Cambridge Common Restaurant

I had a great experience at Cambridge Commons. My server was lovely and the atmosphere was nice as well, the bar area and lights made good vibes. I ordered the chicken sandwich which was pretty good, and the price is also affordable. Didn’t have to wait long at all. I would recommend😁👍

Lively Spot in North Cambridge with Solid Food, but a Few Hiccups (Really 3.5 stars, but rounding up) We recently had dinner at Cambridge Common on a hot summer evening, and while the food was solid, the service had some issues. Booking was easy—we used RESY, and the host who answered the phone was polite, helpful, and welcoming. The restaurant offers outdoor seating, which is a great option on a nice day, though we sat inside. We ordered the Buffalo Mac & Cheese, Carnitas Tacos, and a Fried Fish Sandwich (swapped with sweet potato fries), plus a Brownie Sundae for dessert. Everything was tasty and satisfying, especially the fries with chipotle aioli. That said, a few things detracted from the experience: • It was hot, and we felt a bit overlooked—we both needed refills on our drinks, and no one checked in for quite a while. • There was a screaming baby nearby. Not the restaurant’s fault, but it made for a less relaxing atmosphere. • The most frustrating part: one of us left a credit card at the table, and while we were away, the staff added a 22% gratuity without consulting us. We hadn’t signed or closed out yet, which felt presumptive. The receipt listed Alana Y as our server, but several staff members rotated through. • Also good to know: they calculate tip on top of tax, so if you’re aiming for 20% on the pre-tax amount, tipping 18% on the full bill gets you there. Service was disorganized. The food was enjoyable, and the atmosphere is lively and casual—but this isn’t the place for a peaceful dinner. We’d give it 3.5 stars if we could, but rounded up to 4 for the solid food, good vibes, and easy reservation process.

Very good burger, made medium rare, got medium rare. The cocktail was very good as well. Staff was friendly. Menu got good variety and good prices.

Service was fantastic and the beer was delicious and cold. The hamburger I got could have been better in that the patty was disproportionately small compared to the bun, which made it a little dry. The curly fries were great. I definitely cleared my plate!

Ate on the patio, had a nice lunch enjoying these final days of summer. Sat quickly and food came out just as fast. Beer was cold and refreshing. I would definitely eat here again.

A fun and friendly place to eat. Great burgers and fries. They know what "rare" means :) Nice salad options. They let you substitute a side salad for the fries too, if you are going low carb. There is a comfortable, welcoming neighborhood feel to this place, with good beer and cocktail options and friendly bar tenders and waiters.

Fantastic and excellent service. Amazing food, the 1667 burger was delicious and heavenly, amazing prices. Overall great pub. Would definitely be coming back here again.

I had their delicious fish sandwich, and my boyfriend's burger was cooked to perfection! It's busy and parking was somewhat difficult so we had to drive around a few times to get a space but it was totally worth it. No, wait, despite it being a popular place to go! We went twice while we were traveling it was so yummy!

This was a great spot for a Father's Day brunch. The hostess was charming, the burgers were delicious. What I didn't like were the up charges on the bill that we weren't told about when ordering such as $3 for a Tequila brand I never heard of. $1 up charge for Tito. Shelf brand would have been fine for us. $3 up charge for a salad instead of fries. The salad was large and I'm glad took the substitution So $7 of up charges, hmm.....

Oh my goodness, I've worked within a mile of this place for 30+ years and never tried it. I went yesterday with a group of work colleagues and had a great experience. There were 7 of us and we were placed in an out of the way location in the very large dining room so we sort of had privacy and weren't close enough to bother other patrons (I hope). The layout and ambiance reminded me of Christopher's down the street a bit in Porter Square. It's very much a bar/American food type of place with a menu that has a bit of everything. I had a quesadilla appetizer which was delish and plenty big enough for a meal. Other items our party ordered: grain bowls, fish tacos, crispy chicken cobb salad. Everyone was well satisfied with their orders. The waitstaff were pleasant and efficient; our food came out pretty quickly. The place was busy but not packed. There did only seem to be only two waitstaff for the place which seemed small but other than having to wave someone down to get our bill we didn't suffer from a lack of attention. There is parking behind the building which is good because onstreet parking on Mass Ave can be dicey, depending on the time of day. Also, there's a bar/music venue called "Lizard Lounge" in a lower floor that at least one of our party recommends. I'll definitely be back!

