Union Stage

Very nice venue! We sat downstairs in the seated area against the back wall and ordered food/drinks efficiently after scanning the QR code to place ongoing orders throughout the show. Staff and service was excellent, the sound / acoustics nicely presented. Highly recommend Union Stage for your next casual night out to hear music. Just pay extra for the seats, otherwise you're standing (if that matters to you).

recently saw QBomb and The Living Tombstone in concert here. small venue size makes it an intimate experience, and you get a good view of the band from nearly anywhere in the room. free water, very nice and clean bathrooms, even the venue floor was clean. stage is downstairs and I'm not sure there's a wheelchair friendly way down

I attended a concert with my granddaughter and her friend and it's a nice venue, plenty of standing room only. There are two bars, one upstairs and one downstairs. They also serve food. Security was very pleasant to deal with.

Great venue for any artist to perform at. The staff is super nice & very helpful. Great sound system and lighting 🎧💨 I invite everyone to check out Ryan Celsius Sounds on all streaming platforms 🫡

Cool venue for a small concert venue, its underground! Enter through the top bar and make your way down. The house draft beer was 8$ which isnt terrible for dc bars. Cool lighting and it sounds great

This is one of THE BEST All ages venue in DC! Staff was so polite and helpful! I highly recommend catching a show at Union Stage!!

We were at Union Stage last night for an event, Ash Music. The event was really fun and the Union Stage staff made it even more memorable. Specifically, the bartenders were super friendly and professionals. Allie served us the whole night and they were amazing! Even as tired as they were, they had a smile on their face all night and made sure we would not wait too long to get our drinks. We loved their service, which made our night even more fun with the tasty drinks they made.

Amazing venue! Convenient location. Great staff. Intimate venue. Such a cool experience. Lacking a star because we paid for premium tickets that allowed us to sit in an area with tables and wait staff. The reserved area is in the back left of the venue. However, the area is not raised enough that when you are sitting you can see over the people standing in general admission. This was our first time visiting so we did not know what to expect but it was disappointing that we had a very hard time seeing the artist that we went to see. Mixed drinks were very expensive and mediocre. Tater tots were basic. We would definitely return to this venue but would decide whether in the future we just want to hear the music or actually be able to see the artist in order to select which ticket we would purchase. The only other small, less enjoyable note was the owner or someone of importance of us sitting at the table next to us with friends that he brought. They were talking a lot during the performances which took away from being able to enjoy the show, and their guest kept knocking into me with their chair.

The pepperoni pizza is absolutely delicious and the drinks are great as well! I've attended two concerts (Taylor Acorn + Loveless & Cherie Amour, Honey Revenge + Arrows in Action) here and the bartenders both times were fantastically friendly. The staircase going to the basement/show area is covered in band stickers and it's amazing to see how many bands have been at such a cozy location. Restrooms are also very neat and clean.

Came to see a concert and it's such a small intimate venue! They have a full bar and a small menu for food. We had a 1/2 white pizza at the bar which was great for bar food! Very pleased! The staff were so accommodating as I just had foot surgery and was walking with a cane. I was offered a chair and got to sit stage side! Great night!

I love the close vibes of union stage, this is the second time I've been to the venue and it's been great both times. The staff and the service if great and so were the wings I had! Hoping for more concerts here in the future

Overall, what's to dislike. It's a small music venue for intimate shows. But whyyyy can't they build even the SMALLEST incline into the floor. Just a tiny one?? I'm not even short (-ish for a girl) ... (5 ft 7). I chose to stand midway back because I don't need to be all up against the stage. I attended a sold out show and would have been perfect happy all the way in the back but it was packed wall to wall. So even midway in the crowd there were some moments it was uncomfortable or hard to see. That's my only complaint.

We were at Union Stage last night for an event, Ash Music. The event was really fun and the Union Stage staff made it even more memorable. The ambiance was amazing. But above all, the bartenders were super friendly and professionals. Allie served us the whole night and they were amazing! Even as tired as they were, they had a smile on their face all night and made sure we would not wait too long to get our drinks. We loved their service, which made our night even more fun with their tasty drinks.

