I will start by saying I tend to end up here mostly for it's late last call. For that alone it raises my review to 4 stars from 3. I usually go here when I want to catch up with friends as it's almost never too loud. I also usually go here with my beer snob friends as they have a great selection (as long as there's Miller Lite on the menu I'm fine). The food is good but not great. I like the sliders, especially the meatball sliders, and the boneless fried chicken but if you go there you must order...tater tots! Yes that cafeteria classic. So damn good. On the negative side, the bartenders, while more then affable, can be slow on the trigger so if drinking is your main cause you can do better (and this is not always the case but more often then not). That speed may or may not effect the speed of the servers with drinks as well. I've had very, very good servers there and also has some incredibly inefficient servers who seem to have been there forever. I used to go to this same building when it was Rosies which was more of a joint and cop bar with a jukebox and dart board and swore I would never set foot back in under the new concept. So, I lied. I think overall Cambridge Common servers a purpose and if nothing else having a late last call and serve food later then any other place in Cambridge, at least outside of the Square read more

always a solid spot to grab a bite when you're in the area. fantastic tap list and stepped up classics, like the mac & cheese (in a perfectly individualized cast iron skillet, mind you) as is or topped with things like buffalo or bbq chicken. on this particular visit sweetie and i got a caesar salad with buffalo cauliflower (le swoon!) and a burger to share. both were phenom. the nachos were also a solid standard. read more

Still up to 4 stars for me, and I'm writing this update because I want to thank the nice waitress/hostess who allowed my friend and I to sit at a booth since that was the only available seating on a fri night. We were unable to get in at all earlier in the eve because it was full, so during hiatus at the lizard, when we came back a second time she was kind enough to not make us stand at the bar. And the brownie sundae we ordered was delicious. read more

Great for a group. Four friends and I went on a Saturday night and waited 20 mins for a table (Celtics were playing). We had great burgers, delicious sweet potato "fries"--technically thick cut chips served in a basket-- a nice salad, and a pitcher of the $20.00 beer/lemonade/vodka. All for about $60.00. Great atmosphere, nice server, and even though it was crowded we never felt neglected. Nicely done. read more

I've been here a couple of times for apps and drinks and they were pretty good and the portions were good. Came here for dinner yesterday and I had the fish n chips.The slaw I was served was disgustingly bitter. The fish batter you could tell had been sitting somewhere for a while. Not flaky almost like rubber. My buddy's porkchop was overcooked with the same consistency giving me the shits afterwards. Not sure if the waitress even cared to explain why it was such a garbage experience. It wasn't busy enough to justify the mediocrity. read more

If I want a beer, but I'm also really hungry, this is a great place. They have a really large selection of beers on tap and I think that is awesome. read more

I went over to Cambridge Common last Saturday. It was 8 o'clock on a Saturday night and we still got a table and for that alone, I believe that they deserve some kudos. The waitress was super busy and yet she was still helpful, informed and friendly. The food choice wasn't amazing or exceptional but they do what they do well and anyplace that offers fried pickles is a little piece of heaven to me. I mean fried pickles! Do I even have to say anything more? Actually, I do. Fried Pickles and Sweet Potatoe Fries! Enough Said. read more

This place truly is as good as it gets! The prices are soooo reasonable, and I can't think of another restaurant in the area that serves food with such flavor. Every dish is perfectly seasoned and perfectly prepared. Here are a few of my favorites: 1. Boneless Buffalo Wings - incredible. The best buffalo flavor I've ever had. We get the mild, but it's really not mild at all. 2. Spicy Spinach Artichoke Dip - served with baked pita, this is not your average spinach and artichoke dip. The "spicy" comes from the diced tomatoes that they put on top, which have some type of spicy added to them. Love, love, love this app (sometimes, I get it for my main dish because I'm not a good sharer). 3. Beer list - the ever-changing tap selection is hard to beat. We love good beer, and this is the best place in the area - aside from Redbones maybe - to see and try new ones. The menus include a helpful sheet with descriptions, but the staff is also very knowledgeable. 4. Breakfast BLT - I am not a brunch person, but I really do love this dish. The avocado is a great addition, and I'd highly recommend ordering a spicy bloody Mary with it. 5. Curly fries - Many of the dishes comes with fries, and DEFINITELY get the curly fries as opposed to regular. Amazing. 6. Parking - Not many Mass. Ave. restaurants have their own parking place. Cambridge Common has its own lot behind the building, and we've always been able to find a spot. read more

Perfect local spot for lunch, dinner, or just drinks. Their menu is expansive and affordable, food is tasty, and rotating beer selection is always on point. I love that they always feature multiple local breweries. Try the salmon salad if you want something light or the fried chicken dinner for something heavier. read more

By far one of my fav places in cambridge! best sweet potato fries and cool bar area love this place!

