After receiving our seating text, we promptly reported to the outdoor desk, just as the outdoor podium was being pulled in. We informed the hostess who took our name, of our arrival and were told they'd be with us momentarily. However, about five minutes later, a party that had just received their seating text and was standing next to us was seated as soon as they went to the hostess. Concerned we may have been unintentionally overlooked, I approached the host stand. During that moment, I overheard a hostess asking a couple for their name and telling them she'd call them in a minute. My inquiry seemed to create some tension, and shortly afterward, we observed that every other waiting party was called in ahead of us, except for the couple I happened to overhear. This includes a party of 5. We were a party of two. Once my burger arrived, I ordered a root beer, which was delivered by one of the hostesses. The glass was less than half full and the root beer was thick and flat. I decided it wasn't that good. A minute later, our server commented, "Hopefully the rest doesn't take too long." When I looked confused, she asked if we had been told the barrel had run out and they were opening a new one. We hadn't. She apologized, and while this may have been a simple oversight, it further added to our uneasy impression, especially since the initial service also involved a hostess. Add to that, we were served the bottom of the barrel. When the new pour came, it looked and tasted different. Go figure. While I understand that arriving 90 minutes to closing time may present certain challenges, hospitality is a key part of the dining experience. Unfortunately, I left feeling like we weren't entirely welcome; something I've never felt before during previous visits. And what's worse is most of it was intentional. read more

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Hype is Real I'm usually not the person who goes somewhere just because it's "the place to go." Hype and I tend to have a very respectful, long-distance relationship. But Au Cheval absolutely lives up to it and then some. From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere struck that perfect balance of lively and intimate, with a classic diner feel elevated by thoughtful details and an unmistakable Chicago energy. It feels iconic without trying too hard. The food is nothing short of exceptional. The burger and thick-cut bacon, trust me, this is not the moment for restraint is one of the best I've ever had: rich, perfectly cooked, and layered with flavor in every bite. The fries were crispy and indulgent, and the garlic aioli took them to another level. What really stood out was how efficient everything was even during lunch, the service was fast, smooth, and incredibly well-organized without ever making us feel rushed. The staff was warm, attentive, and clearly knows the menu, making you feel taken care of without being overbearing. Yes, there can be a wait, but it's 100% worth it. Au Cheval isn't just hype it's the rare place that actually earns it, and I'll be thinking about (and craving) this meal long after the trip. read more

Au Cheval - Burger with the BACON - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Despite all the hype, it's really an average smash burger. This is a place that has capitalized on social media hype and people wanting to say they've been here and thus are cool and trendy. But it is seriously just a greasy smash burger. Their fries are good, and actually stand out more than the burger. Everything is overpriced. I don't know why people complain about the wait; do some research like a responsible adult. I never just walk into a place and expect to be immediately seated, I call first - like anyone who has some sense. If they tell you the wait is 2 hours and you have 2 hours to kill, there are a bunch of bars in the area where you can have some drinks and an appetizer (and not feel like you're stiffing Au Cheval; they're the ones with the 2 hour wait, what do they expect people to do?) Not much to say about the decor or ambience; it's a typically loud West Loop bar with mostly 20 - 30 somethings all trying to one-up each other with their trendiness that instead makes them all basically clones of each other. It is crowded, and you're a moron if you think any place like this is suitable for your 5 year old. That's not the restaurant's fault - it's not Chuck E Cheese. Often I wish Yelp offered a 1/2 star option, because there are places that are a 4.5 or a 3.5. Not in this case. 3 stars is spot-on. read more

The Best Burgers in Chicago! The food here is absolutely delicious! Every dish we tried was bursting with flavor and cooked to perfection. I Highly recommend the bologna sandwiche, cooked well. The French Fries are freshly cut and perfectly fried with a delicious dipping sauce. Our server and the was staff here is extremely friendly. He made great recommendations. The place is kind of small but it's packed with patrons, that's a good thing. We had about a 30 min wait, but it was definitely worth it! This place is a much try when visiting Chicago. Rate 10 out of 10, I'll certainly be back again read more

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Burger was good and this place is worth checking out if you haven't been before (and are ok with waiting 2+ hours for a table). You should definitely go if you want to see what the hype is about, but this place is a tad overrated in my opinion. I've lived here for a while now and have never really found a reason to come back after the first time. It's great, but I've had a lot of good burgers in Chicago that I like equally as much or more, and those places don't have nearly the wait time. Yeah it's a good burger but it's pretty hard to eat a BAD burger in this city. There are a million places with a great burger, so what sets this place apart? That's the question I came in with, and honestly the question remains unanswered. Good service though, and I like the atmosphere inside. I unfortunately just think this is overrated for the price and if you do some digging, you can find a burger just as good, probably cheaper, that has a fraction of the wait time. read more