As a Black Cat DC/U Street Music Hall devotee it's been hard finding a music venue just as intimate since the pandemic hit. It seems that between Water Street they've got that experience covered. Union Stage is a really intimate venue that allows any entertainer to showcase their craft. I have seen comedy specials taped here and concerts performed here both of which were exceptional. The audio sounds ok, the bartenders are always friendly, they've got rosé in a can which makes it easy to consume and I appreciate that and I love the fact that if you need to sit down the seating in the back for you to enjoy. There's even a bar on the main floor right upon entry so in case you ever wanted to go and get a drink from upstairs before your show starts you have an option to. My only drawbacks is that the stage isn't significant elevated, so if you're at a standing room only show, short folks in the back are at a disadvantage. Also, parking in this area is a disaster unless you want to park a distance away or pay a ton at one of the local garages.

Intimate concert venue on the Wharf. Staff here is excellent and friendly. Food and drinks are good

Saw Sons of the East live and sat in the back eating area with tables. Service was great throughout the show and really enjoyed the pepperoni pizza.

This is a pretty awful venue in terms of actually seeing and enjoying a concert. The floor is not on an incline and the stage is barely raised so unless you're near the front, your view will be obstructed. And forget about buying a seat as there's no way your view will be clear if you are sitting in the back behind everyone else. The whole venue is a basement with a bar. The whole vibe feels pretty poorly thought out and the whole layout of the place feels like a fire trap; God forbid there was an emergency and 400+ people all tried to climb the stone steps at once. I didn't enjoy anything about the place. A guy on crutches came in and the staff weren't even sure if the elevator was working.

12 dollar happy hour gets you a half pizza and draft beer. Pizza itself is pretty decent, nothing special- the crust tends to run a bit dry. The cheese is pretty solid though. Beer selection for drafts was great- they have some great dark beers that I tried. There is a 20% gratuity included regardless of party size so my friend accidentally tipped 50%, just something to keep in mind.

Its a Venue. They should be ashamed of themselves offering the "Premier Plus" section for an additional charge. This seated area is too far from the stage to actually enjoy the reason you paid extra for a seat. Their menu isn't very extensive, so don't expect anything more than Mid Bar food. This was my first time here and likely my last.

Great venue, decently priced drinks lots of fun. We went for a Sydney Sprague concert. Had a blast

The lighting on the stage is just soooo bad and the bar service is super slow. One bartender for a concert is crazy.

Cute little music venue in the Wharf area of DC. It is relatively new, and everything there is very nice in terms of facilities. The venue is pretty small (compared to places like MGM or even the 9:30 Club), but it is a very pleasant place to enjoy a show. There is a full bar, a seating area in the back if you're not into crowds/the "pit," and of course, the main floor. Street parking is available near the venue. The only the I would change: the floor is one little rectangle, so there are limited areas where you can stand for a good view. If there could be different standing areas on sides of the stage, or slightly elevated blocks near the back, that would make visibility better. Overall, I had a positive experience here and would look forward to coming back for another concert.

This place was easy to get to, and is the usual small "dive" sort of bar on top with the concert venue on the lower level. Another long bar, and bathrooms (which were for the most part, clean). As usual, everything in DC is overpriced and a mandatory 20% tip (which just robs the server), but the 1/2 pizza was decent and the drinks were good. That was upstairs. We had "premium plus" seats so we sat for the first band. Good band from Charlottesville, VA. For Big Wreck we went to the floor and were able to get as close as we normally do and it was a blast. I thought the show was a little short, but maybe there must be some sort of noise ordinance or something. Our 5th time seeing BW. The only thing that should be stressed to people on the floor, this is a GA show. You didn't rent an 8 x 8 foot square that other people have to stay out of. So grow up and join in the big party we all paid for! All of the employees and everyone we met was super nice; Jamal was awesome! I'd return for other shows!

