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.

09/09/07

Great Portabella!

by vik_granger

They have absolutely the best grilled portabella sandwhich I've tried anywhere. The portabella mushroom is thick and robust with a good flavor. Took my aunt and uncle visiting from India and they loved it there. From the appetizers, the calamari was excellent, and the crab rangoon and salmon rolls were hits as well. Strawberry cheesecake of course, was excellent. Service was very, very good...the waiter was friendly and good humored in a way that suited the environment. Portions are large, so you get good value. We went for lunch on a weekday, and there was basically no wait. Great location, too...being at the base of the Hancock building, its a nice place for lunch after being up at the observatory.

• Pros: Great food, and portions are large
• Cons: Several forks had bent prongs for some reason

07/17/07

Yummy

by sharo1ar

I had great customer service, great food and a very chill atmosphere. This is a good place for a date or a night out with the girls. The cheesecake is great. I had a piece of cheesecake that tasted like an almond joy bar so yummy. You will not leave hungry. Big portions so you might want to split them. Well worth the money.

• Pros: Service, food, portions
• Cons: on the weekends you might wait a while

05/04/07

Enormous portions!!!

by daynee86

This was the first Cheesecake Factory I'd ever been to, and I must say that other than the 1 hour, 22 minute wait, it was a pleasant experience. The Orange Chicken is magnificent, though the rice can be a bit dry. The Fettuccini with chicken and sun dried tomatoes was rather tasteless and in need of salt the first time I ordered it, but the Famous Meatloaf: Well, the name fits it well.

The portions are huge, for instance, the meatloaf gives you 3 huge chunks of meatloaf, a huge scoop of mashed potatoes and gravy, plus an equally huge scoop of mixed veggies with corn. I ended up bringing home most of it and lunch at work for 2 days!

The waiters I've always had were very friendly and rather pleasant to look at, but there was one which wasn't quite as distinguishable.(boy? girl?) At any rate, the atmosphere is generally pretty loud, so I wouldn't suggest this place if you want to have a quite or meaningful conversation and not be sitting in each other's lap.

• Pros: Food quality, desserts, drinks
• Cons: parking, waiting time

02/28/07

Avoid at busy times, HUGE portions

by aeh5458

I can't help myself when I'm around the Cheesecake Factory...I've always had good food and it's not that expensive. I never have room for dessert so I bring home a slice of cheesecake each time. The Banana Creme cheesecake is so amazing, it's not often you can choose from so many flavors. Huge portions and huge menu, so they have a little of everything. Just don't go at busy times or you'll have to wait, try to go at odd hours and you'll be seated pretty quickly.

10/29/06

LOVE IT

by chicago_girl86

The cheesecake factory is GREAT. Although it's usually busy, it's worth it. I've never had a bad experience. I love the style of the place, it's dim lights and it's busy. The food is GREAT!!!! I love their simple chicken littles to the sun dried tomatoe and chicken pasta. The sour-dough bread while you wait is my FAVORITE. And free refills on soda...The prices ARE GREAT!!!! Just expensive to park.

• Pros: HUGE PLATES, MENU SELECTION

10/08/05

One of my favorite places!

by erin2854

My and my husband make it a point to have dinner at the Cheesecake Factory everytime we are in Chicago. The food is wonderful with big portions. The menu is overwhelming, its HUGE! We have always had wonderful, chatty waiters who have been quick to please and answer any questions we've had. The prices are very resonable, especially for Chicago. Only thing that is too expensive is the cheesecake, averaging about $7/slice. But melt in your mouth delicious. Try it! You wont be dissapointed.

• Pros: Fantastic Food, HUGE Menu, Great prices
• Cons: Expensive Cheesecake, Very busy

08/22/04

Pretty good food...but a date spot?

by smoky_blue

I like the Cheesecake Factory. I eat there regularly. It has some good dishes, a decent wait staff and of course great cheesecake desserts. But, c'mon people, this is NOT a good date spot. If you are a tourist and have never been in a big city before, maybe, but otherwise take your date elsewhere.

• Pros: Great Cheesecake, Good atmosphere, Decent prices

08/12/04

Love the food, not just the cheesecake!

by sharklover

The Cheesecake Factory should not be known only for its AWESOME cheescake, but also for its food! They have a phenomenal menu selection and every dish I have ever had was fantastic! My two favorite dishes are the halibut and the romano crusted chicken dish! The value for the food is great because the portions are huge! Definitely one of my favorite restaurants! And... a secret spot for some of the BEST mojitos I have ever had for those of you who love mojitos like me!

• Pros: service, food, drinks
• Cons: , expensive parking

06/07/04

Yum

by sarahlbowman

Nice atmosphere, delicious food. This is a no-brainer. Trendy but not so trendy that it's uncomfortable for the average Joe-and-Jane. Enjoy the lush private booths, enjoy a great meal (whatever you order will be perfect) and share a slice of world famous cheesecake with your honey. The decor and waitstaff is interesting enough to spark a conversation if you're nervous or tongue-tied. Translation: It's a great date place. This doesn't exclude families though - there's plenty to offer for all ages and everything is delicious! This is a place for everyone. Enjoy and relax - dinner is meant to be a pleasure and you fit right in.

• Pros: Atmosphere, Food is Great, Waitstaff Friendly