Waxy O’Connors

Ah, the mythical Waxy’s — where people always arrange to meet me just for the giggles. Let me explain…
Waxy O’Connors in Glasgow is a cavern. It’s massive. It’s over several floors, with several bars, and full of nooks and crannies to sit in. It can take you ages to find anyone you’re looking for. Indeed, I have a friend who was supposed to meet me in here back in 2007 and hasn’t been seen since. Legend has it on a full moon you can hear their disembodied voice echo through the Church Bar asking for a pint of extra cold Guinness if you listen juuuuuust right.
So yeah, it’s big. But, it’s welcoming too. All those nooks and crannies mean it doesn’t feel like an ENORMOBAR like some other places in the city centre, naming no Wetherspoon names. Once you’ve found your friends, and grabbed a seat in a corner somewhere, it’s a place where you tend to want to stay for just one more.
Service is always quick and sharp here, and the staff unsurprisingly know their stuff when it comes to pouring a decent Guinness. I’d imagine that would be the law in here. Being an Irish themed bar, there are a wide range of real ales and beers on tap to choose from, and the ever present Irish whiskeys to drown your sorrows with because you’ve lost your friends somewhere…
The food always seems to be popular, although being predominantly seafood based, it’s not something I’ve ever braved. One day, I’ll grab something in here and report back. Something that doesn’t come from the water, obviously.
In the meantime, Waxys is a place that’s always fun to spend some time in with a big group. Give it a go, just leave a trail of breadcrumbs behind when you use the facilities…

So waxes never somewhere that would be my first choice in place to drink but it was the Rugby World Cup and it’s apparently a massive rugby bar!
Busy was an understatement shoulder to shoulder the whole bar was packed. Big screens to watch sporting events the atmosphere was on point. Nabbing the last table we had perfect viewing spots in the church bar.
If in Glasgow looking for a pub for rugby I’d go here. It’s not somewhere I would ever imagining myself eating in here but 2 hrs for sport is more than plenty.
Half time? Free halftime snacks handed out sausages and mini fried potatoes! Nice gesture and has changed my perspective of this place.

I’m with Briony on this one in opting for a solid four stars. Whilst I wouldn’t make this a regular drinking spot of mine, it makes for a pleasant one-​drink-​stop.
It feels like a giant tree maze; perfect for finding a cosy nook/​cranny with friends, or equally, curled up with a suitably good book. It particularly reminds me of a bar I found on holiday in Poland’s mountainous Zakopane several years ago; one that was also huge and rustic and tree-​like. So, when I enter Waxy’s, warm, Polish memories come rushing back and I crave that sweet and familiar cherry vodka.
I quite like popping in here for one last drink If I’ve got a bit of a wait for a train. In the winter, even more so, as it’s so warm and inviting. And the staff are pretty friendly too.
See you next time I just miss a train, Waxy’s!

Turns out my one star on my previous review may have been a slight injustice. I recently returned to watch the rugby World Cup final and actually quite enjoyed my experience.
The place was rammed, and that’s some feat due to the size of the place. It’s a popular place to watch rugby so there was a good atmosphere and the beer was flowing. I had a pint of chieftain IPA which actually tasted pretty good.
I perhaps would not have bothered to update my review, but at half time they handed out some mini sausages and also some potato wedges which was a nice touch.
I still don’t think this place is anything great, buts it’s not horrific. There is lots of separate bars within the venue that add something different and it’s a good place to watch a rugby match, An average 3 stars is more fitting than the one I gave previously.

Waxy’s is a half decent pub in a pretty bizarre environment. It has all of the usual Irish pub trappings, but does it all in a rabbit warren of half levels, staircases and nooks. Walking through here sober can be a bit confusing, so after a few pints it’s definitely interesting. As a result there are a lot of different areas to suit your taste — there are areas where a guy with a guitar can play some tunes, tables for bigger groups, and spaces that feel more like and old man pub. The «church with a tree in the middle» feel of the main environment isn’t to everyone’s taste, but it’s actually fairly light some somewhere that doesn’t have any windows, and it isn’t a bad place to have a pint — prices are pretty good, as is the selection of drinks.
If you’re with a reasonable sized group it’s worth a try, but I don’t know if it’s somewhere I’d go out of choice. It’s definitely better than the Wetherspoons pubs that are nearby, but I’m not a huge fan — I don’t overly love themed pubs in general, so Waxy’s is always going to struggle to be top of my list. However, if you want a reasonably priced pint in an unpretentious setting close to Queen Street then it isn’t a bad option. Just make sure you know how to find your way out again!

I’ve been to Waxy’s quite a few times but yesterday was my first proper visit where I stayed for a few drinks.
We were in to watch the Rugby World Cup and the place was absolutely heaving — thankfully we’d arrived at a good time and then even managed to nab a table once the game had started.
Waxy’s is a traditional kind of pub and I love the layout — it really is a total maze and a fun place to explore. Lots of spaces seemed to be booked for private functions and there’s a restaurant space, away from the rowdy rugby watching crowd. I was drinking cider and they had Blackthorn on tap which I actually don’t really like but I still managed a couple of pints.
All up, I actually quite like Waxy’s and think it’s a pretty interesting bar which is well worth a visit — just make sure you pay attention so you can find your way out again.

