Union Transfer is hands down the best music venue in Philly. The event staff is always pleasant. The acoustics are fantastic. Bands performing here are always amazing. Their parking is reasonable for $10. It's only a couple blocks away from septa. You can't go wrong with Union Transfer. read more

By far, my favorite venue in the city. There really is no "bad" view, patrons are generally good about show etiquette, even during the heavier shows, and the staff is friendly. Full disclosure, I am friends with a few employees here and know others through the bar/restaurant industry. My review is not based on friendships or personal matters. This truly is a great venue. The acoustics are spectacular. I don't need ear plugs in this venue. I've attended some LOUD shows and never left with ringing ears. Additionally, beer prices are among the most reasonable for a venue. There is a good selection of craft brews as well as old stand by's. The rest rooms are stocked and clean. Parking is not horrible. Additionally, this a good spot to bring the kids for a concert, whether it is a show for a younger crowd or parents are sharing a fun experience through music . read more

Galactic show was officially sold out, and there was still plenty of room to move about and be comfortable. Stays pretty cool in there b/c of the high ceilings and huge fan up top. It's a pretty well thought-out venue. Don't hesitate to see a show here. read more

I've seen a lot of good bands perform here--of Montreal, Jenny Lewis, and others. The building itself is really cool, with lots of neat old train station details. The staff is friendly and the location is nice because there is parking nearby. Overall I've had really good experiences here! read more

We went to the union transfer last night for a show and had a pleasant time. The line was short to get in, luckily. I have seen lines wrap around the block before. The acoustics seem pretty good inside the venue. We moved around to a couple different spots - some on stage level and some up on the balconies. Both areas had good views of the stage and balanced sound. The only real disappointment I had was with the staff. Everyone was rude and short tempered. I felt like I was treated like a middle schooler and the staff were chaperones. Any false move and you were getting kicked out. Maybe another show will offset my opinion, I can only hope because I like the venue. read more

Super clean Philly venue. They definitely take pride in their location and keep this place in ship shape. Upstairs bar is pretty damn cool as well read more

Awesome place for live music. This is my favorite venue in Philly. The sound system is superb and the venue is just the right size for an intimate experience and you don't feel like you're too packed in. I only saw one band here and have been wanting to go back since, but I just haven't had the chance. read more

Music can sound tinny if you are at the bar or under the walkways. Out on the floor you get a great sound. Anne was wicked tired for this show - so we leaned up against the sound board dudes' box in the back. Always a great place to catch a show. If you want decent standing up top show up early. Best sound is still on the floor, though it may not be the best view. read more

Can't say enough good things...amazing what they did with the space/building. Great soundsystem too.

My favorite venue in Philly. Great view of the stage anywhere in this place and I'm happy with the beer selection. You're never far from the stage, definitely go see a show here. read more

Perfect!! What a great new music venue. I remember this place when it was a tire and auto repair shop in the '80's way before it became Spaghetti Warehouse. Saw Trombone Shorty there last week and it was a great show. I love the layout/design of this place too. read more

Possibly the best music venue in a city that has lots of good venues. I saw Clap Your Hands on opening night and Fanfarlo yesterday. - Sound is great - Lots of space in 21+ section with good beer options (cheap drinks after show) - Good location for parking - Good prices for tickets read more

I wanted to update my previous review in which I talked about being forbidden from bringing my cup of beer onto the stage floor from the raised bar area at an all-ages show here. Tonight I was at the Bob Mould show at Union Transfer, which was also advertised as "all ages" (though in fairness Bob does draw an older crowd) , and people were being allowed to carry their beers all over the floor as well as the back bar area. I'm not sure if this change applies to all the "all ages" shows or just the ones where the average age of the crowd is likely to be well past 21 like tonight's show, but in any event, it was a welcome change from my past visit. Now, if they could just increase the availability of parking for this place - tonight I arrived a half hour before the headliner was due to go on, and found only a tiny handful of spaces left in the pay lot. read more

