- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Union League Cafe
Rating Details »
- Hours:
Mon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Mon-Thu. 5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Fri. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
- Parking:
- Street, Garage
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good for:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
20 reviews for Union League Cafe
Reliable and expensive high-end French food in a refined setting. Steak frites, duck, mussels, creme bruleé, you get the picture.
Preferable for lunch as the the prices are more moderate and the service quicker.
I hate to do this, but some things just have to be said!
I'll start with a little bit of background: I look like a 17 year old but I am actually muuuch older than that, and I think this is the reason why I always get shotty service at amazing restaurants, and it's getting a little old, dammit!
My husband and I went here for our FIVE YEAR anniversary. We've just moved to New Haven and I thought that there couldn't be any place better than 'New Haven's Finest' for our big night. I left this place saying multiple times "this place just ruined our anniversary" and I almost cried on the drive home.
Our waiter pretty much forgot about us. The restaurant wasn't too busy and wasn't too empty and he constantly waited on the table right next to us without ever checking on our table. I couldn't tell you his name because he never introduced himself! He never gave us our bread and we ended up getting it in the middle of our meal when a manager or somebody realized we had none. When we were finished with our dessert he cleared up the table but NEVER came back to give us our check. He gave the table next to us their check but never ours. So that was cool. After 20 minutes of us sitting at a completely empty table my husband had to get up and ask another waitress if we could please have our check.
This is a very upscale restaurant and I don't care what the waiters think of me or my age but MY $200 CHECK IS AS GOOD AS ANYBODY ELSE'S $200! So give me the same great service, I mean c'mon! This place gets 2 stars from me instead of 1 because yes, the food is freaking great. But I promise I will never come back because no matter how good the food was at the time, all I remember is how horrible this place made me feel on...did I say this already?... OUR FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!
I've been through this same scenario so many times my husband and I are seriously considering buying business cards that say "You got a crappy tip because you gave us crappy service, not because we're 'young'." But since my husband is such a good guy this d-bag got a normal tip anyways, and ruined my night on top of it. I will never be back and I'm sorry for that.
Ranting over. I'll go get plastic surgery now to look like I'm 70 years old, so maybe then I'll get some respect!
On a random side note I would like to give props to the woman at the drive-thru windows at the McDonald's on Dixwell and Putnum. She always gives me the best customer service from any food place I've ever been to! Maybe Union League Cafe could go take some notes!
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
Union League is not my first choice for a fine evening out in New Haven - that distinction belongs to Ibiza - but it really is a great restaurant. I've managed to dine here (the atmosphere is one in which you "dine" rather than "eat") a few times, and haven't had a bad experience.
The food isn't consistently wonderful, but when it sings, it sings. Some highs are the duck confit (juicy, tender, wonderful, with watercress, walnuts, green apples, and a nice potato galette), a gorgeous chopped beet and blood orange salad, and a simple delicious creme brulee. Lows have never been unacceptable, just very boring. The worst thing I've tried is a restaurant week dessert that doesn't appear to be on the regular rotation - cold poached pears. The accompanying pumpkin bread was pretty on point, but the main element was just rather flat. Other mehs were a bare-bones organic green salad and a chicken and peas dish at a banquet. Budget constraints meant uncontroversial options, though, so I can cut them a little slack. After all, they have their unadventurous clientele to think of.
Which is to say, I picture the average Union League diner as having a couple decades on me and maybe a few less teeth. This may be unfair. It's just that the feel of the place, while lovely and calm, isn't what I'd call fun. It isn't a place to go overboard with the wine, and you might want to change into your Hula Hank's clubwear after you eat. But whatever, sometimes you want a nice, quiet night with a nice, quiet meal, and at these times, Union League is there for you.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (1)
I have a meal here every time I'm in New Haven, and the place doesn't disappoint. Food is well prepared and the portions are reasonably sized. Definitely a place to go for a memorable, unrushed meal.
When New Haven's "Restaurant Week" concept was announced, I knew that this would be my best opportunity to finally try Union League Cafe. It's not very often that you get a complete three course meal there for $29 ($49 with a paired wine for each course).
I know this wont be the likely experience for others, but this was a great dining experience for me. The place was packed with a much more varied clientele then the other reviews may suggest, including several young professionals and students. We were seated immediately, even though we had arrived fifteen minutes prior to our reservation. Our waiter was extremely efficient and friendly.
The food was either a big hit or a slight miss. My fare, the country style terrine, a pike fillet, and a roast pear were all excellent. They also were paired exceptionally well with the accompanying wine. However, my wife did not enjoy her mushroom soup (with foam??), and her pumpkin / orange creme dessert lacked distinct pumpkin-ness.
