Review Cleaver - Calgary

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.

While we were absolutely dazzled by the menu and drawn in by the cool atmosphere we were unfortunately utterly disappointed by pretty much our entire dining experience. To start with, even though we had made reservations days in advance, when we arrived we were seated at the bar instead of a table. Disappointed but no big deal, we thought. Then while we waited for our drinks I was splashed in the face twice by the bartender washing glasses. The first time, okay that was weird, but the second time, even the two other staff behind the bar noticed she was splashing and made a joke to her about it but nobody apologized to us. Drinks came, both were disappointing, but we’re still optimistic bc we came for the food. Appys came - we ordered the sliders and my first bite into the soft shell crab slider resulted in a juicy bite of scalding hot grease that dripped down my chin and actually burned my skin. One of the bar staff was watching (which in itself was off putting bc all of the staff appeared to be bored and apathetic with nothing to do but watch the diners at the bar eat) saw my reaction to getting burnt and only afterwards said, not really to me, but to his equally bored coworker, “they’re hot”. (Thanks for telling me now, I thought, as I felt for the rest of the night that I was propably going to get a blister on my face - awesome first impression). Broccolini was good and the half cock (yep, that’s what they call it) was tender and delicious, as were the duck fat fries. But the entire time we were seated right by the point of sale machine and every couple minutes a staff member would half yell to no one in particular “Service!”, which was incredibly annoying, especially when they also had a bell nearby that they would ring for something else. My girlfriend mentioned to our waitress that it might be a good idea to warn patrons just how hot the soft shell crab sliders were bc I got scalded by the shot of hot grease and she gave a simple “sorry”, but that was the extent of customer service we received. We had planned to stay for dessert but after watching another bartender crack an egg into a cocktail then munch on some chicken skin without washing his hands before making other cocktails and serving them by the lips of the glasses we decided enough was enough and asked for the bill and couldn’t leave soon enough. What was supposed to be a relaxed and fun romantic night out turned out to be one of the most stressful, disappointing dining experiences we’ve ever had. :(

Happy hour sliders (Po’ Boy, Lamb, and Duck) got us off to a good start, along with a couple (okay three) cocktails (one miss and one hit). Steak tartar might not have been the ideal second course but the truffle parm double-duck chips were fantastic. Shouldn’t have had sticky toffee pudding but we did. It was delicious but one teaspoon of whipped cream is not enough for the giant serving. Pudding needs cream and lots of it in one form or another. Service was excellent. Met some lovely girls at the next table and they were easily the best part of the experience. We’re going wherever they go next. We like being able to sit next to each other at the table so will not likely return here.

Poor service. Came for a meal with friends,friends were brought their food over 30minutes after ours,so much for having a meal together � didn’t do anything to try to rectify the situation either.

Our first time there and we're certain to return soon. We were greeted quickly at the door and seated promptly at the bar. Wasn't sure if we liked this initially, but were thrilled with the close attention of the bartender. With so many choices on the cocktail menu, he quickly narrowed it down to ones he thought I'd like. Say Farewell to Sober was my favorite. Sitting at the bar also meant we got to watch the bartenders work their magic on the cocktails. Great fun! Loved the idea of sharing plates too since we were able to try a few items. Our bartender put our orders in quickly, which we staggered through our date, and the plates came up very fast. Overall the service was brilliant from both our bartender and the other wait staff. As for our meal, we thought the crab slider was our least favorite but would definitely recommend the lamb and chicken. The tartare was a bit over salted and heavy on the garlic, but I'd still order it again. Their fries were delicious! A perfect ending to our meal was their Toblerone cheesecake. It was definitely large enough to share. We can't wait to go back!

You just lost two loyal customers. The banadana sporting loser of a chef you had in on Friday refused to make the sliders (crab, duck, pork, and shrimp) we ordered because we asked for the aoli on the side or just non at all and he said we either had to have the aoli or ketchup on them or we couldn’t have them. Ketchup?! Are you fricken kidding me?! Our request has always been honoured with no questions asked until this weekend, so naturally we were confused and annoyed. We asked for our bill for the other food items and drinks we had, said we would finish our dinner elsewhere and that was it! No attempts to keep our business.. That attitude won’t get you far in this city.

Best sliders ever ! Great cocktails ! Mac and cheese is To die for. I highly recommend Cleaver !

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!

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. <br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>Every time I come here it’s a wonderful experience - food, drinks and service. <br/><br/>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!

Host made us feel unwelcome, but our server was nice. Chicken slider was excellent, while others (chipotle cheeseburger, soft shell crab, & buttermilk chicken) were only ok. (3/5)

We went there for plank Monday. The food was good and service too. But portions were definitely not big enough. It was just the 2 of us and we were definitely not full after so we had to grab a McDonald's later that night.

If I could give them negative stars I would. <br/><br/>This place is the absolute worst.<br/><br/> We went there for my Birthday dinner. We booked a TABLE for two, got seated at the bar, was told it was a THREE HOUR WAIT for a table. So we just took the seats they offered us. Sitting at the bar for what was supposed to be a nice birthday dinner wasn't nice at all. <br/><br/>Not a good start. <br/><br/>Took a solid 15 minutes before our server came to take our drink order; when my partner ordered a cocktail AND a glass a prosecco so we could have a toast, she straight up said "no, you can't order two drinks", stating something about it being 2 oz. pours. All while the two people directly beside us had a cocktail and a glass of bubbly EACH in front of them. <br/><br/>Next up, the menu is incredibly unclear, and the server looked at us like we were nuts for asking her questions about it. Sorry. It was our first (AND LAST) time there. She also had no idea how to explain any of the food and was very rude/condescending about. So we ordered the steak tartare to start, it's a pretty straight forward dish. We sat there and watched the guys beside us receive course after course of what looked like really great food. Even the people who sat on the other side of us were getting their food. We still had not seen ours, nor had anyone been by to check in. ALSO, at this point, our drinks were empty for about 30 mins now. COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. Especially while seated AT THE BAR. <br/><br/>Finally, after about 45-50 minutes, our server stops by and is all surprised that our tartare had not come out, saying something about the kitchen being backed up--- Yet everyone else around us was getting their food. <br/><br/>So I asked to speak to the manager. MAN was that ever a mistake. She comes over with the fakest smile, and OH! she "conveniently" has our food. <br/><br/>SHE DIDN'T EVEN APOLOGIZE. <br/><br/>She tried to force us to take the tartare, when we said 'no, we're incredibly unhappy now, please send it back' she tried again to get us to take the food and to "hang out". We told her that everything has been incredibly unacceptable, she didn't seem to care at all, we just wanted to leave. So she says she'll bring us our bill and we say "we;d really appreciate it if you would comp the drinks" and she flat out said "no". So we once again tried to explain to her how awful our experience had been and that the least she could do is cover the 3 drinks on there (I ended up getting a glass of wine after 30 minutes of waiting, which I didn't even get to drink but was forced to pay for) She said she wouldn't be doing that, so we said we were going to leave the bill for her to deal with, and she then threatened to call the cops on us if we did leave. So we were forced to pay our bill, which now I really wish we hadn't done and let her call the cops and see what they have to say about wasting their time over $42 after what they put us through. This was the worst experience either of us have ever had at a restaurant. Three days later and I'm still upset by it. <br/><br/>Do not go here. <br/><br/>Just don't do it. And don't go next door to GringoStreet either. <br/><br/>Go ANYWHERE else.

In order not to be disappointed on a Friday evening, and to ensure my husband had a great birthday treat, I made a reservation for Cleaver through open table 1 week ahead of time. I confirmed with open table the day before that I was going to be there for my 7pm table. We arrive at 7pm and clearly there was not a table available for us - the place was buzzing! The hostess had a few conversations with some guy and after 10 mins of waiting by the door we were brought some 'complimentary' prosecco. It was good but didn't help with the wait. We were finally seated at 7:35pm a full 35 minutes later than expected. As we sat they gave us a complimentary appetizer to ease the pain of having to wait for our 'reserved' table. Another 15 minutes went by as we yet again waited for our server to introduce them self [which they never did]. We ordered food and watched as the table next to us left for the evening, squeezing themselves through the very narrow table gaps! The staff were very busy and the food going back and forth looked great, unfortunately none of it came our way. The table next to us was occupied again and they placed their order. Our appetizer eventually arrived and coincided with next doors table's appetizer too! The food was delicious but at this point we had been in the restaurant for over an hour. Next to come was our main course. Another 30 minutes later mine arrived all by itself. Being the polite person I am I didn't want to dig in until my 3 other table companions had theirs. I gave up after 5 minutes as my pasta was going to be cold. Uncomfortably I started on my food! Two dinners arrived about 10 after mine and again was delivered along with the table next to us. My husband who ordered the 'coke & fries' arrived last. Not quite sure how or why all our food options weren't delivered at the same time, as they managed to deliver everything at once for the table next to us [trust me you are so close to the other diners you can’t help but notice]. One of our orders included a side of tempura kale, this did not arrive until AFTER the main course was finished, and I mean quite a while after! At this point the table next to us had finished and paid and were about the leave!! So this prompted a conversation with our server - he was polite but when asked why we waited so long for everything when the table next to us arrived after us, eat their complete meals before us and left before us, his response was that they cook each food individually to avoid it hanging around under a heat lamp, and the 'erratic' way in which our meals arrived is the way they do it at Cleaver!!! <br/><br/>So if you want to wait over 2 hours for a table you have reserved and have food arrive at completely different times to the people you are eating with then Cleaver is the place for you. Cleaver will not be the place for me, as unfortunately the service and/or the kitchen table priority is not acceptable :(

I’ve been to Cleaver several times, at different times of the day. Happy Hour is always busy, the cocktails small but tasty ($7). Sliders decent as well. For brunch their Benny’s are the way to go. Breakfast poutine is literally made with fries and not hash browns or breakfast potatoes as you might expect - not worth it in my opinion. The thing that lacks here is definitely the service. Each time I have been I have encountered some type of issue or cold feeling from the servers - be it that they are trying to push drinks on you or push you out when you’re done .. or the opposite. Last Saturday I waited approximately 10 minutes before anyone came by to offer to take our order.. meanwhile the servers were socializing behind us and actually dancing around, videoing it to put on IG rather than doing their job. If you care about kind, friendly, prompt service - go elsewhere.

Came for brunch on Sunday. We got the fried chicken with waffles and the avocado toast with fried egg. Extremely under whelming, under seasoned, over burnt in the outside and under cooked in the inside. And of course, they argued that having bloody chicken leg is normal. Anyway def not worth the price you pay for flavourless badly cooked food. The drinks are good though

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

Been here a bunch of times. had the worst experience ever this weekend. Ordered 2 cheese burger sliders and they brought 1 cheese burger and 1 chipotle chicken. we ended up munching a bit of both. The server (a bearded guy) was being an ass. Told that that he would charge us for the wrong order since we took a bite of that one. Even got charge for still water!!! very pushy servers. they just keep bugging you to check if your done a million times and very upfront (that too not in a nice way) like they want you to clear off the minute your done. Although the ambience is great, I wouldn't consider going back since the experience ruined our evening.

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. <br/>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.

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! <br/><br/>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).<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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). <br/><br/>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?<br/><br/>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! <br/><br/>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!<br/><br/>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 came here for the first time to try one of their infamous Caesars. I would say it is comparable to buying food at the stampede grounds. The chicken on the skewer was incredibly greasy and flavourless. The slider needed more of a sauce... ketchup would have been an improvement. The bacon strip was a bacon strip. The pig in a blanket was a deep fried battered sausage that was mediocre at best. The waffle was actually the best part of the Caesar... it was actually better than the Caesar itself. Very trendy place, and I can't speak for the rest of the menu, but the server was abrupt and disingenuous. <br/><br/>Maybe I would give it a second chance.

tldr; We were ASKED TO LEAVE after spending 2 hours and $120 there and telling the waitress that we want to order more, because they had to sit the next reservation.<br/><br/>I can safely say that I've never been treated with such disrespect before. They're actually the United Airlines of restaurants. <br/><br/>My friend and I finally made plans to go for drinks, I reserved a table at Cleaver. When we showed up, I was unpleasantly surprised with how little space there was between us and tables around – it felt like we were all sitting at the same table. Between the two of us, we had 6 drinks and 3 appetizers. We noticed that the waitress came up to us a little too often, but an overly attentive staff is hardly something I'd ever complain about. She proceeded with taking away our appies before they were finished. Then she asked if we would like to order something else or just get the bill. We said we'd like another round of cocktails and the bill. She came back a minute later saying that she can't bring us drinks, and that we had to leave, because the next reservation showed up and was waiting at the door. At that time, there were two empty tables just around ours; yet, they insisted that we leave. <br/><br/>Overall, the food and drinks were absolutely nothing to write home about. The business lives on the gimmicky cocktails and the fact that they make customers leave, so they can sit more people and make more money.

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.

We went to Cleaver for the first time this weekend and made a reso for my birthday. When we arrived, we were taken to two seats... at the bar - not what we were expecting. I'm not against sitting at the bar when a resto is busy. But since we had made dinner plans for a special occasion, it killed our mood a bit and felt that Cleaver should have told us this when we made the reso.<br/><br/>Food-wise, we liked our dishes albeit a little pricey. The seared tuna is flavourful but very small plate with the smallest lettuce wraps to use. The kale salad with chicken was spot on, very well done. The polenta chips were amazing! Duck slider was ok.<br/><br/>Overall, the service was fine with food being served fairly quickly. But we felt a bit rushed as it seemed like the priority was to turn over seats as quickly as possible. I'd give the food a 4 but the restaurant experience a 2. I might come back at happy hour as that seems to be the best value. Perhaps they can win me over next time.

Was very disappointed. We have been to Cleaver several times before but it was our first time being served by Bri and she made our experience very poor. First, she came up to our table and demanded that we move tables to accommodate a large party that had walked in, we obliged but she was very rude and abrupt when telling us to move, again telling, not asking...after we had made a reservation and had been at that table for around an hour already. When we did move she continued to have an attitude, slamming drinks down, throwing our bills at us etc. When taking payments she did not interact with us but flirted with the table behind us and did not offer copies of our receipts. The food was good and in the times we have come to Cleaver before we have enjoyed our experience. Also, it is important to mention that the restaurant did take care of a round of drinks due to them moving us (did not lead with this though, only when we didn't seem thrilled was it offered) but it wasn't enough to salvage our server Bri's rudeness. Will think twice before coming back.

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. <br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>I also indulged in their tinker one cheeesecake which was fantastic and their raspberry brownie which looked great but honestly wasn't anything special. <br/><br/>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 . <br/><br/>CHECK IT OUT!

I came here a few times for some drinks and a bite. I sat on their patio and inside. Both are small and a bit tight. I tried quite a few of their sliders. They had interesting flavour combinations. Most of the sliders were tasty, but a bit too much bread and not enough filling in the duck one. Definitely not worth paying full price when not happy hour.

Food was decent but I've had better ones. I wish they have more options on the Manu. I can't remember what I ordered but the taste was okay, hence why I can't remember what I had. Food was on the pricy side too.

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! <br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>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!

November 2017 <br/><br/>Stopped in for brunch with some girlfriends and we ordered:<br/><br/>Drinks: <br/>1) Pitcher of Sangria $20<br/>-they only had red wine sangria but that wasn't a problem for us. <br/><br/>2) Mimosa $7<br/>-the other girls really enjoyed being able to select different fruits (grapefruit and pineapple). Both said their drinks were delicious.<br/><br/>Food:<br/>1) S'mores & Nutella french toast with maple syrup and strawberries $15<br/>-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? <br/><br/>2) Breakfast poutine, house bacon, cheese curds, fried egg, spring onion and hollandaise $12<br/>-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. <br/><br/>3) Full Irish, bacon, sausage, black & white pudding, mushroom, tomato, eggs and brown bread $20 <br/>-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! <br/><br/>4) Buffalo chicken, hot sauce, celeric slaw bennies $15<br/>-not overly spicy and delicious<br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>Overall it was a good brunch but I would reserve my visits to Cleaver for their happy hours. <br/><br/>February 2017:<br/><br/>This review rating is specific to their Happy Hour.<br/><br/>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+). <br/><br/>We ordered the following sliders which each came out as a fairly good portion :<br/><br/>Chicken (buttermilk fried chicken) – it doesn’t have it in the description, but this was actually a bit spicy but still good<br/><br/>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<br/><br/>Duck – disappointing as it was a bit dry but I did let it sit there for a few minutes as I ate other things<br/><br/>Soft shell crab – amazing! If you love seafood, then you won’t be disappointed with the crab legs sticking out of the bun.<br/><br/>Sides:<br/><br/>Double dipped duck fat fries with truffle and parmesan $10 – you can’t go wrong with these fries<br/><br/>Drinks:<br/><br/>Sticky Wicket – spiced vodka, St. Germain, yuzu, peach, orange blossom, topped with prosseco and a torched marshmallow…. Yes, you read correctly, a torched marshmallow<br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>Would definitely recommend going for their Happy Hour (Sunday to Thursdays before 7pm and after 9pm)!<br/><br/> <br/><br/>

Cleaver was highly recommended by friend in Vancouver. As I trust her sense of style and taste we decided to check it out. I have to say truly disappointed in Cleaver service! Food was great but felt rushed and pushed out the door. Wasn't very busy so not sure why. Friend had suggested I book for a private function in April and will attempt to go back again. Asked to speak to manager but they never visited our table. <br/>

Well we're do I start. The food is ok nothing special the prices are waaaay to much to the food you get.<br/>And the best part you are limited in time so eat fast.<br/>We were told to not to worry we still have 30 minutes to finish our dinner I have never been in restaurant that would limit me in time <br/>So I would say I would not be back or recommend this place

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.

Extremely over priced for what is basically pub food and the 15$ cocktails were nothing special. Also have never been to a restaurant where they charge you for tap water. Won't recommend and won't be going back.

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 went to Cleaver with 3 girlfriends and though I wanted to like this restaurant, I didn't like it as much as I'd hoped. I did like the décor and the environment, it's a smaller restaurant so it has an intimate feel and is really cozy, and our server Amy was really nice and helpful in recommendations. It was the food that disappointed me, or rather, the lack thereof? Cleaver is a tapas style restaurant so things are meant to be shared, but I mean...I don't know how you can share it when the portions are oh so very tiny. I ordered the duck fat fries with truffle parmesan, which was the only decent sized dish I feel. They were very tasty too! I also ordered the grilled cheese with tomato dip, which was made with a piece of kale and gruyere, though good, very small. My girlfriends ordered the beef cheek ravioli, kale salad, beef tartare and a few others to share, and I don't think they managed to get more than a bite or two of each, and the prices did not reflect the portion sizes, they were still priced in the mid-high range. Though the food was decent, I am not sure I will return.

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. <br/><br/>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.

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!<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.

A bit disappointed at this place. The best part was the free popcorn. For the price I think we could have had some better dishes. Our deep fried squid was undercooked and tasted like warm rubber bands.

We arrived for dinner for a 6:30 pm reservation, had a wonderful meal, and were then, asked to leave at 8:40 pm because people were waiting for our table. When asked to leave we were in the middle of an important discussion among friends who had not seen each other for a long time. <br/><br/>My experience at other restaurants has been when a table is booked for a later reservation the host will tell you and then you know what to expect. Being suddenly asked to leave and rushed out the door - even while our tab was at 200.00, ruined, for me, what was a lovely evening. Very disappointing and will not recommend.

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.

The food is good ish, the drinks are actually surprisingly great but as are most places in Calgary overpriced but to be expected however the service is absolutely appealing. We have been a couple of times once with a group of 4 and the other time a group of 8 and both times were truly unfortunate.

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.<br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>Overall, excellent.

How many times have you walked past this blue establishment besides Ox and Angela on the bustling 17th Ave and wondered what it is called? I always had the urge to go into the restaurant and ask the staff “what’s the name of your restaurant?”, but ended up feeling ashamed of my ignorance. Until one day my friend recommended “Cleaver” to me. Then, I made the connection. Haha, how obvious was that?!

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 <br/>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. <br/>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. <br/>I recommend this place to everyone and we certainly will be back.

After much anticipation, we were surprisingly disappointed. We started with the kale tempura, which had way too much batter and was basically thick deep fried batter with pieces of soggy kale - not appetizing at all. We also ordered the beef and cheese sliders. They looked fantastic, but really lacked flavor. Now the good news. We ordered the strip loin steak which was flavorful and cooked perfectly. We also had the Parmesan kale salad which with chicken which was also rich and flavorful. Portion sizes were also really good. At the end of the day, my low rating of Cleaver was based on the fact that only 2 out of 4 dishes were satisfactory. One other note - staff were prompt and friendly.

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 ;)<br/><br/>Lola was amazing at the bar, food was too beautiful to eat, cocktails were endlessly good...<br/><br/>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 :)

How many times have you walked past this blue establishment besides Ox and Angela on the bustling 17th Ave and wondered what it is called? I always had the urge to go into the restaurant and ask the staff “what’s the name of your restaurant?”, but ended up feeling ashamed of my ignorance. Until one day my friend recommended “Cleaver” to me. Then, I made the connection. Haha, how obvious was that?!

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!

At an expensive restaurant like Cleaver, I have high expectations on the quality of the food and service. But both were lacking on the day we visited. The staff was friendly, but the service was slow. The food was unsatisfactory and overpriced. The only dish I liked was the bone marrow chimichurri, while the rest was so so. An average bar can make better wings, burgers, and fries.

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.

Overpriced and underwhelming. Wait staff is rude, and they barely wait on you. The food isn't very good at all. We even took a dish back and ordered something else that we knew was decent because we had ordered it in the beginning (the tuna lettuce rolls) which they couldn't even roll the pieces of tuna, they were too big and the lettuce was minuscule. The dishes we had were very fatty and poor quality for the price. The beet salad was awful, the cheese was hard and tasted stale along with the croutons. They won't even give you dressings, no hot sauce (for the hot sauce lover) or ketchup for the stale fries. They say their cocktails are doubles but if you watch them make it, they look like singles, we were sat at the bar all night and watched them make them. We ordered 5 dishes between the 2 of us, it was either stale or poor quality. And we left hungry. High prices for poor quality and portion size.The host was nice and did his best to accommodate, unfortunately didn't make up for the food or bartender. Overall we won't be back and don't recommend.

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.<br/>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!

Have an attitude I can't deal with. Menu was decent. Would not go again. <br/><br/>They have a my way or no way attitude. <br/>You sit where your told. <br/>You eat what you get. <br/>You publish a bad review and it's your duty to call the manager and complain. <br/><br/>Yes. I totally agree. But I like to draw the line. <br/>For me, when I go to places, I always talk with the manager or owner. <br/>Never happened here.

Cleaver makes two wicked sliders. We order the trio ($24) The soft shell crab was hot, meaty and full of goodness. I was surprised that I thought the buttermilk chicken was as good or better than the crab slider. The two layers of chicken was crunchy and juicy. The cucumber ribbons added a lightness to the burger, and the slices of apple added a sweetness.

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. <br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.

Came here with a friend for #ABBurgerFest after seeing their burger on Instagram.<br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>Restaurant Decor:<br/>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.<br/><br/>Food:<br/>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.<br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>Overall:<br/>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.

Clear disregard for their customers!. The management at this restaurant has no interest in their customers and should not be in the hospitality industry. After we told our server that we were not satisfied with the tuna sandwiches, as well as the fries we were told "that if you told us earlier we could have done something about it." When we further enquired if there was anything that could be done to compensate our poor experience were later told that "our manager is picky about how much you eat before you does that kind of stuff." We will not be returning and I do not recommend this restaurant at all - there are far better options on 17th Avenue with management that understands that their customers are the backbone of their business!

Worst restraunt ever. They took an hour to bring the food to the table after I waited for 20 minutes for a glass of water. I explained to them that i have a gluten allergy and they served me bread. I had an allergic reaction to something the fed me and I spoke to the owner who was entirely rude and self righteous told me that it was my mistake for ordering what I did. {I will never dine here again.

Don't sit at the bar .. My boyfriend and I went out to celebrate his birthday , and when we arrived the host was so kind to notice that I pregnant and offer to change our table from the bar to a table once one was ready. We were seated at th bar in the mean time ,<br/> not only did it take the bar tender 5 minutes to ask if we wanted water ,<br/>It took him another 15 minutes to ask if we would like something else to drink. I order a virgin ceaser and him a beer. So when my ceaser arrived all that was it in it was ice and clam juice that being said the only reason why I order a ceaser was to get all the extra goodies that granish one ( DUHHHH , I'm pregnant ! ) so I asked the bartender " do I not get the toppings ? His response was " its a virgin " and in disbelief I replied with " I'm pregnant , the only reason why I order one was to get all that stuff " he hesitated and grab me a stick of celery and tossed it <br/>Into my glass with nothing else ( it comes with , a piece of bacon , pepper , beat and grilled lime ) I was so upset that I wanted to leave , his attitude and professionalism was not one I expected from a place like that or from a bar tender , there job is to please and entertain the guess. We sat at the bar for another 28 minutes before he asked if we wanted to<br/>Order food off the menu. We were clearly there to eat and NOT Drink with me being 8 and half Months pregnant and us discussing the menu between the two of us. Both of us were so upset that we were ready to leave after our drinks, I asked the host if our table was almost ready and he told us it would be about ten more minutes so we give them the benefit of the doubt and waited<br/>For our table. Once seated ,<br/>Our server was amazing and the food was great !

Food was okay. Highlights were the polenta, the striploin, and the Yorkshire pudding. Unfortunately the service was sub par. The wait staff are very helpful in accommodating dietary concerns but they seem to have mixed priorities when it comes to serving the table and taking orders. For instance, we ordered a bottle of wine and the server wanted to put away the tray before opening and serving the wine. Also, they wanted to open another table' swine after asking us what we needed.

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!

Mediocre food, horrible service. I went in a group of 7. We had a reso for 7:30. 5 of us had arrived on time and two friends (travelling together) were not here yet. <br/><br/>We ordered 3 appetizers to start with and some drinks. It was now 7:50. My friends were looking for parking at the time. then the hostess comes up to our table with two guests and tells us its been an hour and that she needs to take a table away. <br/>I told her our reso was at 7:30 and she said yes. Then I told her that it's only been 20 minutes and that we ordered food and drinks already and guess what she said? - "do you want me to call my manager?"<br/><br/>Funny thing is, my friend just then arrived. Food was mediocre (6 appies and steak), the steak we ordered took 40 mins and it was bleeding raw. I couldn't eat it. We will not return. They're all about turning the tables for more money. Management and servers alike.

Loved its. I'm surprised to see so many bad reviews. I had fantastic wine, food and service at this restaurant!!

Great service. Went here for dinner with a friend and had excellent service. I ordered the trio sliders with two beef and one chicken. When the beef sliders weren't to my taste(they are made of wagu beef and that's not mentioned on the menu) the server took them away and didn't charge for them. She didn't try to justify the flavour or tell me I was wrong, she simply took care of it. I really appreciated the service and attention to satisfaction. <br/><br/>The chicken sliders and salted caramel dessert were to die for. Can't wait to go back!

Very disappointed. This was my 3rd time at Cleaver & the service was terrible. I waited 45min to get my table that I had made a reservation for a month ago. I brought my friends there for a very special occasion & having to wait that long had everyone very frustrated. I want to mention that this has happened the other two times I came to this restaurant, waiting over 45 minutes, with a reservation. We didn't have anyone apologize to us or even attempt to comp an appetizer/drink. And to top it off, our waitress that evening was not very attentive nor friendly. We had a few questions about the menu & she didn't seem knowledgeable enough to answer. For a regular returning client who has spent a fair amount of money at your restaurant, the service was terrible and unfortunately I will not be referring more friends to Cleaver.

Excellent restaurant. We went to Cleaver to celebrate the 25th birthday of my son and we were surprised with the quality of the dishes and cocktails and the nice atmosphere of the restaurant. Of course that Cleaver is Calgary 17 AV restaurant that I will recommend to my friends.

we bundled up in the midst of a snowstorm and headed out to give Cleaver a try. The name sounds pretty daunting – like the title of a horror-film – but the inside, and the food, are nothing to be scared about. ..Everything was really good value – the chicken for two was $37, which is less than you would pay for a single steak at those “luxury” spots. The place is great for a group of close friends, a date, or even a family get-together.

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.....<br/><br/>We felt a bit rushed but other than that it was a good experience.<br/><br/>The highlight was hands down the whole chicken! The fries in duck fat tasted amazing as well.<br/><br/>Great drinks, cool vibe, would go back.

Excellent fast food. I have been to Clever 3 times now and each and every time they deliver the food too fast. Last night, we ordered cocktails to start and specifically asked the server to hold off on the food until we finished them. She said that would be fine. Two sips into my martini, all of our tasting plates arrived at once. This happened the last time I was there as well. Same waitress oddly enough. My request was once again completely disregarded. We wanted to enjoy each dish one at a time but with all five dishes arriving at once, some went cold while we made our way through each one. We felt rushed and I think I know why. There was a line up at the door so believe the waitress wanted us in and out quickly in order to max out her tips for the night. I left a $30 tip on a bill of $185 (multiply by 6 tables in her section) and at that rate, understand why she wanted to keep her tables turning over at a very rapid pace. Within an hour, our dinner was for the most part over. Not what we had planned for the night. The food is excellent but never a relaxing experience for us. As soon as we finished our last mouthful, the bill was presented with statement from the waitress "no rush". She kept walking back and forth looking to see if I pulled out my credit card so I did as we were totally over getting the bums rush. It was a birthday celebration so after paying the bill and departing, we went down to Cibo to have a nightcap. The bartenders were warm and engaging, we sat there for the next several hours relaxing and having fun. So my recommendation is to head down to Cibo where you are welcomed to stay as long as you like.

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.

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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.

Horrible staff and management. Went for a dinner party and was not impressed with our server or the owner. We had found a sizeable piece of plastic packaging in one of our plates. It was shown and given to our waitress. With no real acknowledgement, I inquired if they were able to do anything about it. She said that since most of the dish had been consumed, they were unwilling to do anything. I asked to speak with the manager however was unresponsive (didn't come to talk to us) and I had to approach him on my own. I explained to him what we had found in the food and he was very arrogant and defensive, insisting it was edible casing. He refused to believe for a second that the plastic was something other than casing. Thanks but I think I know the difference between casing and plastic.<br/><br/>There are a lot of things that define good restaurants and one of them is how staff including management interacts with customers. It's was never about taking the item off the bill - it's about having the decency to respond to customer inquiries professionally and being willing to listen - none of which was attempted. The plastic was definitely unappetizing but the reason I will not be returning is how the staff handled it.

Take what you get and shut up. The service we had at Cleaver was downright rude.. perhaps we shouldn't have been surprised by this as the restaurant's "commandments" are stated on the wall which include statements such as "no you cannot sit where you want," "yes all our food is good," "yes this is is all we have" and "no you cannot customize the menu" among other stiff remarks. I am a vegetarian and am used to having to customize menu options in order to make my meals meat-free, but this was not an option at cleaver. I was told I could have the salad.. that's it... Clearly I never should have eaten here and won't be recommending it either...

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!

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. <br/>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! <br/>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

Expensive with mediocre food. The restaurant has the tables too close together. The people at the table next to us were listening in on our conversation. They ran out of Pilsner beer and all the other beers were specialty beers. It didn't have a pleasing smell. The meat portions of the sliders were too big. For the price, my party wasn't wowed by the food. The waitress was great though. She really knew the food and made accurate recommendations on all the drinks, portion sizes, and food.

Nothing about this place to like. They ran out of one (of only two) main entrée choices before it was even 7 o'clock. And the place wasn't even half full. Entrées were served... and then our server brought the appetizers. Huh!?! Service left much to be desired. Wine selection is poor. Prices are too high for the quality. Won't be going back.

WHY BOTHER?. Beautiful cozy room! Takes me to Dublin in feel. The menu reads well, but...that's where good times end.<br/>3 of us decide to give Cleaver a try before the Flames home opener. Room was more 3/4 empty, we were told to sit outside(it was not warm out) as all tables were reserved. Not even offered seats at bar. no problem...our waitress, after at least 15min of waiting, when her conversation with her other servers hanging out at the bar was concluded, was rough, rude and sarcastic. Not great start...we asked for recommendations, she had none and when asked about some menu items, she didnt have a clue about menu ingredients. Ok, not being picky, but really? Pretty basic to have menu knowledge. We ordered a bunch of things to share. one of each slider,kale salad and lamb lollys. The sliders were small and bland! Lamb lolly's were chewy, and the kale salad was actually good! When we commented to the waitress the the lamb and sliders were not great, she just walked away! Impossible to get a drink, as she ignored our table. We had finished and decided to try dessert. Dirty plates sat on the table for 20 min, before the hostess actually cleared our table, we had to ask her to send our waitress by. More rude and sarcastic demeanor, awesome...how does this person work in the industry? <br/>Chocolate cake of some sort with a big lump of marsh mellow guk on top.We did not finish it. we actually had to chase down our waitress to pay our bill.<br/>This place is not cheap, they did nothing to address our food complaints, service was atrocious, and all the so called reservations did not show or something. Either way 4 empty tables right in front of us inside the entire time we were there.They did not offer to move us.<br/>Why bother opening a restaurant if you do not deliver on a darn thing? Will never go back or recommend to anyone. Too many alternatives that want your business that are not arrogant, overpriced,underwhelming and rude.

Would not go back if they offered me a free meal. I was there about 3 weeks ago, to come in for dinner. Place looked nice, but the everything else was horrible. I walked in, and found all the staff hovered around the owner, who was seated at the bar, showing the staff something on his phone. When someone finally saw the 2 of us, we were finally seated.<br/><br/>For a new place we would think everything would be balanced and looking new....but no. They had can lids balancing there tables, spotty tins that your utensils come in(seriously what the hell is that), and their patio furniture looks like its from Ikea. The tables were a joke, wobbly a the size of a kiddy table.<br/><br/>We both started off with a couple cocktails, and they were nothing special. I had there spin on a Manhattan, which I have drank many before, and I have to say it did not live up to it. My date had the randy granny, some kind of gin cocktail with a rhubarb candy garnish, a very tasteless drink. With our cocktail, they brought a coffee cup of porcorn...it was burnt and full of seeds still.<br/><br/>We looked at the menu, and as we thought about everything else we worried about the food. But we said we would try the Yorkies....mistake on our part. We barely ate, and decided to leave and go to another restaurant. Have to say, very disappointed about the whole experience and we will not be back .