I have mixed feelings about UJ. Â
Do I eat there every month? Â yes. Â
Am I often disappointed? Â yes.
The food is great... when they do it right. Â I've ordered take-out, to get home without my full order, to go back and pick-up what I missed, to get home and it is burnt. Â That'll piss ya off. Â
The service is so-so. Â Some of the staff has a lot of room to improve on being friendlier and more attentive. Â I have sat a long time at a table without being greeted, a LONG time...
Like I said, on their good days, it is really good. Â Not a lot of restaurants are open late........
5 stars from me because the UJ is the perfect combination of inexpensive food, great local beers, a great burger, people watching, and late afternoon sun. Mix all that together with a pet -friendly patio. The great burger is the Steinbeck. There are other good items on the menu as well.
Review Source:Gave it another go and picked Election night which was slammed! Had heard the fried chix special that night was really good. We were a large party and the food was good but not great. Nor was it very hot by the time we got it. Tater tots were kinda cold. Not appealing.
Our waitress was really nice. Service here is usually very good. .
I guess they just weren't prepared for the onslaught of folks dining out that evening. I think they're prices are reasonable so will return, but may be awhile.
This was a fun little bar/restaurant along Haywood/West Asheville. We stumbled upon UJ since I was visiting the acupuncturist across the street. This has a couple of outdoor areas, indoor dining and a bar. The bar is a great place to meet friendly people from Asheville.
They have a decent list of local and national craft brews. We quaffed a couple of beers and tried the pimento cheese. It seems pimento cheese is a big thing around these parts. The cheese spread is like a shredded cheddar with spices and pimentos. The spread was served with toasted, buttered rounds of bread, pickled fresh cucumbers, onions and sweet red peppers. It was a perfect snack! It was definitely better than the stuff in a jar.
This place has awesome burgers! Some things have been hit or miss for me in the past (medium well burger instead of medium or a fry/tot mix up, but potato potato-they're always willing to fix it.) DO get: any special if it sounds good to you. Its special because it IS! Ive never been disappointed by a spec. My fav is the buttermilk fried chicken, grits and asparagus on Tuesdays. It tastes exactly the way "Gram Gram" would have wanted! DONT get: the veggie or black bean burger. Too squishy. Needs panko! If your vegetarian try the tofu tacos. Im a meat eater and love them. All around a great place I've been going to since they opened. The staff can be hit or miss, can be slow or just plain rude but I've never been completely turned off by that and it didn't happen again (even by the same waitress!) I think they're good for the most part, other reviewers are tough on the service but serving can suck! Give a human being a break and just dig the food-- or don't.
Review Source:I have been to the U Joint several times now on the high recommendations of friends. I was told they had GREAT beer and the BEST burger ever. Nope!
I have tried appetizers, burgers, bean burgers, tater tots and several beers. Here is my experience:
Pros:
-The patrons are nice. Great people watching. This is the only reason I do not give one star. oh never mind. even with the scenery its only worth one.
-One of the appetizers was decent, some kind of spring roll or something, but obviously not that memorable.
-There is one cool bartender we met she had a tatoo on her arm of her younger brother's artwork  . Other than that...
Cons:
-Burgers were bland and dry. The bun was borderline stale on more than one occasion. Dennys is better!
-The bean burger was disgusting. I have had many over the years. This was the first one that was still in paste form. It was like eating... never mind I have never actually eat that but now that I had this goo I have a very good idea what it would be like. I could not finish half of it.
-The tater tots were under cooked on the last two occasions. Â Tots! That should be stoner... I mean stoning offense!
-Service is SLOW and servers I've had were arrogant. Seriously? For schlepping food and beer? We got up and ordered beer after waiting 15 minutes, and a slovenly, cooler than thou "waiter" came over and chastised us. "If you are seated, it's TABLE service!." He maintained the I am awesome attitude, provided slow inattentive service, and forgot silverware and  condiments even after we asked for them. We watched him walk behind the bar and just look around like he was surveying his domain and rubbing his Buddha-esque belly. Finally got our stuff, and another server came over and snatched the mustard off our table and gave us all a dirty look like we had stolen it! WTF was that!!! I would trash the current staff and start over.
