Cheesecake Factory

On the main strip at Waikiki is a great place to grab a bit to eat. With a name like The Cheesecake Factory, you would expect there to be a huge selection of cheesecake and not much else. I am pleased to say, there is a huge selection of cheesecake AND a lot more.

Mel and I ate here for lunch twice during our stay in Waikiki. Mel had heard it was a great place to eat, and I am pleased to say, she heard right.

The first day we ate here, we had to wait for a table because we wanted to sit outside so we could watch the world go by on the busy Waikiki sidewalk, but had we wanted to sit inside we could have had a seat without having to wait. However, if you want to have dinner here, I suggest you come and line up well before you want to eat, as each night we walked past there was always a very long line of people waiting to go in. We took a seat at the bar and hadn’t even had time to order a drink when the receptionist summoned us back to be taken to our table.

I suggest you bring your appetite, as the meals are large and so delicious, that if you don’t have room in your belly you will make room, but then you won’t have any space left to sample the reason you came in the first place, the cheesecake. That’s what happened to Mel and me the first time we ate here, but we learnt our lesson on our next visit. Mind you, you always have the option of taking any ‘left over’s’ back to your hotel with you. We didn’t do this, however we did see a lot of people carrying out little boxes with ‘The Cheesecake Factory’ written on the side, full of what they couldn’t fit in at lunch.

There is an extensive menu to choose from; for my first meal, I tried the Orange chicken ($15.95 for the ‘diner’ size) – deep fried pieces of Chicken Breast covered in a pungent sweet and spicy orange sauce served with white rice and vegetables, lucky for me I only ordered the lunch size. With the bread served prior to the meal, even with the lunch size I couldn’t fit in a slice of cheesecake. I chose to wash my meal down with a delicious Majito – handcrafted with fresh mint and lime, there were a few flavours to chose from including pineapple and pomegranate, but I chose the classic with Cruzan Citrus Rum on the rocks – A Cuban favourite and now an Elke favourite. .

On my second visit, I had learnt my lesson and didn’t eat any of the bread offered before the meal, and I chose a lighter meal. The Luau Salad ($13.95) was perfect, with fresh slices of grilled chicken breast layered with mixed greens, cucumbers, green onions, red and yellow peppers, green beans carrots, mango and crisp wontons with macadamia nuts and sesame seed all tossed in the ‘Factory’ vinaigrette. This would have to be one of the best salads I have ever eaten and it left room for a slice of the original cheesecake. The one that started it all! The famous creamy cheesecake with a graham cracker crust and sour cream topping, yum, yum, yum!

Enjoy your meal. :)

Mmmmmmmm Cheesecake. If you love cheesecake, you have to try it from the Cheesecake Factory. Besides having tons of choices with every imaginable cheesecake in mind, their service was fast and pleasant. There is low lighting in the restaurant that gives off a fantastic ambiance. It is just a short walk on Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki. There is construction going on beside the building but don't be fooled; they are open and ready for service. Their menu is one of the largest menu's I have ever seen so I am sure you can find something to satisfy your taste buds. I decided to try the Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake which proved to be delicious and very rich. We also got a 6 inch fresh strawberry cheesecake pie that was just as delicious. The pies are a little on the pricy side. The 6 inch was around $30 USD and the largest of their pies was around $50 USD. Their menu seems to be reasonably priced for the location but still plan on spending some money.

Ok so for all you americans out there, I'm sure you have heard of the cheesecake factory and have tried it multiple times. So this review is more for any people travelling from overseas. The cheesecake factory is one of my favorite restaurants in the United states. I wish they had them in Canada. Apart from offering 40+ types of the most delicious cheesecake you've ever tasted they also serve a huge variety of good food at very reseaonable prices. You will also be very surprised at the huge portions. Me and my friend had to eat there three different times until we learned how little to order so we would have room for dessert.
Great Value, Great food!!! Check it out for yourself