I've come to see a handful of shows at UT, and I've never had a bad experience. The sound quality is amazing, on point every time. The floor space is big, with enough room to feel comfortable moving around and clear visibility of the stage from various angles. There's a bar, which is s little overpriced, but what you expect to find at a venue. Coat check, check. Oh and heads up, if you're under 21 you can't have a dag outside. read more

Great space, easy to navigate, solid beer selection. Venue acoustics sound stellar. Easy to watch from most vantage points. Wide variety of music selections run through this venue and it never disappoints! read more

This has to be up there, if not the very best venue in Philly to see a show. The sound quality is very good. It is roomy, and there are several spots to get drinks. There is even a section away from the main crowd. That provides the people who (for whatever reason) love to talk through concerts a place to do it without messing up everyone else's good time. read more

Union Transfer is without a doubt the best venue in the city. The ticket prices are always reasonable, the venue is super clean and nice, and the drinks (for a venue) are reasonably priced. Most of my favorite bands come here, and I always swing by the box office and buy my tickets sans fees, which is a nice way to save a few bucks. I love sitting in the side bar and grabbing a drink while the opening band plays, since it is significantly quieter than the main room and has a lot of tables to sit down at. The concerts are rarely packed, and I am always able to get within 20 feet of the stage without any trouble. As the icing on the cake, the building is gorgeous as well. read more

Great place to listen to music...not too big, but you can find room to dance or a quieter spot near the back bar to talk to friends. Good beer selection and prices. There's a coat check if you want to use it. Usually not too difficult to find street parking, but Spring Garden street is a little sketchy. I haven't personally had a problem, but you might want to consider using Uber/cab before walking alone after the show gets out. Kind of common sense in any city I suppose. read more

Saw Odesza here last month. Friendly service, good views throughout the entire venue. Glad I finally got to see this Philly gem! Great venue, can't wait to comeback for another show. read more

The kindness exhibited by Wes, an event staff person, the last show we saw at Union Transfer was above and beyond. I really appreciated the customer service I received by Wes and will continue to bring my business here simply due to the fact that he was courteous and helpful. It made the show that much more enjoyable. read more

Location: Convenient; a few blocks from the Broad Street Spring Garden subway station, although the walk from/to the subway is not my favorite since there is not a lot of street life at night til you get closer to the venue. Layout: Pretty great! The stage is high enough that you can see the band from anywhere. The main floor is spacious. The bar in the back is on a raised area, and there are also raised areas along each side of the main floor for a more elevated view (sometimes this is a 21+ corral). There is a balcony area on the 2nd floor with a few bleacher style seats. Bathrooms: the women's bathroom on the 1st floor is very cramped, like they tried to squeeze in as many stalls as possible... Which is a good thing in the end because it means less waiting. There are at least 10-12 stalls I think. But they are very narrow, dark, the toilet paper dispenser is attached to the door for some reason, the sinks are tiny, and there are only 2 somewhat ineffective hand dryers. Know before you go: $10 minimum for cards at the bar! Drink prices are in line with other venues and bars. There are snacks (chips, pretzels) available in the lobby. read more

Finally! I think this whole city has been in need of a venu of this calliber. To say awesome is simply not enough. The sound system is SO crisp and clear it's like you're in a car with a great system, but really you're moving around comfortably with 1000 other people. The drinks were a little expensive and the place is a little too dark when they bring the lights down and it's in a dodgy section of town, but on the whole I was very impressed. I can't wait to see another show there! read more

Great venue! Sound is great where ever you stand but balcony steps are key. Hoping to see many more great shows here. Even sold out it did not feel over crowed. read more

I love this place! I've been here for quite a few EDM events which they are starting to hold and I love the open feeling of it inside. The place is very open, with tall ceilings and huge fans. The staff here is pleasant, accommodating and helpful. I highly recommend coming here for events! read more

This is my favorite place to see live performances in the city!

