This is truly the best patio in all of central Ohio! Lots of fun, positive vibes! Food is amazing! I recently had lemon caper salmon on angel hair pasta that was delicious! Great happy hour with food and drink specials daily! read more

Union Cafe - Salmon caper angel hair pasta! - Gay Bars Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Went for a drag brunch on Sunday- show was fun! Food was mediocre and drinks were strong!

We came here for brunch on New Year's Day. We got here at 11 right when they opened and were seated right away. The service was pretty poor. It took over an hour to get our food, and half our table waited for even longer than that. When it finally did come out, the order was wrong. Our coffee and water was filled maybe 1-2 times throughout our meal. With that being said, the food was actually pretty good. Most of us got the breakfast platter and everyone enjoyed it. I understand that mistakes happen, but nothing at all was done about the service. I would stick with coming here for a drink at the bar rather than for a meal. read more

Union Cafe - Breakfast platter - Gay Bars Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

So this is how the gays (and fabulous people) of Columbus party huh? Count me in! My first night after relocating to the Midwest was one to remember! Having just landed and looking forward to a nice summer night out, Union Cafe certainly did not disappoint. My new friends took me over to one of the hot spots nearby OSU for some pretty stiff drinks and great bites. Saturday night- the place is PACKED and full of party people. We asked for a table for six and they took us to the back where we enjoyed a more private dining experience next to the blaring Top 40 of Ke$ha and Katy Perry. We got there just ten minutes shy of the kitchen closing, but our waiter was super nice and allowed us to make that cut (it was about 11:00 at that point). The Chicken Tender Sliders were great! Two fluffy biscuits with juicy chicken in the middle, with a random cucumber on top. I liked! On top of that, the Union Cider I ordered was stiff and really solid for a good first drink out in the town. Service was good and the crowd was definitely there to party. It gets pretty packed and loud, so be sure to not lose your friends in the crowd. One of the few moments in life where there was a line for the men's restroom and not the ladies! Gotta love it. Parking is available on the side streets. read more

Union Cafe - Chicken Tender Sliders - Gay Bars Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

If you are gay in Columbus you have to go to Union. They have the best staff, heaviest pours, and Rockelle who is the best bartender in all of Cbus. Great drag shows. Good food. Amazing crowds and the best LGBT vibe in the city. read more

First time in Columbus and stopped by for lunch. Had the grilled buffalo chicken sandwich. The sandwich was good, nothing too special about it, but the tots were really good. Huge fan of the bomb menu. Didn't know it was a gay bar until I noticed they were playing Selena Gomez music videos instead of March Madness lol. The staff was friendly and the drinks were good. Probably a lot of fun late night, would return. read more

Went here during restaurant week. It was fabulous. Started with the $5 cocktails. Great drinks for twice the price. We got the artichoke dip and a salad as first course. Both were a great start. Tried the pad Thai and it was presented in a huge bowl, we got it with chicken. Delicious and couldn't finish it. Also tried the blackened chick Alfredo. Another large portion with delicious noodles and a slightly spicy chicken. We got the frozen custard for the third course and it was a great way to finish the meal. We will be going back!! Everyone here was great. read more

Came in for lunch today with my best friend and I was very disappointed in the service. I love the new menu, but our server, Lucas, was subpar. He kept forgetting things we would ask for and seemed more interested in flirting with the bartender than serving our table. I love this place, but they need to either train their servers better, or hire new ones because our experience was terrible. He was all over the place and we could not get his attention to even get our check. I will definitely be back, but will be requesting any server other than Lucas. He needs to get his prioritizes straight and pay attention to his tables and not the bartender. read more

Wow- this place is like Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde! During the day hours, when it's a restaurant, it is outstanding! They have a wonderful menu! Gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian options are available and labeled clearly. I love being able to have options at a restaurant. They are also a bar, so they have plenty of drink options and a great Happy Hour! Service during dinner hours is immaculate. The host was so friendly and made me feel like I was an old friend. I appreciate that. The server was the same way. Wonderful people! After hours tho. Yikes. Nothing but wall-to-wall human beings and it will take you 20 years to get a drink unless you're a hot, half naked boy or a stunning hag. Not a place for me, but if that's your scene, cheers! It's still a great place and I will come here in the future! read more

