Cute place to hang out. I went to see my sister's friend sing here and it was a great atmosphere in the back room (where the musicians perform). Very intimate, the crowd was really friendly, and I had a lot of fun. I only had a glass of wine (which was more like a vat...seriously, they give you so much wine here). My sister had sweet potato fries and chili and was very happy with both. She also gulped down 3 of their pomegranate martinis so they must have been fairly delicious. If you want to go when they have performers, try to make a reservation - that way you are sure to get a table. My sense is it fills up pretty quick back there. read more

Bartender is named Tom. Cool engraved bar. Pre fixe menu for under $40 and its all sustainable meats and local organic produce, which makes me feel its ok to chow down on the meats they serve. I like the atmosphere / vibe in this place. Very homey. I have eaten the steak here and would get it again, but their menu is so vast and enticing, I will probably get something else. My friend always gets the grass fed burger. read more

If you want to go someplace where the inside feels like the outside, then this is it! When I walked into the bathroom, I thought I accidentally opened a secret door to the rainforest. Trippy. On Mondays all their drafts are four buckaroos. Which is purty sweet considering all their tappers are high class. Weissy dicey. HOWEVER, if you go here for the open mic night be prepared to sit awkwardly for a good two hours. Their "Listening Room" is almost like a creepy version of storytime. Everyone sits in a circle, surrounding the performer and no one is allowed to speak. I think people literally glared at me when I tried to sip my beer... I don't know. Maybe I'm just a paranoid freak but I think open mics THIS intense should not be held at a bohemian-esque, ultra hip cafe/ bar. It only made this place seem weird and less urban. I didn't know there were people that took themselves this seriously. I would hate to see a poetry reading here. I'd probably die from holding my breath for so long. But really... if you like the woods, you'll totally dig the decor. If you like feeling comfortable and being able to move around and stuff, you will probably want to kill yourself. read more

Took some out of town friends here. Word to the wise: make reservations on a Saturday night, or don't even bother. We waited the good hour to be seated there but the place was bumper to bumper packed making it an uncomfortable experience. I vow never to go again on a Saturday night. I couldn't believe how many people were in there. And I was excited to see that chicken tenders were on the menu for kids only to find they were more like unbreaded chicken strips, not even close to looking like Chicken tenders, please make actual chicken tenders! Was bummed out about that. Food still rocks though. read more

I had such an unpleasant experience here yesterday. Right off the bat, I disliked our waitress, Tiana. She was abrupt, cold and clearly thought she was "too cool for school", but deigned to put up with us. Whenever I have bad service my instinct is to be nicer to compensate for their lack of manners. It did nothing to improve her mood. My friend said he's had better service at the Wiener Circle! We were too early for the dinner menu, so we sifted through the choices on the late lunch menu. The pumpkin ravioli was just ok. The vegetarian chili was cold. When I asked if it could be heated up, she snatched it and retorted "I'll just get another one". She brought it back 10 minutes later and said "better"? It was piping hot, but tasted like tomato paste with some beans thrown in. I also ordered the crab cake which was kind of fishy and not very satisfying. It had a nicely browned crust but I just didn't love it. I don't know if I just made bad menu choices or all the food is sub-standard, but I really regretted eating here. I will say the space is cute, but not enough to come back. read more

Cute little brewery/bar. It felt very hip, and almost like a coffee shop. The beers that they had on tap when I went there were very light with lots of fruity undertones. I'm normally more into darker beers, but their APA and IPA were awesome! There's also a great little fire place that you can sit around with friends and enjoy while the weather is still a little chilly. The only bummer about this place is that the Happy Hour deals don't apply unless you're sitting at the bar. We didn't know this and had a group of 6 of us and there weren't 6 seats at the bar so we couldn't partake in the bar bites or cocktails (at happy hour prices). Even if there were seats though, I doubt we all would have comfortably been able to hang out and chat sitting at the bar with that many of us. This was such a bummer, because they seemed like they had some interesting things that we all would have liked to try, but we also weren't planning on spending a lot of money while there. I know that may sound silly, but we came here for the Happy Hour and then couldn't partake! Just something to keep in mind, if you're planning on come here. Overall, this place is a little far from where I live, so I wouldn't plan on coming back soon, but if you live in the area/are in the area and want a refreshing beer, you should stop by! read more

