Universal Bar and Grill

This place is a little treasure. I went because my kid had a gig there. I absolutely loved it. I enjoyed the other music that was played there. The food was actually pretty good for a bar and the parking was fantastic (which is huge). But honestly, I was super impressed with the staff. My daughter played there again one Sunday, and the bartender (James) remembered my drink from the first time. I was so impressed. That guy made sure everyone - I mean EVERYONE -had everything they needed. All the staff was great. Plus, there's plenty of places to sit if you don't want to be right next to the music or if you are someone who wants to hide in the background. I don't think I would have found this place if my kid hadn't played there, but now I come back when she isn't playing, and it is a great little place to hear new bands and just chill and relax. I recommend UBG to anyone who wants to go and feel like you are in a "Cheers"-like atmosphere where people may even remember your drink or your name.

Small dive bar with a pool table and a stage. Really small. Typically just a couple people there. If you want to try open mic for the first time or karaoke, this is probably a good spot. Foods not great but definitely not bad. Pool table is a bit uneven and balls suck so if you take it seriously I would bring balls with you and don't trust the slow roll.

It was a great place to hear new bands, nice atmosphere, the decor is nice, friendly staff, sitting room is a bit bleak, food and drink specials were okay. I wouldn't get their specialty shots again. They have a good selection of drinks though. It also gets too warm inside. Although the patio is quite nice. No parking and only 1 toilet per gender.

Recently bought by a new owner who is really trying to breath some new life into to the place. New sound system for the bands and a nice facelift to the place made it a very enjoyable evening listening to live music. An intimate venue to share some drinks and fun with friends.

James is the MAN!! Wow. This man stands on business and knows his craft. Very thrilled to be apart of him and organization. He is profession and a delight to deal with. ‘Anytime you see great in me, it’s in you first.’ A+ sir!!

This cozy little bar has a fun atmosphere with good music (speakers OR live shows), ambient lighting, and pretty good beer/liquor menu. Prices on drinks are somewhat standard fare, so it won't break the bank like a spot in DTLA. Pool table and patio amenities are also quite enjoyable here. Had a great time watching my friends perform their music here! "Thus Far" - check them out!

A small really good music venue in noho. Great place to hear a bunch of live bands. And tere is something happening every night! Must check out in the valley!!!

The universal Bar and Grill is always a great experience. They have the best wait staff, great food and terrific entertainment every night. Plus a parking lot that's free.

Great bar. Kayla is a great bartender!!!!bartender!!!! It's friendly and a great local hangout I recommend this bar.

Kasey whatever her name is: was actually really rude. She tried to overcharge me and my group Before I tried to negotiate and dispute this charge and come to an understanding she tried to kick me and my group out after I asked to speak to the manager. She was very unprofessional drinking on the job and being incoherent . If you're gonna drink on the job at least be coherent when you're working And overcharging a tab 200+

Decent cocktails, decent happy hour, quite a vibe. Was nice to catch up with an old friend. Amazing service from the bartender.

Kayla always does a great job behind the bar and is professional and attentive with patrons. You should definitely visit the bar on her shifts for a drink.

A loud, dim, crowded bar perfect for a rock show the food is affordable but comes in small portions

Cool Open Mic Comedy/ Karaoke, Awesome People, Very Supportive. This is a Busy Bar, you know your doing good when the room quiets down.

