There's really 2 reasons that our office comes here: -Good location (about 2 blocks from Union Station) -Decent Happy Hour specials (compared to the bars inside Union Station) When we don't come to Union Pub, it's because we're willing to pay a little more, or travel a little further, to a bar that isn't just a step above a dive (as other reviewers have mentioned). It's true, Union Pub is a bit dark for my tastes. That said, it has more seating than you'd expect (including a lot of shaded outdoor seating), and it has plenty of TVs for watching your preferred sporting event. As far as Happy Hour specials, they had 2 on a recent visit: -$12 pitchers -$4 mystery beer A coworker and I got the mystery beer for fun. I won out with Shock Top, but he lost with Bud Light Lime. The waitress promised to give him a better beer if he ordered another mystery beer, but he decided to play it safe and place a more specific order. I've also heard that the black bean burger with sweet potato fries is pretty good (or at least, better than the traditional beef hamburger). I haven't had it myself though. read more

Okay well I was in super luck when I was visiting DC that my beloved Indiana Hoosiers were playing their last regular season game, against Maryland, and alas - an IU bar exists in capital hill! We walked to the Union Pub from the Mall and although a little bit of a walk, it felt great on a nice 65/Sunny day. The bar itself has about 4 rooms and a large patio. We sat in the back with the majority of other Hoosiers and the place was LOUD. it's great to be able to travel and find a pack of like minded fans. Had a great beer special and the chicken tator tot nachos are a must! Our server was overly friendly and for a crowded bar very on top of our requests. I'm not sure how it would have been for a Maryland fan - but as an IU one it was perfect! read more

Came to Union Pub not knowing what to expect and left with this becoming my go-to lunch and happy hour spot in the area. Union Pub has a great outdoor patio perfect for after work drinks. Inside it has a decent size bar, lounge area, and then a backroom with tables, a bar, and tvs for watching the games. The service was great. We came for an informal business lunch and were in and out in 45 minutes. The food was tasty - whenever buffalo chicken is on the menu, I have to get it and Union Pub provided a very good buffalo chicken sandwich. Prices were reasonable and the overall low-key atmosphere provides a perfect spot for a low-key business lunch or catching up with co-workers after hours. read more

I've walked by this place many times and finally got a chance to stop by!! It's like any normal pub with your typical bar food but the space was really nice. We sat outside on the patio and tried the following food: - Totchos: grilled chicken and avocado over cheesy tater tots. So like nachos but with tots! Loooved this. - Sweet potato fries: YUM, perfectly crisp and to make it better, these were served with sriracha mayo - oooo yeaaaahh - BBQ Pork nachos: chips were too thin and pork was kind of weird, felt like it came out of a can, so I'd pass on this next time - Crab dip: had one bite of this and didn't care too much for it. It came with a side of toasted bread. I think pretzel bread would've made this dish better, but that's a personal preference! They had this coconut macaroon beer that sounded really intriguing and had 13% alcohol! I'll need to get this next time when I'm not sick and in a professional get together. read more

Feels like a neighborhood bar but unexpectedly large inside, three rooms to find a table, enjoy a beer with some pub grub, and watch some sports on the many TVs. Even better is the huge covered outdoor patio. Quiet enough for adult conversation, cheap enough for about anyone, casual enough to relax. Two dozen taps!! Choices were nearly all crafts and included pale ales, stouts, amber ales, wheats, IPAs, three Goose Island beers, two Sweetwaters, DC Brau, Stella and (maybe it's mandatory) Bud lite. An imperial pint of Devils Backbone Eight Point IPA from Virginia was served in a matching glass, fair at $7. And five kinds of wings! Tuesdays (trivia night) the Union Pub offers craft bourbons for $4 (!) and craft beer cans for $5; on Wednesdays the special is rye whiskey. Only cheap beer (bud lite) is cheap during happy hour, like basically every other DC bar, grr. Parmesan garlic fries sounded amazing but were just ok, hot and generous with cheese but stingy with garlic, a bucket was only $4. Three fish tacos brought crispy deep-fried tilapia with plenty of lettuce, tomato chunks and green avocado sauce on top, a real dinner steal at $10. Vegetarian rating: 3 stars for the surprisingly many options including tater tots, fried cheese curds, margarita pizza, spinach and mushroom pizza, spinach salad, black-bean burger, fried zucchini sandwich and of course the fries. They're trying here, great choices for a plain bar. In the end a really solid, affordable place with friendly quick service. I'm a 3.5 star fan and rounding up :) read more

