Commonwealth

Definitely a hidden chill spot. Perfect for after work beers and not-so-healthy food sometimes ya crave. Smashburger was good. Pickles are top notch and also fries are really well done. It's a nice medium between In-n-Out and McDonald's. Beer selection is really really solid. Whoever is ordering the beer, keep doing it. Dark Horse is my hometowns most popular beer so it was nice seeing it here too. Also one of 5 spots in all of Modesto that carry Russian River and Fieldwork beers on tap and to-go. Parking was kind of a joke even at 1 p.m. on a Thursday. But circle the block a couple times you'll find something. Will recommend widely. Menu posted date (5/1/25)

I saw this place on "Diners, Drive-ins, Dives," so I wanted to check it out. Both the food and service were good. Guy at the counter convinced me to try the pineapple cider...so good I bought a growler of it before leaving. Would definitely go back again.

The ambience of the place and staff were both lovely! My favorite food was their garlic fries, which was a side with the burger. The burger was 3.5/5, chicken and waffles 4/5, and salad 4/5 too. The veggies in the salad didn’t taste all too fresh, and the fried chicken wasn’t great either. Good stop on a road trip!

Had a great time yesterday for lunch at the Commonwealth. Cozy little place, accommodating staff, and food at a great price. Ordered the Bahn Mi with side salad, super delicious and made fresh to order as promised. Cousin ordered the Commonwealth club and it did not disappoint. Garlic fries were excellent with great crisp. My server Liz was very friendly and made sure all of our needs were taken care of. Definitely going back in the near future to try more dishes!

Had the Cuban sandwich which was good a little soggy on bottom and salty for my taste, but I don't eat much salt. Onion rings were amazing. My girl had the pesto sandwich which she said was delicious. Overall great place for lunch and great, friendly service.

Went and sat down for a couple beers and got food to go. Beers were great! all kinds of options for anyone! Food was still hot when I got back to the house. Went with the upgraded garlic fries and honestly will pass on them next time, but I still ate 95% of them. Had a BBQ smash burger that was beautifully cooked and seasoned and put together. Recommend the burgers, beers, and regular fries!

I can't believe this place has been open for years, and I only just tried it the other day. So many wasted years, of not eating here. You have to try the cauliflower bites with the coconut sauce. It's like I died and went to cauliflower heaven. The tacos were amazing too, but I literally dreamed about the cauliflower like a week after I ate there, and now that I have done this review, I have to go back today . . . again.

Commonwealth is a nice place that serves a very good selection of craft beer and for the most part lunch items. It is quite good. You order at the counter and they bring your food out to you. The servers are very nice and the entire staff seems pretty happy. We were very comfortable there. The place is super clean, including the bathrooms. It is not large, but I bet it can get crowded. It was not when we were there for lunch. Their craft beer is excellent, but what we really wanted was a decent lunch. We were able to get that at Commonwealth. It is not the very best in Modesto as far as lunch, but if you want craft beer and lunch this is the place you need to be. All of the food we had was very good. We had burgers that were cooked right and nice and juicy. We also had a variety of tacos. We really liked the chicken tacos. The prices are fair. Their garlic fries are super good. We also loved their onion rings which they make there. The batter is wonderful. We were very happy. Have the best time.

Ok so "road trip"....Modesto bound! OMG! the food was absolutely great-Guy Fieri was RIGHT-again! Cool atmosphere, order at counter, they serve you, inside dining or outside enjoying the fresh air while eating and conversing! Not sure how many "craft beers" on the menu (a lot like maybe 20!) and a couple different ciders! I tried the pineapple combo cider - TWICE my friend tried the other craft cider. A berry of sorts and loved it!! Locally created in a little town to the north of Modesto - Salida! I met a long time friend after watching Guy praise the delectable waffle sandwich on TV! We both drive over an hour each from 2 different directions! A good choice and what a trendy eatery to hang out for almost two hours chatting , eating and enjoying lunch and a local brew! The owers were just as friendly and attentive as one could hope for! You felt comfortable and knew they'd check in on you without pestering... Just watch your car, I didn't heed the parking signs and oops got a parking citation...if only I'd parked across the street in the parking garage...ouch! It's still worth it I will just be more observant next time....and trust me there will be a next time! Taking my guy and two friends Sunday!! Refreshing, AFFORDABLE and super cool owners and vibe...5 STAR!! Katherine K.5

