Clarkston Union Bar & Kitchen

Great food, great service, fun atmosphere, and awesome décor. Love this place-​especially Sunday brunch! Has an extreme beer variety and the best freshly squeezed orange juice around-​especially with a little champagne or vodka added in.

We went to the Union for the first (and not last) time last night before a concert at Pine Knob /​DTE.
It was about 4 when we arrived, on a Saturday night, no wait but the place was packed.
First impression was that the place was quirky, loud and colorful. We were seated at a 2 top between 2 pews in the center of the room. I love that they kept the beautiful windows and Bingo sign.
John was our server — he was fantastic.
There’s a full bar, lots of beer, liquor and a decent wine list. More Michigan wine would have been cool. The Black Star Farms Rose was great.
My husband ordered the mac and cheese, just regular. He said it was really good, not as good as mine, so we’re still married.
I had a turkey burger, sans bun. It was delish — they have several kinds of mustard and hot sauce on the table, so every bite was different.
Despite being busy, the service was quick, plesant and the food was fresh and relatively fast.
I want to get tickets to another show so we can go here again…

This place is amazing it seems crazy but there is a method to the madness… Best Mac and cheese and a great beer selection… Don’t get mad they are busy

When in the mood for comfort of a nice crunchy topped rich and cheesy dish of Mac and cheese this place delivers. Revamped old small church into a restaurant, has a small town vibe but offers big on comfort foods. Looking forward to going back and trying some of the made from scratch links next time.

The selection of beer here was great. The main reason we went here was because we wanted to sit outside mad eat and that’s exactly what we did. The wait time was about 20 – 30 mins for outdoor seating for a Thursday night, which isn’t too bad. We both ordered burgers and they were amazing. There isn’t a huge selection of food but what they have is great. The potato salad that came with the burger was so good too.

Thee original Union Co location and big brother to Woodshop and Vinsetta so it is no surprise the food is great and the atmosphere is hip.
The service does leave something to be desired as with most restaurants in this neck of the woods.
Lunch/​dinner:
Mac n cheese is where itz at.
Cesar salad is fantastic.
Brunch:
Benny rivals for the best ever spot in my book. Let’s be honest it is all about the hollandaise and The Union knows what they are doing.
Turkey cherry sausage was very good.
Frittata can feed two.
The hash is wonderful and spicy I add hollandaise because I can.
It is VERY noisy and expect to wait at least an hour to be seated.

I thought this was a great place and would definitely go there again. The setting is unique in an old church. with the pews made into some of the seating. Atmosphere gets an A+!
The good was great — I had the mac and cheese which was almost as good as they advertised. It wasn’t to die for– but it was worth blowing my diet for. I also had a salad for my entrée, so I didn’t feel too guilty and it was delicious, even for a salad. Then I splurged again for desert, and had an ice cream sandwhich and that was the best part of the meal! There were cut into long strips and there was fudge and caramel dipping sauce, which I thought was so unique. Food gets an A+
The only thing that could have been improved was the menu. They had one, but according the server its wasn’t quite up to date. Also there were things written on chalkboards that were not on the menu. For example, the menu didn’t say that they had gluten free mac ‘n cheese but we later saw that on the menu.
So overall great place, just make sure you scope out the chalkboards.

I had a bowl of the black bean chili and the half order of mac & cheese. The chili was really good with lots of chunks and a good flavor, not too spicy and the temperature was just right. The mac & cheese was good but a little disappointing. I expected it to be out of this world from previous reviews. The top seemed to be a little overdone and the inside was scalding hot, even after letting it sit for a good five minutes and breaking the top to let the steam out. Rather than being creamy and rich inside, it was gooey, bland and dry. It should have a stronger flavor of actual cheese rather than mostly flour. Maybe they should’ve put a bit more liquid inside or cooked it for less time.
The service was very attentive but the noise level was quite high and I came about 5 PM when it wasn’t full. If you’re looking for someplace to go where you can talk with your table companions, this may not be the best place.

This place was great! The ambiance is great (it’s a little dark, but whatever. I mean, you need to get some LEDs to illuminate the liquor bottles behind your cool bar, but I digress). The food smelled fantastic and looled better. We just popped in and shared a pizza. Really good. Great beer selection. I’d definitely try it again, if in the area.

When visiting family, we came here for a pre-​wedding brunch. The inside is so cute, like other reviewers have said, as an old church with a funky vibe. Old pews have been repurposed as seating for the tables. The tables are snug but the atmosphere was really friendly and we didn’t mind.
Our waitress was excellent and very friendly. My boyfriend and I got there early and we got to chat about one of our favorite topics, Michigan football. I ordered a Bloody Mary and the boyfriend got a beer. When we got the drinks I was impressed with the presentation and eagerly took a sip… It was all vodka and pepper! So I stirred and sipped and it was the same. I begrudgingly told our waitress the problem, and she immediately took it away and offered me something else. Good service.
For food I had the turkey burger and shared some Mac and Cheese. Yes, the Mac and Cheese is worth it. They crisp the top up perfectly, just under that burned level and we were scarfing it down. The half serving was perfect to share for two as a side. I just wish I could have subbed my potatoes for the mac, even with an up charge.
Overall, great service, cool vibe, delicious food. I don’t know if I just don’t like their bloodies or I got a bad one, but with that and a couple small fixes this place would be a solid five-​star place. I will definitely be back.

I thoroughly enjoyed my first time at Clarkston Union. The building and ambiance are both unique.
The wait time of over an hour went very quickly as the people watching was fascinating.
I enjoyed dinner and look forward to returning.

