Uncommon Grounds

I really don’t see what’s so special about the drinks here. I’ve tried a few different chai flavors and lattes, and none of them were great. They all are rather milk-​heavy and lacking in flavor, for my taste. Also, they’re really overpriced!
The last time I was here, I gave my friend a box of homemade cookies while we were having our drinks, and a barista came running over, saying that the owner doesn’t allow outside foods, and we need to put it away so he doesn’t get mad. Judging from other reviews here, the owner seems really rude and disrespectful towards customers and workers. I won’t be coming back.

For the last few years I’ve seen a common theme in most of Uncommon Ground’s reviews. The general consensus being that the owner is unwelcoming, passive aggressive and rude to his customers who come in and pay for their $ 6 drinks.
I worked at Uncommon Grounds all of last year and though I do not condone trash talking past employers, not to do so would be a disservice to the community.
It’s true the employees only make $ 7.25 an hour with no credit card tips, when I would open I would work up to 6 hours by myself (even on weekends, even during busy morning rushes), employees are also not offered any type of discount… not even a free drink. We were instead offered to microwave day old coffee that sits over night in the cooler to be made in to ‘ice coffee’.
The owner has constant surveillance of the entire place, and checks his phone periodically to assure that employs are constantly working.
We weren’t offered breaks, but having the opportunity to sit out on the porch and smoke a cigarette is pretty nice when it’s slow!
But my final issue with the establishment comes from the owners blatant disregard for the customers interest. I’ve seen him kick out a father reading to his daughter because they were taking up a whole booth for christ sake, one time a group of men were sitting at a table consoling a man who was obviously upset and the owner made ME kick them out because that ONE person didn’t buy anything… I had to kick out a crying man! The absurdity.
Over all I think the owner suffers from some type social abnormality, if he’s nice to you it’s only because you are engaging with him and humoring his superficial charm.
I don’t want to see Uncommon Grounds close, it’s been around for over 25 years and though a lot of things have changed I’d still hate to see a local landmark disappear and be replaced with something even more trivial.

Let me say when I first walked in here it was a cute little space with large comfy booths that I was excited to sink into. Unfortunately, after a few minutes my mind changed very quickly.
We were notified by an older gentleman (owner?) that we would need to power down our computers in 5 minutes because they don’t allow them during their busy hours. While I get this, I was also waiting for my $ 6 coffee drink and a pastry so I figured I’d bought at least an hour at the table to do whatever I felt like. He kept walking around the place, wet towel in hand, wiping tables that people were still sitting at as if to passive-​aggressively tell them to wrap things up. I would get so anxious, even with my computer shut down and halfway through my muffin, whenever he’d come around that my experience there was absolutely horrible.
The coffee and pastry were good, no complaints there, but I can’t help but let the overall experience, service and (un)welcome I received to really color my view of this place. Needless to say I will not be coming back.
If you’re looking for a place to grab a coffee and a 10 minute break from your adventures in Uptown, this place may work for you. If you’re hoping for a relaxed experience, I’d look elsewhere.

First let me state the positive exceptions to this low rating:
— The baristas are amazing. Friendly, hardworking, and exceptionally skilled
— The chai is BOMB (one of the only reasons I keep coming back)
— it’s extremely cozy! Old fashioned home vibe
Now the negatives:
— The baristas aren’t paid enough (7.25/ hr)
They deserve WAY more than that w/​how pricey the drinks are. You CANNOT live on that income. Tells me the owner cares more about money than his worker’s wellbeing.
(This business obviously has a high employee turn over rate. And I’m guessing banks on exploiting the young/​desperate/​less-​experienced ppl to work here)
— The baristas are constantly monitored (cameras), making me think that the owner is watching their every move like an authoritarian hawk. That makes the vibe uncomfortable
— The owner doesn’t want ppl to read/​study/​work on their laptops here. There’s literally a sign telling ppl not to. But… This is a coffee shop. The primary reason ppl come to a coffee shop is to have a place to focus on their work. The owner is really limiting his clientele and ostracizing regular coffee shop dwellers. Bad move.
— I’ve never seen any people of color working here. That’s problematic and shows what little regard the owner has towards diversity.
I don’t want to support & give my money to a business that neglects & subjugates their workers. You will only lose business this way. These are not issues I’m alone in feeling, several ppl feel/​express these concerns (which shows why it has such a low rating). This place has a lot of potential, yet is being run in such a problematic way.

I really love how this is an actual house in main Uptown with what seems like a lot of the original building details and is decorated thusly instead of being modernized so it creates a really beautiful, comfortable space. It reminds me of going to Swensen’s in Arizona as a kid.
My 16 oz mocha came in a glass with a heat protector which I found interesting. It was also good but a little milky. I prefer a very sharp espresso taste but people who prefer a more milk chocolate taste will enjoy it.
There is a ton of seating and a nice porch area and I look forward to visiting in warmer months.

I came here because they have a poster hanging outside saying they make best chai in the world, that’s pretty bold. I make kick-​ass chai myself because I do everything from scratch in preparing it and it’s delicuous. I never saw such kind of poster even in india because it’s pretty bold to say that you are best in the whole world. So I was very excited until I had a sip of their chai.
It’s a freaking hot chocolate. If I would have been reviewing about hot chocolate than I could have given them 4 stars because it tastes pretty good for a hot chocolate. So just in case if you are in mood of hot chocolate then order their chai. I saw how he made the chai. He took milk, heated that with the machine and added 3 spoon of some powder (which looked to me as hot Chocolate). I was very surprised when he said I hope you enjoy the chai. I tasted and damn it’s anything but chai.
If anyone thinks that their chai is good then text me because I will make a chai for you free of cost and you can see what real chai tastes like.
Now why 2 stars, why not 1 because I like the ambiance and lighting. It’s not good for studying but it’s good if you are meeting some girl for first time or hanging with friends.

If you want to experience having a coffeeshop owner bully you for using a laptop then this is the place to be!
I stopped in here while my fiancée was having her nails done down the street. Bought something off espresso menu. Told I needed to hit the $ 5 minimum before I could use my debit card. I added carrot cake to the order and slipped $ 3 in the box. Immediately upon sitting down and opening my laptop the owner asked me if I had noticed the sign that said «no laptops or reading when busy.» I looked around and saw no line and lots of empty tables and gave him a confused look while nodding. He explained on Saturdays the line will go out the back of the door. He then went on to explain that they have to shut down the WiFi to keep people from roosting for too long. Fine. I only expected to be there for 45 minutes, anyway. Guess what happened 30 minutes in with even fewer people at the tables? The guy shut down the WiFi. Specifically to make me leave. My iPhone has a hotspot so I just flipped that on, but I mean, really. Who does that? The coffee was O.K. and the carrot cake was great (but made by someone else so in theory not exclusive to this place). The chairs are old. The décor is dated but cozy. The owner is old and grumpy and thinks he’s running a fast food restaurant. Good luck with that.

Groups of 3+, beware! Even if you are paying customers you will not be welcome here.
I met four others at Uncommon Grounds for a book discussion. ⁴⁄₅ of us bought at least one thing, however both the barista AND the manager told us that «groups» were «not allowed» at Uncommon Grounds. Despite the fact that we were paying customers we were made to feel distinctly unwelcome.
CON: highly priced drinks
CON: no vegan options for baked goods
PRO: barista was friendly & courteous other than having to enforce the inane «no groups» rule.
All in all I will not be returning to Uncommon Grounds and will encourage others to patronize other cafes nearby.

The bad reviews for this place are totally petty and unnecessary. The chai is sooo sooo good, the music is great, the service is welcoming. They have rules about when you can work here because they literally have less than 20 available tables, and reserving spaces for customers in groups who won’t be here for long is better for business. There aren’t a lot of outlets, that’s true, but there is a long bench that has plenty that most people don’t know about. The owner is always here and very nice about seating. If you’re concerned about coming here to work, call ahead of time and ask when they’ll be busy that day. In my experience, they begin to get crowded around 4, but on nice days most people take their stuff to go and they allow you to stay and work. Underrated!

Love this place! It’s a very mellow tucked away place with great atmosphere! Service is always friendly too! Not your usual super hyper crazy caffeinated wifi freak clientele… which is a nice change.

No outlets for computers, signs discouraging computers and books, turn off wifi during busy times. Nice way to chase off customers. I won’t be returning here.

I guess they are supposed to be famous for their chai. Tried it last time I was there but didn’t think it was «the best in the state». Parking near uptown is never the easiest although another review mentioned there are some spots in back. I tend to just park in a nearby neighborhood for free and walk into the heart of uptown because I’m cheap like that: p My coworker says apparently this is a nice place to take dates since it’s kind of dark and cool looking. I think it looks pretty old. Some could spin it as antique I guess. Overall, it was a decent experience but there are so many other coffee spots to try in the metro that I might not be back for a while.

Gotta agree with the reviews. .. stopped there because the sign said best chai, didn’t agree. It was quite milkly. My younger daughter liked it, but as an audult it could be a little more tea and spice.

While I love all things unordinary, my experience at Uncommon Grounds had me scratch my head while asking myself the fundamental question of… wtf?
First, this is a coffee house. Yet, it doesn’t welcome productivity as evident by the sign that warns «no laptops or books during busy hours». To top it all off, they also turn off wifi during that period as well. To most people, «busy» would mean that your place is off the hook with customers. Yet, when I was there, there must’ve been 6 people at most. For a place that could easily fit 30 in all its seating areas, it’s confusing as to why they’d turned off the wifi connection.
Second, this place was like a dungeon. I thought I’d never find a place as dim-​lighted as caffetto, but boy was I wrong… Yes, there were lamps and lighting all around. What seems to be missing is electricity. For whatever reason, the lights were on at the level of some lazy ass candles since all you see is the yellow tip of the bulbs.
Perhaps the owners were trying to be more earth conscious with these oddities, but to me, they scream the word parsimonious. Or Amish. To avoid people like me from too high of an expectation, perhaps they should modify their name to «Uncommon Grounds: where amish dungeon meets coffee». No offense to the Amish community – I’m just not ever going to be one.
I’m normally pretty lenient in my reviews, but I’d daresay that my laptop, books, and I won’t be going back to this joint anytime soon.

