Union Pool in Williamsburg
Sorry this picture is so crappy, but I won't go inside Williamsburg's Union Pool anymore, even though it's one of the closest bars to my apartment, because the owner was a royal prick to my friend one night six years ago for no reason, back when the place was new. It's my loss, however, because it's actually quite a decent bar, spacious and mellow with good drinks, but it's a weird respect thing. Union Pool has done fine without my help, attracting a steady crowd that's hip without being obnoxiously so (hot rod enthusiasts and rockabillies mingle with thirty-somethings who work at magazines) and featuring DJs and entertainment of all stripes. I know this because I walk past the place all the time, peering in at all the fun and wishing I didn't carry this burden. As for the pool part, Union Pool is thusly named because it occupies the space of a former pool supply store, and it's located on Union Ave. The color scheme is aquamarine, and I can't remember if they have a novelty WELCOME TO OUR OOL sign but I think they might. It was among the first bars in the neighborhood to be named after the type of establishment it used to be, a theme brilliantly examined in The Burg's Bar episode.
Union Pool [MySpace]
Union Pool [New York Metro]
Previously: New World V. New Wave at BAM, Brooklyn's Future Perfect, The Land of Milk and Honey, Marie's Crisis Cafe, After Hours in the City That Never Sleeps, McSorley's Old Ale House, Pioneer BBQ