Food was decent and gets the job done! My go-tos are the Blackjack Burger, Steak Tacos, and Fish and Chips. The fries can be a hit and miss, can be hard or soft sometimes, but I don't usually complain because the restaurant is the way it is. It has a pub-ish vibe, so it can get a little rowdy, especially during evening peak hours; but the noise level wasn't so distracting that it would impact my scrolling through the phone. Otherwise, great restaurant! I wouldn't list this place as a must-go, but definitely a place to go with friends and catch up on life of sorts; or just enjoy a solitary moment at the bar, sipping on one of their drafts.

My family has been going to Cambridge common for decades. It's literally my dad's favorite restaurant and my son likes it a lot too. The food is OK. The service is great. The beer list is even better. Ambience is casual American bar. Lots of dark wood. Comfortable booths if you're lucky enough to get one. There is often live music downstairs at the lizard lounge. This is a great place for large groups. There is a kids menu and it is loud enough so that nobody will be annoyed by your children eating dinner next to them. Most of the patrons are graduate students from the local universities. Expect to wait for a table during peak dinner hours during the academic year.

I've been coming to Cambridge Common for many, many years and would normally give this restaurant 4 or 5 stars, but tonight I ordered a Crispy Chicken Cobb Salad via Grub Hub and was very disappointed with the quality of my meal. The chicken tasted burnt and overcooked and the vegetables were not fresh. If you eat here in-person, it's usually very busy and has an American pub feel.

Typical bar food and ok service. Very conveniently dog-friendly (outside seating), a good place to people watch. The inside area can be really loud. Sometimes it's great to indulge in deep fried everything

Came here on a Sunday around 11am for brunch with a few friends. I would describe this place as a "pub" - big long bar to get drinks with lots and lots of seating - some tables, some booths. We didn't have to wait long for a table which was great. I can only comment on their Sunday brunch menu but we all thought it was a great place for a decent weekend brunch. There were also lots of interesting beers on tap but alas, it was a Sunday morning after a night of fun so we were all recovering a bit. The staff were also very friendly! I would definitely recommend this place for those interested in Sunday brunch, interesting brews, and larger parties!

I visited Cambridge Commons with my friend after a long day of walking around - we wanted something filling and satisfying for dinner. She, as a local, suggested the Commons for its chill ambiance and killer beer selection and with those in mind, I couldn't turn it down! We split an order of the fried pickles (I'm a sucker for them and will order them anywhere to see how they stack up) and the grilled chicken sandwich with curly fries. I gotta say, this place knows exactly how to hit the spot! The pickles were in 'stick' form (as opposed to 'chip') which is my favorite way to have them and came with two delectable dipping sauces that we 100% continued to use for our fries. The chicken sandwich was juicy and flavorful, with not too many things but just enough things on it and boy oh boy those curly fries stole my heart. Dipped in the aioli that came with the fried pickles, those curly fries could have created world peace. And I haven't even gotten to the beer selection - among other drink options likely suited to the younger college crowd (read anything that comes in a pitcher other than beer), they had a wonderful selection of local Bostonian and Massachusetts brewed beers which I really appreciated as an out-of-towner.   Fair prices, little to no wait, friendly service, and really yummy food - Cambridge Commons is a must visit when you're craving that classic American brew-pub experience!

Great ambiance, service, and decor. Ordered the clam chowder, fish and chips, as well as the bacon burger. Done well!

Local place with decent food and plenty of ambiance. Street parking or walk....close to the Harvard museum so it was a nice stop. Char broiled burgers, so if don't care for the taste don't order. I think the burgers are delicious!! Drinks were plentiful!!

This is my go-to takeout place! The burgers range from simple to fancy, but they are so damn consistent and delicious. When I ask for medium rare, I actually get medium rare - incredible. And can't beat the price! I love the shoestring fries and curly fries, and the caesar salad dressing is great too. Wouldn't change a thing.

