The Cheesecake Factory - Riverside Square Mall

[ShawtyCat]

Ok...my hubby and I took our 3 kids (5yrs, 23 mths & 1 mth) to the Cheesecake Factory yesterday and it was packed. There were people lined up to put in a bid for a possible table and get their in-house pagers, others milled around the bakery peering in on the cheesecakes, some were sitting at the entrance while, still others were winding their way to the bar. After waiting in line for around 3 to 4 minutes we finally put in our bid for a table for 4. The wait? 20 to 40 minutes. Can you imagine waiting that long with 3 kids?? We got our pager and parked our respective butts in front of the cheesecake display window and hoped our kids wouldn't embarrass us. My flirt of a son soon found a 20 something year old lady to play peek-a-boo with and my hubby soon found a trio of ladies who actually lived a few blocks away from our house. I spent most of my time prying my daughter's nails out of my jeans and looking at the desserts. Is it me or do their cheesecakes look a little too involved? Our pager finally went off 30 minutes after we got it. Thank God!

Our server was very nice and, noting that we had kids, asked if we would like some bread and butter along with our drinks. I wish more servers were like that and Im sure other parents of little "monsters" like ours would understand why. Unfortunately, they do not offer a children's menu. We ordered a cheese pizza for the kids to share and our apps: Mini Crabcakes for me and Chicken Nachos for my hubby. Being the annoying customers that we are, after realizing that the kids were getting crankier quicker than usual, we called her back and threw in my entree order: Herb Crusted Filet of Salmon with a Fresh Lemon Sauce, Asparagus & Mashed Potatoes. The crabcakes (2 of them) were pretty big and came with Tartar and Remoulade Sauce. We thought they were damn good and tasted like those at Cafe Matisse for half the price. My kids were stuffing their faces full of pizza when the Chicken Nachos arrived. They came on a HUGE PLATTER and I mean HUGE. If you are going to order those, let me warn you, that is an appetizer that could serve 4 people or stuff 2. It's that big. The highlight of my dinner was the entree. The salmon was absolutely delicious on its own. It doesn't taste all that well with just the Lemon Sauce but when you add some potatoes to the salmon and then dip this combo into the sauce.....ummmm ummmmm ummmmm my tastebuds just about exploded.

I did have a few problems with the Cheesecake Factory and their portions. My salmon could have fit in both my hands and still spill over. The portions were way too big and I noticed a few other patrons also having trouble eating that much food. You can get stuffed eating their appetizers alone. I also got some feedback from a few ladies at another table about the cheesecakes. They said the best cheesecake overall was the plain cheesecake with the fruit topping. One cheesecake to stay away from is the Key Lime Cheesecake. Oh....and my hubby says to warn you about the German Chocolate Cheesecake. It doesn't taste like cheesecake, has a huge chocolate blob on top and tastes more like a layer cake. I ordered a Giant Brownie Icecream Sandwich, the other half of it is now taking up residence in my freezer. As I said before....the portions are HUGE. All in all, I thought it was an okay place to eat....WITHOUT the 23 mth old.

Service: Excellent

Food: Great

Kid Friendly: So So (No Kids Menu)

Edit: Hubby says to get there before 4pm to avoid a long wait.

How did you find the food?

[chopjwu12]

i hate the cheesecake factory.

[Rosie]

LOL! Never been but I read in the trade papers that they are doing well. Where do you like to dine without your cherubs?

[ShawtyCat]

We take the kids to eat whereever we are going. When I say that the are cranky I usually mean my 23 mth old. He is forever trying to get down and run around the restaurant to talk to other diners or trying to grab the silverware. He's been in a restaurant since he was 2 days old.

We've been to:

T.G.I Friday's (Rte 17 S Woodridge)

California Pizza (Garden State Plaza Mall)

Cafe Matisse (Rutherford)

Brooklyn Pizza (Hackensack)

The Suburban Diner (Rte 17 N)

Plaza 46 Diner (Rte 46 South Hackensack)

Rogan's Corner (Ithaca, NY)

Yop Sing ?? in Downtown Manhattan

Chuck E Cheese (DO NOT EAT THE FOOD! I went to the restroom at the same time as one of the staff and she didn't wash her hands. When I came out I found her serving food. Ewww!) We went for the rides...

