I'm newish to Pittsburgh so I've been exploring new places lately. Coming from California, it's been exceedingly frustrating how few vegan options restaurants in Pittsburgh have. Most places I've either checked the menu ahead of time, or they have accommodated me. Either way, I haven't ever written a review, but this experience was a bit different so I thought it might be worth it to post, to at least give an employee some recognition. My friends picked this place for brunch last weekend, and I didn't check the menu ahead of time but knew it was attached to a hotel, so I figured they would have at least one brunch vegan option. But they didn't. NOT ONE. The "afternoon" section of the menu had some salads that could be modified to vegan with the option of adding tofu, but come on. It's 2019, does anyone really still think the only thing you can feed vegans is lettuce and tofu?? Even the overnight oats on the menu aren't truly vegan, apparently. Grrrr. Anyway, I declined that option, and decided not to order anything, since I live closeby and figured I could just make something at home later. Our server, Stephanie, was very apologetic, and sympathized. She told me I was not the first to complain about this and encouraged me to email or review the restaurant to express my frustration so that they might add something in the future. I said okay, but figured I never would, lol. But that wasn't the end. In a few minutes, almost exactly as the rest of the table got their food, Stephanie came out with sourdough toast topped with smashed avocado, chickpeas, and chunky sea salt. I was so surprised and grateful! She told me she made it for me herself, not to worry because it took about two minutes, AND didn't charge me for it. And honestly? It was DELICIOUS! Simple and fresh and filling. This was SO nice and made my day, since I didn't have to sit there with nothing while everyone else ate their (meaty, dairy-filled) brunches. She didn't make me feel like a nuisance, and even laughed when I told her to tell the chef to just put this on the menu and charge $15, because I would pay it lol. Anyway, 1 star for no vegan options, but 5+ stars for awesome and compassionate service!! Thank you Stephanie!! read more

Absolutely delicious! We had the wedge salad and burger and it was perfection! No complaints here. Go here. You won't be disappointed....promise. And thanks to Aaron for taking such good care of us. read more

I went to this place for brunch with my boyfriend and loved it. The food was awesome, and the restaurant was very fun-feeling! The drinks are the huge menu item. A bunch of different cocktails and coffee products! I had the buckwheat waffle with charred peaches and citrus mascarpone, and he had the chicken and biscuit. read more

The Commoner - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Amazing cocktails, but food gets mixed reviews. Really tasty cold asparagus-burrata starter. Superb, fresh scallops with unique risotto. Steak was a marginal cut with gristle and burgers were dry and just okay. This is a really good pub with some great food items, so don't expect significant variety in dishes. Not great for kids. Staff were good-to-great, especially with the recommendations. read more

A Lovely gathering place located below Hotel Monaco. Cool interior. We sat at the bar. Pleasant bar tenders. Husband ordered the Bitter Resentment cocktail with blackberry shrub. Holy deliciousness!!! I am going to say it is the best flavored drink I have ever tasted. Yes, it was that damn good!! I had a San Pellegrino. I enjoyed an entree of Tikki Masa, it was served with very fresh pita, do they bake the pita in house? It was that fresh.... Flavorful dish, a bit sweet, as is this kind of dish, but I loved it. Leszek had the Buffalo Cottage Pie, it was served in a skillet and was topped with Whipped potatoes and filled with a savory gravy, ground buffalo and veggies. I ordered a glass of Commoner Cabernet, bottled just for them from California. I had to save it for after dinner as my Tiki Masa was to spicy to enjoy a glass of red. This wine rocked. We will return. read more

The Commoner - Tiki Masa - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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This was our first time in Pittsburgh, so we were looking for some place with good food and within walking distance to our hotel. We were extremely happy with The Commoner. The food was fantastic and the staff was really helpful and genuine. We were seated at their "chef's counter" and had the opportunity to chat with the kitchen staff as they cooked. The chef we spoke with was really kind and wrote out a list of places for us to check out while in Pitt. The manager came around during our dinner to check on us and stuck around to give us even more ideas of where to go. We found the whole experience really satisfying and enjoyable, and we felt impressed by the modern gastropub atmosphere. read more

Really good Negroni!! Salads are outstanding- I had the summer squash one and it was divine. The fish fish I had was good. Interesting and felt Healthy. My companions were complimenting the paparadelle and noncommittal on the lamb burger. read more