Union Cafe - Menu! - Gay Bars Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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A cute quiet little hidden gem that is on the main strip in Columbus, where it is the local gay watering hole gay watering hole. Lots of good people are different times in different days which really was exciting to see as it allowed several of us to get to meet some fun and cool local people. The drinks were pretty good and the prices were definitely on par with what pricing should be so no complaints there read more

Union Cafe - View from the bar - Gay Bars Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Outside on the patio the beet salad with fried chickpeas (they MADE the salad so unique) was delicious. The stuffed potato skins had just the right amount of cheese and bacon.. enough for every bite. The sights and sounds of construction progress did make for a noisy lunch hour. I'm sure the happy hour and supper time would have less of these. read more

Union Cafe - Beet salad with chicken and stuffed potatoes on the side - Gay Bars Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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The staff are very friendly and helpful! I went there one time for a friend's bachelorette party and ordered the steak which practically melts in your mouth! On the same night I ordered a dirty martini and I have to say I'm not a fan. But that is no fault of the establishment. The second time was for Sunday brunch. Not happy about the wait (wish they could have more seating options) but the food was delicious! I didn't like how the tip was automatically included for four adults and three kids since we only saw our waitress two times. She was wonderful, mind. But I would have liked to have the option to provide my own tip. I anticipate the next visit! read more

Union Cafe - Long Island Thursdays! - Gay Bars Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I stopped by for Restaurant Week, and I am so thankful that I did! Located conveniently next to the inconveniently-priced parking garage in the short north, this restaurant/bar combines all the elements of a quirky, trendy hangout spot to catch up over a drink and full entree. I ordered a Moscow mule (which, for the first time in my entire life came in an actual glass instead of a copper cup) and my friend ordered a $5 Smirnoff drink that tasted just like undergrad felt (I'll let you read into that yourself). The servers were extremely friendly, welcoming, and attentive, as well as accommodating since we were a little pressed for time near the end of our stay. They knew a lot about the food, and clearly enjoyed their job! I ordered the lemon chicken with brussel sprouts, which totally blew my mind since it is not exactly an Italian restaurant and I'm quite picky with my piccata dishes. The chicken was juicy and the portion was HUGE! The lemon/caper sauce was also spot-on. My friend ordered the pad thai, which was quite spicy but hit a nice sweet-spicy harmonic chord. Again, the portion was MORE than fair, and we happily boxed up nearly half of our meals to enjoy later. The desserts also hit us beyond expectations - the warm cookie paired with the ice cream was a wonderful traditional end of a meal while the pretzels in caramel sauce reminded me the most of Philadelphia Soft Pretzels our of any pretzels I've had in the Midwest! The only so-so menu item was the spinach dip, which could have been a little less cream cheesy but I am NOT complaining. Overall, I'm so glad i got to experience a little taste of what Union Cafe has to offer, and you bet I'll be back to test out brunch! read more

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Always have a great time at U. However, I do feel that some feedback is needed. While I can't be 100% sure, I believe that the water lines on the beverage guns or the ice makers need a good cleansing. Whenever you order an ice water, there is a distinct mildew taste. read more

Though I had heard of the bad service here I still wanted to go for restaurant week. Unfortunately the service is still sub par in parts. Upon entering early in the evening - 4:20ish there seemed to be quite a few staff members for the handful of patrons. It still took 5 full minutes to be acknowledged at the host stand then the another minute or two to be seated. Employees looked at me while I stood there but no one tried to assist me the entire time. I was then seated and waited for the other half of my party. I will say our actual server - who's name I don't know was fantastic. He was attentive and helpful and had a ton of energy. The restaurant week options were plenty and fantastic. We both had different items. The cup of soup was crazy small for what it was and it was hard to say it was chicken noodle with the large noodles in such a small cup - therefore there were like 3 of them. My chopped salad was fantastic. Being the first course, it took quite sometime to receive - soup and salad should not take long to serve. Both entrees where great. I will be eating the chicken enchiladas a few more times as it was such a large portion. The side of fries my friend has were less than desirable though. Her lemon caper chicken and mac & cheese were another great option. Both desserts were good though nothing special. Now we did stay at our table for a length of time as we were catching up. We were also finishing the bottle of red wine we purchased. After paying our bill and finishing up someone approached our table and asked us to leave as there was a reservation pending for our table. Really someone reserved our specific table? There were a few other tables unoccupied. Someone else came over at the same time and told the person we didn't have to leave they would switch the reservation to another table but they did have some other reservations to seat in the following 15 or so minutes. That to me is rude and unacceptable. Bottom line - food mostly great, our specific server great, overall service very poor. read more

