Red Onion

I cannot share enough about this place. Wonderful atmosphere, delicious menu, wonderful options for those with allergens including dairy free, vegan, and gluten free. The staff is attentive but not overbearing and the food was absolutely delightful. This is worth a special trip! Don’t skip dessert either!

We dined as a part of a tour group. I had the Rib Eye Steak and it was excellent! It was grilled perfectly and had a great Char. I also enjoyed the French Onion Soup. The service was excellent.

Food was absolutely amazing, service was great and reasonably priced pre theatre menu. Would recommend. Also great selection of alcohol free cocktails. Will be back

Food was amazing. Scallops on chorizo was delicious and the sea bass with shavings of Parmesan and a beautifully crispy skin. Nice to meet the owner/ chef too. Will be back and the decor is so cool - even the taps in the loo!

This was our first visit as we had a £50 gift voucher that was a Christmas present and finally got around to using it for tonight's dinner! A family member highly recommended the place. The interior is very cosy with a mixture of rustic and modern. They had the fire on which was very welcoming and relaxing to watch. The seats along the window were heated so my legs were kept toasty! Waitress who had served us throughout the visit was very friendly and so lovely. I had butternut squash risotto with garden peas, spring onions and crispy sweet potato. It was delicious and the perfect portion size I thoroughly enjoyed the meal. The fiancé had roast chicken with peas, mushroom, haggis and potatoes (there was a sauce but I can't remember what!) He said it was the best meal he's ever had in his life. We got a side of onions rings and it was so tasty. Dessert we both had apple and cinnamon crumble, stunning and once again a nice sized portion as I was pretty full from the main/side so I'm not a fan of massive puddings. The chef popped over to chat to us which I thought was a lovely gesture, of course my fiancé was singing his praises (well deserved to be fair) People might turn their noses at the prices but considering you pay nearly £11 for a basic burger these days my main (which to me is Michelen star quality) of £14 from a talented chef is not to be sniffed at and a great value. We would definitely love to come back as the better half wants to try the monkfish curry! Long story short, a place worth visiting if you want to treat yourself!

Food and service top class. Highly recommend the lemon chicken and pork mains 😍 I love how this restaurant caters for gluten free and vegan. I have been here previously but this was around 2 years ago (had the steak,excellent!) and the high quality is still there. Won't leave it so long again for another visit - thank you!

We had a wonderful evening at Red Onion. I was especially drawn by their dairy-free menu, which was such a thoughtful touch for those with dietary needs. As someone who doesn’t usually drink alcohol, I was amazed by their Non-Alcoholic Raspberry & Elderflower Spritz—refreshing, beautifully balanced, and full of flavour. The atmosphere was relaxed and inviting, perfect for a nice dinner out. It was quite a busy night, so we had to wait a little while for the bill, but overall, it was a lovely dining experience.

We had a lovely meal here tonight, the service was superb and attentive, and the food and wine was exquisite! Ordered from the Fixed price menu, shared the Bang Bang chicken starter which was wonderfully nutty and spicy. Steak frites, steak was cooked to perfection, chips salty and peppercorn sauce stunning. Partner had the lemon chicken with korma and rice, chicken cooked beautifully and a nice coconut sauce. Both finished with the brownie, rich and gooey with ice cream. All in all, couldn't recommend it more! Intimate with a wonderful atmosphere and decor. Well worth the trip for the experience!

Stopped in here with our tour group after arriving in Glasgow. The staff was super friendly. I had mushroom risotto which was really good. I was a little surprised when it didn't come with any type of side dish. Made for kind of a boring dining experience with only one item to eat. Being on a tour, our menu options were limited. I would like to go back and see their menu, spend a little more time and relax.

Walked in at the beginning of dinner service while doing a self-guided tour of Glasgow. Amazingly gracious service--they squeezed us in, and were very accommodating of my wife's vegetarianism and my wine preservative allergies. The owner even called his wine distributor to see if any of their in-stock bottles were appropriate. We ordered one fixed price meal and two vegan ala carte items. The food was some of the best we had in Scotland, and reasonably priced by US standards. The blurb on the menu says John Quigley (the owner) used to cook for rock stars, and we believe it, given the quality of service and cuisine.

Underwhelming, slightly off-the-mark food that's supposed to be fine dining but can't quite manage it -- plus lots of vegan options that brought us in the door. We stopped in for dinner on a Thursday evening looking to have a nice date night meal. You have to ask for the vegan menu, as those items are not on the regular menu. You can get a 2-course meal for about £19 or 3-course for £25. For what you get, that's horrendously overpriced. I got the vegetable soup of the day, a lentil veggie soup that's fully pureed and served with 2 slices of white bread. Overall, it was bland but tasty enough. My wife got the buffalo cauliflower with hot & sour salad, an interesting pan Asian dish with a sweet and spicy cauliflower and sauteed veggie dish, served with a wedge of iceberg lettuce. Decent, but a little too sweet. For our mains, I got the risotti and my wife got the mac and cheese. The mac was oily/buttery, but otherwise well-seasoned. The risotti was unfortunately not cooked adequately -- the rice was gritty. So, overall, while we appreciate the vegan options, we thought they needed a fair bit of work. The fried banana dessert was very tasty though, served with a nice chocolate sauce. Service was generally slow, inattentive, and rather abrupt in demeanor. That could definitely be improved. All in all, I feel like this place has potential, but our experience left something to be desired.

Food was excellent, served hot and prepared with the utmost care, beautiful presentation. Beyond what one would expect. Surrounding, ambiance very pleasant. We were looking for a nice place to dine the four of us, on a casual evening walk, suddenly the rain started, The Red Onion was close, I called, was told they had a table for four. Quite the unexpected find. It's a treat for ones taste buds and dining experience.