Au Cheval - burger - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Best burger in the nation? That's really hard to say, but I would rank Au Cheval as one of the best burgers I've ever had. Absolutely delicious and amazing bacon, smash patties were rich and flavor packed, the egg made it so rich and decadent. The hash browns were amazingly delicious. Crispy potatoes, cheese sauce, bits of meat crumbles. Duck fat fries were pretty incredible too. It's a long wait, but worth it. read more

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Still 5 stars! No wonder they're always packed! After going to a magic show, I wandered downtown and ended up back at one of my favorite spots...Au Cheval. I couldn't resist ordering the chilaquiles again (even though everyone swears by their burgers...I promise I'll try one next time!). I also ordered the chicken to go, so I'll post a pic once I try it. The service was amazing. Since it was just me, I got seated at the bar right away and ended up chatting with a super cool girl who just moved here from Oregon. She said everyone told her to try Au Cheval...tbh her burger did look pretty fire . She ordered the key lime pie (which looked amazing even though I'm not usually a fan), and that inspired me to grab dessert too...and I'm so glad I did. It was surprisingly delicious with great presentation! Pretty sure one of my servers was named Nick, and he was so sweet. Can't wait to go back and I hope to get him again! They always have great music and a cute dark sultry ambiance. It's a little tight but so worth the visit. read more

Au Cheval - Chilaquiles - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I love burgers and this is the best one I've ever had. No notes. Add lettuce and tomato to ur burger to help cut the greasiness. The sriracha wings are also great. Line was very long though. Can put your name down and come back. Very limited seating but booth was nice. read more

Au Cheval - Double Burger - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Put our names in at 6:15 on a Friday and was told it'd be a 3 hour wait (as we expected). We grabbed a drink and a quick bit down the street while we waited. We ordered the burger (of course) and added bacon and egg, as you must. Burger was okay. Not in my top 10 of burgers (I've had some good ones). Felt a little dry and not as flavorful as I expected. We also ordered the kale Caesar which was surprisingly tasty. Service was great, as we were sitting outside and our server was pretty funny and also gave great beer recommendations. Overhyped, unfortunately. read more

Three of us got there around 12:45pm on a Tuesday. We were pleasantly greeted and told it would be a 15-30 minute wait. We were texted in about 10! It's a rather small, narrow room with a bar on one side and booths along the other. It is clean, with rustic ambiance. The server was polite and efficient. We all ordered a "single" burger, one with only egg and the other two with egg and bacon. I say " "single " because there are two patties. Their "double" has three. Whatever ... in the end, it was the best burger I've ever had! The egg was cooked just right; over easy. The bacon is a quarter inch thick and deliciously peppery. The patties were medium well, tender, and cheesy. "Chef's kiss!" It is a bit pricey, but I'm not going here everyday. But, if I were you, I'd go here at least once! Peace! read more

Au Cheval - Single burger with an over easy egg and peppery bacon. - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I completely understand why people claim Au Cheval has the best burgers, because this was truly one of the best I've ever had! The patties were cooked perfectly, and the egg was just the right amount of runny. As someone who isn't a big fan of candied bacon, I think it was delicious and definitely added a great taste to the burger, but I will say this was a really heavy meal and I couldn't finish the whole thing. I took this back to my hotel and finished the rest the next day-- can confirm it was sooo good even though it was ice cold from sitting in the fridge! Heavily recommend for everyone to try at least once :) read more

Au Cheval - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'm finally here, arguably everybody's bet for the best burger in the city possibly within these United States. It's only taken me all my life and I live in this town. Does it live up to expectations? Yes it does- that thick cut bacon makes a difference. The single gets you 2 beef patties cooked to medium with some pink top with egg and voila you have Chicagos best burger. Even the fries were awesome- crispy crunchy if not a little salty. Oh, and let's not forget outdoor seating(see pics). We waited 1 hour this Saturday around 1:40PM to be called. But we kept entertained by the Porsche convergence on the west loop today. It is pricey especially when you add the egg and bacon But without it - it wouldn't be special. Shout out to the hosts Freeman and our server Joshua - too cool guys! read more

