Review The Common - Edmonton

The Common offered a great patio experience! The interior of the restaurant seems super cool though! I ordered the prairie fish and chips and it was outstanding! fries were salted to perfection and crispy! The fish had a tasty batter and was tender with a crispy outside! Food came out extremely fast and s/o to our server who great and friendly!

Came here for a bite to eat on Canada Day had a meowgarita (watermelon) and a burger with fries the gf had a beef dip. The fries were meh but the burger I think it's the best burger I've ever had (besides my own) and from a bar! One bite and I was in love! Service was good too gf enjoyed the heck outta her beef dip the drinks were tasty. I'd love to come back and try the stroganoff.

The Common is alright. I have been coming here for a few years now and have never had a bad experience. On my last visit I enjoyed the fish and chips, which were prepared well and presented in an appetizing fashion. I do wish the French fries were perhaps a little bit less fried, they seemed slightly over crisp but that may just be a preference. Their happy hour is pretty good, and they always have a nice selection of beers. The room has a fantastic vibe that would suit a romantic date or a “Girls Night” really well. It feels intimate and special, kind of like how The Manor (RIP) used to be. The other food selections are appetizing, and there is a nice variety, from small plates to heavier courses.

Went here for a celebration dinner with a few co-workers. It was my first time. Really liked the atmosphere and our server was outstanding. The food however was disappointing. One of my biggest pet peaves is when my food doesn't arrive to the table hot. Well this was the case with my Beef Wellington I ordered. One of my co-workers also ordered the Beef Wellington and she had the same problem. All the food on the plate was just warm, like it had been sitting. Typically I'd send it back, but I didn't want to wait to eat and have my co-workers finished by the time it came. As for taste, the food was good. Value is okay for what you got. I wish there would have been a bit more sides. Maybe it was just an off night for the kitchen but based on my first experience, I likely won't be back or recommend.

Truly fantastic experience here. Unparalleled vibes, love the artwork, staff was friendly and engaging. The food!! The drinks!! I cannot wait to come back, I was visiting for the week and The Common was my favourite restaurant in Edmonton.

Loved the food and vibe here. Staff were very friendly and always present when needed which gets noticed as we were sitting outside!

I came in for a drink with a few friends after a night out on the town. I got an old fashioned for $12.5. The bartender short poured me just a 1 oz when the menu calls for 1.5 oz. I paid $15 and waited for my change while the bartender served another patron. I had to ask for my change back and the the bartender seemed annoyed and gave $2 back. I didn’t bother asking for the 50c but it’s annoying as a customer to get short poured and incorrectly tendered. Would not recommend The Common to others. Rating 2 stars because they have a live DJ. Just don’t expect good service.

Went here for dinner, drinks and dancing. The drinks and food were quite good - we ordered the Poblano Perogies, Pad Thai Fries (both of which were absolutely delicious) - we also ordered Whiskey Smash, Beastly, Pimm's Cup, It Wasn't Me, Sazeracocoa, Serenity Now, Frosted Cosmo, and 2 draught beers - each drink was well made and balanced perfectly. Our server was a young Caucasian girl who wore glasses, she was super nice, helpful, insightful, and checked on us frequently. The bar had a nice ambiance, and the fact that there's no seating time limit is even nicer. The dj started around 930, and dancing started shortly after. The music wasn't really to our taste, so we danced for a little while, grabbed some drinks, and then left. Would definitely recommend this place if you want some good food, and drinks.

Upscale yet down to earth atmosphere, hearty comfort food with a modern twist.

Had lunch here today with Mrs.Bubbasezso and a friend! Surprisingly good! We arrived at 11:30 and were basically alone for about 20 minutes, then all of a sudden the place was packed to the rafters!!! Despite it being quite noisy, the service and the food was great! My poutine bowl was a unique & tasty experience! They were very willing to modify dishes for our friend who is a keto maniac. I’d do that again!!

A neat little place on 109 st downtown. Great beer selection with loads of interesting flavour profiles. I went wth Blindman New England IPA - very citrisy. The menu has some unique dishes as well. Such as chicken and waffles or spagetti squash lasagna bowl, there are a few vegan and gluten free options too.<br/>I had the fish and chips. They were great! Crispy battered fresh fish with a tangy house made tartar sauce. The coleslaw was addictive! Reasonably priced and friendly staff. Totally worth going.

Went there for supper, music was cranked way too loud, could barely have a conversation with the person sitting next to me without shouting. Had chicken and waffles which was OK but there are lots of places in the city with better chicken and waffles in my opinion. Other dishes we ordered were pretty forgetable for the money that they charge. Service was slow and staff ignored us most of the time. Had to flag staff down for water several times. For the money spent, we could have honestly gone to many other places in the city for better food and service. Not worth the hype. Wouldn't go back.

So, I’ve never been to The Common even though it’s been around for years. Located close to Pampa’s and neighbours to newly opened sister restaurant Grandin Fish ‘N’ Chips, we decided to check them out during Edmonton Downtown Dining week. Shocking that EDDW has been around for 14 years – it seems to get worse each year.

Probably one of my top 5 places to go for happy hour in the city. With the happy hour specials they also have different daily features. I am a big fan of the calamari, mussels & fries and $2 off wine (or 1/2 price bottles on Wednesdays). Service is friendly and quick. It is usually pretty busy, whether you're there for lunch, dinner or just some after work drinks. I suggest making a reservation.

The Common is not new but it was my first time going so I thought I’d blog about my food adventure for the day! Quick review of my visit to The Common – friendly staff, intimate atmosphere and pub style comfort food that seems promising but unfortuntely, didn’t completely win me over.

Came to The Common for the first time to get some drinks with 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. <br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.

