Sandinista! Cantina Bar in Leeds

Tuvimos una comida agradable antes de visitar el Gran Teatro en Leeds. El ambiente era vibrante, personal atento, comida sabrosa, y todo a un precio razonable.

Sandinista isn't the first place you would think of to get some tapas however the food served up here is pretty good along with been good value

Went here for a beer, was greeted by a miserable bar man, needs to try smiling at customers instead of grunting at them. Asked for a fruit beer, wih that, he didn't even look at me, just tapped the top of the pump and said 'it's out'..didn't even suggest anything else theu had similar. My partner then went to order a pint and with that his reply was 'it's 8 quid a pint mate' ....absolutely terrible customer service and expensive. Won't be going back here.

De haber estado aquí hace unos pocos años, nos tomó un tiempo volver, ya que era un poco peligroso y sucio, pero estamos contentos de haberlo hecho.

Siempre hay un gran ambiente. Es genial para ir por un poco de deliciosas tapas - la cadera es para morirse - y algunos cócteles fantásticos para comenzar la noche, e incluso mejor para más cócteles y bailar buena música tarde. el personal del bar saben realmente de sus bebidas, y siempre es amable, y el personal de la puerta también es genial. No he estado por un tiempo, pero no puedo esperar a volver y probar el nuevo menú (he comprobado, la carne está todavía allí!).

Always amazing vibes, music and cocktails! Great customer service. I love it during the day and in the evening. Brilliant!

Hace años, cuando era menos popular Sandinista, como solía venir aquí como había espacio para bailar! No hay mucho chance de que una noche de sábado en estos días, pero estoy demasiado viejo para bailar ahora de todos modos! Parece ir de Sandinista a la fuerza, incluso fuerza tiene unas cuantas cervezas ahora. El café es bueno. Sólo he comido un par de veces, pero era agradable. El servicio ha sido siempre amable, y el personal de la puerta son un montón.

Come before a theatre show, friendly atmosphere, cool music, great tapas and rump steak to die for what more could you want

El personal en 845:00 me dijo que tenía que dar mi silla como si fueron vaciando todas las mesas y sillas.

El ambiente es excelente, los precios son razonables y la cerveza casi siempre es bueno.

Decided to try this place before heading to The Grand for a show, absolutely fantastic food, great service and a perfect location for The Grand and the First Direct Arena. The food is delicious and is a twist on the standard tapas fare. The staff were really friendly, they helped us choose the tapas (there were so many choices!) and drinks and after finding the window seat a little cold were happy for us to move tables. Really great experience! I will be back to try more soon.

Four of us called in before a show at the o2. We were met by a very friendly and informative member of bar staff. Drinks brought to us and menus given. I spoke to the chef who advised 2-3 tapas each. We ordered 10 and loved every mouthful. So we ordered a further 3 which again were superb. I have to say the rump steak was sublime so much so we ordered it 3 times. The bill had a 20% discount due to having show tickets. Fab afternoon had by all.....one person had never tried tapas but was very impressed.....we will return....thank you.

Came in for a cocktail before visiting the arena. An absolute DOGHEAD woman waltzed up to the bar and began ripping into the barman being EXTREMELY rude and out of hand. This situation was handled so very well and so very professional. I honestly praise his patience with her despite her being very difficult. Excellent customer service, and beautiful cocktails. Good on you.

We decided to try this place at the last minute. Got a table for 2 and ordered tapas and drinks. Food was perfect for the price - 2 tapas each. Impressive food for a tiny kitchen.

Visited at 6.30pm on a Friday night where we'd reserved a table. There was a nice atmosphere, buzzing but not rammed like some of the other places in Leeds. We ordered a selection from the tapas menu - the portions are very very generous. We ordered the chilli nachos which I expected to come in a tiny tapas bowl, how wrong we were! It was massive. Enough for four people and we'd ordered 3 of them. Large portion of the bread and oils too. Needless to say we didn't finish all of our food. The steak is cooked so beautifully, I would recommend that. I will definitely visit again.

Apparently you are not allowed to enjoy yourselves in this place,we were having a sing along to mama's & papa's California dreaming and the manager stormed out from behind the bar walked past me (the big fella of our group) and Said to our lot put down your drinks and get out "you can't sing in here" so I asked him why we weren't allowed to enjoy ourselves he said you can't in here because some people are eating (about 3 couples who were sat away from the bar) he carried on picking on the women so I said to our group right that's it we're all leaving and another group who he had picked on too also left, he threatened to get us done because he had us on cctv, the man is a JOKE

Really lovely bar with a great chilled atmosphere. Loved the soul/funk playlist that was on that night, its not often I hear music I love playing in bars! Had a 'barrel of rum' pitcher with some tasty rums. Will definitely be back next time we're in Leeds!

