Not worth the wait
Agh. I know I'm going to get a lot of heat for giving Au Cheval 3 stars, but to me, it was average.
Tuesday night and the wait for two was an hour. There are so many good places to eat in Chicago, so that is just ridiculous to me. It's such a small restaurant with limited seating so definitely plan ahead.
The honey fried chicken (~$18 & 5/5) - oh my god were these good. An enormous platter of chicken (easily feeds two) smothered in a sweet glaze. It is perfectly fried and immediately coated with the honey glaze that it keeps its crispness til the end. Yummmmmmmmm. Seriously, every bite was delicious.
Hash browns with duck gravy (1/5) - I'm not sure what prompted us to order such a thing but we barely touched it. Hash browns with duck sausage smothered in duck gravy. It didn't have the most flavor as every bite was overpowered with the not so fun melt in your mouth fat, very overwhelming as it coats your entire mouth. It was just not for us.
Fries - they're a side of fries for $6. Comes with some garlic aioli on the side which neither of us were biggest fans of.
Two vodka sodas, fries, and two entrees ran about $60 which wasn't bad. Service is really friendly and the kitchen is quick. The open kitchen concept is pretty cool too. Glad I experienced it, won't be back any time soon.
Loud music, fantastic food and decor I'd describe as "hip diner." I'm told there is always a wait (we waited 90 mins on a Thursday evening).
The place is a bit of an oddity - loud hardcore rap in the background while we read from a modernized French menu. And later they moved on to Pink Floyd...I think Pandora is playing tricks on them.
The bone marrow was good, just don't smell it - it has a distinctly recognizable earthy aroma that we had only smelled one other place before (something only adults would be familiar with)...but we kept on eating.
The fries with an egg and garlic aioli  and the cheeseburger are a must. We were full and still managed to polish off both...they are amazing!
They also have a Greek white wine whichvpairs nicely with the marrow.
Go. You will not be dissappointed!
Sure, it's a glorified diner (it used to be just that and has retained the original layout) but the burger and General Janes' honey fried chicken are solid! Add an egg and canadian bacon to the "single cheeseburger" (which is actually a double cheeseburger...) and you are in flavor country.
Au Cheval doesn't take reservations, so put your name in and go across the street to Haymarket for a beer in their more spacious bar. Forget watching the game at Au Cheval, there isn't a screen to be seen. They will text you when your table is ready.
Mr. Sodikoff, not the most flattering articule in the TimeOut magazine article, but I have to hand this one to you. Bravo sir. I plan to return with my law partner who has been known to take down cheeseburgers all over this great city.
Tied for #1 with Publican in my opinion. Excellent atmosphere, music and service.
What you should try:
Everything
What you have to try:
Burger w/ fried egg on top
Fries (the mayo dipping sauce is unreal)
Mashed Potatoes (whole roasted garlic cloves in them)
Bone Marrow with beef cheek marmalade (potentially the best thing I've ever had)
The beer selection is just the cherry on top. Go to Au Cheval.
That burger!
Although I love a good  burger, this past year I have been rather choosy in when and where to indulge in an effort to shed a few points of my bloated cholesterol (though in fairness it is a few points below the national debt). It had been a few months since my last burger and I had heard so much praise about Au Cheval's rendition. The West Loop is comfortably situated half way between work and home, so when a snowstorm leads to cars moving slower than a clogged artery I often take a pit stop in the West Loop to wait out rush hour. That's right, I am blaming the Chicago winter on my decision tonight to partake in a bacon cheeseburger - at least I had the willpower to nix the fried egg addition.
Au Cheval is partly a hip, upscale diner and partly a craft beer pub; the menu is definitely best described as sinful. The single cheeseburger is two patties and the double cheeseburger is three patties. Not sure what they would call it in France. The menu also features comfort food such as fried bologna, roasted bone marrow with beef cheeks, fries with mornay sauce and a fried egg, bacon with fried chicken and six cheeses rolled in duck fat topped with three different kinds of eggs sandwiched between a doughnut and a a slice of foie gras infused apple pie (OK, I made the last one up, but it would blend right in with the rest of the menu). Definitely not the place if you are seeking to lose some weight or eat healthy - but alas, I gave up health food for lent. Heart attack snow meet heart attack food.
