The Union Grill

Story

The Union Grill is a restaurant in Washington, Pennsylvania, serving Italian-American cuisine. It is a popular location for the Washington County legal community. The location at the corner of Wheeling and Main Streets has been home to taverns/restaurants dating back to 1791, the beginning of the Whiskey Rebellion. It bears no relation to the similarly named restaurant in nearby Pittsburgh.Food and ambianceThe ambiance boasts a "frills-free Italian vibe." It seats 150.The Union Grill is located in the bottom floor of the building, and because of its location at the top of a hill, part of the floor is below ground. The main entrance leads down a short flight of stairs from Wheeling Street. This rathskeller style entrance is the source of the restaurant's local nickname, "The Down and Under," or "D and U." The bar room is filled with wooden booths, brick walls, and antique furnishings. Other dining rooms split off from the main dining room, and feature Victorian oak furnishings.Importance in WashingtonIt is a local landmark in Washington, particularly attracting the legal crowd from the nearby courthouse that it is "almost a clubhouse for lawyers, judges and journalists." It has been described as Washington's "Place To Be Seen." The "back room" serves as a "gathering point for local bigwigs." For example, During the 1992 Presidential primary election in Pennsylvania, then-longshot Bill Clinton visited the The Union Grill.