Very surprised to see this Small Cheval Location had such a low rating! My husband and I have dined here twice and both times really enjoyed it! The building feels charming and historic for Downtown Wilmette. They have some indoor seating, four seasons porch seating area, and two outdoor patios. The ordering area is very spacious but sadly no additional seating could be added there. Food is made fresh to order and we did bot experience long waiting times. We did have no one available to give us our order when our buzzer went off for about 2 min. Everything we've ate here has exceeded expectations! The prices can be a premium but quality of ingredients and consistency makes up for it. It's always a treat to get such a good burger and fries! This is the perfect summer spot to grab a bite at! Tip: Can you bring back the truffle aioli please! read more

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Gave it a second chance and just as bad as the first time. Fries were good and they should be for $5. Burger was disgusting. So salty I tossed it after 3 bites. Also, a very, very odd taste the to meat. Very fishy tasing. Bun was good. Cheese and grilled onions were terrible. Back to reliable Culvers. read more

I'm not usually a burger person, but when I worked in the city (pre pandemic) I did love a good cheeseburger from Small Cheval so was excited when they opened a location in Wilmette. My 15 year old often finds her way here for dinner with friends, but I've yet to step inside. However, I have doordashed on a few occasions and it's always something that the entire family of 5 can agree on...which isn't so easy when it comes to choosing a doordash restaurant. The cheeseburger itself isn't very big, but I think the perfect size. And for those super hungry or a bottomless pit like my 13 year old son they have the option of a double cheeseburger. And if you're looking to go a little healthier you can get your single (or double) cheeseburger wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun. A great addition to the North Shore and I hope we get more locations soon! read more

I was visiting family and we wanted a lunch delivered. They said the chicken fingers at Small Cheval (Wilmette) were very good. I took a quick look on Yelp to see the rating and was stunned to see less than 3 stars! I can't remember the last time I ate food at a restaurant with such a low rating. However, family insisted it was the best, so we ordered. The chicken came in a short while and the fingers were piping hot! I want to make a quick observation - these chicken 'fingers' were possibly the largest pieces of chicken I've had that were referred to as 'fingers'! They resembled small chicken breasts! I sliced two pieces of challah bread - put the largest 'chicken finger' on it and drizzled honey all over. I was quickly transported to 'chicken heaven' The chicken was delicious - thick, juicy white meat that was as tender as could be! The coating was crispy and perfectly fried! These 'fingers' were most definitely some of the best fried chicken I've ever had! We returned the following day for....ice cream!! I was asked if I wanted to go with the kids for ice cream. I said 'where to?' "Small Cheval" was the reply. Small Cheval?? Where we got the chicken fingers. I was told yes, they have great ice cream - it's a soft custard. I got the chocolate - it was thick, creamy and chocolaty!! It's as good as custard gets! After the chicken fingers, the ice cream is a must! read more

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They get one star for the nice employees. My problem is the food. The burgers seemed like preformed frozen patties that tasted microwaved. They were very dry as was the bun. No normal toppings are provided like lettuce, tomato and raw onion. You are offered grilled onions which are very dry, and almost non existent on the bun, and pickles and a mayonnaise topping called dijonaise (sounds fancy but it's only mustard and mayonnaise). They have other toppings, but they're not listed on the menu that you order from. I found them later in the online menu. The fries are also super dry. They had the consistency of stale cold fries you leave overnight in a bag. My son went there and warned me he didn't like it. I usually think he's wrong, but I had the same spot on complaints as him. For a place that has only burgers, chicken tenders and fries, you would think they could make them better, but honestly, McDonalds is probably tastier. Maybe the chicken tenders are better, but who goes to a hamburger place that was spun off from a restaurant famous for burgers, to get chicken tenders? read more

Great addition to downtown Wilmette. Great burgers! Best quick bites in town. Tenders were great as well! But wow! Milkshakes were Amazing !!! read more

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Terrible! I'll never go back. We waited nearly 40 minutes for our 2 burgers and fries. Then we were served dry, room temperature burgers. Around the 30 minute mark, I asked for an update on our food and we were told it would still be longer. Okay. Then when we finally did get our food (40 minutes after placing our order), we found two $5 off our next order coupons with our food. That could've been nice, except they were EXPIRED! Just an overall terrible experience. Don't go here. Go to Fat Shallot for burgers instead! read more

