Black Sheep Bistro

Love this cosy local place. The food is always amazing and in huge portions. And the desserts are to die for. Cute family business that’s definitely worth a visit!

Talk about a tiny hidden gem!
My husband told me about this place when we first moved to Glasgow. He said that they had the highest rating on TripAdvisor but that it’s almost impossible to get a reservation there. Boy, was he ever right. I walked in as soon as they opened for dinner service one evening and tried to make a reservation for dinner, and the next table they had available for two guests was two weeks away and it was the LAST table. We took it!
The place itself is tiny and has about 12 tables or about 25 — 30 guests. (They offer total restaurant buyouts for company holiday partys or large groups.) As soon as you walk in you are overcome with the smells of delicious food. I read reviews before going that the portions are large so beware and those were definitely right.
We ordered:
Lentil Soup with Crusty Bread — really good and quite filling for a starter
Crab Cakes with Sweet Chili Sauce — these were baked and quite light. They were not terribly filling and the sauce was surprisingly good. Not a sauce I’d typically pair with crab cakes.
Lamb Shank Braised in Guinness with Colcannon Mash — This was the best thing that we ordered! The lamb was cooked to perfection and the colcannon mash was the perfect addition.
Sirloin Steak with Mushroom, Tomato, Chips, Salad and Pepper Sauce — I requested that the steak be cooked medium rare and it came out medium — medium well. I still ate it and it was good, but could have been better. The sides were wonderful and overall it was a TON of food.
By the time dessert was offered we were so full we had to pass. Next time we go we’re skipping the apps and going straight to entrees so that we have room for dessert.
We’ll definitely be back. :)

I found this place on TripAdvisor since a lot of UK residents don’t Unilocal yet. I was looking for a nice intimate place to celebrate my best friend’s 30^th birthday on our trip to Europe and specifically in Glasgow because that’s where we would be the night of her birthday. The Black Sheep Bistro was one of my top picks after seeing a sample menu on their website and some previous customer photos. The serving sizes weren’t puny as it looked like from the photos, the desserts looked amazing and I love supporting small businesses! =D
I made a reservation online for 4 on a Wednesday night but we ended up adding 2 more a few hours before dinner and they were fine with that. When we arrived, the small cozy restaurant was PACKED. Every seat was filled besides our reserved table! On a Wednesday night mind you! They had to turn guests away because there was no more space! You know it HAS to be good if it’s this popular!
We all ordered appetizers which could have been main dishes! I got the scallops with spinach and chorizo stew as my appetizer and I would have been good with that as my main! They have a large selection of Scotland traditional food fare and some cool twists like the scallops. Everything I tried from mine and my husband’s plates was delicious! As the main dish I got the Beef braised in red wine with parmesan mash. This was huge! It had 3 large pieces of beef (of which I only ate one) and a large helping of mash and gravy! YUMMY! My husband had the beef stroganoff which was also wonderfully executed.
Everyone was happy and stuffed and we barely had room for dessert but we had to if dinner was this good! We ended up getting 3 mini’s of the desserts. If those are mini then I’m afraid of how big the regular size is! O_​o My friend got the pecan banofee, I got sticky toffee pudding and my husband got a lemon tart. ALL were delectable and a perfect ending to the night.
I would HIGHLY recommend this restaurant for a nice but not too expensive dinner if you’re in the Glasgow area. I suggest making a reservation ahead of time since they seem to be rather popular! The only thing I would change is that I wish they would vent the restaurant better or turn on some AC, it was steaming in there and we were all sweating!
Loved every bite and the experience!

Just got home from dinner and boy are we full! My companion opted to start with lentil soup; I skipped the starter because I’d read reviews about how big the portions are. He said the price was right at 3.50; the soup was good, but nothing amazing, and the bread alongside was nice. On to the main courses; he went for an aubergine dish with tomatoes and courgettes, which came with a side of roasted potatoes and a salad, AND a side of steamed broccoli, asparagus, and green beans. I had the beef stroganoff, which came with wild rice and two asparagus spears. Both dishes were well done technically, with quality ingredients and nice presentation. Really, the only reason this isn’t a five star review is that we just weren’t blown away by the flavours; the dishes were nice, but didn’t quite hit that next level of awesome I was hoping for considering the reviews and difficulty getting a booking there.
Then, we decided to go for dessert; we chose a three-​piece mini sampler with pistachio panna cotta, coconut kisses, and meringue and puff candy ice cream. The meringue dish was our favorite; it is the tall stacked thing in my photo. Caramelly goodness! The panna cotta was nice; the coconut kisses were our least favourite and for me, it was due to the prevalence of ginger flavour there.
All in all, it was a lovely experience; the place is small and cozy, and the service was great. We’ll definitely be back!