DO NOT GO HERE IF YOU HAVE A LIMITED TIME! My husband works close and he wanted my son and I to come have lunch with him. He ordered the Cubano, I got the fun guy burger, and they were out of almost everything on the kid menu, so we got my son a grilled ham and cheese. We ordered at 12:36 and waited.....and waited....and waited....the people ahead of us got their food, ate, and left. My husband is so sweet and did not want to raise a stink. At 1:40, my husband needed to go back to work and was going to be late and we hadn't gotten our food yet. He went up and told them that we needed to get our food to go. The bald man assured him it would be out soon. Five minutes later, he brings our food out. I grabbed the bag as my husband grabbed my (very cranky 16 month old) son and felt that it was super hot. Aka- they completely forgot about our meal and made our food really quick. So my husband took his sandwich to work and I took my burger and my son's sandwich home. My husband texted me later that his sandwich was good. I loved the fires, but they were pretty soggy since I had to bring them home and eat them 20 minutes later. But the ranch was really light and good. I ate those first, then ate the burger and almost finished it....then saw something on the edge of the burger. A hair it was short and curled like a beard hair. I decided that I was done. I have long hair if you were wondering and no one opened the box other than me after we received it. We have been here 3 or 4 times with mixed results from delicious to meh. This will be the last time either of us come.

5 stars Elevated, grounded, and glowing. Commonwealth is what happens when passion meets precision. The moment I walked in, I felt it, this wasn't just a place to eat. It was a space to settle into. I had garlic and truffle fries, and it delivered far more than flavor...it offered balance. Rich where it needed to be, fresh where it mattered, and plated like someone was proud of it (as they should be). The bar? Exceptional. The ambiance? Calm yet curated...like Modesto's secret living room. Service was paced and professional, with real human energy behind it. No rush, no push...just ease. This spot carries soul. If you are lucky, you will find a seat in the light. But even if you do not, you will leave shining.

At first I was bummed because I went during weekend brunch so their tacos weren't available, but this pesto chicken sandwich completely made up for any disappointment I was originally feeling. This sandwich is awesome, that crispy Parmesan layer was the best part and I got to upgrade to garlic fries. Amazing lunch at commonwealth, good times

Lunch with my oldest at Commonwealth was delectable. The garlic fries were so flavorful and the nachos were tasty. My personal favorite are the tacos they offer but decided to try the nachos this time. Great service and always consistent with the food.

Came for St pattys day. They had a few food specials with corned beef including a patty melt. Unfortunately, though they do not or did not have any happy hour specials. Got the M80 sandwich and my friend got the patty melt with corned beef and sauerkraut in it. My sandwich had good flavor and ok amount of filling. My friend enjoyed his sandwich as well. The fries were crispy and the house made chips I got were kinda like lays. I was hoping for a thicker kettle chip and was disappointed. They also had a decent selection of beers available and it was a nice casual atmosphere.

The food is always great. The beers and ciders are always top choice, with a lil something for everyone. The service is great & food is always ready fast. The ambiance is chill vibes and good music. Highly recommend this place.

The bacon blue cheese burger is yummy, fried cauliflower bites are a must! Great beer and wine, and Julia had great and friendly customer service!

Wooow. It's been ages I've been to Commonwealth. My go-to casual/hip spot in downtown Modesto is usually Churchkeys but they had some sort of plumbing problem that apparently we couldn't be seated there. Strange but I mean it all worked out. I was there last week. Food was amazing. I tried a smashburger and it was a tasty burger. Meat was nicely cooked. My partner got some sort of chicken sandwich (I forgot the name sorry) and he said he enjoyed his a lot. The cauliflower wings are freaking huge!! Super tasty too. They also have a spiked Tampico drink and that too was good. I came on a Friday night. Yes it was busy and noise level was moderate. The only thing that was short a star was my fries were overcooked, and I'm not sure why but the ketchup tasted weird to me. The ranch is great though.

