First off, let me say that I love what this restaurant represents. I love the idea of sustainable food and green dining. I'm able to forgive a lot of things, like the minimalist menu and small portion sizes, because those things are, arguably, a part of the sustainable, green ethos. This would be a one-star review, except I like the ambiance of the place and I approve of what it's TRYING to do. The food, however, has become REALLY, EGREGIOUSLY disappointing. Classic dishes have been interpreted in ways that make them borderline unpalatable. My last meal there actually made me ANGRY. I ordered the mushroom risotto for my entree. Yay for locally produced mushrooms, right? Yay for a reliable standby dish like risotto, right? What showed up at the table was a flavorless clump of rice and mushrooms in a broth. It lacked the creaminess of risotto, but more importantly, it lacked the flavor of risotto. It was entirely disappointing. I almost asked my dining companion if he would swap food with me, but I didn't want to foist my bad menu decision off on anyone else. So, after choking down my entree I was still hungry, because it wasn't a very large portion, so I figured, well, I may as well make the most of this and redeem this crappy meal with dessert. Dessert makes things better, right? So, I ordered what I thought was a foolproof standby: carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. I happen to love traditional carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, and I figured it would make up for the very disappointing risotto. What showed up at the table was awful. It was as if the chef thought, "Hey, flourless chocolate cake is pretty good, so I'll make a flourless carrot cake." So, what arrived on my plate was a rectangular mass of carrot, spices, and... something else; it was drizzled with some flavorless cream-colored liquid that was apparently supposed to be the cream cheese frosting. It tasted nothing like cream cheese OR frosting; it wasn't really sweet, it wasn't tangy, and it wasn't creamy, so I found its presence on the plate both confusing and annoying. Overall, the "carrot cake with cream cheese frosting" was flavorless, dense, chewy (in a way I didn't expect from something described as cake), and very, very disappointing. So, in ONE MEAL, I felt like I'd been tricked twice. Two great, hard-to-ruin standbys were very effectively ruined by some arrogant chef who thought that these classics needed a new "interpretation." Hint: If you're going to offer a flavorless, avant garde "interpretation" of a dish, let diners know ahead of time, so they're not surprised (and pissed off) when it shows up on their plate. Five years ago, Uncommon Ground was one of my favorite places to eat in the neighborhood. I've noticed that I've been eating there less and less frequently, and it's because of a few things, including the unfavorable cost-to-portion-size, the increasingly obvious lack of flavor in the food, and the fact that fewer and fewer things on the menu appeal to me. My last meal there will be my last meal there for a very long time. While I appreciate the ideals of the place, that's not enough to get me to eat such disappointing food. read more

I like the vibe and that it's walking distance to my fiance's place. We ordered: Appetizer: Korean fried calamari Entree: Spring Gnocchi (asparagus, mighty vine tomatoes, pecorino cheese, tarragon) Entree 2: Grass-fed beef smash burger: local gouda, tomato, red onion, special sauce, brioche bun. The korean fried calamari was $17 and not that flavorful and there was not much on the plate. I would NOT order this dish again. Spring Gnocchi - it was light and simple dish. It was good but nothing outstanding. The burger was good but it was $17...a bit expensive for what you get. The one thing, though, is that my fiance and I noticed we felt A-OK after the meal...so perhaps the grass fed is better for you. Who knows. The ginger ale is made in house and my fiance LOVED it. We sat in the back room - which was fine because we didn't make a reservation on a Friday night - but it was pretty loud and a little cramped where we sat. The main dining area is nice and airy. It's worth a try but it's a little pricey for what you get IMO. read more

Uncommon Ground - Just OK - not worth $17! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Spinach artichoke pesto dip was unreal, the bread topped it off. Must get if you come here! Meals were delicious too, but the lemon ginger martini was even better! Very covid safe outdoor and indoor options. read more

Stopped here for dinner before a show at nearby Mercury Theater. The dining room was comfortable, the service was attentive and the food was good. We had the cauliflower appetizer, impossible burger and chicken schnitzel. All was good. I will warn that if don't like lemon grass you'll want to skip the cauliflower. If you are in the area give Uncommon Ground a try. read more

Food = 5 stars Price = 3 If this place priced their dishes just a little more affordably, my overall review would be 5 stars. I used to frequent Uncommon Ground fairly often when I lived in Chicago. This is one of my favorite brunch spots of not only the area, but of all time. Everything is incredibly fresh and rich in flavor. At my most recent trip here I ordered a bloody mary to start ($5 on Sunday's), the uncommon huevos, a slice of banana bread, and the 312 lunchbox (drink). I left with a VERY happy tummy. I ate brunch there around 2:30, and didn't need another meal the rest of the day. If you like fresh, filling, and delicious food, you won't leave this place disappointed. read more

