Solid Rock Cafe

Good music good people. Pretty reasonably priced drinks, in an ideal location with very nice staff. Perfect for a couple drinks before a gig.

This is a favourite haunt of Kris B’s and mine. I know it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I love classic rock, punk and metal music so I always enjoy visiting the Solid Rock and its sister/​brother pub, Rufus T’s.
There’s a great range of drinks available; I’m always happy since they have one of my favourite beers on tap, The Williams Bros Joker IPA. The food is OK; their menu is one of standard pub grub plus pizzas and nibbles, mainly there for punters who might need to soak up some alcohol! Their pizzas are probably the highlight for me; most days they have a 2 for £9 deal on pizza which is pretty bargainous and it is proper thin-​crust traditional pizza too.
The Solid Rock is always a safe bet for a good night if you like your music loud!

The Solid. I don’t know how long this place has been alive, it feels like forever. It’s a great venue for Rock, Metal fans, and you sometimes get a few famous folk drink here after their gig.
It’s not just for the metal fans, all types would like this place. They also serve food.
They have a huge lounge down stairs with leather seats you could easily fall asleep on. And in that lounge they also have a bar too, and a pool table.
The whole place is a really clean looking. I’ve not got anything bad to say about this place as I’ve been coming here for years with loads of my friends.
Only thing is. Fix the squint on the pool table and there are around 7 pool cues that only one has a tip. This is something that can easily be fixed.
If you haven’t been here, you at least need to try it.

For some reason, I always forget that the Solid does food — and so when an old colleague of mine suggested a catch up lunch here I thought it’d be fab to try somewhere new.
The menu is small but nicely formed — I decided to go for the tuna melt ciabatta with curly fries — because they’re the best kind of potato FACT! The food arrived pretty quickly — not that it was easy to see that, it’s fairly dismal lighting-​wise during the day — but I should have expected that.
I really enjoyed my sandwich — plenty of nice filling, while the portion of curly fries was really generous. It cost about £6 or so, definitely nothing to grumble about.
If you’re after a reasonably cheap and cheerful light dinner/​lunch then it’s a good shout with reasonably quick service — although my friend did have to specifically ask how much the bill was after the guy had taken her card and put it into the card machine… bit bizarre.
Would I come back for lunch? Sure. It’s not really my kind of place for drinks, but it makes a nice change every now and again.

Bar à l’ambiance rock où sont servis d’excellents burgers et très bons cocktails ! Si vous voulez vous poser en fin d’aprem en plein centre de Glasgow, c’est le lieu idéal !

I knew there was a reason I didn’t visit the Squalid anymore, but never has it been more face slappingly apparent than my last (and I hope I mean that) visit on Saturday night.
Where to start; oh yeah, the crowd of 50 summit (years, not quantity, though decibel levels could deceive you) «yobs» playing pool and hollering at each other from opposite ends of the table.
The barmaid; «We’ve no red wine left.» «Would they have any upstairs?» «Yeah. There’ll be some upstairs.» Ok, don’t over-​do the customer service and offer to get it, or have someone bring it down!
The atmosphere; somewhere between sports bar and student union.
Result: neck our wine, and carry on to Steampunk Café for some class entertainment and good customer service.

Solid seems to be back to how it used to be again, not heard a pop tune in a good while now! Good to see an ale on tap now, there are a good few bottled ones too… correct me if I’m wrong but they unfortunately keep them in the fridge, a mistake many bars make these days which spoils the flavour of real ale.
Not tried the newer menu so can’t comment, it’s very difficult to get food unless it’s in the afternoon as nights is so busy.
EDIT: I’ve stopped drinking the draught beer, tastes like the pipes need cleaned… yuk.

I’ve been a regular of the Solid for years. I keep finding myself going back more than likely because it’s one of the few rock bars in Glasgow. The food is really good quality for what can be classes as typical bar food. Drinks-​wise, the prices are average but cocktails are cheap at only £3.50.
A couple of drawbacks are the music volume & music choice. The music volume for some reason gets cranked up to 11 at the weelend. Good for a gig but not if you want to chat with friends. The music can also be a bit rock radio at times.

