My fiance and I went to Uncommon Ground for dinner recently and I'm still on the fence about how I feel. Â I like food a lot and I like to be blown away by restaurants, but I was not blown away. Â The food was actually very good, but the atmosphere was kind of off- a little loud and we got a bad table in the middle of a high traffic area. Â I ordered a martini at the bar before dinner and had to send it back because it was really watery, and I saw another woman do the same. Â If you're in the area and are thinking of stopping in, definitely do because its worth it. Â If you're thinking of making a special trip- not worth it.
Review Source:Listen, nothin' better than getting a flight of beers at the bar, great deal for 8 bucks, especially when one of the beers is a Goose Island Baudoinia. Â Super nice and knowledgable bartenders. Â Taking a date? GREAT IDEA!!! Not trying too hard but still nice and hip. Â The only problem is that there is usually a small Filipino man in the bathroom polishing the metal parts of the urinal, I'm not sure if he works there or has some sort of mental deficiency, but either way I guess he's kind of like their mascot. Â He has one eye and great hair. Â Anyways I love uncommon ground, go there, have a great night.
Review Source:I went here for dinner and a live music show on a Friday night. Â The space is great- it is huge and has a great decor. Â (Except for the back room, which has these giant paintings of birds that state at you ominously while you eat.) Â I would absolutely go back for the coffee or a drink menu.
The drink selection was quality, I recommend the rosemary-bourbon infused Beast of Bourbon. Â However the dishes I got there were not exceptionally. Â My partner and I ordered the sweet potato fries with goat cheese fondue, the macaroni and cheese with broccoli and sundried tomatoes, and the quinoa-stuffed delecata squash. Â Despite the locally -sourced and veggie-friendly options, I was not that impressed with the food.
We also went for live music. Â Both acts were really enjoyable, but the restaurant tacked on a $7 cover charge to our bill without notifying us beforehand. Â They also added incorrect charge to our group tab, so we had to send the check back twice for corrections, and the gratuity was still based on the original, incorrect amount,
I've been here for brunch several times and have always had good food and great service. One thing that you don't realize upon coming into the restaurant is just how big it is. There are several rooms in the back, this place is huge! The brunch crowd also has lots of families, so if you go, be prepared to hear lots of toddlers playing around you.
The food is quite good, however the menu recently changed (our waiter said they just got a new chef) and I think I prefer the old menu. The breakfast quesedilla is one of the best brunch items, with scrambled eggs, arugula and cheese on a spinach tortilla. I also have had the breakfast melt, with egg, bacon and spinach served open-faced on brown bread, which was also quite tasty. One good thing about the new menu is that they allow fruit as a side (which they did not prefer) and the fruit is very good, a variety of about five fruits presented very nicely and much better than most brunch food plates around town.
Overall, I'm not sure I would travel out of my way to come here for brunch over other places in the city, but if you live in the neighborhood it is a great place for fresh, well made food.
Love love love this place. The menu is creative, and the ingredients are fresh. The atmosphere is relaxed. I especially love the brunch/breakfast items, but have never been disappointed by something I ordered. When I lived in the neighborhood, I was there on a regular basis. Just as easy to spend an afternoon studying there as it is to go on a date!
Review Source:Came here with a few girlfriends for dinner and had a phenomenal time. The atmosphere in here is cozy and comfortable, I actually had no idea how large the restaurant was! We were seated in one of the back rooms where it wasn't too loud and we could easily talk. We started with the baked goat cheese, pesto, and artichoke dip. This was more then enough for the three of us to share and very tasty! Definitely recommend.
For dinner, we ordered a variety of items including the pork chop with ricotta ravioli, the quinoa stuffed squash, and the black bean cake sandwich. Leah E. said she enjoyed the quinoa stuffed squash, but the flavor of the red wine syrup overwhelmed the dish a little bit. Kara Z. loved her black bean cake sandwich; she gave me a bite and it was fantastic. The pork chop was good, but needed a little more flavor. I really enjoyed the ravioli that came on the side. I felt that the entrees are a little pricey, but they definitely used fresh produce in all of their menu items. Â Service was just ok, nothing special. Overall, if I go back, I'll stick to something like the bean cake sandwich or a salad.
Two of my best friends are obsessed with this place, and I've been here for every single meal with them: brunch, lunch and dinner. Everything I've had here is good, and I always feel like it's changes so much (it's a very green restaurant that sources everything locally and seasonally) that it warrants frequent visits. Not to mention it's priced reasonably enough to do so.
The calamari is amazing, I don't like calamari but the spicy sauce they put it in is so divine I might die eating it. Also the pesto, goat cheese, artichoke dip is delicious. I usually go for their chicken sandwich or mac n cheese but my boyfriend had the duck the last time we were there and it was unreal.
And I love the vibe. Just a relaxing, earthy place with quality, organic food at a good price. I don't really regular anywhere, but I love coming here as much as I can.
The pumpking ravioli are out of this world amazing. I hope they are not just a seasonal offering, because I have been dreaming of going back for more.
Other than delicious food, the atmosphere is great, and the decorations/lighting provides an almost magical feel to the whole place.
Definitely worth a trip.
Oh Uncommon Ground, how I love thee...
While I'm partial to the feel of the Devon location, this location is closer to home and therefore a favorite.
Love the vibe, service is usually solid (can be weirdly slow sometimes, but generally great). Amazing drinks - good craft beer selection, decent wine selection if that's your thing, tasty and interesting cocktails ($6 martinis on Thursdays hollaaaa), delicious coffee and coffee-based things for after dinner/brunch. And the food...the food. Sweet potatoe fries are a must - I know, sweet potatoe fries are everywhere. And I can (and do) make pretty tasty ones at home. But the goat cheese fondue that comes with them - heaven in a ramekin. Before I went veg, I was a fan of the burgers, and a roast chicken dish that I'm not sure is still/always on the menu. Now that I'm vegetarian, I have no shortage of things to love all up on, and their menu rotates regularly (gotta love a place that acknowledges and embraces local and seasonal food - one of the many reasons that you feel good about eating here).
Perfect outdoor seating in the warmer months, cozy fireplace inside for the colder months.
Only real downside is that there can be a bit of a wait depending on the day/time you go, but even that isn't really a downside - you can make a reservation in advance, or belly up to the bar and have a beverage. Everyone wins.
Cutest date spot ever - not that I came here for anything romantic, but still - take note! Right when I got out of the car - I saw lights hanging on the patio (it was an exceptionally warm nights), warm lights and decor inside, just enough greens, wall hangings, and exposed bricks to make it all modern yet cozy!
Since we had a reservation, we got seated right away. At 7:30pm on a Saturday night, this place was busy, but not unbearable. I was hoping for a spot in the back room near the big window, but we were lead to the right room with a small stage - please note, this place is a lot bigger than it looks. Not a problem, our table was fine. Server was nice, and he seemed really knowledgeable about the menu/food, but he was a little awkward - note: I think he's just a shy person, not that he wasn't comfortable serving.
I got to taste the pumpkin ravioli, mac & cheese, and black bean sandwich (which despite the menu's ambiguity did come with fries, which totally made my night). The food was excellent. I didn't expect to like the pumpkin ravioli since I tried something like that before at a different restaurant, but after tasting the small bite, I was sold. Just enough sweetness and creaminess to keep you happy. The mac & cheese has a different (but good) flavor, and my black bean sandwich - which was more like a burger - was excellent. Â
Guys - bring your ladies here for a first/second/third/forever date. It's intimate yet relaxing, casual but chic, cool without pretentiousness, and most importantly, it won't leave a hole in your wallet (which would help especially if the date doesn't work out).
Despite several tries to come back and support this local business another bad service experience put the final nail in the coffin. First we got attitude when we called to push back a reservation several hours prior to our time. Yet when we walk in, plenty of tables. Then, while very nice, our server knocked over a very full bottle of wine spilling a good amount on the floor. Absolutely no offer to replace the bottle or even offer us a glass! And no adjustment on the bill. And no check in to see if we got splashed. Come ON! This place needs a consultant jn to train staff on service basics. This is one of many bad service experiences we have had so done going here. Am taking my dollars to Deleece on Southport where food is great and they actually make you feel like they like their customers. What a concept.
Review Source:The food here was good. Â I don't think anyone had any complaints about what they ordered. Â The problem... was the size of the dish for what you were paying. Â This place was expensive. Â If you're shelling out that much cash, Â okay, if I AM shelling out that much cash, I expect either large portion sizes, or extremely great food. Â This was neither. Â I probably wouldn't go back just because I expect more or better food for their prices.
Review Source: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.
I've been here a few times, and I always enjoy the food, but the service is consistently terrible.
Went in this past Saturday for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up with one other person. We arrived at 3:15, were seated immediately, and then had to wait about 10minutes before a waitress even noticed us. She came over, set our glasses of water down, and then disappeared for another 10 minutes. I had to flag her down, so we could order (2 beers, 2 salads). It took 35 minutes for our food to show up, and then another 15 after we had finished to flag down our waitress again. In total we were there for over an hour to eat a salad. It was not busy, and our waitress did not have many tables, yet we rarely saw her walking around the dining room.
I've had similar experiences like that in the past, yet I always brush it off because the food is so good. But, honestly, I'm not sure I'll be coming back because of the terrible service. And if yelpers are consistently rating the service as sub-par, management should do something.
Originally, I was extremely confused when I walked in. Â Being an avid yelper, and reading reviews before I enter what are considered to be popular restaurants, I checked the reviews for Uncommon Ground. Â I was advised during peak brunch times to make a reservation. Â So 11am sounded like a peak time to me?
Anyway, we walk in and there's open tables everywhere. Â Having heard great things about Uncommon Ground, I wondered why it was so empty at 11. Â Sitting right away, I was able to place my order for a $5 mimosa, which in this city, I'd say a pretty good deal. Â Damn good mimosa. Â
We ordered the huevos rancheros and the fall omelette. Â Hands down BEST huevos rancheros I'd ever had!!! Â Underneath the eggs and chihuahua cheese was a black bean cake, which turned out to be outstanding, and I don't normally love beans. Â I also threw on some of the hot sauce at the table, because I like my eggs extra spicy. Â SOOOOO DELICIOUS!
The fall omelette was delicious as well, both of these dishes came with their house potatoes, which were also pretty good. Â But I give all 5 stars to the huevos rancheros. Â Still dreaming about those. Â The service was also very attentive as well, and I wouldn't have known to get the huevos without our server's help. Â Thanks a bunch!
Used to be one of my favorites...and I miss it. Â I am giving it one star to balance out my previous 5 star review.
Local place for me a bit outside the craziness of Wrigleyville. Â They serve locally sourced, high quality, and generally fairly healthy (by restaurant standards) food with cool midwest craft beers. Â Goatcheese fondue with sweet potato fries is a favorite of mine. Â Their cocktail list is also very good, featuring lots of homemade liquor infusions with unique flavors. Â Prices on both are very fair for what you get. Â I also love the feel of the place, warm wood but still bright, rotating artwork on the walls, and a small intimate feel. Â The outdoor patio is great in the summer too. Â I go for dinner and brunch, and usually leave very happy. Â Always had a great experience with the staff too.
That said...the last time I went (going on 7 months now, versus my usual bi-weekly visit) was pretty terrible. Â I took some guests from out of town for brunch. Â I ordered a regular item, chilaquiles, and got something very different from the norm. Â Instead of the delicious and well balanced flavor of fresh cilantro, eggs, spicy meat, fresco cheese and tasty verde sauce, I received a pile of tostitos with greasy chorizo, no sauce, undercooked eggs, and a crappy presentation. Â It looked like breakfast nachos a hungover college kid would make. Â The equally familiar items I recommended to my friends were similary "cheapened" with gobs of low quality ingredients in place of the light, fresh, tasty componenents to which I had become accustomed. Â Net: one bad experience completely turned me off of a once regular haunt. Â
If the owners/managers are reading this, consider doing some quality checking in your kitchen (if you haven't already since April-ish). Â It may have been one chef having a really bad day...but it was way off the mark for what I expected. Â And in a city with so many great places to eat, once is all it takes to turn people away.
A coworker had recommended Uncommon Ground to me and I am so glad she did! I've been there three times now: once for coffee, once for brunch, and once for dinner. Â I was totally happy with everything I've gotten. Â The peanut butter mocha time may have permanently ruined starbuck's for me. Everything I love in one delicious cup! The rest of the menu was also incredibly tempting. Â Breakfast was even better! I got a breakfast quesadilla. The local hot sauce on the table gave it the perfect kick. I also tried a couple of bites of the pumpkin challah french toast. Â Really good, but a little too tart for my liking. Â
A few weeks later we went back for dinner. Â We started with the sweet potatoe fries with goat cheese. Â Aside from needing a little salt, they were great. Â The pumpkin ravioli I had was a perfect fall dinner, especially with the craft pumpkin beer I drank with it. The drink menu deserves five stars on its own. Â Not a huge beer selection, but everything they had, I wanted! On Wednesdays they had $4 or $5 craft beers. Â Their cocktail list looked even better. Â I definitely plan on going back to try a few appetizers and cocktails. Â The restaurant itself has a really cool set up-- half is set up like a bar and the other half like a coffee house with a really nice outdoor patio. Â Great music played both times and the service was great. Instantly became my favorite place in the city!
LOVED this place. Food is amazing!! Excellent menu and it all tastes super fresh. My group of 7 friends came to eat here for brunch and loved it so much we returned for lunch the next day.
Atmosphere is cozy and eclectic. Service is friendly, patient, yet eager to serve. Â Our waiter was patient with all our questions and made recommendations for each of us based on our preferences. We were all highly pleased with our food.
The heirloom tomato sandwich is superb - and the avocado sandwich is also a solid choice. The coffee is great, too! (Be careful if you order a latte, those things are montrous - but look yummy!) My friends all loved their breakfast potatoes.
Just great all around!! Go here - your first visit will not be your last!
I live down the street which is bad news, because this place is always calling my name. I usually come for brunch during the week if I have a day off. Going on the weekend, especially during baseball season, ensures that you will wait an hour or so for a table.
The food is expensive but it's amazing! They use fresh, seasonal ingredients and the flavor combinations are always on point. My staple brunch is the Uncommon Huevos (organic black bean cake, eggs over easy, smoked chile sauce, chihuahua cheese) with chai tea or a Bloody Mary, the latter if it's been a rough night!
I have also had various seasonal scrambles, duroc ham sandwich, blackened Florida shrimp salad, mac & cheese with bacon (+ a bloody = best hangover cure ever!), pork tacos, pizza, pasta.....pretty much everything on the menu! Recently, I had the pumpkin ravioli which came in a cheesey cream sauce. It was perfect for a chilly fall day.
I have yet to come for dinner, but I would like to soon. I love the ambiance here and it seems cool at night.
Service is usually good but can be slow when it's busy.
i first stopped in here yeaaaaars ago...i luv the fireplace and bar up front...and itty bitty local artist music rooms
however my #1 reason for luving uc is because they are an economically sustainable business & the care that they put into that venture shines thru in the rest of their establishment
recently: i had some of the richest and best tasting mac n cheese (with broc) and a side of cherry slaw (i have never liked slaw of any kind until this delicious concoction hit my lips) while i sipped on their version of an old fashioned...i guess i have a thing for cherries :)
they also serve drinks that give back so go ahead and water ur liver for a cause
the only detail im not thrilled with is the fact that the cover charge *for the music room* is put on your tab and taxed rather than just takin cash upfront
yea the bill can get pricey...but its good n worth it
I love this place. Definitely one of my 'go-to' spots. The food has always been fantastic and interesting, the beer menu is one of the best, and the service has always been good.
My only complaint/suggestion: For the love of god, get your servers new uniforms. Those outfits do not fit the aesthetic and they are flattering on absolutely no one.
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? Â 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. Â There are some big leather couches in the bar area, which i thought was a good touch. Â 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. Â Which seems consistent by reading some other reviews.
Food - this is where I don't get it. Â Food was borderline awful. Â We sent back a Calamari appetizer - it was more breading than calamari. Â and it seemed no one in my group of 4 were overerly excited w/ their food. Â I just had a salad w/ a side of grilled chicken. Â 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.
Good place! The food was great & the portion sizes were perfect.
Had a bit of a speed issue at one point but the manager quickly rectified this situation & picked up the tab for our 2nd round of drinks, great customer service.
Love the local sources & the great flavor that all this freshness brings to their food.
Some friends and I tried out Uncommon Ground for dinner and it was fantastic!
We sat on their sidewalk patio and it had a wonderful ambiance, a perfect place to enjoy a relaxing meal in the summer.
We tried a variety of things at our table: avocado tempura tacos, chili, goat cheese dip and the tomato sandwich with sweet potato fries. I must say that everything was delicious except the chili which was extremely bland.
My favorites were the tempura tacos and the dip. I'd highly recommend either of them.
The drink menu was great as well and we enjoyed an array of cocktails and beer - none of which disappointed.
Definitely check out Uncommon Ground if you have the chance!
This was our first time here. We liked the place but it was noisy. The waiters were very friendly but slow. Â 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.
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.
We were so glad to stumble into this cozy little eatery before the Cubs game last weekend. We wanted to fill up on something healthy and fresh to avoid the fried food frenzy at the stadium, and boy did we score. While we were only able to enjoy one meal here, it's was enough to fork over some props for good eats and great atmosphere.
I had the summer omelette with cheese curds, summer corn and grean beans. So fresh! Others had the huevos with the black bean patty. The crispy breakfast potatoes are sinful, so be careful if you're at all watching the waistline. If not, dig in. We didn't feel the price was unreasonable, even with drinks. Our waiter seemed incredibly busy, yet he somehow pulled off being attentive and timely. Super kudos to good service.
It's so nice to find a comfy, relatively healthy local joint when traveling. Would definitely return and recommend to anyone passing by for a quick bite or impromptu date night.
Been here a few times over the years, came back again for a mini high school reunion and started wondering why I don't come here more often, especially since I really dig the farm-to-table concept. We had a steak fan and a vegetarian in our group and everyone was happy with the choices. We started out with the black bean and herbed white bean hummus, and I LOVED it! (this coming from someone who runs as far as possible whenever the word "vegan" is involved is quite a compliment.)
Among the 5 of us we had the sockeye salmon, black bean sandwich, steak and....I forgot what was the last entree. I enjoyed the salmon, it was perfectly cooked and everything was seasoned just right. Friends liked the black bean sandwich but thought the cheese in the sandwich was overwhelmingly sharp.
It was a muggy Sunday night but inside the restaurant it was cool and breezy thanks to the fan above us. Atmosphere was very laid back and quiet. Service was friendly. When asked for recommendations, our waiter recommended over half of the menu...but it seemed like he genuinely like all of those dishes and enjoyed working there.
We ended with creme brulee, s'more tart and espresso pot de creme. The pot de creme was actually off the latest menu, but they still had some in the kitchen so I got it for $2 less. Unfortunately it had a strange gritty texture, none of the usual silky smoothness associated with pot de cremes. I'll stick with the apps & entrees next time and get desserts elsewhere.
This is a great date night spot. Â I think it has something to do with the soft lighting and extensively described food options.
From the look of it outside during the daytime and by the sound of the name, I'd thought it was a coffee shop. Â It's actually more of a high-side-of-middle range informal dining restaurant. Â Our server was friendly and very knowledgeable about all the items we asked about and ordered. Â They had a quaint guitar and vocals duet come in to perform some background music during the latter part of the dinner hour. Â
The prices were higher than we had anticipated, but the food was tastefully put together. Â The ambiance is really inviting and comfortable, and their porch in the summertime looks like a very relaxing spot with the white Christmas lights strung from the trees overhead.
Uncommon ground has an earthy, warm, casual, inviting vibe. Â Although they are all about the sustainable food theme, its not the in-your-face why-is-your-carbon-footprint-so-big way that other similar places have. Â
If you are looking for a particular night to go, check out the first Thursday of every month for Story Club. Â Its an open mike story telling event that is super cool! Â I went this week for the first time and really enjoyed it. Â Good for all ages as well.
Yum, yum, yum. 9 am on a hot weekend morning, couldn't have been a better option. It wasn't too crowded, we had essentially the entire inside to ourselves to enjoy the artwork and cool-looking bar, and there war several appealing options.
I ended up with the chilaquiles and the bf with the 2 eggs any style with cheddar. I was torn between two options and the waiter said that they were easily his two favorite things on the menu but it was better that I ended up with the chilaquiles because they had more flavor. That promise did not disappoint! My mouth is watering right now just thinking about the spicy sauce that was ladled over the eggs and chorizo. Â The bf said that the cheddar was a little overwhelming but nevertheless cleaned his plate, breakfast potatoes and all.
The price was reasonable and the service was friendly. I can't really see this place as a bar/see myself coming here solely for drinks and music, but I would happily try it again for brunch, lunch, or dinner!
I'd heard about Uncommon Ground ages ago, and I had a picture in my head of a crunchy coffee shop where people with dreadlocks serve vegan beanburgers.
It turned out to be nothing like I expected: a nice, irregular shaped light wood bar filling the center of the nicely-lit room, at which we sat and ate. Cocktails were excellent (I tried both the house Manhattan and Old Fashioned), and everything on the menu sounded great. I've been flip-flopping between being heavily carnivorous and completely vegetable-based for the last few weeks, but I was definitely in a meat mood on this night. The grass fed steak was excellent, and came with artichoke puree, buttered organic carrots, asparagus, wild mushrooms & local horseradish créme. Our server was the bartender, who was nice and seemed to be on top of things.
Looks like the have some interesting infusions going on behind the bar here, so I'll try those if I'm here again.
I usually go to the one on Devon because I am walking distance to that one but we happen to be in the neighborhood and were set on going to Vines, only to find out when we passed it up that it's closed on Tuesdays. So we just went here instead.
I like this location better,very cozy indeed,love the ambiance here.
I had the pizza and I enjoyed it considering how hungry I was but the crust was soggy and I had to literally fold it up in order to eat it.
The Smores Tart dessert I think it was called-to die for! I could have eaten the whole thing but I told my husband to please help me so I don't devour it. I could have eaten five of those.
We lingered there for awhile and I could have literally stayed there all night. Not bad. It's probably more happening on the weekends.
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