Union Kitchen & Tap

Awesome restaurant with a great atmosphere and delicious food! I went for the first time with my family last night and we loved it!
My mom and brother got the Union Burger which they both said was super juicy. My brother also got a side of Bacon Mac n Cheese which was probably the most gourmet Mac n Cheese he’s ever eaten. My dad got the Fisherman’s Stew which he fell in love with immediately because of the great variety of fish in the dish. My boyfriend got the BBQ Flatbread which was extra cheesy and yummy. Finally, I got the Chanterelle Mushroom Risotto which was the perfect healthy and tasty entrée.
Besides the food, the restaurant’s décor and general atmosphere was unique and fun. Overall, this is a great restaurant to check out if you’re in Encinitas! We will definitely be coming back.

Pretty cool spot. I would definetley say its on the fansier side of the bar spectrum. Really good food and craft ctails that are priced accordingly (high). Everyone was dressed up super nice adding to the sort of kwasi bar/​fine dinning experience. Reminds of a bar downtown or something very similar. I might be overshooting that because I’m a simpleton, but the gf is the resident fine dinning expert and she loved the place. I ordered the braised beef cheek, which was super tender and really good. The bar tenders were quick, knowledgeable, and relatively friendly. I gave it 4 stars because I think there are a lot of folks that would really enjoy this spot. Its a little too yuppies paradise for me. Maybe a quick run through at capt kinos will bring me back to my senses.

This place is great! I came here for the first time on a Tuesday night and loved it. The atmosphere is chill but cool, the service is amazing, and the drinks are very good! I had a fusion margarita (basically a spicy margarita but with some pineapple). My friends got the Mexican mule and the black betty. Tried them all and they were all delicious!
Can’t wait to come back here for dinner too. The food looked delicious!

Austin was the best! I celebrated my birthday here and it was AWESOME! He was here every second that we needed something and it was amazing!
Our food was great and our drink came out fast. The next time I come I’ll ask to sit at Austen’s table to make sure that we’re taken care of and that we feel special.

I have been to Union on several occasions, I love the atmosphere and the food! The bar is great and I always feel safe there. The security there is not only friendly but able keep the Union safe. Junior and Pete are always friendly and attentive. The food is great and so is the staff!

Oh boy, this place is the best! My wife and I were driving through Encinitas picked Union Kitchen from other Unilocal reviews. You cannot go wrong here. The drinks were great. I had a dirty martini and my wife had a Moscow mule. With the mule, they used their own ginger syrup instead of ginger beer. It was not overly sweet like most mules. All the food we had was excellent. You have to get the Poutine. It is one of those items that is a must with every visit.

Overpriced for the atmosphere, which has a sports vibe, but is big and open. Food was to die for, though. Think New American meets large portioned soul food. Had corn and crab hush puppies that are really dense and buttery, then the shrimp and grits and salmon. All were excellent and I’m happy to have come!

Well it’s a busy Sunday funday. I could care less about football it’s a dying sport but the mega babe Marcie who served us was amazing, food was wonderful everything came out in a timely manner & the hostesses were extremely kind regardless of the chaos. Bottomless mimosas on fleek

Great place! Trendy, great food, spectacular drink menu. Must have the shrimp and grits, ask for bread to dip. Excellent service, especially Kelan. Unlimited mimosas. fun atmosphere. Sit by the window. Can’t think of one thing wrong

First time coming here! Enjoyed the food and atmosphere! We had the shrimp and grits (very tasty!), Union Burger with egg (loved it, the bun was soft — the jam was amazing!!), Poutine (very good, loved the bacon that they put in it), BBQ Beef Tacos (loved the honey cornbread pancake that they made for it, the beef was very good), and beef checks (my cousin cleaned the plate clean! Nothing left). Will come back just to get the BBQ Beef Tacos.

Nice place! Drinks are very pricey tho. The music is so dang loud you can’t even hear the person sitting next to you talk. Oh and one of the bartenders literally shoved one my girl friends so hard ! I was shocked. Other than that cool place. Not sure if I’d return tho…

I can’t get enough of this place. Been here more than once and finally getting around to write a review. Came here after work with coworkers for a going away gathering. We were able to sit at a communal table in the middle.
I got there late but as soon as I sat down, the waitress spotted me and asked for my order. The staff was attentive the entire time we were there.
The food is delicious. For happy hour they have flatbreads for $ 10 which is a great price for quality fresh ingredients. Craft cocktails glitter the menu as well as a full tap list for beer. Great selection all around. I’ve tried appetizers here too, all great and cooked well. No complaints. This place has a gastropub foodie feel without the grunge. Just wish they had better drink specials for happy hour!
p. s. Good music selection too!

This place is great for mimosas, their bloody Mary’s are AMAZING. Food is eclectic and pretty good. As busy as it always seems, the can usually find a place to seat a couple pretty darn quickly.
The open air feels great, and the TVs are perfectly placed so as to watch games.
We take our bikes up there from Solana Beach and just chill quite a bit: a Perfect Sunday.