It’s quite a nice tradition that a group of us still try to meet for each others birthdays and usually end up going out for a meal to celebrate.
My friends fancied this place having read some reviews, and a look at some of them was enough to tempt us out of the city centre. Its located just off Great Western Road — near St Georges Cross, although I must admit the area itself /​where it sits isn’t the nicest or most noticeable.
Inside its a tiny affair decked out in quirky vintage signs and sheepy things.
Phoning ahead the week before, the only time slot we were able to get was 4pm for dinner which was pretty early. When we entered the place the first thing our waitress said was «how long will it be till your whole party are here as we need the table back by 6.15». Now, although we all try our best, various kiddie related commitments usually mean that a few folks are a bit late and we usually just order some drinks and wait for them.
We were given menus straight away and the waitress was friendly as she gave us water and took some wine orders advising us on choices. She also indicated that the bistro were famous for their desserts so said to bear that in mind when ordering.
A little later still no sign of the two latecomers, another waitress (not quite as friendly), said something to the effect that we’ll just need to order without them. Now we’d already decided that we weren’t going to be having three courses, so thought we’d have plenty of time, so it did seem a bit rushed and pressured.
That aside, the menu which is based around some home comfort classics, had a fair selection to choose from including, soups and tarts to start and hearty mains like macaroni and chips, steak pie, roast beef and haddock. Being a veggie, I opted for what was apparently a new option — an aubergine timbale. I asked what this was and was told it was layers of aubergine. I was hoping for some enlightenment as to what was in it, but decided to take my chances anyway. As the two latecomers arrived they quickly ordered feeling a little pressured.
A short while later we were presented with our mains — everyone seemed to enjoy their meal, with some dishes being a little larger than others. My aubergine thing was tasty enough but did look a little sloppy on the plate and was basically just some layered aubergines with some tomatoes and a bit of soft cheese underneath it. It came served with some salad and even although I’d asked for it without potatoes it seemed a little steep at £12 for what essentially was a few slices of aubergine and tomatoes.
Anyhow, that aside moving onto my favourite part — desserts. The menu has larger desserts which can be shared but we opted for the popular choice of the mini dessert plates choosing a total of 10 to share between us so we could all dig in.
The sticky toffee pudding was delicious but ludicrously sweet, as was the meringue with honeycomb icecream and salted caramel tart. The shortbread stacks and cheesecake were demolished with no complaints, but the malteser choc cake was a little dry and stodgy. They were really well presented and definitely redeemed my main course.
Suitably satisfied (or should that be stuffed), we managed to finish up and pay the bill just within our time slot, and at £155 for eight of us it proved not too bad value for money. Personally, the place feels just a little on the cramped side for my tastes and its not a location I’m in that often. However, if the opportunity arose, I’d certainly return and think its well worth a try — especially if you have a sweet tooth!

I’m playing catch up on my reviews… we ate here back in July!
Always struggled to get a table, but eventually we got one Saturday lunchtime.
Beautiful boutique place, like someones living room with a homely funky interior feel.
Family run, the young girl serving was knowledgable about the menu and really friendly. Something happened here, that has never happened at any restaurant/​bar previously… Our Fiona mainly drinks blackcurrant and lemonade — no ice, with a straw. (very specific!). The drink arrived & the young lass had a wee jug on the tray. ‘there’s more blackcurrant juice in there, should you like it stronger’ she said. Now, there is service and there is service — where you CARE about the small details. You had us at ‘blackcurrant’ Black Sheep! :-D
Ordered lasagne and Fi had pork belly in cider. OMG… these portions are EPIC! There was no chance I could finish mine, so inevitably, Fiona didn’t stand a chance with hers. half to be precise. That said, we went for the dessert sharing platter & the mum popped out, as she has made every single one from scratch. What an utter delight again, shame we struggled so much to finish any of it.
I am a fan and really need to book in advance again. The service here blows any other restaurant out of the water, simply because they get it. Customers are key to survival and success. Look after them more than they expect and they will come back. Give them fantastic food, well cooked with care and love/​attention.
Glasgow and UK restaurants, you have a new benchmark of excellence to reach & that benchmark is called ‘The Black Sheep’
You Gotta Eat Here — For Sure! :-D

Visited on a damp cold Thursday night. The single roomed bistro, situated just after St George’s Cross off Maryhill Road, is small but warm and inviting with simple but tasteful décor. Arrived around 30 mins early for our booking but server already had our table ready with that days menu and directed us to the specials.
I had the sea bream with new potatos, pancetta and sauce vierge and my companion a lasagne with chips and side salad. The fish was moist, crisp skinned and flavourful atop a bed of soft tasty new potatos with salty pancetta scattered amongst them. The sauce vierge adding a little bite to the mix. The already large portion was accompanied with a side of broccoli and asparagus, both cooked to perfection. My companions lasagne was an unctious slab of melting goodness, the chips homemade and twice fried with crisp outside and fluffy innards. Bring a large appetite because the portions are substantial and you’ll want to finish them. I still had room for a slab of delicious banoffee and pecan pie accompanied by macaroon ice cream. Again it was fabulous. I also had a really pleasant shiraz and my companion a lark soft drink. All this was brought by a thoroughly efficient but very friendly server and the whole experience was a lovely way to unwind after work.
I can see why the Black Sheep Bostro is doing so well, the menu is peppered with comfort food classics, the cooking is excellent and the atmosphere relaxed and welcoming. And the prices, for very accomplished cooking, are extremely affordable. I’ll definitely be back.

10 of us went here for dinner on a Tuesday night & I was surprised to see the place fully booked (people were turned away!). The choice of food was much better than I was expecting & I was thoroughly impressed with my meal — I have never seen a piece of Haddock so big in my life! The quirky little touches such as the décor, bottles of different ales (black sheep ale & blonds to name but a few), really friendly staff & the amazing looking puddings (I was too full to sample one) make this place an absolute delight! Will definitely be back in the near future.

This little gem of a restaurant deserves all the good reviews it’s had — currently #1 on Trip Advisor. Excellent Food, Friendly Service and all at reasonable prices. A family run, unpretentious, great restaurant.