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The Union Jack Pub & Restaurant
Categories: Nightlife Bars Pubs Restaurants American (Traditional) Nightlife Bars Dive Bars Pubs, American (Traditional), Dive Bars [Edit]
101 North Loudoun StWinchester, VA 22601
(540) 722-2055
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am - 12 am
Fri-Sat 11 am - 2 am
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night, Lunch, Dinner
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Sun, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Yes
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
33 reviews for The Union Jack Pub & Restaurant
Review Highlights
"The authentic Fish and Chips was great."
(in 8 reviews)
"My husband had the Braised Lamb Shank."
(in 3 reviews)
"...fries and a side of mushy peas (Brits love their mushy peas."
(in 4 reviews)
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33 reviews in English
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Review from Arun m.
Glen Allen, VA
11/16/2011
this place impressed me. the atmosphere is warm and cosy. my waitress had good recommendations and was nice. i went around 5:45, just in time for happy hour and i ordered the calamari. it was lightly breaded and fried well. very tendor and crispy, not greasy or fishy tasting at all. i ordered the lamb shank ($23) which had a lot of meat on it. it was the same size as a turkey leg at the fair. overall it was worth the price. you probably get what you pay for and i got some very good food.
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Review from Jennizzle C.
Knoxville, TN
1/3/2012
Went here for New Year's Eve, and it was quite...the eclectic crowd. Your hipsters, your Ralph Lauren douchebags, and everything else in between. I like the fact there's multiple floors -- the 2nd one is a resting place to look over the ground floor and the 3rd floor has a live band set-up and a teeny bar in the back.
I heard the beer selection was good, but considering it was NYE, they were out of all the beers I had wanted. Same with the food -- no wings, but they had calamari, which was incredibly small in portions.
Not bad place, but it's not too thrilling. I think it's a nice place to be with friends, but other than that, meh. -
Review from Shirley K.
Stephens City, VA
12/20/2011
Do not get the bread pudding....its hard and the sauce is to cover how bad it is.
Maybe this is a bad Brit style. But N.O. bread pudding was more close to pudding, with bread texture. A rum or whiskey sauce made it!
Service? I had to ask again for my water. The bartender never came back to see how my hard to swallow bread pudding was, and left the bar with my dirty dish infront of me. 2? -
Review from Rachel S.
Alexandria, VA
9/22/2011
Four stars for the amazing and voluminous beer list!!!! Tons of great beers on tap, and even more available in bottles.
But one less star because the food was only ok. I had the Union Jack Dip and it was just alright...the meat was a little fatty and too well done for my liking. My husband ordered the grilled portobello sandwich which was TINY, and came with a very tiny salad. He is a vegetarian so there wasn't much there for him and we joked that they must think that the only people ordering non-meat items are dieting women. :D
Definitely go for the beer list, though! Great stuff! -
Review from Sarah S.
9/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Had lunch at the Union Jack Pub while visiting Winchester for a weekend, alone. I ate at the bar, ordering fish and chips and having two beers. They have a fairly decent beer selection (locals seem really impressed, which means it's probably the best, or one of the best, in the town), I had an Oktoberfest on tap and ordered a black and tan, which ended up being Guinness and Paulaner, which was a little odd, but still okay. I would have rather been told that they can't make a traditional Black and Tan, then being given that upon me asking if they could make one. The fish and chips were forgettable. The fish broke apart the moment I broke into it with my fork, and the chips were okay.
A nice place for a beer, they also have free wifi which was cool. A nice mix of people, all very friendly, were there. A group of seemingly college students were watching a soccer (aka football, heh) game, which was nice. I'd probably try something else on menu, if you're a big fish and chips fan. Nice seating outside, but the bar is warm and cozy even on a nice Fall day. -
Review from Jenn K.
10/18/2011
I enjoyed dining here and it brings back my memories of travels to the U.K.! The service took exceptionally long (but luckily I was having a lazy weekend morning) and menu items were pricey but did offer a wide array of authentic british meals. I had a steak and ale shepherd's pie which was very very good but on the small side. Still hungry afterwards. I felt inspired by this meal and made my own shepherd's pie about a week later. New appreciation for how time-consuming it is to make one of these!
