Union Cafe

Name: Union Cafe
Address: 782 N High St, Columbus, OH, United States, 43215-1430
Telephone: (380) 239-2728
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.9

4.9

43 Reviews

$30 and under

American

Top Tags:

Voted Columbus' Best LGBT+ Bar, Union Cafe has been a staple in the heart of the Short North since 1996. Union is a safe space known for its generous pours, daily drink specials, and world-class drag entertainment. Our modern American menu is popularly priced and expanding throughout the spring.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

May 26, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 6 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
American, Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service, Contemporary American
Hours of operation
Daily 11:00 am–2:30 am
Phone number
(380) 239-2728
Website
https://www.facebook.com/UnionCafe/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Owned/operated by
LGBTQ+, Persons with Disabilities, Women
Executive chef
Nate Elkovitch

Location
782 N High St, Columbus, OH 43215-1430
Neighborhood
Columbus
Parking details
None
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Dancing, Entertainment, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Late Night, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Fried Pickles$9.50
served with ranch
Tortilla Chips$6.25
served with salsa
Fried Calamari$10.00
served with sriracha aioli
Big Nachos*$12.50
queso, tomatoes, cheddar jack, scallions, bell peppers, jalapeno, lettuce, sour cream, salsa black bean
- Chicken$13.50
Cheese Curds$9.75
served with marinara sauce
Fried Wings*$9.75
buffalo | bbq
Soft Pretzel Sticks [4]$8.00
honey mustard, ranch, or marinara

Loaded Pub Fries or Tots

Loaded*$8.00
queso, cheddar jack, bacon, scallions, ranch
White Truffle$7.25
shredded parm & truffle oil

Salads

House Greens$11.00
arugula, romaine, savoy cabbage, red wine vinaigrette, candied pecans, crumbled bleu cheese
Chef Salad$11.00
mixed greens, cucumber, croutons, tomato, bacon, shredded cheese, turkey, ham, ranch
Kale Caesar$9.25
kale, romaine capers, croutons, shaved parm, boquerones

Proteins

Crispy or Grilled Chicken, Tofu$8.00

Large Plates

Chicken Salad Sandwich*$13.50
chicken, celery, onions, ranch-based sauce
Turkey Club*$13.50
honey smoked turkey, bacon, romaine, swiss, adobo sauce, Ito
Stack Burger*$10.00
Choice of cheese: american, swiss, habanero jack, mozzarella, cheddar. Choice of bread: brioche bun, texas toast, or wrap Itop
- Double$13.00
- Triple$16.00
Kickin Chicken*$13.25
choice of cheese, habanero mayo, pickles, crispy bbq & cheddar | grilled | crispy buffalo & bleu
Quesadilla*$12.75
Fajita: grilled chicken or veggie. Crispy chicken: buffalo or bbq
Pad Thai*
- Veg$13.00
- Chicken, Tofu, or Shrimp$15.00

Dessert

NY Cheesecake$6.50
Custard$4.00
Soft Pretzel Sticks [4]$9.00
served with salted caramel
Mile-High Chocolate Cake$7.00

Sides

Regular$4.00
pub fries | tots | basmati rice
Premium$6.00
1/2 house greens | 1/2 chef salad | 1/2 kale caesar

Daily Specials

Tuesday - Free Chips & Salsa
queso +$1
Wednesday - $1 Off Stack Burgers*
Saturday - Drag Brunch
11a-1p
Sunday - Select Brunch Menu
10a-2p

Weekly Entertainment

Monday - Karaoke
10p-2a
Wednesday - Wednesdays Are a Drag
10p
Thursday - Long Island Thursday Show
10p
Saturday - Drag Brunch
11a; noon show

What 43 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.9

4.9 based on recent ratings

4.4Food
4.7Service
4.7Ambience
4.6Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Columbus
Great for brunch
Columbus
Hot spot
Columbus
Great for outdoor dining
Columbus
Lively
Columbus
Great for brunch
Columbus
Hot spot
Columbus
Great for outdoor dining
Columbus
Lively

