1. Rosemary fries are out of this world. 2. We also ordered and split the Santa Fe salad which was great with blackened chicken. 3. Finally, we had the Garden Martini and the Spritz of the season. Both were very good. 4. Service was also very good. 5. We would love to come back. read more

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Going to the Common Grill for years. Usually for lunch so it's rarely for dinner and with the hour cutbacks, haven't visited for two years. On the visit today had the walnut walleye and the shrimp lobster pasta. The pasta was good but the recipe was less flavorful and tangy than before. Ingredients were changed and not the unique flavor from the Craig Commons era. The pear salad and rolls were delicious. The walleye was a big disappointment. The dish came out hot and fresh from the kitchen but fish was soft and mushy and either lower quality or refrozen or just not first rate. Our expectations for this level of restaurant are much higher. Likely will try again but for a 150 dollar dinner with tip for two entrees and two glasses of wine that aren't first rate is not worth my time. The waitress was great. But a somehow a large table of eight people next to us had a major order screw up that required smoozing from several manager types to repair. Disappointed. Craig Common prices but not Craig Common quality or service. read more

This past Sunday was my second time dining here. First time the food was great; no complaints. This time we ordered a 1/2 dozen of the fresh oysters for $20. Had I shucked these oysters I would have been embarrassed to serve this to a customer. Two of the oyster were so small they were almost impossible to get onto the fork. The rest were somewhat acceptable (they were tasty). My crab Benedict was average. I would have rated better had the yolks not been cooked to a solid consistency. I will return but was not as pleased as I was when I first visited. read more

Food was too good to even wait for a photo. Our server, Justin, was knowledgeable, attentive, and kind. The highlight of the meal were the Asian crispy ribs, wow!!! 10/10. We can't wait to come back. read more

I've never had a bad meal here. Excellent food and service. Always enjoyable. A tad pricey but you get what you pay for!

You can't go wrong at the Common Grill! Many quality plates with excellent service. The open space venue has a distinguished vibe. When we are in the area, it's our go-to restaurant. The blackened steak salad was savory. read more

Common Grill - BBQ rib appetizer at the Common Grill. - New American Near Me - Chelsea, Michigan

First time in here. The ambiance and energy is vibrant and lively. It is loud in here so you have to talk a bit loud, but you'll enjoy the electric ambiance. The food was amazing! Service was very hospitable and the deserts are so sosO GOOD!!! My wife said to me when she saw the menu, "Seafood dreams do come true look they have my favorite combo, Shrimp and Lobster Fettuccine!!!" I do recommend you ask them for extra sauce. She loved it! I had the beef tenderloin with glazed carrots mash potatoes and it was topped with mushrooms, very very tasty and tender, definitely a repeat. We also tried the burrata caprese (the crostini was too hard and stale to bite so it really took the fun out of the dish, but the rest was nice. I wouldn't order it again. The coconut pie was amazing! Crème brûlée so delightfully and tasty, and the peanut butter pie was so smooth the first and second bite was just melting in my mouth. Highly recommend all of the 3 desserts! Looking forward to our second visit soon. read more

Our 2nd dining experience at Common Grill. Shannon was our welcoming server-Enjoyed a stiff old fashioned, a unique twist on French Onion soup, and dinner for two; ( beef medallions & walleye; each prepared to our perfection. I'll add that the fish came out delectably hot-I never enjoy cold fish! We're sure to return! read more

i have reviewed Common Grill before and need to update since my last experience was not good. Well they sure have turned things around! We were celebrating a birthday so had a large party of 12. Our server was amazing! i am bummed i can't remember his name but he took excellent care of us. The lobster spring rolls are tasty. The oysters did not look great but i did not try those. They looked quite small. The tuscan pear salad was quite delicious. I had the shrimp and lobster fettuccine and really enjoyed it. The portion size was quite large so I have leftovers. The bread is back to amazing!!! The last time I was here a couple of years ago something had changed. Now it is back to the most delicious on the planet! They also made a great dirty martini. I also loved the fact that they let us bring in a birthday cake and even served it. It was quite busy on a Saturday night and i can see why. I can't wait to go back and try some other menu items! read more

