By Kylie Jones
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
When James Clark moved to Baltimore after graduating from the University of Ontario, he had dreams of opening his own restaurant. Inspired by the flavors of Canada and his own restaurant background, he was determined to bring this concept to life.
After partnering with his brother-in-law, Scott Donnelly, who also has experience in the
industry, he was able to turn that dream into a reality by opening Clark Burger—a Canadian-inspired restaurant that has been operating successfully for more than a decade.
Clark Burger, located at 5906 York Road, began in 2014 with a simple Canadian staple—poutine. With maple leaves decorating the restaurant and eight types of poutine featured on
the menu, the Canadian inspiration is no secret.
“Late night in college towns in Canada, it’s not just pizza and burgers. Poutine is a big draw,” Clark explained. “Because I had an affinity and a lot of experience with poutine and the Canadian kind of spin on things, that’s the concept I wanted to go with.”
Poutine, or french fries covered in cheese and brown gravy, originates from Quebec and is a fast-food favorite in the country.
Although poutine is where Clark Burger got its start, the restaurant needed something else that would be desirable to the local community. That’s when the owners decided that signature burgers would pair well with the poutine dish.
“Our Clark Burger is our best seller, and there’s a reason for that,” manager Alex Kohler said.
The eponymous burger—one of more than 10 signature burgers on the menu—is stacked with sharp-white cheddar cheese, pickles, smoked bacon, red onion, lettuce and a special Clark Burger sauce. The various patties range in price from $11 to $14.
When asked for his burger recommendations, Kohler shared a personal favorite.
“The turkey burger is actually excellent,” he said. We make that in-house, and it’s kind
of our own special recipe.”
Clark Burger is also known for the freshness and quality of its food. The restaurant uses fresh beef in its burger patties and never relies on frozen meat.
“We don’t cut corners,” Kohler said. “That’s what we pride ourselves on.”
Other popular menu items include crabby fries and signature milkshakes, which range from classic flavors to Canadian-inspired options, including a maple milkshake. Other combinations like the Moonwalker Mint shake and Princess Peaches Pebble shake are also available.
One of the other things that separates Clark Burger from an average burger spot is its full liquor license.
“Having that kind of differentiates us from some of the straight burger and fry places,” Clark said.
Beyond the menu, Clark Burger finds success due to its location next to the Senator Theatre— a Baltimore city landmark—making it a convenient place to stop before or after seeing a movie.
“It’s a huge bonus for us,” Clark said. “We try and cross promote and piggyback on each other’s built-in clientele.”
Over time, Clark Burger has gained regular customers who stop in often for a bite of the handcrafted burgers. The restaurant is open from noon until 9 p.m. daily.
“This is like my fourth time coming here. I enjoy it a lot,” said customer Terry Thompson.
“It’s cool and very close. Sometimes it’s nice to go here before going to the movies.”
The restaurant has also received wider recognition, earning a finalist badge in Baltimore magazine’s 2024 best food and drink poll.
What many customers might not know about the restaurant, however, is the strong family aspect behind the mouthwatering burgers.
In addition to the brothers-in-law working together as business partners, nieces and nephews have also been part of the staff. Clark adds that he even met his fiancée at the restaurant.
“There’s definitely a family dynamic in there, and it’s truly just a family business for sure,” said Clark, pointing out that the dynamic helps to build strong customer service inside the restaurant.
“We have a lot of employees that have been with us for a long time,” Clark said. “I think we just do a really good job of being able to chat with people and kind of figure out what’re the best options to make sure their experience is a positive one.”
With seating inside and outside, the restaurant is a seasonal gathering spot. For some customers, the restaurant has become a place to socialize.
On a recent day, Sonia Thompson sat at a table outside with friends and family.
“We usually come here together,” she said. “I had the Clark Burger with blue cheese, and I really like it.”
Emma Cervone, a professor at Towson University, was also enjoying her meal. When asked about her favorite menu items, she also gave a nod to the Clark Burger.
“I’d also say the selection of beer, the local beers,” Cervone said.
For James Clark, the reassurance from customers reinforces what he believes makes the restaurant work.
“Everything we do, we do well,” he said. “We’re pretty confident that once (people) finally get to order something, they’ll be happy.”