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OMG! Pray to the restaurant & bar gods for this place PLEASE!! Take it from me! I went with with a group of 6 & when I say NO ONE & I mean NO ONE enjoyed what they ordered. We all came to the conclusion to just eat the food despite our better judgment to just leave bc we had congressional meetings the entire afternoon & we needed the energy. I ordered a chicken wrap which was delicious until I got to the other side of the sandwich & it was all south from there. I can't explain what it tasted like & why on earth one side would be yummy & the other side like garbage in a spinach wrap. Not to mention the waitress had the audacity to have an attitude & be all in a rush when we were ordering. In an attempt to mention at least one thing positive about this place, the sweet potato fries were good! I would say stick to the drinks it's the safer choice. read more

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Service was a bit slow, but the waiter Jeff was super kind and friendly. The food was average, but that was expected. Fries (and sweet potato fries) were pretty good though. read more

Union Pub - Tomato Basil Chicken Wrap w/ avocado, basil, onion, carrots, baby spinach, and pesto & sweet potato fries - Pubs Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Union Pub is a bar. Where they serve drinks. That's about all you can say about this place under normal circumstances. They have a large outdoor patio with a giant projector, so there's something nice about seeing a game here. Really, though, this place is pretty unremarkable most days. It really needs to be experienced during a Bears game. How great is it to have a Bears bar in DC? They have a policy of showing no games but the Bears? Who needs those other crappy teams, anyway? Not Dan M. The only thing missing is more Goose Island specials. The Goose brews dozens of different styles of beer, how can the most Chicago-centric bar in DC not serve more than the boring old standards? That's a shame. But still, come during a Bears game, and you'll feel welcome. Besides the football, I have been here on a regular night. I want to stay focused on the football because the food is gross here. Seriously, they can't do fries right. Go get your snack on somewhere else, and come here to drink and enjoy a game. read more

Union Pub is a good place to grab a burger and a beer on the patio during the summer for lunch. And I did just that weekly most of the summer :P They have quite a few shortcomings: high staff turnover (no sooner did I learn a few waitresses names than they were gone), slow service, beer of the month turns into beer of the summer (this was our running joke re: Landshark), and lastly jacking the prices up with their new "fancy" menu. But the burgers are about the same price :P And that's all I really care about. And the beer, which is definitely overpriced, but hey, you're paying for convenience ($16 pitchers became $20) I don't see this place having much of a Happy Hour scene (I've seen it dead many days after work); you just need to head down to Penn Ave or elsewhere in DC. read more

I'm a huge fan of this establishment. Have been here probably once or twice a month over the past year. I love this place! Today, however, I was so disrespected I wanted to walk out. Our server, a Caucasian man with dark hair and forearm tattoos and a gem around his neck, was extremely rude to my visiting mother and brother when he didn't understand if we wanted the "wings and fries" option or if we wanted "wings" and "fries" (two separate things). After explaining it, I apologized to my brother and explained that the wings and explained that the wings and fries phenomenon was a little complicated. The waiter then BUTTS IN to tell me it's not complicated at all. I then laugh and say it was more complicated than it needs to be, and he doubles down that it wasn't complicated. Absolutely rude to my brother and to myself. This waiter is an embarrassment to this great establishment. Would attach a picture of him but don't want to sink down to his level. read more