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

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Put in an online order on toast tab, which the website says is their preferred avenue for placing online orders. They accepted my order and I received an email confirmation. When I arrived, they told me that they did not serve the item I had ordered. I understand keeping a website updated with an evolving menu may be challenging. The hostess was kind and offered to replace the item with something of equal value, and I'm sure it wasn't her fault. However, it's disappointing that I received an email confirmation and was not informed that the item was unavailable until I arrived to pick it up. They had my contact information and could have let me know. The kicker - this has happened twice. The lack of communication seems careless. read more

I was not impressed with Uncommon Ground which was disappointing as I have heard so many great things about it. I visited them for a Sunday morning brunch. I ordered the House Made Chorizo Chilaquiles which was very bland and seemed to be missing any Chorizo flavor. The coffee was fine and the service was just alright. I might try them again for dinner or just to hang out but will not be back for breakfast as there are too many other great choices in the area. read more

Uncommon Ground - Front room at uncommon ground - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

If only they were closer, I'd go here everyday. The food always tastes fresh from the garden and the coffee and drinks are top notch. It's the perfect combination of hip, classic, and delightful. Two things that stick out for me ate the people who work there, who all seem very happy, and the people enjoying a cup of coffee and WiFi. Always, to me, these are signs that a place is welcoming and knows what they are doing. If you have particular food restrictions, talk to them about options. The servers always seem very knowledgeable and open when my wife starts in on her multiple health related food restrictions. They were able to make an amazing meal for her that rivaled a home cooked customization. Try them if you haven't, or just stop in for a cup of coffee. read more

We ordered lakeview chilquiles with eggs, avocado and chorizo. My fiancé ordered uncommon huevos my cousin had the egg with biscuit and fried chicken. We ordered mimosas all the food was delicious and healthy. The service was amazing overall great restaurant!!! read more

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

Unplanned stop -- but pleasantly surprised! Low key Saturday brunch. Coffee is from Metropolis. Bright venue with outdoor seating for summer. Greenstar Brewing clams to be the first certified organic brewery in Illinois. Beer is good. Food is good but a bit pricey. read more

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First time here and probably the last. The food was bland. Literally had no flavor. Not the potatoes, the sauce or even the meat. The side dish of Brussels was basic with no flavor also. Listen, if your expecting food with flavors that pop and make you want another bite....this place isn't it. The service was decent. Place wasn't full but our server wasn't as dedicated to serving his tables as I'm accustomed to in other restaurants. The beer wasn't anything special either. Got a Flight of the Hops beers and they literally almost all taste the same aside from the distinct addition each one had. I know my damn beers, and these just weren't great....Not even good. Just decent. read more

Lovely Dinner! Went there, for a dinner, with a friend .This was my first visit.We were seated very quickly and the place neat and clean with a good crowd and vibe. She ordered Mac and Cheese with Chicken and Broccoli and I order the Impossible burger with some sweet potato fries. For drinks, we went with a malt wine and some Mango Turmeric Kombucha tea. Prices were a little on the high side but that is a small mention, on the side. They have a live music area too which would be a lovely place to hang around at over the weekends. Will definitely visit again, if am in the area. read more

cute venue for performance events with a warming welcome. there are board/card games to play with friends. it's a cafe and bar, which is a cool concept for day and night time. it's a cozy place that inspires creativity and collaboration. read more

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

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I generally don't like to review places that i haven't visited a few times but i was on vacation in chicago recently and had an amazing dinner at this place. It seems weird reading the reviews that so many people dissed it but i don't know, i didn't come here expecting to study and drink coffee, mostly was just going for a somewhat informal dinner. I didn't really get the vibe that it was a cafe or anything so I can see why some people maybe didn't dig it, or are mad about paying $7 for a beer. Well, fact is the prices here are kind of cheap compared to many san francisco restuarants of similar quality so it seemed quite reasonable to me.. The server was fast and friendly and gave some good recomendations. He explained that the weekly specials were created by a new sous chef working there so i tried one of those entrees, a pan seared whitefish with watercress salad. Well, when the meal showed up i was psyched, the presentation was simply outstanding! (I posted a pic, which doesn't really do it justice).. The fish was perfectly grilled and served on a bed of basmathi rice, which also had almonds and some crisp green beans which added a perfect amount of texture and crunch to the meal. The watercress and baby onions (or something onion-like) added a light and fresh flavor. The whole thing was served on a plate with a thin layer of gorgeous and delicious watercress-based sauce. Their bourbon menu is very good, I had a very light and fresh manhattan and for dessert we had a flight with woodford, eagle rare, and ..hmm i can't remember the third but whatever... With the flight we had some great gelatos and a piece of pie that was indulgent but not too sweet. The ambience on a sunday night was very chill, there were a few kids there (including an 8 month old with our party) and it didn't faze the server in any way, it seemed pretty family friendly for being sort of on the fancy side of menu and service. Overall one of the finest meals i had while traveling last week! read more