Love the solid. Many pubs have come and gone in Glasgow over the years but the solid has outlived them for a reason. Best bar in town

I should really like this place, the décor , the music etc but as I‘m a Real Ale drinker the place has no real ale on but have a good bottle selection I must state that the food is good quality and value, so no complaints there

With the Solid Rock Café I can never really decide if like it or not any more. It some time has a great atmosphere and sometimes is just, well, boring. I’ve had great times there I’ve even booked downstairs a good few times for parties and yet over the past year or so it seems to have slowly declined in caring about it’s patrons.
Maybe I’m just getting older and grumpier since I’m now legal to enter bars and much more likely to get eager to anger when we get a door stewred (since departed I believe) yells at me… yes yells… at the «regulars party» asking am I think or something, every one knows your type aren’t allowed in tonight, and when I kindly replied sorry we didn’t know he then proceeded to then call me thick again until I asked him to explain what «my type was» and while he was at it give me his badge number. I didn’t mention that we had been regulars there for at least 4 years.
…or maybe I’m easier to offend when I ask for Veggie Chilli it says veggie chilli on the receipt and it comes with meat and the barman refused to replace it because we never asked for veggie and then when we show him the receipt he proceeds to say he prob couldn’t hear me because I’m so week because of my being veggie… maybe that just annoys me a little more than when I was 18… plus I didn’t order.
I’ve had plenty a bad experience in the Solid and linty good. It’s amazing how much they over shadow the good things the place has to offer. Sat and Sunday during the day I love it, it’s nice to have a wee seat in and a cheeky wee pint, and there always someone who knows someone whose met some one else at that gig few years ago at night, It’s relatively clean and it had stayed true true to it’s route and sticks with a decent selection of rock music from old and new.
The best thing about the Solid is that it does attract a mixed age group and everyone just seems to get along. There the occasional grumble about «scene kids» or «hispster» but it never really results in an ear bashing or uncomfortableness like in some places.
So there you have it my review. I’m not sure if I love it or hate it but I’ll keep going. I feel alot of the times the staff ruin visits to places however the Solid seem to change there staff so much that there shouldnt be any issues next time I head in!

I’ve been in here on and off a few times over the past 8 years but in February this year the doorman slammed the door shut on my girlfriend and blocked her from entering. When I went to see what was happening they would not let her in as she forgot her I.D.
I explained I was 25 and would produce my ID and that she was 24. Each answer was met with the doorman saying Bring I. D over and over whilst his colleague gave us a disgusting look.
I know Pubs are duty bound to check ages but these two doormen were diabolical. Slamming the door shut and blocking my girlfriends entrance is really not a good way to treat customers. We left and haven’t been back since. I wouldn’t spend any more money in the place.

In the land of the one eared man, he who plays loudest shall be king.
Someone said something like that at one point. Or I just made it up, loosely based on something smarter. Either way, it rings true.
The Solid has been an institution in Glasgow for years. If you like rock music, then you know about it. You’ve been in, sampled the atmosphere, and came back time and time again.
Over the years, many things may have changed; the pool table, the staff, even recently the bar itself — but the fact remains, it’s still THE premier place to be if you like your music with a guitar turned up to eleven.
They’ve recently added WEST Brewed Beers to the repertoire, that can’t be bad, can it?
Free Wifi is available; ask the staff to play your favourite tune and they probably will; they have a great menu; The TV’s in general show classic movies like Gremlins, Die Hard, and The Goonies — it’s a great, great place.
Go. Drink. Listen. Eat. Be merry.

The Solid is a great place for all people that love their rock music. During the day it has a more calm atmosphere (yes still plays rock just not as loud as at night) and really is nice to go in for a pub lunch they have a varied menu of some really lovely pub grub — definitely worth the money — although not a great menu if your a veggie unfortunately but that’s to be expected really. It’s also good to request some music and have a chat away with the always friendly bar staff.
At night is different whether it be at the weekend or not. On Wednesday’s they have a pub quiz on which has some rather whitty banter but also everyone that enters gets a prize — not saying the prize is epic but hey it’s free — and chance to win cash which is always a good thing. At the weekend yes it is rather mobbed but to be fair would you want to be in a pub that’s dead on a Saturday night, my main advice to anyone going at the weekend with a group of mates is to get in about 5 6ish get a munch and that way you will have a seat all night. I can assure you that there are so many different people that drink in the solid at the weekend that no you will not get stared at for not wearing all black of judged although if you are faked tan peroxide hair dress up the bum (which to be fair you would get stared at and judged anywhere) you more and likely will feel out of place.
I would avoid the Solid if there is a big rock/​metal gig on such as AC/​DC as they can be pretty horribly busy but if you enjoy that or going to the gig and want to be around the atmosphere then go for it.
I would say that it can be a bit pricey, so you need to weigh up if the atmosphere and music is to your taste so much that you would pay that little bit more, but to be fair you wont pay that far off it in other city center bars.
Also staff are normally very friendly and helpful, very easy to talk to and have good banter.

