Dukes

Another wonderful gem on Old Dumbarton Road. How did I get so lucky to have an array of such amazing places not 5 seconds from my front door?
Came here when we had had enough of BrewDog. I was so grateful to finally have found somebody to come here with — I would have never dared to come here at night, alone, because quite frankly, no ways am I cool enough to be in this place! The Clash played a gig here on their busking tour. Hello?! Just because of this, I have been wanting to come here.
I wasn’t disappointed. Busy enough to be cool, empty and quiet enough that one can actually have a proper conversation and relatively cheap beers.
The owners are super brilliant, and I love their honesty. It was getting late and she came to us to ask if it would be okay if we could finish up because although it’s supposed to be open till 1 (and it was getting close to 1 anyways) she wasn’t feeling well and she wanted to close up early. Seeing as we were pretty much done with our drinks and keen to go home, this was no problem at all.
Love this place, what can I say? I was SO nervous walking in here because I wasn’t sure if I would just stick out like a sore thumb but everybody was SO nice and funny and welcoming. Now I just need somebody to come back here with me (anybody?)!

If you’d asked my a year or two ago to write a review about Duke’s I would probably have given it a solid 4 stars but after my most recent visit I’m taking that down to 3.
The bar is itself is still a pretty decent space with a good number of tables and chairs for the size of the place. The décor which aims for that distressed vibe is now slipping a little more into plain old tired but it’s definitely still a long way from getting to divey.
The main reason for my decrease in potential star rating relates mostly to the range of drinks of offer. Maybe I’m remembering things through rose tinted glasses but I’m sure they used to boast a reasonably interesting cocktails menu. It wasn’t a huge range of choices but it did at least boast a little innovation. Sadly that seems to have gone and only 4 relatively unexceptional options have been retained.
We soldiered on anyway and ordered 2 french martinis and a mojito amongst our round of drinks. The french martinis were good although were garnished with frozen raspberries that turned out to be rank. The mojito was overpoweringly minty which somewhat spoiled the drink. Other than cocktails the bar has a good range of spirits and a few decent bottled beers but sadly not much to offer on draught.
Other pluses include good music as they often have a dj picking the tunes as well as it being a bar where there’s usually a high chance of getting a seat (important to me in my advancing years…) Larger ladies beware though, the toilet doors are the slimmest I’ve ever seen and there’s definitely some intense breath holding required when you want to head to the loo!

Duke’s a great little place to watch the world go by! It’s the kind of place you would feel comfortable if you were on your own.
I am always surprised on how small it is but I like that. I think that’s why it’s always feels so friendly.
I have now been a handful of times and there is always been a different selection of beers –different in the way that it changes and they sometimes have local Brewers like jaw brew. Some not so close but sill Scottish — Arran brewery.
On a sunny day the have some tables and chairs for you to sit outside and you will be joined with the regulars and the locals. Evening tend to get a bit livelier with a DJ pulling out some good tunes.
Staff are always friendly, they allow dogs. They will even give your pal a water bowl.

Dukes is the bar that everyone would be happy to have as their local. It is a bar with character that is welcoming to the locals and strangers alike
I have been here tonnes of times and I am quite surprised that I have not reviewed it before, but I am certainly about to make that right now.
Its nestled away around a corner that you would not really go to unless you know it is there. We visited on Sunday as we were out for a walk with the dog and we guessed there might be a free table and chairs outside in the sunshine. We were right and we were delighted to be able to pitch up in the sun for a good solid 3 hours soaking in rays and enjoying a few interesting beers.
The staff and locals alike were very friendly to both us and the dog. (It is dog friendly so you can take your mutt for a pint to) They all chatted away and Rogue was even given a water bowl to help him cool down in the sunshine. Beer wise they have a decent selection of bottles from Glasgow Brewers Jaw and also some Arran beers along with lots of other standard ones. On tap they had one of the nicest lagers (something I rarely drink these days) you get in the shape of a Samuel Smith organic.
One of my favourites places to go for a pint in Glasgow and definitely somewhere you should visit if you get a chance.