My friends and I came here for brunch on a Sunday morning. There were plenty of seats available so we did not have to wait to get a table. Since my friend knows a couple of the workers, we were especially greeted by the staff. For appetizers we shared the buffalo chicken tenders, mac & cheese bites, and crispy French toast bites. They were devoured almost as quickly as they were prepared. I loved the combination of sweet and savory plus the crispy and soft textures. Although buffalo isn't my preferred sauce choice, my party of four enjoyed it. The Mac & cheese bites were as I remembered and the French toast was perfected with a coating of sugar. Entrees included the grilled buffalo tofu grain bowl, fish and chips, crispy Cobb salad, and crispy chicken grain bowl. Tofu still retained a firm outer layer even with the considerable coating of buffalo sauce. Grain bowls were satiating and tasty with the vinaigrette dressing. Fish and chips were an actual single person's serving so my friend punished the entire plate. Cobb salad was a Cobb salad, no complaints about it. Overall, we had a great experience and would definitely come again!

Been here everyday this week, and I ordered the same exact drink every single time. The price I'm being charged is not consistent. Going back to where I was going initially.

Fun vibes but food is mediocre ! Have been served cold food here before BUT the curly fries are really delicious and the vibes / prices really make this a fun joint for students in the area A good time but don't expect quality food or service !

Wont be coming back. To be fair it was like 10pm, so it was a little on the later side, but they were open until 1am so I didn't think it would be an issue. Service was mediocre at best and I'm trying to be as respectful as possible because I myself am a server and I understand how difficult it can be. The biggest issue was the food presentation. We ordered the pretzel bites and not only were there only a few in the basket, there was also one that appeared BITTEN. I attached a photo so you can decide for yourself but needless to say it ruined our appetite. We also ordered a tomato soup and grilled cheese and the soup came spilt all over the plate. Lastly we all got drinks, and the server visibly spilled out half of one of our drinks and pretended like it never happened. I've heard really good things about this restaurant before quarantine so we were really looking for it, but it honestly wasn't a good experience at all to the point that I'm writing my first yelp review to share.

Came here on a Sunday night with a friend. We were immediately seated outdoors which was amazing since the weather was gorgeous. They have a huge selection of beers on tap so both of us ordered a pint. Our waitress was friendly but took a bit to come back and take our food orders after we placed our drink order. We started with the chicken fingers appetizers which were quite good and wicked hot. They didn't have that pre-frozen taste which I always appreciate. I ordered the crispy Cobb salad and my friend got the Greek salad. Both were fresh, flavorful, and filling! I will say I thought that the crispy chicken on the cob would be breaded but it was basically more chicken fingers haha which isn't exactly a complaint I guess I just didn't look closely at the menu! Overall great pub food and a lovely spot to sit and enjoy an outdoor meal on short notice!

I live right around the corner from this spot and I can't count how many times I've been here for drinks or gotten takeout in the last year lol. Very solid food and drink options at reasonable prices, and pleasant service. They're also VERY fast with takeout orders! Recs: - Cobb salad: great portions of tomatoes, bacon, blue cheese, avocado, and egg - and the chicken is always breaded and cooked without drying it out! Get it with the honey mustard or blue cheese dressing. I'd pass on the vinaigrette - fish and chips: somehow this restaurant has the best fish and chips I've had in the Boston area. Great portions of well-battered, flaky, tasty white fish. - grain bowls are an option for those wanting a healthier and filling meal instead of bar food. - cocktails are generally solid. The beer punch is amazing to share when it's nice out and you can be outside. Wish they had the back area open again for the summers. Hopefully they'll bring it back next year! It can get pretty packed for dinner time especially on Fridays and Saturdays - might be good to get a reservation for those evenings.

I came to the bar to hear music. Was told that band was done in 5 minutes. Very disapointed. Had driven about 40 minutes. Wanted to just get a beer to decompress ...but they wanted to charge me an $18 cover for a show that was over. really stupid. They obviously did not care about me or my business...so, I will never go back. Also, told a few thousand friends how I was treated...