A beautiful but large labyrinth of a bar… to be honest you could mistake it for a church with its abundance of wood, stained glass and pulpit structures. We popped in for a cider and struggled to get a seat, but it was worth the walk up and down and round about to see the extend of this bar. Would definitely go back, fab atmosphere.

A beautiful and huge pub in the centre of Glasgow. Beautiful decoration and great choice of beers (they even have Rebel Red, my favourite!). Expect to get lost in the premises on your first visit though.

An Irish bar? Really?! Cause I’ve grown up going to bars in Ireland and I ain’t never seen anything like this.
It’s really an American interpreted Irish themed bar. You know, Shillelagh’s all over the place. And a fake tree growing up throughout the bar. Seriously.
That said I quite like it. And that’s more because of the people. Folks that go here are just friendly. Which is super, given the number of lost souls you come across. The place is a total maze! Lots of different rooms etc. The library is a great wee bit for groups of up to about 20. Beer is OK but kinda expensive.
This is one of the better, chilled places to be of a weekend.

I had the best burger ever here. Great taste the only thing that let it down was the 40 min wait to get it.

Who doesn’t love part-​bar part — Tree House?? I’ve been here for st pats madness, chill live music, watching the Glasgow warriors win incredibly, and now watching the world cup games in their cozy chairs.
Their food is good too, and although you can find a slightly cheaper pint elsewhere in Glasgow, it remains one of my favourite pubs out of all the ones I have visited throughout the world.
Class.

It’s one of the best bar interiors in the city so I can’t just judge it on the food. It’s like a cross between a forest, a church and Hogwarts. Particularly in the Church bar looking up, surrounded by gothic furniture and tree trunks, organ pipes and branches overhead and staircases that look like they might just swing round on their own, it’s quite surreal, and quite confusing to the uninitiated. It is a multi-​level, multi-​room maze. My main problem with the place is actually the amount of traditional fiddle music it plays, too much, but saying that it’s a good place to see live music informally.
Getting to the food, well the food was fine, the burger was a good size, a little dry, but tasty enough. The chips were really nice though. Huge, chunky things, perfectly cooked. I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat here, but if I was here anyway, well why not!

Bien placé, bonne ambiance, bien docoré et un bon endroit pour découvrir le haggis (5.50 petit 7.50 grand)
Le service est typique d’un pub, cad il faut aller au comptoir pour demander les plats.
Je recommande ce restaurant pour un dîner entre amis.

Sehr interessante Location, verwinkelt, mehrere Ebenen. Das war es aber auch schon, denn die Bedienung hat uns überhaupt nicht beachtet.
Da ich das Essen geschmacklich nicht bewerten kann: Es sah zumindest gut aus, was anderen Gästen an den Tisch gebracht wurde.
Die erste schlechte Erfahrung in Schottland was Service und Freundlichkeit betrifft.

We walked over to Waxy O’Connors to continue our night in Glasgow. Waxy O’Connors is an Irish pub located on George Street. We walked in and noticed the maze like interior and stained glass windows. I think it must have been a converted church or something but very cool nonetheless. There are bars on each level with flat screens showcasing sports. We commandeered a corner of one of the bars and enjoyed a few pints, shots, and cocktails. They only have the basic spirits here and have never heard of some cocktails my friends rattled off. Just tell them the ingredients and you should be good to go. Although, they don’t have Fireball whiskey which was odd. It’s a good place to get your drink on when it’s raining out and they do have a food menu. Friendly bartenders and interesting architecture makes this a unique place in Glasgow.

It’s a pretty redwood environment with stairs, wooden pillars and vintage booths.
They have space to rent for your own events and have areas that have your own personal bar.
My recommendation is, if your going in a group meet outside first. The place will make you feel like Sarah making your way through the labyrinth to the Goblin Kings castle, somehow ending back where you started.
Food is under-​whelming and the drinks are slightly above average in price.
A good range of whiskey served though and the bar staff are usually easy on the eyes.
Nice for a casual drink with friends during a shopping trip.

