Common Space

Went there recently on a Thursday and I had a great time. I went with 3 other ppl & we ordered calamari, onion rings, mozz sticks and 12 assorted mixed alcoholic beverages including long islands, pineapple vodka etc. Guess what our bill total was? $ 29! I kid u not! The only downside of this place is that it’s not really packed. Knowing what I know now, I would totally host a bday/​reunion event here. All drinks with house vodka are $ 1 on Thursdays til 12am and the music is live. You may also want an exit strategy or place to go to next. But if you’re in the area, do yourself a favor and go.
P. S. One downfall was that in the midst of all the glorious cheapness, the hookah was $ 40! Unless it is laced with gold, please go to stein st where hookah is better and $ 8 a pop.

This place is okay. The fishbowl drinks are good and the hookah (even though they get their hookah from the Hookah spot next door) is good as well. It is usually pretty empty there. The food is okay. The service can be better, in my opinion. There are times that the waitress won’t come back for a while.
Austin Street does not really have much of a bar scene in my opinion. This place is probably the best out of all of them.

I like common space because of the crowd and music, but as far as the ‘space’ part goes (half of the lounges name) its lacks much of and is limited too. I was let down when I didn’t see anyone or any room for a dance scene. I was under the impression that there would be dancing, but maybe that’s my fault. Like the music, the crowd was mostly Spanish with a few other scattered ethnicities as well. Picture your typical bar scene with a latin flavor: everyone is just kind of chatting, drinking, some people eating; this is Common Space. I think they have an outdoor area in the back but i never got a chance to check that out.
If your looking for a spicy hangout spot that’s a little more upbeat than the typical bar hangout, checkout this place!

The place is Cool, the Music is Awesome! As long as you have time & patience! The hookah they use Is actually pretty great! Drinks are alright! I usually stick to beer! & the food Isn’t bad! Even doe the buffalo wings are probably the best they have! The service needs a bit of work! But am a regular so I love this place!

I’m not cool enough to get in anymore or get good service…
Been denied a few times and had a few bad experiences…
If I could zero stars…
I live in the hood, spend your money elsewhere
Started at 5 down to zero…
If you care to look at my profile, I try to give only nice reviews, this place sucks.
Notice, I started at 5 stars… I wanted CS to succeed…

Came here again and it seems they’ve improved upon many things. For one, they stopped using cheap plastic medicine cups for shots and are now using real shot glasses so the amount of alcohol you get for a shot now can no longer be debated. They made the menu look fancier but the information is incorrect; their happy hour lasts till 9pm but the menu says 8pm.
The food was great, the Picada platter was awesome as usual. Service was spectacular.
My only complaint was that there seemed to be a lot of flies, this was not a problem on my previous visits so I’m hoping that it is a one time thing.

First time checking this place out with some friends. The interior looked good and the waiter was nice but the food is not worth the money.
My friend ordered the chicken quesadilla entrée but when it came the size was so small and had such a measly amount of chicken she had to order a side of fries just to make it a full meal.
Another friend came a little later and ordered the hot dogs. She didn’t receive her order until a while after we finished eating. It was 2 basic hot dogs on buns with fries. I can’t possibly understand why it took so long unless they were back there killing the cow and making it from scratch.
I ordered the burger with fries. The menu says it comes with two sides but apparently thats not true because it’s an old menu. UPDATE IT THEN! Anyways burger came and what kind of bread is it on? A roll… those rolls you buy from the corner deli with butter for a dollar. Also the fries were very greasy and limp.
Ugh and the ketchup bottle… does it hurt to wipe them daily? Opened the top and the rim was filled with black funky gunk from old ketchup that had spilled out… GROSS!!!
So nope, nope, and nope. Will definitely not be back here anytime soon.

I went back a second time for hookah and went to their outside section and it was a pretty good experience. The service was good as always but the shots of patron that we ordered were so small that it just wasn’t worth the money.
Bottom line — good service, good environment, good hookah, but drinks continue to be a disappointment in terms of price, quality, and quantity.

