The food was great. The service was great. The ambience was a little chaotic. However, it's impressive. The staff, the operation and the kitchen. They're true professionals read more

Visited on a Saturday morning for a work meeting. Around 9:00 am it wasn't that busy and there were plenty of tables open. I just ordered coffee for this meeting, and it was really good. The staff was attentive to our table and gave us plenty of refills. This location is ADORABLE as well. Parking was easy to find. I must go back ASAP for the food! read more

This is my new favorite place for food downtown. The breakfast is delicious. The lunch is delicious. Happy is great. Dinner is amazing. Literally, you can go here during any part of the day and be satisfied. For breakfast, get the Yinz Need breakfast. You will get more than enough food for under 20 bucks. The portions on the plate are huge. And the homefries are so well-seasoned! Not sure if they make their own bread, but their toast must be from Wonderland, because my my my my my my my (in my Johnny Gill voice) is it good! For lunch, try the brisket sandwich. You won't forget it. It's definitely slow cooked to perfection. It tastes so fresh, that you would think that there was a farm downtown on Grant St. I mean, it's like the cow was butchered right in the restaurant. And the sauce that is used. Praise Jesus. Please get this dish. Also, keep going. Once they recognize you, they give you a free dessert. One time, I got the sticky toffee pudding for free. Makes you wanna slap ya mama. Sooo good. read more

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The lamb burger here is unstoppable. The drink menu and dessert menu looked very good, so will be returning to try both of those things! Atmosphere is cool and laid back and draws a crowd. I like the exposed kitchen, allowing you to see what the chefs are doing in their corners. Our server was also great! read more

The Commoner is a delightful new addition to the ever expanding Pittsburgh restaurant scene. The entrance is well set out with a view expanding the entire dining area. Lighting is soft and you are greeted by the delicious smells emanating from the kitchen. There is no shortage of seating options - shared family style and individual high-top, lower round, booth, bar as well as chef observation tables. Consistent with some of the new bars popping up, they have beer, wine and cocktails on tap. Interesting, each wine is kept at a different temperature and oxygenated to a different percentage. Unfortunately, there's no happy hour but the atmosphere and drink selections make up for it. Diverse menu selection with a English Pub focus. Highly recommend the liver mousse, steak and ale pie and the toffee pudding. I can still taste the toffee pudding -- sweet, decadent, gooey deliciousness! Five gold stars to John, our server! He was attentive, well informed and more than happy to answer all our questions. He chatted to us about the temperature and oxygenation of the wines and briefed us on how we could easily make the steak and ale pie ourselves - detailing the ingredients and giving a short 'how to.' Overall, it was a excellent experience. Delightful atmosphere, knowledgable and friendly staff, great food and cocktails. Highly recommend visiting next time you're downtown! read more

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I had to give this restaurant 3 stars because of the overall average..... Ambience: ** It's so loud in here that I can't have a business discussion and my voice hurts after. It's like an echo? I seriously bypass this place if I have important things to discuss with guests. Decor:**** On point with the industrial look and feel. I love the Hotel Monaco upstairs with pops of color and play on the traditional Victorian... Waitstaff:* There is confusion as you walk in the door. If you come in from the hotel side you have someone to greet you and it works out nice. If you enter from Strawberry Way there are 2 doors. One that goes into the bar and another that everyone looks at you like ummmmmm, you arent supposed to be here. The waitress did not connect with us at all. She was awkward and confused. It took her forever to come to our table after pouring water. This is the second time I've had this experience. Also, when my beautiful cheese plate was delivered the lady couldn't remember the cheeses and said "shit". I need thus place to learn a little lesson from the staff at Mallorca. Food:**** Food is amazing...every...single time read more

The Commoner - The cheese plate! - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Absolutely delicious! Stopped in for a quick lunch and was able to make a same day reservation too. Great space with tons of seating. We started with the fondue, to die for! It's served with apples, fingerling potatoes and some Brussel sprouts, sooo good. I had a grilled chicken cesar, it's served with a soft boiled egg. Ahhh soo good! my girlfriend had the French onion soup. Delectable.. she couldn't stop raving about her soup for the next few days. read more

The Commoner - Grilled chicken Cesar - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

