Champs is a large sports bar lying along the popular Ecclesall Road.

The Venue
Champs lies directly on Ecclesall Road, less than a mile from the city centre, on a very busy stretch densely populated with bars, restaurants, takeaways and shops. There’s always a few groups of people occupying the tables outside, and once you enter you have the choice of going left into the bar, or right into the restaurant.

In both halves the decor is exactly what you’d expect – walls full of sporting memorabilia, both local and from around the world. Numerous signed shirts from both Sheffield teams are surrounded by American football helmets, ice hockey jerseys, baseballs, cricket bats and even a nose-cone from a Formula 1 car. A large bar lies in the very centre, straddling both the bar and restaurant areas. Overall, Champs seems to aim for something of an American feel.

The People
Champs is broadly popular with anyone who might be visiting Ecclesall Road, though many locals tend to favour some of the less brash pubs and bars hidden away off the main road. Ecclesall Road is incredibly busy in the evenings, and Champs is no exception. It attracts those making their way into the city, or simply spending a night out on Ecclesall Road itself.

As you'd expect, this sports bar has numerous large screens, and most sporting events are screened so it gets crowded on big match days. During the day, workers, residents, students and shoppers are likely to pop in for coffee, drinks or something to eat.

The Food
Both bar food and a full restaurant menu are offered. The bar menu is available from noon until 3pm daily and is quite simple. There are jacket potatoes, sandwiches and burgers, all for under a fiver. The restaurant menu has an ‘American diner’ feel to it, with the main dishes like burritos, fajitas and steaks accompanied by wings, potato skins, nachos and the like. The food isn’t particularly healthy nor is it particularly cheap with most mains at around £10, but it’s what you’d expect from a sports bar, and none of the regulars are complaining.

The Drink
A very large bar means a good range of drinks. Carling, Coors, Staropramen, Stella Artois, Peeterman Artois, Strongbow, John Smiths, Guinness, Leffe are all available on tap as well as a number of guest ales with appearances from famous local varieties such as Jaipur or Pale Rider. There is also a big range of bottled beers with one rotating choice picked out as the special ‘World Beer of the Month’. Draught and bottled beers are priced from £2.60 to £2.80 with stronger, more expensive continental lagers sold in halves, mostly priced just under £2. ‘World beers’ are more expensive at between £3.50 and £4.00 a bottle.

There's a substantial wine list and numerous spirits, but where it really excels is in cocktails. It's big range is priced between £2 and £3, but expect to pay more for specials. All the classic cocktails, as well as many more unusual concoctions, are available.

Wines are priced between £2.50 and £3.50 a glass, with bottle prices beginning around £9. There’s a Happy Hour from 5pm to 9pm Monday to Friday, and all-day Sunday, when various drinks offers are available, especially on cocktails.

The Last Word
A popular sports bar – hardly original, hardly unique, but pleasant enough all the same.

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