When sliders are selected as a snack or lunch/dinner option, many people instantly think of White Castle. But what if I told you there was another place to grab bite-sized burgers? And no, I’m not talking about Krystal — I’m talking about Smalls Sliders.
Founded in 2019, the chain is gradually expanding, with locations in 10 states across the U.S. so far.
Luckily for me, a location recently opened near me in January, and Smalls was kind enough to let me give it a try yesterday.
My trip to Smalls Sliders
As I arrived at my local Smalls Sliders, I was immediately greeted with warm hospitality. The team treated me to a specially curated spread of some of their top items, including the Original Slider, Biggie Smalls (which features two patties, with one version topped with bacon), grilled cheese, waffle fries, a Cookies & Cream Shake, queso, and “Smauce” — their signature dipping sauce.
My first bite was of the Original Slider. I found the burger quite tasty, with the Smauce visually resembling Cane’s sauce, though it had a very different flavor. The pickles added a nice crunch, and both Biggie Smalls sliders were delicious, especially the one with bacon, which delivered an extra punch of flavor.
Next up: the fries. They were crisp and well-seasoned. I tried one plain before dipping them into the queso, which paired perfectly with the waffle fries. I much preferred dunking them in the queso over the Smauce — the latter was great on the burger, but not something I’d choose as a fry dip.
Wrapping up the food portion of the visit, I sampled the grilled cheese, which I was told is a secret menu item. As someone who usually gets grilled cheese sandwiches from places like Panera Bread, I’d say it’s best to stick with the sliders and fries here. But if you enjoy the grilled cheese at Sonic or In-N-Out, you might appreciate this one, too.
Finally, no meal is complete without a drink, and I washed everything down with the Cookies & Cream Shake. While it wasn’t bad, I found the Oreo chunks overwhelming. But if you love lots of cookie crumbles, you’ll be in good shape.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I found Smalls Sliders to be an ideal spot for anyone looking for a snack or a quick lunch or dinner. I also found the sliders to have a much better flavor than those at White Castle, and at times, they even make you question if you're still eating fast food.
So, if there’s a location near you, try it out. Hopefully, we’ll get an expansion to even more states soon.