Latest news with #AbsentEar
Daily Record
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Hidden Scottish speakeasy with Vincent Van Gogh theme named among best bars in the world
The hidden cocktail bar in Glasgow has made the 2025 Top 500 Bars list for its creative cocktails and quirky vibe A hidden gem in Glasgow's Merchant City has just been recognised on the global stage. The Absent Ear, a speakeasy tucked away on Brunswick Street, has secured a spot on the prestigious Top 500 Bars list for 2025. Known for its inventive cocktails and offbeat atmosphere, the bar draws inspiration from the life and legacy of Vincent Van Gogh, blending artistic flair with an unmistakable edge. Describing itself as a 'multi award winning, delightfully disorientating speakeasy concept bar,' the venue celebrates Van Gogh's legacy 'with a healthy splash of creativity and just a drop of his madness.' The Absent Ear, which slotted in at 466th between Best Intentions in Chicago and Rome's Nite King, is found beneath another city centre pub. After making a reservation via their website, you arrive at the main bar and head downstairs, pressing a doorbell hidden with the ear of a painting of Vincent Van Gogh. Its quirky charm has endeared it to locals and visitors alike. The Top 500 Bars list is being released in stages, with rankings 500 to 401 unveiled on July 5 and 6. The full list and awards ceremony for the Top 100 will be held in Florence on 10 November. The ranking spans 125 cities across 53 countries and claims to use a unique approach based on 'data, AI and other digital revolutions.' According to the site, data was pulled from over two thousand online sources in more than twenty languages. Rather than relying solely on critics or awards panels, it incorporates rankings, reviews, social media, and search engine results. 'As the saying goes: 'we are smarter than me',' says the organisation. 'It's about finding a complementary ranking with existing selections to highlight the daily work of individuals who drive this industry. Because in the end, every opinion counts.' Top 500 Bars added on Instagram: 'This year, the industry has started to boom again with a lot of new bars around the world. We hope with this list, we'll help bartenders and customers discover bars wherever they visit.' This isn't the first time The Absent Ear has made its mark. In recent years, it has earned a steady stream of accolades. It won Cocktail Bar of the Year at the 2023 SLTN Awards, and has made back-to-back appearances on the UK Top 50 Bars list, landing at number 25 in 2023 and 26 the year before. Bartender Liam Grogan was also named Mixologist of the Year in 2022, and the bar was a finalist for GQ's Best Bar UK in 2023. Grogan, now general manager and head of drinks development at the bar, said the venue's latest offering pushes boundaries even further. 'This menu is the culmination of everything we've been working toward as a team. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. "Absent Ear has always been about bold, creative flavours, and this time we've pushed ourselves to make drinks that aren't just great cocktails, they're experiences. "Whether it's a minimalist creation like Fragola-Rama or a maximalist spectacle like Roobarb & Custard, this menu represents the absolute best of what we do.' Opened in 2010, The Absent Ear has grown into one of Glasgow's most beloved cocktail spots, a place where locals and visitors alike are encouraged to lose themselves in its surreal, immersive world.
Glasgow Times
10-07-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Popular Glasgow bar named among the best in the world
The Absent Ear on Brunswick Street was named the 466th best boozer on the Top 500 Bars global rankings for 2025. Located in the Merchant City, the cocktail bar opened in 2010 and has since become a firm favourite in the city. However, it's not the first time the bar has been named as one of the best. In February 2022, we reported how the speakeasy was named one of the best 50 cocktail spots in the UK. READ MORE: Popular Glasgow pub named the 'best' boozer in the city READ MORE: Well-known Glasgow pub reveals exciting rebrand after shutting its doors (Image: Instagram) In a statement on Instagram, Top 500 Bars said: "This year, the industry has started to boom again with a lot of new bars around the world. "For 2025, Top 500 Bars ranking involves 125 different cities in 53 different countries. The ranking is quite different from last year, too, with more countries and different bars. "We hope with this list, we'll help bartenders and customers discover bars wherever they visit." According to the Top 500 Bars website, it claims that awards use 'data, AI, and other digital revolutions' to determine a 'global ranking'. A statement on the Top 500 Bars site reads: "In the era of big data, AI and other digital revolutions, it seemed important to us that the bar industry take advantage of these innovations to determine a global ranking. "We aggregated the data from over two thousand sources on the web, in more than twenty languages. "And we not only used the opinions of experts, journalists and influencers but also rankings, reviews on platforms, social media and search engines to complete the set. "This data set makes it possible to appeal to the greatest number of opinions on the model of 'the wisdom of crowds', by creating this ranking via an algorithm from thousands of data. "As the saying goes: 'we are smarter than me'. It's about finding a complementary ranking with existing selections to highlight the daily work of individuals who drive this industry. Because in the end, every opinion counts."
