Au Cheval

The wait for tables at the Manhattan outlet of this fabled Chicago burger destination was reputed to be three hours, or even more, when the joint opened in early 2019, but after the initial frantic bull rush, the crowds seem to have tapered off. The famous double burger still has its charms, as do two-fisted after-hours chef’s favorites like duck-heart hash, marrow bones, and scrambled eggs with foie gras. But this is a more brusque, impersonal franchise operation than the original restaurant in Chicago, and as one familiar gut-busting dish succeeds another, even the heartiest carnivores may find themselves longing for a salad, or a furtive helping of garden vegetables.