Ironically my 300th Yelp review: I first stopped in this place with my mom and friend after my first concert at The Metro when I was 12. This place feels like home to me. It is so cozy and comfortable. Whenever I step inside it illuminates so many memories of winter nights drinking hot cocoa out of a massive mug; warm summer mornings sitting outside eating brunch before a cubs game; birthdays and endless dinner dates with my friends. When I was younger I always made my parents let me sit in the restaurant's bay window seat. This is a place I feel comfortable bringing my whole family. There is something for everyone from vegetarians to carnivores. Uncommon Ground prides itself on using local ingredients whenever possible. This means their produce tastes so fresh and their meats are deliciously tender. I also love how they change up their menu for every season. I honestly attribute Uncommon Ground to spark my love of food and using local ingredients when I was very young. Their service is always so personal and kind. After so many memories from my adolescence here, I hope to bring my own kids here one day! read more

I thought the beer selection was limited, but we pretty much tried them all and the beers they do have were good, not great. My biggest issue was with how long it took to get our food and beers. On top of that, the food was VERY average. I had their smash burger which I expected to be crisply and charred. The meat was gray, soft and not very appealing. read more

I can't believe I haven't written a review for Uncommon Ground earlier considering how miffed I was the last time I was here. I had it a while ago, however it is constantly brought back to mind as I recount the worst restaurant experience I've had to people I've met. So back last October, a friend and I stumbled into Uncommon Ground on a Friday night as she was a vegetarian, so we were looking for a place with a lot of options. After being told that it would be an unholy 1.5 hour wait for a table at Chicago Diner, we decided to have this place because there was only a brief wait. Sadly it was a mistake. After being seated within 15 minutes. our order disappointingly was not taken until almost an hour later. We walked into uncommon ground at around 6 p.m. under the auspice that we'd be able to make a friend's show at 9:30. Eater beware. At maybe around 7:15, the waiter finally decided to take our order, which was completely unreasonable given the fact that it wasn't even a full house by the time we had been seated. At this point, I was incredibly upset. However, my friend excited to try to food, calmed me down pointing out that it likely would not be much longer, before we would get to eat. But she was wrong. We order the pumpkin ravioli and the macaroni and cheese. The food is priced at a premium $22 for the ravioli, $14 for the mac and cheese which really ends up being a rather small bowl of it. So fast forward to 8:45, I'm saying to my friend, I'm ready to get up and walk out because lo and behold our food hasn't come yet. Periodically I had been pestering our waiter every 30 minutes, asking if our food would come soon because we had plans. He continually assured us that it would be out soon. The last time, I was practically seething because we were almost guaranteed to be late at this point and I was starving and alerted the waiter to such which prompted him to finally bring out the food soon after. Fast forward to 9:15, we finally get our food. Which was disappointing at best. Although my friend enjoyed the pumpkin ravioli, the macaroni and cheese was mediocre at best and I only took maybe a grand four bites. However, given that we were already late, we had to scarf down our food as well. Overall, it was the worst restaurant experience I have ever had. Which is saying a lot considered the volume of restaurants I've tried as a foodie, cruising the Chicago dining scene. I still remember it in vivid detail because of how distressed and upset I felt. The ambiance is nice and occasionally there's live bands playing. However, if you don't want mediocre extremely overpriced food and a restaurant that really does not respect your time, I suggest you avoid uncommon ground. If your experience is anything like mine, you'll probably leave feeling miffed and with tears of anger. This was my experience here, and even if it was unique to the time I went, the fact that this is ever allowable is extremely distressing. Just avoid it. read more

I love the concept around Uncommon Ground and how they are locally sourced, but I felt the food was lacking a bit in flair. This could be because my expectations of hipster-like restaurants is fairly high coming from southern California, but I was slightly disappointed in lack of creativity on the menu. I ended up going with a simple eggs, potato and side of bacon. Everything tasted completely fine, just was not blown away. Service was really great as well. I had made a reservation since we were going there prior to the baseball game and it was fairly crowded by the time we left, so was glad I did. Someone in my party ordered the pancakes. I had a bite, and they were probably what I should have ordered. Who knows - it might have even changed my rating. read more

Went for a late dinner on a Friday night. It was fairly busy, so we had to wait at little while for a table. We sat at the bar and ordered Spinach and Goat Cheese Dip, which was fantastic. After getting seated at our table, service was adequate, but wasn't anything above and beyond. I ordered the Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf, which was presented on a bed of mashed potatoes. SO TASTY! This entree was so good, that I had no choice but to give Uncommon Ground a 5 star rating. read more