We had time to kill before our movie started so we wanted to grab a drink. We sat at the bar and I ordered a mojito. I was shocked to see the bartender take out a pre-​mixed drink out of the fridge and pour it in a tiny plastic cup. If you’re gonna charge me $ 12 for a drink, it better be made from scratch and in a glass. It’s a mojito, it’s not that difficult to make! I should’ve just ordered a beer.
I saw they have outdoor seating but it was too hot out to check it out.

If your hungry don’t waste your time… I went here one evening for dinner, that we made reservations for, and still had to wait an 45 min to be seated. Once we finally got a table it took another 15 minutes just for them to put a drink and appetizer orders in…
The empanadas were pretty good, but it took 40 min for it to come out. My friends and I were ready to order our entrees until we were told by the waitress that we had to wait because the kitchen was backed up. After being told this twice, we were ready to go.
The waitress then came to us and said sorry that I kept you waiting but we the kitchen is closed they are completely backed up so we can’t take your orders. She thought it would make us feel better by giving us comp tickets, but who would really go back. I want to give this place 0 stars, but unfortunately I can’t

Where do I begin!?? We made a reservation for 3 and STILL had to wait over an hour. Once seated, we got started with drinks — not too shabby but the cups were tiny. We then ordered appetizers but were told that we couldn’t order our entrees yet (huh? why not??) … Apparently, the kitchen was «so backed up» that they couldn’t get meals out quick enough. After waiting 30 mins for appetizers, we then continued to wait like idiots for another 45 minutes JUST TO PLACE AN ORDER FOR OUR ENTREE!!!
Here’s the grand finale! After such a long wait we are told «Sorry, the kitchen is now closed. They won’t be making anymore meals. But we’ll give you a voucher to come back!»
Seriously? –_​_​–
Yes, the waitress was very serious!
I wouldn’t return here if they offered me free food for a year. Service was beyond terrible. This place probably should wrap it up and shut it down. They obviously can’t handle it.

We went here because if Groupon!
I don’t even know how this place is in business! We arrive at the restaurant and we walk in. and there is no one to greet us. We had to walk in the back to the bar to get seated. it’s the first day of summer and almost 100 degrees and there wa sno air on.
We decided to sit outside because the in-​door space was hotter than it was outside. The outside space has potential but it looked like a sh*t hole. There were crates, wires, and garbage surrounding us.
We ordered tapas and a main dish. I have to say the food was good but it took over 2 hours for us to have dinner. Everything took forever!!!
The atmosphere inside is depressing and needs work.
The place has so much potential, but needs new management.

We’ve often walked past this place and have been curious ever since it arrived and have kept meaning to try it out ever since. Groupon had a ‘Now Deal’ for today and the deal was to be valid from 12:00 PM — 6:00 PM. We figured why not try it out for lunch. We got there at around 1:20-ish only to find the gate down and the side door locked and the lights off. Restaurants on both sides were bustling and busy [since it was Mother’s Day] and literally everyone and their moms were out eating lunch. I was infuriated. We double-​checked the time for the Groupon and looked for a note or something — some kind of clue as to what was going on. Yep — they really did screw us and everyone else who bought that Groupon for the day.
Disappointed and hungry we went to a nearby favorite and had lunch. We returned over an hour later [2:40 PM] only to find that the restaurant was still closed, in exactly the same state it was in earlier with no sign of opening soon. We tried to call and leave a message seeing if we could have someone call us back and give us a refund or rain date or something, and the machine kept beeping.
UNBELIEVABLE. Who makes a Groupon for that day and then doesn’t show up??? No note or anything?
BAD, BAD Business. No wonder the average rating is no more than 3 stars. I’m not even inclined to give it a second chance!

Regular local bar. The new owner is planning to remodel the terrace that they have on the back, then it’s gonna be banging!
Have to say though that the drinks are good and the atmosphere is vibrant and fun.

