What's all th hype?? The food is average.. So what if they give you big portions.. Who wants big when it's not good?? Most of th cheesecakes and layered with stale boxed layered cake.. Not impressed.
(2)
Bryan P.
CF - Lex continuously put us on hold and didn't take our order after 15 minutes. Two of the three cheesecake chefs didn't wear gloves. One rubbed her nose and the other kept touching the desserts with her bare hands. And didn't ever see one curbside delivery while waiting for 20 minutes on dessert
(1)
David D.
3 people in our party, 2 burgers and sandwich to start: side salad was very good, burgers were over cooked, very badly seasoned and little flavor, took about 30 minutes for the burgers and another 10 for the sandwich. 2 Drinks were ok, just mediocre. Cheesecake was excellent, and coffee was fine... our bill was nearly $80, which is ridiculous in my opinion for some serious lack luster food...if you must come here, just stick to dessert.
(2)
P I.
Had a chicken salad sandwich today. Was really spicy - I asked why? Waitress checked with the kitchen - said it was garlic in the mayonnaise. Yuck. Sweet potato fries were okay. This was my third time there - not impressed any of the times. Too much on the menu for any of the entrees to really be special.
(1)
Happy F.
The food is really good but the service is not. You would think with the seriously long waits the staff would be told to make sure after waiting so long people are taken care of immediately. But they're not. After you get to the table you have to wait forever for someone to wait on you. It's like they don't see you. You may even have to ask for a server. I can't say that it's all really worth it. A lot of places have good food.
(3)
Stephanie M.
Really yummy. However I think we will just come for appetizers & cheese cake next time. However our waitress was very nice & helpful. :) definitely returning.
(5)
Doug O.
This is gonna be short and sweet. Waited 4 hrs, got food that wasn't that great, had the expensive jello no bake cheesecake, came out with a $110 check. The waitress was ok though. Never again
(2)
Don M.
My wife and I were really excited to try the new location since we have been to the one in Chicago, St Louis and Vegas. Always had AWESOME service and food. This is my review of this location. The wait was told to me 20-30 minutes. No problem. 55 minutes later we were finally seated. Not a problem I get that as it is new. Our server was there in no time for the drink order. Things were looking awesome. He came back few later, answered some questions and took our order. Now this is where it went down hill. We ordered an appetizer. We wait about 24 minutes roughly for the appetizer. To our surprise they brought out an Entree with the appetizer. When mentioned to the server (not our waiter for the record) she just looked at us in surprise. Nothing was said. Then we asked where the second entree was? I was told "I only have two hands." We waited another 9 minutes for my overcooked burger to arrive. I had a salad with it and I ordered dressing. Did she bring dressing, nope. I was told it is on it already. Well I ordered Thousand island which is not a clear dressing and can usually see it on leaves. Plus the lettuce appeared to be freshly washed. So after the dressing was brought and yes actually slammed on the table, our server came to check on how things were. We explained EVERYTHING to him about what was going on. His jaw hit the floor. Did he apologize, Nope. Did he offer to help at all, Nope. He simply asked if there was anything else we needed. My wife and I bit our tongues and refused anything further. We bought cheese cake after dinner, he bagged up the wrong ones. Did he apologize for that, nope. He said "they bagged up the wrong ones." If you are going to blame someone else for the mistake then I think you should make sure the people you are lying to cannot see you..... just pointing that out. He was friendly and seemed to try hard but severly lacks customer service. I have to say I am not sure if I will go back. The food was good but the service seemed to have most table looking for more. Food Great and the take home cheese cake was spectacular. The food is the only reason for the second star. Time waiting: 55 minutes (estimate 20-30 minutes) Time from seating to check out: 93 minutes (ordered 2 entrees, appetizer that came with entrees, kind of) Service 0 stars Food 5 stars
(2)
Robin H.
Quoted 2.5 - 3 hour wait for a table at lunch...not sure when the ridiculous wait times will end.
(1)
T H.
Just had Sunday brunch and it was a horrible experience. Potatoes were obviously cooked twice, they were hard as a rock. Bagel was fifty percent black from being overdone in toaster. The worst thing was the giant clump of hair on the napkin and plate. The reason given was that it must have been from the staff that set the tables last night. So apparently no one checks tables before they serve. Outrageous for $62
(1)
Shelly P.
Cheesecake Factory (CF)...what were you thinking when you created your chain's smallest restaurant in Lexington, KY at Fayette Mall? If square footage of available space was an issue, you could have easily made it two stories, but as it stands now, the minimal seating offered isn't half as large as it needs to be. Ahem. Excellent hosts/hostesses and the waitstaff are very friendly and helpful. The food is standard for the chain and as always, their cheesecakes out of this world. However, our family of 4 waited an hour and a half for a table on a Tuesday. I want to be clear however, this is not the fault of anyone working there--it's the fault of the Cheesecake Factory company for thinking that tiny space was sufficient for a city with a population of this size. Luckily-- you have the option of roaming the mall as you wait; so my advice is to come early, put down you name, and then do some shopping. They take your cell number and send you a text message when your table is ready, so you can wander away from the restaurant premises. Having lived in SF, ATL, and DC and been to CF's in each, this one is 1/4 the size of any of those restaurants.
(3)
Tammy F.
Slow horrible service. Too pricey. Noisey. Annoying music. Feels like I'm in a dark dungeon trying to eat. Even the bathroom was dark. Never again
(1)
Bradley And Laci S.
GREAT EXPERIENCE!!! Food was outstanding! Atmosphere, ambiance, and guest service was exceptional. Extremely well managed!
(5)
Gerri F.
I went to the cheesecake factory at the mall for the 1st time and the 1st time ever to eat at one and for my birthday. It was very busy and crowded. The Cheesecake display was awesome to look at but way to expensive to buy. One would cost from $30 and up. A slice of any of the 30 choices to choice from was $7.95. They had huge menu and in my opinion to many options to pick from. I had the Renee Special which was a turkey sandwich and a side salad, cream corn soup. This was a huge amount of food for $11. Ice tea cost me $2.95. I choice the Dutch apple and pecan cheesecake huge slice.They even had gluten free section, a skinny selection and breakfeast selection. There was an open bar as well. It was very clean and the staff were very friendly. I would say it would be one of those special occasions for me to go back again for its really costly in my opinion.
(4)
Jared S.
Stopped in for my first time here to have lunch. It was moderately busy but it is Christmas time. Seated in 10 minutes which was great but it took the server 10 minutes to get to us to get a drink order and another 7 minutes to receive it and 20 minutes to just get drinks is really too much for me to deal with especially since the server Tyra C. Had only 3 tables. Refills were a pain to get and had to flag other servers down, once the food arrived at our table our server never check on us to ask us how it was or if anything was wrong which would have been nice since I needed ketchup and my girlfriend had already finished her meal by the time I finally got our server to bring it to our table. The food was great which is why I at least gave it 2 stars. Hopefully if I come back I can get a better server which will increase my star rating of this establishment
(2)
Elaine D.
Have to give my Harvest Salad 5-Stars as it may be one of the best restaurant salads I've had anywhere. Billed as an appetizer salad, it's quite large and hearty, given the multitude of generous ingredients -- faro/quinoa, greens apples, grapes, tomatoes, green beans, edamame, marcona almonds, parmesan, chicken (good sized, shaved slices) with a house made vin dressing. Did I miss anything? Ate only half the salad so I could manage the cheesecake. My dinner companion and I shared a slice of the White Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Nut. There are no bad cheesecakes at the Factory, just a matter of taste. Owing to the lovely evening, we ate outside,which I find preferable here. Props to Josh, our waiter.
(4)
James S.
So, I have never been to this place, ever. Yet every woman under 40 screams like she is in high school again at the name of this place. So, I went to try it. At first sight it was large, current , and well decorated. It was busy, but we were seated almost instantly. After being seated we ordered 2 alcoholic drinks that were brought relatively quickly. The food menu was huge! I've never seen a restaurant that offered that many choices. The food was brought out quickly. I would best define the food as "okay ". It was very edible, but nothing that blew my mind. We then ordered a piece of cheesecake. It literally tasted like a HUGE piece of regular old cheesecake. Nothing special My complaints. It was noisy as a rock concert in there. There were 15-20 minutes periods that we never saw our waitress. The alcoholic drinks were small and SHOCKINGLY expensive!! (That must be where they really make the $$$$. My vodka and tonic was $7 but, to give them credit, was strong). My date had a strawberry martini. It was $11!!!!!! It was laughably small but VERY strong. Definitely not an $11 drink. To best describe this place I would say that it offers Chevrolet food at Cadillac prices.