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Review from Jon L.
11/27/2010
Go here for the beer!
An amazing selection of bottled & draught beers.
They have Boddingtons on draught which is unique.
This is an old bank converted into a bar/restaurant with three levels.
It's right on Loudoun pedestrian mall and parking is easy and free.
Went there on the Fri after Thanksgiving and the place was very busy.
They have several large tables downstairs for groups of six.
On the second level they have a couple of dart boards and a small stage.
They also serve homemade 'chips' which are potato chips with either malt vinegar or old bay flavored.
Very casual and excellent service. -
Review from Chrryl P.
Manassas, VA
3/22/2011
After a long drive back from Indiana, we were nearly home (Manassas, VA) and Winchester was a good stop for an early dinner. We used Yelp to find someplace and came across The Union Jack Pub & Restaurant. The service was amazing. They were out of the wine I wanted but the server went out of her way opening other bottles and bringing out samples just to please me. She could have said, "We out" and left it at that, but she didn't.
The meal was yummy. The authentic Fish and Chips was great. We kidded about the 'smashed peas' on the menu and had no desire to order 'baby food' and again, our server got a kick out of that and brought us a little bowl of the smashed peas so we could have a taste. (okay, for the record, it really is like baby food).
Great service, good food, good prices, great location. -
Review from Jennifer S.
Floyd, VA
6/27/2010
We stopped by this restaurant on a Sunday night while travelling. My husband is a big fan of beer and loves to try different varieties and he was thrilled with the selection and the server was very knowledgeable. I'm not a huge fan of beer so I had a hard cider, which was tasty. My husband had steak and it was cooked perfectly medium rare, just as he asked. I had the lobster ravioli which was amazing, one of the best pasta dishes I've ever had! However, it was a fairly small portion (only 9 ravioli) and it didn't have any sides. Both of my kids got the macaroni and cheese, which was wonderful - topped with bread crumbs and lots of bacon.
Only a few things kept this from being a five-star review: (1) the ravioli was fairly pricey to be such a small serving with no veggies on the side, (2) the ladies room was out of soap so I told the server and when I took my daughter to the restroom about half an hour later there still wasn't any soap, (3) service was pretty slow even though the restaurant wasn't full. -
Review from Chris D.
4/19/2010
A massive and varied selection of brews. A great place to go and sample ones you've never had; like Dogfish Head 120 IPA (aka liquid wasted). The staff seem to know their beer and are not afraid to make recommendations. I didn't eat anything, so I can't comment on the food, but a lot of people seemed to be enjoying themselves.
The atmosphere was definitely interesting. There were 30-something guys with fancy striped shirts trying way too hard to look awesome, older couples dressed up for date night and packs of ladies looking for who knows what. Whether you go with friends or go to make friends, I think it would be hard to seem out of place at Union Jacks. -
Review from Brian F.
Silver Spring, MD
8/23/2011
The location was good and the beer selection was good as well. The burger my girlfriend ordered ... good. But, trying to be healthy, my dinner that night ... the $11 chicken salad with pecans and blue cheese was not good - overcooked chicken, too small, too expensive, and not very well presented. The waitress service was alright. I would only go back for location, to drink and for a burger.
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Review from Jean-Louis P.
Sterling, VA
7/14/2011
Burger and fries were quite good. Great microbrewery selection. Prices were on the high side.
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Review from Jackie B.
Fairfax, VA
9/5/2010
My mom and I stopped in here for lunch during our recent Winchester 'vacay' ... we were STARVING and the place was hopping - sadly, their servers were not. Which really was not that big an issue since we were ok with taking our time. Our drinks came fast, the apps came fast and our burgers took 40 forevers. Our poor waitress kept apologizing, and we knew it wasn't her fault, but dang.
Let's pretend they weren't slower than syrup - the food was yummy, the price was right and the staff was friendly. I hope they hire a few extra hands ;) Either way, we will be back on our next Winchester visit! -
Review from Sara M.
