The Common Man Restaurant

This was our 5^th visit to the common man but the first one to the Ashland branch. Our server was so slow (2 hours) that we almost walked out a few times. It was after the lunch rush and not too many people left in the place. I think I will avoid the common man at lunch time and save it for the dinner menu which is much better. Maybe next time they will stop using those cheap paper sheet table cloths and start cleaning the bathrooms better.

This was not the best dinner I had in recent years in a restaurant but definitely better than average, The chicken dish (apparently new on the menu) was excellent. My cocktail drink was so so. Service was great too. Definitely not a bad place to try, if you happen to be in the area. There are not many choices around here any way.

awesome service
all food we ordered was great
drinks were very good
sat on deck upstairs just a great time

This place is pretty solid. I think I made a bad choice on the sandwich for the night, which took a star away, but this will definitely go 4 stars upon another visit and perhaps a different entrée.
So, décor… amazing. This place is right off 93, about 0.5 mile and is in a nice old barn/​house. The place is spilling over in charm, something out of a Nordic ski lodge; it even has real wood fireplaces and wood stoves, not propane… wood!
You’re treated to free cheese and crackers that you serve yourself, a nice big wheel of mild cheddar sits out for your convenience. It’s a very communal experience, even if you’re just on a date, everyone is very friendly.
Service can be a bit slow upstairs because the seating is very casual, but that doesn’t hamper the experience too much.
The food:
Nothing epic, but good. The wings are a bit boring, but they’re very friendly on the wallet. I wouldn’t get too excited about the Korean BBQ sauce, it’s essentially Sweet Baby Ray’s with some fish sauce mixed through. But they’re not bad.
I got the meatloaf, which was a mistake. Too sweet, the pepper ketchup was nice but also very sweet. French fries were clearly hand cut and double fried perfectly. No soggy fries here.
Beer menu is very nice and very local, they even brew their own spuds, and it’s a good straight forward beer, nothing too amazing, but good.
Next time, I’ll order a more proper meal and I’m sure the stars will go up. Stop by here after skiing or if you’re just heading North, you won’t be disappointed.

Our server Jesse was awesome! He was knowledgeable about the menu, enlightened us about the history of this particular cman location and was very accommodating with providing gluten free options! The food was great,
Wonderful value and a very charming setting.

Great menu. Accommodating waitstaff. Interesting atmosphere. The bar is upstairs, so people who want to dine in a peaceful, quiet atmosphere can stay in the dining room downstairs; while those of us who like a louder experience can head up to the bar. I like this place a lot.

Good food. Quiet on a Tuesday night after Christmas. Was there with my son, so didn’t explore the upstairs. The burgers were good, and the wings were excellent. Beer list wasn’t impressive.

Perfect. Favorite restaurant anywhere. Free salads (only Common Man with them; this is their first), free cheese, crackers to get started. 2^nd floor bar fabulous. Outdoor terrace. Great food try their house wines. And a little free white chocolate at the end!

This is just an okay place. I would not go there again. Good vibe and atmosphere but food is terrible. Microwaved food tastes better. Service is so so as well.

Although, the décor was quaint and an interesting building, the food was ehhh. My boyfriend said it was the worst prime rib he ever had. More fatty than he had ever seen for a 30 dollar piece of meat. I had the crab cakes, they were okay. There was some shell. The salads and white chocolate at the end of the meal were the best part…

Everything I want in life is right here. Great food, beverage, ppl, staff, décor, music, business sense.
I was in Lincoln. My friend in Laconia. The Common Man right in the middle. We meet and enter. 30 min for a table. No problem. Wait at the bar? Cool. Free crackers and dip?!? Thank you!!! Now the dining room was quaint. But upstairs blew my mind. Rough wood. Exposed beams. Antique signage on the walls. Roof deck. 2 pool tables. Crazy meandering bar. Whitty tenders. Heart touching musicians. I want to live here.
The menu was fun. Food and beverage alike. Crispy wings. Cesar salad fresh. Add BACON WRAPPED SHRIMP?!? Please.
Also… Marry me.
I love u.
I will return.

The Common Man in Ashland is exactly what it is supposed to be. An authentic and comfortable environment. We love to eat upstairs where you can sit in couches or easy chairs and play with cards or chess sets. Consistent, friendly and efficient service. Delicious and tasty common man styled food. The «almost escargot» are delicious cheese covered garlic and butter infused mushrooms. Chicken wings are well spiced and tasty. Pot roast is tender and savory. Good burgers and steaks. White chocolate bread pudding is a terrific dessert. Live music when it’s here is a treat. When we are in town, our family comes to dine night after night. We always leave happy.