I'm a huge fan of this place and I frequent it almost weekly. I do so not because of the food but the bartenders and the drinks they make. Those two things and only those two things get this place 3 stars. They are amazing people and the drinks...they're the stiffest in town. The bartenders really are friendly and if you're from the area they tend to remember you. Numerous other reviewers have made this comment and I can't agree more. The atmosphere is also lively and very upbeat. On the negative side, the food is just ok. If you aren't one for a place being busy, you don't want to stay too late. Also, the overall decor is dated. Could use a major renovation to bring it into this time period, but that would require closing down for a period of time...something I've been told management refuses to do because it already is a cash cow for them. Most of the negatives can be overlooked because this is one of the best gay bars in Columbus, and it has a loyal following. Those two things combined will lead to little change in the coming years, unfortunately. read more

I visited this business back in September 2022 with friends during a vacation and after roaming the downtown area for half an hour we stumbled upon this place and we instantly fell in love with the atmosphere there. The vibe there was perfect and everything we were looking for and the drinks were grade A if I'm ever back in town and this place is still around I will be going back for sure read more

Came to the Union Cafe for the second year in a row in honor of Restaurant Week. Overall, I had a great experience with fast seating, welcoming service, and great (and large) food! The reason I chose to only give 4 stars is because the Sirloin steak entree could have been better. Although cooked to the nice medium-rare/ medium, the steak was a little tough to eat. It was also a lot smaller than I expected. The Sirloin steak is about the same size, or smaller, than the bowls of the two complimentary sides (see picture). This is not terrible considering that the 3 course meal of soup, steak with two entrees, and dessert that I ordered was only $20 for Restaurant Week but I wouldn't order the steak at regular price ($18). Parking is always hard in the Short North but there is a convenient parking lot nearby for about $6 for 2 hours! read more

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Skylar made me feel like I was somebody and appreciated and I wanted something fruity and he did just that . Nick the server was so sweet also and even gave us hugs goodbye and made us feel special ! These two are amazing !!!! read more

Great variety for Sunday brunch and well worth the price. I'd pay $15 for the waffle bar alone. We had a group of 10 and they were happy to accommodate us. Some of us were just partaking in a boozy brunch while others also enjoyed the food. The walking path to the buffet station were a little tight but manageable. Our server was cordial and didn't mind us taking up so many tables. He was quick with refills and getting our checks when the time came even with several other tables to take care of. We might try the patio if we have a smaller party next time. read more

Union Cafe - Rose mimosa - Gay Bars Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Union is my favorite place for brunch. I don't normally come for any other meal but I tried Union for restaurant week and I was very impressed. Our waiter, Cameron had the best energy and knew the entire menu backwards and forwards. He was really amazing. I ordered the steak for my entree with brussel spouts and mashed potatoes. I don't think I've had such amazing mashed potatoes in a long time. The entire meal was $20 for three courses. I absolutely loved my experience and cannot wait to dine again at Union. read more

Love this place. I used to come every Thursday, mostly for the drag show and the $4 long islands (their drinks are always so strong). They have drag shows frequently, it's almost always busy. I've also had some of the appetizers that I've heard are good. They always have popping music and so many people like to dance near the stage. Also I love Steve, the bouncer, literally all my love to him!! read more

I have been to union numerous times. I have had drastic changes in experiences so I would have to say you never know what to expect service wise. They operate very safely due to Covid. However, the past couple of times I've been the service has been slow, but I understand due to increase traffic since the curfew was lifted and the certainty make up for it with strong drinks!!! The restroom isn't the cleanest, but it serves its purpose for a bar on high street. Would recommend anyone to come here! read more

