"Where The Bars Have No Name" Union City by johngayton

Union City Travel Guide: 7 reviews and 16 photos

Let the beer lights guide you! - Union City

Language Lessons

When I travel abroad I try to learn at least the basics of the language - "Hello", "Please", "Thank You" and most importantly how to order a beer!

For this, my first, visit to New York I assumed that language would not be a problem (even though I knew the Yanks didn't actually speak proper English!). Nothing then had prepared me for the fact that Union City, where my hotel was located, is actually a an entirely different beast from New York so far as language is concerned.

Here English probably only just scrapes into 3rd place as the most commonly used language with Hispanic predominating, closely followed by whatever of the Chinese tongues was in use. Not even my minute Italian repertoire came in the slightest bit useful, even in the pizzerias!!

Yep, it was quite wierd to walk into a bar (the one with no name), ask for a beer and find that the server had to go fetch the owner to translate!

Union City is certainly an experience, but not, I should add, an unpleasant one, merely an unexpected culture-shock. I really should have done a bit more homework before venturing out and about on the streets.

Having gotten over the "culture-shock" (and the language barrier) I found myself liking this oddball of a place and especially Freddy's and the girl's hospitality ;))

Pros and Cons

Pros:Very Cheap Place To Visit
Cons:Bars very few and far between
In a nutshell:Probably would have helped had I seen the place in daylight

Last visit to Union City: Apr 2006
Intro Updated Jan 4, 2009
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Reviews (6)

Bus Stop On Kennedy - Direction Jersey City - Union City

Anywhere You Want To Go You Can! Transportation (1)

Union City is 20 minutes from Manhattan by local bus. It's about 20 minutes to Jersey City and also allows easy access... more travel advice

Manhattan Views Favorites (1)

If you're staying in Manhattan then it's kinda difficult to see Manhattan - certainly not the famous skyline... more travel advice

Half The Price Of Manhattan!! Hotels (1)

This is very much towards the budget end of the market as far as a New York/New Jersey visit is concerned, but that is... more travel advice

There was one in the middle! - Union City

No Papperazi! Nightlife (1)

It was only the beer lights in the window that intimated that this was a bar of some sort and there being a bit of a... more travel advice

Restaurants (2)
See All You Ring We Bring

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Comments (2)

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Gillybob Sep 22, 2012 at 8:50 AM

Seems this is the place of night photos! ;-) Gillybob greetings
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  johngayton Sep 22, 2012 at 9:24 AM
  
  Hi and tx for the visit Gilly - Yes I spent most of my days in New York then returned to Union City when it started to get dark.
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DAO Jan 18, 2009 at 6:21 AM

Happy Birthday John! I see you survived Jersey.