Uncommon Ground
Uncommon Ground is a privately held Chicago restaurant and live music venue in Lakeview/Wrigleyville, founded 1991, operating as home to Greenstar Organic Brewery (the first certified organic brewery in Illinois) and serving diners, beer enthusiasts, music fans, and private event clients near Wrigley Field.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Uncommon Ground does
Uncommon Ground is a privately held, single-location full-service restaurant and entertainment venue in Chicago's Lakeview/Wrigleyville neighborhood, founded in 1991 by Michael Cameron. The business operates as an integrated hospitality platform combining farm-to-table dining, in-house craft brewing through Greenstar Organic Brewery (the first certified organic brewery in Illinois), nightly live music programming, a Shure-sponsored weekly open mic competition (the longest-running open mic in Chicago per Chicago Reader), and private event hosting. The venue serves a horizontal mix of customers: local diners, craft beer enthusiasts, music fans and performers, families, and private event clients — including substantial pre/post Cubs game traffic given its one-block proximity to Wrigley Field.
The core product offering spans brunch/lunch/dinner service with entrees priced $14-$29, craft cocktails at $13-$17, organic coffee drinks at $6-$12, a wine list with weekly half-price bottle specials, and a kids menu. Greenstar Brewing produces a certified organic, vegan, and gluten-removed beer line including the GABF Gold Medal-winning Bateman Bier amber lager (2024), Mutti's Kölsch, Flippin' Bats Mexican Lager, ZCF Pilsner, Uncommon Saison, Certifiable APA, Spaceship IPA, Xtra Bases Pale Ale, Comfort Eagle Double IPA, and a 35th Anniversary Stout. Revenue is generated through dine-in service, takeout/delivery via ToastTab and Grubhub, growler and crowler fills, Growler Club memberships, gift cards, private event bookings (capacity up to 47 guests), and branded merchandise.
The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via a single physical location, with operational integrations across ToastTab (ordering), Exploretock (reservations), Eventbrite (ticketed events), Square (merchandise payments), and Grubhub (delivery). Pricing includes a 4% city-mandate surcharge and a cashless payment policy. The company employs 51-100 staff; Head Brewer Brandon Stern has led Greenstar since June 2020 and delivered the 2024 GABF Gold Medal. There is no disclosed external funding, parent company, or institutional investment.
Uncommon Ground firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Uncommon Ground
- Legal name
- Uncommon Ground
- Website
- https://uncommonground.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Uncommon Ground is a privately held Chicago restaurant and live music venue in Lakeview/Wrigleyville, founded 1991, operating as home to Greenstar Organic Brewery (the first certified organic brewery in Illinois) and serving diners, beer enthusiasts, music fans, and private event clients near Wrigley Field.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Uncommon Ground industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Restaurant & Brewery Services
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Casual Dining Restaurants (THAFACAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Farm-to-Table & Contemporary American Restaurants (THAFACAF), All-Day Dining Restaurants (THAFACAJ), Live Music Bars & Venues (CRANACAH)
Keywords
Where Uncommon Ground is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Uncommon Ground business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Restaurant Food & Beverage Sales: Full-service restaurant generating revenue from brunch, lunch, and dinner menus featuring local and organic ingredients, craft cocktails, wine, coffee drinks, and desserts.
- Greenstar Organic Beer Sales: On-tap beer sales from the in-house organic brewery, including growler fills and crowlers for takeaway. Also sold via delivery and online ordering.
- Private Event Hosting: Bookings for private events including weddings, dinner parties, cocktail receptions, baby showers, bachelor/bachelorette parties, and pre/post Cubs game celebrations in two party rooms accommodating up to 47 guests.
- Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including Greenstar shirts, hats, pint glasses, buttons, and stickers available for purchase at the Lakeview location.
- Gift Cards: Digital and physical gift cards sold through Toasttab for restaurant and brewery purchases.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Brunch/Lunch Menu Items |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Dinner Menu Items |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Craft Cocktails |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Organic Coffee Drinks |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Greenstar Merchandise |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kids Menu |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Wine Menu |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Desserts |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Uncommon Ground product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Uncommon Ground operates a full-service Lakeview/Wrigleyville restaurant and cafe serving brunch, lunch, and dinner featuring locally-sourced and organic ingredients, complemented by Greenstar Organic Brewery — the first certified organic brewery in Illinois. The venue also offers nightly live music, a weekly Shure-sponsored open mic, private event hosting in two party rooms, organic coffee service, craft cocktails, wine, kids menu, desserts, and Greenstar branded merchandise.
Product overview
Uncommon Ground is a Lakeview/Wrigleyville restaurant and brewery offering a unified hospitality experience combining dining, craft brewing, and live entertainment. The core offering centers on the Uncommon Ground restaurant serving brunch, lunch, and dinner with locally-sourced organic ingredients, complemented by Greenstar Organic Brewery (the first certified organic brewery in Illinois). Additional products include organic coffee service, craft cocktails, wine, food delivery/takeout, live music programming with nightly performances and a weekly open mic competition, private event hosting, a rotating local art gallery, a Growler Club membership, kids menu, desserts, and branded merchandise.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Greenstar Brewing: Organic craft brewery - the first certified organic brewery in Illinois, producing beers including Bateman Bier (GABF Gold Medal Winner 2024), Mutti's Kölsch, Flippin' Bats Mexican Lager, ZCF Pilsner, Certifiable APA, Uncommon Saison, Xtra Bases Pale Ale, Spaceship IPA, and 35th Anniversary Stout. Located at 3800 N Clark Street, Chicago.
