So, where in the hell was Common Grounds when I was in college?! If there had been a spot like Common Grounds in California, I would have happily ditched any and all Starbucks locations in a heartbeat. Shayla does NOT... like coffee. But the smell of their roasted coffee grounds is ironically what made me go inside. I felt like one of those cartoon characters that float in the air while they follow a smell. Well I followed the smell of the coffee right into their adorable little coffee shop. So, you know I have to say it; this place is "Sooo stinkin' CUTE!". So urban and so hipster with such a mellow atmosphere. From the bright green paint to the rustic interior, this place just exudes edginess! When you walk in, you'll see the ordering counter along with a wall of souvenirs and store memorabilia. There's a room with sofas and high tables and then another adjoining room to your left with comfy couches. I was super impressed with their back patio! There's tons of space and even a little stage where people perform live music. There are benches and bulbs lights strung in the air, and an adorable outside deck! It's the perfect hangout spot! Perfect for studying or just for meeting up with friends. I didn't try their coffee but they carry a variety of different styles! Drip coffee, espressos, lattes, mochas, macchiatos, iced, you name it and they probably have it. They also have fun seasonal menus and house specialty drinks that include some great options for non-coffee drinkers such as myself! Which brings me too... their wonderfully refreshing Hotel California drink! It was pretty warm out when I came and I was looking for something that would cool me down. Ended up ordering a Hotel California house specialty (Italian soda, coconut, like, and vanilla syrup) and I super enjoyed it! Loved how light and refreshing it was! It's definitely something that I would order again and again if I lived near by. I'm super impressed with Common Grounds and I can see why so many student from Baylor University frequent this place. read more

See all

Good coffee! Great atmosphere! Everyone in our girls trip loved their order and the atmosphere!

I love trying different coffee spots when I travel to different cities. Common Grounds seem to be the place that was happening at the moment and a group of friends and I checked it out while visiting Waco. I was debating between a Meltdown and the No Bull. I wasn't sure between the two because I wanted something with espresso which the meltdown had 4 shots of and a frozen cappuccino in it but the No Bull had espresso, half and half, and the secret sauce I wanted to try. Decided to go with the No Bull but asked with less half and half because I wanted more of an espresso taste to the drink but still a sweetness to it. He then recommended the Pig Swig frozen. I was like ok. Not so much of a good recommendation because I didn't want to taste too much of a cream/sweet taste to it which the Pig swig had. It was alright but not 4.93 for a small alright. I didn't really taste the espresso in the drink and was disappointed in that. The atmosphere was good for college students who want to study or people who just want a nice area to read. It was kind of unattractive to see old beat up sofa chairs outside. Side note: My friend ordered a Milky Way and they couldn't make that drink for her cause they ran out of caramel and offered to make her something else. I don't get why this wasn't addressed before paying for it. Also shouldn't they have made a sign saying it was ran out after they told her that? We didn't realize til later how do we know the drink they supplemented for the Milky way costed the same cause there weren't any prices that visible to the naked eye. That's all... until next time... probably not. read more

Common Grounds - Pig swig. Nothing great about it. Small cost 4.93 tax included - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Waco, Texas

Oh my goodness so fun! I had the cowboy. Their secret sauce was so different and yummy! read more

Common Grounds - This was the only picture I got - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Waco, Texas

What a lovely place to get coffee. This place has such a cute and cozy energy to it that was quite enjoyable. I stopped here on my way to Dallas from Austin and I wish I allotted myself more time to stay and hangout for a while. My latte was great and very fairly priced! Can't wait to return. read more

Common Grounds - Vanilla Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Waco, Texas

Our first and only pick for coffee shops in Waco and it was a huge hit! Located within walking distance from Baylor University, this place was packed even during the summer. They have a large outdoor patio that offers live music on the weekend I believe, and many more seating during nice weather. The inside is decorated in a very quirky way, definitely a hipster coffee shop, in a good way of course. 1 star Their menu is pretty creative. Took me longer than usual to decide what I wanted to get. Their Hot No Bull sounded interesting so I gave it a try. The coffee came out quickly and very pretty even tho they were extremely busy. My latte had good flavor, but a little too sweet for me. (latte art: 1 star, Quality: 1 star, Customer service: 1 star) If you're in the area, this place is a must try for any coffee lovers, or if you want to find a nice cool place for people watching and doing random things on your laptop like writing yelp reviews, this would suffice too. This is the break down of my rating for coffee shops: Offering latte art consistently: 1 star Quality of coffee/drinks/food: up to 2 stars Atmosphere: 1 star Customer service: 1 star read more

