Iowa City residents and University of Iowa students trickled into The Union Bar & Grill on Friday night, over opening weekend of the bar’s return.
The two-story bar contains a winding and dimly lit staircase that led to the upstairs section of the bar, where the customers flocked. The bar opened on Feb. 19 after an Instagram post Feb. 18 informing users the bar would host its grand opening.
The original The Union Bar closed in April 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The bar was originally located in the Iowa City Pedestrian Mall on East College Street in what is now Stuffed Olive and Double Tap. The new location is at 118 S. Clinton St., the former Cactus 3 location next to Giddy Up.
Google still lists the old Union when searched, and there is currently no website for The Union Bar & Grill, which co-owner Tracy Barkalow says is something he is still deciding on…