The Commons On The Green - Birmingham

Awesome chopped pork barbecue, fries, and salad. Great soda options... not just diet Coke!

Yesterday I ate dinner at The Commons on the Green after finishing classes. The buffet style that is used helps with long lines since a few of areas are self serviced, that paired with the multiple restaurants inside to choose from really helps speed up the process of getting your food. There weren't many social distancing requirements that I saw being used, but the did have many features that were sustainable. They had real cutlery, plates, and cups that were reusable, and if you wanted a to-go box you'd have to pay extra for it, and they also had biodegradable straws. When I finally sat down to eat my food which was a bread stick, a salad, and a single slice of cheese pizza, I noticed that both my pizza and my bread stick were really hard. The neither the bread or the pizza were really good, and although the salad was great it was a little wilted. Do to the large number of students that the Commons must serve every day I didn't expect much from them.

I live off campus and have never been to the Commons so, this was my first time ever trying the Commons. I was a bit hesitant because of the horror stories I've heard about other student cafeterias but the Commons was not entirely bad. I had this breakfast bowl, Chocolate Chip pancakes and Honey Nut Cheerios. I didn't see many vegan options. Also the food was not hot, it was more so warm except the grits and oatmeal. The servers behind the counters were really nice and helpful for this being my first time. The Commons atmosphere give you the college feeling/experience if you've never had one. They do not have any COVID-19 precautions at all. They also did not have any dine out options in case someone did not want to eat in the Commons. I do feel like paying $10 just to eat breakfast is kind of outrageous.

The commons on the green is UAB's version of a university cafeteria. In general, I think that the quality of this establishment is much higher than other universities that I have visited. The food is good, the staff is nice, and the facility tends to be clean. However, due to the nature of a cafeteria, the experience can be hit or miss. I have had great meals at the commons, but this does not happen every time. The most recent time I went, Tuesday of this week, I saw that they were serving nachos at one of the various stations. I got excited because nachos are my favorite. The station had a variety of toppings which I was pleased with. The disappointment I did experience was the ratio of cheese to other toppings. I was not given much cheese at all, and when I asked for more, my request was denied. The taste of the nachos was great, but I do wish I would have been able to get the proper amount of cheese. I did not feel like I got my money's worth this trip. One other thing to note from this experience was that they were using disposable plates and cups. I am not sure if this is for COVID precaution or just to reduce the number of dishes, but it did not bother me either way. Overall, this was an average experience but I will certainly be back to see if they have any good meals in the future!

Since moving off campus, I don't often eat at The Commons on the Green, UAB's university cafeteria. One of my on-campus friends invited me out for a quick lunch this week, and asked if I wanted to eat at the Commons. I agreed since I hadn't been in a while, and was pleasantly surprised to see that it was still pretty good. I had the chance to make my own waffle, which was fun. They had some toppings set beside the waffle iron, but I opted for a plain waffle. Since COVID restrictions have lightened as a whole across campus, it is the same for the Commons, though some employees continue to mask. They are all very friendly. However, with the 11$ cost, I would likely not go back soon unless I was staying in the dining area to study.