Uncommon Ground - pan seared whitefish with watercress and basmathi rice. the green color is kind of off in this photo it was really quite lovely. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Wow, what an experience. We came for Valentine's Day dinner. I ordered the chicken pot pie, and my husband ordered the burger. They were out of the pot pie and they weren't serving burgers for Valentine's Day. Because they were out of both of our desired entrees, we ordered salads. We made modifications to fit our dietary restrictions. We both were disappointed with our salads and the appetizer, and when the server (very kind) asked how it was we were honest about the dinner. She said she'd ask her manager if there was anything to do. She came back and said because we modified our salads (my husband removed cheese and ranch and did a vinaigrette instead because he's lactose intolerant, and I changed the dressing from vegan Cesar to regular ranch), they were unable to do anything. Terrible customer service. Waitress was lovely, but we will definitely not be going back. We can pay way less than $70 for 2 salads and an appetizer literally anywhere else. Maybe they have a good burger but we'll never know. read more

***Major side note: My reviews on Yelp are generally positive spotlights on establishments I would love to see keep flourishing. I don't utilize this app to put places "on blast"...However this needs to be addressed.... Beer was good....that's it. Service was incredibly disappointing. When we were at the bar, the bartender working was pretty unfriendly and snooty. I'm not expecting to be razzle dazzled, but when I ask about a drink and you're just standing there not making drinks, don't act like I'm inconveniencing you. And drop the attitude. When we got a table and ordered, service was really slow. Took forever to get drinks, water, and one appetizer. I would understand if it was a hopping night, but it was dead. We won't be coming back, and if anyone ever asks, I will be far from recommending this place to anyone. read more

Our service was great! Fast friendly and on top of it! But the food was okay, still good though.

Great outdoor seating and plenty of indoor seating space. Two items on the menu are marked gluten free but they articulated awareness of what could be modified. Fries are gluten free but to my palette they were like freezer fries thrown into a frier. They know how to poach eggs! Bloody Mary isn't gluten free but their cocktail, scotch, and whiskey menu is decent. Friendly wait staff. read more

We got here just at opening. Coffee wasn't brewed and server was not very attentive. I understand they had just opened but some communication would've helped. The server was knowledgeable and his recommendations were great. Food was great overall good experience read more

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

Stopped here for breakfast the day after a Cubs/Sox game. A good selection of amazing fresh food. I had the root vegetable hash with coffee & mimosa. Everything was was delicious. Plenty of options for vegans, vegetarians or meat eaters. They also have outdoor seating. read more

The food and the venue are great. I've been there twice in the past month or so. Here are the reasons for the three star review: First time, our waitress actually invited us to leave when we explained that only one phone in our party was QR enabled. There are no printed menus. We stayed. At one point, we noticed people were drinking cocktails and cappuccino. We probably would have ordered cocktails, maybe even a cappuccino. Second time, I printed out the menu from the website (not available PDF, so that was a hassle.) I ordered the waffle with jam and butter as advertised. Not available. Comes with honey as they were out of syrup. Butter and jam are extras. I also got a cappuccino, which was good (as was the waffle and side of bacon). I won't explain the other goofy things in terms of ordering and service. We are looking for a different outdoor brunch option, enough is enough. read more

Went to uncommon ground on a Monday night. They have their home crafted beers on sale for $4 on Mondays. I tried the one called spaceship but even not being a beer person I could tell it was really good. I ordered the bacon wrapped meatloaf which was amazing. Really yummy sauce. My friend had the lavender and honey roasted chicken and enjoyed it. We were waited on by the bartender and he was good about recommendations. I have also been here in the small space for a musical performance and that's cool too. Overall slightly pricey for the type of place it it but I enjoyed the food. Nice views of Clark Street and Wrigleyville. I have been to the Devon location for brunch and was unimpressed but I liked the dinner. read more