Union Pub is the *BEST* place in town to watch the Chicago Bears play football. Hands Down. As an added bonus, Union Pub also participates in the American Airlines Dining Program - so you can earn miles for every dollar spent. read more

Union Pub - Pubs Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This place has a nice atmosphere and really good food. The bar tender was extremely nice and fast but the servers were rude. We sat on the patio, after making sure it was okay to seat yourself, and they ignored us for at least 20 minutes. I understand being busy but at least when you make eye contact with a table that is obviously looking around let them know you will be with them as soon as possible. We decided to order through the bar and the bartender was nice enough to bring our food to us outside and we really appreciate that. I asked a server where the bathroom was and she unkindly said "over there" without even pointing or gesturing. Tempered to put a lower star rating but the bar tender was so nice in comparison and the food was very good and the happy hour prices are decent. Plus they have a wide selection of beer. The guava gose is very tasty! read more

Union Pub - Guava gose - Pubs Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Union Pub is a place that has great deals, but if you're not there for the deals, then why are you there? What I mean is that if you're going to Union Pub, you're not going to get the best food you've ever had, you're not going to pay the cheapest prices in town if you're ordering off the normal menu, you're overall not going to have the best experience ever. However, I do think that if you're going here and ordering their nightly specials, then you are getting a good deal. For example the Brunch is a $20 bottomless brunch. Not only that but it's a self serve bottomless where you have a few different options. Also, the breakfast tatchos were very good. They were essentially nachos where the chips were replaced with tots. That's an unbelievable move! Also, they have many different variations of totchos and all of them look very good. read more

Union Pub - Breakfast Totchos - Pubs Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Full of energy and excitement. Upbeat and high paced atmosphere. Local hangout for capitol hill staffers. Staff was friendly and attentive with a helpful knowledge of drinks. Happy hour specials from 1700 to close. $4 mystery beer night consisted of a well myriad local beers and the bartender randomly chooses one! Food was typical bar food but had good tastes and portions. Definitely recommend for a relaxing fun time! read more

Union Pub - Buffalo wings are perfectly done with delicious flavor! - Pubs Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I am literally scratching my head to find something good to say about Union Pub. The food isn't the best and the drink selection just okay and I think everyone in DC knows that only tools hang out here. read more

Love the variety of food. Service was great. Love the outdoor seating. Fun place to eat and drink at.

100% The worst service I have ever received. I ordered a drink and the order was accepted by the server and 15 minutes later they told me that the restaurant was out of the drink. The server never came by and people had to go get the bill from the bar. Do not go here if you value good service. Go here though if you don't care and and want good food, cause the food is great! read more

They have the rudest guy at the front door. It's 6:30 on a Tuesday and I am trying to get some food. He is just sitting here on his phone harassing people for not having their ID. I'm not drinking, I just want food dude. read more

Union Pub - Pubs Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Foods good. This is a nice happy hour place if you work in the union station area. This have a descent selection of beer. The prices during happy hour are good. Their no cover to get in and you are not forced to pay crazy gratuity. This place is always packed during happy hour. The staff is cool read more

Union Pub - Pubs Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This is one of my favorite places in DC. I constantly find myself coming back here if I want guaranteed good food, good drinks, and good service. The loaded tots are to die for and their chicken Philly cheesesteak is phenomenal. I 100% recommend. read more

New Years Eve Eve and we found our way here after a long day of bowl game watching and drinking. We all probably could have used only one or two more drinks and called it a night - but we didn't. Instead we more or less closed the bar down. I made my way through their winter specialty cocktail menu and loved the three I tried. The bartender was honest and up front when I asked his recommendation - "I don't like making any of them so they are all equally annoying to make" but he made them anyhow. Beer options are solid and nobody complained. They have a touchtunes music box for tunes that also has a photo booth! Oh the memories captured by a lens! Space is large with three separate areas. We made friends in two of the sections we patronized. All in all I really liked this bar. The next day when i was telling a friend about it (I rarely venture to the Hill, she lives there), she scrunched her nose and told me it's known for leaning one direction. Maybe I'm not as judgmental or maybe the crowd was different during the holidays but I had a blast and met quality people. read more