43 Reviews

KA
KaraA
Columbus
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 28, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Always a wonderful experience at Union Cafe! The staff is marvelous and the entertainers are fabulous! Shout out to Vic who always makes sure we have what we need!!! Thank you all.
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p
pankpank31
Columbus
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on April 18, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great experience with amazing food and music. The best prices I’ve seen in awhile too.
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SP
ShannonP
Columbus
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on April 14, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Sunday Drag Brunch is so much fun and worth every penny! The performers were very entertaining, and the wait staff was superb. I highly recommend!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Columbus
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on April 12, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Union Cafe always treats us fabulously and the staff goes above and beyond for making sure all food & drinks come out right. Always a fun time!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Columbus
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on April 5, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great service, fun for Drag Race, and the food was good.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Columbus
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 31, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great food, excellent service and fun entertainment
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W
Wantgoodfoodandservice
Columbus
14 reviews
vip
2.0
14 reviews
Dined on March 17, 2024
1. Overall 2
2. Food 1
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 3
Disappointed they got rid of their bunch buffet but probably better. The food quality has gone down with new ownership- tater tots were too salty enmity to be inedible, the biscuits has a metallic taste, the berries on the French toast were frozen, printed menus were hard to read as the printer didn’t have enough ink.
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RB
RobertB
Cincinnati
24 reviews
5.0
24 reviews
Dined on February 14, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
We don't visit Columbus often, but when we do we usually come here. The staffis always friendly and attentive, and the food and price are great.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Columbus
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on February 11, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Union is always a good time but Drag Brunch is the BEST time! We brought some friends who had never experienced it and that had a blast along with us. Brice, our waiter, was phenom and reserving a table was easy. Def 10/10 & we'll do it again
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P
Pepe
Columbus
92 reviews
vip
3.0
92 reviews
Dined on January 29, 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
We love Showtunes night - try to get there 2-3 times a year. A friend visiting from Chicago joined us. Good time as always.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Columbus
22 reviews
5.0
22 reviews
Dined on January 21, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 2
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
Server worked hard but venue was way understaffed. Food was mediocre at best same for drinks. The drag show was amazing!!! Would suffer the bad food again just to see the show!! Our server worked so hard and was apologetic but couldn’t help the poor staffing. She really did do her best!!!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
2 reviews
2.0
2 reviews
Dined on December 30, 2023
1. Overall 2
2. Food 1
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 2
I like going to Union but I don’t think I will go back for brunch. The serve acted like she didn’t want to be there, the food was nothing to brag about (pancakes were not cooked all the way), glasses looked dirty, and coffee was basically water.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Antonio
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on December 24, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Was really slow the day we went, but I go to union all the time and the environment is always stellar and food and drinks are some of the best in Columbus
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Columbus
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on December 9, 2023
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
Coffee came in a paper cup and cream was curdled. Brunch menu was impossible to read. Service was great.
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SB
SamanthaB
Columbus
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on December 6, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Really liked the building, centrally located. fun wait staff, nice interior decor, good food and big drink menu! Nice place for a midday lunch date with my fiancée !
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J
Jlee
Cincinnati
4 reviews
vip
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on December 3, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
I’ve had Bryce as our server a few times and he’s an absolute gem! Super attentive, personable, fantastic recommendations, and really cares about the overall experience Food is incredible (don’t sleep on that Cajun pasta!), drinks are delicious, little on the loud side depending on the time but it’s my go-to every time I’m in town for a concert.
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BD
BobDP
Columbus
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on December 1, 2023
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Menu was good as wish have more choices In the past there were lot of choices but now just limited
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Y
Yummy
Columbus
14 reviews
vip
1.0
14 reviews
Dined on October 15, 2023
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 1
The brunch buffet is gone. There was maybe 6 other people in there. The food was just ok.
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PC
PCCBUS
Atlanta Metro
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on September 23, 2023
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
I have gone to the Union for brunch several times over the years and was a big advocate for it until this last time. This was a bizarre experience. I made a reservation for 6 people at an outdoor table. When I arrived, I gave them the name for the reservation. They took us inside, so I asked them if we could go outside (it was empty outside and my reservation was for outside). They kindly brought us outside and then brought us to a table for 4 (5 of the 6 members of our party were there). We asked if we could pull up another table or somehow make it a table for 6, so we helped the hostess move a table over. Then another hostess came and told us it was a fire hazard. Finally, we were sat at a large outdoor table with room for us that was very nice. It should not have taken all of these steps to accommodate us when our reservation had all of this information in it and there was no competition for tables since it was not busy. In regards to our food, it was decent but the portions have become smaller. I got a breakfast burrito that was much smaller than I would anticipate for the price of a full breakfast and was served on an oversized plate without any sides. It was comical. Overall, it's clear that the brunch has taken a step back recently and there are better options in Columbus now. I don't intend to go back for brunch anytime soon.
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B
Brittany
Columbus
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 23, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great food and great entertainment. Staff is so sweet and nice
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DG
DavidG
Columbus
15 reviews
vip
4.0
15 reviews
Dined on September 20, 2023
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
They are continuing to grow their menu back slowly and hope they continue to do so! Vic is a great and very caring manager so I have a lot of high hopes every time I return due to him.
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B
Bryangood1
Cleveland
4 reviews
vip
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on September 9, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had a wonderful experience at the Union Cafe yesterday, 9/9/2023. Bryce was our waiter and he was excellent. He was very attentive and brought our drinks and food to our table and remembered what each one of us had ordered. Also we saw Vic and he always makes an effort to come and talk to us. Everyone is always so friendly and makes us feel welcome and the food and drinks are excellent. Thanks to Bryce and Vic for making our experience a wonderful one. Thanks to all the staff who helps in making everything go smoothly and very enjoyable. See you at the end of September. Bryan Goodman.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Columbus
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on July 9, 2023
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Online it says the brunch ends at 2, I got there at 12:50 and it was almost over. They did their best to get our order in before 1, which they did, however, the food wasn’t that great, which is probably because it was the last of it.
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G
Gillini
Columbus
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on July 9, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This place does not disappoint. For my party of 12 the service and food were both on point. Definitely will be going back soon.
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C
Chante
Columbus
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 1, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Very good food and service. Our server was Johnny and he was exceptional
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LW
LakenW
Columbus
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 24, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent atmosphere! Love the brunch menu. Can't beat the prices either!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Columbus
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on June 18, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Patio was jumping! The service was awesome even though they originally sat us in the sun. They eventually wheeled over an umbrella to make us more comfortable. They did let the brunch menu change over to lunch without giving us a heads up ( I was looking forward to that french toast!), but the food we did order was still excellent. Love this place and it’s vibe.
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LM
LisaM
Columbus
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 18, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I love the Union but I was very disappointed the buffet was discontinued. I hope it returns
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MG
MicheleG
Columbus
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on June 18, 2023
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 2
We were so disappointed that there was no buffet for Father's Day. We've been to here for many special Sunday's and loved their buffet. The server was great and we love eating out in the fresh air, but we probably won't go again.
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AH
AdrielH
Columbus
4 reviews
vip
1.0
4 reviews
Dined on June 17, 2023
1. Overall 1
2. Food 3
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 5
Not a great experience this time. They're better than what my friends and I experienced.
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B
Bryangood1
Cleveland
4 reviews
vip
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on May 27, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food was delicious as always and the drinks were so good. Our waiter was Jake and he was outstanding. Took our order and when he brought the drinks to the table he knew who ordered. He was very friendly and kept checking on us. Highly recommend the Union Cafe. Every time we come to Columbus we always make sure we stop for drinks and food. Thank you!!!
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BD
BrianD
Columbus
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 21, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Service was excellent, food was great, and the ambiance was what we were looking for.
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RF
RaymondF
Key West
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on May 20, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
It was great time had by all. All my friends had the best time!
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LL
LisaL
Columbus
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 14, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent food, outdoor ambience, and service. It was a fun place to be on Mother's Day.
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DH
DesH
Columbus
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 13, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Elexa was an attentive server. The Saturday brunch food was hot, delicious, and reasonably priced. The drag performances were top notch. The whole family had an amazing time!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Detroit
6 reviews
4.0
6 reviews
Dined on April 30, 2023
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Always one of the brunch restaurants we go to when we’re in Columbus
1 person found this helpful
JB
JuliaB
Columbus
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 29, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food is always delicious and drag brunch is a blast. My friends and I come here regularly and it's a safe space for us in the queer community. We love you Union!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Columbus
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 29, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
Plenty of fun if you’re out to have a lively good time. Can be loud with lots of people, but thats half the fun! They are extremely LGBTQA+ friendly!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Columbus
5 reviews
vip
3.0
5 reviews
Dined on April 15, 2023
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 3
Went for drag brunch was underwhelmed with the brunch portion. They didn’t have bottomless mimosas. Also got a lot of our orders wrong. The food was okay. Loved the drag show!
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SS
StephanieS
Columbus
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 8, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Drag Brunch on Saturday was amazing! Everything from the food, service, and vibe was top notch! My 7 year old loved her first show paired with French toast! Can’t wait to go back!
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FAQs

