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Union Street Public House
Categories: Nightlife Bars Pubs Restaurants American (New) Restaurants Burgers Pubs, American (New), Burgers [Edit]
121 S Union StAlexandria, VA 22314
(703) 548-1785
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 11 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 1 am
Sun 10 am - 10 pm
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Sun, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- Yes
- Drive-Thru:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Touristy, Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
Alexandra K. said: "I was at Babylon Cafe this past Saturday night with my fiance and his best friend, and we had a great time. The best friend is a hookah fan, and the prices were reasonable (at least so I was told), the setting even better, couches…" read more »
115 reviews for Union Street Public House
Review Highlights
"This is probably one of my favorite places in Old Town."
(in 34 reviews)
"Great Happy Hour prices and food."
(in 18 reviews)
"They have Starr Hill (which I love) on tap, as well as..."
(in 4 reviews)
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115 reviews in English
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Review from Chris D.
Arlington, VA
1/10/2012
So this is one of may favorite places to hang out in Old Town, and I've had a tone of fun times with friends here. I may be a little biased as a result.
As an oyster fanatic, I think nobody carries better priced and better tasting oysters in the DC/NOVA region than Union Street. Their locals are often highly briny and fat, perfect for a good dozen-count meal. At $18 a dozen, you'll be hard pressed to find a better deal. Be sure to eat in the back raw bar where the local bartenders and servers bring awesome interactivity with the crowd.
Union Street's also a great joint for general drinking madness and eats. Fellas, if you're on a cougar prowl in Old Town, look no farther than the front bar. The upstairs restaurant area features comfortable seating and a family atmosphere for those days when you're not hunting cougars, so feel free to take the kids too. Try the steaks-- they are DELICIOUS. -
Review from Kim M.
Fairfax, VA
1/2/2012
We had a groupon deal for this place, so we went on a Friday night and had a great time!
We had to wait about 20 minutes for a table, but no big deal since the bar had a happy hour special going. We got a few half off beers (they had hard cider!) and before we knew it our table was ready.
We were seated at a great table upstairs, and even with the open floor concept it was pretty private and quiet. Our server (Carlos?) was great and gave us plenty of time to make a decision. We settled on the calamari to start, and my beau got the short ribs and I had the chicken sandwich. The calamari was pretty good, nothing extraordinary, but was good with the seasoning and the lemon. The short ribs were amazing. No knife required, and the grits they came with was also amazing. I thought the sauce on the sides of the plate was a bit salty, but I also hate salt. My beau loved it though, and created a new definition for cleaning your plate.
The chicken sandwich was good. Big, fat piece of grilled chicken on a good bun! I had them put the mayo on the side, and just enjoyed the plain, juicy chicken. The fries were also pretty good, and those went first (I love my carbs).
Definitely a good time, and would go again. Especially for the happy hour!
One thing I wish was different, or that management would address is they have a 22 oz Fat Tire beer option for $8, which means it would be $4 for happy hour. Apparently they ran out of the 22 oz and were charging the same Mount for a pint. We did not realize it at the time, but be sure not to fall for this! -
Review from Marie P.
Alexandria, VA
12/27/2011
I went here on a Friday for happy hour and had a great time. I enjoyed:
1. The half-priced drinks
2. Decent bar bites menu--liked the tater tots with ranch!
3. Our server was efficient and friendly
4. Warm, cozy atmosphere with plenty of seating available and a noise level that allows you to hear the people you are with -
Review from Katrina W.
Annapolis, MD
1/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
I found the service was great, food was okay but had great lunch deals. Salad, sandwich, & a soup for $10. I was a fan of their oysters & French fries which had a cute presentation of a small pale.
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Review from P. G.
Atlanta, GA
9/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place stinks... literally...
I ordered grilled rockfish. It was decent. My boyfriend ordered cioppino. Probably the most disgusting thing I've ever eaten. Think chef boyardee noodles with a few mussels haphazardly thrown on top.
I think I'm going to nominate this restaurant for Kitchen Nightmares or Restaurant Impossible.
Even after using a Groupon I still feel cheated.
Yuck!! -
Review from Courtney W.
Washington, DC
10/12/2011
Myself and four old friends reunited over brunch at Union Street Public House last Sunday. I had never been to the place before, and had no expectations of what it would be like. It was a perfectly decent and reasonably priced (by local standards) brunch, and we sat there for two peak brunch hours without being rushed or losing our hearing.
