The basement bars of Bath street can tend to blend into one another, particularly after a few cocktails of an evening. Most of them are interchangeable drinking dens populated by students or newly graduated creative types, supping on craft beer and fussing over iPhones.
Often the music policy is uniformly generic and the interiors match a similar template. We swear some nights we’ve walked in to one, then later walked out of another.
Bar Bloc sticks out from the crowd. Independent, gallus and adventurous they set out to be distinctive. Gigs there are free and Bloc has that dive-bar-chic look locked down, alongside a plentiful supply of drinks.
The main reason to visit, however, is the food.
Bombastic king of the Bloc kitchen, Danny McLaren, the self-styled Mad Chef, has gained a reputation for cooking with unusual local ingredients – think Irn Bru, Buckfast and Mad Dog 20/20.
Beyond the eye-catching and slightly mystifying gastronomic experimentation, the week day specials are the draw.
Now, Glasgow is awash with special offers. We’ll buy any combination of underwhelming food if we think we’re getting a bargain. The difference here is your typical bar fodder is actual a goddamn awesome feast.
The burgers really are a treat.
Then there’s the hot dogs.
We’ve total respect for places that do simple things well.
We’re currently basking in the carb-fuelled afterglow of a cracking lunch at Bloc for Dog Friday.
#1 9 inch Bockwurst hotdog in a bun with cheddar cheese and jalapenos
#2 9 inch Bockwurst hotdog in a bun with Swiss cheese, carmelised onions and beef chilli
This is the real deal.
Choose your favourite day and get involved:
PASTA MONDAYS
£3 for either our home-baked macaroni cheese, made to our own unique and indulgent cheesy recipe
OR a feisty, rich cajun chicken pasta.BURGER TUESDAYS
£3 for our ridiculously excellent, freshly prepared 6oz steak burger and chips. While stocks last! There
are only so many cows in the world and they get the fear every Tuesday.STEAK WEDNESDAYS
£5 for a genuine 6oz sirloin steak with chips, a grilled Portobello mushroom, half tomato and creamy
peppercorn sauce.KENTUCKY THURSDAYS
£4 for fresh strips of chicken breast coated in our own secret spiced cajun breading, plus skinny fries
and a dip.BLOC+DOG FRIDAYS
£4 gets you a 9-inch Bockwurst in a soft bun, drizzled with ketchup, mustard and served alongside
skinny fries. We also provide a list of additional toppings if you’ve got your cravings on.
They also sell two pizzas for £8.95 on weekdays.
Bar Bloc
117 Bath Street
Glasgow
G2 2SZ
T: 0141 574 6066