Universal Bar

This is a fantastic little place.
Love the live bands playing, great vibe of people here especially on the weekends.
Been here a number of times, great for a groove, chill out and hanging with friends.
Nice and central too!

Live music that’s a bit too loud, average drinks and service, and the traditional pub food — that’s what you’re in for here in the heart of Northbridge, but sometimes it’s just what you need. They do a mean steak special on Wednesday night, and there’s always entertainment to be had watching the street traffic go by.

This is a noisy and somewhat rundown bar but I like it because it is one of the few pubs remaining which has live music. My favourite is «Soul Connection» which is a multi-​talented group who play there Saturday nights. Great harmonies, a wide repertoire of covers and genuinely talented musicians. I particularly enjoy the Black lead singer. As well as being a stunner to look at she has a powerful, and versatile voice and is great at reving up the crowd. The first time I saw her she was dancing on the bar belting out «Lady Marmalade». Eat your heart out Pattie Labelle.
Nowadays it gets a bit crowded and, of course, there is the photograph and I.D. ritual to get in but no cover charge and the drinks are reasonably priced even if getting a refill is a bit of a rugby scrum.
If you enjoy good live music and shaking a leg on the dance floor this is a great place.

Love! Exciting and New… I say that (well, just imagine I sing that) because the Universal Bar reminded me so much of the Love Boat when I first encountered it last year.
I’m not sure why exactly, but it just had that Love Boat feel. Maybe it was the somewhat cheesy cover band that looked a bit tropical, a bit different and a bit not-​from Perth. Maybe it was their tambourines that did it. I think I must have seen a few tropical shirts too. I must have. My two friends agreed this place screamed «Love Boat’.
I went back last Saturday night and it didn’t scream Love Boat the way it did before but it still murmured it quietly in the background. There were a lot of people here because it was the Fringe Festival and it was a pretty good atmosphere. There was a wide age range too.
But, if you can’t handle a lot of drunk people being drunk people don’t come here when it’s busy. I was on the ship (as I like to think of it) from about 8:30pm til 11:30pm. Certainly not the most drunken time of night but well on its way to getting there.
Two glasses smashed right near my feet. I was okay with it and just focused on the music and I must say, the glass did get speedily cleaned up by the friendly staff.
The drink prices here can be a touch on the more expensive side but I like the high sea atmosphere so I’ll be back.

I used to come here often, back in the mid-​Nineties when The Universal still had a lot of cred as a venue to showcase quality local talent. I’ve only driven by most recently and although it’s been packed to the point of people flowing out onto the William Street pavement, it’s certainly not the same well-​heeled crowd I used to mix with there. Mind you, they all look like they’re having a great time and that could well be because the drinks here are cheaper than most established venues in Northbridge. If this place got a facelift and was a little more careful with whom it lets through it’s doors, it could revert back to its former aesthetically-​pleasing glory.

Do not come here if you can’t stand loud, poor quality cover bands. If you do like loud, poor quality cover bands, why not stand on the street where you don’t have to pay and you’re not surrounded by sweaty old men whose decided courting style is to dance erratically to top 40 hits interpreted by local musicians.

Universal Bar is a great place to go if you want to dance — with regular live jazz and blues bands, there are always some good tunes to get you on your feet. I went on a Thursday night and the band was amazing, playing some brilliant funk and soul covers. I couldn’t stop dancing, and when it was time to leave, I didn’t want to. Drinks are pretty reasonable, and they do some awesome cocktails for only $ 10. They do food too, although I haven’t tried it, but the menu looks good!