We ate here on a recent trip to the Catskills and it was lovely. The food was very good and so was the service. As someone with a gluten allergy, I really appreciate how much they had that was gluten free on the menu. I could have eaten here many days in a row!
We love this place. I absolutely love the atmosphere & design—very playful & whimsical while still being gorgeous. The food is great, the service is great. The chicken liver pate is so good, all the salads we have tried are divine. We are local & come here fairly often & have never been disappointed.
Sam Pride
Don't tell anyone how good this spot is.. or do. All around 10 of 10.
Sang and I love Universal and think of it as home away from home. Julia, Leslie, Tom and the whole team at Universal makes ya feel special, every time. The food is from outer space delicious. Thanks everyone, for bringing class and sass to Germantown NY.
Jack Dortmans
A great spot! Amazing food and staff. Have spent many nights here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kristan Lassiter
Great food - we loved the smoked trout dip, chicken liver mousse, watermelon feta salad, crispy spicy chicken and chocolate pot de crème. Service was top notch and the physical space is beautiful and inviting. Excellent!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Gila Alter
Great dining destination in tiny but lively Germantown NY. Curated whimsical decor sets the mood for a relaxing experience in the restored, historic Central House. Comfy seats in a lovely dining room or the porch inspires conversation. The menu offers well balanced choices for smaller plates or a full meal. The must-see bar is a cozy, tongue-in-cheek spot. We devoured the smoked trout dip! Our entrees and dessert were delicious! We look forward to July's menu and our next visit.
I loved this restaurant. My son is a cook in a fabulous top rated restaurant in Manhattan and the food here was on par. I especially loved the apple fennel salad with blue-cheese, the chicken liver parfait the breads - grilled sourdough and focaccia, the honey nut squash puree, the pork roast and the warm apple crisp with vanilla bean ice-cream. The decor is elegant yet comfortable, attractive and funny. This is a must go-to restaurant for anyone living around Germantown, Rhinebeck, Redhook, Hudson and beyond. I am lucky I have friends in Germantown so I know I will be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Barbara T
Lovely restaurant, cozy with enough people to feel like it's lively but quiet enough to have a conversation with five people around the table. The food was well prepared, garden fresh, and locally sourced. For me the standouts were the organic chicken liver parfait, with grilled bread, and plum & shallot jam. Every bit of it was fabulous. I have never had liver that consistency and I truly enjoyed it both in texture and flavor. Even my suspicious tablemates enjoyed it. Also really well crafted and exceptionally tasty was the apple-fennel salad, with butter lettuce, almonds and, blue cheese. For me the only misstep was the honey nut squash puree that came with my pork roast (fine but never is a slab of meat my favorite thing to eat, though everyone else enjoyed their meat courses). The puree was way too sweet for me but everybody else at my table competed to eat mine as it was adored by the rest of the group. The shared apple crisp with french vanilla ice cream was also enjoyed by everyone and had enough tartness in the apples to satisfy me as well. Attached a photos of what the place looked like. As I said interesting (even the bathroom), and comfortable.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Rennmeister
First time diners and we loved it! The bar and the dining area are beautifully put together. The space is comfortable and elegant. The service was attentive and friendly. The food was simply amazing! It is down to earth food but with a unique twist that totally works. Everything we had was delicious and beautifully presented. Starting with the chicken liver parfait appetizer, the moussaka and spicy chicken main courses and finishing with the steamed fresh pumpkin cake dessert. The portions were just right. We thought that it was very reasonably priced for the quality of the food and the overall experience. I would have given it six stars if I could.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Barbara Pantuso
When I first heard that Universal Cafe was relocating to Germantown NY from San Francisco, CA, I was thrilled. Then I was worried. Would it be as good as I remember from my SF days? I’m happy to report that it is BETTER than I remember. Every aspect is on point. The cocktails are among the best I’ve ever had. The food is extraordinary- local ingredients elevated with influences from all over the world, perfectly prepared and beautifully plated. And the service and atmosphere was warm and inviting. How lucky I am to experience this restaurant again, years later and miles apart.
Ok small menu
We ate here on a recent trip to the Catskills and it was lovely. The food was very good and so was the service. As someone with a gluten allergy, I really appreciate how much they had that was gluten free on the menu. I could have eaten here many days in a row!
Came here for my husband's birthday and the food was phenomenal! I got the lasagna and he got the schnitzel. It was the perfect combo for birthday dinner. Take a chance and try the liver - it's the BEST. 🤩
We love this place. I absolutely love the atmosphere & design—very playful & whimsical while still being gorgeous. The food is great, the service is great. The chicken liver pate is so good, all the salads we have tried are divine. We are local & come here fairly often & have never been disappointed.