This was not my first time at Uncommon Ground but after the terrible service that I received last night, it will definitely be my last. My boyfriend and I decided to go there to celebrate a special occasion- our anniversary. When we walk in, we were told by the seemingly disgruntled hostess that the wait for two would be 20 minutes. That didn't seem too bad and I glanced at the bar to see if there were any seats that we could sit in while we waited. She gestured to the bar and said we could have a seat. Following instructions, we sat down, ordered a couple of drinks, and waited. 40 minutes later, we were still waiting. I asked my boyfriend to go and check why it was taking so long. He came back and said he was told that she thought we were eating at the bar and if we wanted a table the wait would be another 35 minutes. Now my boyfriend is an incredibly polite Brit so he didn't say anything to the hostess about the absurdity of the situation. However, I was livid (and starving) and decided to try to get some clarification from the woman. When I went to talk to her she basically blamed the situation on us saying that we didn't give her our name. *Since when is it my responsibility to tell a hostess how to do her job?* I mentioned that we merely sat down at the bar as she instructed while we waited for our table. She tried to explain further by saying "What I meant was for you to eat there." How was I supposed to know that? I wanted a table! There was no apology and I was on the verge of tears because I was so angry. I asked to speak with a manager and she said "I am the manager." Great. So not only was she not apologetic, but she was also not willing to do anything to rectify the situation. I walked back to the bar confused and visibly upset. I didn't want to have to wait another 35 minutes for a table so we decided to order there. 5 minutes later the same "manager" shows up and says "We have a table now if you want it." She mumbled something about taking care of our round of drinks and walked away. So we stood up and decided to go the table. It was a nice gesture but felt like too little, too late. Our server greeted us and we ordered another glass of wine and a beer. I had to ask for water as well. He came and took our order and then disappeared for 25 minutes. Our drinks were empty and we were down to our last sip of water. Still no food. Finally, our server came back and apologized for the wait but said that they were backed up in the kitchen. Understandable. Honestly, it would have been fine if we hadn't already been waiting over an hour. But then he walked away without asking if we needed anything else to drink. Huh? 20 minutes later our food finally arrived. It was ok but not worth the overall horrible experience. I liked Uncommon Ground before this ordeal and really just wanted a good meal to celebrate. I am surprised and disappointed that the evening turned out the way that it did. End result: no more Uncommon Ground for us. We don't need the hassle. read more

Unfortunately I have just discovered this place. Although, considering I have only been in the Chicago area a couple of months now, I guess that is not too bad. Anyway, there are a number of things that makes this place really cool. 1) They are environment friendly! The first Thursday of every month they have an event with live music and they feature a local non profit that sort of fits into their overall scheme. For example, the last time I was there they featured an organization that buys and sells purses, artifacts that have been fairly traded. 2) Along the lines of been green conscious, they have a drink called the "tree-tini". It is made with rain vodka and for every tree-tini sold, rain vodka has agreed to plant a tree. How cool is that?! And you can buy them any time you want, not just on the first Thursdays of the month. The tree-tinis are seasonal so they change it up every quarter. 3) All of their drinks/food are organically grown. I'm not too into being "organic", like I don't spend the extra money to buy organic at the grocery store, but I appreciate those who do. So, thanks Uncommon Ground. 4) They feature live music pretty frequently, so I hear. They definitely feature live music first Thursdays. This past Thursday was a great band (forget their name, ugh) who sang some pretty kick back music. I loved the guy's voice and it helped that he was pleasing to the eye. The second act was Green E: Green Elvis. This guy is a CRACK UP. (www.greenelvis.com). He is an elvis impersonator that uses Elvis' iconic rock status to teach and inspire people to be more environmentally conscious. He does a lot for the local schools and I can only imagine that the kids get a kick outta him. 4) Oh the food...such great comfort food. There are so many things I want to try so I will be coming back here very soon but what I did have was delicious: squash soup and the macaroni and cheese. The soup, fabulous. The mac n' cheese could have used some salt but hey, it's mac n' cheese so I'll like it no matter what. Other dishes on the menu that will surely satisfy the palette: pumpkin raviolis, sweet potato fries, calamari, a collection of gourmet pizzas, the duck quesadillas, to name a few. 5) The cocktails. They have a ton of martinis to choose from. I chose the ginger martini; it was fabulous. My friend Kirsten F. chose a pretty strong one with maker's mark and coffee beans floating atop...not for me but if you like maker's mark and want to get drunk real fast, this may be the drink for you. Oh and don't forget about that tree-tini! The only downside is that the cocktails are definitely on the pricey side. My cocktail and glass of wine each cost me $20. All in all this is a great little place to hang out, get a great cocktail, eat some all-American, top of the line grub and also feel good about giving your business to a restaurant/bar that is looking out for good ol' Mother Nature. read more

