Brutti Ma Buoni

The place is nice and modern — they do serve nice food and desserts! and the staff is lovely, chatty and friendly. But they do take AGES to place your order, and then, on Saturday nights, they think it’s a sort of club-​restaurant, as the music is too loud and you can’t even talk to your companions. That’s annoying, guys! If I want to go to a club I would do so…

I just keep coming back. Like your favourite neighbourhood bar with fantastic food. Today was chorizo and squid stew. Tasty.

We found this place on Unilocal once the need for a feed took us after drinking copious amounts of «St. Mungos». I felt more heavenly with every drop!
It doesn’t look like anything special when you get there and the restaurant is part of the Brunswick Hotel. Fairly long and narrow restaurant with a bar facing the entrance where you can sit and enjoy a drink if not hungry. Not that I’m a great judge but would guess that the regulars would be of the hip variety mixed in with the hotel guests and then… erm us.
We had no booking and it was around 10pm when we arrived and we were shown to a table right beside the open plan small kitchen. At the bar there were people who had a few dogs with them (you’ve got to be hip if you bring your dog to a bar or restaurant, right?) and we got chatting to them. The atmosphere is great and had a real friendly relaxed vibe to it which was probably inflated a tad by the warming effects of St. Mungo truth be told. It turned out that one of guys we got talking to was Eddie Gray’s nephew (check out Eddie Gray’s wonder goal v Burnley on youtube. Genius!) and being a life long Leeds supporter it was a pretty cool coincidence.
The waiters were super friendly and provided some great recommendations and as we were beside the kitchen the chef was asking how spicy we wanted some of the dishes which was a great touch. We got our Angry Prawns to cool down a little! The chef’s a young guy who obviously loves his profession and he has created some fantastic dishes on the menu which are beautifully executed.
We went for a mix of the tapas but they do steaks, burgers, pasta and sandwiches — all with a little something special — and the lamb burgers looked great. You have got to try the chorizo and bean stew, angry prawns and mushrooms with blue cheese. We also went for two of the brutti breads (really thin based pizza) and they were amazing along with a host of other small plates. Simply spoilt for choice. The Food is delicious and when you add in how great the staff are this is a 5 star experience all over.

Why have I not reviewed Brutti Ma Buoni yet?!
In the heart of Glasgow’s Merchant City is this spectacular little gem — more locally just referred to as ‘The Brunswick’. Catering to a young, stylish, professional crowd (yes, I’m claiming myself to be both young and stylish — stop laughing!), this is a place not to miss.
It’s the bar/​café part of the Brunswick Hotel — but don’t be put off by this, it’s not your typical hotel bar. This is the kinda bar I’d go to every night if I was on holiday, so made all the better that it’s just round the corner from my flat — every night can feel like a holiday in Barcelona. A contemporary and minimalist bar, but with lots of character — and customers clearly love it going by the postcards from past visitors from all over the world.
Sometimes (especially on a cold wet Winters night) you want to go somewhere warm, friendly, stylish and friendly to meet up and have a natter, so this has become one of my go-​to places.
I like to pull up a stool at the bar have a natter over a cold beer and enjoy the relaxed feel. Or if it’s a weekend, enjoy the atmosphere when it gets busy into the evening.
The bar also has a club downstairs — ‘Basura Blanca’. I’ve been to many a birthday party here, so if you’re enjoying your evening, why not hang out a bit longer.
They have a decent house prosecco and a pretty good draught beer selection (west Beer and Yard Bird on tap), as well as a fully stocked bar. The staff are friendly and welcoming and know their stock really well and are more than happy to give recommendations on spirits if you’re not sure what you want.
In the Summertime, it’s a great place to sit outside, with plenty of seats and you’re sheltered by a glass canopy while watching the life of Glasgow go on around you.
Oh yeah, they also do food — try the tapas menu, the chorizo is particularly great. Personally, I’m not a fan of olives, but I understand these are also a great. The kitchen is open into the bar, so you get the see the chefs hard at work cooking everything fresh.
If you’re in a group and plan on eating, then best to call ahead and book a table. For a larger group, you can ask to be seated on the mezzanine level.
Now, can we just make the Glasgow weather a bit more Mediterranean to fit in with this awesome place?

