01/04/09

not worth the wait

by kiteflyer

My husband and I ate dinner here after a quick stop at the mall because I knew there were a few vegetarian options (I'm a veggie, he's not). We were seated quickly and our server was friendly. Had to ask twice for coffee, but whatever. We made the mistake of ordering a heavy appetizer (fried mac and cheese, which is really good here), so we both felt pretty full by the time his plate was brought out. Mine had encountered some sort of accidental dropping, so they left his plate on the "warmer" while they rushed my dish. Our server was very apologetic, and both he and some kind of managerial type offered soup or salad on the house. Since we weren't that hungry, we didn't take them up on it. The total wait for our food was long enough that I got an appetite again, but the food was really disappointing. I ordered the portabello mushroom burger, and the bun was sopping with mushroom liquid. The whole thing was really oily and almost made me feel sick. In the rush I think they forgot I requested no onions, which I picked off. My husband got "the Navajo," a chicken sandwich on fry bread. The bread was a little too greasy, the chicken a little to dry, and the overabundant sauce was basically runny mayo. Just not too good. We didn't complain, and are typically very easy-going people, but the meal was wholly unsatisfying.

• Pros: fried macaroni and cheese, pretty good service
• Cons: food quality, overpriced

Decadent cheesecakes and classic American cuisine makes this a popular chain.

by Contributor

In Short
Faux-rustic finishes and colorful light fixtures abound at this almost always crowded chain. The thick-as-a-book menu features Americanized versions of worldly cuisines--Mexican, Vietnamese, Italian, Thai--but succeeds best with American classics. Burgers are a good choice, especially the ""Roadside Sliders,"" mini burgers served as appetizers. The myriad cheesecakes are over-the-top in concept and decadence. You'll leave full, with leftovers.