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Our server was attentive and excellent. The food was up quickly. They don't have a large menu, but there are things for most interests. I got the chicken Marsala and pear salad with Parmesan instead of bleu cheese. The salad was creative and yummy. The Marsala was just okay. I look forward to trying the soup sometime, they sounded yummy! We came on a Friday evening and it was a fun vibe, you can tell people enjoy meetups here. I loved that I could make a reservation and they got us in immediately when we were 5 mins early. I'm interested in trying more of the menu, but my initial thought was that's it's slightly overpriced and though good, maybe not as excellent as the price reflects. Overall I think we'll come back. The dessert menu looked amazing. The brûlée was pretty good, but not necessarily the best I've had in the area. Definitely scratched the itch though! read more

Common Grill - Vanilla bean brûlée - New American Near Me - Chelsea, Michigan

First time visit in Chelsea, we stopped here for dinner after visiting a lavender farm. We were seated right away, it was slightly busy for a Tuesday evening. It's bigger inside than it looks from the outside with high ceiling and wooden floors and a bar in the middle. We had Morgan as our server, super friendly and on point with her service. My husband ordered the lobster egg rolls and demolished them! He had the mahi tacos with fries with sea salt and rosemary which we shared, they were delicious and crunchy! I had the Tuscan pear salad with grilled chicken, it's a great combination with the blue cheese, candied walnuts and the caramelized pears pushed it to the top. The chicken was perfectly cooked and seasoned. We ordered dessert to go, pistachio cheesecake! She said all desserts are made in house, I'd come again to try more if they're all as good as that cheesecake. The cocktail menu also looked enticing, will try that next time! read more

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Had a lovely dinner with my dad here. I tried two drinks off their spirit free cocktail list and enjoyed them both - the Hibiscus Lemonade was flavorful and not too sweet; the black tea soda was refreshing. The brown butter Brussels sprouts were so tasty - we cleared the plate. I got the Grilled Salmon Salad Santa Fe and it was really tasty but I thought the greens were a little dry so I requested an extra side of dressing. My dad got the blackened steak salad which he enjoyed. The tiramisu was super tasty - so glad we tried it. Our server was calm and kind - she was attentive without being overbearing and kept our table clear and drinks full. I had a great experience. read more

Common Grill - Brown Butter Brussel Sprouts - New American Near Me - Chelsea, Michigan

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Our second time here and it did not disappoint. We started with the lobster spring rolls, lots of lobster, crispy rolls and a spicy sauce - so good! The New England Clam Chowder soup was light and flavorful. I had the Goat Cheese Ravioli. They did not skip on the lobster and shrimp, the funk of the goat cheese with the lobster was a fantastic flavor combination. My husband had the Crab Carbonara - again tons of crab and well cooked noodles. Our only suggestions for improvement - put salt and pepper on the table, just in case someone needs it. Our waitress was attentive but not particular friendly or helpful (she got friendlier the longer we were there). We will be back again! read more

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It's always a special occasion when we travel to Common Grill, and what makes it extra special is when Bonnie is our server. I will always ask to be seated with her because she makes me feel like we have been best friends for a lifetime! If there is ever an opportunity for an individual to move up within the business, Bonnie deserves it. 10/10 service and customer care! read more

Mixed review coming up. Have heard nothing but great things about this place. Years of high praise and kudos. Went for the first time on the 13th. 4 of us. Reservation at 5:15. Place was pretty slow. Got in a little early and greeted and seated right away. Our server was Morgan and she was very good at her job. Attentive, pleasant, and a sense of humor. So here we go. Pros: Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes- order them. Large and worth every penny. Grilled Salmon Salad Santa Fe- order it. Salmon grilled to your request and big enough for 2. New England Clam Chowda- try it. I have had better. This was very thin but it did have a lot of clams. Morgan- ask for her. She made the dinner well worth it. Very friendly. Fun to have a conversation with. Cons: The floor was very sticky. Very hard to move chairs. Hoping it was just do to wooden legs and the finish on the wooden floor. Noise- above average. We could carry on a conversation at 5:15 but once the Grill started to fill up it was hard to think. Fish and Chips- overpriced. Good but spend your money on something else. I can get this meal in the freezer section. Walleye- extremely disappointed. Very expensive for 3 small pieces of fish. The menu really needs to say that this is not a fillet Menu says walnut crusted so I thought it would be a nice sized fillet. Rice pilaf was dripping in liquid. I would say skip this dish unless you just like to spend money. Now, I would say that this is still a got to place in my book but I will be ordering something else. It is expensive but some of the menu items seem to worth it. We will see. read more