I went in with a group of friends for a pre concert drink having been many times before. Was asked to leave apparently for being too loud. Having been to the venue many times before, had my leaving do from work there and seen live bands I can only assume that the place is under new management. Very unwelcoming and was threatened with being evicted by the doorman if I didn't leave my drink and leave immediately. I had to negotiate a refund for my drink which was half finished. I wouldn't recommend the place if you want to enjoy yourself. Never been asked to leave any bar in my life before. Embarrassing!

Went in with 4 friends for a drink and tapas, the minute we walked in we were greated to a man asking "drinking or eating" then followed by well you can't eat we are full. So we asked for drinks, ordered 1/2's but we're given pints. It normally, as per other comments a nice lively bar but the bar man had other ideas. 2 of us were singing to the music; when all of a sudden the bar man shot from behind the bar screaming but the drinks down and get out I asked why what, he said you've been warned! I asked warned about what, he said you are not allowed to sing! We laughed but he grabbed my drink and said I'll get my doormen to throw you out if you don't get out!! He was also doing the same to another group. We left, this would have been my 10 plus visit but will not be visiting again. I suggest to anyone considering to think again, the barman was threatening but I did notice it was only women he was threatening!!!

Hands up how many people go to a bar on a Saturday night with a group of friends to be to you can't sing? Also have a beer sold to you that is off and then to be told you can't have your money back because it shouldn't have been sold in the first place? The manager of the bar was an absolute joke and who ever gave him the job needs to seriously look at their policies. I think he managed to lose most of the staff from the Halifax Bank and the Leeds building society. Big big mistake! Would not recommend this place ever! Ps love the one in Manchester.

The staff were extremely attentive and prepared a brilliant selection of food. We got the fixed buffet and there was MORE than plenty per head. Cold antipasti was teamed with chilli, cod cakes, nachos, veggie stew and others I can't even remember. Oh yes, calamari was there too. Vile stuff. Not because it was cooked badly, it just is so you may live it. I didn't trySmall but great quality cocktail list secured us a great start to the evening before hitting the bar upstairs. Give it a go, million times better than Pizza Hut or crap from Mcdonalds!!

Popped in here with a friend for a meal. We shared nachos, olives, rump steak and the chorizo hash. Really yummy and all gluten free! The patatas say they are gluten free but a very clued-up waitress on a previous visit realised they weren't as they were fried with other batter covered things. So gluten free folk, don't get all excited and avoid the patatas bravas! You get 20% off if you show your gig ticket too so good pre-gig fodder. Would recommend.

Can't fault the place .. Lovely selection of well prepared, good value tapas dishes. The staff were all friendly and efficient, nice vibe and a 20% discount for event goers on presentation of the event ticket .. We will be back

Really like Sandinista, my number 2 favourite bar in Leeds! It always has a good ambience and is just great place to hang out, sip a hot cider and have some latino food.

Visited here recently after reading rave reviews. This place has a really authentic look and a good atmosphere with decent music.We visited on a Tuesday night, so it was pretty quiet.The menu concentrates on tapas and cheese and meat boards with generous portions for tapas!!The jalapeño poppers were amazing, as is the beef chilli pot. Delicious!! The meat and cheeseboard is great too.Lots of drinks choice too!!All in all I would return, on a busier night as it's a venue for gigs etc. Obvious from the clientele, this place is a little eclectic gem.

We called in recently to eat before a visit to the Grand. It's just over the road, serves great tapas and gives a 20% discount when you show your gig ticket. Each of the tapas dishes was delicious, they have a few different jugs of cocktails available and the service was excellent, can't understand why there weren't more people in there. Highly recommended!

Talking to a friend about a new place to try and she suggested here, so we called after Christmas shopping early one Saturday evening. Place already buzzing and warm at 5.30. We hadn't booked but I think we will when we return as it was very busy. Service was good and the food delicious. We tried a red wine and a beer both good, fancy trying a cocktail next time they had a few different ones. Loved all the little dishes but really enjoyed the unusual flavours of the goats cheese with lentils

Called in on spec to see what it was like, only had drinks so can't comment on the food.Very quiet but it was Sunday afternoon, loved the traditional smell inside.Will definitely be back to also try its sister bar the Blind Tyger

I am not at all qualified to describe the food or atmosphere here as a restaurant as I only ever visit between the hours of 12 and 3am. However for a fun bar with a varied playlist from 70s funk to modern indie (via 90s cheesy dance) this is always a great night out. It's quite small so can be pretty crowded and but is a regular haunt for many 20 and 30 somethings who know where to go to have a laid back but fun evening.