Looooooove their Caesar Salad! Idk what it is but sometimes I just have a craving for a Commonwealth Caesar Salad - their croutons are made in house. YUMS! I've been coming here for years & always find my way back. The staff is always so friendly & accommodating. There is a lot of indoor and outdoor seating. The indoor seating has some community tables where more than one group can sit or a giant group can sit. The menu is on the wall along with the list of beers behind the counter - the beer selection is always good - something for everyone. I prefer ciders which they tend to have at least 2 options. You order at the counter and they had you your beverage & a number - you seat yourself. The wait on your food varies on how busy they are or how backed up the kitchen is. Each time, the person taking our order gives us a heads up to set the expectation. I always order the Craft Taco Plate - it comes with 3 tacos of your choice. I substitute the meat for the crispy cauliflower option - HIGHLY RECOMMEND for your vegetarians. As for flavoring, this is how I would rank 'em (those that I have tried): Coconut Curry - Soooooo good esp if you like curry. The flavor is on point! Banh Mi - The ultimate Asian flavor, so yums! Po' Boy - The sauce is different, a good different. Something to call out, when it gets later in the day - they tend to run out of crispy cauliflower (it's just that good). One of our good 'ol reliable spots we always seem to find ourselves at.

My husband and I went on date on Sunday 6/1/25 and we decided to take a short drive to Modesto to visit this cute little spot in Modesto as seen on triple D on the food network with Guy Fieri. We had brunch and the prices were reasonable and the food was delicious

First timer! Came here after visiting the children's museum. Walked in and was greeted immediately. The menu was great. They had so many food options, including a menu for kids. Side Note: Guy Fieri came here in 2015 and signed a serving tray! It's on the wall. So cool! I ordered the M80 with fried chicken and garlic fries. The fries had the perfect amount of garlic and the M80 was delicious. I wish there was more because it was soooo good. For beer, I had the Nitro Stout. It was good but combined with the M80 made me so full. Amazing place. Highly recommend.

The Staff! Balanced! Clear minded and have energy to engage customers with courage and are in synch with their environment!

Swung by 30 minutes before closing for a quick bite and a cold beer on a recent business trip. Sat at bar and was overwhelmed by vast assortment of local craft beers. I was told to try the smog city citrus blonde and the wife had a Eppig beer. Cold and tasty! Split a smash burger and garlic fries. So much food! Amazing flavors! And so many crip garlic fries! Love this place!!!

Loved this spot! Super clean, great staff, good was soooo good and beer on tap was great! Loved everything about this spot and will definitely be returning!

Commonwealth is a nice place that serves a very good selection of craft beer and for the most part lunch items. It is quite good. You order at the counter and they bring your food out to you. The servers are very nice and the entire staff seems pretty happy. We were very comfortable there. The place is super clean, including the bathrooms. It is not large, but I bet it can get crowded. It was not when we were there for lunch. Their craft beer is excellent, but what we really wanted was a decent lunch. We were able to get that at Commonwealth. It is not the very best in Modesto as far as lunch, but if you want craft beer and lunch this is the place you need to be. All of the food we had was very good. We had burgers that were cooked right and nice and juicy. We also had a variety of tacos. We really liked the chicken tacos. The prices are fair. Their garlic fries are super good. We also loved their onion rings which they make there. The batter is wonderful. We were very happy. Have the best time.

Went today for breakfast. The place is way too LOUD for one. Took our order for 6 people. 30 minutes later 4 people got their food. 10 minutes later I had to go ask where mine was. They gave it to someone else. No attention to detail. Run very poorly. Owner needs to get the place together. The food was just ok. Potatoes were over salted. Wait staff seemed overwhelmed. Would never go back.

Food was good, service was great and the place had a comfortable and relaxed feel. We had the blue cheese burger. chicken bites, a pilsner and beer flight. We'll be back!