-Beer selection is meager, and the beers they had were mediocre at best. Asheville is famous for crafts, but the influx of "craft beers" have generated a number of weak brews. The U Joint carries a few of them.
Overall, it is not a good restaurant, and the bar is something between a dive and the place to be seen which is offset by horrible servers. If not for the people watching aspect I would not go back. If you want a burger, I would recommend Wendy's over this place.
Tonight we tried the burgers at Universal Joint, in what used to be a Pure station at the corner of Haywood Road and Sand Hill Road in West Asheville.
The burgers were pretty good, among the better efforts I've had in Asheville. My wife had the Steinbeck burger, with pimento cheese, bacon and jalapenos, with okay fries ($9). I had a nicely charbroiled 8 oz. Angus beef with American cheese on an egg bun, which was mistakenly served with tater tots rather than the fries I ordered ($8). Â
However, UT was just a little scruffier than I expected -- maybe due for an upgrade and refurb --with quite a few flies flitting around the outside patio dining area. The waitstaff (most young women with tattoos) came across as unhappy to be working on a Saturday night ... or perhaps bored West Asheville nonchalance is the affect they were attempting.
Good selection of local and regional draft beers and some mixed drinks (wouldn't order anything too fancy, though).
With two draft microbeers, tax and tip, the meal for two came to a little over $30. Fair price.
I'd probably go back for the cheeseburger, hoping that the manager spiffs up a little, and the waitstaff takes some happy pills.
I have been going to the Universal Joint for over two years, I live close by and have frequently enjoyed the atmosphere and food. Â The food seems to have gone downhill a little, but still some of the yummiest around. Â Most of the waitstaff are great but there is one or two that could use an attitude adjustment, enough to make me want to go somewhere else. Also, the way they seat you when there is a wait is confusing. Â There is a list, but no hostess, the waitstaff are not on the same page with who needs to be seated next and multiple times other parties will just go sit at a vacant table. Â Before I knew there was a list, I sat down and was asked rudely by waitstaff to move three times.
Review Source:Universal Joint is the most happening restaurant in West Asheville. Â Situated in an old service station, it's a fun location on a busy corner on Haywood Rd. Â This is the place to be on a nice, sunny day or when you're just in the mood for a drink or a good burger.
Sat outside on their hip patio, close to their front yard with cornhole boards and yard games. Â Service was really quick and in no time we received our lunch order. Â I ordered the UJoint Burger with jalapenos, cheddar cheese, bacon and ranch. It was an absolutely delicious and filling burger. Â I was hesitant to order a burger with jalapenos, but it the mix of all the toppings was perfect. I substituted tater tots for fries, really yummy. For $9 for burger and tots, I want to order it all over again. Â Their BLT wasn't as memorable, instead of whole slices of tomatoes, it featured diced tomatoes. Â The bread was fresh and yummy, but the ingredients not so.
Bonus points for their large glasses, I know it doesn't sound like much, but they have oversized water glasses that means servers don't have to top off your glass as often (or at all). Â Overall, an uber-hip, uber-cool restaurant serving filling and delicious meals.
A great location with outdoor seating. Great for dogs and groups. While the beer selection is diverse, I felt as though the waitress was not very accommodating to us tourists. If it was me, I would have been more descriptive about the different local beers, even going as far as to bring a few samples. Without this, most people in our group ended up disappointed with the drinks they chose.
Review Source:This place has been there for me on several occasions when I needed a nice patio and cold beer. As others have mentioned the burgers are stellar, specifically the Steinbeck which you can sub grilled chicken for a change of pace. Service can be a bit slack at times but I don't have a problem flagging someone down if I am thirsty or hungry. Cool location and dog friendly patio.
