If you love burgers and all things retro, boy, do we have a treat for you. Class Clown Hamburgers opened its doors last summer and has quickly established itself as a local hot spot. Located just one block off Calgary’s popular 17th Ave, the space is small, charming, and a nostalgic throwback to the 70’s. But it isn’t just the ambience that makes this place so special, it’s the food.
Using top quality ingredients such as Alberta chuck beef and brisket and mouth-watering butter brushed buns, their classic style hamburgers are top-notch at a very reasonable price point as well. Some of the biggest stand-outs are the “Winnipeg Fatboy,” featuring a beef patty, cheddar, and meat sauce, and topped with all the usual fixings, the “Smells like Someone’s Barbecuin” with a double patty, double cheddar, bacon, jalapenos, grilled onion, smothered in barbecue sauce, and if you are particularly hungry, the “Coney Island Cowboy” which includes a beef patty, butterflied hotdog, cheddar, meat sauce, jalapenos, onion, tomato, and lettuce. If you weren’t hungry before, we’re willing to bet you are now.
If you’re not in the mood for a burger, don’t you worry. Plenty of other options are available, including fried chicken sandwiches, fish burgers, and a vegan burger. The Nashville Hot Cod with crispy battered cod, spice mix, tartare sauce, cheese, jalapenos, pickled onion, and slaw appears to be among the hardest hitters on the menu, according to the endless reviews. So, if you were wondering what to order, you don’t have to wonder anymore.
Let’s not forget about the snacks. All the crinkle cut fries options on the menu are worth ordering, and it would be rude not to have a side of fries alongside a delicious burger. The “Super Duper Fries” are especially worthy of a shout-out–perfectly cooked crinkle-cut fries topped with cheese, coney sauce (a sloppy-joe-style meat sauce), even more cheese, and chives. We recommend sharing, but if you are flying solo (or just really hungry), then go ahead and treat yourself.
While the burgers are no-doubt the main topic of conversation here, if you’re like us and are partial to a nice cold beer with your burger, there’s also a great selection of local, Calgary-based craft beer available. If beer isn't your thing, don’t worry. There’s also a huge range of fun, experimental, and unpretentious natural wine behind the bar, as well as the other usual suspects for non-alcoholic drinks.
To summarize, this place is pretty darn cool. In an era of overpriced and average burgers, the food and drinks at Class Clown are not only straight-up delicious, but very well priced. Their slogan “Nice Drinks, Tasty Food” certainly rings true. Class Clown Hamburgers definitely isn’t a little-known secret, with over 1000 google reviews, and there’s a reason for it.
From the vintage vibe, funky organic wines, and 90’s hip-hop playing in the background to the amazing food and excellent service, this cozy, charming, and fun burger joint is well worth a visit to anybody heading through.
Oliver Reeves is a freelance writer and a contributor to Great West Media. This story was written for the Great West Media & Southern Alberta Newspapers Hot Summer Guide advertising feature. The Hot Summer Guide is a special feature about summer activities, bucket list adventures, staycation options, road trips, attractions, events, and road trip-worthy food & beverage destinations across Alberta. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff.
