Now I have to admit, I'm a bit of a coffee snob. Like Special Agent Dale Cooper, I like it "black as midnight on a moonless night". I'm always keen to try new coffee places and when I spotted S'mug tucked away behind Marks & Spencers I decided to give it a try. It was lunchtime too, which was added motivation, especially as their selection of bagels and other goodies was a clear cut above the norm. I had a delicious hummus bagel, which came with a lovely portion of salad and some tortilla chips - just the job. The coffee was very good and of a decent strength too; although I wouldn't rate it as the absolute best in Glasgow, it's certainly in my top five and is definitely my current favourite in Byres Road. There's free Wi-Fi too, although you'll be lucky to get on it from the number of students using the place as a study area. That's my main complaint about S'mug and is the only thing that stops me giving it five stars - it always seems to be heaving with students and it's often difficult to find a seat. Despite this, the staff are always very cheerful and helpful, the service is fast and the atmosphere is exuberant. What's not to like? read more

S'mug is one of the few places where I've occasionally been asked, "the usual?" I'm slightly smug (geddit) about this and pleased that "the usual" is a medium skinny latte in a cute cafe and not a pint of Fosters in a pub somewhere. So, what does it do right? The coffee is good and fairly priced, even without the 10% student discount and even without the loyalty card (10 drinks get you a free drink). The cakes and snacks are always good too - I particular recommend the salmon and cream cheese bagel, the tex mex bagel, the blueberry cheesecake muffin and the vanilla Portugese cakes. I have at times had a full on dependency on the vanilla Portugese cakes. They also offer toasties, rotating soups of the day (at least one of which is vegetarian) and, inevitably, a pulled pork baguette. Plus a range of cold drinks including iced teas and smoothies. The staff are chilled out and friendly and, if you're there regularly, they will start to recognise you and will anticipate your usual order. The cafe is a bit on the small side and in winter when it gets full it can get really warm in there quickly because they have to keep the doors closed. In summer it's surprisingly cooler, but in summer it's worth taking advantage of the seating outdoors (if Glasgow permits). Either way you can take advantage of their free WiFi. This would be 5 stars but, as fairly priced as the drinks are, a bagel for ~£5 is just slightly steep for me. Otherwise, everything is pretty much perfect. read more

See all

I love this little coffee shop hidden just off Byres Road on Great George Street. It could be because the name S'mug make me smile or because of the lovely chilled atmosphere, which doesn't make me afraid to sit in myself with a delicious coffee & cake and watch the world go by. They do a rather tempting Reece's or oreo milkshake that I'm dying to try but the stubborn dieter in my head won't let me....it looks amazing tho. I can highly recommend the coffee which is delicious and their white chocolate cookie which has a really nice texture. If you're in a fruity mood the real fruit smoothie are not to be missed, they're gorgeous and thick - my favourite flavour combo is mango & pineapple. Yummy! Only very small downside is they keep the doors open so the smokers smell does drift inside a little but it doesn't stop be popping in read more

S'mug - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

S'mug has been on my list of places to try in Glasgow for coffee for a while, and yesterday when I was out for a day in the city with my mum, I popped in to give it a go! It was freezing cold in town yesterday for some reason, and after our lunch at The Two Figs, we were feeling a nice warm cup of coffee (tea for mum!), and sitting in the corner in here with their giant mugs of coffee was the perfect feeling! The staff who were working were lovely and brought over our tea, gingerbread latte and the daily soup, which yesterday was chicken noodle (yum), within a few minutes of ordering. And what wonderful coffee it was! My mum enjoyed her tea, I enjoyed my soup and everyone was happy. I tried a wee smoothie as I was leaving, and they're a bit too syrupy for my liking but it was still lovely. Great place! read more

S'mug - The best giant mugs of coffee on this planet - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

S'mug is a great place for a quiet coffee, compared to some of the chain coffee houses surrounding the Byres Road area. Different in the way that it's extremely cosy, and the coffee is decent - especially if you're a student, (did someone say discount!?). Their cafe lattes are nice and creamy, and they don't use that nasty coffee like some other cafes in the area do. It actually tastes like coffee coffee. They've also got a wide selection of food stuffs which I haven't partaken in as yet, but I have had a slice of caramel shortcake, which, by the by, was delicious. My only problem with the place? The size - as great as it is that they have an outdoor area that seats 20 (or so) people, inside is slightly cramped - even though I was at a table for two with my friend, I felt like the people next to us were part of the conversation. Slightly annoying, but obviously can't be helped. read more