Good food, good staff. Don't have a bad word to say other than parking can be tricky, may want to consider using a ride share or carpooling, if you're around the area then I'd say this place is worth going to!

Ordinary to fair food, high prices limited menu, the pkace is basically crowded hamburger jount with $8 bottle of beer. it's baffling does not warrants its trendy popularity.. the students and X gen seem to not realize the lack of competition in their bubble of mediocre choices. Like eating in London, steak and kidney pie, bangers 'n mash, fish and chips, or Wimpy burgers..

Since Christopher's closed and the building sold, this is the new location for a pint and some sports, yet at the same time you can eat at a table and avoid talking to others if you want. Sadly, the food has gone downhill; I ordered a can't-miss meal of grilled cheese and tomato soup recently. The soup was cold and thin, like watered down Campbell's. The sandwich was very, very pedestrian and mediocre, bread was stale. On top of that, they give you a side of fries - for soup and sandwich (huh?). The fries were lousy, cold within about 30 seconds. I informed the bartender of this, to their credit they did not charge me. Pints and conversation are fine at this bar, staff is usually kind, and they are helpful with suggestions. But food - downhill trajectory at the moment. This seems to be a trend at all restaurants these days; mediocre dining experience for maximum money.

I attended a repast here after a funeral in November 2023, the buffet choices were delicious. I returned to partake of more great food on 2/17/24 and I was greatly disappointed. The menu choices were different than what was offered in November. The boneless buffalo chicken wings and the quesadilla were good. The entrees were not great. The waitress was asked about the fried chicken and what type of chicken pieces were offered, such as breast and legs. She said the pieces were big. What was served was fried chicken cutlet. The waitress should have told us it was a cutlet. The angus burger was okay but the fries were served cold. We asked for hotter fries and the next batch was a tad bit warmer. The cocktails that we ordered had 4 liquors in it and I couldn't taste one. I thought it was because of the abundance of ice in the drink, so I ordered another one with less ice. I received the drink that was half the glass and still could not taste the liquors. The lighting was very low so we asked to be seated at a window. As I walked to the booth I noticed the bar was extremely dusty/dirty. Don't sit there if you have dust allergy. Be careful entering/exiting the parking lot, it is one very narrow alley. I will not be returning to this eating establishment.

We went there several times, the food is always good and the staff is great. It's one of these few places in Cambridge that are affordable, not trying to be too fancy and where you can get simple but good food.

Hey man, what's wrong? Ordered a burger. The lettuce that came with it was a flat and old leaf. Nothing crispy, fresh, refreshing. We're in peak lettuce season here. The tomato was even worse -- the white-ish washed-out color industrial-type tomato. Again, let's get real, we're in really peak tomato time. The burger was ok, but the vegs accompaniments were very sad and weird given the season. Money-saving? don't care any more? Ketchup was on the table, but no one asked if I wanted mayo or mustard or anything else (I did). Poor service. Mediocre food. Will think 2x before coming back.

Overall not bad,nice relaxed atmosphere and I appreciate that there weren't TVs on every wall. Service was polite, took awhile to place our order but food came quickly. Food was good, I really aporeciated the real maple syrup! I did not appreciate that to substitute a side salad (pule of lettuce with one small tomatoe and 3pieces of cucumber) for French fries on a kids meal was an extra $2. Everyone should encourage kids (and everyone else for that matter) to eat healthy not punish them for it. We would have even accepted apple slices or a cup of applesauce I stead which wouldn't be much added cost for the restaurant.

Casual American spot with all of your basic breakfast foods. Also have a few brunch options. I came with my friend and tried their 1967 burger with a side of fries. They were both solid. They had a couple of different fry options, but I went with the curly fries and was not disappointed. Solid service 7

Delicious! The beer punch is really worth a try. So are the curly fries. My husband loved his impossible burger and I loved Cobb salad but with bbq tofu instead of chicken. Great service even though it was very busy.