I had the Lakeview Fog drink, which was so delicious! I've never had such wonderful flavors so pleasantly blended together! Highly recommend!!!! read more

The food here is a little pricy, but it's great! This coffee shop gone restaurant offers some pretty interesting dishes. All the food is organic there, which I like. My only complaint is atmosphere. I was there for lunch the other day, and ended up sitting by a table to screaming kids. I suffered through my food while I watched the two (obviously rich) mothers completely ignore the fact that their children were bothering everyone! I guess they gave the nanny the day off. Anyway, the best part of going there is the great service. Everyone there is very knowledgeable and attentive to your needs. I will go back, but not until school is back in! read more

Wow, I spent so much money here. But I'd say it is worth it. They have a small beer selection, but definitely some interesting martinis. The food here is fantastic, but you have to go with the specials or the big plates. I'd say, coming here knowing you are going to spend AT LEAST $30 is the best way to come prepared. There are a lot of good things to try, so this is not a place I can go, hold back, and be happy. I will give them credit for finding the ONE beer in the world that I do not like, the Left-Handed Milk Stout. Yes, that's the name, and that's why I tried. It tasted like someone poured milk into beer, which very well may be the case, but it was hard to choke down. I may have to give it another try. A very cool environment with 3 separate rooms, the bar area in the front, the middle bar/coffee/kitchen area, and the back room where the music is. Another nice thing is, aside from the music, the seating is very open, so they can't pack the restaurant with too many people. One time there was a baby there, and that ruined the mood, but that is what babies often tend to do. Can't blame them, they are babies. My first meal there was the Grilled Buffalo Ribeye, and the Samuel Smith organic lager. The potatoes are so good. They put some magic sauce which I think is made from gold, sugar, and cocaine. It is so good. Save half the potatoes and eat them next time you come home from the bar and you are drunk. You will probably punch your roommate in the face because they are so good. That's what I did. read more

I love the fact that this restaurant focuses on sustainable food. Even living in a city like Chicago, it can be hard to find environmentally conscious businesses. Aside from just that, I really love this place for the food, drinks and atmosphere too. I have been here for lunch & dinner, but mainly visit for breakfast. I love the coffee and they also have amazing seasonal coffee drinks if you're looking for something more special than a simple cup of coffee. They have latte bowls, not just mugs!! The granola, fruit & yogurt is one of my favorite menu choices & the fruit is always fresh & in season. Also, their scramble dish with potatoes is a VERY good choice. For lunch & dinner, the chicken & avocado sandwich & sweet potato fries were both very good, but the entree size is big enough to split. The atmosphere is casual & relaxed with good music, and it's not too loud so it's easy to have a good conversation with the person/people you're with. The staff members are always really nice & helpful. I usually go on Saturday/Sunday at 10/11/12 and there is usually a 15-20 minute wait. Have not tried to make reservations, so that might help you if you want to avoid a wait. They have a bar to wait at though with coffee, mimosas/bloody mary's, & a full bar, so that makes the time waiting for a table go by really quickly. =) I highly recommend this place. It is one of my favorites. read more

OMG! The breakfast here was delicious. We had the breakfast melt with bacon, egg and spinach over black bread with potatoes. and a salad. Everything was super fresh and SUPER tasty! I was very dissapointed by the bloody mary, but you should go here for the fresh local produce and deliciously cooked meals, not the cocktails. The server was also super friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. He helped guide us through the menu, recommending certain dishes and explaining others. It's a bonus that most of the produce comes from the Green City Market and the meat is from local regional farms. read more

Fantastic, fantastic, fantastic. One of my favorites in the city. The staff is amazing, the space is great, their mission is fantastic and, most importantly, their food is so delicious. I've never had a bad meal there. Their food is amazing - RUN! read more

My Aunt and I went on a lunch date here because it is one of the few places that caters to vegetarians and individuals who are gluten free in the area that isn't Indian cuisine. We had reservations around 3:00 pm on a Monday afternoon there were only three other parties there which meant we could enjoy our conversation without straining to hear each other. I will say that the food was alright nothing that impressed me but the reason that I did rate it five stars is because the manager was very accommodating and attentive when the waitress seemed to be busy with the guests at the bar. In my book awesome customer service and alright food equals five stars! Especially since it is somewhat of a rarity now a days. read more

Who going to say this place isn't awesome? I've been recommending Uncommon Ground for years. Great food, great people and great music in the back every night. It's hard to find a place with good live music every night. Uncommon Ground rarely misses a beat. read more

