Kenneth Baillie
We had a lovely night at the Hillhead Book Club. The atmosphere was lovely. Impressive vegetarian menu. Service was actually great and they were so patient because our companion arrived a little late. We were approached quickly and our drinks were at the table in good time. Food arrived soon after. We had the Veg fish and chips, Marrow bone mac & cheese and the small plate fishcake with poached egg. I would say only that the food needed a bit more seasoning but overall we had a lovely night. Enjoyed it! We will definitely come back and recommend it. The pina-coladas were delicious by the way!
Abbie Sloan
Amazing food and cocktails! Atmosphere was great. Staff couldn’t be more helpful. Can’t thank Ethan enough. And Mylo done a great job with the drinks. Overall extremely happy!
Patrick McSmear
Taco Tuesday is class, that and there’s someone who plays Alvvays songs over the speaker which is worth 5 stars on its own.
Kristen Butler
Great spot! I was here about 8 years ago, and was excited to bring my now husband. It didn’t disappoint- Prince quote on the door, giant pink disco ball, Arrested Development playing on a projector, comfortable booths, fantastic drinks, and, of course, the vibes and space are fantastic. While we were there, what seemed like an entire bus or two of young adults (18-21 ish) all wearing tennis/golf clothes or other fun costumes (so many visors!) came, took over for about an hour, then left. We were really amused and unfamiliar with their activity (a Scottish friend was happy to fill us in later!) but they were all friendly and having a blast. And the place is so big that it wasn’t an issue whatsoever.
The only things that were weird were the bathroom stall was COMPLETELY dark- I had to turn on my phone flashlight or I wouldn’t have seen my hand in front of my face!! And when we asked for two shots of Maker’s, they came together in a rocks glass. Neither were issues, just funny anecdotes. Would send anyone visiting Glasgow here for sure!
J D
Had the soup and sandwich deal (before 5pm) which was delicious and good value for money.
Also have a great drinks menu, lovely cocktails and nice atmosphere.
Peter R. Reuter
Clearly and without a doubt 5🌟s 🤩🙌 stunning location indoors and super good food and service. It has all you need and also the beer 🍺 I had was amazing. Fruity and just a bit bitter - for me the perfect mix after a long day on the motorcycle.
The cauliflower was brilliant 😍👍 sweet and spicy and just the right amount- thanks for giving us a great time folks 🥳
Aoife D
Visited for dinner and a drink and had a lovely time. The food was nice, the drinks menu was interesting and the service was great. There was a minor issue with my order and it was sorted quickly and easily. Our waitress Maria was very friendly and helpful. Would definitely come again
Hamid Minhas
Lovely laid back place, great food and setvice. Loved my visit there. Fish n chips were great. Loved playing ping pong.
Revisited today and served by Toni. Great experience and lovely food. Big shout out to Toni....she was wonderful. ❤️
Jaap Overal
Nice place with good music, good food selection, friendly service and classier ways to get tipsy. Beautiful interior with bar, cosy seating and a pretty ceiling. Dogs allowed, daily activities, something for everyone.
Morvern Carmichael
Ethan was a 100/10 bartender. Bespoke cocktails for our group , we’re delish.
Duncan Park
First time in HILLHEAD BOOK CLUB. I remember it as GONG when have had many pre club weekend cocktails before going into the city. Had a drunken long luncheon in the fabled CRABSHAK over the road , so the 4 of us popped over... Great pints and service.. they opened up a wee private bar for us... "This is my Treehouse. Stay out of my treehouse" (Succesion).
James Montgomerie
Had a great time here for a birthday meal. Stunning venue, but its very very busy and took a long time to get drinks and food. Probably easier in a small group. Would certainly return.
Paul Norbury
Great pub with fabulous staff. Nice menu, good draft beers . Cocktails and kid friendly. No l9nger welling neck oil on draft .
:(
Tomaz Susic
Eating in a place that used to be a cinema is a unique experience. The food was very good and the atmosphere too. Recommended! Every week they even have a discount for vegetarian dishes, which is good promotion (even though I am not a vegetarian).
Gary Stevens
outside seating.with heaters...had the katsu burger and fries...it was very tasty succulent chicken with perfectly cooked fries..katsu sauce very nice...the pubs a big hit with the students....there is also a service charge on your bill...
Allanah Ramos
Lovely venue with lots of space. Loaded curly fries were beautiful but I found the pancakes disappointing. Staff were all helpful and nice but getting the bill to some time
Gillian Fox
This is a lovely place for food and drink, done up with shabby and quirky styling, despite being owned by G1 Group. There’s a large outdoor seating area and inside there are lots of nooks and places to sit.
