Loved this place! Best time to go is during happy hour!! The sliders are soooo good and the cocktails are delicious. Definitely will come back and recommend to friends ^_^
10/10 recommend to a friend. Love this place. Great service great drinks. Landon was super fun! And I can't wait to come back for a lamb slider
Can't get enough of Cleaver! Best drinks, amazing sliders, and the staff is wonderful. Definitely my favourite place to go in Calgary!
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I don’t know why Cleaver is only rated 4.1/5 on google - it’s one of my favourite restaurants in the city. I come here a lot .... maybe once per week or every second week. I come here on dates, I come here with groups of friends, even with my adventurous 70 year old dad. I’ve never had bad service once - not sure if Camilo still works here but he used to greet me with a hug each time I came in.
Cocktails are amazing, original and fun. Whole menu is great, I’ve tried everything save for a couple of items and never once had any complaints.
While I do enjoy the duck, lamb, and tempura fish and chips sliders, I think the rest of the menu is where they shine. The bone marrow with the whiskey luge is delicious, creative and a fun experience I’ve never seen anywhere else. Arguably the best Mac and cheese in the city. Wonderful bucatini and a beef tartare that can stand up nicely to my ultimate favourite at the living room.
Every time I come here it’s a wonderful experience - food, drinks and service.
For anyone out there who has had less than a wonderful time, I urge you to go back and engage with your server - ask them about the new cocktails, ask what they recommend, joke around with them. It will surely become a favourite restaurant for you in no time
Went to Cleaver for the first time weekend, was seated at the bar, which was great because we got to watch all of the cocktails being made, they all look delicious, there was three of us, I tried three sliders, the matcha mushroom (which was my favourite), the crab slider and the tempura fish and chips slider, my friend had one of the pizzettes, which was delicious and my other friend had the mac and cheese, which I didn't get a picture of, she said it was the best mac and cheese she'd ever had, we also tried a bunch of the cocktails, everyone was excellent, my favourite were the Original Sin and the Turning Japanese. It was a small restaurant with only 50 seats, but it had a cool vibe, and all of the staff was so friendly. I can't wait to go back abd try more.
My boyfriend and I love coming back here! We went for brunch this weekend and got the lobster Bennie, blueberry pancakes and the staff hash. We had an awesome server and it was overall an amazing experience!
We came with a group and tried several appetizers, mains and drinks (including my fave, the Super Soft Birthday!), but the main event at Cleaver is definitely their extensive slider menu. I plan to return soon for drinks and shared snacks or really any meal when I have time in my schedule for a sodium-induced blood pressure spike afterwards. I do get grumpy when food is served on big, sliding platters like this that clutter the table, but that was a small price to pay for such creative dishes and drinks at what felt like reasonable prices considering the quality and selection. Service was friendly and helpful from when I made the reservation until it was time to get the bill, the attention to detail for our friend’s allergies was reassuring and the bustling, energetic atmosphere really made our dinner with friends feel like a big night out. I highly recommend Cleaver for your next night out – just remember to wear your stretchy pants!
Cleaver is one of my favorite restaurants! I love their tartare and bucatini. Their happy hour is probably one of the best I’ve seen! Love the cozy atmosphere and I actually enjoy sitting at the bar here and watching the bartenders work their magic
Good stuff omg 140 characters... food was good service was really nice and the atmosphere was cosy. Be good to try at least once. Btw I love Maegan she made my night by far.
I love coming here for their Happy Hour! $5 for a cocktail and they've got lots of delicious cocktails on their menu. The $3 sliders are alright, it's mostly on the dry side. Nothing special except the soft shell crab is definitely a really good deal for $3.
Customer service isn't the greatest. The owner is quite snobby and we were once late for 5mins for our reservation and he cancelled it. I told him it was tough looking for parking on 17th and he made us wait another 20mins for a table afterwards. Some of the servers are very forgetful as well and doesn't attend to your needs, like getting you water and utensils, taking your orders and such.
Came here once on a pretty chilly evening. They were busy that day so the only seats available were outside on the patio, although it was freezing cold our server offered us blankets as we sat outside which was a nice. The food was pretty good, nothing too special. I think it's overpriced in my opinion simply because the portions are small.
GREAT for Happy Hour specials (Sun-Thurs from 4-7)! Sliders for $3 and 2oz cocktails for $5. I prefer the spider crab slider. You'll have to book a reservation or wait an hour to get a table during happy hour, even if you show up at 5 like we did. I would recommend all the cocktails as they each have a different spin, I've tried enough of them *hicc*. The rest of the menu I've yet to try.
