Stravaigin

Popped in with a friend for a drink today, as it was pouring down. The pub was packed as Gibson Gala 2016 was on and, as i said, it was raining, so many people had our same idea of getting a drink inside lol.
The pub has two separated areas, one just to eat and the other one is a proper drinking area — we obviously stayed in this last one, and managed to get a wee sit and enjoyed our beer. Atmsphere inside was lively and décor is great, i really loved it! Music was on and place was buzzing, but it was still nice and cosy enough for a catch up and a chat — we could easily hear ourselves, not like in other few places i have been lately when i could barely hear my voice!
I had a look at the food menu and there are few interesting plates, will surely come back to try their food!

Having wanted to try Stravaigin for literally years, finally an opportunity presented itself, as I was attending a gig at GUU. I booked a table in the mezzanine area. The menu was underwhelming, but opted for the Korean chicken thighs. It was a little light on portion size at first glance but reasonably tasty. I had asked for kimchi on the side but instead they brought it on the dish and with an extra bowl of it. Service was pretty lacklustre, though the guy who seated me was very friendly — pity he didn’t serve us. Of their cheeseboard selections, only one was suitable for pregnant ladies, one of whom was my companion, so we didn’t hang around for that. Just a little bit mediocre after I’d heard such great things about it.

Whent here for a birthday meal with my family. Ravioli in tomato broth starter consisted of 3 pieces of slightly undercooked ravioli in salty warm water withdiced tomato and peas. Main was turbot with apples capers and a brown butter sauce. Strane combination thatvdidnt realy work in my oppinion. Overall the food was not great, especially for the price, and portions where tiny. Wouldnt reccomend.

Very nice food but the service really made this meal! Lovely staff and nice atmosphere. Attentive staff from the moment we sat down, top class food at a decent price, especially for the area. Is easy to miss with all the other venues around but definitely worth seeking out.

Now don’t get me wrong first thing I will say is the food here was great! I absolutely loved it and had to completely fill up on as much of my food as I could. However when I went the service was incredibly slow considering that it wasn’t overly busy.
We chose to sit in the bar area as opposed to the restaurant as the food was more appealing to us but between courses I could definitely feel myself getting hungry again.
When we arrived we ordered drinks and waited about 15 – 20 minutes for 4 drinks: 2 of which were simple bottles of beers and the other 2 were glasses of wine.
I will not fault the girl who took our order and continued to take our orders during the evening, she was great and superbly chatty however the servers who brought our food looked like they would rather be anywhere else and didn’t even bother with a smile or even a ‘you’re welcome’ when we thanked them for the food, in fact eye contact was avoided at all times throughout the interaction.
Overall: fabulous food, not such fabulous service!

I decided to book somewhere for dinner after we attended the Unilocal Scottish Event at Anta, and a Scottish restaurant seemed very appropriate.
A quick search on Unilocal showed me Stravaigin and I called to book. As it was a Thursday night it wasn’t too busy so I could get a reservation even at short notice, plus easy on-​street parking which saved my hair from the crazy Summer Snow we were having.
I must have walked past this place hundreds of times but always just thought it was a bar. The restaurant is down stairs in the basement.
The staff were overall fantastic, the hostess, waitresses, very friendly and helpful with selections. We did have to wait a little longer than I would have liked for the drinks, but it was a forgivable digression.
The menu isn’t extensive, but they cover all the meat and non meat bases. He went with the Venison special and I ordered the chicken, we got a side of potatoes too.
We were both blown away by the food. It was an experience more than a meal. The chicken was pan fried and perfectly cooked. It came with parmesan gnocchi and asparagus (I asked them to hold the mushrooms). I’m not usually an asparagus fan, but I even enjoyed that. The favours were very intense, and everything paired beautifully.
The potatoes were coated in mango and chilli. They were very interesting. I stayed on the fence during the meal as the whether I really liked them or not. Eating maybe 6 or so small ones was the ideal addition to my meal but I don’t think I could have eaten many more of them.
I had one small glass of wine which made for the perfect desert. When the glass was first brought over it left quite a tart after taste, but I left it standing during my meal, and once I was done and the wine had aired it was truly exquisite. I’m looking into getting more to have at home!
Two meals, 1 side, 1 whisky, 1 wine, 1 soft drink and 1 bottle of water came to £50. I think that is incredible reasonable for the quality of the food.
We will definitely be going back for seconds!