Common Grounds - Hot no bull- delicious, a lil too sweet - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Waco, Texas

After finishing my key lime pie milkshake from Heritage Creamery, I wanted more. It was hot! I went next door to Common Grounds. It was slammed, line out to the street with students. I was inside looking at the menu and getting suggestions from an employee when she asked the students if I could cut in line. Being nice to an old man, how sweet! The students said sure! There were 50 in their group and I didn't need to wait that long. Thank you! I ended up getting the 2-5 Float. A frozen cappuccino with Dr Pepper added. Cold and delicious. The students told me they were here at Baylor for a choir camp. Going to school in the summer. That's dedication I never had! Anyway, great place and great drinks. The employees knew what they were doing because drinks came out fast. The back patio is awesome, with a stage for live music. I'll be back! read more

See all

Cute little coffee shop. I recommend the No Bill, it was tasty. The staff were helpful and friendly.

I love coming to this hole-in-the-wall when I'm in town- great coffee, good service, but be prepared to hear an unending supply of f-bombs as the baristas banter. I'm sure the guys are great...just lacking professionalism and a little self-awareness. read more

Great service and coffee. Love the atmosphere. Reminds me of 1408 coffee in Plano. Seating in different 'rooms' as well as side patio, back patio (with yard seating- mostly for events and dry weather) and porch seating. Love the decor. We had coffee our first night and went back for breakfast (coffee and snack) in the morning. Kiddo loves his weekend chocolate milk and rated it 10/10. Definitely would come here anytime we're in town. There's parking in back but we used the street (didn't know about pack the first time) and garage next door. They also have a drive thru. Bathrooms outside in back, nice and stocked up. read more

The price is great, the coffee is not sweet and not bitter, just PERFECT! We passed on our way to a Waco roadtrip last year, enjoyed the coffe sitting on the front swing... we loved it so much we are doing a roadtrip to dallas this year and coming back to this shop is part of the itinerary, OBVIOUSLY! read more

Such a neat space! Very cozy and welcoming. They guy that took my order was super nice and had no trouble explaining and recommending coffee to me. I ended up getting a No Bull, with 1/3 of the sweetener (I don't like super sweet coffee) - it is super good!! I would definitely recommend stopping here: good coffee, good vibes. They have a great outdoor space to enjoy your coffee. read more

Common Grounds - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Waco, Texas

Common Grounds - Waco, Texas Common Grounds is easily my favorite place for a good cup of Joe in Waco. I'm a fan of everything about this place. I love the vibe, the ambience, the quick lines, the friendly baristas, and of course, their highly caffeinated drinks. What I'm not a fan of is the tight parking in the back and the David Koresh image under their drive-thru window. On my first visit, I asked for a large cold brew. My barista's response "we don't have a large, our cold brew is very strong". Really? Let's see about that. After just a few sips, it hit me. This must be one of the strongest cold brews that I have ever had, and it was very smooth without that bitter taste. Their cold brew is so strong that I saved it for the following morning. I eventually came back to try one of their "sleep is overrated drinks", which is basically their menu of creative espresso infused drinks. I had the Meltdown. It's 4 shots of espresso and frozen cappuccino. This drink tasted like a Snickers bar. Believe me, Meltdown satisfies. Overall, I'm more than just a fan of Common Grounds and would be here a lot if I lived in the area. Just get rid of the David Koresh image. It's not a cool look. read more

See all

Was really disappointed with our first & last visit today. Having never been, I inquired of the cashier what a cowboy coffee was (as it claimed it was their "secret sauce" as the main ingredient). Not explaining it more than suggesting it was a bit sweet and the version to try, I decided to be adventurous & ordered it. HUGE surprise when the final product tasted like a mixture of beer, coffee & milk. So so bad. I'm not a college student or a hipster, but for heaven's sake, at least tell me what the mixture is! Enjoyed the outdoor courtyard, but it was a bit too over-the-top shabby chic for me. The old couches inside scared me too...no way I'd sit on something that looked to be scrounged out of a dumpster. Bottom line - okay coffee, interesting decor, good for college students to study or relax. read more

