The Cheesecake Factory - Riverside Square Mall

[ShawtyCat]

the cheesecake factory is generally viewed as a slightly upscale houlighans

That is exactly what I expected it to be like. So when I say the food is great...it ranks right up to what I expected it to taste like. Now if I were going to a fine dining restaurant I would be upset if I received Cheesecake Factory food. Do you think people are expecting way too much from this place? It isn't fine dining.

[tommy]

That is exactly what I expected it to be like.  So when I say the food is great...it ranks right up to what I expected it to taste like.  Now if I were going to a fine dining restaurant I would be upset if I received Cheesecake Factory food.  Do you think people are expecting way too much from this place?  It isn't fine dining.

it sucks because there are an almost infinite number of better choices, in practically every market, bergen county being no exception. the people who realize it sucks don't expect anything from it, therefore, they do not expect "too much" from it.

go to brooklyn's pizza in hackensack next time. save yourself a couple of bucks.

[ShawtyCat]

Actually Tommy, Brooklyn Pizza was my choice that evening. My hubby had heard about the Cheesecake Factory and wanted to try it out instead. I read a few things that others have said about it so it lived up to my expectations. Actually, it exceeded it a little. I was expecting non spectacular food and great cheesecake. My hubby classified it as an upscale diner. Oh by the way....stay away from the Chicken Nachos...he was in the bathroom for a full hour.

Edit: The food isn't absolutely terrible so I'll probably go back.....even if you think Im a sucker for punishment All I have to say is this: Have you ever eaten a 5yr olds cooking?? Especially when she serves you breakfast and you know you dont have any pancake syrup in the house??

[tommy]

 Actually Tommy, Brooklyn Pizza was my choice that evening.  

i now have respect you.

[NJ2FLA]

I have to add that I really love the Cheesecake Factory. I have been to several of their locations:

Sawgrass Mills Mall - Sunrise, FL

Boca Raton, FL

Hackensack, NJ

West Palm Beach, FL

Aventura, FL

Cocnut Grove, FL

Dadeland Mall - Miami, FL

They are also coming soon to Menlo Park Mall - Edison, NJ (so says their web site).

I like the white chocolate macadamia nut cheesecake myself!

[tommy]

I have to add that I really love the Cheesecake Factory.

why? what are some of your favorite dishes?

[ngatti]

The Cheesecake Factory! Is there another phrase that brings hoary froth to the lips of serious diners, cooks, and Chef’s? Another institution more culpable for the rape and molestation of American cookery? Is there a chain more responsible for the insidious Marriottization of the American palate? Completely embracing the ignoble ‘Dark Side’ of ‘hashing it out’ thereby offering insult to the entire concept of ‘Restaurant’!

Swooping in with the promise of large portions and first come first served egalitarian appeal (reservations are for snobs, poseurs, and elitists), seducing Chef’s and Maitre’d’s with offers of 401k plans, and profit sharing equity plans. Purchasing their culinary souls with promises of company provided BMWs.

Décor embodying 3d actualizations of ‘Legend of Zelda’ screenshots. Waitstaff tricked out in virginal white, referencing a sterility of imagination that permeate the menus and food. Cathedrals to the glory of the Fifth Deadly Sin, religiously transforming ‘dining room’ into ‘trough’!

Just a draft folks. Just in case I was a little too subtle, let me make myself clear…I truly hate this place!

Nick

[chopjwu12]

My porkchop friend has said it perfectly

[201]

The Cheesecake Factory!  Is there another phrase that brings hoary froth to the lips of serious diners, cooks, and Chef’s?  Another institution more culpable for the rape and molestation of American cookery?  Is there a chain more responsible for the insidious Marriottization of the American palate?    Completely embracing the ignoble ‘Dark Side’ of  ‘hashing it out’ thereby offering insult to the entire concept of ‘Restaurant’! 

Swooping in with the promise of large portions and first come first served egalitarian appeal (reservations are for snobs, poseurs, and elitists), seducing Chef’s and Maitre’d’s with offers of 401k plans, and profit sharing equity plans.  Purchasing their culinary souls with promises of company provided BMWs. 

Décor embodying 3d actualizations of  ‘Legend of Zelda’ screenshots.  Waitstaff tricked out in virginal white, referencing a sterility of imagination that permeate the menus and food. Cathedrals to the glory of the Fifth Deadly Sin, religiously transforming ‘dining room’ into ‘trough’!

Just a draft folks.  Just in case I was a little too subtle, let me make myself clear…I truly hate this place!

