Small Cheval Might Be the Easiest & Best Burger in Gold Coast

We eat here regularly. That's not a casual statement — we eat here because it's genuinely one of the best burgers in the city, and we've had a lot of burgers in this city.

Small Cheval is the casual offshoot of Au Cheval, the West Loop diner famous for its over-the-top smash burger that has people waiting an hour on a good day. Small Cheval strips all of that away. No full menu. No sit-down service. Just burgers, fries, chicken tenders, chicken sandwiches, and ice cream concretes. That's the whole operation, and that focus is exactly why it works.

Here's the thing I'll say out loud: I might like this burger more than the flagship. I know how that sounds. Double patty, cooked medium rare even on thin patties, house-made pickles, sauce, cheese, and a bun that holds together without suffocating what's inside. Golden fries that do exactly what fries are supposed to do. It's not a complicated menu. It doesn't need to be.

The format is casual and efficient. Order at the window. Find a spot on the patio or at communal seating. You're not here for ambiance, you're here because the burger is excellent and you want to eat it outside on a good day. They're also genuinely food allergy-friendly, which is worth knowing — keto and gluten-free accommodations are available without the usual runaround.

Now. The concretes. I grew up on Wendy's Frostys and graduated to Dairy Queen Blizzards and I will tell you that the Small Cheval custard concrete is better than both. The hardest decision you will make here is not whether to get one. It's Oreo or peanut butter cup. I've been going back and forth on this for years and I don't have a final answer.