I really liked this bar because it had everything, a mixture of ages, good music, great food and fantastic service from a young team who enjoy their job.The meat and cheese platters are plentiful and very well presented with a very good choice of both.

This is a lovely place to eat real authentic food. It has friendly, atmosphere and friendly attentive staff, nothing was too much trouble. Even down to finding out the spices in one of the dishes for me - this was the jambalaya - you really must try it, it's so good.We like nice food, but the ale was good too, and good selection. The food was just fabulous though. We had the tapas, and each dish was so nice. It was piping hot, tasty and filling. The place was nice and clean - the drink was good - the service was spot on, - and the food was amazing - what more could you ask for! We will certainly recommend this to friends when they visit Leeds, and we will be back ourselves. Really enjoyed our visit to this little gem of a find. Thank you so much.

6 of us visited before seeing Fleetwood Mac at the area as we'd heard about the 20% discount. Arrived 4ish and were quickly sorted with a table. Some of the drinks took a while to arrive but generally the waitress was really helpful. As mentioned by other reviews there's not a large tapas choice but all the ones we ordered were excellent. We had 2 starters (Nachos/Bread) and 12 tapas - nothing amiss with any of them. In normal circumstances I would say that some of the beer prices are rather high but considering the 20% knocked off the final bill they were more reasonable. Music and atmosphere really good. Place was buzzing when we left. Visiting the arena again in a couple of weeks and will be back to Sandinista then.

We visited Sandinista before a visit to the Grand Theatre as they have a special offer of 20% off your bill if you show your gig/theatre tickets (offer always on!) - we weren't disappointed! The music was great, chilled atmosphere, and the Tapas were delicious - we'll definitely be back again!

It was saturday night at around 6pm. The only beer available on draught was really strong stuff at £9 a pint. Some of the seating area inside had a load of work tools piled on them.

We stumbled upon this little bar (yes it's a chain) but it had a great atmosphere and the tapas was spot on. A few mid-day drinkies and some tapas and we were happy. Would defo visit again.

I visited Sandinista after a night out with friends to continue the night. The atmosphere was great and I loved the cushions on the benches...it made them a lot more comfortable and allowed us to relax. The only issue was that the drinks were a little pricey.

We had a great Tapas meal here and the service was excellent. Definitely would go back! It is very popular at night but we did not find it difficult to get a seat in the early evening. The menu was not huge but it was very tasty and can be found online as well.

I was looking forward to a birthday meal at Sandinista, then I tried to secure a booking and pay a deposit and it all went wrong! After leaving 3 messages requesting a call back to pay my deposit and speaking twice to your staff (one of them, a Supervisor) I never managed to secure that booking. I have received no call back to make a payment and why do you not let your staff take a deposit?! Seriously you need to learn some basic customer service skills! Your service has been so shocking that I have decided to take my custom elsewhere and I will never pay you a visit, and will make sure I tell my friends of my bad experience. A meal and drinks is also about the experience you have whether before you arrive or not, you would do well to remember that in future. Your one positive point is Janelle who tried to help me and apologised (though I still never got called back!). There are much better Tapas places in Leeds, so if I were you I'd pay them a visit they deserve your custom, not Sandinista!

We came on a Sunday afternoon, pre Theatre. Staff were very helpful and served good IPA, but not too many choices of draught beer. We ordered Beef Nachos, Jalapeno Peppers, Lentil Stew, Charcuterie mixed with meats & cheese, Patatas Bravas where the portions were of very good size and the Tapas tasty. Tapas came out at different times which made the experience more authentic which we enjoyed. Overall a good place to visit for a more relaxed dining experience.

What can I say - this place is awesome! Have had food here which is great - they serve really tasty tapas. We mostly go here on a night out - the music is just great and we always have a real good dance and go between here and Mojo's!

No matter what combination you order from the tapas menu, I don't think you'll go far wrong, we stayed hours and tried everything that caught our eye on the menu - all lovely. The staff were very helpful when needed - especially when it came to recommending wine or one of their great cocktails - but also really knew when to leave people to their own devices. Beyond the food and drink, the restaurant/bar itself is very comfortable and because of the décor the place has great personality to it. The location is also really handy for walking into town.

