I love UJ! My favorite thing about this fun local place is the fun people that work and visit there. You always run into someone you know and their daily specials are always exactly what you're craving. We love that it's right in west Asheville and we LOVE stuffing loaded tots into our faces!! read more

Universal Joint - Food time! - American Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

All right... I don't leave 5 stars often... and the UJ doesn't really make me go "Woohoo!" but it has earned my trust, and that ain't easy, kids. I'd say the 5 stars apply in context... specifically, the context of casual pubs in Asheville. I'd take this place over the WALK, Westville, the erstwhile Burgermeisters, and a handful of other "Burger/Taco/Beer Bars" in the area Hands Down. I also added an extra star to make up for the idiots who seem to basically be berating this place for choosing not to have a host or a garish seat yourself sign. If you walk into a restaurant, and you don't see a large menu behind the counter, a host stand, or a sign that says "wait to be seated" you should assume it is all right to seat yourself. The UJ's concept is that of a casual neighborhood bar. Most of the people there on a given night are locals, if not regulars, and do not need to be told what to do when they walk in, and frankly, that is the point. Casual to a t. Every time I have been to this establishment, I have been greeted and served promptly and pleasantly. That said, I should mention that I have NEVER been to the U Joint earlier than 10pm, and have certainly never been here during the dinner rush. I can imagine that the loose casual seating policy could get a bit more confusing for staff and guests a like when the place is crowded. I typically sit at the bar and have always greatly enjoyed the relaxed but friendly attitude of the bartenders. I like to sit quietly and not be bothered much when I dine alone at a bar, and the bartenders are totally willing to leave me be, but always ready to engage in conversation with patrons if the guest so desires. The food is by no means revelatory, but again, that's not the point. It's perfectly tasty, as far as I can tell, prepared with fresh ingredients, well balanced flavors, and most importantly CONSISTENT. I should stress this consistency note, because ultimately, for me, this is what sets the joint apart from other restaurants in the area with virtually the exact same menu((cough cough WALK cough)). When I go to the Ujoint for the 32nd time, and order the item I've enjoyed 10 times before, I can rest easy knowing that it will taste just the same this time. There seem to be a lot of restaurants in Asheville that can blow my mind with a dish on Thursday, and then ruin it on Friday, and I just don't get it. The UJ meets expectation every time. As far as specifics... Smoked Tofu Tacos - Yum... smoke makes everything better, especially for a meatless diet! I don't see them on the online menu but I swear I've had em and LOVED them. Pretty simple frankly, but it is the straight forward, clear flavored, non pretentious style that makes the food here work. Both the veggie burger and the black bean burger are great in terms of flavor, though the black bean burger can be a bit mushy. to be expected with a black bean patty. Falafel is where it's at. This is the best falafel I've had in Asheville in recent memory(*though I haven't been to Jerusalem Garden in a long time) Crispy outside, tender inside, and not too large to be manageable. Fries are totally decent, but the tots excel. 2nd only to Tod's tots. A final note, however, would be that I am a vegetarian. The menu is SUPER veggie friendly, which I love. But this does mean I cannot comment on the quality and execution of the burgers, which seems a point of complaint for some people. read more

You just got to go to understand. Universal tots loaded with white cheddar, bacon, scallions and jalapeños with an INCREDIBLE homemade ranch doping sauce. Their burger selection is off the charts.. But I highly recommend the Steinbeck Burger (pimiento cheese, bacon, jalapeños) read more

Great American food and nice West Asheville atmosphere. Sit outside! Would recommend the sliders and the universal tots. Only knocked a star because of the waitress having a clear attitude. But that seems pretty common in Asheville at less-than-expensive places. Check it out read more

Universal Joint is the most happening restaurant in West Asheville. Situated in an old service station, it's a fun location on a busy corner on Haywood Rd. 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. Service was really quick and in no time we received our lunch order. I ordered the UJoint Burger with jalapenos, cheddar cheese, bacon and ranch. It was an absolutely delicious and filling burger. 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. Their BLT wasn't as memorable, instead of whole slices of tomatoes, it featured diced tomatoes. 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). Overall, an uber-hip, uber-cool restaurant serving filling and delicious meals. read more

We came to Asheville to see a show at the Mothlight & stayed at an AirBnB close by. Our hosts recommended UJ to have a quick bit before the show. We took their advice and were not disappointed. It has a kind of mountainy hipster vibe. There is both outdoor and indoor seating, craft beers and good pub grub. We ordered a bit too much food. We had the fries (loaded with cheese, onions, bacon, and yum), the sliders, and the buffalo chicken quesadillas. It was good, but we couldn't finish it all (no wonder). The service was good and our waiter was friendly. The beer was good. I enjoyed a bit of people watching, as well. We were in and out in about an hour, perfect for getting to our show at the Mothlight. read more