I have a really good opinion of Uncommon ground, despite the fact that my first visit there was on a blind date. I saw a live indie trio in the back area, adjusted my lipstick in a small bathroom, and overpaid for a glass of Stella. Yes, I paid for it... damn blind date ; ) The front newer area seemed disconnected from the back, and totally different personalities from eachother. I guess they're trying to appeal to everyone? I like their food, and might go get some soon. I'd have to brave being judged by the Jeff Buckley fan club that meets there nightly... but that's ok. read more

Uncommon Ground is a place that knows how to please. Excellent beer selection, food from mostly local and sustainable farms/ sources, and the music is usually good! Recommendations include the sweet potato fries with goat cheese, bacon crusted chicken, duck breast, and bacon wrapped meatloaf. Yeah, we've been here a few times. I do want to give a special shout out to the Korean Chili-spiced Fried Calamari. It has always been fried to perfection; not too chewy and not too burnt. The sauce isn't too spicy, but still gives you something to remember. Just stopping in for a beer and the calamari is a good choice for pre-gaming in the area. The reason for the 5th star is for the service that we had on our last visit. I've seen some comments suggesting otherwise, but our waiter was very attentive and helpful with suggestions to my parents who were "visiting the Big City." We ordered the mussels as an appetizer (I think it was a special) and they came out undercooked or were a bad batch. When we suggested to the waiter that they didn't taste right and weren't all opened, he immediately took them back to the chef who apologized and gave us an appetizer for free. Overall, great for brunch, dinner, or grabbing a beer before going out or to a show! read more

Before I moved to DC, I had been to Uncommon Ground a handful of times and always enjoyed the experience. I am not sure what happened since then, but after my meal today this was the most disappointing meal I have had since (over a year) I moved back. I waited about 45 minutes for my food. I ordered some eggs and sausages. I didn't think it should take that long. There were actually people who were seated about 20 minutes after me that received their food about 15 minutes before me. I got up and asked for the manager, and waited. In that time, I finally got my food with no explanation or apology for the extraordinary amount of time I waited. The manager never came. The food was cold, the sausages were dry, and I was extremely disappointed. I asked the server about it and he gave me 20% off my bill and a card for 10% off my next visit. I left the card on the table because I definitely won't be back. There are way too many great restaurants in this city to waste time on this place. What an overall disappointment... read more

I have given this place too many chances. Burgers are absolutely horrible. I would rather eat one from burger king. Really thin and bland. Chicken is the same way. The atmosphere is really cool, which is deceiving. I get that it is a vegan friendly place, but that doesn't mean the rest of your food should suck. Not to mention their "craft beer" is less than sub par. Really thin tasting IPA. The final straw was last week when I ordered carry out. I was wanting breakfast but didn't want to make it, and it is closer than the diner. I called in an order or their biscuits and gravy and picked it up 10 minutes later. The bill was $16 DOLLARS. 16 DOLLARS FOR AN ORDER OF BISCUITS AND GRAVY AT 10:30AM SATURDAY MORNING. But whatever, I was hungry and just brought it home. The gravy had some twisty flavor in it, not bad, but not traditional. I didn't mind it, but I can see why other complain about it. Biscuits were the worse I had ever had in my life. They were flavorless and stale, like they had been sitting out for a week. But the final straw? About five bites in and I bite into a pube. Good times. Spit it out and didn't even bother calling to complain to these bafoons. F*** this place. Moral of the story: Next time you go to a place and it sucks, don't go back because it has a cool atmosphere and is hip. Edit: Hesititantly tried the edgewater/Rogers park location and had a slightly better experience (aka not getting pubic hair in my food), but still over priced, bland tasting burger and slow service. read more

This place is ok, kinda pricey if you ask me... They have a good beer list and yummy burgers and sides, but like I said, a little steep for the location--if that even matters. I asked for a salad as the side with my burger, the waitress forgot and gave me fries. Not a big deal, but she later brought my salad. I was trying to be a good girl and she made it very hard on my ass and thighs! The service was friendly and the atmosphere was very quaint, especially for being in Wrigleyville! Anyways, not sure if I'd try it again, nothing too special, but maybe my mind can be changed at a later date. read more