Union Street is dim and a bit dingy, but it is a pub after all - and aren't the best of them dim and dingy? Also, I give the Boody Mary's two thumbs up. Spicy, but not too spicy, and they pack a subtle punch. -
Review from Peter K.
8/6/2011
Union Street Public House was okay... a bit overpriced. We had a Groupon though so that made it about what the price should have been for the quality of food we got.
I ordered the gumbo and the wife got the fish and chips. The fish and chips were pretty good, if a bit bland. But at least it was well battered and was good quality fish. The gumbo was really oily; not bad but not among the best gumbos I've ever had. We brought our baby and the staff were very accommodating to us. There was one old lady sitting behind us who gave us an annoyed look though whenever the baby made some noise but whatever.
The restaurant is pretty large so it seems like a good place to go if you have a large group.
One thing I have to comment... they claimed their fish and chips were the best this side of "Marleybone". Anyone who's been in London before would know that it's spelled "marylebone", not "marleybone".
In the end, I don't think it's worth going to unless you have a Groupon or if someone else is picking up the tab.Listed in: Old Town Alexandria, Virginia…
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Review from Sam W.
Alexandria, VA
11/6/2011
strictly speaking for the late lunch/early dinner, it was not good. I had never met a crab cake dip or a chicken salad sandwich I didn't like...until today. Mom had the fish & chips and said it was tasteless. Guess this is only good as a bar, food is authentic bad bar food.
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Review from Cullen M.
Alexandria, VA
10/26/2011
I used to love this place but they no longer take reservations, which makes no sense, especially since they have the space for a large party.
They also used to have a fall menu with Oktoberfest dishes, but no more!
Not sure if they were taken over by new management or what, but its sad that these changes are occurring.
The public house can be divided into three different restaurants: The Bar, the old soda jerk/speak easy, and the upstairs restaurant.
The Bar is your typical bar and gets really crowded with little seating.
The old soda jerk/speak easy is also downstairs and is good for smaller parties, and also has some TV's to watch the games.
Upstairs is a nicer room with alot of space and is ideal for large groups.
the food is usually pretty good and the service is usually pretty reliable. Sadly, I probably won't be going here much any more due to the changes they've made over the last few months. -
Review from Chris S.
7/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Visited for a happy hour / dinner kind of thing. First of all drinks ate half off, which is great.
The food is left wanting. Wings ate grilled , sauceless and non battered. Its not bad but the flavor gets monotonous quick. The loader fries , were supposed to have Cheddar cheese but what came out was a pinkish color and watered down. No bueno. If you're looking fir just drinks this is a place to be , but as far as happy hour snacks , ill pass. -
Review from jamie w.
Kaneohe, HI
9/30/2011
It is an ok place for dinner. I would say it would be better for the bar scene then anything. I had the blue crab dip, which was very flavorful actually a good choice. I had the pumpkin ravioli with a Madeira wine sauce. It sounded like a great idea but I needed a more savory of a sauce to go with the ravioli. the pumpkin ravioli were house made just not there, I think bought from a local place that produces pasta. The flavor was on the sweet but very tasty. The sauce was also sweet so it made for a double whammy of sweetness. If it was a savory sauce, say brown butter with sage it would have given it a new glimpse on life.
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Review from Andrew S.
6/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
After leaving another bar because of a lack of service, a group of 13 of us wandered down the street into the Union Street Public House. We found a high-top in the bar area quickly, and all had drinks in under 5 minutes. Big plus there.
The bar area got crowded quickly, and was a bit noisy, but what does one expect on a nice Friday evening in Old Town? That being said, we were hungry too and asked for a table where all 13 of us could stick together. The dining room was able to accommodate us within 10 minutes, which to me was shockingly good.
The service was great (waiter was on top of stuff with a large group and had a good sense of humor), and the food wasn't too bad either. A little on the pricey side, but once again: Old Town and quality ingredients. Good food shouldn't come cheap.
Overall, I'd go back again to try more on the menu. They had some interesting looking items, but I just wasn't in the mood to experiment too much. Thanks for the good burger and the good service. -
Review from Russell S.
Alexandria, VA
5/20/2011 24 Check-ins Here
One word: Cougartown.