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Came in on a Sunday afternoon and luckily the line was very short and moved very quickly. The interior seating is very small and limited however, there are two different side outdoor patios with lots of seating. There's also seating in a closed covered foyer is what I call it because it is in between the main door and the second door to get into the primary building. Parking was on a Sunday on the street and free. Everything here is as consistent as it is at the Rosemont location. The only discrepancy is that I ordered a root beer float here and when I went to the counter to get a refill on the root beer soda only they said they don't do that. In fact, two employees had to confer and agree that they don't do that and also had to agree just to give me a little bit more root beer. Please note at the Rosemont location they offer proactively to give me root beer soda only refill on my float. And when I say proactively, their staff walks around to the tables cleaning things up and asking if you want that refill. The wilmette staff also walks around cleaning tables, which is great to see. Whoever is managing these two locations aka the same manager or some district manager get your policies aligned, and straightened out. read more

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I ordered take out from here because I heard great things about this place. The restaurant is very cute with outdoor seating. Food Chicken tenders: Great Cheeseburger: Decent (you have to add lettuce and etc to your burger) Fries: Good (garlic aioli was good) Oreo shake: Good Chocolate shake: Was secretly hoping it would taste like an In & Out shake The pick up process was easy. I'd definitely try the burgers again. read more

I was excited to try this place in the old train depot in Wilmette. I ordered a single hamburger and my partner ordered a cheeseburger and fries. The fries were good not great. Still can't compare to McDonald's fries though. As far as the burgers I'd have to say they were totally underwhelming. The burgers were dry and over seasoned with salt. It was a total let down. For $7.99!for a hamburger, umm I'd rather go to McD's! read more

Small Cheval- Wilmette - Dry burger with a dollop of mayo and 2pickles not good. - Fast Food Near Me - Wilmette, Illinois

I have been to Small Cheval in Rosemont, Lincoln Park, and Old Town. To varying degrees all have been adequate, but never great. I decided on Sunday to give the latest location in Willmette a try with my wife. The location is beautiful with an amazing outdoor patio. The interior of the restaurant is equally as nice. However, regardless of location and the serene beauty of the interior and patio area the food always fails to match expectations. When we arrived we briefly reviewed the posted menu. Its a simple menu with limited options. This should be a sign that what I´m about to eat is superb. When your menu consists of Fried Chicken Tenders, Signature Cheeseburgers, Signature Burgers, and milkshakes what could go wrong? We decided on the Signature Double Cheeseburger with bacon, the Signature Double Burger with bacon, Golden Fries, and their famous Fried Chicken Tenders. The burgers were hot and the first bite tasty. However, on the second bite the burger melded into a globby mess that lacked a meaty flavor and char. The website for Small Cheval keeps the exact beef blend a proprietary secret. The blend isn´t really to tough to figure out if you bite into the burger. This is simply conjecture, but I´m going to guess its a blend of 80/20 beef and either pork, or short rib. This combination really doesn´t work in their favor. The burger is flavorless and leaves a greasy texture on the palate. The fries were standard and nothing extraordinary. The one highlight to the meal were the Famous Fried Chicken Tenders. The tenders were meaty, crispy, and flavorful. We tried an Oreo Shake for dessert. Not good. It was runny and had a texture of milk without the ice cream. I have now tried three prime locations for Small Cheval. They always get the location right, but fail to deliver a quality burger that screams for a return visit. Its a shame because I love a good burger, but this chain is not it. Bobby Flay stated ¨The best burgers are simple, juicy, and messy.¨ Small Chevalś are just messy. read more

lol what did I just pay $39 for? Not a good burger or tenders. The oil they use has to be changed. To be fair I've never had a good small cheval. Au cheval should really do better. read more

burgers came out "warm" not hot. they are working hard to get better...so i expect this place to be 4 stars by the end of the year. Great outdoor patio. Feels like they will hit their stride soon and this will be a 4 star review by Jan. read more

The ambiance of the restaurant is spectacular. Beautiful interior and a wonderful outdoor seating area. The staff were incredibly kind. However, one of my family members doesn't eat real meat so she got a veggie burger which was horrendous. The regular burgers were fantastic though, and they were happy to refund the veggie burger and give us chicken tenders instead. Obviously the location is not at fault as they are simply sent what is needed to make the burger, but the company should invest more into these veggie burgers to keep people like us coming back. Thank you. read more

Went for a burger, fries, and shake, as I used to love doing when I lived near the Wicker Park Small Cheval. This location is Small Cheval in name only as far as I can tell. Burger patty seemed completely non-seasoned and absolutely none of the smoky flavor I've always associated with a Small Cheval burger. Kind of dry and overcooked, straight off a griddle. The fries were pretty good, best part of the meal. The chocolate shake was, somehow, kind of bland. Not sweet enough, typical fast food soft serve tasting. It's upsetting when you get a place in the suburbs and you have expectations based on what you had in the city. Then you go to the suburban location and you feel kind of taken advantage of. As though you somehow didn't know what to expect because you lived a few miles north. Like there maybe was a presumption you hadn't been to the real deal and the name would just be enough. The price is still the same, though. That part didn't change. Will not be back. read more

