Cheesecake Factory – Chicago, IL

The Cheesecake Factory is the place for cheesecake, of course. But they have quite an extensive menu. We stopped in for a quick, easy lunch. In this downtown Chicago location, it was easier to get a seat upstairs. It’s a limited menu of their top sellers but you can normally get your butt in a seat even when there is a long line downstairs. I hate waiting when I could be eating. The restaurant is well lite and beautifully decorated. The ceiling in the upstairs is something to see. I was very impressed with the bathroom. Instead of stalls, they have individual little bathrooms with a central waiting area with large mirrors. This is great when you have to have children with you in the bathroom. Those stalls can get very tight.

They automatically bring delicious bread and butter to the table. It’s complementary and great for the budget-conscious. I suggest ordering a couple of appetizers or entrees to split for lunch. We do this quite often. It can be great for the budget and your waistline. The meals and appetizers in many restaurants are huge. We did two appetizers on our visit. The nachos were great! The avocado egg rolls were horrible! Avoid those! The cheesecake was wonderful! I got Hersey’s Cheesecake.

The Details

Location: 875 North Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL 60611

Cost For a Family of 4: Bread and butter-Free, Nachos $9.95, Pick another appetizer for around $10, Split 2 pieces of cheesecake for $7-$8 each (they are HUGE!), Drinks here are expensive ($3 for a soft drink!) so I suggest ice water. Total with tip is around $42 if you skip the drinks!

Website: http://www.thecheesecakefactory.com/