Great when you want a greasy spoon. Perfect location. One of the better uses of "used to be a gas station." Again, the location is perfect. Especially if you find an outdoor seat in the summer time. The burgers and the gyros are quite tasty. However the food is not quite on par with other Asheville restaurants. Yet the combination of the location and solid food make it a fun spot in West Asheville. read more

This place has always been great when I eat there in the restaurant. I've had some amazing burgers here. Each time that I have ordered food to go though it has been a bad experience though. ( really bad!) The outdoor seating is great and a great place for people watching! read more

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. read more

Universal Joint - Catawba Valley Brewing Company King Coconut Porter - American Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

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UJ is a solid burger joint with a great outdoor space. They have some unique burgers (non-burger options as well, but burgers dominate the menu) and I haven't been disappointed with the food in a few visits. Feels pretty "middle-of-the-road" for Asheville, however; it definitely didn't blow me away. And the service is pretty ho-hum. Overall, you won't be disappointed, and again, they have a great outdoor space. Solid food, good selection of local brews. In this town, though, it takes a little more to get that 4th star (from me). read more

We've been here several times. The food is very good and we've never been disappointed. Their burgers are beastly and some of their specials are off the hook. I've never had a bad burger here. Always well pleased. Tater tots are the bomb as well. I see a lot of people downing their service, but overall it's not as bad as it's made out to be. I'm okay with not being greeted at the door and having to find my own seat. It doesn't bother me. And I can't remember a time where my drink wasn't refilled either. Service is a little slow, but nothing that I haven't experienced at some of the more popular joints in town. Overall, it's a good burger joint that we'll visit from time to time here. read more

Great staff, friendly clientele, fair prices. Spring rolls were good, as were the loaded tots. Black bean burger was really the highlight of my meal, as they're made fresh in house and had an AWESOME flavor. If you're looking for pub food with a casual atmosphere, UJ's won't disappoint. read more

Went on a date early on a Monday and had a great experience! Its often packed to the gills but we were happy to encounter no wait. Pros: good service with just enough table presence, big glasses of water, great beer menu, generous tot servings, a delicious Steinbeck burger, and many vegetarian options Cons: pricy appetizers that are completely unnecessary unless you plan to take half your entree home! We will be back! read more

Second time trying this place out and they did not let me down. Great place to sit back and relax. Outdoor seating but each time we sat inside. We ordered hamburgers and nachos. Thankfully the waitress warned me that the picked jalapeños are very hot and gave me the option to put them on the side of my nachos. When the food was served, the hamburgers were huge! They looked handmade and not frozen. The nacho plate was large as well. Way too much for me to eat on my own, it's definitely a share plate. I had in the past visit shared the loaded fries were are very good too so I should have remembered that the portions are large. I think during the day it is a place to bring the family but I got the vibe that later in the night it may be more of an adult joint. Staff was friendly and place was clean so definitely recommend checking it out. read more

Universal Joint - American Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

I have mixed feelings about UJ. Do I eat there every month? yes. Am I often disappointed? yes. The food is great... when they do it right. 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. That'll piss ya off. The service is so-so. Some of the staff has a lot of room to improve on being friendlier and more attentive. 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. Not a lot of restaurants are open late........ read more

Great little quirky spot to grab a bite and a pint. Having never really stayed on this side of Asheville I was pleasantly surprised to find what will likely become a staple and place to visit when here from now on. Patio seating outside and quite the crowd inside was enough to tell me from the onset this place obviously had some fans. The food was delicious, beer was abundant and that leaves little room for disappointment in my world. Don't come here expecting a 5 star experience. It's a chill spot on a great corner for people, car and whatever watching which is always a plus in Asheville. Parking seems to be the same through Asheville....hard to come by so prepare for it. read more

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. read more

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. read more

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. read more

I'm not particularly interested in most of the menu here, but the Steinbeck is the ONLY burger I buy in all of Asheville. It really is that great. The service is always friendly, fast, and dependable. I've probably ordered 20 Steinbecks at this point, and never had them mess up my order. That's solid. Unfortunately the outdoor seating area leaves something to be desired--most notably fresh air, as the UJ allows smoking in their outdoor area, with no distinct separation between smoking and non. It's difficult to fully enjoy dinner while being choked out by another patron's trip to Flavor Country. read more

I love this place, a long standing establishment in Asheville. I got the Bison Burger with the Western style BBQ toppings and the burger was perfect! My girlfriend got the Black bean quesadilla and it's was spot on too. We got the chips and Salsa with queso, the queso could have used some TLC, it was a broken and a little runny, could have had more cheese and less foamy texture. Our server was fantastic and the atmosphere was great, I encourage all to have a great time at UJ! read more

