We've been hearing the buzz about Little Bigs, the burger shack from Bryan Caswell, the mastermind behind the hot midtown spot Reef. They recently extended their hours to include lunch, so we stopped in to check 'em out.

Little Bigs is located in the old Ming's location on Montrose near Westheimer. They've really brightened up the place, sprucing up the deck and installing a bunch of large picnic tables. Indoor seating is limited and packed in tightly; if you dine inside on a busy day, you'll be making new friends.

Ordering is a snap: Choose between three varieties of sliders: Beef, chicken, or mushroom. Add some fries, and your choice of beverage, including shakes and a variety of alcoholic options. Then wait. And if they're busy, the wait can be 15-20 minutes, as it was for us this beautiful Sunday afternoon.

Our name was called, and we went to claim our sliders.

We had been disappointed with the beef sliders at Reef, but the ones served here at Little Bigs were a revelation. Cooked medium well, the mini-burgers remained deliciously juicy, with just the right amount of ooze. Grilled onions perched atop the beef, and a bit of American cheese formed the perfect finale. The whole assembly is perched atop a small yeasty roll, and the result is Slider Nirvana.

We also sampled the chicken slider: A crispy fried piece of chicken breast, seasoned with Cajun spices, served atop the same yeasty rolls. Tasty, but they play second fiddle to the superb beef sliders. (We didn't try the mushroom option.)

Chef Caswell has a winner in Little Bigs. We look forward to watching this mini-burger empire spread across Houston; a second location in Hermann park is already in the works.