Common Grill - First time here. - New American Near Me - Chelsea, Michigan

A recent weekend meant a chance to try a new place. We had long wanted to check out the Common Grill in Chelsea, and finally had the chance to do so. Although it was a Sunday night, we were glad that we had made a reservation - the place was busy! We were promptly seated and had an attentive server throughout. I started with the Rosemary Hibiscus Mocktail, which was refreshing and not too sweet - would definitely recommend! Next came the Tuscan salad. Fresh ingredients, a light dressing and just a touch of sweet walnuts and goat cheese made it a unique and delicious start to the meal. We both ordered the Halibut, which we both were disappointed with. It was finished blackened, and seasoning and cooking overpowered the delicate natural flavor and flaky texture of the fish. Overall we enjoyed our meal and would be happy to return at some point. read more

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This is the first time I've been here since they've been under new management. The service was wonderful. I don't recommend, but I did it, I walked in on my cell phone and sat at the bar. The staff brought the menu with a smile and allowed me some privacy to finish but was attentive to know I wanted to order before I finished my conversation. Ride of me but they were phenomenal! Everything came out in a very timely fashion allowing me time to eat my salad. Or at least as much as I wanted. The meal was so good. Salad, fish, and veg. I have no complaints. The restaurant itself is well lit, the decorations are not overbearing and the atmosphere inviting. I'm so lad I was able to give them another try! It's still a wonderful place to dine. read more

Common Grill - Hazelnut encrusted lake perch, wild rice pilaf, and spinach with a mezcal old fashioned - New American Near Me - Chelsea, Michigan

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5-22-2025 Came before show at Purple Rose of course. Our waiter, Walter was great. We loved the lobster spring rolls, both surprising and familiar. The house salad was great and the chicken primavera ok. read more

Tried out brunch since they've expanded their offerings. Mimosas are a great blend with options between OJ, grapefruit, mango, etc. The crab cake Benedict and potatoes were really good. A bit expensive at $27 but less than $10 compared to the appetizer. The chicken and waffles also looked good but portion was quite small compared to what I'd expect for something as hardy as that dish. Service was outstanding, our server was polite and engaging. Would return in a heartbeat. read more

Common Grill - Crab cake Benedict - New American Near Me - Chelsea, Michigan

The Sunday buffet was mediocre at best. The price of $50 was unwarranted. The floors had food on them, therefore were slippery. Some of the food trays were empty. read more

Black Friday! staff was ready at opening as listed for today. we wanted a light lunch; soup & apps. 3 onion soup was very good-broth nicely done! Asian ribs also very nicely pressed & prepared..as were the Lobster Spring rolls generously portioned too! Fries were best we've had anywhere thru MI. Oh, & Bloodys to start! Maya, our server really read us right-took good care of us and might add, made a kind ambassador to what Chelsea offer. pBS from Charlevoix read more

Been there a few times & it was very good. But, we ate there before going to Purple Rose theater this past weekend. I ordered the whitefish. It was very soggy and served as two "patties". The taste had a noticeable overly buttery flavor. Very disappointing. Somewhat disappointing. read more

The Mahi-Mahi tacos were lovely. The fish tasted fresh, as did the salsa. They were served with shoestring fries that were also very good. We had a 415 pm reservation but arrived a half an hour early and were able to be seated right away. Our server, Beth, was friendly and efficient. The restaurant itself was bright and open. read more

