(718) 609-0484

484 Union Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11211 40.7148 -73.9516

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Neighborhood: Greenpoint

myspace.com/unionpool

Last updated 10.17.11

Category:

Bars & Pubs, Bars & Clubs, Taverns, Lounges

Payment Methods:

Cash

Bar & Club Special Features:

Live Music, Outdoor Seating

Smoking Permitted:

No

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Union Pool

Featured Review

Karen Hudes

Contributor

In the grand tradition of Williamsburg bars, Union Pool transforms a defunct shop (generations-old A-1 Pool and Pest Supply) into an enticing place to kick back. The owners' handcrafted touches--including deep blue booths, creamy pressed-tin walls, a smooth cast-concrete bar top and green tiles from the old Shaeffer factory--coalesce with nifty remnants of aquatic signage. Barflies bask in the glow of an old-time refrigerator, where lemons and martini glasses--plus the odd stalk of ginger--chill. Creative bartenders tinker with the sauce to mix up espresso martinis and pomegranate margaritas,…

Editor's Tips

The Extras:
This is one of the few city's few spots where you can find a photo booth.
Know Before You Go:
Make a night of it: Also hugging the BQE overpass, Pete's Candy Store features a lower-priced list of martinis.
Extras:
Cocktails are generally $6 or $7, and the staff is good about buybacks. In addition to mixed drinks, bottled beer and Guinness on tap, the bar offers a cheese plate with olives and Saltines.
In the Neighborhood:
Make a night of it: Also hugging the BQE overpass, nearby Pete's Candy Store features a lower-priced list of martinis and live music every night.
drinks
60.0% positive
  1. “It's definitely a great spot, even if you're not into the scene in the main bar, which can tend to have a tattooed, rocker/greaser, wanna-be bad-a$$ vibe, but the back room is by far one of the best places to check out a band anywhere in the 5 boroughs, w”
  2. “nice place to duck in and have a beer when its not a Friday or Saturday night as the space is really cool and they have a huge backyard.”
  3. “like the bar, but how they can let this stuff go on is amazing.”
  4. “The drinks seem kind of expensive to me, $11 for MacCallan 12 on the rocks, which goes for $8 in more reasonable joints.”
  5. “The bartender was rude and got my drink wrong after I had waited twenty minutes just to catch his attention!”
  6. “bar itself is ok but the crowd was a little lame.”
  7. “It's a cool space, and the back garden is great, and if you go right after work, it's not such a bad place for a drink.”
  8. “OK--- I got there with my friend to be rudely attacked by the bartenders (after we had already ordered) to order more drinks, and after skoping the sparse backyard area, we'd both decided to split--small area, snarky others, and bs specials--go elsewhere ”
  9. “This bar is great when it's not crowded, otherwise it gets swampy very quickly.”
  10. “really like the bar itself, but I got a ridiculous, in your face, truckload of attitude off the bouncer because he said I wasn't standing in the right position so he could see my face to compare it to the ID.”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “They have a fantastic selection of liquors and the crowd is friendly and energized.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “nice place to duck in and have a beer when its not a Friday or Saturday night as the space is really cool and they have a huge backyard.”
  2. “It's a cool space, and the back garden is great, and if you go right after work, it's not such a bad place for a drink.”
service
57.14000225067139% positive
  1. “The fire pit outside is really cool, the place is is big enough that i've never seen it crazy crowded, but usually a good number of people.”
  2. “OK--- I got there with my friend to be rudely attacked by the bartenders (after we had already ordered) to order more drinks, and after skoping the sparse backyard area, we'd both decided to split--small area, snarky others, and bs specials--go elsewhere ”
  3. “They have a fantastic selection of liquors and the crowd is friendly and energized.”
  4. “Bartenders aren't especially friendly, and the lines for the bathroom are always mysteriously long.”
  5. “The bartender was rude and got my drink wrong after I had waited twenty minutes just to catch his attention!”
  6. “Still, it was my local when I lived in Brooklyn and the bartenders are a friendly crew.”
  7. “Avoid, Crowds, Terrible bartender”
value
75.0% positive
  1. “OK--- I got there with my friend to be rudely attacked by the bartenders (after we had already ordered) to order more drinks, and after skoping the sparse backyard area, we'd both decided to split--small area, snarky others, and bs specials--go elsewhere ”
  2. “good spot if you are in the hood, but not worth making the trek from manhattan.”
  3. “nice place to duck in and have a beer when its not a Friday or Saturday night as the space is really cool and they have a huge backyard.”
  4. “The drinks seem kind of expensive to me, $11 for MacCallan 12 on the rocks, which goes for $8 in more reasonable joints.”
wait time
0.0% positive
  1. “The bartender was rude and got my drink wrong after I had waited twenty minutes just to catch his attention!”
  2. “Bartenders aren't especially friendly, and the lines for the bathroom are always mysteriously long.”
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/28/12

My favorite pool hall

by Terry Orme

Clean place - and I mean that on every level. No hustlers or other BS. I can bring my kids here, even though they're not old enough to play pool. Daddy can rack up a few. Glad to have you guys around

4 Star Rating: Recommended

02/07/12

loads of laughs, williamsburg mecca

by DexterMorganFan

this place is like a mecca for hipsters and all those who want to experience the taste of williamsburg! great musica and tacos are a fun intro to our world!

4 Star Rating: Recommended

01/27/12

a bar that serves tacos? im there!

by mariorudeson

the tacos honestly were the biggest draw for me. i need a little snack to chomp on when im getting wasted with my friends- and this place had an ace up its sleeves. check it out

!

3 Star Rating: Average

01/11/12

amazing loved it and im NOT a hipster!

by kellyhamblin

great food and fun fare . little tacos make a great snack and the drinks are reasonably priced. bartenders are fun and quick to serve, great time, def going back here.

4 Star Rating: Recommended

01/01/12

Had a great time!

by lancemurfees

The prices were pretty good and the crowd was cool. The bartenders were pretty fast on the serve.

The Details on Union Pool

Place Categories:

  • really cool nice place
  • like bar
  • rude bartender
  • energized crowd
  • impressive music
  • great spot
  • great patio
  • big yard
  • of expensive drinks
  • great back garden
  • abhorrent treatment
  • huge backyard
  • cool space
  • best tacos
  • bad angry greasers
  • recommended highly
  • really cool fire pit
  • friendly crew
  • ridiculous truckload
  • poor dude
  • most uncomfortable evening
  • order more drinks
  • bad mean owner
  • big sweeping motion

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