The staff at this place are unwelcoming, sullen and unhelpful. They walk around in a slovenly way as if you are not there, trying to avoid any form of customer contact. The food is passable, considering the price. Do not go unless you want further contribute to the existance of such a pitiful place.

The stuff was very rude. The bartender was looking one of my friends like an alien when he could not understand what my friend was saying because he is from another country. Also, stuff was not smiley or friendly at all as if they did not want us there. Been there for the first time and got the worst impression ever. Definitely not going back or suggesting this place to anyone!

Between us we had squid rabas (tender!), lentil and goat's cheese (nice), chorizo hash (egg with a runny yolk :D), salt cod croquettes (nice), nachos with chilli (smells great) and a jambalaya (nice) Totally telling my brother in law to keep coming back!

Great beers and fab grub! Nice choice of music and friendly staff. I like the selection of beers they have on and the jalapeño poppers are very nice indeed.

We went to this bar with a few friends who are young professionals. We were greeted by the manager with a hostile reception. We went during the day and were refused service. They said we were too drunk to be severed, this was the second bar we visited in Leeds so we were not drunk. The manager then laughed at us. We had done nothing wrong and we had no other problems at any other bars. We will never visit again

Spent quite a lot Of money and then they decided we could not be served when there was friends that were not drinking alcohol but suggested that they could not speak! Disgusting!

Visited with some friends & decided to have something to eat as well.Glad we did, the food was very nice & enjoyed by everyone.The food is predominantly tapas variety, with nice sizeable portions, this mixed in with some great music spanning from Motown to recent hits, set us up for a great night.

visited on the weekend - some great cocktails and very knowledge staff. Lively, good music and atmospheric - would definitely visit again

4 of us (2 couples)ventured into Sandanista around 6pm on Saturday 16th November. As we presented ourselves at the bar a heavily built gent with a shaved head abruptly barked at us "are you eating"? "I need to know if you are eating"? All this before we had even ordered a drink. We told the shaven headed one (manager)? that we were not eating but we would like a drink if that was ok. He served us our slightly over priced drinks with a scowl. We found a seat nest to the window - the table had 3 chairs and it was covered in used glasses, leftover food crumbs and general pools of stickiness. The music was absolutely blaring out of speakers very close to our table son in hindsight I was glad that we were not eating in this very uncomfortable, dirty and hostile establishment.

Came back here with colleagues for a leaving do last Thursday. Ordered several tapas - all nice (LOVE the chorizo asado - so tasty). Although we were the only ones in, it's still a nice atmosphere and the lady serving us was very friendly and attentive. The only niggle I have is that the Manchester restaurant seems to offer so much more in terms of both food and cocktails (checked out the menus online). We were surprised and gutted that Mojitos weren't on the Leeds menu, especially given the preference towards rum cocktails and the popularity of a good mojito.

I selected to use this restaurant on the basis that it was one of the closest to the Wrens Hotel, the place chosen as a rendezvous point for some friends before we headed off to a Steve Howe gig at City Varieties. It's a tapas bar and for three out of four of use, it was out first experience of tapas.The attentive staff guided us through the menu and served up the food and drink without fuss. We ordered ten tapas dishes including a meat platter (we counted that as three tapas dishes) plus beer to share between the four of us and we were not disappointed with the food. At first sight, there does not appear to be much food in the dishes but they proved to be adequate for our needs and eating at Sandinistas saw us leaving sated and with a spring in our step unlike when we visit 'eat all you can' or mega burger establishments. There's a pleasant atmosphere to the place and the background music was non intrusive allowing us to catch up with each other's news without having to raise our voices. When deciding on our dishes we spotted that folk attending gigs got 10% knocked off the bill. We assumed that this applied to folk going to the First Direct Arena so we asked and found that it applied to all gigs close to the bar.' So City Varieties, The Grand, and The Howard Assembly rooms all qualify. We'll certainly be returning their the next time we meet up for a nearby gig and I will return as a solo act sometime in the not too distant future.

great atmosphere and food!Reasonable prices, parking available. Great!Would recommend to friends and family

Me and my partner visited here after a few drinks round Leeds in the afternoon. The food was great along with the service, couldn't fault it. Nice friendly relaxed atmosphere. Definitely recommend this rustic cantina bar.

Loved this place! Great choices on beers and I loved their local breweries choices. Had a saison, very tasty! We only stopped by for a pre-dinner drink, but saw that they do platters so will be visiting again.

Read several reviews re above not all good but thought we would give it a go we went Saturday around 3pm and not many people in looked at the menu but thought against eating as I saw the guy doing the meals not wearing any gloves etc the drinks were ok reasonable price the music was a little loud and I mentioned that and it was turned down for a little while then the place filled up and up went the music clearly a bad choice on my part but I am sure for the younger end it's great!

