The 19 best bars and drinks in Dumfries

Lovely pub inside, great looking, well stocked bar. Visited with 2 dogs and were made very welcome. Other dogs were already in and caused no issues. Supplied dogs with water bowls too. The food was nice, and chip shop style chips were especially tasty. Staff were very attentive, helpful, and pleasant. Well done, team. Overall, it was a good experience and would recommend for a spot of food in a lovely environment in Dumfries.

Really excellent “home-cooked” food. Service could have been more attentive but I would definitely dine here again 👌🏽

It's a cold place. The staff are obviously so busy there is absolutely no warmth or real welcome. Good bits - fabulous cheesy garlic bread starter. Really fabulous. Improvement points - give staff and customers time to enjoy themselves. Actually bother to ask at some stage if the food was good - not once did this happen. If you claim the sirloin is quality, 1/3 should not be inedible gristle. Spice the haggis - it was bland. £32+ for gristly sirloin. No thanks. Being a sked the very second your bums hit the seats - no thanks. Never once being asked if the food was good or not - no thanks. It's a very popular place but not sure why.

Yet another amazing meal. Every single surface in this place is spotlessly clean. Food was outstanding, portions are massive. Best place to eat out in Dumfries. And they don't allow anyone under 14 which makes the whole experience even better - no screaming kids!

First time l have eaten here, and would def go back, cannot fault the service, all the staff members we encountered were polite and friendly, food was served quickly. The steak pie in particular was delicious. I removed one star as l felt it was a little overpriced and the chips weren't the best, but there were other options for an accompanying side available.

Asked for my steak to be medium. Steak came & was rare & tough as old boots. Nice beer tried the Orchney ale. Over all with both meals very disappointed. no one came to the table while we were eating to check if everything was ok. The contact with staff was very rushed. Won't be back

I would say booking is a must. We had a party of 9. If we did not book, we would not have got in. Great atmosphere in here for a Sunday tea time. The tables were full. The food was very good, and gluten-free options were available. I had the fillet of pork and creamy whiskey sauce with chunky chips and veg off the Christmas menu. Very delicious. And to top it off gluten-free Christmas pudding with ice cream. Service was good and staff were very friendly and helpful. Good place to go for food.

My cousins and I were in Dumfries for a wedding, and while planning the trip, came across The Globe Inn. We decided to go more out of curiosity for the history than for the food, thinking it was a once-in-a-lifetime visit. Arriving there and seeing the menu, we went all in with the 7-course meal. And wow!!! it knocked our socks off! We’ve all traveled quite a bit, and we were beyond impressed. The food was phenomenal, the service impeccable, and the historical charm of the place added such a unique layer to the experience. Every course was memorable, the staff were warm and attentive, and the atmosphere was just magical. If I lived nearby, I’d be there every single week. It’s been two weeks since I returned home, and I still think about The Globe Inn—the people, the place, the flavors. What an unforgettable experience!

Our lunch was very memorable. Amazing flavours and textures, artfully designed menu and a talented team executing the experience. Fine food and drink without the portentousness. A great surprise down an ally.

Went for a last minute meal to The Globe booked on the day on the booking system, easy enough. Been living in D&G for 18 yrs now and been meaning to go. I promise not to make it as long until the next time. When you walk in you get a sense of the age of the place, with its wonky floors, old oak features and Rabbie Burns images. We were greeted on arrival. The atmosphere was pleasant and there were more intimate rooms for couples sharing a romantic evening. We were surprised by the amues bouche that was delicious and we chose a main each, a glass of wine and a dessert. A tiny point is the Riesling should have been colder, and the cost was at the top end of a meal out, but very very much worth it. I’m not sure I’m a fan of the carpet in the restaurant, but I guess that’s personal. The massive fun and creative painting on the rear wall gives you a sense of the bustling bygone times. The service was also black gloved and excellent. Would thoroughly recommend I want to go back for the 7course tasting menu sometime soon

Cracking lunch time dinner here, very highly recommended and if you want a treat (£70pp) for us it was very much worth it! Will be back again and would recommend to anyone. Great surrounds and attentive service and the food is the best I have had in Scotland.