Common Grill - Mahi Mahi Tacos - New American Near Me - Chelsea, Michigan

Came to Common Grill with another couple, our first time here since its change of management (to Peas & Carrots Hospitality). Overall, we found the place to be well run and efficient. Our waitress was pleasant and competent. Selection of food was standard for that calibre of establishment. Prices were - as is the case for much of fine dining these days - on the high side: mostly around $40 for a composed plate (protein plus veggie plus starch). I got the fish& chips, which was on the low end, price-wise. Fish was nicely prepared. The co-diner would have preferred the chips a bit crisper, but I found them to be fine. The co-diner and another in our group got the Parmesan Crusted Whitefish, My co-diner found it to be a bit heavily salted, but flavorful. Two of us (co-diner and one other) got the Tuscan Pear Salad. Co-diner liked it, but found it to be a bit over-dressed, with too few pears, but tasty. The other couple got the gazpacho. They had no complaints about this dish. For dessert, one in our party got the chocolate pot de crème, which she enjoyed. We were pleased that the establishment, when informed that we planned to attend a play at Purple Rose Theater, did a fine job of getting our meals out and getting us on our way in a timely manner. In sum, Common Grill is a good option for those visiting Chelsea for a night of companionship and entertainment. read more

Quality of food is always great. In a cute little town with great little shops. The staff are always helpful and will make changes to the menu if you have dietary restrictions. I make sure to visit a few times each year! Ps. Seasonal menus! read more

Went here for lunch before going to the Purple Rose theatre. There were 10 of us. The waiter was very good and all the food arrived together. Although I didn't get up and take photos of everyone's food, it all looked delicious and everyone was happy with what they got. I had the salmon fiesta salad. It was really good with a nice light dressing. I will go back if I'm on that side of the earth again! read more

Common Grill - Salmon fiesta salad - New American Near Me - Chelsea, Michigan

The restaurant is too loud. You have to yell at the people that are at your table so they can hear you.

Love this place! I've been visiting when in town since it opened in 1991 and every meal has been fantastic. Tonight my family enjoyed the goat cheese ravioli with seafood, lump crab carbonara, medallion and mushroom ravioli, tenderloin, and fish and chips. Everything was fresh and delicious. Service was excellent! read more

What a fantastic, beautiful restaurant!! We went on a whim hoping they had a table available after seeing a play at the Purple Rose Theater. We got lucky and got right in even though they were booked. The front of the house manager very accommodating. Our waiter, Tom was knowledgeable about the menu and extremely attentive. The food was so good!! We will definitely be back! read more

There is nothing common about this restaurant. Wow. What a great place to eat. We were traveling through and found this on yelp and enjoyed it. Amazing dinner. We ordered the fish and chips, lobster and shrimp goat cheese ravioli, and the pan fried white fish. Everything was incredible-- including the bread pudding!!!! read more

Ugh! What happened to the quantity and quality of our favorite appetizers and entrées at our now ex-favorite restaurant? The legendary rolls are now lousy compared to prepandemic and food in general is served in lesser quantity at a higher price. Not sure I'm getting my money 's worth anymore... Disappointing. read more

Overall, this was a really good dinner. We had not been in here for several years, but I do recall us like can get here before. We ordered the spareribs appetizer. It was really good but it did have a bit cartilage in it. A basket of bread was also brought to the table and that was delicious. I decided to try something a little bit different and got a grilled portobello and vegetable dinner and had some grilled shrimp added to it. I wasn't able to finish it as I also ordered some seafood chowder, which is probably one of the best soups I have ever had. Hubby ordered the grilled chicken and was amazed at how wonderful it tasted. It had been cooked with lemon in it and it just seasoned the chicken beautifully. Would definitely come back here again.! read more

We had a reservation and it ended up taking an extra ten minutes to get a seat as it was rather busy. I thought that the bread was delicious, my family also buys a lot of their rolls every year! I liked the salad and my fish and chips were delicious! The waitstaff was very nice and I enjoyed my visit here. read more

