The restaurant has received a facelift, both in the dining room and in the kitchen, but the experience is not better. Â Overall, the appearance is much more upscale than before - much lighter in color. Â In fact, the place really does have a nice vibe. Â The beer selection has definitely changed - many more to choose from. Â This was the biggest plus of our visit. Â However, the dining experience has not improved. Â We tried the Margherita Pizza and Diane's Meatloaf. Â The sauteed greens that come with the meatloaf were so salty they were impossible to eat. Â Far too much seasoning. Â The whipped potatoes lacked any seasoning. Â My suggestion would be to pull back a bit on the sauteed greens seasoning, and use what you pull back to season the potatoes. Â As for the Margherita Pizza, it was very odd to see pieces of corn on the pizza. Â The house made sauce did not taste house made - reminded me of something canned like a Hunt's tomato sauce. Â The crust of the pizza had the consistency of a traditional scallion pancake that you would order at a Chinese restaurant - sans scallions, of course. Buffalo mozzarella was not used on the pizza. Â The cheese was more like slices of cheap mozzarella. Â It was not the good high quality bright white buffalo mozzarella. Â The only redeeming quality about this pizza was the fresh basil. Â They helped make it edible, but this pizza was not good. Â I would not order the pizza again unless they modified this pizza. Â Not sure we would return based on the poor quality and flavor of the food alone.
Review Source:A group of us went to Union Street for dinner based on a friend's recommendation. She had suggested we sit on the patio if it was a nice night. When I called the make the reservation, I was told I could make it for indoor seating, not the patio, but if it was nice and the patio was fairly empty, we could be seated there.
Unfortunately, it was a pretty hot night and the restaurant had lost power the day before (resulting in no AC), so I requested the patio. Luckily, we got a nice table in the back corner (which the hostess said was her favorite spot). Although the heat lamp was in the way, it was a great spot.
I was torn between 2 completely different options: the Southwest Salad (warm grilled chicken served over a bed of house greens, red bell peppers, jalapeños, corn, black beans, Monterey jack and cheddar cheese with tortilla strips. Served with a side of chipotle lime vinaigrette) and the Black Jack Burger ( 1/2 lb Cajun seasoned Angus burger with pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato and ancho aioli).
I saw the Southwest Salad and it looked great, but I had burgers on the brain, so I settled on the Black Jack, with the tater tots... It was great and I devoured the entire thing (and was then RIDICULOUSLY full). The tots stuck together and then fell apart, but they were pretty tasty.
I saw another table get the Big Dig Fries (A giant stack of our waffle fries topped with melted Monterey Jack & cheddar cheese, bacon, scallions & cilantro sour cream) and they looked AMAZING. As did the Mac & Cheese that table ordered.
I will definitely have to come back in cooler weather to try the Pistachio Chicken with Butternut Squash Ravioli (Pistachio encrusted chicken filets served over butternut squash ravioli tossed in a garlic & sage cream saucewith apricots & balsamic reduction), which the waitress said was her favorite dish. And, of course, the Mac & Cheese and Big Dig Fries!
For 6 people, our bill was relatively low (we didn't get drinks) and the patio is fantastic.
Obviously this place does not get consistent reviews or give consistent dining experience. Â As a bar, it's okay but not some place I would consider going to get a burger, fries or wings. Â
It was a group of 4; the waitress told us about this new fantastic executive chef and how he really cares about his dishes. Â They tried to give buffalo wings a new twist; but it just didn't do it for me.
When we got our burgers; they were either over done or too rare. Â The fries were burnt to a crisp. Â I need a little potato in my french fries. Â We sent one of the burger back and we got a new set of fries which weren't too bad. Â So clearly they can do the job if they wanted to. Â For us; they didn't want to try on all four of our burgers. Â The manager did come by and ask how they can be of assistance. Â After that we lost our waitress and I was left with an empty pint glass. Â Couldn't say "check please" fast enough.
Good food. Great patio outside with nice seating. I'd recommend sitting there if you don't like a lot of noise as it gets VERY loud inside.
Decent service, although sometimes they are more interested in talking to each other than keeping up with their tables.
Overall a nice place for a date or to catch up with some friends.
Good food great beer list, even better location (outside deck especially!) so therefore it gets 4 stars. Good prices for everything and really tasty basic food.
Aside from not being seated for about 30 mins due to the restaurant being "on hold" on a Saturday night (so strange), and then inexplicably getting seated, my experience there was solid!