The menu has a great selection, especially for vegans and vegetarians. The drinks selection is decent - some of the larger cocktails come in gramophones, as an Instagram-worthy gimmick.
The atmosphere inside is great - a good noise level but booths mean you can still have a decent conversation.
The service was really good - timely, friendly and attentive.
The only negative is that we had tried to call to book and had left 2 voicemails but with no response. We’re lucky there was a booth available for us on the night. I know things are busy but if you don’t respond to messages then you’ll be missing out on custom!
M H
I’ve been to Bookclub a handful of times and each time I’ve had a great experience. The staff are so welcoming and they always make sure my dog has water and is happy.
The food is always up to standard and the cocktails are amazing!
The new outside area is lovely too- definitely recommend.
jordaanstewart
Amazing experience for a night out in Glasgow. Ping pong is 10/10. All the staff are lovely and pleasant. Kept clean and tidy. Drinks taste amazing! Would definitely return and recommend!
Aimee Elliott
Lovely, eclectic little restaurant/pub. There's a strong hipster/student vibe. The menu has cute little jokey descriptions of the food, there's an outdoor area at the entrance with fairy lights and upstairs there's games and table tennis. The food is lovely and remarkably well priced - I particularly enjoyed the spinach curry on my last visit.Tends to be very busy so service can be slow occasionally, but that's the only downside really. Your meal will be very reasonably priced but watch out for the delicious cocktails you'll be tempted by, as that's where you'll spend your money.
Kayleigh C
We went here last weekend for Sunday lunch with friends. The menu had a good selection and I was choosing between a burger and spinach and potato curry. <br/>I opted for a cheese burger and chips. The chips were chunky chips with the skin left on and the burger was delicious. <br/>I decided against getting a desert but try a spoonful of the pecan pie my other half got, also delicious. I opted for a posh tea (rather than builders tea) which I think was called posh because it was in a teapot and you get a cup and saucer. <br/>I will definitely go back here for food and I know from past experience they make a great Bloody Mary. <br/>There is also a good selection of veggie options on the menu. <br/>No pictures I'm afraid, I was so hungry and it looked so good I just wanted o tuck in.
Amecameca
Lots of Fun!. As a couple of tourists from the States, my wife and I really enjoyed this place. The building is amazing and the ambiance is lively and fun. The quality of the food was a little hit and miss, but the price is right. We especially liked he chickpea fritter appetizer and the sticky toffee pudding for dessert. All the wait staff was very friendly and accommodating and attentive — a good trick given all the customers they were having to serve. If we ever get back to Glasgow we will certainly return.
Jenny
Disappointed with Service. My husband and I have always enjoyed going to eat at Bookclub. We've always enjoyed the atmosphere and the food is wonderful. In the beginning the service was an issued but being from the US we laughed it off and thought maybe the pace of life here was different. I no longer think its a matter of pace of life....the service at Bookclub is just horrific and after the experience I had tonight, I thought it was time to create an account and write up a review.<br/>Whenever we go to Bookclub, be it busy or not, there is never a member of staff at the door to great you. You have to stand awkwardly at the door for up to 10 min before you are noticed. If you choose to sit down before someone has spoken to you be prepared to wait extra long to be noticed, they notice you but they seem to be annoyed you decided to seat yourself rather than stand awkwardly in the drafty doorway for 10 min. Food can take forever and you can go an entire meal without having your drink refreshed. Tonight, my husband and I went in to eat dinner. There was no one in Bookclub and about five staff members, just walking around. We sat down, without any staff help and all five of them walked by us at one point without a nod or a ill be there to help you in a minute. After 20 minutes we left.<br/>It sucks to write this review. We spent Christmas and New Years in Bookclub but we wont be going back again. Its just not worth it.
Hannah Taylor
Good food & music. Really love this place, the food and atmosphere are always great. Booked through 5pm.co.uk last week - the value for money was great!! Will definitely continue to be a regular.
