Fort Street Union

This cool bar is located on the now hip but once dodgy Fort Street in the CBD. The bar is upstairs and has loads of original character. One of the best features is the open roof bar area which allows you to gaze at the surrounding high rises. Good range of drinks and a simple bar menu makes this a good spot for an after work get together.

Nice enough, and a pretty cool vibe. Love the rooftop bar and the nice summer drink menu. Food is pretty tasty and good bang for your buck too. It’s come a long way and I can’t wait to see where they’ll go. Solid place to meet some friends for Saturday afternoon drinks.

This place is great in summer, with their semi covered outdoor area which has its own outdoor bar as well. I wouldn’t come here on a Saturday night though it tends to a bit to packed and rowdy for my liking. But for an after work drink this place it in my top 10.

The roof, the roof, the roof is on Fiyahhh! Not really but the half covered outdoor seating area is pretty awesome. In my past life (8 years ago), I came to this spot when it was dark, dingy and well… just blah. Came here for a catch up with a pal I hadn’t seen in those 8 years and boy was I shocked!
Spacious, bright, organic and inviting. This place is a perfect brunch, lunch hang out. Do they serve Mimosa’s? If so I’m in trouble. We sat outside which is literally a halved roof covering. So if you get those typical Auckland showers, not to worry just move to the other side and your covered.
I ordered the Ahi Tuna salad with a lightly tossed dressing. Really the dressing was non-​existent but the seared tuna and roasted potatoes were perfect. My friend ordered the Duck Risotto salad and I immediately wished that I had ordered that instead. Her dish was juicy, had lots of flavor and big enough to share.
All in all this place has clean restrooms, friendly staff, cold drinks and a great atmosphere.

Formerly Base backpackers, Fort Street Union has drastically transformed from its former self. It is now a respectable place to visit for an afterwork drink, it seems to encourage standing room, particularly the outdoor area which only has a few booths on hand to the rest those weary soles after a day’s work.
I have tended to hang around in the outdoor area during most of my visits, with the inside reminding me too much of the old backpacker hangout.
The food is reasonably good for a bar, with the pizzas and your staple deep-​fried bar snacks quite tasty. The service is hasty and the bar staff eager to serve, although the bouncers could learn some manners.

Fort Street Union has come along way since it’s days as a backpackers bar. Long gone are the sloppy pub meals and the dark, dingy atmosphere– along with the backpacker prices. Now it has thrown of half of it’s roof and become a trendy indoor/​outdoor New York loft-​styled bar.
If you must go towards the end of the week/​start of the weekend, get in early and let the alcohol buffer the effect of the bleeding ears you will walk away with. Staff awkwardly stand as sentries to the Garden Bar, with its awkwardly long tables. Go with a small group of friends so you don’t look like a numpty or better yet, enjoy the bar to its fullest in the quieter early hours of the week.

I came here for a pre dinner drink with a group of friends so it was pretty quiet. We sat on the roof garden and it was grand.
Wehen we arrived we set about choosing a cocktail and it was no trouble for bar staff to make up a few. My friends who were visiting from out of town, were impressed with this bar. It’d be hard not to really, with the roof garden and the exposed brickwork giving it a naturally cool vibe.
I would like to visit again, perhaps later on in the evening, or for something to eat while a big sports game is on. Fort Street Union often have djs and live music on Thursday nights and also drink specials which they promot on their Facebook page. Like them today to be kept in the loop.

I went to this bar in the centre of town to celebrate a friend’s birthday. 12 of us fit around a long table ready for dinner and drinks. A couple of us went up to the bar to get a headstart on the drinks wait and we got a couple tequilas and vodkas really easily and for the standard price of 8 $ per drink. For dinner we decided to share a pizza bread and garlic prawns. I expected a small bowl of perhaps 8 prawns to share but we were pleasantly surprised to get 3 skewers of 5 prawns per skewer. These plus the bread came to around twenty $. The staff were pleasant though slow, and we did receive our bread after everyone had eaten half their meals already but it was a positive experience. Past visits have shown me that as a party venue following midnight, it is a fun place to be.

It’s really hard to believe now looking at Fort Street Union, with its glass frontage and exposed brick walls that it was once just the crappy bar attached to Nomads hostel. Whoever the owner of this place is, he’s a genius.
I went here on a really hot summer afternoon and sat outside in the rooftop garden and had one of the best meals I’ve had for a long time, which was made even better by the fact that I was able to smoke straight after enjoying my meal as this has become such a rarity!
My chicken burger was fantastic and I literally wanted everything on the menu. The food was simple but expertly cooked in the Union’s open kitchen and the table service was really quick. It is quite expensive for both food and drinks, but I really think the ambience of the place makes up for this. It has the air of relaxed-​cool that so many bars strive for but never really achieve and I would recommend it to anyone looking to spend the afternoon eating, drinking… and smoking.