Travelled for the poutine and left with somewhat of a broken heart. Expectations ran high as I walked through the bustling rooms during the lunch rush. Notably both rooms were packed and almost every table had the Fish and Chips, but I was naive and didn’t waver from my heart's decision to devour this poutine. <br/><br/>Dramatic enough? Caught your attention? Good, Food wasn’t great. <br/><br/>Poutine a La King ($13) (⅖) Gravy was good. Mushrooms were yummy. Peas were a nice touch. Chicken Karaage was too salty, wasn’t part of the poutine more like addition. Lemme tell you why, everything was covered in gravy, except the couple of pieces of karaage were sprinkled on top. BUT WHY. There wasn’t enough gravy either which was grand. <br/>Daily Pasta ($16)⅕ I don’t know. It sounded good, the pasta was well done, meat sauce was full of flavor and had a nice bites of meat, Everything else thrown in was unnecessary. Green olives and the random blobs of mystery cheese playing a big roll on why neither of us enjoyed this dish. <br/><br/>Would I come again? Nope. I’m sure there are a bunch of other dishes that would blow me away but this experience was bad enough to scare me off forever. At least food wise, Hip hop nights here are awesome. Service was also great, wait for food was barely 10 minutes too! But no, Did not enjoy.

Broccoli Polenta Gnocchi - bland, Pumpking Trifle - sour and bitter, waitress was considerate, and didn't charge me for it, Duck Confit - friend enjoyed his meal, Warm Noodle Salad - friend liked his too.

I was here a while ago for dinner. I found that their food menu doesn't have a lot of options but definitely easy to find something to enjoy. We had poutine a la king which I found to be ok.. gravy a little salty and quite liquidy, fries are not thick cut, but the chicken karaage and cheese curds were good so I'd say this was decent. Chicken and waffles was only decent as well - waffles weren't crispy and didn't seem fresh as they were only lukewarm, but I liked how it had bacon bits inside and the butter was so good! The chicken was only decent as well - they're chicken tenders and not as crispy and I'd hoped. Umami burger (no spinach) was decent, nothing special except for the tempura apples? it was something different. I liked the side of goulash soup that it came with more than the burger itself.  <br/>The atmosphere here was a little loud, it's hard to have conversations haha but it's lively if you're in the mood for that!

Came here last night for a Christmas party, great atmosphere, great food and extremely friendly staff! I would highly recommend this place to everyone.

Hii! I'm Anita~ I'm from/living in Edmonton, AB, Canada. I love to eat, eat, & eat, & travel, Kpop/Kdramas, & art~ This is a personal blog about my food & travel stories~ I hope you'll enjoy reading my posts, & visit some of the places I post about. Pls give me some feedback, or other comments/questions: missguomeiyun@gmail.com. Thankyouu :)

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 of drinks but 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 for drinks some time

Many mixed thoughts about this place.  First of all let's get this out of the way.  The Common is a very, very loud place.  I'm not talking about typical restaurant like Meat or even bar level noise, but next level noise where even if they shout you still might not be able to hear the person two seats down from you.<br/><br/>My friend had his birthday here on a Thursday evening, and were promptly seated when our reservation time came up.  We were given our drinks, but then after ordering and eating our appetizers our server disappeared.  For a good 15-20 minutes after we were all ready to order our mains, our server was missing.  Finally, after that he took our orders and about another 20-30 minutes later we all got our food (a reasonable time, considering how busy the restaurant was).  Having sampled many dishes and gotten various opinions from others on the stuff that they got, I found that in general people loved the Truffle Popcorn, liked the umami burger but found it too well done (not juicy enough and one part of it I almost chipped a tooth biting down on the meat since it was burnt) and fries were super salty (though the Tandoori fries were FANTASTIC).  After getting our food and finishing, it took a good while before we finally received the bill.  Another negative that I found about this is that the server after splitting our bills had misinterpreted what we had said and told us to work it out ourselves since he didn't want to reprint the bill again after splitting two dishes.  Like what?  What type of server says that to a table that has been seated for over 2.5 hours because we were sitting around waiting for you to come take our order?  Even if it's true, you don't say that to the customer in that direct a manner.  Very unprofessional in my opinion.  However, besides that he was friendly and gave somewhat frequent visits after food was delivered to refill drinks.  On the plus side they didn't seem to include the 18% gratuity that they said for parties of 8 or more (we had 8) which was nice, saved a bit on my tip that I didn't give.<br/><br/>I feel the Common has the lighting and (somewhat) pricing of a fine dining restaurant, but at the same time has way too loud music, some sub-par portions of dishes on their menu, and poor service.  The food portions are slightly smaller than regular restaurants but larger than fine dining.  All in all, unless if I go there on a quiet day and get some stuff like Truffle Popcorn, I will take a pass on The Common.  Not recommended.