Ash
Terrible service. Service is awful. I'm a very patient person but I ordered pancakes with bacon and for some reason, this took 40 minutes to arrive and that was after managing to flag down a "waiter" to ask what on earth was going on. I say "flag down" because it's almost impossible to attract their attention. They're all very good at running around but very rarely did I see them actually attending to any tables. My pancakes arrived and for some reason had syrup on them instead of bacon. That can be fixed, but is it that difficult to get right in the first place? My friend's food arrived about 10 minutes after mine - again, had to flag down someone as for whatever reason they didn't notice my food had arrived but my friend's order hadn't. The waiter didn't check if everything was ok and it was another huge effort to get the bill. Ended up paying at the bar because I was past sitting around looking like an idiot.<br/>You shouldn't have to go out of your way to order your food and they can't seem to get something as basic as that right.<br/><br/>I'm afraid this place IS pretentious, very much so, it's evident throughout the place (the "quirky" touches like mismatched cutlery and charity shop plates, the retro games, even the type of staff they employ) which I wouldn't mind if the service wasn't so darn terrible.
Foodie22
Terrible Service!. I regularly drink in the Hillhead Bookclub at the weekends and have often found the service to be a bit slow. However, I was recently extremely annoyed and frustrated when I tried to order a drink there on a Saturday night. It was very busy, about three deep at the bar, and the bar staff spent all their time larking around, chatting to each other and showing each other texts/photos on their mobile phones. I waited at least 10 minutes before any of the bar staff even looked at me and when I was served the barman seemed as though it was a hassle to serve me. I am really disappointed at the level of service that is offered in this bar and will not be giving them any more of my business. I emailed the management to highlight the problems that I had with the bar staff but I did not receive a reply, so that leads me to believe that they dont think customer service is very important. There are plenty of bars in the westend which provide much nicer surrounding and a much higher level of customer service, so in future I will spend my hard earned cash in one of these instead of the Hillhead Bookclub.
Stuart Hughes
This is a fun place to have a few drinks! We went for the £3 strawberry mojitos...go down too well! You can even enjoy a game of ping pong or super mario. Its great to have somewhere with cheap drinks that's also really cool in the west end!
Maureen
Maureen. I did not like the food here one bit! I went to the vegetarian night special, as part of national veggie week. The food was bland. In fact, it was a joke. My starter was ok, but my partner's soup was bland. The mains were particularly bad. I had grilled veg and a little rice - the kind of food at a bad dinner party, with a token veggie dish for the vegetarian from someone who does not have a clue!!<br/><br/>My partner had a curry which did not taste of curry. A korma perhaps, but without the spice??<br/><br/>My partner had a nice pudding. Mine was the worst cheesecake I've tasted - once again, no flavour, just whipped cream cheese. It was shocking.<br/><br/>I complained and was given a paltry 20% off for a ruined night!<br/><br/>The waitress was really sweet though and was very sorry. However no manager came to ask us anything, just left it to the young waitress. They obvously did not care.<br/><br/>Never again, will I go back there.
JackieO
Disappointing. Both food and staff were pants. They sometimes get it ok with food but biggest let down are the staff. They didn't pay much attention, got orders wrong and spent ages chatting to each other instead of looking after diners. Think could be good wee place if they spent the same time on training staff and looking at quality of food as they do trying to be cool and quirky. It's not cool. Lots of other places doing better around them for now and would recommend sussing them out first until HB tries harder.
Jess Burns
Tasty pancakes & good booze. I go to this palce every Sunday for brunch with my friends and it's alwys got a great atmosphere! We love the little jars of jam and maple syrup and the bloody marys are always good. I've waited a while on food before but always found the staff to be lovely and attentive, unlike the other reviews!
Cat
Consistently dire service. I wanted to like this place, but after 4 attempts I'm forced to admit defeat. The food service is uniformly abysmal and creates a really unpleasant experience. Rude, curt, uninterested staff. Don't bother.<br/><br/>It's next to impossible to get menus to start with -- you practically have to grab someone to get them to pay attention to you. When the menus show up they're dumped and off the staff go again. You'll have to flag someone down again to order, if they come past at all. The food may be hot when it reaches your table or it may not. No one will ask if your food is okay. If you ask for something they may or may not bring it. Last time we were in and asked for the bill we got such a contemptuously rude nod in response we burst out laughing. <br/><br/>By the time you leave you're so annoyed from wrangling the staff to get basic service, you feel they should be paying you. Stunningly bad.<br/><br/>There are so many better places to spend your time/money on Byres Road. Go elsewhere.