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I honestly went into this meal expecting to be unimpressed. Cleaver was picked by another couple as the spot for our double date night and after reading a lot of the reviews I expected the food to be meh, the restaurant to be overcrowded, and the service to be rushed. I was completely 100% wrong! I'm so glad we decided to go because we ended up having such a delicious meal with really great service!
We had a reservation for 4 at 7:30 on Friday night and we were seated promptly. Although the restaurant is not very big, we didn't feel that our table was squished too close to the table beside us. We started looking at the drink menu and got a tiny bit overwhelmed! There were just so many different cocktails to choose from and they all had unusual names so you had to read the entire description of each drink to figure out what it was. I personally don't really have patience for that and prefer drink menus to be grouped a bit more into categories to make it appear less daunting, however the other three people in my party had fun choosing a few different drinks to try! I asked our server if I could just have a spicy Caesar (my fave) and she was super nice about it even though it was considered "off menu", my fiancé had Mighty Craic, the others had Randy Granny and Dose of Original Sin and everyone enjoyed their drinks (my Caesar was fantastic).
We started with the Pork and Chorizo Sausage Rolls and they were amaaaaazing!!! Seriously so good, I could have eaten them as my main and been perfectly satisfied. Everyone agreed they were the highlight for sure. Then we had the Baked Breads with Chicken Drippings and Bacon Butter. The bread was great, nice and warm. Dipping it in the chicken drippings was sooo good! We tried spreading the bacon butter on as well and it just tasted like butter, didn't notice the bacon. Next each couple chose 1 slider to share. We got the lamb, our friends got the Chipotle Cheeseburger. The lamb was delicious!! I think it was a lamb meatball, and it was cooked medium rare (which is fine by me) and it had mint leaves on it instead of just having mint sauce and it was soooo good! If you like the combo of mint and lamb you should definitely try this. Our friends said theirs was really good too.
For our second round of drinks I got another Caesar, my fiancé got Turning Japanese (which was pretty good), my friend got Culture Shock which was like a raspberry mojito and she said it was good, her husband got Farewell to Sober which was supposed to be White Rum, Maraschino, Lime, Grapefruit and while he was expecting it to be rum mixed in assorted juices it was actually more like rum with a few garnished so he said it just tasted like straight rum and wasn't enjoyable at all (she tasted it and agreed).
For our main we got the cock for 2 which was an entire roasted chicken with stuffing, bread sauce and duck fat fries. I don't know about you but I've never been able to eat half a chicken before so it should probably be called cock for 4. It was a pretty big chicken too and we ended up with about 1/3 of the chicken leftover. First off I'll say that the chicken was fantastic! Super moist and very flavourful! The fries were fine, I only had a few and they weren't anything spectacular. I forgot to try the stuffing and the bread sauce so I can't really comment on that part. The only problem I had with this dish (and the reason I'm giving Cleaver 4.5 instead of 5) is that when the chicken comes out it's plated in the "beer can chicken" style where it's whole and standing upright, and after you take in the fancy presentation (it even has its feet still attached) you realize that it came with a giant knife and a roast fork and you have to cut it yourself. It was a bit awkward and slightly messy trying to cut this thing into pieces and we ended up using one of our dinner plates as a platter for the chicken pieces and there were fries all over the place because the chicken kept spinning around its plate while we were trying to cut it and the roast fork was a bit difficult to use so we ended up using our hands a bit. Thankfully this was a casual meal with good friends so we just laughed about it, but if it was a first date or a meal with a client or something it would be a bit awkward. And besides the awkwardness it just felt like we had to work for our meal and I got out for dinner so that I don't have to do any work! I get that presentation is important but maybe after they brought it out whole for us to look at they could give us the choice of "butcher DIY" or having it cut for us. Or just plate a big pile of chicken parts surrounded by fries?
I almost forgot, we also got the mac and Cheese as our side and it was really good. Not the best I've ever had but definitely satisfying!
Our server, who I believe is named Grace, was awesome! She was very casual and laid back but was very knowledgeable and gave great recommendations. Our order was timed perfectly and the entire night flowed very smoothly!
Overall our meal was fantastic! We did order a little bit too much, in hindsight we probably should have gotten the 1/2 Cock instead of the Cock for 2, but everything was delicious so it didn't matter. The price was a bit on the high side (our bill was split by couple so each couple paid for their own drinks and all the food was split) and our bill was around 96.00 before tip, and I assume our friends' bill was pretty close to that as well. If you consider how many drinks we had (2 per person) then it makes sense though and we're not really bothered by the price. We are definitely looking forward to returning to Cleaver!
