Universal Hillcrest

The club went Bankrupt so it closed down. It had it’s problems but sad to see such a nice place go down the drain. I just wish they would have treated their Customers a bit better.

best place to party in hillcrest, period!!!
drinks were always stiff. beer was always inexpensive.
Jerry always knew how to treat a patron even if i wasnt on the list. :)
too bad it had to go.

If I learned one thing from Universal Hillcrest, it was this :
Do not, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, piss off the gays.
If the gays boycott you, you’re screwed. It’s like if women aged 17 — 49 start hating a TV show; you can bet it’ll be off the air before you can say «WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOU THINK SHE’S HOT!!!». And since Universal left a bad taste in Hillcrest’s mouth with its high drink prices, cover charges, and that God-​forsaken «omni-​sexual» label, it was doomed from the start.
That being said, I LOVED Universal. The two times a year I ever felt like clubbing, my destination was always Universal. Close to home, totally rad patio, less expensive than anything in the Gaslamp… really, the only downfall was how empty it always was. There is just something eerie and depressing about one single gay go-​go dancer grooving on a pedestal in an empty bar. It’s just… sad.
All I can hope is that the Urban Mo’s/Baja Betty’s group buys that shit up and makes it gay friendly. Cause let me tell you, the farewell party for Universal was a whole Venti-​sized mug of awesomeness, and I will be back the second it reopens.

Great music, check
Hot go go dancers, check
fun atmosphere, check
Esthetically pleasing, check
Good friends, check
Good times, check
One person I saw that reviewed said they had no problem with straight guys trying to get laid but somehow I managed to get freaked by both guys and girls but hey what can you do you just smile freak a lil and say beat it…
I loved the high energy music to dance to, the go go dancers were entertaining and eye pleasing. Cool vibe. I’ll be back

Omnisex club?! What’s that?! Never been to one. I always try anything at least once. =x
Went to a gal pal’s birthday extravaganza here with VIP treatment. Wow! I don’t know. maybe it’ was the interior décor, maybe it was the music, maybe it was the people.shooot.who am I kidding?! It was a combinaton of all that and more.
I sensed positive energy throughout the club. I wasn’t even happy go lucky buzzed Literally every, single person was vibin’ to the music and havin’ a damn good time. Everyone was smiling and enjoying themselves. I say to myself, «OOh.I like omnisex clubs.» =)
A newly-​wed lesbian couple were next to us and dragged me to dance with them while they played cute wedding games and getting everyone involved. It was entertaining to say the least!
…and when they played Katy Perry’s «I Kissed a Girl».all hell broke lose (in a good way). Let’s just say that the lyrics were on point! hehe
Great venue, good vibe, awesome atmosphere! Damn! I haven’t had this much fun clubbin’ in San Diego in awhile. I thought I’ve retired from all this?! I guess not.

Ohh Universal.
I can’t seem to stay away from you.
I know you charge a cover at your whim. I know your drinks are overpriced and I’ll need at least 2 to even get my buzz going. I know you have H-​O-​T straight bartenders that would rather be serving drinks to a big-​boobed girl somewhere else.
BUT…
I keep coming back. Why you ask? Well, I love the gay bars. Actually I just love the gay boys. At Universal, a girl can:
* roam around by herself
* talk to every cute guy
* get the occasional (or frequent) slap/​squeeze/​hump/​lick of
random body parts
* wake up with tons of random calls/​messages from the guys
she met the night before
* and not be a slut

Oh my you wanna charge me what? Really are you fucken serious its like an hour before last call! 5 bucks to get in? i dont even pay that when i go to venues with live music.
Wait what?! you wont charge me? alright.
Me:Bartender!
Bartender: yes.
Me: Shot of Jamesom.
what 8 bucks? are you serious? man this place is over priced. i dont dance, nor do i wanna dance here. i dont know if i wanna spend so much money here… other than that.
Awesome dance floor. Bartender please keep your shirt on… you lookin kinda gross. Hotties, straight and non but worth the eye candy. nice staff clean facilities. if it wasnt over priced i would be more about it… but its not! so im not… thanks though.

