The Monkey Bar

Arranged a work night out here as pretty central to those based in Glasgow and elsewhere and close to transport home.
Bar had no more than 6 people in when I arrived and my group of 12 certainly help fill the place out.
Went to bar to order food for table and was told the kitchen was closed. Thursday night at 7.15pm and no food being served?! Asked for selection of crisps and was told they didn’t do crisps!
Bar area is very tired looking and bathrooms were so cold I thought I’d taken a wrong turn and gone outside.
Drinks are reasonably priced for city centre but overall experience means I won’t be rushing back.

Good bar, cozy and fab cocktail list. Quite small and could do with a few more seats but that doesn’t stop me going. In the summer you can sit outside too in the small front area and you can reserve a table for a group night. Right at the start of Bath street where a lot of great bars line that road right up to the top of town.

Unilocalers assemble… but in future never in this bar!
This was not my first visit to this bar as every time I have been it has been someone else’s choice.
I have no idea if this bar was not ready for a sudden rush of folk but either way, someone in the group I was with waited well over 30 minutes for…*drum roll please*…nachos!
Selection of drinks was mediocre, the food was bland and I’ve seen better atmosphere at a wake!

If it was possible to review something lower than 1 star on Unilocal,this place would most definitely be getting that treatment. The Monkey Bar on Bath Street is without a doubt one of the worst places I’ve ever been.
It was the Unilocal «Monkey Business» event that brought us here, simply because it had the word monkey in the title. Everything about this place is just so bad, from the staff to the service to the food. It took half an hour for me to get a severely underwhelming plate of nachos that I ate half of. The staff were unpleasant and forgot to bring cutlery to our table, and the house wine tastes like methylated spirits had a fling with a cheap grape. (That’s a quote from a book, I just can’t remember what one…)
At one point, a waitress came over and dumped a bit of paper on our table they said the table was reserved at 8pm. This was at 5:30. How obscenely rude is that? She could’ve at least waited till the table was free to put it down, or if we were still there closer to 8pm, maybe kindly mention it, but no.
I beg of you, do not go here. You could get better food out of the streets of Glasgow bins.

Cheap drinks. Music is not too loud. Lighting is good. Seats could be better since they sank a bit too much. Great location. The mixing if the drinks seemed a bit amateur but I’m nitpicking. Happy times.

I will start on the plus point of food, I had macaroni and chips — which was excellent. Essentially what I’m saying is if you go during the day, when it’s quiet you’ll get good food.
It pretty much stops there.
This place is pretty bog standard and has nothing particularly special about it in terms of atmosphere, yet each time I’ve been after 6pm it’s been seriously overcrowded. As in can’t get a seat, stand around until your legs cramp up and eventually leave because you’re fed up being elbowed/​bumped/​stood on.
The other issue I have is that we actually hired out the back area of Monkey Bar for the Blogger Christmas Party, paid the deposit etc to turn up on the night and be relegated to the front area, which was absolutely not suitable for the amount of people we had turning up to the event and, quite blantently, wasn’t what I paid a £50 deposit for.
I then had to constantly phone and go to the venue for 6 weeks until I eventually for my deposit back, despite being told each time I called that someone would call back no one did, and despite asking for the refund on the night and being told it had to be done over the phone when I phoned I was told to come in and it could be done anytime in the bar.
Generally just badly organised, nothing special and seriously overcrowded, though I have no idea why.

Very much not my sort of thing. Went along here for a bloggers x mas party and instantly took a disliking to the place. First off. Glasgow pubs! Yes, all of you. If you’re selling bog standard lager (and yes I lump Peroni and Heineken into that category) gonnie no charge 3.50 for it when I can pay less than that for a proper pint at places like The Pot Still, Inn Deep, Brewdog, Blackfriars etc.
The thing about this place, and it’s the same critisism I have of alot of bars in Glasgow (and I’m sure elsewhere), is that they offer nothing unique as a venue. This place is just a big room filled with music (that’s blatently too loud) where people drink alcohol.
Is it trendy? Nope. Is it flashy? Nope. Does it offer stunning beers/​cocktails/​wines? Nope. Is the grub outstanding? Nope. So what distinguishes this place from another bland place up the road? Nowt. Hee Haw. Feck all.
Do yerself a favour and avoid. Go somewhere that has an identity and a pulse.
Grrrr to bad bars. Grrrrr

Of all the bars in all of Glasgow, Monkey Bar fairs as distinctly average… at best. Even the «hilarious» pun intended name does nothing for me and I usually love a good pun! My boyfriend’s work had hired out the back area of Monkey Bar for a Halloween party purely because it was convenient for where his offices are located, but we were still infiltrated by randoms.
I can’t really think of anything to say about this place as it’s so nondescript. The music is alright, the drink prices are alright, the atmosphere is alright, and the clientele are alright but possibly verging on degenerate, but then it was Halloween and most people look like common street tramps on Halloween.
With so many bars and clubs to choose from in the area I’m not sure why Monkey Bar would draw anyone in, except that they’ve maybe been turned down elsewhere.