The Union lives inside an old renovated chapel and is so neat inside. It fills up really fast and there is often a wait for a table but it is also fun to grab a seat at the bar. Guy Fieri has visited here on Triple D so that’s fun. With a unique combination of items on the menu and some awesome brews this is a great place to stop for lunch or dinner. Oh yeah, they also do brunch! Hooray brunch! We had the Cobb Salad which was huge with some delicious smoked chicken and bacon involved! We also had the Hot Link which was served on a pretzel bun with slaw and cherry sauce… Don’t make that face, it was delicious. It came with potatoes and a pickle on the side. Eat here! You’ll love it.
P. S. There’s a disco ball hanging in the waiting lounge. Anyplace with a disco ball is perfect in my book.

We went to the Clarkston Union after seeing Guy Fieri and Kid Rock review it on Diners, Drive-​Ins, and Dives. We both got the heavily-​advertised macaroni and cheese. Almost everyone in the place got the mac and cheese from my view. A full bowl was a hefty $ 14, so we both settled on getting the half servings for $ 7. There wasn’t much else on the menu, leaving the mac and cheese as its sole proprietary item.
We were seated in a crowded area, a small two seat table (one side being a pew, as it is a church-​turned-​restaurant.
With it being busy, it took awhile for our food. I enjoyed the dish as it had a different flavor than most mac and cheeses I’ve had, but my other half didn’t enjoy it all that much. It’s definitely different.
Aside from the restaurant, the entire downtown area of Clarkston is a sight to see. Loved the small town atmosphere with everyone out walking around.

Mac n cheese, Mac n cheese! Ok, now that’s out of the way. I like coming here. It’s sort of hipster but not so much that it’s a turnoff. It’s usually busy and crammed with people, but you usually don’t have a long wait, even on the weekend. There are always interesting new things to try, but you always have to get the mac and cheese, it is the best. Everything else I’ve tried has been great too, and service is very good.

I used to live in Clarkston & came here many times for the good food, the great service & lively atmosphere. I was nearby for business & took a co worker here for dinner & it was still the same, really good all around. They consistently deliver a great product, keep it going!
They have a great beer selection, an eclectic menu that isn’t too far out there & the staff does a really nice job no matter how busy they are.

Great draft beer list. A chalkboard near the patio displayed the huge selection of craft beers on tap.
Good food.
I had lunch here today after kayaking to downtown Clarkston. We enjoyed the outdoor seating and an attentive server.
I ordered the special Smoked Turkey Rueben. The sandwich was flavorful. The side cucumbers with green onion and pineapple was new and refreshing.
One of my friends also ordered a side of the macaroni and cheese and I was able to try a bite. It was very good. The sauce was smooth and savory, the crusty browned top was caramelized and added a nice texture to the dish. This may have been the highlight of this visit for me.
While we decided to come to this spot after discovering the Union Woodshop was not yet open, we were more than happy with our lunch experience.

Service: 10 stars
Ambience: 10 stars
Price: 10 stars
Food:1,000 stars
I (off course) ordered the Mac n Cheese and also the Union Cubano (can’t deny my Latin roots!). Everything was AMAZING! No kidding one of the best Cuban sandwiches I have had in my life! The 2 he drive was worth it!

I finally walked in here for the first time in ten years on Saturday and it was as good as – if not better than — I remember. Coming in at about 1:30, there were plenty of places to sit, but I sat at the bar with my dad. We ordered a cracker crust pizza that was on special and also lobster mac and cheese along with a couple beers, of course.
I read that the lobster mac and cheese was underwhelming due to the size and lack of lobster, and I’d agree… I’m glad I didn’t pay the $ 17.50 for the side size mac and cheese. There were only a few small pieces of lobster in the whole order. For the price, you are much better off getting a full order of the regular mac and cheese which is much larger for four bucks less.
The cracker crust pizza was like one of those shitty, cheap frozen pizzas you find at the grocery store… but with fresh ingredients, so it wasn’t shitty nor cheap at ten dollars. Still, it was worth it and a fair price for what it was.
The beer list is pretty expansive and covers a lot of styles, states, and countries. The prices are, for the most part, about on-​par with what you’d expect from a bar. If you’d like to see what they have on-​tap at any time, they seem to update their list on
pretty regularly.
Overall, I love the place. It has a great aesthetic, although it does get very loud as it fills up, and it’s not the biggest restaurant you’ll ever go to. Honestly worth the hype, though.
P. S. I really like the fact that Bud Lights are hugely overpriced at $ 3.75 — it almost forces piss drinkers’ hand to try a craft beer. I like this thinking from the owner (s).

Hmm, I could have sworn I wrote a review for this place before. Oh well, here’s another.
I really like this place. Great food and a great beer selection. I like the atmosphere here, being an old Church lends character and it’s a fun destination spot to go for lunch or dinner.
I always suggest ordering one of their baked entrees because they are usually spectacular, and how often do you bake yourself a pot pie or a dish of mac and cheese at home from scratch?
They have daily soups, pot pies, sandwiches, flatbreads etc…
I usually get the pot pie but both the Mac and cheese and the portobello au gratin are great as well. The brie grilled cheese is also a favorite.

Mac and cheese has delicious cheesy crunchy top. A side is more than enough for 2 to split. Pot pie was very good with perfect mashed potatoes. Ham and cheese was ok (won’t get again once was enough)
Home made Cup cakes are lovely Will go back!!!