Commonwealth

I came in skeptical — this is Chicago. There is no other football club but the Bears. As my first choice in Roscoe doesn’t open until 5pm, I walked in for lunch at this «Cowboys bar» with my papa. First, the décor is great with its rough pine wall panels and complementary metal furniture. Second, country music is generally terrible and it should never be the first choice for dining. Third, Tom was the only person working at noon and he absolutely killed it. I’m holding onto the 5^th start because food was whatever and forgettable.
There are four sandwich options that are $ 7 before 5pm. I chose the Cubano and dad had the Abe. The pork shoulder on my Cubano was really dried out and tough. It went well with the Krakus ham on it though. Unlike most Cuban sandwiches, this one is different as it comes with Havarti cheese, bread and butter (sweet) pickles and onions. It seems to be baked instead of pressed, too. So definitely not a great Cuban sandwich, but I ate the whole thing so you figure it out. Dad had the Abe which is definitely not a burger. It’s a bacon-​flavored chopped meat sub. Overall, it had a nice flavor, and he too finished it. Both came with out of this world awesome fries. I want those fries with everything.
There are daily daily specials — Tuesdays are $ 4 Blue Moons. I skipped it and ordered a Right Bee Cider, because THIS IS CHICAGO. Order local!

Not impressed at all. We are new to the area and just had dinner there. Perhaps Monday’s aren’t the best day to go but to start things out we waited about 45 min for waffle fries which were a little disappointing. Hardly any cheese and the poco de gallo was definitely not poco de gallo… Just a few onion and tomato pieces. Wings were ok. Queso fundido was probably the best part. We won’t be going back any time soon mostly because of the long wait (when there was only about 3 tables of people there) and the lack of flavor/​excitement from the dishes. I don’t blame the wait or but more the kitchen for taking so long and not salting the food.

I came here with a girlfriend randomly for their wine special on a Thursday evening because the location was equal distance between us… and they had $ 6 glasses of wine :) It was my first time there and let’s just say 3 weeks later I have now been there 2 more times because of the good experience I had, so I decided it was time for a good review.
My husband and I have now gone for brunch and dinner which we have very much enjoyed. The bloody Mary bar at brunch was great! I had this excellent fancy version of a BLT with an egg on it. Delish! And then this evening we popped in for dinner, my husband got their chicken wings because they were on special, $ 5 for 8 really good sized juicy wings with celery and carrots included, sometimes places charge extra for that and they didn’t which is really nice. He said they were really good. I had the filet sliders. So so good! Super tender, brioche bun, havarti cheese and horse radish cream sauce to die for. I will crave them!
I’m so happy I finally made it into this place after driving past it for so long. It’s very comfortable, spacious, good specials and TV abundant for games. I have a feeling they will be seeing alot more of us!

I’ve tried this place twice now, and I must say neither time was I that impressed. Walking past the other day I did see that they revamped their menu, so I might go back a third time to try it out. Both times I was there the menu was just not good. At a sports bar you expect certain things… buffalo chicken wraps, burgers and truffle fries. Am I right?! The food they did have all seemed like they were trying to be «too foodie» for a sports bar. One of the times I went was for brunch, and I will say they have a decent all you can drink Bloody Mary bar deal. The only problem was that it took forever for our server to get to us out on the patio! By the time she got our orders and we went to check out the bloodie bar, it was completely scavenged. We left very disappointed.

Commonwealth has a great atmosphere and good drink selection. The reason I took a star away is after a few visits I decided to order desert. It was $ 9 for an ice cream sandwich. It was described to be extravagant and for that price large enough to share. It was disappointing to say the least.
So, great place for before or after dinner drinks won’t be ordering food again.

Very decent find in an unassuming part of town! Hidden gem is a good category for it!
I ordered an off-​menu item, the brisket/​bacon burger. I’m told it’s 70% ground brisket and 30% ground bacon. I can tell you this much; it was juicy, succulent, and had a delightful smoky flavor that was far from overpowering. The sauce and pickles (made in house) that came with it were heavenly, and they really cut through the richness of the burger. I got it with a salad instead of the fries, so I can’t speak to the sides (salad was basic, but fresh).
We had several apps to start (there was a large group of us there), and the hands-​down table favorite was the nachos. Oh man, those nachos… In-​house made chips, slow roasted pork, lots of cheese, fresh sauces… solid.
Their wings are very good, too. Buffalo sauce is piquant without being overly spicy or boring. Asian BBQ were equally well made.
The drink selection was pretty darn good, too. They had a few ciders, great mixed drink suggestions, and a pretty good sampling of beers across the spectrum.
I’d definitely be a regular if I lived nearby. This place was well worth the visit, and I hope the next time I’m in town to stop by again!

