Au Cheval

The restaurateur Brendan Sodikoff, whose Hogsalt group also runs Bavette’s and other Chicago favourites, opened Au Cheval in 2012 in the West Loop, a dressed-up take on the classic American diner. Its cheeseburger became famous almost immediately; Chicago readers voted it the city’s best and Food Network named it the best burger in America.

The queues have been part of the legend ever since. The restaurant takes few reservations, so most people put their names on the list and wait for a text. Au Cheval has since opened in Tribeca in New York and in Nashville, and its burger inspired a casual spin-off, Small Cheval, with branches all over Chicago. In 2026 the international ranking The World’s Best Burgers placed it third in the world and first in the United States.

The burger itself is deliberately simple. Beef patties are stacked with slices of processed American cheese, Dijon mayonnaise and house-made pickles on a toasted bun, as a single or a double. The extras give the restaurant its name, au cheval meaning “on horseback”, the French term for a dish topped with a fried egg: you can add an egg and very thick-cut peppered bacon.

Diners in Chicago’s West Loop, New York’s Tribeca and Nashville, plus the Small Cheval spin-offs around Chicago.

• Fatburger (United States, since 1947). The Last Great Hamburger Stand, founded by a woman and immortalised in hip-hop. Also built on beef, bacon, egg and cheese.
• Good Times (United States, since 1987). Colorado’s own drive-thru, built for burgers, sliders and frozen custard. Also built on beef, bacon, cheese and a double stack.
• Five Guys (United States, since 1986). Every burger is a double unless you say otherwise, and the toppings are free. Also built on beef, bacon, cheese and a double stack.
• Red Robin (United States, since 1969). The sit-down burger chain with bottomless fries and a burger topped with a fried egg. Also built on beef, bacon, egg and cheese.