David
Good games but dodgy dinners. What they have done to this place is nice, it's quirky with some nice touches like retro games and table tennis. But, what is this doing in a restaurant? Well, to be honest food is not what you should be coming here for. <br/><br/>The level of the food is below average and sadly reminds me of the standard that would have been acceptable in Glasgow 10 years ago. Perhaps they were trying to give us retro food to go with the retro games?<br/><br/>We ordered mussels (recommended as a special of the day), which were actually off! The steak pie was salty with a dried puff pastry as a garnish and the pigeon tasted over hung... Very disappointing.<br/><br/>I would go there for a drink and play the Nintendo, but stay away from the food...
Nick Bell
Excellent!. Was here last Saturday evening with some friends and was very impressed. Food was simple but effective and reasonably priced. Two female waitresses were serving downstairs together and both were attentive, friendly and very speedy. Will undoubtedly be returning! Keen to try out the brunch menu!
Jb
Lay off. HB has had a bit of stick, theres no reason for it!<br/>My friends and i went for dinner the other night and had a great time. The staff were friendly and drinks were brilliant. We wil all be back!
SB
Always a warm welcome. I always like to drop in here when I am in the West End - you always get a friendly greeting, whether you are in for a meal or just a quick drink and game of ping pong!<br/><br/>I love the decor and, as a messy eater, am glad of the tea-towel instead of a pile of cheap paper napkins! My experience with the food has been great. Fab burgers and a great range of tasty pies and at reasonable prices.<br/><br/>As for people calling the place pretentious, I think it is more a case of 'anything goes'. I have been in fully dressed up for a night on the tiles at times and at others looking like I have just finished climbing Ben Nevis, but have never been made to feel out of place. I love the fact that there is a whole mix of people at HHBC - variety is the spice and all that. People would be quick to complain if there were another insipid Wetherspoons in its place. <br/><br/>Nothing wrong with being a bit different, in fact, HHBC, I applaud you.
James
A bit of a breath of fresh air this place. having just moved to the west end of glasgow, I had heard lots of exciting things about the area but the bookclub is the first place to really deliver anything out of the ordinary. (although stravaigin very good too) <br/>a nice hello as soon as my partner and i arrived was a good start and the decor in the place is amazing. got a carafe of water with strawberry and mint in it which was the first of many touches that seperates it from the other places in the area. a strawberry gin mojito for me and a cute mini carafe of white wine with a glass tumbler gave a nice mellow rustic feel to the evening.<br/><br/>having explained the specials our waitress (who was already in my partner's good books for complimenting her scarf) was just the right balance of friendly and attentive. <br/><br/>we shared a half pint of whitebait as a starter and as well as being quite moreish, it was served in an old school glass tankard.<br/><br/>a simple steak pie for my main was good value for money with succulent chunks of meat and a decent drizzle of gravy, (not exactly rocket science but very tasty) while my partner opted for a vegetarian lasagne which also went down a treat. we each had a good giggle at the plates too as my pie was served on a snowman design and the lasagne on a ruby wedding anniversary dish.<br/><br/>no space for dessert unfortunately and a prior engagement with the cinema meant no ping pong either. but we'll be back for sure
FoodLover
Love, love, LOVE this place! This place is proof that London doesn't have it all! Went here today for Sunday brunch and didn't know where to look first: the eclectic furniture, the painstakingly mismatched charity-shop sourced cutlery or the beautiful ceiling of what I think used to be a cinema? The staff was friendly and attentive while my veggie full English was definitely a winner. Some people might think it's pretentious; I think it's genius. This place is a trip down memory lane for people like me who grew up in the late 80s/early 90s and remember desk projectors at school which the Bookclub now cleverly uses as the Today's Special board; not to mention their SuperNintendo & Sega corner where you can play a few rounds of Streetfighter; or check out their ping-pong table. The perfect place to spend a Sunday afternoon. Would love to come back on a Sat night if I'm in Glasgow again.
Mister Jk
Where the hell are the staff???. Deleted a previous ok review for this place as few visits later it has been bad each time.<br/><br/>The staff are one of the biggest problems. They just aren't very attentive. Even after a few visits we are still unsure if it is meant to be table service or order at the bar. Staff hardly around and hard to track down. Our wine took almost 20 minutes to arrive after we almost forced someone to take our order. Took us ages to get our plates taken away and to pay the bill. The place wasn't even packed at this time. As other reviews say, all a bit pretentious too and trying to be cool. <br/><br/>Food didn't go down too well. They brought us wrong thing but apologised and quickly fixed it. We went for a beef and a bean burger as mains. Chunks of burger were collapsing onto the plate as you tried to eat it so obviously the chef hasn't used enough to bind them. So more than half of our meal was still on our plate when they finally came to take them away. And they didn't ask if it was ok.<br/><br/>Bad service and bad food I'm afraid. Nice venue though and good as a bar. Terrible as a restaurant. Reckon they should give up the food part or have the downstairs as bar and upstairs as food only.