While the vibe at Au Cheval is not really my style (a bit too hipster, loud, crowded, no reservations and dark - I really had to squint my middle aged eyes to be able to discern the menu) I do have to say that my burger tasted so incredible that I did not even feel guilty. That is some serious high quality beef cooked to perfection; I strongly recommend opting for the bacon addition; an extremely thick cut (as thick as the beef patties) that adds a nice sweet and smoky contrast to the beef. The housemade bread is heavenly and the cheese was outstanding too. Definitely one of the best burgers I have enjoyed... if not the best, better than sex (well, at least sex with me). One of the pricier burgers too (I believe it was $13.50 with the bacon addition), but well worth the upcharge. Do not ask for condiments; adding anything to the Au Cheval burger would be akin to slathering a prime steak (or an A5 cut of Wagyu) with A1 sauce; totally sacrilegious... and definitely not hip.
Au Cheval also freatures a vast selection of craft beers; there are about two dozen on tap and the menu has a nice description of the flavor profiles. I had the Mikkeller It's Alive with my burger. There is just over a half dozen cocktails (I had the Dark Horse: Old Overholt Rye with with lemon, ginger beer and Angostura bitters to kick off the evening) and a small wine selection. Very reasonable prices on the beverages ($10 to $12 for most wines and cocktails, $6 to $9 for most beers). Our server was really friendly, but was spread a bit thin so it did take quite a while to receive our first round of drinks; not sure if they were short staffed due to the snow or if this is the norm.
As I generally try to eat at least moderately healthy and am a bit too dorky for the hip vibe at Au Cheval I do not see myself becoming a regular here, but I definitely see the appeal and understand why they are such a hot venue. Next time I find myself craving a burger there is a pretty good chance I will end up here. Now that spring is fast approaching I will have to come up with a new excuse to drown out the little voice inside my head rehashing my doctor's warning to eat healthy (as the chances of another snowstorm are slim)... didn't Tom Skilling predict an above average chance for thunderstorms for April?
Loved this place! Â It's definitely not the decor I was expecting - much darker and more grunge than a "diner," but still great in its own way. Â We went at 10pm after seeing a show downtown. Â This was the perfect time to show up, since by then there was no wait (they don't take reservations). Â I can see how it would get really crowded earlier, as it's not very big. Â We ordered the single burger (which is really 2 patties, while the double has 3), the fries with an egg on top, and a root beer float made with homemade root beer and Black Dog vanilla gelato. Â The burger is juicy and delish, and you can't beat a homemade root beer float. Â The fries were good, but next time I'd probably opt for the crispy potato hash, since the dipping sauces they give for the fries are nothing special.
I'll be back for sure, since there's a ton of great looking items on the menu, including chiliquilas that are only served after midnight...looks like I'll just have to stay up past my bedtime!
I headed to Au Cheval for lunch with a client one day during the week. I had heard it was hard to get a seat but I think if you go during the week and lunch it isn't too bad. I walked in at ten till noon and had a table right away. It definitely filled up, the place is teeny tiny!
The service is great, the waitress really knew the menu and was very attentive. I heard they have the best burger in the city, alas, I am not really a burger person. So sue me! I got the ham and cheese fondue. It said it was an open faced sammy, but it definitely wasn't. It was delish, but totally surprised me when it came. It was texas like toast/brioche and a dish with cheese fondue (duh) topped with ham that looked like it was put under the broiler. Super yummy, but a little work to assemble and kinds messy. I'd definitely eat it again though. I don't turn down things like cheese fondue. I can't comment on the alcoholic bevies since I didn't have any, but looked like they had a good selection.
Two thumbs up!
The place has tiny booths but any booth is a good one, except John Wilkes amirite?
Ok, I'll admit, that was bad. Like Jeff Dunham bad, but this will be the 66th review I've written today and my creative well is starting to dry up a bit. Â And also while we're being totally honest, I was a little drunk when I went here and the only thing I wrote in my Yelp check-in "notes and tips" section was that the booths were tiny. Â I can corroborate this fact with a photo on Facebook that shows my girlfriend, my friend and me trying to eat on one side of the table aptly titled, "T-Rex Dining" because our arms were forcibly pinned to our sides.
