Empire Bar

Oh no no no.
Just no.
Okay, fine, I’ll elaborate… NO!
I wish I could stop there, but, this is a review, so I’ll go on.
On a silly pub crawl, to have a drink in all those pubs you generally avoid on the Saltmarket, this was a low point. I know, that’s kinda like saying that you found a low point in the geography of Holland.
Okay, the beer is cheap. How else would you get the customers in the door. One pint, that’s all I had to get through. Just one pint. The time was about 4pm, and the locals had been here a while. A good long while. This is one of those early opening pubs. I’ve passed by here on my way to college at 08.45 and there have been people in and drinking. Now, to get to my pint I had to go to the bar. In front of the bar were two of the locals. They weren’t any trouble, they just had that distinct aroma of «not having made it to the bathroom the last couple of times». I gagged. I actually gagged. No joke.
There was a band playing. No idea what they were playing, or if the instruments were in tune. But they seemed to be just finishing for the night… at 4pm. These places seriously mess with your sense of time.
Yes it’s a green kickball team pub, and no, that doesn’t matter a bit to me as I despise both the green and the blue kickball teams equally.
I’m not sure if I went to the bathroom here, or if my mind has blanked the memory. Maybe one day, 10 years from now I’ll wake up screaming as the memory returns, and then start tearing at my eyes so they may never again witness such horror.
It might appeal to some, but at the moment I can’t even begin to imagine the desperate, wretched souls that it would.

I am a rangers supporter so here lies my problem. Well not really, my gramps supports rangers, and if I am honest, I don’t really have a team as such.
Anyway, the point is that this is a Celtic orientated pub, where the hoops fans hang out, drrink beer and eat pub grub.
One sunny day I ventured in here because I was very much in need of some water. However not wnating to just ask for tap water (how rude) I also asked for a diet coke. Not initially wanting to spend too long there I tired to drink quick but got chatting to the really nice lady at the bar. She really was nice and entertained my muddled chat for a while, ever telling me of the Glasgow River Festival that was on that day. So I did like her son had done and headed over to the SECC to do that. Very worthwhile visit.

If you’ve been to the Tollbooth Bar at Glasgow Cross, then you need to stop by the Empire across the street.
It is by far the cheapest place I’ve ever been for a pint. It’s another ‘true’ Irish pub, and the chat is excellent. For example, I was welcomed by the regulars right away, chatted away with the bar staff and learned that the Empire bar is rumoured to be the meeting place for the founders of Celtic football team. Apparently, they met for a pint, and discussed starting their own team, and it was all in the Empire’s lounge.
As you might have guessed, the pub itself is a big supporter of Celtic; it’s proximity to Parkhead makes it a favourite stop for season ticket holders on game days when, I was told, the place is packed from wall to wall.
I wouldn’t miss this place again; you’ll always leave feeling as though you’ve made new friends.
As with the Tollbooth, I would not recommend visiting the Empire on game days, if you’re looking for a quiet pint.