Review: Courthouse Commons, Carlisle PA

Courthouse Common Espresso Bar & Bistro
1 S. Hanover Street
Carlisle, PA 17013
(717) 243-8899
http://www.courthousecommon.com/


Spring/Summer Hours
Monday-Wednesday 7:00am – 7:00pm
Thursday – Friday: 7:00am-9:00pm
Saturday – Sunday: 8:00am-2:00pm

Fall/Winter Hours
Monday-Wednesday 7:00am –4:00pm
Thursday – Friday: 7:00am-9:00pm
Saturday – Sunday: 8:00am-2:00pm

Cost: Reasonable (I do not have the cost information off-hand as it is not posted on the website or phonebook. I will be updating soon.)


So, since the Courthouse Commons moved across Hanover Street I was very excited to see what changes they would make to their restaurant and menu. Their restaurant is self-described as the “Cheers” of Carlisle. I’m not so sure about that… I don’t ever remember a heavy metal rock band playing in Cheers during an Open Mic Night.

Now, I might be a little crazy... but when I think of an “Espresso Bar & Bistro” I think of a place of relative quiet respite. A place I could go, order a coffee and relax with a book. I don’t picture myself walking up to the counter and saying: “Hi, can I have a half-calf caramel soy macchiato, no foam, with a side of Pantera please”.

That aside, I rather like their new location and décor. Their menu, however, remains pretty unchanged. Their website claims that the location is open 7 days a week because coffee is their true passion. Their hours have always bothered me. You’re never 100% sure when they are open. I understand Sunday, but why close at 2PM Saturday and limit your hours in the fall/winter? Silly. If people aren’t sure when you’re open, they won’t come.

I’ve spent a decent amount of time in this Bistro, more so than most of the other restaurants I review. While the restaurant itself got quite the facelift the menu is almost exactly the same.

The whole menu is Courthouse themed. Items on the menu are named after local judges, court terms and various exhibits. They take this theme a little too far in my mind.

We ate the following:

Raspberry Scone
I’d eat this scone any day of the week. Their recipe is far superior to Starbucks.

Large Mocha
Strong coffee, but very well balanced in flavor. Great for the morning when you’re on the go.

Mango Smoothie
Ice and pumped Da Vinci mango flavoring. Seriously? After about three sips of this we were done.

2x Honey Dijon Chicken Panini
One of the worst panini’s I’ve ever had. First off, it’s served on a flatbread. Not on something good, like a Ciabatta bread. The honey Dijon on the sandwich was really a huge turnoff. It was too sweet and did not complement the rest of the sandwich.

I was really disappointed in the food. I’ve always stuck to their pastries in the past, but this visit happened to be during lunch. I won’t be making that mistake again. Even though our bill for lunch was only around $17.00, it felt like a complete waste of my money.

A majority of the non-breakfast business The Courthouse Commons get, I’m assuming, is from its prime location near the square. Note that the picture in this review is from their re-grand opening and is during an open mic night.

Bottom Line: Don’t come here for the food… it’s too inconsistent. What's good is good and what's bad is really bad. If you do decide to try out their food (I’ve heard their soup is great… so great in fact that they were out of it when I went to order) do not go during an open mic (Thursday and Friday Night). Come in the morning, grab a coffee and a pastry and go about your day.