Common Man Coffee Roasters

The service was horrible, making the dining experience overall bad. Should have looked at the recent google reviews earlier so we didn’t have to come to this place. It took 20 minutes just to order. One of the senior male staff said he will take the order but never came so we had to raise our hands several times just to remind that we are ready to order. We would have understood if he was busy but he was just standing there doing nothing pretending he couldn’t see us; We ordered three dishes for lunch. The duck curry & alio olio prawn pasta was below average for the price while the steak frites was okay. I don’t know why this place is so popular. Maybe only for their coffee.

I came for a simple cappuccino, however the manager was not friendly, focused on the iPad, and playing with the please be waited to seat sign to the left of the door to the right of the door to almost the middle of the door (it’s now been moved 5 times in 17 minutes). When people came they weren’t greeted with a warm smile and a welcome that the other servers gave, they generally got a grumpy please wait awhile. This when the cafe isn’t busy with plenty of free tables. The coffee, when it came was pleasant enough. The other servers were friendly, smiled and actually said good morning welcome! If you want to charge nearly $8 for a cappuccino at least make me feel welcome, it’s not asking for much!

Common Man Coffee Roasters Joo Chiat is another reason why this café remains a favourite brunch spot. The Cubanos sandwich was packed with flavour—the pulled pork was tender, the ham added a savoury bite, the melted cheese tied everything together, and the pickles gave it just the right tang to cut through the richness. Toasted to perfection, every bite had a satisfying crunch. The Corned Beef & Avocado sandwich was equally impressive. The corned beef was tender and well-seasoned, while the creamy avocado balanced the saltiness beautifully. Served on fresh, toasted bread, it was hearty without feeling too heavy. As always, the quality of the ingredients shines through, and the coffee pairs perfectly with the sandwiches. The café has a welcoming atmosphere that’s great for brunch or a relaxed catch-up with friends. The only downside is that it can get quite busy during peak hours, so expect a bit of a wait. Overall, it’s a reliable spot for excellent food, great coffee, and consistently enjoyable dining.

There's better out there, sadly. CMCR might have gotten a bit too famous for it's own good. No fault to the servers, and the hardworking folks, but it's clear quality has taken a dip. Servers are really hassled, and food took quite a while to come out. As someone who's normally satisfied with most brunches I eat, I distinctly recall thinking to myself 'I don't want to continue eating this'. It's not bad, it's just... not as good compared to brunches I've had in other places, like Tolido's, Earlybird. It may have been an off day, or something. You're paying about 30-40 dollars here, which is comparable to most of the upscale cafes out in Joo Chiat and around Singapore. I think if you're putting out that amount of money, you can find another, better cafe place.

Currently, there's a "Buy 2 Get 1 Free" promo for their Asian Flavours dishes. The free dish is of the lower value dish among the three. I highly recommend Hokkaido Pork Katsu ($32). There's no "pork"/"gamey" smell of the meat. The batter is crispy and light (reminds me of the tempura batter), while the pork (insides) is juicy and soft. My man, who's not a pork fan, even managed to have 2 slices. The balance of vege, meat and sauce is just perfect. Meanwhile, he had the Seafood Dry Laksa Spaghetti ($24). It's pretty good but it's quite rich... It can get a bit too greasy to stomach after eating a whole bowl. We chose the Crispy Duck Curry ($32) to make up the promo, and also because it feels like the least filling among the other Asian Flavours dishes. My man didn't like duck, so I finished the whole duck leg by myself. The entire dish was quite salty, which I didn't like but I think it's probably necessary? The croissant is fluffy on the insides, and crispy on the outsides. We love the croissant, however I won't be ordering this dish if I ever return. I also had Glow With The Flow Juice (carrot, green apple & turmeric). It has great taste but too little for $9. You can skip this. Buying the juice shots, like Jiva, from Cold Storage is more worth the money. Overall experience was positive but the things here felt rather overpriced. Save for the Hokkaido Pork Katsu and possibly the ambience, I don't think I'll come back again.

The place is cool and relaxing. A great way to end your Joo Chiat Road tour. Tried their iced mocha. It is so refreshing and delicious!!

Food were actually good!! We tried the hummus, bulgogi beef rice and smoked salmon pizza they were all tasty and well prepared!! Especially the smoked salmon pizza, the crust was fluffy and soft with slight chew Iced latte was okayy slightly acidic

Credit card only. CMCR beer is light and delicious, perfect for hot Singapore. The cafe is semi-open, but not very cool. The restrooms are clean, and the coffee smells wonderful. There's no way to charge your devices.