Very cool atmosphere, low lit and warm. The music room in the back is small, cozy and very intimate. But make sure you make reservations if you want to sit back here for a performance. They don't let just anyone wander back. Even though they are right down the street from Wrigley Field, Don't come here thinking you can get a Bud and the watch game - they don't serve those types of domestics. But they do have one of my favorites ,312, which more than makes up for the lack of Bud. If youre not in the mood for beer... try the Apple Hot Toddy. It comes in a bowl for your sipping pleasure and is ohhso yummy! read more

I always passed this place thinking it was a coffee house. It's huge with endless rooms! The aroma walking to my table alone was almost enough for a food coma! At first the menu looked a wee bit pricey. When you begin to read what is on it, those thoughts flutter out of your head. I had the sweet potato and short rib hash. Two eggs sat on top of this masterpiece and my mouth ignored conversation while I had one of the best, unique food in awhile! I am ready to go back and try some more creations! read more

Fck this place. The service was so shitty that we waited for 25 min before we went to a place called Rockit. Uncommon ground told us no reservations over the phone then asked for one when we got there. We wait b/c they tell us 20 min but half an hour later, they tell us no seating w/o party. Thanks a lot! Should've told us earlier. Know why it's uncommon ground? Cuz no one should ever go there. (edit, this review was intended for the night of 2/3/2012 but i didn't complete the review until today) read more

I'm still walking around today in shock. I've been thinking all weekend about Uncommon Ground and how it couldn't have been *that* good. Well ladies and gentlemen, it really was. Taking advantage of a Yelp coupon, we braved the cold down the street to this cozy little corner. Well, I thought it was a corner. This place is bigger than I thought it would be! Promptly seated, since I made reservations thanks to you Yelpers who mentioned doing so. Cozy seats next to the fireplace were perfection for this cold evening! Our waitress was a doll in training although I would have never have guessed. She was a pro already! The chicken breast with apples, butternut squash and brie that I has melted in my mouth. I don't recall the last meal I had that was that good! The hunny had bacon wrapped meatloaf on top of mashed Yukon golds. Need I say more? The price fit the quality and service here perfectly. I loved every bit of our dinner here! Darn you Yelp for your coupons and making me discover yet another place that's going to hurt my poor little bank account! But THANK YOU Yelp! Because you know it's good when you're thinking about it 3 days later! read more

Can anyone say crispy halibut tacos with jicama and sweet potato fries!!! Maybe duo of duck or perhaps bone-in porkchop with pear glaze, risotto and winter squash puree!!!! Come on, they have Ephemere on tap. I really really love this place. The dishes are creative but always have a downhome comfort feel and thier mixed drinks are strong and delicious. Oh yeah...the coffee. Good stuff. They make one of the best soy lattes around. I am absolutely in love with the ambiance of Uncommon Ground. Warm and welcoming, the decor screams arts and crafts with an urban artsy feel. Yes, i know that often equates to yuppy land, but I don't feel that way at all here. The walls are adorned with local art and the fireplace and leather couches are all too inviting. Did I mention that they play cool tunes and have a live venue with shows like every night. The only complaint that I have is that sometimes you'll get an off server...a bit snooty perhaps. I was in there once with my cute little aunt from Northbrook and she ordered a latte. Our Hitler mustache donned server asked if she wanted a bowl or a cup and she got a little confused. They don't serve bowls in the burbs, so she was a little thrown off. He looked at her like she had 5 eyes and got a little mouthy with her. Totally awkward for all parties involved. I ordered the bowl, cleared it all up and we moved on, but it was quite uncomfortable. Bottom line: Awsome food, Awesome environment, Awesome Awesome Awesome. I'm giving Uncommon Ground 4.5 stars. The only thing holding me back from giving the full 5 is the dude who rubbed us the wrong way. Oh yeah...and like ablock away from my place so its easy. read more