$ 1 Mimosas!!! Heck YES!!!
This place made my San Diego trip. I came here with 5 friends and had an absolute blast! The crowd was mixed with straight and gay so all my girlfriends boyfriends felt very comfortable. The bartenders were SSOOO hot. They are straight though, so dont hit on them to much boys =)
We spent a good four hours here soaking up the sun and champagne. They had a DJ playing the whole time. He was decent. At one point I even got a tour and free passes to come back to their nightclub.
The staff here is extremely friendly. The drinks are great! The crowd is very cool. Great Place!

I hate to do this because I think this club has a lot of potential, but one thing has repeatedly happened nearly every time I have gone to Universal and it has gotten on my last nerve–
About 50% of the bartenders think it’s okay to not serve tap water and say you have to pay for bottled water. First of all, I think it’s illegal in California to not dispense free water. And even if it isn’t, this could become a safety issue (someone gets intoxicated, it leads to alcohol poisoning and there’s no water available). I have never been anywhere where asking for it has been such an issue. When I try to reason, bartenders spend the time arguing back instead of spending the 2 seconds it takes to fill a glass.
I have refused to cave in and pay whatever atrocious price they charge for bottled water and gone to a different bartender but I shouldn’t have to. If this was one or two isolated incidents I wouldn’t be complaining, but this has happened repeatedly and with many different bartenders. Dispensing water is nearly free for the club and should be a non-​issue but instead I guess they want to alienate their customers and lose business. I’m definitely going to think twice about coming here anymore– It’s gotten ridiculous.

One word: PRETTY!
My +1 buddy and I rolled in close to 11:00 to mix up our already entertaining night. She wanted to party it up in Del Mar (we were already in North Park) when I told her that we ought to check out Universal instead. I told her it’s a gay club, she was still down to check it out (which I knew she would be).
She and I are straight, but we wandered the place holding hands because that’s just what me and my girls do when we’re in a crowded venue (gay or straight club, don’t matter!). I don’t care if people thought we were «together» since I’d probably do her too if I were into girls, I was probably seen as the girl with the hot girlfriend… lol!
We enjoyed the go go dancers, particularly brotherman because he was sexy and can dance. We met some nice new people here and I’d go back. I didn’t need a «straight» stamp put on my forehead, I still managed to meet some hetero guys there that evening. =P
I did eat dinner here about a year ago when they first opened. The steak I had was fantastic and the restaurant décor is simply beautiful. It’s definitely a great place to dine and dance if you’re okay with whatever sexual orientation the stranger next to you is into.
Go…check it out and take a spin around the stripper pole if you can, I might have to try it when the gogo dancers go on their break… haha!

Dear God,
I totally threw away that plastic bag without reusing it because it had foodstuff slime and would have ruined whatever else I put in it. And there haven’t been any old ladies to help across the street, so I know I didn’t fail on that one. Seriously then, why let me get all publicly enamored over some girl who repeatedly claimed to be crazy into me but was apparently just having a delusional moment?
The club was still fun, but that was a cruel joke, God. I’ve been functioning ok all this time without gaydar, but you could at least give me better brains so I stop falling for girls seeking something better than a model who writes them touching poetry.
P. S. If you could let me know what IS better than being a model who can write touching poetry, I’d love to up my game, b/​c this is getting old.

Obviously, the people who conceived this place had big dreams. They spared little expense in making Universal stylish and nicely appointed. Unfortunately, once I moved beyond the sheen, there’s not a whole lot at Universal that would make me want to come back.
The drinks. They’re certainly not cheap, and I’ve found that the pours are really weak. I got the vibe that they’re really trying to extort as much drink cash out of us as possible.
The music. When I was here last, they were playing top-​40 pop songs, but the music was tinny and hollow-​sounding. I don’t know if they were just having an off night, or if there’s a more serious underlying problem with the sound system. It wasn’t anything that made me want to hit the dancefloor.
Despite all this, there’s still the much-​discussed cover charge. Everybody has their own opinions on whether cover charges are worth it (I always give them a thumbs down), but I really feel that you don’t get what you pay for at Universal.
Dear Universal, you look so pretty. Work a little harder and add some substance to the pretty façade, and I’ll give you a second chance. Xoxoxo.