I was part of a Scotland tour and we got lucky with an optional outing to this award-winning restaurant. The food and presentation is incredible. We had a set menu to pick from and I chose the garden salad that had rocket and watercress, the mushroom risotto with rocket and the chocolate brownie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The food was really decadent and the staff is really friendly and efficient.

We walked in without a reservation to this restaurant. The staff was polite but seemed very aloof. Our waitress seemed to be new but she was by far the friendliest of them. We ordered the Bang Bang chicken to start. It was recommended as the popular dish people have before their meals. When it arrived it looked like a salad with chicken somewhere underneath. The flavor was just not there. There was a dollop of peanut butter on top of the chicken, covered with lettuce, some crispy rice noodles and a drizzle of some spicy sriracha. Except for the drizzle of spice, the flavors were pretty bland. The peanut butter on top of the chicken was a weird combination and all the textures of this side were pretty soft except the little white crispy noodles. There wasn't enough contrast in texture or flavor. I don't recommend it. For our mains we ordered the Duck with sweet potato and roasted vegetables, the Sea Bass salad with avocado and the Steak Frites. Everything in our main dishes were cooked well. This was my first time having duck and the texture was soft and juicy and the sweet potato was baked well but the sauce they added didn't taste like much. The sea bass was ok, cooked well and the steak was nice and tender and the fries were tasty. The overall flavors of our dishes were pretty mild, nothing really stood out as exceptional but it was all good.

So I've been here twice and both times have been great. If you want posh vegan food this is the place to go. They have a separate vegan menu which is so good that my meat eating pal ordered from it. My starter was the bang bang avocado salad which was lovely I wasn't that keen on the crispy noodles but that's just a personal texture issue. The peanut sauce was to die for and I loved the wee candied peanuts they were amazing! I was torn between the bean burger and the gnocchi so I got the burger and my pal got the gnocchi and we stole bits from each other. Hands down poshest burger I've ever had it was delicious! Not the easiest thing to eat when your trying to be posh mind you. The gnocchi was amazing it came in a rich tasty tomato sauce that was packed with veggies and sundried tomatoes and it packed a nice peppery punch. Oh and the portion was huge! The staff were lovely very attentive and the atmosphere inside is great. It's great for both friends meeting up for dinner and wine or for a romantic date night. I'll be requesting a table on the mezzanine when I treat my hubby to date night here soon. It is pricey but the pre theatre menu is brilliant! There were 3 of us, we all had 2 courses and shared a bottle of wine and it came in at £20pp. I've knocked a star off as we were given the wrong bill and also I would have liked a bit more time between courses I have a feeling I'll be revising this at a later date.

Red onion has been in the same spot of Donks and I can't quite understand why it hasn't been on my list until now. First up I need to say is what an incredible menu they have! The Pre theatre had something for everyone. Vegans Veggies kids and the fussy eaters! You will be totally spoilt for choice. We were 5 mins early for our table and luckily we got seated right away. We still were missing one member of our party so we got a bottle of red whilst we waited. Waiter #1 was very helpful with our drinks. food up! I choose my starter from the vegan menu and had crispy tempura vegetables which were lovely. Mains I had the haddock fish cake with a parsley sauce. The fish cake was the biggest I've ever seen it! Austen M and I also shared French fries! Desert salted caramel ice cream which had thick caramel sauce over it! Desert was over about 30 seconds and the bill arrived at the table - Austen M gets his wallet out and places his card with the check! No one arrives with the machine. Finally we pay and are about to leave and grumpy waiter request that they have the table back in 5 minutes!! WHAT? We had only been in the restaurant for under 2 hours! 1 hour 40 minutes to be exact. It's like they time you from the minute you walk through that door and it's not like we took our time over the food! RUDE is the only word I can use to explain the situation. It's a shame as I doubt I will be back to try the rest of the menu!

I'd wanted to try Red Onion for ages, but I had the mistaken impression that it was too expensive of a place for me. Not true at all! We were there on a weekday lunch and there was a lunch offer of 2 courses for £13.95 and 3 courses for £16.95. And with the menu being as good as it is, I think that's a great deal! I'd heard that they had a separate vegan menu and was so impressed when it was handed to me as the choice is great - just like a 'normal' menu really! For starters, I had the bang bang avocado salad with spicy peanut dressing and crispy noodles. It was exquisite. Main was a roast ratatouille tart, with mixed leaves and balsamic dressing. The tart tasted as though it may have been a little bit burnt at one side, but the sauce was absolutely gorgeous. To finish, I had banana fritters! Vegan banana fritters - yes! Service was excellent throughout, and I was really pleased to find out that their Pinot Grigio was vegan too. So I had a few glasses of it. On a chilly and wet day, Red Onion was warm and cosy, and while the place was buzzing with lots of lunchtime patrons, there was still a lovely relaxed atmosphere. We were all very comfortable, well-fed and happy, and enjoyed Red Onion very much.