All in all, it was worth the experience of eating at one of New Haven's most recognized culinary destinations. If they're not booked solid for restaurant week, try to sneak in there. If they are, it might be a bit harder to justify the value of what you're getting: Very Fancy, Very Friendly, Very French. Very Good.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (1)
I went for the Restaurant Week dinner, and my overall impression was old-school, not stuffy. Not terribly rich, or all overwrought fushion. Classics, with maybe a kind of Alsatian emphasis. The wine pairings were amazing.
If I went back, I'd skip dessert - my poached pear was pathetic, and the creme brulee was nothing special - but I'd feel excited about ordering anything on the menu: fish, fowl, meat. And I'd definitely ask for a wine recommendation, which I never do, because at most restaurants I think it's a sham.
This is the best French Restaurant within 30 miles. It is a Wonderful restaurant. The food is uniformly excellent. The service is usually good- but sometimes a bit obsequious. I've been here for lunch and dinner multiple times and I have never been disappointed.
The presentation is excellent and I've liked everything on the menu, with the exception of dessert. I have had mixed experiences with their desserts- the chocolate souffle is great, other choices are so-so.
It is a dressy (almost formal) restaurant and I've had friends say that it can feel stuffy, but I've always felt comfortable and treated well.
I was sorely disappointed by ULC.
I am a 25-yo young professional, and I felt terribly out of place at this stuffy restaurant. I enjoy getting dressed up and enjoy fine dining, but this was anything but...
The restaurant reminded me of the dining room at an unpopular country club. The decor was drab, the restaurant was empty at an 8 on Friday, and what was left of the sparse crowd looked 60+.
Prices were fair compared to the market.
Service was overbearing and brooding, seemingly watching my every move over my shoulder.
To start, I had the SALADE D'PINARDS ET ROQUEFORT
8.75. It was simple but delicious.
For a main dish, I had the FILET BARNAISE 32.50
(Grilled 8 oz. tenderloin of beef, French fried potato "Pont Neuf," watercress, Barnaise sauce)
This petite tenderloin was cooked perfectly to medium rare, but lacked even the most basic seasoning. A simple cluster of watercress and a few delicately stacked lincoln log-ish frites completed the plate.
All in all, this dining was anything but fine: the food was pedestrian; the atmosphere was uninviting (looked like a struggling restaurant), the prices were steep (as expected); and the service was sub-par.
Also, I know this is really neither here nor there, but did anyone else have the hardest time just finding his/her way into the restaurant? I thought I was in the wrong place when I opened the door from the street and saw an elevator...
People thought this was:
- Useful (3)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (1)
Rating: 3.5 stars
Came here for a graduation dinner. First observation made by all my family members: Older crowd.
Service: It was good, but also was expected at a restaurant of this caliber.
Food: Generally we were all very pleased with our selections (rabbit, lamb, duck, halibut). The favorites were the rabbit, duck, and lamb. The halibut was a tad bit overcooked. However the sauce helped to make up for the well doneness. The lamb was moist and cooked to perfection. My cousin really enjoyed her rabbit and it was her first time eating it. For dessert we had the special which was the strawberry and cream neopolitan. This was good, but not anything special. However, the crepe with some sort of orange zest/flavor was absolutely wonderful.
This is definitely not your everyday go to restaurant, but is good choice for a nicer occassion. This place was rated highly in Zagat, but maybe I'm accustomed to the standards of New York that Union League doesn't rank quite up to the restaurants in NYC. But in all fairness to the restaurant, it was still a pleasant dining experience.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (1)
Wonderful classic French food. Their unchanging menu doesn't offer much excitement, but you can count on consistent quality.
As much as I didn't want to believe it, some of the criticisms are deserved. I sort of expected everything to be spot on here, and while my country style terrine (1st course) and pike (2nd course) were delicious, the orange creme caramel was average. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. Even worse, my friend's pear with chocolate sauce was god awful. I don't know if it was the chocolate sauce, which was probably not Hershey's but kind of tasted like it was, or simply the fact that it lacked vanilla ice cream (which it sorely needed), but it was an unspectacular ending to an otherwise very good meal. I'd go back again, but I'll skip dessert next time.
