Union Street Station — Restaurant in Traverse City

Bewildering mistreatment. All around bad experience.

Being here only twice, I'm not very familiar with it. My second time however, stands out as how I define this place. I was there with two friends, and we were doing some dancing and enjoying ourselves. It was going fine, for about twenty minutes. Rather sweaty, I stepped outside to cool off a little. Again, this was only my second time here, and it simply slipped my mind that there was not outside seating here and so I was just outside on the side walk. The bouncer was on top of it and took my drink away, and I knew that I made a mistake, but wasn't sure if I could have it back when I went back in or not. My friend approached him though, and the bouncer was extremely agressive and antagonist right away, threatening and provoking my friend . It didn't take much for the bouncer to invite himself to shove my friend. Flustered, I simply got between them, and I did not lay a finger on the bouncer, I only said sincerely "you are being very disrespectful" and I was shoved for that.

This bouncer seemed to enjoy or want to make trouble where it wasn't needed. To correct me verbally would have been fine and I would have been receptive, but we were all wrote off as too intoxicated and kicked out. So we left, with the laughter and hoots of folks outside in our wake. Understandably so, my friend didn't leave quietly at that point.

There was no time or chance for me to communicate. I wonder what the weather was like up there on that high horse this bouncer was on, because there was no need to go to such an extreme so quickly. Unprofessional, belligerent, jumped to conclusions, no proof on his side that we were over intoxicated, this bouncer must have been pretty bored and just itching to demonstrate some power on a few guys who didn't deserve it. I'm glad there are other places around who are actually tactful in handling their customers and communicating with respect. This place will no longer get business from me and it does not deserve my business, because at no other place have I had such a trivial in the big picture mistake escalate so quickly.

Union street station, you are nothing special. Get over...

Open mic at 10 pm plus kareokee for any one interested . Plus the food is excellent a 4 plus dining experience. Definitely would recommend it to anyone locally or for anyone from downstate or out of state to experience true Northern Michigan cuisine at its best. Hope it helps outs others visiting the area on places to dine at in Traverse City . Here you will feel like home is where the heart is. Only in Traverse City and it's surrounding smaller villages and towns locally like Lake Leelanau , Sutton's Bay , Honor , Beaulala, Benzonia , Frankfort , Northport, Omena, Leland, Charlevoix, Bellaire, Eastport , Torch lake , Manestee ,...

Union Street Station is the most consistent venue for quality live music in Traverse City. It is the only venue in the entire county (as far as I'm concerned) that has AMAZING live music and serves drinks at the same time on a guaranteed weekly basis.

Traverse City has no nightclubs or large concert venues. You can find live music at other places no doubt, there are several other places to catch quality live music here and there..... but Union Street Station keeps it lit (and has KEPT it lit) almost every Friday and Saturday night for at least the past 35 years! It is a Traverse City staple and a must for anyone...