All the buzz about The Commoner had me very curious... and since I'm always up for a good Sunday brunch, my roommate and I made this our dining destination yesterday! We were able to get an early reservation at 9:30am, which is more on the breakfast side of the day, but we were glad to get in nonetheless. When we arrived, the hostess seated us in a cute little corner booth that had plenty of room for us, our big winter coats and scarves. Plus the booths were super comfy! Our waiter, Ben, was over right away and offered coffee, juice and water. A coffee for my roommate and a water for myself, he was back before I could even blink and filled our glasses. We decided on the Bloody Mary bar to start, and to be honest: you could get away with this as your meal! They have EVERYTHING on their Bloody Mary bar, most of which is house-made and prepared. The infused vodkas range from bacon to lemongrass, and there is surely something for everyone. Sausage, salami, more olives than I even knew existed, pickled veggies, LITTLE GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICHES (I'm still dying over these)... the list goes on and on. Ben even gave us 2 plates to add more garnishes to, since it's rather easy to overfill your glass with the goodies. For our meals, which might not even have been necessary considering the buffet we were partaking in, I ordered the Bacon Beni (house made english muffin, house cured bacon, pork belly, and the most perfect poached egg I've ever seen) and Shannon ordered the Pierogi and Eggs. I will be honest, I was stuffed to the max by the time our actual food arrived, but the Bacon Beni was superb and I somehow managed to eat almost all of it. I can't wait to get back here and try their lunch and/or dinner menus, since everything seems so good! Ben was an absolutely wonderful waiter and was so attentive and kind to us the entire time we were there. I will most definitely ask to be seated with him when I go back! The restaurant manager even stopped by to see how everything was, and he was pleasant as well. Food is a huge part of the experience, but the superb service is also a "make or break" factor in deciding whether I'll return somewhere... in this case, I will absolutely be back! read more

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I've only been for brunch or a drink at the bar. Both have been great experiences. the breakfast sandwich was delicious, especially since they make their own sausage and it had a unique flavor! enjoyed their Bloody Mary as well. great service too! read more

Last week we chose The Commoner to celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary, and the experience we had was one that can't be topped. We made our reservations 2 days in advance, and they were for a little later in the evening, around 8:30. The night of, we ended up having to push our reservation back twice, because well, life happens and you can't control the world around you, and it was just one unforeseen circumstance after another.. which was slowly making our night stressful and pretty miserable. But both times I shamefully called to change our dinner time, they were so overly nice and accommodating, and that alone made my night better, and took away some of the tension that we were experiencing trying to get there. When we FINALLY arrived, we were greeted by warm, smiling faces and a personalized welcome that was much appreciated. We were taken right away to our table, and to our surprise, there was a framed picture of my husband and I from our wedding day, and written on the picture said "Happy Anniversary From Hotel Monaco Pittsburgh", along with a personalize card, a bottle of champagne and desert for both of us.. are you kidding me? We were so blown away by the time and effort that was taken to help us celebrate our anniversary.. it was unbelievable. We were greeted by our server who promptly wished us a Happy Anniversary and poured our champagne, and from there, the service we were given was outstanding. From our server, to the food and drinks, to the staff helping to run food and clear tables, everyone was absolutely incredible. Even without all of the personalized touches, we would have been very happy and impressed with our experience at The Commoner, but when you go so above and beyond to make your guests feel important and welcome, that's an amazing business. I work for another luxury hotel downtown, and we do these kinds of things for people all of the time, so it was so nice to be on the receiving end and remember just how important these kinds of gestures are. This was our first time even stepping inside of the Hotel Monaco, but I can assure you that we absolutely will be back, whether its for dinner or for a short stay. Thank you to the staff for making our 2nd anniversary so memorable! read more

The Commoner - Our table when we arrived for our reservation, celebrating our 2nd wedding anniversary :) so amazing - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Good food! Good service! Way to load! Why are all the newer places not taking noise into consideration when they design and build the restaurant! We tried a couple of appetizers, the mussels and cheddar board were very good. Liked the apple butter and fried fruit with the cheese board. The Steak & Ale Pie was good with tender short rib and some veggies. We tried two deserts. The banana bread with a delicious banana ice cream and the Whitepot, a classic English bread and butter pudding with creme anglaise, which I found to be just OK. read more

I was so excited to try The Commoner! I loved the decor and cocktails. I had the Commoner Collins and it was so delicious! It's a gin cocktail served over a watermelon chili ice cube! Yum. So refreshing! Also, they make their own tonic. They had a few flavors to choose from. For dinner I ordered the hangar steak with fries. It came with house made Ketchup and steak sauce. My steak was ordered medium, because that's what the chef recommends. I like my steaks prepared medium rare but I always go with what the chef recommends. It came out well done and dry. It had a nice flavor and I really enjoyed the the fries and ketchup! I don't even like ketchup but there was something magical about theirs. I highly suggest you make a reservation. It was a packed house. We couldn't get in until 9:45 for our reservation made a week prior. They had a rooftop bar that we didn't get to enjoy, it was at capacity. Bummer. Great place for cocktails and apps! Hopefully next time I'm in town I get to check out the rooftop bar. read more

