The Black Sheep

The Black Sheep, Colorado Springs: Quick Verdict

The Black Sheep sits on East Platte Ave in Colorado Springs, if you've been once, you already know it occupies a different register than most bars in the area. Pricing details aren't publicly listed, but the venue positions itself as a neighborhood bar worth taking seriously; which, in a city where bar food often means an afterthought basket of fries, is a meaningful distinction. If you're deciding whether to return or recommend it to someone else, the short answer is yes, with a few caveats depending on what you're after.

The Experience

The atmosphere at The Black Sheep runs on the louder, more energetic end of the spectrum; this is not the place for a quiet debrief over drinks. The energy builds as the night progresses, so if you're coming for conversation, earlier in the evening gives you more room to actually hear each other. For a second visit, the move is to arrive before the room fills and claim a spot before it gets away from you.

On the food question, which matters more here than at your average Colorado Springs bar, The Black Sheep treats its kitchen seriously enough that ordering food is worth doing. This isn't bar food as an excuse to keep people drinking. If you came last time and skipped the menu, that's what to fix on your next visit. Specific dishes aren't confirmed in our data, so ask the staff what's running currently; the menu has enough rotation that the answer will vary by season. Right now, with Colorado's colder months in play, expect the kitchen to be leaning toward heavier, more satisfying plates rather than anything light.

Booking is easy, walk-in friendly, no reservation architecture required. That makes it a practical choice when you're deciding on the night rather than planning a week out. Groups can work here, though the noise level means it suits smaller parties better than a large table trying to hold a single conversation. For a date, the atmosphere is lively enough to carry the evening without feeling forced, but set expectations: this is a bar with good food, not a restaurant with cocktails.

For Colorado Springs bar options that are more cocktail-program-forward, 503W and Burrowing Owl are worth comparing. For something closer to a brewery experience with food, Cerberus Brewing Company is a natural alternative. If you want a resort-style outdoor setting, Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort is in a different category entirely. The Black Sheep's value is in being a neighborhood bar that doesn't embarrass itself on food, that's a narrower brief than any of those options, it fills it well.

For context on where The Black Sheep sits in the broader Colorado Springs scene, see our full Colorado Springs bars guide, restaurants guide, and experiences guide. If you're visiting from out of town, our Colorado Springs hotels guide and wineries guide round out the picture.

For reference on what a genuinely serious bar food and cocktail program looks like at the national level, Bar Leather Apron in Honolulu, Jewel of the South in New Orleans, and Julep in Houston set the benchmark. The Black Sheep isn't operating at that tier, but for East Platte Ave on a Tuesday or a weekend night when you want food worth eating alongside your drinks, it earns its repeat visits.