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    Common Theory

    3.9 (1.6k reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 11:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Common Theory Photos

    COMMON THEORY ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Casual
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Common Theory

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    Reviews With Photos

    Beer Battered Fish & Chips
    Douglas G.

    A late night opportunity for food, drinks and excellent service by Dylan was the perfect remedy for Saturday night enjoyment. The opportunity to try some of 30 different beers and some mixed drinks when my son arrived from Ohio was awesome. The seating is available for a large group or seating a family with young children. The noise level was medium and overall an excellent late night dining.

    Fried Buffalo cauliflower
    David F.

    I've been here before but this is my first time giving a review. I went for the happy hour where items were 6 dollars until 6 pm. The food item choices were really good. I chose the fried Buffalo Califlower, wings, smash burger, fried fish, and to top it off with a delicious banana pudding. The beer draft selections were "ok" but not strong enough for my taste but the other selections outside the 6 for 6 were good to choose from. The service was fast and the food came out fast and hot. The vibe of common theory can be great for gatherings, indoor and outdoor seating. TVs in all directions with the current games going on. Will come again!

    Christina M.

    They have an extensive menu for drinks on tap as well as a few sours and ciders. They also have a full bar and offer food. I've never eaten here but we have been here a few times to have a couple of beers. The vibe is always great and this place is always busy. It's a fun place to hang out. The service is hit or miss, depending on your bartender. We've had great service and we have also been ignored while sitting in the corner at the bar. You do have to pay for parking if you park in their parking lot so try to find something on the street if you don't want to pay for parking. They also have an amazing speakeasy inside of here. You can grab a drink at the bar while you wait to be called into the speakeasy

    Chicken katsu
    Mirei K.

    The happy hour menu is great! $6 for food and alcohol is definitely slept on! I also went for the Monday trivia night and it was very fun! I usually hear that the service is not good (I heard they usually are slow) but I had a good time and my server came by often to check on us! I loved the vibe and definitely coming back again for Monday trivia night!

    This was a good stout
    Narissa M.

    Tldr: the bar service was excellent. The drinks were swell. The Bulgogi fries were epic and massive, definitely shareable among three to four people. The wait, being forgotten, and having no server sucked. Came here for drinks after kbbq in Convoy. The parking lot had plenty of free spaces. We were told the wait for a table was about 25 minutes, so we put our name and phone number down. We waited outside for about 10 minutes and then our group decided to order drinks at the bar while we waited for the table. After a couple rounds of drinks, we went ahead and placed an order for food. I think we were there about 30 minutes already and I decided to ask the hostess how much longer it would be. She said she couldn't find the name. I told her the name and it was a party of seven. Then she said that maybe he didn't respond to the text, and they assumed we left. I replied, no, he never got a text. But then, she found the name (?) and said they would figure it out for us... We got our table, however, we got no server. We had to keep getting up to order at the bar. The bartenders said that we should've had a server, but no one ever came to our table. Also, the toilet in one of the bathroom stalls was not flushing. I lifted the lid to pull the chain to the flapper valve, but I was grossed out by the grime on the lid and tank. I left it as is and warned others that it wasn't working.

    C.t. Classic cheeseburger
    Valerie S.

    Stopped in on a Sunday evening after flying in. It's a neighborhood spot for locals which I liked though it wasn't busy at all. The parking is paid unless you get it validated. They had the game on and it was relaxing to just hang out. The service was fast and the waitress stopped by often. I was able to taste a couple of beers before deciding though I did feel a little rushed to order. I ended up getting a saison and it was decent. I didn't care for the other two I tried. My coworker and I ordered burgers. She added a salad to hers. We also tried a pretzel to start. The cheese with the pretzel was really good. Our burgers were good but a little undercooked, so greasy and very messy. I ended up using knife and fork for mine and the bun basically turned to mush. Fries were excellent!!

    Michelle M.

    First things first comment theory seems to be the spot in convoy area for some great draft beer. Great place to gather with your friends or coworkers to grab a beer or two and hang out the Staff and bartenders are awesome. As for eating here? It's all right. I would consider this bar food with all the other choices around in convoy to eat. It wouldn't be my first choice. We tried the sisig rice bowl and the Bulgogi cheesesteak. I probably ate here twice but I don't really remember. I just know the recent food I ate was just all right. I couldn't even finish it. I took half of it home. But if you're hungry after drinking, I guess I would suggest getting some of the fries? I would consider this place a good spot for bar food. With a big space. But the main showstopper of this place? Would probably be the 52 realms speak easy make sure you make reservations in advance.