The Red Onion has always been popular in Glasgow; it's that one place where someone you know has been there for a celebratory meal for their birthday or a graduation etc. However I'd never tried it (shockingly!) so when an enticing invite popped up, I was more than a little curious to try it! Their pre-theatre menu has an excellent range of dishes to suit all tastes and is good value for money. For me it had been a long day and I wanted to treat myself so I opted for the steak. Rare, slight bloody and drenched in peppercorn sauce, an absolute delight! And the portions are enormous! I felt like they'd just slapped half a cow on my plate with a kilo of chips. All delicious however. I was the only dessert eater of the group - yes I am that person, sorry (not sorry - total sweet tooth!) and I chose a good ole' slab of chocolate brownie. It was warm, rich and topped with a sweet vanilla ice cream - the perfect treat to end my meal. Service was OK, I'd ordered a glass of red with my steak that they forgot about but that was no big issue and they were very apologetic about it. The decor could perhaps use updating but the restaurant was comfortable enough and the company was awesome enough that I didn't really care! Great night, good food; definitely a good choice for a meal to treat yo' self!

I noticed this restaurant a few months back mainly because I liked the name. After giving it a try to celebrate my birth last week I can gladly report that I like everything else about it too. The menu has a good mix of dishes including Italian, Oriental and modern Scottish influences, and my starter of bang bang chicken was absolute dynamite, as were the mussels that followed. I was too full up for a dessert, though ended up ravenously scavenging the remainder of E-Bot's blueberry sundae as she wasn't too crazy about it. I was a big fan of the laid back, brasserie style feel of the place, our waitress was friendly and efficient, and the price for a 3 course pre-theatre wasn't too bad at all. All in all, full marks to the Red Onion.

After trying Red Onion's food at the Pop Up Restaurant during the Glasgow Restaurant Festival, I knew I needed to get over to Red Onion soon. Having a suitable occasion to celebrate, I booked us a table for two on Saturday night. We arrived to a half-full restaurant; I was kind of surprised the first booking I could get was at 8:15 as it seemed not all that busy. However, the kitchen was able to deliver our starters and mains with perfect timing, so perhaps this was by design. I was able to order from an entirely gluten free menu (available on request.) My partner had the option to order a vegetarian dish off the regular menu or choose something from the vegan menu. Neither of us is usually offered this much choice, so that was really nice. I opted for french onion soup for a starter and roasted chicken for my main. The soup was nice, with a gluten free slice of toast covered in melted bread serving as the crouton. My chicken was a huge piece of meat served on top of a crispy slice of pancetta, with potatoes and a creamy sauce with peas and more pancetta swimming about the plate. It was gorgeous, but I couldn't quite finish it. My partner started with a veggie version of the Bang Bang salad; definitely order this one. The original version features chicken, but the veggie one is still really nice. Both come topped with a delicious peanut sauce and crispy rice noodles. His main was ratatouille, which is on both the regular and vegan menus. The kitchen accidentally sent up the vegan version, which is sadly missing a hunk of melted brie. That was quickly corrected and his dish was returned with cheese intact! He said it was nice but felt like it wasn't enough food for a main and ended up ordering onion rings as a side. We were both too full for dessert, but there were many delightful-sounding options on the gluten free menu - I'm kind of sorry I didn't save room. My only minor complaint with the experience was the service - while it wasn't bad, it was near the end of the night and there was a definite "when are we getting out of here" vibe coming from the staff. A few of them kept stepping out the fire exit to smoke, and every time they opened the door we were blasted with cold and smoky air. Having worked in a restaurant, I get it, but at the same time, it really does affect the dining room experience when you see the servers back at the bar chatting or coming in and out from their smoke breaks. I don't think it would stop me going back, but I'd probably go in earlier in the day next time.

Yelp reviews are a funny thing, was I in for a great meal or a mediocre one? It's hard to tell with such a mix of ratings so I'll get the important bit out of the way first. It was good! I've walked past Red Onion many times and never really felt the need to enter, in fact I'm not sure if I've even been aware of what type of cuisine they do until last night (answer: fairly standard choices you'd find in most UK restaurants). Admittedly the location is a bit of an odd one for me so I was keen to get inside and get some grub in ma face! The decor is, as we commented at dinner, a bit 90s. A bit too bright as well, I think if they lowered the general lighting and spotlight the tables a little better it would feel much more inviting. As it was it was airy and bright, not unpleasant but a little too 'shopping centre' for my tastes. The menu is good, with plenty of variety and nothing that I'd class as 'adventurous' but for me as long as the food is good I'm not that bothered about the choices I have. As it was there was even enough variety in their set menu to have me hmmmm-ing and hawwwww-ing... In the end I went with my gurgling gut and started with the Bang bang chicken salad with crispy noodles and spicy peanut dressing. YUMMY!! The peanut dressing had a nice gentle chilli kick to it, the chicken was succulent and soft, and the crispy noodles and fresh salad all worked really well. A very tasty dish with a good variety of textures. That disappeared pretty quickly but thankfully we weren't kept waiting for our main courses and soon a generous portion of Penne pomodoro with chilli, chicken and chorizo was set in front of me. It's a simple enough dish but again, the rich tomato and chilli sauce was delicious, the chunks of chorizo fried just enough to have some char but not so much the weren't still juicy and moist, and the chilli kick was perfectly judged. Some generous peelings of parmesan helped bring it all together and even though I was taking my time, it too disappeared sharpish cos it was so damn tasty! Given the quality of the chat at the table it's telling that I was enjoying every mouthful, rather than forgetting what I was eating, a sure sign of a dish hitting the right spot. My waist-line made me forego dessert but the Hot chocolate brownie with vanilla ice-cream looked divine... stupid waist-line... All in some good food, well prepared and I left feeling happily full. The staff were good, efficient and friendly. So, why not a 5-star review? Well the food is good and I can definitely see me visiting again as it looks like it would be consistently good, but it wasn't stellar. The decor/ambience is a bit lacking (sort out the lighting for an instant uplift!) and overall I was pleased but not amazed. I will be back for sure, and it's good to have found a reliable brasserie, aka somewhere I can take my fussy Mother!

