Common Grounds Kitchen & Tap

Lee Stauffer

2023-09

They are pretty proud of the food. Deep fried stuff thank god was good. The smoked meats and anything else smoked are LOADED with pepper and water. The bread on the side is just store bought Texas toast. The atmosphere is lame and multi directional at best and to top it all off the server we had wasn't busy but sure acted towards us like she was. Won't be back

Kathy Frasher

2023-05

We were going to be in Mesick, so I googled restaurants in the area. Common Grounds sounded good, so we stopped there for dinner. I love everything about this place! I liked the decor as soon as we walked in, and we had live music accompany our meal. I wanted to try a Common Ground drink, but I don’t like bourbon, so they made one with rye whiskey for me. The food was absolutely delicious, and the staff was so very friendly! Definitely stopping in the next time I’m in the area!

Brad P

2023-07

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Squatch Watch

2023-05

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April Boyd

2022-05

We decided to give this new restaurant a try tonight and we’re so glad we did! Our entire experience was absolutely wonderful. We were happily greeted by two young ladies and quickly seated. Our server, Amanda came right over, introduced herself and took our drink order. She was wonderful and very attentive the entire time.We ordered the Buffalo Chicken Dip as an appetizer; it came out quickly and was really good! For entrees we ordered the Pulled Pork Tacos (they came with hand cut fries), The Firestarter flatbread, and a Cauliflower crust with marinara and cheese. Everything tasted amazing!!While we were enjoying our meal, the restaurant was getting busier, (which is wonderful) and there were also a few young men working hard at refilling drinks, clearing and thoroughly cleaning tables and chairs. Everyone was working hard as a team and it didn’t go unnoticed!We are excited to have a great restaurant (especially with GF options) right here in Mesick and we will be back!

Sara Schueneman

2023-07

Ok. So I have been to this restaurant an embarrassing number of times. The first time I came I would have given it 4 or 5 stars. The food was good. The staff was welcoming…. But the best thing I can say about it now is there is a chance you’ll get great food, but not likely. The first time I ordered the smoked brisket— fantastic! I have ordered it 3 times since and what they brought me was not brisket. I’ll include a photo of what I got today…There is one waitress that is just amazing but some of the staff can be a little rude and it’s hit or miss how you will be treated. Two of my family members got food poisoning once from the pulled pork and they understandably refuse to come back. I’ve never had the pulled pork. Keep wasting my money here but I love the coleslaw and most of the time the burgers are ok and it’s close to my house. I am disabled and one of the things I’m not always able to do is prepare meals for myself which is how I’ve ended up here so many times with terribly low blood sugar, just trying not to die. Because the food does usually come out pretty quickly except the one time it inexplicably took an entire hour when they weren’t that busy. Good luck! I’ll try to stay away for my sanity.Dietary restrictions: Not much for gluten free or dairy free and definitely no meat free options. I ordered the burger with a gluten free bun until one day they gave me a wheat bun and insisted it was gluten free. I didn’t come for awhile after that.

laura dillon

2023-05

Quality, Consistency and Cleanliness is what keeps us coming back. Mesick locals here!! We got a turkey bacon wrap which did not disappoint. We also got a Fried pickle platter and it was delicious as well. Home made chips, fantastic. So happy to have a great restaurant near us again!

Bobbi Danbury

2023-10

The waitress was amazing. She was the only one working today waiting tables and they were busy. She still kept a very pleasant, positive attitude. We are from down state and have a cabin near Baldwin (come up here every other weekend) and used to frequent Barski’s. We had very unpleasant experiences there twice in a row with wait times and attitudes from their wait staff so we decided to give Common Grounds a try today. Very much worth the drive! We will for sure be returning. Food was great as well! Thank you for the great experience!Kid-friendliness: Kid friendly environment during the day while we were there. They provided our son with a coloring page and crayons and the waitress was friendly to him and interacted with him as well.

J B Moore

2022-05

Very happy we discovered this place! Very inviting, clean, very pleasant waitstaff (Amanda was wonderful-very attentive and happy disposition), great food (amazing deserts), many seating choices (bar, dinning room, outdoor patio, etc.). For having only been open one week it was phenomenal all-in-all. And reasonable prices to boot. We are certain it will become a regular stop on our travels between Empire and all places down-state.

