"Do you think this uneven finish is bad for a table?"
Not sure what you mean by 'uneven'.... Formica is smooth.

I have three neighbors with u-shaped kitchens... none have a table in the U.

You would need to post your layout and dimensions to see if you actually have room inside the U for a table or island. It takes a pretty darn big U to have room for seating in the middle, at least 13' feet in the middle if you want a 3' wide table, and that's assuming that the 3' width is facing the central leg of the U. If you want the long side of the table facing the long side of the U, then you need 15' inside the U. That translates to a 20' long kitchen overall.

Most kitchens that don't already have an island or table there really don't have room for them. You need 60" behind a seated diner if you want traffic to pass behind them. 48" is OK if you want to squeeze by behind them, but you can't open any of the doors and drawers behind them without them moving. 36" aisles means that a diner can sit there, or you can have traffic there if the stools go completely under the table, but not both. They're sitting right up against the adjacent counter, which is no fun for anyone.

Here are is a picture which shows where the table is. I enjoy looking at the difference. The table went ok with old kitchen, but hate it with new one...it's from my old house. As for the Besalt Slate Formica, it's a honed finish and does have some texture to it. My shades were installed today!

Thanks for any and all suggestions oh tables, wood is out because DH will never be careful when he writes at a table. Thanks again for any help

What is behind the table? Can you turn the table the other way or is it too long for the space. How about a round glass top table if you do not want wood?

I'd probably use a round table in that spot.

Thanks, I was thinking oval or round. Behind the table is 1/2 a wall which goes to ceiling, the rest is entrance to DR. Next to refrigerator is entrance to laundry/mud room, next to that is entrance to den.

One more question: do you think I can use the oak chairs? They are comfortable, I would change the seats. I'm thinking of having a round table made up with an oak base with a formica top (Besalt Slate?) or something similar.

Thanks in advance for your help!

You're kitchen looks really nice!! Huge improvement from the before photo. If it were my kitchen, I would go with a round glass top table. Being that the chairs are comfortable I would just stain them a darker color as that current color isn't very appealing to my eye.

Honestly I don't like the idea of a Formica table top.

Wood tables with polyurethane are very durable

Or glass is another option

I think square is easier to use for work than round.

Are your countertops granite? I would probably go with a wood table that has the same coloration as your counters. You could spray your chairs white. I'm afraid that since you do your prep work at the table, formica might not be particularly durable. By the way, I love what you've done with your kitchen.

Thanks for the nice comments about my kitchen, you have helped me along the way so many times. Months ago you helped me pick my granite, recently you helped with the window treatments. I will re-consider a wood table, will look for one with a polyurithane finish. I want a table that can fit 4, more than that and I will serve in the DR, but daily there is only 2 of us. Here is a close up of my granite, thanks again for all the help, now and in the past!

Check out Overstock. Between the darker color in your granite, floors and window treatment, you could go with a medium to darker wood table.

Here's a visual for Basalt Slate:

Your new kitchen looks wonderful!

I live in a really old home with a galley kitchen. We either eat in the DR or on the sofa.There is really no practical way to make the kitchen bigger. Only downside as the rest of our house is big, if you thing 3200 square feet is big. I know many have much larger homes.