Review Source:I'm not local to Asheville, but the last two times we've been in town we've wound up there, and haven't been disappointed. We've sat inside both times, and it can get rather noisy in there. Boyfriend is usually pleased with the IPA selection. I don't really drink, but their water/soft drink glasses are HUGE, so you will get your fill. :) Their food is decent--first time I was there I had a burger; this past weekend I had their grilled chicken tacos, which were quite tasty. Not too heavy, either. The boy had the blackened tilapia tacos and liked those as well. We enjoyed our food, and will go back next time we're in town. :)
Review Source:I live near this place, and it is always packed.  The food is pretty good.  I had a burger with cheese, bacon and jalapenos, and it was cooked well....juicy, enjoyable.  The sweet tea (and I do consider myself a  connoisseur) was not strong enough...too watered down.  The service leaves something to be desired.  Our waitress was friendly, but she was so busy that she often forgot about us.
Review Source:Another great place in Asheville for kids, dogs, and parents that want a hip atmosphere with good pints. I agree with all said about the burgers. Â The Steinbeck burger with pimento cheese and bacon is amazing. Â A surprisingly diverse menu too with some fish, salads, other sandwiches. The have a great list of seasonal beers on tap. Â Some locals but not near enough local beers for me. Â Westville Pub across the street has more local beers. Â
Really great stuff and great patio.
This restaurant/bar used to be an old gasoline station, hence the name. Now it's a great place for burgers, beers, and friends. While there, I had the U Joint burger: a 1/2 pound Angus burger cooked to order with cheddar, bacon, jalapeños, and ranch, accompanied by a side salad, which was very good. My beer choice was the Catawba Valley Brewing Company King Coconut Porter, truly one of the best porters I've ever had.
Review Source:Great beer selection and the burgers are good. Â They will cook them medium which in NC is almost unheard of. Â Most places cook them until they are black, crisp, dry, and terrible due to the arcane health laws of this state (I think a senator's son must have got sick eating a tainted burger a few years back). Â Got a U-Joint burger but was disappointed by the jalapenos they put on it... they had been chopped and deseeded so the had all the heat of a bell pepper. Â Come on people! Â If I order something with jalapenos on it, I'm looking for some heat! Â Had a brisket hash on another day which was fantastic. Â
Amazingly enough there didn't seem to be 50 people on the patio smoking which seems to be the norm here in regard to outdoor seating (UGH!), so it may just be possible sit outside and enjoy the fresh air but that seems too good to be true. Â
There is plenty of parking in this neighborhood but you might have to *gasp* walk a block or two. Â Don't worry, it won't kill you. Â
This place is hopping, and is a welcome addition to the neighborhood!
5 stars for dog friendliness. Anywhere that has tables available outside even when the air is freezing cold and allows dogs to hang out is great by me. It helps that the margaritas are tall, fresh, and strong and that the tater tots are pure hot, salty, terrible-for-you goodness. My boyfriend had their bourbon french toast for brunch one day and it was so beautiful that I got teary-eyed.
This is a great, friendly Asheville spot that serves food late and is just a few steps away from Sharkey and Bon Paul's hostel and a brief walk to a new gem of a watering hole: The Get Down.
I really wanted to sit on the patio, but all the seats were taken which I thought maybe was a good sign for the place.
   The service was slow but the joint was hopping. It took a while to get our drinks, a few of our drink orders were forgotten, but they all eventually did come in really large plastic cups.
  Everyone at our table had burgers, except one person had the special and it looked tasty. I had a veggie burger with the Mediterranean toppings and french fries. It was pretty good once they brought out the whole burger, they forgot the top bun with my order. The fries were okay, I ended up stealing my partners tater tots which were really good. The veggie burger was standard and the toppings were okay.
 The beer selection here seemed small but varied and those who had meat burgers said that they were okay as well. So this was an okay joint.
I was literally hungry like the wolf when I arrived here. I had paddled for 2.5 hours and pretzel sticks often don't tie you over properly.
FOOD:
I had the gyro, which was pretty good considering the place was not a Greek restaurant. I also got a side salad and it too was very good. I am not sure it mattered since I was starting to eye my friend's arm as a chicken wing, but the food was pretty good.