I'm so sad that that Union Street changed their persona. I loved the old "Tavern in the Square" Union Street menu. I loved that Newton Centre had one less fancy bar/restaurant option. It was the only inexpensive option in Newton Centre that wasn't a diner and was a great place to grab drinks, watch the game, and have some great pub food.
Now the menu is all faux fancy. The food that I had the one time that I visited there was more than sub par. I ordered the meatloaf (previously so delicious) and it was really, incredibly, awful. Literally the soggiest thing I've ever eaten as it all fell apart all over my plate. It looked like dog food and didn't taste much better.
Union Street - reconsider? =[
This place could be great but management has botched the service so badly, I have zero interest in returning. Our party of 6 arrived after a morning hike and wanted to be seated on the patio. We were told we would have to wait 15 mins... 30 mins later we asked what was going on after seeing about 10 open tables outside. Apparently the manager had told the hostess not to seat anyone since the kitchen was backed up. Ok sure I get that the kitchen needs to catch up...but at least seat the 15 or so people milling about the entrance and get us some drinks! His logic made no sense to me and his attitude was very rude, whispering to the hostess while we were right in front of him as if he couldn't be bothered to address us directly.
After being seated in the farthest corner from the sun, despite there being numerous tables open in the sunny areas, we got a bit chilly and requested that the heater near out table be turned on. Too bad, the manager says again. The heaters are on timers and won't come on for another 2 hours! I'm not an idiot, I know you can twist a knob and turn them on before the timer kicks back on, as we witnessed an employee doing for another table about 5 mins later.
The food was decent although all 4 burgers ordered were cooked well-done, even though we ordered them medium to medium rare. The only pleasant thing about our experience was our waitress, who was lovely. We gave her a nice cash tip and will never be seeing the egotistical manager or this restaurant again.
I've always thought the food was top-quality and I've never had a complaint about the service. I went last night and told my server when he first gave us menus that we had somewhere to be in 30 minutes. He was totally nice about it and everything went really fast.
But really, I'm giving a good review because the food here has been consistently good.
My only complaint would be that the place can be a bit noisy/ crowded. However, I can not hold that against them due to the fact that they are a bar and they are popular. Â
So, the place is a little hard to find (the entrance is in an alley not visible from the street) and you may prefer to go at off-hours (early evening, weekend lunch, or something). But the food quality is always good. Not stellar--no Michelin starts or anything. Not mind-blowing fine dining. But totally satisfying and tasty. Staff always friendly. I recommend.
This has been a standby for us in the past, as it is walking distance from our house and had a large enough menu to satisfy our family's eclectic tastes.
Our latest visit does not have us itching to go back. They reduced the portions/options and increased the prices.
The menu has changed, for the worse. The two items that my husband and I really liked (both salads) are no longer available. Our waitress did offer to build a custom salad for us in an attempt to get something similar, but they no longer had two of the key ingredients so it was impossible to get anything close.
We sat in the basement, which was literally so loud that we were yelling at one another to have a conversation. It was also really, really hot. I felt like I was sitting in a brick oven. It was like that in the past, and I was hoping that the renovation would address the issues of the basement. It's now painted white, so I guess it looks less dark. And there are a few less TVs. Â But other than that, it's pretty much the same.
Just had dinner here last night, and it was a horrible experience. I have visited this places various times over a number of years and the service and experience has changed significantly.
I ordered the crab cakes which had no mention of cheese, and when i asked it there was cheese no one seemed to be able to tell me. I waited for them to check with the chef and ultimately had to order something else. I ordered a turkey burger and while I tried to convinced my BF to start eating his meal he patiently waited with me for my reorder to come up. We waited close to 20 minutes before I finally asked if the food was going to be much longer. The chef brought my burger up 5 mins later and asked my BF if he wanted his meal reheated(which was nice). At this point I am beyond hungry and ate half my burger before realizing it was RAW inside. They again took it down tot he chef who could confirm the burger was RAW!!! Not only did I wait 20+ mins for this burger when my BF already had his food but! 20 mins wasn't long enough to get a cooked burger. The place wasn't even busy. . .
The manager wanted to know what he could to do for me to come back in again, I said pray that i don't get sick. Ultimately he still gave us a bill and comped my burger. Personally i don't think that was enough to account for this experience, and I definitely will not be going back.
This place is hard to find, but I would say it's worth it.