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I can def see why this burger is on all the top Chicago burger lists. Prepare to wait for 1-3 hrs bc they don't take reservations and it's always busy, bar is incuded in the wait BUT it was delicious. I would put several others in the city ahead of it but still very solid and a larger portion than some of the others. We both added bacon and enjoyed. Got a side of fries too with a tasty aioli. read more

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So many amazing reviews already, so not sure what I can add haha but honestly, this is one of the best burgers I've ever had! All three dishes we tried were superb. We went on a Sunday at 11am for a party of two and only waited about 10 minutes. Portions are pretty big and we definitely over-ordered for two people, but we wanted to try a variety: - Roasted marrow bones (with beef cheek marmalade & toast): Wow, such a generous portion of bone marrow, perfectly rich and decadent for spreading on toast. The beef cheek marmalade added a great contrast to the fattiness of the marrow and really brought it together. - Double cheeseburger: Just a heads-up, the "double" is actually a triple with three patties. Sometimes burgers this loaded can be a mess, but this one was perfectly balanced. I have no idea how they did it, but as someone who usually adds extra sauce, I didn't feel the need to add anything as it was that flavorful on its own. - Foie gras with scrambled eggs and toast: Incredibly soft scrambled eggs paired with creamy foie gras, spreadable and so satisfying. I honestly don't think I could pick a favorite because all three were fantastic. Would absolutely go back and happily eat it all again! read more

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A friend suggested to go here for burgers during our visit and we went in for just that. Service: Since we walked in, we were seated at the bar. We were in and out in 40 minutes, so I am happy with the speed of their service. Food & Drinks: We only tried the cheeseburger, which is honestly one of the best I have had, and got a beer to go with. In-all: The next time I am visiting I would love to go here for a proper meal and try out more things since the place smelled of delicious food. read more

Touted as the best bother in Chicago by many of my coworkers. I tried this place after my 8th business trip out to Chicagoland. Sorry, it's over hyped. We went at 5pm on Thursday (2 of us) and were seated immediately at the bar. We were warned the double is actually a triple and that sides can be shared. The server suggested the way to go was burger plus bacon. Everything aligns with the advice from everyone I talked to. Ordered and now game time We waited and watched as they put a couple dozen patties on the flat top and smelled the sizzle. When they were done, they stacked it onto a tray. I don't think it was a warmer but they didn't need a warmer, they were all gone within 1 minute. The burger: just ok. Top 10 I've had I would say. It wasn't super juicy, it was slightly under seasoned for my liking, no crust, and wasn't great beef flavor. What did make this with the trek was the bacon. Thick cut that was crispy yet melted in your mouth. I'm glad I went but honestly, won't be going back unless people want to to back as a group. Even then though, in no way was this worth any significant wait. read more

Au Cheval - "double" Burger with bacon - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

As a west looper, Chicagoan, and an uncertified burger connoisseur.... I am standing firm on the burger being the best burger that has ever happened to Chicago. You absolutely have to order it with bacon and an egg on top, or you won't get the full flavor hype. Their green salad sounds plain and simple, but the sherry vinaigrette brings freshness and acidity to your meal to balance out the richness of the burger. A few bourbon espresso martinis makes for a fun start to my night out with my best friend every time. She always orders the Paloma though and thoroughly enjoys it because of the agave and lime that they add, taking it over the top. Au Cheval has become a neighborhood staple and will always remain as the most satisfying place for my monthly burger craving. read more