Union Cafe was just what we needed: friends meeting up from out of town wanting to share some laughs and some drinks. You'll find fancier menus on High Street, but you won't find a nicer group of people waiting on you anywhere. We loved it! read more

Rude staff and horrible food. We ordered two entrees and two appetizers and all lacked any flavor profile. The chicken was so dry and the spaghetti was so over cooked that it was basically mush. The appetizers were a most likely fried in a dirty fryer as we tasted anything but the item we ordered. The cheese was barely melted on our quesadillas. This place is a mess. The staff are so rude and were too busy looking at Instagram on their phones to answer our questions. I don't see why anyone would ever come back to this place. There is nothing about it that says "quality." Epic fail. read more

Ever since the company was bought out everything has drastically changed. I was literally physically accosted by staff while being told by said staff member they enjoy throwing the f@ggots off the property. Now also won't honor gift cards in house and was told I'd receive a check for the balance but haven't heard from anyone since. If you're gay or have an ounce of self respect stay clear of this place, it's not what it used to be. read more

Well, Kate made me want to come here every day... ever. Kate actually transformed the experience by being so open and friendly and vulnerable and real. Kate is what "service" should be: kind and fun and genuine. Truly the best server around. Y'all are damn lucky to have her. xo - Jesse from Charlotte read more

Being new to Columbus, we stumbled across this place. We've been here 3 times. Unfortunately, the food is just not good. As a gay man, I respect that they are a lgbt friendly business, but regardless, I don't see my husband and I coming back to spend money there when the food is just not good. Service is also variable at best. read more

Order the mac and cheese with the sirloin. Everything was so yummy. Wished I had more sirloin, they gave like 3 strips of the sirloin and a ton of the mac and cheese. So proportion wise, the sirloin looked tiny in my big bowl of mac and cheese. But it was SUPER tasty so can't complain. read more

The experience, the food, the location, the music all such a great experience! Fair warning to you though, this is a local hangout for people of the LGBT community. I personally don't mind but I know how people are these days. If you go for brunch you HAVE to get the double mimosa! So good! Our server was super friendly and seemed to know exactly what we wanted/needed at all times! And the food...I can't wait to go back! I got the breakfast platter with salted caramel on my French toast-OMG! Talk about food porn! I'm excited to go back for the Sunday buffet because I heard that was just as great! If your looking for a great brunch spot, this is it! read more

Union Cafe - Breakfast Platter - Gay Bars Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

The new Union is slightly more pricey , more upscale and more posh. Their Happy Hour is worth a look with $5 appetizers and discounted drink specials. Service is subpar at best in the evenings and incredibly crowded on Friday and Saturday nights. read more

Union Cafe - Outdoor patio of Union Cafe - Gay Bars Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

First time at Union Cafe and was impressed! The portions are big and the food is tasty. I recommend coming for lunch, many of the dishes are discounted at only $9. I got the Pad Thai, extra spicy, and it was yummy. Will be coming back! read more

Union Cafe - Spicy Pad Thai - Gay Bars Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I'm giving Union Cafe a one-star rating based on my most recent visit. My credit card was charged more than what I decided to tip. While I was overcharged a small amount, there shouldn't be any reason for a server to tip themselves more than what was written on the receipt. I didn't order much but tipped the server over 20%. I also didn't stay long and there were plenty of other seats available so it wasn't like I was taking up space. Not to mention, my friend ordered more than I did to make up for it. It's more about the principle than anything else. You don't get to add to the bill because you feel like it. Other than this experience, I would give them 3 stars. The drinks are strong which is nice, but the service is always slow. They're complacent here because they know people will always come back. read more