S'mug - S'Mug - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

I love S'mug. It's close to the University, so perfect for students (and they have a student discount). The last time I went they were all out of their vegetarian option (bagel with hummus and roasted veggies), but since they still had some ingredients in the back, they whipped one up for me. It was very much appreciated, but also made very clear that this is not something they do regularly. They don't really have many veggie options, hence the 4 stars. Bagel sandwiches come with tortilla chips and coleslaw. Kind of an odd mixture, and the coleslaw has a bit too much mayo for me, but overall the meal is a great deal at less than £5. The chai tea lattes are amazing! Much better than what you'll get just around the corner at Starbucks. I've also had a London Fog there that was perfect. The atmosphere is relaxed, although almost every time I've been there it's been incredibly hot inside. One time this actually led to us leaving earlier than we had planned to, unfortunately. The staff are not overly friendly, but nice enough. Overall, S'mug is a great place for lunch with a friend if you're in the West End! read more

S'mug - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

See all

Only ever had coffee and a cake here but ohhhh the coffee is good! I favour a flat white most days, and there is nothing quite like a good strong, rich coffee alongside some home baking, and S'mug delivers both alongside friendly service in a cosy interior. I wonder how many people use the Starbucks just around the corner and miss out on S'mug? Well it's their loss as the few times I've been in here in the past (pre-Yelp days) I've always been impressed. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly, happy to chat and take those few extra moments to make you feel valued as a customer. The WiFi is free, and have I mentioned that the coffee is pretty damn good? Only downsides are the size, but I guess that's where part of the name comes from as it can be a little snug at times, but don't let that put you off. read more

S'mug - Flat white, mug of tea and rice krispy cake. Yum!! #yelpgallery - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

A cute place with not much fuss. It feels like one of those cafes that would be an an office complex. The chai was great, and came in a huge mug, the turkey bacon and Brie bagel I got for lunch was...serviceable. Tasty enough because the ingredients are but a bit...meh! I walked in from the freezing rain and was blasted with their heating. Good in theory I guess, but I couldn't strip off fast enough and sat there melting while trying to talk to my friend. It's quite small, with not much table space and was quite bustling at 3pm on a Monday! If I'm passing and have a chai craving I'll go back, but overall not wowed. read more

S'mug - Turkey bacon and Brie bagel with a large chai latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

S'mug is ideally located for those (much-loved) coffee breaks especially if you're a student at Glasgow University. Located just off bustling Byres Road, near Hillhead tube station, and pretty much on the way to Glasgow uni it would be rude not to pop in. I have only sampled tea and cake here (both were delicious) and enjoyed the ambience muchly. It was luckily fairly quiet when I was in as I can imagine it might not be as enjoyable if everyone is packed in together - the seats are very close together. It is perfect in the summer with a few seats in the perfect spot. Another apt name would be "S'nug" :) read more

S'mug - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

Update at the speed of light... faster than a speeding bullet thats caffeined up to its eyeballs.... These guy's do a mean coffee and at £1.70 for a medium takeaway, it's pretty damn reasonable too. OK, things i may not have mentioned in my first review: WIFI.... hell yes folks, check it out if your in need of intersnecky connection! Soup... looks, smells, sounds LOVELY This place is kinda growing on me. For a while i felt it was just a bit... hmmmm... actually, i'm not sure i can describe what i felt it was..... but it was... something. Now though, it's grown into itself and seriously feels like one of the established coffee shops in the West End. read more