Stopped in for a pint and a small meal after leaving the conservatory. I'd heard mixed reviews so I figured this would be a good test before committing to a meal. We arrived it was half full and our server came up right as we sat down. She let us know it was $4 draft night. I had to ask her again because it is so unbelievably loud in there, but I finally heard her scream it over the blaring hipster tracks. Possibly vinyl. I'd like to state I am in no way an old man, But the level of noise almost drove me out. But once you get over the music the place is decorated pretty cool and I happened to love $4 pints. Especially when they have Sapporo on tap. My enthusiasm quickly drained when she delivered my frosty beer in a mug that came strait out of the dishwasher. Almost too hot to handle and I had to watch in horror as my beautiful glass of Sapporo reached well above room temperature. I get it, its cheap beer night the glasses are being used more than normal, but it does not excuse it. Buy more glasses or whatever. you wouldn't pour coffee into a frozen glass, this is the same principle.Our food came out in just the right amount of time and smelled great. The little McDonalds style fries they serve are juicy, crunchy and just all around delicious. The umami burger it came with was no slouch either. Big flavor and the burger to bun ratio was on point. Other then washing it down with a glass of warm beer.The artichokes with the miso aioli was also a nice dish, However they decided to throw a bunch of half dead parsley on the plate for garnish. Why? It was a good dish but that sloppy idgaf attitude took most of my enjoyment out of it. Overall the food is on point and its a decent spot. But it is literally way too loud in there for me. That alone will be the reason I don't go back. The other issues I had may have just been one offs and I wouldn't write a place off for that. But if you prefer your meals to be served by a gentleman with a impossibly groomed beard and a semi fitted plaid shirt then look no further, Because you wont find another spot that puts so much emphasis on food and culture at the same time. Generally its one or the other. I cannot emphasize enough how loud it is though, if you even think this might be an issue for you then steer clear.

Before it was The Common it was Martini's, a little hole in the wall pub that served free popcorn and some decent food. When I lived downtown, I was a regular at Martini's so I was pretty shattered when it shut down. However, it's replacement, The Common, has done a beautiful job with the space's new vintage modern décor and really amped up the food with creative take on gourmet pub and comfort food.

Went last night for downtown dining week, service was great especially for how busy it was. Had the mushroom risotto, sausage ravioli and lemon pound cake. My girlfriend had the roasted tomato salad with steak frittes. Great 3 course meal for the price, just found the dessert a bit of a letdown.

I don't know about this place. The food just wasn't so great. Ive tried various things from here but it just wasn't for me. The people are friendly and the atmosphere is really trendy and hip. They have a really cool mirror in the ladies washroom for mirror selfies haha :)

Decided to try the chicken and waffles since it made it to the top list of things in some magazine I read. The waffle wasn't bad, crispy and slightly airy. The chicken were boneless thighs flattened and breaded. Although the bread if was flavorful and crispy, it was attached to soggy gross chicken skin. I couldn't get myself to choke down the fatty skin so I removed it (and the breading attached to it) and ended up basically eating bland well cooked chicken. They serve it with syrup underneath the chicken and extra syrup cost me $0.50. That's like charging for extra ketchup. Wth.... My friend got the potato, bacon, and tarragon soup. It was poorly explained and ended up being a clear broth that resembled something like the base of an Italian wedding soup with some sliced bacon. Definitely not going back as I was so let down by my $17 dish. Oh wait. $17.50 because apparently you can't eat your waffles with more syrup without getting charged.

I went here with my friend. He ordered fish and chip and it tasted yummy. I ordered the cornbread with brisket and it was good. Escargot was good but not tasty as I expected. But I should say the fries was great! Nice place for chatting. I would like to try the other dishes for the next time.

The Common is a trendy restaurant that offers a range of interesting items. Going with a friend, we decided to try a number of different items, and chose the truffle popcorn, wings, noodles, and fried artichokes. I found the service to be quite friendly, and the food seemed to come out quite quickly. The flavour of the wings was quite tasty, and there were a few different honey glazes over the different types of prepared chicken. The noodles were delicious, and had a piece of prosciutto that complimented the creamy texture of the noodles quite well. Overall, I found the food to be well prepared, and would definitely stop by again at some point!

I have been coming here for years (since it was on 124st) and I am never disappointed. Whether it be a night out for dinner or more - it always delivers! Good music, good people, good vibes.

I frequent this establishment often and have never been disappointed.  The food is fantastic, particularly, the chicken and waffles which is always pleasing.  The beverage menu has variety and caters to my mood.  The service is friendly and welcoming.  The ambiance is casual and laid back and you can enjoy great music on the weekends after dinner.  Overall, this is a wonderful establishment to visit!!

I keep having great experiences for lunch every time I go.  The fish and chips are fantastic.  I like eating there because it has a great menu, at a good price.  We will keep going back

The menu is interesting. The mussels are good. The ambiance is great until it transforms into a night club and gets filled with bunch of 19 year olds. Too bad as it has the potential to be a great place.

Chicken and Waffles.<br/>Haven't had a better combo anywhere else in Alberta.<br/><br/>Great Little Venue with friendly staff and simple yet tasty menu.<br/><br/>Don't sleep on this place

The Common is hard to describe. For one, it's a hipster's heaven. Eclectic, vintage decor with an equally trendy, young downtown crowd. I'd bet that 50% of the males in the restaurant had at least a man bun, a beard, or both. But to their credit, The Common is not pretentious at all, and I think that's what makes this self-described gastro-lounge "cool."

I work in the area and coworkers frequently gather after work for drinks and tapas, or go for lunch when they feel uninspired by other restaurants.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>You would think that I’d love a place like this.<br/><br/>A week ago, I would’ve agreed with you.

The atmosphere was nice, interesting decor, and the service wasn't too bad. The chicken and waffles was great, but the steak came out cold. Pretty pricey for the quality as well.

Great atmosphere, food was a disappointment though great presentation lacked flavor. The drinks made up for the food with a fresh flare. .....

Came down with one of my girlfriends yesterday. Love the setting - laid back, vintage style. Drinks are 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).<br/><br/>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.

I wish that I could say that The Common was extra ordinary, and met all of my expectations. I wish they could meet even one of them. I just do not see what others do. The problem is that they try to come off as a trendy gastro-pub, but constantly take short cuts that make their food disappointing. I wish that I can say that their food was common for Edmonton, but I have eaten in many places that are highly superior. Thankfully I am never going back.