Nick

AWEsome.

Just when I thought, "Why can't this Cheesecake Factory thread die already?"...

I'm glad I checked in to see Nick "Ball of Hate"* Gatti raise the gallows up to a truly dizzying height and let her rip!

* The nickname is meant in the best possible sense!

[Rachel Perlow]

Gee Nick, tell us how you really feel!

[ngatti]

Lucky I'm a nice guy. Next time I won't hold back!

Nick

[tommy]

Lucky I'm a nice guy.  Next time I won't hold back!

Nick

i sounds like we agree that the cheesecake factory, in the overall scheme of things, isn't even worth discussing.

[ShawtyCat]

Ok...ok after this post I promise to let this thread die a natural death.

I guess I did go there on a good cook day. It's 3:41 in the morning and I just got a news alert that the Cheesecake Factory is pulling their cheesecakes because they may be contaminated with Listeria. :blink:

We were asking around since someone here posted that the food is prepackaged and got a confirmation that it is indeed shipped here from California.

SO....Tommy you win. I just don't want to know how many preservatives they used in order to make the food seem so.....fresh. Do you have any suggestions of places to eat in Jersey? That's only about 15 minutes away from Hackensack? I'll have 1 screaming baby and 2 loud kids in the car...so I NEED a short trip.

[tommy]

I guess I did go there on a good cook day.  It's 3:41 in the morning and I just got a news alert that the Cheesecake Factory is pulling their cheesecakes because they may be contaminated with Listeria.  :blink:

that's a shame, because their cheesecakes are actually the best part of the place!

[tommy]

Do you have any suggestions of places to eat in Jersey?  That's only about 15 minutes away from Hackensack?  I'll have 1 screaming baby and 2 loud kids in the car...so I NEED a short trip. 

the kid thing kinda throws me, as i don't have much experience with dining at places where kids are acceptable.

however, baumgart's, in ridgewood, is a chinese place with a kid-friendly menu. they tend to have lots of little runs running about, so it might be something good to try.

[Double 0]

ShawtyCat: Three places come to mind. Fudruckers in Paramus, Its Greek

to ME in Westwood and Ridgewood, and the Coach House Diner in

Hackensack. Fudruckers is marginal but noisey enough so no one will hear

your kids. Its Greek to Me is decent greek food with a good kids menu.

Coach House is a real good diner with everything and a superior salad bar.

[thereuare]

How about Brooklyn's Brick(Coal?) Oven Pizza... right down the road from the Cheesecake factory?

[jhlurie]

I'm not sure we should have this subtle uncurrent of criticism aimed at ShawtyCat just for liking The Cheescake Factory. We all occasionally like something that is a bit cliched, over the top, or popular in a crowd pleasing kind of way. It's no big deal. Frankly, sometimes I'm flat out disgusted at some of the things I like.

And her sensitivity about having "1 screaming baby and 2 loud kids" makes me appreciate both her, and her dilemma. How many times have we all been in a smaller, quieter restaurant and had the following thought: "Why can't they control that kid?" The fact that she's specifically looking for family friendly places means that a noisy joint like "Cheesecake" may well have additional appeal, because frankly with the volume of the din in that place you could scream at the top of your lungs and the person two tables away probably wouldn't hear you.

Fuddruckers is a bit of a poor choice, but I'll second "The Coach House", and even more enthusiastically add "The Forum Diner", a bit further up Route 4. Some of the other "mall places" like Legal Seafood or California Pizza Kitchen might do as well.

[Rachel Perlow]

No one suggested China 46, because many of us frequent it without kids and don't want yours to disturb us. However, there are almost always large families with kids in the dining room. Bennies and It's Greek to Me in Englewood have outside seating, and I've seen strollers next to the tables. I would not recommend Saigon Republic for you, except for a weekday lunch, too small to deal with multiple kids. NJ BBQ (Korean BBQ buffet) in Ridgefield Park is family friendly, best value at lunchtime or weeknight dinner. For that matter, so is Minado (the more Japanese buffet by the Rt 46 circle). Lighthouse in Fairview is very kid friendly, stick with the cheaper menu card on the table for soups & bbq.

Wondees could deal with you on a weeknight, as could Potrero Grill (not Wednesdays though, the all-you-can-eat special makes it very crowded). Both are in Hackensack.

[tommy]

Wondees could deal with you on a weeknight

no. please.

[Rachel Perlow]

Wondees could deal with you on a weeknight

no. please.

