Union Bar & Grill

Came here for a late lunch, and didn’t have to wait at all for anything. Quick table, quick drinks, quick food, etc. Food was quite good — we had the fish and chips and a fried chicken sandwich (it was Friday, we needed some grease!).
Portions were large, and well cooked, not the most flavor in the world — but it’s a pub, it was pub food. Service was great, everyone was nice, and quick.
Atmosphere looked pretty fantastic. Great big open room with lots of mis-​matched tables and chairs. I’m going to guess that it can get quite loud and boisterous during the afternoon drinking hours.
Overall, a good pub, maybe slightly overpriced, but the food was good.

I used to be a real fan of this place, although since there have been more and more offices opening in the Paddington Basin area, the pub has got busier and busier. It’s really become an office workers early evening drinking pub, before they head home.
I used to love coming here when it was quieter. In the early afternoon you could easily get a booth. In fact I used to meet my manager here for my 1−2−1 review meetings. The place looks a bit tired now and although this may work in the main bar area, giving the place a bit of character, it certainly does not work in the toilet area, which look as they have not been maintained since the place opened. There is plenty of outdoor seating, with a nice view of the canal, although it is really difficult to get a table during the week in the summer months.
The Union does have quite a good menu, especially the sharing dishes and their breakfast is not bad either. The menu selection is the usual gastopub offering.
I last came here prior to a Unilocal event a few days ago. I had arrnaged to meet a fellow Unilocaler for a pint. At 5.30pm you could not move in the place. When we finally got our drink, we decided to stand outside in cold, rather than endure the mass inside (in fairness it was a Friday evening).
This is pub that I would certainly go to, if I’m strolling along the canal on a Saturday or Sunday, but would certainly give it a miss during the week, especially as there are nwere alternatives springing up in the Paddington Basin area.

I popped in here for a wine during the canal festival over the bank holiday weekend. The sweet smell of the outdoor BBQ caught our attention.
The bar was pretty busy, and I’ve walked past here after work on Friday and its always very packed.
There are plenty of tables both inside and out. We sat outside where there isnt’ any table service, so you have to go inside to order. Not sure if they bring your food out to you, as we didn’t order any food.
The wines are reasonably priced and it had a nice friendly atmosphere. Seems to be good for children during the afternoons, I do doubt it would be good for them during the evenings though.
All in all a nice place to have an afternoon drink in the sun.

I’ve heard a lot about the Union from Mr. Snarky’s stories about when he worked in London, right around the corner from it. Been a few times now to meet up with some of his former colleagues and while it isn’t anything special, it does have a lively vibe about it. Not been here during the day or weekend, just evening on a weekday and most of people Mr. Snarky used to work with tend to be the majority of the customers (and there are a lot of them).
I do like the location, convenient to Paddington, but also in a nice area near the canal. The bar is quite large with big windows, however, the tables can get in the way when there is a large group gathering for drinks and debauchery. However, on nice nights, they do open up the large windows and place some of the tables outside so you can enjoy your drinks under the night sky. I did notice that people were having food as well as sharing plates, something that surprised me as I didn’t know they did food. I guess every time we have been it is always for drinks… in fact one of the times we met up with some of his colleagues, we ate at Zizzi around the corner then wandered over to the Union for drinks. However, after mingling and making my way around the bar, there are chalkboards with food above the bar, including Tapas.
Based on the décor and the customers, I’m not sure that I would head to the Union for a meal, but for nibbles and drinks with friends, it certainly fits the bill. I can’t speak to the prices of drinks as every time I have been someone offers to buy me a drink :) However, I’m sure I’d hear no end of whinging if the prices were above the average for London. I also haven’t found the service to be slow… at least not with drinks, but then again because this is the usual watering hole for this particular group of officer workers, I think they tend to get fairly quick service.
On our most recent visit, they even reserved an area (half inside, half outside) with tables, couches, and general standing area for the group as it was a leaving do for one of the guys who has been at the office for ages. Even when a few of the group were three sheets to the wind, the staff were very accommodating, bringing bottles of water over and, in one case, even assisting one of the group to the toilets on the floor below. At the end of the night, they were quite patient with the stragglers that didn’t seem to be budging and also ordered taxis to take the group to the next pub. Overall, not a bad place for a drink and place to vent after work, but as I said, the atmosphere isn’t really one I would like to have a meal in.

totally solid watering /​snack hole conveniently located next to paddington station. beer selection was ok and sharing plates were pretty good (fried halloumi, cajun fries, and quesadillas all good, sauteed mushrooms blah).
i was there at 6:30 on a Wed and didn’t find it to be THAT crowded. it was busy but we were able to secure a seat. drink service was pretty quick considering the busy-​ness.
Can’t find anything particularly wrong with it, but it’s also nothing that special either. they do have outdoor seating right on the canal which is nice — weather permitting.

I live near The Union, so I tend to visit on the weekends when it’s not so busy. I’ve spend multiple rainy weekend afternoons hanging out in a booth with my husband and our friends, enjoying the small plates and wine. It’s one of my go-​to places.
On weeknights, the after-​work crowd takes over and it’s quite full and loud. That being said, it’s a fun place to be for happy hour, and when the weather is warm the outdoor patio is a nice area to be. It sits right on the canal.
The last time I ate there was for Sunday roast. My chicken roast was delicious, though my husband was less impressed with the beef. The starters and sharing plates tend to be reliably good. I can’t vouch for the beer selection, but they have a small but nicely varied wine list. It’s certainly not gastropub food on the level of a Gordon Ramsay place, but it’s consistently good and reliable. The main drawback of the pub is that table service can be slow. Overall, it’s a nice place and I recommend a visit.