Went here with a groupon and had a meh time. They did not have a lot of the items mentioned on the menu which was very annoying when it came to ordering. The waitress explained they haven’t changed it in a long time… food was nothing special at all and definitely not memorable. I DO remember that the salad was good but the fries were super soggy. Service was slow and terrible ONLY because the poor girl was forced to work the whole room by herself. Given the space isnt that large… that is still really hard. Noticed the manager? just standing there barking orders instead of helping her — terrible.
Wouldnt go back.

Although the backyard is nice and cozy the service is beyond horrible. We got the mojito pitcher, it tasted like sour mix and about 2 shots of rum. Very weak.
We ordered our food. My GFs food came and I’ve waited over 30 mins for mine very disappointing.
Empanadas bf instead of chx
Bravas weird green hiding sauce. Mayo bland for both. Plantains was canola oil with b. Pepper

I booked a party there for my husbands 30^th with 3 months notice. They assured me I will have the place for my 35 guests with no problem. I was covering the party with food and drinks included. The manager played games with me back n forth when it came time to go over my menu.1wk before the party it was. supposoly under new management. no one ever got back to me. left so many calls and finally someone got back to me a few days before the party telling me sorry but were under renovations. we can’t accommodate ur party. What bad business… never again I will go there .end up having my party at la gloria. had a great time. they lost out on 1500aevening… too bad!
ps I passed by there the night of and the restaurant was open… big time liars

Been here twice and it was completely empty each time. I was fine with that because I was with a large group of friends but, if I wasn’t, it would’ve been wack.
Nice little space to grab a drink or five when you don’t want to travel to the city for a good time. Would come here again.

Are you 21 years old? Do you like hurdles? Are wobbly tables your thing? Do you enjoy spending money on alcoholic drinks with no alcohol in them? Is «wassup» your preferred greeting from your waiter? Do you like crappy music emanating from only one speaker? If you answered yes to any of these questions… then this might be the right place for you!
I have passed this place for a long time and finally decided to make my way in. At first, I was pleasantly surprised by the décor and when I went outside, I thought… great! An awesome backyard! However, my excitement soon dissipated when I realized I had to climb over a wooden barrier up to my knees just to get to my table. Yes. You heard that right. There is a horrible eyesore that completely separates the backyard space for NO reason. Sure there is a power line that crosses through there but… I don’t know, couldn’t the place have run that powerline closer to the floor or high above by the beams? No excuse for that design faux pas.
Once we sat down, we thought ok, this place is new… let’s give it a chance. As soon as we sat down, however, we noticed our tables were woobly catastrophes. I can understand a slight incline in a backyard area but this was beyond your usual shaky mess.
Our waiter was completely uninterested in being welcoming or attentive. Our mojitos and margaritas barely had any alcohol or taste aside from the sugar syrup they put in them… and for the Manhattan prices on these beauties, I was simply disappointed. And that’s not to mention the high school atmosphere with all the barely legal «adults» hanging around.
The only saving grace from this catastrophe of a place might be the food. We ordered the mixed meat plate and found the portions to be good and the chicken was tasty. The yucas and tostones were pretty good too. Overall, decent meal but the rest of the place just screams for new management, new waiters, new bartender and new music. This place has a lot of potential in an area that really is starting to spread it’s wings. It’s a shame they have not been able to get it together yet. Hopefully they do… forest hills needs an awesome place with a backyard.