Wish I could rate no stars but unfortunately.... anyways I've been contacting them for over a month now for a show that was postponed requesting a refund. Being as though they guarantee one will be issued if a show is canceled or postponed and in the event you can't attend. Well thats a lie! All they do is send you a email stating that they will respond to you shortly. I'm not sure if they know what shortly is because a month later here we are! No update jus the same ole automated email response. So unprofessional and inconsiderate! Won't be purchasing through them anymore and will warn others not to as well.

I thought this place was just okay. We paid extra for "premium tickets" but no one was really stopping anybody from going back there. Drinks were overpriced but I mean you're at the Wharf so I guess that makes sense. They also could be more organized. Once again, paid for premium tickets but there wasn't an additional line or special/first entry so we waited for a while in the general line just to get in. Probably wouldn't come back if there was another event... Not the worst place at all, and I'm sure it could get better with these minor changes!

I have been to this venue before as I frequently go to concerts/shows. My first visit the security was extremely friendly and I had an overall pleasant experience. The parking situation was not great and usually I'd have to walk about 10 minutes from parking to venue. No biggie though. My problem with this venue occurred relatively recently. I had purchased tickets for a show occurring in January. Due to covid, the show got postponed. I had no problem waiting for the new dates but then I discovered on social media that the band is playing at a completely different venue, DC9. I wasn't sure if Union stage was affiliated with DC9. As I looked into it, I saw that Union Stage, Jammin Java, Capital Turnaround, or Miracle Theatre are all under the same management. Dc9 is not. I never received a refund from Union Stage, despite their policy stating a refund will be provided if a show is canceled. I emailed Union stage twice. No response. I left a google review and got a response from the management asking me to email them at luke@unionstage. I emailed luke, but yet again no response. It seems to me that this venue just does not respond to their customers and refuses to give refunds. I pretty much wasted $60 for nothing. A shady thing to do especially during these times. Please AVOID this venue! I am going to avoid Union Stage, Jammin Java, Capital Turnaround, and Miracle Theatre.

The pizza and wings were great! Love how intimate the venue was! Jamal and Sara were both great!

Super intimate venue with great selection of beer and other beverages. Great pizza as well

I have never been to this venue, but here's what leaves me unhappy about how they handle their business: A concert I had tickets for was rescheduled from the Fall to the Spring. In an email, they stated it was being rescheduled and that refunds would be given upon request. While I did wait approximately 2 and 1/2 months to request the refund, I eventually requested it as my pregnant wife is due with a baby around the time of the new date. I requested the refund in early December--the new date is in April. They replied that refunds could only be offered within a week of their offer for refunds. This was complete news to me as this policy was not marked anywhere in their email regarding the reschedule. When I asked them why this policy was completely absent from the email and why I was not informed of this, they were totally unresponsive. The thing is, I really don't care about the money in this situation, it's the principle. It was a low move. They should have owned their mistake instead of using a mysterious policy to make a buck.

Cool venue and sound was good. Bought "premium seats" so I could have a table. When we arrived, the only option was to share a table with strangers. In non-Covid times maybe, but was uncomfortable asking someone to share their table. So get there early to secure a table because there isn't a guarantee you will get your own. Was nice to have a waiter and he was attentive.

Been trying to get a refund for tickets for the lost dog street band concert from 2 years ago. It's gotten rescheduled multiple times, which I understand. But I've emailed back each time asking for a refund. I've emailed over 10 times with no response and no refund. They don't answer emails and don't have a phone number.

Mixed thoughts about this venue. I liked the bar area upstairs, the drinks were pretty good if expensive (welcome to DC) and the pizza was better than I expected. The actual venue downstairs was fine except for the total lack of chairs. Maybe I'm just old or lazy but music is never better when you have to stand the whole time. Why not have a seated area and a standing area so you get a choice? I'll go back here to see a show but maybe they can add some chairs next time?

