the common

a really hip place that's open late. the overall environment is great, very casual, laidback, and relaxing (though i went late at night) which is perfect for having a conversation overdrinksor dinner. the decor of the place gives off a vintage vibe, really something to walk in to and look at as you wait for your order. 

service was also great, nothing exceptional. no complaints there. my server was fast and informative on the menu, both dishes and drinks.

as a starter i shared a braised beef poutine. i was honestly disappointed. though it came out fast, the dish was cold as if it had been sitting for awhile to my surprise. the fries were not hot and a bit soggy at that point. the gravy lacked flavour. on the other hand, the braised beef was just alright. together, the overall dish was something i won't be ordering again.

i opted for the infamous dish of chicken and waffles and i was pleased. the overall presentation of the dish was carefully thought out which i appreciate when restaurants really take that into account. waffles came out crisp but not too crispy, thankfully not soggy. the chicken on the other hand was just alright, same as any other breaded pieces of chicken. what really tied it together was the syrup. it was sweet with a hint of a few spices here and there. overall a great dish (and makes for a great lunch as leftovers the next day).

i will be coming back to the common again as i did enjoy my chicken and waffles as well as for connivence as they are open later than most places. they also have a great selection of cocktails on thedrinksmenu that is worth trying.

loved it. there were 7 of us. we arrived at 9pm. we had a great table, the service was wonderful, the food delicious,drinksso good, the music was funky and fun, and the crowd diverse and laid back.
i would highly recommend.

came to the common for the first time to get somedrinkswith friends. fun/hip decor. a fairly good beer list was fun to check out, including seasonal and rotating taps. the cocktail menu was more limited with a weighting towards bourbon (suits me well). its a shame then that they use bulleit for them all. cocktails were made properly but didn't have garnishes, but considering they were $9.50 for 1.5 oz it feels like a good price.

table shared french fries with a spiced dipping sauce (almost positive it was just sriracha+mayo) and truffle thyme popcorn. the fries were average and the popcorn had way too much truffle oil and almost no thyme. the rest of the menu looked decent but not altogether inspiring.

around 10:30 the atmosphere became considerably more club-like, with the lights dimmed and the music turned up so loud it became tough to talk across the table. i'd personally recommend coming before this time.

came here for lunch with a co worker. the menu was fairly limited for lunch with not a lot to choose from looked like they had a lot to choose from by way ofdrinksbut since we were working we could not partake we both decided on fish and chips today the fish was halibut. looks like the fish changes day to day it was pretty good, exactly like we wanted looking forward to going back fordrinkssome time

i work in the area and coworkers frequently gather after work fordrinksand tapas, or go for lunch when they feel uninspired by other restaurants.

it’s generally a safe bet, and boasts a mellow environment, faux-vintage decor, laid-back service and a quaint little drink menu filled with exotic brews and odd cocktails.

you would think that i’d love a place like this.

a week ago, i would’ve agreed with you.

great atmosphere, food was a disappointment though great presentation lacked flavor. thedrinksmade up for the food with a fresh flare. .....

came down with one of my girlfriends yesterday. love the setting - laid back, vintage style.drinksare nothing spectacular, but it's not too pricey, so no complaints. the server was ok... she kept walking away before we've finished ordering and it's was not busy in the restaurant... but, she was very pleasant every time she does come around. i had the halibut and my friend had chicken with waffles. my dish was tasty, hot, and not too filling - everything i look for. not the best i've ever had, but it's definitely one of the better dishes i've had in this city. my friend thought her's okay, but she wanted something more savory for dinner. (she ordered it because the server highly recommended it, even though she'd asked for something more savory).

all in all, great experience. i'm only giving it a 4 because this is not the best restaurant i've been (e.g. - server was not very good, but she was acceptable and the food/drink is not spectacular but it was pretty good for the price you pay) and it took me a while to find parking.

cool spot, best g+t in the city. i've come here for both lunch and dinner and the food was executed flawlessly. the first time i was here i tried the chicken and waffles and they had a nice blueberry compte and goat cheese topping, the second time i tried the tuna. they were both fantastic. what i would highly trying is their drinks, they have a great beer menu but where they really deliver are their cocktails. i've come here 3 times and my gin and tonics were poured perfectly every time. i would recommend coming after 10pm on a weekend as they focus ondrinksand music. it is a fantastic place to unwind after a long week.

i have been to the common a few times for lunch and unfortunately i have been disappointed each time. the food is just okay and their specials are confusing. on mondays they have chicken and waffles on special... wait no they don't that's only after 6pm in a really tiny font. and since they changed the waffles from the blueberry compote version to the ancho maple syrup recipe it wasn't even worth the $19.00 i spent on it. i will go here fordrinksor fries but not a meal again.

unexceptional service, frantic and not thoughtful, i hope this was just a hit and miss day. waited almost an hour and a half for our food, ourdrinkswere ignored and forgotten. we had to actually had to track down our server and stop them to place our order, and somehow they forgot or lost some of our order, complete fail. i'd fire my server or get them retrained. the food was fair to rather good when we did get it :). the atmosphere and music are a perfect pair. that service though :( very disappointing.

great first experience. i checked out the common with a few friends for the first time last night and had an awesome experience. we received great service and the food was amazing. i had the chicken and waffles and loved it. the common has a fun atmosphere, great for dinner anddrinksand we enjoyed dancing for the rest of the evening. i will definitely be recommending it!

my boyfriend and i came here in the evening fordrinksand the beers were amazing. we got the calamari and they were easily the best i've ever had: tandoori flavor is super cool and ridiculously tender. the service was alright but felted judged by our waitress. the atmosphere was super cool and music was good, but a bit loud. overall, i'll be coming back again and again.

ho hum. went fordrinksand dinner and found the service slow. my husband ordered a beer and it didn't arrive for twenty minutes...even though we were seated five feet from the bar and the room was far from full.

soup was okay, my chicken and waffles was cold enough to have congealed butter (?) in the waffle grooves.

they were accommodating when we asked the heat to get turned up and the restaurant itself was nice. maybe we'll give it another shot.

expensive drinks, but good food. great food! boyfriend ordered poutine - i hate poutine, but ended up loving this one. he had to fight me for it! i got the umami burger, which was absolutely delicious. i've been working on recreating it at home since (getting close, but not quite there yet). i stole a few bites of my friends' dishes, including the calamari, and all of them were great.
thedrinksare expensive, which is a downside - i would've certainly ordered moredrinksif they weren't all $11+. the ones we got were good, though.

avoid the cold eggos and kfc.. i originally raved about the common, having been there a few times fordrinkswhen it becomes a full-blown bar. the bouncers are fantastic and professional, and the bar staff were really great as well. for dining however, this place might be a hipster dud. my friend and i ate there, and i ordered (admittedly a bad choice....) the chicken and waffles. it was so disappointing and overpriced, literally just (cold) eggos and some deep fried chicken with the thinnest sliver of goat's cheese (i believe). i know as a general meal choice one might expect it to fall short, but this is something being served in restaurants all across edmonton, and i expected this place to rival at least one of them. my friend's burger and poutine were okay, but nothing special. not at all worth the prices, although decor, drink selection, and overall ambience are top-notch.