Good wee bar Dukes.
It’s friendly — I mean, I think some of the punters are potentially a bit mental, but you can get a good wee chat in Dukes while you’re standing at the bar. It’s the sort of bar where folk actually talk to each other.
It’s a stylish place too, with clean white slates on the walls, and cool artwork of famous musicians. A new manager has arrived recently and it’s been a bit like that scene from Calamity Jane where Doris Day and the other one put ‘A Women’s Touch’ to their rustic cabin. The new manager seems to have put down some kitshe print cushions, a few candles, and ta-​daa!
I hasten to say that Dukes has not been gentrified thankfully — it’s just a cool bar, and not packed with hipsters or folk there because it’s a ‘destination bar’. The folk are there because it’s their local or just because it’s a crackin’ wee bar.
They have a few good gins, and Weihenstephaner wheat beer. That’s all it takes for me to be a happy punter.

Forgive me Dukes, for I have sinned… well, Bad Angela hasn’t been in Dukes since the Unilocal event that was here quite some time ago… oops. I am sorry. When it comes to a place like Glasgow the motto is certainly ‘Too many bars, not enough days in the week where it is okay to go and have a drink without feeling guilty or worrying about suffering from a hangover the next day’ I’ll admit it’s not a catchy quote, but you get what I mean. I shouldn’t have forgotten about Dukes but I did. It’s hidden away on a corner of Old Dumbarton Road, not far from Yorkhill hospital (I usually tend to use Glasgow hospitals as points of reference for finding places in the vicinity; I can’t help it). So unfortunately for them they probably don’t get much passing trade so-​to-​speak.
T’was in here last Friday night and I arrived early for meeting my partner in crime (that’s Ms. Elizabeth F to yous) & sometimes that might worry me when heading to a pub but not in Dukes. The atmosphere was so chilled and welcoming that I just knew I would feel most happy ordering a pint of lovely Guinness (£4) and settling down with my book until Elizabeth arrived. It wasn’t as heaving as Brewdog round the corner but I liked that. I really wouldn’t have felt comfortable sitting by myself with a book & a pint in Brewdog on a Friday evening… eek…
This place is friendly: people friendly, dog friendly (we made a wee 4-​legged friend that night!) and also child friendly (until 7pm). The bar staff were just lovely and the drink prices in here are pretty good. Later on we switched to Long Vodkas which were really good and they only charged us £2.50! Brilliant. So good were they that unfortunately we managed to drink them dry of Angostura Bitters… sorry Dukes!
They used to serve food here but I don’t think they do anymore, instead they have a rather cool policy of BYOF ~ if you want a take-​away you can either go grab one from nearby (they recommend The Den at Mother India but you can go anywhere) or actually get your take-​away delivered to Dukes, they will then plate up your food for you! What a great idea! I don’t know any other pub that does this.
If you are a sports fan then they show a lot of the big fixtures in here and also they have an Open Mic night (every Wednesday), a Friday night DJ and an occasional quiz night too.
I like the décor in here; they have really cool Mexican Day of The Dead/​sugarskull print & other funky print cushions for the chairs and I love their huge shrine to super DJ John Peel! Yay! Lots of other music related posters & the like are also dotted about and there’s also a piano should you feel the need to tickle some ivories whilst you wet your whistle. Near the cosy booth tables you can find some classic (and not so classic) board games too should you be feeling lucky (punk).
If you fancy a pint and you’re in the Kelvingrove Galleries/​Kelvinhall area then for once maybe bypass the Beercanine and pop into Dukes for a friendly, relaxed drink or three and maybe a cheeky sit-​in take away followed by Sherlock Cluedo!

Ahh, Dukes. Everyone I spoke to about this area of town said «You gotta try Dukes!» and I was all like «I’m old, I used to go to Dukes before it changed and then changed back» and they were all «Only saying, dude» and I was all «I know!»
And then my head hurt so I stopped listening to the voices in my head for a while.
In any case, Dukes is good. They have a wide range of lager and beery goodness on tap, the décor is light and bright, and they even have a retro arcade machine that would eat up any spare change I had.
I was informed that the food is awesome, should you so desire to partake of it, and I should have tried a pie. Them pesky voices in my head again…
It’s one of those hip wee places that sits a street or so off the beaten track. If Brewdog is full of hipsters in beards and lensless glasses, with their skinny jeans and cardigans, then head up here. They have their own brand of hipsters, but most importantly, they have a wee bit of soul and some great staff to pass the time with.
I do miss the old pinboard and cork walls, if I’m being honest, but then again, I’m old and everything was better years ago, it’s a stone cold fact.

