One of my favorite spots in Hampden. Common Ground always smells amazing when you walk in, and is filled to the brim with happy customers. The staff has always been extremely friendly, making the experience that much better. Common Ground almost always has a line, but the efficient staff makes for a short wait. My go-to order is the raspberry muffin with vanilla drizzle and a medium coffee. It never disappoints. The muffin almost always comes out warm and the coffee leaves me jitter-free. I've also had the chai latte, and would recommend it to anyone in the mood for a heavier, sweeter beverage. read more

They have awesome sandwiches but the space is so small and cramped, the people working there Always seemed annoyed, the menu is really hard to see until you get to the counter and then have all of 10 seconds to make a decision. The food can take quite a while to come but as I said it's very good. I only come here when I have a lot of time to kill. read more

As a resident of Hampden, I wish I could speak more highly of the Common Ground. However, the owner is extremely rude to his employees. I have witnessed it myself and have an acquaintance who has worked for him. No coffee can ever be good enough to justify horrible employee/employer relationships. read more

Best Coffee Shop In Baltimore, as of my last visit in 2003. Common Ground is great, a cool laid back space with decent coffee and good sandwhiches. The owner also makes his own pastries in the basement, and there is this ever evolving list of cool creations he's come up with (at least, this was the deal 3 years ago.) They had this muffin that was called like the dirtbomb or something, oh man it was amazing. Coconut muffin with cinammon and nutmeg all powdery and coated on the outside. Oh my god I want one RIGHT NOW!!!! Seriously I'm FREAKING OUT!! What is that number, 1-800-JET-BLUE?? Yeah, those muffins are that good. read more

Friendly, cozy, coffee shop on Hampden's Main Street. Friendly staff, and an eclectic assortment of food items. I strongly recommend the muffins. read more

I used to eat lunch here until they started offering wifi or something. Now you can't find a seat because every table is taken up by 1 person and their laptop while they nurse a bottle of water. Too bad too, I was going to eat the shit out of some quiche. read more

The food, dessert and coffee/tea menu is fast. I got the pumpkin pie latte and it had the perfect amount of pumpkin in it.

Sad re-heated bagels and microwaved eggs... microwaved! When was the last time you microwaved an egg at home? So why would you pay someone else to microwave eggs for you? It's basically hipster McDonalds. Oh and it's filthy, look at the dusty fan when you first come in...now imagine what is downstairs where they store all your pre-packaged food. Eww read more

Can't imagine Hampden without Common Ground. Good coffee. Great bagels and muffins, which are best in the morning. A nice place to sit and waste some time or just grab and go. read more

The little blonde behind the counter who made my delicious mocha was also SUPER friendly. Looks like they've done away with the rude riff-raff so often noted in previous Yelp reviews. Love the atmosphere and the service, will definitely be back. read more

Although we only stopped by for coffee, we got lucky with the window seat to people watch. Small, cozy and very local. Loved the feel of it. Will return. read more

Grabbed a cookie here that was an interesting mix of crunchy, hard and squishy. Counter people were unresponsive/miserable. But it is cozy and there is internet to be stolen from their neighbor, although Common Ground doesn't provide wifi. read more

The kale salad was delicious. Ambiance makes it a nice cool, dark space to take a break in the summer. Staff were friendly and professional and we'll able to guide my overstimulated-from-driving-all-over-the-city self through the menu. read more

Great coffee, great breakfast, and quick service from a local coffee shop. I've had lunch before and stayed awhile to work, and there's a steady buzz of customers going in and out and a decent wi-fi connection. My favorite breakfast is a bagel with veggie cream cheese, and the Avenue Powerhouse with house made hummus is delicious. It's a nice place to grab something to go, or sit out on the patio for breakfast or lunch on a nice day. read more

Local business charm. The service was friendly in a quirky way. Dark roast coffee was delicious. The refill was $.80, making it even more delicious! The pumpkin muffin had cream cheese chunks scattered throughout rather a clump in the center. There's additional seating in the back under a covered patio. If you're lucky to get the table by the front window, it's a fabulous spot to people watch the inhabitants of Hampden. read more