I came here during a work trip and got in just before happy hour ended. There were some real good deals to be had. I think I paid $3 for each slider and there were so many kinds to choose from. The ale was nice and cold. I think my favourite dish was the calamari, zucchini, and shrimps - priced at about $16. The whole atmosphere was very crammed but lively. I'd say the place emptied out after happy hour ended, which was a shame, but I guess it was a weeknight so that is to be expected. Really cool place. I wouldn't call the food to be the best but there's enough variety to make up for it. Definitely a nice addition to the red mile.
I think that the food was good but extremely pricey for the portions you get. Spent about $100 for two people and was still a bit hungry walking out. Ended up getting three sliders, grilled cheese and two raviolis along with three drinks total. Overall, I would definitely come back when I'm willing to spend some money haha 😅
Brunch last Sunday at Clever was really good. My wife and I both started with a Caesar. We ordered the version with the crazy amount of garnishes. It came complete with fried chicken, a slider, waffle, bacon and a corn dog. All were great and the Caesar tasty. After our appetizer we shared the brisket benny. It was really tasty. The little bit of bbq sauce gave it a nice sweetness that matched really well with the eggs and Hollandaise. I did find the service to be a bit weak. We had to ask for napkins, plates, flatware and remind our server about missing drink orders. Regardless, the food quality, comfortable out door seating and ability to make a reservation for brunch will lead me back to Cleaver the next time I am in Calgary.
This is an absolutely beautiful restaurant tucked neatly on 17th ave, with the most crafty cocktails and entertaining bar staff! The food was delicious, and they almost take the crown for best Caesar stack in town! (Tommyfields still has my heart for their Caesar meal!) I'll definitely be going back to cleaver.
Popped in for the after 9 sliders on a walk about last night, the place was packed. Wall to wall people. That speaks of the popolarity of the after 9 specials, I had a lamb slider and the chicken sliders. really well done, but with the crowd there could have been more staff. Long weekends can be hell. . .
I enjoyed Clever it had been a while! Fun atmosphere and the staff were very attentive. We split the beet salad, mushroom toast, calamari, cheek ravioli and bone marrow. The salad was nice although lacked a certain special flavour. The mushroom on toast, as simple as it was, was excellent! Calamari was a nice variation with fried lemon, shrimps zucchini. Ravioli was one big piece tasty but small. Bone marrow was excellent and came with a shot of whiskey to down with the marrow. Cocktails were overall fun and creative. Well done!
Cool little location. Great drinks!! Servers are friendly, knowledgeable and fun. Food is decent. Small plates, good to share. Some things we ordered were a bit small considering the price. Would go back for the drinks! Large cocktail selection, and everything we had was pretty good.
Couldn't wait to try this place after seeing all of their mesmerizing posts on Instagram. Made it just in one for their happy hour before 7pm and the place was packed. Very lively and lots of energy. My main goal was to stuff as many $3 sliders as I could and I achieved that goal.
Having tried most of the sliders my favourites were the lamb, chipotle beef, fried chicken but each of em tasted very unique and delicious. You can tell a lot of detail and care was put into each slider.
I also indulged in their tinker one cheeesecake which was fantastic and their raspberry brownie which looked great but honestly wasn't anything special.
I would love to come back and sample some other options off their menu but their happy hour alone is worth it ! $3 sliders and $5 any drink is unreal for what you get .
CHECK IT OUT!
It is always a great experience going to Cleaver! Their food is geared towards comfort food, but with a delightful twist. The first time I went to Cleaver, it was during a 2016 Burger Fest YYC crawl and everyone agreed that it was hands down the best burger out of the crawl!
My boyfriend and I came one night during their happy hour ($3 sliders and $5 2 oz cocktails!). We tried all of the sliders and our favorite was the buttermilk chicken and soft shell crab! In addition to their food, they have an extensive list of cocktails that you would not be able to find elsewhere, I loved the Sticky Wicket and my boyfriend loved that their long island iced tea was made from scratch.
If you intend on checking out Cleaver, I would highly highly recommend sitting at the bar. The bartenders are hilarious and very knowledgeable in their cocktails. They'll ensure that you will have a good time!
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November 2017
Stopped in for brunch with some girlfriends and we ordered:
Drinks:
1) Pitcher of Sangria $20
-they only had red wine sangria but that wasn't a problem for us.
2) Mimosa $7
-the other girls really enjoyed being able to select different fruits (grapefruit and pineapple). Both said their drinks were delicious.
Food:
1) S'mores & Nutella french toast with maple syrup and strawberries $15
-4 slices of french toast completely smothered in Nutella and maple syrup. There's toasted marshmallows on the top and some strawberries on the side, but almost like an after thought. The dish was still delicious, but at the same time, when you smother something in Nutella, it's pretty much guaranteed to be delicious so then the question becomes, was each slice worth $3-$4?
2) Breakfast poutine, house bacon, cheese curds, fried egg, spring onion and hollandaise $12
-this was actually perfect for the one friend who didn't feel like brunch food and got fries. It is literally a giant bowl of fries with an egg on top.
