Union Bistro

I saw this place, the reviews, the menu items, and was so excited to go… So we did. And then drove around the block twice to make sure we weren’t missing something. And we weren’t. This place is definitely CLOSED. Which is disappointing since their menu seemed fun and unique. I hope they move to a new location.
(we went to Maddie’s across the street and weren’t disappointed in the food)

I liked it! I got some food to go, the smell of those sweet potato fries awaiting me the car ride back was wonderful. Yeah, I’d go back.

Union is a great little bistro tucked away in Rebsamen Park. The ownership of this establishment is very like-​able and extremely customer focussed. I find that they are always open to suggestions and feedback.
I wish Union would expand on its tapas menu options — wonderful. I also wish the bar would venture into more innovative cocktails and dare to be more of a speakeasy than a beer garden. But, I do understand that the establishment is merely. Altering to its clientele. I just believe that this is the establishment in Little Rock that. An best press the envelope.

Just had brunch at Union Bistro. Good mimosas but the Bloody Mary had no garnish of any kind! Food was good and decently priced. Awesome biscuits and smoked Gouda grits. Surprised that there were not more people enjoying Sunday brunch. Service was quick and competent. We will return for brunch in the future and hope they invest in some olives and pickled goodies for those bloody Mary’s.

A bit to pretentious and foo-​foo for me, but the butcher burger, or whatever it’s called is a seriously good burger.

The ambiance is nice, if you are with your honey. Went here with a friend and it was nothing to brag about. The food was good, but we used a groupon and was charged a ridiculous tip that was added to our ticket.

I was in little Rock for new years weekend and ended up coming here w/​some friends for Friday night salsa dancing. Let me just tell you that it was soooooo much fun. Definitely enough space for you to dance and I was able to dance with some really good dancers. The entrance price is awesome since it’s only 5 $
The DJ changes up the music from salsa to merengue and other genres.

Fried Chicken & Waffles. That’s all you need to know. So go, get you some, and be happy!
Okay so that’s not ALL you need to know about Union Bistro, but as I sat down to write this review it’s really all I could think about. Here’s the rest of the story:
We had a groupon for Union Bistro, I love getting groupons to new places because then if it sucks you feel like you didn’t waste too much money. This place however, does not suck. We arrived 6:30ish on a Fri night and the place looked pretty empty. We ventured in anyway, and were greeted warmly and invited to sit wherever we pleased (Union is tiny and was still only ¹⁄₅ full). We sat down and ordered some drinks; beer for my boo, wine for me. Appetizers: hmmm chicken and waffles? yes, please. And they rocked our world. I hadn’t had chicken & waffles since Atlanta where I’m pretty sure they were invented and these lived up to the tastiness of the ATL treat. Score.
Entrees? Oh jeez, everything sounded so good. Hubby decided to go with the Butcher Shop burger– Burger with Roast Pork Loin, Thin Sliced Ham, Bacon, Spicy Jack Cheese, and a Fried Egg with Garlic Mayo. Holy carnivore. He loved it, and we OBSESSED over the fabulous sweet potato fries he received with it. I went with a «squished sandwich” — turkey pesto w/​bacon, provolone, lettuce & tomato. I can’t ever turn down turkey & pesto its my fave combo, and it didn’t disappoint! Yummm. I ordered it with the marinated tomatoes on the side which were perfection.
At the end of our meals we were too stuffed to venture into dessert-​land but promise to return soon to try one of their many home-​made delights:) Service was exemplary, loved the setting, prices are PHENOMENAL for what you receive. It’s on par with food I’ve had at MUCH more expensive restaurants in Little Rock for half the price.
Bottom Line: GO! Go now, eat chicken & waffles, & whatever else your little heart desires:) You will not be disappointed!

The first time I went to Union was because I’ve heard they had tapas and second because some friends of mine like this place. The place provides a good atmosphere for a date. They have tap beer as well, which is always a plus on my book.
The reason why I gave this place three stars is simply because this place is not that great. I’ve had friends that hyped the place up so much, so I took the initiative and tried. It’s an ok place for a date because the atmosphere is good, but certainly not for their food.
Last but not least. What tapas? I lived in Spain and I’ve had my share of tapas and cañas… there were no tapas on the menu. that’s the first thing I looked for when I was there and I don’t remember seeing anything remotely close to tapas that the Spaniards served me. So if you are looking for tapas, Union Bistro is not the place.

Like the bar a lot! Got there too late for the regular menu so we
snacked on delicious fried and starchy things. Mac and cheese, won tons and onion rings are stand outs!