Stravagin continues to be an old faithful, where the drinks are great, but the food is even better. This was an impromptu visit, turned up on a Saturday evening and asked for a table. It took an hour, but we weren’t in any rush, gave us time to sample a couple of brews.
Because it was a bit later on a Saturday, a number of the specials were already finished, which is understandable. The crab cake starter was really excellent. It came with a mango relish, which was amazing. Mains were really good too, but it was the dessert that really amazed me. Cranachan posset, was so good!
If I was to be really critical, the staff weren’t the usual personable style. I think they were very busy, but it would still be nice to have a bit more chat, perhaps a smile or two. Very small criticism. Overall it was a great meal.

You hates a place that has some great lager and beers on tap
Warm, comfortable and a great atmosphere each time I’ve been here
Last time it was on the chilli cook off and I had too many drinks to remember much of that day however I remember vividly being content and happy to stop in here
San Mig £4.15 which to be fair is cheaper than some places for this tasty beverage that reminds me of holidays in Spain and sitting in the warm summer evenings watching the sun go down
Can’t comment on their food, always been too drunk to remember … That way a kebab eaten from the pavement tastes great

I’ve only been here once, but I wasn’t overly impressed. The atmosphere is really nice, friendly and cosy, and the service was good enough. The food was a bit of a disappointment though. I had the only vegetarian option on the menu, and while it was quite tasty, the portion size was ridiculously small for what the price was (around £15). I would’ve thought it was a starter. So that was a shame! It might’ve only been that one meal though, and I do think I would go back and try something else again.

5 stars for food, 4 stars for drinks for this one.
It’s many things, Stravagin. If you fancy a pint then there is a decent bar area, a chilled out meal can be had in the upstairs food area, and the downstairs restaurant is definitely somewhere to go if you want a fancy dinner.
Let’s take them in order. The bar area, while nice is a 4 star experience for me. The space on the right hand side of the door really benefits from the large windows, and creates a nice, light space. My issue is that it’s a little wee, and it doesn’t take much for it to get a little cramped. It’s also not that cheap if you just want a couple of drinks.
The seating area to the left feels to me more like an eating area than a drinking one. You can get a good, pretty reasonably priced meal here. It’s a nice, relaxed place, and you can also get a space in the balcony if you want — it’s a little bit more cramped, but there is something fun about sitting so high up.
The best bit for me is the downstairs area. It feels properly fancy, and the staff, décor and menu really make you feel like you are somewhere special. Like all the food here, the menu is a good mix of Scottish ingredients cooked in international ways (their curries are worth a look), and this is done in a way that doesn’t feel like a gimmick, There are always a couple of specials that are well worth investigating, and the prices are high-​isa for Glasgow, but definitely feels worth it.
The staff are friendly, and overall the décor feels nice and comfortable without looking too designery. If you’re looking for a special meal then it should be high up your list, it’s definitely a good bet for a fancier than usual casual meal, and a good but not amazing quiet pint. Overall, Stravagin is a great space in Glasgow, and is well worth a look.

Love, love love this place. We spent a couple weeks in Glasgow and this was our go-​to spot. The dinner menu is great, but we REALLY loved breakfast here. The bar and the bar tenders are great too. Thank you Stravaigin for making our stay wonderful!

