Union Tap House

Union Tap HouseUnion Tap House
Union Tap HouseUnion Tap House
Bar, Eatery

4801 Umbria Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19127
United States

(215) 482-8980 | map
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.23
Reviews:
9
Ratings:
12
pDev:
10.4%
View: Place Reviews
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Photo of CHaley
Reviewed by CHaley from Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +18.2%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5
I live literally across the street from this place. I'm here multiple times a week, and not even to drink or eat each time. Their food is great and reasonably priced for the area (Main Street will run you a pretty penny more), and their draft list and bottle list are both top notch.

I highly recommend anyone looking for a place to have a relaxing evening with some great company to stop in. Also, unlike it says on here, they *DO* have takeout beer, both bottles and growlers!
Apr 10, 2017
 
Rated: 4.05 by jrfehon33 from Pennsylvania

Sep 26, 2015
Photo of mwa114
Rated by mwa114 from Pennsylvania

3.99/5  rDev -5.7%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.75 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
Good beer and good wings. However, cash only and ATM is usually out of order.
May 04, 2015
 
Rated: 4.25 by brnmc922 from Pennsylvania

Feb 13, 2014
Photo of kylep3
Reviewed by kylep3 from Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -11.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 4
I have lived within 100 yards of Union Jacks for now 5 years. This has generally been my go to establishment in Manayunk in terms of craft beer (and wings).

Atmosphere is fine here, in the past year or so they finally updated the TV's which was great and the bar is generally what I like in a bar - dim, lots of wood, and not overly loud. Good music as well at times when the bartenders are controlling the music.

Beer selection is pretty good with the taps they have, they do a great job of bringing in good beers and having a good draft selection on at all times. Bottle selection is good as well although some things dont really move due to pricing I assume.

Service is variable out of the 4 regular bar tenders that are there. There are two that are awesome to deal with and I always have a conversation with them when stopping in, one that is a standard good bartender and another that I just order drinks from. They all mean well and are great guys but I know a few of my friends have been turned off to UJ's due to this. I force them to come back with me though.

Food is good, the wings are great, they were better a few years ago, they may have changed the wing, but they still are great wings and certainly the best in Manayunk and possibly Philly itself.

Only real legitimate gripe is that it is a cash only establishment and I don't always have cash. Overall its a great bar, and a really great bar to have so close to my home.
Aug 28, 2012
Photo of Yelnum
Reviewed by Yelnum

4.85/5  rDev +14.7%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5
Union Jacks is my favorite bar in Manayunk/Roxborough.

UJ's is small, but offers plenty of real estate to take a load off. The decor isn't the greatest, but I don't think that would affect anyone's experience here.

This is the ultimate hangout spot if you'd like to relax without the loud noise or large crowds at the club scenes, which most Manayunk bars obnoxiously offer.

They have delicious food (Wings are a MUST, and also make sure you try the Fajita Cheesesteak) and an unbelievable variety of different beers. I've tried some of my now favorite beers here for the first time. Be adventurous, and try a beer you've never had before, you may enjoy it.

The bar tending staff here is very knowledgeable about their products and can point you towards a beer you may like.
May 30, 2012
Photo of KYFriedChildren
Reviewed by KYFriedChildren from Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +18.2%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5
Alright, this may be the grand-daddy of all gushing reviews but this is the place that made me the beer lover that I am today. I feel like a proud son of Union Jack's when I talk about this place. It all started in the summer of 2009, the summer after I turned twenty-one. I wandered in here looking for the perfect dive bar. The one that looks like a dive because it wants to be a place where townies go to talk about sports and other trivial nonsense that we love about bar banter. It has tin signs on the wall and icicle lights hanging above the bar. There is a round sign that proclaims, "World's Best Buffalo Wings". This has become gospel. There is nothing more true than those words on the front of that building. Biting into their Tex-Mex wings is like taking a short trip to food heaven.

While their food and burgers are out of this world (and cheap to boot), their beer selection is also fantastic. They have rotating taps of the best stuff money can buy. The first time I was ever there I ordered a Stella when I was naively making fun of a friend drinking Miller lite. My bartender Dan laughed and said, "You're making fun of her Miller lite? Enjoy your belgian styled Miller lite." Sheepishly I asked him to bring my his best brew. He brought me over a fresh glass of this little known beer called Pliny the Elder. Not knowing what it was and detesting the pine smell and taste I choked it down and said, bring me something else I haven't tried. (this meant pretty much anything). Now I'm recommending beers for Dan. He was my beer mentor and now I like to think of myself as just as educated as he is about beer. Even the other customers here are fantastic, they seem knowledgable and are friendly beyond reasonable expectations.
Union Jack's in Manayunk is not a beer mecca, but it is a bar mecca. It has great pub food, great beer, and the best service on the planet.
Sep 16, 2010
Photo of mvanaskie13
Reviewed by mvanaskie13 from Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -5.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
I have frequented Union Jacks for the past several years, mainly for the wings (cheap, lots of sauces, pretty crispy) but they have always have had an above average selection of beer.