This is one of those places where I can not for the life of me figure out how it is getting so high of ratings? One theory, is its a bit off the beaten path for anyone that does not live directly in Wrigleyville, which would lead me to believe it is a bunch of locals giving some love to their local place, which I get. Look and feel of the place is warm and inviting - like walking into a high end sky lodge. There are some big leather couches in the bar area, which i thought was a good touch. Patio is very inviting w/ a garden like feel, which is impressively pulled off since it is right on the street. Service - Our Server was very nice and was ready to walk us through the menu...big issue we had was the speed of service.....Slowwwwwwwwww. Which seems consistent by reading some other reviews. Food - this is where I don't get it. Food was borderline awful. We sent back a Calamari appetizer - it was more breading than calamari. and it seemed no one in my group of 4 were overerly excited w/ their food. I just had a salad w/ a side of grilled chicken. Dry, over cooked, no flavor chicken. Looks like a cool place to get a beer but skip the food. The only good part of the evening was being there with the hottest chick in the city. read more

I've been to Uncommon Ground twice: once a few years ago when I did some volunteer work in the city, and again this week, now as a full-time resident of the city. I was excited for the second visit because I remembered my first so fondly. Sadly, my memory of my first time may have been clouded by the 1/2 price bottles of wine (isn't that always the way?). Uncommon Ground gets 5 stars for its theme/idea--fresh, organic, local, grass-fed, and so on, will always sell me. But the food still has to taste great. Don't mistake me, the food was not bad, but it just wasn't great. Most things tasted a bit bland or felt like they just needed one last thing (maybe acid, maybe salt, something). We tried a variety of things, too: The goat cheese/artichoke dip was quite tasty, but maybe too cheesy; the mushroom tacos were almost indescribable, but because there was too much taco shell and not enough filling to describe; the black bean burger was interesting (there was a flavor I just could not pick out, though I know I've had it before), and the sweet potato fries were top notch; and the ricotta-pea ravioli also was good, but it was lacking that something to take it over the top (I think acid or something a bit salty--ricotta is pretty bland by itself). The decor of Uncommon Ground fits the theme, though the hardwood floors and drywall/concrete walls and ceiling made the entry room incredibly, uncomfortably loud. (Happily, we were seated in the back where it was much better). The bar in the front is charming though huge, and the beer/wine selection looks impressive (see my first visit). Overall, Uncommon Ground is a great place, with a great theme and great ingredients. But the food did little to move me beyond a shrug of the shoulders. read more

Stopped here for a coffee before a play on N Clark. Cute place and certainly one worthy to eat at. Enjoyed it.

I've been to Uncommon Ground a few times for brunch and I absolutely love their Uncommon Huevos (black bean corn cake, eggs over easy, ancho-chili sauce & chihuahua cheese). They are to die for and well-worth the wait for a table. I've also had their French Toast Duo, and it is tasty! The space has a great laid back feel and warm, cozy sitting area in addition to the usual tables & chairs. I haven't had a chance to check them out for dinner yet, but I really need to. They have live music at night and feature art from local artisans. Their website is really helpful, so make sure to check it out! read more

My review of this place would have been a "4" star had our visit been a little different. 3 of us show up and put our name in for a table. It was 1pm Sunday Brunch and sunny! We'd already teased ourselves a little by reading the menu online so we were looking forward to sitting at their bar right away to get one of their "uncommon" bloody Mary's. Service at the bar SUCKED. The place was busy, but sense of urgency was lacking. It took them 5 mins to clean off the dirty plates where we were seated at the bar. Another 10 mins to get us a menu. Finally, we were served our first beverage at 1:40pm. The hostess came by by around 2pm to let us know that our table was ready. We didn't cash out at the bar for another 10 mins because the bartender took his sweet time. It wasn't THAT busy. Finally we are seated. We get menus and our waiter was great at first! Gave us some great suggestions and then said he would give us a few mins to look over the menu and return to take our order. We all said that his service made up for the bar. But then, he must have disappeared for half an hour. Finally, took our order and we waited....and waited.....and waited.... Apparently something happened in the kitchen because the food still had not arrived by 3pm. The waiter recognized something had happened and comped us our meal. That was an excellent gesture. We finally got our food at 3:20 and we ate to our hearts content. Food does taste better when it is free! There was some disagreement in the kitchen and the owner (?) or manager ripped the chef a new one in front of us. (well, wasn't yelling, but you could tell he was quietly scolding her). I think after a few mins, he realized that MAYBE it was not appropriate to do that inside and he took them outside. Ok, so the food. It's good. Not awesome. I do appreciate the comped meal - but it was expected after all the time we waited. They are lucky we didn't just walk out. Arrival at 1pm, seated at 2:15, served food at 3:20. A little ridiculous even though we weren't in a rush to go anywhere in particular. If my experience had been better, I would easily go back. But with so many other restaurants out there, I'm off to try another place. read more