(2)
Rachel I.
Had lunch here last Sunday with my daughter and a friend. Luckily we got in before the midday rush and had no wait. Food was good, I had shepherds pie and we shared lettuce wraps. Service was inconsistent, we had one server who then introduced us to another man who supposedly was helping take care of us, then the female server disappeared for 20 minutes... a little confusing, the food was slow to arrive for lunch service standards, but it is a new restaurant. Overall a good experience.
(4)
Arvin B.
Went to this place today to try out a slice of the white chocolate raspberry cheesecake, recommended by a youtube food reviewer. I went in to get a carryout order of the cheesecake and felt that I should try the Chinese Chicken Salad as well. Immediately, I was helped out. The gal said it would take 15 minutes and really, I had the order in my hands within less than 10! Speedy customer service. When I got home, I opened it up and the portion size was HUGE!!!! It also came with free little white curly chinese cruton things and the sesame salad dressing. The cheesecake portion was huge as well. Had taken a fork full of salad and it was delicious! The cheesecake flavor was like a taste of HEAVEN!!! Backstory (yawn)...The first time I ate at The Cheesecake Factory was when I was in California, very young with my family. So glad one popped up here. Also, to anyone who says it is expensive: Stop being whiny stinges! This place is obviously not tuned to Kentucky's cost of living, as it is HQed in California! If you are as big of a foodie as I am, do some ground work research of the restaurant you want to eat at. Know where it is hqed and history (okay...maybe I am just that nerdy enough to do that~) If you cannot afford to eat at this place, then do not. Stop hating just because you can't pay!!
(4)
Ernie D.
This place is all right. I had a mushroom burger which was pretty good, although it was a bit heavy on the garlic. The Oreo cheesecake was fantastic. Our waitress was great and knew what she was doing. I don't think the place is worth the prices you pay, though, and i'd rather have something comparable somewhere else for less than half the price. I know it's mainly about the name, but I just don't really care about that.
(3)
Jennifer K.
Went to the Cheesecake Factory for a late lunch on a Sunday. It wasn't too crowded and not too noisy. The food was good and our server (Jacob) was excellent, attentive and checked on us often but not too often. I had the Avocado Egg Rolls, Cobb Salad and Red Velvet Cheesecake. The servings were quite large so I have food for another meal (or 2)! Will hopefully return in the near future. In my opinion this location is just as others I have been to in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, New York, Maryland, North Carolina and Florida!
(5)
Tony M.
Service is really slow, food is okay, I'll rather drive to Louisville and eat at that one. This location is a joke, they need better management.
(2)
Pepper T.
The husband and I receive the gift card for Christmas and decided we would stop in to get a couple of cheesecakes slices to take home. I called the curbside to go because nowhere on their menu doesn't state they cannot take cheese cake orders over the phone. After waiting 10 minutes on hold I was told that they could not take my cheesecake only orders and that we would have to come in and order and wait 10 minutes. I think we will be regifting the gift card and stick with our local mom and pop eateries. What I find absurd is there cheese cake slices are as much if not more than some of their appetizers which you can order to go.
(1)
Ruth R.
We were here on a Saturday night, right before Christmas, so we expected a long wait. We checked in and gave our name and cell number. We were giving a wait time of approximately an hr. Had time to do a little shopping in the mall while we waited. Approximately 30 mins later, we were texted and returned to the restaurant. We received excellent service and were pleased with our entire experience. The food was wonderful and we were even serenaded with a lovely "Happy Birthday" song for my son. Very pleased with our waiter, who was extremely accommodating. Unfortunately, I am bad with names and cannot recall his. Wish we had a Cheesecake Factory in our home town!!
(5)
Jamie M.
I love the cheesecake factory and am so happy we finally got one in Lexington. I've been to the one in Louisville several times. It's usually always busy and some sort of wait so I knew this one would stay that way, not just because it was new, but because of my experience with the on in Louisville. That said, I do agree with others that this one is definitely smaller than the one in Louisville so that will probably cause it to have longer wait times. If you go in expecting the wait then there should be no reason to complain about it. It's a new restaurant and popular and will probably stay that way. Given this, the neat thing is instead of having to sit in the restaurant and wait, they can text you when your table is ready. If you plan around having to wait, you can do some window shopping or actual shopping in the mall and you don't feel like you've wasted your time. My first visit was on a Saturday about two weeks or so ago. My mom and I were already at the mall early (10amish). We finished our shopping right about 11am so I said lets see how long the wait is. There was a line outside the door, but it was just about 11:05. I think they were trying to seat as they went at first and then decided to check people in and then seat to get the line outside moving. We had about 10-15 minute wait. They texted me when our seat was ready. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive. Brought the bread out with our drinks and even recommended when we received our meals to go ahead and order the cheesecake if we planned to do so that way we wouldn't have to wait very long for it. Great idea! I had the fish and chips and forgot to take a picture of it. The fish was really light and great flavor. It came with coleslaw and fries. I don't care for coleslaw so I didn't eat that and I failed to ask if I could switch it out with something else. My mom had one of the salads and it looked awesome. The menu can be overwhelming because they have so many options, but the portion sizes are plentiful and most will want a take home box. It is on the pricier side, but it's a great atmosphere. We split the pumpkin and pumpkin pecan cheesecake slice. Wow that was amazing. Like eating pumpkin pie and pecan pie all in one bite. Heaven!
(5)
Matthew B.
Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, That about sums it up!
(5)
Ashley M.
Three stars because the food did taste good. Between the two of us we had two salads: The Luau & The BBQ-Ranch. These salads were off the lunch menu and were HUGE. Seriously couldn't eat it all. Didn't want such a big portion for the "lunch"size. Speaking of the menu, it too was HUGE. I don't like having to read more than a couple pages to figure out what I'm going to eat. I've had better cheesecake. Perhaps the specialty flavors are better than the plain with strawberries? You can buy an entire cheesecake at the Fresh Market for the price of their one-slice. Our wait-staff were friendly. The music too loud and not to my taste. Surprise of the meal: the Mojito. I generally don't like them but this one had a fun twist, pineapple. It turned out to be excellent. Kudos to the bar tender! I may go back to try a specialty cheesecake for a special occasion but I can't justify the cost. I'd rather go to Malones to spend that kind of money in Lexington. No pictures from me on this review. The lighting isn't great and made things look yellow-ish. Unless someone was sitting outside for better lighting all these photos posted by other people that look so clear & bright are not from actual patron's experiences. I just don't believe it.
(3)
Heather P.
This is the smallest Cheesecake Factory that I've ever been to. Maybe that's a big reason why the wait is always so long. The first time that I attempted to eat at this new location was a weekday around noon. The wait was 90 minutes and I decided that I was too hungry to wait. Here is my opinion on the wait... if you're going to the mall and will be walking around or shopping for the amount of the wait, then it's not a big deal. What is a big deal and a major annoyance, is when people sign in, and wait at the door and just inside the entrance. Both times that I've been there people are doing just that, like they have no clue that they will text you when your seat is available and you have 10 minutes to get there. Not to mention that they stand and stare at the people dining near the entrance and gawking as the cheesecake is brought from the bakery area. The time that I actually stayed and dined.... there wasn't a separate line for the people who just arriving and were signing in and the ones whose tables were ready. So, the ones whose tables were ready seemed to be rudely cutting line, but it's actually a mismanagement that will hopefully be worked out. When you sign in and give your phone number, they give you a receipt to present once they text you to let you know that your table is ready. That is the only organized part about the check in stand. Otherwise, it seems chaotic even though there were four hostesses, only one was taking the names and phone numbers. Finally, I was seated and my drink order was taken and my soda brought immediately. The weird thing was that the waiter continuously grabbed my soda and took off with it to refill it... every time that it was even remotely near the half way mark. It was annoying because it was literally minutes each time until his return. In all of my days of dining out, this was a first... I've never complained about getting refills... until now. The menu could use less advertisements and more pictures of entrees... until then, hopefully more people will post entree photos on Yelp ;) The waiter was pretty attentive, except we didn't receive the complimentary bread until our appetizer was brought out and the people at the tables on each side of us, who arrived after us, received their food entrees prior to our appetizer... strange. When we finally received the fried avocado egg rolls, they were excellent, just as the last time that I ordered them, in Miami. For my entree, I ordered the fish tacos and they came out cold and tasteless. My husband ordered a Jamaican shrimp dish that came out piping hot, so I assume that my meal sat while his was being prepared. After the long wait after ordering, I was looking forward to enjoying my meal... not so much. The entree prices are a bit steep but the sizes are big. For example, my entree of fish tacos, came with four tacos, beans and rice. Everyone was leaving with leftovers. I ordered the Reese Cup cheesecake and it tasted more like peanut butter fudge than Reese Cup or cheesecake, but highly worth a revisit. All in all, I think that the quirks will eventually be worked out.
