Is the Cheesecake Factory worth it?

[megsters]

Love it!!

My fav is the cajun chicken littles.

Mojitos and cheesecake are also fabulous!

 

[acejka]

The cheesecake is pretty good, but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat there.

 

[MoniqueU]

I like their food, dh doesn't much care for it. The line to get up to put your name in il s usually out the door on the weekends. we waited over an hour and a half one december because we let my MIL pick the restaurant. After all that she ordered a Cheeseburger. My DH was fit to be tied over that one. The rest of us all like the place but wouldn't wait that long for a meal and definetly no to get just a cheeseburger.

 

[Micca]

There's a CF about 10 minutes from our house. We've lived here a little over 3 years and I think we've been there once. It's REALLY good, but hard to justify the decadence of all those calories. As a treat on an out-of-town excursion, I'd definitely recommend it.

 

[marcyinPA]

I look at the Cheesecake Factory as a treat. I would not eat there once a week, or even once a month. The closest one to us is about an hour away, and we get there maybe once a year. We enjoy it, but it's pricey!

The portions are huge....I say share something, and then get cheesecake. Or get your own entrees and share cheesecake.

I like their salads (I think the one I liked best was a luau salad or something like that) and my mom absolutely loves Evelyn's Pasta (I thought it was really good too!)

 

[marcyinPA]

When you talk about Cheesecake Factory you NEED pictures! I think Cheesecake factory is pretty great for what it is. Its not fine dining but its extremely fun and tasty! A Well Mannered Dirty Martini, Thai Lettuce Wraps and a slice of banana Cheesecake and I am set!

Oh, yum!! I think this might be my next meal at the CF!! (are the lettuce wraps an appetizer?)

 

[marcyinPA]

The last time we brought our children to the CF (many years ago!), they didn't have a kids menu. Do they have one now??

 

[JessicaR]

Oh, yum!! I think this might be my next meal at the CF!! (are the lettuce wraps an appetizer?)

They are an appetizer but I get them as my entree. Its been years and I have been unable to order anything else. But I do sample my husbands dish. It is that good. We share the cheesecake. The Martini is mine all mine.

 

[JessicaR]

The last time we brought our children to the CF (many years ago!), they didn't have a kids menu. Do they have one now??

About a year ago they implemented a kids menu. 10 and under but my 12 year old orders no problem.

Items in the kids' menu range in price from $3.95 to $6.95 and include such dishes as two bite-sized sliders with fries; Southern fried chicken sliders with fries; mini corn dogs with fries; pasta with various sauces or butter and Parmesan; a quesadilla with chicken; cheese or pepperoni pizza; grilled cheese; and grilled chicken with vegetables and potatoes (include a choice of beverage). It also offers desserts, such as ice cream, a mini hot-fudge sundae or strawberries.

 

[Ciao Mickey]

We're heading to Nashville next week, and I was kind of thinking about trying the Cheesecake Factory while we're there. I've never been to one before, and they have such an extensive menu, I thought it might be a good place to try. Opinions?

I really enjoy eating there.

I always order the White Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Nut Cheesecake and/or the Chocolate Black Out Cake--YUMMY!!

I also love their Grilled Chicken and Avocado Club sandwich.

 

[pigletgirl]

WAAAAAAY overrated IMO. I have been many times, and the last time we went I was totally not impressed. It is fun for dessert. Go find some awesome local place and then get cheesecake for later.

 

[CandyMandy]

Trust me, I'm not one of the food police, but do have an issue with the massive portion strategy places like the Cheesecake Factory and The Machine Shed take - the whole idea is to intentionally provide more food on a plate than one can possibly eat at one sitting. The reaction from the buyer is "wow, what value - I'm getting one and a half to two meals for the price of one!" The reality (if you understand the restaurant business, where the variable cost of ingredients served in volume is low) you're being charged a very hefty premium for that "deal."

And it's no surprise neither of these chains publishes nutritional info on their menus or websites (and avoid putting in restaurants in any domiciles that mandate that). The Chinese Chicken and Thai Steak salads at CF are rumored to top 1,000 calories each.