Situated upstairs on the 2^nd floor, this place can go unnoticed because of the elevator in front blocking it. If you do make it inside, the front of the establishment has a large glass garage-​like door. On one side of the room is a brick wall, giving it an outdoorsy feeling, with the wooden barrels and ~16 2-​person wooden tables tables with short metal stools. The seating is very narrow and tight, making for it to be a bit uncomfortable. There is a small-​sized full bar on the right-​hand that can seat 5 – 6 people. In the very back is additional seating in a small outdoor courtyard area that is worth checking out during the warmer months. Common Space is very aesthetically pleasing except for the fact that every time the front door is opened, you can feel a blast of the cold air coming in. It wasn’t too cold (high 40’s) when I went, but I can’t imagine how cold and bothered the patrons sitting by the front can be.
For our party of 7, we skipped on the entrees and decided to order tapas and drinks. We had asked our waitress if we should order more but advised what we ordered would be more than enough for us.
— Chicken Empanadas ($ 5.00) served with chipotle aioli. We got two orders of this, two empanadas are included in each order. The empanadas were actually quite good with very good spices, and tender chicken. The pastry-​like bread on the outside was perfectly crispy making for one mighty good empanada. Pricey, considering they are $ 2.50 each.
— Bravas ($ 5.00) — 6 or 7 pieces of crispy cassava served with aji Amarillo cheese sauce. The cheese sauce blended nicely with the potatoey inside, as well as helping to reduce the starchiness. However, I didn’t really care for this dish. If your curious, get the Picada, as the Bravas (yucca) will be one of the several items included.
— Coconut Chicken Tenders ($ 6.00) — Crispy coconut coated chicken fingers served with a guava chipotle sauce. I found the chicken to be a bit dry. The coconut was noticeable though drab as the coconut shavings were not exactly the freshest. The sweet though not too spicy chipotle sauce did help to make things better.
— Mofongo ($ 7.00) — A ball of mashed plantain with garlic, olive oil and bacon served with Demi sauce. It’s a bit hard to dig your fork/​spoon into it, so just be careful as fragments can shoot off and hit a fellow neighbor. A very tasty concoction with a noticeable amount of garlic. It could have used a bit more saltiness from the bacon, but the Demi sauce definitely brought out the flavor of the plantains.
— Chorizo ($ 8.00) — Brandy flambeed Spanish chorizo, served with toast. After we left, we realized we were charged for this dish but never got it. Big bummer.
— Tres quesos Mac & Cheese ($ 8.00) — Soft bowtie pasta mixed with a blend of creamy Manchego, Monterrey, and Mahon Cheese. This made for one very tasty yet not too rich dish. Yum!
— Maduros ($ 3.00) — About 8 pieces of your standard sliced fried sweet plantains.
— Picada ($ 20.00) — The menu stated that this was Colombian style crispy pieces of chicarron, chorizo, beef, and chicken, served with patacones, potatoes, and yucca. What we received was a very large portion of chicarron which was served extra crispy. Watch out for your teeth as some pieces were very hard but soooo delicious. And don’t forget to try the cilantro aioli sauce that is included in this dish. The 6 – 7 pieces of flattened patacones, also known as tostones, were a huge hit among the table, crispy outside and tender inside, how it should always be. Also included was ~5 purple potatoes that looked like a big ball of char, but if you venture to bite into the crispy outside, you’ll be treated to a very soft ever-​so-​slightly sweet potatoey inside. Lastly, about 10 pieces of yucca, or the Bravas, was included. Nope, we never got any chorizo, beef, nor chicken in our dish which was a huge upset, and we felt a bit jipped.
All beers are by the bottle and range from $ 5 (Budweiser, Cristal, Aguilla, Presidente, Dos Equis, Corona, Heineken, Red Stripe, Amstel Light) to $ 6 (Sierra Nevada, Guinness Stout, Blue Point, Sam Adams, Magic Hat, Blue Moon, Hoegaarden, Brooklyn Lager, Original Sin) with a few reaching as high as $ 8-​$ 12 (Ommegang, Duvel, Chimay Red, Framboise). If you don’t like beer they also have hard alcohol and wine.
Overall, all the dishes were good, but we found ourselves a bit jipped and still hungry. Rather than ordering another whole round of dishes, we decided to go elsewhere. After we had left, we also realized she never gave us our order of Chorizo, although she charged us for it. Through it all, when I think back about our visit, I have to say quite a few items were missing from our dishes and the orders were a bit skimpy, but I’m willing to overlook that considering they opened a few months ago. For that I’ll give Common Space 3 stars, but they really need to do some work on their menu, portion sizing, and do something about the cold air once winter comes around.