part ‘60s working men’s club which may not suit all. More fool them really because, ostensibly, what we have here is a delightfully unpretentious ale house with a well stocked bar and a crowd friendly as can be. The staff are great and in addition to the bustling downstairs, there’s a tremendous upstairs area which looks like a nana’s living room and a decent jukebox. If you’re the kind of person that doesn’t like humble, honest pubs that will you to get slowly wrecked, then avoid The Doublet. Mercifully, the locals here won’t miss you either. A fine, fine pub indeed.

Was invited by friends last week to the quiz. Was a great night out, fantastic atmosphere and a great laugh!

And BOOOM, he finds the upstairs bar!
Having popped in here recently and enjoyed the old dude vibe in the lower bar, I jumped in again recently with a bunch of mean assed hombres looking for a place to whet out whistles… oh and maybe have a pint or two… you know, to help with the playing of the afore mentioned whistles.
So it was with great joy (i can say joy, I was pissed at the time ok… I felt joy-​full!) that one of the group discovered the upstairs bar to be opened as opposed to being shut the last time we had staggered in.
Stairs climbed. Table spotted. Bums parked. Drinks purchased. Banter enjoyed.
Where in the name of Unilocal has this place been and why has nobody told me about it. Like properly told me about it. Proper style.
Is it funky, trendy, modern, edgy or shexxxy? Nup. Is it cheap, cosy, welcoming and filled with an entertaining crowd that borders on hipster but just about pulls itself far enough back from the brink to allow you to observe, make humorous comments to your drinking buddies, but ultimately not be tempted to ‘take one out’ to save the world maybe just one more conversation regarding someones band/​art exhibition/​statement on life in general? Why yes, yes it is.
This is a gem. You’d be dumb not to hit this place. Dumb.

A great bar packed with personalities! The drink selection is extensive and the food (contrary to what you might read elsewhere) tasty and very reasonable. The toasties come with a generous salad and will set you back less than £3. Two bars mean that even on Tuesday’s quiz night there’s still space to drink away from the action. The Doublet has outlasted many a trendy watering hole in the West End by doing what it does best; serving a good pint in convivial surroundings at prices that won’t have you flinching.

My husband and I are regulars at the Doublet pub quiz on Tuesdays. I am a recent arrival to Glasgow and I love the Doublet because in many ways the atmosphere there is just like in the pubs I used to frequent back home (Seattle). There is no one «type» of punter in this establishment — just a good mix of folks who are in for a pleasant time… however they may define that. It is also the kind of pub where one can be as social (or reclusive) as one desires.
On most Tuesdays, we usually get the Toastie Royale with salad to start off our night. Coming in at just under £3, the Royale is a great value and just enough food to soak up a Budvar Dark or two. There’s a decent range of crisps and other bar snacks for those who don’t want the full dining experience.
It is also worth mentioning that this is one of few West End pubs in which I feel comfortable knitting. Nobody pokes fun at me for doing so, nor do I feel like I’m pulling down the mood of the joint with my handicrafts. So if you’re ever at the Doublet quiz on a Tuesday, give a wave to the knitting, Royale-​eating American girl… and may the best team win!

Working in the west end at Glasgow University means that you’ve a lot of choice for your Friday night pint or three (or five) with colleagues and friends. However, despite the range of options it’s hard to find somewhere that’s for everyone. I’m not sure if the Doublet is that place, but there are rarely any objections if it’s the determined venue. The upper bar is near legendary in its appeal, managing to be simultaneously cosy and cool, with a jukebox apparently connected to the Internet with near-​limitless song selection (just try to think of a song or artist that it doesn’t offer). Drink choices are not too extensive, but for a place to meet for a pint or two prior to something more (or just for its own sake) there’s few better places in the west end.

The doublet is a great place to go if you’re looking for a quiet pint. Or perhaps a meeting place with friends. It’s got a friendly atmosphere, and the ambiance of your own front room.
My favourite place to perch, is in the upper bar. Complete with tartan carpet, it isn’t the most well-​decorated place I’ve seen. However there is something comforting about a bar who uses their decorating budget on things that will really make punters happy.
The jukebox, by the way, is unbelievable. Digital and extensive, it has almost everything a mixed crowd would need.
And a mixed crowd is what you’ll find at the Doublet. Frequented by older regulars, and mixed with the younger hipper students, plus a little dash of middle-​agers as well. It’s a happening place which appeals to a vast spectrum.
Pints of Budvar are £3.50, which is a bit steep for any normal lager, but Budvar is premium. A wide selection of whiskeys to suit every palate.
This should be your first stop on a night out; or the last stop if you’ve tried the other places which won’t match up.

The Doublet is a great wee place. If you like your pub dimley lit with candles on the table and nice young girls behind the bar… then go somewhere else. Walking home from work late at night and want somewhere to read the paper and have a pint? This is the place for you. Down to earth staff and customers. You might find the odd crowd of Thistle fans in there on a game day just to add to the banter. Good beer and some unusual stuff as well (tasted my first pint of Budvar Dark here, interesting but yet to be swayed).
Not great for dates or taking folk out to impress but a classic pub that has managed to stand the test of time in a rapidly moving world, and long may it continue.

This time warp of a pub seems somewhat out of place in the ‘trendy’ West End of Glasgow but it has been intoxicating locals for as long as anyone in the area seems to remember. With its dedicated team of regulars and absence of a jukebox this is a pub built for chatting, drinking and admiring the retro décor.
As it is located beside The Stand Comedy Club it not uncommon to see the odd comedian drop by for a post-​show pint. My personal favourite Doublet experience involved Mike Smiley, of Tyres from Spaced fame, and Mike Redmond, of Father Stone from Father Ted fame, telling me how they became comedians. The staff are friendly enough and they will happily have a chat or offer advice about the drinks list.
The upstairs lounge offers a different Doublet experience and on weekends it is a mission to get a seat, always a good sign! The crowd are generally younger but it still has the unique Double vibe.
One essential piece of Doublet information is that the food is best left alone. There is no kitchen and all the food is cooked in the microwave and sold at an extortionate price.

Long time awareness, first time visitor for me with this bar and I have no idea why I’ve not been in sooner.
Quirky interior downstairs and pleasantly wood panelled upstairs, regular guest ales, good jukebox, keen prices, pleasant staff and an atmosphere to inspire bonhomie — what more could you ask for in a pub? Definitely one to return to next time in the west.