r/Glasgow Tools

If you require a sober environment for personal sobriety reasons my experience may not be of use to you. For those unbothered by alcohol in the environment but are unsure about ordering other drinks read on.

I used to go out with friends fairly frequently before covid, who often will get a drink or two. I always order tea. Almost every bar I've been to has let me order tea even if it's not on "the drinks menu". Usually I work out if they offer it by the presence of a coffee machine, or I have to ask. Often they'll still do it at 10pm even if it's on the "food menu" that only goes until 7pm. You'll get some weird looks for sure but I find it chill. Friends are just used to me by now 😂😂

I've even done pub crawls where I've gotten a tea at every spot while my friends ordered pints 😂 this does require getting over your own anxiety if you have it, of being judged for ordering tea at a bar or being seen as pretentious by being perceived as thinking you're above drinking (anxiety brain is a doozy. I've also had people ask me this. No, I just don't like drink, you do you).

Otherwise tapas places (café Ziques in Partick) are pretty good for small meet ups over food late into the evening. Cinema. The Radisson Red in Finnieston has a pool bar bit on the ground floor which I don't think requires you to be staying at the hotel, however it does serve alcohol. Ditto the table tennis cage at the Hillhead Book Club - real fun though. HBC also has various themed nights like drag bingo, board game nights etc. You'll have to check their social media for when stuff is though.

There's a crazy golf place southside, I've not been but a friend said it's good.
Super Bario, arcade bar in city centre. Not fully alcohol free but you can order soft drinks/tea and coffee while you play.

Otherwise the only places I can think of that are likely to be truly alcohol free are those dessert diner cafe places like Creams/Sprinkles/Loop and Scoop. They're often open quite late and loads about.