Three words: Black. Bean. Hummus.
The Tuna Poke is still incredible, the mac & cheese and asparagus are still incredible. But the black bean hummus was phenomenal. It was served with warm pita bread and was so tasty and delicious!

Union Bistro has become one of my favorite dinner/​hang out/​group restaurants in the past few months. Although I can’t eat there as much as I would like to (have to watch the calories!), it has proved to be a reliable, delicious option for group affairs.
I first visited Union Bistro for a friend’s birthday, and another time for a get together with previous coworkers. We ordered various tapas, drinks, and entrees; all of which were delicious. The service was also fantastic! We didn’t want for anything.
I have personally tried the Chicken & Waffles with Orange Pecan Butter and Maple Syrup, as well as the Montecristo sandwich. Both were delicious! My husband tried the Cuban sandwich and enjoyed it. And the discounted margaritas during happy hour weren’t bad either!

This place recently was completely redone. We went one evening, mostly because we had a groupon to try it out.
The wait staff was very friendly (although he seemed inexperienced), but he was very pleasant and we didn’t mind waiting while he attended to his two other tables.
The feel of the restaurant also made us feel very welcome. We were one of the few people seated at a table — many were at the bar. The eclectic décor also created an enjoyable atmosphere.
I ordered the tsunami squished sandwich — it’s like a panini with teraki chicken — and it was phenomenal.
My partner ordered a seafood pasta special — the only reason Union is not getting five stars. It was so poorly seasoned that if either of us were able to get past the taste, the texture made it seem like the shrimp hadn’t even been cleaned. I’m sure they had, but it just wasn’t a pleasant meal to attempt eating.
Upon expressing displeasure, the waiter quickly brought her a different meal, took the pasta off our check, and offered if there was anything else he could do to make up for it.
Call me old fashioned, but I like and appreciate that kind of service and respect for the customer.

my wife and I diner here about a week ago, finally got around to writing this review.
The facilities were pleasantly modern, but a bit odd. It took me a while to figure it out, but this place is more of a dance club that serves dinner than a true dinner restaurant… not that there’s anything wrong with that.
I ordered the steamed mussles w/​bacon for a starter. they were nicely prepared and the sauce was excellent. However they didn’t provide any bread to sop the sauce with, and when I asked for some, I was told I would have to order a serving of bread. This is unacceptable for steamed mussels. A piece of bread would have cost them less than $ 0.50 and has seriously damaged my interest in a return visit.
For mains, I had the redfish and rissoto. the fish was prepared quite nicely, as was the rice.
My wife had the ravioli which she thought was very nicely done.
Our waitress was very nice, but seemed a bit confused at times. possibly she was new to the restaurant.
Overall it was a plesant experience, and I might go back if I ever decide they aren’t idiots for not serving a piece of bread with mussels… like every other place I have ever ordered them… on 3 different continents. (deep breath)

Union Bistro has reopened after considerable remodeling. Previous reviews of indoor smoking are now passé with a new outdoor smoking patio. The décor has been re-​done with pleasing drapes, comfortable chairs and a sofa. We liked the intimate bistro style seating with linen table cloths which felt as if we were back in Northern Italy.
As Union Bistro is newly reopened it is yet undiscovered. A recent friday at 6 p.m. found only one other table full when we walked in. At 7 p.m. there were three other tables full. No one at the bar. Ideal for our small birthday celebration that evening.
The menu reads like a Top Chef competition with some very impressive dishes. Most entrees are around $ 14. $ 50 purchased two alcoholic beverages, a small dish, three entrees and a dessert. Our small dish with smoked salmon included finely sliced apple with a very appealing aromatic spices. The family is still talking about the homemade cheese ravioli which melted in your mouth. The next birthday dinner we’ll try «Duck, Duck, Goose» for $ 22. That’s duck breast, duck confeit, and goose foie gras.
For about $ 7, Union Bistro also offers «squished sandwiches,» which we first tried decades ago on Crete where locals call them «toasts». The Cuban had nice slices of pork roast, ham, and pickles. Both sandwiches came with mounds of just right, crisp shoestring fries. The spouse enjoyed the spicy chicken. FYI, Woodchuck Pear hard cider is wonderful with the sandwiches.

Be certain and note the new phone number-(501) 353‑0360 and new name is now Union Bistro.

Great tapas; good service. Non-​smoking until 9ish (can get a little cloudy after that). Convenient after work location — won’t say happy hour because I don’t recall any specials last time I was there. However, the prices are modest.