The Universal Bar & Grill held a California Soul Party which ended up being a night to remember, especially entertainment by the Family of Funk with a show produced by Vernon Hicks and Stowe Village Entertainment. The men and women were dressed to the nines, the venue is beautifully decorated, the staff is friendly, the food is delicious, and the music is next level. This isn't just a reviewer's opinion; the adulation from the crowd confirmed it was a special night. Everything about the ambiance, from sound quality to the lineup of musical artists and comedians. Patrons at the Universal Bar and Grill enjoyed a night of eating, drinking, dancing, and waving their cell phones in the air like they just didn't care. The evening started with several incredibly talented artists. Jason Maye and Isaac Guiden brought their pop and R&B flavor with spine-tingling compositions. Guitarist Maleek Deering and pianist James Morgan showcased their mastery of their respective instruments with unique approaches. Popular local rock band Anita SqPueeze, performed. They played their well-crafted songs to an enthusiastic crowd. One of the night's great surprises was the comedic routine of the host and director, Jessica Saavedra. Her timing and storytelling brought continuous laughter, serving as the perfect bridge between musical acts. Headliners: The Family of Funk The Family of Funk, played to an enthusiastic crowd which loved their sound and whose unique sound resonated with the audience. This California band featured Mia Dunn, Sheree Dunn, Waymon Starks, and Frank "DeVille" Greenfield is known throughout California for their funky/rock and original sound. Drawing on their past experiences in the Pop, R&B, Funk, and Hip Hop worlds as writers and record producers with achievements like gold and platinum records, Grammy nominations, and Golden Globes, as well as touring with top acts, they create and perform radio-friendly songs about unity and love, blending those styles with a modern edge. Rounding out the group are Kori Lewis on drums, Joseph Love on bass guitar, and Walter Thompson on keys. The Family of Funk is amazing to watch perform. All members are highly skilled in their craft and exude a level of confidence that can't be ignored. And what a sense of style! Fresh off the success of their hit song "EITM feat: LISO," which has enjoyed months of radio play and broke into the top 100 charts on adult radio, the band has been approached for several tours in Europe, Hawaii, and across the US into next year. The Family of Funk headlined an event that brought together an array of talents, ensuring a memorable experience for all attendees at the Bar and Universal Grill, one of the best venues in the Los Angeles Area.

Lord, don't ask me why but my son's posh middle school decided to hold the family graduation dinner here. On a regular night when numerous aspiring punk, grunge, and metal bands played blisteringly loud music in a tiny barroom. Now, I don't mind this type of music. Punk and metal are my main music genres, but the space is tiny, and it is not a place for the other rather straight laced parents that were there. The kids had a large banquet table set up in the only real dining area outside in a patio on the side outside the bar. The barroom has maybe four small tables in a room off to the side of the stage and otherwise there is the bar, a pool table room, and some small tables to stand at in front of the stage. So, for us there was nowhere to sit. The bottom line is this is a dive bar. Perfect for locals looking to hear a little rock music and grab some cheap, lousy drinks to get drunk fast. Then again the drinks weren't particularly cheap. The draft beer system was disgusting. I ordered a Space Dust pint when I first came in and it was pure sediment. You could not see through it. After 40 minutes it only then had begun to separate and looked like Stifler's drink in "American Pie" as if someone had shot a load in my beer. From watching "Bar Rescue" I know this means that lines for the beer are most likely filthy with bacteria and unmaintained. I did not have another beer. Luckily I had drink tickets from our party to cover the other drinks I had - some gin and tonics and some chardonnay. Staff is actually very friendly and cool. The music was decent, except so loud cause the space is so small. And, it is not a place to eat. If the organizers had not ordered some catering trays of wings and tacos and pasta, this is not a place I would ever eat after looking around. As it is, I pretty much avoided eating. The food had been sitting outside for hours before the kids even got there from their day trip, so everything was just dead. The wings had turned chewy and rubbery, for example. Strangely, especially since there is nowhere to sit and eat, they offer a rather giant menu of diner type food - burgers and sandwiches and such. I saw a couple of people eating salads and tacos, but lord knows why here. Talking to people at the bar, most people lived around the surrounding blocks or were friends of the bands playing the basic open mic. You can't talk cause the music is so loud and it goes immediately band to band to band, with loud heavy music blasting in-between. If I was still young and lived down the block, I might come here cause I could walk there if the beer lines were cleaned out. Otherwise, I would never come here and never will again. Sorry the review is so rough, but the disgusting beer really put me off. Mainly, keep in mind it's a dive bar and not at all a "grill", so if that's what you're looking for why are you even reading reviews on Yelp. What dive bar is going to have a five star rating? Still, even as a fan of dive bars, I found this one sorely lacking.

Love this bar! Just came in to meet a friend for a drink and ended up staying through the rest of the night. We met 3 bartenders and they're all amazing! The most friendly and attentive bar staff I've seen in a long time! The food was okay and definitely filled us up, the drinks were cheap, best happy hour!

Five stars all the way. Been there as a patron and as an artist and both times were fantastic. Keep up the great work folks.

I am so happy to have discovered this drag show on the last Sunday of the month. I've only been to one, but it was well thought out and very well organized. It was hosted but Spike Prince of Cats, and showcased a diverse cast of drag kings and queens alike. It was a $10 cover for the show, which is pretty reasonable! There was also a queer vendor popup in the back, trivia, and a raffle that took place between each performance. My partner and I got here fairly early, so we decided to try the food. We ordered the California Burger and the Breakfast Burrito with sausage. The food was really good and I would definitely order these two items again. Drinks were also good! 100% recommend coming to check it out if you're looking for a drag show in the valley. I can't wait to come back later this month.

Saw Bloodshot Cosmonaut. They were great. Universal Bar and Grill is a fun place, great food, decent prices. Pool table in the back. Games were on the TV. Band was playing. A little something for everyone. Be careful going up the steps to the Red Room. I fell on my face. First step is not lit at all. The rest of the steps are lit on the riser, not on the top. No, I wasn't drinking, the steps are wonky.

I just went the other day after visiting universal studios for my birthday. If you are looking for a fun music venue this place is awesome. We got mojitos which were pretty good and the staff were all so friendly. Side note the fries were pretty good so that's a plus but, we came for Jazz night.

I used to really enjoy coming here but they let go one of my favorite bartenders recently. I brought a lot of family and friends to this bar over time because of them. I let them all know the bartender no longer works there so we will not be spreading word of this place or coming. UBG will not be the same without this bartender. You guys let go one of your best employees.

This bar has changed owners a few times over the years. I revisited The UBG on Karaoke night around 10 pm. I was told Karaoke was from 7;30 until midnight (4.5 hours) When I arrived, there was distorted music coming from a jukebox player and the KJ hosts were on a break! They drank and abandoned the karaoke for over half an hour, even though there were at least a dozen people waiting their turn to sing. After 45 minutes, I finished my drink and left. Not a single person sang the entire time I was there. To make matters worse, the "song list" was pathetic, limited to less than 100 songs on a laminated poster board about size of a placemat! No selection, no singing, no fun! A total waste of time if you are seeking a karaoke place.

I ordered in door dash. I stopped eating when I noticed a fly crawling out from under the fries. And sure enough. A couple hours later. My dog and I both have food poisoning. DO NOT EAT HERE.

Great bar, awesome live rock music and dj's Good selection of beer! The burger, quesadilla, wings and barrel tots are very good!

Can't pay your bill . Bartender is talking to friends, doing shots, on her phone, forgetting orders, complete waste of time.

I'm calling BS on Pete R's review. "....you can see they are doing so much to fix it up." I've been there enough to know it sucks. The pictures Pete posted show it looks exactly the same. UBG is what it is. It will never be more than what it is. If you're a musician, it's a great practice space. The debacle with the parking lot has gone on for years. Want to fix this place? Tear it down and start over....with parking.

I went to this place for a drag brunch on Sunday. My first time there. The location is cool. Has a divey rock n roll vibe. It was a packed bar. They had 1 bartender. And let me tell you she was everything. Her name is Jess. HUGE SHOUTOUT TO JESS. I hope I'm getting that right. Not only was she the only one making drinks for the entire bar but also getting people their food orders and answering patron questions. She was really busting her behind making sure everyone was taken care of. I'm sure she was tired but still took care of everything with a smile. She really was such a gem. Maybe next brunch get her and extra pair of hands she probably could have used a break. I will definitely be coming back for the show, to see Jess and their wings were so good.! Thank you Jess for a great experience.

I love this place. Incredibly warm staff, cool vibe, great drink specials & yummy food! On top of all that, there's entertainment 7 days a week and they don't make bands pay to play. That's a bonus! The new owner has updated some things like the PA system that sounds fabulous & a cool patio to chill out. No parking but if you take an Uber or Lyft & show your receipt, you get a discount on food & drinks. As a native, UBG is what I have missed from Hollywood when everything was shut down & now some of those places are closed so I'm happy they're open & for the record, I LOVE the decor! It screams rock n roll. No place is perfect but Greg really gets it. If you like a Hollywood style "Cheers", you've found your home.

Good place to see a band, friendly staff the night we were there there were plenty of help behind the bar good pours, great fries. They have a pool table in the back and there is room to actually play even with a band playing. They have a nice patio. No parking lot really but plenty of street parking.