(2)
Brian K.
My wife and I were invited to the soft opening tonight. The food was excellent. The portions were so big that we had to take "doggie bags" home. It was my first visit to this chain. I'm told this is common for them. It was a soft opening so there were a few issues so I don't think it is fair to lower my review rating because of them. I highly recommend this restaurant when they open next week. Try the Factory Nachos. Enough for at least 2 people.
(5)
Laurie A.
Finally, Lexington has a Cheesecake Factory! If you've ever been to the CcF you know how amazing it is. Do I even need to write a review?? I went on one of the training days and even though cooks, bussers, and wait staff were practicing it was the same service and quality that I have come to expect from the CcF. If you haven't been to a CcF then what are you waiting for? I recommend perusing the menu online beforehand as it is quite extensive. If you're a party of two I would say expect to spend around $50, more if you order drinks, etc. I'd say our average bill is around $75 whenever we go, which wasn't often. Until now! The ambiance is nice, with low light, and even though the place is usually packed with people it somehow doesn't feel crowded. Portion sizes are generous and more than likely you'll be bringing leftovers home with you. Favorite app: Tex Mex egg rolls. Favorite entrees: Miso Salmon and Bang Bang Chicken and Shrimp. Favorite Cheesecake: Red Velvet.
(5)
Philip A.
Went in for lunch and came out full! First time I have been to this Cheesecake Factory and the service was very good! The food was just as good. The one thing to remember is that the portions are big! So, if you get dessert don't order a huge meal. Ask the server about the size. I would come here again!
(4)
Dirk C.
Horrible service. The wait staff completely ignore us for approx. 15 mins. Before someone bothered to bring us water.... We were seated right next to where they placed their orders to the kitchen... It went down hill from there. Not going back.
(2)
Jason B.
Let's just say I've been to the cheesecake factory quite a few times before this one open here in Lexington. For a corporate corporation move chains it's pretty decent you know specially being frozen food. But I always do love the service when you come in to the cheesecake factory always top notch always professional and always courteous and polite. The food is always about average Chino just like any other you know chain that you go to but the cheesecake is always what makes this place the cheesecake factory. I always go in and never expect less than perfect when getting served and being treated right. Happy to have one of these in Lexington now. :)
(4)
Alana M.
A wonderful experience! From the time we walked in the door, the staff was excellent! The hostess were amazing! Totally friendly even though it was a mad house in there! I love the idea of them texting you when your table is ready! They said our table would be ready in 50 minutes and we were seated in exactly 50 minutes! We got an excellent waitress... She made sure we had everything we needed!!! The food was on point too!!! We ordered the stuffed mushrooms small plate!!! I LOVE those mushrooms!!! My husband being the picky eater he is, just got the burger, but he loved it all the same! I got the Chicken Madeira. It was really good! I've been to multiple Cheesecake Factory's and have tried alot of items and I will get this again, after I get through the entire 21 page menu :) last but not least, the Cheesecake! I got the Godiva chocolate cheesecake! This is MY cheesecake, from now on, this is all I'm getting!!! It even had chocolate chunks in the Cheesecake!!! Awe man! Delicious! My favorite has always been the strawberry, but I have turned in my resignation and I definitely have a new fave!!!
(5)
Emily B.
My family rarely goes to chain restaurants, but had received a gift card for the Cheesecake Factory and decided to use it last week. I was pleasantly surprised that we were immediately greeted and seated in our requested dining area with no wait. I'd read about service being inconsistent at this location, but our server was great! We went for an early dinner (about 5:30) on a Monday so they weren't slammed, but by the time we left, he was covering about 6 tables (I've received MUCH worse service at restaurants where the server only covered 2-3), and our water glasses were never empty, he checked in regularly without being invasive, and any requests were promptly met. We ordered samosas for my son which were very good and came out quickly, a battered chicken with broccoli and mashed potatoes for me which was excellent, and the tempura fish tacos for my husband. The tacos, as well as the beans and rice that accompanied them, were very bland which is what keeps this review from being 5 stars. Overall though, portions were VERY generous (I ate until I was stuffed and still had half of my dish to take home for lunch the next day), most of the dishes were tasty, and service was really good. We would certainly return, though probably not during a busier time and we definitely wouldn't order the fish tacos again.
(4)
William G E.
Attended opening night of new store. Of course was crazy as expected. Waited 2hrs but knew I would. Lexington has been craving this forever. A beautiful place like all. The staff very attentive to us. Food awesome as knew would be. Had a new check in system which I'm not sure of. Took your cell # and text you. Ok I guess but the flashing pager is hard to beet. The hostess girls had to come into crowd and ask out people's names from check in slip. It's a noisy place and you couldn't hear them and they shouldn't have to holler! So maybe need to think over check in. Small problem to fix. Cheesecake Factory is an experience worth the wait. It will do great here, should have been bigger built maybe. Do go and enjoy!! The food selection is wild and amounts real nice! Thanks for choosing Lexington Ky!
(5)
Katherine R.
They've left a few delicious items off the menu from the one in Louisville. Service was slow and never refilled drinks. Food took a while to come and was simply meh. They had to remake my Cuban since it had gotten cold from probably sitting. Tasted microwaved. I love the cheesecake and the only reason they didn't get 1 star. This place won't be first on my list of choices for dinner. Go to Travitina next door. Great food there!
(2)
Sarah R.
Visited the Cheesecake factory for the first time mainly to see what all the hype was about. I went at 11am so it wasnt crowded yet the staff was friendly and helpful. I knew what I wanted already so no searching through their huge menu. I got the shepherds pie the dinner portion and it was huge enough for two meals and I took half home including the fresh hot bread six pieces of french white and oat wheat which was really good also. Cons were the wait on the food since they werent busy and what I ordered was one of their specialties also I noticed other customers getting tired of the wait. Also they play music basic pop rock but the volume was so loud at times that it was annoying maybe just background music would be better.
It is hard to review a place that has a 2 hour wait. We left without dining both times. We have eaten at a CF before so we know the food is good. Large dishes but large prices. We did leave with take out cheese cake but it was $8 per slice. Eight dollars! That is crazy. It was a large slice and it was tasty but it was one slice for $8. If we did not have a gift card we would just write it off as a no go place.
(1)
Sylvia R.
I've heard about the Cheesecake Factory, but never had a chance to go. Well my son and I went there for the first time. Amazing food. Both my son and I enjoyed the food we ordered. The menu is very big and could get overwhelmed by looking at the menu. Our wonderful waiter helped us out. Couldn't believe the size of the plates. It was definitely worth the wait. I recommend that to go without having a tremendous wait is go for lunch or late dinner.
(5)
Elisha R.
Can't really comment on the food or service for dining yet but we have stopped in a few times while out in Lexington to get cheesecake to go. The quality is always great and very tasty. Only thing I've noticed is the rest rooms seem to always be short on supplies such as toilet paper and soaps etc. Overall probably a great place to go, things look a bit pricy but probably worth stopping in for a special occasion.
(4)
Sylvia R.
I've heard about the Cheesecake Factory, but never had a chance to go. Well my son and I went there for the first time. Amazing food. Both my son and I enjoyed the food we ordered. The menu is very big and could get overwhelmed by looking at the menu. Our wonderful waiter helped us out. Couldn't believe the size of the plates. It was definitely worth the wait. I recommend that to go without having a tremendous wait is go for lunch or late dinner.