Some coworkers and I went for a quick lunch, and most of us decided to try the lunch special.<br/><br/>This was a mistake.<br/><br/>The special that day was a “tempura battered hot dog with homemade dijon mustard, sauerkraut, goat cheese and apple relish”.<br/><br/>Sounds interesting right?<br/><br/>That’s what we were thinking too…right until the food arrived.

The Common is my favorite place to eat or just hang out to have a cocktail with my friends. Service has always been an additional bonus to the atmosphere. <br/><br/>If I am there for dinner, I usually start with the Ginger Alligator which has a delicious new twist. Following with the Jackson Steak Salad and one of the three delicious desserts (usually lean towards the pan cotta).<br/><br/>If it's a cocktail night, the antipasto is one of the best in the city for price, quality, and size of the offering. All of their cocktails are amazing and I highly recommend anything on the list. The beer selection is another hidden gem about the common as everything from tap to the bottle can satisfy all needs.<br/><br/>All in all, The Common continues to be on the top of my list.

Remember that scene in Top Gun when Iceman says to Maverick "you can be my wingman anytime"... That's love....and that's how I feel about the chicken and waffles<br/>

Great spot that's it's got it all.  You can get lunch with your coworkers during the week, cheap pints on Thursdays with your buds, have a romantic dinner with your crush, catch some live music later on Thursdays, or the best DJs and dance floor Friday and Saturday nights. The food is original and delicious at a reasonable price, and the service is good. They have a variety of beers, with a nice mix of staples and rotating taps. I recommend you check it out.

It'a a pleasant little place with good vibes but I'd say it's completely overrated. Been there multiple times for dinners and lunches because my friends like this place, tried almost everything, and no food impressed me. <br/><br/>Their famous truffle popcorn is soaked in oil. Today I paid $16 for lettuce wraps where lettuce looked like it's gone through the World War 2! (the leaves were so soft and yellow as if it's been crying for days lol) <br/><br/>All servers are very nice and try to provide the best service they can, but the place so understaffed! If you have smth to go, the waitresses would never care to pack some sauce for you if it goes with your dish, but imagine yourself serving so many people at once! <br/><br/>Overall, it's a cute restaurant, just not the best. For the same amount of money you can have way better experience if you choose to go to another place. Hope it helps! :)

The Common… It’s one of my favourite places to hang out with my friends after work. For a short period of time, we would frequent this place at least once a week after work. We liked the atmosphere, the service was great, and the food was pretty good too. We eventually took a hiatus for a few months though because we wanted to try and be healthier, go out less, and just be more fit in general. I’ve had the chance to try many different things on their menu, but never took pictures before, but I just went there recently last week with Jamie, so I can talk about that experience. Sorry for the poor quality of pictures, the lighting is kind of dim, and I suck at taking pictures.

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 over drinks or 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. <br/><br/>Service was also great, nothing exceptional. No complaints there. My server was fast and informative on the menu, both dishes and drinks.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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).<br/><br/>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 the drinks menu that is worth trying.

Fish and Chips. Awesome!

Thumbs up!. I recently went to the Common and had a wonderful experience! The service was friendly and welcoming, they were really helpful when it came to questions about the menu (

Disappointed! I was so excited to finally dine here and found the food blah. Truffle popcorn? I didn't taste truffle or anything. The tuna salad was terrible you would think it would be a nice piece of fresh tuna...No, canned tuna with mayo on greens Blah. And the earl grey creme brûlée, was cold and had a mash potato texture. Along with poor service.

Bread and Cheese. This amazing smoke flavored appetizer. Is a must when to you go too the common!.

No thanks.. For the price you pay, this place is not worth it. The poutine was SALTY!! Really really salty. The chicken in the chicken and waffles were alright and the waffles were probably eggos. Maybe it would've been better if the food was hot. The servers were also too slutty for their own good, like I understand that you have to get that tip and pay the bills, but daym! If I wanted to see that much skin I would've stayed home and taken my clothes off. If this place was in Calgary, it would not survive.

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 on drinks and music. It is a fantastic place to unwind after a long week.

 Two-course lunches for $15, three-course dinners for $28 or an Executive dinner for $48. It’s a great way to try a restaurant that maybe you haven’t had a chance to before.  I dove right in at the first possible chance and went for lunch on Friday with a friend from work. We decided to tried The Common , a gastro-lounge that boasts a scratch made kitchen taking pub and comfort foods and putting modern twists on them.     The Downtown Dining  Week lunch menu offers a salad as the starter. It had roasted apples, mushrooms, blue cheese, pecans, brussel sprouts and a mix of greens. It was quite tasty and I liked the mix of warm apples and brussel sprouts with the crisp greens.    They have 2 options for your main course, pork meatballs with gnocchi carbonara or a tandoori nada sandwich with rocket (arugula), avocado, sweet ginger and olives. We got 1 of each and shared.  The gnocchi was wonderfully light and fluffy, the carbonara sauce was rich and flavourful with big bits of bacon. The meatballs were moist enough and topped with a little Parmesan cheese for some flavour.    The sandwich was also quite good. The basa was cooked just perfect! Crunchy on the outside but perfectly moist on the inside! Since this was supposed to be a tandoori fish I did expected a little more flavour. Now I know that a tandoor is a type of oven or cooking method traditionally, however when the menu states tandoori I usually expect the tastes of masala, garlic, ginger and cumin. Nonetheless the sandwich was tasty. The olives added a nice salty flavour but wasn’t overpowering and the bun was really fresh. The sandwich also came with a side; options were salad, fries or soup. Since we had a salad as a start we decide on soup. Which was a tomato ve

We were more enthused overall by the appetizers at The Common than their mains. Although each protein was cooked well, we were let down by most of the flavour profiles accompanying them. In truth, the inconsistency in the food makes The Common a difficult restaurant to recommend. There are tasty things to be had, but you might need to wade through a few mediocre dishes to find them.