They have a nice, well priced beer selection. It's fast food. The portions seem big, but only because they give you 4 pounds of fries to accompany whatever you're eating. The staff is often overworked. But even when they're not, the service still sucks. A lot of Harvard Law kids go there. read more

Service is always quick and friendly! The sweet potato waffle fries are amazing! Nice place to grab dinner and watch a game. read more

In my 20s, I spent many a birthday partying it up at Cambridge Common. And now that I'm in my, ahem, 30s, I still like to go back from time to time for a burger and those heavenly sweet potato fries (the best in all the land). You can also sometimes find me bellied up to the bar for a pumpkin ale of some sort. read more

Good beer selection; food is good and not overpriced. The place doesn't take themselves too seriously but they do their thing (burgers and beer) well. I've stopped in here early and late and always found a place at the bar. Simple. read more

I would have given them four stars but the beef and chicken are not anti biotic free. The service was great, atmosphere Nd local art is chill (no wifi though). They also have outside seating which is always nice. read more

I wasn't too impressed with brunch here. I could taste no alcohol in the bloody Mary. Their scrambles were lackluster. Adding a bit of mascarpone to the french toast was a nice touch, though! It was easy to find a table at 11am on a Sunday-- so if you're looking for an uncrowded brunch spot with decent fare, this could work! read more

I came here for the first time last week, and I hope to be going back. I wasnt sure how the food was going to be, but i was pleasantly surprised with my soup. And the artichoke dip is wicked. I didn't feel like drinking that night, but the beer menu was good-sized. A lot of local brews as well. The atmosphere is great, and the service was fast even on a busy friday night. Somehow we were even able to get a table without waiting more than 5 minutes. Weird. The badly drawn mural on the back wall made me a little angry, but its not enough to deduct stars if you ask me. read more

Great place to catch a game. Good food, numerous TVs, broad selection of beer, solid mix of age-groups. I was impressed with the place, if put off by the number of children in the bar, including those aged five and six siting at the bar itself. The odd thing was the parents didn't look like Spears and K-Feds, but rather ordinary, caring parents who wanted to meet a friend and catch a brew before the weekend. While it didn't seem like child abuse, it was disconcerting enough for me to retain the fifth star from this solid Cambridge pub. read more

Those 5 stars are for the service and the beer. We LOVE CCs! We've been going here for almost 4 years, and I can honestly say it has the freshest, most excellent beers around. Get the boneless wings (satanic) and a burger with tater tots, and you have a simple recipe for happiness. Yum! Love the brunch, and the prices are just right. Wish it was in Central, but the walk is so worth it! Love the bartenders--they're good, real peeps. No pretension in this place. Love it! read more

The food here is decent, nothing exceptional. Our school (part of a larger university) comes here frequently for meetings, lunches, and occasional after work functions. We give this place solid business, even in the down economy. This time we went here after work for a going away party - about 11 people - mind you we are adults aging in range from 27 - 56, with professional jobs, so we were there to send our friend off on a Wednesday night with no funny business. After about an hour and half, a few rounds, apps, (and two more people joining us later) we paid up the $250 bill and then it was my turn to buy. The waiter refused to serve us because he identified that we (a group of older adults) were "drinking with a mission." My colleague spoke with the manager after that and the manager said he would have still served us but he had to "back the waiter's decision." We were all perplexed. If management is fine with us being there? Our senior most co-worker (56) hadn't ever been refused to be served in her life. We have families and kids and work the next day - we were most certainly not rowdy, nor were we "drinking with a mission" whatever that means. It was demeaning. (I suspect it was a Wednesday night and the waiter wanted to go home.) We were having a party and planning to spend more money on drinks and food - very surprising to reject that business in this economy. So our little part of the University will not be having any additional lunches, dinners, or after work functions in this place, and have sent a faculty and staff-wide email sharing this experience, and asking for a similar ban. It was demeaning and insulting to the faculty and staff in attendance. Too bad. We walked down to Tavern in the Square in Porter, where were welcomed more graciously. read more