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I was here last weekend with my boyfriend and another friend. We booked a table for Friday night dinner. Our experience was decidedly less frustrating than last time, hence the updated rating. Our server was attentive, looking into my entree being made dairy-free, and recommended some excellent cocktails from the list. I went with their high-end take on the cosmo (not my usual drink by any means) and was taken aback by how much I enjoyed it. I ate the burger again and it was even better than last time. My boyfriend had the lobster Bolognese and loved it, minus the odd addition of green peas. When he mentioned that in passing to a manager, he was given another serving to-go, sans peas! It's those details that make you want to come back to a place. I'll gladly add The Commoner to our favorite downtown restaurants rotation after this last visit. Next time we may come in for brunch! read more

We had a lovely brunch here. The French toast was delicious and a large portion. The ambience is amazing. The server was friendly and attentive. Other guests at the table said the eggs Benedict were the best they had. Highly recommend. read more

This is one of my favorite places for cocktails. I wish the bar area was a little bigger but even on a Saturday night, we always manage to squeeze in somewhere. And if it's too crowded, just head upstairs to the lounge area and soak in the awesome art deco decor. If it wasn't for the food, I would give this place 5 stars. But the 2 meals I've had here were underwhelming. The last time we went with a party of 4. Two of us ordered the same fish entree. One was seared (aka basically raw) and the other was cooked through. How does that happen?? On top of that, the waitress led us to believe the spicy pasta dish was only mildly spicy. Yet my dad could barely get it down without choking. I haven't written the restaurant off entirely, but it definitely isn't my first choice for a meal downtown. read more

This review is strictly for the desserts. My husband and I stopped in here after a dinner in Lawrenceville. A few friends of ours have recommended the Sticky Toffee Pudding, being that it is one of their all-time favorite desserts. This was was a perfect opportunity for us to stop in since we were craving something sweet. It was a little later in the evening on a Sunday night and there was surprisingly a decent crowd, although not what you would call packed. My husband ordered the Sticky Toffee Pudding and I ordered the Pistachio Honey Crisp. The desserts here are ultra rich and extremely sweet, which is good but they get old after a while. I would say the desserts are really great for sharing and not for yourself. That's the mistake my husband and I made as our eyes were bigger than our stomachs. Plus we wanted to try more than one. The Sticky Toffee Pudding was incredibly moist and paired well with the vanilla ice cream. As I mentioned earlier, super sweet. The Pistachio Honey Crisp was interestingly presented. The pistachio cream and chocolate mousse were piped onto the plate and the two pieces of honey tuile were stacked onto each other diagonally like the roof of a house. The tuile seemed to be like a candied slab of phyllo dough. There also was some type of white chocolate bark with pistachios atop the cream and mousse. I loved this dessert but definitely better for sharing. After a while, it got to be too sweet and I just couldn't bring myself to finish it. I would like to try the dinner menu, but I'm not sure how soon I'd come back considering the mixed reviews. The desserts were great and best when shared. Not bad! read more