Took my Mum here for her birthday. The staff were fantastic and the food was out of this world. Some of the best I've ever eaten. Thoroughly recommend to everyone.

Lovely lunch after our excellent tour of The Globe with Catherine. Food and service were impeccable -

I had a fantastic dining experience at The Globe Inn on a rainy Wednesday night. Everything was delicious and the restaurant is a cool setting. I had the 7 course tasting menu. The highlight dishes for me were the Crab, Hake and Galloway Beef. Thanks for making it a memorable experience!

A friend and I went here for a later evening meal. At the bar i mentioned that I don’t know much about beer but wanted to try a local one. I ended up with something light and fruity, but unfortunately it was flat. No bubbles (that’s what takes the last star away). We waited a rather long time for the food, but being very hungry it proved to be worth the wait. Fish & chips was hearty, but not enough salt (or any!) and the Bangers & mash was solid. We tried haggis for the first time and the waiter asked us for a reaction, which was pleasant. Staff was overall friendly and the environment was easygoing. I’d recommend this place to anyone in the same situation.

Down to see two bands Spriggan Mist and EBB. Very busy but the staff managed to rearranged tables to fit us in.

This is a good place for groups. They have a lot of clearly labeled vegan options.

Had a large Scottish breakfast this morning, probably the worst I've ever had in a spoons. Everything was stone cold. Even the poached eggs ,beans etc only thing warm were the 2 sausage bacon and the scone also cold. Would not recommend 😕

This is a great place to eat, we've been 3 times now and happy with every visit. The staff are friendly and helpful and the food is great 👍

Your typical Wetherspoon. Food is good quality for the price quantity a little small. But for the price you can't complain. Staff were helpful, efficient, and friendly. I used the app for the first time, and overall, it was a good impression.

Breakfast was value for the money. Staff were pleasant, friendly and polite. Place was clean and the refills of coffee were perfect!

Great little bar,drinks were reasonably priced the music wasn't too loud and the girl behind the bar was very friendly and fun👌

Really liked this little pub, staff and customers where very nice and friendly and helpful when asking about the area. Would recommend the beer is good and at very reasonable prices.

Love this bar and the barmaid jade is a cutie……I’d marry her in a heartbeat

Used this place while we stayed in dumfries the staff were really friendly and welcoming did not eat there. The place had a good atmosphere 👌

Well done...this pub has the measures in place for managing their customers in maintaining social distancing. It's been years since I was last through their doors...but I could well be back. 🍻Cheers🥂

Called in on pub crawl but very similar beers to Fleshers Arms. Didn't stay, apologies to the establishment.

Just a very welcoming and warm place to have a quiet refreshment and joke with staff. And if you fancy yourself at dominoes get yourself along during the day

The kind of pub you like fully or at all. We enjoyed some locals freely playing guitar, visibly talented not famous musicians. Quite a few beer options, good service.

A real pub with excellent and well priced cask beer (Theakston XB). Lovely atmosphere helped by the magnificent stone flagged floor. I could have stayed there all night but would like to come back on a music night.

Great little pub. Was made to feel very welcome, as I'd travelled from manchester. Would definitely call in again if I'm up that way.

Had a great night out here in July. Staff were really friendly and helpful. Nice atmosphere and oasis tribute was on what more could a group from Manchester want 😀

Friendly pub. Lovely staff. Discovered a great band here called Chopperhead. Live music seems to be regular. Top marks.

Very atmospheric. Old bar with stone floor. And guys jamming creating a great vibe.

Great little pub by the river with outside seating, and they had live music on👌

2nd visit date 18/7/25: Large room for improvement on the lamb rumps, food temperature (compared to other pubs), and the gravy which seems to have worsened since earlier in the month - seemingly watered down, extremely starchy (left a lot of starch on the fork!), and virtually cold. Please take note, and take action on this feedback. Visit date 6/7/25: Great food and atmosphere, good decor, service efficient and pleasant. Roast meats delicious and crumbly texture. Improvements to the gravy thickness and roast potatoes consistency should be highlighted to ensure a 5* review in future.