The new District Wharf may not be for locals (its glamour attracts tourists and people from the suburbs), but the three music venues inside bring out the locals. Anthem is the biggest followed by Pearl Street Warehouse. Union Stage is the smallest of the three venues, but one of my favorites in DC. It's in an alley in the District Wharf. Once you enter, you can order a variety of draft beer and even a hard cider from the bar upstairs. It's a cash less bar, but they do let you bring your drinks and food downstairs. If you want to chill before the show, there are a few seats upstairs to enjoy a bite. Once you're ready to see your show, head downstairs and pass the check in stand. You'll then enter a large room with a bar to your right, VIP dining in the back and the stage in the front. It can holdup to 516 people, but it still feels small and intimate.

Fun venue, pretty good food and drinks too. Came for a concert, it was nice. Would return

I came here for a Jazz Christmas Concert. Parking is a headache if you don't park in the garage. The venue is nice. You can see the stage from wherever you sit. Drinks are pricey. The menu is very limited, just pizza and salad with one choice of dressing. The pizza was just ok. Nothing special and definitely not worth the price. I did enjoy the performance but I don't think I would be back to another at this location.

First time here and had a great time. There is a small bar on the first level, which was credit card only. Downstairs is the venue space which a stage and long bar. Due to the type of show, they had several tables and chairs out, but it looks like a big space as a standing room. We sat in the back at a high top and could see/hear well. Lots of people seemed to order pizza, which smelled good. Overall nice venue.

The worst staff! One late night, I misplaced my purse and the staff (including the manager) were extremely rude and dismissive leading me to believe that they had stolen my purse. Everything is replaceable, yes! But the fact that they would not allow me to look around for my purse was very bizarre. They claimed their reasoning for prohibiting me from looking around was that they were closed; however, all the staff (8-10 ppl) were standing around conversing and drinking after-hours. I was very polite but felt ganged up on and as if the matter escalated unnecessarily... There was a valuable prescription drug in the bag, so I'm pretty certain that one, if not all, the staff stole it and discarded the bag for that reason. My AirPods were in the bag, so the tracking showed that it was in space until about 10-11am the next day, then it was moved to the landfill. I was one of the last people to leave when they were closing so I'm confident that it wasn't a patron..... Also, the bar didn't have lemon or limes.

This the DMV's newest live music venue. They are tucked away off Pearl St at the Wharf. They have a small bar area when you enter that serves beer & liquor and you can order pizza. Downstairs is the concert venue. A good size room with a stage on one side. They have a small seating area in the back with tables where you can order pizza & beverage. Most of the area is standing room only. Good sound system. They do have an elevator for mobility challenged. Box office is downstairs too & restrooms. You do not have to see a show to sit upstairs. It's a cashless v

An okay place, when the sewer pipes are not leaking on to you... We were here for the 80s party. The sound and lights are okay, not great. What got me really pissed is the leaking sewer pipes from the ceiling. The venue is in the basement, so the entire ceiling of the club is covered with sewer pipes. One of them - right in the middle - was dripping. First I thought someone's drink must've spilled or something. But then... I looked up and the pipe that had "SEWER" written on it was dripping. Disgusting!

I was very excited to come to one of their free open mic nights. I signed up in advance, and my family and I drove about an hour to come out, got some food before, and headed over about an hour before the show. We were told the doors would open at 5 and show at 7. When we arrived at 6, the door was locked and we stood around for a half hour waiting, until someone turned off the lights inside. We gave up hope, and walked around for a bit before sadly returning to our car. On the way back, we saw this sign. Thanks for the heads up, Union Stage! Your hospitality is immeasurable.

