Money blog: We tried the UK’s cheapest three-course dinner* – here’s what you get for £5 | UK News

By Jenness Mitchell, Scotland reporter

“Because of the price you think it’s going to be crap, but it’s not,” says Star Bar patron Christine Hill, 58.

The Star Bar is located in Glasgow’s southside on Eglinton Street, where words like this are as good as any five star review.

The pub has plenty of those, to be fair – and its legendary three courses offer has been running for decades, attracting as many customers as staff can manage every day.

Paul Marletta, who runs the pub alongside sister and business partner Giovanna Marletta, inherited the bar 39 years ago when it was just £1 for a three-course lunch.

These days it’s £4, for which you get a starter, main and dessert – or you can pay an extra £1 to upgrade your main to premium range dishes such as breaded fish and chips, mince/potatoes/vegetables, or ashet pie.

Mr Marletta, 65, told Sky News: “We’ve got a lot of faithful customers. A lot of them come in here seven days a week for their lunch.

“There’s different variations of busy, but we’re never quiet. We don’t really advertise because we don’t have to advertise. We’re as busy as we can get.”

The lunch deal is featured on small promos on the outside, with new customers often surprised after taking a chance on the meal deal.

Mr Marletta said: “Many think, ‘If it’s that cheap, it’s probably crap’, but they leave having loved the meal.

“And they always come back, and that’s why we don’t have to advertise because our product speaks for itself. There’s nothing in here that I wouldn’t eat myself.”

Mr Marletta said the bar’s success lay in the suppliers that provide quality goods at affordable prices, which he then passes on to his customers while maintaining a profit margin.

He singled out his small group of hard-working staff, explaining that if more people worked at the bar he’d have to put up prices.

He described manager Andrea Purdie as his “right-hand” woman.

Mr Marletta said: “The customers all know Andrea, who’s a personality in here. Me, not so much. I’m the grumpy one. My staff have got a good vibe.”

During our visit, former taxi driver John Burke told us he would often see the promo while driving past during work and vowed to visit the bar on his retirement.

Since the turn of the year, Mr Burke, 66, travels from North Glasgow every week to enjoy a pint and lunch.

Customer Christine Hill, 58, has enjoyed the traditional lounge’s hospitality for the last 40 years.

She said: “Because of the price you think it’s going to be crap, but it’s not.”

Of course, we couldn’t visit without trying the famous three courses ourselves – so what was it like?

First up came a hearty broth, piping hot and perfectly seasoned. This is the bowl before I cleared it…

I chose the fish and chips, upgrading to the £5 menu, not knowing what to expect, but the fish tasted fresher than you get in most places and was flaky, and the breadcrumbs were crunchy. You get chunky chips, mushy peas and salad too – which again I cleared and if I was looking for a light lunch I would have been done. But what kind of life is that?

I’m not really a fan of Italian fruit sorbet palate cleansers, and was relieved when a nostalgic bowl of jelly and ice cream slid onto my table next.

It’s pretty remarkable they can knock this out for £5 – other pubs in the city would get away with charging at least £5 for the soup alone and at least double for the fish and chips.

Kudos to chef Ally Alexander – but it wasn’t just about the food. A visit to The Star Bar is an experience in its own right, from the warm welcome and friendly pub chat to the affectionate hug goodbye.

They really don’t need reviews, but if they did, they’d get five stars from me.

*Probably… but do tell us in the comments section if you know of cheaper