11/16/2009
Why isn't this fantastic pub closer to home? We found ourselves in Winchester for dinner and didn't find a lot of Yelp reviews for anything in the area. Start Yelping, people! This pub is located along the pedestrian mall in old downtown Winchester, along with a number of other cute restaurants, bars, and shops. But since it was a Sunday evening, The Union Jack was one of the only places open. The British menu had us hooked!
The atmosphere is warm and cozy, nice high ceilings in the dining room and simple decor. Our server brought us a very impressive beer list - sorted by origin and described thoroughly. Very nice. They've got a lot of imports and microbrews, as well as plenty of hard cider and a decent wine list as well. It was very hard to decide, but I chose the Magner's Irish cider and wasn't disappointed. I will definitely be looking at their beer list online as inspiration for future purchases - there were so many interesting ones!
We got the Yorkshire pudding for an appetizer and it was excellent. Don't expect a custard-like "pudding" - this is a pastry with meat and gravy. The entrees were all fantastic. The fish and chips featured a GIANT fillet of fish, breaded beautifully and served with good fries and a side of mushy peas (Brits love their mushy peas). The lamb shank was also huge, very tender and served in a nice thick gravy. And the Sunday-only full English breakfast was definitely authentic. Everything was fried (even the tomatoes) and the plate was heaped with baked beans and English-style bacon.
We were pretty full after all of that, but the dessert menu was also very tempting. So we splurged and split the bread pudding with chocolate and dried cherries and cranberries. And I'm so glad we did! Mmmm. I also got a framboise lambic float - a scoop of vanilla ice cream floating in sweet Belgian raspberry beer. It was divine. I have a bottle of the same lambic at home and may have another one of these tonight!
We drove two hours back home feeling very full and satisfied... and now I'm trying to find another excuse to go to Winchester and return to The Union Jack!
P.S. Check out the crazy high-tech Japanese hand dryers in the bathrooms! -
Review from Jay M.
Winchester, VA
12/20/2008
It does look like quite the bar! If I was only rating it on the bar area, then perhaps I would have an entirely different review. The design and decoration of the establishment is top notch, quite amazing actually. Wish there hadn't been a private party upstairs so we could have checked it out too, but if the first floor with its 20? 25? foot ceilings are any indication, I'm sure the appoints are superb there too. What I thought was missing, at least from my experience in pubs in London are cozy four poster booths.
However, this isnt a review about the bar or the decor, my review is about what we were going there for: food and service. I was wanting a Shepard's Pie (only available at lunch evidently) and a nice evening at a table talking with my wife with attentive flowing service and good food. This is not the place for that. Granted, it is the first week, so the kitchen and the wait staff can only improve (I hope) in attentiveness and speed.
The food was VERY British, and by that I mean, not so tasty, but if you're in London, you'll find the same! I had the Chicken and Lump Crab cake with Jacket Potatoes and French (Cut?) Green beans. The chicken was good, the crab was just crab with no real seasoning or breading in the cake. The green beans were not good, certainly not French (cut). My Jacket Potatoes, weren't. I had never had them before but a quick search of the Internet from my phone made them sound awesome. Either the kitchen messed up and served me the wrong thing or frankly their fingerling potatoes are the same as their jacket potatoes. Disappointed.
The did have a good drought beer selection. However, this is Winchester, Virginia... most of the good beer is going to be flat within a week or two. I had a nice Belgium though, and it was quite tasty (Delirium Nocturnum Belgian Ale). But I'm not sure my fellow Winchesterians are going to venture to good beer when they have cheap bad beer available... at least not often enough to keep fresh kegs in place.
I would give the place 2.5 stars if I could, it is a LOT like the pubs I've been to in London, so they have caught the right atmosphere and food.