We were sat by the host indoor yesterday, sat and waited for service for 30 min without anyone coming up to us. The server was a woman with dyed turquoise hair who looked over at us multiple times but never came. Definitely not coming back if she still works there. read more

I hate to do this because I know what a 1-star rating can do to a place, but I just have to based on our experience here yesterday. We came for breakfast/brunch and should have known when it took 15 minutes to get a latte that was a bad sign. The restaurant wasn't busy but somehow the food took forever. I'm talking a simple order of fries taking an hour. They are $9 per order of fries, too- mind you. Throughout us asking about our food and for updates on where it was, we were never even able to order more drinks. We sat with empty drinks (with the exception of water) for the duration of our hour and a half ordeal. Nobody seemed to have a clue what was going on. Nobody came to give any kind of explanation to us, or any of the other tables around us, of what was going on. There were tables who sat, waited for a server for 10 minutes, then walked out in frustration. Adding insult to injury is that the food is pricey but really nothing special. If anything - I would hope management would take this with a grain of salt and learn from it. We were a table of current and former servers, so we know good service vs. poor. I won't be back- but maybe this will help the management make adjustments for future patrons. read more

Yummo!!! Order. The. Fries. (Bottomless fries). Beer is good! Would recommend the spaceship IPA or the sky rocket vixen IPA! Also, the chicken sandwich is very tasty. Miso cauliflower, Spanish artichoke dip, cheese curds all good. IF YOU DONT GET THE RANCH YOU ARE NOT EATING HERE RIGHT. read more

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

If I could have given a zero rating I would have. We waited over an hour and a half for our food and had to fight to actually get served. When we did, the food was completely inedible. They comped the entire meal because they realized how bad it was. Worst meal ever and I mean that literally, ever! Same thing happened with all the other people eating at our surrounding tables tonight. read more

I was going to let last night slide, but seeing that I am a fan of Uncommon Ground on Devon, I hope that this may be more of a opportunity for management to have a conversation with their staff about providing better customer service to their patrons than what we had. Last night, my guy surprised me with a pick up after a crazy day at work. I just needed a chill experience. We talked about the day and he suggested coffee. Next thing you know, we walked over to UG on Clark. I think the first couple minutes determined what kind of experience we were going to have. We met up with the hostess and she walks us to the back where the cafe area is and sits us in a traffic area location. We decide to sit in closer to the window as it was pretty empty with the exception of couple more folks. We didn't think it was going to be an issue. When she came back and noticed our change and she made a smug face. My guy noticed her look and made me aware of it. We don't know if she heard him tell me. The next server that took care of us was also not so polite. Even when my guy went to pay, there was no thank you and even a small effort to be personable was non-existent as he put the tab receipt on the stand and walked away. Now, I am used to smug and snarkiness of some coffee shops. I feel that's part of the ambiance. I have worked in the customer service industry and I know it gets frustrating sometimes. We gotta leave the BS at home. I teach lil ones each day how to say please, thank you, and sorry. A moment of kindness could have saved a situation like this. Just saying. We didn't deserve to get treated like and especially after dealing with a crazy day at work. I did enjoy the Chai Latte. It was pretty good. I didn't give the experience a 1 star only because my guy spoke to the boss and he was able save the experience and offered us a future drink hook up. I may be hesitant to go to that location, but I still love the Devon location. read more

Excellent food! Noisy but very worth it. Nice street patio tables during the season, dog friendly. Music room with live music every night. One of our favorite spots. read more

Decent food, really great service, so I was definitely torn on this one. We ordered: Sweet potato fries with goat cheese dip- the dip was really tasty and tangy, but the fries were nothing special. Bacon-wrapped meatloaf w/ mashed potatoes- this dish had great flavor from the fatty bacon and the meatloaf itself was very moist. However, we felt like there should have been some type of green vegetable on the plate as well to add some freshness to the starchy potatoes and heavy meat. Summer gnocchi- this was very fresh. The gnocchi were fluffy and smooth, and the tomato sauce tasted vibrant with the vegetables. The sprinkle of cheese on top was a nice touch as well. Large portion, too. Vegan risotto- this tasted wonderful. The onions were a nice touch but not too overpowering. Only complaint was that the sauce on top was scarce and was just plopped on one side of the risotto. Other than that, this was a great dish. Carrot cake- this one fell flat. It was more like a carrot cake bar, not in cake form at all. Really dense and chewy and just not that good. Flourless chocolate cake with strawberry gelato- this one was very rich and fudge-y, but the gelato gave it a nice fresh note. Would order this one again. Service was really great! Our waitress was super friendly and attentive and personable. The wait for the food also wasn't long at all. Would recommend a reservation on the weekend though or if there is a game or concert at Wrigley, because it will get packed. In total: really nice service, but nothing that really blew us away from the food. read more

