Yum
The Common Grill would have to be my favorite restaurant in the whole of America. I live in Australia and every year I come over to spend the summer in Jackson. As soon as I fly in the Common Grill is the first place I go. I'm in love with their bread rolls! And the staff are not half bad either! Kidding, they're fabulous!    [12 Apr 2001 00:53:08]

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Recommended Dishes: I cant pick just one they are all so good!

     ­Amy, Terrigal Australia   

Excellent Bistro
The food is excellent, always fresh and delicious. Warm and inviting casual atmoshere, wonderful service. Chef makes wonderful use of in-season local ingredients. Not pretentious. Just delightful.    [22 Aug 2002 12:50:26]

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Recommended Dishes: all of them

     ­Anonymous   

My Favorite By Far!
The Common Grill is my all time favorite restaurant. The atmosphere is awesome and accommodating no matter what it is you're looking for. The food is always satisfying.    [24 Aug 2002 23:15:24]

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Recommended Dishes: my personal favorite is chicken fettucini Chef Craig, though sometimes I can't resist the sea bass, always a tough decision to make

     ­B   

Phenomenal Firecracker Shrimp
Dear God,
thank you for putting Craig Common in a kitchen and for the succulent morsels which are served up at his restaurant. The wine selection, the appetizer choices, and the ever changing meal specials just may be the most difficult decisions facing customers. The service is top notch and the atmosphere whispers of casual decadence. A must for anyone in the area.    [10 Nov 2002 10:39:54]

Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 
Recommended Dishes: Firecracker Shrimp, White Wines, Sirloin Salad (and, of course, the bread!!)

     ­Brian   

Why did I ever wait so long?
I had always heard about "how fantastic The Common Grill was", and "how I'd be craving the food'". Well they all were right. I was lucky enough to be treated to a business lunch there and wow! (like the person before me-- thank you, god for giving that man the knowledge to use his talents. It's worth the trip-- really... even in the snow...    [07 Jan 2003 14:44:25]

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Recommended Dishes: Anything, especially the rolls

     ­amanda   

A Bad Night at the Common Grill
We went to the Common Grill recently. We were told we'd be seated at eight pm. We were not seated until nine. We got our first orders (salads, and in my case oysters) at about 9:30. The oysters, while not spoiled, had obviously been opened early in the evening. And then we waited. I finally called the waitress over (not her fault)and told her she had two minutes to deliver our entrees. She brought them in one minute. While the food was good, it simply did not make up for the late seating. Also, the acoustics are so bad that it's impossible to hear across the table. Someone from the restaurant came over to the table to apologize and offered us some desserts. I have eaten in many great restaurants in the US, Europe and South America. This was a truly bad dining experience.    [06 May 2003 11:31:59]

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     ­Neil   

Best in midwest
I have eaten all over the world and the food here is world class. A treat. Sensational in a land of over-priced pretentious joints catering to inexperienced eaters who think the worst is great because the “presentation” is good. Most local people have never dined, just eaten. Here you may dine.    [29 Jun 2003 16:09:30]

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     ­Anonymous   

Hey ...
I love the place...it's great... but I'm biased..I worked there as a saute chef for 2 years.    [30 Oct 2003 17:09:15]

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Recommended Dishes: Firecracker shrimp...walleye... Tuna....

     ­John Manga, Cafe Belliare Bellaire Michigan..   vinelife at chartermi dot net

poor food at common grill
Well it turns out that a couple that we know had some free tickets for the Purple Rose due to illness. They offered the tickets to us and we accepted them. They told us that they usually go to the Common Grill after the show with a group of about 20 people. They want to know is we wanted to come along. We told them yes-big mistake!

Here is a synopsis of my experience.

1. Ordered the Onion Soup. It was salty and the onions were crunchy (undercooked)
2. The salad was very good
3. Now the entrée . Terrible. I order the Flat steak (what the heck ever that was) for 22.00. I ordered it medium rare and it came well done. It was tough like leather. Cold and had very little taste. The steak was scored only on one side when cooked? The portabella fries were just terrible. I don’t like mushrooms buy my wife does, she could not even eat them. There could not have been more than 4 (FOUR OUNCES) of meat in the meal. A shame for what you charge at your restaurant.
4. Normally I would have talked to the manager. But we were with 18 other people and I didn’t feel that I wanted to wait for another dinner to me served me.
5. I know that I can get busy when large groups show up. But there was time enough for our waitress to come to the table and ask “how is / was your meal”. Never happen.
6. All in all I found it very disappointing and would never go to your restaurant again. For 2 reasons: Poor food, and way too much money for what they serve.

Thomas Koriles -- Trenton, MI    [28 Jan 2004 08:47:54]

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     ­thomas koriles    thekeep at comcast dot net

My Favotrite
We regularly drive 80 miles to the Common Grill and all we talk about both ways is the food. The fish is fresh and fantastic, pasta dishes always flavorful and service has never been less than wonderful. The Smoked chicken angel hair pasta is my favorite, but recently had wild mushroom ravioli. mmmm...    [03 Oct 2004 14:54:03]

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Recommended Dishes: Pasta Jambalaya, Walleye

     ­Bob