Oran Mor (Byres Road)

What: Whatever You Want it to Be
For: Drinks
With: Friends
Site: Here

I'm told (read: I googled it) that Oran Mor is Gaelic for The Great Music. I have no idea if it's true or not, it seems roughly appropriate, but no more so than almost anything else would.

As mentioned above, Oran Mor is quite a cool place, and rather sizable. I avoided it for a long time, suspecting that it would be expensive. I've now visited the bar on a couple of occasions, and I've been to the second bar downstairs, that is used for hosting live music events. I still haven't tried the restaurant, nor indeed any of the other things it has to offer.

Last time I went it was for drinks. The bar is large, friendly and well lit, and doesn't insist upon playing music so loud that you and your friends can't hear each other speak (a pet hate of mine in bars, save the music for the clubs and the gigs).

It also boasts a wide range of spirits, especially whiskys. A good whisky selection isn't unusual in Glaswegian bars, but even as a non-whisky-drinker, I can't help thinking that they do have a collection to be proud of here. If I remember correctly they also serve some real ales, which I abhor, because I'm not 73. Or a man. They do have a good enough variety of rum to keep me happy though, so I won't complain about the drinks on offer.

Oddly, in spite of the above, I don't remember seeing a cocktail menu. Maybe I've simply forgotten, or we just didn't have one on our table. Cocktails are common in that part of the West End, and you sometimes can even get low quality cocktails even in your standard old man's pub (Tennents being a case in point).

To be honest though, I'm glad. In that setting it would be wrong, even perverse to be drinking mojitos and cosmopolitans. I think you'd get away with a Martini, but only just. It's not a bad thing that it doesn't work, it's just that it's the wrong atmosphere for it, and that's fine, just a little surprising.

I haven't tried the food. I've never been to their famous "A Play, a Pie and a Pint" evenings. I've only attended one gig, and that was technically hosted by The Mill, and as such doesn't count. So I can only really speak for the bar.

It's nice, but that's all. There's nothing wrong with it, in fact, I should probably like it a lot more than I do. I just can't seem to get that enthusiastic about the place. Maybe it's because I'm not sophisticated enough, but the drunk who came and talked to us about festivals seems to discount that theory. Maybe it's because I don't like whisky or ale - that's more feasible - but there's plenty on offer that I do like, and the prices aren't that high.

I suspect that it's because it's trying to suit too many people at once. It succeeds, it's very popular, and always busy, but frankly, it's just not interesting. Pleasant enough, and I'd never insist that we didn't go there, but I'd never suggest it either. It's just... nice. Surely that's not such a damning criticism? It really isn't meant to be one.