I’ve been to Stravaigin a few more times since my last visit — for relaxing glasses of wine perched at the bar, for quick morning snacks and most recently for a leisurely lunch with Pammi G and Sharon M.
I think one of my favourite things about Stravaigin (aside from the food and décor) are the staff — they are so warm and welcoming that you feel like you’re visiting old friends. The guy who was looking after our table was a little off-​the-​wall but still super professional and a little entertaining. I got two starters rather than a big meal — the pork borek special as well as the potato rosti. We didn’t have to wait long for food and there was lots of oohhhs and ahhhhs around the table — especially at the massive bowl of mussels that Sharon ordered that I seriously wanted to swipe.
I loved the pork borek and thought it was just delicious. They really know how do well-​balanced, flavoursome food here that takes you away to another place and time. I didn’t love the potato rosti as much — it was mixed with seaweed but I think it ended up being a little too salty. No bother though, I was still in food heaven and Sharon even let me have some mussels.
Stravaigin does what it does so well and still manages to be modern and interesting — I hope it never changes.

I’ve been waiting to come in here for a proper meal, but walking past and seeing the bar area changed my mind, and we popped in out of the rain for what we thought would be just a quick drink. The barman gave friendly, good service, and offered to let me try a lager that I didn’t know, and said we were also welcome to find a seat upstairs.
Upstairs we went, and we were greeted by other friendly staff along the way, and I was able to ask for a food menu, just to have an idea of what they might be serving next time.
The menu looked so good. The specials of the day sounded equally amazing. I had eaten coq au vin at another restaurant only 2 hours before hand so wasn’t hungry… but I had to try a starter. Goats cheese & lavender filo? How can you say no to that?
The waitress was amazing, and didn’t think it strange at all that we already had drinks, and now wanted starters but no mains (maybe other people are lured into the menu in a similar way, maybe she was just gracious and lovely).
I thought reveiws of restaurants are generally better after trying 2 or 3 courses, but I really want to review this casual experience to show how you don’t have to wait for an evening to really go out for a meal (though I highly recommend that too). This is also bearing in mind that I went on a week day, at about 6pm, so it was busy, but the few spare tables scattered around meant that I didn’t need a reservation.
Anyway, back to the food: it was even better than described. The cheese was some of the best goats cheese that I’ve ever had, and it melted in my mouth with all the grace of perfectly balanced, subtle, lavender-​infused aromas. My boyfriend also loved his dish (a pork special), and it was exceptionally good, but not as out-​of-​this world as mine. hehehehe.
We had another couple of drinks to round off a quick, but-​not-​as-​quick-​as-​planned stop, enjoying beautiful ambience and that pleasant, satisfied feeling that comes after eating perfectly crafted food and good drink. The interior has been designed with as much care as the menu, and the whole experience was flawless.

We have family visiting from out of town, so it was the perfect chance to give Stravaigin a try. We didn’t make a booking but lucked out and got a table in the bar area. I had a cocktail with cucumber and elderflower that was lovely; tasty but not too sweet. Our guest had a Manhattan and seemed to enjoy it as well.
On to the food: I ordered a special, which was chicken, roasted potatoes, sauteed greens with mushrooms and a port reduction sauce. Everything was cooked perfectly and all the flavours complemented each other nicely. My companion and our guest, both vegetarian, opted to share several of the small plates between them. I took pictures, but there was a goat cheese in filo starter, a potato rosti with seaweed and hazelnut sauce starter, then three small plates — something Indian with lentils and a rice cake, gnocchi, and veggie haggis. They also ordered a paratha (flat bread) on the side. They said the gnocchi and the Indian dish were the favourites.
The pace of the meal was just right; we didn’t feel rushed, but the times between courses was comfortable. The service was great and our waitress was really helpful in accommodating my request for gluten-​free options, and my companions’ requests for vegetarian options. The prices were a little high, but this is not your usual bar food, so I think it’s fair for the quality you’re getting. I’d go back!

At some point our go-​to bar for after work drinks, after-​exam drinks, and special occasion drinks of all kinds became Stravaigin, and boy am I glad it did! (It’s a whole lot better than the GU beer bar after all!)
My favorite thing about the Strav is how it effortlessly merges the elegance and sophistication you’d expect at a restaurant of such high quality with the casual and relaxed atmosphere of a local pub. The place is always brimming with regulars and it doesn’t matter what you wear, but it would still be one of my top choices for a fancy or celebratory meal out.
Their wine selection is really decent and their cocktails are delicious! My favorite would have to be the cherry sour (not to be confused with cherry sourz! haha). Usually however, I opt for a pint with pals (or 4…) and end up staying ’til they close and stumbling out on to Gibson Street. The best part? There’s a taxi rank right outside it, takeaways line the street, and there’s a 24 hour shop across the road, so everything that you could need on a night out is on its doorstep.
To top it all off, there are outside tables with (working!) heaters and the staff always have good chat and real bartending talent. Honestly this place is just great.
Why only four stars? It ain’t cheap, especially on a student budget (and the fact that it’s a student favorite should be a testimony to how great it is!). If I was made of money I’d come here alllll the time though.