(5)
Elisha R.
Can't really comment on the food or service for dining yet but we have stopped in a few times while out in Lexington to get cheesecake to go. The quality is always great and very tasty. Only thing I've noticed is the rest rooms seem to always be short on supplies such as toilet paper and soaps etc. Overall probably a great place to go, things look a bit pricy but probably worth stopping in for a special occasion.
(4)
Alana M.
A wonderful experience! From the time we walked in the door, the staff was excellent! The hostess were amazing! Totally friendly even though it was a mad house in there! I love the idea of them texting you when your table is ready! They said our table would be ready in 50 minutes and we were seated in exactly 50 minutes! We got an excellent waitress... She made sure we had everything we needed!!! The food was on point too!!! We ordered the stuffed mushrooms small plate!!! I LOVE those mushrooms!!! My husband being the picky eater he is, just got the burger, but he loved it all the same! I got the Chicken Madeira. It was really good! I've been to multiple Cheesecake Factory's and have tried alot of items and I will get this again, after I get through the entire 21 page menu :) last but not least, the Cheesecake! I got the Godiva chocolate cheesecake! This is MY cheesecake, from now on, this is all I'm getting!!! It even had chocolate chunks in the Cheesecake!!! Awe man! Delicious! My favorite has always been the strawberry, but I have turned in my resignation and I definitely have a new fave!!!
(5)
Emily B.
My family rarely goes to chain restaurants, but had received a gift card for the Cheesecake Factory and decided to use it last week. I was pleasantly surprised that we were immediately greeted and seated in our requested dining area with no wait. I'd read about service being inconsistent at this location, but our server was great! We went for an early dinner (about 5:30) on a Monday so they weren't slammed, but by the time we left, he was covering about 6 tables (I've received MUCH worse service at restaurants where the server only covered 2-3), and our water glasses were never empty, he checked in regularly without being invasive, and any requests were promptly met. We ordered samosas for my son which were very good and came out quickly, a battered chicken with broccoli and mashed potatoes for me which was excellent, and the tempura fish tacos for my husband. The tacos, as well as the beans and rice that accompanied them, were very bland which is what keeps this review from being 5 stars. Overall though, portions were VERY generous (I ate until I was stuffed and still had half of my dish to take home for lunch the next day), most of the dishes were tasty, and service was really good. We would certainly return, though probably not during a busier time and we definitely wouldn't order the fish tacos again.
(4)
William G E.
Attended opening night of new store. Of course was crazy as expected. Waited 2hrs but knew I would. Lexington has been craving this forever. A beautiful place like all. The staff very attentive to us. Food awesome as knew would be. Had a new check in system which I'm not sure of. Took your cell # and text you. Ok I guess but the flashing pager is hard to beet. The hostess girls had to come into crowd and ask out people's names from check in slip. It's a noisy place and you couldn't hear them and they shouldn't have to holler! So maybe need to think over check in. Small problem to fix. Cheesecake Factory is an experience worth the wait. It will do great here, should have been bigger built maybe. Do go and enjoy!! The food selection is wild and amounts real nice! Thanks for choosing Lexington Ky!
(5)
Rachel I.
Had lunch here last Sunday with my daughter and a friend. Luckily we got in before the midday rush and had no wait. Food was good, I had shepherds pie and we shared lettuce wraps. Service was inconsistent, we had one server who then introduced us to another man who supposedly was helping take care of us, then the female server disappeared for 20 minutes... a little confusing, the food was slow to arrive for lunch service standards, but it is a new restaurant. Overall a good experience.
(4)
Katherine R.
They've left a few delicious items off the menu from the one in Louisville. Service was slow and never refilled drinks. Food took a while to come and was simply meh. They had to remake my Cuban since it had gotten cold from probably sitting. Tasted microwaved. I love the cheesecake and the only reason they didn't get 1 star. This place won't be first on my list of choices for dinner. Go to Travitina next door. Great food there!
(2)
Sarah R.
Visited the Cheesecake factory for the first time mainly to see what all the hype was about. I went at 11am so it wasnt crowded yet the staff was friendly and helpful. I knew what I wanted already so no searching through their huge menu. I got the shepherds pie the dinner portion and it was huge enough for two meals and I took half home including the fresh hot bread six pieces of french white and oat wheat which was really good also. Cons were the wait on the food since they werent busy and what I ordered was one of their specialties also I noticed other customers getting tired of the wait. Also they play music basic pop rock but the volume was so loud at times that it was annoying maybe just background music would be better.
(4)
David D.
3 people in our party, 2 burgers and sandwich to start: side salad was very good, burgers were over cooked, very badly seasoned and little flavor, took about 30 minutes for the burgers and another 10 for the sandwich. 2 Drinks were ok, just mediocre. Cheesecake was excellent, and coffee was fine... our bill was nearly $80, which is ridiculous in my opinion for some serious lack luster food...if you must come here, just stick to dessert.
(2)
P I.
Had a chicken salad sandwich today. Was really spicy - I asked why? Waitress checked with the kitchen - said it was garlic in the mayonnaise. Yuck. Sweet potato fries were okay. This was my third time there - not impressed any of the times. Too much on the menu for any of the entrees to really be special.
(1)
Happy F.
The food is really good but the service is not. You would think with the seriously long waits the staff would be told to make sure after waiting so long people are taken care of immediately. But they're not. After you get to the table you have to wait forever for someone to wait on you. It's like they don't see you. You may even have to ask for a server. I can't say that it's all really worth it. A lot of places have good food.
(3)
Stephanie M.
Really yummy. However I think we will just come for appetizers & cheese cake next time. However our waitress was very nice & helpful. :) definitely returning.
(5)
Doug O.
This is gonna be short and sweet. Waited 4 hrs, got food that wasn't that great, had the expensive jello no bake cheesecake, came out with a $110 check. The waitress was ok though. Never again
(2)
Parker L.
What's all th hype?? The food is average.. So what if they give you big portions.. Who wants big when it's not good?? Most of th cheesecakes and layered with stale boxed layered cake.. Not impressed.
(2)
Bryan P.
CF - Lex continuously put us on hold and didn't take our order after 15 minutes. Two of the three cheesecake chefs didn't wear gloves. One rubbed her nose and the other kept touching the desserts with her bare hands. And didn't ever see one curbside delivery while waiting for 20 minutes on dessert
(1)
Don M.
My wife and I were really excited to try the new location since we have been to the one in Chicago, St Louis and Vegas. Always had AWESOME service and food. This is my review of this location. The wait was told to me 20-30 minutes. No problem. 55 minutes later we were finally seated. Not a problem I get that as it is new. Our server was there in no time for the drink order. Things were looking awesome. He came back few later, answered some questions and took our order. Now this is where it went down hill. We ordered an appetizer. We wait about 24 minutes roughly for the appetizer. To our surprise they brought out an Entree with the appetizer. When mentioned to the server (not our waiter for the record) she just looked at us in surprise. Nothing was said. Then we asked where the second entree was? I was told "I only have two hands." We waited another 9 minutes for my overcooked burger to arrive. I had a salad with it and I ordered dressing. Did she bring dressing, nope. I was told it is on it already. Well I ordered Thousand island which is not a clear dressing and can usually see it on leaves. Plus the lettuce appeared to be freshly washed. So after the dressing was brought and yes actually slammed on the table, our server came to check on how things were. We explained EVERYTHING to him about what was going on. His jaw hit the floor. Did he apologize, Nope. Did he offer to help at all, Nope. He simply asked if there was anything else we needed. My wife and I bit our tongues and refused anything further. We bought cheese cake after dinner, he bagged up the wrong ones. Did he apologize for that, nope. He said "they bagged up the wrong ones." If you are going to blame someone else for the mistake then I think you should make sure the people you are lying to cannot see you..... just pointing that out. He was friendly and seemed to try hard but severly lacks customer service. I have to say I am not sure if I will go back. The food was good but the service seemed to have most table looking for more. Food Great and the take home cheese cake was spectacular. The food is the only reason for the second star. Time waiting: 55 minutes (estimate 20-30 minutes) Time from seating to check out: 93 minutes (ordered 2 entrees, appetizer that came with entrees, kind of) Service 0 stars Food 5 stars
(2)
Robin H.