We stopped in for a couple of craft beers and a bite before driving into Hendersonville. This is a hip place, a former auto service station you can see the history of the business in the old paint on the walls. Nice touch to keep it looking cool. Beer selection was nice, lots of local options. We had nachos that weren't that great, but I won't blast the whole menu for one wonky starter. There was a lot on the plate, but the cheese was weird (grainy?) and the chicken was dry. There is outdoor seating which would have been nice if it wasn't July and a million degrees, but it looked like a good spot for people watching in this hipster district. Bonus: TV was showing Euro Soccer! read more

This place was delicious after a day of brewery hopping! It's dog friendly and gluten free friendly so both huge pluses in my book. We sat on the patio since we had a pup and enjoyed a great dinner. I had a grilled chicken sandwich on gluten free bread and it was the best gluten free bun I've ever had. Service was great and super nice. The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is the fries were pretty bland. read more

I gave this place 3 tries and nope. Service is always friendly. Drinks are reason to bother. Food was aweful. Fried cheese curds only goodish thing. My chicken sandwich was dryyyyyyyy and my tots were stale and hard as rock. For 10 it is something I could have made at home for less and tasted better. My hubby bout died chewing his chewy dry steak sandwich. And the sauce with it was weird. Go here to drink skip eating here. All 3 times i have gone have been at different times of day so food just not good no matter when you go. So dry everything i ate there was sooooo dry. Oh well cute place nice folks but nah. read more

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. read more

Visited here on our honeymoon! It was our first out-of-town restaurant.. and it was delicious! We had the loaded tater tots (with shredded cheese, bacon bits, scallions and homemade ranch)... drool. Then we had the chili-garlic shrimp salad (on top of arugula and spinach drizzled with lemony vinaigrette...) and some sort of chicken croquettes (which I didn't really care for but my husband enjoyed them!) The service is pretty slow, but I was starving, so I must've just thought everyone was working at a snail's pace! Everyone was pretty relaxed, great atmosphere... would've gotten a perfect, if it didn't take forever to just leave! :) read more

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. And bring the sweet and low, or she gets nuts and starts hunting for it. She will wait about 1 second. So when the tea arrives, make sure the sweet and low is with it. 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. read more

Great every time I go. Friendly staff, good bar food and great selections. The black Bean burger is delicious and tater tots.

We hit this place before the Tourists game and had a blast. It's a hippy kind of place. My wife had a mojito and it was good. Definitely not light on the rum. Good stuff. I had the burger. You won't leave hungry...big portions. read more

Nice and peaceful environment. It's quiet and I like that. Outdoor and indoor seating available. The side salad with vinaigrette dressing was delicious. The gyro, mmmmmm good. Pretty good for a joint. Staff is very friendly. Alright, I am heading back to finishing my food. read more

Super delicious food and atmosphere was so chill. Loved this gem. Totally recommend Jalapeño Ranch Chicken Sandwich with tater tots.

UJoint is a great place for some pub grub and a beer. The inside is pretty small but there are two different rooms to eat in. The food is standard pub fair but the cheese tots are amazing. They allow dogs on the heated and covered patio which is great. I don't go here regularly since they are pretty busy most the time but if you are looking to eat with your dog or watch one of the two TVs at the bar you should check it out. read more

We have eaten here 3 times now and have always loved our meal. The servers have all been very pleasant, which adds to the great dining experience. We sat outside today and enjoyed the beautiful weather. This is quickly becoming one of our favorite Asheville dining spots. A must try! read more

Wesley is the best bartender made me feel so welcomed and safe. I come here just to see him great bartender. Wouldn't come in otherwise. Lucky to have him. read more

Good atmosphere and great beer! Food is okay with some good menu options. Be specific with how you want food cooked. read more

Universal Joint - Bar with some rustic flair - American Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Very friendly staff and attentive! The whole place was pretty busy and we were always checked on or wasn't long until someone walked by and saw you look up. Food was good as well. Chicken tacos are a definite choice.... with sour cream too, lol. P.S. outdoor seating is pet friendly read more

The burgers are so juicy without being greasy. Tater tots were perfect. Will definitely be back on our next trip. read more

Universal Joint - American Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Very good place to eat. Great local feel and great West Ashevillian atmosphere! The cheese fries are my favorite in Asheville. The plate has the perfect mix of fries, cheese, and fresh chopped jalapeños. Sounds corny, but they really are awesome! I had the smoked chicken wings too. They were very good. read more

Best Burger And Bloody Mary Around town!! Bonus that they were Kid and Pet Friendly:) read more

If Asheville needed explaination, I'd take a visitor here to chat. The hummus is so good my dad and I have both ended up here unexpectedly. We are very different clienteles, yet even my dogs love the heated patio and water. read more