At this point I'm sure many of you are yelling at your screen for me to get to the f#$%ing food/atmosphere already. To which I reply that you should really relax and a Yelp review is not something that should evoke such unadulterated rage in you. Â Perhaps you should see someone. You should never be ashamed to seek help, and these rage issues of yours are something that needs to be dealt with before you hurt yourself or someone you care about.
I still haven't said one thing about the food you say? Ok, I remember it was delicious and everything had an egg on it, but quite frankly I'm so terrified of your recent outburst that I think it's best for everyone if we both take 5 and chill out.
Hip, low key, dim lighting, underground/west coast style music, loud, solid beer, incredible burger, fun to be drunk at.
This place is legit. Both times I went I'd been drinking all night and was fiending for a burger. And this place won't disappoint. I have literally never had a better burger in my entire life. Get one. With bacon (which is more like ribs), and a fried egg (even if you don't like eggs). For the record, a single comes with 2 patties, double with 3, etc.
The fries are incredible too. Get a fried egg on top.
The brohammer has been dropped.
We came here for an early dinner. We had not wait. I ordered a delicious beer and the others ordered great cocktails and whiskeys.
The burger was the best I've ever had. So perfectly created. I added bacon to mine and the others added a fried egg as well. All were great additions.
It is a bit pricey but well worth the expense. Seriously, best burger I've had,
Shabby chic with a liberal dash of charisma...this is how I would describe Au Cheval. Â When my business lunch afforded me the opportunity to choose the destination....I instantly thought of Au Cheval (as the attendees were foodies and I have had good luck with great restaurants like GT Fish/Oyster for lunch because it is easier to score a table). Â I arrived early...and had a chance to hob knob with the hostess who provided the following words of wisdom on what to order. Â
"If you dont get the burger, you will be beaten about the face and neck"
Having grown fond of my nose over the past few decades...we took our tour guides advice. Â How did this story end you ask? Â Everyone was lobbing bouquets of praise at the chef....the burger was so good (classic prep with egg and bacon)...we barely touched our AMAZING fries (with garlic aioli and fried egg). Â I can say with confidence .... if a better burger exists within our amazing city....PLEASE SHOW IT TO ME. Â Not only is it a treat for your tastebuds...but it is the SEKSIEST sandwich you will ever wrap your hands around. Â
Extra points for the analog sound system with wood wrapped REEL TO REEL tape deck spinning a great downtempo soundtrack. Â Warm, urban vibe....that begs you to stay and have another beer. Â We did just that....
This place is very unassuming from the outside, with smoke tinted windows and an understated 'Au Cheval' sign proclaiming it's existence. Â The interior, however, was warm and inviting, with a steel-plated bar, deep booths promising privacy flanking the walls, and 30ish very well thought out beers on tap greeting you upon entering.
My girlfriend and I started off with the bread and butter pickles, which were sweet with a light white vinegar tartness. Â They were excellent. Â She then had the griddled bratwurst, which was perfectly cooked and served on mashed potatoes. Â I had the General Jane's honey-fried chicken, which was double deep fried and tasted like a better version of Korean barbeque, crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. Â The sauce was a bit too sweet and overpowered towards the end, but thats nitpicking.
The worst thing we had were the hash browns, which were too thick and hence soft in the middle. Â They couldve been cooked longer.
Drinks were solid, if not spectacular. Â Overall, worth going and would go back.
Just ordered the burger W/ egg and yes it was what everyone says it is redic. Small place a little loud but as you sit at the bar and look around you find your self nodding your head and liking it food is being prepared right in front of you non stop(bar seating, they do have booths as well) so you end making choices for your next visit before you even get your food lol. Will be returning for the chilaquiles and honey fried chicken. can not wait!
Review Source:I loved the cozy ambience here! The ham and cheese fondue, was one of the best things I ever ate.
I felt the fries with fried egg were too decadent, paired with the dish.
We had the General Jane's chicken as well. Delicious, but not amazing.
The puff pastry dessert was a fantastic finish.
A heavy meal, not to be had often.
Upon walking in, it was strangely familiar...
It took a textversation with Carmen G. to realize that this place is Sodikoff owned... DUH! It looks like a mini Gilt Bar on the inside...