Quoted 2.5 - 3 hour wait for a table at lunch...not sure when the ridiculous wait times will end.
(1)
T H.
Just had Sunday brunch and it was a horrible experience. Potatoes were obviously cooked twice, they were hard as a rock. Bagel was fifty percent black from being overdone in toaster. The worst thing was the giant clump of hair on the napkin and plate. The reason given was that it must have been from the staff that set the tables last night. So apparently no one checks tables before they serve. Outrageous for $62
(1)
Shelly P.
Cheesecake Factory (CF)...what were you thinking when you created your chain's smallest restaurant in Lexington, KY at Fayette Mall? If square footage of available space was an issue, you could have easily made it two stories, but as it stands now, the minimal seating offered isn't half as large as it needs to be. Ahem. Excellent hosts/hostesses and the waitstaff are very friendly and helpful. The food is standard for the chain and as always, their cheesecakes out of this world. However, our family of 4 waited an hour and a half for a table on a Tuesday. I want to be clear however, this is not the fault of anyone working there--it's the fault of the Cheesecake Factory company for thinking that tiny space was sufficient for a city with a population of this size. Luckily-- you have the option of roaming the mall as you wait; so my advice is to come early, put down you name, and then do some shopping. They take your cell number and send you a text message when your table is ready, so you can wander away from the restaurant premises. Having lived in SF, ATL, and DC and been to CF's in each, this one is 1/4 the size of any of those restaurants.
(3)
Tammy F.
Slow horrible service. Too pricey. Noisey. Annoying music. Feels like I'm in a dark dungeon trying to eat. Even the bathroom was dark. Never again
(1)
Bradley And Laci S.
GREAT EXPERIENCE!!! Food was outstanding! Atmosphere, ambiance, and guest service was exceptional. Extremely well managed!
(5)
Gerri F.
I went to the cheesecake factory at the mall for the 1st time and the 1st time ever to eat at one and for my birthday. It was very busy and crowded. The Cheesecake display was awesome to look at but way to expensive to buy. One would cost from $30 and up. A slice of any of the 30 choices to choice from was $7.95. They had huge menu and in my opinion to many options to pick from. I had the Renee Special which was a turkey sandwich and a side salad, cream corn soup. This was a huge amount of food for $11. Ice tea cost me $2.95. I choice the Dutch apple and pecan cheesecake huge slice.They even had gluten free section, a skinny selection and breakfeast selection. There was an open bar as well. It was very clean and the staff were very friendly. I would say it would be one of those special occasions for me to go back again for its really costly in my opinion.
(4)
Jared S.
Stopped in for my first time here to have lunch. It was moderately busy but it is Christmas time. Seated in 10 minutes which was great but it took the server 10 minutes to get to us to get a drink order and another 7 minutes to receive it and 20 minutes to just get drinks is really too much for me to deal with especially since the server Tyra C. Had only 3 tables. Refills were a pain to get and had to flag other servers down, once the food arrived at our table our server never check on us to ask us how it was or if anything was wrong which would have been nice since I needed ketchup and my girlfriend had already finished her meal by the time I finally got our server to bring it to our table. The food was great which is why I at least gave it 2 stars. Hopefully if I come back I can get a better server which will increase my star rating of this establishment
(2)
Travis W.
It is hard to review a place that has a 2 hour wait. We left without dining both times. We have eaten at a CF before so we know the food is good. Large dishes but large prices. We did leave with take out cheese cake but it was $8 per slice. Eight dollars! That is crazy. It was a large slice and it was tasty but it was one slice for $8. If we did not have a gift card we would just write it off as a no go place.
(1)
Philip A.
Went in for lunch and came out full! First time I have been to this Cheesecake Factory and the service was very good! The food was just as good. The one thing to remember is that the portions are big! So, if you get dessert don't order a huge meal. Ask the server about the size. I would come here again!
(4)
Dirk C.
Horrible service. The wait staff completely ignore us for approx. 15 mins. Before someone bothered to bring us water.... We were seated right next to where they placed their orders to the kitchen... It went down hill from there. Not going back.
(2)
Jason B.
Let's just say I've been to the cheesecake factory quite a few times before this one open here in Lexington. For a corporate corporation move chains it's pretty decent you know specially being frozen food. But I always do love the service when you come in to the cheesecake factory always top notch always professional and always courteous and polite. The food is always about average Chino just like any other you know chain that you go to but the cheesecake is always what makes this place the cheesecake factory. I always go in and never expect less than perfect when getting served and being treated right. Happy to have one of these in Lexington now. :)
(4)
Jennifer K.
Went to the Cheesecake Factory for a late lunch on a Sunday. It wasn't too crowded and not too noisy. The food was good and our server (Jacob) was excellent, attentive and checked on us often but not too often. I had the Avocado Egg Rolls, Cobb Salad and Red Velvet Cheesecake. The servings were quite large so I have food for another meal (or 2)! Will hopefully return in the near future. In my opinion this location is just as others I have been to in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, New York, Maryland, North Carolina and Florida!
(5)
Tony M.
Service is really slow, food is okay, I'll rather drive to Louisville and eat at that one. This location is a joke, they need better management.
(2)
Pepper T.
The husband and I receive the gift card for Christmas and decided we would stop in to get a couple of cheesecakes slices to take home. I called the curbside to go because nowhere on their menu doesn't state they cannot take cheese cake orders over the phone. After waiting 10 minutes on hold I was told that they could not take my cheesecake only orders and that we would have to come in and order and wait 10 minutes. I think we will be regifting the gift card and stick with our local mom and pop eateries. What I find absurd is there cheese cake slices are as much if not more than some of their appetizers which you can order to go.
(1)
Ruth R.
We were here on a Saturday night, right before Christmas, so we expected a long wait. We checked in and gave our name and cell number. We were giving a wait time of approximately an hr. Had time to do a little shopping in the mall while we waited. Approximately 30 mins later, we were texted and returned to the restaurant. We received excellent service and were pleased with our entire experience. The food was wonderful and we were even serenaded with a lovely "Happy Birthday" song for my son. Very pleased with our waiter, who was extremely accommodating. Unfortunately, I am bad with names and cannot recall his. Wish we had a Cheesecake Factory in our home town!!
(5)
Laurie A.
Finally, Lexington has a Cheesecake Factory! If you've ever been to the CcF you know how amazing it is. Do I even need to write a review?? I went on one of the training days and even though cooks, bussers, and wait staff were practicing it was the same service and quality that I have come to expect from the CcF. If you haven't been to a CcF then what are you waiting for? I recommend perusing the menu online beforehand as it is quite extensive. If you're a party of two I would say expect to spend around $50, more if you order drinks, etc. I'd say our average bill is around $75 whenever we go, which wasn't often. Until now! The ambiance is nice, with low light, and even though the place is usually packed with people it somehow doesn't feel crowded. Portion sizes are generous and more than likely you'll be bringing leftovers home with you. Favorite app: Tex Mex egg rolls. Favorite entrees: Miso Salmon and Bang Bang Chicken and Shrimp. Favorite Cheesecake: Red Velvet.
(5)
Elaine D.
Have to give my Harvest Salad 5-Stars as it may be one of the best restaurant salads I've had anywhere. Billed as an appetizer salad, it's quite large and hearty, given the multitude of generous ingredients -- faro/quinoa, greens apples, grapes, tomatoes, green beans, edamame, marcona almonds, parmesan, chicken (good sized, shaved slices) with a house made vin dressing. Did I miss anything? Ate only half the salad so I could manage the cheesecake. My dinner companion and I shared a slice of the White Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Nut. There are no bad cheesecakes at the Factory, just a matter of taste. Owing to the lovely evening, we ate outside,which I find preferable here. Props to Josh, our waiter.
(4)
James S.