The atmosphere is great and keeps me coming back again and again! I'm struggling to come up with anything bad to say... maybe the ranch is a little runny. read more

I had a prior incident with the doorman with this establishment that I went into in my earlier review. Since then, the manager offered to sit down with me and discuss the event and made a generous offer to comp my meal for the evening. She explained to me in detail the actions that had been taken since and that the doorman was outsourced from a seperate company who have since seen my review. Union Pub saw that a customer had a really rough time at their establishment and, as far as I can tell, took every measure possible to make amends for it, including sitting down with me face-to-face. That is beyond impressive and is a hallmark of quality management. As a customer, all I can hope for is that a restaurant cares for each person that walks through their door. That has undoubtedly been demonstrated here. read more

I am a semi-regular at Union Pub. The food is always good and tastes fresh. The wings are a must have, always cooked to perfection. The servers and bartenders here are always great and attentive to needs of their patrons. The happy hour specials are great and I also like how they involve their customers in the business such as when they let people vote on what drink specials to have during the mid-term elections. The brunch is great. They have a nice selection of self serve drinks which is fantastic, especially when you've gone to other places for their bottomless brunch' and wait 15 - 20 mins for a drink. Their brunch menu is also fantastic and comes in large portions which comes at an advantage later on after gorging yourself on free flowing brunch booze! Overall this is a great place to come and have a drink. It is huge with two bars inside and an outside area to take advantage of during warmer weather. read more

Nice little pub for stopping by after work. Haven't tried enough food and drinks here to have a negative or stellar view of it. As of now, solid little hangout place with decent drink specials for a group. read more

Union Pub - Pubs Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Union Pub has a great outdoor area and good happy hour specials. When the weather is nice, it's a good place to hang with friends. But the food is very average to me- the chicken quesadilla is heavily (overly) seasoned, the buffalo chicken wrap is more straight hot sauce than buffalo, and the chicken philly resembles nothing of a philly.. honestly, the only food I enjoy regularly at UP are the tots.. In short: good outdoor area for drinks but 'okay' food read more

So I've been withholding a review trying not to rush to judgement, but after finally getting to speak with a few of my coworkers that returned to work today after being out sick yesterday it seems a majority of our party of 10 became ill after eating lunch here on 20 Feb 2018. This was our only shared meal or food or drink that we all had that day and within hours of leaving DC a majority of us were experiencing gastrointestinal issues, headaches, and sweats. Most of us had different meals and only about half of our party had a single drink each so not sure what the pathway was. Outside of this not so wonderful experience I'd give it a 3 star review if we hadn't gotten sick. The waitresses were attentive and prompt as we got there right before the lunch rush started. The outdoor patio area was perfect for our party especially with the unseasonably warm temperature that day and the food as presented was what you'd expect to get from a pub/bar. Hopefully this was a one off experience and we are curious if other patrons had issues that day or not. read more

ROLL TIDE ROLL!! I was in town for the weekend and looking for a place to watch the Alabama football game and this is it! Felt like I was back in Tuscaloosa watching the game. It's the official bama alumni bar for DC and it was packed with bama alumni and fans. Even though this place was fully packed to the max the service was still great. We were out on the patio and it seemed they only had one girl working. I can't recall her name, but if you were the server working the Alabama LSU game 11/9 on the patio you are incredible! It's hard dealing with drunk football fans especially in an overcrowded bar and she was on top of everything. She remembered our drink orders and was bringing out food and drinks all night to everyone whether they were at a table or standing around a heater. We didn't eat any food but it looked good! They had a bunch of tvs and played all the Alabama music and songs as the game progressed. read more