Plenty of parking spaces so an easy beginning to the evening. We were warmly welcomed and given a nice table by the window. Drinks order was taken quickly - an excellent glass of Chardonnay for my wife, and a Guinness 0.0 for me. Both well chilled, and a Guinness glass for mine, which I appreciated. Mains were a sirloin steak for beloved, and the mixed grill for me. We were both asked how we wanted the steaks cooked, and my wife ordered a peppercorn sauce to accompany her meal. They were both extremely well cooked and served. Really very tasty indeed, and more than enough to satisfy. Impressive, as we were both very hungry indeed. So much so that we couldn’t face a dessert, though they looked good too. We were checked in on, but not intrusively which was welcome. We took our time finishing our drinks then paid at the bar. Gave a little gratuity and we’re on our way. A very pleasant evening.

Second time coming, The food is consistently good quality. However I would say service times arent the best, the first visit I understood as we were a party of 11, however I visited 2 days ago with just my sister and my 2 year old and we were there for just over 3 hours with most of that time just waiting around swetting our faces off with no air-conditioning. The food is ok and staff are friendly though , and there's a lovely little play area for kids.

The food and drink were phenomenal! The best I've had while on holiday! The wait staff were friendly and patient with questions. A lovely experience.

Came in for both dinner and breakfast across 2 days. Was really quite disappointed given the number of good reviews. The staff on the Monday night were all lovely, helpful, and accommodating, however on the Tuesday morning there appeared to only be one person working and the service was incredibly slow. In the evening we went up to the bar and ordered food and drinks, so for breakfast did the same thing, but was told that someone would be over to take our order, which then took 20 minutes before they came over. Not a great start. Then our drinks took a further 20 minutes to arrive For the dinner, I had the bacon and cheese burger with a side of fries. It was very bland, basically tasted of nothing, and the burgers were overcooked so a bit chewy. For breakfast I had the full Scottish breakfast. The fried egg was so overcooked there was basically no yolk, the rest was, again, pretty bland and flavourless. To give credit where its due, the building itself was very nice, well decorated, and a good atmosphere while dining. The toilets were clean and well stocked. Overall really quite disappointed, not sure if it was the staff that were on, the days that we were in, or just the general quality, but I expected a lot more from this place.

Lockards Farm Pub is a fantastic spot — cosy, friendly, and always inviting. The food is top quality with plenty of choice, from classic pub favourites to tasty seasonal specials. The service is excellent, with staff who genuinely care and make you feel right at home. It’s perfect for a family meal, a catch-up with friends, or just a quiet drink. Great atmosphere and great value — highly recommended!

Great place, food was really good and the service was second to none. There was 8 of us and we all left with, the feeling of total satisfaction and commenting on how good our meals were. Portions were great and the price was unbelievably low for such a great service. Keep up the good work. It won't be a year until we're back, enjoying another awesome, place, people and food.

Great food served at the Granary by very friendly and helpful staff. David's service was exemplary - he rang us up before our visit to advance warn us of the Bingo night that evening given we had asked for a quieter area of the pub to discuss options (though difficult given the expected business!), going further to allow pre-booking of the (delicious may I add) Haggis meals we had to avoid disappointment on the busy evening. Decor was good too. Great to see establishments like the Granary exist, leading by example. Well done to the team.

I'll start by saying I really enjoyed the food, but it took ages to come out and the place was dead. Thursday afternoon, hardly anyone in and we waited 45 minutes for food to come out (missing part of the order) then another 40 minutes after for desert. Disappointing.