Went here for a late dinner with some friends. The service was very uninterested and aloof. We took a while to navigate the menu and the waiter either didn't notice or didn't bother to care. I do know that he had just dealt with a large group for a birthday party and that might be where the difficulty stemmed from, but overall he really wasn't on top of anything and we had to stop lots of other staff members to ask for any extras we needed. My friends had some appetizers and seemed to really enjoy the mussels. My husband ordered a few different appetizers as his meal and I will say that the pretzel was one of the best I have ever tasted. I ordered the chicken entree and really enjoyed it. It was a well balanced dish and a good portion. I would have really liked some bread to soak up the sauce, but that wasn't offered. I really liked the look of the restaurant and the atmosphere was great. Hopefully the service improves. read more

Last night confirmed The Commoner is still my favorite bar in the city. Great drinks, elevated bar bites and exceptional service. Our bartender Ryan was awesome. Attentive and full of great suggestions. read more

Limited menu options however the food my group ordered was good. The dessert menu was impressive as well. The only cons are service was somewhat slow during the brunch and parking is limited. Overall, nice restaurant for my first visit to Pittsburgh read more

My partner and I came here for dinner. I had the tiki masala, and my partner had the lamb burger. The food here was good, but nothing special. I was able to add chicken to the vegetarian masala, but they charged something like $6 for the chicken, which brought the price to $30, which didn't seem worth it. The naan that came with it seemed fresh, but not steaming like I expected it to. The cocktails seemed very novel, boasting flavors like fruit loops and marshmallow, but in the end you couldn't pick out the individual components which proved disappointing. read more

Nancy Reagan famously said When it comes to drugs "Just say no." I have my own version of this, which is just as addictive, mind altering and pleasurable. When it comes to the commoner's Toffee bread pudding "Just say yes." Get the toffee bread pudding. Do it, or I will never forgive you. More importantly, you will never forgive yourself. Now that we have that out of the way, brunch is a good place to start at The Commoner. There is a bloody mary bar that has all of the accouterments, and is 2nd only to the endless bloody mary toppings of Meat & Potatoes. Overly obsequious waiters tend to be a problem in swanky hotels. The ambiance hits the mark between hip rustic industrial and dimly lit speakeasy. You walk down stairs to patent leather upholstered booths, high ceilings, and thick wooden tables, feeling like you've found the only place that will serve gin in the city. The menu has a small plates section that is priced well and just as tasty. The service is top notch, attentive but not pushy. The onion soup burger was decent, but very well done. the brussel sprouts were good, but not great. Other than the toffee bread pudding dessert the flavors aren't transcendent, and the dishes are tasty but not particularly imaginative. If you go, definitely checkout the main hotel and the roof top deck, they're both beautiful, and provide a much bigger pull than the restaurant itself. Worth going to for the decor and view, but with so many amazing high end brunch spots in Pittsburgh, you can find even more flavor per dollar. read more

I haven't visited the Commoner for anything other than Brunch. However - Brunch has always been amazing. Hands down one of the best brunches I've had. My friend and I both, almost always, get the Beni's. I lean towards the amazing - seriously - amazing - bacon Beni. You can never have too much bacon! The only frustrating experience I've had the couple times I've had brunch - they always tell us to wait at the bar till our table is ready. Every.single.time - the table is ready upon us arriving, but they want that money spent at the bar. To the point - one time - they forgot us. We sat at the bar for almost 45 minutes - granted they gave us both a free Mimosa to make up for the error. The food is amazing, the Mimosas are amazing. I will be back. Many. Many Times! read more

Staying at the Hotel Monaco for a conference, I had the chance to eat at The Commoner twice. The first was for brunch and it was quite nice. I orderd a delicious yogurt parfait with homemade granola and fresh fruit. My friend had a substantial plate of homemade perogies, poached eggs, and potatoes. My sample of the dish revealed a balanced combination of flavors, but was a bit heavy to begin the day. I didn't partake, but The Commoner brunch also boasts a Bloody Mary bar, with loads of fixings. I was also able to try a main course, the onion soup burger. The sandwich was good, but didn't carry the classic French onion flavor I had hoped for. The fries that accompanied the burger were fine. The Commoner is a pretty good choice if you're in the area. read more

Loved the atmosphere of the restaurant and the food was great. Went for brunch, and it wasn't too busy surprisingly. I would definitely recommend this place to others. read more