I recently came back for Stabbing Westward this week and still have mixed feelings about this place. It was a way better show than Lucy Rose for sure, Stabbing Westward could play the worst venue ever and still everyone would have a great time. So I liked the show itself a ton, but seriously $37 including fees was a bit much, I've paid no more than $20 the last two times I saw them at other venues! No real great line of sight here but I did appreciate the venue a tad more this time around. More like 3.5 stars. I won't be back unless I absolutely love the band. Luckily for me, Lyft rides are only $15 each way - the price to park there! Two more things to note - they really need to step up security. I wasn't even frisked. And what was up with the bouncer not taking a pic of me by the cool entrance sign? Sad...

Sound can vary. If you're short like me, you can try and squeeze in on the sides, but the sound there is horrible. Always too much talking, too, on the right side closer to the bar. They say the pizza is meh, so I haven't bothered. Bouncers can be jerks, esp. when you are trying to say goodbye to the bands. Last show I went to was Ocean Blue, who do dreamy alt-pop with amazing vocals and guitars. Bouncer by the stage thought it was a dj night, and he was a cheerleader. It's great to be enthusiastic about the music, but his yelling over the music was completely inappropriate and was ruining the show. I mean, I've never seen anything like it. The bathrooms look nice, but are never stocked through the night, and parking is a nightmare. Save yourself the money and headache and park on the street by L'Enfant and walk over, escorted preferably. The WTF is a big money suck. I'm so happy that Clan of Xymox is coming to Soundstage, and I don't have to endure this place for that show again. Lol It's really a shame, bec. I love Jammin' Java (staff can be sullen, but still), but US is the same concept, poorly executed.

So many things went wrong during my first visit to this venue, it just insane. To start I purchased the VIP meet & greet tickets for the "Charlie Burg"show. I arrived at 6pm as instructed by Union stage. I sat at the bar order a drink. After sitting at the bar for a bit.. I informed the bartender that it was my very first visit. I proceeded to the ask him a series of questions regarding the venue, which he answered (his name was I believe "Burkarr " ) ...not sure of the spelling) but he was the bartender on the first floor. So at this point things are going ok...until I asked him when the meet & greet would be starting? He looked at a sheet of paper and told me it had begun. It was maybe 6:45pm at this point. So I then asked if the stage entrance for the meet and greet was downstairs?(again my 1st time so I wasn't familiar with the layout of the venue). He answered yes. I arrive at the front door of the concert hall and no one was at the front desk. Hear ppl inside the room..so because the upstairs bartender told me the meet & greet was now underway...I proceeded to enter the room. I was met by a young lady who asked could she help me? I explained to her why I was there. She the told me the meet & greet hadn't started yet. I apologized for interrupting what looked like the band setting up for sound check. She just walked off as if annoyed by my actions. I was embarrassed and a bit annoyed at this point also due to the bartender giving me the wrong information. Another staff member arrived ( a young man) and offered to check me in while I wait. There was no where to sit downstairs...so I went back upstairs to sit & wait to be properly notified as to when the meet and greet would start. Welp! That never happened. So it's now 7:30pm and time was passing so decided to go back downstairs to see if the meet and greet had started. There was a concert goer in line sitting on the floor. Ppl were going in and out of the concert room. I could briefly see "Charlie Burg" inside speaking to fans. I didn't just want to walk in again and risk being made to feel awkward..I just stood there waiting and hoping that the man that checked me in earlier would usher me in or inform me that it was ok to go in for what looked like the meet & greet.(again I'm totally new here) I needed direction. So as I'm just standing there the man who checked me in is just standing there also. He doesn't look up or acknowledge me. So I'm standing there wondering when he would...it never happened. So I try to be patient but time is moving.. and the show was to start at 8pm. So another staff member comes downstairs. He starts speaking to the guy that checked me in. So I decide to ask the new staff member if the meet and greet is over. He then proceeded to ask me if I had VIP tickets...to which I replied " Yes...shouldn't the guy who checked me in have seen that on the computer?" The guy who checked me in looked as if he was totally lost and unknowing of the situation... nor seemed to care. So I was then told that yes the meet & greet was over. I was beyond disappointed. I felt like I was purposely given the run around and misinformation due to my skin color. I was the only minority concert goer who was just cast aside and basically ignored. I watched as other non minority concert goers were treated with the ultimate respect. I couldn't believe this was happening. So unfortunately for me I paid for the VIP experience but was treated more like a "NIP"(Non important person). The staff was the cause of me missing out on meeting the artist. So my money was a complete waste. This was such a horrible 1st time experience. Also another seemingly more friendly staff member approached me and asked if I was ok?. I expressed my disappointment and dissatisfaction with Union stage. He seemed to empathic. But I'm guessing word spread of my displeasure...because another staff member kept walking near me displaying an aggressive attitude. It was just extremely bizarre. Especially for a woman attending a concert alone. I've never had such a terrible concert experience in my life. I was so uncomfortable I ended up leaving after "Charlie Burg" performed his 3rd song. I WILL NEVER,EVER RETURN TO THIS PLACE AGAIN. I strongly suggest that no one does. Worst staff ever.