Their Smoked duck salad exceeded my expectation. A prologue of sophisticated plating envisaged something happily comestible. While I was not let down by first choosing to try separate each component of the dish, together, each integrant made a harmony of palatable flavours to be eaten with relish. Company I was with were all wowed by their burgers. The menu selection including the steak frites beckoned for a second visit. Worth the while, 5/5 orders were impressive and made a mark for upping standards for casual dining. Good service. Atmosphere can do with being less reminiscent of a 3 star hotel lobby..but other than that~ a fine lunch.

YUMMMMERS!! My work is verrrry generous...they take you out for (a free!!) lunch for your bday!! LOVE that!! We pre-ordered as there was a sizeable group of us and other than having to confirm how we liked out steaks cooked, there was no hooha...! I had tempura king prawns for starters, sirloin steak with chippies for main and a brownie with honeycomb ice cream for pud...TOTALLY scrummy!! I couldn't finish my pudding...stilllll not hungry!! Nice! I reeeally enjoyed all the flavours and the steak tasted properly BBQ'd!! My mate got scallops and chorizo for her starter and said that was delish too...I'm baaaaad for the ole food envy, so I IMMEDIATELY wanted hers-ha!! I'm not giving 5 stars as the king prawns still had their tails-I'm not someone that usually minds, but the told were underneath the tempura batter, so after my 1st bit I had to subtly remove crustacean she'll from my gob...NOT a good look-lol!! To be honest, I didn't even look at the prices, so can't comment on them, but I deffo enjoyed the food!!

The Red Onion is a lovely restaurant. You enter to find an open space with high ceilings and a very welcoming, homey feel to it. The walls are exposed brick, and there's a fireplace burning away in the corner. They also have a newspaper rack, making it the perfect place to relax by the fire and enjoy a coffee after your lunch. The downstairs dining area is very modern with several booths and wooden tables. It's basically my dream dining room. The booths are very comfortable and aren't so close together that you feel like you're dining with the next couple along. We went pretty early in the evening, so it was very quiet until just before we left, but it maintained a very warm and comfortable atmosphere regardless. I ordered the sirloin steak with peppercorn sauce and potato wedges, and it was delicious. My boyfriend had the shin of beef with mustard mash, which he enjoyed but didn't have enough gravy for his liking. The steak was really tender and, well, put peppercorn sauce on just about anything and I'll be like putty in your hands. The desserts are amazing. I had a warm caramel shortcake, and gosh, yum! I hadn't had a non-shop bought one in forever, and it was well worth the wait. My boyfriend had the warm brownie with ice-cream, which seemed to go down a treat. They also stock a couple of different beers, including Innes and Gunn, a Scottish beer with a toffee aftertaste. I had a glass of Chilean Sauvingnon Blanc, which can be pretty sharp, but this one was top notch. A very homey restaurant with lovely decor and welcoming atmosphere. The wait staff were present without being overbearing, and generally lovely. I had a fantastic dining experience here, and will definitely return.

Have been meaning to go to red onion for years the food did not disappoint the bon bons where amazing the scallops are to die for The main stood up to what I was expecting The only thing to let my visit would be the service and the general decor I may be a bit ott but the blind where covered in dust and massive crack in the seating Also the fact the waitress forgot to bring the wine

Dropped in for lunch with some friends. Was told this was one of their favourite restaurants in Glasgow. Had the £10 lunch special. Boom Boom Chicken and then a smoked fishcake on a bed of vegetables with a lemon veloute. Wow. I have to come back and try the full menu one evening. Highly recomended.

Red Onion has the reputation for being a place you head for graduation meals, or dinner with your parents for a special occasion. I hadn't visited for nearly 5 years and was excited to get the chance to go back last week. While aspects of the restaurant are looking a little dated, overall it was a really tasty meal. First up, the decor. I'm sorry, but I'm not a fan. It actually reminds me a little bit of a shopping centre with the glass paneling and railings. And it's a pretty bright restaurant - although seeing as I love taking food photos, I don't necessarily see that as a bad thing. It could definitely do with a little bit of modernisation, although it didn't offend me so much as to affect my enjoyment of the food, I'm happy to say! I ordered the bang bang chicken to start (which is also available with avocado instead for a vegetarian option). I will say that the food arrived very quickly after we'd placed our order - it felt like less than 5 minutes but maybe that was the amazing company I was with. The bang bang chicken was nicely presented if not a little retro, and the peanut sauce with it was just lovely - perfect with the crunchy noodles. For main I opted for the steak - char-grilled rib-eye, skinny fries and pepper sauce and a very small £1.50 supplement. All up this was a really tasty dish and the pepper sauce had quite a bit of kick to it which was nice. I actually couldn't finish it all which goes to say something about their portion sizes! The pre-theatre is £13.90 for two courses and I found the food to be really enjoyable and good value for the price. I'd love to head back to try the a la carte to see if some more adventurous dishes are being offered there.