Anyways we got there at 4:30p on a random Wednesday. They don't serve dinner until 5p so they told us to order a drink and hang. So I ordered the Pegu Club and my dude orders a 3 Floyds. So, the menu lists the Pegu Club under the "Strong Drinks" category and damn, they weren't kidding!! A *half* of one and I was wasted. Haha no joke- BUT, to be fair I just had a baby and my tolerance sucks. Â I had to get my husband to help me finish it...
OK the food. We over-ordered:
-Bone Marrow - Yum
-Foie Gras Terrine - Yum
-Burger with housemade bacon -Yum
-Fries with the Mornay Sauce and Garlic Aioli WITH the fried egg - Yum
Everything was good/cooked well. Bone marrow cooked well, Foie terrine was deeeeelish and rich, burger was juicy and I appreciated the housemade bacon (it was awesome, def recommend), and the fries were good.
I will be back!!
These guys are just a little too into themselves. There are too many great places to dine on randolph to have a cocky attitude, and I find their staff to be a little self absorbed with a hint of condescension. For whatever reason, I usually feel like a tourist in this place. At any rate, the burger really is good, and they have an asian chicken dish that's really great. It's a tad on the pricy side for what you get. I continue to go back because my friends love this place, but there are certainly better options where I feel my patronage is more appreciated.
Review Source:Best burger? I don't think so. But it is a good burger. It's moist and has the components that make it good. However, it ends at good. I think there are burgers that have more flavor that I would constitute is great.
Also had the General Jane's chicken. It was so sweet and salty. Asian's make those chicken wings and they make it far better. They also leave the wing tip, which I think should always be taken off before cooking/serving. I mean do you ever see a wing joint serve the entire wing with the tip? C'mon!
The bone marrow is becoming very popular wherever you go. Theirs is no different. It costs more here, but they also give you a lot more. They serve it with a marmalade on the side, which is very good.
I would go back, but I wouldn't rave about their food. It is a bit pricey considering its a burger and chicken but they make up for it with good beer.
My Favorite Burger in the World!!!!!!! You got to get the Bacon it is so smokey. Â I have never had bacon like this!!!! One tip you just need a single because it comes with two patties. It was so juicy and whatever sauce they put on this burger gives it that added flavor.
The fries are so good you can just eat them up plain. Â
The ambiance is so hip and the music there is great it makes you want to stay there all night and they are open until like 1am. Great place to come to on a date or by yourself because it is like an way upscale cool diner where you can sit at the counter and watch them in the kitchen. Â I dream about this place!!!
I came here for the first time a week or so ago and I am still not sure how I feel about it. The ambiance is alright--- but it gets REALLY crowded. I was really uncomfortable even at my seat at the bar while I waited for a table. We got there early--- at like 5:30 on a Friday---and we still had a 45 minute wait. Be prepared!
Our server was great. She knew everything about the menu as if she designed it and selected the ingredients herself. I was so impressed. I had the burger which was quite good. I'm not sure I would say it was the best but I definitely enjoyed it. Everyone in my group seemed to enjoy their food. The drink menu is pretty good. They had a good beer selection.
I will be back but definitely not on a Friday or Saturday night.
I had dinner here with my roommate and her mom. We waited at the bar for a table (as to which we were never told how long of a wait it was) and had some beer. There was a pretty good beer list. We were seated close to 45 minutes after we put our names in at about 6:00pm on a Friday.
The waitress was super knowledgeable about the menu, even though we asked probably a million annoying questions. She even let me know about a vegetarian item they offered that wasn't even on the menu (score!) Food was brought quickly, drinks were not brought so quickly. The food was delicious, especially the smashed potatoes!
The atmosphere was loud and a little crowded because there was a bunch of people just waiting in the hallway in front of all the booths/in between the bar. The decor of the place is great, sort of an upscale, classy diner feel. More of a group spot than a date spot.
Best burger in America? I don't know about that, but it was pretty damn good. I give the place a 4.5.
We ordered:
1) Raw vegetable salad with champagne vinaigrette, honey, and scallion dressing;
2) Crispy fries with a fried farm egg, mornay sauce, and garlic aioli; and
3) Three single cheeseburgers.
The salad was delicious. Very thinly sliced beets, celery, fennel, cabbage and apple in a slightly vinegary dressing. Good portion for us to share between three people.