Went with friend to use Groupon voucher and won’t be back. Booked table for 4 pm on a wednesday but arrived at 3;30. No problem. Waitress very nice and friendly. A few things, on menu weren’t available. Simple fish and chips were not good at all. Soggy batter and served the end of the bag of frozen chips which were frazzled and tiny bits which should never have been served on a plate. No soap in toilets. Dull, lifeless bar. We ordered another drink then asked for bill only to be told we had to leave at 5.15 p. m!!! What was that all about as we were buying drinks and had finished meal? We were leaving anyway! We were supposed to eat a 2 course meal and have a drink in 75 minutes!!! Totally out of order! We felt like paupers who were getting free meal. Absolutely shocking!

Went here with a visiting friend when the usual spots for lunch and drinks around Buchanan Street were all heaving.
There was a pretty good deal on meaning we got a meal each for a fiver and this went up to around £9 each with a cocktail.
Food was fine, not gastronomic ecstasy, but it was a fiver so lets be realistic. My cocktail was a bramble, and it was STRONG!!! Great value for a night on the tiles as I certainly got my moneys worth, for an afternoon tipple it was a bit much!
Yes I would go back, but there’s so many better places on Bath Street I just don’t need to!

As far as pubs in Glasgow go, this one is worth a visit. I was in on Friday night and it was full of lots of trendy people that work for a living. I think that if you are free from commitments and finish work in an office in Glasgow city centre, you’d be seen in a place like this on a Friday evening. I was in the place from 8.30 until 1 am and I saw there place change the customer personnel three times. Later the clientele is older and more like a singles bar.
The DJ played lots of music that you won’t have heard before but was still quite funky and bouncy stuff. Some people had a wee dance in the area in front of the bar, but, really, there wasn’t much room for it.
The big bouncers seem to be omni-​present, but friendly looking.
The drinks are typically priced for a Glasgow city-​centre pub that doesn’t aim at students. £3.20 for a bottle of Peroni, (My Benchmark)
The place feels nice with it’s nice red lighting and it’s diagonal bar.

Monkey Bar is a fairly modern, trendy addition to Bath Street. I think it’s been here a while but I’ve just missed it because it’s one of Bath Street’s basement bars. Inside it’s quite large, with a big, well stocked bar, friendly staff and food on the menu during the afternoon. I haven’t sampled the latter but it looks like the standard menu for a pub, and my friends have recommended it as a place to eat in the afternoon.
I’ve been to the Monkey Bar a couple of times. I have only experienced it at the weekend when it was heaving and swarming with girls wearing big heels with big hair. That’s a typical Saturday in Glasgow for you, but there were loads of us all huddled around a table for two so when it gets that mobbed, I’d rather go elsewhere. Saying that, it was just after pay day, which might’ve had something to do with how busy it was.
During the weekend, they tend to have a DJ in or they blare out the house music, which makes it popular with a diverse crowd. It seems like a fairly upmarket place to drink and attracts customers who visit here for a few classy cocktails in their best dresses and suits.
The time I was in here on a Saturday I felt fairly awkward, but that was mainly to do with the fact that I had finished work late and looked like a scab compared to the well dressed partygirls who outnumbered me. I was also sober, and Saturday night in town is a brave new world when you’re not wearing booze goggles. Saying that, the bar staff were awesome and whipped me up a gorgeous virgin cocktail (which looked like a sex on the beach and was delicious).
Overall, I had a good night. The one incident that sticks in mind was when my boyfriend and I got pulled up by a bouncer for being a bit too affectionate. The bouncer wasn’t rude about it (he had quite good banter) but nevertheless I felt like I was 14 and being warned off boys by my dad. I could’ve understood if we had been necking each other but all I was doing was sitting on his knee, and there were no other chairs! And we were both sober, which adds insult to injury. We had a giggle about it but it begs the question — is it that unusual for people to be attracted to each other in this city without having consumed ten crates of vodka? Are people really that sceptical to people who are just punch drunk loved up with each other? It’s probably just because the bouncer is so used to seeing girls get leared on though, so I don’t really blame him for being cynical. Sauchiehall St and its surrounding area can do that to ya.
I can see why people like this place — the nice surroundings, pumping tunes, swanky smoking area and upper crust selection of booze behind the bar makes it popular with gals and guys who wanna ahve fun. I would like to experience The Monkey Bar during the day when it’s a little more quiet and laidback but that’s not a reflection on the bar, I’m just a lo-​fi kinda lady. Good as a pre nightclub venue, but I’m excited to sample some of its relaxed atmosphere during a summer afternoon.