Tucked away location on the canal that had surprisingly good food. Friendly service good variety. Excellent burger and onion rings. Not normally over by paddington but will remember this spot.

My husband thought risotto was great, which says a lot and I thoroughly enjoyed the fish and chips too. Good beer select and a nice atmosphere.

This pub gets very busy on Thursdays and Fridays. Good for a drink with colleages, I would never bring friends here though.

Bleak food, slow service, sticky tables. There’s not a lot of choice round here, but this place is grim…

A very busy bar, catering mainly to the Sheldon Square office workers. Not really very exciting, but usually packed and with a pleasant buzz. The food is unspectacular, but there is an (occasionally haphazard) mix of bar and table service, which helps.

Stopped in for a gastropub lunch one afternoon. The menu was varied with several appetising choices for vegetarians. The beers on tap are predictable but good. The service was fine; attentive enough but not over the top.
In all it made for a fine lunch and one I’d gladly repeat.

Went here for lunch on a rainy Saturday. The ambience is just as the reviews have described, with the slow, somewhat vacant service that was also described. It was bitterly cold out, and we were seated by the back door, which kept sticking in the open position, letting in an unpleasantly chilly draft. The place was surprisingly busy, and after getting up to pull the door shut about 15 times, we asked our server to move us to another table. The food was actually pretty good (vegetarian sandwich for me, tasty-​looking fish and chips for my dining companion), and I would probably go back for lunch, but it wouldn’t necessarily be my top choice in Sheldon Square.

I can’t say I’ve been here every when it’s crazy, as I hear it tends to be. I haven’t checked out the Union Bar night scene at all. What I’ve used this spot as a very convenient bar to hold a meeting right around the corner from Paddington Station, and on that note, it is a win.
There are a ton of tables of all sizes (and a few comfortable couches), and friendly staff to serve you up a drink. The bar is also huge, so no matter where you’re sitting, there usually isn’t anyone near you and you can have a nice private conversation.
It says it has wifi but I have never once gotten it to work. Ah well. Maybe next time.
I’ve only had beer here but they make cocktails and coffee as well.
I like this bar a lot and will keep coming back.

Strolling along Little Venice from Paddington station, beautiful area to sit outside and enjoy the weather. The service crawls a bit, and be ready to give in your credit card to sit outside.
The steak and Guinness pie was good, the sauce was a bit oily but overall not bad, accompanied with chips and peas. Sav Blanc was wonderful on the menu.
The BEST part they had to offer was the Sticky Toffee Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream. It’s a cake of toffee flavoring, very soft, with vanilla ice cream and fresh caramel all over it. Lightly sprinkled with powder sugar. The dessert was the highlight of the meal.
Not a bad location, convenient, slow to get the bill, but overall okay.

I used to work round here and it’s one of the few places to go for a beer in the area. They try hard with the menu but the service is a little slapdash, especially on a Friday night when all of Sheldon Square descends on them

Great after work bar which is always busy and has a good vibe. It is also great in summer as this place is on the canal. You will mainly find people here chilling after a day in the office. It has a well stocked bar and serves pub food.

A loud and vibey place to grab some after-​work drinks, Union has been host to many a great night for myself and friends who work in the area.
Sure, the bar may lack some of the better vodka and whiskey choices and the high ceiling with exposed duct work is never going to facilitate a quiet intimate affair of a gathering, but Union always has a lively feel that is perfect for celebrating a good day at work or erasing a bad one.
I have eaten at Union a fair few times before and I have always been impressed. The menu has gastropub leanings, but also combines tapas and nibbles/​sharing plates or a bowl of their chunky chips always hit the spot.
Year-​round, Union is great, but a summer’s evening, spent drinking next to the canal that runs alongside Union is really special. I am waiting for the day that one of us falls in there. I can’t wait. I’ll even let you know when it happens.

I went here for the first time last night. It was my first time to Paddington Basin and I was really surprised that I didn’t have any idea about this seemingly hidden area.
Anyway, the pub’s nice — maybe in a sterile could-​be-​anywhere sort of way but nice. And the tapas are okay and pretty good value for money (most are under £4!).
Based upon last night’s experience, I reckon the place is usually very packed right after work. Of course, it is hardly a stone’s throw from Paddington Station. But after, say, 8pm the place was virtually all mine and my friends’.
As far as getting there, unless you know the area really well, follow the directions in the previous review by Smiler and get there via the inside of Paddington Station.

What ever you do, do not try and find this place by getting on the Westway, or on the Westway underpass or overpass or subway. I tried on my bicycle and got sucked into a motorway underworld and spat out at Queensway. The only way to find it is from platform 4 at paddington. Walk away from the normal ticket barrier, out the back exit and follow the canal. You will end up at the Paddington Waterside Development. This is a savy collection of glassy office blocks that now house the West End overspill.
Hence the post work office crowd are a congenial mix of young suits and dot commers. The atmosphere even on a Tuesday was buzzy. The bar staff were unfeasibly chisled and must be on intravenous creatine. The wine list was extensive but worth getting off the bottom rung of the ladder (avoid the merlot). I had a sea food risotto which hit the mark, not too gooey and lots of prawns and muscles. The snack menu also good.
The Union is a kind of one off All Bar One with personality. It knows what it wants to be and does it well without pretension. Great for meeting people off the train or if you work there but probably not worth the 60 minutes it took me to cross town and find it.