I came here last week with a group (of 6), with 3 of us arriving well before the others. The staff was very accommodating, and didn't take issue with us taking up a large table on the patio with a small group for so long.
We ordered calamari to start, and they were good. Everyone enjoyed their meals as well.
The cocktails were hit or miss. The fruity drinks were very syrup-y and over-sweetened, but my Moscow Mule was good. My friends were able to return the bad drinks without hassle. The service was attentive, especially with us being on the more difficult side.
Union used to be one of my go to places (and I would have given it 5 stars in its previous life), but is definitely not anymore after the revamp. The decor is nice.. But it came at the cost of the menu. They lost a ton of the usual favorites.
My last experience, I went for brunch. Ordered the rice crispy "french" toast. The server talked it up pretty well, so I gave it a try. Unfortunately what was delivered was just toast with crispies. There was no infused egg with the toast and it was just a crumbly, fairly flavorless slab of bread.
I'll keep my eyes open and hope they revert back to their former glory.
I've been to Union a few times and each time is the same. I'm not disappointed, but I'm also not itching to go back.
I was there last night and was struggling to get service. The folks next to us had their drinks, food, finished and got their bill before we even got our starter (a salad). Our server was as nice as pie, but each time he walked by he would look at our table and then seem to remember that he had to get us our drinks or food.
We started with just a plain garden salad and told our server that we would be splitting it. I was pleased to see that they brought it out pre-split. I love when places do that!
I had the turkey burger which was fine, although a bit overcooked. The menu stated that you could onion rings, but what came out was onion strings. Not the same things folks. They were tasty, but not what we were expecting.
They have a pretty decent beer selection, including Dogfish Head 90 min on tap. YES.
As one of the few places in the area that has outdoor seating, I will definitely be back but maybe I will just stick to drinks next time!
This place is great and so is the food! I'm glad they ditched the old menu, it was just a bunch of fatty fried crap that could taste good at any place. Now the menu is actually consisting of real food, cooked by someone who obviously knows what they are doing. I ordered the short ribs and gnocchi which melt in your mouth and taste incredible! There just may be a little italian grandma back there making these delightful pillows by hand. I've recommended this place to everyone, if you know what good food is you'll really appreciate the experience.
Review Source:Just had dinner and drinks here tonight and hadn't been here since they renovated. The place looks so much cleaner and brighter. They threw on a fresh coat of lighter colored paint, extended the bar, changed the menu, and cleaned up the downstairs dining area too.
Overall we had a good time. The food was good and the portions were a good size. The drinks we ordered came to us pretty quick and all tasted good. They even have wine on tap now, we didn't get any but I saw a few of them poured for other guests.
I have read a bunch of cry baby reviews saying this place isn't the same anymore and how they changed for the worse but I think all of the changes were for the best from what I saw.
My only complaint was the large number of "bros" in the bar area being obnoxious. When I say "bro" I mean meat head guys getting white girl wasted and being annoying. This isn't the bars fault though so I can't hold it against them.
If you had been here before the renovation then go make your own decision with the new look and feel but I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
My friend and I went to Union Street tonight hoping for what we knew and loved: good pub food, big pitchers of boozy drinks, fun atmosphere... No more. Â Tonight was their first night as a "new and improved" Union. Â It sucked!!!
We walked in and the whole place had been redecorated.  It looks really nice.  It's not a dark sports-bar anymore.  It is mostly white and well lit.  The menu is totally revamped for the worst.  They were very proud that everything was now  made "in house."  Well--their in house executive chef blows.
First of all: the pitchers are gone. Â That's why we went in the first place! Â I ordered a new item from their severely short menu (the old menu was pages long)--short ribs in gnocchi. Â No flavor at all. Â Even with salt and peper all over it. Â I sent it back and exchanged it for a chicken sandwich which was maybe on par with Panera; but more expensive. Â My friend got fish and chips that were mediocre at best. Â The cocktails were tasty, but weak, and mostly ice.
They apologized and listened to our critique. Â They comped us one drink, when, really, way more should have been comped. Â
When we left, a few girls were outside smoking. Â They had overheard the manager apologizing to us and wanted to know what happened. Â They also had had a terrible meal. Â They also sent something back.