A NH staple and the original restaurant location that started it all. Sit upstairs if you can, its self seating so I suggest going early to get a good spot. Soft leather couches/​love seats surround dark wood coffee tables dimly lit by wrought iron lamps. Great food, drinks, atmosphere, and service.

Swell place, old school country side charm. Good food from an appealing menu. I love it when I find a decent place to eat off the highway, and this was definitely such a place.

My boyfriend and I came here after snow tubing. Came late but bar n grille was still open.
‘Bourbon & Maple’ their hot cider drink was very good! :)
We ordered couple of entrees and they were both really good and in huge portions.
We were very happy to find this place in the cold late night :)

Thank you helpers, I would have never found this place without you!
Great place and great food

Party of 6 they will hold tables for and our greeter made us feel very welcome.
Started in Bar area upstairs with nice little areas and upper deck outside. The spiral ladder to get to bar is accessible for some folks. Bartenders were inexperienced.
Our server was great and let us take our time. Appetizers, lobster sliders were great plentiful stuffed little hot dog type things, you get 3. Chicken wings were surprisingly cooked perfectly from the chicken wing person in group. The pizza type bread app was good and had some sort of flavoring not consistent with a pizza type app.
Salads came out in all assortments per order, but this was the start of the noticeable portion control issue. one cherry tomato one chuck of cucumber, ice berg. Had we asked for just cucumbers and tomato, no iceberg the plate was filled.
main courses run from 15 to 25 bucks leaning mostly around 20 bucks.
Get what you like, nothing to fancy here, but nothing was overcooked.
2 major mistakes at the 20 25 dollar level. one swordfish brochettes meal came out on app plate, dishwasher back up? the chunks were cooked perfectly but there were only 4 and what is with a thin slice of cucumber rolled up instead of onions ect. It was that and tomatoes and zucchini and fish on a spoon full of rice. Cha Ching
Same with the scallops. Where’s the portion size manager. These 2 dishes were served with others having a half chicken (cheaper) and crab cakes (good) and 2 slabs of prime rib, so they looked dainty next to these meals.
2 items made it to the table incomplete, so who ever is watching what leaves the kitchen needs to repeat training.
We dropped in the area of 300 bucks and one in the group won’t be seeing the C man anytime soon.
It’s too bad because it’s always something at the C man and it’s always about training or obvious menu problems.
choose better

I’m BACK! LoL
Ok, back in town to visit with friends and of course, gotta see the C Man!
Service and the food were top notch, as usual. Had the Great North Woods pasta and it was very good, along with a diet coke. Tried the Lobster Rangoon. A little disappointing that only 3 came out on the plate (4 of us seated), but they did not forget the lobster part that’s for sure! Chunks.
Also enjoyed the cheese and crackers.
Parking, of course, can get tight when busy or if snowy.

I enjoyed this place. It has a great layout, with a number of niches and places for small or large groups to have fairly intimate conversations, a large bar area, and an outdoor patio on the roof. There’s also an extensive downstairs. You do have to climb a steep, narrow spiral staircase to get to the second floor, so careful in heels!
I did notice that some parts of the upstairs were not kept super clean, and there were crackers and crumbs on some of the seats and couches, and in a few of the chests that serve as tables (I peeked inside, thinking there may be games or such).
We sat on the deck, and it was pleasant. The servers were friendly and the drinks are reasonably priced. The ginger mojito I had was pretty good, although it would have been better if the mint was properly crushed.
The appetizers of watermelon and red pepper roasted wings and blue cheese chips were good quality bar food. I also think it’s pretty neat how there’s a giant block of cheese with a knife and crackers for guests to self-​serve from at the top of the stairs. The cheese was really mild and not flavorful enough for me, but it’s a cool idea.
The dinner menu looked good, and I’d come back to try it.

Love the atmosphere upstairs. Fireplace, big sofas/​chairs, a bar, hightop tables, regular tables. After a cold winter hike, this was just the place I wanted to snuggle up to and order comfort food to refuel.
Ordered the pork tacos from the appetizer section and lobster corn chowder, along with a bloody mary with requested celery. All were extremely satisfying. Beware, though. The bloody mary is quite spicy but I loved it.
Service, food, and atmosphere were all great. Definitely on my list for a return visit.