Uncommon Ground

Deceptive. With a name like «Uncommon Ground» you might be expecting a Coffee House. Nay-​Nay!
When you walk in, you think «oh, it’s a bar».
And you hold that thought until you walk into the next room where it turns more into a hip resto. Sit there long enough, and you’ll hear the live music crank up in the Easternmost wing.
Bar, hip eating room and a band? You’ll expect the menu to be Burgers, Salads and maybe some «Q».
Which is kinda what it is, but at a high level.
Whoever was in the kitchen knew their stuff, either that or they’ve got one hell of a menu writer.
Cocktails were very well made. A great start.
The «go-​to» hip thing for these bar/​restos to feature is some sort of Roast Cruciferous Veggie-​usually Brussels sprouts. The «UC» offers these and they are fab.
I normally don’t order Chicken in restaurants, especially ones that aspire to be serious. It seems to me the chicken dishes on ambitious menus are there in case someone who doesn’t like to eat should wander in.
But I saw (and smelled) the BBQ Chicken go by to another table, and like a good little Pavlov, I ordered it. Damned good!
Had a Dessert as well. Can’t remember what it was, but I remember it too, was fab.
But it ain’t cheap, McGee. A little TOO dear, really.
Then again, it’s basically a bar with entertainment. Been to a bunch of those, and none of them had this kind of eats.
So adjust your expectations and priorities. If you’re going out to see a band, and say «we’ll eat at the club» Prepare yourself for sticker shock.
All things considered, however, the tariff is very much worth it.
And get there early to take advantage of the «Parking in rear», otherwise take a cab. Street parking blows.

I have been to Uncommon Ground 3 times. The first two experiences were the same; the appetizer and the entrée were different than anything I have had before (mostly in a good way). The best part of the meal the first 2 times was definitely the desert; this place has amazing carrot cake and pumpkin gelato.
But then there was the third time I went to Uncommon Ground. I made the horrible mistake of going to Uncommon Ground on New Year’s Eve. I should have run out the door whenever the hostess showed us the limited holiday menu. I decided that I should be adventurous and trust the chef like I usually do at this place. The special included a limited selection of appetizers, entrees, and desserts for an all inclusive $ 55 — none of which I recognized from seeing the menu before. Since I was a little suspicious of the selection, I decided to go with just a salad and entrée off the limited menu. Here’s what I got for $ 117:
Winter Salad — Ordinary lettuce covered lightly in what seemed like watered down ranch dressing with 3 small slices of grapefruit (like you would get out of a can) and a handful of little berries that were mostly seed. (2 of these for 16 dollars each)
Something Something? Rib Tips — This was just ordinary pot roast with cheap au jus gravy on top of some bitter, scorched brussel sprouts and mysterious looking white pods (potato? dough?) that all looked uniform enough to come out of a bag. The combination of savory, bitter, and bland left me slightly nauseous and wishing I could just get the entrée out of my stomach. (2 of these at 30 dollars each)
Tax and a mandatory 18% gratuity (I usually tip more when given the choice, but the service was also lacking as we sat with empty water glasses waiting for more precious liquid to wash down the garbage we were foolishly forcing down).
I normally like Uncommon Ground for giving me a different experience, but after the New Year’s Eve experience I felt robbed. I would have rather given $ 100 to a mugger and spent the remaining $ 17 on McDonalds (at least it’s consistently mediocre!).

Brunch is the best meal here — delicious and affordable. Chilaquiles were spot on.
The coffee, however, was a weak and watery, very light brown transparent liquid. I’m glad I had a cup before I left home.

Great spot for a bite and a local brew. The fireplace was cozy and the service was spot on. The food itself was flavorful and well presented but a bit undercooked (mostly the eggplant.)
We came on a slow night, which may have contributed to the fact that our service was so spot on. Our waiter was friendly, funny, and considerate.
We thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere and vibe throughout my brief dining experience.
Verdict: Would I come again? Definitely!