    Jane L.

    You can't tell by the exterior how cool this spot is! The decor really created a great ambiance. Three moms, toddler and infant had lunch on Monday. We sat in a spacious booth! We had the fish and chips, Caesar Salad and the CT Burger. My burger was perfectly cooked medium, very juicy, accompaniments and bun were not your typical burger options. Wish there was two more fish pieces, fries were seasoned and crispy. Our server was friendly and attentive. He was great with our toddler, made sure he had a cup with a lid and crayons with coloring menu. Wish they have more vegetarian options and a veggie burger. Definitely a chill spot to gather with friends with the abundance of space. We didn't partaking in any of the brew options but I am sure there is something for everyone. Bonus the validate parking!

    Bulgogi fries
    Claire J.

    Came here with a group and had a great time! A good selection of beers with a realllly good hard kombucha (8% ABV... and delicious) and everyone enjoyed their food. Brussel sprouts had golden raisins and a delicious sweet sauce that paired beautifully with the char on the sprouts-- would order that again! The pizza/flatbread was also good, a lot of sauce & a nice thin crust. I recommend the furikake Mac salad and the bulgogi fries the most though -- they each were super flavorful and perfectly sauced!! Our waiter and the bartenders were on it too. Would definitely come back. Great for bigger groups or work happy hours :)

    Kandy F.

    We've been wanting to check out Common Theory for a while. As you enter, we were greeted by one of the employees. A quick hello and we were instructed to sit anywhere. While the inside was inviting, we opted to sit outside!! Our waiter was cordial. We both ordered the Wagyu burger without the bun. The burger was very tasty! Caramelized onions, crispy applewood bacon, blue cheese, crunchy pickle slice, and ample fresh lettuce as a wrap!! The condiments were on the side so you can put as much or little as you'd like. The fries were cooked to perfection! Crispy outside and moist on the inside with a hint of salt! The coleslaw is a different story!! It was very bland with something too spicy! Not the kind of spicy you'd enjoy in your food like a flavorful hot sauce. It was like cayenne pepper hit the back of your throat! The couple at the next table said the same thing! I hate to say it, but whoever made it must not have tasted it before serving it to the public. Maybe it was an off day?!?! Their appetizer menu items seem to be similar price points as a meal so we just stuck to the meals this time. Overall, a wonderful place to have a meal and drinks. The interior seems a little dark but very well decorated. The outside patio area is very inviting. The employees were very friendly. The new parking regulations is for the entire shared parking lot of all businesses. It's two hours free parking and then $4 an hour after that. You'll have to scan the QR code in the restaurant/table and enter your license plate and information. We will be back and try other menu items.

    Menu 12/18/2025
    Jessica D.

    Great spot to grab drinks, late night food, or to watch a game! I'm a big fan of their fries which are beer battered and crispy!!

    Fries / House Chips, Chicken Katsu, Loco Moco, Bulgogi Rice Bowl
    Sophia T.

    Came here right when they opened on a Saturday afternoon! Food was delicious and loved that they had happy hour for a few cocktails and beers! The Bulgogi rice bowl and chicken katsu plate is a must for me, they were both delicious and packed with flavor! You can skip on the loco moco! Service was great, the waitress checked on us every so often. It was a very pleasant time eating here.

    baked pork belly mac & cheese + thai chicken salad | IG: @socalsnomnoms
    Trinh T.

    Food: baked pork belly mac & cheese (8/10) - it's filling, flavorful, creamy, and kept hot since it's in a stone pot. the pork belly was a nice protein addition to it as well. thai chicken salad (9/10) - it was flavorful, crunchy, and a good portion Service: There is decent service with nice workers Ambiance: I love how it's open late and there'll still be people coming to grab drinks or eat food. It's a very cozy and spacious vibe!

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    My best friend is visiting from Ohio, I brought her and her Sister here for Happy Hour. Our bartender was great, his name is Nathan.

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    Common Theory Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Common Theory

    What genre of music is played here?

    Are you playing the world cup?

    Is the speakeasy still open since COVID?

    Yes it is. Lock in your reservation as it can take up to a month.

