Still deserves 4 stars if not more! The wait is even longer than ever. I remember when they first opened, and the restaurant wasn't always jam packed with a ridiculous waitlist. Now, it is the only way they roll. Came on a beautiful Sunday night at 9:20PM-ish and put our name in for 4 people. They told us our wait would be 45-1hr 15 minutes. We waited at least an hour, if not more. I had the Mourning Wood beer (this was great), and we shared the following, which are ranked in order of deliciousness in my opinion: - Honey Fried Chicken - Bone Marrow Dish - 2 Burgers with a Fried Egg and Bacon - Fries with Garlic Aioli The burger and the fries are very good and tie for 3rd place in my opinion. So many people say this is the best burger they've ever had. I would say this burger is very good. The fried egg gives it this really nice butteriness, and the bacon is just the perfect addition, along with a sizable pickle spear. HIGHLY recommend getting the Honey Fried Chicken. Atmosphere is fun! It's hipster, rustic, and urban with a retro-aspect to it. They played retro-upbeat-80's and 90's music (i.e. the famous song from the movie Rocky) while we were there and that just made us enjoy it even more. It IS worth the wait, if this type of food and experience is your thing. But there will almost always be a wait, so put your name down, and do what the other reviewers have said - grab a drink here (which took us a while), or go for a walk and grab a drink elsewhere. Get in your happy place, and then when they call you to your table, the food will keep you in your happy place. Have fun! read more

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Well bugger me sideways, this is a truly great burger. I flew in from LA on the red eye, and basically came straight from the airport to here, waited around for an hour, and had 'America's Best Burger' for breakfast at 11am. Expectations set so high are seldom met, but this place exceeded them all. Ridiculous. I even dragged back a few friends on our last night in town, so I could selfishly indulge twice on one trip. The burger is richer than Bill Gates so don't expect to feel light as a daisy afterwards, but if you're seeking divine indulgence, this is your Huckleberry. Go get in line right now!! (There was a line both times I went but they take your number and call when your spot is open, not like you need to stand there for an hour or anything. Go grab a pint over the road.) read more

Au Cheval - A modern masterpiece. - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Best burger in Chicago. No one competes. Period. Their single burger with cheese and thick bacon combo is killer. The bacon is not hard and chewy like most places. It's thick and tender with that porky, brothy, warm, foggy sweet flavor. Okay, I sound like Andrew Zimmern of Delicious Destinations, but you get the point. read more

Au Cheval - Single with bacon. Enough said. - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Hate the long line for the original location but once you get in you definitely get what you were expecting...one of the best burgers you've ever had. For me, this is my second favorite burger in the city and that's a HUGE compliment! read more

This place is like a fancy diner. You can expect great greasy food, but with class. Definitely try waiting for a spot at the bar. There are only 4 seats, but it beats waiting in line for 2.5-3hr waitlist. My picks: the foie gras scramble and fries with mornay sauce. The foie gras with scrambled eggs was awesome. So unique tasty. 3oz of seared foie gras mixed with fluffy scrambled eggs. The toast was so good as well. It offset the richness of the scramble. We probably could've asked for more toast so we didn't have to pile on the foie gras with the 4 pieces of toast it came with. Lots of people pick the burger, but there are a lot of places that serve fancy burgers. But how often do you find foie gras scrambles. The fries with the mornay sauce was delicious. The fries were crispy hot from the fryer. The mornay cheese sauce was light, but rich. Awesome for me as a cheese lover. The garlic aioli sauce that came with the fries were good. The gooey yolk from the fried egg spilled over the fries made it extra special. Didn't get a chance to try the drinks, but they had a lot of strong specialty cocktails and tons of beers on draft to choose from. Definitely would have to come back and try the giant dish of bone marrow. Enough to give you a heart attack, but looks amazing. read more

