Common Grounds Coffee House

They have nice food and okay coffee.
But as a whole the place feels very dirty to me. Smells a bit musty and moldy. Also the employees can be a bit unfriendly.
It’s not bad. I would just usually choose someplace else other this. And whenever I do go here I leave kind of regretting it. Not like it hurt me. But because I could have spent my time someplace that doesn’t smell funny.
This is a «hole in the wall» type coffee shop. locals love it. Everyone recommends it. But I don’t get what’s so great. It’s… grimy.
It satisfies the homeless looking gourmet coffee drinkers.

It’s a good coffee shop. There isn’t anything here that I’m crazy about. They make a good Dirty Chai and actually have a variety of chai to choose from.
If you’re in the area and you don’t want Starbucks or Peet’s (which are just down the road), I would stop in here. Always better to support local!

Really cool spot. Very nice staff and lovely vibe. Solid wifi and lots of places to sit.

30 minute wait for bagel w/​cc, and a hot chocolate. And then the bagel flavor was not only incorrect, but the top half was different from the bottom half; and the hot chocolate was made with the wrong milk.

Got two Espressos. both were cold. One was literally a sip the other had a bit more. Cashier was mahhh. not impressed.

Everything about Portland you love!
The Portland coffee house, you may as well paint a picture and frame it, because at Common Grounds you’ve found it. Very nice coffee shop with ambience that’s hard to replicate. Old tables and chairs, 80’s era couches, and just a touch of must that speaks to a place that’s been around because they get it right. People are happy here, and the snobs from the West side looking for their «Portlandia» experience they saw on tv before they moved here will get their fix and get out. This place is SE PDX in a nutshell and isn’t going anywhere.
They have an excellent selection of coffees, sandwiches, bagels, pastries, and some light lunch items; Very veggie friendly as well. Service is very fine as well. Nice people working hard to get everything done and it isn’t easy because it’s not a big place and they get very busy.
So why only 3 stars if it’s so great? A few things that keep me away more often than not. It’s crowded and can get loud. Not their fault by any stretch, but it’s hard to have a conversation. Mainly though, I drop a star for cleanliness and/​or value. It’s a clean place, but the coffee and condiment area can be a mess, and they need a better station. I’ve since been told they’re working on it. Value wise, it’s so-​so for me. They charge $ 1.25 for a 12 ounce mug of coffee with .75 cent refills. To be honest I would rather pay a bit more up front and have one free refill. It’s normal at many places, but to each their own and if it’s been working this long at Common Grounds with no complaints, then so be it.
Overall, great place, just pick a slow time to relax and enjoy. I wouldn’t hesitate to go back. It’s a slice of Portland we need to hold on to.

Great coffee one of best I have found in Portland. However their breakfast sandwiches are not restaurant quality. They charge .75 cents for fake avocado spread! There should be some kind of law against that or a least list a disclose on the menu. Breakfast sandwich: egg, cheese, bacon or ham and processed pretend avocado spread for .75 extra.

ATMOSPHERE:
Oldish, but not run down. Will appeal to people who want a place with character more than a place with class. Fits in well with the neighborhood. Music is appropriate in style and volume to enhance the atmosphere w/​o interfering with conversation or reading. Excellent selection of magazines to read on your visit (backissues, not for sale, I think). Place is a bit small, so not recommended for people who are territorial and need their space. I mean, it’s fine if you get lucky and snag a good seat, but you might end up having to sit right next to the line.
SERVICE:
Order at the counter, pick up when ready. So no service, really. Nice people though.
FOOD:
Baked goods (in house) are VERY good. I’ve had a couple breakfast sandwiches that I didn’t like. Not so much bad ingredients or prep or freshness, more like some ineffable unique flavor that I can’t quite identify. Sorry, I know that’s not very helpful.
PRESENTATION:
Fine, gets the job done. No disposables, you’ll get a real plate and metal cutlery, etc.
PRICE/​VALUE:
Good. I’m always happy with my total. Of course, that’s skewed by the ridiculous $ 1 drip coffee. (Oh, I see another Unilocaler says it’s now $ 1.25. Anyway…) I think if you get a refill, they actually pay you. No, kidding of course. But yeah, that’s some affordable coffee.
RESTROOMS:
As expected in a place like this: There’s one, and it’s nothing fancy, but it’s just fine.
OVERALL:
Far from perfect, but good enough that I always enjoy my visit. Wish they were closer to home.