Union Pub - Pubs Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I was there yesterday and when I asked for their drink menu and they told me they were not serving there cocktail specials because they were out of an ingredient they use for all their drinks. What kind of nonsense is that? Over the years my friends and I come during football season and management refuses to address these kinds of issues. The only reason we come is because it is the designated bears bar in DC and the ambiance but now that's beginning to fall off they haven't been playing the Super Bowl shuffle and yesterday game bears @ cardinals none of the TVs were tuned to the game for at least the first 5 minutes of the game. I understand there a bar fight but the whole staff does not need to be involved in that situation it only takes one person to change the channels. And they are also slow to play the fight song when we score a touchdown. These things may seem small but this is the reason my friends and I come to this bar. I don't know why management continues to fail at address the issues with the drink selections. Tried again today I will let my picture speak for itself. The server was very attentive though read more

Union Pub - Pubs Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Fun hockey bar. I came here with some co-workers because they wanted a place to watch the NFL draft. I, personally, could not care less, but I came along anyway. It's a big space with lots of nooks and crannies to hang out with friends. The food was also quite good. I give a big thumbs up to the staff. Even though there were hockey games on, the manager put the draft onto two TVs so my co-workers could watch. No one seemed to mind because there are TVs everywhere. If you like sports bars, you need to check this place out. read more

Great place, 14 screens to watch all the games, Ashley the manager most accommodating and her staff the same. Best sports bar in our Nations Capital. read more

I loved their pineapple bear and the wings are amazing. Service could've been more friendly but overall I would go back

I love it here. The servers and bartenders are great and the happy hour specials are on point. There are two bars, one in front as soon as you walk in and another in back. I recommend sitting at or near a bar. They have a patio area, but service out there can be spotty. The tatchos are a gift from God, and the cheese curds are drunken magic. I usually end up here with a lactose intolerant friend who almost always orders the cheese curds and then encourages me to eat the bulk, and they really are delicious. Happy hour specials include $5 rail drinks and specials on buckets and pitchers of bud and bud light. If you're picky get a gin and tonic, if you're not get a big pitcher of America's finest. All in all, a good spot to happy hour after work on the Hill. read more

A fairly open, not-too-crowded Chicago themed pub with large patio. Great for catching a Sunday football game. They play many games, but it is a Chicago Bears bar so most folks are Bears fans. They have ample TVs , even on the patio. The decor is pretty bare bones, but it's kind of endearing. It's pretty loud, though. We ordered the whiskey creek burger and fries. The fries were unique and tasty, and the burger was very solid. Good portion size for the price. Service was alright, but don't expect your water to be refilled. Like, ever. It's a good option if you're in the neighborhood, as there aren't many places like this in this part of DC. But there are tons better options elsewhere. read more

Union Pub - Menu - Pubs Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I hate to ever do a bad review but I just feel like if I yelped it I would want to know. The food is overpriced and not good. The waiter was so kind but he messed up almost every order. Two of the people order Pino Grigio and he brought Cabernet. Then he completely messed up an order and brought us a random order of food. When we went to get the checks, (I had to flag him down) he put all five of us on one check. I asked him to split it and he couldn't remember who went to who. I wrote on the back of the receipt and divided it up. He then brought us the incorrect checks twice and charged my friend for the wrong order they brought to our table and we sent away. I felt so bad that he kept messing up but at the same time it was his job to pay attention. Hopefully they get new management or get better. read more

Great place to go after work for happy hour especially if you work on the hill. When you don't know what time you're getting off and have union pub walking distance, you always know you can make it there on time for a nice drink. The summertime is perfect because you can sit outside- they have a big outdoor section. They have great drink deals and good bar snacks. Definitely a bar though, wouldn't come here for a nice dinner or date. As any bar the floors are sticky and it's not the cleanest. I always prefer being outside then inside, because inside is dark and dingy. Like I said above come here if you want a drink and good bar snack! read more