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 for drinks or fries but not a meal again.

Chicken & waffles!!!!!. The common used to pair the chicken and waffles with a blackberry compote and a circle of goat cheese.<br/><br/>we returned last night, and found that they tweaked the recipe! it's even more delicious now - with a bacon relish on the side. the chicken is crusted with a ton of spices and herbs now, which was also delicious. my only complaint is that the chicken was WAY too salty - if the kitchen reduced the salt and used a bit more rosemary, this dish would be amaaaaazing!

One of the few neighbourhood pubs for Grandin area. Not a fan of the place on the weekends, wish they were open Sundays!

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, our drinks were 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.

Chicken and waffles were horrible. Chicken was underdone, almost raw in the centre, one waffle had a giant dollop of goat cheese (disgusting, and I normally love goat cheese), another had a mound of salty butter.... and the blackberry sauce did not pair well with anything on the plate. All in all really gross!

The best in Edmonton. Hands down THE BEST food I've ever tried in Edmonton! I had the chicken waffles and my husband had the Bistecca, both were excellent. The Chicken waffle was just to die for and we had the lemon tart for dessert which was also a great choice. This was our first time here and we will definitley come back.

I hate to be that person.... I hate complaining. I hate it more than anything; athough I feel I need to warn good people about how bad my experience was. I can't begin to explain how horrific our food was. I can eat anything basically and I rarely complain but there was something almost sinister about our dinner that night. Maybe it was a bad night. I don't know and I almost feel bad writing this but oh my goodness beware! You have been warned!

Lettuce wraps, chicken and waffles, fish and chips. I had a taste of their pork belly lettuce wraps at the Taste of Edmonton. I got hooked and craved it since. When I tried it again at The Common I was very disappointed, the pork wasn't as soft. It had a salmon candy like texture where it was dry and hard to bite into. My fiancee had the chicken and waffles and he didn't like the dish, it had no syrup to pour on just what was on the plate. The fish and chips were okay, it was tempura battered and the tarter sauce was tasty. The fries tasted like they were over cooked and chewy. I would like to give The Common a try again but not any time soon.

Chicken and Waffles. Excellent!!!!

My new fave place! Love the food and stmosphere :)

Great service and great food. We went here for my friend's bday and ordered the gnocchi/shrimp and calamari dishes to share. Wow the gnocchi was amazing and so fresh! I ordered the poutine which was alright - gravy was a bit watery but the pulled pork was tender. Very hipster environment.

Good place to get dinner or to go out. I love The Common because it has some pretty good food, staff with personality, and there is always something interesting going on there most nights of the week. A great place to go for wine or cocktails! One of the best places to go out dancing on weekends in my opinion. If you haven't been yet... enjoy! You're going to love it.

The Common has two main strengths: the atmosphere on a weekend and their servers. The food is solid, but a little inconsistent. Good flavors and presentation, but sometimes the dishes come out just warm, rather than hot. The service has always been friendly, with good humor, and their selection of beers and wine pairs well with their menu. It's a place to see and be seen, and is a bit of a social hub of the who's who of the indie crowd.

Loved it. There were 7 of us. We arrived at 9pm. We had a great table, the service was wonderful, the food delicious, drinks so good, the music was funky and fun, and the crowd diverse and laid back.<br/>I would highly recommend.

I had my first experience at The Common this passed weekend and let me say... It was top shelf! My friend and I shared the Antipasto and the Pork Belly lettuce wraps and it was so so so good! I will go back again and again. Great atmosphere, amazing food and steller staff.

Awesome place! I created an account solely for the purpose of writing this review. The food, ambiance & service were the best that I have experienced in the last year! I highly recommend this restaurant! I had lunch there but I'm sure that the dinner menu is equally as delicious.

Really like this place for a place to go for dinner. Food is fantastic and creative, I've honestly never had a complaint to date. The atmosphere is great and the service is very good: can't ask for much more. Nice little change to the sports bars and lounges in the DT area. Evenings get pretty busy on the weekends, but there isn't any trouble getting fast drink service at the bar(s).

Looks good. They look like they'd be a great place. A few people express that they feel out of place there. I would say it's more than a feeling.they have a real we're the place to be attitude. Almost like we should be upset that we don't get to enjoy their awesome bar. As if. I tried to book a larger party but apparently they are to busy to except reservations on the weekend. Even for a private party. If you advertise as a place for private parties and as a high price range food establishment have more class then line and cover. I will not be going down there cause they will just become another spot that once was the bar to be and is now just used as a watering hole for the just outta high school crowd. Thanks for nothing common

Too Cool?. Very trendy and hip place, music is a little too much for me sometimes, but the food is great! My only complaint (maybe my own fault) is that I feel like everybody working there and the regulars are WAY too cool for me.. Maybe I should invest in some red skinny jeans, plaid button ups, and a toque? That aside though, I do love the food and will keep coming back.. Even though my friends and are feel totally out of place.

I've been here at least 20 times, as it's in close proximity to my work. The service is friendly and the good is tasty. I'd recommend the chicken and waffles as well as the truffle popcorn.