Last night was my first visit to Commonwealth, we’ll just say a few things jumped out at me that will result in no return visit.
I am an industry person, I am a former Barback and Restaurant Manager. Presently I am a Kitchen Manager, on top of that I am a Cicerone. I know a few things about bars/​restaurants, and especially about beer.
Let’s start briefly with the good:
Love the build-​out, fantastic décor and setup. How clean/​organized you keep your establishment is very important and this was pretty spot on.
Menu: Loved the food variety on the menu, lots of very good looking food combinations. From what I did observe coming out of the kitchen it was well plated. Unfortunately I had eaten earlier that night and was not hungry, so I can not give points for food taste/​quality.
Drinks Menu: Fairly solid craft beer line up, good prices.
My initial reaction: this looks like a good place.
So why the two star review?
Service.
First off, it is not appropriate for a server to touch EVERY male patron. Working for tips is one thing, making a point to get inside people’s personal space is not acceptable, ever.
Second, give the girl a waist apron so she can carry her pad and a pen around. It took multiple attempts to get our order in before she managed to get it written down. Those apron’s come in very helpful in a bar setting, especially when you rely on one server to take care of all of your tables. Get the girl organized.
Third, serving drinks 101:
ALWAYS serve every drink with a cocktail napkin. My friend had to request napkins, and we got just regular dinner napkins. This seems like a small pet peeve, but it’s an important one. Show some class.
Always bring a glass to the table with craft beers, and POUR the drink into the glass. We had to request glasses for our drinks, and when we got them. they were hot. Now, I’m not a chilled glass person I prefer room temperature, but you expect me to pour my cold beer (myself) into a hot glass fresh out of the washer? This was a combination of server and bartender issues, because that server was not the one to get the glass. Either you need more glassware behind the bar so you aren’t running out (which I hope is the excuse), or you need to train your staff that serving piping hot glasses for cold beverages is not acceptable.
TLDR: TRAIN YOUR STAFF. These are basic problems with one simple solution: train people. If you don’t know how to run a restaurant, find yourself a manager who does and have them teach your people the basics.

You get two stars for being the designated Dallas Cowboys bar. Otherwise, shame on you and your less than professional customer service. To associate yourself with my hometown is appalling. The saying, «don’t mess with Texas» is true. Texans don’t treat people in this manner.
Arrived at 11 for a 3pm game and was told I couldn’t sit at an open table because the table was reserved for the day but, «you can’t make reservations.» On what damn planet does that make sense? You can’t reserve a table but someone reserved the table.
A simple rephrasing to say «reservations are for brunch only» would be more than sufficient and understandable. When I brought this to the manager’s attention his attitude was of unconcern and apathy as he informed us that the table I wanted was permanently reserved for their VIP guests.

I’m not quite sure about the validity of the recent negative reviews of this place.
Someone mentioned they «were at this bar 5 years ago…» I bet. It wasn’t even open 5 years ago so I’m not sure what bar you were at but it wasn’t this one. Just my two cents.
Now onto the food and drink. The menu here has drastically improved over the last year or so. Tonight we had the nachos, filet sliders and gnocchi. All of it was great. Sometimes it’s just nice to have higher end bar food when getting your drink on and Commonwealth hits the spot.
Service was great, place was warm and welcoming. No complaints, will definitely be back.

This was one of the closest establishments to myself while staying in Chicago recently, so naturally I made it here a few times.
I ate off of each menu (brunch/​evening) and while both were good, I have to give the breakfast sandwich I had the nod. Brisket and bacon, egg… I’m forgetting a few ingredients but they are rendered unnecessary given the first three IMO. It also helped that it was Saturday so I had the Irish game day specials for drinks.
Bartenders and employees were all chatty, helpful, and fun. As were the patrons.
Doesn’t do anything for me, but this is also a Cowboys bar. Some neat sports memorabilia on the walls.
They also have a nice beer selection. Yes.