The food 😋 for anyone working on a budget, the food and quality is good, I love the roast Sunday beef & Turkey is a option. For £9 you can't go wrong, along with that you have a 2 meal menu for £13.99 every day! The options are incredibly good! The steak and ale pie is delicious 😋 The service is relaxing and you shouldn't expect immediate attention! but when you are served by staff, Not only are they attentive and knowledgeable, if they don't know how to answer your question, they will talk with a manager and come back with honesty 😉 Atmosphere The Atmosphere is very relaxed and customer's are able to relax and enjoy themselves, the staff have a strong commitment to the establishment and they totally enjoy their working environment. It's also exceptionally dog 🐕 friendly. Wish I could find a place like this everywhere I Go. Jet & David

Dropped in for a pub lunch today. Bit busy but managed to get a table, friendly staff great with my allergy and understood the importance of it and able to recommend suitable dishes. Steak pie is a winner! Well Done Caroline and Team. We will definitely be back.

Tasty food, good beer selection, friendly people. Had a mid-week lunch here. We walked in, no reservation. Had the Steak & Ale Pie. Pastry was croissant like, beef a little dry but well worth the price.

Really nice pub with brilliant service and value for money meals. We popped in for a beer and ended up grabbing dinner. Two brilliant gammon meals for £13 is incredible and both were excellent. The traditional ale is also excellent, and the staff are always on hand if you need anything else. A top pub.

There is nothing that inspires a review like being ignored by staff in a place with less than a dozen clientele while you listen to them discuss dogs for ten minutes, I cannot comment on the food because eventually we gave up and left. So to summarize this is an amazing place to go if you are trying to lose weight

The food is great service excellent staff are good people will recommend

Came here on a quiet night so don't know what it be like busy. Plenty of cocktails. The bar staff are friendly and offered to bring our drinks over as they where filled to the brim. Prices all seemed reasonable.

I went to N’Dulge last night for a date night with the wife. I ordered the super lager jug for £15. The bar man put two bottles of Becks, Smirnoff ice and lemonade. How can they possibly charge this? I asked for the manager who I believe was called Corrie. He was very unhelpful and even when we calculated the drink to only cost £9 he still wouldn’t refund the money. I would not recommend this place due to poor management decisions.

Great food. Great staff. Best place in town. Highly recommended.

Its basically a pub club hybrid. Fantastic interior. Great for a meal or a night out has a function room for your hen/stag dos. Brilliant doorstaff. Overall the best place in dumfries

Excellent food, helpful staff, relaxed environment, superb value for money.

Went for lunch today with my husband and 2 girls age 6 and 11. Very friendly staff and 5 star food and very reasonable priced. We will definitely be back and we will recommend N'Dulge.

Went here with my boyfriend for my birthday. Beautiful place, nice view from table. Staff very welcoming and friendly. Food was delicious and had good selection for vegetarian options. Had a very enjoyable experience, would definitely come back.

Lovely meal, friendly staff, great location

What a great introduction to Scottish hospitality. Friendly staff, great atmosphere. Not the flashest pub but a great place to have a beer and a chat. Love it.

Excellent pub with good choice of Real Ale. 3 Real Ales available with information about about them. Also extensive choice of other drinks. Friendly staff and locals.

The fifth pub to visit in Dumfries whilst on a CAMRA joint branches pub crawl. Excellent real ales with a lively atmosphere. Only stayed for one but is worth a further visit. No meals served whilst there.

Called in after a day out in Carlisle. The pub was quiet,but welcoming. There was a really good singer/guitarist playing. He was very good,we stayed a while then moved on. I would recommend The Fleshers to friends and family

First night stop over in Dumfries on a bit of a tour around SW Scotland. Called in just for one on a bit of a crawl around the towns pubs and ended up staying for a few. Very friendly welcomee from Malc and Suzie.

Great local pub for real ale. Always three changing ales on and always in great condition. £3.50 a pint is a good price too. There is also Guinness, cider, lager and smooth on draught so something for everyone. Pool table is only 50p and there is usually YouTube music in the background, playing a variety of rock, folk and pop. Don't be put off by the exterior facade, which definitely needs an upgrade, the interior is nicely done and the staff are always welcoming. No food though, this is a drinkers pub.

Had a guest single malt Whisky at £2.50 a slug, also a good selection of other whisky, gins and rum plus other spirits are available. Didn't notice the beers on offer. Had a DJ on playing some bangin tunes, good atmos and a pool table as well.