The Commoner - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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I walk down Strawberry Way every day after work as I head from the US Steel Tower to my bus stop, so I've been passing by the windows that look down into The Commoner for months now. I have been so eager to try it after basically watching its construction, and especially since the interesting lighting and finishes were installed. My roommate's mom was in town visiting this past weekend, and we decided on The Commoner for dinner after an afternoon spent at the orchid and bonsai show at Phipps. You enter the restaurant through the main entrance of the Monaco hotel which seemed very interesting in itself, with a very unique (and huge) chandelier of dried flowers hanging in the lobby. I loved the style of the restaurant; the dark finishes and low lighting give it a upscale feel, but the high ceilings and general spaciousness keep it from becoming stuffy. We were loving the hardwood floors which looked as though they had been branded with a geometric pattern. Very interesting and different. We took a chance by walking in right after opening (5PM) on a Sunday and were told there were no open tables due to reservations (I guess they are doing well!), however there were ample bar and kitchen-view seating options available. We chose to sit overlooking the kitchen, which was actually a pretty entertaining experience. It was kind of like watching Food Network, except in real life--no complaints here! We started with the daily oysters and the brown butter Brussels sprouts. I am by no means an expert on oysters, so I don't remember the specifics of that day's selection, but they were great. Presentation was also great, and we enjoyed the pickled vegetables that were served as a garnish. The sprouts were buttery and delicious, and there were plenty to split between three of us. I had the steak and ale pie for my entree, consisting of braised short rib and vegetables in a delicious and flaky suet crust. Perfect comfort food! The crust was perfectly baked and the filling was piping hot. I loved the cute penguin pie vent! The meat was tender and practically falling apart. The gravy was also delicious. The pie was the perfect size--I had no trouble finishing it by myself. I enjoyed all of this with a gin and tonic, made with the Commoner House tonic. They also offered an Elderflower tonic, which sounded great as well. Nice selection of cocktails--I will definitely be bringing some coworkers here sometime for a post-workday cocktail. Overall I really enjoyed the food, the friendly service, and the ambiance. The Commoner is already a new favorite of mine and I'm looking forward to my next visit! read more

The place has a great atmosphere,very trendy and the service was also very good.Food was just as expected,but the drinks are just above average yet the price was not.But still,a good choice for group of people. read more

The Commoner - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Nice space, good energy, good food. All around I would recommend. I had the crab stuffed shells and my friend had the cauliflower sandwich. We got fries for an appetizer which were a little over spiced and salted so not too thrilled. No wait to be seated, service was ok during lunch hour rush. I really enjoyed the atmosphere. read more

The Commoner - Dining room - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Lamb burger was amazing! Perfectly cooked medium which I requested, the bun was fluffy, the whipped goat feta was creamy, the pickled veggies were not too tart and the sauce was heaven. I upgraded to the Brussels and bacon and it was everything you expect - huge pieces of bacon, slightly oily and crunchy Brussels. I also had the rosemary lemonade which was very refreshing. However, I finished with the coffee, which was very good, and the pumpkincrack dessert. Hysterical name, very dry cake and very salty ice cream. The concept of putting salt on ice cream appeals to me, but have a light hand. This was dumped on. The cake was also so dry as to make it almost inedible had it not been for the dollops of pumpkin pie mixture on top. I would very much say go for the food, don't stick around for the dessert. read more

Went there on a Sunday evening and it wasn't very packed but the restaurant was very nicely decorated. The service was great for the most part--the waitress came to our table very often and filled up our water in addition to replacing our silverware after the appetizer was finished; however it took almost 30 minutes for our appetizer to come out. After our appetizer came out, our food came out within 10 minutes so we didn't get to finish the appetizer before our dinner came. I had the primavera pasta and I was expecting it to be more of a creamy sauce than what it was. The green beans in the pasta seemed slightly undercooked. It was tasty but definitely not as great as I had expected. My friend got the scotch egg and the breading was soggy and seemed like it had been sitting in the sauce for too long which is why it was soggy and not served fresh. We also got the toffee pudding dessert and that was phenomenal. Overall the taste was good but not as great as expected and the app took an extremely long time to come out considering the fact that there weren't that many people there. read more

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

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This restaurant is attached to the Kimpton hotel in downtown Pittsburgh, where we were staying, so we gave this a try for Saturday morning breakfast. It was definitely OK, but there were a couple of negatives and I don't know if I would go there again if we found ourselves back in downtown Pittsburgh. It was a little dark in there, which I guess is not surprising since it is sort of technically in the basement. I think the main things that put me off were that the kitchen was super slow in putting out our food. There really weren't that many people there, but we still waited about 20 or 25 minutes for pretty standard breakfast items (I had the two egg breakfast, while my wife had one egg with a side of potatoes). The kitchen is open so you can actually see the cooks working, and it didn't appear as though they were shortstaffed, so the slowness was a little puzzling. Also, I thought the portions were unacceptably small. The two eggs that came out for me actually seemed more like what you would get if you scrambled a single egg, and the portion of potatoes was also pretty small. I will say though that the food itself was very tasty. It was seasoned very well, and we both really liked the potatoes, which were mixed in with red peppers, green peppers, and onions. The English muffin I had with my breakfast was delicious. Also, my breakfast came up with a meat item, but since I don't eat meat the server was nice enough to let me have the cup of fruit, where you usually have to choose between the fruit and something else. So overall not bad, just a couple of little things that detracted from the overall experience. read more