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After a wonderful 2 nights at the Hotel Monaco, the GF and I had reservations for brunch at the in-house Commoner before flying back to Philly. The beautifully designed gastropub is a homage to the Steel City's industrial history, with steel beams and gold highlights throughout. It's not your typical "hotel restaurant," to be sure, as it's on par, if not exceeds other Kimpton property restaurants I've visited (think: Red Owl Tavern and Square 1682). Bringing more than 20 years of experience, Executive Chef Dennis Marron was brought in last year from D.C.'s Poste Modern Brasserie. It's clear from the dishes we tried, execution and quality are important to Chef Marron. But what sold us? The Bloody Mary bar we kept hearing about! Bloody Mary [$12] Bacon-infused vodka If a restaurant has its own Bloody Mary bar, there's no reason to get the standard Bloody. What does the Commoner's entail? A huge lineup for everything you need. First, you pick the type of vodka you want. The GF went with the celery-infused vodka, which had great herbaceous notes. I went with the smoky bacon-infused iteration, obviously. After you server brings the alcohol, you take a trip to the bar. For toppers and mixers, they've got every hot sauce you've dreamed of including meats, cheeses, pickled everything, infused tomato juices, bacon, and yes, grilled cheese. I had more than just a little fun with my creation. Pierogi & Eggs [$12] Sour cream hollandaise, grilled scallions For the meal proper, the GF went with the pierogi and eggs, much to my delight. While the poached egg was slightly over, the sour cream hollandaise was the perfect rich and tangy balance to the starch of the creamy, well-seasoned pierogis. The dumplings were spot on and had a crisp outer shell. The grilled scallions imparted some bite and the home fries were great - well seasoned, slightly crisp, yet creamy within, with roasted red peppers and onions studded throughout. Bacon Beni [$13] Crispy house-cured bacon, pork belly, house-made English muffin, onion soubise I went with the bacon beni which was one of my favorite dishes of the weekend. Amazingly crisp bacon sat atop of gorgeously braised, then crisped thick-cut pork belly. The housemade muffin maintained its toasted texture with a perfectly poached egg on top. The onion soubise was the right sauce to provide some bright acidic counterbalance to each bite. A must order in my mind. Roots & Tubers [$7] Roasted baby carrots, beets, sunchokes, parsnips, celery root puree We had plenty of starch with our mains, but when I saw the roots and tubers go out to another table, I knew I had to order this as well. A gorgeous plate of carrots, beets, sunchokes, and parsnips came atop a roasted celery root puree. The innate sweetness came out from this beautiful melange of perfectly roasted and lightly seasoned veg. Sticky Toffee Puddings [$8] Steamed date cake, toffee sauce, rye vanilla ice cream And with this, the kitchen sent out some sticky toffee pudding. And despite being full, we finished this with no problem - it was that good. We were sold from the house-made ice cream which was clearly not just vanilla. It had a surprisingly light bite from the whiskey, which really complemented the richness of the perfectly made cake, with the macerated portions with toffee really standing out. Rich, bitter, sweet, salty - it was all there. So if you're in Pittsburgh, there's no reason why you shouldn't stop by the Commoner for a meal or a drink. And if you're staying at the Hotel Monaco? It should be part of your itinerary. Well-executed, and thoughtfully delicious dishes with quality ingredients await. read more

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I made a reservation for 5:45 on a Tuesday night. It was packed but we got seated right away. Like other reviewers have said, it's quite noisy inside. Also, a lot of the tables are uncomfortably close to one another-- we could hear the conversations of the couples on either side of us. Not the best place if you're looking for a romantic/intimate date spot. Thankfully, my husband and I were just looking for good food, so it didn't bug us too much. I ordered a champagne cocktail to start and it was quite tasty. My husband's old fashioned was made well. For appetizers we got Devils on Horseback and a Scotch Egg. The Devils on Horseback were delicious, but let's be honest, how can dates stuffed with blue cheese and wrapped in bacon NOT be awesome? I do prefer my bacon a little crispier than what was offered, but that's just a personal preference. The scotch egg was good. This was my first scotch egg experience so I have nothing to compare it to, but I'd order it again. I ordered the Commoner Burger and my husband got the crispy chicken thighs. My burger was cooked to perfection and topped with a sunny side up egg that was also cooked perfectly: just a little bit of yolk. You better believe this burger came with bacon too. Crispy bacon. Be still my heart. The fries that accompanied the burger were ok, but definitely paled in comparison. My husband's crispy chicken thighs were not crispy at all but the meat was fall off the bone tender. The chicken and the Concord grape gastrique were a delightful pairing. I love a good sweet meat! Unfortunately we didn't have time to try dessert as we had a show to attend at 7:30. Our server was very nice but service is a bit on the slower side: I'd suggest giving yourself two hours if you expect to get though 3 courses plus drinks here. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. We'll be back for dessert soon! read more

The Commoner - Nibbles. Scotch Egg and Devils on Horseback. - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

So great for a group! Highly recommended for food and ambience-great location in hotel

