The Union Tavern

I used to attend here quite a lot. And maybe I am being judgmental and old and grumpy but not a great place for an evening drink in my opinion. A lot better for drinks during the day and in summer time. Maybe just a bad night for me. Sorry!

A good craft beer pub with a downstairs bonus of an outside terrace overlooking the Grand Union Canal. Great for warmer weather. The beer selection is good but the prices are on the steep side in my opinion and service can be a bit slow despite friendly staff but overall I’m a fan.

Fun spot with a canal view. Great live music on Thursdays. Friendly staff, fast food, yummy bites, good drinks.

Yum!!! Traditional English Fish & Chips. So good!
After arriving in London we saw that this tavern was walking distance from our hotel so we popped in for a pint and some fish and chips. The fish was so light and crisp and the tartar sauce was incredible. My boyfriend had an ale on tap and I had a cider. This place is so cozy inside and they have a beer terrace outside along the canal. Such a cute little spot with great food.

What has happened to this pub? I booked a table for dinner on a Sunday evening for four for some friends over from the US who wanted dinner near Paddington.
When they arrived there was no record of the reservation and they were just left to find their own table. After average food (and service) apparently it was too late to order dessert at 8pm! Fuller’s have their work cut out with this place which is a terrible shame given the great location by the canal.

I have been to the pub a couple of times and absolut love it. So did yesterday — enjoyed the outside area over fish and chips and some lagers. Quirky interior and the pub got just the trendy pub charme — love it.

No good things to say about food… maybe if you are looking to drink-​good outside area by the canal. I came here last Sunday-​December and I was not impressed at all! The pub Felt pretty uncosy, cold, the menu is really not that great-​had Philly cheese steak sandwich– it was pretty greasy, steak was tough and I actually felt unwell for the rest of the day. Very unpleasant experience. I came with a group of friends so seen other food come out-​it looked ok, American diner style but I felt that £12 for a though peace of meat on the baguette was an overkill and couldn’t really be out amongst main courses on the menu. Wouldn’t recommend!

Monday night is great for cask ale lovers. All draught cask ales are just £3 on a Monday.
Wednesday is great, with all the burgers on sale at £5. It is also their quiz night and gets packed as all the tables are reserved in advance.
They have a great BBQ menu, but I wish they offered a roast option on a Sunday.
Large outside terrace on the canal, is nice when the weather is good. The view of Westbourne Park Bus Garage, is not so great.

My local! Well not necessarily my closest local pub, but if there’s ever a question of where to enjoy a few fine beers, this place always wins.
Beer: phenomenal. Usually a good rolling selection of about 12 kegs and 4 casks with lots of bottles in the fridge. I would say the taps are somewhat consistent, but they do change it up, so not totally static. Casks change more often. They are one of the few places in London with Windsor & Eton Republika Pilsener on tap, which is pretty much the best craft lager in the UK IMHO. Try it, it never disappoints.
Food: USA style BBQ. Superb pork, great burgers. My recommendation is the mac and cheese. Give it a minute to cool off (read: I’ve burned my mouth on it) then dive in and pretend no one is watching. Bliss!
Atmosphere: cool vibe inside. Top notch canal-​side garden outside. One of the best in London. Can get pretty packed on a nice day, but you can usually squeeze in.
Overall: there are other pubs in London with great waterside patios, and other pubs with craft beer, but I’ve yet to find one that rocks both as well as Union. Even though it’s my local, I would happily commute here for a pint of Republika and a mac and cheese.

This is the latest incarnation of what was until recently the Grand Union. Following several minor refurbs and noticeable fluctuation in staff, what was once my favourite local has recently been taken over by Fuller’s.
The spiral staircase has been replaced by a boring wooden one (probably more in keeping with health & safety regulations and certainly kinder to those wearing heals), the bar has been straightened, and the quirky pictures have gone as have the pies!
The pub’s greatest asset, the beer garden overlooking the Grand Union Canal, remains unchanged, and the Union Tavern may well become my favourite again. Staff were extremely friendly and knowledgeable (even though they had only just been reopened for a day), and the large selection of draft beers impressive. The fish’n’chips tasted great, and we particularly appreciated the generous portions of ketchup and mayonnaise.

Great pub by the water. I would definitely come here on a sunny day but they have heaters outside under the umbrellas as well so it wasn’t that bad when we came here on a chilly night in October.
The view is a bit strange, of the bus garage across the canal but if you just angle yourself to one side on the benches you have a view of the water and the bridge and the birds swimming by.
Lots of little rooms and nooks and crannies to situate in during the colder nights. Friendly service as well.
Im with Zoe, watch out for the spiral stairs! Especially tipsy with two drinks in your hands.

The Grand Union is one of my favourite pubs because it has a great oudoor seating area– a rare find in central London. In the colder months sit upstairs on the comfy sofa area and enjoy one of their ‘famous pies’ Just be careful of the spiral staircase when you’ve had one too many drinks!