Like I said "many of us frequent it without kids and don't want yours to disturb us." But, it is less busy on weeknights.

[201]

Do you have any suggestions of places to eat in Jersey?  That's only about 15 minutes away from Hackensack?  I'll have 1 screaming baby and 2 loud kids in the car...so I NEED a short trip.  

the kid thing kinda throws me, as i don't have much experience with dining at places where kids are acceptable.

however, baumgart's, in ridgewood, is a chinese place with a kid-friendly menu. they tend to have lots of little runs running about, so it might be something good to try.

I really would not recommend Baumgart's (and I doubt Tommy would either) if it weren't for the kid-friendly aspect. I've never eaten anywhere with two kids and a baby, but as long as the kids are moderately well-behaved, I would think you have a lot of options in and around Hackensack. Of course, I don't know what sort of foods they (or you) like to eat, so that could be an issue too.

In Hackensack I'd recommend:

Potrero Grill (E. Mercer St) for Mexican : smallish place, but they probably won't notice the kids.

Cubby's (S. River St) for BBQ : pricey and the sauce is sweet, not tradtional... I still love it though. The interior's pretty colorful too.

Wondee's (Main St) for Thai : might be pushing it for kid-friendly menus/atmosphere, but they're nice people and I'm sure would try to accomodate. I saw a couple of kids in there on Saturday night.

Brooklyn Pizza (Hackensack Ave) for pizza : it's already been mentioned here frequently.

The Coach House Diner might work as well, but it really IS just diner food. I used to think it was better (maybe 4 years ago), but a few visits in the past year or so have made me think otherwise. Expect diner quality if you go there.

Along with It's Greek to Me in Ridgewood, you might want to try the Ridgewood Country Pancake House (both on E. Ridgewood Ave). The food is VERY filling (heavy too) and I've seen plenty of kids there. Bring cash if you go, because while the prices are very good, they don't take credit cards.

For some reason I'm blanking on anything else right now... I'm sure you'll get other suggestions though.

PS - Nice quote in your signature.

[jhlurie]

I'm reasonably sure that NJ BBQ is no more, Rachel. I went by on a weekday night (weeks after you first noticed it closed for what we concluded might be renovations) and it was still closed. The little sign on the door was in Korean, and my Korean is a bit rusty (seeing as how I can't read a word), but the words "town of Ridgefield Park" were in English.

Also, although the parking lot signs still said "NJ BBQ", I saw a few signs in the window with another name.

BTW: ShawtyCat COULD have said something TRULY unforgiveable, like "I enjoyed 'The Olive Garden'". THAT would have lead to a MUCH longer and more vitriol filled thread than this!.

[ShawtyCat]

Thanks a bunch! Im scribbling all this info down in my "Place to Eat in NJ" notebook.

As a response to some of the previous replies:

1. We hang out with the kids at Brooklyn Pizza all the time. I love their pizza...must be all that mozzarella and fresh tomato sauce.

2. My hubby is Greek and we get a lot of Greek food when we visit his mom.

3. It is very true that no one will hear you scream at the Cheesecake Factory

4. Our family owns a diner in NJ.....so we are looking for more of a restaurant or...well ...anyplace that will put up with our brood. We are fabulous tippers if that counts for anything.

5. I will in no way, shape, or form EVER like eating at the Olive Garden. I swear my ex boss put that place as the Employee Dinner spot just to get us to work through lunch.

6. We've already hit:

Friday's

California Pizza

Dairy Queen

Suburban Diner

Plaza 46 Diner

The Cheesecake Factory

Cafe Matisse

Yop Sing (sp?) downtown Manhattan (did not like the food)

We have plans to go to Carmine's (sp?) in NYC, I think. Definately should get a babysitter for this place, right???

BTW: My 5 yr old daughter is rather quiet...and so is the newborn for that matter (all he wants to do is eat, sleep and poop). It is just the 23 mth old that is the problem. He been in a restaurant setting since he was born and thinks that every place we go to is his. Our main problem is when he wants to get down and socialize with the other diners at the restaurants. You know...he kinda walks around like an owner would and hob nobs with the guests.

[ShawtyCat]

PS

took only 2 kids to Cafe Matisse (was pregnant then). My son was actually very well behaved and more ninterested in eating the filet mignon with lobster mashed potatoes. experience was almost ruined when some rich lady dripping in jewelry leaned down by our table on her way out the door to say, very snottily, "most people don't bring their kids to places like this. Why don't you go to McDonalds next time?" Took a lot of effort not to slap her.