Garbage service, terrible food, poor management. Avoid at all costs. Got a table with some friends and were complete ignored by all service staff. The ice had melted in our drinks by the time they arrived at the table. When I asked to speak with a manager, the server shrugged and said they were busy and not able to talk.

You can’t discriminate against people who are willing to spend their money, and just want to have a good time. I was in the group of people that got turned away a couple sundays ago, it’s annoying because I AM a cowboys fan. I don’t get it. Whatever, I don’t need to spend my money there anymore then. Also we were all industry people, and are not type to cause issues.

I have loved Commonwealth, in the past. I am an absolute Die Hard Cowboys fan from the tiny little town of Alvarado, Tx. Prime Cowboys country. I grew up watching the triplets win super bowls, and literally every person you see wears the Star. Its almost a religion. On 9÷20÷2015 I attempted to get a party of 5 Cowboys/​2 Eagles/​1 bears fan to hang out in my favorite place to watch the Cowboys in Chicago. Friends in rivalry right? Wrong. When we arrived one of our Cowboys friends already had a table going for us and came up and was hugging one of our Eagles friends and coworkers, who just moved here, and know nothing about Chicago. No sooner did that happen than the organizer, who I’m not sure even owns the bar, came off his high horse for a minute to accost our friends. Immediate disrespectful pointing to get out, cursing, name calling, threw a 20 at our friend, which got ripped up and rightfully so. We don’t need your money we make plenty. Im confused though. I have seen Bears fans inside before, and while this was going on a Steelers fan and a REdskins fan were inside the bar. Any cowboys fans know those are our biggest rivals. After my initial feelings on the situation and leaving for another bar I was just going to let it go. But the group «Dallas Cowboys Fans in Chicago» has not. Even Today, 8 days later. Continues to press about the situation publicly, posting photos and bragging about how Douche bag eagles are. When I let him in on maybe some things he didn’t know, he bans me from his page so he doesn’t dig a deeper hole and removes all the pictures and trash talk because I quote «it was getting ugly for him» All I did was let him know what he did. The negative feedback on his screenshot of Duane A.‘s Unilocal review with his added thoughts to the post, caused him to take it down. This bar. Good food. Bad organizer, unbelievably bad sportsmanship. He claims that the Eagles fans would start a fight. Nah, these two would have shaken your hand on the way out if they had been treated like people and allowed to stay with their friends who invited them and wanted them to know what it feels like to be in a sea of Cowboys… The Noise, the passion we bring. Unfortunately Commonwealth failed really hard this time. Its hospitality not war. You are a bar, with food and drink. Usually a place friends can be just that. Not today. There are some great Cowboys fans in Chicago but this organizer doesn’t deserve to call himself one. He certainly did not act like one. He is not one of us. A real Texan and Cowboys fan would not have pulled what he did and caused the scene that was caused over opening a door and walking in.

This bar… What to say? Well, anybody has the right to watch any game at any place they like, regardless of what sports team they are cheering for. The treatment of my friends at this bar was absolutely disgusting, and being a big industry girl, I am telling other industry people and people in general not to step foot in this bar. I’m a NY giants fan and I have actually been to this bar before to watch a NY/​Dallas game, about five years ago. Not a problem from a single person there, it’s all in good fun. Whoever is managing this place should read a book about customer service and learn something from it. Or, better yet, put your personal feelings aside at work and do what your supposed to do, which is to make customers happy and not discriminate!

Came here during Retro on Roscoe for some drinks and wanted to get a snack to tide us over from lunch until dinner. But… absolutely nothing on the menu appealed to any of us. You know how sometimes menus are written with your exact preferences in mind? This place wasn’t that x3.
We did have drinks which became a few drinks which became quite a few drinks. The beer list was great but they didn’t have three of the wines I tried to order and I’m still not sure what I actually ended up getting.
Big ups for the outlets places strategically by the booth benches.
This is a Notre Dame bar, by the way. Go Randy Moss! (Minnesota, girl. Sorry, it’s the best i could do…)

