The Union Cattle Co

This place is now closed. Abigaile is the new restaurant. I haven’t been, but checking out their website, they seem fancy shmancy.

This review is for the club.
I hate this place! It was so wack!
The place was virtually empty on a Friday and the music was so bad.
I haven’t been back since!
The only plus is that they have a mechanical bull! Heyyyyy!

Hopefully I can come back to this bar during Spring/​Summer because it seems like it would be way more crackin’ then! Although when I came here this past weekend it was pretty packed, but I needed more of my friends to go in order to get a better experience. This place has lots of potential though!
There are pretty much different areas of the bar. Once you enter there were people dancing on the main floor which plays hip hop and rnb music. When you go upstairs there is a younger crowd. The music is more house/​electro and there is even an outdoor area where you can drink and socialize.
It is pretty spacious inside unless it gets SUPER packed then you would have to squish around to get where you want. The boys got a beer and it was pretty good! They brew their own beer here and it almost tasted like there was a hint of orange juice or something in it.
I wonder how their food tastes? Hopefully delish, I want to try it when I come back here anddd have another night life experience here when the weather warms up! It seems like a great place to party!

Been to Union Cattle & Ocean bar upstairs. both are A-​Ok as far as the food and drink go.
On our recent trip, we did the 2−4−1 coupon and the hubs got the Rib Eye (of course) with twice baked potato and asparagus and I got the special sea bass.
My seabass was disappointing. It lacked seasoning, and although i could detect lemon in the flavor, it was saturated with too much finishing oil. The twice baked potato was ok, but again lacked any type of seasoning. It left me questioning if the chefs taste the food they put out.
Hubs steak was ok, but I’ve had better.
Finished with the pot brownie. I think I would’ve liked it better if I got a buzz from it, then again, it was just served in a «pot». No stems in this badboy. The center was cold and served with vanilla ice-​cream. It also had some weird marshmallow thing on it. Almost like they were trying to do a hybrid smore /​brownie.
I think this is just a place to ride the bull (when they have it) have some drinks and enjoy the view. I’m not a fan of their food.

Pleasantly surprised. We had coupons for 2 for 1 dinners and decided to give the food a try.
I ordered filet mignon, surprise… It was flavorful and tender, from the looks of everyone’s plates we did a great job of cleaning our dishes. The twice baked potato was yummy as well, with cheese and bacon and the right amount of crunch. They didn’t have Bearnaise so I asked for their special sauce which was a pepper sauce, it was very very peppery with a nice kick.
To end the meal we shared the pot brownie, don’t get any ideas, it came in a pot, more like a small skillet. Served warm with vanilla ice cream it was the perfect way to end dinner, could have done without the big marshmallow on top and used an extra scoop of ice-​cream.
For our entertainment a few of our friends decided to ride the bull, yes, they brought it back for the weekend, with a few minor injuries, we had a show and great laughs.
Get on their email list for specials.

The Space: There are three stories and the upstairs (third floor) outdoor lounge area thing was reserved for a work event I was in town for, until 10 pm. It was a really chill scene and the fire pit things were pretty but they got crazy with the wind. The second floor there’s an outdoor area with dance floor inside with a full service bar. The first floor, I’m guessing, is the main restaurant area but there is a dance floor there and (I think) there’s a bar there too.
The Bar & Restaurant: I didn’t eat the appetizers they served because it was all meat and the only option for me were these jalapeño popper things and that wouldn’t have gone down well with the drinks so yea, I didn’t eat. Everyone said the food was good though and the wings and chicken screwer things looked and smelled really yummy.
The Staff: Like I said, I was there for a work event and given that there were about 100 of us there, it was kinda crazy and it took about 25 – 30 minutes for us to get our drinks. However, the servers were really nice. Same with the bartenders.
The Music: The second floor played interesting music; I think it was supposed to be house, kinda not really but yea. I totally wasn’t feeling it. We were about to leave when my friend saw the dance floor in the first floor and they had a great DJ there who played more old school hip hop mixed with a new current tracks. I haven’t heard «Nuthin’ but a G Thang» in a club in ages and to think I heard it here, out of all places, was pretty surprising. So seriously, props to whoever was DJ-​ing.
The Crowd: All in all, it was a fun, chill place to hang out with friends. There were a lot of uptight girls and douchebag-​ish guys but if you can get past that, you’ll have fun.
FYI: I was actually pleased with their bathrooms; very clean and well kept. Also, there’s this piece of wood thing/​table thing in the middle of the «dance floor» on the first floor. Apparently, you’re not supposed to dance on there… and that’s all I have to say about that.