Atmosphere is one that has remained constant, like your standard philly bar with decent food and great beer selection, plus its a good spot for sports games with a good amount of tvs.

Quality is ok, beers are served in mostly appropriate glassware, but the bathrooms are always subpar and the paper plates for wings could be upgraded.

Service is about 50% great, 50% ok, depends on when you go and who you get. Some guys know their beers (and know whats on tap that day) others don't. Overall, they seem to know what their doing, keep the beer flowing and food served warm.

Selection is actually pretty great, better than lower 75% of philly establishments. Always some interesting draft selections, and very good bottle selection.

Food is good, not great. I used to think this place had the best wings in philly, and still think they are better than most, but they good be a bit meater, crispier. I can speak to the other standard pub fare they serve, but I don't think i would have anything but wings and beer.

Overall, probably the one place I'll frequent near manayunk, with reasonable prices and good selection.
Jul 13, 2010
Photo of BARFLYB
Reviewed by BARFLYB from Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -10.6%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Went here with some family and friends over the weekend, been here a few times as well before.

Out of the main busy section of manayunk, Union Jack's is not far away from the train station, but sits on the bottom of a steep hill like most of the yunk. It looks like your average bar from outside, and once inside, it looks the same as any other union jack's i've been. There really is not a 'atmosphere' here because I never seen it really that full to create one. The quality is decent, I had a few beers here, they tasted ok, no problems. The food tasted fine as well. They did serve me a St. Bernardus Christmas ale in a regular kitchen glass which left me scratching my head. I've had pretty shabby/rude service here before and I had excellent service here, depends on who you get. My bad times here outway the good. Im aware of the Union Jack's 3 bar bottle swapping program to keep the selection up, but this bar seems to get the shaft compared to the other two. A decent selection of varying beers, nothing mind blowing here. The tap system is at about 12 and half of that is your regular bar beer, so at least for me it's always slim picken's. I've had the food, it's your regular Union Jack's pub grub, about the same as the Glenside UJ, but nowhere near the Manatawny location. This is a OK bar, If they had a wider selection of beer available, I would go more often, If there was any kind of vibe in here, I would enjoy myself more. I'll go here if im in the area, but this UJ's is not a destination bar.
Apr 12, 2010
Photo of marybeergarden
Reviewed by marybeergarden from Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +0.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
I've been here several times. The interior has definitely seen better days but that's part of it's charm. There's a bar, some tables and booths, and a very popular electronic dart board. There's always a good selection of drafts (approx. 15) which usually include American craft brews and European beers -- seems to be a lot of "big beers". There's a fridge full of decent bottles, too. Beer prices tend to be on the higher side but then again these are some special beers. There's rarely a current beer list posted so you have to go over and check out the taps (and fridge) to see what they have. If there's people sitting in from of the taps, this can be a little annoying. Some of the guys that work here can tell you a little about the beer offerings, some can't. They have a small menu that's reasonably priced and above-average bar grub (wings, burgers, chicken sandwiches, fries, wraps, a couple of very basic salads and chili/soups seasonably). They're known for their wings and have many sauce options. Wed. is pub quiz night. Not sure if there open for lunch. Overall, a good place away from the Main St. scene.
Oct 09, 2009
Photo of ClockworkOrange
Reviewed by ClockworkOrange from Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -10.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5
Finally got around to checking out this location of UJ's. Very cool neighborhood bar feel to the place. I would call the decor "broken in". Had a few Stone IPA drafts, and my BIL enjoyed a hefe. All the beers were served in the appropriate glassware. Service was prompt and friendly. Would have liked to see more of a selection in the bottle cooler, but it was sufficient. You will find something to drink here. Did not try the food, but from what I saw, it looked tasty. If you are looking to get away from the crowded bars on main street in the "yunk", check this place out.
Oct 24, 2008
Photo of Scoats
Reviewed by Scoats from Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev -4.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4
A little off the beaten a path a bit in Manayunk, this is a wonderful bar. Once you walk through the old double doors, you know you are somewhere special. The interior is well cared for, rather old and very handsome. Everyone was very friendly.

The draft selection was a very pleasant surprise. I was expecting an English theme bar the with various usual boring suspects on tap. But surprise, surprise, no Bass, no Double Diamond, no usual suspects except for Guinness. The night I was there they had Engle Oktoberfest, Rogue Dead Guy Ale and several other interesting selections. The bartender, a middle aged woman, seemed to know about the beer. They had some interesting stuff in bottles too. Obviously someone with a good knowledge of beer is taking care of the selection. One complaint may be that they are very light on the locals.

The food is very good, tasty, stightly better than pub style food at a reasonable price. No $10 hamburgers here.

My new favorite bar in that neighborhood.
Oct 07, 2003
Union Tap House in Philadelphia, PA
Place rating: 4.23 out of 5 with 12 ratings