Pierpoint Commons

While not comparable to Michigan Commons on Central Campus, this place can hold its own.
The food options available are Panda Express (in the basement), Ahmo’s (in the basement), Sushi by Panda (on the 2^nd floor), and Fireside Café (on the second floor). Fireside Café has 3 stations, one of which is always food from an outside restaurant, like Jamaican Jerk Pit. One of the other stations has a standard line-​up of burgers, and the remaining station seems to switch between bibimbop and burritos. Overall, the food isn’t fantastic and can’t compare to all the restaurants on Central Campus. However, it’s more than enough when you want a convenient lunch.
Aside from the food, Pierpont has study areas as well. However, I tend to avoid doing work here because it can be pretty loud and the study area by the piano often smells like sweat… Yay, engineers! I would recommend walking a minute more and studying in Duderstadt.
There’s also a Barnes and Noble, a bank, and a computing center.

I mean, it’s North Campus…
Fireside Café opened this school year, so that’s been a plus. The food isn’t great, but it’s definitely healthier and better than eating Panda Express every day. It’s expensive, but most campus places are. I recommend getting the Salmon Sandwich. That’s pretty much the only thing worth getting, in my opinion.
Don’t come to North Campus unless you have to! Or do. It’s your choice.

This is the pits when it comes to University Unions – especially here. They keep talking about improvements, and it’s yet to happen. If you’re looking for coffee, skip Beansters and head to Mujo in the Dude. If you’re looking for lunch, the Griffin at Beansters is passable, and I not-​so-​secretly like the sushi at Sushi by Panda Express. I LOVE the miso – for more, see that review. U-Go’s has a surprisingly good selection of healthy food options on the run, including lots of gluten-​free energy bars.
Pierpont on the whole is a tad smelly and gross; I get in and get out as fast as possible.

Quick, name one university student center that doesn’t give me a social anxiety attack. Ready? Go!
It’s best not to play this game with me because I seriously can’t name one, out of dozens, that haven’t sent me reeling into the uncomfortable realm of agoraphobia. This one isn’t HORRIBLE but it’s not altogether innocent, either.
What’s surprising is that the cafeteria food does not completely suck and there are often «guest restaurants» that sell their food here (like Jamaican Jerk Pit). It’s also affordable. But I almost never ever eat at the cafeteria because it is effectively hidden on the 2^nd (or 3^rd’ish?) floor — you have to go up some steps and then 180, and then up some more, and then 180 again. Go with someone who knows where it is.
So what is this place good for? It’s good for walking through when needing to get to the library on a cold day. It’s also decent to grab some food. I personally frequent Sushi by Panda (on the 2^nd floor, not on the 1^st floor which is just the Panda Express). Or I grab a wrap or salad at the little café on the 1^st floor. I avoid all the junk food, and there is plenty, including a Quizno’s, Panda Express, and various convenience stores with candy and chips.
There are also a lot of banks and ATMs in this building. There’s a small Barnes & Noble (with fairly high mark-​ups for prices) and a computing store.
Though there are study areas, they are not at all my cup of tea. Everything feels like it’s from the ‘70s or ‘80s and beige beige beige. If it’s studying you’re after, I would push on through to the Duderstadt Art and Architecture Library’s atrium.

The food is edible…

I have been to over 70 college campuses in this country over the last 6 years, and in my experience the Pierpont Commons complex is the most diverse student union I’ve ever been in. Its multi-​functionality is out of this world.
OK let me be real here, I’m a pianist and when I was here, this place had THREE PIANOS all in a 2 minute walking distance. One up by the lunch-​time cafeteria seating area, one on the ground floor stage in the sandwich shop, and one in the hip glass-​walled lounge on the first floor. And there were some fabulous players that would just show up out of the blue and rock out on these things.
But the vibe of this place is wide-​open and there’s sunlight everywhere, lots of places to sit and all different kinds of seating… random art showings on the first floor or music jam sessions in the sandwich shop downstairs and there was even a stamp machine right by the first-​floor lounge!
It’s too bad this place wasn’t open 24-​hours all year long.

This little treasured spot was reviewed last year in the Observer or I might not have bothered as it’s a U of M sort of dining, but for North Campus, on the second level of the Commons right off of Murfin and Bonstiel.
The management are great as they make homemade soups, and have very modestly priced food, beyond what you expect at a cafeteria. It’s a quiet get-​away with a great view out the glass windows. So if you’re on North campus, stop by as this is a little known get away that shouldn’t just be for North Camps students!
The manager used to make his new england clam chowder in San Francisco, and believe me it’s Good. I also had the tomato pasta soup last week and it was dynamite. Enjoy. Sometimes a music student plays the piano that’s there as well, an extra treat.