Scottish Sun
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Hidden Glasgow cocktail bar named among best in the world
A POPULAR Glasgow speakeasy has been named among the best cocktail bars in the world. The Absent Ear, situated in the Merchant City, has been named on the prestigious Top 500 Bars list for the first time. 4 The Absent Ear in Glasgow has been named on the Top 500 Bars list Credit: Supplied 4 The bar is inspired by artist Vincent Van Gogh - with drinks and themes celebrating his legacy Credit: Supplied 4 In December last year, they introduced a new art inspired immersive menu Credit: Supplied The bar opened in 2021 and is inspired by artist Vincent Van Gogh - with drinks and themes celebrating his legacy. In December last year, the bar introduced a new art inspired immersive menu. The bar overhauled its drinks menu with two distinct sides - minimalist and maximalist. In a unique UK first, drinkers peruse their cocktail choices in a digital gallery where art and cocktails collide. Each artwork on the menu has a corresponding drink, some of which are simple and minimalist and some of which are crazy, maximalist concoctions. Two years in the making, chief creative Liam Grogan has created cocktails like Roobarb & Custard, which looks like a delicious ice cream sundae, and there's even one with flavours of Thai green curry. The Absent Ear bagged a spot at number 466 on the prestigious world list. Introducing the 2025 rankings, the Top 500 Bars team said: "This year the industry has started to boom again with a lot of new bars around the world. For 2025, the Top 500 bars ranking involves 125 different cities in 53 different countries. "The ranking is quite different from last year with more countries and new bars. "We hope that this list will help bartenders and customers discover bars wherever they visit." Hidden bar in England named one of the world's best - the only one in the UK to make the list The list is currently being released in stages with bars ranked from 400 to 500 announced on July 5 and 6. The full list and the ceremony for the top 100 is set to be held in Florence, Italy, on November 10.
Scotsman
08-07-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
The hidden art themed Scottish cocktail bar that has been named as one of the best in the world
A Scottish cocktail bar has made it on to the list of the best in the world. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A hidden Scottish speakeasy style bar has been named as one of the best in the world. The Absent Ear in Glasgow's Merchant City has made it on to the prestigious Top 500 Bars list for the first time. The award-winning cocktail bar was added to the global list at number 466 in an announcement of the Top 500 Bars for 2025. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Founder of the Top 500 Bars, Anthony Poncier explained that the 2025 list demonstrates renewed dynamism in the global cocktail bar industry with more cities added to the list, saying: 'The past few years have been a test of resilience for the bar industry. But now we're witnessing an incredible resurgence of creativity and innovation. Our ranking captures this effervescence and highlights the most influential establishments on a global scale, that are shaping the global drinks scene.' Introducing the 2025 rankings, the Top 500 Bars team said: 'This year the industry has started to boom again with a lot of new bars around the world. For 2025, the Top 500 bars ranking involves 125 different cities in 53 different countries. The ranking is quite different from last year with more countries and new bars. 'We hope that this list will help bartenders and customers discover bars wherever they visit.' The Absent Ear in Glasgow has made it on to the top 500 bars in the world list | Absent Ear The Top 500 Bars list for 2025 is being released in stages starting with bars ranked 500-401 on July 5 and 6. The full list and the ceremony for the Top 100 will be held in Florence on November 10. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Top 500 Bars list is known for its comprehensive ranking of cocktail bars worldwide and, the team said: 'In the era of big data, AI and other digital revolutions, it seemed important to us that the bar industry takes advantage of these innovations to determine a global ranking. 'We aggregated the data from over two thousand sources on the web, in more than twenty languages. And we not only used the opinions of experts, journalists and influencers but also rankings, reviews on platforms, social media and search engines to complete the set. This data set makes it possible to appeal to the greatest number of opinions on the model of 'the wisdom of crowds', by creating this ranking via an algorithm from thousands of data. As the saying goes: 'we are smarter than me'. It's about finding a complementary ranking with existing selections to highlight the daily work of individuals who drive this industry.' The Absent Ear opened in 2021 and is inspired by the late, great Vincent Van Gogh, with drinks and themes that celebrates his artistic legacy. The underground, immersive bar is accessed via a hidden buzzer and door. Entry to the bar is via a hidden buzzer | Absent Ear The cocktail bar has been in the Top 50 Bars in the UK since 2022 and is currently at number 33. Their judges said of the hidden bar: 'Delightfully disorientating speakeasy concept bar hidden in the heart of Glasgow' s Merchant City. Inspired by the late, great Vincent Van Gogh, our theme celebrates his artistic legacy with a healthy splash of creativity and just a drop of his madness. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Once you find this multi-award-winning hidden speakeasy, guests are transported into a two-room digital gallery menu where art and cocktails collide. Featuring weird and wonderful drinks and everything in between, Glasgow's best bartenders have crafted a daring menu where the art of the cocktail inspires the cocktail from the art.' Of past award wins, Alex Riches, head of operations at Absent Ear, said: 'These accolades are a testament to the unmatched talent, creativity, and dedication of our team, whose hard work continues to set new standards in both Scotland and the UK's cocktail scene. 'Absent Ear's mission is to elevate Glasgow hospitality, push drink boundaries, and cement Absent Ear's reputation as an award winning cocktail destination.' The Absent Ear debuted a new, gallery-inspired menu in late 2024. Featuring weird and wonderful drinks and everything in between, the bartenders have crafted a daring menu where the art of the cocktail inspires the cocktail from the art.
