The Lab

The Lab is one of those bars that I always forget about until a friend suggests meeting there and then I wonder why I don’t visit more often. The wine and cocktails are very reasonably priced, the staff are friendly and the food is tasty too. Its location (just off Buchanan Street) means that it is handy for a shopping pit-​stop and there is a beer garden for those rare sunny days in Glasgow when everyone is looking for somewhere to drink alfresco.

This is located down a lane off Buchanan Street. It’s a small bar offering food and drinks, with an outside garden area. We had a cider and it was beautifully ice cold. I like that the bar me came over no asked if we wanted another drink. There was a mix of clientele in today which again added to the visit, I like a place that accommodates everyone. This was the cheapest place for our drinks and appeared very competitive, I’ll be back.

The Lab isn’t a place you instinctively head towards — or for me anyway, it’s not — but I generally always have a good time when I’m there. With a few nice beers on tap, and a large, covered beer garden to chill out in when it’s hot, it’s usually always busy.
And there’s the problem — it’s tiny! It’s maybe too popular for it’s own good? Or, y’know, a lot of people go there to be seen (what I call the Brewdog effect) rather than be comfortable.
If you can grab a comfy seat, or a table outside, then by all means, it’s ruddy good, but if not, you’ll spend all your time moving to let people by, looking for a seat with the trained eyes of a hawk (if hawks ate empty seats rather than woodland creatures) and apologising for standing on people’s feet.
Maybe I’m being too harsh, but The Lab is a great first/​last place to stop in, but it’s not a place I would be happy staying all night.
It is still a Glasgow institution, and rightly so. I remember the WOW factor when they were one of the first places to have Budweiser on tap… ahh, the heady days of youth when I was easily impressed by watered down American «beer». Good times.
So yeah, check it out, fight for a seat if you must, and enjoy the sunshine outside.

Not what I expected, in a good way…
So, I was meeting Gavin ‘Apocalyptic’ W whom occasionally likes to frequent über-​trendy style-​bars. So immediately I concluded «uncomfortable evening ahead» — Not with the company you understand? But on this occasion he happily surprised me.
We’re in our Forties, but we seemed to be the youngest dudes in the bar. This really perplexed me, as I’d always thought The Lab was a young and trendy establishment — a pre-​club hangout, if you will. Don’t know why, but perhaps being next to Ted Baker pointed me in the direction of — ‘frequented by labelled-​up Saturday night types’. Not so :-)
In fact The Lab has the charm of an internal, cosy courtyard (if you can imagine such a thing?) which extends to an actual courtyard seating area. The host is warm and welcoming and the bar is well stocked with hefes, pilsners, ales and spirits. The bar soon filled with all sorts — a true mix of young and old, which contributed to a congenial atmospheric evening.
Good choice Gav

Came in here as I met an old manager who insisted on buying me and the group I was out with a drink. We had to walk back here as we had totally bypassed it.
After going in I kind of understood why. It was relatively quiet and as a big group we seemed uncomfortable loud. We were standing at the bar but spilled onto other people’s tables as there wasn’t an awful lot of space.
The youngest barman looked about 40, now I’m not ageist and I’m sure with age comes experience but all the same it was a bit weird. With an average age of about 25 our group was easily the youngest party there by a fair bit. There looked to be a nice bit outside for smokers but not being a smoker I didn’t go out to check properly.
The place looked quirky and I may venture in here when I’m with a few friends to see if I enjoy it any more. This place did nothing wrong I’m just not sure if I was in the right frame of mind to properly enjoy it.

Ok, I admit it — I love The Lab
Hidden down a lane off Buchanan Street, it feels like Glasgow’s best kept secret — knowing about it feels like being part of a select club and I hope it stays this way!
The clientele is mixed, the music is eclectic (and quiet enough so you can actually talk to whomever you’re with-​thank god!) and the atmosphere just right.
Price-​wise, the food is excellent value, and drinks are also fairly priced. There’s a beer garden to relax in when we rarely see the sun, and internally the décor is functional and (relatively cosy).
So…why not five stars?
Well, the décor is now looking a bit tired (unchanged more or less since opening in 2001). Also, the toilets (although revamped) still need some attention, particularly on a daily basis.
Drinks-​wise, the range could be improved (although I love the wheat beer) and perhaps some more variety on the wine wouldn’t go amiss also?
Overall, The Lab is a great wee place where you can (almost) always get a seat in comfortable surroundings with friendly staff-​a hidden gem in the rough of substandard City Centre bars.