Just had the opportunity to attend another show here, where Rob Reid curates and brings in his favorite acoustic musicians all this month. We had a centrally located table in the back room. There was a nice crowd on a Tuesday evening. The UC staff was plentiful and always there to take a food or drink order. I must have witnessed a half-dozen orders of sweet potato fries w/dipping sauce go by. That thing is a real crowd pleaser. I had their burger which was a bit pricey and nothing to write home about, but fine within the context of a great evening of folk. Some of the best things about attending a show here: -easy parking on Clark -no cover or "minimums" -no tickets or ticket fees -just a reservation gets you a table -suggested donations allow you to decide how much to pay the talent. So the shows are accessible and affordable, and if all you can afford is a cup of tea and a moderate donation, no problemo. True democracy, sustainability and a free market capitalism are hard at work here in this cozy and inclusive spot on Grace Street. read more

This is a good place to eat some food, have a drink, and listen to chill music, but I always end up feeling super claustrophobic when I'm there. Almost too intimate. Might be perfect for some people, but it's just not for me. Also, I've had a couple kind of nasty cocktails there. Too experimental, or something. And kind of pricey! read more

Honestly came here for a show in the music room and stopped at the restaurant bar before, BY FAR one of the rudest bartenders I've ever witnessed. Maybe she was having a bad day or maybe she just hated her job, it's unclear read more

I would love to love this place. It has a great look to the place and the menu has great potential. I've been here twice, once for brunch, and once at night for some live music. I do have a problem with paying $10 for a Bloody Mary and it not coming with ANY GARNISHES! The menu clearly states that it comes with a virtual salad in a glass. When asking the server for a proper garnish -- any garnish, the response came back, "The bartender didn't make any, so here's some olives" -- Listen punk, I ordered a Bloody Mary not a martini -- go back into the kitchen, find yourself a celery stick, some olives, maybe a pickle, and anything else that you find fit and make me a bloody garnish, ya ken? I find the service to be lethargic and the menu to be overpriced. Again, I would love to love this place -- it has potential. Sadly, this potential is left unfulfilled. Blech. read more

This was our first time here. We liked the place but it was noisy. The waiters were very friendly but slow. We ordered chiken sandwitch with salad and a breakfast quesadilla (brunch). The portions were big. It is a nice place for lunch if you are not on a rush. This place also have live music some nights. read more

It is with a heavy heart that I post this. THIS REVIEW IS FOR BRUNCH ONLY. I will still try a lunch and a dinner, if thos suck as bad is brunch I'm taking this place off the rotation. Went for brunch with two others. The plow and platter- nope. Small serving, and had to ask for the pretzel. Poor description on the menu. The frittata - they don't say how dry it is. Let me tell you, I've bit moister stacks of saltines. It was dryer then a sauna in Arizona. It was dryer than your hands dipped in a dyson 50 times. It was dry, not good. Chilequiles- Nope. It was not good, has no place on the menu. For the love of Pete...maybe go back to the basics. Eggs, toast, bacon. Things the chef can make. Beer was good, service was good, but come on uncommon ground you're better than this. They say the kitchen is the engine of the restaurant well then your engine needs a tune up. Maybe we went when the real chef left for vacation and the bus boy was in there and it's like some wacky sit-com mix EM up. Or, maybe it's just going down hill. Be back in the spring, will give you some you time to fix you up. Get well soon, Your old pal TR read more

A great spot with an interesting blend of music venue/hipster coffee shop/foodie breakfast place. I went for breakfast before a Cubs game and loved it. Drinks are very unique, though a touch on the expensive side. Food options were very diverse, and it was difficult choosing what I wanted. I ended up going with the chicken breakfast burrito which was huge and delicious. Accompanying potatoes were also great. Everyone else's food was equally good. I was a big fan of the menu, and really impressed with some of the unique selections they offered. Seems the focus is on local ingredients, and the quality shows. Next time I'm in the area I'd definitely return. read more

I first found Uncommon ground when I moved to Chicago in November. I was looking for a healthier restaurant and was immediately drawn to their menu! The environment is trendy and clean and the food is great! The prices are slightly higher than that of the places around them, and every time I've been there it has been relatively empty, but the service is still slower than usual. For me, the food makes up for the service but the prices make it more of a "once a month" restaurant, when I'd really like to go more often! read more

