The Grumpy Goat

A smashing little pub tucked out of the way in that tail end of Old Dumbarton Rd in Yorkhill. I dropped in on a Saturday with a friend who I was hoping to tempt away from our usual Byres Rd/​Ashton Lane haunts. She was complaining about having a sore foot during our walk there so I knew this was going to have to be a successful trip otherwise I’d never be allowed to forget it! It was a beautiful, crisp sunny afternoon and we were lucky enough to get one of the tables outside in the sun. We went inside to order and my friend was immediately taken by how lovely and quirky the interior is, and we wondered aloud whether the beautiful duck egg colour of the walls was a Farrow&Ball colour, then realised how ridiculous a conversation that was, so we stopped that quickly but still said it was a lovely interior! They have a good selection of drinks (I spotted a decent array of gins) and they offered a choice of proseccos. A *choice*! The one we went for (not the extra dry one) was very nice indeed and a perfect accompaniment for our catch up in the sun. Only 22 quid for the bottle, too. Sadly, this being Scotland, the sun disappeared after an hour or so and so we had to retreat indoors. A lot of the tables were reserved for a 30^th birthday party happening later but the staff kindly let us occupy a reserved table as we were sure we’d be done by the time the party people started to turn up. Problem was, though, my friend and I were having such a lovely time we weren’t quite ready to leave when we said we would! The staff then kindly found us another table down in the restaurant where we could sit and have a glass of wine for the road. My friend came back from the bar very impressed with the Shiraz she’d ordered for both of us, and also that the lovely member of staff, after my friend picked the Shiraz from the list of reds that she reeled off, said «that’s the most expensive one — is that ok?» That’s a nice touch, and indicative of the down to earth and friendly service. We left after our glass of wine, resolving to return ASAP for a lunch because the menu looked great (we did share a bowl of skin-​in chunky chips and they were very tasty). All in all, a great wee place.

Update time — it has been nearly a year since my last review and some important details have changed but happily, the rating is still an impressive 4-​stars from me.
Thanks to Rebecca D for mentioning the £5 lunch deal in a Unilocal tip the other week as I mentally filed this away as important information that I knew I’d need soon. I was making lunch plans with friends and this place was an option, so we decided on here — partly because of the £5 lunch but also because Tantrum Doughnut is just down the road. Win win.
We had a table of 3 in the lower restaurant space which — like I said last time — has a nice homely/​cosy feel. It’s not hipster and it’s not old man pub-​vibe, it’s almost like being in a holiday-​destination pub. Your mum would like it. Trust me.
I wanted to check about the GF options but ended up just ordering the risotto without actually checking it was GF. I guessed it probably was. The risotto is on the small plates menu for £5 and was described as Mediterranean vegetable — courgette and aubergine. I hate courgette so just ate around it and most of the aubergine was really well cooked, I left the couple of undercooked pieces on the plate. The portion size was good for lunch and I left feeling full but not bursting.
I do have to say that my dining companion (Sharon M) ordered the Arancini and the portion size was pretty small — three smallish balls on the plate. Whereas Sara Day T got the penne and that was a similar sized portion to mine. So maybe check what kind of portion size you’re ordering so you don’t leave hungry.
I really like this pub because of the homely, family vibe and the staff are really nice. It’s really nice when there’s a bit of sun on it too.

Oh I like The Grumpy Goat! I don’t know why it took me so long to discover. Eventually I did on one of those rare but wonderful sunny Glasgow days when the whole city sparkles and I wanted to drink a beer in the sunshine. The Grumpy Goat has a couple of tables outside and it was perfect and unfortunately by the time we’d found it and ordered a beer the sun had gone in. That’s Glasgow for you.
Fortunately, the bar is lovely. It’s like a traditional pub but decorated by someone with great taste. It’s the perfect place to sit with friends and feel completely relaxed while you sip a glass of wine and watch the world go by.
They current (Spring 2016) run an express lunch menu for £5, with options to add sides for supplementary prices. On a second visit I came to take advantage of this offer and chose the meatballs in tomato sauce which were served with garlic bread and I added a side of fries. My partner chose the lasange and also added fries. We were both very happy. My meatballs were dense and strongly beefy and the portion was perfect for a lunch time meal.
It’s one of those bars where I expect everything to be a little bit pricey but it actually turns out to be very reasonable. I could see it becoming a firm favourite. Oh, and one time the bar man chased me down the street because I’d left my phone behind, so now in my eyes they can do no wrong.