Since everyone around me has been hyping this place up, I was thrilled to have grabbed a table at around 10:30pm after about 45 minutes of waiting on a Monday night. I thought the food was great, and I enjoyed a lot of aspects of everything my partner and I had ordered. It didn't live up to the hype, but I would still recommend it to those who visit Chicago. To begin with, I chose not to add eggs or bacon to the burger because I wanted to see how good the burger would taste without additional reinforcement, and my conclusion was that it was juicy and flavorful, complemented mainly by the sharp cheddar cheese rather than the dijonnaise. However, since in Minneapolis we have the jucy lucy, which I could see what this burger here was aiming towards in terms of standards of juiciness, I thought it was just a great burger and that was it. As for the foie gras, it had very good flavor that complemented the scrambled eggs, which by themselves also had very nice consistency. The foie gras was very rich and relatively salty, so together with the toast, which was only slightly buttery and plain, along with the scrambled eggs' texture, it was an excellent culinary experience. My partner and I were both relatively critical of the fried chicken, which we both thought had way too salty exterior crisp, and the chilaquiles, which I thought had too many corn tortillas stacked at the bottom of the dish rather than balanced around. I thought the chilaquiles overall had good ingredients, especially the avocado slices, which were fresh, but could use some improvement in ensuring that the corn tortillas were at least evenly spread so one can enjoy a good culinary experience with each bite. The fried chicken resembled Korean fried chicken in terms of style, and had enough chili to demonstrate its spiciness. But the saltiness was so much that when we packed the chicken to go, we left the juice at the bottom behind. Waiting for 30-45 minutes was acceptable to me in allowing me to try the restaurant, and as much as I didn't feel like it met the hype, I was still grateful to have tried it. Food aside, I have two extra points to give: 1) They gave wet towels along with the fried chicken, which I thought was a very considerate move as eating the fried chicken could indeed turn messy, and as their bathrooms always had a line. 2) Whoever was controlling the playlist was playing a lot of excellent 90s rap music, explicit versions as well, ranging from Nas to Mos Def to Wu-Tang Clan, and I was fully endorsing it. read more

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The burger was flavorful and the fried chicken was delicious. I wish the fries were crispy. Service was good. We were seated inside and the volume was on the louder side. We were told we should give this place a try and glad that we did. read more

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Every so often things that seem like they are "overrated" are actually not. They live up to the astronomical hype. Au Cheval is one of them! I ordered the double cheeseburger and added the egg and bacon. And WOW!! First off the portion size was very gracious. Every single ingredient shined bright. The bun. Perfect The egg. Perfect The meat seasoned amazingly and cooked to medium. Perfect The bacon. Perfect I've been fortunate to eat burgers at great restaurants all over the U.S. and world and Au Cheval is indeed the best burger I've ever had. The service was wanna take a guess.....perfect! Beautiful inside an upscale diner with a very rustic feeling. Such a great restaurant, I can't wait to go back read more

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Solid burger. It may be worth the 3 hour wait. Great ambiance. I have to visit every time I'm in Chicago... read more

Au Cheval - Mom and dad and a burger - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Absolutely one of the best burgers in Chicago. The patty was juicy, perfectly seasoned, and cooked with an amazing crust. The thick-cut bacon and melted cheese took it to another level, all on a soft toasted bun that held everything together perfectly. Every bite was rich, flavorful, and worth the hype. Great atmosphere and service too - Au Cheval definitely lives up to its reputation. read more

Au Cheval - Menu - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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BURGER WAS AMAZING! Worth the wait!! Even if you have to get take out, get it! Best burger ever ! read more

Au Cheval - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Au Cheval was very packed with about a one and a half hour wait on a Sunday, which is pretty standard for this place. The service was good, but the food itself did not really live up to the hype for me. It is known for its burger, but despite being a classic, I honestly felt like In N Out has more flavor. Overall it was fine to try once, but not something I would wait that long for again. read more

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

We showed up after our flight and were definitely hungry. Even though it was 10:30pm, they were still busy! We were willing to sit at the bar, so it was only about a five minute wait, but still. We started with drinks (I got the Paloma made in house with radler, and hubs got the Maplewood Fat Pug). Both drinks were great. Our server (Aaliyah, I believe) said that they're known for the burgers, but her personal favorites also include the fried chicken and the crispy fries. So hubs got the burger (with bacon and a fried egg) and I got a half order of the fried chicken (yes, you can do that, even though the menu doesn't say it!) and the crispy fries. The burger was everything a burger should be (juicy, savory, meaty). The fried chicken had so much going on - sweetness from the honey, spicy from something else, and crunchy from the breading. And all the while, the chicken was so moist! It is a messy dish, but they give you wet towels with it. The crispy fries were the perfect accompaniment to that chicken. 10/10 would return again. read more

