Chain bars: unoriginal and uncharismatic, right? Wrong. Grand Union proves that a chain concept can not only work, but can excel above and beyond some of the best independents with top cocktails, burgers and music.

The Venue
Grand Union in Kentish Town is easily located along Highgate Road – a 10 minute walk from Kentish Town Station. Upon entering, you’re immediately met by a large, spacious venue that’s made cosy thanks to a clever and warming decor – looking as if the coolest grandmother in the world mixed up her living room with trendy touches.

Floral wallpaper in purple and pink is mixed with wood to make you feel warm and comforted. An eclectic collection of lamps, an empty birdcage, and random paintings dotted across the walls – including a beaming, silver embossed Audrey Hepburn piece – all join together to keep your interest levels aroused. The seating areas are mismatched with wooden, rickety smaller tables mixed with more opulent leather booths. The chairs are also random with everything from plain wooden chairs to comfortable cushioned ones in various patterns. It should be headache-inducing but a lot of thought has obviously gone into the haphazard collection. A large central bar with the ceiling covered in a continuation of the floral wallpaper makes for a nice centrepiece.

There’s also a downstairs area here, where live music and DJs kick out a variety of music. This area is smaller with more of a lounge vibe. A small stage easily accommodates the bands that perform and the closeness of the various tables and couches that surround the stage creates an intimacy that makes enjoying music here an appealing notion.

The Atmosphere
The atmosphere at Grand Union is laid back and filled with merriment. Consisting mostly of locals in large groups, couples and mates catching up over drinks, there’s a steady hum of laughter and conversation. A better-than-average sound system pumps out a heady mix of cool tunes – creating a party vibe even early on in the week – and the place is never empty so doesn’t come across as soulless, which would be a worry in such a large place. A weekly quiz night and regular events keeps interest in this bar high and it succeeds in turning this into a decent local that you could spend a couple of nights a week in and making it a destination worthy of seeking out.

The Food
Grand Union touts itself as a cocktail bar and burger joint, which you may sniff at – until you taste the incredible food. It’s a very simple menu consisting of just burgers and a few choice sides, but the selection can’t fail to impress. Consisting of almost twenty burgers, including everything from your standard cheeseburger to more unusual selections like an avocado and bacon burger or veggie options such as the falafel burger, you can’t fail to be impressed. Costing a reasonable £4.95-£6.95 for a huge, towering dish filled to bursting with fresh ingredients, they’re hard to eat but worth every messy bite. Sides such as homemade Maris Piper chips at just £2.65 are big enough to share and are crunchy outside and soft and fluffy inside. Other sides include salads and a vegetable stack.

However, most worthy of note is the sharing platter. Serving 4-6 people and taking 45 minutes to prepare (be patient, it’s worth it and you can always pre-order), this is an excellent example of a platter getting it right. Arriving on a huge tray, the presentation is immaculate. Consisting of cute mini burgers, marinated pepper and goat’s cheese crostini, blackened fiery chicken skewers, falafel and houmous, and homemade chips and dips, there’s something for everyone. The small burgers are a couple of mouthfuls of pure joy, with half a cherry tomato, a small lettuce leaf, a tiny beef patty with a slice of cheese all wrapped inside a mini bun – cute and delicious they’re meatier than you might expect and easier to eat that the bigger versions. The pepper and goat’s cheese crostini is light and crunchy, the peppers fresh and soft, and the cheese tangy. The falafel is light and crunchy contrasting with the sweetness of the fresh cherry tomatoes and the chicken skewers taste more barbecued than fiery, but are rich with a dark, syrupy sauce. Costing £25 a pop, it’s more than reasonable for a group.

The Drink
There’s a decent selection of beer at Grand Union, including Fosters, Kronenberg and Guinness, alongside a nice choice of wine. The Pinot Noir Pionero Estate - a red wine with strawberry and plum undertones - is a particularly good option and at under £20 rivals many expensive restaurant choices. If you’re out to really splash the cash then you can always go for the Krug Grand Cuvee for £139.

However, the real bonus of Grand Union is the cocktail menu, reasonably priced with cocktails costing just £6-£8. What stands out about this menu is the exceedingly high quality of the cocktails – rivalling many higher priced, top-end bars. Especially recommended is the strawberry daiquiri, which is nothing short of incredible. There’s none of the usual sickly-sweet syrup or overuse of sugar that makes you feel like your teeth are about to fall out, instead it’s fresh fruit, finely blended, delicately presented in a large martini glass. Sweet and filled with light strawberry flavours, you can barely taste the alcohol but it doesn’t taste artificial.

The Last Word
Proving that chain bars can really excel in today’s market, Grand Union ticks every box with top-class cocktails, excellent food and a buzzing atmosphere all wrapped up inside a very attractive package. Worthy of a trip to North London.

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