Every time I go to this bar I have a groovy time from the pool table games to the cool music and people! Not to mention the bartender James is such an amazing bartender always super nice and remembers the regulars. I highly recommend this bar. Great drinks too!

Food good. Service prompt and helpful.. Great variety of music! Amazing gogo dancers! I work there hehe ;)

ISSUE: Business Overcharged and DID NOT DISCLOSE their POLICY and PRICE increase to Customers This was my 4th visit to Universal Bar and Grill and I never really had any issues with them until Tuesday in March. My friends kept encouraging me and my wife to come to the Karaoke Night on Tuesdays. I know its customary to order food, drinks or both at a particular establishment if you're participating in Karaoke. The overall establishment was clean, and the bartender was Tessa. I decided to open a tab for food and drinks...I ordered $46 of food plus 2 soft drinks. While we were there the bartender Tessa asked us if we would like additional refills. My wife said yes and when I received the bill, I noticed I was charge for 4 Soft Drinks, when I only actually ordered 2 only. When I questioned my bill, I was told by Tessa that only the 1st refill was FREE and after that I was charged for each additional drink. We were never informed about the Company Policy that we would be ADDITIONAL CHARGE for drinks after the 1st REFILL. Nowhere does this POLICY STATE this in the Restaurant Menu or POSTED noticeably visible in the view of the customers. I would have re-consider the additional refills, if this was disclosed. When I reviewed the menu, it said that Soft Drinks were priced at $3.50, but we were charged $4.00, and this error is not something that I would have necessarily had an issue. But it was brought to my attention when I noticed I was double charged. When we spoke with the manager Miguel a few days later, he came up with the answer and said there was a Karaoke FEE of $0.50 per drink??? What??? The food overall was okay and nothing spectacular, the Nacho Supreme was somewhat small for the price. Nothing special with the Caesar Salads or Burgers. I wouldn't recommend this place for the food! RECOMMEND paying for the food and drinks as you get it and don't leave your credit card on an open tab, this way you can challenge the ticket before being charged. To note, we spoke with another employee, name Jez, she said that the drink refill was mentioned to her.

great location. easy parking. live music. great service and food. we ordered a bunch of appetizers and a burger and all were great. the chips and salsa are like homemade kettle chips. maybe not but they were really good. drinks were strong. we had margaritas. would definitely go back.

This was a great bar we came in for a show. All of the performers were great. Rock and roll vibes with open mics on Wednesday. They also had pool for a dollar, the machine only takes quarters. It def felt like everyone kind of knew each other so a good community vibe. It's just a bit smaller than the places I usually go. They had gender neutral bathrooms. Overall good vibes good times.

Came to The UBG for some Nachos and some Heavy Metal. Door guy was friendly, although he informed me I needed a 10$ cover in cash, which I didn't have. I don't use random atm's for obvious reasons and really wasn't excited to have to get back in my car to go to the bank. Nearly didn't come back. I think not taking plastic or digital payment at the door is pretty archaic If I can buy drinks just fine. The pink-haired bartender was great! She got my nacho order perfect over the roar of a rock band 30 feet away. she checked in on me and offered me water unprompted which was fantastic. All of the servers and tenders were great as far as I saw. The Nachos weren't great. I don't blame anybody for this, as I'm a Nacho snob. Had I been a few more drinks in I'd have felt differently. Totally acceptable as bar food. This place sounds good. The layout is nice and the sound on the patio makes you feel like you arnt removed from the action. I was enjoying some conversations outside with people that seemed to be regulars. Met an owner who is very friendly and proud of her business. lots Of 30-50 year old Rock and Roll types. Not long into my interactions outside, I was "sized-up" by an intoxicated man. He must have interpreted my friendly chatting as flirting with his SO. Was labeled a "regular guy" by him for not playing in one of the nights bands, which I think was meant to be condescending? Not much of an insult, suppose the alternative would be being a "irregular guy"? Anyway, the bands werent doing it for me, but as a once-musician I like supporting independent music. I was waffling on getting drinks to pair with with my food but The "regular guy" interaction left a bad taste in my mouth. I could tell that this guy was going to be around all night and he was already looking for problems by 10:30. It was really easy to hop to the next spot after that.