Au Cheval - General Jane's Honey-Fried Chicken - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I'm NOT a big burger person - so when a friend suggested that we go to Au Cheval for dinner when visiting Chicago (this was a Sunday evening), and when I found out the wait was 1.5 hours, I was first and foremost appalled. I was STARVING after coming on a red eye from Los Angeles and had barely eaten all day. But my friend insisted, and we made it though, after getting some drinks next door. I ordered a good ol' classic cheeseburger (yes, a single has two patties), added a hard fried egg (there might've been two eggs even? or perhaps just a jumbo egg; this was no scrawny egg here), and requested lettuce, onions, and tomatoes as well. So, this burger lives up to the hyper (which I hadn't read about yet on Yelp; came in truly naive), and is just 10/10, perfect. The seasoning within it (but not too salty) the meat itself (juicy!) the way it was cooked (so tender!) - so, so, so so delicious and satisfying. Yes, I was ravenous, and slightly tipsy, but still. We got some sort of decadent fries on the side that I barely paid attention to because the burger stole the limelight. Service was excellent, quick, down to earth, and despite the long wait the burgers came out within 5-10 min after ordering. And then, we made the mistake (well, only because we were so full) of ordering dessert. We thought we were going light with the Mille Feuille ("thousand leaf" pastry); however this was an absolutely massive and decadent dessert with puffy layers surrouning super sweet cream. Very split-able and a great finish although way more than I expected. See my pic for this ridiculous finale. All and all - would return for this Chicagoan eatery, but be prepared for a wait that matches its fame. read more

Au Cheval - Mille Feuille cream puff dessert - yum! Easily can split between 2-3 people - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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2025 Chicago. Lunch review. Burgers, etc. Repeat visit. double cheeseburger* add bacon add egg roasted marrow bones beef cheek marmalade & toast foie gras* scrambled eggs & toast french fries Overall, as always, one of the best burgers ever. "As good as it gets." Tip: add beef cheek marmalade, bone marrow, and foie gras to the burger read more

I mean it's famous for a reason. You go and check in and put your name down and then they text you when your table is ready. I went at 4:45 and wasn't seated until 6:15 despite being told 45-60 minutes. Plan accordingly!!! This is for my hangry planners. The food is super dense. Single cheeseburger = 2 patties Double = 3 patties HACK: Get a hash brown substituted for the bun. The has brown is crispy and soaks up all the grease from the burger Pattie's making it delicious!!! read more

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A pretty well known restaurant in town. We came by as soon as they opened to see if we could put our names down. But they told us we needed our full party to get seated. We walked around the area before coming back to get our table. Only one party in front of us around noon. We waited maybe 15min? There were 6 of us, so my cousin suggested we split the double patty burger. 3 burgers split in half. We also added the kale salad and some fries and hash browns. OMG a double patty is actually a triple patty. Literally too much food for any regular person to be eating midday LOL. The bacon was the best part. Thick with a nice sweetness to it. High quality for sure. Definitely one of the best burgers I've ever had. My friends also got the root beer to try and the espresso martini. They enjoyed. It's got a pub vibe. Kinda cute. They do have other locations around town but called Small Cheval so you don't have to come to this location. Easy to pay and split the bill with the QR code on the table. Love that! read more

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Au cheval is one of those places that just hits.. I love the burger with bacon and an egg- definitely recommend putting your name in around 2-3pm and you'll get a reasonable wait & seating time. I think the restaurant is well decorated but it's small so large parties are going to be hard! If the wait times were shorter I would go here at least once a month read more

Came with a group of friends after hearing that the burgers are amazing here. We were vacationing and came on a weekday pretty early but still had to wait a decent amount of time so plan accordingly. Inside has a good atmosphere and great vibes for hanging with friends or a dinner date. Between the 4 of us, we ordered 4 drinks, 2 double cheeseburgers, a salad, and the potato hash. Salad was pretty solid and the burgers were amazing. We split each burger between 2 people and along with the salad and the hash, we were all very well-fed by the end. I'm slightly picky and was not keen on the hash due to the duck heart gravy but changed my mind after the 1st bite. It's absolutely amazing and I loved it better than the famed burger. Staff was friendly and attentive and we had a great experience overall. Would recommend to others. Got a nice postcard at the end too. read more

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Ayoooooo! This his is probably the best burger I've ever had in my life. The service was amazing the ambiance was quaint. Two 6oz. Patties, American cheese, pickles, onions, I addded the egg and the candied bacon which were both cooked perfectly. All nestled on a brioche bun. The bun had integrity, held everything up throughout the entire experience, the bacon was the perfect mixture of sweet and salty, not too over powering. The patties were cooked to perfection and seasoned well, the way the cheese married into the patties needs to be studied, this burger isn't just picture perfect but it's DELICIOUS! Kissed by the GODS! Also the Caesar salad is amazing, the beautiful nodes of lemon zest made it a refreshing side. read more

