Bar Reviews > Mumbai > Sports Bar

12, Union Park, Pali Hill, Near Petit Girls High School, Khar(W)
Ph.26499844
Timings: 12:30 pm - 3:30 pm & 7:30 pm - 12:30 am

The last time we’d visited Sports bar at Shatranj Napoli we were not allowed inside as one of us was not wearing shoes. If the management thought that such unfriendly behaviour would keep us away, they were sadly mistaken. Like dandruff, we always come back.

Sports Bar must have been started with the idea of using the space on top of the Shatranj Napoli restaurant complex. The entrance is at the side and you need a lift to get to it. The sporting motif is curiously absent from the place. In fact, the only things remotely connected to any sport were a large poster of Kobe Bryant and a small pool table. While doing up the place the owners put all the lighting at the bar and therefore there is a lot of that chiaroscuro feel to the place. Decor-wise, it is functional without any frills, though there is a danger of getting bunged into one of the alcoves, in which case you’ll get a crick in the neck if you are trying to lech. The waiters are a young and enthu and they wear overalls (to say nothing of an attitude).

The crowd here is fairly happening. Lots of mini-skirt clad ladies with daring necklines. It must have also been the boys’ day out of all the Bandra gyms, if the number of macho types around were any yardstick. A private party was taking place on one side and the partygoers added to the din. The music in this place is one of the highlights and more lady DJs are needed in B’bay if the quality of the stuff that the console- jockey here turns out is anything to go by. The stuff played here is not very heavy and this is one of the few pubs extant which plays Simon and Garfunkel. Rare to find a pub with good music nowadays.

The liquor, when it arrived, kept up the overall good vibes that this joint gives. There is an increasing trend in B’bay of separating Mild and Strong beers- a sure sign of the prevalent hypocrisy of our times. If people wish to get intoxicated quickly, there are plenty of other substances which can help do the needful. We started as usual with the Bloody Mary and The Planters Punch- both of which were good without being exceptional. Given our oft-repeated assertion that a B.M is a good barometer to the barkeeper’s abilities, we can conclude that the chap behind the bar here is more a craftsman than an artist. Nothing wrong with that. One just has to look at South Africa’s amazing record at international cricket to realise why - a triumph of organisation and hardwork over lack of talent. Our estimate was borne out by the other cocktails that we tried. We moved on to a White Russian and a Black Russian and a Strawberry Daiquiri.They were all again nice on the palate, without being exciting. While he is good, I think our buddy here may need to attend a course.

In fact, if they can get their cocktails into the Tavern class, Datwani & Co. could lift Sports Bar into a completely different league, because the place has everything else going for it. Great music, a good crowd, decent location - definitely worth checking out. So do that next time you are contemplating a drive into South Bombay or the mill-lands for your evening’s entertainment.