Any pub providing pints of Birds and Bees for under four quid is well worth a visit, in my opinion. Add an open mic night, bantering staff and cosy surroundings, then it’s the ideal environment.
We popped in here on a Wednesday evening and the staff welcomed us warmly, providing patter as they pulled pints. A man strummed and sang at the mic and it was refreshing to attend an open mic night with such eclectic offerings. Our very own Elizabeth got up and sang Part of Your World, while adding in her own Glaswegian banter, before Jen sang Nina Simone’s Summertime. Who knew our Unilocalers had such hidden talent?
Some more folk crooned, strummed and sang sweetly, while we enjoyed a drink or two and it was a really nice environment for a mid-​week pint and some marvellous music.

Now I already loved Dukes so when I heard there were new owners on board, I was a little worried. I shouldn’t have been, the place is still just as awesome.
I’ve visited quite a few times recently and sampled lots of different things. I love their macaroni cheese but mostly I’ve sampled their drink and their entertainment (not sure what that says about me). The menu is pretty small if you are looking for food — but then they have a tiny kitchen so what they can whip up is actually damn amazing.
They have a great cocktail menu and I spent a good portion of my Sunday afternoon trying to sample them all (sorry to the lovely bar girl who was inundated with every different cocktail request you could imagine). The cocktail menu descriptions aren’t laden with the ingredients, instead giving you an idea of the taste — e.g. the Frisky Bison is «apple crumble in a glass.» I love that the daiquiri comes in different flavour options — strawberry, raspberry and heaven’s very own passion fruit. This was a very tasty cocktail which I would highly recommend — even more so for coming in at a bargain £4. I also had a Hurricane, described as a «tropical rum explosion» — it definitely is.
We visited late on Wednesday night for some post Elite Event drinks and there was an open mic night on. It seemed like a pretty relaxed set up, you just went up to say to the gent that you wanted a wee turn and then he’d introduce you. Of course I wouldn’t sing or perform (unless it was on roller skates and I didn’t have them with me) but those who did were both brilliant and brave! The crowd was very receptive and supportive and it was a nice atmosphere — as well as something a little different from the usual on a Wednesday night.
(They used to have a folk session on Tuesday night but I can’t see that they do that anymore, unless it’s just not on their website. It’s a shame if they don’t as that is one of my favourite Glasgow memories of the last 5 years!)
There’s something really special about this pub. I’ve now visited countless times and I’ve never left disappointed. It really is a wee hidden gem so if you haven’t visited already, get down quick-​smart!

So we popped in here after a wee event and it gets 5 stars for any number of things. Ill try and list them all but its veeery difficult. Starting with the look it is brilliant. From the bare brick to the wall art (foo fighters canvas and such) to the warning signs such as mercury poisoning and radiation signs above the toilets.
Next is the bar staff who are brilliantly friendly, entertaining, welcoming and genuine. The prices are brilliant value as well. Three drinks including the best named cocktail I have ever heard, a frisky bison, for just under 11 quid! In the west end!!! Amazing!
When we were in there was an open mic night which was filled with oodles of talent. Also they have board games in the shower like tiled area!!!
Basically its a fantastic bar, cheap, interesting and incredibly welcoming. Next visit I must try the food!!! Ill definitely be back.

Dukes made for a great spot for a quick afternoon drink with my parents. Having been here for a Unilocal event once before, I knew we were in for good times. We were welcomed warmly by the friendly barman who proceeded to take our order. Two gin and tonics and a soda water and lime, please! (My dad was designated driver for our afternoon in the west end!)
The price had us gawking. No, not in a ‘holy cow, that’s a bit expensive’ kind of way. More in the ‘bloody hell, that’s stonking great value’ kind of way. And it was. Impressively so. Of course, sometimes you don’t mind paying a little more to sit somewhere nice in the west end and, whilst Duke’s certainly has a more studenty vibe, (not so much that I felt at all uncomfortable with my parents!) it really does tick all the boxes from what you want from a bar. So I really can’t complain.
Good value, friendly bar staff and canine friends welcome. And the moment we sat down we were brought some nibbles. (It really is the little things!)
I’ve wanted to head to Dukes for a while with my band to give their open mic night a whirl. I’ll definitely be popping back soon!

