Grand Union Is Grand Central Station for North London Burgers
The Grand Union Bar & Grill in Kentish Town is more than just grabbing a burger… it is an experience. The boyfriend and I walked down from Hampstead Heath on a Friday night to try out this venue, as we are both always seeking that perfect American burger in London. While Grand Union didn’t help us end our search, they did serve up a mean burger. But I’m getting way ahead of myself here. Let’s start from the moment I walked in the door.
I’ve lived up the street from this location of Grand Union for over seven years and I’ve never once gone in. More than anything, that just goes to show that I am hardly ever at home. Every single time I’ve driven past the bar, I’ve wanted to stop and check it out. So I was happy to have been invited for a meal there…I could finally see what lay behind that cool brick exterior.
I certainly wasn’t disappointed. As I walked in the door, the two DJs in the back of the bar were spinning golden oldie classic rock songs that instantly set the mood for the evening. There were two huge tables of young (and fantastically handsome) men on either side of me that were apparently celebrating the win of a big account earlier that day. They were merry and in turn made the whole night even more cheerful. Plus, everyone knows you can instantly learn everything you need to about a bar by its clientele. These gorgeous men were speaking loud and clear….I was in the right place! Or…at least I can advise my girlfriends that this is a great place to come on a Friday night to meet their future boyfriends (wink, wink).
The decor is very chic! It’s all quite random yet flows together perfectly. I suppose you would describe it as a “retro 1970’s shag pad” sort of feel. One thing that definitely stuck out was the projector displaying black and white images throughout the night. It had massive sex appeal and made the environment saucy!
We started out with cocktails from the expert bartender. The manager of Grand Union had asked him to make us something extra special and he sure did deliver! I can’t tell you what the name of the magic potion was but it tasted like a summer day…just repeat that and they’ll know what to make you, as I went on about it forever!
We had a starter and a main for this particular evening. I have to say that the starters do need work. Keeping in mind that the new menu was making its debut on this very evening, we must recognize that these things take time. But it is quite important that chicken wings and nachos be done to American standards if you are going to have them on your menu! We’ll be heading back to try these again in a couple of weeks’ time and will report back!
The burger, however, was a different story. First, my biggest pet peeve is when people don’t cook burgers how I have asked for them to be cooked. Grand Union was absolutely spot on! Perfectly medium rare with blue cheese on top. My mouth is watering just remembering it. And for the first time, in a long time, the burger was too big to finish! So I got to look like a perfect lady for not clearing my plate completely.
The staff at this establishment are brilliant. We could go on for about another ten paragraphs about how fabulous the customer service was – truly outstanding. We all know how difficult it is to find good customer service in London. So they definitely get high marks for that!
We’d recommend it. In fact, we’d give it two thumbs up. A night out is about the experience and the meal and the Grand Union handles both for you at once.
We will be going back so look for us there this summer!
For More Information
The Grand Union Bar and Grille, Kentish Town
79 Highgate Road
Kentish Town, London
NW5 1TL
(020) 7485 1837