That's not a negative, but there are as many negatives as positives. Food is great, and they even do large group events with food service well. Service is great, people are courteous and timely, and menu is varied with lots of great options, not just the traditional pub fare.
Then night comes, and the place gets packed. If what you're looking for is wall to wall people and music so loud you literally leave unable to speak from yelling in your friends ears, then go - you WILL enjoy the people, and if you're single and looking, you might find someone interesting. If you're looking to hang with friends, talk or catch up on meaningful conversation, either go upstairs and eat or find another bar.
Depends on what you're after, but if you're after what they offer, you'll really like the place. -
Review from MacRae O.
2/28/2011
Now that I'm old, I look for bar features unlike those I sought out in my younger days.
Younger Days Requirements:
1) Cheap beer and rail drinks.
2) Packed wall-to-wall with young, beautiful people, preferably cute boys.
3) Crowded, no place to sit, and so loud you have to scream to be heard. Plus music to drown out your scream-convo anyway.
4) Fried food. "Service" isn't even in my vocabulary yet.
Grown-Up Requirements:
1) Quality draught beers and liquors.
2) Plenty of spots to park my rear.
3) Quiet enough so I can have a conversation with the only cute boy in my life anymore, the husband. And background music from the 80s and 90s so I can say things like, "This was my favorite song in 7th grade!"
4) Good food and good service.
Union Street Public House satisfies most of my grown-up bar needs.
There's a really nice draught beer selection here with reasonable price points ranging from $3 - 7. They have Starr Hill (which I love) on tap, as well as Virginia Native Brewing Company beers and other microbrews.
Despite being a popular spot, there's usually a few spots I can park my rear, from stools at the large, comfortable bar to private booths.
Conversation with your cronies is often not only possible but pleasant. Enjoy the company of friends in the subtle, rustic atmosphere of dark woods, exposed brick, and dim lighting.
And the food -- while rather expensive -- is quite tasty. I like the oysters on the half-shell, served over a bed of ice alongside a nicely acidic cocktail sauce and a unique mignonette featuring finely chopped cucumber and dill. Choose from locals or "out-of-towners." Husband loves the burger here: when you ask for medium-rare you *get* a juicy medium rare with a flavorful char on the outside and cheddar cheese oozing over the patty if you so choose. The accompanying fries have true potato flavor. For $13 the burger could be bigger and the fries more abundant, but the quality is definitely there. Service is neighborly, warm, and attentive.
Good, grown-up times at USPH. -
Review from Lauren C.
Alexandria, VA
5/1/2011
I've been here to drink many times - it's always got a great, diverse crowd and I always enjoy myself. This past weekend I also decided to eat dinner, and I'm very glad that I did!
My boyfriend and I weren't that hungry, but we also wanted more than an appetizer, so we decided to split a chicken sandwich and an entree salad. Our server was nice enough to split both items onto separate plates for us, which was a huge plus! The sandwich was great - and neither of us are big chicken eaters so that's saying a lot. The beet salad with goat cheese was positively out of this world! Seriously, I never would have expected a salad like that to be that good at a pub.
With the two entrees and a glass of wine, we got out of there for $33 (not including the generous tip we left the server because of the care he took in splitting the food up). Not too bad for a sit-down dinner in Old Town. I will be back, both to drink AND to eat! -
Review from Emily C.
San Francisco, CA
Yikes!
As a local, who frequents this bar at least twice a month, I am afraid Union Street is going downhill.
We ate here last night, and nothing about our food went well.
First, I ordered *tips and chips* and was informed that they were no longer on the menu. Ok, so they had redone/updated the menu. They do this about every 3 months-- which is cool because variety and change is good. Unfortunately, that was THE go-to appetizer-- it is the dish they are known for. So we got the chicken wings. They were BURNT....not like well done or crisp or Smokey, but black, covered in charcoal.
Then I got the beet salad. They forgot to put the walnuts on.
After that I received my oysters on a plate. No ice. Errrr....best warm oysters in town.
Then my BF got his salmon. It was a huge slice, but the sauce, pureed root vegetable, looked like a pile of barf. Several sad shredded strips of limp cabbage were strewn across the plate.
Monday nights here just aren't pretty.
In addition to the new menu, it looks like everything went up $1 or $2.