Charming. Decided to check it out given the great reviews. Arrived just past 6 on a Friday and the place is packed given there was a private function and a large birthday party. We lucked out and grabbed a small table by the bar after a short wait.<br/><br/>The waitress was perfect....just the right amount of courteous with out pouring it on fakeness :) I ordered a bacon caesar and yes you can taste the bacon! You get the choice of making it 1 or 2 oz...get the latter as the 1 oz tasted like a virgin cocktail! Nonetheless it was a tasty cocktail to start the night.<br/><br/>We orders the escargot to share, which I've had before but never fried. Everything theAt accompanied it was delicious....the fried sage, the spaetzle, brown butter..nummy! However as with most fried protein, it really needs to be seasoned/salted and our escargot, while crispy, was rather bland. I could just eat a full serving of the dish without the escargot though!<br/><br/>We had the famous chicken & waffles, as well as the lobster pot pie with a side salad. First the chicken....very crispy, all white meat and boneless. Again, could've used some salt or brining, but the sauce made up for it. The bacon waffle was divine! I'm not a fan of it with the goat cheese disc....but hubby gobbled that up without hesitation. Overall a solid dish to order. The side salad was very refreshing, with a melon citrusy dressing and pine nuts over crisp greens. The pot pie had great flavor, and the crust is oh so buttery. Only issue was the crust was a bit tough and not crumbly enough. given the pot pie was served in a small bowl, it was very hard to eat portions of the crust as cutting it with a spoon did not work at all. <br/><br/>It has a good vibe, food was tasty enough, and service was spot on.

Yummy Creme Brule!. Excellent, very yummy lavender creme brule!

Chicken and Waffles... I enjoyed my food. A bit crowded, but it is a pub. We were seated at a long table between two other party. Guess it is something you get used to, but it makes it hard to have a private conversation. Had the chicken and waffles, and it was very good. It's a fun dish. I appreciate that it is chicken breast and no bones are in it, and I like the goat cheese on top it goes very nice to balance the sweet syrup and berries.I like that their menu is different from normal pub food...I would go again, and try something else on the menu.

Nice cozy place for lunch H.... Nice cozy place for lunch<br/>Had scrambled egg sandwhich and a lovely house salad.<br/>Service was great

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 and drinks and we enjoyed dancing for the rest of the evening. I will definitely be recommending it!

We were here two weeks ago and it was great. Our waitress was super cool and explains a lot of the menu when we asked; you could tell she loved the food and new what se was talking about. I had the chicken and waffles, it was incredible. I can't think of a meal I have enjoyed that much in the last few months. My wife had the clam pasta (I can't recall the name) but it was great as well. Had a nice heat to it, the Vietnamese sausage was delicious. Will be back for sure!

HORRIBLE. We have received very poor customer service last Saturday for my friend's birthday. There were 20 of us that came in around 7:30-8:00pm and has advised the manager that it doesn't matter if we get seated at different tables. The manager kept insisting that the large group ahead of us were about to leave so she wasn't seating us on the next available table. We ended up waiting for hours and eventually got seated at DIFFERENT tables anyways around 9pm because the longer table is still unavailable. We eventually ordered our food, took an hour before it came and was horrible. The umami burger was dry and the beef duo was overcooked. On top of that horrible service and food, we had to pay them 18% service charge. I couldn't believe it! Will not recommend this place anymore after last weekend.

My boyfriend and I came here in the evening for drinks and 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.

Only one thing on the menu to trust. Firstly, I do enjoy coming to the Common a lot on weekends, and I've been multiple times for dinner. Service has never been terrible, but also never jumped out at me. <br/><br/>I've ordered the lamb, crab salad, burger, house salad, poutine and chicken and waffles here before. I have to say, the only item that was 1) worth the price (portion speaking) and 2) actually tasted delicious was the chicken and waffles. Great crispy skin, love the goat cheese and the compote. Overall a killer dish. <br/><br/>But aside from this, I've really not enjoyed the flavor combinations of the other dishes. One standout terrible meal was the crab salad. Firstly, it is not a salad, but a dip. If it were served with crackers I'd have probably enjoyed a few bites while sharing it. But otherwise it was a gloppy, pale pink, untextured and unflavored mess. I ate it with a spoon for a few bites then finally asked for some crostini. The server brought bread free of charge and removed the meal from the bill, which was obviously great. But at the end of the day, the other dishes just don't stand out: lamb meatballs come in such a tiny portion, the poutine has a strange sweet flavor added to it, and the salad is extremely salty. I think the chef here is trying just a little too hard to come up with "creative" dishes, and is neglecting some of the standbys in cooking: complimentary textures, balanced dishes, and simplicity.

Great beer pairing night. Can't wait for the next one! Also outstanding service from Sarah. She is a gem.

Service Disappointment. Read about this place on here and assumed it would be fantastic but when I went it was definitely not what I expected.The staff saw us, judged us, and then ignored us.

Good Food, Poor Service. Checked out The Common on July 27th. Had the Beef Duo, Chicken & Waffles, Bacon Caesar drink and Old Fashioned drink. The Chicken & Waffles were amazing! Great portion and the flavors were phenomenal. The Beef Duo was okay but not great. There were some odd pairings of vegetables on the dish and the beef didn't have the "wow" factor. The server could use a lesson or two in engaging more with the customer...seemed like she really did not want to be there.

So Good I went back 2 Days later!!. Went for dinner Sat night with the girls. Wonderful service and ridiculously good food. Tried a bit of everything... the Foi Gras, Mac&Cheese were very good. The chicken and waffles were spectacular. By far the best chicken I have ever had in a restaurant! The Umami burger was also amazing, I am glad we shared !! <br/>Went back 2 days later for lunch and had the Cumin Crusted Tuna... my only complaint was that I did not have a second plate of it!!! We indulged at the end with the Chocolate Nemesis desert.... it took a lot of restraint not to lick the plate! I am already booked to go back with a client in 2 weeks!!!

