Universal Wine Bar

I’ve read recent positive reviews and thought a fresh visit to this once iconic Rundle Street restaurant was worth a shot. Oh dear!
Alas, even ignoring the benchmark set in the past, the quality/​presentation of the food, together with the service are at best, average. The once proud Universal is no more than a «run of the mill» pizza and pasta café, and sadly many in less prestigious digs and locations do it far better. On a positive note, the wine list is quite good.

I have been to this bar on numerous occassions, to say in a few words, it is brilliant, the food is esquisite Authentic & organic, the wine will rock your socks. The owner there is Vito & he would have to be the coolest guy i have ever had the pleasure of meeting. He is down to earth, freindly, honest & cronically hospitable, to the point where it freaks you out & for the ladies“not to be confused with sleazy” He is old school italian & as anyone who has travelled to Italy would know, Woman are worshipped there. The décor is really groovy & the place has a sofisticated urban feel to it. I give this place five stars for making me feel relaxed & totally at home. Love it & Thankyou.

I am a wine lover, I like to be wined and dined and Universal is the perfect place for this kind of behaviour. For those who aren’t familiar with wineries, varieties and blends, the wine list has a fairly comprehensive description of each of them, so if it’s busy then this is definitely a plus.
Very nice alfresco dining, I like to sit with a bottle of Moscato, or whatever takes my fancy, a cheese plate and drink in the atmosphere. often they have a violinist for music which is really lovely, there aren’t enough dining experiences in Adelaide like this one.

8÷01÷2012 Photos
This wine bar — restaurant was originally founded by Australia’s first Master of Wine, Michael Hill-​Smith, in 1991, and has been catering to the fine food and wine connoisseur for 22 years and still running.
I was expecting this pretty looking wine bar to be successful… and to fully disclose: Because I was nice to him, I was even given another round of free red wine, so I am biased by the fact that the bartender saved me money.
It’s a relatively small-​to-​medium sized bar with a great location towards the back end of Rundle Street. If you happen to be shopping at one of the best strips in SA, how convenient it is to finish the day with some nice wine.
Upon walking in, I was instantly noticed by the young bartender behind the bar who gave me a strange look — I freaked out just a bit: «How on Earth do I approach this guy? If he’s giving me this stare now in the first few minutes of meeting him, how do I get him to like me?»
Once I found a spare seat, sat down, the bar area felt slightly uncomfortable… as in the «Man…what’s the deal with this high seat, and why are those 3 older men staring at me in a weird way? Do I have an eyelash hanging off my cheek? Did I leave my top button of my shirt undone?».
You look around, and their interior presentation indicates this is a place for fine wining and dining. There’s even a small room upstairs for an art show or similar event.
I got to try several large glasses of the highly popular and highly recommended «Lagrange» red wine. I think he said it was locally made in SA. Or did he say Italy? I can’t remember, I was too drunk to remember. Oh yea, the food is pretty nice here too.
This place is nonetheless a great spot for your group bucks party/​drinkies with your co-​workers/​date with your hot girlfriend… even dinner and cocktails.
To conclude — the only thing that I can criticise about this bar is the very awkward silence and introduction. I mean, yesterday I experienced the smoothest and finest bar service ever (read my review yesterday), so it was hard to not compare the two. But once you eventually warm up with the friendly staff here, the wine, food, the service, the atmosphere (quiet on a Sunday, louder dinners on a Saturday night), and customers here are very well behaved… AND thanks to Universal Wine Bar, I was a little bit tipsy walking home and passed out in my bed… Ahhh…the satisfaction of good wine in my system.

Universal Wine Bar is a perfect place for a laid-​back drink away from the crowded bars in the vicinity. It specialises in — you guessed it — wine! There’s a huge variety of wines to choose from, and the price also varies according the bottle’s year and locality. There’s plenty to enjoy from local and interstate wineries, as well as bottles from abroad. The menu gives a detailed description of each bottle’s origins and characteristics, and where more information is needed, the friendly staff are always happy to lead you through it.
What I like most about Universal is the vibe. Despite being a very classy and up-​market bar, there’s little snootiness or pretence in the air. Even the dress code is relaxed; I can recall occasions when I went there on a whim wearing a hooded jacket, jeans and sneakers. It was refreshing to see that I was discriminated because I was wearing anything short of a suit.
Another great feature is their weekly live jazz band performances, laying down a smooth background to the entire street. When the band isn’t in action, the bar often plays live concert footage of jazz artists; giving the bar an incredibly relaxed feel. Definitely a place where I prefer to end my night, but not bad for a starting point either.

Universal is a hip and high class venue catering to food and fine wine.
The décor is classy and some nice retro prints and contemporary art work adorn the walls.
Service is impeccable (iv’e never seen a waiter pour a beer as fluently as the guy who served me) and the food is delicious.
There is a raised area to the dining room, almost like a stage, which adds a unique character to the building and is also my favorite place to sit.
It is a bit on the pricey side, but well worth it for the quality on offer.

Universal Wine Bar, as it’s name suggest provides a great range of both Australian and International wines. The wine list is eight pages long. This extensive list caters for every price range. The bottles of wine range from $ 30 up to one very expensive $ 1925 bottle of French red. The venue opens early and shuts late, so it is a great place to have a drink either before or after a meal. The bar also does food, a mix of Italian and tapas, however, it is extremely expensive and I would recommend eating at one of the many other restaurants unless you have the cash to spare.
The furnishings are very timber orientated. Hence it feels very exclusive and classy, but borders on being a bit worn-​out. My favourite time to go the Universal Wine Bar is later at night. It’s quieter and perfect for having a chat over a bottle or two of your favourite wine. It is also a great venue to go to during the fringe, where you will see Rundle St become busy constantly!