Last minute lunch date call from the «don’t you dare look at that girls bum» Mother Unit, saw a spur of the moment dash into this great wee joint for a spot of, well, lunch.
To be honest, I’m a little shocked that i ain’t reviewed the Lab until today, as it’s a place I’ve been on a number of occasions. Must have been in my pre Unilocal days, when all i did was actually eat, drink and visit places… i now live to Unilocal… it’s the best addiction I’ve ever had!
Who’s that? Reality? Oh yeah, so the Lab is a fantastic wee gastro pub (more on the gastro than on the pub) hidden away in a wee alley off the main street madness which is Buchanan Street.
Located in a cool old red brick building (quite rare in the sandstone orgy that is Glasgow) with a cool courtyard, funky feel and retro esque interior.
The menu, whilst not blowing off any socks, is good luchtime/​teatime fodder (try the Sausage and Mash, quite splendid) divvied up into healthy portions and decently priced.
Add to this, some quick efficient and friendly service and you have yourself a right on, grub grabbing, city centre spot, ideal for a getaway when the crowds become too much to bare.

I’ve always like the Lab for it’s proximity in town and for its coolness. It’s a great little place, out of the way of the hubub of the main streets; tucked away in a corner of a lane off Buchanan Street. In fact you wouldn’t know it’s there unless you knew it was there.
It always surprises me in a ‘You’re kidding!’ way when people I know don’t know the Lab. Everyone should know about the Lab.
It’s got a stellar menu, inside. Your usual pub grub with a twist. The nachos alone are worth going in for. They don’t skimp on the ingredients and you feel like you’re going to burst afterward. The greek platter is also worth a shot; a little smörgåsbord of delights such as hummous, pitta bread, olives…
At night, the Lab suddenly changes into a representative of ‘cool’. Excellent music; cocktails and their famous ‘test tube shots’. You get a good deal getting a full 5 shots; and a little menu of shots to choose from. Mix it up; it’s good. And if you’ve never taken a shot out of a test tube, lemme tell ya, it’s not as easy as it looks.
A side beer garden is great on nice days; picnic tables and benches, and some umbrellas if you don’t want to get scorched.
Try the white russian when you go in. Topped with a couple of coffee beans, it is the epitome of YUM.
In fact, try everything. The Lab will be your new favourite place to be.

I expected waiters in crazy scientist glasses and lab coats, Bunsen burner candles in the middle of the tables and cocktails with names relating to the periodic table. What I got was a teeny wee bar with a nice outdoorsy sitty bit, and a couple of shots in over priced test tubes. Not good, The Lab.
However, in saying that, I did have a plesant afternoon drink in here with my other half in the secluded beer garden. The drinks are not expensive, but it isn’t anything special, although nice if you just want somewhere quiet to go when shopping gets too much. It does get über busy on a weekend though, so I would steer clear if like me, standing in heels all night ruins it completely. It’s a good bar. Nothing more, nothing less.

Surprisingly good bar situated just off Buchanan Street, the Lab is a strange one and somehow doesn’t feel like it belongs in a UK city centre. Good music, a lack of neds, devoid of gruff old men; just a solid, down-​to-​earth aesthetically pleasing watering hole.
Its underground feel is due in no small part to its location. Despite living my whole life in Glasgow, even I was unaware of this pub’s existence until an advertising board popped up in Buchanan Street. What’s even more surprising is that, despite the inconspicuous nature of the lane, when the sun is shining the Lab boasts an extremely vibrant beer garden.
Getting a seat can be hard, but if you do, you’ll be here all day.

I really like The Lab, it has a good selection of drinks, friendly staff and a nice chilled out atmosphere.
I used to work just round the corner from The Lab so I used to come here all the time to unwind after work, have a cheeky drink and feast on some of the delicious roasted nuts that they have here, delish!