Products and services
- Uncommon Ground Restaurant
Quantifiable outcome
- GABF Gold Medal Winner 10/12/2024 for Bateman Bier (Head Brewer Brandon Stern)
Companies that use Uncommon Ground
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Uncommon Ground technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature1 record
Uncommon Ground partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Shure MicrophonescoreShure is the official sponsor of Uncommon Ground's weekly open mic night. As part of the sponsorship, Shure provides prizes for the open mic competition winners including Shure microphones. This partnership supports the venue's music programming and emerging artist community building efforts.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Uncommon Ground competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Piece Brewery and Pizzeria: Chicago brewpub combining a working craft brewery with a full pizzeria and restaurant service. Comparable single-location integrated brewpub/restaurant model targeting a similar casual-but-quality urban Chicago customer base.
- Metropolitan Brewing: Chicago craft brewery with taproom presence. Comparable as a Chicago independent craft brewery selling on-premise, though without Uncommon Ground's full restaurant and live music programming layer.
- Hopleaf: Long-standing Chicago craft beer-focused bar and restaurant in Andersonville known for an extensive beer list alongside elevated food. Comparable to Uncommon Ground in its craft-beer-centric, locally-rooted Chicago dining identity and neighborhood-anchor positioning.
- Revolution Brewing: Chicago-based brewpub chain with a flagship brewpub in Logan Square plus a smaller taproom. Operates a full-service restaurant alongside an in-house craft brewery, very comparable to Uncommon Ground's integrated brewpub model, though at larger scale and with broader distribution.
- Half Acre Beer Company: Chicago craft brewery with a taproom that serves food and hosts community events. Comparable as a Chicago-based independent craft brewery with on-premise hospitality experience, though less restaurant-heavy than Uncommon Ground.
- Local Option (Local Option Bierwerker): Chicago neighborhood craft beer bar/restaurant with strong food program and regular events. Comparable neighborhood-anchor hospitality concept pairing craft beer curation with a casual dining experience.
- Goose Island Brewpub (Fulton): Original Goose Island brewpub in Chicago combining restaurant service with brewery operations. Closely comparable as a Chicago brewpub with on-site brewing, food program, and event programming, though operating at significantly larger scale and now under AB InBev ownership.
Broad incumbents
- Yard House: National upscale-casual restaurant chain centered on a wide craft beer selection and full bar. Overlaps with Uncommon Ground's beer-and-restaurant offering but at national chain scale and without the brewery or live-music differentiation.
- HopCat: Multi-location brewpub chain focused on craft beer and burgers. Comparable concept (brewpub with restaurant and craft beer focus) but operating at chain scale and a broader geographic footprint rather than single-neighborhood depth.
Regional players
- Schubas Tavern: Chicago live music venue and neighborhood bar in Lakeview with a long-running music program and limited food service. Comparable on the live-music/Chicago-community axis, though without Uncommon Ground's full restaurant and brewing operations.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses2 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Uncommon Ground social profiles
Digital presenceUncommon Ground compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Uncommon Ground financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Uncommon Ground leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Uncommon Ground subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Uncommon Ground funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Uncommon Ground M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Uncommon Ground
What does Uncommon Ground do?
Uncommon Ground operates a full-service Lakeview/Wrigleyville restaurant and cafe serving brunch, lunch, and dinner featuring locally-sourced and organic ingredients, complemented by Greenstar Organic Brewery — the first certified organic brewery in Illinois. The venue also offers nightly live music, a weekly Shure-sponsored open mic, private event hosting in two party rooms, organic coffee service, craft cocktails, wine, kids menu, desserts, and Greenstar branded merchandise.
Is Uncommon Ground a public or private company?
Uncommon Ground is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Uncommon Ground founded?
Uncommon Ground was founded in 1991. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Uncommon Ground based?
Uncommon Ground is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Uncommon Ground make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Restaurant Food & Beverage Sales are the primary driver. The others are greenstar Organic Beer Sales, private Event Hosting, merchandise Sales and gift Cards.
Who are Uncommon Ground's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Piece Brewery and Pizzeria, Metropolitan Brewing, Hopleaf, Revolution Brewing, Half Acre Beer Company, Local Option (Local Option Bierwerker) and Goose Island Brewpub (Fulton). Broad incumbents are Yard House and HopCat. Schubas Tavern is listed as a regional player.
Does Uncommon Ground have an API?
No public API is recorded for Uncommon Ground.
What industry is Uncommon Ground in?
Uncommon Ground's product category is Restaurant & Brewery Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAB, Casual Dining Restaurants, with a secondary code of THAFACAF, Farm-to-Table & Contemporary American Restaurants. Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5810.