Uncommon Ground is the perfect place to get your coffee and/or alkie fix. They have great coffee-alcohol options and a chill staff. The live music could be hit or miss, but overall, it's a great place to go with friends and catch up. read more

What is this place? Is it a coffee house? One would think so at first, since there are many "uncommon ground" and "common ground" coffeehouses throughout the U.S., which tend to be trendy and have bands. At this place, the back rooms look like those of cute coffeehouses. And they have local, independent live music. But there was a $20 minimum to hear the music. And the food menu is expensive and trying to be high-end. And you're seated and have a waiter. Must not be a coffee house. Is it a restaurant? You're seated after all. They have a big menu and it's expensive and trying to be high-end. But the wait staff are all trendy like it's a coffee house. But you walk into a bar, and the bathrooms scream bar. And there are tables like a coffee house. And rooms like a coffeehouse. And live trendy music with audience people writing in their journals. Maybe it's a restaurant. Is it a bar? There is a bar right when you walk in. But a majority of the space is dinner tables, and there is someone that seats you, and the food is expensive. And there is someone who walks around and makes sure the candles are lit. Then again, it could be a bar as the bathrooms seem like they belong to a bar and there is a minimum to see a performer. So, I can't figure out what this is. As a coffeehouse, it's too expensive. As a restaurant, the primary dishes were OK and expensive and the aura didn't match the food. That being said, the Korean Chili Spiced Fried Calamari was good, and the service was great. But our two expensive main plates were just OK. read more

Drinkin' in the a.m. never tasted as good as it does at Uncommon Ground. With all of their intriguing combinations of alcohol, juice, coffee and more, there's really nothing wrong with getting a lil' tipsy before noon. In my case, it was closer to noon thirty, so it was totally acceptable. My choice of the bloody mary was excellently spicy, and was gone in pretty much a blink of an eye. Luckily, my order of fall scramble was able to balance out my imbibing - a fantastic mix of butternut squash, carmelized onions, scrambled eggs and goat cheese, complete with a side roasted potatoes that were perfectly crispy. Twenty bucks for good food and drinks, no complaints here. The joint is a bit small, but quaintly cozy for a Sunday morning brunch spot. read more

This place is neither bad nor great. It 's the kind of place you eat at, then forget about. While the service was good and the food (breakfast) was pretty decent, the portion sizes were small and the nicoise salad was underdressed (and I'm not even a fan of vast amounts of salad dressing) and rather bland. I sort of resented paying $10 for it. It came with a small piece of bread that I couldn't eat since it was during Passover, so perhaps with the bread it would have been a bit more filling, but still. The date's breakfast burrito was (according to him) pretty good, and a larger portion. I don't think this is a bad place, and the coffee is good, but it's not somewhere I'd go out of my way to eat at. read more

First impressions: Much nicer venue than I anticipated. VERY small room for performers that is separate from the rest of the restaurant. Billing got confusing and really frustrating and we left with a pretty bad taste in our mouths because of the service. I came here with friends to watch a college friend perform on a Friday evening. We were told that it would be $6 cover charge, but were not asked for money up front. Turns out that they charge the cover on your bill when you are ready to leave. First of all, the service is pretty slow. I assume that this is because the waiters don't want to be constantly buzzing around when there are performers, so I can understand that. Still, it took them at least 5 minutes to bring waters to newcomers at our table. I ordered the Snaggletooth beer first when I sat down. I loved whatever they had brought and ordered another two of them (not at the same time), but the second two beers were not the same as my first. I thought that they got my order wrong twice so I made a pretty big stink about it. Turns out that my first beer was the incorrect one and I didn't know what he brought me the first time. (I wanted that one! Ugh!!) He said he'd bring me one to replace it, but then charged us for it. (Seriously?) Good thing he took it right off the bill when we brought that to his attention. We had a party of about 10 at our table, and most of our party left before we did. They paid for their portion of the bill at the bar which is great and all, but the remaining 3 of us had to make up for the additional 20% gratuity that was added to the groups check. SO PISSED OFF ABOUT THIS. I'm still bitter and after the way our server treated us (he was clearly annoyed with us after the beer misunderstanding, but in reality, that was the bartenders fault, not ours) like he just wanted us to leave ASAP, I will likely not return to this venue. I hope my friend begins to play elsewhere. read more

