Sheepscar Bar & Grill Review: Leeds’ Lively Sports Bar with Seriously Good Indian Food
It’s Saturday lunchtime, I’m absolutely starving, and there was never really going to be any debate over what I fancied eating.
Growing up in Bradford, curry isn’t something I reserve for Friday nights. I’ll happily eat it for breakfast, lunch, dinner or as a questionable late-night decision. Give me a rich, spicy curry swimming in gravy, a freshly buttered roti for scooping up every last drop, and I’m yours.
So when my husband suggested lunch at Sheepscar Bar & Grill in Leeds, I didn’t need asking twice.
Although Sheepscar describes itself as an Indian gastropub, I think that only tells half the story. Personally, I’d describe it as a stylish sports bar with a seriously good Indian kitchen.
There’s plenty of parking, a fully licensed bar, private event spaces and no fewer than 18 television screens showing live sport. It sounds like it could be overwhelming, but somehow it isn’t. Instead, it strikes a really nice balance between being lively and relaxed.
For me, it’s exactly the sort of place that suits a Saturday afternoon. My husband is a big sports fan, so being able to enjoy a proper curry while live sport played in the background suited us both perfectly.
There were plenty of free tables when we arrived, but there was still a genuine buzz about the place. The crowd was wonderfully eclectic too. Families were enjoying lunch together, groups of friends were gathered around watching the day’s sport over a few drinks, couples were relaxing over leisurely meals and one huge table was clearly celebrating a special occasion.
It felt welcoming, inclusive and refreshingly unpretentious.
If you’re looking for an intimate restaurant where the only soundtrack is soft background music, this probably isn’t your kind of place. But if you enjoy casual dining with a bit of atmosphere, I think Sheepscar gets it just right.
Casual Dining Done Well
We were shown to one of the comfortable leather booths and advised to order our food at the bar whenever we were ready.
Some people might prefer traditional table service, but honestly, I didn’t mind it at all. It suited the relaxed nature of the venue and never felt inconvenient. This is casual dining, and ordering at the bar felt entirely in keeping with the experience.
With such an extensive drinks menu, it would have been rude not to sample something from the bar. I ordered a Pornstar Martini while my husband enjoyed a small Cobra.
The drinks menu is impressive, ranging from cocktails and mocktails to wines, beers and premium spirits, while the food menu is equally extensive. Whether you’re in the mood for curries, grills, burgers, pizzas, wraps or sharing platters, there’s something for just about everyone.
Knowing full well there was absolutely no chance we’d manage both starters and mains, we skipped straight to what we’d really come for.
The Main Event
I arrived craving something with plenty of heat, so the Lal Maas Lamb immediately caught my attention. It was the only dish on the menu marked as spicy, complete with the amusing warning of “No Refunds”. Described as a deep red, slow-cooked lamb curry with chilli, it sounded exactly like my sort of lunch.
My husband chose the Chicken Karahi, and when ordering we were asked how spicy we’d like each curry. I opted for hot, while he chose medium.
Alongside the curries we ordered a tandoori roti and a portion of salt and pepper chips.
When the food arrived, it looked every bit as good as I’d hoped.
My Lal Maas was beautiful. Rich, glossy and deeply coloured, the sauce clung to wonderfully tender pieces of slow-cooked lamb and was packed with flavour.
Although I’d ordered it hot, it wasn’t quite as fiery as I’d expected. That’s certainly not a criticism though. I don’t order spicy food simply for the sake of it being painfully hot. What matters far more to me is flavour, and this curry had it in abundance. There were layers of warming spices running through the sauce, creating a dish that was rich, comforting and incredibly moreish.
My husband’s Chicken Karahi was equally delicious.
We inevitably swapped a few mouthfuls, and it was easy to see why it’s such a popular choice. Rich, aromatic and beautifully balanced, it was another excellent curry that delivered on flavour rather than gimmicks.
The tandoori roti deserves a mention too. Freshly cooked, lightly charred and wonderfully soft, it was perfect for scooping up every last bit of those delicious sauces.
A nice touch was the trio of signature table sauces waiting for diners: The Flamango Sauce, Oh La La Minted Sauce and The Sheepy Flameater Sauce. We didn’t really need them with our curries, but they’d be the perfect accompaniment to the mixed grills and kebabs that seemed to be flying out of the kitchen.
The Only Let Down
The only disappointment of the meal was the chips.
Considering Sheepscar dedicates an entire section of the menu to chips—and proudly promotes its famous chilli chips—I was expecting something pretty special.
Unfortunately, our salt and pepper chips just didn’t live up to the standard of everything else on the table.
They were cut much thicker than I personally prefer and felt as though they’d been cooked earlier before being refried. They lacked crispness, the seasoning was fairly muted and, compared to the outstanding curries, they simply felt like an afterthought.
It’s a shame because chips are probably one of the easiest things in a kitchen to get right.
That said, I certainly won’t write them off completely. Their famous chilli chips looked fantastic on a neighbouring table, so they’ll definitely be my choice next time.
The Pornstar Martini also wasn’t my favourite. It was very sweet with an almost syrupy finish that made it taste more like a pre-mixed cocktail than one freshly made behind the bar. It wasn’t unpleasant, but it wasn’t memorable either.
Next time, I’ll probably just order a beer. If I’m honest, it pairs with curry far better anyway.
Fantastic Value
Our bill came to around £69, which included two generously portioned curries, a tandoori roti, chips, a Pornstar Martini, beers and a vodka and Coke.
Considering we couldn’t actually finish all the food, I thought it represented exceptional value for money.
One thing that kept catching my eye throughout lunch was the number of sizzling mixed grills making their way through the restaurant. They looked absolutely incredible, piled high with beautifully cooked meats and drawing admiring glances from nearby tables every time one emerged from the kitchen.
I also noticed some of the sharing platters on the menu, offering enough food for four people at prices that feel remarkably reasonable in today’s climate. It’s easy to see why Sheepscar has become such a popular place for birthdays, celebrations and larger gatherings.
Would I Return?
Without hesitation.
If the curries had disappointed, I probably wouldn’t be planning another visit. But when the main event is this good, it’s easy to forgive one underwhelming side dish and a cocktail that wasn’t quite to my taste.
Next time, I’ll be ordering another curry, finally giving those famous chilli chips a chance to prove themselves and, judging by what I watched leaving the kitchen all afternoon, there’s every chance one of those spectacular mixed grills will be making its way to our table too.
For relaxed weekend dining, generous portions, excellent value and genuinely delicious Indian food, Sheepscar Bar & Grill is well worth adding to your Leeds dining list. It isn’t trying to be fine dining, and that’s exactly why it works. It’s somewhere you can settle into a booth, order a drink, enjoy a great curry, soak up the atmosphere and spend a couple of relaxed hours with family or friends.
Sometimes, that’s exactly what a Saturday afternoon should look like.
Words – Joanne Brook-Smith
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