I have been going to Union for years. Â It was never the best restaurant in town, but it was good for "naughty food" like the Big Dig fries (which are gone) and great burgers. Â They shouldn't have changed a formula that had been working well for them for years. Â There was always a wait--especially in the summer when the patio was open. Â I don't even think the patio can save the new Union St. if the food is this bad.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it is a well known saying. Â Why did they change a formula that worked so well for them, and their customers. Â I'm sad that the old Union is gone. Â I don't think I'll be back
I really like this place. The only reason why it doesn't get 5 stars is because I really hate running into people I went to high school with there.
Like not the "oh hey! haven't seen you in 5 years whats going on?" type of high school classmates, but the "Ugh great, you ruined my favorite bar (yet again...), stop coming here." kind.
but jokes aside, the food is good. I like their nachos and their fish and chips are good. i also like their coconut margarita. SO GOOD. portions arent that bad (could be bigger).
oh and the creepy side to this place: I heard it used to be the city morgue... weird. But still good!
I love this place. My boyfriend and I don't let a month go by without coming by here. When the deck is open it is absolutely lovely out there. The risotto fritters are one of my favorite apps of all time, no joke. Good beer and cocktail list. The service is very friendly. We had a beer spilled on us one time and the manager made a huge deal of it and gave us a gift certificate which was unnecessary to get us back but very nice! I would recommend the burgers especially and most recently I had the butterfinger creme brulee and it was so delicious. I can't wait to get there for wednesday night trivia!
Review Source:Great appetizers (e.g., nachos). Â Fresh salads. Â They do a great white truffle mac and cheese. Â My kid loves the chicken pot pie, which comes loaded with chunks of white chicken and potatos in a hot ceramic bowl topped with a huge flaky crust.
The service is excellent! Â
The patio atmosphere (with lights on a string) with frequent live music is fantastic on warm nights. Â Kid friendly. Â Many big screen TVs for game day inside the restaurant.
Third time I've been here and I always like the feel of this joint.
This review is strictly based on the food I had yesterday 9-11-12.
I got the Cajun Chicken Pasta and it kinda sucked. Â Chicken used was low grade with chewy tendons. Â Didn't really think the Italian pancetta infusion worked with the French/Acadian cajun dish.
But I'd go back for Amanda. who was a dime piece waitress with jokes galore ;)
I have a love/hate relationship with Union Street. Â On the one hand, the location is good and they have the biggest and nicest outdoor seating section in Newton Centre. It's a great place to grab a quick beer after work with colleagues.
The problems start with their service: It's extremely hit-or-miss from day to day. The staff is usually pretty friendly, but I've had problems getting my server's attention on more than one visit, and several times the manager has had to come by to take an order because we'd been waiting so long.
The food is another iffy area. While the menu is pretty large and varied, the food is usually pretty mediocre. Wings have come barely sauced and cooked to death - same with the burgers - but I've also had the seared tuna appetizer that was really tasty and the risotto balls are always good.
I wonder if you noticed that I mentioned beer specifically way up there at the beginning? That's because the mixed drinks here are nothing but over-priced mixers with just a drop of alcohol. Stick with beer and wine here! Don't be tempted by the fun-sounding seasonal cocktails! Even the tried and true Jack and Coke was just a $8 glass of coke. I repeat: BEER and WINE only!
All of that said, I really appreciate the outdoor space. It's so nice to just chill out and have a casual get together here in the Spring and Summertime. For the most part, the prices are more than reasonable for the area and it's rare that I've experienced any wait time getting seated. Inside isn't the worst, but it can get loud and that can be bothersome for some people.
I wish I could give 2.5 stars, but I'll concede the half star because I've never had rude service, just slooooow.
I've been coming here occasionally for years. Â The best thing about Union st. is the outside seating in the summer. Â The porch is great. Â 5 stars for that.
The beer is good. 4 stars for beer.
The food is almost always bad. Â 2 stars for food. Â If you eat here, stick to bar food:
Nachos, hamburgers, chicken fingers, simple salads. Â Anything else will be sub-par IMHO. Â The pizza is terrible. Â Turkey tips tasteless.
The service is OK. Â 3 stars for service.
The upstairs space is good for parties.
Will I return? Â Probably. Â If the food was better, I'd be back more often.
Union Street is by far one of the best places to go to on a Summer night, or any night rather. Â I went with a friend the first time on a Friday and the place was bumping. Â It was a nice mixture of s Sox fans and bar/club hoppers. Â We stayed a good 2-3 hours so we were able to experience the transition between bar and bar/club. Â There is a live DJ every Friday, and besides that a trivia night. Â I've never been disappointed with any of the restaurants affiliated with Union Street ( Tavern on the Sq).