It's taken me quite a while to review red onion as 90% of my experience was good, but the last 10% was bad and overall that sort of ruined it. I was there for my mums birthday and we had picked it out due to the large amount of vegan options that they have on offer. The Canadian (I think) waiter serving for the majority of the meal was great. Really friendly and helpful. The venue is pleasant and much bigger than I had thought. The food we had was nice. I would describe it as bistro standard and definitely averages out as a four across the board for everything from my brilliant haddock fish cake main (favourite dish of the day by a mile) to a nice French onion soup and a very decent "salted caramel" (tasted more like treacle) sauce over some ice cream with wafers. Everyone with me enjoyed their food and my mum was delighted with her vegan options. So where is the issue you might ask? Well we were on pre theatre and had two hours to give the table back. That's fine....... BUT...... Red Onion you need to serve the food in decent time to make it happen. You made us wait to long between courses, you made us wait ages to actually pay the bill with my card. In fact you asked us if we wanted coffee (we said no), when I called you over 30 seconds later to ask for the bill you already had it in your hand. Rude to the max. Especially when we still had 15 mins of our two hours left. Then you waste that time by not bringing the credit card machine over and then when you eventually do you have the cheek to tell us we have 5 mins to clear the table. The waiter who dealt with all of this part (not the Canadian sounding dude) was awful and rude. Your lucky we did not say yes to coffee! What would you have done then? Yes we were on pre theatre, but we spent 50 quid on wine as well so IMO it was not a "budget" meal. You over booked and left your changeover timings to small. The panic in the eyes of your staff as customers kept arriving and you were trying to shift "old" customers on was laughable. Don't over book the place. Don't blame customers for taking to long when it is you that have caused the delays, we can only go as fast as you do. Turned a four star into a two.

The Red Onion is a fantastic restaurant in the city centre. It's a lovely relaxed place - somewhere where you could happily sit after a meal and drink coffee and chat until they throw you out (which has happened... oops). It's very 'grown-up' - and being a mere twenty-something, I don't think it's the best place for me and a group of friends, but it is nice for a family/work meal. The menu has something for everyone - it's not specific to any particular country, so it's quite general, and the pricing is fair. My only complaint would be the desserts, or one in particular, 'Frozen Raspberries in White Chocolate Sauce'. Sounds delicious no? Think again. It is quite literally frozen raspberries in white chocolate sauce, in a bowl. This is not the problem. My problem is that as the sauce is hot, it thaws the frozen raspberries which means that the sauce goes that horrible watery-chocolate consistency, which the raspberries then re-absorb, turning the entire dish into some sort of half-frozen raspberries floating in chocolatey water. Ewww.... Apart from that, a lovely place. A little too grown up for me at the moment, however, give it a few years and I'll go back regularly...

Red Onion hit all the right notes for the vegan's belated birthday meal. The waiting staff were absolutely lovely with nothing too much trouble, and the vegan menu offered some pretty decent choices including dessert! I opted for the haggis bonbons starter which came with a beetroot and a tomato chutney. It was well balanced and delicious. My mushroom tart main course was a little less successful - too much salad, no carb and a hard baked dry tart base that was a challenge to cut. Dessert however was sublime. Would definitely return but I'd choose a different main course next time. Vegetarians are well looked after also with a number of dishes on the regular menu available in a meatless version.

Well.... I'm here now! Lovely room, good seating, very nice to see proper salt and pepper mills and a real flower on the table. My starter, goats cheese bruschetta with onion salsa (?) was tasty enough. My waiter, and the man that greeted me, didn't smile. Don't they know things like that make all the difference? Shame. I actually only came here cos Two Fat Ladies around the corner was full, and the waitress sent me here. Still, main course has arrived and looks AWESOME! Lamb with Couscous. And it melts in the mouth :-) it's gone from 'Meh' to 'Mmmmm' in a single bound!

Excellent service. Owner/chef came along to discuss the food and meet the patrons. An example of how a small business should be ran. The French onion soup was awesome!

I was lucky enough to have won the LeCool Glasgow competition on Facebook recently. When I say I'm not lucky, I mean it. I'd go as far to say that I'm unlucky. (My bike broke AND my card got stuck in the ATM just this week.) So to find out I had won a few dining experiences, I was thrilled. With a £20 voucher to spend, Red onion was first on my list. I'd booked a table for two for 7.45pm. Unfortunately, we had a change of plans and were super early. I thought I'd phone as early as I could to ask if there was a chance we could be squeezed in any earlier. This wasn't possible. Not to worry, a few more hours to kill in my motherland! Splendid. But wait...We walk past Red Onion about the time I'd asked if a table would be free. There are lots of tables free! We killed some time walking and exploring before heading back to Red Onion for the original booking time, when there were still many tables free. We were a little miffed that they couldn't take us any earlier when the restaurant didn't seem to be anywhere near full. - It was actually at it's busiest when we were leaving. Service was a little slow and disjointed. We were dealt with by many members of staff which meant we had to ask for the bill a second time as it had been forgotten about. It was also quite difficult to catch the attention of the staff as, rather than watching several parties, they were just going from table to table as required. One of the things which bugged us most was that we could hear the kitchen buzzer for waiting staff to come and get the food. Despite the fact that we were at one of the very back tables, we could still hear the buzzer ringing out over the music every few minutes, which was a little irritating. We decided to try the burgers, and whilst not the pink in the middle juicy kind, they were still very tasty and generous in portion size. The meat itself was a little over seasoned with pepper but still, a good burger, for sure. Coming in at £9.95 with £1 per extra topping, I just wouldn't come back for a burger as there are far better, cheaper places in town. The rest of the menu was a little more expensive and nothing in particular caught my eye. It seemed a little general, focusing on many different cuisines. I saw there was an Indian option on the menu and I do love Indian food but, for that, I'd fancy going all out and heading to an Indian restaurant. I can't pass up on a burger and a decent burger can do no wrong. So, I had my bun and ate it but Red Onion just isn't a-calling me back.

