Danielle S.
Yelp
I've heard from many Chicagoans that the burgers at Au Cheval really are that good and are definitely worth the hype, but I still wasn't about to wait 2-3 hours at the flagship restaurant for one. Thankfully, Small Cheval exists, and there's one in the Aster Hall food court. I visited for lunch after taking in the 360 Chicago viewing deck in the John Hancock Center just around the corner.
I really like that more upscale food courts are becoming trendy. This one had a bunch of different types of food to choose from, including tacos, sushi, ramen, pizza, and more. I knew I was going to have to try Small Cheval, though!
You place your order at a touch screen kiosk and can pay via card, but if you want to pay with cash you can do so at the 3 Greens Market stand. Then head to the stand from which you ordered and your number will be called when your order is ready.
I got a cheeseburger, golden fries, chocolate shake, and a fountain drink from Small Cheval and my total was around $23. The cheeseburger comes with dijonnaise, pickles, and onions and was SO GOOD. The meat is juicy and perfectly cooked, the cheese is melty and fabulous, the pickles nice and crisp, and the dijonnaise ties it all together. It's a great burger! The fries were pretty standard, but if you get the garlic aioli to dip them in they are instantly elevated. The chocolate shake was also pretty standard, but by that I just mean it's exactly what you want a chocolate shake to be.
There is plenty of seating and I was able to grab a table by the big windows looking out to the John Hancock Center. There's another level upstairs with even more seating. This is a great place to take a break from shopping and grab a bite to eat!