I love this place. It’s just instantly comfortable, the kind of place where you can quite happily sit all day and watch the world go by while reading the papers, having a few (good) drinks and not feeling bored. The place looks lovely — all exposed brick and old industrial tiles, and generally plays great music, live and recorded. Other than the event there recently I haven’t tried the food, but the drinks are great: good stuff in bottle and half decent tap beers — there’s also a good supply of Tunnocks products.
Criminally undervisited, this is the sort of pub you move into an area for to have as your local. It’s under new management, and all they really need to do is increase their profile a little bit and this place will be huge. Highly, highly recommended.

Say whaaaaat? I haven’t reviewed this place yet?
So here goes.
Dukes. My nearest (really) good bar. Smiley folks serving pouring top drinks at top prices (particularly during the week). What more do you want?
Well, there’s a fine quiz on Mondays from the magnificent Sir James, live Celtic/​Folk music on Tuesdays and a Poker night on Wednesdays. I’m sure there’s more, but that’s a fair taster for you.
On the smaller side, there are some really comfy booths if you manage to get there before everyone else. Otherwise, it can get tight.
Kind of off the radar for the masses, it’s location ensures it’s not overly busy which is a definite plus for me.
Get on down.

Formerly The Rogue, Dukes opened last year serving drinks, platters and some bar meals in an understated but stylish space. Everything is fairly simple but this is a superb bar and the staff are always friendly. Thankfully the beer selection goes a little beyond the usual Glasgow staples (does anyone actually like Tennents?). There’s a good wine selection for a bar and cocktails are offered too.
Although there is outside seating available, the sun usually shines on the other side of the street, so I’d only sit out if the weather is warm. A couple nights of the week have an event, so Mondays are Quiz Night, Tuesdays Folk Music with live bands as well as there being the occasional pre-​club party and DJ. There is also the odd comedy night.
An independent pub well worth popping in.

Been sitting vacant ages has this place… worry thee not dear reader, I’m not going all sentence ass Yoda on your, merely pointing out that this location has been closed down for quite the wee while.
In between it shutting it’s doors as the (answers on a post card please) **** bar and opening up as Dukes, the area it finds itself has changed quite dramatically in terms of business. Gone is the ‘Finnieston… yikes’ vibe, to be replaced by a distint west end without the wenders vibe.
Ok, so I could waffle on about the the quality of businesses in this neck of the woods for the next paragraph or ten, but for your sake I won’t. Instead I’ll doff my cap to a cracking wee bar. Reading Andrew’s review, it’s hard to deny that the place has the same warehouse/​ramshackle/​Brewdog feel to it. The big difference? Well, that’s not entirely apparent at first glance, however that’s purely because I go to Brewdog to drink their beer. If, on the other hand I was a cider/​vodka or otherwise drinker, I’d notice the difference straight away… you can buy all these things at dukes.
Beyond that, it just feels like a nice place to be. It’s not smack bang on the main road, which I’m a big fan off, so has an almost local feel to it. Vibe is nice. Clientele seems mixed and from their site, it looks like they have an active wee events list going on.
In short. Strong business in a strong area. Should do well.

Tucked into the other end of Old Dumbarton Road sits this little gem. I will not bore you with the other treasures in this area {dining inn, ahem} but this place seems kind of familiar.
Open ceilings, lots of exposed brick and steel table tops. Where have I seen this before. Oh, possibly 50 yards away up Regent Moray Street just inside of Brewdog.
Does the styling suit this location, Yeah definitely. But it does seem a little Single White Female in nature.
«What? We have always had steel table tops. What is unusual about that?»
So, this place was setup by the folks that designed the Brewdog pubs from Aberdeen to Camden. Is it exactly the same? Nope. But it is very close.
The seating to be completely truthful is a bit more comfortable. Only problem with the seating is the booths. They are very enclosed and you have an unexplained luggage rack hanging above you. All I can think is that someone will leave their stuff behind, which is the custom on most rail carriages.
The window seats are comfy and the place resembled a definite local for this area. Something I always approve of. The beer selection is decent, wide variety of bottles (including brewdog) and reasonable menu, although no food was tried. A couple flyers spelled out the drink specials. All good.
Would I go back? Not sure. I am rarely in this part of town except to meet folks at Brewdog or pick up a curry. If you were local then this is a welcome respite from the crazy crowds that spill out of the Doggy Place up the road.
I like the style. I hope it sticks around.