While S'mug is a great alternative to the massive corporate coffee overlords around the corner (aka Starbucks), I'm not convinced their coffee is any better. In fact, painful confession of a strong believer in local indy business, I think I even prefer Starbucks coffee. However, S'mug is a mere stone's throw away from my office and therefore my trusty Desperation Caffeine Fix of choice, and despite its bitter roast, close to my heart. In addition to the full offerings of standard European espresso drinks, S'mug has a pretty extensive menu including shakes and fruit drinks - so a great option if I take my overgrown 6-year-old of a husband who will only accompany me to the coffee shop if he can get hot chocolate or a banana milkshake. There's a sizeable food menu of bagel sandwiches and lunchy items as well as some very tasty cakes. The blueberry muffin with cheesecake filling is AMAH-zing - I always think I could eat about 6 in a row but so far have resisted testing this impulse. Though there's a decent amount of seating, University staff and students keep the place pretty full up during the day - often parked with their laptops. The 'To Go' service is pretty speedy though so it's a great option for a wee pick-me-up on the way to Hillhead subway or to Byres Road. Seriously, try the blueberry muffin. read more

S'mug, with a name like that your sin must be a sin of pride, but I absolve you, for my coffee shop kind place you are. First of all, can I get an AMEN for white hot chocolate. Why doesn't everyone do this? No, for real, why? It is the greatest invention in the hot drink world, and I say that even as a devout follower of the tea. And I confess I fell to temptation and gluttony, brothers and sisters for I got a large - more on that later. Next can I get an AMEN for the free wi-fi. Yeah, you heard me, brothers and sisters, be still, for the wi-fi is among us. YES INDEED. My muffin was a little on the dry side... but the lemon curd inside was c-c-c-cold like it had been in a fridge. Which, come to think of it, it might have been, and while normally I'd think that was a true sin, I was actually singin' about it because nothing beats cold lemon on a hot sunny day. Muffins work in mysterious ways, brothers and sisters, I tell you, I'm a-gonna TESTIFY that chillin' that muffin was a goshdarned MIRACLE that fiery day. And when I laid hands upon my hot chocolate mug, I tell you, the weight of it near brought me to my knees. I'm a-rejoicin' on my knees, brothers and sisters, that a £2.60 pure and angel-white hot chocolate could be the size of that sinful, costly, soul-damning Starbuck's "venti". S'mug, by the power vested in me I absolve you of your sin of pride. read more

Nothing fancy, but good quality, price and service. We stopped by for a break on our way back to the hotel. It was warm and dry inside. The fellow at the counter was ready to help. We got two cappuccino, a latte and an Americano with milk. We also got a walnut loaf. All tasted good, satisfied us and we were on our way. read more

Smug is tucked away behind Marks and Spencer's on George Street, at the corner where it meets Ashton Lane. It's an unassuming, cosy wee place run by friendly staff who work round the clock to keep West Enders caffeinated. They are relaxed and pleasant in their customer service and value their return customers, in contrast to the high-energy faux friends you find behind the counter at Starbucks. S'mug do a loyalty card scheme, and although my ticket gets punched every morning for a bog standard Americano or Cappuccino, their menu offers so much more. London and Maui Fogs, great tchai lattes and hot chocolates, fresh fruit smoothies...but the secret of the S'mug menu is the shakes. S'mug's Reese's shake is death by peanut butter and chocolate. Slow, incredibly pleasurable death. They also do breakfast - some bagels and scones and things. I'm less in it for breakfast....more for hot drinks and the occasional sneaky homemade cake. I just had a slice of their chocolate and orange tart and my only complaint is that it had calories in it and I had to share it with my friend. I love S'mug and only hope it continues to do well in this neck of the woods and that they don't keep moving coffee chains in. read more

I've always liked coming here for my decaf tea. It's always tasted great and they give me skimmed milk when I ask for it. Place is always clean and am very content sitting in here with friends or just when doing some uni work before a meeting. Can't really comment on the food side of things or any of the other teas, but their food looks great and price wise is the same as most places on Byres road. They do a student discount on take away items but not if sitting in, which is rather annoying. I made the mistake this morning of attempting to eat a yoghurt for breakfast before my big meeting and the waiter told me I was not allowed to consume any food that I had brought from somewhere else. I get the point but I was rather disappointed as the place wasn't busy in the morning and it was literally just a yoghurt... I had even opened it and went to take a bite so had to sit it at opposite side of table with it teasing me while I could finish my tea as quickly as possible. Anyway, I know not to do that again! So if anyone fancies eating an apple then don't come in here and eat it as they wont let you!! Other than that mishap I like this place and recommend it for tea and coffee. read more

