Au Cheval

Best burger in the city hands down!! If you are from Chicago and have not tried this place, you are missing out. And if you are coming to visit Chicago, this is a MUST TRY. Be prepared to wait, but trust me its worth it. I would recommend coming within 1-2 hours of opening for the shortest wait. The burger is seriously so amazing. You also need to make sure you get the bacon and egg on it. I sat at the bar last time, and there was one employee whos job was to strictly make sure the food is prepared perfectly on each plate. He would wipe and small spots of sauce that dripped, make sure the pickle was in a perfect spot on the place. Seriously so amazing!! The restaurant is quite small, hence why there is usually a wait but seriously cannot get over how good this place is.

This place was so nice! I heard so many good reviews and wanted to try it myself.

I was shocked that we didn't have to wait at all! They don't have reservations so most people do have to wait.

Overall we all got the single burger with the egg. The server was very attentive and enjoyed the experience.

The burger was huge. Next time I would share a salad with my friend!

The BEST Chilaquiles I've ever had. Omg they were sooo good! I've been craving chilaquiles for a while but putting off ordering it for whatever reason. I'm SO GLAD I order it here. My bestie said she enjoyed her food for sure but she would've substituted the egg on her sandwich for more bacon or avocado. The ONLY food item I didn't really care for were the fries. They were overcooked and hard but still edible.

The service wasn't bad. It took a while to get seated but the deliciousness of the food explains that lol.
Our server was decent, nothing over the top. It took a while for her to come back after the initial introduction.

Although the inside was freezing! They have a really cute ambiance. Kind of dark and sultry. They also have a small patio area with umbrellas for shade. It was a little tight inside and the music was a bit loud but it did create good vibes and helped to drown out others conversations.

I'll definitely be back for more Chilaquiles.

After finishing all of my work obligations in the city, I met up with a close cousin of mine who had lived in Chicago proper in the past few years! She had mentioned Au Cheval was her favorite restaurant to visit and bring guests to and how everyone was in love with the burgers here! Not to mention, Au Cheval has the "Best Burgers you've ever had" reputation so I just had to see for myself! I took her up on her suggestion and we had decided to dine here.

One thing to note is that there are no reservations and walk-ins are first come first serve. So please plan around coming here early enough so that you can be seated without much of a wait or spend some time in line. There are nearby bars in the area to help pass time!

My cousin got here before I did and we got seated at the bar! The interior is narrow with dim lighting - I really liked the warm colored lamps, the brick walls and the quaint bookshelves which set up a nice vibe.

We had both ordered the single cheese burger (Note: "single actually means two patties and double means three patties) with bacon! Holy sweet deliciousness, I had no idea what I was expecting but the texture that the patty had that soaked in the flavors of the oil, the cheese, (which was not super sharp), the pickle and the buttered buns. Burgers were very hearty, I was certainly very full around 3/4ths into the burger. They don't reinvent the burger recipe but just cooked everything RIGHT - I was very satisfied with the variety of flavors and textures that just made the perfect burger. Just be sure to add in the bacon if you want that extra crunch!

And of course, we ordered a side of fries. Most restaurants try to DOUSE their fries in aioli sauce which makes for a soggy and unpleasant eating experience. There was such little hint of the garlic aioli sauce and yet it packed in so much flavor along with the perfect crispness of the fries. I couldn't stop picking at the fries even though I was full.

For the drinks, we had two beers and the Dr. Devon's Pickleback shots! When I say the pickleback shot was so smooth - the alcohol itself is strong but it goes down so lightly. Now I didn't expect pickle juice to be a good chaser but whew, I was proven wrong. Goes down so smoothly with no aftertaste from the alcohol! I was also told the pickles are grown in house.

Service here was phenomenal! I wish I remembered his name but he was so welcoming and entertained our conversations about Men's The Gap shirts and always checked in on us.

They definitely understand the burger and I agree, it was indeed one of the best burgers I've ever had. I would not hesitate to recommend this place and when I bring someone to Chicago, this is definitely on the top of my revisit list.

If you haven't been to Au Cheval do you even like burgers?! Outstanding Cheeseburger they are the GOAT in this category. Add on the fried egg and bacon to make it even more awesome

Staff there is amazing, cool interior vibes

Pro Tip: get there early so you don't have to wait. The outdoor seating is nice but you want to sit inside for the full experience!

Also - don't sleep on the draft root beer :)

When you hear the words "best burger I've ever had" that's when you take matters into your own hands and see for yourself. I am here to tell you, the hype is real. Really real. I was in Chicago for 6 days and made a point to dine with Au Cheval on two separate occasions. And it was worth it. Judge me.