The décor at Grumpy Goat is über shabby chic. Think suitcases and old telephones stuck to the wall, squint old granny-​lampshades, funky ceilings and cosy-​comfy seating areas. It’s a pretty cool bar. More than once we commented that it would be a great bar to come to for drinks in the cold winter months, because it just left us feeling all warm inside.
The staff were pleasant enough — I have no real strong feels either way about the waiting staff.
I would say tho that we did wait quite a while for what were reasonably easy cocktails. We were one of only 2 tables in the bar on a quite Saturday lunch time and it did take longer than I think it probably should have.
After much humming and hawing I decided to start my meal with the Hummus, Olives, Rocket and Pitta Bread from the daily menu. The starters arrived pretty quickly and looked lovely. The hummus was creamy and flavourful, it tasted like it was made in-​house. The portion of olives was generous, but I think the dish was really let down by the portion size of the toasted pitta bread. I only got half a pitta which seemed a little bit stingy give the amount of hummus I was served. Everything however did taste delicious.
For my main I selected the Ragstone Cheese Sandwich from the specials board served with skinny fries. When it arrived the sandwich was loaded with tasty well roasted red pepper, grilled aubergine and salad leaves. The sandwich was huge and super tasty, I especially liked the cheese which I had never had before.
A very slight negative tho would be that the cheese wasn’t very well spread over the sandwich, so I ended up with a giant toasted sandwich and there was only cheese right in the middle. I just pulled the cheese off and crumbled it over the whole sandwich… not really a big deal, but I hate having to play about with my food before I eat it.
There was a whole pile of tasty fries which were well cooked and seasoned. As hard as I tried to stop eating them I did demolish the whole portion.
We decided to pass on dessert because it was only lunch and we were going out for dinner that evening.
I have no idea what the bill came to as our friend covered the check. I don’t think it could have been too expensive as my sandwich was only £7.50 which was really good. Having looked at the prices on the menu and seen some of the dishes that came out of the kitchen I would say Grumpy Goat offers good value for money.
A lovely little pub offering nice honest delicious pub food. I would highly recommend a visit to the Grumpy Goat.

Came back for lunch alone a few days later. It’s not a fluke; the food is good. This time I had raw beef and horseradish salad, which was invigorating and refreshing, followed by haddock goujons, which were golden brown and served with tasty fries that needed no sauce. The sticky toffee pudding was fantastic: hot, gooey, and just the right level of sweetness. Service was friendly again. If I were living in Glasgow, this would likely be a constant staple, especially because they change up their menu regularly.

What a pleasant surprise this was.
Checked this place out on a nice lazy Sunday, latching onto their ²⁄₃ course promo. A wise choice.
Four entirely different dining experiences culling from the varied menu, with clean plates and full tummies all round. The portions were also generous for a promo price.
Notably, we did not discover that there was not a single veggie item on the mains section of the set menu. Firstly, that is criminal. Secondly, when we queried this they kindly agreed to include any main from the a la carte menu at the promo price. Very welcoming. Also, when I stole my friends bread, accidentally I might add (I forget they ordered soup — I thought they were just giving us some bread), they gave us some more.
And so, top marks for service.
It’s also a lovely restaurant, with a lush interior and comfortable seating options, including for families with children. They also have some outdoor seating in a spot that easily becomes a sun trap on a warm day.
Excellent value for money.

Hmm, lovely pub, lovely food, lovely décor but bizarre service.
Went for a Sunday lunch with a friend. I had a coffee and my friend had a pint of Moretti beer, seemed a bit pricey at 4.50 for a pint! I ordered the chicken roast of the day, which came with 2 potatoes and a very burnt yorkshire pudding. Although the pudding did taste home-​made. Didn’t feel like I got value for money, due to only getting 2 potatoes and a small portion of veg. My friend’s burger looked really good, but an extra 3 quid for cheese and bacon.
The service throughout had been ok, whenever the waitor spoke to the table, I couldn’t hear clearly as he was quite soft spoken. I didn’t want to constantly ask to repeat him! On receiving the bill, I thought it was a bit too high, noticing that 3 glasses of wine had been mis-​charged to our table. When I went up to the bar to ask to take them off, I was asked if I was sure we didn’t have them! Which I thought was a bit off! I then asked for the card machine, and the card machine and our now correct bill went to the table beside us, who were only on their starters. Hopefully just an off-​day, I loved the décor and the menu looked extensive, so will be back.

Visit number 2 for food– and I can now confirm the cocktails and desserts are fab! At least, the dessert I tried was delicious. We ate off the 2 courses for £12 menu, except we all ended up having 3 courses! There were 4 of us and every single thing on our table either was or looked/​smelled delicious. I had smoked mackerel pâte (homemade with sour dough bread) followed by mussels. All fabulous. The mussels are not accompanied by bread or chips or indeed anything (which made me think twice as I love my carbs) but the portion was so generous I don’t think I could have managed any accompaniment. Also on the table: ham bough, chickpeas with goats cheese (starter so) and chicken and burgers. I am reliably informed the chips were ‘amazing’. Lots of choice for the first two courses on this set menu; dessert was a bit more limited but I didn’t care because the sticky toffee pudding was to die for. It’s not normally something I’d choose– but I am a convert! We even tried a couple of cocktails; their list is very extensive and everything we had was good– will need to go back to try some more! All in, a really great meal– and it’s right on my doorstep!