SERVICE:
It wasn't all that fabulous. I drank a lot of pop, and the refills were slow, especially for my camel tea drinking friend. You can almost hook up an I.V. to her. Â And bring the sweet and low, or she gets nuts and starts hunting for it. Â She will wait about 1 second. Â So when the tea arrives, make sure the sweet and low is with it. Â I am just saying.
ATMOSPHERE:
We ate outside so that was nice. The tables were clean and comfortable.
PARKING:
Sucked! There is like 2 spots. So find another spot, and if you park at the weird, organic grocery store across the street, go in and buy some ginger cookies. They are great.
Overall, pretty all right.
I visited this place after 3 hours of canoeing on the French Broad, so that may skew my views a bit. Â I was a thirsty girl--so thirsty that I went straight for some iced tea instead of Asheville's preference for beer. Â
Now, I've only been here once, and I am not a local, so you locals may have a different take on the place.
I had the pimento cheese sandwich, which was very rich, but tasty--a little on the salty side--but good and the spinach salad. Â It just made me drink more iced tea. Â Now, on that note, the service left a little to be desired. Â My drink was empty for a long time...then, she went to get the tea pitcher but got distracted, so I waited a little longer.
My friend really liked the trout ruben, and my other friend was a fan of the gyro.
The atmosphere was awesome. Â We sat on the patio, and it was a nice breezy day. Â I'd go back and try it again.
Sorry UJ.. I har heard that you were off he chain. I went. I give you two stars. Almost three.
Atmospere; awesome. More of a cool bar scene. Staff; friendly.
Food; I got the blue cheese bacon burger. Of the chain. Low they can cook it is medium. I got medium.
My boyfriend got the rib-eye sandwich. Terrible. Terrible. I ended up giving him half of my sandwich.
The
Fries were good. Not saugy.
The food was cooked fast so there was by a long wait.
Will I go there again?
Not sure.
I'll begin with the bottom line: I wasn't blown away, but I'll be back.
I have only had one experience here, and don't really think it's fair to write a review based on one experience unless that experience was either fantastic or horrible, not "middlin". That being said, I'm going to write a review!
I really liked Universal Joint's healthy-leaning menu and had no trouble finding lots of things that sounded great. I chose a chicken gyro, and was very happy to have the option of a generously-portioned and very fresh spinach salad for a side. Everything tasted good, but the gyro was seriously skimpy on the meat (which is the main attraction of getting a gyro in the first place).
One server went out of his way to be welcoming and friendly to me and my companion, even coming around periodically to prod us with jokes. Unfortunately, he was not OUR server! The other two staff on hand gave the subtle feeling that we were bugging them with our presence, and we were not sure if we were welcome at all times. Granted, it was early lunchtime on a Sunday, and not many folks in West Asheville were particularly spunky, but, hey, all of us in the service industry have to at least ACT like we're happy to see customers. It's part of the job.
The experience with the servers will not keep me from returning, though, since there is a very interesting menu of which I have only scratched the surface. I just won't get another gyro. And the hours can't be beat, stretching until midnight on Sunday, 2 AM on Friday and Saturday, and 1 AM Monday through Thursday. It's definitely worth another try.
UPDATE: I returned, with some friends in tow, for dinner at Universal Joint.  The joint was pretty hopping for a Tuesday night, and the only open table that could be found was on the deserted, enclosed patio. We got pretty lonely out there, since we finally figured out that no server was ever going to be coming (even though we made it  known to the staff -twice-that we would be outside). We eventually spied an open interior table, and rushed to secure it. No sooner had we plopped into the seats than a very friendly and doting server swooped down on us and began the pampering, making our previous shunning a memory.
I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I don't remember what I ate (except for that child-like glee that I got from being allowed to pick tater tots off my friend's plate). The food is all fine. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it. In fact, if you're going to hang out with friends and have beer (which is what I feel Universal Joint is more about) then you definitely can't go wrong with their food. If you're looking for a more transcendent culinary experience, I'm not sure the food is what you're looking for. It's pleasant, not amazing. But sometimes that's just what fits the bill.
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