This restaurant has a great location going for it and fortunately we managed to get a parking spot and a table for the 8 of us . Seating is mostly high top and they were able to accommodate our big group without having to move things around . Next great thing is the amazing bear selection on tap - there was something for all the diverse taste preferences. I immediately jumped to get Russian river as I love their beers. The food has to be ordered at the counter and since I was ordering for all 8 of us , it took a little back and forth on my end but the staff was very accommodating and let me take my time as not all our friends were present while ordering . It didn't take too long for the food to arrive and almost all of us got our entree at the same time . My pesto chicken sandwich was dry as a bone , the fried parmesan on top was unnecessary and just there for aesthetics. I heard the same sentiment from everyone who got a chicken dish. Others seemed pretty satisfied with their food. Overall , I think they are a solid place for a meal if you are in the area.

The food was great! It was a bit too loud for a date brunch.. the game was on and we couldn't even have a conversation.

Nice little taproom downtown Modesto to grab some protein and carbs. Indoor and outdoor seating, with tables, high tops, and bar seating available. I got the OG American burger and house chips. The chips are to die for but the burger was eh. It was meat, cheese, and bun, which is probably my fault for not reading the menu more closely, but it wasn't much to write home about. The service was top notch though. Very knowledgeable beertenders and fun, engaging staff.

Great food, great service! Downtown so it's walking distance! Came here for lunch and there were many lively people. Great ambiance as well. Would come back again!

Stopped and sat down for a couple beers and got food to go. Beers were excellent! All kinds of choices for anyone! Food was still warm when I got back to the house. Went with the upgraded garlic fries and honestly will skip them next time, but I still ate 95% of them. Had a BBQ smash burger that was perfectly cooked and seasoned and put together. Suggest the burgers, beers, and regular fries!

Haven't been there yet , they really need to update their menu on this Yelp page , it most definitely would help business in my opinion

If you're looking for a yummy place to eat while visiting the Downtown Modesto area, I would highly recommend Commonwealth. I noticed as right when they opened around 11am the lunch crew was ready and hungry; place filled up so quick so you know it's good food! While they offer tacos, burgers, nachos and fries, I opted for a more healthy option The Q&L salad. This salad consists of crispy shredded cabbage, fresh spring greens sprinkled with quinoa, lentils, juicy pieces of grilled chicken, fresh avocado with tortilla chips all tossed with a tasty jalapeno citrus dressing. I absolutely loved this salad and would eat it again. Customer service is decent. You order at the register, get a number and the food is delivered to you. Weather nice out? They offer indoor andddd outdoor seating. Enjoy!

This has to be one of the best ran business in Modesto. The service and food was hands down the best experience I've had at a downtown restaurant

Cute place ambience was relaxed. Service was fast and knowledgeable. It was good. Nothing out of this world but good. Would I go back again when I'm in the area probably

The tacos... Oh my goodness, the tacos. Worth the stop all by themselves. Hard to pick a favorite, so get a party pack or platter and share them all with a friend!

End of a long work and travel day. Was looking for good beer and food close to where i was staying. This location had good reviews and was close. parking was a little tricky but we managed. Walked in and was greeted by a nice vibe, good tunes and a lot if options for both beer and food to chose from. with only 2 people in front of me I had to decide rather quickly. I asked the cashier about hoppy IPAs, she quickly responded "3rd column". Chose my beer and then I asked what the Napa Nachos are, she ran it down for me. as soon as i heard blue cheese, chicken and caramelized onions I was sold. we found a table on the patio next to the cutest happy dog. food came out quickly. some of the best house made chip nachos I've had. no soggy chips, no overcooked chicken, generous cheese and onions. The patio area was comfy and shady and I likely could have sat there for hours. I will return the next time I'm in the area!

Food was so good so filling absolutely loved how fresh everything was down to the ketchup that speaks volumes. Food portions are a great size and plenty for one. The music was upbeat and you could definitely feel the welcoming ambiance. Service was great staff was knowledgeable about any item you asked about and they were down to the very last bite so rite. We Will most definitely return soon.

This spot used to be phenomenal/top notch. I'll never forget the first time we had the nachos years ago and everyone at our table was wide-eyed and beyond impressed. They're not half the size, served with dried out chicken, half the chips don't have anything on them, and they were barely warm. Ordered chicken and waffles and they came out with no syrup, no powdered sugar. Who wants to eat dry chicken and waffles? Apparently us because after speaking with two staff members, no one seemed to care. We were eventually brought syrup (literally 10 min after food came out) and were told they were out of powdered sugar. 15 minutes later we saw an order of chicken and waffles come out with syrup and powdered sugar. Come on guys! I know it was busy but don't let quality suffer. That plate should have never left the kitchen. Get back to your roots and do better.

