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Disappointment of the week with Mobyduck
on the Pub Forum
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Sparrow
Another of the shop-conversion bars along the road, this one has a café-bar appearance, with a mix of breweriana on the walls. Additionally, a good few wooden tables can be found out on the pavement. On this visit (my first for ten years), I found five of the six handpumps in operation, dispensing a couple of Kirkstall beers (who now own the place) plus others from Absolution, Squawk and an excellent Craven EFA (£4.20). Also has a Veltlins fount on the counter and nine craft keg taps on the bar-back.
On 4th July 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Sparrow
Run by the venerable Kirkstall brewery, this is another oblong shaped café bar on the North Parade strip. Oblong interior, a bit staid and mimsy with green being the colour choice. On a middlingly busy evening elsewhere I was the only customer. Far too many cask on (and the barman admitted to aspirators) though I got lucky with the Dexters (NBSS 3). Really strange for it to be so empty. 6.5
On 25th June 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about The Sparrow
Still run by Kirkstall Brewery, two of their beers on the now only three pulls, Black Band Porter (smoked version) and Three Swords, a Brew York APA on the third - a very difficult choice. Nine keg taps on the back wall and a Veltins ceramic one on the counter. Little else has changed either in the high quality of the beer or the decoration.
On 20th November 2021
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3230 recommendations about 2939 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Sparrow
As noted below, this is a bit more pub like than some of the places in North Parade. The What Pub opening hours are completely wrong as it was 16:00 on Thursday when it opened. It has wooden floors, a fireplace and the bar at the rear. There is a basement which is where the toilets are located but it seemed a very basic room.
The six hand pumps had Kirkstall Pale, Three Swords & Dissolution IPA, Wylam Galatia, Five Points Pale and Rooster London Thunder. I went for the Kirkstall beers (£3.10, £3.30 & £3.40) then the Wylam Galatia (£3.60) all of which were in good nick. I thought this was well worth a visit.
On 11th November 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
david hammill left this review about The Sparrow
My wife and I visited the Sparrow recently and could not believe how much this venue had changed. The beers and lagers were completely different I had to take my beers back x 2 due to the very poor quality and my wife did not enjoy the choice of lagers. The atmosphere of the place has also changed for the worse. We have just walked passed the place - it is empty. 2 venues we have visited on North Parade today are both very full. Enough said
On 15th September 2018
- rating: 2
[User has posted 96 recommendations about 86 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rob Hunter left this review about The Sparrow
As Old Boots has said, this is now owned by Kirkstall. It seems to have more pub like fixtures and fittings, though the small formica topped tables are still present, but with more comfortable pub-like chairs. There is bench seating under the front window and a large fire surround on the wall, which I cannot remember if it was there previously or not. It all seems to work quite well especially with the bench under the window and gives it a more pub like feel and is probably a better use of the space.
Six hand pumps for cask ale, three of which were Kirkstall ales and the other three guests, consisting of Chew Chew by Fallen Brewing, Okells Bitter and something by Moor. The Chew Chew took my fancy, this was a caramel stout at 6% which set me back £2.20 for a half. In addition to the cask pumps there are some keg taps on the back wall, and a chalk board beer menu to the left of the bar.
Had a bit of a strange chemical / sealant smell when I visited yesterday so can only assume they had just had some work done. It certainly didn't seem to be putting the customers off though as the place was pretty full. More full than I remember it ever being when I have been previously.
They now seem to do snacky food - pork pies etc - and there were no leaflets on the tables about pizzas so can only assume the previous arrangement with pizza deliveries has now ended.
Pleasant, friendly service. I'm pleased to say this is still as good as it was before it changed ownership.
On 28th July 2018
- rating: 9
[User has posted 750 recommendations about 598 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about The Sparrow
Reopened on 26th May by new owners Kirkstall. It's had a bit of a make over so it's now less cafe and more pub like but still not a traditional pub by any means. Still multi pumped and of course a few are from Kirkstall so no problems there, some guests also feature. The basement is still pretty much as was, just some new furniture I believe.
On 2nd July 2018
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3230 recommendations about 2939 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rob Hunter left this review about The Sparrow
Visited on a weekday afternoon earlier in March as part of my planned session on North Parade. I have been before but was looking forward to a return visit. At the bar were four hand pumps for cask, all of which were available, plus 7 keg options. I concentrated on the cask options and had the Equanot Session IPA by Kirkstall which was rather pleasant, and a bitter called Monument (can't remember who that was by). There was a 9% imperial stout, which had me tempted, and of course I ended up giving in to temptation! Nice mix of styles to choose from. I do like it in here but sometimes I find the wooden tables and chairs to be a bit too café style - but the small tables probably mean they can fit more people in so can't complain too much. I don't think they do food but they have an arrangement with a local pizza place where they will place orders for you and they deliver it to your table. Definitely worth including on any visit to North Parade.
On 23rd March 2018
- rating: 9
[User has posted 750 recommendations about 598 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about The Sparrow
The Sparrow is a newish bar that was converted from a shop.
Once inside there is a single oblong shaped room with the bar facing,the floor is bare boarded,the seating normal tables and chairs.
There was a decent choice of real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Raw Winter Solstice which went down very well,the other beers noted were Great Heck Washington Red,Great Heck Shanknar and one from Tyne Bank brewery.
The pub was fairly busy just after 11am with drinkers,i also had a chat with a friendly barmaid.
The background music was different but i quite liked it.
I thought this was a very pleasant bar to have a drink in.
Deserves a 7.5 rating
Pub visited 2/1/2016
On 10th January 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Sparrow
If you like wine bars, candles on tables a poorly lit bar and no atmosphere then here is the Sparrow. The seating was also limited, even when the place was moderately busy. Four handpumps with three on, we went for the Saltaire Solitaire Harvest, which was fine, but expensive.
On 3rd November 2015
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]