 

[disneyjunebug]

Okay, so what would you suggest. Like I said, I've never been to one, and Nashville is the closest one to us, so I thought me might try it.

I've already got Monelle's on my list of places to try while we're in town. I have a friend in town who has suggested it. I thought about trying the Pancake Pantry also.

Welcome to my town! Monelle's is a great choice and Pancake Pantry is a huge favorite of everyone! (There's one in Gatlinburg too, if you ever get up that way.) I would also suggest the Loveless Cafe. It is in the far west part of Nashville (about 2 miles from where I live actually), but it is a country restaurant. The "Biscuit Lady" just passed, but left her secret with someone at the restaurant. Just be aware, both the Pancake Pantry and Loveless do not take reservations and it doesn't matter who you are, you wait your turn (just saw Alan Jackson a month or so ago waiting at the Loveless and have seen many, many famous people waiting at the Pantry.)

If you want other great places to eat, just let me know! I'll be happy to give you a few choices. Gwyneth Paltrow was just here for about 5 weeks shooting a movie and she wrote about the dining choices in Nashville there.

Have a great trip!

 

[ms.yt]

Welcome to my town! Monelle's is a great choice and Pancake Pantry is a huge favorite of everyone! (There's one in Gatlinburg too, if you ever get up that way.) I would also suggest the Loveless Cafe. It is in the far west part of Nashville (about 2 miles from where I live actually), but it is a country restaurant. The "Biscuit Lady" just passed, but left her secret with someone at the restaurant. Just be aware, both the Pancake Pantry and Loveless do not take reservations and it doesn't matter who you are, you wait your turn (just saw Alan Jackson a month or so ago waiting at the Loveless and have seen many, many famous people waiting at the Pantry.)

If you want other great places to eat, just let me know! I'll be happy to give you a few choices. Gwyneth Paltrow was just here for about 5 weeks shooting a movie and she wrote about the dining choices in Nashville there.

Have a great trip!

Thanks for the tips! We went to Nashville for a couple of days of Christmas shopping last year, and we tried Loveless on that trip. I had the best fried chicken of my life there! I guess we just lucked out that night or maybe it was before they had been featured on so many food shows, but we didn't have to wait at all. As good as Loveless was, I think we'd like to try some new places this time. Last time Loveless and the Noshville Deli were the only places that we ate outside the Oprymills Mall.

Any other suggestions? I'm super excited about going to the Farmer's Market, too!

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

Food snobs amuse me.

 

[Art 1]

Food snobs amuse me.

People who eat at Olive Garden and think it's good quality Italian food amuse me even more.

 

[ms.yt]

People who eat at Olive Garden and think it's good quality Italian food amuse me even more.

So are you saying that the Cheesecake Factory is the same quality as the Olive Garden? I am one of those people who doesn't understand the fascination with the Olive Garden. I went to one 20 years ago and wasn't impressed, but when one opened near our home this year, I gave it another try. Again. I wasn't impressed. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't anything special. The prices were higher and the food lower quality than the local Italian restaurant I had been going to for years. That being said, I have nothing against chain restaurants in general. Chili's, Ruby Tuesday and Outback are some of our favorite restaurants. I noticed that in some of your other posts you mentioned that you like Outback, so I guess you're not anti-chain entirely, either, as most "food snobs" are. I guess what I'm asking is what exactly do you classify as "pretend food"?

 

[RachelEllen]

I'm going to be one of the nay-sayers. The food is mediocre, chain restarant food. The portions are so large that I feel uncomfortable eating there. My ex-husband I used to go, share an entree salad, and still bring more than half of it home. I get the fake food comment. There's just no way that a restaurant with a menu the size of a phone book is using fresh cooked food.

 

[auntie]

We went for the first time last week, and really enjoyed it. Food was good. I had a pasta, which I couldn't finish and brought it home. Although, I think the lunch portions are smaller. I'd go again.

 

[pigletgirl]

Food snobs amuse me.

I'm not a food snob, but I really don't think an enormous portion of mediocre food is all that appealing.