Been here for breakfast and dinner. Breakfast was very mediocre (2-3 stars) and somewhat overpriced - can get wherever. Dinner was very good (4-5 stars) - can't go wrong with steak or some of their creative dishes as well read more

I arrived to Pittsburgh on a cold winter morning and was looking for an amazing breakfast place. Though the yelp hours say 6:30am when my friends and I arrived the doorfront says 7:30am, so because nothing else was open at the time we decided to wait in the lounge of a nearby hotel to warm up. When we got to the Commoner it had a cozy rustic vibe and the waiter was extremely friendly. My friends got the bagel and pancakes and I got the oatmeal. My oatmeal was topped with cranberries and nuts and was wholesome and delicious. My friends pancakes were uber healthy and ginormous! My friend claimed he's never had a better bagel before. Super high quality and lovely ambience! read more

We hit up the Commoner for a weekday lunch. The staff is really friendly and professional. We did not have a reservation (note: make one) but I think since we were checking out the space to have a work-related event - they bent over backward to accommodate the three of us. This place is busy, so be sure to make a reservation. Our waitress, Abigail (I think that was her name) was perfect in every way. Super friendly and efficient with just the right amount of personality to be charming and entertaining. The space is beautifully renovated. The long communal table was made from a slab of marble. It is very bistro like - good energy - but not so loud that you have to shout to have a conversation. I had the lamb hash - this was pretty great. Good flavor and the side salad was nicely dressed and a good contrast. I shared a side of fries - those are amazing and so was the house-made ketchup. I also ordered a Bloody Mary - outstanding. OH, and that sticky toffee pudding everyone raves about? yeah, there's a reason for that... sooooooo good. I am looking forward to coming back! read more

I have had quite a few drinks and appetizers here, but this was my first time trying breakfast. The menu allows for just about anything you might want for breakfast. My eggs were cooked perfectly and the English Muffin was nice. I tried the beet juice and was wishing it had a bit more sweetness to it. Highly recommend this place. read more

The Commoner - Two eggs and English Muffin - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I was a little worried because the place is on the fancy side and I wasn't dressed for the occasion. I sat at the bar anyhow. The server was so pleasant and helpful with food and wine suggestions. I ordered the shrimp and chips. The shrimp was HUGE. Literally the biggest I'd ever had or seen in my life. My friend even joked that it was fake. Lol. Also, they have a house ketchup that's to die for. They could totally give Heinz a run for their money. The food was well priced too. The wine, on the other hand, was much more than I anticipated. $11 for the glass I had. At any rate, I would go again, but I'll be getting a cocktail this time. And some ketchup to take back to NYC :-) read more

The Commoner - HUGE Shrimp and Chips - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Very disappointed. Appetizers portions were so tiny that they resembled a kiddie meal. Entrees were awfully salty (Horseradish Crusted Salmon, Spring Lamb Pot Pie- we even had to send it back). Desserts were just ok, not so great -Strawberry cheesecake, Sticky Toffee Pudding. Very expensive drink menu - Drinks didn't come with any garnish, for e.g. Moscow mule was served in a tall glass- no garnish, no copper mug. The service was really poor. Waitress (Aimee) seemed like she couldn't care less. This restaurant came highly recommended but did not live up to the hype or the cost - Eleven would have been better, tastier and a better price-value. We were party of 5, spent over $600. In conclusion the whole experience was not good, I would never go again to this place for any reason and I don't recommend this restaurant. read more

A bit overpriced even for a hotel eatery. I was served still frozen pierogies at their brunch. The wait was horrendous, and all in all wasn't a pleasant experience. I wouldn't recommend. read more

Our group dined at the commoner to celebrate a birthday. Reservations were easy and we were promptly seated on arrival. I really liked the vibe and atmosphere of the place, it is an upscale gastropub and definitely feels special. The only thing was, our table was too close to the bar stools and hence people had to really squeeze in while going back and forth. Anyway, we ordered a bunch of cocktails and also their cheese plate, lamb burger and tikka masalas. The presentation of food was beautiful and we all enjoyed everything, except the lamb burger which tasted gamey and was really nothing special. All in all a nice evening and will probably come back for a special dinner sometime. read more