4 of us came here for a few drinks and some food after work. We all really enjoyed our food - we went back and ordered more after the first lot had been devoured! The jambalaya was the most popular dish and the chorizo hash pan was also delicious. The only gripe was that the portions of tortilla are quite small compared to what you might get in Spain, where they cut a nice big piece for you. It was still really tasty though! Good music playing in the background and nice friendly staff - we will all be back here again soon!

Popped in around 8pm last Wednesday for some snacks. I hadn't eaten in there for a long time. The bar guys were patient with us while we decided where to sit, and what to pick! They made sure we understood the menu and were quick to get us some drinks.The food was lovely; we had chilli beef nachos (you have to get nachos at Sandinista!), some cheesy lentil goodness in a pan & perfectly cooked baby squid.When we left we wished we'd have stayed for a few more sharers, or cheese!! (Okay okay, daiquiris too!) The staff were lovely and attentive. Great atmosphere as always. I'll be back soon

We visited the pop- up Sandinista ! @ the Leeds food & drink festival in Millennium Square.Great atmosphere & music! The jerk chicken skewers were delicious,so much so that the chef kindly gave me the recipe. The Mojitos were excellent & Lauren was v informative about the cocktails. We will certainly visit the main restaurant on our next visit to Leeds.

Poor service and confrontational staff. There are better places to go in Leeds - try the Belgrave or Pit if you want friendly staff and good food. Alright venue but unfortunately let down by people behind the bar.

I had visited the Manchester bar and had a great experience, so thought it about time I went to the Leeds one as I live over here now. Everything about it was fantastic! It is totally different to the Manchester bar in menu and appearance, but the service and quality was exactly the same- bloody wonderful.On top of that the music was great- loads of classics and a bit of soul. Made me go home and get out my records!

I was extremely disappointed on my visit to Sandinista as the food and cocktails were generally alright but the waitress serving our table was extremely rude. She was snappy, insolent and rolled her eyes - highly unprofessional. To make matters worse, the manager was just as rude if not more offensive. We had one complaint and rather than trying to appease us he accused the table of 'acting' and pulled accusatory facial expressions when we were expressing our concern. I haven't experienced anything this bad. Never going here again!

Sixteen of us came here for a work night out and the whole experience was a massive disappointment. We ordered the £12.95pp party menu and despite having pre-ordered, the food took nearly an hour to arrive. Most of the food that came out was cold and there was not enough to go around. Some of the food sat on the hatch waiting to be served for 5 minutes until the chef himself and one of our party had to serve it to the table. The service was terrible and on complaining to the Manager he was incredibly rude and unprofessional and handled the situation appaulingly.

Finally made it here on Saturday night after wanting to come for quite a while, was smaller then I expected for some reason but quite a few tables outside which were all taken thanks to the lovely weather. I ordered a Raspberry Collins which was ok but the bartender who made it asked if it was too sweet or sour to let him know & he would sort it - as it was my 1st one ever I didnt really know how it should taste but it was fine - just seemed a shame that all the lovely raspberries used in the making were then filtered out instead of going in my glass :)My partner had a vodka & tonic & the 2 came to £10.10 which i thought was really good for leeds centre. The young girl behind the bar was really impressive, even though it was quite busy she paid such attention to detail, cooling glasses & pouring wine - little touches that she could have missed & no one would have known but she didnt cut any corners.A very "cool" bar, good music & nice atmosphere. I have a few groupons to use at nearby venues & will definately call again when up that way.

Five of us called in prior to an event at Leeds Arena which is a 5 min walk away. The cocktails were excellent even if we had to wait a while. The food was delicious with all of us really enjoying it, Tapas with something for everyone (one of our party was vegetarian). The food did take about 50 mins to come. We had time to wait and were drinking while it came so that was ok and the staff were extremely apologetic and gave us some free shots. However, not good if we'd have arrived nearer our "show time". I did try to book but because there were only 5 of us I was told this wasn't possible on a Saturday night. Perhaps this policy could be reviewed as it will only get busier as news spreads now that the arena is so close by? That way they might get an indication of how busy and how many staff required? Anyway, I loved it, great start to the evening and I will return.

Just popped in for a light refreshment and what a great find friendly team and fantastic atmosphere a must if your local, next time I visit will have to try the menu but from the looks of it, it won't disappoint!