This is a great pub always friendly service is great it is one of my fav watering holes in Glasgow with great music and fantastic food reasonable prices I have to say its a great place anyone that likes there rock music good beer and great food should defo try the solid rock pub it’s by far the best rock pub in Glasgow by a mile

During the day this is a loud, hard rockin’, beer swillin’, burger bitin’, head bangin’ den of rock music.
During the night they stop serving burgers and turn the music up to 11 (it’s on 10.5 during the day).
From AC/​DC to ZZ Top, from Amon Amarth to Zakk Wylde, as long as it’s loud, it’s on. Okay, ZZ Top might be a bit soft for the Solid’s normal playlist, but I have heard them here.
The food served during the day is the regular list of pub favourites. Nachos, pastas, chili etc. But one thing stands out like a million ton juggernaut surrounded by timid little bicycles. The Scooby Snack. This double ¼ pounder with all the things can feed a family of 4 for days. Actually, way back in the day, around the mid 90’s, the Scooby Snack used to be a double ½ pounder. If you ever meet me, ask me about it, I have a story to tell.
Night time and weekends are when this place really comes alive, as you’d expect. It’s packed to bursting point with all the different shades of black. From the shiny PVC to faded denim. Most of them are waiting for the Cathouse or Classic Grand nightclubs to open, so it does sometimes start to empty around 11ish.
When I say packed, I mean packed. If you’re in on Friday or Saturday after 7pm, forget about getting a seat, just try to find a corner where you’re not gonna get crushed by that massive tattooed behemoth, or have your clothes ripped by the buckles on that PVC dress… unless, of course, that’s your thing, and let’s be honest now…
There is a downstairs bar, which is sometimes slightly less crammed and just a wee bit quieter. It’s also where the pool table lives.
It’s a much loved spot for bikers, so expect to see some fine examples of Harleys and Triumphs outside during the summer.
Throw the horns, prepare to have beer spilled over you, and RAAAWWWK OUT!!!

The Solid is the universal rock bar for young and old patrons of Glasgow’s rock music scene.
It’s been on the go since the late 80s so it has a strong legacy behind it. I can imagine this place being jumpin’ in the mid 90s when grunge was at its grungiest.
Currently, it’s nae bad at all! There’s always something different on the musical playlist and if they’ve got it, you can request it. I think the playlist is comprised of the bar staff’s music collection so it’s a mixed bag of goodies and usually good since the bar staff are into their rock bands. Speaking of the staff, they’re friendly and very approachable, which overrides the odd gathering of opinionated music wanker customers. Sadly you can’t sift that shit out, not even in good bars. So deal with it.
They have a list of cocktails but (not to generalise) if you’re in here, you’re obviously going to be drinking double whisky mixers all night. It gets busy at the weekend and because it’s a good bar and known for its rootings in the rock music culture, you get some assholes who latch onto that. But they likely won’t bother you with their vacuous, flatulent chat about the state of music, and thankfully the bassline will drown them out.
It’s dark, broody and all about its rock gimmick, but it’s all good. It’s the watering hole where battered bikers and young eye liner-​ed lovelies can congregate in glorious harmony and enjoy a shared interest in music. The music gets loud but seriously, what’s the use in having some sick riffs if you can’t crank them up? Good times.