A further hidden gem on Old Dumbarton road. Well, I’m classing it as that anyways. Imagine going to visit your slightly batty aunt and step right into her living room. It’s an almost eccentric mixture of leather sofas, leather wing back chairs, funky lamp shades, fireplace, bar stools and a dining area. You can’t really miss the place either in its duck egg blue (thanks, Roisin R.) and it’s hand-​painted really grumpy and disapproving looking goat face on the side of the building.
The menu is decent, the food smelled amazing, but my fellow Unilocaler’s and I only came here for a drink. The Sauvignon Blanc is delicious, and they have three sizes to choose from (small, medium and large). Only later did I actually look at the wine menu and was a little disappointed to see that they only had two South African wines on the menu. What was brilliant was that we were served a complimentary slate of bruschetta which I, although dying to try, did not because of the raw tomato chunks that were spreading their disgusting pips onto the innocent toasted bread.
I really want to back here and try the food for it smelled delicious. I also want to claim the table next to the fire the next time. The only downside I can find apart from the stupid tomato pips everywhere, is that the bar staff were not able to make a proper dry martini. I’m sure they will learn though. I can’t wait for this to become my local.

The Grumpy Goat is definitely up there in the top ten Glasgow pub names. I love the little hand drawing of a grumpy goat on the outside of the building– shows a sense of humour and puts a smile on your face before you are even through the door! Myself and a few Unilocal pals popped in here for a glass of wine on Friday night and I was so happy that we did. The staff were welcoming and friendly with a smile on their face and a twinkle in their eye. We sat down in lovely leather chairs and ordered a round of drinks while admiring the cosy décor. The wine that I had was delicious– crisp, fruity and full of flavour. I was pleasantly surprised when a small plate of tasty bruschetta was placed in front of us– complimentary nibbles with our drinks was definitely a bonus! I really enjoyed my visit here and look forward to coming back to see the Grumpy Goat!

After a third attempt, I finally managed to get a table and experience the Grumpy Goat. The beautiful exterior and décor tempted me in, as did the quirky name. The promise of ‘fine wines’ also appealed, but ultimately, the food was underwhelming.
I had the Gentleman’s Bite (Croque Monsieur), which was good, though not very authentic and the Tomato soup was excellent, very rich and flavoured… Lots of basil, reminiscent of a great pizza base! :)
The main courses were less impressive, the mussels whilst tasty, came devoid of the cream/​white wine sauce promised, so mostly dry. The risotto was tasty, possibly a bit too ‘al dente’ crunchy, but very small.
The biggest disappointment was the dessert, I ordered the chocolate mousse, which came cold and hard. Not a mousse at all, more like a solid block of (mostly bland) chocolate. I did mention it and wasn’t charged for it, but overall, was left with a ‘meh’ impression of the meal.
As for fine wines, I ordered the South African Sauvignon blanc (Iona from the Elgin region), which was nice, but the overall selection was limited and average, rather than ‘fine’. Coffee (double espresso) was good, though lacking in crema!

This is a lovely smart pub/​restaurant with an interesting menu. Pigs heid for starters! Lovely décor and smooth music set the relaxed ambience

This was one of the best meals I have had for a long time
Food was different and beautifully cooked, service was perfect
The room was decorated in a very unique way and felt very homely
All in all a perfect meal

Good food, great service, lovely looking place.
I vistited for lunch on a Saturday afternoon and we ended up ordering three courses. The restaurant is very comfortable with a few eye catching features, it’s the kind of place you’d be happy to spend a couple of hours in. The waiting staff were friendly without being too overbearing.
I had the cauliflower fritters as a starter then the ox cheek and a raspberry cranachan parfait. The only dissapointing part for me was the dessert which looked lovely but didn’t have a great texture or flavour. However I will definitely be visiting The Grumpy Goat again, it’s a brilliant addition to the neighbourhood.

Drink! But not a binge, just so you understand.
Another birthday, another venue. «Let’s check it out» he texted. «Ok» I typed and at 7pm we rolled up Old Dumbarton Rd towards the pleasantly painted powder blue building. Inside after a quick squint we were approached by the manager/​owner. «We’re in for drinks» I pronounced, «no probs» he smiled and enthusiastically he gave us some seating options. We took our table.
Inside’s tastefully decorated too, with a light main bar and a lower well lit seating area. All tables are set up for dining and food’s their main bag, but that doesn’t restrict your drinks only options. A family owned business, the menu says and the service was extremely friendly throughout. House lager (£3.80), Ale (£4.40ish), wine (£?), cocktails (£6.50) and cola were ordered. «Cola tastes strange» I heard, but it was changed for sparkling water without any issue by the bar staff. No quibbles, I like it.
It was a Friday evening and unsurprising it was extremely busy when we first arrived — ²⁄₃ eating and ¹⁄₃ drinking. Strangely though it got pretty quite at 9, but there were still 3 or 4 tables intimately quaffing away. Perhaps the drinks prices aren’t as competitive as they could be, but maybe that’s by design to keep the focus on dining? The food certainly looked and smelled good and I’m sure it’s worth a gander, but will I make the detour for drinks only again? Hmmm? It’s just one of many top joints, but if I’m in the area then… Hmmmm, maybe.