Don't tell anyone how good this spot is.. or do. All around 10 of 10.
This is my favorite hang and has the most delicious food around! The people are fabulous and kind and so attentive. I Dream about their pâté, lamb shank, fried chicken biscuit sandwich, and the Caesar salad is the only authentic one left on the planet. So satisfying!
Sang and I love Universal and think of it as home away from home. Julia, Leslie, Tom and the whole team at Universal makes ya feel special, every time. The food is from outer space delicious. Thanks everyone, for bringing class and sass to Germantown NY.
A great spot! Amazing food and staff. Have spent many nights here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great food - we loved the smoked trout dip, chicken liver mousse, watermelon feta salad, crispy spicy chicken and chocolate pot de crème. Service was top notch and the physical space is beautiful and inviting. Excellent!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great dining destination in tiny but lively Germantown NY. Curated whimsical decor sets the mood for a relaxing experience in the restored, historic Central House. Comfy seats in a lovely dining room or the porch inspires conversation. The menu offers well balanced choices for smaller plates or a full meal. The must-see bar is a cozy, tongue-in-cheek spot. We devoured the smoked trout dip! Our entrees and dessert were delicious! We look forward to July's menu and our next visit.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
The four of us had a wonderful evening at the Universal Cafe last night. Dinner was absolutely delicious, creatively composed, and I can’t wait to return. Located in Germantown, NY only 30 minutes away from Rhinebeck, it’s a hidden gem that was the perfect spot on a cold Winter’s night. I started my meal with thinly sliced sweet Cara Cara oranges on a pool of peppery olive oil with crushed pistachios served ice cold… so refreshing after the decadent pâté appetizer. My cod entree was beautifully cooked and served with a silky root vegetable purée. The chocolate pot de crème finished the meal and was so good. The portions were generous, the prices very reasonable, and our server was super charming. Thank you for a wonderful night!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I loved this restaurant. My son is a cook in a fabulous top rated restaurant in Manhattan and the food here was on par. I especially loved the apple fennel salad with blue-cheese, the chicken liver parfait the breads - grilled sourdough and focaccia, the honey nut squash puree, the pork roast and the warm apple crisp with vanilla bean ice-cream. The decor is elegant yet comfortable, attractive and funny. This is a must go-to restaurant for anyone living around Germantown, Rhinebeck, Redhook, Hudson and beyond. I am lucky I have friends in Germantown so I know I will be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lovely restaurant, cozy with enough people to feel like it's lively but quiet enough to have a conversation with five people around the table. The food was well prepared, garden fresh, and locally sourced. For me the standouts were the organic chicken liver parfait, with grilled bread, and plum & shallot jam. Every bit of it was fabulous. I have never had liver that consistency and I truly enjoyed it both in texture and flavor. Even my suspicious tablemates enjoyed it. Also really well crafted and exceptionally tasty was the apple-fennel salad, with butter lettuce, almonds and, blue cheese. For me the only misstep was the honey nut squash puree that came with my pork roast (fine but never is a slab of meat my favorite thing to eat, though everyone else enjoyed their meat courses). The puree was way too sweet for me but everybody else at my table competed to eat mine as it was adored by the rest of the group. The shared apple crisp with french vanilla ice cream was also enjoyed by everyone and had enough tartness in the apples to satisfy me as well. Attached a photos of what the place looked like. As I said interesting (even the bathroom), and comfortable.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
First time diners and we loved it! The bar and the dining area are beautifully put together. The space is comfortable and elegant. The service was attentive and friendly. The food was simply amazing! It is down to earth food but with a unique twist that totally works. Everything we had was delicious and beautifully presented. Starting with the chicken liver parfait appetizer, the moussaka and spicy chicken main courses and finishing with the steamed fresh pumpkin cake dessert. The portions were just right. We thought that it was very reasonably priced for the quality of the food and the overall experience. I would have given it six stars if I could.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
When I first heard that Universal Cafe was relocating to Germantown NY from San Francisco, CA, I was thrilled. Then I was worried. Would it be as good as I remember from my SF days? I’m happy to report that it is BETTER than I remember. Every aspect is on point. The cocktails are among the best I’ve ever had. The food is extraordinary- local ingredients elevated with influences from all over the world, perfectly prepared and beautifully plated. And the service and atmosphere was warm and inviting. How lucky I am to experience this restaurant again, years later and miles apart.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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