So, I have never been to this place, ever. Yet every woman under 40 screams like she is in high school again at the name of this place. So, I went to try it. At first sight it was large, current , and well decorated. It was busy, but we were seated almost instantly. After being seated we ordered 2 alcoholic drinks that were brought relatively quickly. The food menu was huge! I've never seen a restaurant that offered that many choices. The food was brought out quickly. I would best define the food as "okay ". It was very edible, but nothing that blew my mind. We then ordered a piece of cheesecake. It literally tasted like a HUGE piece of regular old cheesecake. Nothing special My complaints. It was noisy as a rock concert in there. There were 15-20 minutes periods that we never saw our waitress. The alcoholic drinks were small and SHOCKINGLY expensive!! (That must be where they really make the $$$$. My vodka and tonic was $7 but, to give them credit, was strong). My date had a strawberry martini. It was $11!!!!!! It was laughably small but VERY strong. Definitely not an $11 drink. To best describe this place I would say that it offers Chevrolet food at Cadillac prices.
(2)
Arvin B.
Went to this place today to try out a slice of the white chocolate raspberry cheesecake, recommended by a youtube food reviewer. I went in to get a carryout order of the cheesecake and felt that I should try the Chinese Chicken Salad as well. Immediately, I was helped out. The gal said it would take 15 minutes and really, I had the order in my hands within less than 10! Speedy customer service. When I got home, I opened it up and the portion size was HUGE!!!! It also came with free little white curly chinese cruton things and the sesame salad dressing. The cheesecake portion was huge as well. Had taken a fork full of salad and it was delicious! The cheesecake flavor was like a taste of HEAVEN!!! Backstory (yawn)...The first time I ate at The Cheesecake Factory was when I was in California, very young with my family. So glad one popped up here. Also, to anyone who says it is expensive: Stop being whiny stinges! This place is obviously not tuned to Kentucky's cost of living, as it is HQed in California! If you are as big of a foodie as I am, do some ground work research of the restaurant you want to eat at. Know where it is hqed and history (okay...maybe I am just that nerdy enough to do that~) If you cannot afford to eat at this place, then do not. Stop hating just because you can't pay!!
(4)
Ernie D.
This place is all right. I had a mushroom burger which was pretty good, although it was a bit heavy on the garlic. The Oreo cheesecake was fantastic. Our waitress was great and knew what she was doing. I don't think the place is worth the prices you pay, though, and i'd rather have something comparable somewhere else for less than half the price. I know it's mainly about the name, but I just don't really care about that.
(3)
Jamie M.
I love the cheesecake factory and am so happy we finally got one in Lexington. I've been to the one in Louisville several times. It's usually always busy and some sort of wait so I knew this one would stay that way, not just because it was new, but because of my experience with the on in Louisville. That said, I do agree with others that this one is definitely smaller than the one in Louisville so that will probably cause it to have longer wait times. If you go in expecting the wait then there should be no reason to complain about it. It's a new restaurant and popular and will probably stay that way. Given this, the neat thing is instead of having to sit in the restaurant and wait, they can text you when your table is ready. If you plan around having to wait, you can do some window shopping or actual shopping in the mall and you don't feel like you've wasted your time. My first visit was on a Saturday about two weeks or so ago. My mom and I were already at the mall early (10amish). We finished our shopping right about 11am so I said lets see how long the wait is. There was a line outside the door, but it was just about 11:05. I think they were trying to seat as they went at first and then decided to check people in and then seat to get the line outside moving. We had about 10-15 minute wait. They texted me when our seat was ready. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive. Brought the bread out with our drinks and even recommended when we received our meals to go ahead and order the cheesecake if we planned to do so that way we wouldn't have to wait very long for it. Great idea! I had the fish and chips and forgot to take a picture of it. The fish was really light and great flavor. It came with coleslaw and fries. I don't care for coleslaw so I didn't eat that and I failed to ask if I could switch it out with something else. My mom had one of the salads and it looked awesome. The menu can be overwhelming because they have so many options, but the portion sizes are plentiful and most will want a take home box. It is on the pricier side, but it's a great atmosphere. We split the pumpkin and pumpkin pecan cheesecake slice. Wow that was amazing. Like eating pumpkin pie and pecan pie all in one bite. Heaven!
(5)
Matthew B.
Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, That about sums it up!
(5)
Ashley M.
Three stars because the food did taste good. Between the two of us we had two salads: The Luau & The BBQ-Ranch. These salads were off the lunch menu and were HUGE. Seriously couldn't eat it all. Didn't want such a big portion for the "lunch"size. Speaking of the menu, it too was HUGE. I don't like having to read more than a couple pages to figure out what I'm going to eat. I've had better cheesecake. Perhaps the specialty flavors are better than the plain with strawberries? You can buy an entire cheesecake at the Fresh Market for the price of their one-slice. Our wait-staff were friendly. The music too loud and not to my taste. Surprise of the meal: the Mojito. I generally don't like them but this one had a fun twist, pineapple. It turned out to be excellent. Kudos to the bar tender! I may go back to try a specialty cheesecake for a special occasion but I can't justify the cost. I'd rather go to Malones to spend that kind of money in Lexington. No pictures from me on this review. The lighting isn't great and made things look yellow-ish. Unless someone was sitting outside for better lighting all these photos posted by other people that look so clear & bright are not from actual patron's experiences. I just don't believe it.
(3)
Heather P.
This is the smallest Cheesecake Factory that I've ever been to. Maybe that's a big reason why the wait is always so long. The first time that I attempted to eat at this new location was a weekday around noon. The wait was 90 minutes and I decided that I was too hungry to wait. Here is my opinion on the wait... if you're going to the mall and will be walking around or shopping for the amount of the wait, then it's not a big deal. What is a big deal and a major annoyance, is when people sign in, and wait at the door and just inside the entrance. Both times that I've been there people are doing just that, like they have no clue that they will text you when your seat is available and you have 10 minutes to get there. Not to mention that they stand and stare at the people dining near the entrance and gawking as the cheesecake is brought from the bakery area. The time that I actually stayed and dined.... there wasn't a separate line for the people who just arriving and were signing in and the ones whose tables were ready. So, the ones whose tables were ready seemed to be rudely cutting line, but it's actually a mismanagement that will hopefully be worked out. When you sign in and give your phone number, they give you a receipt to present once they text you to let you know that your table is ready. That is the only organized part about the check in stand. Otherwise, it seems chaotic even though there were four hostesses, only one was taking the names and phone numbers. Finally, I was seated and my drink order was taken and my soda brought immediately. The weird thing was that the waiter continuously grabbed my soda and took off with it to refill it... every time that it was even remotely near the half way mark. It was annoying because it was literally minutes each time until his return. In all of my days of dining out, this was a first... I've never complained about getting refills... until now. The menu could use less advertisements and more pictures of entrees... until then, hopefully more people will post entree photos on Yelp ;) The waiter was pretty attentive, except we didn't receive the complimentary bread until our appetizer was brought out and the people at the tables on each side of us, who arrived after us, received their food entrees prior to our appetizer... strange. When we finally received the fried avocado egg rolls, they were excellent, just as the last time that I ordered them, in Miami. For my entree, I ordered the fish tacos and they came out cold and tasteless. My husband ordered a Jamaican shrimp dish that came out piping hot, so I assume that my meal sat while his was being prepared. After the long wait after ordering, I was looking forward to enjoying my meal... not so much. The entree prices are a bit steep but the sizes are big. For example, my entree of fish tacos, came with four tacos, beans and rice. Everyone was leaving with leftovers. I ordered the Reese Cup cheesecake and it tasted more like peanut butter fudge than Reese Cup or cheesecake, but highly worth a revisit. All in all, I think that the quirks will eventually be worked out.
(2)
Brian K.
My wife and I were invited to the soft opening tonight. The food was excellent. The portions were so big that we had to take "doggie bags" home. It was my first visit to this chain. I'm told this is common for them. It was a soft opening so there were a few issues so I don't think it is fair to lower my review rating because of them. I highly recommend this restaurant when they open next week. Try the Factory Nachos. Enough for at least 2 people.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Brunch, Dessert Parking : Street Bike Parking : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Parker L.
What's all th hype?? The food is average.. So what if they give you big portions.. Who wants big when it's not good?? Most of th cheesecakes and layered with stale boxed layered cake.. Not impressed.
(2)Bryan P.
CF - Lex continuously put us on hold and didn't take our order after 15 minutes. Two of the three cheesecake chefs didn't wear gloves. One rubbed her nose and the other kept touching the desserts with her bare hands. And didn't ever see one curbside delivery while waiting for 20 minutes on dessert
(1)David D.