People thought this was:
- Useful (3)
- Funny (3)
- Cool (3)
Our Union League Cafe experience was much anticipated, and we finally got to try it for my birthday. While the quality and presentation of the food was excellent, and our waiter was a perfect little French man, I left feeling a bit empty. I blame that partially on the rain storm that caused us much frustration in getting there, and the fact that our umbrella was stolen when we went to leave and pick up back up from the stand (and this was a very nice umbrella, my friends!). When we inquired about the umbrella to the mâitre'd, they were rather unhelpful and unsympathetic. I'll definitely try this place one more time (out of respect for Jacques Pepin, whom I love -- the owner of ULC is his best friend), but if it's not fantastic, I'll be sure to let you know!! Despite all this commentary, the food was still excellent.
People thought this was:
- Funny (1)
A lot of people rave about Union League, and it's a big deal to go. My friends took me for my birthday one year and granted, it was fun to go out when you're 20 to a nice dinner in a former home that hosted George Washington when he came to New Haven, it's not THAT great when it comes to pricey food.
The first time I had the risotto here, I liked it. The second and third times I had the risotto here, I decided it was only so-so.
The rest of the food was immemorable as well. Oh well.
The oysters are popular here and it's usually where parents take their children when they come to visit.
Of the more "upscale" places in NH, Union League is OK, but I'd take my business elsewhere.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
I loooove French food. To me, there are few things better than a fabulous French meal. And I have been raised to know my French food: my first trip to Europe when I was 11 was to Paris, and my graduation gift was a month long trip to the French Riviera. Alain Allegretti is also a very close friend of my family (he was the executive chef of Le Cirque and The Ritz-Carlton). So I was incredibly excited to eat French food in New Haven. But now it just makes me sad.
The "normal" americanized foods were fine, and the wine and service were spot-on. However, other traditional foods, like foix gras, were over salted. In fact, last time I was there, the food was so consistently over-salted that we left after appetizers.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
I attended a very large party gathering here (a work conference) and the selections they had for dinner was amazing. I had a spinach salad with bacon and a blue cheese for an appetizer, then the steak with au gratin potatoes and green beans for dinner, and a super amazing hazelnut mousse cake for dessert.
I would have to say that I wouldn't necessarily categorize this place as French even though they use the words on their menu and are really doing the hoity toity thing here. I think it's more like just classical cooking with French influences.
If it were possible, I'd give Union League two different ratings--one for their raw bar, another for everything else. They have the best raw bar in New Haven, with a broad selection of extraordinarily fresh and complex oysters (usually two or three varieties, both New England and imported) and Little Necks to die for (seriously, I didn't realize that a raw clam could taste so clean until I had them here). The entrees are, in my opinion, a bit bland--they suffer from a kind of old-school French heaviness that I find a little cloying, a little boring. The ingredients themselves, on the other hand--particularly the meats--are of the very best, as one would expect, but the overall experience is resolutely traditional, not to say reactionary. Additionally, the service, while extremely competent, is somewhat brusk, and I don't believe I've ever been in a busy restaurant where the servers looked more unhappy. The panoptical manager, keeping an intimidating eye on staff and customer alike, certainly does not relax one.
My boyfriend took me here for our anniversary, and I loved it! =) I had the chilean sea bass with spinach puree and literally it melted in my mouth. I do have to say the decor and ambiance reminded me a bit of a old stodgy hotel lobby and we were definitely the youngest couple dining that night, but the food is definitely worth it.
People thought this was:
- Funny (1)
Union League Cafe is a good dining experience, as long as you go in with the right expectations. It purports to be the best fine dining in New Haven, but it's more of a scene than a restaurant. As other reviewers have pointed out, one look across the dining room and it becomes apparent that the crowd is older, whiter, and more conservative. A "relaxed" dining experience it's not.
But the service is impeccable (as it should be). The food is merely okay. Despite the animal rights protesters who inevitably plant themselves outside the restaurant during dinner hours, the foie gras just isn't all that great. The rest of the food is fine, but doesn't hold a candle to Bespoke or Ibiza.
Still, many people see the Yale experience as incomplete without a meal here. I'm inclined to agree... just don't expect to be wow-ed.
My boyfriend and I went to Union League this past weekend. We had an amazing meal. I would actually say that this was the best meal I have ever had. The total experience was wonderful. I loved the atmosphere, the wait staff is very detail oriented and friendly, and the food was out of this world. I started with a shrimp dish and my boyfriend had duck. Both were great. I had the beef tenderloin, which was cooked exactly how I love it and he had the bass, which was perfect. And we had wine, coffee, and dessert. An evening of indulgence, and though it was pricey, it was worth every penny.
I would give this place 5 stars if the service were better because the food is really first-rate: neither overly fussy, nor overpriced for the quality of the dishes and the surroundings. Stick with Frenchy things (the duck, the steak, the mussels) and you won't leave disappointed. I really wish Union League would open a bakery because their baguettes are the most authentic I've had in ages...