Great place for live music, specially for the local scene. A bit small but with lots of great vibes. Truly recommend this place for a fun drinking night. The promote seems to book the right bands for the right night. The bar tenders are super awesome!! The food is okay, but taste better when you're trying to sober up. Definitely returning back

Love this place! Great location, reasonable prices, and live music! I think the live karaoke and the open jam are my favorite things happening here. Good vibe, good times!

This place is a great dive bar! The two bands we saw, Greg & Company and Power were fantastic rock bands. It's really close to Universal and all the hotels and under new ownership and you can see they are doing so much to fix it up. The drinks were very reasonable and the food tasted great.

This is an awesome dive bar that has some great bands come through. The music is great as well as the beverages that you could drink. A pitcher of beer with their bar food will keep the music going strong. The staff is friendly and will make sure your needs are met. Parking is on main street or any adjacent ones. Just keep watch for the permit required signs on some of the adjacent streets.

Pros: Good location, nice layout, good snack choices, affordable. Polite staff, door guards. Parking was on the street, yet doable. Cons: "Cover charges" for "cover bands" when I have been there.With a town full of above average songwriters this is an interesting choice. There are original bands on other nights, apparently. There is a strong Anti Vaxxer element in this crowd, people complaining about people wearing masks, and open discussions of how they are not going to get a vaccine. Occasionally patrons will walk to someone wearing a mask and explain to them they should take it off, talk about the about the vaccine, Bill Gates, etc.

Most of the bands that perform here are terrible even though they charge a cover that very little money even goes to the band. Some of the performances are OK. This is why there used to be a strong musicians union keeping musicians from playing for free.

HAHAHA WOW! It cost my wife and I $5 each to get in, not crazy expensive. The band was performing, I guess, and the lead singer looked like she had done more drugs than Jim Morrison in his prime. Waited 20 minutes for a drink for a tapped keg of Budweiser. I wouldn't come back here if you paid me 1,000 dollars. WHERE IS BAR RESCUSE!? #Jontafered

The lady working the bar Friday night was extremely rude to me. I asked the price for the well whisky compared to the top shelf and she gave me attitude immediately and told everyone at the bar I'm tripping her out. I asked if she can put on the dodger game and she continued telling everyone I'm tripping her out and wouldn't put the game on even though there's ballet dancing playing on all TV's. She then said she's too hungover for this and poured me a drop of whisky without measure. I can't believe she is a bartender. She shouldn't be working there. Will never come here again...

Place was good maybe 10 years ago. Dirty tablecloth. Old seats. No AC. It was cozy but need to be fixed

Pinky is extremely rude. The lady with reddish hair. She said "she's too hungover to do this". I simply asked the price of a whisky and she said I'm tripping her out and continued telling everyone at the bar that I'm tripping her out for asking questions. I asked her if she can put the dodgers game and she continued saying the same thing and didn't put the game on because she was all over the place. She then poured one drop of whisky without measuring, I can't believe she is actually a bartender working here. She made me want to never come back!

Love the owner love kayla ,John is rude and shouldnt be behind the bar at all. This place is Bad ass and live music with an amazing sound man Carlos check it out..

SECRET ROCK PLACE Rock Music Scene Live Music UGB small rock club venue a traditional rock club a secret rock place with a rock & roll vibe great place to play a show

Each time visiting UBG I've came to see my buddy Eric Vasquez perform. I would like to say that the place has it's own vibe to it. Although UBG is not a place that I would like to come and hang out on my own, I do feel a sense of comfort each time I have visited. Our group likes to gather in their upper level area to hang out during Eric's gig and after we all tend to migrate to other sections of the bar. During the nights that the place is not as packed we would migrate to the back area to have a feel of ownership at the pool table. The drinks are fairly priced and the bar food is not bad for what you would initially expect from the looks of the establishment. On nights that UBG is more populated our group find it harder to mingle around and just stick to one section. Service is so so depending on how crowded the place can be. Other than that, I do enjoy that UBG gives an opportunity to bring musicians together to place their tunes on their stage which is a big plus. Personally that place can be a bit larger but we all work with what UBG has to offer.

I'm giving this place 5 stars as a dive bar! It's dated, old, run down, dark, dirty, awesome decor, has a pool table and popcorn machine, lots of live music, great bartenders, fast service, cheap drinks and a little outside patio that over looks the Los Angeles river. Not many old school bars like this left around. It is awesome!!! Kind of a nice change to hit a down to earth place like this in a city full of upscale trendy bars.