    Is this a good place to have a group meeting? 30-50 people? Is it loud or could you hear someone talking to a group?

    If you reserved the top section then it would be cool. But if you were down in the "common" section it would be loud. Too loud most nights.

    Do they allow dogs? Inside or outside?

    Do they play football?

    Yes they do.. Various TVs around the restaurant for sports viewing....

    What time is the last call for food on the weekends?

    Regular(full) menu until 11pm and then you have the late night smaller menu until 1am

    Do they still have a trivia night?

    Not anymore! Their last trivia night is next Tuesday!

    View All 14 Questions

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    Realm of the 52 Remedies

    4.4(867 reviews)
    0.0 miKearny Mesa
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    Realm of the 52 has been on my SD bucket list since I've moved here. So pretty hyped to get to…read morefinally go! Its located inside Common Theory. The entrance is pretty cool but I'll let you experience it :). The interior is definitely a vibe and intimate. Its definitely for smaller groups. They actually recommend to stay in your seat unless you need to use the restroom, which I appreciated. The service was all around very good! I got the Saigon Dreamer and it was so good! It had such a good mouth feels with the clarified milk. Highly recommend if its still on the menu. For food, I got the charred gai lan and the KFQ. The gai lan had a nice smoking taste and very tender. KFQuail was succulent and was fried to perfection. The only downside would be it was pretty expensive what you get. Will definitely be back for the cocktails but may get food somewhere.

    Heard about this place for so long and finally got to try it out. We went on a Mon and made…read morereservations but it wasn't too busy when we got there around 6. The vibe inside is dark, tropical and cozy. It's a decently large space and tables are spread out nicely. Because it was our anniversary they gave us complimentary sparkling wine to start which was a nice touch. I know they're known for cocktails but I ended up getting wine to drink as well. My partner got The Saigon Dreamer that was coffee based. He really liked it. For food I got the burger (bunless as they didn't have option for a lettuce wrap) and my partner got the quail. We split the gailan (Chinese broccoli). All the flavors on everything were great. Seasoned but not overly so and a good balance of savory and sweet. Portions are not huge and a bit pricey so docking a star for that. Service was great from start to finish and they were patient with all the questions I had before ordering.

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    Realm of the 52 Remedies - Sitting area

    Sitting area

    Realm of the 52 Remedies - Main dining area

    Main dining area

    Realm of the 52 Remedies - View from my table

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    Forbidden Cove - Clairin le Rocher rum

    Forbidden Cove

    4.0(219 reviews)
    0.3 miKearny Mesa
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    Since it was on our way home.... The hubby and I tried the speakeasy Forbidden Cove. Great service…read more(they were able to squeeze us in). It was such a great experience. The drinks were top notch. The kahlua pork sliders were yummy. The atmosphere was super chill. You need a miniature tiki totem pole to enter the secret door. That was EXTRA cool. * Hawaiian Mai Tai * Lychee Moon * Banana Chi Chi * Krunky Punch * Kahlua Pork Sliders w/ Macaroni Salad & Sunomono Salad #DiningWithTheAndersons #Speakeasy #ForbiddenCove #AdultShenanigans #TryingNewPlaces

    Be prepared to bring multiple forms of ID if you want to go here. I had been here once before few…read moremonths ago where I had a good experience. I came here again last night with friends and began to check in for our reservation with the bartender (the same bartender who had let me in the last time I was here). He spent a long time inspecting my CA REAL ID before going into the back. He returned and said he can't let me in since he doesn't trust my ID. He said store policy is that they have to be able to feel the imprint on your license's signature, which even he admitted that he could, but it was too faded so he wouldn't let me in. I showed him matching credit cards, Costco membership, and CA DMV mobile drivers license, but he still refused and pleaded ignorance. He gave me my driver's license back and said I'm lucky because he normally keeps fakes (thanks for the empty threat). In reality, he knew my license was legitimate and didn't want to have the cops called on him. This place really needs to update their policies and train their staff better on how to identify legitimate IDs. I'm definitely not gong to bother coming here again and will make sure I recommend others not to come here.

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    Forbidden Cove - Painkiller (left) and Mai Tai (right)

    Painkiller (left) and Mai Tai (right)

    Forbidden Cove - Tiki Key

    Tiki Key

    Forbidden Cove - Hamilton Guyanese rum

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    Common Theory - gastropubs - Updated May 2026

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