TL;DR
Small Cheval is the fast-casual offshoot of Au Cheval, a casual-dining restaurant by Chicago hospitality company Hogsalt. It has expanded throughout Chicagoland, offering a smaller version of Au Cheval's legendary cheeseburger in a trimmed-down setting.
This concept is the fast-casual offshoot of Au Cheval, a casual-dining restaurant by Chicago hospitality company Hogsalt, founded by Brendan Sodikoff, whose cheeseburger has developed legendary status. So have the long wait times. Small Cheval leverages that burger and offers a smaller, faster-cooking version made with 3-ounce patties in a trimmed-down setting and a simpler menu that also includes chicken tenders, fries, milkshakes, beer, wine, and a few cocktails.
It has expanded throughout Chicagoland and remains entirely in that market, where it's praised for its fast service, draft beers, and, at some locations, outdoor patios.
In this story
This story was originally published in Restaurant Business on October 29, 2026. Burnaze summarizes and links to the original reporting.
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