Au Cheval - Chicago, IL
When the phrase "best burger in the nation" is thrown around....you had better live up to some form of the hype. Given the crown by Bon Appetit Magazine, Au Cheval remained at favorite until just December of 2017.
The Ambiance
You can go it how you please; being located in Fulton Market, there are a ton of bars and other places you may want to go and visit before or after your meal. Keep in mind the WAIT. There isn't a ton of space inside, and there is usually some form of wait. We got in around 5 pm and would have been immediately seated if not waiting on a few more in our party of 4.
By the time they arrived at around 5:10, there were a few people ahead of us. It still only took about 10 minutes to get a table from this point, which is good for a Thursday. I am wondering if the slow down in patrons had to do with Chicago Restaurant Week 2018 beginning the next day, if it had to do with the "early" time, or if it is due to The Loyalist, 12 blocks west of Au Cheval being the current runner up for best burger in the nation.
It is pretty dark inside, so be prepared for that, and the crowding. They are sure to use all of the space they have available, so you will probably be pretty close to your neighbor if not on one of the side wall booths. Its buzzy, so not loud, but not quiet, and with the dim lights, it is actually cozy in its own way.
The Service
The server got over pretty promptly but we weren't quite ready. It was busy in the section so it did take her a bit to come back and get the drink orders. I ordered the Punch #3 - #3 gin, pineapple, falernum, and luxardo amaretto for $12.00. Marlon ordered the Bee’s Knee’s - prairie gin, lemon, honey, and regans for $12.50. Our group each got a shot of house whiskey, since, you know, burgers and $3.50!
It took a while for the drinks to get back to us, but we put in our orders and the food was pretty prompt. I will say with the size and the crowd, do not expect 100 percent A-1 service, but she was able to answer any and all questions, and was able to suggest an item for a friend that doesn't eat meat. (Secret-ish menu adult grilled cheese).
The Burger
I know people think its all fancy-shmancy here, having chopped liver and bone marrow on the menu, but the single burger as is was only $11.95. Add your egg for $1 and your bacon for $3.50 and you are still at a decent price point. Its not McDonald's, guys. The single is actually a double, so also be aware of that when ordering. Now, I shouldn't have eaten the whole single, but I did, and I probably could have attempted the double, but I would not have made it to the end. The burger IS a la carte, so me and the hubby got an order of fries to share for $6.25. This was more than enough food.
At first bite, I didn't know what I was tasting; the double toasted bun from Z Baking, the crisped classic prime beef patties charred on a 500 degree griddle, the zest from the blended lemon juice, mayonnaise, and Dijon mustard, the tang of house cured pickles, the American cheese smoothness...I realized it is the BACON. The salty sweet chew enhances the flavor of all other pieces, and the ooze of the perfect egg, au cheval style with salt and chives smooths out the saltiness of the bacon. It was juicy but not messy, perfectly medium, and absolutely worth a wait and at least a try.
The Overall
It is totally worth the wait. The complexities of texture, but also variants of flavors is what had this burger at the very top of the top up to recently. Try to go a bit early, before the dinner crowd, but expect at least a small wait for this local gem. I couldn't get really good pics because of the lighting, then the flash-in-dark-places taboo thingie, I was over it, but be sure to check them out if its on your bucket list, its an easy one to check off!
...And if you are wondering, we did try the Loyalist, I do have an opinion on which is best... Be sure to read the BurgerBurgerBurger review of the Loyalist, Au Cheval, and a suburban gem, The Cottage on Dixie.