They also don't have a list of prices to add Chicken, shrimp or meat to the salads. These salads are already $13.95 and up now and to add meat or chicken he said it would be $6.95!?!? They took the salmon salad and the steak salad off the menu-- those were much more reasonable priced.
That means $20 bucks for a basic dinner salad now.
Service was still good, but he should have noticed that my four ingredient salad was missing *something*. He also shouldn't have served us BURNT wings and of course no one should have to have warm oysters-- always served with ice people-- if you order 1 or 101 you should get it on ice. It's really a non-negotiable. He also seemed really embarrassed when he said prices to add protein.
I am sure we will go again. Seriously, we used to go here twice a week, but I think it's time to stop eating here. It is fine to get a beer, but no more expensive mediocre meals until they get their shit together. -
Review from Kara K.
1/30/2011
I think I would only venture here again for happy hour. Drinks are pretty cheap ($2 beers, $3 rail drinks, $4 house wine) from 5-7pm, but the food has much to be desired. Had the tuna steak salad...they overcooked the tuna and it was pretty bland.
The atmosphere is pretty good, but I'm pretty sure if I am walking from the King Street Metro that I would be more likely to stop off at Murphy's or The Light Horse since it's about half the distance.
Also, the military goobers with their high and tights seem to love this place for HH. Sausage party!Listed in: Working 9-5 and drinking 5-7.
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Review from Brian G.
Alexandria, VA
6/5/2011
The more I go here the more I love it.
Food is good, drinks are good, ambiance is great, service is awesome! Bartenders are fantastic! A+ it's good for late nights hanging with the friends for top 40 music and a good mix of it. Tis good for families, as well as by yourself for a quick lunch. We always have a great time.
It's my old town safe place that I know will be good ;)
Awesome! -
Review from Richie B.
Kansas City, MO
10/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great ambiance in a historic building. I ordered a Sam Adams Octoberfest at the bar while waiting on friends and the beer was really skunked so I ordered a Fat Tire which never fails. I was pleased to see that I was not charged for the Sam Adams. For dinner I had the ribs and would rate them 3 stars (but I am from Kansas City) my son had the gumbo and it was awesome. So I would recommend a large Fat Tire and the gumbo. The service was very good also.
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Review from Thar H.
Alexandria, VA
5/23/2011
I had my rehearsal dinner here. My wedding theme was beach chic so I was impressed by their Regatta Room.
The food was good and the service was good. The one thing that I would have to advise TREMENDOUSLY is to make sure you get everything on paper and ask for a *proposal* (i.e., room, pricing, time, what exactly is being served) from the banquet manager (Jennifer). Luckily, I did this.
Having been in the food service industry for five+ years and having been a wedding planner, I would have to say she is not the best at her job. They really need to hire someone new. For instance, we asked for a substitution of romaine/iceberg instead of the mixed greens. We thought maybe it would have some sort of julienned carrots or peppers. Nothing. We were eating rabbit food - Ms. Russel should have advised us that it's just mixed greens and no other vegetable. Another thing is that we asked to substitute mashed potatoes for fries. That didn't happen. So, we got fries and mashed potatoes on the side - it was a bit embarrasing (but nothing to really think about thereafter).
Don't get me wrong, the venue is nice. Nice part of town. Wait staff was perfectly accomodating. This was a nice place to have our rehearsal dinner. Just get everything on paper!! Also, if you're getting married, don't sweat the small stuff. Eat your rabbit food and go on your way to the chapel. Thanks for reading this review! -
Review from Pink I.
Alexandria, VA
8/10/2010 1 photo
Great location and great building. I live just up the street and pass by frequently, sometimes early in the morning as I walk the dogs to Waterfront Park. Often, the Sysco truck is out front, unloading all the food that will be re-heated and then served by our friends at Union Street. Yum!
I think the first time I visited was soon after I moved to DC in the mid-90's. I remember getting sick that evening from some stomach bug. Was it food poisoning? Who knows, but I didn't eat mussels for some time. And like a fool I have returned to USPH over the past 15 years. Usually every other year or so and usually on a weeknight when everywhere else is full. I think, "why not, I'll try it again, it can't be that bad."
And USPH is very consistent with crappy food. And we're talking about pub/bar food. Hamburgers. Salads. Steaks. Soups. Basically anything that can be reheated or otherwise assembled in the "food preparation area" in the back. There is no pretension here. Just basic food poorly assembled.