3) Full Irish, bacon, sausage, black & white pudding, mushroom, tomato, eggs and brown bread $20
-this was quite a bit of food and my friend was a bit disappointed as she realized after this dish that she is not a fan of black and white pudding. That being said, if you are, this would be the right meal for you!
4) Buffalo chicken, hot sauce, celeric slaw bennies $15
-not overly spicy and delicious
Service was amazing - the hostess provided regular updates as to when we might be seated; our server was friendly, came back to check on us frequently.
Overall it was a good brunch but I would reserve my visits to Cleaver for their happy hours.
February 2017:
This review rating is specific to their Happy Hour.
After salivating over Cleaver’s Instagram posts about their Happy Hour sliders, I finally found a chance to try it out. I’m not sure why this place isn’t busy before 7pm because their happy hour specials are amazing - $3 sliders and $5 drinks (which includes any of their cocktail creation that are regularly priced from $11+).
We ordered the following sliders which each came out as a fairly good portion :
Chicken (buttermilk fried chicken) – it doesn’t have it in the description, but this was actually a bit spicy but still good
Lamb – also spicy although they did specify there’s harissa (North African hot chili pepper paste) but so much so that it over powered the flavor of the lamb
Duck – disappointing as it was a bit dry but I did let it sit there for a few minutes as I ate other things
Soft shell crab – amazing! If you love seafood, then you won’t be disappointed with the crab legs sticking out of the bun.
Sides:
Double dipped duck fat fries with truffle and parmesan $10 – you can’t go wrong with these fries
Drinks:
Sticky Wicket – spiced vodka, St. Germain, yuzu, peach, orange blossom, topped with prosseco and a torched marshmallow…. Yes, you read correctly, a torched marshmallow
The restaurant is fairly small with both open kitchen and bar – both are fun to watch. In the summer there’s a small patio right on 17th so that could be fun to sit out on during a warm day.
Would definitely recommend going for their Happy Hour (Sunday to Thursdays before 7pm and after 9pm)!
Searching For Good Food In Calgary...
+4
I liked it here.....the 3$ sliders and cheap drinks before 5pm are well worth the price...duck, lamb and crab were my favorites. Seating is uncomfortably close together unless you sit at the 2 tables at the front of the restaurant. Otherwise good atmosphere but give they need more space at the tables and I am a small in stature and felt that way.....
Great atmosphere, cozy and the service was amazing!!! The bartenders are absolutely amazing and make the most delicious cocktails. We went for the happy hour cocktails and sliders. I had a duck slider and crab slider they were both delicious and filling. Can't wait to go back and enjoy more of the long list of cocktails and other amazing meals!
Maybe it was sampling half the cocktail menu, but I had so much fun here. The food and drinks are amazing, I just wish the grilled cheese was bigger because I could have eaten 4 of them.
Great food great staff great service. Looking for delicious food combine with some very interesting cocktails I strongly recommend coming down the cleaver to anyone. The wait staff are great always happy to help you! 10/10 will eat again and again.
Atmosphere is good, service was excellent. The food was good. There candied bacon was a disappointment, needed more maple candied coating, the bacon was hard and cold, not what i had expected. The Kale tempura was light and crunchy which i enjoyed. The sliders was ok. We ordered the duck, soft shell crab, pork and buttermilk chicken. The pork slider was actually pulled pork and not a slice of pork loin or a chop, the sage i could not even taste, if they added fried sage leaf or a sage infused aioli....it would of been great! The Duck was also shredded with crispy bacon and cherry ketchup which was good. The softshell crab was good and fried lightly which i loved. The buttermilk chicken was good. We also ordered the duck fat fries with truffle oil and garlic and parm, the truffle oil was lacking so that was a disappointment. Overall the promo they habe of $3 per slider was well worth it. But at $8-12 is a little high for a ok slider. The music was good and its a nice place to hang out
This restaurant has a great atmosphere, great drinks, and great food. The popcorn at the beginning is fantastic, and the dessert is amazing. The tempura kale is a must!!
I couldn't have been happier with my experience at Cleaver. I went in with a group of 16 people for my husband's birthday. They gave exceptional service from the moment I called to make the reservation. They were very accommodating without having any ridiculous rules regarding large groups as some restaurants have.
Our server recommended having the kitchen come up with a few different things for the table to share. Everything was amazing! I especially recommend the beef tartare, kale tempura and the delicious butters they provide with their bread. The entire group was very imposed with the dinner. The restaurant is very cozy and welcoming as well.
Really neat restaraunt and concept. The menu is really cool and there is a lot of variety! Perfect place to go with a group of people - share and try new things. The cocktails are really unique- I enjoyed the spicy red Thai Chili cocktail- as the ice melts the drink gets spicier and spicier ! We shared "the cock" which made for good table conversation. I really enjoyed the yellowfin sashimi style with passion fruit sauce and chips ! I would definitely go back, there were a few other items that caught my eye to try on another day !
Cleaver never disappoints. The cocktails are out of this world. The food is delicious - great for sharing. The service is always outstanding. I've been 4 times now and love it every time.
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During Poutine-Week I went on a Poutine Crawl with a group and our first stop was Cleaver, but I almost wish we'd saved it until last because it was so good it set the bar super high!
The location itself is almost so blended in that you don't even notice it at first, but once you get inside it's clean and bright with lots of wood and mirrors. It's got a nice feel to it but it was rather loud as it filled up. The tables were set already with paper menus and a mug full of popcorn between the place settings. The popcorn itself was good, with a nice smokey-cheesy flavour.
The poutine we had was Curds, Treacle-Gravy, Whiskey Duck, with Parmesan Duck-fat Fries. The fries were well seasoned but a little limp but the cheese on them was delightfully gooey. The gravy was delicious, with great duck fat flavour unfortunately it was a little too thin so instead of coating the fries it just pooled at the bottom of the bowl. The duck meat was perfectly cooked pulled similarly to pulled-pork which blended well with the fries.
All in all I would eat that again for sure, though I haven't tried anything from the regular menu yet.
Best dining experience in yyc thus far! Atmosphere was super unique and the service and food was outstanding. Our server was laid back, but knowledgeable and attentive. Every dish we ordered was prepared perfectly and the cocktails were well thought out and delicious. Best beef tartare I've ever had, blew my favorite Vancouver spot out of the water. Can't wait to return and try the rest of the items I was eyeing up.
Went here over the weekend and absolutely loved it. Their Coctails are spectacular and you get flavored popcorn to start. We had the duck and lamb sliders, the pizza, the mac and cheese, the tuna wraps, and the salty caramel doughnuts for dessert. Everything was fabulous and the atmosphere was great.
I had heard of mixed reviews about Cleaver, and even though it is in my neighbourhood, I had never been until this past Saturday. Wow....was I ever missing out. I think some of these nah-sayers did so on purpose to keep away the hoardes. Sat at the bar and the service was great. Bone in 32 oz rib-eye with sides for 2. Excellent.
Only suggestions I could say would be to expand the wine selection. Considering the quality of the food I thought the wine list was a bit thin. Second, and I understand the reasoning, but the bar seats anchored into the floor at the bar are not comfortable in the least.
Overall, excellent.
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Upon entering through its iron French doors and across the threshold, the assault on your senses begins. The energy within Cleaver could only be described as intense, with so many otherwise sensible diners turned instantly to gluttonous carnivores, at no fault of their own I might add, and how could one not with the massive doses of pleasure being served up at every table. The industrial, yet somehow comforting interior glows with the inky eminence surrounding a slowly dancing flame, whisping back and forth inside old plate gas lanterns on every wall. The display of vintage iron meat cleavers though some may find disturbing, reminds one of the impending gasro-orgasm which is about to begin. Behind the bar every occurrence is more alchemy than mixology, a near titanic tree stump looms on the bar top, scorched with the scars of many smoked bourbon old fashioneds, this is a sight to behold I promise you. As the ambiance has set about satiating your soul, your original purpose for making that reservation seems so transparent and empty, as now one understands this is so much more than a meal, it is an experience in and of itself. This is art.We indulged in the perfectly served and outrageously delicious Beef Carpaccio, then the Seared Cuddlefish and squid. This dish will remain close in my heart like a childhood memory, in fact I'd have given up a few childhood memories for this one. Following closely a medieval preparation of bone marrow and chimi churri, which satisfies even the most bent and unusual of food fetishes. There is something just unbelievably, and wonderfully hedonistic about bone marrow, it is among my favourite sins. Our main was a whole cock, farm reared and marinated for 24 hours, served in bread sauce with duck-fat fries. Lipitor should have this on their warning labels. You know you want it. Our finale was although modest comparatively, the home-made donuts and marshmallows served in a crème-caramel sauce, my pancreas tried to run at this point I'm certain. Nevertheless, we soldiered on into that sticky, sweet plethora of dessert utopia. Cleaver knocked me over like an unassuming cow by a hoard of drunken frat boys, and anyone, other than vegans obviously would be making a huge mistake by not making a reservation immediately. Do yourself a favour and ask to be sat in Rhiannon's section. She is the best in the business. Gluttony has never been this good. So, go make that rezo.
I have been meaning to try Cleaver for a while now - and SO glad I did! We went with friends and had amazing cocktails and food. This has easily been put in the top 10 for me. Our server was very knowledgable about the food and drinks, and gave us great advice on how much food to order, flavours of each of the dishes, and tons of great suggestions. We had the chicken wings, lamb, squid, and beet salad to share - each was incredible but the lamb was to die for. For our main we shared the chicken and strip loin - both extremely well done. The gravy, herbaceous bread pudding and fries completely make the chicken - so incredible! We were too full for dessert but the menu sounded great. Definitely will be going back to Cleaver soon.
Hidden gem. I don't know where to start. Cool staff cool cocktails and hallelujah great food. No really food here is undescribable and great value for money. I love the vibe and the bar is a serious cocktail bar. Try the monk and Mexican and loved the pizzette
Best place in Calgary to dine and drink.
I've seen a lot of places open in the past year but none as original and unpretentious as this one. Everything here is done to a great level of detail. Amazing staff and very warm service to go with their amazing selection.
I came here with my girlfriend for the first time. We tried the trio of sliders and finished our meal with one of the vegetarian Pizzette. We could not stop eating. A lot of food and amazing value for money. I certainly recommend trying the soft shell crab slider. Oh so good. So we though let's give a cocktail or two a try. We could not stop we each had three cocktails you favorite was "slap your mama" a very innovative and evolving cocktail. They infuse the ice so the drink never loses taste or intensity.
I recommend this place to everyone and we certainly will be back.
Amazing spot for cocktails, service is flawless. we walked on Friday night to a packed room thought we will be sent away for sure, the host was very kind and had us wait with a glass of bubbly in our hand ( on the house may I add) just because we had to wait for ten minutes, PLEASE HAVE ME WAIT LONGER ;)
Lola was amazing at the bar, food was too beautiful to eat, cocktails were endlessly good...
we will be back for sure and please make us wait longer, bubbly PLEASE
I went there for the first time with my friends for my birthday dinner. It was pretty busy even during construction. Service was fine. The food was unique but it was pretty awesome :)! But I gotta say the drinks are pretty interesting...most tasted awful. I'll be back for the food though! Try out the Chicken and Trio Sliders soo goodddd :)
One of my favourite restaurants in the city, and for a number of reasons. Cleaver manages to incorporate the popularity of hipster culture with the hospitality of a mom and pop shop, making the dining experience just as superb as the meal in front of you. The truffle egg toast is a great way to start the meal, setting the bar for the rest of the night. Their cocktails are also innovative, presented beautifully, and easy on the palate, though they might cost a little more than what people may be used to. One of the best ways to get a taste of this restaurant is to participate in "Plank Monday's", where a predetermined plank of food is offered at $25, with enough food to feed 2-3 people, and a chance to win the plank at no cost by rolling two even numbers with two dies. Hope to see this restaurant continue to grow and become recognized in Calgary's foodie community!
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Having been to Cleaver five times now, I feel like I have a good sense of what the place is. Starting with the food: consistently good, not "knock you out" good. One of my visits was a work event, so I ended up getting the chance to sample quite a few things then. I'd say the chicken isn't bad, but the beef is fantastic. They also make a flatbread with brie that is amazing. The fish and chips was quite good, but suffers from the general lack of good seafood as I didn't think the arctic char was particularly special. I very much liked the tempura kale - although it's hard to go wrong tempura-ing anything, really. Tried both salads and enjoyed them thoroughly.On the drinks side, this might be the most inventive, creative drink menu in the city. Highly recommended that you try the "Slap Yo Mama" (the names are also creative), which is just whisky and pineapple juice, but with an ice cube containing thai chilies that spices up the drink as it melts. They also make an excellent Manhattan, but at $17 a pop, you probably don't want to get addicted to those. On the whole, I think Cleaver is a touch overpriced as the food quality doesn't quite reach the level you'd like it to overall (though it certainly isn't disappointing). However, it's a must-visit just for the cocktail menu.
Thierry / Foodie In YYC
+4
I've come here a few times, the restaurant is not huge so making a reservation really is recommended. They have a nice menu, solid wine options and the brunch is pretty good.
I would definitely recommend the sliders and anything they may come up with that has duck or pork in it - never disappointing. Also, whenever they take a stab at burgers, it turns out to be delicious (like their 2015 AB Burger Fest entry). Enjoy!
AWESOME PLACE!I really enjoyed my experiences at Cleaver. It's definitely my new go-to spot to get dinner and drinks! The atmosphere is great! I love the decor and the ambiance of the restaurant. It has a nice upscale feel...without being bougie! The staff is very welcoming and very knowledgeable about the food. The restaurant is tucked away on 17th Avenue, right beside Gravity Pope. There is no printed sign on the door, but cleverly a model of "Cleaver"! It has a cute patio that also has heaters and blankets to keep you warm later on in the night. There is also a cover so it will protect you from the rain.
Recommended:1) Truffle Egg Toast: totally decadent...but totally worth it on your cheat day! It's a thick piece of toast, with delicious cheese, and egg yolk in the middle of the toast. Then it's topped with truffle oil
Great decor, crowd and atmosphere. My boyfriend and I went here on a Saturday night and it was packed. We were treated with complimentary prosecco while we waited for an opening. We were seated at the bar where the service is slow (typical.) The food was great. We got the sliders, lamb, duck fat fries, eggplant. We also ordered tacos but I wouldn't reorder again.
First time: decent and not expensive spot on 17th. We went there for a quick late bite and were pleasantly surprised. Complimentary popcorn was a nice touch to begin with, our server offered heater option for patio, which helped too.
Food was well prepared and presented, we shared steak salad and crab slider. All tasted quite well though just a touch too salty. Server gave us enough attention without being annoying. Not bad for the first visit, will be back again.
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Came here with a friend for #ABBurgerFest after seeing their burger on Instagram.
Reservation Process: There was almost no information on the restaurant's actual website other than the address and the phone number, and a link to make reservations which led to a 404 link the first 5 times I tried it! There was also no available menu, so other than the Instagram photo from their account, we were flying blind after we made the reservation.
Restaurant Decor:
We nearly missed our reservation because the restaurant doesn't have a visible printed name on its storefront, just a cleaver. Clever, but not so easy to find on busy 17th Ave! For reference, it's right next to Gravity Pope. The doors were oddly skinny (I confess I am not tiny, but my dining friend is, and we both had trouble with the doors) so if you have mobility issues - send someone ahead to pull the doors open for you. The inside of the restaurant is very rustic, with a lot of wood and iron features - it's very dimly lit (and we were there for brunch). You can choose to sit in a booth/table combo, or along a bar at the kitchen - we had a table.
Food:
The burger was FANTASTIC, but not quite the burger in the picture. We were started off with a complementary mini loaf of bread with butter and homemade jam, and then moved on to the burger. The burger was nice and juicy (and messy) and didn't come with any sides, so we added the duck-fat fried fries. These were perfect, nice and crispy, and the shaved parmesan on top was a great touch.
Service:Our server was really nice and explained the menu well. Very attentive for the most part, though it did get a bit awkward when he asked us what other restaurants we liked - we ended up with a fairly sizeable rant on Notable.
Overall:
A good experience, though they don't make substitutions (not sure if they'd accommodate for allergies, but the menu suggests no), and the whole restaurant seems to thrive on mystery - but the food was delicious, and I will be back.
Easter Sunday Dinner. If you are a meat eater, this is a wonderful restaurant for you! When we entered the atmosphere was warm, the staff friendly and helpful and the smells were amazing. Dining was fun and best of all, the food tasted fantastic! We will be back!
Loved its. I'm surprised to see so many bad reviews. I had fantastic wine, food and service at this restaurant!!
Great Chicken!. Try the cock for 2 with Duck fat fries. Unbelievable. Fun staff as well.
New Years Eve. Late review but checked out this spot for new years before the flames game.....
We felt a bit rushed but other than that it was a good experience.
The highlight was hands down the whole chicken! The fries in duck fat tasted amazing as well.
Great drinks, cool vibe, would go back.
Trendy & Delish. Relatively busy for a Thursday night, waited at the bar for a table even though a reservation had been made. Food was fantastic, staff were kind and prompt.
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Great to share with friends. The standout dishes at Cleaver are the Soft-Shelled Crab Sliders, Tempura Kale and Panko Eggplant. While the Tempura Kale and Panko Eggplant are great to munch on with friends, you have to like heavily-battered foods. When crisp and right out of the kitchen, their crunch is amazing. The eggplant in particular is notable with the soft melty insides and the tempura kale sounds so simple, but it's so addictive.
My favourite is the Soft-Shelled Crab Slider. While the sandwich isn't huge (it is a slider), it might be my favourite soft-shelled crab sandwich in Calgary right now. Great crunchy textures between the crab and the bread, but what got my attention was the lime mayo offering some great flavours to the mix.
Give the dessert a try too. With the soft homemade marshmallows and donuts with a cup of dipping chocolate, it's a great way to end the meal.
What I might avoid next time is the camembert and bread. While the beet bread and onion loaf are outstanding, the dish with the cheese is almost $20 on its own, so unless you're sharing among a lot of people, it's may not be the value you're interested in when you can get another dish instead.
Make a reservation for Cleaver if you want a flawless experience. My first visit was at the bar where we seemed to get special attention from our server and the bartenders all chatting us up and making sure we were taken care of, so that was pretty impeccable. I've hit this place twice in a month already and so far it hasn't disappointed as a spot to catch up with friends and have enjoyable food.
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Awesome Celiac Experience. After reading some of the reviews on here, we were a bit reluctant to go for dinner but I am glad we gave Cleaver a chance. From the time they took our coats at the door to payment, the entire experience was excellent. Being a celiac, I find restaurants either get it or they don't. Cleaver gets it! When I mentioned I was celiac, he was immediately able to tell me which dishes can be modified and steer me towards. One of the highlights was definitely the whole chicken which they modified putting both the stuffing and the bread sauce on the side. The fries that were soaked in the duck fat (which were amazing as well) were cooked in a separate fryer and the waiter was made sure I knew that. The polenta with truffle oil was also a nice accompaniment. It is nice when going to a restaurant where ordering and the service is seamless. I think being a new restaurant, they had some kinks in the past to work out but definitely shows they have worked those out. My final note is that splitting the bill between two couples sharing dishes was really easy and I commend them for that. I would try this place out again and encourage people to do the same!
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We came into the restaurant a few weeks ago,Wednesday night. Busy, with a good crowd and a trendy atmosphere. The food we had was amazing! The scallops with black pudding was my favourite, although the portions may need to be altered a bit as the delicate scallops were slightly overwhelmed by the punchiness of the pudding. We also had the beef slider, steak tacos (felt like they were missing something), and the chicken salad which is hands down, the BEST salad I have ever had in my life. Chicken was cooked perfectly, salad was kale with hazelnuts and bacon. I'm craving it again now.
Our drinks were awesome, we stuck to cocktails because none of the beers stuck out to us. All of our cocktails were unique and very well done. Spoke to the bartender before we left, he was charming and absolutely lovely. We will definitely be sitting at the bar next time we come in!
My only qualm I have with Cleaver was our server. I think Cleaver is really onto something by letting their staff wear their own clothes, everyone working looked great. Our server was a little unorthodox, wearing a beanie, her hair looked dirty and we watched as she repeatedly ate the popcorn (they give you some when you sit). Other than some obvious cleanliness issues, she just really didn't seem all there... told us she was not feeling well, leaning on the table, touching my husband shoulder repeatedly and calling him Hun, we assume she was drinking, her hands were shaking terribly and she was not speaking clearly. We did have a good experience, it was just surprising to find a server like that at a high end restaurant! She is not a good representation of the restaurant, so we will come back but sit at the bar!!!
Good Sunday brunch. Late review. The girls and I enjoyed Sunday brunch here when the sun was still out. Nice little patio. Food was good. Server was super friendly. Coffee served in a coffee press was very lovely
If you are in search for the best cocktails in town, look no where. Thanks to the special half price cocktail promo, my friends and I were able to try out at least 25 different kinds of cocktails from the menu. And most of them were so good that we had to order twice!!! The vibe of the restaurant is super cool. Server was very friendly. Overall 10/10 👏👏👏
Super interesting cocktail menu! Unique tastes and delicious. Also have a vegan option (pizza) which was small but delicious. It seemed that portions for all dishes were small. They also charge for tap water which was strange to us.
Came here back in March for my 23rd birthday. Super cool restaurant with a unique menu and cocktails. Our waitress was lovely and was spot on with drink recommendations. Everything was delicious and I still think about the cheesecake I had there to this day. The online reservation system was straightforward and I enjoyed the reminder texts leading up to our reso. Can't wait to visit again next time I'm in Calgary 😊
Cocktails some of the best in the city. Food was decent but didn't make up for the weak service.
Lamb slider was good but tiny for $7.
We were charged for drinking water (told they don't serve tap water and got 'filtered water' instead) and also charged for getting ketchup with our fries. One of the servers was very short too.
Beef tartare was very nice. Crab chili linguini was good but pretty spicy.
Omg, where do I even start??!! From the first contact at the door to finishing up our tab our experience was top quality. Love the people, the atmosphere, the food, the drinks….it’s all 100% 👌🏼 I cannot wait to go back!!
So we randomly walked in there, the food was suprisingly good, would say that their calamari is the best I’ve ever eaten. Take off 1 star because they charged $2 for just tap water and seems to be short of staff, we had to wait for a while between 2 dishes.
Had a very pleasant experience! They have a great menu that would cater to different people. Definitely coming back.
We had a great time at Cleaver! The food and drinks were amazing. Each one of their cocktails is crafted to perfection. In terms of food, the had an option for everyone (vegan, vegetarian). It was a very busy night but the service was still amazing. They were kind enough to check in our bulky winter coats once we got in which was a nice bonus! We will definitely be returning soon.
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