I must begin with admitting I’ve been here many, many times without writing a review.
Today, Evin (a very cute young waitress), provided outstanding service with a smile continued the expected tradition of outstanding customer service at this local’s landmark. I followed her recommendation and ordered the Turkey Pastrami Rueben with sweet potato fries. I also had a 20oz. Sculpin (yea, Ballast Point!). My sandwich was made with artisan corn rye bread, house made sauerkraut, and house made ketchup for the fries. No better lunch than Union, Encinitas! Every chance I get, I bring family and friends here for a unique, casual gourmet lunch, or dinner with top notch local craft beers, and original craft cocktails!
Resistance is futile. Get the Lunch Frequency Punch Card!

This was our first stop on our Halloween night. It was packed but with some awesome costumes and decorations. We had so much fun and the drinks were great. They played all my favorite EDM music. The bartenders were good, I think being a girl makes it easier to get drinks. The vibe is always great here even we come for drinks during the day. Great spot and great location near the beach. Sunday funday spot!

I had to update my review regarding the poutine I had here this past weekend. It was delicious! I hope it stays on the menu and not just for restaurant week. We also had the meatballs and that was delicious, not too salty like most places when it comes to meatballs for an appetizer.
September was Take-​your-​man-​on-​a-​date month so I took him here, it also happened to be restaurant week so it worked out for me. For our entrees, my husband got the burger with the tomato jam, which he really liked. I got the sweet potato raviolis and that was a nice blend of a bit of sweetness, savory, salty and tangy with the sauce they used. I loved it.
We finished it off with a lemon curd pudding and if anyone knows anything about me, is that I love making lemon curd. This was in a pudding, with macerated fruits on the side and biscotti. Perfection.
I walked out of there so uncomfortably full and still had a to-​go box for my food. Sad but true.
My favorite part about this place is that they have their own garden in the back patio area. It’s great to see restaurants do that, grow their own food. For good brews, good food and a place to hang out with friends, I’ll definitely pick this place… again.

Great place for sports, good set of t.v.‘s and staff is responsible.
Came for some bloodies and was not disappointed. Very smooth. They asked if I wanted the bacon that comes in it, what a silly question right? who wouldn’t want bacon.
Breakfast options are good with a good variety. Had the veggie omelet, which was good.

This really is the complete gastropub. Ambience, good food, a wide variety of libations, plenty of TV screens, and an arrangement of seating areas that keep your eyes and brain entertained. We’ve always arrived early enough for one of the open window tables — a very pleasant situation… the height must subconsciously make one feel emotionally/​mentally elevated, but once I descended, I sure felt short!
HG Jr. discovered Mission Brewery’s Hard Root Beer here, and HG got the «Manmosa» which was a vodka Mimosa ruined with beer taste (in my opinion!). My large fresh squeezed OJ was a deal at $ 5, and I noticed that they offer a bottomless Mimosa and entrée for $ 25. Of course I calculated that this would be a bargain if ordered with the most expensive brunch entrée ($ 19), but most of the entrees are in the $ 12 range. I later stumbled upon a list of Mimosa brunches, and maybe that is a good price!
From my first visit, when we had the Union Burger and fish tacos, I probably would have given them 5 stars, but on Sunday’s visit HG’s gumbo was too salty, and while the flatbread was perfectly light and toasty, we weren’t particularly surprised our delighted by the pesto chicken or prosciutto egg toppings.
Still, I think of Union Kitchen & Tap as the perfect place to bring friends and show how cool you are — wear your beach attire!

I love this place!
Food: I have to start with the food and drinks because that’s what keeps me coming back. Their flatbreads are ALL good… I’m serious… All of them! The stand out star of the menu is the shrimp and grits. They are cooked perfectly and have amazing flavor. I’ve gone for brunch, lunch, dinner, and late night grub-​fests and I can’t complain about anything on the menu. Their craft cocktails are a bit pricey but worth it (and their pour is night light). Try the strawberry fields!
Service: I’ve never had bad service here. I’ve read differently but the bartenders and wait staff have always been polite and patient with me. Nothing to complain about here!
Atmosphere: Cool, hip vibe… But not too hip! I think everyone terrible who used to come here goes to Shelter now so the crowd is way better. It’s always clean, the decorations are cool, and in the day time and warm nights there are huge windows in the front giving it the outdoor indoor feel.

I gave this place another shot last week on a Friday night. This time the place was packed and I knew it so came prepared!
Surprisingly the wait to sit was only 25 minutes we were told but it really turned out to be like 5! We sat down and tried the sweet potatoes fries, my fave! And a salad with their crème brûlée for dessert.
Absolutely delicious. As were the cocktails. This place is well worth it and poppin at night. It’s only because my friend and I were both exhausted from work that we didn’t say when the places turned into a mini nightclub with the dj but trust me, we were oh so tempted!
Thanks to the general manager Abe, who took good care of us! Appreciate it!