The Clarence

Pitching itself as ‘a modern bistro with pub soul’, The Clarnece may have limited kerb appeal but compensates inside with a clubby bar of booths, bar stools, exposed brickwork and marble-topped tables. Regular happy hours and a Monday quiz night emphasise the pub feel, with bar nibbles ranging from a tongue-in-cheek ‘tasting menu’ of crisps to excellent charcoal-grilled skewers, maybe piri piri chicken with a lemon and herb crumb. Above the bar on two sides, a half-mezzanine dining room emphasises the bistro aspect of the place with meat and fish grills cooked on the bone alongside a regularly changing selection of small and large dishes that can be mixed and matched. The fixed-price Sunday roast might feature Aberdeen Angus chateaubriand with bone-marrow gravy as well as monkfish tail accompanied by chive beurre blanc, while attractive weekday lunches and early-evening prix-fixe deals ensure that the Clarence draws a diverse clientele ranging from multi-generational family occasions to the weekend cocktail crowd and post-work colleagues. Local beers from Glasgow’s West brewery are always on tap, while fans of Guinness and oysters are never disappointed.