Union Restaurant

thursday evening (11/4) my friend and i visited this place. seated promptly, the hostess was very pleasant. the server, not soooo much. seemed to be on some sort of "medication" or was just terribly snobby. he hovered around us and scrutinized our ID's after we ordered cocktails in an unprofessional way. i think a bit of judgement was passed on us, assuming that our small party, age (24-25) and casual dress would result in a low tab and small tip. we ordered food and bread. the bread was fantastic, combined with the olive oil and the martini, was probably the best part of the meal. it was right out of the oven which unfortunately meant 15 minutes without bread only for it to arrive right as our food did. i poked around at my dish, thinking it looked oddly unfamiliar as i had ordered fish with brussel sprouts and this had romaine and carrots. i'm not particularly fussy so i decided to go with the order anyway. upon tasting it i realized it was not fish. not fish and RIDICULOUSLY salty. as in, burned my palate for the evening salty. the crappy server showed up and WITHOUT SO MUCH AS AN APOLOGY snatched the plate out from in front of me and placed another down and said "this is actually your dish" in a way that implied i was somehow to blame. it was rude, unneccessary and kind of embarrasing. i can't say much about the food i ate, as my tongue couldn't shake the previous salty nightmare, but as for portion size it was enough to be filling. i can't believe how people can eat more than one plate here. gluttony is just awesome. i'm just sad about this experience. if the server had merely been unattentive i would have been happier. i later asked him "out of curiousity, what was it that you served me?" and he snottily replied, "why, do you not eat meat?" and i said, "well, just fish. i try not to eat pork." and he said something along the lines of "ohhhhh". and that's it! still no apology! we tipped 15 percent to the penny. Pros: nice space, good martini, my friend wanted to bathe in the olive oil Cons: rude server more

If you're willing to shell out $50, you can get 4 of their dishes. Each dish is small - so 4 dishes really won't fill you up too much. The food was good - I especially liked the duck prosciutto. The problem was that we went later in the evening and literally 1/3 of the menu was unavailable - including some of the best stuff! Pros: Nice selection Cons: They ran out of food! more

In order to NOT like Union, you have to have no taste buds and only eat mcdonalds. The staff is wonderful. the food is incredible. and the setting is romantic and intimate. i have been there atleast 10 times and i return for the changing menu and the great service. Those of you who complain about waiting to be seated or served, WHAT DO YOU THINK? IF THE RESTAURANT IS FULL THEY HAVE ATLEAST A HUNDRED OTHER PEOPLE TO WORRY ABOUT SO CALM DOWN AND WAIT. enjoy the people your with, and the endless bread and oil. i have eaten in more expensive restaurants and been disappointed. Union is a wonderfull place and the FOUR people out of 26 that don't like it dont know what they are talking about as well as what good food is. Also those of you who treat servers like dirt under your shoes, need to be more understanding, OR DONT GO OUT TO EAT. problem solved Pros: EVERYTHING Cons: NOTHING more

This was the worst dining experience ever. First of all, service was horrible (brunette waitress working the section by the entrance on 2/23). I have never had worse service in Seattle or anywhere else. Our waitress had a bad attitude from the very beginning and was very rude. The food did not make up for the poor customer service. Overly salty and uninspired dishes left us wanting more. None of the courses seemed to flow very well from one to the other. The menu was all over the place. In addition, dining time was unnecessarily drawn out as we had to wait a very long time between courses. This is unreasonable since the restaurant was not even busy. This is the first time I have written a negative restaurant review, but I would hope others can learn from my experience and stay away from Union. There are far too many other great restaurants in Seattle. Pros: Location is in Downtown Cons: Horrible Service, food quality bad, over priced more