i had such a fabulous time dancing the night away with my gay boyfriends at universal. if you go before 10:30 there is free cover AND a free drink ticket for whatever you want. AMAZING right?! and don’t think the early entry equals lame turnout. we got there at 10:30 and the place was jumpin.
it’s a real big venue with a nice patio area for smokers and air breathers alike with a big outdoor bar, lounge area, and fire pit. the bartenders outside are such sweethearts and definitely hook up the alc, even if you are giving them your free drink ticket. if you tip they throw in another jigger too!
the inside has a nice sized dance floor with ceiling lights a la «Saturday night fever’s» dance floor. the jams are decent (the only reason universal is not five stars). some of the music is delish and the dj took our request sorta (we asked for britney’s ‘circus’ but we got ‘womanizer’ instead. whatevs at least it was brit at all) but he also sometimes mixed up awkward non-​danceable house/​techno which totally caused the dance party to peace the fuck out. AND he threw in journey’s «don’t stop believin» at an inappropriate time. we all sang along but it got old super fast.
love the energy of the place. be prepared to meet lots of upfront people who will straight up ask you for your sexual preference and then proceed to tell you how amazing your boobs look. (LOVES!)
extra tip: park in the ralphs garage underground. tow-​trucks can’t fit down there so no threat to your car magically disappearing (unlike the lot up top).

I had a recent awesome time here so I figure I should drop some hot review fire on Unilocal.
The prices… are not UNIVERSAL (hilarious pun, Charlie!). I have had different prices from bartenders here many times so keep that in mind. Example: the outdoor bar doesn’t always charge the same prices as the indoor bar. Additionally one bartender at the indoor bar may not charge the same as the other bartender at the indoor bar. I don’t know how that works since I’m not an accountant or a math whiz, but I do know that this can either work against you, or work really, really in your favor.
Whatever you end up paying: the drinks will put you on your ass faster than you can say «Hey! Don’t touch me there!» Please note that saying could apply to either males or females… there are plenty of gays/​straights/​in-​betweens here.

I came to Universal a few months ago, but for an event (Fashion Bash) that my work was hosting, so my review is a little off, since it wasn’t the same as if I would have came another night.
However, I love the décor of Universal Hillcrest. There is plenty of seating, from what I noticed, and I am a fan of multiple, but small levels. The one thing that I hate though, is the bathroom. Like the Rooftop at Eden, I am not one to enjoy shared wash areas, so the fact that the guys can pretty much stroll in whichever way they want, isn’t so cute.
The drinks, yes are overpriced. There was no one at the bar, (probably because it was only 5pm and everyone was too busy shopping) so I ordered my usual. Jack and Coke. The bartender upsold the shit outta me, and asked if I wanted a double. Sure, it’s been a long day. And I was honestly shocked when I looked at my $ 18 tab.
Overall, I would love to come back, but I rather spend my money elsewhere, where I can get a little more out of my dollar.

A gay-​straight club for a straight woman promises the prospect of a carefree, grope-​free night. At no time will she experience the unfortunately casual graze of an uninvited hand or half-​mast penis that she’d likely encounter elsewhere.
A gay-​straight club for a straight man, on the other hand, is a coup d’état of conspiratory gay men who seek to overthrow the heterosexual inclinations of said straight man. At no time should he leave his ass unattended for he is both predator and prey (my epitome-​of-​straight date had his ass accosted more than 30 times in ONE night).
As a caution, don’t take a [good-​looking] straight male date to Universal unless you want a battle on the dance floor. And no, I don’t mean the fierce dance-​off kind. I mean, unless you’re into that.
Herein lies the moral:
1. Men are pigs regardless of their sexuality. For some reason, I find that refreshing.
2. That stereotype about gay men loving anything on the Madonna/​Cher circuit is, at the very least, partially true if you rely on Universal’s playlist. Let’s work on that.