Common Grounds - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Waco, Texas

Loved the vibe here! Super friendly employees, nice music, easy place tp get work done. Also loved my Arnold Palmer! read more

Common Grounds - Arnold palmer - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Waco, Texas

I came here with my friends when I was visiting waco. Hearing all the hype and how it was the university (Baylor) go to coffee place, I was super excited since I love coffee. The environment is super chill, cool, and vintage with art pieces put together and the outdoors has a stage for live music with pretty lights. Looking at the menu, I just went to my go to cold brew. Since we came in a few minutes before they closed, they were out and I just went with the iced coffee. It was the cheapest I ever paid for coffee, like $2 so that was a pleasant surprise, but it tasted nothing special like just water and coffee. It was okay but I wouldn't get the iced coffee again, willing to come here again to try their famous cowboy coffee if I'm in Waco. read more

See all

This is a super cool place to come and hang out! This is a Bohemian museum. Take time and look around. They have an extensive menu of coffee but this Americano has to rate one of the worse I have had in my entire life! It is hot but it seems to be watered down. I am soooo disappointed!!!! read more

See all

We stopped by for a quick coffee before starting the day. We managed to find a parking spot on the street, not realizing there's a whole parking lot behind the shop and also a drive through. We wanted to sit for a bit anyway, and fortunately, they were opened for dining in. However, it's a small cozy spot, so it gets packed pretty quick. Service is great and we got our coffee fast. They do have outdoor seating as well, and this would generally be a great spot to hang out. Really digging the atmosphere here! read more

Y'all, if I could drink coffee at one Texas place for the rest of my life, Common Ground would be my pick. I am over the moon about the cowboy special and their secret sauce. If you're a student, a mom, looking for a place to relax or even a day date, Common Grounds is the place for you. They have a loyalty punch card, amazing iced coffee options, alternative milk options and such a welcoming environment. See you soon, Common Grounds. read more

See all

One of Waco's true hidden gems that is located on the very edge of Baylor University's campus, Common Grounds makes up for its limited interior space (felt cramped) with excellent customer service and strong caffeine products (i.e, The Cowboy Coffee blends) that make it worthwhile to stop here instead of anywhere else. For those visiting for the first time, it's highly recommended that you park in the rear parking area. Absolutely do not park in the adjacent Pizza Hut's parking lot, nor Baylor's that is across the street! You will get towed promptly. There is parking in the front, yet that is only good for 2-3 cars, maximum. As aforementioned, the interior confines are different, to say the least. A bit rustic, yet a bit old school cafe chiqueness in some areas that have a touch of Baylor green & gold to it. The furniture layout is a bit weird, as well as mismatched. The WiFi definitely requires a password, so be patient in asking the baristas for it due to the neverending line of customers that range from Baylor coeds, travelers, cougars & old farts that just want a good cup of caffeine within a place to kick back in. Try this place! Y'all might like it. read more

Love the coffee and hot chocolate and ambience. Meeting friends here is easy and pleasant.

While the vibe and atmosphere was great, the food, coffee and price for it left a lot to be desired. The tacos were premade and cold, the pumpkin spice latte tasted like pure syrup and their avocado toast was very small for the price. There are a lot better options out there especially with the terrible parking options to add insult to injury read more

Good, hot coffee! Little different of a setting but some people may like drinking coffee among the trees growing through the house and antique couches. Staff is friendly and helpful! read more

We stopped at Common Grounds on the way back from Comfort, Texas. I really enjoyed the vanilla & caramel iced latte I ordered. Common Grounds is located right next to the Pizza Hut, right off of the highway and next to campus. If I went to Baylor University, I would have to get a second job to pay for my coffee obsession because I would come here everyday. As someone who is no longer in undergrad, I probably would not hang out here. There were so many college kids "studying" and hanging out. I don't think I would be able to get much work done. All in all, this is a great location and I enjoyed my coffee. When we drive through town again, I will be sure to stop. read more

Common Grounds - Iced caramel and vanilla latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Waco, Texas

We stopped here while driving through Waco and loved it! It has a cool vibe and would be a great place to work or study. The secret sauce in their drinks is delicious. read more

