The Union Rye

From the warm, inviting ambience (wood burning fireplace included) to the seasonal menu and wine list, The Union offers a wonderful dining experience. We loved the small, plate sharing concept, which allows you to indulge in a variety of menu items. The cha siu hake skewers were delightful and the sirloin was divine! Definitely book in advance and if possible, try to be seated between the fireplace and the bay window. Perfectly cozy!

Came here for our anniversary lunch and we had the most amazing experience. The staff were so friendly and the decor and vibe of the restaurant was so lovely and warm. We got the tasting menu and it was perfect way to try different menu items with such a great selection of each starter, main and sides. Everything was so flavourful and delicious. Will only comment that the lamb was a little bit too fatty and slightly tough but otherwise everything else was delicious. Standout dishes was the oxtail, ray wing and caesar salad! Defo a visit if you come to Rye.

We booked this restaurant for a birthday celebration and made sure to note it clearly in the reservation. I politely double-checked with the staff, only to be told that they generally don’t do anything for birthdays. That in itself is fine, but it would have been much better if they had made this clear in advance when we added the remark — otherwise we could have chosen somewhere else more fitting for the occasion. The food itself was decent, but the lack of communication left us a little disappointed. If you’re booking for a special occasion, I would suggest confirming directly beforehand, as they don’t offer any acknowledgement or surprises.

A beautiful meal made with local produce, definitely worth a visit if you are in town! Exceptionally friendly and attentive staff. Be sure to try the Hake Char Siu skewer -chefs kiss-

Booked this for to celebrate a friend’s birthday and was genuinely happy with the food and service! We tried to feasting menu and got a good variety of the sharing small plates and main. The ray fish was the highlight of the meal for me — the sauce was divine and the fish was very juicy and tender. Shoutout to the chef because I actually don’t even like fish that much usually!! We found the sauce on the pork chop quite sharp at first — but then when we paired it with the side veggies and gooseberries it worked really well. I think this really shows the complexity flavour profile of the dishes and how each dish is so well thought out. The desserts were delightful as well! We’ve particularly enjoyed the lavender panna cotta. Would absolutely visit again!

Underwhelming on multiple fronts: The steak had tough sinewy parts, and both glasses of red wine we ordered (for a total of £20) were disappointing. Even worse, we found two glass shards on the back of our seats—fortunately, no one was hurt. The waitress just said they were "really sorry" and that was the end of it. I'm giving 2 out of 5 stars mainly for the price-to-quality ratio. On the bright side, the atmosphere was pleasant, the waitress was attentive, and the chef did a great job with what he had, especially with h Ox tongue.

We have accidentally stumbled upon the place. The staff is knowledgeable, polite and genuinely friendly. Looking at the menu makes you think about fine dining dishes, but in reality all items are classic stables with an interesting twist Cannot recommend this place enough

My daughter brought me here for my 60th birthday. We walked into a beautifully arranged room with a cosy open log fire and I got to sit in the best seat in the room. The people who served us were knowledgeable, attentive and personable making it very friendly and relaxed. The cocktails were delicious and freshly prepared from ingredients (not mixed flavoured syrups) and they tasted great for it. The plates are small and extremely well priced. My daughter can’t eat gluten and they accommodated her every wish so she got to choose exactly what she wanted. The food is fresh, very well balanced and thought out. My favourite was the broccoli with peanuts and there was some hummus with land cress. And the linseed crackers were so good. A simple item that could so easily be shoddily made was put together perfectly. The puddings were delicious. Absolutely just go. You’ll love it. And the staff that worked on 10/03/2025 you were brilliant. Thank you for being so good to us. We had a wonderful night.