Great if you like your drink in a cheap plastic sqashy container unless your a regular then you get a real glass

We were only supposed to stay for one drink but the girl serving was so lovely we stayed the rest of the night! Thank you

Doorman grilling me with questions to the point of discomfort - won’t be back

Me and my mates were doing a Scottish tour and called into Dumfries on our way North. We came across Dickies bar, and what a great find. Very friendly bar staff, Julie the owner helped us and gave us some pointers for the rest of our tour! Thanks Julie! Overall a great pub with plenty of banter and atmosphere.

Owners and staff very friendly and helpful. Charged my phone up. Bar very clean and toilets too. Great atmosphere in bar We loved it

Best pint of Tennents Lager anywhere. Traditional bar with darts , sports , good music and a perfect pint

Julie the new owner is very friendly and welcoming. Great range of drinks and food atmosphere. Well worth a visit

A really nice tap room with great service and selection of beers. You’ll not get more than a 2/3 pint which is disappointing. The bar has a great vibe and the background music is excellent. There is an extensive selection of beers in the fridge, to supplement the beers on tap.

By far the best pub in Dumfries! Always have the greatest time when here without a doubt! All the staff, including Barney are incredible! The beers options are brilliant- especially for accommodating gluten-free options too. They also have a great selection of high-quality kombucha!

What a fantastic little bar this is, very nice atmosphere, great selection of different beers, wines and ciders, the staff are very welcoming and friendly, they take time to have a chat with you and explain all their different alcohol options. Highly recommended.

Fantastic selection of craft beer from around the UK and Europe. OK it's not the cheapest but you won't have to put up with Sky Sports and one arm bandits. My go too pub in Dumfries.

So this bar is one of my favourites! The staff are knowledgeable and very helpful. Gillis is excellent!!! The drinks on tap change regularly and there's always something unique in there which I love. The seating area is comfortable and full of interesting things. Great work guys! Always my first stop when out for dinner or drinks!

This is one of our favourite pubs in Dumfries which provides a great variety of craft beers from different countries. The decor and the environment are nice and cosy.

Nice decor and range of previously unheard of ales and cider. We found it to be a bit pricey given that two drinks which were ⅔ pint each came in at £9 which in my book is even dearer than Edinburgh prices!

Fine pub, but really didn’t feel COVID safe. Lack of social distancing, basic hand sanitisation no screens on the bar (staff were wearing masks👍). But there was no control of the customers seemed to be very large groups (same household?!?) at tables and the tables felt close together with some basic screens. The bar could easily have a one way system but folk were cutting through. Didn’t feel safe though and left quite fast.

Edited my review as realised i had put stars but no written review. I called in on a friday evening due to staying around the corner for the night on my 12 hour journey from the top of Scotland back to south Wales. My children were welcomed despite the time and even though my visit was a swift 1 drink (hence no stars for food as i did not have any) i felt the warmth of the local people and owners/workers. I love Scotland from my personal experience it is such a friendly country with great people. Cant wait to come again next year.

Great pub in a great location. Staff are brilliant, especially Jade. Great wee local. Child and dog friendly.

Brilliant atmosphere,the bar was full to bursting+the 2 barmaids didnt even break a sweat,the service was fantastic,they work so well together,everyone got served in minutes,not many bars work as fast as they did,will definatly be back

Absolutely amazing pub and staff

Great place friendly staff and customers dog friendly and outside seating over looking Dock Park

Good live music on Saturday nights. Prices certainly good. Great selection of beers. Enjoy.

A smallish pub but the beer was very good - two real ales on hand pull and two craft beers on keg and well priced. The lady behind the bar was very friendly and knowledgeable about the beer. Definitely worth a visit if you're in Dumfries.

3 real ales on all good. Britgh clean bar.seats comfortable. Happy staff. Camera discount.

What a friendly pub. Very helpful landlady, excellent prices. Where can you get a single malt for £2.50. Special mention for Alan, a customer who let us have his taxi, hope you enjoyed your whisky mate. I highly recommend this wonderful traditional pub.