This place is, by far, my favorite of all the places I've ever gone to see a show. The layout is nice, the place looks cool, I can't think of anything about the place I would change. As a performer, I would LOVE to do a show here. As a fan, I will definitely be back to see many more shows. read more

Fav indoor venue in Philly. Saw Chon here. Front row for the first two bands. Polyphia was the 3rd opener and I got moshed out of my spot and had to sit in the lobby. Came back in for Chon and stood in the side. Air conditioned and not to big or too small. read more

Almost every show I've gone to in Philly has been here. Nice small-medium venue, surprisingly helpful and friendly staff. Always have a good time. read more

Came from New York to check out The Head and the Heart. Showed up a little after doors opened and was very pleasantly surprised to find that the place was sufficiently roomy and spacious, while maintaining a "small venue" feel to it. There were a couple of bars on multiple levels with a good beer selection at decent (concert) prices. The actual venue itself had a cool old-timey feel to it, and the crowd was lively. Coupled with the music of The Head and the Heart, it made for an awesome experience. Would definitely go see another show here in the future. read more

Came here a while back to see the Felice Brothers when the venue just opened as Union Transfer. Lots of fun, good sound, great set up for shows. Pretty good view of the bands despite where your standing. Nice to have another music venue option especially on this side of the city. read more

This place was fantastic. Affordable tickets, absolutely beautiful inside, and great acoustics. The bar was reasonable prices and there were lots of places to get a good view if you didn't feel like fighting your way to the front of the crowd read more

I've seen a few shows here. This place is really cool, I like venues that don't hold thousands of people. Easy to get a drink, have a good time, & see a good show!! read more

great venue in Philly. Gorgeous architecture, amazing acoustics and the staff is all really nice. It's the perfect size for bands I like. Big enough for all the famous folks, but still feels really intimate, and they don't over-sell, which is really nice. Nice bathrooms, coat check, spacious lobby area for selling shirts and stuff. I like that you can stand upstairs if you're not into crowds. The ticket takers and person at the box office are all friendly and it's a really efficient process to get inside. The bar was decent, I got a beer before the show and that's always nice. Nothing bad to say about this venue, I hope I'll be able to get back here again before I move! read more

This place rules. But they should bring back the free popcorn machine.

This is a great music venue in Philly. They book great artists, it's a huge venue, and they have a 21+ upstairs balcony that wraps around the entire building and is huge as well. The drinks are pricey but not overly pricey like most music venues and there's always a really nice crowd here. It's also very easy to park at and there's a good restaurant across the street called Llama Tooth that you can sit outside at while you wait for the long to get smaller. The sound system is also great and the stage is big so it's great visibility as well. read more

Visited for the first time last night; staff was friendly and the venue clean. Parking was super accessible, although it didn't appear to be monitored at the end of the show. Only things I could complain about was the bathroom stall being pitch black (I think the light was just out, though) and the fact that I got hit on by the lot attendant from inside of my car and was made to feel very uncomfortable. I agree that the no-re-entry policy is annoying, but whatever. Overall a good venue; would definitely go back again. read more

This is a great venue if you are healthy enough to stand up for 2-4 hours solid. Great views & sound quality. Staff very friendly & helpful. Didn't buy beer so don't know about the selection. My husband had a minor health issue while we were there & staff & other attendees were so helpful & nice. Everything was fine in a short time & we both were able to enjoy the show. Staff kept checking to make sure all was well, which it was. We got there early enough to get street parking. All in all a great experience & we'll be back read more

I put this review on Google but I figured I'd add one here too. I am not one to write reviews. Ever. But I haven't shut up about this place since I went there a week ago. There is a parking lot directly behind it which charges $10 (very nice not to have to worry about street parking), the staff is amazingly friendly, the interior is gorgeous, the bar area is great for the winter so you don't have to stand out in the cold and the 21+ area is great. Waitresses take a spin through the balcony every so often and check up on you if you need a drink and then bring it back with a check. Even the sound quality is great. Also, you get all of this for the average ticket price of $15 with prices rarely going above $20. I don't have a single complaint. It's sad when you enjoy the venue almost more than you enjoyed the bands! read more

I love this place so much I want to have my Wedding/ reception here. That awesome. The best venue in Philly!

UT -- the sound is great. Either LOWer the beer prices or get BIGGER cups! read more