Best Brunch Buffet EVER! Amazing selection and fresh and delicious! Some of what was on the buffet- Scrambled eggs and Cheesy scrambled eggs Bacon (crispy!) Maple sausage links Breakfast pizza- sweet and savory! Chocolate chip pancakes w/ warm syrup Eggs Benedict- cooked perfectly! Home fries Sun dried tomato chicken Alfredo Sweet potato casserole Shrimp and grits Biscuits and sausage gravy Fresh fruit Assortment of muffins (chocolate was so good!) In addition to the great spread and tasty food, the service was fantastic! We wanted to sit outside so the host actually walked around under all the different heaters at the tables and found us the warmest spot. Then our waiter took the coffee off the tab because it was very weak. We did not ask him for this, he did it proactively which to me is next level customer service. Everyone was nice and it was a great time with great food. read more

During my recent five day stay in Columbus I had to get back to one of my favorite haunts, Union Cafe. Many years back this place was a few blocks down the street on the Short North, and called Union Station, great gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. The place is now bigger with an awesome patio, great bar and lots of indoor seating. Awesome atmosphere, friendly staff and patrons. When i said I was from Pittsburgh i was welcomed with open arms by some of the regulars and staff. Great food too, when i asked my server what they had for vegans, he steered me to a black bean burger on a grilled pretzel bun, with all the fixens and he told me to do myself a favor and order the grilled Brussels Sprouts as a side. These charred sprouts were drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper and allowed to blacken enough that their natural sugars came bursting through with a wonderful texture and flavor. The black bean burger was terrific, it didn't fall apart with the first bite like most do. Great drink specials too, each day brings a new special, I happened to go on a Skyy vodka day, four bucks any drink made with Skyy. Awesome place! read more

Union Cafe - Slade, your host. - Gay Bars Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Visiting for work for 2 month in Ohio. Staying in bellefontaine 45 min drive. Went for Happy hour sat outside...server had 2 tables plus me...took him 20 minutes to come over then when asked about the happy hour special.... response was I don't know let me look. Explain to him it was my first time in Ohio and I was impressed with see gays bars...Nothing!!! Ask how is it busy Wednesday...his response I don't know I don't normally work Wednesday's. Finish my meal went inside...Bartender was amazing changed my whole perception of the place. Stay and had drinks until 8pm. Wish I could remember the bartender's name but he lived in FL and does drag. Cute looking guy . Very outgoing, pleasant, entertaining and attractive. Based on him I would recommend the place. Not the service go to the bar!!! read more

I went to the Saturday brunch and drag show and it was great! Good food, drinks, and entertainment.

DO NOT BUY SHOTS FROM THE SHOT BOYS. At least not with a card. I was at Union on 2/14/19 and ordered 3 shots which were $2 each which should have been a total of $6. The sneaky guy ran my card for $15. At first I assumed it was an authorization but today I noticed on my bank statement that the transaction posted for $15. I immediately called my bank to dispute the charge. I guess the guy must have thought that I was so drunk that I wouldn't notice, but it was my first round of the night that I shared with 2 friends. I know that it is only a $9 difference and in the grand scheme of things in my life it really isn't a major expense. But if he is overcharging me he is likely over charging many other people through the night. Which has probably netted him $100s in what is essentially stolen money. This is such a shame because Union is not a bad spot, but the fact that they have people like this working for them is a sign that I can't trust any charge that comes out of this bar. read more

****This review is based on their brunch. Wow.... amazing. They have a whole bar area dedicated to made to order omelette and then another one for waffles, plus they have a buffet of all of the other breakfast/lunch items you would want. At 11 they start serving alcohol and have a bloody Mary bar so you can spice yours up however you want. They also have bottomless mimosas. The staff was so friendly and helpful. I will 100% return for this brunch. read more

Union Cafe - Chocolate chip waffles - Gay Bars Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Came back again during my most recent visit to Columbus and was not disappointed once again. Atmosphere was great as usual, people everwhere and they were pleasant to be around. We had a great time here, even though we were only in town for a few days that didn't matter to the bartenders. They remembered our drink orders, which was awesome. Any questions we had as to where to head after here they were more than willing to give suggestions. We came two nights in a row and when we showed up the one bartender asked why we weren't sitting at the bar so we could talk with her. That made us feel very welcomed when here. Drinks were great as usual. Music was on point. And as I was saying before, the atmosphere was one that made for an enjoyable night. read more