The fries were satisfactorily crispy and salty. Our only complaint was that the egg seemed to be overcooked. When we cut it up, there was no runny goodness to spread over the fries. But that didn't stop us from finishing the plate.
The cheeseburgers were just about perfect. My boyfriend ordered egg and bacon on his, but I only got bacon. He thought the bacon was almost too thick and salty for the burger, but I didn't mind it. My mom had neither the egg nor the bacon and was pleased with her burger nonetheless.
FYI: The single cheeseburger is actually a double, and the double cheeseburger is actually a triple. Our waitress failed to mention this fact, but thankfully, we had only ordered singles. It took great restraint, but I took half of my burger home.
Two of us had the draft root beer, which I would highly recommend if you're a root beer fan. If you make it to dessert (we didn't), they serve a root beer float with malted vanilla gelato. I'd like to try that next time.
Was relatively easy to get a table for three on Sunday at 5:45 p.m. Our waitress was attentive. The music was somewhat unsettling, but I suppose it went with the restaurant's theme.
I've been here several times and the food is always excellent. Â I can't say much that hasn't been said. Burgers, Fries, EVERYTHING AMAZING! ----- EXCEPT for the service. Â 5 stars on the food, 2 on the service.
Last night takes the cake, our party was treated like garbage. Â Our server was robotic and insincere (She's been my server before and each time my group feels the same). Â I'll spare the details but the one that sticks in my head most goes as follows (this one happened in December):
4 of us went for brunch craving good eats but more so some hangover curing Bloody Marys so we specifically sought out Au Cheval.
Instant seating - good.  Before even looking at the menu we order 3 Bloodies and 1 Beer.  aprox 10 minutes later we put in the order for food and still no drinks at our table.  Several minutes go by, surprised the server hasn't noticed  we politely let he know.  Ok.. no problem, we don't mind so far.  Food's out and now we are eating... still no drinks.  She still doesn't notice.. (PS it daylight out and the restaurant is not busy at all). At this point we have forgotten about the drinks.. 3/4 into our meal i remember and  wave her down and remind her AGAIN. She is somehow apologetic and says.. "Sorry about that, I'll go ahead and take care of the first one for you" -- sounds good! First round? We might stay for 2!!
She comes back.. finally.. drinks in hand (our plates have already been cleared mind you). Â Half way thru our drinks and she drops off the bill. Â No question about a second round or coffee or even a hint at desert. Â We look at the bill.. she's comped.... DRUM ROLL... the BEER!!! LOL!!! the cheapest drink of all... a five dollar Beer. Â The second problem I have with that comp is I'm the only guy at the table, that was my beer. Â At least comp one of the ladies' drinks not the only guy at the table. Â Â Ideally the entire round should have been comped.. Â Had she not given us the misleading impression of the comp to begin with we would have canceled the drink order all together. Â Why would we want our bloodies after our meal when we ordered them prior? Â
Again, the food is phenomenal, the service not so much.  5 for 5 on  bad service. I'm pretty sure  I'll be back for food, but I'll just sit at the bar.
PS. The Hostess' are always nice and accomodating
Had dinner here the other night, thirty minute wait at 6:30PM on a Monday night. It was handled smoothly by the hipster chick standing in front of the reel-to-reel tape machine and about 15 minutes later I got a text message saying that I could come back (we wandered over to Haymarket)
The menu is a bit, um, strange. Hard to determine whats a plat principal vs a entree, etc.
The food is interesting. Well crafted and yummy. The prices are reasonable. I think the most expensive bottle of wine was $50~ish.
Whiskey shot with pickle juice, anyone?
Two thumbs up.
The best burger in Chicago. Perfectly cooked, juicy, cheesy, saucy, with a bun that doesn't overwhelm. Pairs perfectly with a sharable serving of fries, topped with a sunny side up egg.
I sat at the bar once and was able to observe the cooking / preparing process. All the dishes looked amazing, but I haven't yet been able to bring myself to order anything other than the burger. I've had it with the egg and bacon option, but don't feel it's necessary. I'm also not a huge bacon fan, so I'm sure others would disagree.
Great beer and drink list, too. The bloody mary looks like a salad in a glass. Yum!
"What I like about this place is the fact that people that know about it know about it. And the people that don't know about it don't."