I came here when Palehound was performing. The area is much smaller than I expected it to be but it was still a really fun time. There's no seating, only standing room. The staff were super nice and fun to talk to. Union stage is a great place for a fun night with a big or small group!

This was my first time at the wharf in years. They have really updated the area and it's a cool place to be. My friends and I went to union stage for a gogo, yes I said gogo. As a DC native I love being able to go places and hear our music live. This venue was very nice. The drinks and food were well priced in my opinion, I've been to other gentrified areas of DC and the price are extremely high. I got the pepperoni pizza and my friend got cheese pizza. The pizza was so delicious and well seasoned. Last night I received the best drink I've ever had in my life. Shout out to Bakuri, I may be spelling his name wrong. He was working at the bar downstairs. Also they should get an extra star for having a clean restroom! It's rare you go somewhere and they have clean bathrooms.

BEWARE OF LACK LUSTER BUSINESS PRACTICES. I attended an event on 6/7. Upon arrival, me and my guest (who's ticket I paid for) were told there was no meet and greet with the artist. While I am aware this part probably has nothing to do with the venue, the way it was handled was horrific. I explained my confusion when we were denied meet and greet & was met back with retaliation. It was from this point on the venue became the issue. I will say I was upset but never was I rude, at most just confused and firm due to the retaliation. It shocked me because in no way, shape, or form was I at fault. We were told to be eligible for a refund, we were not able to get any VIP privileges basically (memorabilia was offered), ridiculous! There was three tiers originally: GA, VIP & meet and greet. The VIP price of the tickets would've still left me with a refund amount but I adhered to the ridiculous policy. It took until today to get a refund after a number of follow up emails on my behalf! Just absurd. I know managing a business is not easy so I tried to be empathetic but our experience left me with nothing but disappointment. Especially coming in to town for the concert. We could've went in our state but decided DC would be perfect among other personal factors. I do not plan to ever be a patron here again. This was genuinely one of the worst concert experiences of my life.

Great place for enjoying great music groups with an intimacy not found at larger venues but a good crowd nonetheless. Food is fun and fast not fancy with the focus on drinks and sometimes dancing. An expanded version of their success at Jammin Java with higher quality groups in a location that unlike Virginia so having fun is encouraged and facilitated. Great staff keeps up with all the action. A real go to place with surroundings on the Wharf. Get there early or go online to book reservations since it fills up fast

