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The Union Tavern, WC1
WC1
WC1X 9AA
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Union Tavern
Imposing corner pub with quite a lot of heritage interest inside too, with the small counter opposite the main entrance presumably originally for off sales and then semi-open rooms off to both sides of the U-shaped bar. The one off to the left, now more of a dining room has another (disused) door on the corner, whereas the right-hand side has a longer, curved counter and general seating. Plenty of etched glass on the internal screens and lobby windows, with the latter area also having an impressive tiled floor. Also has some patio seating out on the pavement. Unusually for central London, no big real ale brands, just a pair of Marlow Rebellion beers - IPA and Overthrown (£3.50 in the late afternoon 'happy hour') - from the bank of four handpumps.
On 27th July 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Union Tavern
This is a pretty impressive street corner pub that has gone down the gastro route, but retains a good sized drinker’s area and has plenty of interesting features to make a visit worthwhile. You enter through an open porch with some beautiful etched glass panes which detail the bar’s former entrances, and a remarkable mosaic tile step that bears the pub’s name. The pub has a simple, U-shaped, bare boarded interior, although the left-hand side retains enough partitioning, including some more excellent etched glass screens, to make it just about feel like a separate room - further helped by the fact that the left side has been designated the restaurant area. As dining rooms go, it’s pretty good, with large windows giving good views out to the crossroads outside, and rows of formal tables and chairs in front of an open kitchen to the rear. The right side is also used for dining, but only as an overspill area, so most punters on this side were there for drinks, which helped it feel like a proper pub space. There are some extremely comfortable padded banquettes along the front wall and a few high tables and stools down the right-hand wall, with a small, low fireplace separating the two. The walls have been decorated with a series of amazing etched glass screens, presumably salvaged from defunct parts of the pub, and also very large frames which display what appears to be the designs used to create some of these etchings. It all looks very impressive and the effect is only slightly sullied by the insertion of a few blackboards listing various food and drink options. The bar has a long sweeping counter that starts opposite the front door and runs down the right side of the pub. It has a pleasant dark wood bar back with some nice arched mirrors on the top and the counter has an old Victorian water fountain, albeit minus its handle, which is an unusual feature that I can only recall seeing a couple of times before. Motown and soul tunes played quietly in the background and there was a reasonable midweek crowd split roughly 50/50 between the drinking and dining sides of the pub.
As with most Central London pubs these days, cask ale has taken a bit of a hit, and of the three handpulls, only one was in action, dispensing a reasonable drop of Rebellion Smugglers. The barman was very friendly and stopped for a chat when there was a bit of a lull at the bar.
I stopped in here on a bit of a whim whilst walking towards Angel, and was very pleased that I dfid, as I thought this was a well looked after pub, with smart contemporary furnishings and plenty of interesting historic features that should please a wide range of customers. The limited ale choice was a bit of a shame but the friendly service and comfortable surroundings would encourage me to pop in again when I’m next passing by.
On 17th February 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about The Union Tavern
mpressive looking old pub from outside.Nice interior.Always seem to have a Trumans beer on and tonight it was Two Halves their World cup beer.Friendly sort of place as well.
On 18th August 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Union Tavern
This is a rather grand granite-clad Victorian corner pub which on entering is smaller than you'd think.
There's a fine wrought iron sign over the door and attractive mosaic depicting the name inside the side vestibule. The left side is pretty much reserved for dining and sports an open kitchen. The right side though is for real people: drinkers!
A fine interior awaits and like Rex, I too am not sure that the interior is 100% original but it wouldn't surprise me if it were. The glasswork and partitioning, especially around the vestibule are particularly attractive. There are some framed pieces of cut glass to the walls which may have come from the pub, having been saved for posterity. There are fake Victorian hanging gas lamps and at least two pretty cut glass chandeliers - possibly lead crystal - which certainly appear to be of some vintage all hanging from a ceiling which may be Lincrusta. The floor is bare boarded but appears to be original and the walls are painted white. Wood is either dark lacquered or painted modern dark blue/grey (what else). There are flowers and tea lights on the tables, the venue seems pleasantly free from electronic entertainment, save for music which was a bit loud.
A friendly barman presided over: Sambrook's Wandle, Truman's Runner, Signature's Pale Ale and Timothy Taylor's Landlord which was very decent and good value for the area at £4.30 a pint.
There's not much in the immediate vicinity save for the inferior Easton over the road and the pubs in King's Cross are largely a non-starter. I could quite happily spend an evening here.
On 5th October 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1986 recommendations about 1952 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about Union Tavern
Bar / restaurant with a split level interior. 4 real ales served.
On 29th October 2015
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Union Tavern
Having visited this pub on just the one occasion I find it extremely difficult to rate. It has an excellent corner location; but difficult to determine that it was indeed the establishment I was looking for in the absence of a traditional pub sign. However the entrance retained what appeared to be the original “Union Tavern” floor mosaics. Some of the interior decor has a Victorian look about it but I have to say that although the bar layout looks Victorian the bar back itself doesn’t. The woodwork might be, but the glasswork appears to be modern reproduction. But I could be wrong.
The main part of the establishment forms a well-lit and welcoming restaurant area. I didn’t eat here but the 2-course set menu for £7.90 looks a good bet, and the food the diners were eating certainly seemed worth the money. But the bar area wasn’t particularly inviting – in my view. I found the dark grey/taupe colour of the walls quite depressing. There were two handpumps – the Pride was off; the only other choice was the Greene King IPA of which I had a half for £1.50 (£3.00 a pint?!) which I thought was pretty expensive for, at best, an average beer. So, as a restaurant it looks good, but as a pub it doesn’t score highly with me.
On 2nd July 2008
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]