They do appear to make some things, like potato chips, which are fried in oil that is not hot enough and also used for the fish and chips.
On my last and final visit (at least until I'm desperate) I just went to the back bar for drinks and appetizers. The staff was very friendly and I ordered some crab artichoke dip, some wings, and some oysters. The oysters were fine (thank God). The dip came quickly but was awful and luke-warm. The bread was stale. The wings were awful and they brought some of those greasy (fish) potato chips. At least the beer was cold.
How do you mess up dip? And bread? Horribly stale bread? It was some sort of garlic bread and $10 says that it came in a frozen Sysco box. Yeech.
Bottom line is that whoever is running this place is leaving a lot of money on the table. This place seats a lot of people and could be packed. I would go to Chadwicks around the corner every time over USPH and Chadwicks has 1/3rd the ambiance (and Chadwicks is not that great). Just such a shame. This place qualifies for the "things I hate about OT list" because it is yet another example of someone phoning it in because location and the tourist trade provide enough revenue to survive on mediocrity. See, for example, all the restaurants in the 100 block of King Street.
Otherwise avoid - there are many other better options in Old Town.Listed in: Hating - Things I Can't Stand…
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Review from Allison K.
Arlington, VA
1/15/2011
Bar only: Great location, nice looking bar set up, nice waiters, otherwise, blah.
My friends got the Virginia beer on tap, which "lacked life." They do have Bud in a can, and cheesy 70s rock on the stereo (not good stuff, but stuff you have heard 8,000 times and can sing to in your sleep. Think Stairway to Heaven, again). It also smelled like bar, which some places do not (contrary to popular belief).
I would say if you're in college and looking for a nice bar to come to with pretty cheap beers, come hang out here. If you're over 30 maybe there's somewhere else to hang out. -
Review from L K.
Ashburn, VA
8/15/2010
A few friends and I ended up here on a Sunday night after riding the trolley from the metro. Tourist-y, I know. But hell, we were hungry and a free ride down King St. sounded fun. Top notch scores for the decor. Clean, well-lit, dark wood, interesting prints.
Beer: the saddest beer list ever. My friend's Star Hill cost a whopping $7 for a pint.
Service: Our server was nice enough, remembered to re-fill our glasses, offered to split the check without making us beg for the favor.
Food: A decent amount of food for a $12 entree, but the best (or least bad) part of my meal were the defrosted-from-a-box fries. Nom. Not sure why ketchup tastes better when in a tiny stainless steel cup, but it does! I ordered the Bourbon Street Sandwich, which promised sausage, shrimp, and chicken with peppers and onions. The portion was large, but the meat was dry as a bone and the bread was limp. =/
My fellow diners and I were satisfied with the meal in the sense that we were hungry when we went into the restaurant and we weren't hungry when we left. Not too interested in repeating the experience. -
Review from Ashley W.
11/11/2010
I've been here on 2 various lunch only occasions.....
just ordered a burger and fries.... which was fine....
however those around me ordered -- some other interesting dishes that looked good and they were pleased with.....
this is definitely a fun, easy, simple, eatery without the fuss in Old Towne,
not too far from the water, so walk to the water is feasible
very casual..
good service at the bar.... a fave of the locals -
Review from Angie T.
11/9/2010
I went here for happy hour a couple of times with my co-workers and thought that it was a lot of fun, but for some reason last Wednesday it was a flop.
First of all, me and my gf were the only guests seated in the bar tables, there was about 3-5 people seated around the bar. The server was very slow, the happy hour menu was expensive for the portions and lacking, their Wednesday special was 50% off which my gf said tasted like it had been sitting out for over a week. She replaced her wine with a soda which ended up only being about $.50 less than what her glass of wine costed.
Don't get me wrong the food here is great but the service was lacking. The restaurant wasn't even busy but the service was extremely slow. I might come back again for lunch or dinner but I would never come here for their happy hours again. -
Review from Gary H.
Philadelphia, PA
8/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Almost as good as oysters from N'awlins (thats New Orleans for us northern folk). That truly is a compliment. Great service, friendly staff
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Review from Carol W.