I have been to Union Stage a couple times this year for shows in June and November. A note about getting there: take metro/Lyft/Uber if you can. Parking near the southwest waterfront has never been fun and it's never going to get better. When you walk in, there is a bar and some seating to the left, and in front of you are the stairs that lead down to the performance space, and bathrooms. The venue is still relatively new so it's still clean and in good condition. I've only ever had drinks/food at the upstairs bar, so I don't know what the downstairs bar and seating area are like. They have a pretty good selection of beers and a cider or two at any given time. They have a pretty simple food menu of pizzas and salads. The pizzas come in half or whole sizes. Their menu is accurate, a half is generally good for one person unless you are particularly hungry. I tried the pepperoni pizza. It was pretty good. It's a thin crust, but it holds itself together, and it was not overly greasy. The performance space is "intimate" - since that's what we're all using instead of the "small" - but the sound system is good. The lighting set up is a little different for every show, but I have noticed the in-your-face-squinting issue for small parts of the two shows I went to. I will confirm that the stage is not as large or elevated as it is at places like the 9:30 Club or Rams Head Live up in Baltimore, but it's a way smaller space than those venues so it's not terrible surprising. I was at the front for one of the shows I attended here, and three rows back for the other so I didn't have a super difficult time seeing everything, but it does get kinda difficult the farther back you go. The staff are usually reasonably polite and friendly. They seem to be getting the hang of the whole check a bunch of tickets/IDs quickly and then pack a bunch of people into a room thing that comes with being a concert venue. My only suggestion in that regard is finding a way to clearly indicate where people who have VIP or early entry tickets should go when they arrive. I've heard that question asked to bartenders who have no idea several times each time I've been. I'm giving them three stars because it's certainly not a bad place to catch a show, but I've never been blown away by the venue itself.

A guy passed out in the middle of the crowd and I went to the bartenders to try to get him some water. Screaming and waving my hands didn't beg enough attention I guess. Literally yelling that someone passed out and they both refused to look up

My friends and I came here to watch Novo Amor. The staff is nice. The music venue is downstairs and quite new. I quickly got accustomed to the floors not being beer soaked and it not smelling like a sweaty armpit. It's an intimate space and in the back are tables from which you can take in the music while dining.

This is my go-to spot for pizza on the Wharf. They have a great happy hour of 1/2 pizza with a beer for $10. That's pricing that probably beats out Shake Shack...might be the best deal on the Wharf. Also, their pizza is definitely the best on the Wharf too. The hot & spicy is delicious. I usually only hang out upstairs and have never gone to a show.

I've been to two concerts here now. One was a seated dinner service show, which was perfect. The other was a standing room only show, which was shit. The ceiling and stage are much too low for this type of show, so the only way to actually see what's happening on stage is 1) to get there as soon as doors open and stand for 3-4 hours to save your spot up front, or 2) be 6'5" and stand in the middle so that anyone behind you who happens to be shorter than 6'5" can't see for shit. The pizza is excellent and the bartenders are savvy. 3 stars for being a half-terrible concert venue.

Decent venue for intimate shows and events. Limited menu--the pizza is good but there's not much else. You're supposed to flag down servers by putting a card in a holder on your table, but that's not always reliable and we've had to flag down servers to get service more than once. Also had a difficult time getting bar service. However, the set-up with open floor seating is great for shows. I've never had a seat with a bad view. The shows that I've seen have needed additional seats added to the back and they've always been good about adding them.

Allow me to be the umpteenth person to be kind of "meh" about this music venue. It's such a shame, because DC is really starved for midsize music venues, and this isn't it--I can't understand what happened, because this space was specifically built as a music venue and yet the size just doesn't make sense. You enter upstairs, show ID and can order a drink/food up there if you so choose. We headed right downstairs, where we got special bracelets for premier seating, bought our first round of drinks at the bar and then grabbed a table in the reserved section. The table service was pretty solid, although it's a lot of patrons for one server to take care of, especially while a live performer is doing their thing. The food and drinks are good--and the drinks are certainly potent, I was feeling mine the day after! Definitely expensive, but welcome to the wharf. My main criticism is of the space itself. Do you remember the parties that your one rich friend in the suburbs used to throw--the friend with the in-ground backyard pool, finished basement with pool table and air hockey, whose dad was in a dad band that always performed at the end of summer party before Gabriella met Troy? No? Well, watch Neighbors 2 and then come back to me. Anyway, the venue is basically like your friend's basement. The stage isn't quite big enough or tall enough for everyone in the audience to be able to see, and the premier seating is absolutely not worth it--my husband bailed halfway through the show and went to stand in the crowd, which oddly on a Saturday night, was not very big. I joked to him that it looked like a middle school dance floor. I can't imagine parking here is any fun; we took a Lyft because the metro was single tracking, and even finding a safe place to pull over is a little dicey. All in all, for a destination venue, I don't really think it's worth it, although for $15-30 tickets, you get what you pay for. Start with low expectations and you won't be disappointed.