Common Grounds - The Quaker - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Waco, Texas

Such a cool vibe and really great service, even though they were busy. I'm not sure what's in the secret sauce but it's definitely worth a try! read more

This is a nice coffee shop. The staff is very friendly and the decor sets the scene for an aesthetic study session. The Peppermint Bark Mocha was nice. It was more subtle than a normal Starbucks Peppermint Mocha; depending on the person, this is either a good thing or a bad thing. I would still recommend the Peppermint Bark Mocha overall. Also, Taylor Swift's Midnights was playing over the speakers so that is an automatic green flag. The price is average, but since Starbucks' prices are going up, this is becoming relatively cheap. read more

Tried the cowboy coffee. Friendly service. Neat decor. Delicious . Glad we stopped in read more

Common Grounds - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Waco, Texas

Common Grounds is a great place to hangout and has a great atmosphere. I have been going occasionally over the past couple years and the drinks taste different every time. Today is the last straw since my wife and I ordered peppermint mochas and got steamed milk only. This establishment has fully fell into being a tourist trap causing them to lack consistent quality. Waco does have better options that are more consistent. If they had a consistent product it would be a good place to grab a coffee and hang out with friends. read more

This place is disgusting. I mean really. The old house location is falling apart and hasn't been cleaned since at least 1918. And to top it off the do not have half and half. Really? A coffee shop that does not have cream??? When I ordered I asked about cream and they said they had it. When in reality they think skim milk is cream. It is not. If you work at a coffee shop (even a dump like this one) you should know the definition of cream. I threw my coffee away and left. I hate to say it because I hate all that Starbucks stands for. But go to Starbucks. Stay away from this POS. I would tell you about the horrible parking situation, but I have already spent too much of my time on this excuse for a coffee shop. read more

Common Grounds in Woodway We had a great brunch on the Gounds and I wanted to share my experiences. It's a super cool little coffee shop with eclectic decor and lots of cozy vignettes seating for every size party. The place was clean and organized, the food was tasty, the prices we reasonable, the hot teas was okay, the star of the show was The Coffee! No Bull, that's not just a comment it's also the name of a coffee you should try...NO BULL, it's amazing! And that's No Bull The only negative for me was the staff up front .... they just didn't seem to interested in us. It wasn't that they were rude, really.....it just appeared we were an annoying factor of their work lives. However, once we were seated the wait staff was as friendly as a puppy. Over all we like the Common Ground and we will return, you can't get greasy ground coffee like this anywhere else in central Texas. Three Stars for Common Ground (Woodway) Happy Drinking Y'all read more

My updated review is just based solely on my drive thru order and I'm still going to come back, but I am frustrated. (This is my Yelp review constructive criticism) I asked for a hot vanilla latte and if there were any pastries available. After being told there were blueberry scones, I wanted to order one. My coffee was brought out iced and I decided to go ahead and just take it to save the barista making another one and wasting what was made. Then I received my pastry and drove away. After taking one look at the scone, I knew it wasn't blueberry. I circled back to the drive thru and asked the new drive thru barista if this was a blueberry scone. He then came back and told me they sold out of blueberry scones and I wasn't informed of that before so I had been charged for an item that wasn't available and could no longer get what I wanted. I felt too upset to ask for something else because again I didn't want to see this scone go to waste. My whole order was. Or correct. My constructive criticism: repeat back the order and check the order before handing to the customer. *Promise, I still like CG! Just a tired, upset momma. **There is also no longer a CG pop up at Magnolia Silos as they are only now serving coffee from the store. That's a bummer! read more

Common Grounds - Vanilla latte (from CG location at Magnolia Silos) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Waco, Texas

While visiting and working in Waco, I stopped at Common Grounds. I have been to the location in the silos but not to this one yet. This is located across from Baylor University. This coffee shop is unique, as it has a stage in the back. The coffee is excellent! They have different options and the drinks have fun names. The Cowboy is my favorite as well as the Mexican chocolate. The only food I saw was biscuits. Nothing else in the menu shows food. As I waited for my latte I browsed around and it has mugs, shirts for sale. There's plenty of sitting outside and inside. The only con is that the parking on the side by the Pizza Hut is from 6:30-11:30, so the parking is limited. Overall Staff was friendly and service was prompt. read more

