CHIGuide
Where To Go When The Wait At Au Cheval Is 3 Hours Long
We’re not here to debate how delicious Au Cheval’s burger is. We know. But as good as it is (and again - it’s very good), sometimes you just don’t want to wait three hours to eat it. When that’s the case, here are some very good places you can check out instead.
THE SPOTS
Gilt Bar is kind of like a warp zone in Super Mario Bros - i.e. a hidden level that takes you right to the end of the game. Because this place is from the same people behind Au Cheval, and it happens to have an exact replica of the famous burger on its menu. It also has the same delicious fries with garlic aioli. So unless you actively want to wait three hours, just make the six-minute drive here instead (you’ll most likely be able to walk right in).
Think of this counter-service spot as Au Cheval lite. It’s also owned by the Au Cheval team, and while the the burger here doesn’t have the bacon and egg of the original, it does have the same bun, patty, cheese, pickles, and dijonnaise. There are multiple Small Cheval locations around Chicago, so you can stop at one on your way home after leaving Au Cheval in tears.
Your cousin is in town for a work conference and wants to go to Au Cheval. You warned him about the long wait, but he insisted on at least trying. Surprise, surprise - he doesn’t want to stick it out. Go to Maillard Tavern in River West instead. You’ll have a number of different (all very good) burgers to choose from, from an old-school classic (with lettuce, tomato, onion, ketchup, and pickles) to one with foie gras and truffle. The casual space is small, with wooden booths, tables, and a large bar. It’s a good spot to say “I told you so.”
Your friends from New York have their hearts set on Au Cheval - but it’s Saturday night, and unless they plan on sleeping there, it’s not gonna happen. Take them to The Loyalist, which is a fantastic alternative. It’s a casual spot in the basement of Smyth (a fancy tasting menu restaurant), and just like Au Cheval, it’s dark and has big, comfy booths. It also has a great burger, with a patty made from a blend of chuck, short rib, and bacon. The quality of the other dishes on the menu (like the chicken wings and cavatelli) is also high enough that you should be thinking of this place as a destination in its own right - not just an Au Cheval back-up plan.
Lone Wolf has a symbiotic relationship with Au Cheval - like those birds that pick the meat out of a crocodile’s teeth. In other words, it pretty much lives off the people waiting for a table at Au Cheval. It’s right next door in the West Loop, and an easy choice when you’re told that Au Cheval will be texting you in about four hours. It’s certainly good for waiting, but you can also just stay there and eat. There are plenty of comfortable booths, and while there’s no burger on the menu, you will find a great Chicago hot dog and some very good fries. In fact, you can probably eat here and still have time to get hungry again before you get that text anyway.
POWERED BY
There’s no burger at The Press Room, either. In fact, this isn’t a substitute for Au Cheval so much as a journey into a new, Au Cheval-less reality. You come to this West Loop wine bar when you have reached a place of acceptance: that table-is-ready text may never come. This place is in a secluded area of the neighborhood, and it’s rarely crowded. They have a great selection of wines, really good cocktails, and a short small plates menu (with things like chicken liver mousse) that complements both. It is 100% not Au Cheval, and you’ll be OK with that.