I purposefully didn't read the reviews beforehand so my experience could be completely unbiased. There is quite a buzz about this place among friends and colleagues but once I went -- and then read through the reviews -- ugh, I have to side with the majority of the reviews. Ambience 5 Drinks 5 Service 3.5 Price 2 Food N/A My gf and I met for drinks after work on a Thursday. No happy hour specials. Bummer. Three bartenders with 3/4 of the bar full and it took entirely too long for someone to approach us. Throughout our time there, two of the bartenders seemed aloof and not very personable. The female was the nicest and most attentive. She accidentally squirted beer all over me when a tap went out. Instead of getting me a napkin right away she sat there and cleaned off a glass and chatted with another worker. We had to ask a second time. But she did end up rectifying it later on at the end of evening so that's why service got the extra 1/2 point. I was hungry but after reviewing the menu and the prices I opted to wait until I got home to eat. Not many options that appealed to me for one. And I realize we are in a nice hotel downtown but $17 bucks for a plate of cheese? The average price for a "nibble" was $17. The drinks were the best part of the night for me. Although they forgot the garnishments on my friends' drink and we couldn't get their attention for so long she just said forget it. I got the Fortunato cocktail and it was absolutely delicious. Milargro Blanco Tequila, Lime, Cherry heering, Lustau Amontillado Sherry, Cream Soda $13 I also got the Green Flash Passion Fruit Kicker (wheat ale)... fruity, refreshing, so flavorful I need to find out where I can get a case of this. All in all, there are so many other establishments with good cocktails that have happy hour specials that I probably won't be going back here. read more

The Commoner - The Fortunato - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Solid meal at the Commoner. My pappardelle with short rib and mushroom ragu was a highlight. Kids burgers (one lamb and one beef) were good. Wife's Cobb salad was weak, fortunately the piece of salmon she added was good. Flatbread was ok. Kids enjoyed their desserts too -- apple cider sorbet and a huge warm cookie thing that was big enough for the four of us. read more

The Commoner - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

A solid spot downtown. It's located within Hotel Monaco. They take reservations through Open Table. The restaurant space is really cool. Their cocktail menu is awesome and they also have a decent amount of beers on draft. The cocktails are rather pricy but they definitely seem to have a lot of work that goes into them. Someone I was with tonight had the "Alright, Alright, Alright" and it had a small picture of Matthew McConaughey clothes-pinned to it. We had the fondue to start which came with apples, Brussels sprouts and potatoes. I wasn't crazy about the latter. I had the Commoner Burger tonight and it was okay. I think they could use a better bun, the burger kind of just fell apart. Overall, worth checking out. read more

The Commoner - Commoner Burger - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

A delicious breakfast in a unique setting. I liked the historic decor. A little pricey for a simple breakfast.

My best friend and I decided to check this place out for our pre theater dinner. We had a reservation but got there early and were seated immediately. They seated us quite a distance from the bar but the place was so loud I couldn't even hear my cell phone ring! We had a helpful waiter who served us tap water from a bottle and gave us menu suggestions. We ordered drinks, French Onion soup and the PA burger combo for our meals. He told us that most of the menu items are seasoned and that they make their own different ketchups for the burger and the fries. The PA burger is a combination of lamb mixed with ground beef topped with pickles and hot red peppers. It comes with a large box full of French fries. When we got our soup I asked for crackers but was told they didn't have any. Instead he served us three different types of bread-zucchini, cherry buckwheat, and cornbread. These breads were generous portions with our favorite being the zucchini bread. The soup was outstanding! We figured we must have come during happy hour since there was a vibrant bar scene. Dress is casual. WiFi requires a pass-code from the Hotel Monaco of which this restaurant is a part of. After we finished the soup we had to wait at least 30 minutes to get the burgers. The place wasn't crowded so we couldn't figure out why the long wait. The staff was friendly and very attentive to our needs in the meantime. When we finally got our meals they were cooked just right and surprising light. We loved the homemade ketchup they made for the fries so we added that to our burgers. They were very good. When we had finished we were given a dessert menu but having consumed the bread since we waited so long we turned it down. This place is costly, extremely noisy, and long wait times for your orders. Go only if you have time to kill. read more

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Enjoyed dinner so much I came back for lunch today. Great food and service ! Tried the Caesars Salad with Salmon. Very large portion and ingredients are all on top so you can easily remove or chop into the salad. read more

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I loved when the side restaurant that offered breakfast sandwiches was open-- they were great, but that seems to have closed. The restaurant itself has a really nice ambiance but the service can be rather pretentious and the food so-so. It's not my first choice for food Downtown, but I don't complain if someone wants to go there, either. read more