This is the sort of place you could easily miss. I almost did. It’s off Buchanan Street, which has exactly one pub on the entire street.
A friend of mine dragged me here one night after the cinema and we had a great time.
It’s quite friendly and relaxed, with young professionals here for a few drinks after work mostly.
There’s a cracking wee outdoors smoking area that is nice when the weather allows to enjoy such things in Glasgow (rarely) and they serve amazing (and crazy) shots in test-​tubes on a test-​tube rack. They are well priced and the real motivation for going back. Presumably this is where the name ‘The Lab’ comes from.
The toilets are a million miles away and it can get quite cramped when it’s busy.
A cool wee place, that’s got a breath of fresh air about it. A nice change of scene and ideal for a late-​night winding down after the cinema or theatre. Good for couples and small groups.

Exceptionally difficult to find down a lane next to Buchanan Street, The Lab sadly doesn’t have bar staff in white coats, pictures of Einstein, or any science themed paraphanelia whatsoever, but despite missing this trick, it’s a nice enough and fairly unique bar in the city centre.
It’s not the décor, drinks or clientele that’s unique, just the atmosphere. It’s hidden location means it’s pretty much completely secluded from anywhere else, and this combined with the beer garden makes it feel a bit like like a village pub.
It’s definitely a curio of the Glasgow drinking scene, but I quite like it.

It’s a strange one. For some reason the Lab never registers on my pub navigation system as a good place to go
They play great music, serve a good selection of beer, wine and munchies. It’s a fantastic place if you want a quiet-​ish drink in the evening with your partner or a couple of friends.
Because it’s small size, you’ll find it tough getting a seat here at the weekends but it’s definitely worth a try and visiting during the week is a must.
The name suggests something a bit clinical but I’d say the Lab is the complete opposite.
I think it’s location down a lane means that you end up passing it by but, don’t! Go here!

I had almost given up hope when half way down Buchanan Street in search of this pub. A couple of my friends were there & tempted me & another friend (we’d been out for dinner nearby) to join them for a ‘night cap’. To be fair, their directions were dire (along the lines of «It’s off Buchanan Street») and once we did find it the fact that it’s hidden made it seem quite charming. Finding a pub that you have pretty much walked past every day and not known that it existed — exciting!
Luckily my friends had already occupied a table at the window as this wee chilled out cocoon was busy, busy, busy! ‘Wee’ is the operative word too — it is teeny. I popped up for drinks for the four of us — as a newbie I had no idea about the test tube drinks (devastated) — and the service was nicely relaxed to match the crowd in there. I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t too lab-​like — I’m not sure I’d see the appeal of drinking in a lab. Tis much cosier here.
I would probably avoid it at the weekend but perfect for a chatter with friends during the week. Thumbs up!

Tucked out of the way off Buchanan Street (look for the sign for Office shoe shop), The Lab is a friendly, chilled place with decent music playing from a computer jukebox and a token telly down the far end with Sky Sports News running its usual loop.
Ghost town empty on early week nights, it can get pretty cramped in there on a Friday night, so if you don’t get a table you can look forward to standing in the aisle with folk barging their way by on the way to the downstairs toilets.
It’s a bit pricey in there — many’s the time I’ve found a clutch of receipts in my wallet the morning after and felt a pang of regret. Unfortunately, despite the premium, the selection of beers is sorely lacking and those test-​tube rack shots are best avoided unless you’re after a really messy night! With a round of 3 Budweiser’s swallowing up a tenner and Erdinger your next step up on draft, the price is more a reflection of the location of the bar, rather than of the quality of the drink or surroundings.
The menu is short and sweet, but the food is good and arrives in good time, so it can be ideal for a quick lunchtime bite when it’s not so busy.
One thing to note is that due to the built-​up surroundings there is almost zero phone reception in The Lab — you see a lot of folk out the front or wandering to Buchanan Street to try and get a signal, which makes it a pain in the neck if you’re trying to meet up with people.
To sum up I’d say it’s a good bar to stop by once in a while, but the prices and the over crowding mean there’s not much to love.

So much smaller than expected, and disappointingly un-​lab themed, The Lab is famous for its rack of test tube shots. The shots are absolutely minging, but fun.
The surroundings are pretty nice, and it attracts a fairly chilled crowd. The beer garden is more like a courtyard, and it’s a good place to go for a chinway, if you can get a seat. Not the cheapest place, but it’s worth a stop for a drink.

The Lab is a great little bar hidden off Buchanan Street in Glasgow.
It can be hard to find for those not used to the area but look for the signs pointing you off the main street and into the lanes running off and for the shoppers out there it’s the lane beside Office shoes!
It serves great good value food and drink and is a great place for lunch or dinner. It also has a small outdoor area.