The Red Lizard

A tough one this. Given the distinctly average reviews given before, i was a little unsure of venturing into this joint… best i thought to check it out at lunch time for a spot of… well, lunch.
By way of a nice wee discount voucher i managed to get myself a grat big tasty mean assed burger… holey satisfied belly Cowman.
Without being too mean about this joint, it’s best to say that it just aint y cup of tea. Like a Scream pub thats tried to emulate its older, cooler hip cousin, this place is a bit mis matchy, but in a kind of contrived way.
The feel of the joint is just insencere, and feels lke the place where the rich neds go before hitting Arca on a Saturday night (chest hair, animal prints and sleaze)
So yeah, noe cmplaints re the food in here, just not the kinda joint i’d hit in this area, especially when you consider that Blackfriars is just over the road.

Red Lizard on a Saturday night is quite a sausage fest if I’ve ever seen one!
Chillin’ on the corner of Bell and Albion in the trendy Merchant City, you’ll find Red Lizard. Upon entering, you’re greeted with an eclectic style of décor. From lofty couches, tiger skin, and animal head… it’s just a chaotic mix of this and that. On most nights, this place is pretty busy. It’s a sports bar and then some. Aside from multiple flat screens to watch sports, they also offer a little bit of everything for anyone else who could care less what’s playing on the telly. There’s a pool table, as well as Wii Sports. They also have wifi for you geeks out there.
Red Lizard has a wide selection of beers, wines and cocktails… albeit a bit on the pricy side, you’re in Merchant City after all. The service is friendly and efficient. I’ve only come here for drinks with friends and colleagues, but they serve food throughout the day from 12pm to 8pm.
Hot tip: Pick up free passes for The Winchester Club on Friday & Saturday nights… It’s just beneath Red Lizard.
Bottom line: A welcoming, unpretentious sports bar in the Merchant City with a laidback atmosphere and comfy couches. Weekends are packed, and the banter is pretty decent if you can squeeze in. Be prepared to shell out a pretty penny for drinks.

On the yardstick of «pubs where I thought I’d drink in Glasgow,» I can honestly say that a place with the enigmatic (and slightly worrisome) name «The Red Lizard» wasn’t too high. I’d walked past a few times, noted the cosy couches, big screen tvs and clientele, and continued walking.
I mean, the Red Lizard? Huh? Why? Do I even want to know? Probably not. You see, I’m cool with some animals in pub names: Horses, for example. I quite enjoy a good tortoise name, and dogs, ducks and cocks all fit the bill as well. But Lizards? Do lizards even come this far north? But I digress… because I must admit now that sipping at the Lizard wasn’t nearly as bad as it sounds.
The staff were surly yet efficient, and managed to handle both the Man U fans and the Celtic fans who were intensely involved in their respective matches. The food I would recommend skipping. But for a quick pint, a cosy escape from the wind and rain, a footie match, or for all three, I’d recommend The Lizard; whatever colour it happens to be.

Yes it’s expensive, but yes it is also in Merchant City and so that’s a fairly predictable phenomenon.
I would love to try the food in here, which looks really good, and in a really varied menu. Particularly with the prominently advertised two main meals for £6.95 affair, rivalling the nearby Maggie May’s promo that is also on the go. I just can’t get anyone to come with me!
It’s really nice inside, with obscurities all over the place that all come together to form a kitsch sort of interior that is more engaging than it is offputting.
A funky place in a good location that may or may not do good food. If only someone would come with me, I could find out.
Anyone want to come to lunch with me, pleaaaaase? I will get the drinks in*
*If you drink pints of water, that is.

Red Lizard is a lovely little corner of Glasgow’s Merchant City, filled with comfy couches, quirky furnishings and good music. A favourite venue amongst groups of friends, to get together for lunch or drinks, to sample their impressive cocktail menu.
I like the cosy, unassuming atmosphere of this place, which manages to be cool and comfortable, whilst remaining welcoming and unpretentious. There is often entertainment in the form of live music, DJs and sport being shown on the big screens, which makes this place ideal for an evening with your mates over a fabulous french mmmartini.

How any one can say «prices are quite reasonable for food and for drink» here is beyond me. You must be connected to the owners. Prices for drink here are extortionate, even by merchant city standards.

I have to agree with Jamie K — this place, as fantastic as it is, being very trendy and all, it’s overly pricey. You can easily spend £10+ on 3 drinks, which in my eyes, is not bon.
For some reason, it’s always very busy — you’ll be lucky if you can get in on a Friday/​Saturday night, and then even if you do, you might have to make do with standing. I’ve been a few times as it’s a mate’s local, but if he didn’t live round the corner, we’d probably go somewhere different.
It’s nice for a change, or a bit of a treat, but all in all, there are less expensive bars nearby which’ll offer you a friendlier service too.

This is a great little pub in the Merchant City. It’s a cosy, chilled out, cool bar with quirky décor, comfortable sofas and a fantastic food menu that goes beyond your standard pub offering. Last time I went there for dinner there was a new chef and the food was a definite slip in standards from what I’ve been used to in the past but I hope that was a temporary blip that will now be sorted out. The prices are quite reasonable for food and for drinks, and it’s somewhere I would definitely recommend whether it’s for pre-​club boozing on a Friday night or a relaxing Sunday afternoon drink in between hitting the shops.