10/25/2010 7 Check-ins Here
Drink review only:
I've been here several times for happy hours - which have very good prices. They have a wonderful selection of beers on tap - which is normally what I drink here. I also like how big the bar is and there is plenty of room to just mill about and be social. -
Review from Brian B.
3/3/2011
I'm going to be the fly in the ointment here. It's not entirely Union Street's fault that the crowd here is decidedly older, wealthy, stuffy and racially homogeneous. Part of it is the Old Town location and the demographics therein, and part of it is the eye-rolling nautical theme (about as subtle as a punch in the face, by the way) that definitely has its niche. I get it- really, I do. However, when I walk into a bar that I hear patrons and staff alike refer to as "the taproom," I want to cut somebody. And when I find out that there's a "Regatta Room" decked out in white with World Cup paintings and boat paraphernalia strewn about, I realize pretty quickly that I'm out of my element.
There are some pretty cool things about this place. Allegedly, the building is a revamped warehouse originally constructed in the 18th century, which, if true, I find rather fascinating. They rotate a selection of 15 beers on tap here, and they are cheap! One of my new favorite beers, the Starr Hill Amber Ale (brewed locally), goes for about $5 a glass. They have a couple of other local brews such as Dominion and several different Virginia Native Brewing Company selections, as well as the old standbys (Guinness, Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada, etc). Best of all, at least for now, they have my new favorite beer which was recently introduced to me by Justin C.: the inimitable Lagunitas IPA. The service is always exceptionally friendly here, the bartenders in particular. Some of the food is above average, but aside from the 5 or 6 entrées they offer for dinner, you're getting pretty standard, straightforward pub food. I also enjoy the design of the main bar (you'll never hear the word "taproom" uttered from these luscious lips), with its classic dark wood theme and rectangular bar.
But I have to go back to the atmosphere. The "Stare-orrists" are out in full force here, and if you're not a 53 year-old Caucasian investment banker or a young female debutante whom said investment bankers are preying upon, you're going to want to head for the exit quicker than you can say "Martha's Vineyard." As someone who has no shame, even I feel uncomfortable here, but I think I've visited Union Street for the last time, so that won't be a problem anymore.Listed in: Disasterpieces., Virginia is for Brothers
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Review from Jackie A.
Arlington, VA
5/3/2010
One of the merits of Union Street is that its on Union Street and not King Street. If you find yourself in Old Town on a busy weekend day when the weather is nice, chances are, every and any restaurant on King St is going to be packed. The Union Street Pub is two blocks off the main drag and there is a good chance that it will be considerably less crowded.
The place is separated into bar and restaurant. The bar is downstairs and the restaurant is upstairs. The hostess shows you to the upstairs seating area and on this day, even though it was 1:30 pm, we were only given the brunch menu. Hmmm... what if I don't want brunch? When our waiter came over I asked if they were only serving brunch and he said, "No, do you want a regular menu?" Yes, please.
I've eaten in the restaurant a few times. For whatever reason, I've never been able to warm up to this place. Its not that the food is terrible, its not. I mean, its not amazing, but I think it also depends on what you order. The last time I ate here I had the seafood chowder (soup of the day) and the smoked chicken salad sandwich. They were both average-ish. The seafood chowder was a little watery and every once in awhile some red pepper would catch in my throat (insert hacking cough and eye watering here). I hate it when that happens. I'm not afraid of spice, but you don't need to hammer a small cup of soup with half a container of red pepper. The flavor shouldn't be the pepper, you know?
The chicken salad had nice flavor to it but they seriously jip you on how much you get. The cooks in this place are obviously told to go light on the chicken salad and heavy on the bread. It comes with a side of pasta salad which I found a bit odd. The waiter said that all the other sandwiches on the menu come with fries, except the chicken salad. Why? That is still a question mark. I'm sure you could substitute fries, but I thought I would give the old pasta salad a try ... check the box for trying something new on a Saturday. I probably should have stuck with the fries. The pasta salad was 'eh'.
And I think that's pretty much my review of the Union Street Pub: underwhelming.
The dining room is uncomfortable. There is something about it that is not relaxing. I think the tables are too close together and there are too many of them for the space that is available. When the servers aren't actively serving they're hanging out by the bar in the back of the room and you can see them doing side work and chatting. I will say that our waiter was quick to refill our drinks though, and he gave me a fresh lemon for my Diet Coke every time. That was nice.