Union Cafe offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (380) 239-2728.

Union Cafe is rated 4.9 stars by 43 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

May 26, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 6 times today

Order delivery or takeout

782 N High St, Columbus, OH 43215-1430

Additional information

Neighborhood
Columbus
Hours of operation
Daily 11:00 am–2:30 am
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
American, Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service, Contemporary American
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
None
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Owned/operated by
LGBTQ+, Persons with Disabilities, Women
Executive chef
Nate Elkovitch
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Dancing, Entertainment, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Late Night, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
https://www.facebook.com/UnionCafe/
Phone number
(380) 239-2728

Union Cafe

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Small Plates

Fried Pickles$9.50

Tortilla Chips$6.25

Fried Calamari$10.00

Big Nachos*$12.50

Cheese Curds$9.75

Fried Wings*$9.75

Soft Pretzel Sticks [4]$8.00

Loaded Pub Fries or Tots

Loaded*$8.00

White Truffle$7.25

Salads

House Greens$11.00

Chef Salad$11.00

Kale Caesar$9.25

Proteins

Crispy or Grilled Chicken, Tofu$8.00

Large Plates

Chicken Salad Sandwich*$13.50

Turkey Club*$13.50

Stack Burger*$10.00

Kickin Chicken*$13.25

Quesadilla*$12.75

Pad Thai*

Dessert

NY Cheesecake$6.50

Custard$4.00

Soft Pretzel Sticks [4]$9.00

Mile-High Chocolate Cake$7.00

Sides

Regular$4.00

Premium$6.00

Daily Specials

Tuesday - Free Chips & Salsa

Wednesday - $1 Off Stack Burgers*

Saturday - Drag Brunch

Sunday - Select Brunch Menu

Weekly Entertainment

Monday - Karaoke

Wednesday - Wednesdays Are a Drag

Thursday - Long Island Thursday Show

Saturday - Drag Brunch

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

FAQs

Does Union Cafe offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Union Cafe restaurant rated?

Is Union Cafe currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information