Mike
Bookclub got it covered... My good lady won a voucher in silent auction for a meal and wine at bookclub in old Salon cinema off byres road. Went there with friend with some trepidation as recent reviews I read were not the most complimentary.<br/>It was a quite monday nite and as we handed over our voucher I expected the worst but was most surprised by the whole evening. Firstly, efficient friendly waitress was very welcoming showed us table and menu a brought refreshing jug of water (which had mint and fruit in it) which was good start. Menu was small typeface and at my age was bit of challenge but we selected a m ain course. Wine arrived and food soon after, plenty of variety in the crockery. The food was excellent, nice and hot and well seasoned. I had special beef olives with mash and friend had Kedgeree and side of chunky chips, all excellent and staff attentive. Evening progressed well and food excellent. Staff changedover with no noticeable difference and new guy was most attentive and helpful. Bill sorted with the voucher we had and overall the exeprience was very good, well done staff and chef.
Samuella
I ate here yesterday and felt compelled to write a review. This place is so pretentious and trying way too hard to be cool. The little witty comments with the menu are simply irritating. They guy bringing our drinks over and saying 'get them down yer' was also irritating. The food was terrible. I had the chicken and chorizo hotpot. I found one piece of chorizo in my very small portion of chicken in a can of chopped tomatoes. Completely tasteless. I barely touched it, and ate the two slices of dry bread I ordered as a side and was subsequently attempted to be charged £2.50 for. The waitress who cleated our plates didn't seem to notice that I barely touched my meal and didn't even bother to ask if our food had been ok. A truly awful experience all in all. I will not be going back.
Caesarsalad
Nut roast. Dreadful night at the Book Club. They hire staff based on their Urban Outfitters style rather than their brains or desire to offer great service. A group of us tried to celebrate a friends birthday and ordered from the veggie menu. I asked what was in the omelette, our waiter didn't know. What's in the nut roast? No idea. We were all served our excuse for a meal at different times and my roast vegetable with peppers omelette had a couple of cherry tomatoes and one pepper slice in it. Bland and bogging! <br/>Friends who had ordered the nut roast waited for ages. Eventually when we asked the waitress after most of us had finished she said it was our fault for not telling her sooner? She then delivered pate and oatcakes...not a clue. Finally one friend received her meal almost two hours after ordering. We complained to the manager and they wiped the food bill and gave us a round of drinks free. Which is just as well because I wouldn't have paid a fiver for the omelette they served up. I didn't hang around for my free drink, the overthought decor and twee touches like drinking wine out of beakers and wearing plimsoles was getting on my nerves.
SomeRandomBint
Quirky Fun Food for laid back people. My OH and I happened across this place by accident and we're very glad we did! <br/><br/>Quirky decor, laid back staff, a well stocked bar and decent food at a decent price - what's not to like?!<br/><br/>There was the odd downside - the proximity to Glasgow Un meant we were treated to a rather loud rundown from the people at the next table of their weekend and their course requirements. But having been students ourselves, we saw this more as a chance to reminisce about the good old days!<br/><br/>Food was good - considering the price we paid. My minute steak suffered slightly from being a bit tough, but the horseradish mayo was perfectly balanced, and the salad fresh. With big chunky chips and a price tag the right side of a tenner, it filled a hole perfectly. Mr Bint's burger was perfectly judged - the right size, with bacon and cheese as additional extras, and the same chunky chips cooked to perfection, with the added addition of creamy coleslaw which finished the dish off a treat!<br/><br/>A carafe of water with strawberries and mint appeared as if by magic, and staff were attentive but not overbearing. The specials are listed by the bar on an OHP, and the whole place has a kitch, vintage feel with mismatch china of the sort your gnranny used to have, and bone handled knives which are better than you would expect at cutting meat!<br/><br/>All in all, I loved this place. It's not a high end restaurant or gastropub. It's a student hangout where "grownups" can also feel at home. It has a real buzz about it, with some lovely little touches (the basket of essential lady products like hairspray, anti-perspirant and other stuff you forget to take on a night out, in the ladies loos is just one example). I'd recommend it to anyone who wants a decent bite to eat, a good choice at the bar, and doesn't take themselves too seriously.