Common Grounds, I love you so much! This coffee shop has such a special place in my heart. Common grounds is unlike anything Waco has ever seen. It is a coffee shop, yes. But it is also a music venue. I grew up in Waco so I was also in the constant struggle of finding something to do. And CG always came thru. Coffee: Their most famous drink is called the Cowboy. It has their secret sauce, drip coffee, and half and half I believe. This drink is great and if you ever end up here and have no idea what to order, order a Cowboy, you can't go wrong. My absolute favorite drink here tho is the Frozen Caramel Coffee Crunch. It is like a slushie. It isn't bitter like iced coffee tends to be. It's basically a dessert which is honestly probably why i like it haha. If you love sweet coffee, please do yourself a favor and order the Frozen C3!!! :D NOTE: Their secret sauce is sweet.... so if you do not like sweet in your coffee, then do not order a drink that contains this sorcery. For those of you who do like sweet coffee: If I were to try to guess their secret sauce, I'd say it has some type of caramel in it? Maybe also some condensed milk or condensed sweetening? I dunno... just try it. It's great. Venue: Common grounds has a stage in their outside seating area out back and it is so awesome. I have seen Judah & the Lion, Ben Rector, and Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors here. The outdoor area is pretty small so you don't have to worry about being packed in like sardines like normal venues. There are also wooden step looking things that you can stand on towards the back if you're short (Hint: I recommend this, the view will be a lot better). This coffee shop is quite honestly probably my favorite place in the whole world. It's the kind of coffee shop that makes me want to drive an hour and a half from Austin just to get my daily dose. I love the sweet staff and the sweet owners of this place. I will always support this coffee shop and I think you should too!! read more

Common Grounds - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Waco, Texas

What a cute place for coffee! We ordered and sat in the common area outside. Our drinks were delicious and so cute! There was not enough seating outside. It is a little dark inside the shop itself. The coffee was good, but nothing to brag about. We do wish there was more seating available. read more

Pretty standard campus coffee shop. The barista taking our order had one hand two knuckles deep in some of the cups she wrote in. Chai tea latte was lukewarm. Pastries from older reviews are gone, replaced with muffins. The muffins themselves are fine but you will need to heat them up in the microwave out in the seating area. Overall nothing spectacular or terrible except the fingers inside cups. read more

Great coffees. Not a bad drink is offered. Cozy place to enjoy ones coffee. Drinks are prepared quickly.

Common grounds is a Baylor staple. The main coffee shop on campus where you can grab a drink, study, or hang out. Had to get a frozen Milky Way for old times sake but a little diabetes in a cup can't hurt you. Glad it came in a clear cup because I was able to see the layer of caramel on the bottom. It allows you to manage the sweetness level of the drink. Completely nostalgic coming back here. It's in the same place and same little house but just with a newer section for the workers to slang drinks out and more merchandise. read more

Common Grounds - Frozen Milky Way - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Waco, Texas

Terrible. Abhorrent. Sad. Just a few words I would use to describe the coffee experience at Common Grounds. It would be SO EASY to fix just using proper ratios of milk to espresso and syrup. None the less what you receive is more akin to a sweet soda than a coffee. Do not even mention the pitiful amount of crushed ice they give you. Yes, I understand the idea is to give the customer more "liquid", BUT ITS JUST MORE MILK. Which gets me to my second problem, they use the absolute worst milk(s) I've ever tasted. I've never had that problem before and I assume they use the same milk and alternatives as most other coffee spots, yet the sheer abundance of it simply ruins the coffee experience. I do not want to wake up to a glass of unsweetened almond milk with a hint of coffee. The drip is also nothing to rave about. If you're around Waco looking for a great coffee, I would highly recommend Pinewood or Dichotomy. Sadly one cannot give a 0-star review here so I guess I'll give it a 1 because it's an okay study spot (emphasis on the okay). Lovely workers though that make the experience somewhat bearable. read more

The patriarch of Waco coffee. You really can't go wrong here. All of the drinks are fantastic, and the staff is always willing to give you suggestions if you are unsure. I normally get a cappuccino with oat milk here. The No Bull is another super popular drink on the menu. If you happen to be in town while a show is going on, I highly suggest going. Tickets are cheap and the venue is legendary. I have seen many concerts here and I have never been disappointed. read more