I don't know why, I guess I just want this place to be better. Maybe it needs more atmosphere? The food could be a bit better, the service a bit more friendly. Our waiter seemed kind of nervous and tentative.
Maybe if I come here again I'll try eating in the downstairs bar and see if I like that experience any better. Until then, I'll probably take my chances at one of the more crowded restaurants on King St. -
Review from Colleen M.
Washington, DC
6/22/2011
My favorite thing about Union Street Public House is that there is almost never a wait for a table. It's probably it's most notable characteristic in Old Town on a weekend night during tourist season.
Food and service are consistant, adequate. It's not inspirational, but I've never been tempted to send something back.
There is a heavy focus on seafood and a lot of the menu is fried. Fish and chips, crab cakes, burgers, etc. You're not going to find health food or Julia Child stylings highlighted.
Good place for big groups. Great location... if you can find parking. -
Review from Alan N.
9/21/2010 1 photo
We visitied old town Alexandria on our DC-NYC trip Labor Day Weekend. My cousins and I stumbled upon this place and decided it timely to eat raw oysters at 10AM. One of the best decisions we made during out trip!
Our waiter was very friendly giving us a little history lesson on the area as well as suggesting very good beers to go with out appetizers. The place was itself a good reflection of the rustic qualities of the surrounding area and I loved the brick. Everything in Alexandria had a lot of brick which we do not see too much of in the Pacific Northwest (earthquakes and brick do not mix well).
Good food, great location, good service. I just wish the portions were a little bit bigger and the hostess gave a little better service otherwise I would have given this place a 5 star. Plus I would have liked to have seen the happy hour. -
Review from Nicholas D.
Arlington, VA
1/9/2011
I was here for a private party dinner on Friday and back for drinks on Saturday. There was only a couple items on our particular menu--I had the filet mignon--which was satisfactory. The servers were attentive and polite and made it an enjoyable experience.
The following evening I came with friends just for drinks at the bar. Again, a satisfactory experience, nothing mind blowing. Reasonably priced drinks, reasonably fast service and a relaxed atmosphere. The crowd seems a little old for my taste but I guess that's not a bad thing when you're just going to hang out with friends and don't want to yell over a noisy 20-something crowd. -
Review from Laura V.
Alexandria, VA
9/18/2008
YAY for Union Street going non-smoking!!! I now have my favoritest hang out bar in Old Town back! Thank you Union Street for allowing me to hang out with you for hours on end, getting drunk and hitting on the military dudes, without reeking of smoke at the end of the night.
Union Street is a great place to hang out on a Sunday afternoon/evening. Mike the bartender is awesome and he has taken great care of me in the numerous times I've been there. I really enjoy just going there for a beer and some conversation with the interesting people who stop by. Bruce is your go-to guy on Friday and Saturday nights. He's been there for a long time and he knows his stuff and his clients. He even has seat saver cards to hang from your drink that say "I went to Pee, keep your hands off my drink!" Awesome!
To be honest, I've never eaten here and I've never experienced the restaurant side or it's service. But I don't need to because I've got a neighborhood bar to call my own now. Union Street has made drinking in Old Town exciting again! -
Review from Heather M.
San Diego, CA
1/9/2009
My friend was turning a quarter of a century old [I can say that because I will be doing so shortly] and we needed a place to celebrate. By celebrate, I mean ply her with drinks so that she wasn't thinking so much about her new age as she was drunk.
I've been spending an increasing amount of time in Old Town lately, and every time I drive by this place it looks like a scene out of some old wintery British movie. You know, where everyone's freezing outside but just beyond a window you can see a cozy decor, warm lighting, and people laughing.
The view from the outside does not betray the interior.
We probably got there just around ten. It was pretty empty [but it was also a Sunday night] and after realizing that we weren't going to be able to logistically sit at one of the normal tables we nabbed a corner booth.
After finally getting settled, the men in our party announced that they were hungry [no big surprise] and our waiter/barman brought over menus even though I'm pretty sure the kitchen was technically closed at that point. [I hate people like us.]
He didn't make a face when one of them ordered ribs, and he didn't make a face the first time we told him we weren't sure what we wanted to drink yet, or the second, or the third. [I promise my friends and I aren't usually this obnoxious, we were just trying to catch up with one another.] We could have just as easily walked up to the bar to order drinks, but he dropped by our table and to offer refills when we started to run low, all the while accompanying his service with a sharp wit and a warm demeanor. By this time the room had started to fill up a bit more, people were yelling at the football game that was broadcasting, and someone had started playing music on the jukebox.