3 people in our party, 2 burgers and sandwich to start: side salad was very good, burgers were over cooked, very badly seasoned and little flavor, took about 30 minutes for the burgers and another 10 for the sandwich. 2 Drinks were ok, just mediocre. Cheesecake was excellent, and coffee was fine... our bill was nearly $80, which is ridiculous in my opinion for some serious lack luster food...if you must come here, just stick to dessert.
(2)P I.
Had a chicken salad sandwich today. Was really spicy - I asked why? Waitress checked with the kitchen - said it was garlic in the mayonnaise. Yuck. Sweet potato fries were okay. This was my third time there - not impressed any of the times. Too much on the menu for any of the entrees to really be special.
(1)Happy F.
The food is really good but the service is not. You would think with the seriously long waits the staff would be told to make sure after waiting so long people are taken care of immediately. But they're not. After you get to the table you have to wait forever for someone to wait on you. It's like they don't see you. You may even have to ask for a server. I can't say that it's all really worth it. A lot of places have good food.
(3)Stephanie M.
Really yummy. However I think we will just come for appetizers & cheese cake next time. However our waitress was very nice & helpful. :) definitely returning.
(5)Doug O.
This is gonna be short and sweet. Waited 4 hrs, got food that wasn't that great, had the expensive jello no bake cheesecake, came out with a $110 check. The waitress was ok though. Never again
(2)Don M.
My wife and I were really excited to try the new location since we have been to the one in Chicago, St Louis and Vegas. Always had AWESOME service and food. This is my review of this location. The wait was told to me 20-30 minutes. No problem. 55 minutes later we were finally seated. Not a problem I get that as it is new. Our server was there in no time for the drink order. Things were looking awesome. He came back few later, answered some questions and took our order. Now this is where it went down hill. We ordered an appetizer. We wait about 24 minutes roughly for the appetizer. To our surprise they brought out an Entree with the appetizer. When mentioned to the server (not our waiter for the record) she just looked at us in surprise. Nothing was said. Then we asked where the second entree was? I was told "I only have two hands." We waited another 9 minutes for my overcooked burger to arrive. I had a salad with it and I ordered dressing. Did she bring dressing, nope. I was told it is on it already. Well I ordered Thousand island which is not a clear dressing and can usually see it on leaves. Plus the lettuce appeared to be freshly washed. So after the dressing was brought and yes actually slammed on the table, our server came to check on how things were. We explained EVERYTHING to him about what was going on. His jaw hit the floor. Did he apologize, Nope. Did he offer to help at all, Nope. He simply asked if there was anything else we needed. My wife and I bit our tongues and refused anything further. We bought cheese cake after dinner, he bagged up the wrong ones. Did he apologize for that, nope. He said "they bagged up the wrong ones." If you are going to blame someone else for the mistake then I think you should make sure the people you are lying to cannot see you..... just pointing that out. He was friendly and seemed to try hard but severly lacks customer service. I have to say I am not sure if I will go back. The food was good but the service seemed to have most table looking for more. Food Great and the take home cheese cake was spectacular. The food is the only reason for the second star. Time waiting: 55 minutes (estimate 20-30 minutes) Time from seating to check out: 93 minutes (ordered 2 entrees, appetizer that came with entrees, kind of) Service 0 stars Food 5 stars
(2)Robin H.
Quoted 2.5 - 3 hour wait for a table at lunch...not sure when the ridiculous wait times will end.
(1)T H.
Just had Sunday brunch and it was a horrible experience. Potatoes were obviously cooked twice, they were hard as a rock. Bagel was fifty percent black from being overdone in toaster. The worst thing was the giant clump of hair on the napkin and plate. The reason given was that it must have been from the staff that set the tables last night. So apparently no one checks tables before they serve. Outrageous for $62
(1)Shelly P.
Cheesecake Factory (CF)...what were you thinking when you created your chain's smallest restaurant in Lexington, KY at Fayette Mall? If square footage of available space was an issue, you could have easily made it two stories, but as it stands now, the minimal seating offered isn't half as large as it needs to be. Ahem. Excellent hosts/hostesses and the waitstaff are very friendly and helpful. The food is standard for the chain and as always, their cheesecakes out of this world. However, our family of 4 waited an hour and a half for a table on a Tuesday. I want to be clear however, this is not the fault of anyone working there--it's the fault of the Cheesecake Factory company for thinking that tiny space was sufficient for a city with a population of this size. Luckily-- you have the option of roaming the mall as you wait; so my advice is to come early, put down you name, and then do some shopping. They take your cell number and send you a text message when your table is ready, so you can wander away from the restaurant premises. Having lived in SF, ATL, and DC and been to CF's in each, this one is 1/4 the size of any of those restaurants.
(3)Tammy F.
Slow horrible service. Too pricey. Noisey. Annoying music. Feels like I'm in a dark dungeon trying to eat. Even the bathroom was dark. Never again
(1)Bradley And Laci S.
GREAT EXPERIENCE!!! Food was outstanding! Atmosphere, ambiance, and guest service was exceptional. Extremely well managed!
(5)Gerri F.
I went to the cheesecake factory at the mall for the 1st time and the 1st time ever to eat at one and for my birthday. It was very busy and crowded. The Cheesecake display was awesome to look at but way to expensive to buy. One would cost from $30 and up. A slice of any of the 30 choices to choice from was $7.95. They had huge menu and in my opinion to many options to pick from. I had the Renee Special which was a turkey sandwich and a side salad, cream corn soup. This was a huge amount of food for $11. Ice tea cost me $2.95. I choice the Dutch apple and pecan cheesecake huge slice.They even had gluten free section, a skinny selection and breakfeast selection. There was an open bar as well. It was very clean and the staff were very friendly. I would say it would be one of those special occasions for me to go back again for its really costly in my opinion.
(4)Jared S.
Stopped in for my first time here to have lunch. It was moderately busy but it is Christmas time. Seated in 10 minutes which was great but it took the server 10 minutes to get to us to get a drink order and another 7 minutes to receive it and 20 minutes to just get drinks is really too much for me to deal with especially since the server Tyra C. Had only 3 tables. Refills were a pain to get and had to flag other servers down, once the food arrived at our table our server never check on us to ask us how it was or if anything was wrong which would have been nice since I needed ketchup and my girlfriend had already finished her meal by the time I finally got our server to bring it to our table. The food was great which is why I at least gave it 2 stars. Hopefully if I come back I can get a better server which will increase my star rating of this establishment
(2)Elaine D.
Have to give my Harvest Salad 5-Stars as it may be one of the best restaurant salads I've had anywhere. Billed as an appetizer salad, it's quite large and hearty, given the multitude of generous ingredients -- faro/quinoa, greens apples, grapes, tomatoes, green beans, edamame, marcona almonds, parmesan, chicken (good sized, shaved slices) with a house made vin dressing. Did I miss anything? Ate only half the salad so I could manage the cheesecake. My dinner companion and I shared a slice of the White Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Nut. There are no bad cheesecakes at the Factory, just a matter of taste. Owing to the lovely evening, we ate outside,which I find preferable here. Props to Josh, our waiter.
(4)James S.
So, I have never been to this place, ever. Yet every woman under 40 screams like she is in high school again at the name of this place. So, I went to try it. At first sight it was large, current , and well decorated. It was busy, but we were seated almost instantly. After being seated we ordered 2 alcoholic drinks that were brought relatively quickly. The food menu was huge! I've never seen a restaurant that offered that many choices. The food was brought out quickly. I would best define the food as "okay ". It was very edible, but nothing that blew my mind. We then ordered a piece of cheesecake. It literally tasted like a HUGE piece of regular old cheesecake. Nothing special My complaints. It was noisy as a rock concert in there. There were 15-20 minutes periods that we never saw our waitress. The alcoholic drinks were small and SHOCKINGLY expensive!! (That must be where they really make the $$$$. My vodka and tonic was $7 but, to give them credit, was strong). My date had a strawberry martini. It was $11!!!!!! It was laughably small but VERY strong. Definitely not an $11 drink. To best describe this place I would say that it offers Chevrolet food at Cadillac prices.
(2)Rachel I.
Had lunch here last Sunday with my daughter and a friend. Luckily we got in before the midday rush and had no wait. Food was good, I had shepherds pie and we shared lettuce wraps. Service was inconsistent, we had one server who then introduced us to another man who supposedly was helping take care of us, then the female server disappeared for 20 minutes... a little confusing, the food was slow to arrive for lunch service standards, but it is a new restaurant. Overall a good experience.
