Smokey Trotters
East End, Glasgow
233 London Rd, Glasgow G40 1PE
<£35 for two burgers and two fries
Visited Spring 2026
This wasn’t actually our first attempt at Smokey Trotters. We tried to go one random evening before, but between the tiny space, the queues and a lot of very hungry Glaswegians, we gave up and went elsewhere. So a quick heads up, either go at a quieter time or be ready to wait… potentially in the rain. There is outdoor seating for those rare good weather days, but we didn’t get one of those.
All that said, we’re very glad we went back, because it really was worth it.
Inside is chaos, but the good kind. Yellow and black everywhere, skulls, random movie bits, loads going on. It’s one of those places where you don’t really mind waiting because there’s so much to look at. We did have a bit of a wait to order and then another wait for the food, but once it arrived, none of that mattered.
We’ll say it straight. This might be the best burger we’ve had in Glasgow. And we don’t say that lightly.
I went for the classic cheeseburger, Basil had The Odyssey with black pudding, and both were unreal. The smash patties were cooked perfectly, juicy with just the right crisp on the edges. The toppings were bang on. Not overloaded, not skimpy, just balanced. And the bun actually did its job and held everything together, which shouldn’t be rare, but somehow is.
We barely spoke while eating, which says it all.
The fries also deserve a mention. Honestly, how are they that crispy? Basil went for the truffle fries, which actually tasted of truffle for once. I went for the nae kissing fries, which were great, just maybe a little heavy on the cajun seasoning. Slightly overenthusiastic, but still very good.
Overall, Smokey Trotters is busy, a bit chaotic and not the easiest place to just wander into, but the food completely backs it up.
Would we go back?
100 percent yes. We’ve been looking for a proper good burger in Glasgow and this ticks the box. Just be prepared to wait a bit, or stand in the rain. Or both.
Three things to know:
- You will probably have to queue, so plan ahead or go off-peak
- The burgers are the reason to go and they really deliver
- Don’t skip the fries, especially the truffle ones