Very comfortable and friendly venue. Small in comparison to other pubs but this just adds to the ambience. Good selection of alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages and knowledgability, helpful and friendly faces behind the bar.

Always planned to pop in for a look, and glad eventually made it. Place looked spotlessly clean and very fresh looking decor etc. Brilliant wee room off the main bar area with pool table, juke box and comfy seating. 100% be back.

Just returned from our trip to Scotland. Stayed in Dumfries and visited the Ship Inn three times while there. Adele was very pleasant and helpful. Gave us restaurant suggestions and was very friendly. A little ray of sunshine. Suggested a drink for the other two ladies in our party (pear vodka and lemonade). It was a real hit. If you have a chance to pop in for a drink I am sure you will enjoy your time.

Sorry to say we won’t be back. Gave the place a try after it being reopened and as previous customers. Had to ask to be served as the two young girls behind the bar were preoccupied. No wine. Bar person served a half pint and didn’t know it wasn’t a pint. Good choice of beers now though. Music very loud which might suit some people but will definitely put some others off. Not a patch on previous places and as it’s opened and closed a lot recently does not bode well

Great wee pub and staff are amazing

Great pre match visit, bar staff brill.

Great traditional pub. very freindly management and customers go in a stranger come out a freind lovely open fire good beers and prices highly recommended for a visit

Excellent service. A wonderful place so emotive of Robbie Burns. Especially seeing rooms where Robbie was. A must see place in Dumfries

Great little pub with friendly bar staff

Very welcomeing pub.full of characters.the landlord tam is very frirndly and down to earth.a working coal fire in pub.brillant on a cold night.

Great wee local pub. Lovely folk and good beer.

A traditional old pub with lovely service. Craig the barman was super friendly and took the time to have a chat. The locals are also friendly.

Was refused service as they didn't accept my passport as valid ID. The staff said they don't take passports and they believed that that should be the way in all other pubs anyway. I have never ever encountered such a situation in the UK and they made no mention of suspected fake ID so it makes me wonder if they were discriminating against me for other reasons. Went to The Imperial pub round the corner instead, glad I did as it was a much more pleasant place anyway.

Went in Saturday after st.mirren game v QoS. Great atmosphere. We got talking to a wonderful lady of 93 and a smashing barmaid who looked after her . Don't think she needed much looking after as she was sharp as a tack. Still it's great to see barmaid really caring for her. Brilliant pub and people. Can't wait to come back down from paisley to spend a whole weekend in this magic place.

Great pub full of locals enjoying their afternoon. Well worthy of a visit. Dumfries oldest pub built in 1620.

What a gaff. Rocking n popping the second you go in. Karaoke blasting, MCs trying to spit 64 bars, fights going off, chairs getting thrown. Cheap bevs, sick all over the toilet. Would go back any day of the week

Such a great pub, really cool ambiance with the love music, good beers, nice people Just try it

Always a great visit!.. was tempted to do the Karioki.. but it had been a long day! Great pub.. and staff

Went to see s band had a few beers and enjoyed good music from inside while I sat in the beer garden .

Great sports bar, plenty of pool tables, darts, multiple TV screens and good beer selection.

Quiet on Friday night when the football was on the television, but the Guinness was flowing! Look at my other reviews to see where I've been!

It’s been decorated and rebadged, but it will always be Needles & Pins….

Greens used to be a great bar, the current proprietors have not got a clue, their customer service is terrible. Toilets are not clean & thankfully they no longer serve food. There are cheaper & better bars in Dumfries where you can get a good pint.

We were staying in Dumfries for a long weekend, wanted to watch the Six Nations Rugby, chose to go to the Green Sports Bar,we were not disappointed, a large place with good seating and a few tv screens, also pool & darts. Really good atmosphere, we were made to feel very welcome by the locals, one of them even bought us some food from the chip shop next door. Stayed for the afternoon to watch 2 rugby matches before moving on. Would definitely return if we're in the area again.

Friendly staff, good atmosphere and a cracking pint!