On Saturday, our plans changed because our friends came down with the flu. Chew Steel suggested we check out a new place for dinner, and I picked Sea Change Brewing Co.’s Skelly Club. My sister-in-law went recently and recommended it as a casual spot for beers and burgers. Let’s listen to Lost Cause for this post.
The name is a mouthful. To break it down, Sea Change is the brewery, and Skelly Club is its taproom. Flat Boy Burgers operates inside Skelly Club, selling burgers, fries and key lime pie. Though it was busy in the early evening, we had no problem finding a small booth. Unlike the Ship and Anchor, where people settle in for the night, tables turned over quickly.
I had to squint to read the menu’s font, and the dim lighting didn’t help. It was that moment I realized I need progressives. The room has a vintage feel, like a well-kept grandma’s basement. With its dark wood and retro decor, it reminded me of a cleaner, more polished Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge in Nashville.
Chew Steel ordered the Death Wave ($8), a light, crisp lager. I picked the Man Crush ($8), a mandarin orange ale that oddly tasted a bit like a grapefruit mimosa. Both were refreshing. Surprisingly, Chew Steel preferred the Man Crush over his lager, as he usually doesn’t like fruity beers.
We both ordered double smash burgers ($14) and shared table fries ($10) with Animal sauce. The bun was fantastic, soft and squishy, and held up to two Angus beef patties. The toppings stayed in the background, with just enough lettuce, onion, tomato and pickle for a little crunch, acidity and freshness. The meat was the focus, crispy, with a deep, browned beef flavour. The two patties were the right size for the bun.
The flat fries were thin and wide. They arrived lukewarm, so they weren’t very crispy, and they were heavily salted. The sauce was fine, but I preferred regular ketchup.
I noticed they have veggie and vegan burgers on the menu, so next time I’m bringing Lululemon. If you want a good burger and a beer without booking hours ahead, the way you have to at Class Clown, Skelly Club is a good bet. Calgary could use more places like it.
For more budget-friendly finds, see my guide to Calgary’s best cheap eats.