We have stayed at the Kimpton several times and have paid The Commoner at least one visit each time. And every time, we have a terrific time. Last night, when we checked in at the last minute (because SNOW and no, I'm not going to drive in that, thank you very much), we had dinner at the height of their rush. Though the restaurant was busy and bustling with people, the staff were just as genial and helpful as ever (which is a good thing). We got drinks--a Grenache blend for me and rosemary lemonade for the kids--and enjoyed a bit of conversation. And then, THE FOOD. We started with blue crab fritters that came with a sweet & spicy dipping sauce. RUN, do not walk to these. We could have ordered these 4x over and finished every morsel. YUM. Dinners were: The Commoner Burger for The Boy (his favorite) with duck fat fries; seared scallops with risotto for The Girl (her plate was clean, bearing no evidence there'd ever been good on it at all, in the blink of an eye), and the herb-crusted ribeye with duck fat potato wedges for me. My steak was AH-mazing. Cooked perfectly, it was just what the doctor ordered on a polar cold night. The potatoes were a bit underdone, but meh. If that's the worst I can come up with? Not a big deal. Desserts were (and we shared) sticky toffee pudding, dark chocolate soufflé cake, and this pistachio-chocolate mousse thing with honey tuile cookies ... It all tasted like sin. Delicious, delicious SIN. More than the food at The Commoner (which we love), we love the people who work there. Every experience has been wonderful and they always go out of their way to make things special. And now? We're headed down there for breakfast. :) read more

The Commoner is the beautifully adorned bar and restaurant located just off the lobby of Hotel Monaco. The interior is dimly lit but in the right way with dark wood, beautiful marble and tile work, and a design that lets you know you're where the cool people are. The bar area is located at the front half of the restaurant and gets pretty hopping during happy hour. Their beer selection is great with about 10 rotating drafts that cover a broad spectrum of tastes. This is accompanied by a selection of about 50 bottles, a nice wine list, and some great sounding cocktails. The bartenders, and overall staff were fantastic. Everyone was quick to help without being intrusive. For all of the highlights that the space, service and bar offer, the major downfall is the food. My party tried six different dishes including the romaine salad, mussels, charred cauliflower, ribeye, salmon and skirt steak. Across all of those dishes the only one I might recommend to someone is the charred cauliflower. It's a quarter head of cauliflower, cooked to a delicious, nutty brown on 1-2 sides, then topped with a walnut and sage pesto. Unfortunately the dish lacked seasoning and the pesto didn't offer that flavor punch I was looking for. I ordered the mussels and the Harissa skirt steak. I think that the best part of a mussels dish is the delicious broth in which they are served. This broth had a strange bitterness, and the toast had an off putting, acrid, burnt flavor. For my entrée I had the Harissa skirt steak, medium rare. The only flavor the steak had was the same burnt charcoal taste as the bread, and it was cooked to medium well-well. They offered to replace it, but after tasting the unseasoned ribeye and the mediocre salmon I wasn't looking forward to trying anything else. I'll be back for the bar area, but not for the food. read more

The Commoner - Skirt steak ordered medium rare, received well done...a friends medium rare steak for comparison - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Very cute atmosphere and friendly service. Great for groups of any size and they take reservations via Open Table. We came for brunch and i would have to say i loved the atmosphere and vibe but the food was very mediocre and tasted like it was frozen or previously pre-packaged. Nothing was actually hot it was more warm or room temperature. I tasted the shrimp and grits and the shrimp was delicious but they only gave you 4 small pieces, the grits were room temperature. The crab Benedict was okay, the poached eggs were done nicely, and they weren't bad, but the potatoes tasted mediocre and were cold. They did have a pretty cool looking Bloody Mary bar. We had their regular bloody extra spicy and a mimosa and those beverages were delicious. read more

I had very high hopes for their brunch and Bloody Mary bar but I have mixed feelings about it. While I loved my entree, I wasn't super thrilled with the Bloody Mary bar. I absolutely love the fact they offer bottle service for the bloody Mary's. This is one thing that does make the commoner brunch stand out from the rest. At $15 a piece for one Bloody Mary why not spend $58 on a bottle of grey goose and enjoy multiple. My friend and I made a total of 5 and had enough vodka leftover to make at least 1 if not 2 more. As for the Bloody Mary bar itself, I didn't like it as much as some others I've tried. It's definitely nice that they have multiple tomato juice options such as original, smoked, and verde. However, I was not impressed with any of the 3 I tried. The toppings were definitely unique and they had a wide variety of hot sauces and spices to mix in. The best part of my brunch was by far the entree. I got the pierogies and eggs. The day I went they were serving chorizo stuffed pierogies topped with poached eggs and verde sauce with a side of potatoes. Everything about this entree was spot on. The chorizo was no too spicy like some other chorizos that I don't like. The pierogies had more of a deep fried texture to them then a regular pierogi. The poached eggs were cooked perfectly and the verde sauce actually had flavor! Most places can't manage to make a good verde sauce but they did it. This is one of those reviews where I wish we could give half star ratings. While I think a 3 sells the brunch a little short, I think a 4 is a little too generous. Combining both my dinner experience (see former review) and my brunch experience I unfortunately have to give it only a 3 star. read more

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Comfortable, clean and good food. Service was great, long wait during Pitt parents weekend but that is expected. $40 for 2 brunch items was about right. Solid read more

A bunch of were staying at the Monaco last weekend so after checking in we needed a bite to eat. We made our way down to the Commoner dungeon, I'm just not a fan of dark places to eat. I get other people might like that, but I'm not one of them, especially at 3 in the afternoon. The general consensus was the the mid day menu sucked for food. Basically appetizers and a couple sandwiches. I get it's not a prime time of day to eat. I'm just relaying what I heard. I ended up ordering the tartare which I was happy with. Glad the quail egg was on there, I feel like a good tartare needs an egg. Could serve it with a few more slices of the toast, it's a good amount of meat and you need it. A lot of the girls ordered the chicken sandwich and weren't impressed. It was very dry and needed mayo or some kind of sauce. 2 of them actually said their jaws hurt from trying to chew it and one got cut on the roof of their mouth from the hard coating on the meat We ordered a few of the specialty Pride drinks they were serving. Some were hits but most were misses. Marissa was our server and she was sweet. read more

The Commoner - Beef Tartare - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pretty solid place, especially for a restaurant connected to a hotel. We've come here more than a handful of times because we stay at the Monaco so much. Each time we've been here it's been for brunch/breakfast or drinks, but never for lunch/dinner although I'd suspect that would be good too. You can make reservations through the hotel if you're staying there, via phone, but I prefer to book trough yelp (super easy). Their cocktails are really elevated and they have a great bar (with a fair amount of space/seating). No tv, so this isn't the place to catch your favorite game, but I like that. You can see into the kitchen from most seats in the restaurant, which is cool. Service has always been nice, but sometimes a bit delayed/at a slow pace, and I've had circumstances where they've gotten orders incorrect a few times, and that's probably the only reason I wouldn't give this a 5. That and they've run out of things a few times (whether a dish or type of liquor for their Bloody Mary bar). Speaking of, if you can make it here for brunch, I'd highly recommend it. Try the Bloody Mary bar-it's like a meal in itself (you can put anything from capers c every and bacon on your drink to sausages and mini pancakes-it's pretty awesome). Definitely worth a trip downtown for, and a no-brained if you're staying in the hotel! read more

Terrific drink (check out the garnish!) at the Commoner in the Monaco in Pittsburgh made by expert bartender shown Rick Hames read more

The Commoner - Rick Hames and his masterpiece - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I was visiting Pittsburgh from New York, and the passenger sitting next to me on the plane recommended The Commoner as one of her top places to eat. I am a huge foodie myself, and basically travel to try what each city has to offer so I put it at the top of my MUST TRY list. I stopped by on Saturday night for a drink and to catch up with a girlfriend. The ambiance was lively and full of people. Although the place was busy, especially with an upcoming Penguins & Flyers game, we were able to grab a couple seats at the bar. The venue is huge, but we were able to maintain conversation without competing with the environment. BIG PLUS, we had a pleasant conversation with the manager Seth & head chef Wyatt, who took the time to stop by and check in on our restaurant experience. We were impressed by their proactive approach to customer service, it added a personal touch to the restaurant and made the entire experience more intimate despite the crazy hustle and bustle of a Saturday night. BOOZE The Clifford Ball - tequila base w/citrus aftertaste, the black currant sea salt foam definitely adds an extra layer of complexity to the taste and some flair! Signed, Sealed, Delivered - smooth bourbon based cocktail, not too sweet nor too strong Turducken - duck-fat washed wild turkey bourbon, with a rubber chicken to top it off! Loved the garnish on this cocktail & the apple brandy pairing FOOD Short Rib Mac: I am obsessed with mac and cheese, and will order it 90% of the time when I see it on a menu. This one did not disappoint! It was rich, decadent and creamy with pieces of short rib mixed in and topped with breadcrumbs and an EGG! We broke the yolk & mixed it all together - we destroyed it in less than five minutes. It'll cost me on the treadmill later, but no regrets. Beef Tartare: We loved the rare steak + mushrooms + eggs combination. It literally melted in my mouth! Large sized portion - can feed up to four as an appetizer - make sure to ask for extra bread. Thoroughly enjoyed my experience at the Commoner & would definitely return. From the carefully curated cocktails to the drool-worthy food and the superb service, five stars all around!!! read more

