Hamburger Restaurants in Clarksville

June 14, 2026

A hamburger restaurant offers something a drive-through window or a frozen patty at home cannot: a griddle worked by cooks who season their own beef, a counter where the patty and toppings are built to order, and a dining room where regulars settle in over fries and a drink. Clarksville, in northern Middle Tennessee next to Fort Campbell, has a population of roughly 176,000 as of 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau) and is one of the fastest-growing cities in the state. Its burger scene reflects a college-and-military town, from a longtime handmade-burger joint near downtown to a downtown brewpub and a neighborhood pub with military-themed burgers. These are beloved local rooms rather than national franchises, and their reputations were built one order at a time.

The burger itself comes in several distinct styles across Clarksville, and knowing them helps a diner choose. A classic griddle burger is a thicker hand-formed patty cooked on a flat-top with a juicier center, the style at the city’s longtime burger joints and pubs. A smash burger is pressed thin so the edges crisp and caramelize. Brewpubs and gourmet shops layer house sauces and a range of cheeses, and many spots round out the menu with breakfast, wings, and sandwiches. Most independent burger restaurants in Clarksville handle both dine-in and takeout, and several pair the burger with craft beer brewed on site or a full bar.

Every restaurant serving prepared food in Clarksville operates under a food-service framework administered through the Tennessee Department of Health Environmental Health Program, in coordination with the Montgomery County Health Department. A restaurant must hold a current food-service permit and pass routine sanitation inspections, which score kitchens on cooking temperatures, cold holding, handwashing, and cross-contamination control. Ground beef carries particular food-safety attention because grinding distributes any surface bacteria throughout the patty, so kitchens are expected to cook to safe internal temperatures and to handle raw beef carefully. Prepared food sold by a restaurant is taxed at the full combined sales-tax rate rather than the reduced grocery rate; in Montgomery County that combined rate reaches roughly 9.50%, and it appears on the check for dine-in and takeout orders alike.

A few additional rules shape how a Clarksville burger restaurant runs. Any establishment that serves beer or liquor must hold the appropriate permit, with on-premises liquor-by-the-drink licensing handled through the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) and local beer permits issued through the City of Clarksville. Consumer questions and complaints about a restaurant, from billing disputes to advertising concerns, fall under the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs and the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104). For diners, the practical takeaways are simple: a posted permit and a clean inspection score signal a kitchen following the rules, separating materials from labor on the check clarifies the tax, and confirming hours matters because service windows vary across the city’s burger spots.

Top Hamburger Restaurant Providers in Clarksville

1. O’Connor’s Pub

Address: 1198 Tylertown Road, Clarksville, TN 37040
Phone: (931) 368-4752
Website: https://oconnors.fun
Services: Black Angus burgers, military-themed specialty burgers, wings, appetizers, sandwiches, full bar, trivia and karaoke nights, dine-in, carryout, delivery
Description: O’Connor’s Pub is a Clarksville Irish pub and sports bar that has operated since 2007, drawing on the city’s strong ties to neighboring Fort Campbell with a lineup of military-themed burgers. The menu’s specialty burgers include the Band of Brothers, the 101st Airborne, the Fighting Irish, and the O’C Burger, several built on Black Angus beef with classic toppings, alongside wings, appetizers, and sandwiches. Beyond the food, the pub leans into entertainment, hosting trivia nights, karaoke, fight broadcasts, cornhole tournaments, and volleyball leagues, and it runs an on-site merchandise shop. Open late and built around a community, sports-bar atmosphere, O’Connor’s offers a full pub experience around its burgers rather than a quick counter visit, and the military-themed menu reflects its place in a garrison town.

2. Kelly’s Big Burger

Address: 405 North Riverside Drive, Clarksville, TN 37040
Phone: (931) 647-0985
Website: https://www.kellysbigburgers.com
Services: handmade burgers, bacon cheeseburgers, onion rings, breakfast plates, homemade sides, dine-in, takeout
Description: Kelly’s Big Burger is a longtime Clarksville classic that serves handmade burgers and homemade food at a pair of locations, the original on North Riverside Drive near downtown and a second on Dunbar Cave Road at Swan Lake. The kitchen is known for straightforward, made-to-order burgers, including bacon cheeseburgers, paired with hand-battered onion rings and a short list of homemade sides. Breakfast is part of the draw as well, with early opening hours and plates such as eggs and bacon, giving the spot a diner feel alongside its burger reputation. Customers consistently point to good food, friendly service, and fair prices, the kind of dependable neighborhood cooking that has kept Kelly’s a Clarksville staple. The combination of handmade burgers, a full breakfast, and two family-run locations sets it apart from a fast-food counter.

3. Strawberry Alley Ale Works

Address: 103 Strawberry Alley, Clarksville, TN 37040
Phone: (931) 919-4777
Services: scratch-made burgers, craft beer brewed on site, beer flights, scratch kitchen menu, upstairs taproom with games, dine-in, takeout, catering
Website: https://www.saaleworks.com
Description: Strawberry Alley Ale Works is a brewery and restaurant in a restored brick warehouse in historic downtown Clarksville, combining scratch-made food with craft beer produced on site. The kitchen prepares its recipes fresh from scratch using carefully chosen ingredients, and its burgers are a regular highlight alongside a rotating selection of house craft beers and beer flights. Upstairs, a taproom adds a full bar and games including wall Scrabble, Jenga, cornhole, darts, and shuffleboard, plus space for sports viewing, making the building a downtown gathering spot as much as a place to eat. The restaurant positions itself as a locally owned watering hole where neighbors gather over good food and beer, and the pairing of a scratch kitchen with an on-site brewery distinguishes it from a standard burger counter.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hamburger Restaurants in Clarksville

Q: What permits does a hamburger restaurant in Clarksville need to operate?

A restaurant serving prepared food in Clarksville must hold a current food-service permit and pass routine sanitation inspections administered through the Tennessee Department of Health Environmental Health Program, in coordination with the Montgomery County Health Department. Inspections review cooking and holding temperatures, handwashing, and cross-contamination control. A restaurant that serves beer or liquor must also hold the appropriate permit, with liquor-by-the-drink licensing handled through the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission and local beer permits issued through the City of Clarksville.

Q: How much sales tax is charged on a burger and fries in Clarksville?

Prepared food sold by a restaurant is taxed at the full combined sales-tax rate rather than the reduced grocery rate. In Montgomery County that combined rate reaches roughly 9.50%, and it applies to dine-in and takeout orders alike. The tax appears on the check, and an itemized receipt makes it clear how the food and the tax are calculated.

Q: What is the difference between a smash burger and a classic griddle burger?

A smash burger is a ball of beef pressed thin on a hot flat-top so the edges crisp and caramelize, producing a thinner patty with a crusty exterior. A classic griddle burger is a thicker hand-formed patty cooked through with a juicier center. Several Clarksville spots specialize in one style, so diners who prefer crispy edges or a thicker bite can choose accordingly.

Q: Is the ground beef in a Clarksville burger safe, and how do kitchens handle it?

Ground beef receives particular food-safety attention because grinding distributes any surface bacteria throughout the patty, so kitchens are expected to cook to safe internal temperatures and to keep raw beef cold and separated from other ingredients. Restaurants that grind their own beef or use named cuts often highlight that practice, and a clean inspection score is a reasonable signal that a kitchen follows safe handling procedures.

Q: Do Clarksville burger restaurants offer takeout as well as dine-in?

Most independent burger restaurants in Clarksville handle both dine-in and takeout, and several add delivery and catering. Hours vary across the city, from the early-opening diners to the late-night pubs, so confirming the schedule before a visit avoids arriving after the kitchen has closed for the day.

Q: How do I file a complaint about a Clarksville restaurant?

Consumer complaints about a restaurant, including billing disputes and advertising concerns, can be directed to the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs, which administers the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104). Concerns specifically about sanitation or food safety can be reported to the Montgomery County Health Department or the Tennessee Department of Health Environmental Health Program, which conduct the inspections. Keeping the receipt and any documentation strengthens a complaint.