[201]

Ah yes... the Cheesecake Factory and all of its ridiculous hype. Here's my little tirade about the place:

Basically, the food is nowhere near as good as the crowds waiting for tables would have you to believe. What the Cheesecake Factory does is to attach its restaurants to upscale malls, spend a lot of money on the interior, and then refuse to take reservations in order to create quite a long line out of the door. They're not looking to get the serious diner, they're aiming at mall customers who believe that trendy = good.

It's a symbiotic relationship: the mall brings a lot of customers to the restaurant, but the restaurant's ridiculously long waits for a table also bring customers back into the mall. I've only been there twice (with months between the two visits), but the last time was about 2 weeks ago. It was for a family dinner (which invariably means I end up someplace that I never would under normal circumstances), so my brother and I headed out to get our name on the list before everyone else arrived. We were told there was an hour wait and to come back in 1/2 an hour to pick up our pager. Predictably, the wait turned out to be more like an hour and twenty minutes. Around that time there were people putting their names in for tables with 2 hours+ waiting time to look forward too.

Anyway, I would rate the food at a step or two (at best) above Houlihan's, Friday's, etc... The menu generally reads much more interestingly, but the actual dishes are pretty lackluster. I had a frozen hot chocolate that was very good, but not worth returning to the Cheesecake Factory again. I would have been much happier if P.F. Chang's had attached themselves to the Riverside Square Mall instead.

[Rachel Perlow]

So many of the nicer mall restaurants have these incredible waits and don't take reservations (Cheesecake Factory, Legal Seafood), I just don't get it. Unless there is a specific reason I have to eat there (like someone else picked it and doesn't want to leave), I just take my business elsewhere.

[tommy]

So many of the nicer mall restaurants have these incredible waits and don't take reservations (Cheesecake Factory, Legal Seafood), I just don't get it. Unless there is a specific reason I have to eat there (like someone else picked it and doesn't want to leave), I just take my business elsewhere.

legal is pretty effing good. :) for oysters at least.

[Rachel Perlow]

Yes, but is it worth the jostling crowds by the bar trying to get the pagers? And they don't even work in the rest of the mall, so you have to stay close by (i.e. buy drinks), which goes against 201's theory that malls like them because the crowds wander the malls while waiting.

[ShawtyCat]

Hmmmmm.........maybe I went there on a good cook day?? Ive only gone to one restaurant that Id rate excellent and that is Cafe Matisse. I have three personal ratings for restaurants: Okay, Great and Excellent. The Cheesecake Factory was above what I get at Friday's but not as outstanding as Cafe Matisse.

I'll stand by what I said about this visit to the Cheesecake Factory......the food I got there yesterday was pretty darn good. Even if their portions were too oversized and Im not really fond of their desserts.

[tommy]

Yes, but is it worth the jostling crowds by the bar trying to get the pagers? And they don't even work in the rest of the mall, so you have to stay close by (i.e. buy drinks), which goes against 201's theory that malls like them because the crowds wander the malls while waiting.

i make sure i don't go there when it's crowded. i wouldn't wait for it.

[Fat Guy]

I'm trying to figure out: What would be the advantage to the restaurant in taking reservations?

[tommy]

I'm trying to figure out: What would be the advantage to the restaurant in taking reservations?

if they're consistently packed, the answer is obvious.

legal seafoods will put you on the "list" if you call ahead. that helps.

[Rachel Perlow]

I was told they would only do that for a party of 6 or more.

[201]

Yes, but is it worth the jostling crowds by the bar trying to get the pagers? And they don't even work in the rest of the mall, so you have to stay close by (i.e. buy drinks), which goes against 201's theory that malls like them because the crowds wander the malls while waiting.