However the service really sucks right now, it was a Friday night... and it was their very first Friday night ever. The staff was friendly, if not frequently seen. It took about 10-15 minutes before we got our menus. Then about 10 minutes for our drink and appetizers orders to go in. The drinks came back around after about 10 minutes, then appetizers came after about another 20 minutes, then the meals came about 30 minutes after the appetizers, then it took about 10 minutes after we asked for the check to get it. I paid in cash instead of my Amex just to avoid the further delays. One and a half hours, for what should have been a quick pub meal.
I felt bad for the waitress, because there was no way she was getting tips from anyone else, so we left a nice 50% tip... hopefully we didn't encourage the slow behavior though, I just felt bad for her with so many fellow diners looking upset and some even walking out before drink orders. -
Review from Chris P.
Winchester, VA
5/11/2010
NICE!
My wife and I were treated for lunch there by a local bank rep. Walked in and got a warm greeting. The waitress was tossing out tasty ideas since it was our first time there. Loved the atmosphere. I had the bangers & mash. Loved it! My wife had the grilled portobello mushroom sandwich and really liked it. Also we shared a dessert which was a cherry/cranberry/chocolat/custard bread pudding. D-Lish! Again, our waitress was solid. Attentive to needs and knowledgeable. Now we need to try dinner there. -
Review from Carl S.
Bridgewater, NJ
9/9/2009
Enjoyed the fish and chips. The draft nut brown ale was also good.
The atmosphere was open and comfortable. I was there on a Friday night and the crowd started to pick up about 9 when the live music started. -
Review from Lucy L.
Winchester, VA
12/28/2008
Had a lovely time at Union Jack last night. We hung out in the bar area which is honestly one of the nicest I've seen in awhile. The beer and wine selections offered a little something different from the typical Winchester scene. Mark the bartender was top notch (and his cute British accent certainly doesn't hurt!). We had the bangers and chips appetizer which was very tasty..not fabulous but then again I can't remember ever having truly fabulous bangers and mash or chips anywhere.
We had a good time here and look forward to returning soon...definitely the new "it" place to hang out! -
Review from William G.
Winchester, VA
5/24/2011
Food is solid, beer selection unmatched in town, and no other bar has Mandy working there, either. A++!
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Review from Dave J.
Winchester, VA
12/17/2008
Just opened. This is the nicest bar/pub in Winchester. Union Jacks would be a nice pub in any city in the USA. Great location on the walking mall, great decor. It really has a classic British Pub feel. Food is very good, tons of beers, many of them British. 24 drafts with only 3 being light beers. Lots of bottled beers also, great collection of spirits. Staff is super friendly. Prices very reasonable. Can't say enough good things. A little disorganized but they have only been open 3 days. Considering that fact I give it 5 stars. My new hang out.
Went back on a Saturday, food once again very good. Though the food service was spotty. The place was packed and everyone was having a great time. This was day 6 of operation and all things considered nothing has changed. Will update in a month or so. -
Review from Donna-Marie W.
Winchester, VA
Updated - 5/27/2009
Ok, went back a second time. Kinda had to force my husband.
Glad we did! Food was amazing! I got the Chicken Tikka Masala. i love curry, so really wanted to try it! It was awesome! I could definitely eat it every night. It was very different than the curry dipping sauce served with the chips. That too would make an awesome curry!
My husband had the Braised Lamb Shank. He said it was the best lamb he has ever had! My dad had the Two Grilled 6 oz. Mustard Rubbed Pork Chops and my mom had the fish and chips. They both loved their food!
Waitress. I believe her name was Stacey. Was great! She was a drink genius! Which is the perfect match for us! Suggested lots of new drinks based on what we liked. Very helpful!
Upstairs was cool. Looks like the second floor is an area you can reserve for parties and stuff. 3rd was a bar with tables and a stage.
very cool!
can't wait to go back!!Listed in: Winchester, My favorite's
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/22/2009
OK, being from Scotland and missing the food, i drag my husband; and who ever else is around at the… Read more »
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Review from Michael B.
Winchester, VA
6/29/2010
This is a great bar! Great atmosphere, but if you are hungry for more the soppage try elsewhere. The food is totally bland. I was very disappointed.
Will go back for drinks. -
Review from Warren A.
Omaha, NE
4/24/2010
Lots of beer to choose from, but definitely overpriced, although they will give you samples of the draft beers and can offer really good advice when selecting. We tried the artichoke dip for an early appetizer and it was pretty darned good - I wish they served it with a few more chips. We ran out and asked for more (for which they charged us). The second batch of chips came out nice and warm and made a huge improvement on the dip. Ask for fresh chips.
The fish and chips were plentiful and tasty but hideously overpriced.
Over all, an OK experience but worth trying. -
Review from Mike H.
Martinsburg, WV
3/1/2011
False advertising & poor quality food! I recently visited the restaurant with the intent of using 1 of 3 http://Restaurant.com gift certificates I purchased. If you haven't used one of these I would suggest checking them out. When you purchase them on the website the clearly state any special instructions (ie minimum purchase amount or exclusions such as particular days or alcohol). The 3 Union Jack certificates only stated the minimum purchase amout which EVRY certificate has. It did NOT exclude alcohol and I know of other user of these certificates that did purchase food & alcohol using this. Upon paying the bill the employee informed me that start this past week they no longer with allow alcohol to be part of the purchase.
I attempted to contact the general mgr, after callling her for 2 days, with no returned calls from the msg I left at the restaurant & her cell phone. Finally, I called a 5th time and was able to speak with her. She said I should have presented the gift certificate when I arrived. I don't know of anyone who offers up a gift certificate before you make a purchase. I will NOT give them my business again! Needless to say I wasted money on 3 Gift Certificates which will never get used. Thank God http://Restaurant.com gave me a credit for these certificates!
I will say-- they had a good selection of beer but the food was bad. I took them 3 attempts to get the potato chips correct, which was an appetizer yet came out after our meals. The fish & chips had no taste. Thanks God for Malt vinegar and the french fries where mushy. The only mushy thing I order were the mushy peas. -
Review from Michael M.
Round Hill, VA
4/6/2011
Beer selection alone is enough to bring me back again and again but top it off with good suggestions from Nikki behind the bar on both brews and food and it was a winning early dinner. Had the pseudo french dip and truly hand cut fries. Roast beef was deliciously seasoned but the bun was cold and the au jus was pretty bland. Still a 5 star rating thanks to Nikki - service is what most places seem to suck at - not this place, at least not w/Nikki at the helm. Thanks for a good time and a good value.
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Review from Kristina C.
Winchester, VA
12/14/2010
I may be bias since I spend most of my time here, but absolutely love this place. The drink special are always fabulous and worth it. The staff is attentive, knowledgeable and entertaining. This is one of few places in Winchester I know of with good hummus on the menu. The salmon is always cooked perfectly and the Marsala is beyond savory. I never imagined myself to be a bar fly, but this place makes me come back at the very least once a week.
The main level has a nice open dining area separated from the bar so it makes a good atmosphere to bring family in. The bar area is long and narrow so you are always noticed and waited on. The second level is a lovely sitting area where you can still be waited on for drinks and look out over the dining room. The upper top level has amazing architecture, a small bar and lots of high top tables. Darts are fun and the stage area has a large TV for entertainment when there isn't a band.
I am definitely not a beer drinking, but even I can be impressed with the amount of brews this place offers. Whats great, if you are not a beer drinker or you are and are curious about some of the beers, the bartenders will offer small samples to help you try out and find a new favorite beer.
Go here at least once, any day of the week. On Wednesdays they have $2 martinis for their happy hour. I will most likely be there if you come on a Wednesday ;) -
Review from Kristina G.