This place used to be Pico - a short-lived chain by the original owner of Beanscene from the days when it was still good. As such they seem to have inherited the coffee, which is probably the best you can get in Glasgow. They even offer an excellent mocha frappe for the summer that only disappoints in that there's not enough hot sunny days in Glasgow to enjoy one. They also kept the New York deli inspired menu, with bagels, pastrami club sandwiches and hot pizzas as well as the usual soup and baguette options. However, as much as I love S'mug's coffee I'm always disappointed by the food. The baguettes tend to be too dry for me, I'm no fan of bagels, the club sandwiches have disappeared from the shelves and the pizzas are not exactly the best, with far too many meaty toppings. read more

An odd name, but don't let that put you off have only sampled tea and coffee from here, but it gets a thumbs up purely because it serves London fog (being a big fan of earl grey this is right up my street). They do serve proper coffee, so perfect for a caffeine fix, expect queues at busy times, though they will be nothing like the one at Starbucks round the corner. This place will always remind me of the joyous day of dissertation handing in, since I went for breakfast here while it was being bound across the road (Mailboxes limited FYI). It seems that the popularity of Smug will allow it to be a longer term feature of Great George Street than many of the previous ventures. read more

S'mug is a no-frills coffee shop that I can't say a bad word about, but couldn't really rave about either (although, the hazelnut hot chocolate I ordered was rather good!) The decor is nothing special and a bit tired in places (the padded bench style seat we sat on was loose and kept sliding off). The staff are really friendly and there's an outside terrace for sunny days. I didn't eat here but saw that the menu was bagel heavy. They looked ok. It's obviously popular with students with being close to the Uni (lots of laptops and textbooks out on the tables!!) Fine for a drink if you're passing but I wouldn't go out of your way to check it out. read more

Yay I love Smug :) the coffee is really nice and it's a great place to quickly catch up on some work. The staff are all really nice. Generally great atmosphere! I have had hot chocolate, lattes and the chai latte here, and I've enjoyed them all. Definitely recommend for both free time and the occasional coffee date :) read more

I've only sampled a coffee from here, and it tasted properly made and as good as anything you'll pick up in Starbucks, but S'mug get the nod from me for having the best name of any business in Glasgow (though the nearby Lunatic Fringe run them a close second), that's also perfectly suited to it's location in the West End, a wonderful beacon of smugness. They do a lunch menu, cakes, and have plenty of outdoor seating as well. It's a great option if you don'y fancy one of the chains, or the soulless yet surprisingly popular Offshore down the road. read more

Great place to relax with friends for a chat staff are all lovely and friendly. Would recommend if you visiting the west end. Great customer service and excellent service. read more

Kind of a quaint coffee shop in the West End. Free (and good) WiFi, which is clutch. I imagine that this is a popular place for nearby University of Glasgow students. What I found intriguing was their tea drinks called "fogs" which are just variations on tea lattes. I had the London Fog (Earl Grey, steamed milk, and vanilla) which was tasty. Overall, it was a nice place to stop and charge my phone after a long day touring Glasgow :-) read more

Great wee shop. coffee made well every time and excellent service every time. Cappuccino is same every time so you know what you are getting, unlike other ' coffee' places. Never had an issue. read more

Good espresso, free wifi, good service and pleasant music. A great place to work if, like me, you're a traveller visiting the uni.

It's a basic menu that rarely varies but the food is tasty and decent value. Very nice and helpful staff. Good selection of cakes and the soup is a tasty and generous portion. Toilet is always clean. Good music too and free wifi. read more

Rude staff member - Billy can do with customer service training. Tea was not much better than the staff member read more

Great coffee & has nice student discounts if your looking to grab something to go before class

Sorry Guys but this definitely goes down as the most Rank cup of coffee I think I've tasted. Exhausted and desperate for a pick me up, popped in for a quick cuppa both ordering flat white. Talk about bitter!! Both took a couple of sips and that was as much as we could take. Love my coffees and this is the first time I've had to leave it. OOft! Ok, so Flat white isn't the easiest but if your gonna put it on the menu get it right.. Eeeeuwww!! read more