We were sat outside on a midday Friday afternoon and was greeted by Iaian who was wonderful. The portions are massive in size and absolutely shareable. But the cheeseburger is the sole reason I am here. Which was *chef's kiss*. Truly delightful. If I may make a suggestion, sub raw onion for caramelized onions and add bacon. Thick cut bacon at that. The combination of everything in between those two buns complimented each other in ways I'm unable to explain. No item is overpowering the other. And they mesh together in the best way possible.

If you're in downtown Chicago, I promise you won't be disappointed.

I've been waiting to try Au Cheval for a long time, mainly for the burger (more on that later). As a foodie, I knew I had to sample more of the menu, because this place clearly cares about their craft.

I started with the chopped salad, and as a salad connoisseur, I can confidently say this is one of the best salads you can get anywhere in the U.S. The flavors are phenomenal, but the real star is the bacon they add--it takes the salad to another level. Truly special.

Next up was Jane's Honey Fried Chicken. I was a little confused at first, thinking it was just wings, but it's actually a whole chicken (wing, leg, thigh, breast). The sauce was tasty, though maybe a little too heavy on the teriyaki for my liking. Still, the chicken was great.

Then came the crispy potato hash...let's just say, that was a miss for me. But the French fries? Incredible! My friend, who's traveled all over the world, said they're very similar to the fries in Belgium. They were definitely unique and flavorful. Overall, the vibes, look and feels of this place are excellent.

Now, the burger--this is where I have to disagree with the hype. It's a great burger, but it's not the best in America like many articles claim. My biggest issue was the bun--it was way too hard. As someone who believes Minneapolis is the burger capital of the world, I can easily find 5 to 10 burgers there that outperform Au Cheval's.

All in all, Au Cheval is definitely worth a visit, but the burger didn't live up to the sky-high expectations for me.

Au Cheval was our first stop on mine and my bf's first trip to Chicago, and the expectations were happily met and more! We put our name down around 6pm right after we checked in to our hotel. This was memorial day weekend, so we fully expected the long 2.5 hr wait. We ended up walking around, got a drink across the street, and a scoop at jeni's while we waited. We were finally sat down around 8:30.

We both got their well known cheeseburger with added bacon and egg, and fries to share. The fries were light and crispy, it came with this amazing sauce that we ended up putting on the burger as well. The burger is very very hearty, and I think adding the sauce was a really good idea. My first bite without the sauce was a bit *too* heavy but the sauce cuts that down and tones down the saltiness as well. I was already halfway full from our pre-dinner shenanigans, so most of my burger was taken home (but boyyyy was it so so good the next morning.)

We ended up eating outside so can't comment on the ambiance inside. The seats outside are right on the street - however the barriers do a good job of creating a sense of solid separation.

Au Cheval, notoriously rated as one of the best burgers, if not THE best in the United States. This was my second time visiting Au Cheval in my life, and it certainly did not disappoint.

What looks like from the ambiance a small bar with cool aesthetics is actually a burger grilling maestro going down with the small but mighty groups who are willing to wait several hours for absolute goodness. The servers know that people are about to be enlightened by the food which is shown through their enthusiasm.

For me, I did what was known as "the classic" which is a "single" (but really double) cheeseburger with thick cut peppered bacon and an open-faced egg. In my opinion, what makes Au Cheval the best burger I've ever had is the balance of all the quality flavors. There is nothing spectacular about it, which makes the fact that it tastes so damn good spectacular.

Coming back here brought me such good memories from when I first tried it six years ago, and it was so good to be back. If you live in Chicago or are just visiting, this is a MUST try. It is worth the wait.

BEST BURGER! Wow I was shocked by how perfect this burger was. I got a single patty and added bacon and an egg. It was flavorful and juicy. The wait was over an hour so I would recommend putting your name in and walking around the shops near by since they will text when your order is ready. We also got the fries which were not memorable.

Came in on a Saturday around opening time. Luckily, there were still seats at the bar for walk-in. It did get busier as I was there, and eventually there were people waiting when I left. Had to get what they're known for, their cheeseburger with an egg and bacon.

The burger is so decadent. The single is actually a double. You don't really need any ketchup with it, but having it on, helps cut the fat down just a tiny bit. I would've appreciated more pickles or even another pickle wedge on the side. The peppered bacon is thick and fatty but still crispy. The patty has a good char on it. The cheese makes it a lot heavier. The egg, when you cut into it, oozes perfectly, that you just can't help but dip the burger in the runny yolk that drips off. Not a clean meal. Prepare to get your hands dirty. Definitely something you should try once. I don't think I would get it again because it is so indulgent and not something I see myself eating a lot. If you don't have a big appetite, I would recommend getting a side and splitting the burger with someone.