Disappointingly bad experience recently. I was with a group of about 12 on a Wednesday night. Having been told off by the woman running the speeddating we ordered food but they only got 5 out of 12 meals right and the standard wasn’t fantastic. Most if us gave up on desserts, but one intrepid diner ordered chocolate brownie — sticky toffee pudding was served, and the waiter promised it was brownie — «it says it on the box» — so much for ‘homemade on the premises’ as it says on the menu. However, on the good side we got 35% off and some free drinks and one of the waiters was fantastic, so we left with a smile on our faces, but no desperate urge to go back.

This place is so easy to walk past as it’s on basement level like many other bars along Bath Street. For some reason, this place is less noticeable than others.
I’ve only been in a few times but those few times haven’t been the most memorable. It seems to be a favourite for first dates and you can hear the awkward chat a mile off while each couple seems to be downing as many cheap cocktails as possible to ease the tension a little bit.
An okay little bar, but nothing to write home about.

I had no idea this place existed till earlier today, and I think I will go back.
I had my usual fish and chips which was not overwhelming, but a good lunch nonetheless.
The interior was modern and clean with good varied music playing.
The menu is quite varied as well and there is a really good bar, including Red Stripe and some cocktails at £2.50 all day everyday including Cosmo’s and the usual.
Good service.
A friendly welcoming place.

The Monkey Bar is a basement bar on Bath Street, and is a lot like most other bars in the area. A good location for an after-​work drink or mid-​afternoon nibble, it’s simple but quite colourful. With a pool table and 2 distinct seating areas, you can choose your crowd. Although I haven’t ordered food here yet, the menu has some good choices from baked potatoes to sandwiches to curly fries. Prices seem good for what you get, and there are deals such as 2 main courses for £8−9. Definitely prime territory for a munch and a natter.
The music is good, but at the time I was there swung a bit between just right and too loud. I imagine it’s a great spot for an early drink before heading up to Sauchiehall Street to get the party started.

When I was underage, with slick middle parting and blond streaks, I came here on Hogmanay for my first night out in Glasgow, and loved it.
More recently, we visited here on Valentine’s day, and the atmosphere just wasn’t quite right. Banging house music in a small, quiet-​ish bar doesn’t really fit on February 14^th, and the cocktails weren’t all that brilliant either.
It was good fun observing the awkward conversation amongst the other couples on their second or third dates though. Can’t beat it.

I really like this bar. With entrances on Bath Street and down a little lane behind, it’s in the shadow of many of the other bars in the vicinity and is, I think, totally under-​rated.
Relaxed and welcoming with comfy seats and a pool table but minimal décor maintaining a touch of elegance, you can expect to see students, professionals and shoppers here — or a collision of them all. Once when I took my mum for dinner here after a hard day shopping she tripped and landed on the lap on a young businessman who swiftly removed his laptop from her clumsy path. All three of us — student, mum and businessman — laughed to hide the shame. So, ahem, watch out for a small step near the bottom bar.
The main reason why I chose to take my mum here though was the food. I had been with friends before and we discovered a deal where you could get any two main courses for £7.95 and, believe me, the portions were huuuuuge. I chose the chicken enchiladas which came on a bed of rice (and salad) to soak up the divine flavours of the sauces spread across the giant, delicious wrap. Mum had an equally large helping of battered fish and chips. Excellent value and I have been back a good few times — each time introducing someone new who couldn’t believe they had never visited before.
Sadly, on passing last week, it looks like a new menu is on and the offer is off — I was actually heartbroken. I hope they bring it back pronto.

I frequent this bar a lot for lunch and I haven’t got a bad word to say about it! There is plenty of seating which are comfortable. There’s also a pool table if you get bored! The lunches are just fantastic, brought out quick and brilliant value too! At the moment you can get two main meals for 7.95 and believe me when I say, they do not scrimp on portions! The plateful you get is HUGE and it tastes fantastic! I’ve been there with several different people and all of them have been impressed with the food. The staff are all very nice and helpful. One very important factor for me when I go to restaurants/​bars is the toilet facilities and I cannot fault Monkey Bar on them either as they are spacious, CLEAN and very modern. They also offer lots of cocktails if that’s your thing! Overall, a great place to go!