Universal Joint
A Pub With Better Wine Than It Needs and Less Than It Could
Downtown · Clayton · Pub / Bar & Grill · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed February 16, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The Wine List
Universal Joint is a pub, and the wine list knows it. But credit where it's due: they actually list wines. The selection runs about a dozen options including Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio ($8/$28), Hess Select Chardonnay ($9/$32), Mark West Pinot Noir ($9/$32), Bogle Merlot ($8/$28), and 14 Hands Cabernet ($9/$32). Canyon Road and Barefoot round out the budget end. It's a distributor checklist, but the prices are honest and there are no $30 glasses of Josh Cellars hiding in the list.
The Honest Assessment
This is a beer bar that happens to serve wine. The craft beer list is the real program here, and that's fine. The wine exists for the person at the table who doesn't want a beer, and it serves that function at fair prices. No pretension, no apology.
Why Lazy List
The prices are fair and the wine is drinkable, but the selection is pure autopilot. A pub with a full bar and this much foot traffic could stock one interesting local Georgia wine or a single surprising by-the-glass option and instantly upgrade the experience. The effort just isn't there yet.
❌ The Bottom Line
Universal Joint is a solid pub with honest beer and fair wine prices. The wine list is lazy but not offensive. Stick with the craft beer or grab the Hess Chardonnay if you need a glass of white.
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