Fantastic pre-theatre meal for two in this wonderful little place that we've never been to before but will certainly visit again. The variety of tapas dishes we tried was fantastic and the service was excellent. A wide range of beers available. Discount on production of our theatre tickets was an added bonus. We were a little early in the evening so it was a bit quiet but will definitely visit again and can't rate it too highly. Thank you.

Went on New Years Day and had the best night ever.It turned out to be a bartenders night for new year and after getting some food...Pots,Pans and Cans.....we found ourselves in the most amazing atmosphere.I've been to the bar numerous times before when I'm in Leeds and it just gets better.Great staff.Fantastic food.Music just goes on and on.Will be back really soon.Thanks again to everyone at the bar.

I've been to Sandinista several times. Great menu and usually a good atmosphere inside. However, the door staff are something else - very confrontational and aggressive! We were told we were too drunk even though we hadn't even finished our first drink of the evening! Several of my friends were grabbed and pushed out of the venue. Needless to say, none of my party will be going back to Sandinista. A great Leeds bar ruined by rude and abusive door staff.

Have been in Leeds for 5 years now and have sadly not found anything to match my favourite tapas bar in Liverpool.End of problem,was in town fancying something to eat and noticed Sandinista.Wow great food at great prices,great cocktails,great staff and a fantastic atmosphere.Think I have found myself a new favourite.Try it you will be hooked!

Since, its our only second time in leeds, we decided to have our saturday day night dinner here. It was great, the food is good, reasonable price, and service is very friendly. Would definitely going back there again if i'm in Leeds.

considering the size of the kitchen, tasty food, good variety, great for sharing and an informal night out, get there early at weekend to get a table.

A lot of the reviews describe Sandinista as a tapas bar. Well I guess it is in the sense that they serve an array of small plates - or in there case pots, pans and tins - that are great for sharing. But it isn't a typical Spanish restaurant. In fact I think the place has something of an identity crisis. Named after a Nicaraguan revolutionary movement, it's décor includes references to Cuba and its website includes a well worn image of a famous Argentinian Marxist icon. The menu does include some Spanish classics but there's also the odd Mexican dish or two and some others where the origin was a mystery to me. Maybe it should settle on describing itself as Latino. Whatever you want to call it, the food is pretty good and the staff helpful & friendly. I was so pleased that the barmaid told us that the cod and chickpea stew included bacon as the menu certainly didn't mention it and as my wife and I just don't dig on swine we'd have been very disappointed to find the offending item at our table. Well worth a visit, especially if like us you fancy a quick bite before heading to a show at the nearby Grand Opera House. And as others have mentioned, don't forget to show your theatre ticket for a very welcome 20% discount.

Went here before going to the Leeds Arena, had a lovely meal. Menu new and not comprehensive but the staff took time to explain and advise on what and how many tapas portions to indulge ourselves. As the driver I didn't sample the wine but I'm told it was very nice. The food was very nice, the service was good and the restaurant was informal but certainly busy as we entered and as we left. It is at most a 10 minute walk from the Leeds Arena and I would recommend as a prelude to a visit to the Arena.

First trip to Leeds for event at the Arena. Had seen this place as being somewhere to eat nearby that might be a bit different to the usual place. Quite quiet when we arrived and fab service initially and good food throughtout.Only thing that let it down slightly was that our table attendant must have gone on a break and we were left wondering if we were going to be offered a pudding and as time was crucial we opted to ask for the bill ,eventually.Shame as we would have liked to have experienced a bit more of the great atmosphere.

We weren't expecting much when we ordered our food.... But it blew us away. Very tasty and great value. Definitely coming back for more

I've been to this bar with friends quite a few times. Thought it was one of the best nights out you could have, especially in Leeds- great drinks, atmosphere and music. Until last Friday when we were literally told by the door staff we were 'too drunk' to be in the bar. It was not very late, we'd had a couple of cocktails and as we are approaching 40 we are hardly a nuisance. When we thought he was joking he pushed at us!!!! I could not understand what the problem was.When talking to other friends it seems this is not an isolated incident. Seems to me a terrible shame to show a great bar in a pretty nasty light. I will not return.

In golf, you'd call this a son-in-law; not quite what you expected.We expected a nice tapas bar for some food before the Springsteen gig at the nearby arena and we booked the Sandanista because of the TA reviews.As we arrived we were met by a load of workmen in hi viz vests having an after-work pint. Now't against workmen in hi viz vests but it doesn't err well if you're about to eat in the same place as they're drinking. The rest of the customers also seemed to be drinkers and looked like they'd been there some time. We looked at each other and both agreed that we don't really want to eat in what's really a scruffy bar full of well-oiled but very pleasant fellow customers. It'd be like having your wedding anniversary in the Dog and Duck games room. No thanks. To be fair, it may change completely by eight o'clock and become a really nice restaurant but if it's a pre-gig bite to eat you're after, look elsewhere.