"Bah baa, this is the sound of settling." Without fail, whenever a group of my friends actually agrees to meet at Union Pub, it reminds me of the Death Cab for Cutie song "The Sound of Settling". Sure, that was a catchy song about dudes not having the balls to talk to someone they really like and ending up in a sour relationship with someone whom they should have never dated in the first place. Tangentially, that is like a night of Union Pub. Specifically, there were better options, you didn't take them, and your night was sour. You only have yourself to blame. Moron. But wait... "Our youth is fleeting, old age is just around the bend." Caveat to this review. There is a time and place for Union Pub. The place is crawling with recent college grads for after work happy hours. If you fall within the 22-25 year old crowd, this very well could be an interesting bar for you. Think loud, fratty, and loaded with individuals getting their first taste of paychecks (albeit small ones if they are Hill staffers). Having said that, if youth is fleeting, is this really where someone should spend their time? I'm not sure. Yet, there is a crowd that should at least like one aspect of this bar. If you are one of those unmarried girls in your mid to late twenties whose insecurity is so overwhelming that you always feel giddy when you are ID'd, you should definitely go here. I presume they would ID people in their seventies at Union Pub. "I have this hunger twisting my stomach into knots". This is yet another line from the aforementioned Death Cab for Cutie song that can be applied to Union Pub. Unless your stomach is literally twisting into knots, I would not suggest eating here. I say literally because if your stomach is in knots, you will not be affected by the food at Union Pub. And yes, I know there are hardly any decent culinary options around Union Station, but you shouldn't settle for a mediocre $11 burger under any circumstances. Overall, if you are in your early to mid twenties, this can be a fun bar. The drinks are relatively cheap for Washington DC and you can meet people around your age with similar interests and potentially a similar earning potential. If you are an insecure, unmarried, and generally unhappy girl over the age of twenty-five, you might find temporary happiness in the form of a friendly ID check from the bouncer. Finally, if you are a creeper, this might be a place to go for happy hour. But if you are going because you live close to this bar and you can't think of any other options, your life resembles a fucking emo song. read more

Started coming here when it was Red River (pour one out for my homie) and can definitively say that this is a bar. A solid bar. A solid, hangin' out bar. A solid, hangin' out bar with lots of outdoor seating. A solid, hangin' out bar with lots of outdoor seating and tons of TVs for watching the game. A solid, hangin' out bar with lots of outdoor seating, tons of TVs for watching the game, and a better-than-average beer selection. A solid, hangin' out bar with lots of outdoor seating, tons of TVs for watching the game, and a better-than-average beer selection of both draught and bottles, including Shock Top, Starr Hill, Lagunitas, Magic Hat, Fat Tire. And once, I saw a totally twisted older lady in a sequined tee-shirt flip out on a plaid-flanneled older guy with a trucker hat and a PBR who was attempting to hit on her. Good times. read more

Came here for a happy hour with coworkers. It's definitely a bar - it looks like a bar, smells like a bar, and has the vibes of a bar. The drinks and service are decent. The food was good, but standard bar food. We had a big group and split a bunch of appetizers, including some of the nacho and tot options. All were pretty good. I don't think I'd go out of my way for this place, but it was a decent spot near Union Station to grab drinks after work with friends. read more

I'm a high school teacher, and at 5 o'clock on a Friday this place has all the school supplies that I need. My teacher-friend and I came here to re-up after another successful week of not using holy water to waterboard anyone's child. She had a vodka and cranberry juice with a glass of wine. I had a rum and Coke. The drinks were strong enough to allow us to believe that we were still valued members of society. With our newfound confidence/delusion, we ate some grub. She had the spinach artichoke dip, which was pretty good. It tasted better than TGI Friday's. I had the pepperoni grilled cheese sandwich with parmesan fries. The sandwich was much better than I expected. The fries were okay. Not bad, but not mind blowing. Sensing that we were flying too close to the sun with the whole confidence/"valued member of society" thing, God sent a thunderstorm our way. The outdoor patio somehow lost its appeal so we left. I'd definitely go back. The service was good, and the "bar food" was on par with chain restaurant, which is pretty good for a happy hour spot. read more