We came here for brunch because my friend recommended this place and yelp has good review for it. But I was a little bit disappointed. The backyard patio is spacious, but no decorations, just hard chairs and simple tables. They did have a cover built up, so plenty of shades to sit in. The food was super mediocre: I ordered steak with eggs: the steak piece is tiny and cooked to an ok texture. The two eggs were over cooked with too much salt. But i did like the tater tots, which are tiny pieces of harsh browns. We ordered sweet potato waffle fries to share. They are crispy. But no special sauce to dip into, so we went with the bottled ketchup on the table. My friend ordered omelet with bacon and avocado in it. But they can't replace the bacon with ham as my friend requested. It just looked ok. If you just want a place to hangout with friends and grab drinks, this is probably the place to go. But if you want to try out good food, you can probably skip this place.

Absolutely love this place! Great beer and handmade cocktails. Food is always on point whether you get a salad or a burger and service is always top notch. Dog friendly as they have outside tables. Great people watching too as it's right on mass ave. Black Bean Burger is amazing

Cambridge Common serves up a ton of classic American bar food. I came as part of a large group and tried many items ordered as part of an appetizer platter as well as separate dishes, including sliders, fries, mac & cheese bites (basically fried Kraft mac & cheese--have to admit these are quite good), spinach artichoke dip (standard), chicken nuggets (also standard), tater tots, pretzel balls, and some celery sticks which i definitely needed to cut all that grease. For my main dish, I ordered mac & cheese, which was a huge bowl of very creamy shell pasta and hit my comfort food spot! (It was definitely on the too rich side, but I wasn't really expecting a fancy pasta dish.) There isn't a super high bar for these kinds of foods, but everything was as you'd expect and was satisfying. You'll get what you expect if you come here, so try it out if you're looking for some good pub grub :)

Me and my roommate get takeout from here multiple times a week! food is obviously very good and affordable, we love the buffalo sauce. I don't usually review but have to shoutout the hostess (dark curly hair glasses) super smiley and already remembers our order by name, will check for the food repeatedly and has brought me water while I wait if it's not ready. We haven't eaten in yet but plan to soon for the standout service, love this place

This place has great vibes. The outdoor patio is really spacious and nicely lit up. The indoor area feels sort of like a sports bar, and in fact they do play big games on a large screen. The drinks menu is excellent, with a wide selection of craft beers and several amazing pitcher options for groups (I highly recommend the beer punch). As far as food goes, there's a pretty standard collection of American bar food, but it's all done well. There are many styles of a burger that are all good. I also greatly enjoyed their chicken sandwich, which wasn't particularly unique but was executed well. This is a great place to spend a Cambridge evening!

I've been coming to this place now for one year. Their fish tacos are just the best. Great beer selection and nice ambience.

Great beer bar! The pretzel bites were delicious along with the ghost pepper cheese. Don't be afraid they aren't that spicy! Great local place here on Mass Ave

Our annual Christmas Nachos experience. Peppers, salsa and guacamole all had heat which is rare in New England, service was attentive and kind, temperature on a frigid day was comfortable and music did not compete with conversations. And the blood orange margarita pitcher was like Capri on Mass Avenue.

Awesome food - we were pleasantly surprised by the grilled chicken sandwich, burger, wings, and fish tacos! Loved the location and the vibe of the place. Our server was severely lacking though.

Awesome beers on tap, and solid apps! I could eat the buffalo tofu, buffalo cauliflower, and tots all day long. The chicken fingers are decent enough to get the job done, and I want to try the sweet potato waffle fries next. This is overall a great spot to get a drink with friends and hang out. Brunch was good but not mind-blowing, with eggs that tasted like perfectly good eggs, and a nice n greasy breakfast sausage to boot.

Worst Caesar Salad ever. Should have stayed in and made it myself. Can't believe they get away charging $16?

AMAZING. Hands down one of my favorite restaurants in Cambridge. What's not to love about this place? You've got sweet friendly servers, a chill non boujee atmosphere while constantly delivering drool worthy food. The veggie burger here is to DIE for. The soups are excellent. The curly fries have changed my life. That ghost sauce with the pretzel bites is so crave worthy. The whole menu is just well done. Every time I've been here I've never had a bad meal no matter how busy they are. Oh yeah and the beer selection is pretty awesome. You always seem to see a beer from the middle of no where which is never seen to be served in the Boston bar scene. Working in the industry I can really appreciate this place for bringing some variety. Sometimes I don't want a Sam Lagar. I want to choose one of Cambridge Commons unique beer selections that I can't find anywhere else. Cambridge common does it right. Bravo!