I've eaten here two times. The place is comfy, cute, and dog friendly outside. (I agree with other reviewers that the space could be used more efficiently.) I like that the menu is not overwhelming and that it includes alcohol. The staff is also friendly. The problem is that the hamburgers are just not that good. The patties have a strange taste to them. The seasoning is off. The burgers are also really dry. And the patties are much smaller than the buns. The rest of the burger-- bun and onions etc., is fine. But the meat should be the most important element of a hamburger. The fries, at least on my visits, were cold and had no crisp to them. I was excited about the opening of this restaurant but probably won't go back. read more

The food was overcooked very dry. The fries tasted like rubber. The food is very cold and the sauce was barely on any of my burger meat.. read more

Small Cheval- Wilmette - Overcooked dry fries - Fast Food Near Me - Wilmette, Illinois

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I've been here twice now: 1. During warm weather after a bike ride, the burger, fries, and shake (coffee flavor) really hit the spot, and it was lovely sitting outside. Was it the best burger ever? Probably not, but it tasted quite good. 2. With my family during the cold weather, and there were some service issues. The interior space is simply insufficient when it's too cld to sit outside. They also ran out of buns, and we were waiting about an hour, but I get it. Stuff happens, and it's a new location. It's not the end of the world. My biggest issue overall is that you go in for a hamburger and some fries, you finish it in 15 minutes, and you're left with a tray packed with trash. Everything is served in or on something disposable -- no real plates or flatware. I'm sure this makes the operation easier since no one has to do dishes, but I just can't stomach the amount of trash I'm creating just to have a burger and fries. It's over the top. As a result, I would not come back that often. I would definitely visit more if they could reduce the trash footprint. Or, at a very minimum, have a container for recycling. Does no one care about the environment any more? Is that where our politics are at in 2025? We have just given up? It's dispiriting. We are affluent enough; we can pay a few cents more to eat off of plates that don't get tossed in the trash after one use. read more

Burgers & food were excellent; staff were all pleasant. The lighting in the main dining room could be lowered.

So disappointing. The Cheeseburger was so small & was 80% bun & 20% burger. Fries were under cooked & cold. The actual location was great but hardly any seating. I would not recommend this place for hamburgers. They need major help. Overated!! Respectfully! read more

Ambiance is cozy and nice. Food is Overrated. It was hard to swallow. Dry Pattie.

Small Cheval has great burgers, fries, and shakes. It has a nice indoor dinning room and an amazing outdoor space. The service was quick, the staff members are friendly and accommodating. The overall experience was great! read more

Dissapointing experience. The burgers are tasty but not great, though don't automatically come with (free) lettuce and tomato and the cashier doesn't bother to ask. The interior is a complete miss in my opinion, very limited seating (it's winter now), and the use of space is incredibly poor. Who ever designed this should be fired. The kitchen takes up so much space that you almost have no choice but to take out on a busy day. They could have easily incorporated some standing table, bar areas with stools to maximize seating a whole lot better. The inside has this wide open space where people are just standing watch you get up from your table. Annoying and designed so poorly. Complete miss. The other complete miss is the sustainability. They obviously don't care. everything in plastic, boxes and non-recyclable materials. I know it's considered fast food but at least make an effort ... but you'd need more seating too (there's no where to sit so you feel more pressured for take out). They made the kitchen that big but can't even bother with using recyclable water cups, etc. even a place like Panera does a much better job. No one wiping down tables or keeping the space clean either. Overall a good burger but poor atmosphere and even more poorly thought through. Don't get the hype. Won't be back. Rather go to Pit & Tap, have a better burger that is a bit more expensive, get some proper service where I can sit down and enjoy a cold GLASS of beer ... read more

Overcooked burger. Website isn't available for takeout orders despite the restaurant being open. Fries were meh. Good chicken tenders and shake. Don't understand the craze. read more

We placed our order through Door Dash. It took a few minutes longer than promised, but not a big deal. 15 minute parking spots right in front. Plenty of seating, both indoor and outdoor. We ordered a Double Cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato and Fries - well done / extra crispy. Garlic aioli, of course. Ketchup was also available. A wonderful addition to downtown Wilmette! read more

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Ok, this place was so aesthetic! Smelled so good, and the staff were very friendly. If it's busy, seating is a bit scarce, but this place is very pleasant to be at! The food is very well salted but very expensive! I will say, the bun of the hamburger is very thick, with a thin patty. I enjoyed but it didn't feel that worth it for the price. I will say- the milkshake was alright, but again expensive. Sadly, I probably wouldn't go out of my way to come here again read more