I absolutely LOVE this place! So much so, the boyfriend and I have become regulars! It's nestled on West Campbell Street, just off Bath Street, and we have been going past it for years, thinking it looked nice and we should try it. Eventually we got in! (It's often busy, best to book in advance!) Oh my word!! The service is always professional and friendly, even when they are extremely busy. You don't wait long for your food either, and it's always piping hot and fresh. The Bang Bang Chicken starter is immense, so I usually have that, although have had the goats cheese salad on a few occasions just to be different. The boyfriend and I have worked our way through most of the menu, and have no complaints with any of it. The steak and chicken are always juicy, and the veg cooked well. It's a sort of 'fusion' menu, so there are excellent Scottish staples like haggis and salmon on the menu, but with a twist. There is a decent wine list too, and an nice wee selection of beers and spirits. The decor is modern and clean, and the seats are generally just far enough apart so you are not sitting on anyone else's lap! The lunch menu changes regularly, and they do a 'two courses for £9.99' pre theatre set menu too.

Being nearly the end of January 'Im Indoors and I decided it was about time we managed to step over the doorstep for something other than work and the shopping so clutching a money off vouchers we toddled off to the Red Onion. We've been a couple of times before with enough gaps in between visits to notice the consistency or lack of. Red Onion gets a big hands up for having a gluten free menu (although for those of you out there who are mega intolerant I'm not sure how far their efforts go) but it would be nice if they could have a bash at making their own bread rather than buying in a ready made brand. They also get a big hands up for having a curtain over the door to try and keep the draughts out, which on a freezing cold day in January is not what you want. The fake real fire (gas?) unfortunately didnt throw out much heat. This led me quite neatly to having soup for a starter! French onion with a (genius bread) crouton which didnt really work, tasted OK but as the bread's a bit thin it went soggy too quickly....maybe I just should have just scoffed it instead of looking at it! 'Im Indoors promptly made straight for the scallops which were perfect. He had the steak (£2 supplement, OK on a deal voucher I suppose) and I had a burger. Steak was tasty (he shared) but my burger was a tad too well done for my taste. Sides were fresh, chips/fries were right out of the fryer. No complaints. Good coffee, as too full for a pud we weren't capable (having also guzzled an entire bottle of a pretty decent Torrontes between us) So yeah, will go back on a Thursday when they do the gluten free fish. Four stars as everything overall was good ie service, food etc but just not quite right

Have you ever ventured into a restaurant before that you wanted to love so much and ended up pretty disapointed? This ticks that box for me. We went to the Red Onion a few weeks ago with high spirits and high expectations but both were quashed soon after our arrival. The service was pretty poor and when I asked where the toilet was the reply of "downstairs, straight ahead then on your right" was delivered in the voice of Mr Data from Star Trek. The waiter also wasn't too clued up on what they had behind the bar and had to go back and forward from our table to the bar twice to find out what whiskys they had. On to the food, and this is where I'm torn. I started with a crayfish salad, while there was nothing magical about this dish, the fish was fresh and went down a treat. My girlfriend had ordered the prawn tempura and was brought prawn and veg tempura, a bit of a let down when you're expecting huge prawns are presented with a few accompanied by tempura peppers. For main I had the blade of beef with mashed potatoes, very hearty and very tasty. My girlfriend then ordered the lamb, which turned out to be a kebab (not mentioned on the menu) and with the texture of the sole of my shoe. Desert and after dinner drinks were had elsewhere. This restaurant does not live up to the hype!

Based on other reviews I went here to check out their vegan menu (being vegan and all). Everything far exceeded my hopes. If you're a member of the veganite community (as my friend calls it) you must come here when you're in Glasgow.

Red Onion is one of those restaurants that immediately come to mind when you're asked to recommend a place to eat. Eating there leaves you with a full belly, a smile and a remaining healthy bank balance! The food is simple but full of flavour. I would recommend the french onion soup. They also do a cracking coffee. They take good care of large groups as well as couples. I've been many times, once with a party of 14. The table was well taken care of, the food arrived quickly and we were given great seats at the side of the restaurant. The food is also reasonably priced - even our penny pinching friends were pleased at the end! Give it a try - it's one of those places that will become a firm favourite.

Yum, yum, yum...the burger...ooh goodness, make your own w/ whatever fix-ins you want (egg, bbq sauce, cheese... £1 each additional item). The burger is legit, the chef knows what he's doing...stopped by & chatted w/ us americans...fun fact, he's toured all over including the 50 states w/ Tina Turner & axel rose as a personal chef & been jailed in St louis for drunkenness (can't be doing that around my hood!). Ugh, that burger, please check out that burger!

Thoroughly enjoyed my first visit here. We had the 2 course lunch menu at £12.95 and had a very tasty bang bang chicken with crispy noodles and spicy peanut garnish for starters , followed by grilled sea bass on a bed of tomato and basil risotto ...served with complimentary glass of fizz! Will definitely return to sample the evening dinner menu.

The Red Onion Restaurant has a special place in my heart for reasons which, I'm sorry, I am going to bore you with - My mum has been researching her family tree and she discovered a scandalous story of how my great grandmother was born out of wedlock to an Irish servant in Glasgow- and the birth certificate shows the father of the baby to be the man of the house. My mum also discovered the address of my adulterous great-great grandmother and great-great grandfather in 1901 in Glasgow, and low and behold it was -257 West Campbell Street - The Red Onion! But sentiments aside, I loved this restaurant before I discovered the family connection. The decor isn't quite to my taste- it feels a bit hotel-lobby-esque and I think the lights could do with some dimming, however the food is so good, it's forgiven. I've been three times now and on each occasion my meal has been absolutely delicious. The quality of service also exceeds almost every other establishment in the city- the waitress who politely listened to me as I drunkenly babbled on about my family history was particularly patient! Make a booking now- although I can't guarantee that my great-great grandparents wont haunt your dinner table!!