Super casual restaurant with super kind staff! The food is always soooo delicious here and they give great portions, definitely enough for when you're super hungry or want a little extra to take home with you!

Finally got to visit after too long a "COVID" hiatus. My friend and I were so glad we did! While the noise level is super high, the food and service--and beer on offer--were as good as ever. Just finished the one slice of my delicious chicken quesadilla brought home for lunch and it's made me hungry to go back soon--these are really the best and more than an appetizer, believe me! Sitting at the bar works great, too, and the friendliness, warmth and efficiency of staff behind it added to our great night at Cambridge Common!

I have too many good things to say about camcom to even fit into a yelp post. Definitely the best chicken tenders in Cambridge and the curly fries are DELIGHTFUL. The beer punch is refreshing and the wait staff is so nice and friendly. They always have a spot and the vibes are fantastic. I go about once a week and it is my home.

This used to be out go to place but it went down hill. We used to love the food and wait staff but both are now terrible. We got nachos and they were super salty and it looked like the crumbs at the bottom of a bag. When we asked about it, the waitress said our complaint was a learning experience for her but gave no empathy. The manager came over and didn't even talk to us.. he just took the nachos off the bill. We weren't looking for a handout. At the end, the waitress asked if we wanted separate checks when clearly my husband and I were a couple.

Overall: Hit the spot when it came to the pub food craving! The good: Walked right in and got a table, then was immediately met with attentive service. The menu is quite varied and there's plenty to choose from, including drinks. The buffalo chicken sandwich (with ranch) and BBQ bacon burger that we got were both cooked just to our liking, and the curly fries were are a rare and beautiful sight. The portion sizes are on the bigger side, which came in handy. The not-so-good: Not much, just not a perfect-10 type of experience. But there's nothing wrong with that. Atmosphere: 8/10 Service: 8/10 Food: 8.5/10

Great little Pub. We went here for a quick dinner. We had a Cheese Burger and the Greek salad with grilled chicken. Everything was quite good and very reasonably priced. Nice neighborhood eatery. One of us was Gluten Free and had no problem finding food. But it is a shared drier and the fries are batter- so beware.

Great place to have lunch! It is right on Massachusetts Avenue and a convenient location between Porter/Harvard. The patio space is great! Each table has an umbrella so you are guaranteed shade on a sunny day. I ordered the BLT and it was delicious! It was a big serving and well worth the price.

pre covid review: They have so many vegetarian options my mind was blown. Nearly every starter was vegetarian or could be made that way. We had the Mac n cheese, pretzels, impossible meatballs and fried pickles which all can't with enough sauce to mix and match without issue. We also had a beer cocktail which was really good and had lots of options for flavors (Sam or bantam, lemon or strawberry or mango)

Nice spot! Tons of outdoor seating, solid food, good beer/drink selection, and best prices around. I'll be back .

CamComm, home to my first year of grad school weekly Friday happy hours and the site of many fond memories. There's always space, the pours are generous, and the food is about as basic all-American as you can get with their large portions of semi-greasy bar staples. Pros: lots of space, great prices (especially for the area!), friendly staff who will put up with large groups of obnoxious students (at both the bar and seated area. They're kind of amazing, especially with splitting checks, and I especially appreciate that they bring big glasses of water for everyone), and a good amount of outdoor seating for the few months where Cambridge is nice enough for that Cons: there's definitely better options if you're looking for good food, and they're lacking on the healthy food front But by being average and mediocre, it's become that friendly neighborhood spot where you know you'll be served and you won't overspend. And sometimes, that's all we can ask for.

I had the 1664 burger for $10 a very good bacon cheeseburger with nice toasted bun and fries. Tons of craft beers. Nice atmosphere, casual, crowded but not a big wait. Highly recommend, 3 blocks from Harvard Law School, next to Lesley College.