This BMB is the bar/​café part of the Brunswick Hotel.
And. Is. Awesome.
I’m in here most weeks — the music’s not so loud that it’s obtrusive (this week it’s been a bit of Justin Timberlake). It caters mainly to the young (and youngish) professionals, and is just a great, relaxing place to unwind and chill out.
The staff are really friendly and certainly know their stuff. This week we asked what gins they had — and were treated to the barman running off a list of about a dozen different types, without even a glance at the bottles behind him!
At least I know which gin I’m in for next week ;)

Had some lovely tapas here just last week with Glasgow CM Briony and some other pretty awesome review writing folk! I love the quirky décor in this bar and couldn’t believe it was technically a hotel bar (mainly because hotel bars tend to be pretty dire). Not so this one!
Great tapas (I recommend the chorizo, and the paella if it’s on special). Calamari was good too. We just had soft drinks I think, but the cocktails and drinks here look extensive and interesting. If I come back to Glasgow soon, I’d like to sample one, two, three…
It’s a little hot (I’m underestimating, it’s like a sauna) up top in the restaurant, but it actually kind of adds to the summery vibe. Just don’t wear a woollen jumper.

Brutti Ma Buoni is just far too cool. — The kind of gem you’d discover on a laid back European city break, only to fall head over heels and find yourself wishing it was your very own local at home. And so, with its stylised arty interior, the impressively huge bar which adorns an entire wall and the kind of service that’ll leave you wishing the waiter was your pal, you’re plunged into the ultra cool tapas cavern that is Brutti Ma Buoni. You will kick yourself for not finding it sooner and you will leave with a Brutti-​induced holiday glow.
For the five of us we opted for ten tapas dishes to share. The waiter was great, nodding along with an approving ‘mmm-​hmm’ to all the dishes we’d chosen that he’d personally recommend and even suggested some of his favourites. (Paella! — Nom, good choice!) He was attentive and friendly, ensuring that everything was alright for us and that we had enough water. In fact, all the staff we encountered were lovely. Score! The result is that Brutti Ma Buoni exudes genuine charm. None of it the least bit try-​too-​hard. Hence the relaxed vibe which managed to take me far, far away and into cheery-​happy holiday mode.
We chose peaceful prawns, honey & chilli chicken wings, chickpea & spinach stew, mushrooms with blue cheese, spring rolls, salt & pepper squid, chorizo, chicken paella, aubergine fritters and patatas bravas. Everything was delicious but my favourites were the salt and pepper squid — which was deliciously battered and seasoned — along with the chorizo, (nom!) the chicken paella, (why thank you, waiter!) and the aubergine fritters. We all agreed that the aubergines were an unexpected surprise; lovely and fluffy in their light batter. Mmm! Heavenly tapas delights, and just the right amount of food for sharing, which, of course, is the best way to indulge tapas-​style.
So, leaving Brutti Ma Buoni, I genuinely did feel like I’d been on holiday; somewhere with sunshine, an ever-​flowing bar and an undeniably warm welcome. Who needs holidays anyway?! When I next need a dose of self-​induced sunshine and tasty tapas, you bet that it’ll be Brutti’s that saves the day. And I can’t wait!

We visited here on a bit of a whim for some dinner as it was the only place in the area that I was confident would still be doing food at 8pm on a Tuesday night in Merchant City. Thankfully I was right, and we headed up to the mezzanine to take a seat as the rest of the bar was pretty full.
You really do feel like you’ve been transported to Europe when you take in your surroundings — super cool décor, a great vibe and interesting selection of food. It’s really well done and made me feel like I’d been on a mini holiday.
We ordered a selection of dishes to share: peaceful prawns, honey & chilli chicken wings, chickpea & spinach stew, mushrooms with blue cheese, spring rolls, salt & pepper squid, chorizo, chicken paella, aubergine fritters and patatas bravas. The waiter agreed that between 5 of us, 10 dishes was a good amount to share.
We didn’t have long to wait and the food arrived as it was ready, which was great. I dived straight into the squid which was some of the tastiest I’ve had in a while — a great batter and delicious aioli to go with it. The aubergine fritter was also really great — a whole aubergine slice with a delicate and light batter — it could’ve used a sauce of its own but thankfully there was some sauces left over in the other dishes which were perfect. The paella, which we’d ordered on the waiter’s recommendation was one of my other favourites — really well cooked with hunks of chicken it it, it was nice to have some starch to go with the other dishes. The spring rolls were also really lovely — simple, sure but they were perfectly cooked and crispy — almost addictive in their crunch.
Service was great, the bill was reasonable and it’s a lovely space to enjoy a relaxing drink if you don’t feel like eating. I wish they had the croquettes from Brutti Compadres on the menu here, but that’s my only complaint!
There’s also an outdoor, covered seating area if it’s warm enough to enjoy the weather — I’d definitely head back for a drink out there as it looked lovely (until it started raining).

