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    Small Cheval- Lincoln Park

    3.9 (34 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

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    SMALL CHEVAL- LINCOLN PARK ATMOSPHERE

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    Recommended Reviews - Small Cheval- Lincoln Park

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    Front
    Luis F.

    The Brick & mortar was very beautiful, well thought out and original. The burger was very good but I didn't care for the meat being red. That's not really my thing. Service was okay. Everyone in my party enjoyed it. Cheers.

    Pam C.

    Great stop for a burger and great addition to the Halstead/Armitage Lincoln Park food scene. There isn't much to be said that hasn't already been said on Small Cheval. Service here is friendly and prompt. I have never seen a wait here even on beautiful weather. The interior is clean and spacious and there's always plenty of seating. They offer lettuce wrapped burgers that come snugly wrapped. The ice cream options are fun and great for a hot day.

    Rainbow Birthday Cake Concrete Mixer
    Mary K.

    TL; DR: Great ice cream selection; Get the concrete mixer Don't want to wait in long lines for ice cream? Small Cheval will be your best friend! Both the Oreo and Rainbow Birthday Cake concrete mixers are delicious and filled with lots of goodies. I can't wait to go back and try different concrete mixer flavors and types of ice cream!

    Double Cheeseburger and Fries
    Sabrina S.

    Perhaps a hot take but Small Cheval is much preferred to Au Cheval in my opinion! Especially if you're looking for a quick bite! Don't get me wrong, I love Au Cheval, but sometimes the wait can be quite long or I'm looking for something more casual, which brings me to a Small Cheval! I love this location in Lincoln Park, the ambiance is so cute, there's a lot of tables and a lot of people just split the tables in the middle when it gets too crowded. It's fun, family-friendly, and casual! The burger here is incredible, easily the best in the city and the one I crave the most. It doesn't traditionally come with lettuce and tomato but you can ask for it if you want it! I usually get a double cheeseburger and their sauce is actually out of this world. They also have a garlic aioli that goes great with the burger and the fries. I've tried a couple of their milkshakes here and there and they never disappoint! The staff is very friendly and efficient! Would certainly recommend anyone who is coming through Chicago to give this spot a try!

    Single delux
    Nathan W.

    Small cheval is the Chicago standard for a simple but perfect burger. With locations all over Chicago, I visited the Lincoln park location. While the food is similar across locations, this location stands out because of the interior. There is lots of seating inside and it's a casual spot to dine in. Place your order at the counter and you will get a buzzer that notifies when the food is ready. Don't forget to get a side of the fry sauce, it's life changing. Must go spot if you're craving a tasty burger for a reasonable price.

    Annette D.

    As expected, Small Cheval focuses on what the Cheval eateries do best -- great burgers and fries. Throw in a boozy milkshake or ice cream treat and you have a perfect meal. Great ambiance. This place feels like you're outdoors (think upscale picnic vibe), complete with a tree in the middle of the restaurant. I wish they had table service, but great food and reasonable price point equals a good experience.

    Milkshake
    Jocelyn G.

    A very solid burger spot. Not the most amazing burger, but still very good. It's definitely not the same as Au Chevalier, but if you want a burger without the wait, I would recommend small cheval. Each patty is 3oz, so the double cheeseburger was very filling. My burger was definitely on the saltier side. I would also pass on the fries, they were not very crispy. I also got a milkshake (half strawberry, half chocolate). The milkshake had good flavor (had real strawberries in it), but I think because I mixed two flavors, my milkshake was on the thinner side and very runny.

    Deluxe smash burger with bacon
    Rebecca A.

    We went on a Sunday at opening, it was quiet and perfect for a big group with kids. Simple menu, but well crafted. An indoor picnic with boozy shake options. The staff were very friendly.

    NaywriChi W.

    Ahh! This used to be a Coldwell Banker. Remember that! This is the only location that serves frozen ice cream. I had their fries. The staff and service is chevalique.

    Cheeseburger

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    8 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    13 days ago

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    10 months ago

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    11 months ago

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    7 months ago

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    10 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    8 months ago

    Cute location. Chicken tenders were amazing! Nobody missed the gluten! Love that their fryers are all gluten free. Staff were friendly.

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    11 months ago

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    9 months ago

    Very nice new space for this Chicago staple burger chain. They have chicken as an option here too which is nice. Solid place.

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    9 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    Great staff, great food, great experience. Very helpful and accommodating. Oh, the burgers are some of the best ever.

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    11 months ago

    The food was delicious. Service was quick, and friendly! Restaurant was clean, with good vibes.

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    1 year ago

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    7 months ago

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    11 months ago

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    10 months ago

    The only reason is four stars is the bun was a little stale. Otherwise, the best cheeseburger in the universe..

