"This place is like three pubs rolled into one," we're told as we make our way through the Tardis-like Shields Road Times on Tap sub crawl stop.
The Viceroy is a 10 minute walk from the Southside subway station, and it's a stop some people may think of skipping, but they'd miss out on a cracker of a pub if they did.
It's family run, by mother and son duo Scott and Elaine Derrick and pub dug Ozzy, and is steeped in rich history, which includes some famous faces from the city who worked there or hung out as students.
We sat down with them in the cosy Club 22 section of The Viceroy to find out why braving the slightly longer walk, even in the rain, is an absolute must on your sub crawl.
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What's it like being part of the subcrawl?
On braving the walk from Shields Road they explain that "it’s definitely worth it. It’s only a 10-minute walk, though if it’s raining, it’s not ideal."
Before laughing as they recall a story of someone who hopped in a taxi to get there, "it's literally around the corner though," they chuckled.
Ex-pro rugby player, Scott, 27, spoke about the "mental" Saturday's. He said: "It's good. It’s quite funny because you get a totally different variety of people coming in.
"You see people who are just like on a stag do or something, or you end up getting people in mad costumes."
Elaine, 65, added: "It’s very interesting, especially when they do the ones and it’s a silent sub crawl.
"They all want to show you the phone to show you what they want to drink, and if they speak then they forfeit and have to have a shot."
They both agree there's been a "big emphasis" on the sub crawl and it's much busier, especially since Covid - a theme we've found on our way round.
Scott added: "We’ve had it during the week too, which was never a thing.
"It’s funny; you can be sitting there on a Tuesday when it's quiet and then next thing people are coming in."
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What is the origin of The Viceroy's name?
Elaine explained: "It's been known as the Viceroy for maybe about 50 or 60 years. It's been run by our family, one way or another, since the 1980s.
"Prior to that, it was the Gow's that had it for about 20 years. It was called the Viceroy way back then.
"We used to get a lot of people from the services in years ago, especially the navy, and I don't know if it stems from those days.
"Prior to that, the only other thing it was ever called was The Club, and it was a gentleman’s club back in 1890.
"It was like a real gentleman’s club and it had a restaurant in it also.
"They used to have like smokers' evenings—very, I would say, middle class."
The Derrick's have kept that history alive within the pub, and one of the "three parts" of the pub is the "22 Club," which forms the rear room of the pub.
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What's the history of the pub?
There's been a pub at 22 Paisley Road West since as far back as 1856, it's been through a few hands and the building even survived the flats above being damaged during WW2.
As mentioned in the tale behind the name, it was once known as "The Club" as far back as the 1890s.
During this period, it was owned by famous Rangers footballer and manager, Thomas Vallance, after he sold it, the pub went under a new name, The Clarence, but has always been The Viceroy to the Derricks.
Elaine explained: "Years ago, I think it used to be called Toll Mansions when the buildings were first built. They started building here around the 1840s or 1850s.
"It did tend to be more upper class at one point in time, with lots of carriages and different things.
"The flats up above were inhabited by upper class and middle class people, but they’ve all been taken down now.
"They got damaged during the war when they were bombing. The damage was so irreparable that they eventually decided to close them down."
The pub also has a "link" with another popular city pub, The Horseshoe Bar, as they have a regular who is "adamant" that the bar in The Viceroy was built by the same people who created it.
The centrepiece of the much-loved pub in the city centre, at 104 feet and three inches, their grand Victorian bar is apparently the 'longest in Europe'.
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What makes The Viceroy special to you?
Scott and Elaine agree that being a family-run freehold pub is special, and that it creates" a warm environment, where everyone’s pretty laidback."
One of their staff members has worked at the pub for 20 years, and many customers tell them the pub has a "living room feel."
Scott added: "I think also the fact that it feels like three different kinds of establishments in one: a tiki bar, a cocktail kind of area, and an old school pub."
Another undeniable special feature is the world-famous murals that they have in the sun-trap beer garden of the pub.
They came about during lockdown when their insurers told them to board up some windows at the back of the building.
Elaine said: "It looked absolutely horrendous. I spoke to Bob (Rogue One) and said we needed to do something to cheer people up.
"He got photographs of our family pets, including my sister’s dog, Winston. The first concept was quirky: the lights are on in the pub, and the dogs are in the pub looking at the humans who cannot come out.
"We also created an interactive mural with the Tenants Beer Glass, which was really good.
"We’ve had people from China, Argentina, Colombia, and New York getting their pictures taken in it.
"We also have a jungle mural, which we hope to make immersive by modifying the ground when the weather is good."
Bobby McNamara, known as Rogue One, is one of Glasgow’s most celebrated street artists, known for iconic works like “The World’s Most Economical Taxi” and “A View from the Clyde.”
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Does The Viceroy offer anything unique in terms of drinks?
During the summer months, and adding to their Tiki Bar beer garden's feel, they offer iced drinks.
Scott explained: "I like mixing up and bringing in new things that aren’t really out as much so that people try it.
"We do make a spicy margaritas where I add certain chilies and white tequila.
"During the summer, we have slushies on, and I made lychee slushies and an excellent limoncello slush. We also do a Christmas menu for the cocktails."
They also have 16 beer taps and offer rotational beers, with Victoria Malaga and Asahi being favourites of the Derrick's.
Do you have a favourite memory or moment from working at the pub?
Elaine said: "I think when it opened back up after lockdown, when we had the beer garden.
"You couldn’t sit inside bars at that point in time, and it was lovely hearing people enjoying themselves, laughing, and socializing. Before that, the place looked derelict for so long."
Scott's friends and rugby teammates helped to gut and renovate the pub during this time, which was "a great project" and they were some of the first customers back into the pub.
They also revealed that famous Glasgow artist, Gary Rough, worked in the pub when studying at the Glasgow School of Art.
Gary was at the school with Travis bassist, Dougie Payne, who stopped by a few weeks ago to reminisce on old times hanging out there.
Glasgow artist Douglas Gordon also visited recently and has called The Viceroy his "favourite pub in Glasgow."
Ozzy, the five-year-old old English bulldog, barked in agreement with everything Scott and Elaine said.
This article and its content are intended solely for audiences of a legal drinking age.
Please drink responsibly. Do not drink if you're not of legal age, and never drink and drive.
Drinking excessively will cause harm to your body and mind.
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