I believe I've said the words "no food is worth an hour+ wait" and "place doesnt live up to the hype" quite a few times in previous reviews. I take that back. I take it alllll back!!! I'm not going to get into too much detail with this review because its pretty much all been said in the previous 1,200 reviews or so: Long wait, but worth it; and they will take your # and text you. Amazing burgers, must get the egg and bacon. Friendly staff. Amazing burgers. Small restaurant with a cool/simple atmosphere. Burger burger burger. Delicious spuds: fries, hash browns and mashed. Did I mention the burgers? How about the bacon? Good beer and craft cocktail list. But in the end - its all about those burgers. Au Cheval is worth the wait, AND lives up to the hype. I hate hate hate waiting for food but I would wait until Chicago was crime and corruption free for an Au Cheval burger. That would be a really long wait, but its THAT good. Plus they'll text me... read more

Best Simplest Hamburger in Chicago Hands down. It melts in your mouth and since I eat gluten free. I cant have a bun but they put it on a hashbrown bun and it is magnificent. The bacon is so thick and perfect The fries.. Oh the fries, best fries in Chicago. read more

Best Burger in Chicago. The wait is worth it. The bacon in the Burger is so thick. Add an egg too. read more

Foie gras scrambled eggs Hash with duck heart gravy Fries with mornay sauce (mehh), garlic aioli (mmmmm), and fried farm egg Cheeseburger a cheval (we added bacon, you can also add an egg, or BOTH!) The above is one of many recipes for deliciousness, near-heart attack, and food coma at Au Cheval. Table for 3, please! 45 minute wait for Sunday brunch. Luckily, they take down your digits and text you when your table is ready. We ended up going to the juice bar down the street for a large cup of freshly squeezed OJ to hydrate and detox from the night before. The wait ended up being only 30 minutes, hooray! Brunch was phenomenal and I felt absolutely disgustingly stuffed. In my opinion, you should share these plates so you can try a bit of everything, but also because the portions here are sooooooo big! You'll probably get tired of whatever you order if you don't share. If we could do it again, we'd knock off one of the four items we ordered (can't decide which one). We definitely could have used the help of 1-2 more people. I've heard the burger is life changing from my friend's coworker. It was pretty good, but do I feel like my life has changed? Not really, aside from feeling chubbier. After brunch, we walked about to my friend's apartment and all of us PASSED OUT on the floor and couch. I kid you not. I'm interested in trying the dinner here. Too bad I don't live in Chicago. Oh well, I'll just have to visit again! read more

Au Cheval - Foie gras scrambled eggs, hash with duck heart gravy, fries with a farm egg, burger a cheval - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went back for dinner and again left feeling like I was in food euphoria. My friends and I once again got the crispy fries w/ mornay sauce and bone marrow, and once again we were not let down. New additions to our dining experience included: -Chopped chicken liver, salted butter, and toast: this was pure heaven. The liver was delicious and had nice big chunks (think a rough ground beef). I am definitely ordering this again every time I come back to Au Cheval -Double cheeseburger w/ fried egg and thick cut peppered bacon: I made the fatal mistake of not ordering this my 1st time here (and instead trying bites of my friend's), and I would not make that mistake again. As stated in my previous review, this burger is life-changing. Bread: perfect. Patties: awesome. Bacon: thick. Egg: beautiful. Overall: AH-MAY-ZING. I like to think I have a pretty big appetite and can finish most dishes, but this double cheeseburger was definitely a struggle to eat. I'd say go for the single cheeseburger (if you're getting it w/ bacon and the egg) and that will leave you feeling full; the double cheeseburger (again, w/ bacon and the egg) will leave you feeling STUFFED (but in a good, lemme-unbutton-my-pants-I'm-so-happy way, not a gross way). Either way, MAKE SURE YOU GET THE BURGER (preferably w/ bacon and the fried egg) The servers here know their beer. I had the saisonnière last time per our server's recommendation, and that was great. Tonight, I was in the mood for an IPA and our server recommended the heyoka ipa, which was on point. I told myself that while I'm in Chicago, I'm only going to eat at each food establishment once (so that I can experience as many restaurants as possible), but amazing food places like Au Cheval are making that impossible. I'm not complaining, though - keep up the awesomeness, Au Cheval! read more