The food is also innovative, but not crazy. Â Although Chef Ramsay would shun the truffle oil usage, they make it work on their awesome tater tots app. Â The waffle fries are also fantastic cause they are huge, and just the right crispness. Â Enough to make you okay with believing they are homemade, even if they are not.
The turkey burger is fantastic, and the pot pie is airy, wholesome, and tasty. Â They don't salt down everything like some restaurants do, and of course the drinks are great. Â
I have yet to try their dessert menu, but it seems to haunt me since fried snickers and cheesecake is on their menu at the Tavern too. Â
They have outdoor dining, big screen TV's, good enough staff, and a great operation. Â We did not have to wait too long for our food the times I went, and the servers were nice enough who seemed to be familiar with the traffic that goes on. Â
Next time you find yourself in Newton Centre, check this place out. Â There are such great places in that area, this one is a winner.
Parking of course is street and lot, and even at high peak dinner times, you'll find a spot. Â I will def be going back.
I had a nice dinner at Union Street last week, but last night I put them to the test for real.
I had rented out the top floor to have a nonprofit career networking event for my Synagogue and the general community. I was extremely nervous about it. Would people come? Would they enjoy themselves?
The staff was unbelievably nice. I came early to set up and be nervous and they treated me to a glass of wine. The room was set up perfectly to my specifications with linens on the tables. Service was flawless and I had no trouble getting a coat rack, adjusting the lighting, etc. They seem to have a lot of audio visual equipment, although I didn't use it. I had 46 people at my event, which filled the space nicely.
Amazingly, they waived the room charge because we are a nonprofit, and Leah was extremely helpful when I put together the menu and reserved the room.
Serious kudos to staff and management for providing us with the perfect space, elegant enough for a professional gathering, but casual enough that people relaxed and enjoyed themselves.
Thanks!
I ordered off the late night menu which at first made me sad. The late night menu was thin on options and nearly every offering was "heavy". There was only one server working a number of tables filled with a mixed bag of clientele. The aesthetic of the diner was really cool and I enjoyed their play list.
Good news they do egg whites and I am pretty sure the list of breads was lengthier than the cocktail list.
I chose scrambled egg whites, potatoes, and the fruit/nut bread. Simply fantastic.
I sampled my husband's hand cut fries which were a flimsy pepper disappointment. The vegan burger could have been better but met expectations. I am not enamored with sunflower seeds which tipped me off that this was going to be blah, and it was.
The omelet I saw was certainly hefty on the cheese.
I look forward to going back and seeing the regular menu.
I'm not happy with my group's experience at Union Street last night. I was there with a group of, oh, 20-22 people or so for a high school reunion. The tables were booked in advance, we were given drink tickets for what the school pre-paid for, and there was some free food. My peach sangria was fantastic, I must give them credit for that, but food and service? Not acceptable.
The pizzas they brought out were very greasy and rather flavorless.
The frustrating part, however, was that a member of our group ordered a pitcher of sangria and some food around 8:50. About twenty minutes later, a manager comes over, says the school only booked the tables until 8:30, and we could sit at the bar or had to leave. Group member pointed out she ordered said pitcher and food twenty minutes prior, and the manager said the order was placed on hold (not put through) until we decided what we were doing.
Now, I understand that they wanted the table because there was a wait. But-waiting twenty minutes to tell us the order was on hold and we had to go to the bar or gtfo? Not an acceptable response. If we were told this at 8:50, I would have given a 3 star review. Twenty minutes later gets a 1 star and a pledge to not return.
As a newton local, I have to say DO NOT GO TO THIS BAR. after showing them 2 VALID FORMS of ID, including my drivers license in which i looked identical, and giving them my signature they proceeded to confiscate my license and told me to  call the police to get it back!!!!! I WAS FORCED TO CALL 911 just to prove my identity, not only wasting my own tax money and time but the officer's time as well. Even after having the officer confirm it was me, they still would not let me in. BEWARE, you may plan to make a night of it but that doesn't guarantee you'll make it in!
UPDATE: Â i went there again the other night, another bouncer asked me for a second form of id again.. i think theres something wrong with my face.
I have been back a couple times now and have to say it is definitely better than before. Â I always get the turkey burger and it tastes so good, it could be mistaken for a real burger. I think it is so charbroiled that makes it tasty.
I also got the sweet potato fries which are fantastic.
Great bar menu and lots of dinner options. I'd drive to Newton just to go!
When I was in high school, this place was kind of tacky - i remember their basement being teal colored and you felt like you were in the ocean or something down there. But on a recent trip back to the high school stomping ground, a buddy and I went here for a few beers and I liked what I saw! They have redone the place and it's now got nice, dark wood - giving it a more "bar-like" feel and their downstairs doesn't look like a swimming pool anymore - much warmer feeling.
Bartenders were friendly and attentive, although it was a blizzard outside and the bar wasn't busy by any means, so can't attest to a normal Saturday night. The crowd was 20s and 30s, and it was a good. I ordered a turkey wrap, which was to my surprise (and satisfaction) pressed so it was warm and toasted-like. The side options were insane: fries, salad, soup, sweet potato fries, waffle fries, or tater tots - seriously? All of those as an option? You betcha!
If you're me, you aren't hanging out in Newton on a Saturday night unless their's a crazy Noreaster blowing through and you can't get into the city, but I could definitely see myself making this a neighborhood place if I did still live in that area - great for weeknight pints or a relaxed bite.
I really liked Union Street, located in Newton's downtown area. Â We chose to sit outside on their large patio, which proved to be a popular idea on a very temporate Saturday night. Â Â Had we chose to eat inside, they have a nice setting, and a very cool bar area, with some nice HD tv's. Â
The drink menu @ Union Street is pretty good. Â The ladies had sangria which they enjoyed. Â The guys had big beers, which were about 25oz I estimate. Â They have a nice beer menu, with a couple of hard to find IPAs. Â Normally those kind of beers would have been right in my wheelhouse, but after a day outside playing softball I wanted something lighter so I went with Allagash White, and later moved to a few Leinenkugel Sunset Wheat. Â
Menu wise Union goes with the whole "something for everybody approach" similar to the Cheesecake Factory for lack of a better comparison. Â I am not a fan of this in general. Â I'd rather a place be good at what they do, rather than dabble in 8 or 9 different types of cuisine. Â However, Union Street seems to pull it off. Â I think Union Street does the upscale bar sandwich type stuff the best though. Â I had a turkey burger with chedar and bacon. Â It was really good as were the sweet potato fries (always worth the extra buck just about anywhere). Â Others at our table had salads which looked pretty good, and a personal pizza which looked kind of egh. Â
Check out Union street- it could work for a nice dinner, good outdoor dining, or watching the game and having a few big beers at the bar. Â Whichever your reason, Union Street is a winner.
Sheesh. Â I used to adore this place before the remodeling. Â It used to be a dark but warm, homey place, and the food was always pretty good. Â The staff was nice, too. Â I've been back a few times since, and it's been a disappointment ever since. Â After lunch there this weekend, I'm never going back.
The service was truly, madly horrible. Â The host post was empty when we walked in (normally not a big deal if the host is seating someone). Â There was one table of three waiting ahead of us, so we filed in line behind them. Â We stood there for a while. Â By the time someone arrived to seat us, the line stretched out the door. Â Literally.
It took over 45 minutes to get our food (it wasn't that busy). Â I heard the table next to us wonder aloud if our server had suddenly retired. Â My salad was ok. Â My friend's burger was not to his liking, and my other friend's brunch was completely wrong. Â
When he asked very politely if his brunch could be remedied, the server snatched the plate off the table and huffed off. Â We knew then that apparently, we were the ones who made the mistake by having the audacity to speak up. Â When my friend asked for hot sauce, our server rolled her eyes.
After that, the server was not to be found. Â We finished our meals and sat there. Â And sat there. Â And sat there. Â I could feel myself aging, at that point. Â
We did have somewhere to be, and we were beginning to get pretty anxious, as we had overrun our hour and a half time budget. Â We tried getting our server's attention, to no avail (we even tried leaving a credit card out, so she'd see). Â She was at the host stand, chatting with coworkers. Â
Finally, my friend approached the host stand and asked for our check (he honestly felt bad that he had to do this). Â Oh the humanity. Â The server gave him a glare, said "yeah," and walked away.
She arrived to bus the table. Â We thanked her and were met with silence.
When she arrived again with the check, my friend attempted to hand her the credit card, saying, "thanks, here..." but again, she walked away, disappearing into the kitchen.
We felt lucky to get out of there when we did. Â As someone who waited a lot of tables in the past, I can say this was Bad Service. Â Capital B. Â Capital S. Â It's a shame, because I used to love the place. Â I'll never go back.
Meeeeeeeediocre. Never been impressed with the food here. Over-salted, dry, bland, and "eh" are some words I'd use to describe the food. I'd say overall they do a decent breakfast/brunch though. I don't know if I will ever understand how this place packs 'um in.
Update: At a friend's request we went here for dinner Saturday night. What a mistake. On the upside we got seated right away out on the patio and it was a nice night.
Our waitress took a bit to get us our drink orders after we sat down. She talked only to the men of the table, completely ignoring the women...which is just tacky - especially as they were not paying.
Friend of mine asked what other beers they have on tap as their menu states to "Ask about our other beers on tap". The waitress said there were no others (a lie).
Our food took ages to come. At one point I had to go powder my nose and walked past what looked like our order sitting on a tray waiting to be delivered to our table. When I returned after navigating my way downstairs to the semi-clean, typical nasty bar like bathrooms, the food had just been served.
The couple of times she returned to our table she only asked the guys if they wanted another drink, completely ignoring the two women at the table. Major mistake in my book. And at one point she came towards our table and just as we were trying to get her attention she walked away back to her family's table and then disappeared for ages. Nice.
Then my order was all wrong. I got a sun-dried tomato and goat cheese stuffed burger well done with sweet potato fries. I got a rare burger with waffle fries. When I attempted to get the waitress' attention, I had to stand up and basically holler at her because she was too occupied saying goodbye to family, which was apparently more important that those she was serving. Her mother tried to tell me that she was rushed off her feet as she was hugging her grandmother. Right.
When she finally came over, she said she was rushed off her feet and it was very busy. But she wasn't busy enough to have 5 minute to say goodbye to her family. I had yet to get into the burger and told her the side order was wrong. She was about to take back the entire plate to leave me with no food while she went to fix the situation. I told her no, she could leave the burger I had yet done anything with and bring me the fries on the side. She also brought us an empty bottle of ketchup. As she went to leave, I cut into the burger to find it was rare inside.
At this point we asked to talk to the manager. He was nice enough and apologized asking what he could do to make things better. He told me he would return in 2 minutes with a new burger. He did and it was mostly cooked through - although it did have some bits of extremely raw meat. He also offered us complimentary dessert. Um no.
In the end he took off a beer that my friend who spoke to the manager had and my incorrectly ordered meal (yes it was wrong on the receipt), and that was it. They should have comped my 8 dollar pomegranate martini - which the waitress asked if I wanted salt with when I ordered it. Yes, no lie.
They have redone the place and it's very nice inside and they've upped the prices from what it used to be for food that isn't really worth it. It's possible that because I was so disgusted with the service and everything it made my food taste not as good but in the end my burger was no where near tasting like an $11+ burger. Sorry folks.
Yes, this was the service of one waitress that I hope is no longer working there - and if you get her and she is still there - good luck to you - but overall it was a very grim experience.
Maybe it's better to eat at the bar and I'm doubtful anyone else would have such an experience but, there are many many better places to eat.
I will not be returning.
Love it! Â And Kevin and John on Monday nights are the best. Â Also, I really do love the new menu.
EDIT: Went to the NEW Union Street this past Saturday- Opening Night and was very surprised. Â It is now very modern and has a lounge-y "Tonic" kinda feel to it. Â I like the homey bar that it used to be, now its a little cold. Â I think the people that used to go there after the baseball, basketball, and softball games may not feel as comfortable anymore. Â Its a dress-up but look like it took you 2 minutes kind-of place now. Â
Not too sure if I'll be back....
I've managed to work at companies that are never more than 10-minute drive to Union Street, so it's been a default happy hour location -- without the happy hour specials -- since I first moved to Boston.
I like this bar/restaurant for its patio and the bar area (when seating is available), and its blueberry beer. I'm not crazy about the nachos and buffalo wings (dry and boring).
If you're a fan of live music at U.S., this may be something to note: It's under new management now and they're debating whether or not they want to keep the live music scene (upstairs from the main bar) or nix it completely. The bartenders are petitioning people to get in there in on Saturday night and show support for the bands. I've never actually been to U.S. for anything other than happy hour, but if you like the live bands here you may want to make this a weekend destination.
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