Union Hall
702 Union St
(between 4th Ave & 5th Ave)
Brooklyn, NY 11215 (718) 638-4400
104 Reviews for Union Hall
I love Union Hall. Now to be fair, I can't comment on the supposed douche bags that litter the bar area. I only come for the Sunday night comedy shows. There's always a good crowd, always fun new talent and always a great time. And I truly appreciate the 3 dollar PBR & Buds, because sometimes you don't want to waste your entire paycheck on getting a buzz.
Here's the secret to Union Hall, it attracts frat boys, sorority sisters, and goombas from all over the 5 boroughs so if you go, you need to roll heavy. That means at least 4 people in your party, otherwise some bitchy girl in a sparkly top is sure to move her belated 28th birthday party all over your drinks.
"Tara, this is Devon - She was in my sorority at Colgate."
Think ahead - bring pepperspray.
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And lucky me, I get to be the 100th review for Union Hall.
Imagine if you will, you goto a show to see this woman:
http://i30.tinypic.com...
And she and her drummer play this song:
http://youtube.com/wat...
That's a good time already, ain't it?
Throw in bookshelves full of books, two lanes of bocce, a bar that serves an inordinate amount of beer - including my beloved Harpoon, being in the center of the NYC Music Blogosphere, and a companion who has more musical knowledge in one finger than I will ever have in my entire lifetime, and it's a night to remember.
Were there hipsters there? Sure there were, but not too many and the ones that were there were really cool and laid back. Except for the one dude, who it seemed came straight from the Himalayas right to the show, because his backpack was ginormous. So ginormous that people would trip on it, because this idiot refused to move it for anyone.
That notwithstanding, it was still a great night. I wholeheartedly recommend the bar and lounge area upstairs, because its pretty relaxing and has an outstanding jukebox. They played "California Stars" by Billy Bragg and Wilco, for god's sake!
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The nerd/closet semi-hipster inside of me was really drawn to the library/bocce court.
I came here on a weekend with a bunch of friends- had a pretty standard good time then my roommate and I had just enough drinks in us when we discovered the dj playing the 80s dance party in the basement. Still one of the best dance parties I've ever had.
My roommate especially scored since he kept drinking abandoned beers he found scattered around the stage leftover from the band that played. Don't worry, they weren't used beers, we're not that ghetto.
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douche bag central. Where do these people come from?
white hats and dick head bouncers...the worst of the frat crowd mixed with bouncers who think they are at the tunnel.
this place should've opened in hoboken.
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On paper Union Hall looks like a 5 star spot. Outdoor seating/smoking, long accommodating bar, food, fireplace, library, cozy downstairs venue. Bocce ball? check.
It's the crowd that's a potential problem, but easy enough deal with if you're well adjusted, or among friends. Hopefully many friends. Love seeing bands play in the little venue, the bartender down there is great. Union Hall: The coolest frat house you'll ever go to.
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I really liked this place until Saturday night 04/12/08. I was entertaining a few out of town folks and wanted to share the great appetizers and drinks that Union Hall impressed me with.
This issue was with the bouncer that claimed there was a line?!?! I hope the Union Hall proprietors realize that a stuck up Manhattan attitude wont work in Brooklyn and park Slope. There was a group of 6 people in front us that were immediately turned off and walked away. The bouncer didn't like where I was standing and told me to move. He can frankly kiss my ass because I can stand where ever I want. Someone should send his power trip to Manhattan. The funny thing was a Union Hall manager type was sitting in the temporary vestibule and witnessing the entire situation and seemed to approve.
It doesn't take long to ruin a good night and I probably won't be back. They are doing a great job on the inside, but they have to get rid of the attitude at the door. There are too many spots to hang out in Brooklyn, where we should all enjoy a laid back vibe. I hope they rectify the situation so that I can erase this review and give them praise.
i love how this bar is one part cool bar, one part library, one part bocce ball. its interesting reading a lot of the reviews of this place, they are very negative about the crowd. i guess i was there on the right night (wednesday) because it wasnt that crowded at all and i didnt notice anyone too obnoxious. we easily found seats and enjoyed hanging out for a while over some beers. i would love to go back, although maybe i will keep it to a week night?
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randomly walked in here for a beer on a Sunday afternoon and was tripped out at the Bocce ball lanes in the place. Everyone had their drink on and was having fun. Noticed band room downstairs. Noticed this place is clean. Bartender nice. Beer list not very good. Not sure I would go back unless I became old enough to want to play Bocce ball
It's ok. happy hour has decent prices. food's ok. clientele is a bunch of douchebags as far as I can tell.
Went here for the first time earlier this week for "Mother Tongue," the adult spelling/grammar bee held on the lower level.
Before the fierce competition got under way, my friends and I grabbed some food and beverage on the main floor. I thoroughly enjoyed the British boarding school decor. Although as I sat on one of the plush couches sipping my Jack & Coke, I definitely expected Professor Snape to materalize at any minute to chastise me for underage drinking.
Food was fantastic. Pretty reasonable prices too. I ordered the Triple Threat, the not-so-poor-man's White Castle Slider Special. Union Hall's "mini burgers," however, were not so mini - so I could only finish two. They were delectable, as were the fries. And I am very particular about my fries.
The spelling bee words and grammar questions were surprisingly difficult. The inability of most people to answer correctly was only exacerbated by the copious amounts of alcohol being consumed. Though the emcee had an enjoyably dry sense of humor, the proceedings were slow and definitely boring. I wouldn't recommend attending, unless you're a true bee aficionado.
Looked longingly at the bocce courts on my way out at the end of the night. Would love to go back and play a round. But as previous users have said in their reviews, the crowds probably get mad annoying on the weekend.
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Oh boy. This place is hard to review. It SHOULD be cool - looks like a library, bocce lanes, pretty cheap beers (and they serve Tecate with lime and hot sauce, which is an interesting but oddly addictive combination). And they play good music, and the lower level is slightly less crowded, a better place to hang out and have a good time with friends (I have witnessed not one but two 'dance-offs' between strangers on the lower level, both were hilarious).
I want to like it.
But, jesus, the people that go there (for the most part) make me want to swear off drinking. Or at least drinking in bars like this. It's full of the kids you didn't like in high school, who wore backwards white baseball caps and called kids who didn't come to the pep-rallies "fags". Only then they went to college and started listening to "alternative" music, and got a bunch of "indie cred" by shopping at Urban Outfitters. And came to this bar to hit on girls ten years younger than them.
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The very good: The lower level has good shows, good acoustics (oddly, considering it's small with low ceilings), and good bands (Ed Harcourt on St. Patricks Day, hell yeah).
The very bad: Order a shot of Jack. It is 100% not Jack Daniels.
Suspect that they are selling well whiskey at $6/pop. Make sure to get a second and third opinion (myself). Confront the bartender, but may be too drunk to be polite and/or funny about it.
***Update 5/5: After receiving a nice email from a Union Hall bartender, I wanted to put it out there that I may have been incorrect on the whole "fake-out" whiskey thing. Still keeping the rating at 3 stars because of the rampant douchebaggery that exists among the bar-goers there. But the booze is good!
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Union Hall is a cool place with a great beer selection. The atmosphere is excellent, with a library vibe upstairs and a burlesque show vibe downstairs, crazy bathroom stalls in a unisex restroom that are more like closets (or a charge-free hookup room), and decent food (good sliders). There are two full bocce ball courts upstairs and they do outdoor seating when it gets warmer.
Honestly, the only real downside to this place is the crowd. When this place is busy it gets _packed_, and a lot of the people who come here are your generic Park Slope hipsters with two much money and not enough common sense, and then on the flipside during the slow hours you get moms who think that an appropriate place to bring a toddler is a tavern. I guess the fact that the Gymboree doesn't serve liquor put them off of more traditional places to bring kids.
Still, it's a great bar with a wide selection, decent food and a nice atmosphere.
While I absolutely loved Union Hall the 2 times I was there, I can't rate it 5 stars due to the fact that I wasn't around in the evening when the apparently lame crowd upstairs ruin all the fun. I can say that Saturday and Sunday afternoon are perfect for a visit though.
The upstairs features a spacious, library-like setting with bookshelves, framed artwork and great seating, not to mention 2 full bocce courts, something I've never seen in a bar before. The staff was friendly, the food was excellent (beercheese was amazing), and there was quite a bit of seating in the back.
I didn't get to see any of the downstairs, where live shows usually happen, but it looked accommodating enough from the outside. I love the unisex bathroom, which features around 10 separate stalls and plenty of sinks to wash your hands afterwards, which is a must when you're sharing with the opposite sex (as if you should really need a reason to wash your hands afterwards).
Out of all the bars I went to while in Brooklyn, this one was by far my favorite. If you can't deal with idiots on a Friday or Saturday night, try it out during the day instead.
I like Union Hall, but the people who go there really effect my night.
Man, do I feel young here. I feel really, really young. Lots of aging post-ivy-leaguers who still think that their college charm has an effect. Yeah, you were probably cool back at Princeton, but I'm thinking you got chicks by getting chicks drunk. And no, I don't want a drink. No, I don't want to talk to you. No, I don't care what you do for a living. Yeah, I guess that's a nice blazer- no...I don't want to feel the fabric. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. To those men: avoid verbal communication and try to pick up chicks on myspace. Your charm might translate better there.
Secondly, to all the people at Union Hall, or in bars in general, or in public places anywhere, around the world, IF YOU ARE DRUNK AND MAKING OUT WITH SOMEONE- GO HOME. Too often have my nights spent at Union Hall been ruined because two people are heavy-petting on the couch. While I'm sitting there.
Thirdly, drunk people should also not be allowed to play any sport with a ball dense enough to give someone a concussion. I love the sport, but not in a crowded bar.
Union Hall: You know, you can just serve drinks, bounce douchebags and take out the court. You don't need to be a novelty bar to attract people. But you do need to keep you customers in check.
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When I lived in New York, I was pretty anti-Brooklyn. For whatever reason.
But I grudgingly went there a few times, for destination dining and a couple of concerts. Including Laura Gibson and Casey Dienel in early July 2007 at Union Hall.
I walked into the upstairs bar just before the first act went on, but I took a few minutes to look around. Beautiful decor: overstuffed sofas, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, a long wooden bar...and bocce ball courts in the back. As I walked, the clientele moved from chill to chaotic. People were standing alongside the courts, yelling for their teams with beers in hand. Maybe Brooklyn's not so bad, I thought.
Downstairs, a crowd was beginning to gather in the music venue. Nice acoustics, cool bar ($4 glasses of wine?!) and a great intimate vibe.
The coed bathrooms threw me for a minute, but in a city where space is at a premium and there's ALWAYS a line for the women's bathroom but never the men's...why not share the wealth?
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I didn't write this place up yet? huh. Well, ok. It's a rather polarizing place if you couldn't tell. I despise the upstairs. I really do. Despite its potential the crowd that is drawn here is NO FUN and the people who are the bocce rulers really need to settle down. But despite this wretchedly crowded place for Manhattanites who just found Brooklyn's charms there is the downstairs. Great room for great bands and a totally great vibe. It's like high school. All the folks that are THAT way hang upstairs and all the folks that are THIS way hang downstairs. It's preposterous but clique-ish in that same exact way. I'm only here for special occasions (read: rock) ultimately.
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This bar should be amazing considering how many great elements it has (old school library feel, downstairs performance space, mini-patio off to the side). However, I have never had a fun time there.
I don't play Bocce, and because the two lanes take up so much space, the bar gets realllllly crowded on the weekends. I know it's one of the major draws for some of the patrons, but I'd rather they use the space for additional comfy seating. I think that's the thing. There's something uncomfortable about the place. Maybe I should go on a weeknight, when I'm not being endlessly jostled by hipsters or waiting an eternity for a slightly overpriced drink. Except that there's something about the vibe of the place in general I can't pinpoint, something off. Off, like the last glass of wine I had there, which made me sick to my stomach (it tasted weird but I foolishly drank it anyway).
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Everything about this bar should be great.
Occasional good shows.
Nice decor.
Spacious
Unisex bathrooms.
Decent liquor.
However, every time I've been here past 11, there has been at least one monumental asshole, usually many, who are adept at ruining my evening. Hitting inappropriately on my friends. Talking loudly about their drug use. Daring to have graduated from my college five years before me. A college bar for late 20 , early 30 somethings on weekends. It's hand to explain. But I often feel like I've been mooned.
Early on weekdays, it's a nice enough place.
I try to avoid it.
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Union Hall is cool. It's the kind of place you go when you have a group of friends in from out of town and you want to take them somewhere cool thats not intimidating.
The place looks like a giant library with huge bookcases and comfortable leather couches and chairs and 2 bocce lanes - ok, so that's not typical of a library but whatevs...Get there early if you want to play bocce because there always seems to be a long list of people waiting to play. Of course there's always the cool outdoor space where you can wait and have a few beers if you simply must play.
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Comfy space, normal and cool crowd, double fireplace, and two lanes of bacci- that TWO lanes of bacci - come on- how great!?!? and the munchies are above avergae bar food. cheers!
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Love it.
Yeah, it's true, there ARE assholes and pretentious pricks there on occasion-- it's Park Slope, get used to it! But if you have good company and good drinks, it's easy to look past this. Just stay in your own world and it'll be fine.
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It's like two bars for the price of one! (ok, so not exactly..) But it's just cool...or it should be. They have a library and a space downstairs for shows. And they have a Bocce Ball league (good luck joining if you're into that..!) Random, but true. I'm lucky I live about 15 min (walking) away. But for some reason, I don't go all that often. Worth checking out, at least.
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If you come at the wrong time on the wrong night, you might just think Union Hall is the most annoying place ever. It's definitely the go-to place for all the surrounding neighbourhoods, from Boerum Hill all the way down to Windsor Terrace, I'd say. But if you luck out, and it isn't overflowing with pork pie hats and chuck taylors (narf!), you'll have a great time.
Fair prices, nice selection behind the bar, great couch area in the front, and (of course) the storied bocce court in the back. I've never had the food there, but I hear it's great. The "outside area" to the side amounts to little more than a smoking area, which is nice if you smoke and don't want to have to leave the bar in order to have a drag, or if your friends smoke. Downstairs, they have live music and a second bar. The downstairs area is very divey, but they do host great live shows.
Oh, and be sure to check out the unisex toilet with full ceiling-to-floor doors and walls to the stalls. Perfect if you need to pop to the loo to . . . um, take a piss. Or for any more clandestine purposes that you may have, if that's your cup of tea. Just be sure not to turn the stall into your group's own private clown car, because the staff are probably well aware of what people get up to when left to their own devices...
Great Park Slope bar!
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I have been here twice and both reasons were for a comedy show. The feel of the bar is pretty cool.
One thing I love about the place is their sweet potatoe fries. They were cut in huge pieces and tasted pretty fucking awesome.
My gripes are the staff is kind of rude and the food prices are outrageous. They wanted $7 for a salad that had mixed green and plum tamotoes. WTF!?!?! And $2 more to add chicken or steak. Fuck that.
I would go back for the comedy shows.
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Um...this bar is ok...ive certainly been to worse meat markets. Really, the unique decor upstairs (dark wood paneled library and a bocce court) is about the only thing that saves it from being awful. I was dragged here by a friend of a friend who wanted someplace "more happening" to hang out in Brooklyn...this person lives on the UWS and likes bars filled with drunk 22 year olds. Well, then Union Hall was the right choice for you!
I, however, will never come back here again unless im trying to a) get out of a pouring rainstorm or b) they start handing out free money with their drinks.
Union Hall is good stuff. It can get way too crowded, so I try not to go at a peak time. There was one thing that did bother me the last time I was in, and that was that there were kids in there. This I find annoying. Does this make me mean? Maybe. But it's a bar. It's cozy and has bocce, but it's still a bar for adults who may use strong language and don't want to have to look over their shoulder as they might offend some parent or nose picking kid. I mean, it's not Gymboree.
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This bar is too far away from my apartment for me to actually patronize it on late nights and weekends, but I will make the long journey to Park Slope on some Sundays to attend the weekly comedy show in the basement. It's usually a great time no matter who is on the line up, and with $4 Original Sins (my favorite!) and sweet potato fries on the menu, you can't go wrong. I guess hanging out with comedy lovers is totally different from bocce ball lovers, because everyone I've ever run into in the basement is quite pleasant.
This is one of my favorite bars, but I think the food is lacking - granted, I'm a vegetarian. My girlfriend ordered the Frittata today and we were both severely underwhelmed. I've had some of the salads and have also been underwhelmed.
Union Hall has one of the best atmospheres around. It's styled like a library or private study. It has two bocce lanes. I'm not sure what the protocol for playing is. The lanes always look pretty busy.
The first time I went to Union Hall was to see a concert. As far as venues are concerned, it's hard to beat Union Hall. A very small, intimate area. The downstairs (concert area) bar is relatively limited. You might find yourself going upstairs to get a drink if you are particular about what you want to drink. The downstairs bathrooms rule.
The beers are moderately priced and the selection is interesting. They have some rarities, but they also lack some of the old fallbacks that I like to see when I'm not feeling particularly adventurous. My girlfriend was shocked that they didn't offer Brooklyn Lager.
It might be one of my favorite bars in Brooklyn. If you can sit in down by the candle light, you're guaranteed a pleasant night.
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Union Hall leaves me feeling conflicted. It tries to be everything to everyone, with its million forms of recreation. The week-ending crowd reflects this confusion ... this mash-up, this clusterfuck, greasy scenesters vying for position. I prefer Union Hall in the afternoon, by the books with the fireplace, where I can sleepily recline, lazily break a few hearts.
Drinks: 4 stars for a fair selection. They seem to also sell burgers of pedigree off some food menu.
Service: 3.5 stars. Friendly on a slow night; competent when busy.
Music: 3 stars. The usual indie, probably too loud.
Ambience: 4 stars on early weeknights and weekend afternoons; 2 stars at any other time.
Value: 3 stars for Manhattan pricing at a Brooklyn-run establishment. I feel gouged.
Craveability: 2 stars, and yet I pine for their fireplace all the time ...
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I went to the secret science club meeting in the basement and fell in love with the bar. I will definitely be back soon.
There is no cool way to act like you've seen indoor bocce ball before. Union Hall is the first place I have been to with indoor Bocce. I just sat and stared for a while with my jaw hanging open, thinking *genius*. I thought it was cool that some bars offer Guitar Hero, but Bocce is mos def way cooler.
Park Slope, Brooklyn is a lot like parts of San Francisco. It's much like the Mission and North Beach rolled into one. It's a little more gentrified than the Mission I would say... although not by much. Union Hall was kind of like walking into the San Francisco Brewery, except for of course the bocce ball, the spaciousness, and the library of books that line the whole wall to your immediate left.
The crowd is pretty diverse, with a mix of people just getting off work in Manhattan, and dive bar peoples. There is a downstairs area - the night we went (Friday) there was a taxidermy something or other going on... cool, again. If you're in the area, it's definitely a consistent place to stop in for a beer.
We need indoor Bocce Ball in San Francisco, I vote for Gestalt. . .
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hmmm, it has bocce ball. Believe they had Boddingtons on tap, which is always a plus. I suppose it's a good destination if you're in the area, although you'll probably find it packed.
This place has a funky unique library meets bocce meets pub vibe that brings out an eclectic and enthusiastic crowd. The place looks like the library in an old mansion when you walk in - heaps of leather-bound and vintage books line the shelves on the far left wall, and couches and coffee tables beckon for you to pull a book from the shelf and curl up with a tummy-warming Boddingtons Beer.
In the back, of course, there lies the two bocce courts. On my last visit it just so happened to be the Bocce Tournament 2007 - this was quite the serious affair with top Bocce teams, adorned in unique costumes (a la Godfather, a group of skeletons, etc) battled it out for honor and prizes.
And if you venture behind the courts and up the stairs you can find a spot in the cluster of velvet covered chairs and rattan couches and study the wood and glass shelves lined with books and nick nacks.
This is truly a come as you are type place and I love the varied crowd it attracts - not to mention the great selection of well priced beers on tap and the magnanimous bar keeps.
The bocce is great, they have 3 dollar tecates and the smoking patio is lovely; but the real gem of Union Hall is Tearing the Viel of Maya, the enigmatically named comedy show hosted there Sunday nights.
It used to be hosted by Michael Showalter of Stella/ Wet Hot American Summer fame, but has recently been hosted by Eugene Mirman of Videos Made in his Own Apartment Fame (plus he was on Flight of the Conchords and Lucy Daughter of the Devil).
This is the kind of place where you are just as likely to see an up and coming comedian give a break out performance as you are to see a bg named comedian try out new material and bomb horribly. The Park Slope audience is a little finicky, but its delicate sensibilities make it the perfect venue for some truly avante garde comedy.
Don't come looking for A listers, they are rarely listed. Instead just come, laugh and buy me a tecate.
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Bocce. In a bar.
The irony kills me.
Go here once, and you'll remember the place for the rest of your life.
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nice place to hang and pass time.
filled with early 20's to late 30's crowd - most of whom seem single.
the food is crap - but the drinks are good, and i like the chill vibe and nice decor. ( i got semi-stale bread with my burger so i trashed most o' the bread )
maybe next time i go i'll be able to play bocci ball.
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Cool Place, with the Library theme, the fireplace and the bocce ball courts inside the bar. Also they have a good selection of both bottled and draft beers. Went here on a Saturday night and had a good time. Not much more here to say that hasn't been said other than that the crowd is very diverse.
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a nice mix of yuppie scum and parents who were cool 15 years ago and haven't yet accepted that they're yuppie scum, even though they own like six brownstones. In this bar, Park Slope has its own microcosm.
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