We came here because of the beautiful rooftop view. We live in the area and enjoy going out to eat. For the most part we can find atleast something good everywhere we go, but after eating here we will NEVER EVER go back! The new menu is terrible. I had the «famous» lobster. I dont know how it’s possible that this disgusting mayonaise in a wonder bread hot dog bun concoction became famous but please don’t order it! Why did they change the menu??? The lettuce wraps are gone and they were so good!
Suggestion to the owners: Skip serving food here or bring back the old menu or just give the food away for free! By the way, mid burger I decided I’m not eating red meat anymore, Yikes!!! I want my 68.00 ba

Greasy testosterone overloaded scuzzfest. Seriously, the place is fire hazard with all the hair gel and body oil these guys use.
When I first went in, ran to the bathroom where a bunch of Jersey Shore Pauly D wannabe’s were in the stall snorting cocaine, so things really didnt get off to a good start to say the least. Later, a bouncer stopped me and said «I need to lose the attitude” — which I ddint have until he shoved me aside, so I must say the staff is not the friendliest in town
Drinks were extremely overpriced and watered down (think stadium prices), so if you are not a 21 year old horndog who has a mad obsession still with MTV, all things New Jersey and crappy DJ’s going off their iTunes list I would recommend finding another watering hole
Stay away!

I went out to UCC a couple of times recently after a long hiatus. Things have definitely not changed for the better.
Gone is the mechanical bull, whose novelty I suspect was enough to direct weekend revelers away from the pier to come here for the night over the years. There used to be a free flow of traffic throughout all three levels of the building. Now they are treating the upper floors as a separate club. I was stopped from walking up the stairs because I had been downstairs; I told the doorman, er, stairman that I had already been upstairs (not true), and he let me through. Huh?
The roof deck on the third floor had always been one of the best features of the UCC, but I guess it is off limits if you choose to drink on the first floor. The second floor continues to be a hot, sweaty, shoulder-​to-​shoulder, wannabe club scene. The patio on the first floor used to be a somewhat tranquil area that people could go out and have a smoke in. The area is sort of sequestered off now and used primarily as a walkway to direct traffic from the first floor to the third floor. An awkward line had formed inside the first floor bar to use this walkway, which was of course blocked by another doorman. The first floor bar used to be more chill, but now it seems to be trying to compete with the second floor with the music, even though nobody dances on the ground level.
I can’t speak to the food. Given the scene at night, I can’t image eating at this place.
With the new setup, I think UCC employs more doormen than bartenders. Seriously. This used to be a decent alternative to the bars on the pier proper, but the logistics of how they are running the place now is baffling. The UCC in Pasadena went out of business a few years ago. I would not shed a tear if a similar fate befell UCC Hermosa.

In case of an emergency, you’re f***ed. This place get unbelievably crowded on a late Friday night that it gets very difficult to move around. Not to mention all the «fog» that fills the stairs, and the first two floors. Imagine three floor’s worth of drunken people trying to evacuate during an emergency? Bah! Crazy. Another negative, not enough stalls in the ladies room.
The positives? Three floors… I guess.
Yeah, that’s about it.
From the reviews, I need to try this place during the day. Maybe…

Parking sucks. If you park on the street, you’ll have to come out after your time runs out (2 hours max) to make sure to feed the quarters. They have valet too but pah, I hate valets.
The food is whatever. It’s just average. But the atmosphere is pretty good. Great bar, decent vibe, decent service. And they have a mechanical bull which is always cool.

I work three blocks away from Union Cattle and prior to Saint Rocke (PCH/​2^nd Street, same owners), this is the weekly happy hour spot. I was always happy with the food, music and service. I have enjoyed dinner a few times as well, as some occasions we just wanted to hang out way past happy hour.
Last Thursday, my dinner was delivered rather haphazardly.
1. Ahi tuna salad: tuna was room temperture, hardly any dressing on the greens. Very bland. I know it’s a salad but must it tastes like grass.
2. Firecracker Salmon (entrée): I opted for french fries, chipotle mac n cheese as my two side dishes. The mac n cheese was recommended by the waitress as her favorite and I like my food with a little kick to it. The mac n cheese was merely reheated and once it cooled down, i can see the chesse separating from the macaroni and a thin layer of oil surfaced on top. It wasn’t creamy or cheesy and I didn’t taste the chipotle. (See pictures). The fries were greasy. The salmon looked and smelled great upon arrival, I thought it was the saving grace of the meal. Not so fast… the fish was overcooked thus dry AND burnt, coated with a thick spicy ginger sauce on one side and burnt on the other. I hope this is just an one-​time mishap with the kitchen.
The mechanical bull was entertaining as always and service was pleasant (other than the bad recommendation on mac n cheese).