Andrew
Style. Over. Substance.. I left this joint with my girlfriend so indifferent to the place that I wouldn't have dreamed of dignifying it with anymore of my time and submitting a review. However, on reflection the place made me so angry I felt I needed to warn people of what they could be in for. <br/><br/>Firstly, on arrival it took a couple of laps of the downstairs section to find a member of staff who was willing to acknowledge our presence. Seated. Dark. In contrast, our section waitress was a lively girl, smiling, eager to please…on the verge of grating obsequience. Not even her bright personality could help us see the menus, printed on brown 'aged' paper with black typewriter about 8point font size; perhaps these were genuine menus left over from when this place really was a book club! Pretentious. Most menu items had a 'quirky' twist in its description, a nice idea I suppose but it just added to the annoyance. Confusing. There seemed to be more specials listed by our server than there were items on the menu proper. Pointless. I don't want a memory test when I go out for dinner. My girlfriend's wine was served in a carafe with a tumbler to drink from. Come on! My Mojito was genuinely lovely but by this point I was resenting them doing anything well and I was getting funny looks from Pete Docherty's brother sitting across from us and someone that must have been his cousin sitting behind my girlfriend…remind me to order Gin in a teacup next time.<br/><br/>The food. The food was good for the price (5pm.com helped). We had mushrooms on toast to share as a starter which were hugely moreish with a creamy garlic sauce. Decent chips, a homemade burger that was well cooked and a salad that was doing more than just making up the numbers. Same went for my better half's fish and chips. However, it took an age to get our food, communication amongst the several members of staff must have been non-existent as we either got bombarded with the same question three times over or were completely ignored. <br/><br/>Overall, I wouldn't go back, not even for a drink. If you are a second year arts student at Glasgow University and would like to be imbued with that sort of bohemian chic that usually requires years of substance abuse and superficial pondering over translations of Jean Paul Sartre's work then go. Apparently that revered level of 'cool' is available for instant consumption at Hillhead Bookclub by simply quaffing your blossom hill out of an Ikea water glass. I'm gonna stick to wine glasses for my wine in future.
Tom
Would not go back. It needs to be emphasised that this bar occupies a tremendous space and has a lot of potential as a venue. Sadly however, it tries too hard and falls down when it comes to basics. <br/><br/>The food was average: OK chips; a decent burger served with uninspiring cheese along with a fairly pathetic bun; and a very salty half pint of fried whitebait. Also, personally I found the menu, which was written in a ridiculously small font and attempted to include a witticism with each item, very annoying. <br/><br/>This however paled into insignificance in comparison to the truly awful service. It was difficult to attract the attention of any service staff to begin with, then our food order was taken without the server asking if we wanted any drinks. When the food came we lacked cutlery and had to ask for it; similarly we were not offered ketchup etc. One of the waiters was all over the place - taking ages to fetch our bill because he was talking to other members of staff and generally acting strange. <br/><br/>Perhaps if you like to wear wayfarer glasses with no lenses, sport dubious facial hair and dress like an effete lumberjack this place is passable for a quick drink; otherwise avoid.
Jen
Poorly trained bar staff. I went her for Birthday drinks on a Saturday night. As you would expect from any bar on a Saturday it was pretty busy, this is fine. What annoyed us was the bar staff couldn't serve in turn, so my boyfriend waited 45 mins at teh bar where people came up and were served straight away. The music is also ridiculousy loud, barely able to hear the person next to you let alone accross the table, although the choice of music was great. The decor is lovely but the heat, noise and poor staff means I will noot be hurrying back. Oh and despite what they say you should always book a table, it was heaving.
Si Parks
Good little Venue. I attended the launch evening for the Bookclub, the venue itself is an old art deco building which I believe used to be a cinema just off Byres road, and it's in a great location in the buzz of the Westend.<br/>I was pleasantly surprised with the décor and surroundings of the inside & the general theme of the place. Decorated in a retro style the bookclub looks quite eclectic and welcoming.<br/>The music was disco and old soul which everyone seemed to enjoy including myself. <br/>The cocktails were tasty and came in a variation of kitsch servers, prices reasonable. I never got a chance to sample any of the food but shall definitely pop in again to have a try. The night seemed a roaring success!
Stephanie
Yum. We recently went to Hillhead Bookclub and couldn't believe how cheap it was for lunch. Nothing on the menu was more than a fiver. We enjoyed a burger each, which was stuffed to bursting point with a very tasty filling and a couple of beers each. The full lunch cost us no more than £10 each. The décor is something else that is worth mentioning. A see through moose head…..enough said. So much better than the boring old salon bar that used to be. This place has to be seen to be believed. We will definitely be making a return visit.