Uncommon Ground - Not enough sauce on the risotto, but otherwise really good. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Three of us came here for brunch around 11 on a Sunday without reservations, and we barely had to wait 15 minutes for a table despite the post-Shamrock Shuffle crowd, so we were quite pleased. We experienced good service and large portions at the brunch hour. Of note are the egg sliders that come with the fluffiest english muffins ever. Their regular drink menu is extensive and the brunch-specific drinks are really nice--we're talking fancy hot toddies and spiked hot chocolate served in a bowl. We'd say Uncommon Ground is definitely worthy of all those awards they have received over the years. You can read more about the brunch menu and those tasty alcoholic beverages here: http://notjustbrunch.wordpress.com/2014/04/15/green-buzzword-brunch/ read more

Uncommon Ground - the Peppermint Pattie spiked hot chocolate - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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

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

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

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

If you are gluten sensitive this is the best place for beer. 12 unique and well done beers on draft. Start with a flight to see what you like. I had an app and it was simple but on point, punchy flavors. Recommend read more

I went there for the very first time for brunch two months ago. After months of passing by it and giving their menu a look I finally decided to try it out. As vegan/vegetarians me and my girlfriend were relieved to find various veg options on their menu and though their chilaquiles seemed a bit pricey I was happy to pay for it given their ambiance and versatile menu. We were then notified they have a $10 burger and beer deal on Sundays and were reiterated their black bean burger was part of the deal. We decided to visit again last Sunday and when we asked about the deal we were told the veggie burger wasn't part of the deal, despite it costing less than the beef burger. We were quickly disregarded by the server at the bar. We were very disappointed by the poor service. For an establishment proud of being organic and appealing to people with alternative diets it's disillusioning you'd exclude vegetarians/vegans in this way. I hope you can reconsider because we'd really like to come back. Thank you. read more

Uncommon Ground - The gentleman in the hat was on his phone half the time and took awhile to finally address us. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The restaurant was casual and comfortable. (We did not explore the music room.) The food was very good, and the options were both varied and interesting. I had the Shrimp & Grits appetizer, which was awesome, the vegan Risotto (snow pea & mushroom) and topped it with an up-charge salmon plank. The risotto was very good, but the salmon was only ok. (I would get the risotto but wouldn't add salmon again.) And the belgian waffle sundae dessert was top notch delish! read more

I'm not sure which was worse: having more than half their beer list be unavailable on a weekend, having half their food menu be available and then later unavailable, having four main plates served 15 minutes before the last one, or watching my husband get violently ill a few hours after finishing his meal. Never go here unless being incredibly disappointed, getting super sick, or paying way too much for both food and drink is your thing. read more

This place is about as cozy and cozy gets and reminds of some good ole home cookin'... if my parents had cooked me anything that didn't come out of a frozen box as a child. Thankfully, as an adult who lives at home (get off my back people, I've got a 10 year plan), the food at Uncommon is what my Dad now cooks for me with his refined taste and pretty respectfully sized backyard garden. Uncommon Ground is a great bet for fresh, organic, locally grown comfort food. I'm a big fan of their sunshine salad, veggie chili, veggie burger, outdoor patio, sexy musician boys, and giant coffees. I'm a not so big fan of their sangria and the (IMO) too salty pumpkin ravioli, or draft window seating. I also love the server's here. You'll be promptly seated by a host and the server will be like someone you knew growing up and reconnected with... sometimes I even trick myself into making more convo with my server than my date. Oops! If it weren't such a drive for me, I'd be here much more often... maybe even get up in time for their famed breakfasts. I'll defo be making UG a summer lunching destination. read more

Four words for you: Gunthorp Farm crispy chicken. Seriously, any incarnation of this chicken is sure to win over even the most picky palate. I even dream of it. No, really! This coffeeshop/resto/music venue is one of my favorite places to lounge, linger and relax. And, you'll breathe easier knowing everything is locally-sourced, organic and sustainable in most cases. Like to imbibe? Yeah, me too. Even drinking can be done with a conscience at Uncommon Ground! Check out their signature eco-cocktail, the Agripolitan (like the Metropolitan, only greener), or the super delightful lemon-ginger martini. These go down like candy-- don't say I didn't warn you! Gwyneth Paltrow thinks UG is cool, and so do I. Word. read more