Woooo hooo! Yee Haw! OK those noises weren’t really coming out of me, but this place makes you want to just scream that. Came here to meet up with a few Unilocalers for a happy hour UYE.
I wasn’t able to stay too long but It was a nice way to wake up from a semi buzzed car ride over here. I wasn’t driving. I had some wine before I came and whew– talk about a cheap date. Psst call me! Jk
The entrance to this place makes you feel like you’re walking into a club, I suppose its the lighting. Once you’re through those doors its over. That mechanical bull is calling your name. The bar area is a cool place to hangout. I wish I could’ve described it a little better but I was fixated on the damn bull, plus being so groggy didn’t help much either.
I was looking forward to trying some of their light bites but I was seriously like a kid who’s for focused on getting what they want. I wanted to tackle the damn bull. Our server was nice, the drinks were good and the food was pretty hefty.
I can say one thing, I’m really glad it wasn’t crazy busy inside because this bull is located smack dab in the middle of the room where you can totally feel the gazes coming from every corner of the room.
A few kids were ahead of me. Then I was finally called. You have to sign your life away before you ride. Also, there is a price of $ 5.00 to ride. Damn I’m free entertainment! Where’s my share huh? I’m the one doing a show here.
Could I say it was the best 30 seconds of my life? Meh, but it was definitely worth trying. In doing the math that was ¼ the experience of a lap dance, but at least it didn’t leave you high and dry. I did have a good time.
I definitely recommend coming with a big group of your friends because it can definitely turn it up a notch.
Hmmmm. Maybe I might just come back and do that.
Shout out to Rebecca D for putting the UYE together. And big thanks to my father in law for sponsoring my bull ride.

If you’re looking to ride the bull, don’t come on a Wednesday night! I went downstairs from the bar to check it out, and they had slow, country music playing. Moreover, the booths surrounding the bull pen were filled with older couples and their children. These two elements made an extremely awkward environment for a younger, bull-​riding crowd! Errr… fail!
If you’re coming in for happy hour, the bar upstairs has a nice view, and the retractable patio ceiling is pretty cool. However, the service is not so hot. :/​
Two girls in our party ordered water only, because they were pregnant. Their water tasted really weird, so they didn’t drink them. About an hour later, they mentioned this to our waitress, and she said, «oh yea, we’re having a problem with the tap. It’s mixing the water with something else.» Uhhh… thanks for the heads up, lady. If she knew there was something wrong with the water and that it tasted off, she should have told that to people so they wouldn’t have to find out for themselves. They also could have ordered other drinks instead of being disappointed and confused.
I ordered a water anyways, and she never brought it. The boyfriend had to go up to the bar himself and get me a class. Epic fail.
I brought some cakes for a going away, and although the guy behind the bar was VERY nice, one of the plates was dirty with remnants of old food.
So…atmosphere is nice, but on this particular day, service sucked hard.

I’ve been here for the nightclub twice both on Saturday nights and as people are starting to say it’s pretty damn dead! The first time was for a friends birthday and 97% of the crowd was for the birthday! The second time was just for a regular night out but it was so dead and we were hungry so we left FOR FOOD (though apparently there is no food served an ANY of the clubs after 9pm so how bout them apples!)
The one star is for the AMAZING Adiós M.F. the cute bartender upstairs made for my friends and I. It was tasty *AND* got us drunk halfway through the drink.
Moral of the review? Bring your own fun (people), have an adiós THEN ride the bull so SOMEONE can have some entertainment. But I won’t be back so it wont be me: P

Food — 2 stars
Drinks and Entertainment — 3 stars
I came here for a friend’s birthday this past weekend. This venue is a great destination for enjoying some drinks, music and mechanical bull watching… or riding depending on how daring or how much liquid courage you’ve consumed. The atmosphere is very laid back and there was a nice mix in terms of the crowd.
I wish I had the same sentiments for the food but unfortunately, it was a huge disappointment for many at our table. Much of the food that we ordered was almost mediocre at best but even that is a bit of an overstatement.
Seared Ahi Tuna
This dish was fairly decent. The tuna was seared nicely.
Blackened Chicken Sandwich
The chicken was overcooked. I loaded on the ketchup to make it semi-​satisfying.
Rack of Lamb
My boyfriend ordered this dish and he said it was very gamey and had a strange taste to it. That was all I needed to hear to decline a taste of it.
Some other people on in our party of 16 ordered the ribs and lettuce wraps. It seemed that everyone begrudgingly ate their food solely because we were hungry and had no other option. Perhaps the cooks were having an off night in the kitchen but irregardless, I would eat dinner elsewhere in Hermosa and just come here for the entertainment afterwards.

