This Chicago Burger Is Apparently America's Best

Burgerhounds, get thee to Chicago, home of the America's best burger, at least according to one ranking. The Food Network's new show Top 5 Restaurants has identified the Double Cheese Burger served by Au Cheval as the best our country has to offer. "Double" may be a bit of a misnomer: NBC Chicago reports it features three 4-ounce patties (the "Single" features two), and comes topped with cheddar cheese, maple-glazed bacon, and made-in-house Dijonnaise; the addition of an egg is optional. It's not the first time the burger has grabbed such an honor: Bon Appetit dubbed it so in 2012. But is the burger all it's cracked up to be? An April Eater Chicago article titled "Why People Wait for Hours to Eat Au Cheval's Cheeseburger" took a look, referencing three-hour wait times post-Bon Appetit's rating.

Per Eater Chicago, two- and three-patty options are available, and on weekends, the restaurant cranks out as many as 500 a day. While diners can pay an extra $9 to add foie gras to it, some of the other ingredients are more low-brow. That cheese is Kraft American, for instance, and Bon Appetit noted it's made from "pre-formed (gasp!) prime beef patties. Nope–no chuck/shortrib/bone marrow custom patty blend happening here." Writing for the Chicago Tribune, Luis Gomez notes Au Cheval's burger has some stiff hometown competition: Kuma’s Corner's Kuma burger topped the Daily Meal's 2014 "101 Best Burgers in America" list; this year, it's No. 5 on that list, with Au Cheval coming in at No. 2. Also on Top 5 Restaurants' list: burgers made by NYC's Brindle Room; Pie ‘n Burger in Pasadena; Sid’s Diner in El Reno, Okla.; and SF's Mission Bowling Club. (Speaking of burgers, McDonald's is changing how is prepares its buns.)