Good service. Good tacos with great vegetarian options. For me, the fries are a little too rich with the garlic but personal preference. Lastly, I think Bikini Blonde is the best beer ever maybe and have been thinking about it for weeks since.

They have great craft beer and delicious food! Nice little spot! Indoor and outdoor seating in the heart of downtown Modesto!

Amazing chicken parm, chicken club, and truffle fries, but their buffalo cauliflower is an all-star dish.

I got the Buffalo chicken sando with fried chicken and chips for the side. Very good. The fry on the chicken was crisp and the buffalo sauce had good flavor and heat. I'm not a coleslaw guy at all but their slaw was actually enjoyable on the sandwich. The chips were very solid too. Good crunch and not super oily Service was friendly and helpful. My buddy is vegetarian (ew) but the staff was very helpful in finding something he'd like to order The restaurant has a very warm and welcoming environment. The lights are dim but they give everything a nice hue Good time here

Fried buffalo chicken and garlic fries... It's THE BEST sandwich in the CV. Every time. I would die if they ever closed or took it off the menu. 10/10. 100%

I guess I should have read the reviews on the Q&L salad. It was akin to a scavenger hunt to find the Q&L and/or the so called grilled vegetables. Boring salad at best.

I sent this message to their email address with no response so I decided to leave it on Yelp. After we attended a matinee comedian show at the Gallo theater as usual I bring over a group of people to your restaurant. There was a party of six of us. When walking in the restaurant I immediately I looked around the room when we walked in to find a table that we could all sit at. When looking around all the tables had people eating or the balance of all the tables were completely filled with dirty dishes. The large community table located right in front of the bar area was the perfect size for us but again had solid dishes cups and glasses covering the entire table. I noticed nobody was out in front cleaning tables for the line of people that were at the register waiting to order. I walked up to the counter and asked the girl if there was an employee that was available to clean a table for us and she looked at me and said, sir I'm so sorry we are understaffed and we do not have time to go out and clean the table. She then said if you would like to move all the plates and glasses yourself you are more than welcome to. I was absolutely shocked and floored, but I was also embarrassed because I brought a group of friends and some were elderly. So myself and my son started to bus and clean the table so we could have a place to sit. I went up to then order our food and after ordering, I said "it would be nice to get an employee discount after having to clean our own table", and the girl just laughed. Never said the words I am so sorry sir for that and I really appreciate you helping us out, didn't even acknowledge that we cleaning up your restaurant for us to be able to sit down and enjoy a meal and a drink. Very disappointing. Sent from my iPhone

If you are in Modesto you have to come to Commonwealth the food is so good I got an all American Smash burger and I devoured it and I get the cauliflower bites also so good The service was really amazing I loved the vibes and it's just was so amazing

I was fortunate to stumble upon commonwealth on a recent trip to Modesto and I glad I did! I was immediately captured by the large, celebratory crowd that was sitting out on the sidewalk tables and the flow of people coming out of the door to place an order at the bar. I made the snap decision to jump into the line and I excitedly scanned the menu over and stared at the chalkboard beer list behind the bar while I waited. The food and beer choices were exceptional but it was the food that was catching my attention - butter chicken tacos, shrimp po-boy tacos, tikka masala tacos - holy cow! They also had a long list of delicious looking smash burgers, sandwiches and salads. The guy who took my order was also tending bar and despite being clearly overworked, he was super nice and not in any rush to push me along. I ordered, sat down at the bar and was soon treated to a platter of five amazing tacos and a couple of west coast IPAs from Pizza Port. If you find yourself near Modesto, track down this gem of a place!

The Service was absolutely beautiful. 10/10. The place is also very clean. The food was 4/10. The nachos were very bland. The potatoes were 8/10, just needed a hint of salt. I absolutely loved the scenery. I also order some wings that were amazing.

Food is amazing and the service is amazing. I usually go during the week on my lunch hour, I call my order ahead and it's always ready on time.