This is damn good food that manages to fly under the radar. Translation: Damn good food minus annoying foodie hipsters.
Don't get me wrong. You'll find a cute twenty something Belle sucking Marrow from the Bone like it's got the antidote (a la Chris Rock).
For the most part, Au Cheval is all about the food.
Ironically, Au Cheval is located right across one of Chicago's most eponymous restaurants The Girl & The Goat. The vibe is a cross between an underground speak-easy/dive bar and cheap coffee shop/diner.
At The Girl & The Goat, guests are there to be seen and to see just as much they are there to chow down. At Au Cheval, guests are there to eat, period.
House-made Bologna Sandwich is probably the inspired force-meat Oscar Mayer's Mom used to make back in the day from scratch. It is excellent.
Foie Gras with Brioche comes with preserved jam. It's the 1 am Breakfast of Champions.
Fried Chicken is another slam dunk.
The menu is peppered with dishes that represent elevated comfort food designed to satisfy the strongest of cravings for high calorie indulgences or late night after-bar munchies.
Now I know about Au Cheval....the World is a better place.
Sweeeet Baby Jesus. Â This impromptu lunch changed my life. Â I need to get back there for a second round so I can try their full menu's bounty. Â The brunch menu is a little truncated but they had what I wanted, that gorgeous cheeseburger that's been haunting me all around the internet. Â Finally it was to be mine. Â
We each had a burger which was perfect from bun to housemade pickle, though adding the bacon was really gilding the lily, good though it was. Â We also shared the pimped out fries with the mornay sauce and egg. Â Whatever to the egg of which the white part was kind of silly and weird to cut, but the mornay sauce and aioli (and I'm not an aioli fan) were good. Â They also let me order an off-menu beermosa. Â Score! Â
We got there at 12:45 on a Saturday and they told us a 45 minute wait which was an overestimate. Â I love when that happens. Â I need to get my butt back here ASAP to try more goodies and possibly order some pickleback shots. Â Not to be confused with Nickleback in any way. Â Ugh. Â They get negative 5,000 stars.
When there's a two hour wait when you walk into a place, you start building some expectations. Is this place worth it? The dark room stretches to a corner, background music plays from a vintage reel-to-reel player behind the hostess as she deftly handles the line crowded around from the edge of the bar to the vestibule.
We had a full appetizer and set of drinks across the street at the Haymarket before we got seated with menus at our booth. Our very dark booth, mind you. The kind of place where you can barely see in front of you without feeling out for it. It was a little challenging to order with the complete lack of light, but it was managed. Another round of beers was handed out with our appetizer fries that we were handily recommended. Then our meals for the day. The "ham and cheese" fondue. The fried chicken. The burger. And the "bologna" sandwich.
Oh next rich series of artery-clogging, blood pressure raising bites. No hint of vegetation anywhere near any of these plates, as course for course, starches and grains on top of fried pork with cheese was handed to us. No refreshment provided with a hint of acid or produce. Well yes, could have ordered a salad, but it doesn't quite counterbalance the onslaught of rich provisions offered to us. Of course, for what it was, it was all actually quite good. Especially with the penchant for fried eggs on top that Au Cheval considers its namesake.
Though good, this place doesn't quite live up to the hype, as the meal was unbalanced to the point of leaving me feeling heavy and well greased up for the next week. But if you're into it, be my guest.
I'm on the hunt for the best burger in Chicago, and this place was recommended. Needless to say, I was not disappointed! The single is actually 2 burger patties and the double has three! We ordered it both ways, including one with the egg and bacon. They were all delicious, if not a bit over-salted. I really liked the burgers here, but alas, would not say it was the best burger in Chicago.
The fries with the fried egg were fantastic as well, but again, over-salted.
The best item ordered however was the bone marrow. Now, I'm not a big bone marrow fan typically, but this one was incredible! It came with this brisket-ey slaw on the side, that paired with the marrow was to die for.
Lastly, the drinks were great. The bartender made a fantastic old fashioned that hit the spot.
It was a bit of a wait for the 4 of us (over an hour on a Sunday!), but I thoroughly enjoyed the meal and would go again.