Had dinner here tonight and it was really a fantastic experience. They have a cozy outdoor dining area with twinkling lights after sunset. Tables with umbrellas make you feel you are having the indoor/outdoor experience surrounded by trees featuring the games on big screens. Nice to have that "normal" feeling for a bit while we were there. The food was really great, I had a turkey cheeseburger fully loaded and a crisp salad on the side, really homemade tasting. The guacamole, I can't say enough about how good and chunky their signature guac is and it's freshly made every day with big chunks of avocado (they don't skimp or buy that gross stuff in a tub) this is worth the trip alone! They have a full bar and many selections of drinks for everyone's tastes. Service was great, hand sanitizer as soon as you walk up and staff are masked up, it was very clean. I love the Rock and Roll vibe its really intimate yet still fun like you are relaxed hanging out backstage.

Went to universal bar and grill tonight for a awesome evening on their patio. They had the Lakers and Dodgers on TV, and the food was so great. I got the universal cheeseburger and a chicken quesadilla, it came with fresh homemade guacamole and salsa with chips. The portions of food were huge,big enough to share. Extremely clean and safe patio experience, with nice breeze as the sun was setting. The drinks and food were really reasonable. Great service, If your looking for a great place to relax and hang this is your place..

This place is disheveled, so is the tender. My girlfriend's group, an all-girls string quartet was super entertaining, pleasing even a random dive crowd with renditions of rock songs. And so when great performers perform, its doesn't matter the surroundings or quality of drink service. UBG is a litte shabby, inside there's a tiny stage, quaint bar, solo pool table, old school cigarette machine, outdoor patio and a two-stall ladies bathroom. Unfortunately, just as other Yelpers have mentioned, the trend of the bartender and her slow pace continues. It took a good while for the girl to even acknowledge me standing at the bar, she was visibly busy talking and not serving drinks. The tender did slide me a 3-pack of whoppers and reese's pieces to try to make up for her mistake...i think. There is meager parking, I got lucky to find metered parking on the same street. Surrounding neighborhood parking beware, as the signs state, you need a permit.

Universal Bar & Grill is a complete DIVE, but you know what? Not all dives are bad. :) Sometimes bars can be appealing when they have a divey feel to it. I went to Universal Bar & Grill to see "Sketch Orchestra" and "Salsa Dawgs" on a Friday night. I looked on Yelp and some reviewers said there was a parking lot. . . well good luck trying to find it. We didn't find a parking lot but we did get lucky enough to find parking right upfront on the street. There is quite a bit of street parking but it does go into the residential area. There was a $6 cover fee which isn't too bad . . . but make sure you specify which band/s you are there to see so they can get credit for bringing in the crowd. The stage is right by the entrance with surrounding tables. The bar is also close to the stage so you can sit around it and still see the stage. There is also a pool table in the back which is a nice touch. What we got . . . Long Beach Ice Tea for $10 Gin and Tonic $6 Beer on Tap $5 Jameson $6 They have descent prices but honestly I was hoping they would be cheaper given their venue. Overall If I ever had a reason to go back there I would but I wouldn't go out of my way to bring my friends here. Universal Bar & Grill isn't a convenient location for me because I am from the valley so I guess it won't be my go-to dive bar. :(

INFORMATION FOR EVERYONE!!!! Let's visit this awesome bar and let's drink in here!! Awesome service, very nice price and polite, kind and beautiful bartender Julia will make your evening so funny!!

A very small local joint with a few tables, ONE pool table and Friday Night Karaoke - the crowd is very local, the drinks are rather small, but affordable and you have to order two to keep your seat, but considering the size of the place, i can understand that. They no longer have a parking lot, so you need to park on the street, but the meters are off at night. The staff is super nice. I imagine a lot of people who work at Universal come to the bar after work... Kinda a very campy local experience... they do have a very cool internet juke box though..

Passed by the place hundreds of time over the years and never stopped in until Thursday night and I'm so glad I did. There was an amazing band of legendary local rock artist from the past blasting hits from the 80's and rocked the place. Beer as cold and cocktails were perfect without going overboard. The bar has a new owner and she is amazing. We learned she owns a local restaurant called Smokehouse on Main- southern bbq as well and had some pretty great bar food on the menu. Can't wait to go back especially on a Thursday