TASTEY OR WASTEY? Totally WASTEY!!!!!!! Okay, I get it.... This is more of a pub/ bar place to drink and get smashed, which totally explains the 4 stars on Yelp! I beg to differ. Try eating here while sober. Not good. Maybe the atmosphere is more for the mid 20's to 40 ish crowd that hasn't quite developed their taste buds for finer dining. I hate to be so harsh but I was expecting more because of the ratings. Would not recommend. Who knows, never say never. Cheers

I asked to try the sweet drinks that they had and I was recommended the Dark Horse. It's a seltzer and I really enjoyed it! We did have to wait a while for our food to come out despite there not being a whole lot of people, but once it came out we were very happy with what we got. I had the pesto Parmesan sandwich. My dad had a smash burger and he liked it a lot. I have been here three times now and I am sure I'll be back! It's a nice little spot with a good vibe in the downtown area.

Park across the street before 6 PM. Go straight to the bar and place your order. Really tasty food and great assortment of craft beers on draft. Reasonably priced and helpful staff. Not that I'm in Modesto often, but I'd come back for sure.

The first time I was here we came a few years ago to have a beer for our daughters 21st birthday, this is one of her favs. We had a 7:10pm showtime at the movies around the corner from the restaurant. There where a few people there outside and inside but not full and it was about 5:50 so figured we had plenty of time. Their beer selection is extensive and quite overwhelming in a good way with so many options. Wife and daughter shared a salad and a Buffalo sandwich. I wanted to make sure we had plenty of time for the movie so I went to park car in parking structure and had them surprise me and order for me. At this place you order at the counter, they give you your drinks and a number to put in your table and bring your food. I got there they where seated and they had ordered me a Cubano sandwich and fries. Almost 45 minutes later we started to worry that not too much food was coming out of the kitchen. I went up to the counter to ask how much longer because we had a showtime and the server was very understanding and apologized explained they where a bit behind on the kitchen. I asked if they had not started in our food maybe we would come back after the movie and she said she would accommodate but still went to kitchen to check. She said they where actually plating our food so we stayed and ate fast. Food was delicious, how do they get the sandwiches so crispy but still bread soft inside? Bomb fries, thin and crispy. Tried the garlic fries that my girls where sharing and those where awesome, next time I'll do that. I was not a fan of the dressing in their salad, they enjoyed it very much but it was like a Indian curry type of flavor which I like in Indian food but not in salad. Food is like 4.5 stars but 3 for how long they took to make the food so next time will make sure we come after a show not before. Great vibe, cool decor I need to ask if the wall art is real moss or fake it's pretty cool.

So...true confession: my wife & I have been to Commonwealth a dozen or so times thru the years and for some unknown reason, I've never taken the time to give them a shout out. We were back again for my 59th b-day dinner last night because b-day boy gets to choose on his b-day so, Commonwealth was my call, no brainer. As we were sipping some tasty brews + munching on their amazing Thai chicken nuggets & Thai salad, we asked ourselves: "why do we keep coming back here?" Easy answer: because Commonwealth NEVER disappoints. The food is consistently excellent and their service is always on point. Plus they keep changing their menu offerings just enough over time to keep things interesting. I just hope enough locals keep supporting this place because it is hands down my favorite spot for pub grub-style dinner out in Modesto.

Came here on a Friday night, in town for a wedding. Of course we were all starving. Stayed at the Doubletree and this was a short walk from the hotel. There was six of us. Seating was fairly easy. You order first then find a table. We opted for inside. The food came out pretty fast and was very good! Between the six of us we ordered: 2 BBQ chicken 1 salad 1 shrimp tacos 1 nacho thing 1 pesto chicken, lettuce wrapped Of course I tried everyone's! The only thing I didn't really care for was the salad. Everything else was on point! They have a pretty good beer menu, too. The Man ordered a mango/pineapple something sour beer and it was actually pretty good! Overall, definitely a place to go!

We were seated right away and they were busy Order and that came within minutes The ranch dressing is made there and it's very good despite I'm not a Hughes ranch fan Our server even gave us two servings to take home Great seating Excellent food Keep up the great job