Came with wife the other night and was told it would be a 2.5 hr wait.  No complaint. First time there and they were busy.  So went next door to little goat put our name down. Was told it would be about an hr.  so went to grab a cocktail at the bar and started looking at their menu, naw......  So wife decided to head back to au cheval and boom  They have two bar seats for us.   Paid for our cocktail, down it and went back to au cheval.
Good vibe here. Beer selection looked good, sampled a few. Ordered the bone marrow for app. Â Very impressed, first place in Chicago that did not melt the thing thru so ended up nothing much to eat. Â Was told they steam them first and just brown it a little so most of the marrow would still be there. Â Would prefer the thinner slice of toast instead of the thick toast. Â We wanted to save room for other goodies
Was recommended the porterhouse (pork). Â Turned out it was one of the best pork I had sampled. Â Just slightly pink and tender, juicy and went really well with the sauce and the beer. Â
Really enjoyed the atmosphere, Â small place with good music and friendly services.
Not bad. Â
I do enjoy french fries for brunch, and with the fried egg and garlic aioli, it can't be turned down. Â My husband had something I will refer to as a meat platter. Â He was happy with it: duck gravy (with sausage) and hash browns. The portions are giant and salty.
If I had even two drinks the night before, all of this would have been perfect. Â But, I wasn't ready for high-end diner food. Â Perhaps you are. Â I'm saying it's perfect for hangovers.
I went here recently with my dad who is a big fan and definitely was won over. Â The general feel of the place is as a hipster diner. Â The decor is great, the staff is friendly, and the food even better.
One of the best things about this place is the beer list. Â They have a great selection of craft beers on tap and even though they are a bit on the expensive side, they're tasty and well worth it. Â
The menu is fairly limited but that's fine because what's on the menu is delicious. Â My dad had the fried bologna sandwich which is his favorite and was once again not disappointed. Â I had the burger which was wonderful. Â It was actually one of the best burgers that I've had. Â The meat was wonderful, the cheese terrific, and the other compliments did their job of complimenting everything beautifully. Â My dad and I shared the duck hash browns which are a must try. Â If you enjoy duck you definitely have to have them. Â
Though pricey, this place is worth every penny.
Really great diner food in a bougie style! Â I was privileged enough to be seated at the bar so I could see all the food being prepared, which was interesting and a nice change of pace. Â
I began by sharing an order of frites with my girlfriend, which were topped by a perfectly fried egg (and also came with aioli and a gravy). Â Having multiple "sauce options" was a plus. Â For my entree, I got a fried bologna sandwich, which basically melted in my mouth and also covered my hands with grease. Â For dessert, I got scoops of Black Dog gelato in three flavors, which came in a huge portion but was fantastic. Â I probably would have been alright with a single scoop, but I didn't realize that was an option until a couple down the bar ordered it.
My girlfriend's scrambled eggs and foie gras had VERY generous portions of foie gras, which is a refreshing change from what I usually see with foie gras dishes. Â Au Cheval delivers a lot of value for the money.
Overall, I really liked the combination of casual atmosphere and good food, and there was a lot of care taken with the presentation of everything (especially given the fact that it was a diner). Â I would recommend getting there early or being prepared to wait, since we arrived shortly after the kitchen opened for dinner and the tables completely filled right after us.
Five Stars:
1) One of the best burgers in the city... get it with bacon and egg
2) Yes, the wait can be long, but they call you when your table is ready, so you can grab a few beers at Haymarket
3) Good beer selection
4) Awesome music/decor
5) Unlike most restaurants in the city/ something different
Bonus:
- I know the fried bologna is the no. 2 sandwich in the Tribune 50 best sandwiches, but in my opinion the burger is much better.
Two words: SALT OVERLOAD.
I have never in my life felt so disgusting after 3 bites of food. Its salty and fatty in the worst way.
But yet, we keep going back. It's that salad, the one with the bacon and egg and creamy dressing. It's like crack and I'll take the salt hangover any day to eat that damn thing again.
Ok... where to start with this one. Â It's dark (painted black low light), it's a bit wanna be hipster, it plays real to real tape for music (good selection), it has a solid beer selection and good cocktails, the menu is limited.
It's more of a 3.5 as the food is good but it's not high dinning.
There's a dish that is a must have at the place which is the General's Chicken... if nothing else you must go to this place and try this dish. Â I find it to be some of the best chicken I have had in Chicago.