Located in the former Depot Nuevo train station space, the new Small Cheval in Wilmette feels like a missed opportunity. The old Mexican restaurant wasn't anything to write home about, but it had wonderful staff. Small Cheval, unfortunately, doesn't even clear that bar. The burger I ordered was a letdown from the first bite -- dry, bland, and served on a strangely chewy bun. Even stranger, the patty only filled about 70% of the presumably house made bun, making every bite an awkward ratio of bread to burger. For a place that builds its entire concept around burgers, that's a pretty big miss. The one saving grace? The fries. Perfectly crispy and delicious with the garlic aioli. Unfortunately, they were also the only thing on the tray I'd order again. The burger simply isn't worth the calories, and while the prices aren't outrageous, the value is questionable given the quality. I'm not even a fan of Shake Shack, but for comparison I'd put their burgers a solid notch above these pucks. If all you want is fries, you'll leave happy -- but if you're hoping for a crave-worthy burger spot around Wilmette, this sadly isn't it. read more

The location and the interior design inside the store was gorgeous. The warm lighting inside was especially pretty. There were a lot of seatings inside and outside, and even if it was packed with people, I was able to find seats. I waited for 20 mins to order and 20 mins to get the food. I've seen a lot of people getting this on social media, but I personally thought the burger was too salty, especially the patty. I expected the burger to be melty and soft, but it wasn't. It was worth trying for one time for me. read more

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The burgers we picked up at the Wilmette location last night were not edible. 3 of the burger patties were very charred. I hate to leave negative reviews but I am shocked someone thought this food should be served. 2/4 sandwhiches ordered were not edible. read more

Small Cheval- Wilmette - Adult burger also charred, but very raw inside - Fast Food Near Me - Wilmette, Illinois

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This feels more like a Chucky Cheese with all the unmannered, North Shore children running around. If you're looking for a restaurant to camp out with friends, this isn't it. It's counter service with a beeper. We ordered our burgers and beer at the counter, pressed our customary 18% tip for taking our order and waited at a dirty table that we cleaned ourselves. (Culvers at least has someone wiping tables down.) The char-grilled double patties on the fluffy bun with American Cheese (not really cheese) were fine. The fries were fine. The saving grace was the garlic aioli dipping sauce. It makes everything taste good. This is a quick gab a burger and depart type of place. Too noisy for conversation and too many people fighting for a table to open up among the screaming kids. read more

This is a kids restaurant, and if you are a burger aficionado you will be disappointed. The place is probably a lot of fun for kids but if you are interested in a great burger, this is not your joint. I miss Depot Nuevo. read more

Worst Small Cheval Location. The burger was severely overcooked and nowhere near the standards of other locations. Layout of this new location is awful, didn't have Coke in stock. Won't be coming back. read more

Huge build up by friends and I wasn't impressed. Started my order and they were out of my beer of choice..... strike one! Interior design is inefficient and short of seating, especially in the winter ..... strike two! I'm not a big fan of griddled burgers but these were pretty good. I ate the Classic and chuckled when the chopped onions reminded me of White Castle. I doubt the meat was half pound and the fries were absolutely sub average. The aioli sauce was the only reason to eat the fries. Since my beer wasn't available I was punished and had their water which was room temperature. I won't be back...... read more

Amazing burger had a really great sauce BUT you'd have to sell your kidney to buy your family dinner lol. Really cool vibe in the restaurant, weirdly they say they are fast food but no drive thru and took 20 min. Additionally there was no soda machine which was odd to me. read more

I lifted the bun to add ketchup & the burger was smaller than a McDonalds cheeseburger and the onions dripping in grease/oil. The bun was huge & that's what you are filling up on. Our table was filthy as were the others. I won't be going back. read more

Our order was 1 double cheese burger, 1 double hamburger, a kids burger, 2 fries. They got almost everything wrong. Luckly the kids burger was right. The two burgers ended up being dry and singles. One of the fries is supposed to be well done, it's not. The fries were well seasoned, tasted good. The banana concrete is decent. Things tasted okay, I just wish we got our order right. I tried to call but no one picked up. read more

It's a good burger but nothing special. A good burger is a good burger. It tastes similar to Epic Burger. Good fries. Shakes fine.

When you are a burger place, one would assume they have burgers. Oh no! They ran out at 7:20 on a Wednesday. Was told they hope to have some in 20 mins. At 10.99 you have to have ingredients. 2nd time here and I am as underwhelmed as I was the first time. read more

Small Cheval is always great. Love the space and the ample outdoor seating. Great addition to Wilmette.

SOOO slow! I'm here on a Sunday night waiting to pick up an order. It is not ready on time and they have one guy taking orders, delivering people their food and handling the take out line. It's not going well. read more