I’m so glad to see the place in Riverdale. We had drinks and tappas there last night and it was outstanding. We showed up for dinner around 8:30 and it was packed. There were a couple of seats at the bar, but there were not two together. To our delight the hostess said we could have a seat at the couches. They were comfortable with a «coffee table» and over in the corner. The drink menu was as diverse and creative as the tappas menu (one drink was deemed southern bondage). We started with the Scotty and the Purple Haze martinis. I later found out that the Scotty was named after the owner, and it is my perfect martini, a little dirty, bone dry with kettle one vodka. The purple haze, to my boyfriend’s delight, tasted «just like a grape jolly rancher.»
The waiting staff was extremely friendly, prompt and helpful. Our waitress explained that it was perfectly normal to order a few tappas to begin and order additional as the night progressed. We enjoyed staggering our small plates, waiting to see what our pallet would jump at next!
Our tappas were the heirloom tomatoes, the salmon with brie and apple relish, the spinach salad with fried goat cheese and the black bean hummus. It was a beautiful mixture of fantastic food! The black bean hummus was great, but nothing too special; however, the menu had so many items it was difficult choosing for a first meal! Can’t wait to go back and have a second try at combinations!
All of our small plates were under $ 10 each. The martinis were also under $ 10 – they were both «top shelf» and generous. Our total bill was less than $ 60 before tip.
If you’re in the midtown area and looking for a nice, but somewhat different dinner, definitely try Union.
A note for better or worse: at 9:00 pm you can smoke and there is a little more of a bar vibe. We enjoyed the transition.

This place is wonderful! I can’t say enough great things about it.
The service was very friendly. The food was delicious. I tried two cold items and two hot items and all of them were superb and better than the last one.
It has a laid back atmosphere that is very relaxing. It’s a great place to eat before 9pm and then after that turns into more of a watering hole.
My friend and I started with cocktails and then had the white anchovies with orange vinaigrette (a cold tapas). The anchovies were fresh and the vinaigrette had just the right amount of sour flavor to set the anchovies off perfectly.
We then had the Ahi Tuna Poke with wasabi mayonaise, avocado and caviar. It was phenomenal! Then we moved on to some hot tapas. First up was the petit fillet with mashed potatoes and bleu cheese. The steak was perfectly cooked just like we ordered. Finally we had the shrimp corn dog pops (I probably have that name wrong). It was a huge piece of shrimp that was dipped in corn dog batter and deep fried. It came with two different dipping sauces, each delicious.
I would definitely reccommend this place and I will definitely be coming back.

New restaurant! It’s a lot better than Capi’s, but it’s not the best tapas bar I’ve visited. Union is a much needed addition to Little Rock, so that’s why this place is getting four stars. First things first, I like the hours. The kitchen doesn’t close until 1:30 AM. We need more late night food options in LR besides IHOP and Waffle House. Second, the décor is kind of lacking and utilitarian. I still see remnants of Lenny’s Sub (sandwich shop that was in this location until it closed months ago). I wish they had transformed this place more, because it would’ve made my dining experience that much nicer.
Now, on to the food! I had the chance to sample three dishes 1) blue corn prawn dog served with mango habanero and lime crème fraîche, 2) garlic shrimp with tomatoes and basil 3) tuna poke served with slices of avocado, caviar, and wasabi aioli.
The shrimp and prawn dishes were meaty and good. The tuna poke tasted fresh and had a really mild flavor. The batter for the prawn dog is average. It wasn’t bad, but it didn’t do anything for me. The sauces (mango habenero, lime crème fraîche, and wasabi aioli) that accompanied the dishes needed more of a kick to them. And the crème fraîche was slightly too watery. I’m no caviar expert so I can’t comment on it.
Overall, my dining experience was a good one. I would go here again to try the other dishes (and cocktails!) on the menu.
Tidbits/​Pointers:
* If memory serves me correctly, tapas range between $ 3 to $ 14 (majority around $ 10). For an average meal expect to spend at least $ 25/​person excluding drinks. You can easily spend more.
* Add $ 10 to a dish and they’ll turn it into a dinner portion
* Parking is in the lot across the street. Don’t try to park in the tiny lot in front of that tanning place. It’s a pain to get in and out of there.
* They don’t do separate bills, so come prepared.
* The beer menu is decent.
* Cocktails include interesting drinks like Oatmeal Cookie, Watermelon Patch, Purple Haze, Sidecar, Caramel Apple, etc.