Not even a good place to see a band. Came to see Aussie rock band Sticky Fingers in March. First of all- Parking prices are atrocious- what you may save on ticket prices gets pounded by any type of Wharf parking costs. But that was not the deal breaker with this sub-par venue. Seeing a band play here is like going to your doctors office waiting room: clinical, sterile, and quiet....very quiet. When StiFi came on- I had seen them in Brooklyn and Boston before- the crowd went crazy- 5 minutes into the frenzy I realized the band was already jamming it out. I looked around to see if anyone else notice the lack of volume. I mean- I was under the one of the main amps- 3 feet from the stage. I could hear the bartender list the draft beer for a customer. My phone rang- it was mom- "Hi Mom, how's it going" Fine, I thought you were going to see a concert?" "I am, I'm here, 3 feet from the stage, can't you hear them? "No, I think I hear someone ordering a drink though." If there is a noise ordinance that prevents loud music- then this was a really poor business choice to place a music venue. I've hear louder Muzac in the dental chair- with drilling. Unless the remaining Beatles book Union Stage for a one time performance- don't bother. It will only make you hate your favorite band for booking this sad attempt at a performance space. But I do see they book weddings...shhhhh!

Great booking, Novo Amor, was ruined by this truly poorly designed music venue. The stage is so low to the ground that any guests not in the front row or 6 feet tall have very little view of the artists if the show is standing room. The artist was seated for parts of the performance, so at times, he was completely out of view. There is also a giant pole right in the middle of the venue that blocks the view of the stage. Lighting for the show was the worst part. The lights rotate throughout the performance directly in eyesight of guests. Many people had their eyes closed or had to turn their backs during the performance to avoid the lights in their eyes. I am still perplexed as to why neon rainbow colored strobe lights were chosen for an acoustic band. The frantic multi colored lighting was completely inappropriate for the music type, and really took away from the performance. Food and beverage staff was loud and talked during the performance. There was a beautiful violin solo interrupted by the staff refilling the ice bins and throwing away trash. For anyone that truly appreciates acoustics and the full experience of live music, this is an incredibly uncomfortable and disappointing venue.

The venue is nice and the sound is good, but, as other reviews have stated, "Premier Plus" is not worth the cost. The website promised this ticket included table seating and table service in an "elevated area". In reality, the section is a small scattering of tables that is only barely elevated. Doors opened at 7 for the show at 8. When we arrived at 7:45, all the tables in the section were already occupied, in some cases by people who stood, not using the table, but blocking anyone else from being able to sit there. Because the table service works using service cards, not being at a table means no service! We stood in the section for a while, trying to see over the crowd, and got completely ignored by the staff the whole time. In the end, we left that section for a better view at the back of the crowd, and paid extra for Premier tickets for no reason. Would go back to the venue, but would not spring for the "better" tickets.

I was able to return to Union Stage last week for the Lawrence show and I had a wonderfully positive experience. The staff has been updated since my first visit and everyone I spoke with was great. It was super easy to order beer and food before the show too. I was really pleased to see the bar downstairs serving Aslin beer. For those that have had it before, Aslin can be difficult to find besides their distribution center in Herndon, VA. I was also able to try the Hot and Sweet pizza at the downstairs bar and WOW. Just wow. The pie came with freshly sliced sopressatta, serrano peppers, san marzano tomatoes, mozzarella, pecorino romano, and finished with honey. The pizza was delish and I will definitely be getting it again next time I return. Union stage is a great spot to see a show in DC. There is plenty around the new wharf area and this venue is more intimate than the anthem right down the road. Will be back soon!