Next.... I get the burger, have been here several times and always get the burger. Â Now I'm going to describe the burger but do not take it as a slam. Â I find it to be one of the top burgers in the city but there are issues. Â Wait still not describing it but now providing advice.... get the burger... however do not get the burger if you are on a first date or still not totally comfortable with the person you are there with. Â They are very good but they are greasy, messy, large, tasty, burgers. Â You get the egg on it... this is a must as they cook the egg just right not like some other places where they over cook it. Â This adds to the mess as the burger is already greasy to as they cook it in its own fat. Â Not healthy! you want healthy go get some sprouts somewhere and I do not give a crap about your vegan ways and do not want to hear about them. Â
So 1. Generals Chicken  2.  Burger.... skip cleaning up after the chicken as if you have the burger you're going to be messy any way.  I go full caveman when I eat here, i'm sure the waitresses are looking at me like some sort of weird old deranged guy... 3.  I do not care
Now unfortunately I have a complaint... the fries really are not that great, they want to toss a egg on there as well but with the egg on the burger already I feel like I'm asking for a grabber right there at the table. Â I'd rather see some righteous aioli or something down that path. Â Like to see them redo the fries as they just do not live up to the rest of the food.
This place is pretty much a hipster high quality diner type of setup. Â It's a good to go place that I enjoy. Â Prices are a bit high but I can get buy with it. Â
If it's jammed up have them text you when your table is ready and go over to Haymarket (I do not) or the Holiday inn right across the street. Â Grab a Rogue dead guy for $4 eat some peanuts and do not worry about the atmosphere... Holiday is a good holding pattern while you wait.
My first review of 2013! Naturally, I feel that I must review a place that inexplicably changed my life for the better to kick off a new year of eating and writing Yelp reviews.
Dining companions and I shuffled in for the late night menu around midnight because they had a hankering for chilaquiles (more on that later). Since I already had dinner, I was feeling full and thought I would stick with drinking old fashioneds (oh little did I know what was coming for me!). The heavenly beverage placed in front of me smelled so citrusy fresh and sweet, I could've sworn they gave me liquid baby angels. I've had old fashioneds all over the city and this is by far my absolute favorite.
Chilaquilas were flavorful, with perfectly scrambled eggs with guac and fresh tomatillo sauce. The chips were a little bit too rich and whatever animal fat they must've fried them in ended up overwhelming everything else. Fries and garlic aioli were a solid "meh" compared to...the BEST BURGER OF MY LIFE. We had the simple version, no bacon or eggs...just a good ol' cheese burger with the regular fixins. How could something so simple be so....PERFECT? Remember how I said I wasn't hungry because I ate dinner? Apparently the mere presence of this burger gave me a second stomach solely devoted to this vessel of meat paradise.
Here's to more old fashioneds and perfect cheeseburgers into the new year!
I have been coming to au cheval since about 2 months after it opened, and by now have been there way too many times to count. Â The whole menu which I've had about 90% of is excellent. Â Service is usually pretty good, can be slow, but they are always busy. Â Music is loud, but in great taste, playing everything from daft punk, to beastie boys, to notorious b.i.g. Â Dimly lit, with the bar doubling as the open kitchen. Â
The reason it turned into an after work hangout so quickly is the fact that the late night menu is running until 1am every day, and they close at 2am every day. Â The beer list rotates very offend, and is always interesting. Â Late night menu IS a little small, but it has the only thing you need on there. Â
The burger here at au cheval is my favorite in Chicago. Â Very simple, single or double burger. Â The single has 2 patties, and the double has 3 patties. Â 4 ounces each and cooked to a perfect medium everytime, comes with perfect melty cheese, housemade bread and butter pickles, and their house mayo. Â You also have the option to get the burger "au cheval" style with a perfect egg, and/or with thick cut house cured bacon. Â No matter how you get it, your making a good decision.
As for the rest of the menu, there is not a weak point at all. Â I love their bone marrow setup here which comes with crispy bread and beef cheek marmalade. Â Some of my other favorites are the crispy potato hash with duck heart gravy, the foie and pork stuffed cabbage, the chicken liver, and general Janes honey fried chicken. Â The honey fried chicken is a beautiful fried chicken interpretation. Â Very
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