I thought this place was lovely! My chicken salad sandwich was delicious! I also had a great iced black tea. There was a place to sit, it was comfy & everyone was so nice! I'll be back :) read more

I love independent coffee shops, but... This joint is horrible! My family and I stopped by on a mild January Sunday afternoon after a walk down to Hampden. The young girl serving at the counter was surly and rude to customers. We purchased a chocolate croissant which looked delicious sitting on the counter, but it might have been the worst pastry I have ever eaten. It was dried up and stale and it didn't help that the young lady microwaved it in an archaic Amana microwave for minutes. Hot, crunchy, chewy, cold, GROSS! I think I could have had something from 7-11 that was fresher. The board said they had a dark roast, but they did not have it brewed. The sales girl assured us that the bronco brew they were serving was a dark roast, but it just tasted like dirt. I want to love independent coffee shops, especially since my family has one in Hoboken, NJ, but I understand why Starbucks is so successful with junk like this. read more

"Slow and sassy" They have a pretty good cup of coffee and not a bad muffin but pretty overpriced for being incredibly slow and having baristas with a bit of attitude. read more

Coffee: Awesome. Great iced lattes and they also sell Zekes, which is a big plus. Food: Great, although I hate to admit it because the service is perhaps the most sour I've ever encountered. Which leads me to my next point... Service: Downright rude to me on multiple occasions and unacceptably mean to my hearing-impaired companion on one occasion (which is one too many for me). I don't expect to be hit over the head with kindness at a coffee shop, but I would like to see some basic manners like a "thank you." Even a general acknowledgment of my presence that goes beyond a blank stare would be nice. Perhaps it is, as one reviewer mentioned, because I wear office attire. I hope the owners are reading this. Please listen to me. Your food and coffee is some of the best in the neighborhood, but some locals are really turned off by your waitstaff and have chosen to support your competitors because of this poor service. read more

While the smoothie I had today was good, it didn't match the website offering of $4 for Monday between 1 and 5. I have an expectation that you shouldn't have to ask a business to have integrity. Disappointed. read more

Staff is filled with snarky hipsters, but they have good coffee and pastries.

This is another one of those 'artsy 20-somethings' places in Hampden. The coffee is okay, but I prefer a cup from Dunkin Donuts....or heck...the Royal Farms down the street. But then again, people go to this place to be 'artsy' and just hang. read more

While our poodle was having his day of beauty at Howl, I stopped here for breakfast and to work for a few hours. The coffee and breakfast sandwich were very tasty, though being squished in the teeny, tiny hallway where orders are taken was slightly claustrophobic. There is no wifi and I didn't see a plug anywhere, so poor choice for working. Seating options are also a bit uncomfortable and tightly placed. Thankfully, there weren't many people sitting around, my laptop had enough charge, and I, my own hotspot to use. The people watching was entertaining - from neighborhood hipsters to men in suits and ties. Overall, this is a good place to grab coffee or a snack but not the most comfortable to lounge in, and definitely not for to those people who like working on a laptop at coffee shops. read more

One of the best espresso places in Baltimore. Their bagels are also very good. Most of the staff is pretty awesome, and lots of people seem to be working there... I went there almost everyday for more than a year. I always was able to find a spot to sit, read and work... The place itself is large enough, with possibility to sit outside at the back. read more

As suggested by the other reviews, the pace here is very leisurely. Even if there is only one person in front of you and they have a simple and concise order, don't expect quick service. Still the products are good and while the prices are an indulgence, it's not bad now and then read more

It's a nice little place man. I like the layout better than most coffee shops, mainly because it was a house, but it stayed a house. The ordering area can become a huge screwpile, but the ambiance more than makes up for it. The coffee's from Cafe Pronto and it's real good. The food isn't bad, plus the staff is very tolerant of my ordering nonsense. I would say the way to go is take a pastry and a cup and settle in for awhile, get some writing done or something. read more