Went here at Christmas and had the set menu. It was terrible. Now, I realise that this should come as no real surprise, Christmas menus are reliably awful wherever you go, but this is especially bad. Maybe the regular menu is fantastic, but on the strength of this evening I won't be coming back to find out.

After months of wanting to visit The Red Onion after reading rave reviews in pretty much every single foodies magazine I was left disappointed when I finally paid a visit. I love food and I'm not one to complain or moan about restaurants in fact, I'm struggling to name any restaurants I've been to that I wouldn't recommend. The Red Onion is probably one of them though, despite the fact that their website raves about their gourmet dining experience and their highly trained chefs, their proof definitely wasn't in the pudding which quite frankly tasted off. Perhaps if I hadn't read all the magazines raving about it I wouldn't have built my expectations up so much. It could also have something to do with the fact that when we went it was the day before they were introducing their new menu so perhaps we got them on a rather half hearted night. The seat we sat at was right under the air conditioning vent and it was so cold outside that I was freezing and had to sit with my jacket on, the corners of the seats were tatty and the whole place needs some major refurbishment, including the bathrooms which weren't the nicest. On arrival I was rather confused at how to enter as the entrance was blocked with some sort of curtain, I'm not sure what kind of purpose this adds but if it's to stop the draft getting in then perhaps they could have just closed the door? After fumbling through the curtain like a fool I finally emerged into the restaurant a little flustered. We opted for the three course pre-theatre menu which was £15.50, rather reasonable I thought. I don't usually struggle to pick things off the menu but I really did here, the whole menu (which has now changed) was a complete mish mash, nothing went and it wasn't exactly the gourmet dining menu that I'd expected. I got a started of vegetable tempura which was very nice if a little bland but it didn't get any better than that I'm afraid. For mains I got a salmon served on a potato rostie, the rostie was pretty good but the salmon had a very thick cheese sauce on it which tasted like that cheap cauliflower sauce that you just add water to. For pudding I had a blueberry sunday and the cream tasted off, it wasn't good. I feel like I am being negative and I hate being negative but I just had such an over whelmingly disappointing evening at The Red Onion and it was supposed to be a special celebratory night. The presentation of the food wasn't great either unlike the pictures on the website. Overall, this whole place seems very over rated. I'm not saying it's the worse place I've ever eaten at but it makes out that it's like a Michelin star restaurant when in reality it's very far from it. It's not better than your typical brasserie restaurant but it seems to be pretending that it's something it's not and all this bigging up with no proof does not impress me one little bit. This place does seems to get rave reviews everywhere though, so perhaps I got them on an off night, I may take a trip back but I have so many favourite in restaurants in Glasgow it would be hard choosing a visit to The Red Onion over one of them. The saving grace was the waitress who was very friendly and she chatted for us for a good while about the new menu and informing us of other promotions and offers they had on in the near future.

We were seated in a lovely, central table, nice wine selection and I appreciated that there was a vegan as well as a gluten free menu! Delicious, pre-theatre choices and it was hard to decide but my steak was wonderful and I highly recommend the brownie for desert! Lovely atmosphere and wonderful waiter.

iv heard some really good feedback from friends about this place and decided to go and give it a try. Nice surroundings and great menu choice. I had the roast chicken which came with a lovely mash!,and for desert the lemon curd cheesecake it was also good just a bit sharp. The staff were friendly and the service fast its worth paying this little haunt just off bath street a visit!!

I was here last night as a party of five and overall found it pretty mediocre. My main gripe was that although we had requested a seat on the mezzanine level, we were advised that someone else was sitting at our table and so we ended up sitting precisely where we wanted to avoid, right beside the front door. Although there is a curtain across said door, it was still very drafty and cold, which really spoilt my overall ability to relax and enjoy the evening. We suspect those in "our seats" had asked to be moved away from the door before we arrived. Food wise, I wasn't blown away. I had read yelp reviews that the bang bang chicken was supposed to be good as a starter but what materialised was a plate of ice cold cooked chicken breast with a smear of peanut butter style satay on top and a few hard rice noodles. The satay sauce was nice but there was hardly any of it. It is obviously supposed to be a cold starter however this was just too much straight out the fridge icy cold which wasn't pleasant. I went for a steak for my main, which isn't like me but nothing really jumped out of the menu. Again, it was ok for steak and chips but all pretty average, handcut chips quite stodgy and would have liked more pepper sauce blah blah. I shall end on a few positives: staff were lovely, complementary hummus and garlic bread was brought at the start of the meal and the price per head was pretty reasonable £34 each for 2 courses and 1/5 of 2 bottles house white. Just feeling a bit disappointed.

My fav restaurant in Glasgow bar none. Just love this place, it just out shines Guy's restaurant and that is a fair achievement! Fantastic food, great setting and great staff including the owner John. I tell everyone to go here, what more can I say.

Had the salmon starter, amazing, then the Perthshire lamb ! Melt in the mouth, friends had the fish cake and the beef. . All very delicious ! Highly recommended . A must try .

Visited the restaurant at lunchtime for a family meal to celebrate a birthday. Staff and chef/patron were attentive. Most dishes were good and enjoyable. Would visit the restaurant again.

