Union Street Restaurant

11/20/08

Big menu by Susan D. at InsiderPages

Contributor at Insider Pages

Fun place to eat when you are going downtown for an event. It has a big menu and friendly bar with all the staples plus good choices for entrees. Nice to go there year after year.

08/20/08

Don't plan on returning.

by mr48000 at Citysearch

First off, I had to pay $5 to park. I've known many people who have had their cars broken into while parked in this area; even while parked right on Woodward, and during evening - not late-night hours. At least the nearby paid-parking lot has an attendant until 1am to watch the cars.

Next, the walk in (even though I was parked right around the corner) needed to include multiple cases of fending off panhandlers.

After being seated, a person at the next table addressed me, and expressed his displeasure that I had been seated at the table next to his group. Something to the effect of "out of all the tables in this place, they had to seat you...." I was with a small group who was sober and out for a dinner - we hadn't even said a word, not to mention offended anyone.

The food was average, the drinks were served with the wrong kind of glasses, and the service was average.

The walk back to the car was just as bad as the walk inside.

I do not plan on returning there ever, and would not recommend it to anyone I know.

• Pros: The parking lot has a watchman
• Cons: Rude patrons, dangerous area, must pay to park safely

08/18/08

Food not so good, Too loud to have a conversation

by paws26 at Citysearch

Went there with friends on a Monday night to have a going away for our kids who were off to college. Even though it wasn't very crowded the acoustics make it very noisy and we had to yell or talk into each others ears to have a conversation. Not good for group dynamics. We ordered Dragon Eggs as an appetizer, unfortunately our waiter never brought them. When he finally brought our meals we asked what happened to our appetizer and he had forgotten to put the order in. He offered to put the order in then - but our meals were already there so we said never mind. Of our 5 meals, 3 were good, 2 were bad. The Kung Pao chicken salad was drenched in an inch of chili-garlic sauce, it was gross. I had to let my lettuce and veggies drip clean before I could eat them. An order of spaghetti with meat sauce was flavorless except for the overwhelming taste of garlic. The NY strip steak and the salmon salad were given ok reviews by the people that ordered them. Our waiter offered to take the spaghetti off of the bill since it wasn't eaten, and we said ok. When the bill came the spaghetti was still on and the gratuity was included which is surprising for a party of 5. I guess that takes away the incentive to do a good job. And finally, we were hassled by 2 different street people in the short walk from our car to the entrance. I don't understand the positive reviews that I read about this place - I would never go back and am disappointed I went there with friends on my recommendation. Oh yea - the greeter and waiter never checked to see if things were ok - which of course they weren't.

• Pros: None
• Cons: Hard to hear anything, bad food

02/25/08

Simply Done Right

by tflucht at Citysearch

Made my first trip to Union Street. Did not have a reservation, but was seated after about 10 mins. Ordered the crab cakes for an appetizer, and they were quite good: fat with crab, rolled in panko, with a minimum of filler. The only downside was they were not made with lump meat. Entrees were meat loaf and fish & chips, with mac & cheese, baked beans, and french cream potatoes as sides. The meat loaf was fantastic, with an innovative use of ham for flavor and added moisture. The slices were generous, with great texture and taste. The gravy was wonderful, as were the potatoes. The fish & chips were simple - battered cod, cooked perfectly, with lemon and tartar on the side. Simple, basic, perfect. Fries were crisp and hot. Again, simply done right. Regrettably, we had to skip dessert, as we were too full of food, and too short of time. In brief, simple comfort food, with some innovative touches, cooked perfectly. 9.5 out of 10.

• Pros: Great food, great service, great atmosphere
• Cons: Parking and location are a bit dicey some times

07/04/07

Delicious food

by bethesdagirl at Citysearch

I'm somewhat obsessed with the New England clam chowder and vegetarian lasagna at Union Street, although my husband has ordered several different dishes that have also been delicious. The prices are moderate (not what I'd call cheap, but definitely reasonable). Now for the negatives: the non-smoking section is much too small, so cigarette smoke can be a big problem; the noise level is very high (and forget about going there on a week-end night); plus, service can be erratic. Another problem is parking, as you either have to pay to park in their (guarded) lot or else try to find on-street parking. The latter is very difficult on week-end nights and it also makes you subject to aggressive panhandlers.

• Pros: The food (always delicious)
• Cons: Cigarette smoke, Noise, Parking

04/01/07

Would not return

by dawn72 at Citysearch

My sister and I ate there and were very disappointed. Our waitress was not at all helpful and it was extremely noisy, we practically had to yell to each other to have a conversation. I ordered the Chicken and exotic mushrooms and it was not at all what I expected. My sister ordered one of the specials, Roasted garlic, steak and linguine, the steak was extremely tough (my sister thought it tasted like liver) and the sauce was just so-so. When the waitress brought our check it seemed like she disappeared, we had to track her down in order to pay our bill. We both decided that we would definately not go back.

• Pros: Parking nearby
• Cons: Waitstaff and so-so food

11/08/06

It's a great place to eat

by kee22 at Citysearch

Union Street is a great place to eat. The have a small menu, but there many eclectic things try like seafood and buffalo. I definately suggest trying their buffalo nachos, their hot wings, or their black bean soup. I have never been disappointed by their food. Their bar is pretty good, also.

• Pros: Great food, good ambience
• Cons: parking is a pain to find

The eclectic mix is in the food and the crowd at this Woodward Avenue favorite.

by Contributor at Citysearch

In Short
Dim lighting and the golden hue of the art-deco interior keeps Union Street cozy. The seafood chowder is a creamy favorite that is filling without being heavy. The salads are exceptional, as well as creative. Dragon's Eggs--gorgonzola stuffed chicken breast, battered and fried in hot sauce atop caesar salad--is delightfully different. Numerous sandwiches and the Union Street meatloaf will please straight-laced diners. For dessert, try the sweet-and-light white chocolate Alpine Lace cake.

03/04/06

Good spot!!

by shann70098 at Citysearch

I work right near UnionStreet and have been here more times than I can count for lunch or dinner. Everything my friends and I have ever had (and one is quite adventurous) has been great. Portions are HUGE (if you get the anti anti pasta salad it's enough for 4!) and I highly recommend the manchego beef tenderloin sandwich. It's the best sandwich I've ever had. Service is good but the place is usually so busy you'll end up waiting for your food. If you have a short break at work you might want to wait until later so you can enjoy yourself!

• Pros: Food, Crowded, Cute

10/24/05

What happened?

by bullettooth88 at Citysearch

What happened? Union Street used to be grat. Now it just seems like a sub-par knock off of itself. The staff was way to snooty (your'e a waiter in Detroit, hello). The food portions were half the size they used to be. The quality of the food has dropped significantly. And, I had to wait forever to get a drink at the bar while the bartender was talking. I don't know if it's new owners or new managment or what. Get your act together guys, I miss the old Union Street.

09/20/05

An Old Favorite

by lordtwistie at Citysearch

Been going there for years Great drinks,wine and food. Hard place to beat. Always something ne and exciting on the menu

• Pros: Value , Selction, Atmosphere
• Cons: Noisy