All in all, it made for a lovely environment in which to get pleasantly buzzed.
I think that Union Street would be a solid four star joint if it hadn't been for our service. In the interest of full disclosure I have yet to try the food, but the guy taking care of us was good enough that it might not even matter.
You know when you find a place that has someone that's so entertaining you'd go again just because you know you're going to have a good time? And you know that if that person were to stop working there, it just wouldn't feel the same. Keep in mind that this is coming from someone who has only been there once, but I think that Union Street has one of those people in their employ and they would be damned fools to let him go.
With my apparent declaration of love for our barman out of the way, Union Street was a great place to sit down with a small group of friends and catch up over a few drinks [and then some]. I can definitely see myself visiting again. -
Review from Gregg M.
1/29/2011 6 Check-ins Here
The GF and I went to Union Street with a large group for a Friday night happy hour. Union St. is one of my favorite Old Town watering holes. Truth be told, I haven't tried the place beyond the Tap Room bar, but my incomplete knowledge of Union Street hasn't been a bad thing, so far. Bruce and Hank are great behind the bar! Union Street may not have the largest draft beer selection in the area, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a better selection in Old Town. The beer list has strong Virginia representation with Dominion and Starr Hill beers as well as personal favorites like Lagunitas IPA and Raging Bitch Belgian Style IPA. This evening we also had some bar food favorites, fried calamari and sweet potato fries. Unfortunately, the execution fell short of its promise. The calamari was flavorful and not overly rubbery and chewy; however, they were limp, lacking any hints of crispness, and not piping hot. Similarly, the sweet potato fries were nicely-sized cuts but were also limp, not crispy in the least, and not piping hot. I'm not sure if this is how the kitchen prepares these items or if the deep fryer wasn't hot enough. Regardless, the food was a big miss! Lesson learned.
So for those keeping score...service and beer: 4 stars...food: 1.5 stars....overall: 3 stars. -
Review from Brian C.
4/28/2010
Went on a Wed. night. It was dead. Beer tap selection was good and the bartender was friendly. Seemed nice inside, but we were literally the only ones there.
Might go again, but not on a Wed. -
Review from Kori K.
Washington, DC
9/10/2007
Friday Happy Hour lasts til 7, and the specials are great, $2.50 for whatever they have on draft, and I think there's a special on appetizers as well, but I don't know what. If you do spring for the appetizers, get the artichoke dip, it's always really filling and their chips are baked, and covered in some sort of red spice, but couldn't tell you what.
Two downfalls: 1) It's loud, the acoustics are no bueno, it can be hard to have a conversation, but after $2.50 specials, who can understand you anyway? 2) I'd advise using cash, they like put a $50 hold on your card until the transaction goes through, no matter what the price. I hate when places do that.Listed in: Lunchin' in Old Town
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Review from Ralph D.
Accokeek, MD
6/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
Oyster are prepared with bacon not your usual new Orleans flavor or delight. Salmon salad was good however the meat was dry. Fried oyster were good. Dined at this place because of groupon.
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Review from Erika W.
Arlington, VA
6/11/2011
Great place for dinner with friends upstairs, and drinks after downstairs. I also ate in the Oyster bar once, and I love how it's tucked back out of the way. Overall great food, great service, and you must get some of their adorable matches they keep at the door! Awesome place to start the night off!
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Review from Ryan P.
Austin, TX
1/15/2009
I was taken by a friend to Union Street, we had had a few drinks at another location and were meeting another friend. Its a wonderful experience. The room where the bar is located is spacious and open, and there is quite a bit of seating. One of the pluses is the different seating options range form private corner booths to bar stools.
The inside is adorned with old fashioned signs that have all of the beer that is on tap and in the bottle. This is nice because the back of the bar has uniformed taps. The staff is extremely knowledgeable and open to suggestions and new drinks, and if your able to catch them at the right time they might even let you buy them a round.
The bar is attached to a restaurant that is renowned throughout DC and they have the articles and magazine lined across an entire wall to prove it. The selection is vast and there are always new changes each week.
Another DC favorite that I will come back to.