I’m not hugely into dance clubs and ended up here only for some friends’ birthdays, but I actually liked it. It’s very different from the downtown club vibe and I was perfectly comfortable wearing what I’d worn to work. (Downtown, the fact that my dresses are in fact longer than my tshirts makes me look comparatively dowdy.)
We got bottle service, which worked out to be cheaper than buying that number of individual drinks, and got us a place to sit and crowd watch. If you have bottle service reservations, you do not wait in line or pay a cover. The outdoor area is nice, if a bit packed on weekend nights, and the crowd was an interesting mix of people. It has more straight people than the other Hillcrest clubs and among both gays and straights, the gender balance is closer to even. I did, however, get hit on by way more women than men (I’m a straight girl) and there seemed to be a large (and very hot) hyperfeminine lesbian contingent. The women’s bathroom seemed to be a big hookup spot.
We had no issues with bartenders, weak drinks (when we switched over to getting drinks from the bar), or bouncers.

Universal has a good fun vibe to it. Lots of hot gay men, attractive straight women, and some good electronica DJ’s lined up now and then all meshes up to create a hot wild dirty grope-​fest. There’s something in that bag for everyone in the family (21+) to enjoy!
It is a bit unfair to compare it to other Hillcrest clubs though, as EnDev is really trying to bring a different feel to Hillcrest. Just imagine Stingaree, with only one level, an outdoor patio instead of a rooftop patio, and more men grinding each other and taking off their shirts on the dance floor. Throw in our hero on stage with a couple of guys clawing his shirt off, and you get the picture of a typical night here. This third pillar to EnDev’s Stingaree/​Bar West/​Universal platform makes for some interesting cross promotions; on Memorial Day weekend, our hero got a free EnDev bracelet that granted free access to all three clubs all weekend long!
Where EnDev goes wrong with its newest creation though is its security. Every time our hero has been, security seems to enforce a line outside even if there’s enough standing room on the inside. Shockingly enough, one time our hero witnessed security dragging a half-​concious guy out of the club so roughly his pants fell off and then they tossed him across the street in a bush. There is zero tolerance with security here — the black suits are not forgiving.
The bathrooms here are interesting, as they have shared sinks. This facilitates checking out people of the same gender in the mirror if you are so inclined to do so, and you get a lot of attention from people passing through the wash-​up and touch-​up area, walking between the main dance floor and the patio. Once, a dime piece of a girl walked up to our hero by the sink, touched his face, and complimented him on his bone structure. At Universal, anything flies.
It’s possible you might lose your shirt here, it’s also possible you might lose your anal virginity here. So throw on a T-​shirt so tight it looks like you’re smuggling Tic-​Tacs (it’s harder to lose them when they cling to you), park at the shopping mall just west of Universal, and go enjoy the debauchery.
PROS:
— Nice flaming homos.
— Hot straight women.
— A lot of sexually ambiguous love in this club.
CONS:
— $ 10 cover.
— Rough security.
— Expensive drinks. Just water is $ 5 a pop.

I think 3 stars show i have mixed feelings about the place. I am a bit biased, I know 3 people that work there, and have only gone on Industry night (Sundays).
On the Star star star side… it is very beautiful and spacious and I dig the outdoor patio seating/​bar area. The patio will be nice in the summer.
Drinks are strong, because it’s Hillcrest, duh. And the boys are cute, because it’s Hillcrest, duh.
Okay, I confess. A large reason why I don’t mind Universal is because I celebrated a bit too hard there when it opened, dropped numerous drinks everywhere and woke up the next morning to find me in every picture on my camera somehow showing my hooha. And the staff didn’t kick me out. Star bonus, YES!
On the minus side, I’m wondering if this place will fizzle out like BarWest. Will it go mostly straight? Will everyone still keep Rich’s for Sunday nights? The uncertainty here is very evident.

I went yesterday during Taste of Hillcrest and took a tour. The bathrooms were awful and very, very small. 3 Stalls? R U serious? Geez girlies, this is NOT the place to «break the seal» if ya know what I mean. One star for outdoor bar which looks fun for summer.
As for the rest here is my review: LOL OL!!! :-D!