The manager here is rude and has absolutely no idea how to treat customers with any kind of respect. I had made the booking through 5pm.com but due to a technical error I didn not receive the usual confirmation of my booking, however 5pm.co.uk did send me an email to advise that my reservation had been made. When I turned up at the restaurant at 6:15pm I was told I had to leave by 7:30pm. Our meal was served in record time and it was obvious we were being hurried along at an incredible pace. In fact the waitress was rushing about so much she forgot to bring the bread to our table once we had finished our soup! At 7:20 we placed our orders for dessert and were reminded we had 10 minutes to leave! I explained that I hadn't been made aware of the time restrictions when I made the booking and the manager came along and told me that he was fed up with 5pm.co.uk as they were always doing this to him and we still had to leave at 7:30pm. I told him I was not leaving until I had finished my desert but assured him I would not linger over coffee or liquers as we clearly had no time. I offered to show him my email confirmation from 5pm.co.uk which did not say anything about leaving at 7:30pm but he didn't want to see it. After 5 minutes he came back waving a sheet of paper at me proving my booking showed I was to leave at 7:30pm and insisting I look at it. Once again I told him I hadn't been advised of this and I simply would not leave until I had eated the food I HAD PAID FOR! His matter was so unprofessional and rude I can honestly say I have never been spoken to like this in any restuarant before. OK, maybe in McDonald or KFC! As for the food, well it was OK. Certainly not amongst the best in Glasgow and fairly medioce. Other than the manager the restaurant had a nice atmosphere but then so do lots more places in Glasgow serving better food witha more imaginative menu. I won't be back. Ever!

Red Onion is our go to restaurant to celebrate payday! The food is always delicious - last time I had the duck with sweet potato, and it simply melted in my mouth. My partner is a butchers granddaughter so it can be tough to find meat that meets her expectations, but there has never been a disappointing dish here. The staff are always so grcious when I ask to sit upstairs each time and the toilets are always so shiny.

I went here for dinner the other night. I thought it was overpriced for the quality of the food. I had a prawn cocktail which was nothing special, I could have made it myself quite easily with ingredients from M&S. I then had steak which was also mediocre, for the price of £15 I would expect a bit better, I thought the quality of the food was pub quality, not restaurant. The house wine however was really good. The service I thought was fine, nothing bad, but nothing special about it. I had never been to the restaurant before, I thought that the decor was acceptable but if I am being picky it wasn't really my scene, It isn't very intimate or relaxing. Overall I would say that for the experience you get it's not worth the money, fine for a pre-theatre deal though.

My guidebook recommended this place to me. Had the prix fixe/pre-theatre dinner. Started with the bang bang chicken--amazing! One of the best appetizers I've had in a while. Delicious peanut sauce! Then I had the steak frites--nice little steak, cooked just how I liked it. Great chocolate brownie for dessert. Very good value--I'll definitely be coming back here next time I'm in Glasgow. I gather some people got the bum's rush as the restaurant tried to get the table back. I was dining on a Sunday night, and the place was very quiet--not booking needed--so maybe it depends a lot on the date and time. I have nothing but good things to say about the place based on my experience.

Went to the Red Onion with my parents for a special meal. It was nice, well prepared food, I had the scallops and then the steak, it was a tasty treat for sure! The service was ok, it was busy but they seemed to cope. I ordered the Crème brulee for my dessert which I wasn't really a fan of, but the cheesecake my father ordered was much nicer! All in all a nice meal and good atmosphere that we could enjoy the whole night.

Perfect for a pre-theatre meal. Ordered from the pre-theatre menu last week: the food was lovely and good value - think it was 3 courses for 15.99. We booked the table for 5pm and the restaurant was quiet, but by 7pm when we left it was getting very busy. I'd definitely go back the next time we are going to the King's which is just a 5 minute walk away.

First time visiting red onion and the last! Got the onion soup for started and it tasted like Bisto gravy, main meal was the rib eye steak which must have came from a malnourished cow as it was tiny, literally 4 mouthfuls and it was done and it came with chips that seemed like they were straight out the microwave box. But the main reason I wouldn't go back is the ignorant staff,greeted at the door my the rudest man I've ever met and treated like a kid in a school canteen. interrupted twice during conversation and my meal to be asked if they could take the salt from my table and secondly if they could take the vinegar and sauce back whilst I was half way through the tiny stake. Definitely a must avoid, there are much nicer resteraunts in Glasgow that blow this place out the water and the staff are kind and welcoming!

Went to Red Onion one Thursday night after booking a deal on 5pm(3 courses for £16, I think!)inside is lovely, looks like a posh living room, big tables and booths, and we were shown to a table near the door quickly. The service was fast, I ordered the bang-bang chicken to start, which was a cold salad with spicy satay chicken strips topped with crispy onions, nice and fresh tasting but was a tiny three-forkful portion. My friend ordered the salmon but was told that had been replaced with crayfish, so he had that, and said it was a bit of a let down(looked a bit like prawn mayo on top of some salad leaves). I had 'steak frites' next, which was presented in a bowl/plate, next to a heap of skinny fries covered in peppercorn sauce(which was dark brown and tasted like gravy..)and a wrinkly tomato. The steak was really fatty, and the sauce covered most of it so I couldn't avoid the fatty bits, maybe I'm just picky but usually when I order peppercorn sauce it's served in a seperate dish for me to pour..the bits that weren't fatty tasted good though. My friend had the chorizo/bacon pasta, said the pasta was overcooked and soggy(it was)and there was little chorizo. For dessert I had lemon creme brulee tart which was the saving grace of the whole meal, and the only reason I gave 3 stars. My friend said his dessert was also the best part(chocolate brownie). During the meal we had about 3 different waiters, and only one of them asked how our food was. Overall I wouldn't go back, didn't even think it was worth the £16, I had heard good things about Red Onion but it's basically pub grub served in a fancy setting! I've had nicer steak in Wetherspoons!