The Spanish Butcher

CITY CENTRE, Steakhouse

80 Miller Street, Glasgow G1 1DT

<£175 for mocktails, 2 starters, 2 steaks,and 2 sides

Visited Winter 2025/26

We have been trying new restaurants in Glasgow for over a year and have reviewed more than 30 so far. As frequent diners, what frustrates us most about food influencers is the lack of objectivity. Sponsored or not, many reviews feel filtered and overly generous. That is precisely why we created Basil and Brie. Where you spend your money matters. Like us, you probably want to know exactly what to expect. Too often, glossy Instagram praise does not match the reality.

The Spanish Butcher has been on our list since we moved to Glasgow. It is a staple of the city’s food scene and regularly appears on “best steakhouse” lists. We arrived with high expectations. In hindsight, that may have been our first mistake. Search for the best steakhouses in Glasgow, and The Spanish Butcher will feature prominently. After our visit, we struggled to understand why.

 First Impressions

The décor is exceptional. Earthy, dark, and atmospheric, with strong industrial influences, the space is confident and well-executed. It feels polished without being cold. On aesthetics alone, this restaurant would be a clear success. But ambience is not why we dine out. Food is.

 Service

Service was efficient and polished. However, our waiter was noticeably pushy when guiding our choices. We felt pressured rather than advised, which detracted from the experience.

 Food

The mocktails were excellent, balanced and genuinely enjoyable. A strong start.

From the à la carte menu, I chose the seared king scallops with ajo blanco, almond, jamón crumb and kale. The scallops were competently cooked, but the dish lacked impact. Having eaten plenty of scallops over the years, I can say these were pleasant, not memorable.

Basil opted for the sherry-glazed pork rib. This was the highlight of the meal. It was tender, rich and full of flavour. It's a shame there was simply not enough of the sherry glaze. If the review ended here, the tone would be very different.

We are unapologetic bread enthusiasts. We bake it and actively seek it out wherever we go, so expectations are always high for the foundations of a meal.

At the waiter’s insistence, we chose a shared Galician cut, accompanied by a lengthy explanation of its superiority to Scotch beef. As residents of Scotland, well acquainted with excellent local beef, the pitch felt unnecessary. 

The steak itself was disappointing. The exterior carried a heavy char, but the interior was bland and lacked depth of flavour. A good steak should not rely on sauce to rescue it. This one did. Basil agreed. 

For a restaurant so frequently praised, the execution did not live up to its reputation.

The truffle fries were equally underwhelming, lacking both seasoning and any real truffle flavour. The mixed greens added little. By this point, the experience had lost momentum entirely.

Will we return?

No. At this price point, there are stronger options in Glasgow. Perhaps it was an off evening, but in a city with serious competition, that is not enough. We might return for a drink to enjoy the beautifully designed space. For steak, we would not. 

Three things you need to know

1.        The décor is excellent, and the atmosphere is one of the restaurant’s strongest assets.

2.        The pork rib and mocktails stood out, but the steak did not justify the hype or the price.

3.        With so much competition in Glasgow, there are better-value steakhouses to try.