Weird that I have never reviewed this place before. During the summer I love coming here for a pint and sitting outside and watching the world go by. It’s got a really cool atmosphere and with a good crowd of people drinking anything from champagne to a nice cold pint.
On the food front I would describe it more as bar food than restaurant quality and I would suggest sticking to some of the smaller dishes rather than going for a full meal. You can’t go wrong with the deep fried Brie and a side of olives, but really you will be good with any of the small plates they have on offer.
Definitely a summer time bar for me as the small outside area is a big plus point and they have even been known to let you squeeze your mutt in to join you for a cold one.

I met up with a group of friends for a catchup over lunch on Sunday at Brutti ma Buoni in the Merchant City part of the Brunswick Hotel. I must admit my friends were a bit perplexed when I mentioned this as a venue and arrived thinking we were lunching at one of the city’s big hotels but Brutti ma Buoni is in fact a stand-​alone restaurant/​bar adjoining the hotel.
I’d phoned to pre– book a table and noticed a money off voucher on the website which I mentioned when booking and was assured this would be no problem. Inside is quite small and the place was pretty busy so I was glad I had phoned to pre-​book a table for the eight of us, as our table was reserved. A curious mix of décor including what looks like long strips of tinsel hanging from the lights and artwork on the walls make the place feel quite special.
None of us were drinking so it was orders of Irn Bru and tea all round while we browsed the very extensive menu. There seems to be something for everyone here with offerings ranging from small plates like spring rolls and bean stews to classic Scottish fayre of French Toast, Poached/​Scrambled Egg on Toast, Spaghetti and Pizza style breads with unusual topping combinations to burgers served on crusty morning rolls and much more! Specials included lamb and chickpea flatbread and a particularly tempting sounding toffee apple pancakes.
We all enjoyed our meals settling on a mix of burgers served with particularly addicting hand cut fries, bruschettas and baguettes but agreed that they weren’t anything overly special.
Service was quick and efficient despite the place being pretty busy but we did find that certain members of staff weren’t particularly friendly. There was a nice mix of people in on Sunday but it was a trendier crowd than we’re normally used to. The menu wasn’t the cheapest and we did think that some items were a bit overpriced but we had no problems using our money off vouchers which meant it was good value for some tasty food.

Without a doubt this little place is my favourite in the whole of Glasgow. I have been a number of times for drinks and/​or food. The place is joined onto the Brunswick hotel and has a great outdoor seating area for the summer. Inside is quite small and would usually book if I am going on a fri or sat night. Warning — if you sit upstairs remember it is above the kitchen so can get very warm!
I love sitting on at the bar when just having drinks — usually a bottle of cava as it is very well priced.
The staff are absolute gems — all are very chatty and are good to their regulars!
The food is lovely and the menu has a mixture of tapas, big plates, pizzas, brunch items. I love the big salads (squid is good), the brutti chips, chilli prawns and I love to get a half portion of pasta as a tapas dish. I have taken friends, my boyfriend and my mum here and they all loved it.
Also got given a free kinder egg once at Easter time :)
They do allow dogs in here so if you hate dogs then you might want to be aware.
They do good deals during the week — cheap tapas dishes on mon — wed, and you can download a 20% off voucher from their website to get money off food.