Both of my visits to Commonwealth have been impromptu but both have been great experiences!
I popped in on Memorial Day for a couple of beers with my boyfriend and we posted up at the bar and really enjoyed ourselves. They have a great draft beer selection and the fact that they have Weihenstephaner on tap was enough to keep me coming back.
Our most recent trip was today when we stopped in for a pint and a light dinner. On Mondays they have ½ price wings until 8 and we took advantage ordering the Buffalo Wings as well as a side of the Smoked Potatoes. The wings were perfectly cooked and amped up by the picked celery and carrots they were served with. We also both loved the smoked potatoes but would’ve appreciated a larger portion.
You can really tell Commonwealth uses quality ingredients and their menu demonstrates that they strive to do what they do well. Something I appreciate at a time when so many bars have enormous menus and when they could be focusing on perfecting a few menu items and promoting those.
The décor here is also spot on. As much as I am a fan of the dive bar you can’t beat the airy, upscale feel that Commonwealth has mastered. I’m sure I’ll be back again soon and can’t wait to try the brunch especially…

Roscoe Village needed a new sports bar with decent food and a good beer list like this. This place had a chance to become my neighborhood sports bar (I live a few blocks away). Then they hung a Dallas Cowboys flag outside. Now I may never go back again. (Disclaimer: I’m a Philadelphia Eagles fan). I’ll try to give an impartial review though:
4 stars for fun sports bar atmosphere
3 stars for food… it’s okay, not great
3 stars for their uncomfortable seating and odd table arrangement
2 stars for their lack of decorations and creativity with the space (pretty sparse… hire a decorator, yo!)
0 stars for their affinity for the Dallas Cowboys
Overall, not bad if you need a place to watch the game, but nothing special. Go Eagles.

Update 12÷30÷14. with the end of the year comes the end of my love of the commonwealth. We used to go in at least once a week for either dinner or brunch. They have changed the menu soo much, there is literally nothing left on the menu that my husband and I eat other than the burger. Soo many delicious things are gone… the delicious soft pretzel, the mouth watering denver steak, the grits… its completely different. Its not really a dinner destination in the village anymore. I really did love this place. Although their bloody mary bar during brunch was awesome, we wont be back unless they make their menu more appealing. Sorry Commonwealth, it was great while it lasted. Im leaving you with 2 stars, one for the burger and one for the fact you stock Stella Cidre. Let us know if you decide to turn your menu around!

Went for brunch. That is now my preferred time to go here. Everyone was really happy with what they ordered. Be warned though, they do change the menu. I had brunch schnitzel which was delicious and came with the tastiest potatoes. My friends ordered the falafel frittata which is not authentic falafel but they really liked it. My other friend ordered the papusa, which was good but the schnitzel and frittata were our favorites.
We have been back again and I learned this… Do not, I repeat, do not order the bacon. It is only 1slice cut into small pieces! And it barely has any flavor.
Servers are really nice and helpful. They also do $ 12 bottomless mimosas which are good, they have different flavored juices, yay!

My boss took us for a goodbye lunch because one of our team members was moving to California. It was FREEZING out and this place had the heat all the way turned up. I am always cold and this is the first bar/​restaurant i been to where the heat was really nice and cozy!
It was about 1pm so there wasn’t anybody really in there. They have an extensive beer selection (i don’t drink beer so i really didn’t give a shit) and i didn’t want to order a drink because i didn’t want my boss to think «yes she got a problem». LOL so i stuck with water. I would have loved a DRINK LOL. Our server came right away and was talking way to fast for my liking and i didn’t understand what the burger of the day was. I opted for the chicken sandwich, fries and a side of MAYO! Now they didn’t have any regular mayo so i was i was a bit turned off with that fact. Also my boss wanted his sandwich a certain way but BECAUSE IT SOME TYPE OF SIGNATURE SANDWICH, WHOEVER PREPARES IT DOES NOT CHANGE IT FOR ANYBODY! i mean seriously, it was basically you order it the way it comes or you can order a different sandwich. BIG TURN OFF!
Our sandwiches came out at a decent time. Everybody enjoyed theirs and i was so so impressed with my chicken sandwich. I was in love with this special mayo they have and the yummy home made fries. I honestly will only come back to try their drink and stuff my face with their great fries and DELICIOUS MAYO!!!