Sturt Police are investigating an attempted robbery at the Morphett Arms Hotel at Glengowrie overnight.
Just after 11pm, a man wearing a balaclava and armed with a knife threatened the staff member at the bottle shop of the hotel on Morphett Road.
Hotel security challenged the male who then ran off empty handed.
A search of the area including the use of a police dog patrol, failed to find the suspect described as a male Caucasian, wearing a blue hooded top, a white ski mask and faded blue jeans.