Had the latte here, which was quite strong than what I'm used to. The service was alright as well. My friend wanted an Earl Grey tea with soy milk separately, and they totally messed that up. Now if it was crowded that would make sense of course, but seeing as how there was no rush... oh well, it's still a nice place to sit though. read more

I am a regular at smug despite the service not always being the best. For example, although their opening time says 7:30, on two occasions I went in at 7:45 on my way to work only to be turned away with the worker saying they weren't open yet. Not convient for people who have to be at work early and expect a coffee shop to be open when they say they are. Turning costumers away 15 minutes after your opening time is a poor business choice considering Starbucks is just around the corner and open and ready when they say they are. Servers are always friendly, however, sometimes you have to wait a considerable amount of time to be served, particularly when friends of the servers come in. I've waited to be served while having to listen to stories about the servers getting drunk with their friends the night before. It's not professional and it's annoying. I do go back regularly for the chai lattes despite the occasional slow/poor service. read more

Love s'mug, such a great atmosphere and your never waiting long for your order! Great staff and service all round

I absolutely love smug. The coffee is great, everyone is lovely, it's right next to the Glasgow Uni campus, so I can get a quick cup on my way to class or the library, plus it's perfect for studying between lectures. The first time I went in, I had barely started reading before I moved my hand and knocked my entire latte onto the ground. Not only did they clean it up right away despite my trying to help, they also asked what it was and brought me a new one on the house. I was impressed and now they always get tips from me. read more

Hi guys, Im breaking the rules a bit. I am actually one of the trained Barista's in S'mug, i dont own Smug myself. Just wanted to say it is great to see so many positive reviews. S'mug is an independent coffee shop competing against quite a few big chains in the West End. Its always great to hear what people think. Just also wanted to respond to a couple of not so positive reviews. I know myself and the rest of the staff are sorry to hear you didnt have such a great experience. I know someone had mentioned about the flat white being bitter. I will say our coffee is much stronger than that of Starbucks and many others. It was entered into a Glasgow University study and came out as one of the highest in strength. The coffee beans are a great quality. I myself have been a trained Barista for over eight years and like to think I have perfected the skill. I have worked in a number of coffee shops before S'mug and will say I have never enjoyed coffee more. The rest of the staff are also trained to a great standard and S'mug prides itself in delivering great quality every time. Some of our staff have chosen to enter themselves in Coffee competitions and become Champions of the yea ! We also have a great number of regular customers who enjoy our flat white, it is actually quite a popular choice. If you choose to visit S'mug again and we hope you do, I might suggest a small latte and you can ask for it 'wet', its the same amount of espresso but a bit more milk which takes away from the strength. There was also a review about a fruit smoothie. Unfortunitely I have no suggestions about this. The customer said it was too syruppy but our fruit smoothies are made solely of frozen fruit blended with apple juice. Apologies you didnt enjoy it but there was no flavoured syrups involved in the making of that smoothie. I hope you dont think me cheeky responding. Like I say we love to hear what people think but as a small independent business, negative reviews, valid or not can be quite detrimental. Thanks again. Hope to see you all soon. Rory from S'mug read more

I like this place a lot. Great location at the end of Ashton lane and en route to the library. It's more comfy inside than it looks from outside. They do really good coffee and the Oreo milkshake looks intriguing. It's a very pleasant place to sit and chat with a friend or read/study/brows the internet. Chilled out atmosphere and friendly staff. read more

I visited there for lunch. I had Mexican bagel sandwiches. But it was very disappointing. Also the service was very poor. I felt unwelcome me being there. When I ordered food and drink, attitude of staff was quite snappy. Wondering because it was busy lunch time. Would not go back again. very unpleasant experience. read more

Guy behind the counter was smiley and friendly but it really was the worst black Americano i've had anywhere in a while. So bitter, it tasted like instant coffee. Also had a ham and cheese toasty and it just tasted like bad motorway service food if i'm honest. All in all it really wasn't the worth the £6 i paid and I wouldn't go back. Besides, it's always far too hot in there aswell. read more