Au Cheval - Kale Caesar - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Enjoyed my night at Au Cheval. They said it was going to be an hour wait and it only ended up being ~40 mins. Once we ordered, the food came quick. Our server was very polite ( he gave my friend a free shot of root beer because she had never had it before ). FYI a single cheeseburger is a double patty and a double has three patties. The fries were absolutely amazing. Feel free to ask for lettuce and tomato on the side. read more

A massive shout out to our spectacular waiter, Isa! Isa was very welcoming and helped us with food and beer selection. I was there with a friend on a work trip and we got to enjoy the single burger (which is actually 2 patties) -- added the egg and bacon as well. The burger was delicious, I'd definitely come back. Along with the burger, we shared the honey fried chicken which was a nice combo of sweet, salty, and spicy. We also got their kale Caesar salad which was a nice fresh break from the burger and chicken! Isa was extremely kind enough to also provide us with recommendations for bars and desserts since we were visiting. Thank you for your kind self, Isa! read more

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This was the best burger I've likely ever had. Everything was there from the toasted bun, perfect amount of quality cheese, and the well seasoned patties. The fries didn't look great when they came out. But they tasted fabulous and stayed hot during the entire meal. If I lived in Chicago I would be here every week. read more

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

The food is stick to your ribs heavy, but excellently executed and the service was quick and helpful. We shared three plates. The foie gras eggs are rich and don't need the thick buttered toast squares, but are appreciated on their own. The duck liver hash surprisingly lacked the iron forward metallic taste that usually dominates liver dishes and the creamy sauce didn't make the crisp hash brown soggy. The burger was tick and juicy. Even though it was well executed it was surprisingly the least favorite item of the three ordered. The espresso martini was strong and you better be prepared and wake up when you take your first sip. read more

Au Cheval - Espresso Martini - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place came highly recommended and boy did it even exceed my expectations. I was happy to see it wasn't too pretentious in decor, open to more casual diners as well. We got the bone marrow and cheeseburger with egg and bacon. Wow. The bone marrow had to be the best I've had and I was surprised by this. The parsley, presentation, and flavors were incredible along with the burger. Just right and so juicy. Worth the visit!! read more

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Made it back to au cheval once again and rewarded with the best seat in the house with a nice view of sears tower. Got the burger with all the fixings of the cooked bacon and egg of course. I also got the fried chicken and a side of fries. Burger was delicious as always, however, for some reason, it did not hit as it did before but still very delicious. Very tender juicy delicious bacon. The fries were solid, nice and fresh and very crispy. Comes with garlic eye oily that was very garlic. The wings here are fabulous and can stand on its own in a restaurant. The wings are crispy, not crunchy very flavorful sweet spicy very juicy. It was a big portion basically a full chicken, but without the breast. I would like for them to have half an order size because one is pretty big if you're eating a burger as well. Definitely recommend the spot and one of the best burgers in town. Also has chill music and great vibes. read more

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Au Cheval is one of those places that lives up to the hype and then some. Widely known as home to the best burger in town, it has built a reputation that practically demands a visit. But it comes with a catch: no reservations, and a wait that can easily stretch over an hour. We waited about that long... and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. The moment you step inside, the ambiance wraps around you like a well-worn leather jacket, elegant yet cozy, with dim lighting that sets the tone for a moody, intimate dining experience. It's loud but not overwhelming, full of energy and that unmistakable buzz of anticipation. We were seated at the bar, which turned out to be the best spot in the house. Watching the kitchen at work, flames rising, burgers sizzling, servers weaving between one another in a practiced, beautiful chaos was like witnessing culinary choreography. I ordered the Single Cheeseburger with Egg, and let me clarify something: the "single" actually comes with two patties. From the first bite, it was pure bliss. The patties were incredibly juicy, perfectly seasoned, with a deep, meaty flavor that sang with each chew. The melted cheese draped over the beef like velvet, while the runny yolk from the fried egg added a rich, silky layer that soaked into the toasted bun. Every element had a purpose, from the crisp pickles to the buttery bun, nothing felt excessive, just right. This wasn't just a burger; it was a moment of pure serotonin, bite after glorious bite. Messy in the best way, indulgent without apology, and so satisfyingly balanced it's hard to compare to anything else in the city. It's easy to see why this burger has reached legendary status. If you're patient enough to wait, you'll be rewarded with one of the most unforgettable meals in Chicago. read more

Au Cheval - Cheese burger - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The fries and burgers were delicious! We only waited about 10 minutes to get a table. We said we would be back! read more

Au Cheval - Single cheeseburger - Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois