Simply the best cheeseburger in the USA. People need to stop comparing it to its bigger brother Au Cheval, this is a much faster and tastier experience. The burger is the juiciest, cheesiest, most mouthwatering mouthful you will ever experience in your life. read more

I order my burgers with one slice of cheese and the aioli on the side. What a yummy burger though. Salty fries. Love this place. No parking though, always a nightmare! Yum read more

My second time in Chicago and the first place that I really liked. Amazing burgers. They have every ingredient figured out. Before you even ask your question they have an answer because they know what people want. I ended up eating twice as much than I could. read more

I finally made it here last month. GREAT burgers and fries. But it's basic no frills. Drinks were good. Very casual.

The guys in our group insisted we go. It's a bit of a haul from downtown Chicago and I was uninspired on the way there because I'm a pescatarian and don't like to waste a good culinary opportunity on a burger joint that doesn't serve anything I can eat. I stood corrected. A couple of us had the veggie burger and for some inexplicable reason, they've nailed a bun, fixing, sauce combo that was excellent. Atmosphere is fun if you like it busy and want to talk to friendly strangers! read more

Honestly, I don't understand why people wait in 4 hour lines for Au Cheval (I'm guilty of it myself), when they can just come to Small Cheval for an infinitely better burger and little to no wait. I've now been to Au Cheval 4 times and Small twice and really don't understand what the Au Cheval fuss is about. Now that I've had both burgers within a week of each other, I can confidently say the Small burger is superior to the Au burger. Something about the patties, the flavor, and the buns. Both times I've been to Small Cheval I've been in burger heaven, and all times I've been to Au Cheval, I've left pretty underwhelmed. Maybe it's just me, but next time you consider waiting in a four hour line, consider Small Cheval as a worthy alternative. read more

Not as glitzy as Au Cheval but everytime I walk past I just wanna park the dog, grab a beer and drown in garlic aouille drenched fries. The burger definitely hits the spot, but lines can get extremely long. read more

This is probably one of my favorite places for a quick eat. Best burgers and their condiments are the best. It's a great place for a summer day out on the patio! read more

First time eating here read so much good reviews about small cheval.Well after finally trying the cheeseburger here I was very disappointed.It's an ok burger average at best.Price wise no surprise a decent cheeseburger with fries and drink will cost you $20 at any high end burger restaurant.The chocolate shake was good though. read more

It was fine. Honestly, it's just an overpriced In N Out. I do like the outdoor seating, and their burgers are good... just more than I'm willing to pay for a burger. read more

Great simple burger, the well done fries were my favorite part.

This place is a one trick pony (not meant in a derogatory way at all) but it is such a good trick. There was a study stream of customers the whole time I was here but that didn't stump the kitchen. Got a beer while waiting in line, ordered within a couple of minutes and was eating my bacon cheeseburger within 10 minutes. Top notch. Their garlic aioli is so good. Great experience. read more

Super fun, limited menu but everything on it is good. The patio is unbeatable for a summer lunch. Burger and fries were great, and their fancy aioli and ketchup were delicious! read more

Can a Cheeseburger change your life? Here it can!!!!! Small Cheval you rock my world. The saddest part of this review is that I live in California and can't have this more often.To anyone not from Chicago, it's possible your next vacation should happen with the sole purpose of trying this burger. read more

Wow! Kind of a hidden spot. We grabbed two of their burgers one Friday night to go. My boyfriend was upset because we had to drive to pick it up and ended up losing our parking spot. He told me it better be the best burger in the world since we ended up parking like 5 blocks away and guess what, it truely did end up being the best burger ever! It's similar to au cheval but with a bit of heat. The meat is excellent and the bun unique. I really enjoyed the jam like spread as well as pickles on it. Oh and their fried pickles were the best too! Super light for a fried item. read more

Pretty good burgers and fries. They have a sauce pump of garlic aioli, which was really good on the fries. The indoor seating was limited on a busy night but during the summer they have a very large patio. read more

This was one of the best experiences we've ever had at a small burger joint. Not only were the burgers incredible (bacon crispy but not burnt, burger patties super juicy, sauce was on point) but the service was incredible!! The gentleman who took our order made a point to ask us about our day and make a personal connection. The gentleman on the computer took a minute to say hi to our 2.5 year old kid. The man at the expo also gave our kid a free milkshake!! Amazing food, impeccable service. Will most DEFINITELY return!! read more

Their burger has more flavor than that of Kuma's Corner. Not as thick but every bite is packed with flavor. Must try their fries and garlic aioli. read more

Deelish! Burgers deelish! Fries deelish! Shakes deelish! It's a must try/eat/repeat if you are visiting Chicago or live here!

Excellent burgers. Wish they were grass fed but they still get their beef from local farms. Milk shakes were excellent as well.

Good burger but didn't seem as good as Au Cheval. Good attempt at trying and I'll probably be back.

This is my first time at this restaurant and the reason I am giving it a 3 is because the staff was not warm and welcoming. Yes the cashier took my order and yea the service was quick but the cashier really wasn't friendly and the person that gave me my food just handed me the bag no thank you or come again or anything. He was talking to another staff person at the time just having a regular conversation not even work related didn't even turn to me to give eye contact just grabbed my bag and handed off to me without skipping a beat with the other staff member. Well I at least hope the food is good as reviewers say it is. read more

So dang good! The boyfriend and I came here for dinner last night. I had a cheeseburger to which I added their delicious garlic aioli and he had a bacon cheeseburger. We shared a side of fries. Their burgers are solid and their fries are perfectly crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle. I'd definitely come back here again. The prices are a tad on the higher side. read more

Ever since I went here for the first time, I have dreams that I own vats of their garlic aioli so I can eat it any time I want. This place is fun, loud, and delicious. If you're in the neighborhood, highly recommended. read more

When you want a cheat meal and that is a burger and fries come here!!! Nice outdoor patio to eat and they have garlic mayo to dip fries in. They have better thicker fries now. Good solid burger. I hear the shakes are good but I am always so full that I never get one.....One of these days perhaps read more

Good but overpriced. A double cheeseburger with fries and drink is $20 (Compared to $8-10 at the other non-chain fast food joints native to Chicago) and for that, it should be amazing. Instead, it is just pretty good. The meat appeared lower quality than the parent restaurant, Au Cheval; ie it tasted more gristly and was missing the char-grilled flavor. The fries are good, akin to McDonald's with less salt, but nothing impressive. read more

Phenomenal burgers. Order them house style and get a milk shake. You won't regret it. Don't forget the garlic aioli for dipping! Busy almost any day of the week but a great spot for outside seating when it's warm out. Just a short walk from the blue line. read more

Went into small cheval, was greeted by a nice lady making sure my parking was good to go so I don't get a ticket :) we order two cheese burgers and fries and it took less than 5 minutes!!! Fast service and nice people! read more

The classic burger with an amazing chocolate shake. I got lucky with a decently short line. Loved that they even have Big Red soda!

As long as you're okay waiting in line, this burger can not be beat. Im gluten free so I get it as a lettuce wrap and woooooh, it's delicious. Don't forget the fries... the garlic aioli dipping sauce is what keeps me coming back. read more

If you have tried for Au Cheval and don't want to wait the 2+ hours it's worth the cab/driver over to small cheval. The menu is plain and easy. Hamburger/cheeseburger fries and drink. If you want something else head somewhere else. My wife and I agree that the burgers are actually better than Au cheval. The milkshakes are very good but best to drink after you eat so not waste space that could be filled with a burger. I think the number one thing out of it all is the garlic aioli. It's very good and it goes well with the burgers and for dipping fries in. Don't be scared of the line. It goes quick and it is well worth the little wait. The only downfall is the limited seating in the winter (summer is different because they have outside seating). As a plus they serve beer!!! read more

Great burger and atmosphere. Fries are okay. The only thing I'd knock a star off is for the price. Burgers should always be cheap! They do offer a lot of liquor for decent prices which is cool I guess. read more

BEST BURGERS! The cheeseburger is wonderful. I also loved all of their dipping sauces. Their patio is the perfect place to sit on a nice day. read more

If you get a full meal here it's going to be expensive ($20ish) but it is worth it! The burger with bacon is one of the best I've had (including the burger from big brother, Au Cheval). The fries are great too, especially dipped in the garlic aioli. Small Chevall will definitely hurt your wallet but end up leaving you satisfied anyway. read more

For any Californians looking for their In-N-Out fix, this place gets the job done. Nothing matches the original (of course), but it is the closest any place has gotten out here in Chicago. Great burgers, fries, shakes, and of course, that garlic aioli. read more

The burger is way to salty! And why does it only come 1 way ? Also why a fucking huge community table taking up the entire space ? Why not multiple small tables ??? read more

Word of advice: The line can seem pretty intimidating when they're busy, but don't worry. It goes really quickly and you can get a drink while you're waiting. You order at the counter; wait a short bit for your food, and then sit inside (which is either at the bar around the place or the big family style table) or outside (they have a really nice outside seating area). The burgers are so worth it. Definitely. I haven't had a shake from there yet, but I'll be back soon! Also, the staff are pretty attentive and friendly. don't be afraid to ask questions when they're busy. Super efficient; I was surprised how quickly our food was done even with the big Saturday night crowd. read more

Really good burgers!! I like how the menu is so simple and easy to order. Order comes out pretty fast too even if there's a line. Perfect for a quick bite especially in the summer because there's a cure spacious outdoor patio where customers can enjoy a couple of beers too. The sauce they use inside their burgers tastes really tangy and sweet at the same time. It's also really rich too so I could see what some people say about getting a bit sick of the taste after a couple of bites. But it's nothing some ice cold beer can't wash down! I guess the only thing for me is that it's a bit on the pricey side for a burger. I honestly don't think burgers should be over 8 bucks. Good experience though! I would recommend trying it! read more

I leave here STUFFED and SATISFIED. This place is consistent, and the burgers with a side of garlic aioli is the way to go! Seating is a little tight in the winter but the summer outdoor seating is one the nicest in the city. GO HERE FOR THE BEST BURGER IN THE CITY! read more

What makes a burger you might ask? Grilled onions of course!! Those caramelized strings add moisture and succulent flavor to any entree. So, Small Cheval, why no grilled onions on those perfectly tender burgers of yours? read more