Rob Wagner

2023-08

This place is a bad joke. The service was horrible to say the least. It took over 1/2 hour just to get a Pepsi. Yes it was busy, but they had plenty of servers working to cover the crowd. Our server never came back to our table for drink refills or anything. We sat another 30 minutes after we were done with our meal to get the bill. I didn't want to hand her my card thinking I wouldn't see it again for another hour. To top it off the food was complete garbage, not fit for a dog. Ribs were dry and had no flavor. The brisket was also a complete let down, tough, dry and no flavor. I tried all 3 bbq sauces on the table, they all taste like vinegar 🤢. My daughter has the pulled pork, she said that it was pretty good. I love to pay for a good meal, and I enjoy leaving a nice big tip for good service. No tip for this lady, she was far more interested in flirting with the guys at the bar than doing her job. I usually don't write off a restaurant for a bad meal, but due to bad food and even worse service, I will not go back to this place.

Christine Tanzini

2023-05

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sarah mazur

2023-07

Every time we come to this area we eat here. This time, I had the pulled pork burrito, it was the best pulled pork meal that I ever had. My boyfriend had the Firehouse burger, he said it had just the right amount of spice, he said it was very good, not overpowering at all. We both had the campfire new fashioned whiskey cocktail, so smooth and tasty! Alexandra was our server, she was sweet, and fun, and good at her job. The live music was so nice, and soothing. Thank you!!

Josiah Robey

2022-05

Absolutely fresh, home made and delicious. The broccoli cheddar soup is perfect and the daily smoked barbecue is amazing and served hot. The brisket has a great crunchy bark but still very tender and juicy inside. 3 Homemade bbq sauces awesome

Gay Stier

2022-05

We are so glad we stopped to eat here while we were on our way to Grand Rapids from visiting Sleeping bear Dunes. From my understanding, this place just opened and I'm sure they will be in business for a long time! Seriously, if you are reading this, just check this place out. No regrets!Pros:Cleanliness- The place is very clean. I observed the staff while they were cleaning a newly vacated table and would give them 2 thumbs up!!! I dread going to restaurant bathrooms a lot cuz you just never know sometimes but the bathroom did not disappoint. It was very clean and spacious. To me, it's a good sign when the bathroom is clean.Food- Everything we ordered was delicious. Serving sizes were appropriate and the prices are very reasonable. We had the truffle fries appetizer and everyone in my family loved it. Even my picky kids! we devoured it so fast that I couldn't even take a picture.LOL. My husband ordered fish and chips and he said it tasted really fresh and good. My kids had the flatbread and chicken tenders on the kids menu. As you can see from the pictures, the servings were huge for an affordable price.Ramen- ok ok this should be under food section but it was sooooo good that I feel like I need to make a different section for it. Background, We come from Indiana but I have personally been through other parts of the world(Canada, Mexico, Bahamas, Korea, Taiwan, Philippines) and I have eaten at several ramen places. Before coming to this restaurant, we visited Mackinaw city, Mackinac island, St. Ignace and Traverse city. Anyone who has tried this route and like ramen probably can relate on how it's so hard to find Ramen when you are just craving some. I'm Asian so to me it's comfort food that I sometimes crave when stressed and you know traveling can be stressful at times. LOL. Anyway, I was super glad to find out that this place had ramen of the day on their menu. I had a spicy chicken Ramen. The flavor was very good and the serving size was adequate. I was not expecting to find Ramen here so it was really a pleasant surprise! It's not the best ramen I've ever had but I've had plenty of ramen in my life and this one is on the top of my list. Try it out!Staff- Staff was very pleasant and nice. Our drinks were constantly refilled and we were checked on frequently to see if we needed anything. I appreciated that a lot. My husband left his wallet and the staff hurriedly came outside to deliver it to us before we left. I did not catch her name but thank you if this review ever reaches you.. Thank you so much for being an honest and kind human being!Only little Con:Wait time- We were seated immediately and had our drinks immediately but there was quite a wait for food so would recommend to expect spending some time here if you are planning to dine in. They just opened so maybe it's just a temporary thing. The food is worth the wait you guys so still no regrets here.Please check this restaurant out and I hope you enjoy your meal as much as we did! 🙂

Bob Mccormick

2022-05

Decent bbq in Downtown Mesick in the old Mushroom cafe. Overall our first meal here was good, only complaint was the Mac and cheese was a little too heavy on the black pepper. The burger with pork and brisket was good and the fries were tasty. Everyone left full and happy.

Thomas Robinson

2023-05

How disappointing. We had been here a few times prior and were hoping for the best.Ordered the brisket platter and the meat was not edible. the brisket was so tough, I couldn’t cut it with a knife and fork. They gladly refunded my money but by then we had waited so long for food I didn’t feel like waiting any longer.The waitress explained that I had received the end pieces of the brisket. Which resulted in an ‘out of brisket sign’. My follow up thoughts were if you saw that the meat was subpar. Why did you serve it?Sorry for the review, but I felt as though no one actually evaluated the platter before putting it in front of me.I also had raw pasta in my mac & cheese, and the beans were super Al Dante. The bread was great though. Wife’s dish was great.

Jeff Fancy

2023-05

We absolutely loved everything about this place. Food was phenomenal and they allow dogs in the outside eating area which is a big deal for us. Every employee was friendly and awesome. This is our new go to place anytime we are in the area. Can't say enough good things about this place! Our server Miranda was amazing as well, even made sure our dog had everything he needed

Steve Powell

2022-05

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Al from Michigan

2023-07

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Jennifer Blankenship

2023-05

This place is awesome, from the decor, to the service, to the food. It was cozy and modern. I recommend the espresso martini is you’re a coffee fan. Don’t forget to add your personal stamp in the bathroom and write on the chalkboard wall!

Megan Haefling

2023-07

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Rae

2023-09

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Robert Keith

2023-05

Home of the best burger in Mesick, and Sundays breakfast buffet is excellent. The people are friendly and the bloody Mary mix is made in house.

Mandalyn Martell

2023-05

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Chad Huff

2023-05

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Natasha Randall

2023-06

Staying in Cadillac and saw this on our way heading north and did a uturn to stop in. Had the piggie platter, cheese burger and southern fried chicken sandwich and would have ordered more if we could have made room. Chicken was juicy and incredible. Pickles were delicious. Amanda was the most amazing server! Patient and lovely and went above and beyond! Highly recommend the house and maple bourbon sauce. My husband said if this is this good he would imagine the Barbeque is incredible! So glad we found it!Kid-friendliness: Kids menu had lots of options!

JadeStar117

2022-05

Stopped to have their Saturday special of Prime Rib! Extremely glad I did! Some of the best smoked prime rib I've ever had. Excellent portion size and delicious sides! Can't wait to go back and try more! Keep the great food and service coming!

Kaylea Rogers

2023-09

Our waitress Heather from last night was extremely nice and helpful. Food was delicious and hot, and came out quicker than expected. Definitely coming back soon!Vegetarian options: There is a decent selection of delicious salads and well as the ability to swap out for a vegetarian burger on any of there delicious burgers. Appetizers are majority vegetarian as well. Fried pickles were delicious

Mona Waddell

2023-05

I am so glad you asked. We had flies around us while trying to eat. My husband got the wrong drink. The service was a bit slow. There was teenage kids standing in the middle of the floor blocking customers entering . Meal was slow being delivered to the table. I feel the prices was a bit high for what we got. But the food was good tasting. The only good experience of the whole trip.

Michelle Carlson

2023-05

Do NOT judge a book by its cover! This little place has an unassuming exterior, but the food and service are great. We stopped here coming home from Traverse City after the Bayshore Marathon, starving. They had a gluten-free menu for my friend who is gluten-sensitive and the best homemade potato chips I have ever had. Good service, great food. I had an incredibly fresh Caesar salad and their pretzel bites, which were perfect. We will definitely be back!