Universal Joint Greenville — Restaurant in Greenville

Extremely let down. This happened a couple of months ago, but I figured I would share the experience we had since it was so bad...

I and a group of co-workers went here for lunch during the week. We all ordered our food, and after that, never saw our server again. (let alone a drink refill, or a, "hey guys, how's everything? do you need anything?" etc. etc. etc. etc.

Well, we did see our server again.... walking by to go get other tables' orders outside. We had to stand up when done eating and ask someone at the bar to get our checks (and I'm talking 15-20 minutes after we were done eating...) It was ridiculous. It was like we weren't even sitting there as a big group in the center of the small restaurant/bar right in front of the bar. Hell, we were right by the pos terminal and entry to the bar and kitchen... Everyone had to walk by us. Everyone. We weren't tucked away in the corner like baby from Dirty Dancing, NO. We were right in the thick of it man. Right in the dead center. The hub.

I won't complain about the parking like others do because I realize it's close to downtown and I get that.

I won't complain about the prices being a little too high for the food you get,... because once again, it's close to downtown and I get that their location is probably expensive to be there...

But, working in the food and bev. industry for several years,... I was seriously not impressed at all.

Would I ever go back and give them another chance? For drinks with friends? sure.... but for food and a sit down meal with friends, family or co-workers? probably not...

They always seem busy the multiple times I drive by per week, so I know they're doing well.

They have good reviews online, so I know that our experience might have just been a fluke that day. Maybe the server was new, maybe someone called out, but the bartender wasn't busy and he could have stepped in and saved the day....A manager could have stepped in and saved the day (like any other restaurant would normally do)...

A little food and bev 101 common sense should have been present that day... but was not.

Sorry for the bad review, but that was the worst feeling of alienation as a guest at a restaurant/bar I...

When we first arrived, the place looked very clean and inviting. Unfortunately that’s where the hospitality stopped! When we arrived at our table, my wife pointed out to the waitress that the table was soaking wet, the waitress responded that she just wiped the table down but did NOT offer to dry the table.

I did tell the waitress that we do NOT eat meat or dairy and I proceeded to order the Juevo Ranchero without the egg and cheese and my wife ordered the black bean burger with no mayo. When the food came out, there was cheese in my food. I asked for another dish only to be told that since it was made, I was still responsible for paying for it. I told her I did not want to pay for it but since it’s their policy I’ll pay. She left for a few mins and offered to bring me just a black bean patty for half price along with the price for the dish they did not get right to begin with. I respectfully declined and ate a few of my wife’s fries. I would say that this has been the worst restaurant I’ve visited in Greenville since I moved here in early 2018.

The refried beans was soupy, the tortilla chips had a burnt oily taste. The black bean burger taste and looked as if they took a can of black beans and pressed them together, no other seasonings were included. We ordered water to drink since we are trying to avoid surgery drinks. I asked for a straw and the waitress brought two opened and wet straws as if they recycled them from another customers beverage but washed them before giving them to us.

This restaurant was highly recommended to my wife by several of her coworkers. Unfortunately it was a complete and utter disappointment to me and my wife. Managements solution to rectify the issue was to make me pay for an order that they got wrong and suggest I spend more money on an incomplete dish (black bean burger patty).

I am normally a generous tipper but I just could not see rewarding poor food and poor customer service.

NEVER eating there again and will NOT recommend nor advise anyone else...

This was an ok visit. We've been pre-pandemic and this was not to that standard. I may have rose colored glasses, but regardless, there were just some key factors that made me not really want to come back.

Let's start with the positives: the space is really cool. Right in the heart of the younger area of downtown Greenville, this open air bar and patio is immediately attractive to the eye both from the road and once you're seated. Beyond that, the bar has very up to date taps with some interesting varieties from local breweries.

The bad: We walked up to the patio and saw that it was a self seating area. We sat down in a sunny spot at a small table. Around 20 minutes goes by and no service. Ok, my wife and I have both waited tables for 5+ years in the past; tables get lost, it happens. I went to the bar and the bartender was quick to serve us some beers and told us he'd get someone to our table. We were served around 5 minutes later, and the service was good! All props to our server. She was very attentive. The food, however, was lacking. My wife had the turkey burger, and it felt like it had sat in the warmer for a hot sec before being served; the patty, bun, and toppings were dry or wilted by the time they were served to her. The side of ranch she asked for looked like blue cheese and tasted like tartar sauce. My brisket philly was dry. Like dry dry. It just needed a sauce, so I dipped it in the ketchup that came with my wife's side of fries.

We live and have lived close by, but this was the first time we've been back since COVID, and it was just not the same amazing experience we first had. I might come back, but this close by option is no longer a go to for us. Not a horrible experience, just a...