Great food, service & atmosphere. We stayed overnight at Hotel Monaco and had breakfast. I had a baked egg dish with kale, zucchini and tomato which was super delicious and very light. My husband ordered a house-made English muffin with his breakfast which was so buttery and wonderful. Coffee was just ok but the food and service made up for it. read more

The Commoner - Baked egg whites with kale, zucchini and roasted tomatoes. - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Waffle fries - awesome, shrimp within beer batter - succulent and sweet - and perfectly cooked; Mac and cheese and crab shells overly peppered so that pepper overwhelms crab; wait staff in need of some maturation and better dining experience. But overall, a great time and top addition to Pgh read more

The Commoner - Mac and cheese shells w/ crab - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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I came here with my Dad and Girlfriend as a birthday celebration. We thought it would be a good place to go since it is a new place and I have heard great reviews. I rdered a gin a house made tonic, it was pretty good, but I guess I am an old fashioned girl and would prefer my regular ol' Tanqueray and tonic. For food, I ordered the steak and ale pie since I saw a lot of reviews on here and it looked amazing. Of course it was!! It had great flavor to it and it was the perfect portion size. My dad and girlfriend both ordered burgers, according to them they were over done (they both ordered medium) so if you are a person who likes pink/red do not order medium. Even just looking at the meat I could tell it was overcooked, but they both said the flavors were there and that it would be a perfect burger if it wasn't dry. I would come here again and try something else. The ambiance was really great as well!! read more

Best lamb burger I ever had! Service was fast and friendly and facility was clean! What an experience... read more

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Ate breakfast here two times while staying in hotel and enjoyed the food and atmosphere. The oatmeal not so much, but the quiche was really good and the lamb/poached eggs on English muffins was delicious. Tour some of the upper level of hotel...beautiful place to stay. read more

Disappointed! We traveled to Pittsburgh from New York, and had our dinner at this place. The interiors is nice. But the food was really disappointed, the half chicken and salmon were way too dry, and the pork chop was gamy. It's a such bad experience... read more

Came here for brunch. Our friends and I ordered the Crab and Lamb Benedicts. Flavor of the food was good but unfortunately, it was cold. Ambiance was nice but service was so-so. Would have given it a better rating if the food was hot. read more

The Commoner was right next to the hotel I was staying in for a conference, and I managed to have 3 different meals throughout my trip. Overall it is a bit pricey, but everything is extremely fresh and well made. The lobster bisque was creamy and great, as was the Scotch egg! For lunch one day I had the short rib sandwich, and then made my way there for brunch the last morning. Wait staff is friendly and quick, and the restaurant has a cute trendy vibe to it. If I'm ever in Pittsburgh again I'll definitely go back! read more

Waiter was very attentive and friendly. Food and drinks were delicious. Great atmosphere and reasonably priced. read more

The Commoner - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I was here the first time for brunch and I came back a second time for dinner with colleagues and we had such a wonderful time that I had to write a review First of all, our waiters name was Chris and he was FANTASTIC. He came over to us immediately and asked if we had been there which no one had but me so he went over the menu. He explained each dish starting with the appetizers in great detail. So much so, that we ordered two appetizers: the veggies and the short rib mac. Both were awesome, I really liked the roasted vegetables and so did the rest of the table. When he came back to let us order our dinner meals he again explained everything in detail and let us know what he thought was really good and what was usually a fan favorite, which I appreciated. The menu is a little different so it was nice to get an explanation of what things actually were. Two of my colleagues got the short rib, two got the 10oz steak, and I got the half chicken. From all of the comments everything was delicious. I really enjoyed my chicken and it was so tender that i didn't even need a knife to cut it - so good!!!! We were very full but Chris has suggested we at least look at the dessert menu which of course we obliged. He explained everything again and we ordered dessert. We got the smores dessert, the nutella mousse, and the ice cream that was on special (it was some sort of black seed type ice cream). They were all so good, AGAIN! Chris gave us excellent recommendations. I would highly recommend giving the Commoner a try for both brunch and dinner! My experience for brunch was quite the same, we just had a bigger party so I truthfully didn't pay much attention to the service. But either way - TRY IT! read more

Casual fun place. Their Scotch egg and beef tartare were good. Service was above average. Overall thumbs up.