I recently took my husband to Union for a special birthday dinner, expecting to have a truly memorable dining experience based on the restaurant's inflated reputation. To provide a little context, we both have sophisticated palates, appreciate great wine and eat at good restaurants regularly. Although we had a reservation, we waited nearly half an hour for our table. The hostess asked us if we wanted a drink after 20 minutes, and we did, but the drinks did not appear before we were seated. We mentioned it to the waier, who brought us our no-longer-cold and terribly made martinis that had been sitting on the bar waiting for the hostess to remember them. Yuck. At least the server was apologetic and took them off the bill without prompting. Our server was attentive, if a little sporadic with his timing. His descriptions were helpful and accurate, and he strongly recommended we order 3 courses because they were small. We asked for a recommendation for a bottle of wine, but the bottle he recommended strongly clashed with nearly everything we ordered. The food itself was quite excellent, but there was a lack of cohesion to our meal. A couple of the dishes had wonderful parts that didn't go together on the plate. We also felt that there was no need to order three courses -- we couldn't finish our meal, which was incredibly expensive. The other complaint was that the atmosphere seemed very ordinary, there was no sense of intimacy, and it was very noisy. It was a disjointed experience that wasn't a total failure, but I left feeling disappointed nevertheless. Compared to the Canlis birthday dinner my husband treated me to this summer, this just wasn't a comparable experience. The food is definitely above average, but the rest of the experience was only average while the prices were way above average. If money isn't an issue, I would say it's a good place to dine for a lively business or group dinner. Skip it for special occasions. Pros: Interesting, delicious ingredients and flavors. Cons: Spotty service and average ambience, noisy, and very expensive. more

I go here, and sit at the bar. Maybe I'm just more comfortable in a bar, but I do it because the bar area HERE is comfortable. The small plates are great with a glass of wine or two (NICE SELECTION, by the way). It's a good way to go and feel satisfied without breaking the bank. After work, winding down, the bartender is nice, knowledgeable, and clearly loves his craft. As does the kitchen clearly love theirs. I like that the menu rotates. I've even been in with groups and sat at the larger bar table, to the same effect: relaxed, comfortable, good service. I don't know what's up with the reviews of the restaurant side, but I love it here. Pros: Food, Service, Drinks, WINE LIST Cons: Parking more

Crisp, clean and fresh restaurant design - unusual combinations of food - shame they ran out of a couple of the deserts at the end. - they often do tasting menus too which are good more

My husband and I only discovered Union last fall; "we are a bit late to the table..".Anyway since then we have dined maybe 15X and not been disappointed on any meal. We go early to avoid noise and crowds. Service has been attentive and well-informed. How many places serve soup at the table out of a small tureen? Not being volume eaters, the portions are perfect for us: quails, celery root soup with poached duck egg, squab (done differently each meal), beef tartare, scallops with lentils, supremely-fresh sardines. A squash tart with creme fraiche or cheese paired with interesting jams/nuts/ mache finish our meals. The food is all made to order by the 2-man kitchen. While it is not given away price-wise, it is fairly priced for what it is. We would rather a well-conceived and prepared dinner of moderate quantity over a mountain of mediocre food-any day of the week... Pros: quality of food, changing menu Cons: can be noisy more

We tried this restaurant again after experiencing some service issues on our last visit. This time, however, we were not disappointed. The restaurant took very good care of us. The food is quite an unforgettable experience and the wine pairings were perfect. more

In a particularly memorable episode of Penn & Teller's Bulls__t, the guys set up a fake upscale restaurant, serve small, hyped dishes made of laughably low-cost ingredients (Salisbury steak, for example) to their posturing, opulent clientele. They then film their victims as they ooh and ahh over the flim-flam dishes for which they're happily forking over a fortune. I'm not saying that The Union is that fraudulent. By no means. What I'm saying is that the distance between the hype and the reality coordinate with the highwayman prices to EVOKE that episode. From what I hear, The Union once served a taste menu. As of a couple months ago, that was no longer the case. What it serves now is snobbisme for the credulous, undersized dishes of uneven quality at a uniformly exhorbitant price. I sat across from my girlfriend attempting to supress a mischievous grin as I watched the feigned appreciation that spread over the faces of this cheaterie's bamboozled patrons. I felt like Mencken must have felt has he reported on the Scopes trial. In an exchange that I cannot remember with a straight face, I explained to the waitress that I had not received any implement with which I could cut the sirlion into eatable portions (I had not received a chainsaw). This was, she rejoined, "by design" -- that the sirloin was "marbled". Honestly, the Union is OK, and the wine list is good, but the fare justifies neither the ballyhoo nor the price. Pros: Nice location, good wine list. Cons: Just read the review. more

I am six months into my serious love affair with Union. Seriously astounding taste creations, a lovely interior, waiters who know the drill. Some of the best dishes I've ever had--ever--have been here, and it's all because every ingredient is allowed to shine through in the meals. The bar menu is a great deal too, every night the dishes in the bar are $8 which is definitely a major value. Go here and I promise you won't be disappointed; just be prepared for a nice dinner and to have the food knock your socks off. Pros: Great cocktails, tasty desserts Cons: Definitely not an everyday indulgence more