Rachel - Generally speaking, on the average night this place has about a 1-2 hour wait. They don't give you the pager at the beginning of that wait, rather they tell you to come back for it when there's about 20-30 minutes left on your wait. That leaves plenty of time to go explore the mall since you'll probably wind up at the bar for the 1/2 hour you'll be waiting with the pager at hand. I'd also like to point out the various ADVERTISEMENTS within the Cheesecake Factory menus. I don't usually eat at mall restaurants, but just offhand I can't recall any other restaurant with full page ads in their menu.

Here's yet another way in which this practice of not taking reservations caters to the idea of the restaurant serving the mall's concerns. A mall eatery wants to attract mall customers and window shoppers. That would be difficult to do if the restaurant were booked all evening and regularly turned away walk-ins. I believe that the Cheesecake Factory is more concerned with a high turnover than repeat customers. I agree with Mr. Shaw completely when he suggests that reservations would NOT be advantageous to this particular restaurant. I tend to think of reservations as a courtesy extended to the customers by a restaurant which values their business. Does anyone think the Cheesecake Factory cares that Mrs. Perlow, Tommy, and myself would rather eat elsewhere than deal with their ridiculous waits?

[Fat Guy]

What are the ads for?

[tommy]

Does anyone think the Cheesecake Factory cares that Mrs. Perlow, Tommy, and myself would rather eat elsewhere than deal with their ridiculous waits?

i can only hope that the cheesecake factory knows me, acknowledges me, and loves me.

that was pretty funny.

[201]

What are the ads for?

They are basically your typical mall billboards for stores and such, but shrunken down to menu size. I can't recall any one specific ad, so I guess on the whole they either worked very poorly or very well (the latter being possible on a subconscious level... though I haven't purchased anything at the Riverside Square Mall in recent weeks).

[201]

that was pretty funny.

Funny would be to get a crowd of about 30-50 people to occupy several tables on a Friday night and then make the staff wait around for an hour or so before even letting them take drink orders. Tell them to come back in 45 minutes to pick up their neon pink pagers.

The diners of course would have to be armed with either books or terrific conversation. And I think it goes without saying that it would be unwise to actually consume any food during such a prank. It would just be an open invitation to the kitchen staff's inevitable counter-pranks.

[chopjwu12]

Everyone do yourselves a favor and dont go there. Spend your money somewhere else. Its all pop and slop. Alot of stuff done ahead and in little baggies. Gross My friend works there in providence. He sais it teaches you speed. That i dont argue. I always told him just remmeber who won the race the turtle or the hair. Spped dont mean a thing if your putting food out that tastes like crap. But thats just me maybe im wrong.

[ShawtyCat]

Alot of stuff done ahead and in little baggies. Gross

Ack!!!!! My food is prepackaged?? Hmmm, that actually doesn't surprise me. But I'd of thought I'd be able to tell the packaged stuff. My salmon didn't even taste like the "Ive been fozen and defrosted just for you" kind. My asparagus looked like the frozen veggie kind but I wasn't planning on eating it. We were directed to go there by the rave reviews everyone that we asked gave us. I found the food to be great... It wasn't something Id write home to mom about but it didn't kill me. So, what gives?

Question:

Why do you think people are flocking to the Cheesecake Factory, even with those ridiculous wait times, etc. etc.???

[TheMan,TheMyth]

The Cheesecake Factory serves up much more than cheesecake. In fact, their menu contains over 200 items. You can choose from a large number of meat, pasta, and seafood dishes. We will soon see if any of them are worth the trip.

Cheesecake Factory restaurants traditionally are connected to upscale shopping malls. This is convenient because you will need somewhere to kill time while dealing with the agonizing wait, which is guaranteed on a weekend night. The bar area is far too small to accommodate such a large crowd and the drinks do not come cheap.