I've previously enjoyed my time at Sandista until my wife and a friend had their phones stolen from their bags which they were wearing.The staff at the time were very helpful but unfortunately when we were trying to discover whether there was any CCTV footage of the incident, we came up against a brick wall. Given the incident happened next to the bar and we could narrow it down to 15 minutes, we had high hopes of finding the culprits. Unfortunately "it was too dark". I'm sure if the thieves had reached into the till they would have seen much more!Overall, a decent place providing you're willing to run the risk of getting your stuff nicked and have no help from the management.

I'll definitely go again before the theatre. The tapas was mostly delicious, particularly the chicken skewers, steak and smoked chorizo ( Gambas were disappointingly tasteless). There are good deals before 7 or with a theatre ticket. Daquiris were also delicious! The only thing that let it down a bit was the service. It was pretty slow and despite arriving at 5:15 we ran out if time for desert or coffee and no one came to see if we wanted anything else anyway.

If you value your possessions do not go here for a night out. It is a professional thieve's hangout. I know of at least 3 thefts in the last 3 months

We arrived without a reservation but but were found a table for 4 quickly in the bar. The staff were all very good and very attentive even though the place was packed. Drinks and menus arrived quickly and we were left to make our choices. And what choices there were. We wanted it all. In the end we selected 7 dishes between and some bread. The ham hock was to die for, the baby roast chicken delicious. We had rabbit which is usual these days and it was lovely. I thought the paella was a bit bland but apart from that everything was superb. The wine was good too. Excellent value, great atmosphere. Very rustic, I actually felt like I was on holiday in a local cantina. We will be going for sure.

After recently having a disappointing tapas meal elsewhere, I was very anxious about visiting Sandinista... and i was very pleasantly surprised! Gorgeous tapas, too much to choose from, very authentic furnishing and a lovely atmosphere! I will be back!

Had a pre theatre dinner last week at Sandinista. Lovely food, attentive staff and 20% discount because were going to the theatre. If you are going to the Grand Theatre then think about this Tapas bar you won't be disappointed, will be definitely going back, thanks.

This place is perfect for a quick drink and bite to eat before the theatre and there's a 20% discount for anybody going to any gig as well! My daughter and I had arranged to meet friends there and were greeted by friendly and efficient service. We snacked on the delicious olives and bread until the others arrived and then thoroughly enjoyed the array of meat, fish and veggie tapas before steeping across the road to the Grand. Perfect!

been to many tapas bars and restaurants and this for poor service and quality of food was by far the worst tapas in leeds .advertises has a spanish bar but plays heavy rock music sorry very very disapointed thats why i am writing this!!

Renewed faith in UK tapas; yes there was patatas bravas and yes gambas but you can also have the wild mushrooms, rabbit, wonderfully fatty bits of pork on lentils, white beans, chick peas; dishes put up as dish of the day that could conceivably have been cooked fresh rather than defrosted on the way back from Costco! They all tasted different but were all of high quality. Good advice from the helpful staff on quantities and the 20% off with valid theatre ticket all contributed to a splendid meal. The adjacent car park is free after 6 p.m., but I would recommend booking for 5.30, paying for half an hour and chill until typical curtains up at 7.30- it's a plan I For couples try ordering two dishes at a time with a 10 minute gap- possibly keeps the food hot?

Visiting the theatre in Leeds we found Sandinista on Trip Advisor and thought we'd give it a try. Fantastic find! Really enjoyed pre theatre tapas: great early evening deals and money off for theatre goers.

The tapas at Sandinista is superb! We arrived without a reservation and found a table. The whole place was buzzing with a really mixed crowd; the staff were in good spirits and offered advice on how many dishes to order and good combinations to go for. The range of drinks was superb with some really unusual beers on offer and fantastic cocktails! We shared 5 dishes between two of us and all of them were beautiful particularly the gambas. We shared the waffle for dessert and left feeling full and with smiles on our faces!