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    11 months ago

    Takes about 5 times longer than the other locations. Food was fine but do not expect it quick here

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    10 months ago

    great all around burger experience, concrete was good as well, would definitely go back

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    1 year ago

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    Ask the Community - Small Cheval- Lincoln Park

    Review Highlights - Small Cheval- Lincoln Park

    I got the single cheeseburger, boyfriend got the double, and we split fries and the salted caramel milkshake.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Au Cheval

    Au Cheval

    4.4(9.5k reviews)
    2.3 miWest Loop, Near West Side
    $$

    so glad we tried this place! we actually only waited about 15 mins to get seated at the bar on a…read morewednesday night around 7pm. we came here for my boyfriends birthday and we were so happy we chose to celebrate here. the two people that helped us was antonio and issa and they made the experience 10x better. they were very attentive and friendly and just easy to talk to. gave us good recommendations and good vibes. we both really liked our drinks and were happy with the spread the food came out. we got to eat the bone marrow first which also came with this really good sauce it was almost like a meat jam but was so good on the bread and then put some of the bone marrow on for the perfect bite. now the burger, you just have to try it because it really is that good. the sauce in it was so good and it just had a really good flavor. it was just an elevated burger. we got fries as well and we shared the burger so it we were really full after. the server brought out ice cream with a candle and some sort of chocolate sauce too which just made the overall experience. we were really happy with the service and food and it just made my bfs bday that much more special and memorable.

    Despite all the hype, it's really an average smash burger. This is a place that has capitalized on…read moresocial 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.

    Photos
    Au Cheval - The cooks were very attentive!

    The cooks were very attentive!

    Au Cheval - Crispy Fries & Potato Hash

    Crispy Fries & Potato Hash

    Au Cheval - Wings (very sticky so they come with hot towels)

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    Wings (very sticky so they come with hot towels)

    Little Bad Wolf - Bad Burger and a side of mac and cheese

    Little Bad Wolf

    4.4(2.6k reviews)
    4.7 miAndersonville, Edgewater
    $$

    There's just something about a burger that actually lives up to the hype--and Little Bad Wolf does…read moreexactly that. Stacked unapologetically high, this burger is everything you want and more: juicy, perfectly seared patties layered with melty cheese, crispy bacon, and those golden, crunchy fried onions that take it completely over the top. Every bite is rich, savory, and just messy enough to remind you you're eating something seriously good. The toasted bun somehow holds it all together (barely), soaking up every bit of flavor without getting lost in the chaos. And then... the shoestring fries. Thin, crispy, golden perfection--light but addictive, with that ideal crunch that makes it impossible to stop at just one (or ten). They're the kind of fries you keep reaching for without even realizing it, especially dipped in that creamy, tangy sauce on the side. And let's not forget the drinks--just as good as the food. Refreshing, perfectly balanced, and the kind you sip slow while taking it all in (but somehow they disappear way too fast). It's not just a burger--it's one of Chicago's most iconic bites for a reason. Bold, indulgent, and absolutely worth every single napkin you'll need after. The ambiance inside is GORGEOUS!

    My husband and I walked in on a Sunday evening for dinner and were able to be seated right away…read more The atmosphere is dark and moody, and it made sense once I realized it was the same owners as Gretel. Loved the 90s female R&B playlist they had going! Little Bad Wolf has been on my list FOR YEARS to try the burger! My husband got the burger with fried onions and I got some Bao because those also looked delicious and were a popular menu item. Honestly the 3 stars are only that high because of the service. Our server was friendly and attentive + the food came out hot and quick. Unfortunately, the food was pretty disappointing. The burger was swimming in a puddle of grease and just picking it up made your hands greasy + was dripping grease. The fries that came with it were floppy, soggy, and sad...but at least warm? I personally wouldn't order this again. The Bao were better, but small for the price and honestly were just okay? It was nice they gave you sauces you could add, but I found the Bao's to already have enough sauce so I didn't need them. Overall I left feeling confused and disappointed. I don't feel the need to come back here - Little Bad Will was a one and done experience for me.

    Photos
    Little Bad Wolf - Fresh flowers

    Fresh flowers

    Little Bad Wolf - Shrimp Tacos

    Shrimp Tacos

    Little Bad Wolf - Bad Burger with fried onion strings

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    Bad Burger with fried onion strings

    NADC Burger - Beast Mode Fries

    NADC Burger

    3.6(118 reviews)
    1.9 miRiver West, West Loop, Near West Side, West Town

    I have heard good things about NADC and have been interested to try the burger. I thought there…read morewould be a lot of people so I was surprised that I walked in for lunch on Sunday and it wasn't busy, which was nice. My friend and I each ordered a burger and fries for ourselves. The NADC burger ($16) was decent, but it didn't blow my mind like people have raved about. I know it's not the original location which can play a part as well. What I really enjoyed and even finished my friend's were the fries. I love some good fries and these were top quality. You could taste the difference of the oil these fries were made in. They were nice and crispy and very good! I could keep eating them and would rather get the fries than the burger next time. I'd probably still get a burger since I need some meat and savory.

    I have gotten this to go a few times but this was my first time eating there! My bf and I sat at…read morethe bar and had the best time! They have a ton of cocktails and they are very cool! We were able to chat with the general manager a bit and hear NADC story, it made me love this spot even more! I got a passion fruit drink with boba this was great! As we were chatting they mentioned an eggnog drink! I love eggnog so this was for me, and it was perfect! Such cool cocktails here, I had no idea!! We split the burger which was phenomenal. Even better eating it in person! I learned this is a pressed patty and not a smash burger. This is my favorite burger in the city! Such a cool vibe in here, very fun music and decor. I'm obsessed!

    Photos
    NADC Burger
    NADC Burger - NADC Burger

    NADC Burger

    NADC Burger

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    Small Cheval- Lincoln Park - burgers - Updated May 2026

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