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My first visit we meandered around the west loop for 3 hours waiting for our name to be called for Au Cheval-no biggie. The bar and sitting area is cozy and modern. I like to sit at the bar to watch the blood and sweat go into dishing out these melt-in-your-mouth burgers made from humble beginnings-fresh beef patties, thick sliced bacon, secret sauce, and american cheese- you know the stuff comes packaged between plastic sheets? Must be the melting point. The single patty is actually two with a slice of said cheese product lovingly wedged between. I opt for an egg and/or bacon as both are luxurious and filling toppings. My SO and I will usually just split a burger and on our last visit a friendly regular bequeathed us her fries! They were my favorite, skinny and crisped. Goes great dipped in the marrow bone and beef cheek marmalade dish. I love that the kitchen is late night and the food is greasy glamorous. Au Cheval is worth the wait! Try a house cocktail or two while you do. read more

I've read the owner isn't big on Bon Appetit's declaration of Au Cheval having the "Best Burger in the World" (see link for Eater article) but I would like to say its one of the best burgers I've had and its not just because of the burger... ...it's also for the atmosphere and overall dining experience! Dimmed lights, closer seating arrangements and tunes that range from funk, synthetic pop, lounge and soul-hop make this diner feel like a modern day hub for "hip" in West Loop. If you're going to grab a seat, you should expect to wait for at least 30 mins but that's not necessarily a painful experience. Au Cheval has a pretty sound method to tackle the infamous "waiting for a table". Once they get your phone number, you're free to leave the restaurant until your table is ready, which is communicated by a series of personal text and not those awkward and at times confusing auto-generated messages - and that's something that's really appreciated! You're free to go an explore the West Loop until your meal is ready and there's quite a bit to see in the near couple block. Even if exploring isn't a thing for you, you can slide into a nearby restaurant or bar for a quick drink! Once you've received that text saying your table is ready, you'll walk into the hip atmosphere and have access to some of the best food and "down to earth" staff. If you can manage to sit at the bar - which highly recommend, you'll have a prime view of the chef-staff doing work on all of the orders. The staff can always make great recommendations but you should really go for the Cheeseburger if there's no dietary restrictions stopping you. The waiter / waitress will ask about food allergens and present the options for additional toppings (bacon or egg for the burger). Caution on ordering side items unless you're beyond hungry or splitting meals with someone as the cheeseburger itself will suffice. One note worthy item for the beer drinkers of the world - Last I checked, Au Cheval does serve Allagash Black which seems to be harder to find than Allagash White and with good reason - the flavor is far more of a milder spice that is very soothing and only adds to the hip atmosphere at Au Cheval! Resuming back to your meal - the food is usually served in a more than timely manner. Note that the burgers might get a bit messy but that's what keeps things interesting, right? All in all, Au Cheval offers a fairly simple menu with a delicious twist to almost every item on the menu in a hip environment. Does it have the best burger in the world - maybe, but it for sure offers one of the best dining experiences around a burger and that's a reason you should check it out! http://chicago.eater.com/2015/4/15/8393037/au-cheval-burger-week-the-hot-dish#4716834 read more

Au Cheval - Crispy fries - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Five stars for the bacon alone. Get there early tho. The chilaquiles are great if you're looking for something with a little more brightness than the burger. I'm not sure if they always have them or if that was just a brunch special. Great bar program too. read more

SO MUCH HYPE. I tried this place TWICE. First time I went on a Saturday afternoon (around noon, stupidly enough) & waited 2+ hours for a table for 2. Got so drunk off drinks at one of the (many) bars on this strip of restaurants that I barely remembered the burger. I thought the booze was impacting my taste buds.. Second time went on a Wednesday afternoon after 1pm with a group of 8 & got seated RIGHT AWAY. That's the move. So, giving credit where credit is due.. BEST BLOODY MARY EVER. They put sweet pickles in it & it was the best thing ever. Hands down best best BEST bloody mary. The only reason I gave 3 stars vs. 2 was for the bloody mary. I would actually go back & wait in line for the bloody mary. Holy shit, it was so good.. When it comes to the entrees/burgers, meh. The french fries-- fine. But if you're a burger joint that fucks up french fries, you got bigger probs. The regular fries were not memorable but the fries + garlic aioli = good. Aioli is really good but it's garlic + mayo so I don't see a lot of ways that can go wrong either. The duck confit hash was soo whatevers that no one at our table ate it. When it comes to the burger.. I got it with the bacon AND the egg which might have made it even heavier than usual but that's how it's recommended, right?! It's very messy. Prohibitively so. It squeezes out everywhere so you mash down the bread to fit it in your hands & mouth & it becomes a big, mushy pile of meat & cheese. Love me some bacon but the kind here is too thick for me personally. Also, there are no greens at all! The burgers are too thick, too heavy, too meaty. I dunno. Maybe I need to go back a third time to try the burger without the bacon or the egg.. Bread & meat is a good combo right? Would go back for the Bloody Mary for sure. read more

Au Cheval - Best Bloody Mary I've ever had - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Au Cheval was excellent. Many were turned away but I got 1 seat at the bar at 3:45pm. The interior is dark and cozy even on a hot humid summer day in the Windy City. I enjoyed a lovely glass of Pinot Noir with a single cheese burger with fries. The pickles were fresh cucumbers pickled the day I walked in- thinly sliced only slightly sweet but crisp and flavorful like right out of the garden. Anyone with a small mouth will be challenged here with the height of the single burger. They plant the knife artistically in the middle of the burger. You'll need it to cut your burger into pieces to eat it. The fries were good with the perfect garlic aioli - that just off the farm earthy potato taste was present. I couldn't eat desert, but one rolled by my bar seat and all I could was glare - so wonderful looking. This is the Best burger I have had in a long time. read more

Finally after living in Chicago for over 8 years, I had my first Au Cheval burger - and from the comfort of my own living room! I had originally planned to order Small Cheval, but by the time I started ordering, it was too late (this is around 8 or so). To my surprise Au Cheval was still accepting orders though. I've had Small Cheval dozens of times, but had never actually had the opportunity to try Au Cheval. The hour plus wait was always daunting to me. Anyways, I was excited to see they were still offering delivery and thought, "what the heck". I ordered the "double" cheeseburger with "bacon" - forgetting that a double at Au Cheval is THREE patties, and the bacon is pork belly. Was I mad at my decision? Absolutely not! Was the burger way more than I could finish? Absolutely yes! Three large patties, cooked to perfection, layered with melted cheese, creamy dijonnaise, with pickles and onion, with a huge slab of marbled pork belly, all on a lightly toasted buttery bun. I mean what more could you ask for? They arrived hot and ready to eat. The fries with the garlic aioli were also amazing! Those needed to be popped in the air fryer, but still were crispy and delicious! If this is how good their burger tasted delivered, I can only imagine how good having it in house must be. I now totally understand the hype and the hour wait. It is worth it! Looking forward to when things get back to normal and I can dine-in! Thanks Au Cheval for meeting every expectation I had. read more

This place absolutely lived up to my expectations. I highly recommend the single burger with a fried egg and bacon. The bacon is similar to billionaires bacon in San Fran (candied bacon). I came at 4:50 on a Wednesday and there was no wait. I was waiting for a friend so I sat at the bar. By 5:30 when my friend arrived there was a 2 hour wait but since I arrived earlier I was first on the list. read more

Au Cheval - Single cheese burger with bacon and a fried egg - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A must-go-to spot in Chicago. It would get 5 stars if it weren't for the unavoidable long wait. There are only 5 or 6 seats at the bar that are available for "first come, first served" customers. Some people can be so rude and sit at those seats for literally 2 hours ordering drink after drink while people behind them have been standing up waiting for their spot to have dinner.. That's what happened to us, lol. Wish there was a time limit on those seats! Otherwise if you want to put your name on the waiting list, you'll probably get a 2-2.5 hr wait.. But, it's so worth it! I'm not even a burger person but those things are delicious. The single for burger has two beef patties on it, so eating the whole thing is a real accomplishment.. Loved every bite. The waitress was soo nice and you can order drinks while you wait for your seat or table. read more

Au Cheval - The single cheeseburger with a fried egg.. Delicioussss! - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Three words: Wow wow wow! I have never really cared too much for "gourmet" burgers, because to me, they're just embellished buns and meat patties. Tasting the Single Cheeseburger here really just opened up my appetite for burgers and search for the best burger in Chicago even though Au Cheval set the bar incredibly high! After waiting an hour to get seated at the bar on a Monday around 3:00 (if it was this busy on a Monday, this place has to be good), my friend and I both ordered the Single, hers with a fried egg on top and mine with a side of fries. Sitting at the bar was actually really fun, because we got to see the woman expediting the orders and the cooks preparing their dishes. One of the yolks popped on another person's fried egg as the woman was cleaning the plates and so she sent it back before serving it, she also checked each bone marrow with a spoon to check their doneness. This just shows how important consistency and quality are to the people at Au Cheval. The Fries with a side of garlic aioli sauce came out first and wow...that sauce is amazing!! The fries were perfectly golden and crispy and every bite led to heaven. When our burgers came out with two parties, we thought our server had given us the wrong order, but we soon learned that a Single comes with Two patties and a Double comes with three. The parties were all evenly cooked to perfection, each burger with 5 slices of pickles, a generous topping of this white sauce, and a slice of Kraft's cheese! The egg on my friend's burger was perfect. read more

Au Cheval - Single Cheeseburger! - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Burgers are my ultimate happy food and I've had too many to count, yet Au Cheval has consistently been on a completely different level. It is so far and away my favorite burger, the wait is absolutely worth it. Whatever you do, make sure to get as much bacon as you can eat. read more

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[Out-of-towner Review] When someone tells you go to the place where they've had the best burger in that city, do you listen? I sure as hell did, especially when said advice is coming from a trained professional chef! That being said, being in town for the IFT tradeshow, I was in need of a great dinner spot. As my inner-fat-kid would have it, we taxied over to Au Cheval for the elusive burg. Funny, this little corner spot reminds me of something straight out of SF - the vibe, the décor, the menu, everything. I'm totally okay with that, but to go to the MW only to find something so similar to my West Coast eateries was interesting. Space is limited so reservations are suggested. I was also told that if it was too busy, add your name (and cell phone number) and go drink at the various local bars/eateries while you wait. Luckily for us we didn't have to wait, we were seated immediately. The menu is small in items, large in size. I had fun pretending to decide what I was going to have, when in reality we all know I was there for the burg. But do I add bacon or make it a double? Being on the conservative side I added bacon and kept it a single. Literally, out came a perfect burger. There should have been theme music playing...what song would match such an occasion is still questionable. It was definitely an ah-ha moment when that bad boy was set down at my table. The bun was perfectly toasted; the cheddar cheese was oozing off the double patties. There were two patties for the single portion; the flavor of the beef is what makes this burger over the top - something special, not sure what it is but its ahhhh-mazing! Simple in nature, they add pickles (gross, removed immediately) and finely diced red onions (think McD's, by no means is this a comparison). I believe they offer an aioli on this, but I think I asked for it on the side. Bacon or bacon, this isn't your average bacon. These were to stripes of the thickets, juiciest, tastiest bacon delicacies I've consumed. They were huge in flavor and portion, needless to say - the culmination of these attributes makes this one of the BEST burgers I've ever had. We did order a salad to start and adult beverages, both of which were great. But my love for the burg leaves me lacking the wit or knack to expand upon them. I was able to shovel down one scoop of chocolate gelato, post burger coma, and it was light and delicious. It was simple, but a perfect way to sedate me for my ride home. Their burger was a game changer...you're welcome! read more

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Their burger was definitely a must have item. We had it with thick-cut bacon and egg. We also shared general Jane's honey-fried chicken with chili, sesame seeds & cilantro and fries. It was a lot of food for two of us. I would definitely like to go back and try some other items. read more

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There's not a lot of places that I can say are worth the wait as au cheval is. They make a mean burger, my favorite, so I get how they got the title of one of Americas best burger joints. Very well deserved. I love the rest of the food as well! Their dessert cake is mouth watering good and I loved the ham and cheese fondue. But my very favorite dish is the bone marrow. I've never had it before coming here and I have to say- au cheval RUINED bone marrow for me. I've had it at other places since and it just isn't as good. That's the one thing I will always come back for. One note though-if only two people are dining and you order the bone marrow as an appetizer- you most definitely will not be finishing your meal (although I can't finish their burger even without an appetizer). Love love love this place. read more

Au Cheval - The dessert - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Tried this restaurant out last night. And it was pretty good! Had a nice vibe, waitress was attentive, and the chicken that I had was decent. read more

Went for an early lunch on a Tuesday and only waited 15minutes. Burgers, fries and pickles were very good. Service was good except we got forgotten from a beverage standpoint after our meals were served. Small, cozy, hipster atmosphere. I don't think I'd wait the 2 hours that are typical here but I'm very glad I can now say I had one of their burgers! read more

Au Cheval - Single burger with egg - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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You know a place will be good if they have a separate "with eggs" section on their menu. Expect a wait anytime after 4pm. If you're wanting to get a taste of what has been deemed Chicago's best burger, then it's probably worth the wait. Unfortunately, the burgers (oddly put under "sandwiches" on their menu) here do not come with fries. Which means, you must order them as a starter and with a fried farm egg. Crispy, well-seasoned, and pipin' hot! Along with the fries, I suggest wetting the pallet with general jane's (who dat?) crispy honey-fried chicken. Sweet, tangy, and quite tender. In addition to the confusion caused by being under "sandwiches" on their menu, the cheeseburgers are double what the name suggests: "single" means double patties, and "double" means quadruple patties. I suggest the former, for both your arteries sake as well as a balanced meat-to-bread ratio. The cheeseburger meat is cooked quite perfectly to a medium-rare, and not over-mashed, which has a meaty consistency in texture. Well-seasoned and tasty, yet very simple. The simplicity allows the burger to bring out it's basic and main ingredients in a very clear way so that you appreciate all that is has to offer. As if that wasn't eggcellent enough, the fried and runny egg surely finishes the burger quite well. Overall, great burgers, worth the wait only if you're a burger enthusiast and feel like you must try for yourself what the hype is about. read more

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Was voted #1 burger in america so I knew i had to try it one my trip to chicago. Came here on a saturday night at 8 pm and guess how long the wait was.......... 4.5-5 hours!!!!! I could have sworn my ears weren't working correctly cause how is that even possible!?!? How do you even predict a wait time for that long?? I was expecting at most a 2 hour wait but 5...??? NO. Thankfully au cheval has 6 bar seats that are first come first serve where you just wait behind whoever is eating and take the seat once they leave. Doing this, I only had to wait a little over an hour which isnt bad. I ordered the Au Cheval burger with the bacon and a fried egg and comes with a pickle. The single comes with 2 patties which is more than enough to make you full! I feel like double would have been such a battle to eat. I honestly didn't know what to expect but after my first bite, i was in loveeee. Hands down the best burger i've ever had. The sauce that came with it and the way the meat was cooked just made everything PERFECT. The bacon was thick cut and was such a nice addition to the burger. Since it was 2 patties, it was pretty filling. It came out to around $20 which is pretty expensive for a burger but was so worth! read more

Au Cheval - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I'm back at Au Cheval for lunch and want to update my review! I would give Au Cheval 6 stars if I could!!!!! What was I thinking only getting the Single without the Fried Egg and Bacon????????? Stupid move!!!! You have to try the Double Cheeseburger with Bacon and Fried Egg!!!! AMAZING!!!!!!!! This place just keeps getting better and better!!!!! I don't understand the complaints about the service, the staff at lunch is phenomenal. The complainers probably didn't order the Double Cheeseburger!!!!! By the way, the Double Cheeseburger is really a Triple!!! This should satisfy the big appetites. If not, order more sides!!! This place receives 2 AMAZINGS, AMAZINGS!!!!! read more

Au Cheval - Double with Bacon and a Fried egg! - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The burgers are fabulous, and the fries with garlic aioli are addictive. But let me tell you about two other amazing things: their sesame wings and the OMG fabulous 32 oz. pork porterhouse with foie gras & roasted apples. They were heavenly. We had a tremendously hungry family date last Friday and put in our names at 5-ish PM. We went across the street to Haymarket Pub for a few drinks and were seated in 45 minutes. Our starving bunch had an order of wings for an appetizer and they were sweet and sticky and perfectly fried. They brought us hot towels to clean up (classy!). Then we shared their fantastic burgers and the porterhouse. We divided the leftovers and our half of the porterhouse produced two rich and tender meals later on. Can't wait to go back. P.S. This is a great neighborhood to walk off a big meal on a beautiful summer night. read more

Au Cheval - 32 oz pork porterhouse with foie gras & roasted apples - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I heard the wait times can normally be very long ~ 3 hours for a group. However as I went during a weekday alone I got sat almost immediately and got my beer and food in under 15 minutes. I got the single burger which comes with 2 patties btw, and it didn't disappoint. Be sure to only order fries if you are really hungry as the serving is huge. read more

Au Cheval - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

After arriving at O'Hare on a Friday night, my hubby and I drove straight over to Au Chavel hoping for an amazing start to our Chicago weekend. We got there around 10:30pm and was quoted a 1.5 wait...say WHAT?! It took us forever to find parking and there weren't many other options within walking distance so we decided to stick around and wait. Luckily, it ended up being more like a 40 minute wait. We decided to share the foie gras with scrambled eggs, the crispy fries and a single burger. We didn't add a fried egg on the burger because the other dishes all had egg. Perhaps that was a fatal mistake. The burger was dry and overcooked and who the heck puts horseradish on burgers?! Yuck! I wish they listed it in the description because we were both surprised (or is that a Chicago thing?). Anyways, pass. (Come to the Bay Area and you will know the definition of a great burger...not Au Chavel's.) The crispy fries were meh as well. The garlic aioli was good and the mornay sauce was decent but the dish was nothing to write home about. Au Chavel's only saving grace was the foie gras with scrambled eggs. OMG...they were the best scrambled eggs I ever had. Silky, creamy, eggy goodness...cooked to perfection. The foie gras was cooked in this delicious sauce...not even sure what was in it but it was super rich and delicious. I am salivating right now just thinking about that dish. I may even decide to endure the long wait again the next time we visit Chicago just to have some more foie gras with eggs. Overall, I give them 3.5 stars. If not for the foie gras dish, I would have only given them 2 stars. So yea...go and try the foie gras with scrambled eggs!! Be warned though, everything is super rich and greasy so don't go expecting to enjoy a light meal. read more

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There's nothing I can say that hasn't already been said! Went to the West Loop location at 3:00 pm on a Tuesday afternoon. There was just one party ahead of me and my party of four got in with no problem just 20 minutes or so later. If it hadn't been early in the weekday afternoon, I would've tried one of their unique beers - there are many with various fruits, herbs, and even chocolate flavors to choose from. A bee's knees cocktail would've been great as well. I saw there is also root beer (floats) for those that are so inclined. Sadly there is no happy hour. I tried the single (double patty) burger ($12.95) with the added egg ($1) and bacon ($3.50). Side of fries for $6.25 - they're served with a garlic aioli. The fries are average and a bit too salty but the aioli was great! The burger was well-seasoned, well-dressed, and well-made. It wasn't too greasy or messy. I like how the egg was exactly the same size as the buns, how the onions and garnishes were finely chopped, and that the sauce wasn't overwhelmingly slathered on. Also, that BACON! It was thick yet tender, and a bit sweet as if cooked in brown sugar. Definitely elevated the burger. Finally, it had good height/heft - it was tall but manageable to eat when cut in half or in fourths. The service was good and not pretentious; we did not feel rushed throughout our dining experience at all. Despite all this, I DO NOT think I would wait hours for this burger. Come at an odd time if you want to experience the deliciousness without wasting a chunk of your day. Lastly, the rest of their menu looked bomb and I would be happy to try the foie gras or the honey fried chicken... I'm sure it's just as good as these (understandably) hyped up burgers. read more

I've been here twice, and had no issues with being seated immediately. Once Friday around 2pm and the other on Sunday around 5pm. I ordered a burger, or rather the server strongly encouraged a burger as I was an au cheval virgin. The burger was awesome and definitely worth coming back for. On my second trip I was a bit more enthusiastic about venturing out, and on the recommendation of another server, got the fried chicken. As much as people rave about it on yelp, I will no doubt be ordering the burger next time. The staff are all awesome, it's a bit tiny on the inside but still intimate enough to where you're not on top of another party or overhearing other peoples conversations. Definitely plan to come back with each one of my friends that hasn't been here yet, just to get my fill. read more

The burgers are good, but the hype is too high. I didn't have any complaints on service or taste. But it is ridiculous to wait like crazy when you can order from any of the small cheval locations read more

A must try if your visiting chicago. I love the food here. The wait is pretty long if you come on the weekends, not too sure about the weekdays though. Portion are pretty hefty, prices are very reasonable for the portion sizes. Everything was simply delicious! Foie Gras (5/5) Pork Belly (5/5) Bone Marrow (5/5) read more

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Top 5 burger in town. There are many locations now so dont go tot he main one and wait for an hour .Really good garlic aoli to dip the fries into as well. -Yale Reardon read more

Other than it being expensive, I have no complaints. The burgers (even for takeout) are huge and absolutely delicious. The bacon is cut super thick and was such a good addition as a side dish. Even the fries were delicious. I can't wait to eat there again! read more

I wanted to say the burger is overrated, overhyped, and overplayed, but it really is very good. Is it the best burger I've had in Chicago? It's hard to say, but it is comfortably in the top 5. I think what sets it apart is Au Cheval's attention to detail and the gourmet quality of the meat and all of the burger's components that you can tangibly taste. I also love Small Cheval, but the Au Cheval burger is noticeably a cut above and perfect for when you have that gourmet burger craving. Is it worth a hour+ wait during peak weekend rush... I guess that's up to you, but it is definitely worth a 15-30 minute wait during off-hours. It is truly a burger you have to try for yourself and decide if it is overrated... in my opinion it is not. read more

Everyone always talks about the burger here (which is amazing) but order the fried bologna sandwich - you will not be disappointed. Come when they first open if you aren't a fan of waiting or standing in line. read more

This is a small space but we loved every bite and every second we were there. We went on a Tuesday after lunch rush and didn't have to wait long. read more