Good food, they allow substitutions (like getting mac & cheese or tater tots with your burger), and table service is usually great (though I will agree with other posters that certain bartenders are less attentive when you are at the bar itself - though a quick 'keep 'em coming when you see 'em empty' to them works wonders). I am not a fussy beer drinker, so I am always happy with the beer. In the fall they have terrific pumpkin ale. The crowd is a good mix - not too fratty, not too young, not too old. Comfy neighborhood bar and grill. Great for a late night snack and brew. read more

Oh how I love me a good fried chicken dinner. And the one at Cambridge Common did not disappoint. I can't comment on any other food items, because this is truly all I've eaten here...but it is delicious! Thick rich gravy and all. I feel the heart attack coming on. But I digress. The beer list is insane and the bartenders are pretty helpful when faced with making such a tough decision. Atmosphere is pretty chill and that is just the way I like it! read more

Food was great, but I was distracted by the decor and the things I would do to my waiter in a hotel room

This is a difficult blog to write. I want to like Cambridge Common, I really do. It's close to home and I like the feel of the place. The menu is varied and looks amazing. I have tried and tried again over the last six to eight months to like this place, but to be honest, I can't and here's why. It's a loud, and obnoxious place to dine. The staff are too busy to pay attention to any of their customers, they try (and I really believe they do), but they are just machines delivering food and drinks. No matter how often I go there, I will just be a number, a strange face in the crowd. No one has time to chat, or get to know their customers and that's a shame. All this basically relates to poor and/or slow service, water not being refilled, drinks not being reordered. It takes forever to get someone's attention. Now onto the real issue I have with this place. The food is mediocre at best. The salads are not fresh, the lettuce often wilted and overpowered by poorly made dressings with out of balance flavors. The Burgers are never done to the customer's satisfaction. I don't think the kitchen staff knows the difference between rare, medium well, and well done. Every time I've order a burger no matter how I specify it, it comes on way - rare. I don't like my meat bleeding, so I have to send it back, and of course this means (because of the impossibly slow service) the people I'm with are done with their meal before mine ever returns from the kitchen. The fries are horrible. They taste freezer burnt. The regular fries are always soft, and mushy with grease, and the curly fries are brittle and dry throughout. And I'm not talking on one occasion. Every time I get fries they are like this. Their fresh mozzarella sandwich might be good, but there is so much garlic in the basil pesto, you can't taste any of the other ingredients. And I can't even begin to describe how greasy their grilled cheese sandwich is - I just can't go there. This is a no win situation for me, and despite its proximity to me, and their decent cocktails I will have to resign myself to finding another neighborhood restaurant to frequent. This place just won't do. The only reason I'm giving them 2 paws instead of 1 is because perhaps there is something on the menu I haven't tried, which is edible. I just can't keep going back and being disappointed, so with that my friends I'm giving them an extra paw and a prayer. With love from my dog bowl to yours... Shata read more

I've been to this place plenty since it was right next to where I worked (Lesley U.) but it REALLY REALLY seems like they never clean their taps, the beer almost never tastes right. Sorry, because of this it has just become a place to avoid. read more

Definitely our go-to place for burgers, wings, nachos, and BEER. The beer is definitely the most amazing part of this place. Their selection is vastly better than any other place around the square. The cocktails are also pretty good, but really strong. You don't go here for fantastic food, it really isn't about that, but the food isn't bad. Try the Black Jack Burger. It's pretty much a slam dunk. Definitely my favorite entree. The wait staff is sometimes a little... slow... but I can definitely overlook that in exchange for a make-your-own beer sampler. Also very gay-friendly. read more

I love this place. 30 beers on tap, 31 when they have a cask beer. A lot of the beers are under $5, considering the area, this alone shocked me. Excellent craft beers, and some breweries I had not heard of at all. The food is good and the service is great. We had John as our waiter more than once now and aside from being a waiter, he knew his beers, made some recommendations and accurately described beers we had questions about. Also, just went to one of their beer dinners for the first time and that was amazing. It was 4 courses with different beers paired up with each course. If it's not my favorite bar in Cambridge, it is easily top 3. read more

Food was pretty awful, didnt look or taste appetizing , but decided to give it a fair shot and eat it anyway, actually felt sick after eating. Didn't want to say anything because I'm sure that's how it's usually served. The food deserved no stars, however our server was great. read more

Cambridge Common has a great beer selection and fabulous mini-burgers that I usually attend to on weeknights, and a great brunch menu that works well for me when I want to watch football and eat biscuits and gravy on a Sunday afternoon. The place is inexpensive and the staff is always really nice. read more