My new FAVORITE!. I had no idea what to expect and I was so delightfully surprised! We had fabulous service from the start. The decor was fantastic. Half priced wine on Wednesday meant we could try a nicer bottle and it was delicious! We shared the large antipasto platter between three of us and it was very yummy. I could have done with more meat and a bit less fruit but the selection was phenomenal. I then ordered the salmon and my friends ordered the duck and the steak. My salmon was perfectly cooked and the accompaniments, while different, were amazing together. My friends both said their meals were wonderful, too. I will definitely be back. This place has set the new bar for a great dining experience and the prices were more than reasonable!

My find of the year... I'm pretty sure and it's only end of Q1. I don't think anything can top The Common... besides being super loud in an enclosed space, which you will ignore as soon as your food arrives, it's got super awesome fusion food! Prices are decent and the food is original. It's like the chef knew what he was doing and he/she was daring enough to experiment with things and create unique dishes. I wanted to come here two days in a row, really, it's that good.<br/><br/>The clam and Vietnamese sausage linguine was the coolest thing I've had. The linguine was al dente, the sauce wasn't overwhelming, I could barely taste that it was there, but the sausage and clam did all the talking in filling up my taste buds. You might find this weird, but I really liked the tomato slices because they help cut in and neutralize my taste buds once I got bored of sausage and clam. It made me feel less guilty in eating pasta and protein too... haha.<br/><br/>The duck confit (I'm a foodie and I didn't know what it was until now... thanks Google) tasted real good... lots of greens around it. The cured, preserved duck meat is succulent and salty and the potatoes and greens help balance each other out. <br/><br/>I almost don't want to spread the popularity of this place because I want a table for myself next time I come!

Great Food!. Delicious food! We had the burger and fries and were not disappointed!! the meat was juicy and well seasoned - the burger was huge! The server was very friendly and delightful. Will be returning for sure. Keep up the great work!

5/5 for The Common. I don't even want to review The Common. I want to simply say that it was my best dining experience in recent history, and the best restaurant that I've tried so far this year. Just go there and see for yourself and be as impressed as I was.<br/>But fine, I will tell you a bit about my amazing experience. Prior to going to the restaurant, I had looked up their menu online, and could only think to myself that everything on the menu was all of my favourite things. It's like they looked into my brain and produced a menu of every possible thing that I might like to eat. This is dangerous because it leads to the highest of expectations and the greatest chances of disappointment. I had to find out which it was going to be.<br/><br/>The Common is located downtown, right near the Legislative building. It's a cute little spot, which I had never visited before, even when it had been previous restaurants. Entering the place on a Friday night (they do not take reservations on Friday or Saturday nights so you either have to go early enough or try your luck) you can immediately tell that you've stumbled upon something really cool. You enter into the bar area, and you're supposed to seat yourself, so we embarked on a walk through the place in order to decide on where to sit. There were a few free tables, but it was generally busy already at 6:30pm, and completely full by the time that we left. The space is made up of a few different rooms, all stark antique white contrasted by the deep walnut-coloured floor. The light fixtures are all beautiful leafy antiques and there are sparkly decorations and lots of old picture frames on the walls. The whole thing is lovely - it was like a trip into a very fashionable and modern past. We found a table for two and got settled in. Our server was prompt the entire time and very friendly, making sure that we always had everything that we needed. <br/><br/>I just wanted to start eating!<br/>Drinks first though, and I ordered the Bacon Caesar (Bakon vodka, spices, clamato juice - $6.50) from the "modern cocktails" section. Yes, this is made with bacon-flavoured vodka, and you could really taste it! It was such a spicy and savoury drink that really packed a punch! I liked the pickled green beans that came with it, and loved this expertly-crafted twist on an old standby.<br/><br/>Now we eat?!<br/>The appetizer portion of the menu is a challenge because I absolutely wanted to try every single thing. From the Truffle Popcorn to the Poutine to everything in between, there will certainly need to be return visits in order to work my way through these dishes. We picked the Foie Gras (Apricot tarte, pretzel crusted foie medallion - $14.00) because it sounded so decadent. Decadent it was! WOW. The glistening half-orb apricots were the perfect sweet-yet-tart counterpart to the salty-yet-delicate foie gras. The combination of flavours shocked me because I don't think that I realized that anything like this could be possible. Each bite was a reminder that truly incredible food exists in Edmonton and that there are serious chefs here who know all about what they're doing. <br/><br/>Things were off to an incredible start. I was certainly dazzled by the Lobster Pot Pie as an entree, but went with my gut and ordered the Confit Duck (Spiny lettuce, shitake, baby potatoes, edamame, orange jus - $16.00). This was absolutely the right choice. I may never stop dreaming of this. Confit is my favourite preparation of duck (the meat is salted and seasoned with herbs and slowly cooked submerged in its own rendered fat) and this version was simple and perfect. The juicy pieces of tender duck were mixed amidst a tangle of greens, bound together by the syrupy orange glaze. Each bite contained a little bit of everything, and everything was harmonious. There was a piece of ultra-rich deep fried duck confit on top, which just sent the whole dish into overdrive. I could live off of this.<br/><br/>I was completely stuffed but could not refuse the opportunity to try one of their desserts, especially if it might have been as good as everything else had been. We picked the Lavender Creme Brulee (Pandan, rock pops - $8.50). I'm a little bit tired of creme brulee at this point, but I LOVED the idea of incorporating pop rocks and had to try it for myself! The dessert was perfectly creamy with the signature burnt-sugar top that begged to be cracked though. I was surprised at the light green colour of the creme, and quickly realized that this was because of the pandan, a tropical plant used in Southeast Asian cuisine. The rock pops were the real fun treat, and reflected the use of fun and innovation that certainly must be going on in this kitchen.<br/><br/>What more can I say? I left wanting to go back the very next night, and I made sure to tell our server so. I would say that almost any price would be fair for food of this caliber, yet every entree is under $20. The value is really surprising. I simply cannot say anything bad about my wonderful experience at The Common, and I'm just excited that these sorts of things are happening in my city.