First off, this pub is always crazy busy, full of metalheads. Cant move busy. Claustrophobic busy. Depending on my mood, I can handle this or I cant. It depends on why I am there.
It’s ideal for before gigs, and specifically metal/​hard rock gigs. They always change the music before big gigs like Alice in Chains or AC/​DC to have loads of tracks by whatever band is playing that night and it gets you properly pumped up for your night.
There’s a pinball machine! Which is awesome, because pinball machines are awesome and hard to come by these days.
The bar reflects recent metal trends with Jagermeister being an obvious choice amongst patrons along with energy drinks like Relentless and Monster.
There’s a lot of boring chat about folk’s bands and general narrow mindedness surrounding musicianship.
Drummers who use a double bass pedal make them amazing drummers, apparently. And learning the solo to Master of Puppets is NOT a waste of a month of your life. That makes you a great guitarist, apparently.
When it’s busy, it’s unbearable. But if you like good rock music and want to get super pumped before a big rock gig, this is where everyone in Glasgow conglomerates. You might start smoking though, just to get some fresh air (and yes I understand the irony).

The chances are that you would be visiting the Solid Rock Café on Hope Street for the same two reasons that I did — you are looking for somewhere to drink and somewhere you can enjoy the sounds of legendary heavy rock groups like AC/​DC and Metallica WHILE you drink. And unless you fancy sitting in a trendy city-​centre pub with a pair of headphones blasting in your ears — which would be very antisocial and would make you look like a twat — the Solid Rock is definitely the place to be, as attested to by the fact the pub describes itself as «Scotland’s number one rock bar since 1987».
Musically, you can’t fault the Solid Rock. On the Saturday night of my visit (probably the busiest time of the week), there was a constant bombardment of the very best rock anthems, varying from old-​school favourites like Black Sabbath and the Ramones, to well-​known present day artists like Slipknot and Rage Against the Machine. With a good blend of old and new, from thrash metal and grunge to glam rock and pop-​punk, there is something for everyone. And unlike its sister pub up the street Rufus.T.Firefly — where I was often left wondering «who is this band?» — most of the songs played in the Solid are instantly recognisable classics. Songs can be requested at the bar as well — mine was played within a couple of minutes. The volume is suitably loud, but not deafening.
There are two floors in the Solid, both quite spacious and both with their own bar; the lower one with a pool table. There are a good amount of tables with comfortable seating. The décor is clean, modern and attractive, contrasting sharply with the posters, vinyl discs and guitars covering the walls, which gives it a good ‘rock club’ feel.
The drink prices are reasonable for the city centre, with a good selection of everything, particularly spirits. There is also a good, varied bar menu. The spaghetti bolognese is tasty and comes in a large portion, if rather basic-​looking.
Some people may be put off going to the Solid with the idea that its packed full of the trenchcoat or leather jacket brigade, and their obligatory mohicans, thick beards, eyeliner and body piercings. However on my visit, while there was a few people belonging to various subcultures scattered around, the clientele looked hardly any different from the average city centre bar, if slightly male-​dominated, but this is to be expected of any rock bar really.
If you’re after a drink and some classic Iron Maiden or Def Leppard blasting in the background to set you up for a night out, the Solid should definitely be your Number One choice. It succeeds in having that unique ‘rock club’ atmosphere with the music blasting and the band memoribilia on the wall, but without the dank, claustrophobic feel typical of many of these places. Go along! You definitely won’t feel out of place.

I’ve only been in here a few times, and enjoyed myself somewhat. Good ol’ rock music, and a decent enough atmosphere (well, if the music was turned down just a tiny little bit, yes there might be).
I felt very out of place — I don’t wear all black, have any facial peircings, or wear those massive scary looking black boots. HOWEVER, I may have looked out of place, but, nobody made me feel too self concious, except for the bar staff who eyed me curiously enough as if to say «In here? Really? You do know what this place is, right?».
Anyway, the drinks were cheap, and we got a decent game of pool on the go, so all was well, for a while, until, suddenly we looked up, and it seemed like every person in the place was confused by our presence. I think that was our cue to leave…
So, if you feel like being eyed by several ‘metal-​heads’, and made to feel a bit out of place, then yes, by all means I’d go here, otherwise, I’d maybe wait a while and hit up one of the other bars on Hope Street.

This bar caters for anyone who likes old-​school rock. As such, there is a very wide age range to be found here, but always a good atmosphere.
I once came in here wearing my fire-​engine red trenchcoat and must admit I did get a few funny looks, feeling slightly out of place among a forest of balck.
The pool table downstairs is always popular and friendly rivalry ensues. Being a bit of a metal-​head myself, the music is good — plenty of Pantera and classic rock.
Beware one of the ladies toilets though — open the door and you are immediately at the top of a flight of stairs so watch your step!