The pub is now part of the McGintys Group since spring 2019 after 48 years in the ownership of the Watson family lately with Graham and previously his father Eddie. No major changes took planned to the bar of this Aberdeen institute, with existing staff being retained.
In early 2020 during a spruce up of the paint-work, variable brightness roof lighting was installed, the shelves and cupboards behind the bar were illuminated, enhancing the ambience of this historic pub. Also all five handpumps are now located in the centre of the bar when they had previously been in three separate positions.
With an exquisite interior redesigned in 1926 and remaining largely unchanged since, this is the only pub listed in CAMRA's National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors in the area. Check out the clear rectangles on the two main front windows. These were for Guinness advertising signs, which were hung by chains to be visible from outside via these clear pieces of glass.
The pub was for men only until 1975 and several ladies invaded the pub prior to legislation being introduced to make this illegal, but police were called and the said 'ladies' were asked to leave! The event has been turned into a film: 'NO LADIES PLEASE'. A ladies toilet was eventually provided in 1998 when the Gent's urinal was relocated to a downstairs toilet and a new seat installed in the old Gent's cubicle. The gents downstairs toilet was refurbished and reopened early October 2019 and the ladies single toilet had a makeover soon after that.
Situated across from the Music Hall, musicians often visit during concert breaks. The pub has a large selection of whiskies and has won numerous awards from lovers of the malt. Guest ales are frequently from breweries such as Fyne Ales, Windswept, Orkney, Stewarts. Bar snacks such as pies, stovies etc. are now again available. CAMRA Branch Pub of the Year 2016.
Three star - A pub interior of outstanding national historic importance
Listed status: B
A beautifully appointed pub lies behind an austere exterior in an early 1830s grey granite terrace. It was a restaurant from the 1870s but was turned into a pub in the early 20th century. Having been acquired by a Mr John Innes in 1925, it was refitted the following year under architects Jenkins & Marr. This mainly stand-up bar retains its very fine fittings from that time including a wonderful long mahogany gantry with three glazed cabinets, made, like all the woodwork, by a Mr G. Fordyce of Archibalds. The counter carries the letter ‘G’ along its various sections and has a continuous brass match-striker from the good(!) old days of smoke-filled pubs. The walls are covered in mahogany veneer and the tables, with cast-iron bases, are inscribed with the name of the pub. The plasterwork ceilings are striking with a huge oval at the front and a circular feature at the rear, the craftsmen responsible being named as Messrs R.Watt and G. McGilvery. This was a gents-only bar until the Sex Discrimination Act came into force on 1 January 1976 and ladies’ did not get their toilet until as late as 1998 when the gents’ underwent a sex-change.
Occupying the ground floor of a typical grey granite three-storey terrace property of the early 1830s, this was a restaurant and dining rooms from the 1870s. It retained the name of The Grill when remodelled by architects Jenkins & Marr, and turned into a pub in 1926. The mainly stand-up bar retains its fittings of that date, including a fine mahogany gantry with three glazed cabinets. The pub has two ceiling sections with moulded plasterwork - the front, oval in shape; the rear, circular. The long bar counter has a number of badged sections on the front each with a letter 'G' and a brass match-striker all along it. The walls are covered in mahogany veneer and the tables with cast-iron bases are inscribed 'The Grill'.
As this was a strictly men-only bar until the Sex Discrimination Act came into force on 1 January 1976, there was no ladies' toilet until 1998 when new gents' facilities were added downstairs and the former gents' WC revamped into the ladies'. (The nearby Bridge Bar, another 'men-only' bar, still has no ladies' toilet and there is a sign on the door to warn customers of this fact!). The Grill carries over 300 single malt Scottish whiskies on sale - ask for the informative menu.
This Pub serves 4 changing beers and 0 regular beers.
Grill, Aberdeen
Changing beers typically include: Cromarty (varies) , Orkney (varies) , Windswept (varies)
Source: Regional