My partner and I were planning a trip to Leeds, and having our first look at the new Trinity shopping development. Our itinerary needed take in a spot of lunch, and It's good to ring the changes a bit at times like this, I think.Janet hadn't ever been in a Tapas Bar before and, to be fair, it's not something I have enormous experience of myself. The idea of tapas really appeals to me, but none of the places I've been to (in Leeds, Sheffield, and York) have totally fulfilled my expectations.I thought it might be wise, therefore, to check a few customer reviews beforehand to find out which places score the highest. That's how we came to choose Sandinista.Janet gets around in a wheelchair, so convenient parking was a major issue for us. We were fortunate enough, on a busy Saturday afternoon, to get parked right outside the door. The single step up into the cantina (good word!) was easily negotiated, and we received a courteous and friendly welcome and a guided tour through the menu.If my memory serves, we chose albóndigas, morunas de pollo, croquetas de bacalao, a tortilla, patatas bravas and some ensalada verde. (Okay, I'll come clean, memory has nothing to do with it, I just copied and pasted the fancy names off the website).No question about it, these were the tastiest tapas dishes I have ever had, and the portions represented good value considering the very reasonable prices. Meatballs are always good, aren't they, but the skewered chicken was fabulous and blackened just enough to give an authentic barbecue kind of flavour. We loved the salt code croquettes, and the omelette, spicy spuds, and salad were all excellent. Some folk might consider six dishes between the two of us excessive, but it was a chilly wintry day and we needed some kind of fortification against the elements.The tastefully selected background music was an important part of our enjoyment of the visit, as was my wonderful daiquiri!! We loved the whole experience, and will return as soon as the opportunity allows!!

This is the second time I have eaten here, reversing a review till the second time to check if I enjoyed it as much....well I did. We were on the way to the theatre which is just over the road (and you get 20% off your bill if you show tickets), had dinner in about an hour.To be clear, this isn't a typical pre-theater restaurant, but a vibrant bar; a bit dark, buzzing with drinkers and loud music! The food is tapas based with it all arriving in one go, staff were very good and friendly. Found it all very tasty, we ordered about 8 dishes between two of us which was about right (although I would have had more!).Chicken kebabs, stuffed peppers, garlic and tomato bread were some favorites but it all was good. Recommend, can’t wait till next time I am in the neighborhood.

Recently ate here with some friends and was really impressed with the food, really good tapas. We were also really impressed with how helpful the staff were, very genuine and very helpful. Ended up staying in for a few drinks after our meal as were loving the playlist so much- I can recommend their daquiris!

First visit as we were going to a show at the Leeds Grand ( virtually next door) and the latter's website said you could claim 20% on food bill. Very sceptical to begin with as the decor is very simple + huge TV on the wall blaring out a rugby game. First sip of the glasses of dry white wine we had ordered, though (delicious and perfectly chilled) began to win us over. When the food then arrived, ALL reservations set aside as every dish was lovely; totally fresh, perfectly cooked and with very authentic taste (waitress said all their chefs are Spanish). We had nachos, olives, mixed salad, prawns and skewered chicken pieces and all excellent. Have very rarely eaten such good Spanish food in Spain! We then desserts of chilli chocolate tart with ice cream and waffles and ice cream; again both gorgeous. Got our £10.00 discount and so the whole cost was fantastic value or money! Nice atmosphere with people of all ages (students through to ancient theatre goers like us) and all staff were very friendly and brought dishes quickly. Only problem we had was with the noise from huge TV (reposition into half of the establishment which could more just for those who want a drink/bar snack than full meal?) Overall, though, a very good experience and glad we gave it a go. We shall certainly be back.

Having on recently tried this place, and with tapas being my new favorite thing I was thrilled that this was such a great experience. Every single thing we ordered, we loved, I mean loved! We had to ask for more of some of them as they were so good. The staff knew the menu well which was helpful as I always have a lot of questions. Love this place, Will be back for more very soon!

Had a meal at sandinista over the weekend, loved it that much we stayed until closing time. Food, Staff, atmosphere are all exceptional, I'lI be passing this little gem on.

We went to this Restaraunt on Saturday 12th January for LunchThe food was fabulous, full of flavour and very reasonably pricedWe asked the barman about the menu he was very helpful and informed us about all the dishes on offer, we selected 8 dishes and everyone was so deliciousDon't miss this little hidden gem

Called in here by chance for a meal before going to the theatre and enjoyed it. Relaxed atmosphere, decent tapas and all reasonably priced. Decor might not be to everyone's taste but we liked it.

Quite simply the best bar in Leeds. Food is excellent and the atmosphere second to none as are the staff. Can get noisy late on

Food was average, I come here sometime late on the night and atmosphere is good but is not a place to go if you are hungry. PS: Too overpriced to be frozen food

Excellent place if it wasn't about the service they just take forever while they skive off and then u get blondie with short hair to show u the fingers to make things worse. Used to love this place. Better to come when the blondie is off.