Now, I might be a fan and have fun fond memories of this place because I was pretty damn intoxicated when I was here almost 3 years ago, so who knows maybe this place actually really sucks, but I just don’t know it.
A mechanical bull with a camera and tv moniters displaying drunk people making asses out of themselves, music blaring out the speakers, nice comfy booths, while at random times an alarm going off causing all the bartenders to get onto the bar and walk around pouring shots directly into the mouths of us alcoholics. Sounds like a recipe for an amateur drunk college girl video or a snip of a better version of the movie Coyote Ugly. But no, this is the description of a weekend at Union Cattle.
Fond memories made, but now I feel too settled down to go to a place like that. Sigh… it truly does go downhill after 21. hahaha

It varies here… as a night spot it can be so-​so, or it can be awesome, full of fun people, good drinks, etc. Or… so-​so. It was deserted tonight… almost totally empty. Very odd.
Food, though, is not worth it. It’s not bad, but my ribeye was not anywhere near the quality steak it should have been. The steak salad wasn’t bad, though.

Well. I just came from this place.
This is the restaurant I went to yesterday, in the afternoon, only to discover they are not open for lunch. They open at 5pm (on weekends 4pm I think).
I gotta try to ignore the bull in the middle of the main room.
I thought I had time-​traveled back to1980 to the set of Urban Cowboy.
I glanced around to see if I could spot Bud & Sissy or Mickey Gilley, but all I saw were LA peeps circa 2008.
Other than the predominant bull behind the velvet ropes, the place has a pleasing décor, comfortably chic.
I arrived around 6, and there were no tables available anywhere except on the outdoor patio (see photo), which disqualified me for the infamous Happy Hour. The server said the customers pretty much storm the place between 5 & 5:30 to get HappyHour-​compatible seating. So now I know.
And now I see why.
From the HH menu: steak tacos @1.50, and other goodies like onion ring mountain & asparagus wraps, all for cheap.
The regular menu was impressive, offering steaks, chops, Angus burger, seafood…
and unusual sides such as spaghetti squash, broccoli, and green beans almondine. And that is why I shall soon return for round two, but this time I will be there at 5pm to join the table rush & grab competition.
I got the pulled pork sandwich with side salad (see photo). Three stars for that. An additional star for the surroundings and the perfect service.
The staff came out to the patio & set up heaters around all the tables, and were very concerned for the diners’ comfort, although it was nowhere near chilly tonight.
And the servers were great — attractive young women with no ‘tude, just friendly and aiming to please.
My dinner, 11 bucks. Not a huge portion, just enough.
Next time I gotta brave the crowds & the bull, wish me luck.

I’ve been to this one a few times and have always enjoyed my experience, I had gone to the Pasadena one soon after they opened but it never really had a good vibe… So I guess that the Pasadena one is now gone! lol
Last February I celebrated my birthday here, I wanted to put something together for my coworkers but wanted something different than our usual Sharkeez happy hour. A friend of mine had had her b-​day party here and I liked how this place has an upstairs area that is welcoming an comfortable for a group of 10 or 12. I had talked with one of the day managers during a lunch break to set aside a time and found them to be very helpful and friendly.
It was a Thursday evening so I didn’t know what to expect crowd wise, some of my friends have families and such but often surprize us by showing up. I had reserved a portion of the upstairs patio, that day, however, was quite stormy and I didn’t know how we’d cope with the covered patio and heat lamps. When a handfull of us showed up we were lead up stairs by the smiling hostess, we found the whole level to be empty. The hostess said that if we’d like we could move indoors to the lounge area next to the bar… Mind you, the upstairs looks like a well appointed hunting lodge with stone facades, earthy pastel colors, decent lighting, and very comfortable and roomy couches. «Uh, yeah! We’ll take it!»
As it turned out, I didn’t need the entire area as folks came and went through the evening so there were always about 10 or so friends present. And many of them had never been here so they enjoyed the setting, and really enjoyed the happy hour menu. Ah, the menu! I think happy hour went from 4:30 to 7:30, 50% off all appatizers on the restaurant’s dinner menu so there was nothing cheap set aside for finger foods. Plus… Draft beers were $ 2! They feature a few of their own brews that are not too unflavorful, nor do they try to over do it with some sort of shi-​shi grape berry hefawisen. Great basics. We never did get downstairs to ride the bull, we were just having too much fun having Irish Car and Yeager bombs!
If you happen to visit on a Friday or Saturday evening plan on waiting in a line fi you get there late. And ladies, if you have large boobs and you ride the bull, the operator has a little trick to bounce those kids much to the delight of the crowd! All in all, everybody has some reason to smile here. :o)