Herndon, VA
10/11/2010
Went in around 4pm yesterday (sunday) with my MIL and husband, looked like there were a few people at the bar and sitting outside, maybe 2 other tables inside. Very nice looking, tall ceilings. Was very excited to try the food. Took about 6mins for the waitress to come by for drink orders, then she dropped them off and left, came back in another 10mins. Finally we ordered, husband hates peas but they said the shepard`s pie was already pre-made so they couldn`t take them out. He ordered it anyways. MIL ordered the fish and chips minus the mushy peas, and I ordered the Tikka Marsala. Food took about 20-30 mins to come out. We were able to watch the football game on the TV but also got to listen to some waitstaff bitch about having to stay and work, this put a rotten taste in my mouth. I don`t want to come to a resturant and listen to waitstaff bitch, I want to enjoy dinner with my family. Finally the food arrived, first off it was warm like it was sitting there for a while. MIL`s food- Great fish portion I must say, however it was warm to touch (fried food sucks if it doesn`t get served right when it comes out of the fryer), greasy. The fish lacked any seasonings what so ever! Didn`t even notice any salt. The fries were burnt and mushy. She did not like her dish and just picked at it.
Husband`s shepard`s pie looked like something you would order from KFC. Mashed potatoes covered the ground lamb and vegtables, plus tons of peas. Very unseasoned as well. Mine looked like it was plated with no sense of pride. Shrimp around the rice with curry sauce. I love indian food and eat it often, was looking foreward to eating this dish. I took the first bite, shrimp cooked perfectly I might add! However the curry sauce was sour and tasted like curry paste, very gross. I ate one shrimp and was finished, couldn`t stomach it. We just asked for the check and left. Was super excited to see a new resturant in old town, however they need to retrain their chef and waitstaff!!! Will not be coming back here, and def. going to give my two cents when someone suggest dinner here. blah....... -
Review from Alison M.
Kansas City, MO
9/24/2010 1 Check-in Here
The Union Jack had a nice atmosphere and was located on cute street in the old town area of Winchester. Late at night we sampled the veggieburger, fries and onion rings with a group of post-wedding partiers, and were happy with what we got. The third floor has a nice exposed brick feel and the service was reasonably timed. The outdoor seating area looked appealing, and if in the area I'd happily return to this establishment.
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Review from Beth B.
Bentonville, VA
5/5/2009
We go to Union Jack's for their incredible selection of beer. If you don't see what you want, be sure to ask the bartender. Great selection of Belgians and interesting IPAs. Lots of beers on tap that are rotated pretty regularly. Great happy hour pricing. Beautiful bar with lots of seating. The food is typical pub food which is pretty consistent.
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Review from Lauren B.
Augusta, WV
2/22/2009
Having read the previous reviews before we went out, I had high expectations for the atmosphere, medium expectations for the food, and low expectations for the service. My expectations were met and exceeded on all counts.
Union Jacks is a newly-opened British pub in a beautifully restored 1920s building. The space was very impressive with high ceilings on the main floor that featured a dining room and lively bar area with high tables and a long packed bar. The second level has a cozy sitting area, and the third level features more dining, a "wet bar" and the stage where we enjoyed a talented, young jazz quartet.
The menu includes plenty of options at reasonable prices and anything the menu may lack, in my mind, is compensated for by the awesome beer selection! We stuck with some of the classics for dinner (fish and chips and shepard's pie), which were pretty standard but still tasty. For starters we tried the cauliflower ale soup and asaparagus tips (in puff pastry with stilton) which were both delicious!
As for the service, it may have been a little slow but it was saturday and the place was packed. Our server was very friendly and kept a good pace between courses and made sure our beers were full.
I'm giving Union Jacks five stars to boost their overall rating--the deserve it! We'll definitely be going back. -
Review from Kayla K.
Falls Church, VA
11/23/2009
Last night was my first time here. It was amazing! Good vibe the whole night. one thing I hated is that your drinking in this narrow space so it gets crowded pretty quick.
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Review from Y.H W.
Richmond, VA
2/15/2010
excellent choice of microbrews and a decent selection on draft. I did not order any food, but they do have hot chocolate. Pricey but fits in the area.
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Review from Nicole C.
San Diego, CA
3/11/2010
What can I say....I need a good pub in my proximity and I found it at Union Jack. Excellent choice of microbrews and traditional fare of draft. It doesn't hurt that I felt my son's first movement, in the womb, on my husband's birthday here. Looking forward to many more happy memories and fantastic libations.