I've been to Cambridge Common so many times, but I always leave wanting more. The beer selection is great, with a lot of local or unqiue beers featured everyday. However, they get three stars because their food is only okay, and because their service is usually really bad. I will continue to go there for drinks, but try to avoid eating there if possible. read more

Maybe its my mistake for going there for brunch on a Sunday. If so, I will accept that. Brunch was gross though - so gross. The "fresh" fruit was soggy and not at all fresh. The french toast was made from preservative laden crap bread and soggy from the fake whipped cream that was on top. The eggs were from a bag (as a lot of eggs are at diners I realize). The bacon was not cooked enough and was basically chunks of fat. I don't know, I would never go back for breakfasty food again. read more

Mediocre bar atmosphere, good beer selection, friendly and experienced bartenders. Restaurant is sub-par. Food is not very thrilling and service is on the slower side. My waitress forgot my soup... but the sweet potato fries can always make up for that. read more

My friends and I go after work on Friday's very very often. We love the location, the price and the bar. The food is solid but they can sometimes miss the mark on service, wrong food order or a missed topping. They are always willing to resolve the issue but they don't always hit it right for example after bringing a turkey sandwich instead of a burger the burger came without the cheese on top and while they finally got it right they didn't do anything to acknowledge the oversight as far as the bill. While they don't need to comp the meal a free drink would be a nice offer to make up for the wait. Like I said I go there often and this is just one experience. If you find something you love like the sweet potato fries or for me the mandarin chicken salad it is always the same when you order and you an count on it being great. I hate a place that one day gets something right and the next it is a different item although you haven't changed your order. They always have specials which I highly recommend, if they offer a fish dish it is always fresh and delicious. The soups are good and made fresh so if something catches your eye order the soup of the day. Salads in the summer can be delightful surprises filled with the freshest veggies, I am still thinking about one I had this summer with fresh beets which was awesome. Also they servers are relatively attentive and the kitchen is always up for a change to the menu order to meet your tastes for example with a salad you can ask for grilled chicken or salmon to mix things up. If a salad comes with chicken you can ask for salmon instead and they will be happy to charge a little extra but accommodate the requests. The drinks are tasty and some make for a dessert alternative. The almond joy, Kate's crush and chocolate kiss are all delish. They also offer drink specials, I had a delightful berry rum cooler with lemonade last week which was great. I am a fan and I recommend it for a great pub experience, the music is a little cheesy and a little loud but most of the time you can sit and chat. If you are just going for a drink they have a great wooden bar that is a great place to pull up to. There are sometimes a lot of kids, babies and toddlers which can get a little out of hand...cause in the end this is a pub not really a place for kids if you ask me. I am always thankful to the parents who at least keep their little angels in check. read more

The bf and I went here for lunch on Saturday and had a really positive experience! The beer selection here really blew me away. They have a huge local selection as well as beers from all over the country. I loved that you can build your own tasting by picking any four drought beers. They also have a tasting suggestion that is hand picked by the staff. We both ordered burgers and were pretty happy. It was great bar food and cooked nicely. The only negative is our service was a little slow, but our waiter was accurate and the restaurant was busy. All in all, a pretty nice experience. read more

The food has never disappointed! Love the English burger and the Baja turkey burger is amazing. the beer selection is great and always changing. Nice that they do a lot of local stuff like Night Shift and Jack Abby. All the bartenders are good except for Julie who seems to think she's doing you a huge favor by poring you a beer. That's the only reason I'm giving a 4 Instead of a 5. Still worth checking out. Oh and WI-fi would be a nice addition! read more

Love this place. There is always a solid - and frequently updated - beer selection. As for food, there hasn't been anything that I've tried that I haven't liked. Try the macaroni bites for an appetizer - they're pretty amazing. read more

Awesome beer and good food for a very reasonable price! Check out their fried pickles.

Didn't care for strong aroma needs more fresh air. Food was good but servers were best part.

What I like most about this place is that they served the pint that made my wife fall for me. Seriously, though, this bar has a nice selection on draught, and they'll make just about any mixed drink (although the wife's now barred from the top shelf). Not the best place for a quiet pint because it fills up with diners and college students. A good late night stop in Cambridge. The food's not too bad, nothing special. read more

This place is a great beer and appetizers spot. Iif you're into relaxed places with diverse crowds, some nights you just don't know what to expect with their variety of events. read more