Their regular coffee is kinda gnarly and the indoor space is a little cramped so if you end up sitting next to someone who's loud they are being loud right in your ear. The bagel sandwich I got there was pretty good, nothing spectacular. I always see people going in and out in the mornings, it's a really popular place. Maybe because it's been the only coffee shop on the Avenue for a while? I'm not sure, but I personally feel no need to return. read more

What could be (and was just ten short months ago) a great coffee shop began to change when signs went up limiting the amount of time patrons could sit and drink coffee. Then came the cost-cutting measure of using Pandora's free version so the shop is treated to commercials every so often. While the coffee is okay and the food is decent, everything from the chairs to the the changes mentioned above scream "get your coffee and get out!" I have also noticed that the unfavorable reviews are not popping up unless I request all reviews. This seems odd. I really, really want to like this place. But it's not comfortable, and the service/food isn't so excellent that it makes up for it. Edited: came to CH today and was pleasantly surprised at new chairs, no sign limiting the time, and zero commercials. Good changes!! read more

Order counter area is tight when there's other customers in the shop. Also parking in Hampden can be hard to find, but that's not fault of theirs. Aside from that however, would highly recommend. Keswick sandwich was very tasty, and hands down the best dirty chai I've ever had! read more

Their chai tea latte was one of the best I've had (I like my chai a little spicier than most)! Prices are reasonable and the atmosphere is cozy. There are very interesting decorations and artwork inside that make this place memorable! Be sure not to miss it, it doesn't stick out too much on the road! I like how they have food as well as a good drink selection. read more

Popped in for a quick lunch and enjoyed more than I could eat! Had a ham and Swiss quiche and their quinoa salad. A lovely iced coffee on the side. Sat on their quiet back deck and took in the neighborhood ambience. read more

I haven't been here very many times, but what I've gotten has been good. My most recent visit was solely to get an iced chai. They have amazing chai! I barely made it a block away before it was gone. I also got a muffin, and it left a little to be desired. It wasn't quite what I expected, and was a little dry. Maybe from sitting out. I would definitely recommend this place for its drinks. read more

Food (egg and cheese on a bagel and a snickerdoodle muffin) were tasty, coffee decent (says more about me- I'm just particular), but I really want to commend the manager (owner?) for being such a good dude. I had a Yelp deal but there was a little issue with it b/c I printed it out instead of having it on the app b/c it was gifted to me...regardless, he was super-cool about honoring it and I very much appreciate him for that. I hear they're expanding, which is great news, b/c it is definitely on the cozy side and sometimes tough to find a seat. Usually go there 5-6 times/year but with a new and bigger Common Ground, I'll be there more often. read more

Great stop for coffee and a quick bite. Easily the best muffins in the greater baltimore area!

I love this place. I make sure to stop by whenever I'm in Hampden, and I've turned quite a few people onto it as well. They stock the lemon soda by San Pellegrino, which makes me very happy. Mostly, though, their sandwiches are amazing. I get hummus and red pepper relish on toasted sunflower bread - that's all you need. They give you a LOT of filling on their sandwiches, so I would recommend getting the breakfast sized sandwich, which is just half the fillings for a cheaper price. My friend got chai tea their once, which I didn't care for but she did, so take that for what you will. Their staff is really friendly, and there's plenty of seating. During warmer months, go head out onto their back deck to eat. The customers are also really friendly and you can chat with most of them. Casual and tasty, one of my favorite cafes. read more

Bad coffee and service to begin with but to add on a $5 min for debit charges is ridiculous. I try to support small businesses but stupid rules like this drive me to Starbucks. read more

this place is just about the only real old school coffee shop in baltimoe. reminds of the old pre-starbucks days, when coffee shops had real underground vibe going on. PLUS the pastries there are the best!!! read more

My favorite place to sit with a mocha, a book, and one of their outrageously good muffins. They always have plenty of vegan options as well!

My second-favorite coffee spot in Bmore (Carma's is my favorite). The soups are yummy if you need lunch. The muffins are sinful.

great environment (even during covid they offer a few outside seats), great service, authentic zekes coffee, and just the local spot you want! read more