Post a work event some people headed to the west end for decent beer and wine. When we first got here it was really busy but we spotted a table just leaving. So we grabbed it. We were then told that there was a waiting list for all tables including those in the bar. We pointed out that there was another table coming free and were told to add ourselves to the waiting list.
So we stood in the busy bar area waiting to be put on a waiting list. Eventually a table moved from a tiny table to where they were eating. So we sort of stole that.
Was quite a faf considering how small the bar area is to have a waiting system.
However, my wine was great and reasonably priced. The décor was awesome and they had lovely spiced nuts.
Will be returning as I heard all about there nasi goreng

So this is the second time ive popped in recently (naughty me i shokld have reviewed earlier) so im more than happy to give it the 5 star thumbs up! Loved this place since we had an event here and as i was awaiting someone i thought id have a cheeky rum or three. Both times ive been in the staff have been über friendly and helpful.
Good knowledge of drinks as both times we got talking about a variety of spirits and also food. The log fire is also very toasty after carrying a bike a mile or so on your shoulder and was richly enjoyed lol. All in all, amazing cosy atmosphere, friendly helpful staff and decent prices. A must!

Popped in for lunch today and I wasn’t disappointed. We opted for the café bar menu as it offers more choice and seems more reasonably priced. I love Stravaigin’s interior — it’s slightly shabby and has lots of interesting things to look at.
To start we shared the big portion of mussels. It was a substantial portion — perfect for a shared starter or a main course. While the mussels weren’t the biggest I’ve ever had the sauce they came in was one of the best. It was a Thai-​inspired coconut curry sauce which complimented the mussels perfectly and the fresh bread that accompanied the dish soaked it up nicely. To follow I had the wee portion of haggis, neeps and tatties — it was the ideal size as I was feeling pretty full from the starter. The haggis was nice and spicy although the potato was slightly bland — the only criticism I could make.
The bill came to just under £25 which is pretty good value, particularly for the West End. I would definitely return in the future.

We popped in on a Friday morning for brunch, we were happy to see a good range of breakfast /​brunch options as close by places such as the Richmond only do these on Saturday and Sunday. As the weather is currently scorching, the bar and restaurant had their doors and windows open and inside was lovely and cool.
I ordered the French toast, which was a very generous portion and delicious. The husband had the Scottish breakfast. We both had coffees, I personally think they serve excellent coffee, but the glass cup they serve it in is very small — hence the four stars as we needed to order another each to feel like we actually had any coffee to drink.

Hadn’t eaten here for a few years but nothing’s changed so once again an enjoyable experience. The first time in quite a while too that a menu’s main dishes caused me to dither over choosing, such was the number of interesting options.
Opted for a frittata starter that seemed to contain far more than was possible in terms of flavours, Korean ox cheeks with a good spicy kim-​chi for the main (the meat was very well cooked but oddly lacked much flavour) and the three cheese option for afters, which could have done with an extra biscuit or two. Not sure about the cooked breakfast being artfully presented on a long plate & a single sausage just makes that sort of thing look skimpy.
Consistently good service throughout the visit though so still a very safe bet if you want well fed around this part of the city.

Tolles Essen und schöné Atmosphäre — war in meiner Zeit mehrfach da, auch wenn es nicht ganz so preisgünstig ist — zumindest für Studenten. Wurde nie enttäuscht. Das Pendant Stravaigin 2 auch im Westend ist von der Atmosphäre nicht ganz so zu empfehlen, lieber hier in der Gibson Street probieren und genießen.