This restaurant offers a variety of beers and local ingredients in all their dishes! We paid this place a visit for a late brunch/lunch and got seated promptly. I ordered the lemonade once I knew this was the farm to table kind of place. Let me just say i didn't disappoint!! It was definitely the perfect drink for a hot summer day in Chicago. For food, I ordered the roasted red pepper sandwich. The portions are pretty generous here - so come really hungry or ready to pack the rest of your meal to go. The quality of the ingredients were fresh and rich. I loved every bite of my food - although my plate probably said otherwise. My stomach got the best of me and I definitely hit my food coma faster than I thought. Probably shouldn't have drank all that lemonade.....The food was great and they offered a variety of local hot sauces to pack in a punch if you love some heat on your food like me. The service was a little hit and miss. I found it rather slow at the beginning and felt like we were tucked away to a corner most of the time there. While it was nice to be by the bay window - it seemed like we were at a table on a lonely island. They did have patio seating, but nothing shaded which is why we opted to sit inside. Overall cute breakfast spot and solid food options! read more

I was SO disappointed, I hardly ate any of my food. Also it took them FOREVER to bring our cappuccinos, by the time they arrived they were stone cold, so we had to ask for new ones. Not sure what happened there... Sad times, we won't be back. read more

A friend of mine took me here for a birthday dinner because she really enjoys the menu. I have to say, I was a little nervous based on some of the reviews here - I have little patience for poor service - but it ended well. We were seated in the back and reviewed the menu for about 5 minutes before a server came to take our drink order. They were out of the bottle of wine my friend had ordered, but it was half-price bottle night, so that was a bonus; she got a different bottle and it was delicious. We ordered the rather interesting-sounding "sweet potato fries with goat cheese fondue" as our starter. Fondue it wasn't - not even close - but I didn't really expect it to be. It was indeed good, it was just a really creamy goat cheese, probably mixed with something else, with herbes de provence (I think) mixed in. It was tasty. I ordered the burger and my friend got the chopped salad. The server seemed distracted and asked me twice what I wanted to order, which was...weird, but okay. He asked how I wanted it done and left. Only 10 minutes later our food was ready and it looked wonderful. Unfortunately, you could bounce my burger down the street, it was so overdone and rubbery. It took awhile to attract the attention of a passing server but my new burger was brought out mere minutes later, and perfect this time. We stayed a little longer, had another drink and left sated and happy. I wouldn't say it's destination dining by any means, but it seems to be a decent place to get some tasty food. It does seem to have a bit of an identity crisis, as others have mentioned; when you walk in it looks like a coffeeshop or a diner, and then in back it's a bar or a restaurant, and then further back still, there's a stage...something for everyone, I guess. read more

I really don't know why this place gets such rave reviews. Now, I will say that the Edgewater location was much better, but even then, have these people never eaten at Blackbird or Avec or Karyn's? There is much better food out there. While I love the whole organic and sustainable and local produce thing, the flavor just is not consistent in this place. They definitely have some star dishes, but they have some that fall flat. Stars: Goat Cheese and pesto appetizer, pizza, sweet potato fries, arctic char. The duck and cabbage soup had no flavor at all. My burger was dry and flavorless. The first time I went here the other night I ordered the Crispy Pork Belly on top of Crispy Chicken. Notice, the word crispy. It was not crispy in either way. The pork belly was just a bunch of soft fat and the chicken skin was soft and gooey and fatty and gross. I don't personally like to chew on soft fat. Most of it ended up in my napkin. Lastly, I asked our server if the tortilla soup had tomatoes in it. She said it had tomatillos. I then asked her if it had any tomato in it at all (since I'm allergic) and she said, well the tomatillos are just green tomatoes (with a roll of her eyes...and she never ever smiled or asked us how our food was EVER). So, since I knew she was ignorant and didn't know a tomatillo is actually a relative of the goosberry and not a tomato in any way, I just gave up and ordered goat cheese. This place is also ridiculously arranged. I'm all for Euro dining and being close to strangers, but it's not easy to even manuever your way in and out of here. If you are in a wheelchair, or use a walker, you can forget about going here. There are way better restaurants around. read more