So, after I affixed the restaurants stylish beeper to my belt I set out to do some shopping. I picked up the usual things from Movado and Tiffany's and treated the wife to Banana Republic and Sak's Fifth Avenue. Of course, as I was finalizing a $500 purchase on those chic Prada shoes my pager blew up and I rushed to get the skinny on my table. "Hurry honey, the pager is going off. It just won't stop going off!! Move out of the way people can't you see my pager has been activated!!" There I was along with 20 other hungry fools anxiously jumping up and down violently waving this little black box. "Hey pick me, my pager is going crazy. It is blinking and vibrating more than the guy next me." Alas, when we were recognized the host informed us we would be dining on the patio this evening - a patio where the mercury plummeted to a level that no man had ever braved before. "I don't think so, we will wait for the next available, I mean, tolerable table inside." We were forced to settle for a table in the noisy and smoky bar area that I told you earlier could not accommodate such a large crowd. As if that wasn't enough it was as cold here as it was outside. We were beginning to question whether the Cheesecake Factory was really worth the wait and discomfort.

The menu offers many different types of cuisines but they all seem to have an underlying spicy theme. For an appetizer, we ordered the Tex Mex Egg Rolls, a golden fried shell filled with spicy chicken, corn, black beans, peppers, onions and melted cheese served with avocado cream and salsa. The presentation was great and the avocado cream dipping sauce was excellent. I was surprised how spicy it was. Usually a restaurant advertises an item as being spicy and patrons are usually disappointed when greeted with a very tame dish. It was a biting spice that heated up as time went by. We were happy to have something hot in the bone chilling conditions. There was a long gap between the time we completed our appetizer and the time our entrees were served. We passed the time counting the goose bumps on my wife's frost bitten arms.

For the main course my wife had the Shrimp with Angel Hair, a generous portion of juicy sautéed shrimp tossed with fresh tomato and fresh basil atop a bed of angel hair pasta ($15.95). The dish was very good and was priced accordingly considering the huge amount of food that was provided. I tried the Cheesecake Factory's most popular dish the Cajun Jambalaya Pasta ($15.95). Sautéed chicken accompanied the sautéed shrimp this time along with onions, tomatoes, and peppers all covered in a spicy Cajun sauce and served upon fresh Linguini. It wasn't your traditional Jambalaya but never the less it tasted very good. Rice may be substituted for the Linguini upon request. I really enjoyed the sauce especially when I dipped the warm bread our waitress provided us. I switched between the warm soft pumpernickel and the hot crusty French.

Of course, we couldn't leave the Cheesecake Factory without having a piece of cheesecake. From the 36 varieties that are offered we narrowed the very difficult process selection process down to 18 then 9 then 4 then 2 finally opting for the Brownie Sundae Cheesecake ($6.25). "I think we made the right decision and to all the other contestants you all should be proud. You are all worthy candidates of entering my stomach at some point and time." A little on the pricey side but the combination of cheesecake and brownie topped with whipped cream, chocolate syrup, crushed nuts, and cherry easily can be shared by two people.

Overall, the food scored reasonably high marks especially when portion is factored against price. I wasn't totally satisfied with the service. Our waitress didn't really give us the service we deserved. She didn't come by the table often and she left our appetizer plates on the table our entire meal. I was extremely unhappy with the poor seating arrangement considering the amount of time we waited for a table. I would suggest you only come to this place if you can make a reservation in advance. I would definitely suggest you come by just for the take-out cheesecakes.

The Man, The Myth

TapItorScrapIt.com

[Rachel Perlow]

Very funny.

Did this experience occur a while ago? I cannot imagine describing outdoor seating as chilly this time of year.

[TheMan,TheMyth]

Did this experience occur a while ago? I cannot imagine describing outdoor seating as chilly this time of year.

Actually it was in the beginning of June. It was one of the rare times this summer where the temperature was unseasonably cool. It was down right frigid out there.

[ShawtyCat]

I personally thought the portions were too big. In fact they were huge. My hubby on the other hand pointed out that he's getting his moneys worth. After all the entrees cost very close to $20.

No one has really explained why they hate the Cheesecake Factory. Is it the food? The wait? The crowd? The service? The cheesecakes suck?? What?

[tommy]

the cheesecake factory is generally viewed as a slightly upscale houlighans, with good cheesecake. i say upscale probably only because of the locations that you seem to find them (upscale malls, high rent buildings, etc.)