Romantic, elegant, amazing and unique menu. It doesn't get better than Union. I can't wait to return. more

Excellent spot. Very much enjoyed the tasting menu and the wine pairings were right on. I come in from NY often and this is the first place I head. The most enjoyable aspect is the ever changing menu. I always find something new and interesting at the Union. If you like to explore new foods with new tastes this is a great spot. And dont pass on the bar. If you cant get in to the main sit down for a nice and reasoanbly priced bar menu meal. The creamless clam chowder is about the best I have had. Pros: food, wine, ambiance Cons: parking more

I had there three course meal. Soup was bland, squid was burnt, duck was good. Pros: Good Service more

My husband and I headed to Union to celebrate a special occasion. The slow service (20 minutes until anyone showed up to our table) was an immediate turnoff. They recommend three courses which was way too much food- their small courses offered way too much food. The food was tasty but offered no decided point of view. The service (that was so slow to arrive) spoke down to us and unnecessarily explained everything on the menu while we're extreme foodies. The bus staff asked if they could take our plates between each bite. After dinner we spoke to the owner/chef and he was so unimpressive and non-chalant about how to manage critisim that it was pathetic. Seattle Magazine said this was a top 10- We seriously disagree. Don't go to this lame excuse for a top restaurant. Pros: OK Food Cons: Service, Ambience, Owner/Chef more

Beautiful dining spot and bar, followed by even better food and service. Adventurous menu (think everything from fried quail to escolar, beef tartar to sweet pea soup, housemade sorbet to orange-cardamom creme brulee), excellent wine list, creative cocktails, and a great tasting menu (even better when matched with wines!) A perfect destination for any occasion: small bite + drink after work, visiting parents, date night, or a group of friends. I suggest eating here now before the WAMU Tower and new SAM entrance opens. I can only imagine how packed this place will be once the word gets out. more

Ethan Stowell consistently offers delicate, creative flavors of the sort you'd find at the most expensive restuarants - at very reasonable prices. Staff are knowledgeable and attentive. If you aren't willing to try new flavors and be surprised by flavor combinations you never would have come up with yoursefl - well, Union may challenge you. But if you love great food and broadening your horizons at a great price, eat here as we do frequently. Pros: Creativity, Value more

Before traveling to Seattle I scoured the internet for a fabulous restaurant to visit during our stay. I decided on Union because of their famous tasting menu, supposedly talented chef, and rumored reasonable pricing. What a disappointment! Location is downtown but valet is not offered, seating is tight, bread is served cold, and service is polite but slow. If the food was superior I wouldnt care about any of these things, but it is definitely not. The famous off the menu tasting menu was very much ON the menu. It consisted of five plates featured on the menu (of reduced portions) at a discount if ordered together ($50 for 5). Had I known Seattle better I would have walked out then, but we thought we would give it a shot. Nothing was very impressive. Everything seemed well thought out, but it just didnt have that wow factor. more

On our way to the Showbox a couple of weeks ago, my girlfriend and I noticed the great windows and stylish design of Union and thought we should check it out. The maitre d was very friendly / helpful with answering our questions about the menu. We started w/ the butternut squash soup & crab salad. BOTH were excellent, but the soup was incredible! Round two: quail, which was served country style - deep friend with coleslaw, it was quite fun and tasty. Also couldn't resist the octopus, which was outstanding, but be sure that you like the texture of octopus before you jump into this thick cut. Beef and pork tenderloins for the main course were both outstanding, the aged beef tenderloin especially so. We were so happy with the service, ambiance and food. I would recommend Union to anyone looking for a hip and exciting dining experience. Pros: Service, Ambiance, Food Cons: Parking - Was doable more

Chef Ethan Stowell changes his menu daily depending on what ingredients he can secure for that particular day. The word that comes to mind when sampling the delectable fare at Union is "fresh". Ingredients work together in harmony to promote simple yet intense flavorings. The best way to sample Chef Stowell's genius to via his 5 or 7 couse price fixe menus. The service at Union is also worth mentioning. The servers are very knowledgeable about the menu and the wine offerings but lack the pretentiousness that so often is seen in top end food churches. Another word that comes to mind about Union is "comfort". Pros: Price Fixe, Great Service, Daily Menus more