Waxy’s is somewhere I really love, and somewhere I keep coming back to! It’s also where myself and the bf had our first date (aww) as I’d never been before and he said it was like Hogwarts, which it definitely is! (Although not as much as my beloved Glasgow Uni, of course.)
One of the main reasons Waxy’s is like Hogwarts is because I pretty much always get lost in here. I swear the staircases must move or something, although I’m getting better at finding my way around! In my opinion it adds to how cool Waxy’s is inside though. There are numerous different bars (I actually have no idea how many) which is great because at the weekend it can get seriously busy — there have been a fair few occasions on a Saturday, or even a Sunday if there’s some sort of sport on, that I haven’t even been able to find a table — so more bars means less waiting, yay!
I enjoy that it feels like you’re in the inside of a tree and it’s always very cosy, with wee nooks you can hide away in — a great place to escape from the inevitable Glasgow rain. There’s loads of interesting stuff on the walls and everywhere, I always notice something different about the place each time I’m in! I’ve always found there to be a lovely atmosphere as well, the staff are nice and the music’s usually pretty good — I say usually because I was once in on a Friday night when they were obviously trying to cater to pre-​clubbers, it was mostly chart stuff they were playing and it was AWFUL. I have nothing against chart stuff, but they made some terrible choices. …basically I’m saying don’t blame me if you go and the music’s rubbish! They also have traditional folky jam sessions sometimes as well, so if you’re lucky enough to grab a seat near enough to hear, it really adds to the feel of the place! (I accidentally wrote feels there, but that’s just me and my distant Irish roots talking, ha.)
The only thing about Waxy’s is that the drinks are pretty expensive and the food even more so — I’ve never had the food in here because of that, although it does look pretty good. In the end I’d much rather pay a bit more and get to sit in Waxy’s than pay less and go somewhere with way less character and atmosphere like the Counting House or other such places. (Nothing against them, mind!)

I love the feel of Waxy’s — it’s warm, cosy and always seems like the best place to snuggle in on a winter night.
It just strikes me as the kind of place better suited to dark nights.
I’ve not eaten in here recently, but it’s location makes it a great central meeting place and I always have a nice time when I’m here. It’s just a bit of a maze and can be totally disorientating!

Me and my partner decided to pop in here last minute as it was raining and this was the closest place to hide! and we were very tired from walking around the west end festival all day.
I am not sure how I really feel about Waxy’s…I think its a bit of a maze if i’m honest! and not in a good way. I get that it’s the style and what not… but really, can you imagine coming in, getting steaming and trying to find your way out? not a chance! I mean it did take me way too long to find the ladies restrooms because everything was just so confusing. Some parts of the pub are quite cool, it reminded me of a castle of some sort.
Meh, I think I will need to come back again when I’m feeling more adventurous.

I love this pub.
Although it seems a bit unfair to say this is just ‘a pub’ when it’s more like three or four different bars all combined in one, maze like, layout.
It’s cozy, homily, and very relaxed. No music blaring, some areas do have screens showing sports, other areas are like little hidden cubbyholes away from everyone else. So regardless if you want to get a group of friends together for some drinks (prices are about on the cheaper side of average) or want to have a quiet drink with a loved one, it’s got plenty of options for you!
I was here for a planned event (office Christmas lunch) so we had an area set aside for us. The staff were excellent, friendly, joined in with the nonsense banter (we now have a tradition for measuring the circumference of people’s heads… no I don’t know why either!) and the buffet they laid out was excellent!
It was a mixture of hot and cold foods, deep fried camembert, spicy chicken, roast potatoes, coleslaw, smoked salmon on hearty bread, chipolatas, to name but a few. Sweets included mince pies and a wonderfully sticky tiffin-​like slice! There was more than enough to feed us twice over, which is saying something!
It’s great pub, and don’t worry, everyone gets lost in it the first few times they visit!

I finished my Subcrawl here, so you’ll have to forgive this review for being a little vague. I had a distinctive like and dislike immediately. The dislike… well, the staff aren’t too friendly. In fact, they’re quite miserable. If they looked miserable then smiled as they served customers I’d forgive it, but they don’t. They’re just miserable.
What I love? That the pub would fit in on Diagon Alley in Harry Potter. It’s SO cool inside (so cool that I could easily get lost). They have fire lamps outside and indoors is just a zany style that makes it both cool but comfortable.
I want to go back with fresh eyes and see it again. Hopefully the staff will be happier.

I visited waxy’s this weekend, the first time for 5 years, I forgot why I hadn’t been in so long, then I remembered… Upon walking in there seemed to be an uneasy atmosphere despite the cheery music and the staff seemed less than happy to be there — when I asked for a drinks menu I was told «it’s just what you see» — the problem is my eyesights not the best, I’m guilty of only wearing glasses only when I absolutely need to. So I ordered two standard drinks I knew they would have, magners and a vodka and cranberry — £9.75, you would expect for those prices they would be competing with providing an exceptional service although I was left tempted to ask if I could get a smile with that; upon walking away I noticed on the bar there was a list labelled bar tarrif — would have been nice to see before I ordered the 500ml magners (not even the big one I know!)
If you want to be ripped off then this is the place to be, as its right next to the train station I can only imagine they make the majority of their money off unsuspecting tourists and punters who wouldn’t get let in anywhere half decent, why anyone would want to drink here regularly is beyond me. AVOID.

Eine tolle Atmosphäre. Die Einrichtung ist wirklich sehenswert und den Seafood Crawler kann ich nur wärmstens empfehlen :-)