The Commoner - Turducken - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Wonderful food in a wonderful location with a wonderful bar in a wonderful hotel. It's...wonderful. The drink menu is fun. Don't let the jokey names let you think they're to be laughed at though. The cocktails are quality. As for food, the dinner menu is great. Really most of the menu is a can't miss. The burger is of course a standout, but there are plenty of other options that stand out. Ask the server and from my experience they can all point you in the right direction. read more

Went for brunch of NY day. Hostess said too many reservations to give us a table even though there were literally at least 5 available but I get it. They gave us a seat at the big communal tables which was perfectly fine. Waitress was nice and did well at the front end but then Disappeared later in the service. Took a bit to get the check. Aside from the above, overall experience was a 4.5 stars. First off the Bloody Mary bar is like nothing I've seen. So many options. Different mixes, olives, pickles, pickled veggies, bacon, focaccia bread, etc. I really enjoyed my bloody. Then we ordered the French toast. Amazing! It's like a cinnamon roll with an egg nog batter. Holy good! Very rich. One order feeds two. Taste explosion. Wifey had the crab Benedict. Also amazing. The has that accompanies it is fresh and well designed. Meal was awesome and the place was really happening. Def coming back for the brunch. read more

Amazing. Mouth-wateringly delicious! We went here for brunch and I ordered the Pirogi and Eggs and the Chilaquiles - both which were phenomenally made! I would definitely come back again. read more

The Commoner - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

My friend and I recently had the opportunity to dine at The Commoner for dinner. I was not only excited to dine at the restaurant, but to check out the public spaces of the Monaco Hotel. The restaurant is located one level below the lobby and is tastefully decorated, which I wouldn't have expected anything less. We arrived a little early for our 6p reservation, but were promptly seated. Their food menu is separated into categories: nibbles (appetizers), slurp (soup/oysters), chomp (salad), graze (larger, vegetable sides), feed (meats), and wood oven (flat breads, etc). On the other side of the menu, you will find a wide array of cocktail choices. For myself, I ordered the Commoner Old Fashioned. This $12 cocktail is made with smoky pork belly infused bourbon and oaked maple house made BBQ bitters. I enjoyed my drink, but didn't love it. Perhaps personal preference? We didn't get too crazy with our dinner choices, instead opting for their meat board ($16) as an appetizer, and the simple greens ($8) and hearty greens ($11) for our main meals. I'm hopeful that had I opted to order something a bit more, well, interesting, that I would have more to say. You would think, however, that at a restaurant like The Commoner they would churn out an amazing salad, even if it's called the simple greens. Unfortunately, they did not. It's pretty basic, people, and for $8 you're not getting much. Head over to Hello Bistro for a yummier and more fulfilling salad. Overall, my guest wasn't impressed and noted that he wouldn't go back. As for me, I'd definitely give them another go. The table next to us ordered dessert and it looked scrumptious. Until next time. read more

The Commoner - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

SETTING: Black steel beams and warm yellow lighting. I can't think of any other way to describe it than to say it is a combination of hip and extravagant. Word of the day: Hiptravegant. FOOD: For appetizer #1, got the Scampi and Chips. Such a basic dish, but I've never had it THIS good before! I might even venture to say that this is better than fried chicken! Uh oh...shots fired. When it comes to fried foods, the type of batter/breading matters A LOT and they did it well--light and crunchy. Appetizer #2 was the braised pork cheek. So tender and with a hint of sweetness from the brown sugar. I'm 100% convinced Elvis' lyrics, "Love me tender, love me sweet" refer to this dish. Not meant to be a tongue-in-pork cheek comment at all. Then, the entree arrived. The Steak & Ale Pie. Like a pot pie stew, but with braised short rib and a brown gravy broth. Yes, all the crust was eaten. Pretty good, but it wasn't my favorite. Saving, literally, the best for last is the Sticky Toffee Pudding dessert. Our waiter said this was quite possibly the best dessert he has ever had in his life. Bold statement. But he was spot on with his previous recommendations, so we went for it. Let me put it this way, I wish I could invent something so each bite I took of this dessert would immediately be replenished on the plate! I want to eat this forever. SERVICE: We were treated well from the get-go. Jeremy, our host, showed us to the table and when he found out this was our first time at the Commoner, he gave us a few recommendations. When we had more questions, he made himself available to us right away. Our waiter was also very patient and informative. Came by to check on us multiple times. Terrific and professional service all around. IMPRESSIONS: Such a cool place with fantastic food and solid service. If I'm in the area again, I'd like to come back for the apps and--no question--that Sticky Toffee Pudding. read more

The Commoner - A peek inside the Steak & Ale Pie. - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania