Classic Burgers in West Springfield is the rare restaurant that somehow manages to be both inviting and impressive. It threads that needle through its immaculate combination of good food, solid value and retro vibes.
Here, you can order an awesome cheeseburger or a killer milkshake for less than $7 a pop. Then you can sit down in a booth built like an old Chevy Bel-Air, listen to Chuck Berry and pretend you’re back in the ‘50s.
Imagine Five Guys with better vibes and more affordable food. Picture Johnny Rockets, but with quicker service and not located in a casino or mall. Heck, think of it like Friendly’s with an awesome retro setting and all of the ice cream is made in the building.
The restaurant features several booths that look like they’ve been built into the trunks of classic cars. In terms of comfort and atmosphere, it’s hard to imagine a better place to grab an old-school combo of a burger, fries and a shake.
There are plenty of trendy restaurants around Boston where you can pay an arm and a leg for a Wagyu beef burger or get fancy fries with truffle oil. Classic Burgers goes for a more comfortable, throwback vibe — and knocks it out of the park.
Massachusetts Hidden Gems | Classic Burgers in West Springfield
Back in 2014, Harry Anischik and Barry Parker came together to open Classic Burgers as a destination that offered a one-two punch of burgers and ice cream.
Anischik remembers Parker’s original plan to open the restaurant with 40 flavors on the menu.
“I’m like, you really think you’re gonna be able to do all that on top of running a restaurant? I’m like, ‘You’re insane,‘” Anischik remembers saying to Parker.
“He’s like, ‘You really think you’re gonna be able to make all those burgers you were talking about?‘”
Point taken.
Over a decade later, Classic Burgers is still going all-out with its flavors. They operate with a baseline of more than 30 flavors, with more added in the warmer months.
Meanwhile, Anischik is constantly offering different burger specials, like the Crazy Hawaiian, which has pepperjack cheese, honey ham, grilled pineapple, a fried onion ring, and sweet & sour sauce.
There’s more to come, too. Classic Burgers plans to add an ice cream Flurry (similar to a McDonald’s McFlurry or Dairy Queen Blizzard) to the menu starting soon.
What is on Classic Burgers’ menu?
You can’t go wrong with a standard cheeseburger meal deal, which is $12.89 for a cheeseburger, hand-cut fries and a drink.
If you leave room for a medium ice cream ($5.39 for three scoops) or a milkshake ($6.89), you’re still clocking in under $20 for a killer meal that can hang with any burger joint or ice cream stand in the state.
It should be no surprise that Classic Burgers has a handle on, well, the classics. But they’ve also got plenty of creative highlights on the menu.
In addition to burgers, you’ve got a solid selection of fries, hot dogs, chicken tenders, a BLT and pulled pork. They’ve even got a couple of salads for healthy options.
Don’t overlook the soup section, which features chili and a cheeseburger chowder, which is a big hit.
If you look to the specialty burgers, you’ll see ample retro references, including the chili-topped John Wayne and the bacon-packed Clint Eastwood. The James Dean (with jalapeno BBQ sauce, grilled jalapenos, cheddar, and sweet chili aioli) is a big hit.
One of the more recent additions to the menu is the Double Bacon Smash Burger, which is topped with cheddar, bacon, cheddar and a whole bunch of fries.
It’s a big, savory bowling ball of everything good on the menu. You won’t feel healthy after eating. But you will feel satisfied.
If you still have room at the end, make sure to check out the ice cream, whether it’s a sundae, housemade waffle cone or a milkshake (the strawberry milkshake is a specialty).
There’s new ownership, but it’s still Classic
Behind the scenes, there have been some changes in recent years at Classic Burgers. With Parker now retired, a new group of owners has come on board.
One of those new owners is Jas Singh, who got schooled on the art of ice cream by Parker before he left. Now, Singh handles daily ice cream production and also helps out at the register.
While a change in ownership can make some customers wary, there are no plans to change any of the Classic Burgers magic.
“It’s the same burger, same everything,” Anischik says
Anischik isn’t going anywhere. He remains a managing partner who’s playing a key role in mentoring the new crew.
Singh, who is of Indian descent, has heard concerns that the new ownership would make changes, like slipping Indian food onto the menu.
“I don’t want to add butter chicken on the menu,” he says with a laugh. “I don’t want to cook some spicy [food] — I’d like to keep what is here. I won’t want to change anything.“
It’s taken a while, but some of those customers who were unsure about the new owners have started to come around.
Classic Burgers is in Year 3 of its new era. And by the taste of things, they haven’t lost a beat.
What to know about the restaurant
Check them out: Website | Facebook | Instagram
What’s the address? – 1261 Westfield St., West Springfield, MA 01089
What’s the parking situation? – Classic Burgers has its own parking lot with ample spaces.
When are they open? – Here are the listed business hours at the time of writing.
- Monday: 10:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.
- Tuesday: 10:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.
- Wednesday: 10:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.
- Thursday: 10:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.
- Friday: 10:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.
- Saturday: 10:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.
- Sunday: 10:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.
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Mass Hidden Gems is a series highlighting restaurants and other businesses across the Bay State that we think deserve more attention. You can check out the rest of the series here.
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