I’m currently sitting on a green velour couch and listening to a fun range of music, from folk to rock to classic hits. I just finished a sweet decaf chai, which was great by me. I’ve got my laptop out and people here, the owner, and the barista are all friendly.
On the low reviews:
Reading the other reviews about the lack of tea and the owner having rules, I wonder, should I care more about that stuff? Because I need to have a drink to sit inside, or be considerate of a culture the owner is trying to cultivate, or I can’t drink tea because they seem to have a specialty of chai? I’m okay with that. I’m okay with a specialized culture and drink, and someone doing his best to own a business.
On studying:
I checked to make sure I could still have my computer out, and they said okay since it wasn’t as busy (and understandably it’s easier to be a business with social groups than studious singles). I sat down at a 4-​person table, and when the owner saw a 2-​person table open, he popped over and told me about it. He also helped me move my stuff.
Definitely not the spot for a student who needs to work for 12 hours with a range of coffee options and no-​restricted wi-​fi. For someone needing a comfortable break for 2 – 4 hours, wants to feel like they’ve come upon a colonial bed & breakfast, and feel somewhat classy? It’s perfect.

Overpriced.
You aren’t allowed to study now on weekends because customers were complaining. I clearly have been away from the USA for too long if coffee shops are now becoming European style. The reason they don’t study in public as often because of the culture around work. They do have «American coffee shops» that are all the rage though in France.
Head to Spyhouse, Bob’s Java Hut, Dunn Bros, and other great local coffee shops.
I’m not sure why the studiers can’t coexist with the «socializers.» When I «socialize» I talk about the things I’m studying: the arts, the sciences, and the community.

The Coffee Shop with the Most Rules — Ever.
This is NOT a coffee shop you want to go to if you want to have a collaborative meeting or hang out on your laptops with your friends. They have strict rules as to where their patrons can go depending on what you came to their establishment to do AND what technology you brought with.
If you came to study, work on your laptop, or read — you HAVE TO go upstairs
(where there are no cozy couches, just chairs and tables). You are NOT allowed to have computers, study or read downstairs (no joke, they have signs and will tell you to move — they did it to me!).
…So I guess I don’t know where I’m suppose to sit if I brought in a tablet AND wanted to hang out with friends (which is mainly the reason I ask friends to meet up for coffee)…oh and wait, if it’s a tablet with a keyboard would I be asked to move??? Probably.
I understand what they are attempting to do with all their rules (credit card, wifi rules, & more) …however micro-​managing my activities once I’m inside… no thank you.
I think designating upstairs as the quite work area, and downstairs as the social area would be sufficient. Why they want to control my choice of technology ALONG WITH where I sit, is ridiculous.

Well I’m not sure if it is the best Chai in the twin cities but it was pretty darn good and always nice to find a locally owned establishment vs feeding the Starbuck machine.
It was a bit pricey, the bar a bit cramped, but worth a stop if you are in uptown.

Uncommon Grounds claims to have the best Chai around. I would mostly agree with this, but as I am not a Chai-​connoisseur, and this is really the only place I order it anymore, take this review with a grain of salt.
I have liked this place less and less over the years. It seems like each time I’m here, there’s a new sign with a new rule. When I was there today, the sign stated that this is a «social coffeehouse» and that there will be no studying, reading, working or computers after 5 pm during the week or at any time on the weekends. Wait, what?! No reading or laptops at a coffee shop during certain times. Uhhhh, Uncommon Grounds are you out of your mind?!
That aside, if it’s worth it for you to pay $ 5+ for a small cup of Chai flavored with syrup, you will get something that tastes good. I learned why it’s different. The Chai is made with crystallized honey for extra sweetness and NOT made with black tea. So, drummroll please, it’s DECAF.
DECAF.
Ugh.

My guess is that Uncommon Grounds was once a super-​nice, awesome, super-​popular coffee shop where everybody used to hang out, and somewhere along the line, the staff and owners started feeling taken advantage of. So, they put a couple rules in place to cut down on the most egregious slacker behavior. But over time, the rules just got out of hand.
This is a beautiful old house, and should be the most welcoming place in the world to hang out in. But even before you walk in the door, you’re greeted with rules. No coffee on the porch. No coffee outside. No computers today. No hanging out longer than an hour without buying something.
The list goes on and on.
But for me, the last nail in the coffin was the half-​and-​half. It’s not set out for you to use. You have to ask for them to put it in your coffee for you. They have the sugar and sweeteners out, just not any milk or cream. On top of all the other rules, this made me furious. «We don’t want you hogging all our half-​and-​half, you fatty half-​and-​half-​slacker-​advantage-​taker!» it seemed to say to me.
Excuse me, but your coffee is more expensive than Starbucks. Put out the damn half-​and-​half and let me make my coffee the way I like it.