CHICKEN AND WAFFLES BEST!. Recently celebrated my birthday at The Common, we had an amazing delicious dinner. The service was great and LOVED the Chicken and Waffles entree (one of my MANY fav dishes). Later we stayed for DJ FourColorZack, where my dinner party turned to a dance party. I was a wonderful night of tasty food and great tunes. Couldn't have asked for a better birthday.<br/> <br/>Best place in the city to dine and party!

We would never go back. The service was terrible. They charged us a 18% gratuity and the server used it as an excuse to not serve us! She didn't fill our water it took an hour and a half to order and get our food and she refused to print off the bill. The food was okay, the salmon had canned mandarin oranges and grapes on it which is not a good combination. The burger was delicious. The steak wasn't a steak, it was beef roast.

Hipster Haven that Delivers. Love the food. Love the menu, it's creative and from what I've had it's exicuted right. I can't remember actually liking fries that much in years...they have a tasty and unique seasoning.<br/><br/>Good drinks. They are the only place in Edmonotn where I've come acorss my favorite cider on tap - Foundry. Better than Rock Creek, stonger and more flavor than Magners, and much better than Strongbow. Not incredible, but a good tap cider.<br/><br/>I wouldn't pay cover or go on a weekend in fear of the hipsters that lurk and sneer....I've only gone early evening, and it's more of an after work crowd that changes as the night progresses....but in general, good food and good atmosphere.

Maybe it's better at dinner time.... Three of us came by for lunch after reading some really good reviews. Unfortunately it didnt live up to our expectations. I re-read some of the comments and it looks like most people had come during dinner time. It was pretty busy, full house when we arrived. The service was not bad considering it was lunch time on a Friday. <br/><br/>We shared the poutine, it was good but not sure that i would have it again. Incredibly cheesy, perfect for a poutine! but the gravy was more of pork au jus than gravy, not the best for this dish in my opinion. the shredded pork didnt do very much for the dish either. the caramelized onion was a nice touch and the fries itself were quite crispy, all in all i'd give it a 8/10, probably one of the better dishes we had. <br/>The Chicken & Waffle...hmm, we had all anticipated this dish to be out of the park with all the great things other patrons had to say, this is how all three of us had felt: the chicken was very crispy but the batter had minimal taste, the meat itself was dry. the first couple bites of the waffle were good but it wasn't anything spectacular. 6/10<br/>Fish & Chips- type of fish changes daily, today was halibut. The portion was extremely generous, batter was the perfect amt of thickness and crisp but unfortunately it didnt taste like anything other than crispy dough. The tartar sauce wasn't anything special either 5/10. I had the soup of the day: a tomato, tarragon and potato soup...tasted like a watered down pasta sauce -_- 4/10<br/>Umami Burger- saved the best dish for last! surprised i didnt see rave reviews about this because it was by far the best thing we had at The Common. Definitely had all five basic tastes in the burger, absolutely delicious! I'd go back just for the burger...unfortunately nothing else...maybe the poutine... the fries that came with it were meh but i'll still give the burger a 9/10!

Ho hum. Went for drinks and 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.<br/><br/>Soup was okay, my chicken and waffles was cold enough to have congealed butter (?) in the waffle grooves. <br/><br/>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.

Went on a Saturday night because I heard it was a great place go. Arrived and was treated horribly at the door and was charged seven dollars to get in. Never going again.

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.<br/>The drinks are EXPENSIVE, which is a downside - I would've certainly ordered more drinks if they weren't all $11+. The ones we got were good, though.

Wow!! Amazing food...definitely check out the chicken & waffles...so good. Poutine with pork and carmelized onions...yummy. The service was amazing and the chef even Came to our table. Can't wait to go back!

Pretty sad. This was one of the worst restaurant experiences I've had. Dirty glasses, awful food, food that had clearly gone bad, horrible waitress. <br/><br/>I'm convinced the reviews on here are fake, because it's impossible that a place like this was rated this highly by so many people. Most of the reviews sound like they were written by an employee or owner.<br/><br/>The place looks nice inside, that's about it.

Would not go back. Worst dining experience ever. A girl at the table next to me was so drunk that she spilled a glass of wine all over, including on my jacket, purse and leather gloves. The food isn't bad but I would rather go to a restaurant where clientele such as the drunk wine spiller wouldn't be there in the fist place. Forget talking once the music gets started....way too loud. By the end of the night someone had stolen the belt to my coat. This place will be trendy for a few years until people get tired of paying $8 cover charge.

Avoid the cold Eggos and KFC.. I originally raved about The Common, having been there a few times for drinks when 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.

This place rules!!! It is the best thing to happen to Edmonton. The service is amazing! Not only was the brunette serving me stunning, she was friendly and funny. I stopped by on a friday after work before heading home. She recommended the best dishes to me.. I started with the Arctic char tartar followed by chicken and waffles. She recommended I try the chocolate nemesis but I was too full by then! I cannot wait to come back with friends and stay after dinner for the party. The space is amazing and the owners, kitchen and all front of house staff should be proud.

The food! My goodness was incredible! It was so amazing! Finally I can pay the bill and feel like I really enjoyed my meal! A divine deal too! I don't want to jinx it by saying the food is gourmet and it's a good deal! We can't wait to go back! We keep telling everyone what a good deal! Just go there and try it! Won't be disappointed! I will agree with other reviewers about the sassy service! It wasn't the worst I ever had but it wouldn't kill you to smile! The place has a great atmosphere!

Wonderful at a great price. Chicken and waffles are exceptional but the chocolate dessert is to die for!