Chloe S
Good Grub. I live in Partick so I was thrilled when this place opened. The atmosphere is always very chilled out and relaxed in here and you feel very welcome. I love the way all the food is described on the menu shows the staff have a good sense of humour!I usually order the bookclub burger which never fails and sometimes treat myself to the chocolate fudge cake for dessert !The service is usually quick and the staff are top notch!Will be back very soon
Mark
HH BB. Went in for a drink it was ok, but just another G1 place, thats trying to hide it.
Kelly
Great Bar. Went to Hillhead bookclub for lunch the other day and was impressed with the prices and the decent sized portions of food you get. The staff are all really friendly and chatty which creates a great atmosphere. This is a good haunt if you are looking for a lunch from work with a few friends or for after work food its just off Byers road, close to all the other bars if you were heading out on a night out. The decor is quite cool and trendy, I recommend a visit here for good value for money and good service.
Grant Milmore
Lucky lucky. We went here last week having seen the place getting ready before and it looked good. Its a quirky little bar and restaurant just off Byers Road. The décor is really trendy and the staff are friendly and quick to serve. We ordered the bookclub burger for our main and chocolate fudge cake with amaretto cream for desert, very tasty! Really liked the feel of the place and enjoyed having a go on the ping pong after our meal. Overall it looks good, food good, service good...it's all good.
Cormac O Dromna
Yum food and good music off byres road. I've been in here a couple of times since it opened a few weeks ago. the first time was for lunch and i had the chicken and chorizo hotpot, delicious! the chicken was cooked just right and it cost me less than a fiver. my girlfriend went for a haloumi salad and it was yummy too, great sized portion for a salad.<br/><br/>i was well impressed wih the decor of the place. theres a funky covered smoking area just inside the entrance which will be great when the glasgow winter sets back in. the inside has a big gallery which looks down onto the bar, and theres loads of seating so shouldnt be too hard to get a table.<br/><br/>i went back last weekend for some drinking this time and it was pretty busy but got served quickly at the bar. tried a couple of their cocktails, the raspberry daiquiri was awesome and the mojito was the best i've had in glasgow in a long time.<br/><br/>overall its a sweet spot and the staff were really friendly .i reckon the west end has been waiting for somewhere like it for a while- well priced food, unpretentious and great tunes.
Nicky Bell
Bookclub. Really cool bar off byres road. It does cheap lunch and dinners and the drinks are pretty reasonable to.<br/>Its quite trendly decorated, kind of rustic looking.<br/>It also has a really cool smoking area!<br/>its got a ping pong table and loads of table space.<br/>We had burgers and fries which were all really good, the chips were awesome and the bean burger brilliant!<br/>The crowd in this place and the bar staff are all cool and quite art school-esque.<br/>If your looking for somewhere quite young and trendy with some good music id suggest this place!!
Heatherg
Hillhead Bookclub. Decided to try this place at the last minute when walking up Byres road heading for somewhere else. Was a bit worried if they would let kids in as had heard it was a pretty cool place and very busy with slightly younger trendier people than me! Needn't have worried though as the large blackboard outside said "Bookclub loves kids!". Was quite impressed on walking in, they have a small pavement terrace and also a small area with nice benches just off from the doorway to escape from it all and have a wee chat I would imagine. The main area is really stylishly done out, and I loved the 2 cages, one holding a ping pong table and the other what looked like old segas to play retro games on, but didn't go up for a closer look. We sat on a quieter area halfway up the stairs which was nice as you could look up and see what was happening on the mezzanine level or you could look down at the ground floor level. The lunch menu was nice and very reasonably priced, our whole bill came to just over £40 which included 4 mains and 2 rounds of drinks. I had a smoked mackerel salad which was very nice and tasty, also ordered a side of chips which were lovely and chunky! Everyone else in my group enjoyed their food as well, there was a nice chilled out atmosphere and the staff serving were all really sweet. Would definetley go back, would like to try it at night time next, without baby!
Laura Tyler
Decent pub grub. I did get the meanest portion of chips (which were burnt as well) but the waitress was really good about bringing more. Top marks to the staff for turning it round!