Came for a show and only had wine and an appetizer. Ambiance: The show area is a bit tight. If at max capacity you have to wiggle around through the tables to get anywhere. Acoustics are pretty good, we could hear the music all the way in the back. Food: The pinot noir and goat cheese and artichoke dip are really good and highly recommend it! Dip is good for 1-2 people to share. Service: It was a bit slow, could've been better. I would come back to try the main dishes and beer. read more

Our son recommended Uncommon Ground for our lunch - what a wonderful choice! I had the soup/salad combination with the tomato basil and Caesar salad. The tomato basil soup was so thick and savory. I asked the server what the thickener was and he couldn't wouldn't tell me but I would love to know the recipe! The Caesar salad was also delicious - fresh crispy greens and a rich dressing. My husband had the sweet potato fries and a grilled chicken sandwich. The serving of fries was so generous so I had to help him eat them - so crispy, sweet and salty. I didn't try the sandwich because my husband ate it all but he said it was great. We will definitely return the next time we're in the neighborhood. read more

I love Uncommon Ground - their brunch is amazing and they have this great coffee bar in the back with Intelligentsia brewed coffee. They have this amazing peanut butter & banana stuffed brioche toast served with bacon and a cherry syrup. YUM! And for the savory brunch in me, I tried their Canadian bacon torta which had pickled jalapeno and an avocado remoulade on this tasty roll. Top it all off with a hot drink and I'm a really happy camper - my husband swears by their organic Mexican hot chocolate. I always opt for brunch which is more affordable than dinner here however they are open later hours, as well. read more

I love that this resto is all organic. I heard it's actually the most sustainable and eco-friendly resto in America. Awesomeness! So why not 5 stars? I was pretty disappointed with the amount of vegetarian options for dinner, there were only 2 I was interested in (vegan farro cakes and the bean burger). While the vegan farro cakes were good, I'm not sure if they were exactly worth the $18. The inside of the place is cute and comfy and their drinks are pretty good - but again, nothing to write home about. Although they do make their own honey! What I also REALLY didn't like about the resto is our waitress. She was giving us attitude the whole time we were there. Seriously, such a bitch. Plus our water was not refilled very often. I had to drink my boyfriend's water cup cause mine hasn't gotten refilled for the last 30 minutes we were there. read more

I very much enjoyed my dinner at Uncommon Ground. The food was fresh and inventive, albeit a tad pricey (if I want to pay more than 20 bucks for a plate of pasta, I'd prefer it be at Rosebud's with linens and formally dressed servers). My friend and I sat next to the window, but the place was heated so well, we didn't feel any chill (it was 20 degrees outside). The fire is a cozy touch, as are the forest-like decorations. Pretty decent selection of beer, wine and liquor, but again, kind of expensive. The beers start at $4, (i.e. Miller Lite), and the glasses of wine at $6. They do offer some interesting martinis, particularly a pumpkin pie martini. I would not go here to get my drink on, but for a nice meal with friends, or even my mom, Uncommon Ground is ideal. One more point: the waitstaff was a little creepy; seemed to be all guys, with the exception of a female hostess. Maybe it was a slow night, or the fact that our server only spoke in a monotone, but something felt off. This by no means will prevent me from returning and should only serve as a word of caution. read more

It's been years since I've been here, 10 or 12, and it's only gotten better, not to mention bigger, with age. We sat in the familiar "old" section. Cozy, comfortable, quiet, (not too quiet). The entire menu was enticing with creative concoctions. We split the Quesadilla with Goat Cheese and Avocado , and splurged on a side of Sweet Potato Fries. What a great meal! definitely enough for the 2 of us. First cup of coffee was cold. (surprising since it was only 11 in the morning). Our server graciously got me a fresh, hot cup. Service was helpful and pleasant, and friendly. Wish I was still around to enjoy this place more often. read more

Food exceeded my expectations. We started with the olive hummus for an app. The hummus was really good and the pitas were seasoned and tasty as well. We also had the grilled chicken sandwich and the fish tacos. The fish tacos were Awesome! Chicken sandwich wasn't bad as well, wish there was a little more chicken but keep in mind I eat a LOT! (like 65 pieces of sushi at all you can eat sushi). Killed the fries. Service was excellent. I would go back if I were in the area. read more

Had this hummus type appetizers that I wish I knew what it was because when I met my friends it was already ordered but it had cucumbers, carrots, and this buttery bread that came with. It was very delicious. I ordered the steak and eggs and was not disappointed. Good quality steak, nice n juicy just the way I like it. read more

Good breakfast/brunch place. My favorite dish is the chilaqueles. I haven't eaten dinner there yet. The place is lively and has a good mix of people. The place is stroller-friendly as well. read more

This place serves excellent breakfast (and bloody Mary's!). I have practically tried everything from the croissant sandwich to their omelets... And if you like mimosas...they serve pomosas...made with pomegranate! read more

Damn you laziness and proximity! In my last review I said I wouldn't be back anytime soon, but mere weeks later, there I was again at dinner at Uncommon Grounds. And I still have the same complaints, go figure. Stuff white people like: expensive sandwiches. I am no exception to this rule, and so I got the $13 grilled chicken sandwich. Don't let the price fool you, this really is just a grilled chicken sandwich. No bad, but if you're charging me (okay, technically charging my date) $13 for some chicken, it'd better sing. Said date got some manly bison thing (men and their meat) but came away feeling much as I did- that it was just okay, but nothing to write home about. I would say I won't be back anytime soon, but who are we kidding; I live blocks from the place. read more

If you are looking for good craft beer this is not the place! This is like a DIY beer place. Nothing special. Decent but not a beer destination! Didn't have any of the food so not judging the food. read more

Uncommon Ground is a stalwart in the folk and singer-songwriter scene. Before I lived in Chicago, I used to play here (and the Heartland Cafe) as a standard stop in tours--now that I live here, I perform at the cafe every few months. They really support live music, and it shows. Performers play for tips, so please tip your musicians! This is the only way we get paid. (Along those lines--most of the time when you see a tip jar next to a musician, it's probably the only way he's being paid. Most people don't realize this and assume the cafe/restaurant/bar is chipping in--they probably aren't. Waiters and bartenders almost always make much more than the performers.) The food's a little expensive, but it's good (the staff will tend to agree with this assessment). Try the duck quesadillas for a less expensive dinner (it's listed as an appetizer). Although the hot chocolate has apparently received all kinds of kudos from Chicago press, I'm not terribly impressed--there's not enough chocolate in the hot chocolate. (You'll have to keep in mind though that I've never yet had satisfactory hot chocolate at a restaurant after I discovered Valrhona cocoa. Less chocolate-obsessed people will be fine.) read more

I went and saw a friend's band play here, and the live music is a define plus. My favorite part about this place is the bathroom, in terms of the decor, is their bathroom. Its mural of a forest scene covers not only all of the walls but the floor as well, so when you look down you are standing in a pond with fishies swimming around your feet. Their lemon-ginger martini is interesting, i think good, but very tangy. Their mussels, i thought were good, my friend thought they were too salty. And their macaroni and cheese sucks- very bland cheese taste combined with wayyy too many breadcrumbs. read more

Always have a great meal here and last time was no different. I got the gourmet mac n' cheese and it didn't disappoint. I opted for the add of sun dried tomatoes and some bacon. Even better!! Their fish tacos are yum as well. I've tasted all of my friends' and family's various dishes and never tasted a bad one if that says much. My favorite is their infused vodkas. It inspired me to do the same but I can't quite get their awesome ginger root infused vodka at home, so it looks like I have to keep visiting Uncommon Ground! I highly recommend trying one of their drinks. My favorite here is a goat pizza flat bread, but since the menu is seasonal and always changing, I feel like I will just keep chasing the unicorn till maybe they put it back on the menu. Everyone I have taken here have loved it. I've had lunch, dinner and brunch...all are great. I do insist on a lemon ginger martini every time because they are THAT GOOD. Their prices are probably a dollar or two high, but not high enough to keep me away since I always have a great meal here! read more

We stopped in for drinks, but ended up grabbing a bite to eat as well. Really wanted to try their Bloody Mary, but unfortunately they include Worcestershire sauce in their mix, which has anchovies in it. NO! I hate it when veggie friendly places do this to me! Got a seasonal special, the Fall Fashion, instead. It is their version of an Old Fashioned, & it was very nice. Shared the sweet potato fries (minus the goat cheese), & the polenta with wild mushroom ragout & vegan mozzarella. It came out with maybe 10 tiny strands of vegan cheese sprinkled on it. Don't get a girl excited for nothing! Luckily, the waitress was kind enough to bring me out a little more of the v- cheese. The dish was out of this world delicious! Will be back soon to have it again, plus want to check out some live music there, & try a few more house-infused liquors on their cocktail list. So warm & inviting this time of year! Could use a bit of background music playing. Was very quiet when we were there, & it was a Sat. night. read more

This place is a gem. We came for some food and a brew before a Cubs game and it was such a nice way to start off the night. We ordered a burger and a grilled cheese sandwich--both delicious. The service was very friendly, warm, and efficient. I had a GreenStar APA and it was one of the best ales I've ever had. If ever we are in Chicago again, we will be sure to hang out here again! read more

Uncommon Ground - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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A friend suggested this place as his sister who lived in the area several years ago recommended it. It is a bit tragically hip and the service was a bit slow. My dinner was nothing to write home about. The chicken was flavored in no way, the whipped cauliflower was mostly garlic and the green beans were also too garlicy and undercooked. The only reason this place retained it's stars was because my dinner mates spoke well of the meatloaf and the shortribs. read more

I've only been here for brunch (many times), so I can't speak to the nightly entertainment and ambiance this place is apparently known for, but I have to say their breakfast food is some of the best I've had in the city. The menu is always changing, which helps me to branch out and try something new each time. The dish that wins first place in my book was the Nutella-pancakes. Chocolate-covered carbs: YUMMY. I drool like Homer Simpson does over doughnuts just thinking about it. I've taken my parents here on a couple occasions when they've been in town, and they've loved it as well. The only reason I can't give this place 5 stars is that as of last summer, they had a piss-poor system of seating people inside and outside in the nice weather. We went the morning of a Cubs game (big mistake), asked to be seated outside, and were told it would be a half-hour wait. They wrote our names down to be seated inside, so we missed being called and ended up waiting close to an hour. The customer-service was apologetic, but I didn't feel it was enough for my poor rumbling tummy. If I had had enough energy that day, I would have corralled my group to another place nearby, but it wasn't worth waiting somewhere else. Hopefully it's improved since then? read more

This place really struggles to find a balance between good food, accomodating service, and an overall pleasant diniing experience. I went in for lunch last Monday afternoon with two other friends. Having all dined there before, we joked whether we would be having a good dining experience or not. Turns out, it was just ok. We waited 15 MINUTES from the time we were seated until a server approached us. Worse yet, we were the only table in the entire restaurant. Inexcusable! Coffee was good but not hot. Also, our server said things like "kicks ass", "sweeet", and "so, just awesome". It was a bit obnoxious. Uncommon Ground was able to redeem itself with the food I had. A California BLT with crusty bread, yellow tomatoes, goat cheese, thick smoked bacon, and arugula. It was absolutely delicious. So all in all...good, not great. Go at your own risk! read more

The first time I came here a few years ago was for my boyfriend's sister's surprise birthday party. It proved to be a fun atmosphere to celebrate over a big ol' cup of hot chocolate on a cool fall evening. Since then I have returned a couple times to see singer/songwriter friends of mine perform on the back room. This brings be to my favorite thing about Uncommon Ground: there seems to be a little bit for everyone here; good food, good drinks, coffeeshop feel, music, poetry, and so on. My least favorite thing? There always seems to be this weird pressure to buy food even if you're just there for the show and UG always makes a point to make a big deal out of this to my musician friends and their fans. I have never quite figured it out, but I know it's caused people to miss the show over the confusion. It's weird and I don't particularly like that aspect. All and all, not a bad little joint, but maybe not my fav place ever. read more

I was at Uncommon Ground for the first time in a long time this weekend. Overall, I'll definitely go back, but since the menu is somewhat inconsistent, I'd really prefer go back with a regular who knows Uncommon Ground's food really well. I had the grilled buffalo skirt steak. The meat itself was pretty mundane -- even just compared to skirt steak in general. But the espresso - cacao nib rub was unique, delicious, and slightly spicy. It went really well with the great lakes porter they have on tap. I'd imagine that most fans of Uncommon ground like their veg, so I was a little disappointed to see that this dish was really just meat + potatoes. While the steak was served with a surprising amount of pomme frite, the "carrots" promised on the menu were really just 2 mini carrots. Grilled with sweet glaze, they were so good that they would be great as a true side, not just a garnish. Unexpected portion sizes was a theme during our dinner. The mussels in a delicious curry broth were flawless. They were also a great value, with many more mussels that you'd expect for the price, especially compared to other Chicago restaurants. In contrast, the sausage sampler plate had roughly the equivalent of a single chopped weenie. So these 2 small plates were about the same price, but if you had to choose one, the mussels are without a doubt the better pick. Service was excellent, and we did not have to wait for a table for 2 at 7pm on a Saturday. I enjoyed their food, but you're kind of playing roulette as far as whether individual dishes are worth ordering. read more