During one of those rare sunny days we had this summer, a few friends and my good self decided to partake of the food in this establishment.
I was aware that I had been avoiding Brutti Ma Buoni for many years, in fact this was the first time I was going to experience it. So, we managed to sit ourselves down at a tiny wee table outside.
Why had I been avoiding it? Well, for a start, I can’t pronounce it. If someone were to ask me «Hey, Wiggles, is there anywhere good to eat on Brunswick street?» I’d say, «why yes, there’s Brootee… Bruhtti…Broh… no, there isn’t». Which is a shame because the food is rather good.
I had one of the Brutti Breads called the Nero Nero. The waiter made a tutting sound on hearing me say «Nero Nero». It’s apparently pronounced Nehro Nehro. Wehll ehxcuhse the ehf out ohf meh!
The calamari main was perfectly cooked, and pronounced correctly.
The second reason I’d been avoiding it is the people I see sitting outside it. Fake tans, fake faces, fake tits all being fake at each other. I was grossly aware that my gross face on my gross body was grossing them out. Normally I would care, sometimes I even revel in it. Being the man in camo shorts, un-​ironed shirt and ratty t-​shirt in amongst such perfection makes me oddly happy.
I wouldn’t exactly call it waiter service either. That to me conjures up images of waiters arriving at your table, asking if you’re ready to order, or asking if you’d like drinks first, the usual stuff waiters do. This is more like self waiter service. Having to go to the bar yourself to fetch the menus and first round of drinks, having to stop the waiter on his way past to enquire whether it’s okay to maybe order some food if he’s not too busy. Granted, once he knew we were there for food he become warmer and might even have become friendly if I hadn’t said «Neero» at him like the uneducated oik that I am.
So why, after all this, have I given it 3 stars instead of 2? Plain and simple, I can’t fault the quality of the food, it was perfect. All 3 of us had different breads and mains, and all 3 of us enjoyed it, for that it get’s 3.
Would I recommend it? Yes, but only if I can write it down for you.
Would I go again? For the food, maybe, but it’s doubtful.
It occurs to me, I have still never been inside Brutti Ma Buoni. I’m feeling oddly happy about that.

I have only one criticism: that empty glasses and plates are whisked away as soon as they are empty, rather than when everyone at the table has finished. That said, the Portonian and I had a lovely Bank Holiday lunch: he had mixed grill (gammon steak, beef steak, lamb chop, pork sausage, egg, chips, salad) and I had a generous serving of bacon and lentil soup served with crusty bread-​absolutely delicious!

I had a drink with a friend here on a Friday evening, around 8pm. Half full in this economy downturn, not much space to move around. There is another upper level for diners if you prefer a little bit of privacy. Quite a few good chairs at the bar, the waiters/​waitress serve you warmly. However, I prefer a larger space and crowd when I am enjoying my evening. I haven’t got to try foods yet but my friend highly recommends their lamb burger. Friend told me that it used to be very busy Fri and Sat, and need a week booking in advance for seats. A DJ plays 80s pop music on scene, quite nice music though.

I was looking for a place off of George Square to grab a quiet bite because i had been eating Pub food and Curry for 5 days straight. I stumbled upon Brutti ma Buoni on a wide avenue. the waiter was very friendly, and gave a good recommendation on the Lamb Burger with mint and herbs. with a pint of beer and a side of chips, this was exactly what i needed.
As i found in most restaurants in Glasgow, and just about any pub, the service is slow by American standards. i personally don’t mind if my food comes to me in 10 or 20 minutes, because i’m usually with someone or am enjoying the atmosphere. i asked the waiter if they had newspaper to read while i waited for my food, and he happily obliged. usually, the food is worth the wait so i don’t mind too much

Hadn’t been in here for about a year until I went in over christmas. I have to say the atmosphere created by the staff is first class — even during the day there is a nice comfortable, warm and friendly feeling.
When you order a drink you get the feeling that a lot of care and attention has gone into making sure its perfect for you.
Great menu too at very reasonable prices — go and try it.
They do a mean bloody mary

i had a great lunch here on saturday with a very reasonable bill at the end.
i had spagetti with chorizo in a cabonara style sauce, it was delish, the chorizo was very good quality. My friend had one of the pizza things (not called pizza) which was really thin and tasty, one of the best pizzas that i have tried in a while. My other friend had a bean and veg stew which she said was good but the potatos were a wee bit too firm.
the only downside was the pan catalan, not enough tomatoyness and too hard.
the service was great, very friendly and not too attentive and even though it was very busy we didnt feel at all rushed.
we will be back soon for a brunch to try out the toast section of the menu.

Really nice bar with a cool, contemporary feel. Good range of beers, wines and cava and the food is decent and inexpensive with a wide selection of tapas, pizza and pasta. It gets very busy at the weekend, with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.