This is the ideal coffeeshop to bring a laptop, book, or art project to work on. Its the only coffeeshop in the area that is open after 7pm, which is what sucked me in. It has become my «third place» bc it is lively, has great drinks and nice baristas. I wish there were more gluten-​free options though.

Thank you for not charging $ 3 for coffee!!! $ 1.25 I can totally get behind.
Pretty nice place. Good for working. Open late.
Food is simple, but good for a coffee shop.
Event calendar worth checking out.

This place has a pretty chill vibe. It is my first experience here and I will be honest, wasn’t welcomed well by the baristas. As I waited for my sandwich I noticed she was familiar with many regulars, so maybe she will be more kind if she becomes familiar with my face?
I didn’t wait long for my breakfast sandwich, it was kind of cold in the middle. Coffee was tasty, however, also on the cold side. I enjoyed my coffee and sandwich outside on their red benches, surprisingly comfortable. Lots of room to spread out my things!
It is about a mile from my place, I don’t know if I will make an initial visit to come back.

After catching dinner with my best friend on a Saturday we both had a huge brain fart — we realized that we both had assignments due for our online courses that night!!! We had to find a coffee shop with wifi ASAP! So Unilocal helped us out and brought us to Common Grounds were we had some great coffee and wifi. Our barista was kind and in reasonable amount of time got us our breve’s.
One thing I noticed is that this place has a great amount of outlets, lots of space and good music! Down side was this funny aroma in the shop itself, it was like coffee mixed with something unpleasant but other than that, thank you for saving us in our desperate time of need.

I met the love of my life in this coffee shop. Sometimes I come here, sit on one of the comfy couches, and thank the universe for places like this.

I always just get their cold brew coffee but I can’t complain! It’s good and they always have it out quickly.

For studying: coffee ⁴⁄₁₀ atmosphere ⁸⁄₁₀ seating 7*/10 plugins only if you sit on the couches or window bar.

Comfortable with good coffee. Great place to get some work done or just hang out with a friend.

When I was a Portlandian a few years ago, my last abode was just a stone’s throw away from Common Grounds… well actually a short bike ride, but… I loved this coffee place!
Tasty brews, with all sorts of milk and flavor options, are served here. They have… newspapers to read and a great selection of magazines… Not to mention I believe they are likely the only Portland coffee joint that has a subscription to Dirt Rag, the MTB mag that beats the snot out of all others. And this is in Portland! Running town USA… Bike Commuter town USA! Can you believe it?!
They also boast a diverse menu of food that is prepared fresh for you. I heart their breakfast sandwiches, which are grilled kind of panini style and come with homemade ketchup inside. They are quite sizable and really keep you going.
The atmosphere of the café is quaint and cozy with a few comfy couches to relax on. I have spent many a morning or evening hanging out there reading for work and pleasure.
Very friendly owner and staff who appreciate your business and take care of their mistakes when and if they happen.
I miss my Common Grounds…

Love this place. Some strong points:
— Good coffee
— Good music
— Reliable wifi
— New York Times
— Lots of seats
— Generous number of electric plugs
— Really good bagel and lox platter
Only weak point:
— Doors often don’t close all the way, which means that sometimes there’s a nasty wind in wintertime

had our business meeting here this morning, and it was wonderful! One of the coolest ambiance, and best coffee, we’ve had. We loved the banana bread and paninis.
It was a comfortable place for us to discuss our new website design plans. Amazing coffee, cool staff, cozy environment with springy couches.

Stop 3 of my sunday Hawthorne Coffee place exploration project. This place definitely looks more hipster and comfy. Got the Hazelnut Iced Mocha which was a little too sweet but good nonetheless. Service was prompt and friendly and wifi speeds were good too.
Nice place to hangout on weekends over a cuppa coffee!