So, let's start with the positives. The drinks were top-notch. The food was delicious. The music was great. Honestly, the smoked cherry manhattan is the best whiskey cocktail I have ever had. The food was appropriately portioned, well-seasoned and tasted fresh. Why the 2 stars? My friend chose this location to celebrate her birthday. She had a pair of friends who wanted to join us at our table for drinks after our dinner. When we asked if this would be ok, we were told it wasn't. When our friend (again, celebrating her birthday) asked "should I just tell them not to come?" A staff member told her "Yes." We were then told that it would be a fire hazard to host these two people, and that they were overbooked in "the music room, the front of house, and the side room." After eating, my friend was shocked to discover that the front lounge was empty. Completely empty. And, after she went to the front, a party in our area preceded to sit 10 people at a table for 6. Amazingly, the fire marshal wasn't called to the scene of the blatant fire code violation. Now, our server tried his best to keep us happy and satisfied. However, it took us 35 minutes to receive our appetizer, and another 30 for entrees. After dinner, a waitress came to bus our table and told my wife to hand her the plate, and then stated, "and your knife too." Do, in short: great food and drinks. The lounge in the front is great. But, by far some of the worst customer service imaginable. It's a shame. I don't think we would return to celebrate. read more

It makes me incredibly sad to write this review. Uncommon Ground was my favorite place in the city from 2007-2014 (I think 2014 was when it started to go downhill, but I don't remember exactly.) I used to go 1-2 x a week. I've continued to go back (albeit far less often) hoping things will be different. I know they changed chefs so whenever that happened, it noticeably changed for the worse. Last night was the final nail in the coffin and I will not be back. The food, originally the epitome of unpretentious, delicious farm-to-table now feels like something that was pre-prepared and reheated in back. My absolute favorite sweet potato fries with goat cheese fondue came out with limp fries and congealed fondue. It honestly looked like it had been prepared days ago. The burger was meh. I sell grass fed beef for a living and you shouldn't serve it (or any beef for that matter) if you have to cook it well done. It gets dry and flavorless. Sure the mayo based sauce helped a bit, but would be nice if the beef itself had flavor. The side salad made the plate look sad overall as an accompaniment to the burger. It just felt chintzy and uninspired. Finally, the atmosphere was terrible. My favorite bartender left. The entire waitstaff has turned over (a clear sign that something isn't right as many of them had been there FOREVER!) The bartender was gruff and made the assumption that I would want the exact same beer a second time and just brought it to me. He didn't ask if I wanted another (what does that take - 5 seconds?) I guess if he knew me that would be fine, but he was kind of a jerk about it, saying that they were really busy so he just made an assumption. I can understand if you were unexpectedly busy, but the reason they were busy was a planned event, so that's not really my problem. Don't even get me started about the fact that 85% of the beers on tap are now their own GreenStar brand, which I find to be sub-par at best. And it might seem like a minor thing, but clearly they changed the cleaning solution for the bar glasses because the bartender did a run of glasses and the overwhelming smell of bleach was so strong it basically ruined the night. Sitting at the bar used to be my favorite thing to do. Alas, no more. I've put off writing this review for 6-12 months, but I finally had to have my say. read more

Avoid. Went here in a group of 6. They were out of 4 drinks we tried to order, they said due to the Cubs game the night before. The only food item we enjoyed was the cheese curds. The Elote was bland. The artichoke dip was different. The fish tacos were inedible. The burger was probably one of the worst I've had, Wendy's would have been a better choice. The high prices made it much worse because the quality was no where near where the cost. All 6 of us left unsatisfied wondering what just happened to our wallets... read more

This is like your cool little neighborhood cafe......but it is way too easy to drop a lot of money here. Maybe it's because we can't seem to pass up anything. We always get the parmesan artichoke dip to start - seriously, if you get nothing else here, get the artichoke dip. We've been eating this stuff for 6 years and although it often changes slightly, it's far and away the best dip I've ever had. I'm also a huge fan of the veggie burger - totally handmade, (not the nasty freezer-burned patties you'll get at some restaurants) fresh, and extremely filling. In the winter, make sure you get one of their big hot chocolates with liquor. Although the first time I brought my husband to get one, the server asked what he'd like in his hot chocolate and he, not knowing what kind of booze goes best with chocolate, replied, 'Vodka?' Thankfully she steered him toward something a bit milder. Although that would've made a hell of a drink. read more

$8 for a side of bacon at brunch...ridiculous. Enough to bring the whole score down. After not ordering the side of bacon, I looked at other brunch spots in the area, and the prices were definitely lower. I know it's only bacon....but come on, it's bacon! A side shouldn't cost almost as much as an entree. The biscuits and gravy were good, but there are better brunch spots out there with more reasonable pricing. read more