Common Grill - Fish & Chips - New American Near Me - Chelsea, Michigan

I have been going to Common Grill for some 27 years. I know it's sold. I'm not sure when I made a reservation. We arrived five minutes prior to our scheduled reservation and we are seated then 15 minutes later I decided to go ask what happened to our service. The waitress is not contacted and or did not see us, which is not the end of the world I ordered vodka is soda. I think they forgot the vodka. The oyster appetizer was good. The baked rolls were amazing. I was not overly hungry so I ordered a Caesar salad with salmon. It was good. My wife had a bowl of soup. Seeing that she ate all the oysters and it was good. Overall, the waitress was qualified to did a great job. I left her a 35% tip. They need to learn how to make drinks with a good pour. read more

The food and atmosphere have always been great in this busy place, and that has not changed since the shift in ownership. Seafood dishes are especially good and the beer and liquor selections are numerous. Our server was experienced and attentive. Highly recommended. read more

We had a double date for dinner here with friends. I was impressed with how busy they were: our reservation was for 8:00 pm, and the place was completely full throughout our dinner, and just started to lighten up when we left around 9:30. Their bread was very good, and looked like a cross between biscuits and rolls, a little salty, soft inside and topped with poppy seeds. I tried some of my friends' oysters, which tasted very fresh and were served with butter, capers, lemon, and tartar sauce. For dinner I had the steak salad. I'm used to steak salad being served with cheese, so I asked for some Parmesan on mine. They were generous with the steak, but perhaps overshot my requested medium-well by a little bit. The biggest surprise of the dish were the croutons, which seemed to be made of French toast, soft in the middle though still crispy on the outside. My wife was happy with her primavera pasta, and said the papardelle tasted high quality and homemade. Overall it was a good meal in a nice setting of Downtown Chelsea, and I would eat here again. read more

Common Grill - Oysters - New American Near Me - Chelsea, Michigan

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I wasn't expecting to stop here or even knew this place existed. But thankfully to Yelp, The Common popped up. The open style restaurant with exposed brick and art deco inspired interior gave way to a warm and inviting aroma as soon as we stepped in. Right away I could tell it was an upscale yet casual restaurant. It was a little over half full so no wait on this Saturday night. Our waiter Bobby U. was engaging, relaxed and even funny. Answered any and all questions and was a full hands in full hands out type of waiter he balance multiple tables effortlessly and other members of the team were unafraid to pick up empty plates fill water glasses etc. As for the food....I cannot come up with enough details to describe how much my husband and I loved every single thing we ate. Oysters on the half, we got two of each kind and they were so satisfying with beautiful ocean flavor. Such a clean taste. My salad had the most delicious goat cheese and every bite tasted as good as the last. The mahi tacos were full of flakey fresh tasting fish with a subtle blackened spice. The clam chowder was not fishy smelling or tasting. Not too thick it was actually refreshing. It was a rainy night too so it was perfect Dessert was unlike any bread pudding I had ever had. Topped off with some coffee made it even better. We live over 2 hrs away and are making plans to come back for our anniversary so we can try some other dishes ! The Common is anything but Common read more

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I live in San Diego and during my visits (dear friend) have been frequenting the Common Grill for more years than I care to count. I know they have new ownership. I was sadly disappointed overall with my visit a few weeks back. The smoked fish appetizer was amazingly delicious. Wine was nice as was my burger. The $36 chicken, which was so unbelievably small, was dry and completely lacked flavor. $36 for chicken should have completely impressed. Not the case. The banana cream pie was not good, either. Staff was fabulous as always. read more

Due the distance, I go to Common Grill approximately once every-other year, and I must say, I love just as much today as I loved it 25 years ago! The food is so rich in flavor, you can tell they love & respect food. And the staff has always been wonderful! read more

Common Grill was, in fact, quite common. The food was very low quality. They didn't have real butter in the restaurant. When we asked about the "butter" blend on the table, our server told us it was "European style" meaning it had margarine. As someone who has been to Europe multiple times, I find this appalling to compare their subservient food to Europe's. In addition, half of my Cesar Salad was filled with mold, and my server informed me it was fine and that the lettuce had just "oxidized." To add insult to injury, we were charged top dollar. read more