In 2000, Union Pool opened in a former pest control/swimming pool supply store on a street corner in the shadow of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway in Williamsburg. In the ensuing 23 years, the bar has seen and weathered dramatic and sometimes bewildering change as the surrounding neighborhood has gentrified, and Union Pool has grown from a neighborhood corner bar where regulars played darts and everyone knew each other, into a multi-bar entertainment hive with a little something for everybody.
The patio
has plenty of seating for you to join your friends and stay all night. Our free weekend concert series, Summer Thunder is turning ten this year.
The taco truck
operated by our friends at El Diablo Tacos lives on the patio. Highlights from the rotating menu are tortas, elote and, yes, tacos.
The Back room
operates as a full-service live music venue. Check out the calendar for upcoming shows and if you’re looking for a space to rent for a large group, this is a good place to do it.
The Main Bar
is equipped with a full bar, a black & white analog photo booth and a pinball machine. Most nights a guest DJ will be supplying sound for the space.
And yet, despite the dizzying growth of both the bar and of the crowd it attracted over the years, the vibe and aesthetic of the place has remained consistent in a way that’s rare in New York City. This may be because many of the same bar staff, disc jockeys, and regular drinkers present from the first days of Union Pool are still around. It’s a habit-forming place.
We are sorry to report that despite the name, Union Pool does not offer swimming or billiards.