The Union Kitchen — Restaurant in Houston

An embarrassing, and horrible experience at the U.K. We have visited this place for more than five years, always loving the hands of the Chef, kitchen staff, and past waiters' dedication to service, attention to details, and customer respect. In fact, we almost always sit in the same table because of our accustomed group size of +6 (in occasions up to 15), and 5+ times in a month. Why do I bring this up? Because I think this place will go downhill quick if they don't correct their overreaches quickly. To be clear, I heavily doubt that Lying to clients, creating Laws and Policies that don't exist to impose waiters personal believes on patrons through public embarrassment and humiliation will render a positive business result as any reasonable business owner will expect. In further it has nothing to do with the admirable and respectful demanding job description of a restaurant Server or Waiter. I order a mimosa, and my 17th year old boy asked me for a taste zip on which I agreed. Here the waiter, escalated the issue out of proportion to "Law" and restaurant "Policy" violations claims in public humiliation to my family, guests and father example. Fake liability issues were also raised in pursue of the conundrum. Before anyone jumps to conclusions: TEXAS ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CODE § 106.04. CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL BY A MINOR. (b) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this section that the alcoholic beverage was consumed in the visible presence of the minor’s adult parent, guardian, or spouse. In short, my actions are legal, and that's the line. It is demagogical to claim Law violations or restaurant liability policy violations when the obvious are present, the parents. In all it seems a matter of perception or personal OPINION, and I did NOT ask for theirs. If I ask for broccoli, and the server doesn't like broccoli but tofu; Do I have to eat Tofu? In your Job, keep your opinions to yourself, and work with facts. At what point are we going to understand that facts (like LAW) and opinions are to VERY different things. If I ask for your opinion, I expect your transparency but if I don't ask, do not tell me. In all, people should NEVER LYE. Specially about facts, as they are COROBERABLE. Why am I upset? Because this ravish of people trying to impose their personal believes in others as "facts" needs to end TODAY. If anyone wants to believe the world is flat or that unicorns are blue, then so be it. It is a free country after all. But facts states, the world is on a spherical shape, and people believe unicorns are WHITE. I will not come back to this place until an apology is give. And I will tell and encourage everyone to cut support until it is understood that clients should be respected as I clearly am politely treated you all while yet been mistreated and humiliated through your unprofessional lies and...

We’ve wanted to eat at a Union Kitchen for 5 years or more now. We finally decided to take the plunge and give it a go. Sadly, none of the dishes we ordered warranted the lofty asking price. The asparagus crab appetizer was the highlight of our experience. Worth the asking price? Maybe. The pizza was akin to a pizza one would get from the frozen section of HEB. I read it was brick oven pizza, and if it was, it was the worst wood fired pizza ever. Not an ounce of crisp or chewy. I reckon we can find better pizzas in the school cafeteria. The waiter “B” asked us how the Pizza was and we shared that it was “alright” but he knew by the looks on our faces that it was disappointing. He didn’t care enough to ask if there was anything else he could get us to make us 100% satisfied. The Union Kitchen Kingwood may have an apathy problem in staff circles. Tyler’s Pasta was too soft and maybe acceptable for indiscriminate taste buds; it was merely on par with other chain standards like carrabas or zamittis. For the asking price one would expect bread or something on the side to contrast the boring overcooked nature of the dish and maybe justify the cost. All in all, in this day and age, an $80 couples’ place has to be good the first time or else we will not go back to risk a 2nd hit to our wallets. To further add to this subpar experience, we were ready to give the desserts a try, but before we were even offered or handed a dessert menu, “B” the waiter brought over our check; wife and I looked at each other and decided not to even bother spending another penny at the UK Kingwood if they were so fast to conclude the experience. Inflation has killed our enthusiasm for culinary adventure so every trip has to be near perfect. Sadly… the outlay was not worth the hassle. Maybe the burger is good??? Oh well. On an aside and if it couldn’t get any worse, two “clean” plates smelled of egg and annoyingly, they played country music in a restaurant I Initially figured was hip. We’ll spend our money for New American grub at Hungry’s, Bellagreen, Local Table, Black Walnut and a host of other attentive, inventive American restaurants 20 miles south of Kingwood. And before “anyone” wonders: no, we did not speak to a manager; it’s not like there was hair in the food. If anything, the manager needs to come say hello to us “first timers”and thank us for visiting. ( Host asked if this was the first time visiting). Also, we were two of only 8 people in the main dining area. It was not busy at all. Come on UK mgmt.. take a vetting trip to the Texas Roadhouse for the...

We used to love Union Kitchen, but this time was a terrible experience and we won’t return. We came for brunch. My husband asked to make the 3 egg, crab, spinach and Gruyère omelette a 5 egg omelette (which he’s done a dozen other places without issue) and the server said that was fine. My husband asked if there were any substitutions that could be made for the potatoes and after a pause, the server offered fruit. Given my husband’s diet, he declined both and asked for no side. I ordered a breakfast sandwich that was scrambled eggs, Canadian bacon and bacon on brioche toast. We also ordered breakfast meatballs and were also given a complimentary plate of beignets. Things started great-the beignets and meatballs were good. Then the serve kept coming over to apologize for the timing and the kitchen was “backed up” (though it didn’t seem terribly long). Then the manager came to our table and asked if we had requested the 5 egg omelette. He explained that he couldn’t make a 5 egg omelette because they “don’t have a skillet large enough.” He offered to place the extra 2 eggs on the side. Our food eventually came out and was disappointing to say the least. My food was completely unseasoned and there was a tiny scrap of inedible bacon and 1/2 a piece of rubbery Canadian bacon on each side of the sandwich. I opted to just eat the eggs with some of the potatoes. My husband’s plate was loaded with the potatoes he decline and he couldn’t even eat his omelette it was so inedible. The fast food premade look to the eggs said everything we needed to know about why the omelette couldn’t be made with 5 eggs. When the server saw we sent the omelette back, she made sure to inform us it was removed from the bill as if that was something we should thank her for and I responded by telling her that the manager didn’t need to lie and say they couldn’t make a bigger omelette because they didn’t have a big enough skillet when clearly the eggs were premade and prepackaged. She denied it and insisted they don’t have big skillets. What an absolute absurdity. I don’t know many home kitchens that don’t have a basic 7” skillet to accommodate 5 lousy eggs. Absolute joke. It’s one thing to have a bad meal. But to be lied to to cover up your lousy food is just shameful. Picture of the “egg, crab and Gruyère...