Lynbo
Great Venue. Loving this place!! I visited here last weekend for afternoon drinks with friends, had heard loads about it so thought we would pop in for a visit.<br/>It looks amazing inside, quite retro but with a modern edge. <br/>The mezzanine level is really nice for sitting at for a drink as it overlooks the main bar.<br/>They do a special on the mojito's you get them for £3 and they are delicious!<br/>For food i had the veg bean burger - it was really tasty and the chips are sooo good!<br/>My friend had the all day breakfast and really enjoyed it.<br/>I really like the atmosphere in the bar its really relaxed and the music modern.<br/>i would highly recommend a visit its the type of place you can relax for an all day session!
Alessio Avezzano
Just turn the music down a little bit.. Good service, good food, nice prices, lovely decor. Just one thing. Your tables are big and your music is borderline deafening. This sets an anti-social atmosphere for a social activity. How are we supposed to get out chat on?
Alexandra Gushurst-Moore
I ate the mussels with chips, and my two dates had burgers (a veggie and a non). The mussels were perfectly cooked and the seasoning was spot on considering this is anything but a fine dining establishment. That being said, there is something special here in that all of their meals are made from scratch, notable in the case of the delightful chips and the veggie burger which crumbled apart to reveal a host of hearty beans etc. Almost made me recant my meat eating habits.
James Lees
The patty itself was well seasoned; however, my only criticism was that it was overcooked ever so slightly. I still ate every last bite, but I would have preferred it to have been a little less well-done. It wasn’t dry by any means, but was just a little more well-done that I’d normally like my burgers to be. The cheese and red onion relish complimented the patty well, particularly the relish which was extremely well received by everyone at our table for it’s deep, flavoursome taste. We got a very generous helping of it on our burgers, which allowed us to really taste it too. A good relish can really make a good burger great and this one certainly helped hide the fact that the patty was slightly overcooked.
Alfred Tan
This is a great chill out place which is very conveniently located along byres road. The food was alright and features your standard pub food.
Venska Adelia Tanubrata
Went there for cocktails and chips, had the daquiris and they were soo good! And their chips are cut chips and still has skin on them, just the way i like it! The ambience of the place is also very good, vintage and hipster kindda feel, totally recommended ?
Remanika Edolia
I love Hillhead Bookclub! The ambience is perfect for a night out with friends or for a romantic date. The food is great, particularly the burgers and garlic bread. This is one place I've returned to time and again :)
Craig Stoddart
Hillhead Bookclub is a lovely venue for dining in Glasgow's West End. Their style is perhaps the most striking aspect of the location. What some might refer to as hipster is much appreciated in this context. Variety is their spice of life in design with a plethora of different chairs, plates and cutlery adorning Bookclub. This adds an individual flare and adds to the comfortable atmosphere enjoyed. Dim lighting creates a relaxing atmosphere that can be enjoyed in any company with dinner, a drink or both. Of special mention also are their menus which contain perhaps little exacting detail as to the dish arriving though often contain humorous asides which makes perusing the entire list a delight, if not a must. The service is efficient and clearly professional, marked with quality if a little distant at times.<br/><br/>The food is excellent. Their menus change throughout the day to reflect the sorts of meals likely to be had at different times. Though I have never tried it myself their vegetarian menu seems to be varied. With confidence I can recommend their burgers which have long been a favourite of myself and dining companions alike. On my most recent visit myself and my partner greatly enjoyed their fresh and tasty fish and the accompanying, made in house chips.<br/><br/>Whilst a touch pricier than some other West End haunts it is still very reasonable and well worth any extra paid. Worth it for the quality of food, quirky easter eggs and comfortable ambience.
Vedika
I have been here more often than any other place in Glasgow. The ambience is artsy, feels homely and personal. The food is reasonably priced and they even do £2 drinks (including mojitos!)<br/><br/>This place is great for a casual meal or drinks - they even have table tennis tables. Overall, the atmosphere is lively. <br/><br/>I would highly recommend this place simply for good food, and great drinks but would not count on the service especially on Sunday afternoons - they are understaffed, with dozy workers, and it is highly likely that one would find themselves waiting for (what seems like) a decade before being served.
Breaking Fast
The Hillhead Bookclub is a charming place that oozes personality (even the menu is witty). <br/><br/>The dining space is a converted theatre and as such has magnificent decor. Yet for all the grandeur, the small booths in which we were seated made the dining experience very personal.<br/><br/>I ordered the bookclub and burger and was not dissapointed. It was large and cooked perfectly all the way through. At only £8 I thought this extremely good value for money.<br/><br/>This was a lovely place and I wouldn't hesitate to pop in again for some good, cheap grub.
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