(4)Arvin B.
Went to this place today to try out a slice of the white chocolate raspberry cheesecake, recommended by a youtube food reviewer. I went in to get a carryout order of the cheesecake and felt that I should try the Chinese Chicken Salad as well. Immediately, I was helped out. The gal said it would take 15 minutes and really, I had the order in my hands within less than 10! Speedy customer service. When I got home, I opened it up and the portion size was HUGE!!!! It also came with free little white curly chinese cruton things and the sesame salad dressing. The cheesecake portion was huge as well. Had taken a fork full of salad and it was delicious! The cheesecake flavor was like a taste of HEAVEN!!! Backstory (yawn)...The first time I ate at The Cheesecake Factory was when I was in California, very young with my family. So glad one popped up here. Also, to anyone who says it is expensive: Stop being whiny stinges! This place is obviously not tuned to Kentucky's cost of living, as it is HQed in California! If you are as big of a foodie as I am, do some ground work research of the restaurant you want to eat at. Know where it is hqed and history (okay...maybe I am just that nerdy enough to do that~) If you cannot afford to eat at this place, then do not. Stop hating just because you can't pay!!
(4)Ernie D.
This place is all right. I had a mushroom burger which was pretty good, although it was a bit heavy on the garlic. The Oreo cheesecake was fantastic. Our waitress was great and knew what she was doing. I don't think the place is worth the prices you pay, though, and i'd rather have something comparable somewhere else for less than half the price. I know it's mainly about the name, but I just don't really care about that.
(3)Jennifer K.
Went to the Cheesecake Factory for a late lunch on a Sunday. It wasn't too crowded and not too noisy. The food was good and our server (Jacob) was excellent, attentive and checked on us often but not too often. I had the Avocado Egg Rolls, Cobb Salad and Red Velvet Cheesecake. The servings were quite large so I have food for another meal (or 2)! Will hopefully return in the near future. In my opinion this location is just as others I have been to in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, New York, Maryland, North Carolina and Florida!
(5)Tony M.
Service is really slow, food is okay, I'll rather drive to Louisville and eat at that one. This location is a joke, they need better management.
(2)Pepper T.
The husband and I receive the gift card for Christmas and decided we would stop in to get a couple of cheesecakes slices to take home. I called the curbside to go because nowhere on their menu doesn't state they cannot take cheese cake orders over the phone. After waiting 10 minutes on hold I was told that they could not take my cheesecake only orders and that we would have to come in and order and wait 10 minutes. I think we will be regifting the gift card and stick with our local mom and pop eateries. What I find absurd is there cheese cake slices are as much if not more than some of their appetizers which you can order to go.
(1)Ruth R.
We were here on a Saturday night, right before Christmas, so we expected a long wait. We checked in and gave our name and cell number. We were giving a wait time of approximately an hr. Had time to do a little shopping in the mall while we waited. Approximately 30 mins later, we were texted and returned to the restaurant. We received excellent service and were pleased with our entire experience. The food was wonderful and we were even serenaded with a lovely "Happy Birthday" song for my son. Very pleased with our waiter, who was extremely accommodating. Unfortunately, I am bad with names and cannot recall his. Wish we had a Cheesecake Factory in our home town!!
(5)Jamie M.
I love the cheesecake factory and am so happy we finally got one in Lexington. I've been to the one in Louisville several times. It's usually always busy and some sort of wait so I knew this one would stay that way, not just because it was new, but because of my experience with the on in Louisville. That said, I do agree with others that this one is definitely smaller than the one in Louisville so that will probably cause it to have longer wait times. If you go in expecting the wait then there should be no reason to complain about it. It's a new restaurant and popular and will probably stay that way. Given this, the neat thing is instead of having to sit in the restaurant and wait, they can text you when your table is ready. If you plan around having to wait, you can do some window shopping or actual shopping in the mall and you don't feel like you've wasted your time. My first visit was on a Saturday about two weeks or so ago. My mom and I were already at the mall early (10amish). We finished our shopping right about 11am so I said lets see how long the wait is. There was a line outside the door, but it was just about 11:05. I think they were trying to seat as they went at first and then decided to check people in and then seat to get the line outside moving. We had about 10-15 minute wait. They texted me when our seat was ready. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive. Brought the bread out with our drinks and even recommended when we received our meals to go ahead and order the cheesecake if we planned to do so that way we wouldn't have to wait very long for it. Great idea! I had the fish and chips and forgot to take a picture of it. The fish was really light and great flavor. It came with coleslaw and fries. I don't care for coleslaw so I didn't eat that and I failed to ask if I could switch it out with something else. My mom had one of the salads and it looked awesome. The menu can be overwhelming because they have so many options, but the portion sizes are plentiful and most will want a take home box. It is on the pricier side, but it's a great atmosphere. We split the pumpkin and pumpkin pecan cheesecake slice. Wow that was amazing. Like eating pumpkin pie and pecan pie all in one bite. Heaven!
(5)Matthew B.
Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, That about sums it up!
(5)Ashley M.
Three stars because the food did taste good. Between the two of us we had two salads: The Luau & The BBQ-Ranch. These salads were off the lunch menu and were HUGE. Seriously couldn't eat it all. Didn't want such a big portion for the "lunch"size. Speaking of the menu, it too was HUGE. I don't like having to read more than a couple pages to figure out what I'm going to eat. I've had better cheesecake. Perhaps the specialty flavors are better than the plain with strawberries? You can buy an entire cheesecake at the Fresh Market for the price of their one-slice. Our wait-staff were friendly. The music too loud and not to my taste. Surprise of the meal: the Mojito. I generally don't like them but this one had a fun twist, pineapple. It turned out to be excellent. Kudos to the bar tender! I may go back to try a specialty cheesecake for a special occasion but I can't justify the cost. I'd rather go to Malones to spend that kind of money in Lexington. No pictures from me on this review. The lighting isn't great and made things look yellow-ish. Unless someone was sitting outside for better lighting all these photos posted by other people that look so clear & bright are not from actual patron's experiences. I just don't believe it.
(3)Heather P.
This is the smallest Cheesecake Factory that I've ever been to. Maybe that's a big reason why the wait is always so long. The first time that I attempted to eat at this new location was a weekday around noon. The wait was 90 minutes and I decided that I was too hungry to wait. Here is my opinion on the wait... if you're going to the mall and will be walking around or shopping for the amount of the wait, then it's not a big deal. What is a big deal and a major annoyance, is when people sign in, and wait at the door and just inside the entrance. Both times that I've been there people are doing just that, like they have no clue that they will text you when your seat is available and you have 10 minutes to get there. Not to mention that they stand and stare at the people dining near the entrance and gawking as the cheesecake is brought from the bakery area. The time that I actually stayed and dined.... there wasn't a separate line for the people who just arriving and were signing in and the ones whose tables were ready. So, the ones whose tables were ready seemed to be rudely cutting line, but it's actually a mismanagement that will hopefully be worked out. When you sign in and give your phone number, they give you a receipt to present once they text you to let you know that your table is ready. That is the only organized part about the check in stand. Otherwise, it seems chaotic even though there were four hostesses, only one was taking the names and phone numbers. Finally, I was seated and my drink order was taken and my soda brought immediately. The weird thing was that the waiter continuously grabbed my soda and took off with it to refill it... every time that it was even remotely near the half way mark. It was annoying because it was literally minutes each time until his return. In all of my days of dining out, this was a first... I've never complained about getting refills... until now. The menu could use less advertisements and more pictures of entrees... until then, hopefully more people will post entree photos on Yelp ;) The waiter was pretty attentive, except we didn't receive the complimentary bread until our appetizer was brought out and the people at the tables on each side of us, who arrived after us, received their food entrees prior to our appetizer... strange. When we finally received the fried avocado egg rolls, they were excellent, just as the last time that I ordered them, in Miami. For my entree, I ordered the fish tacos and they came out cold and tasteless. My husband ordered a Jamaican shrimp dish that came out piping hot, so I assume that my meal sat while his was being prepared. After the long wait after ordering, I was looking forward to enjoying my meal... not so much. The entree prices are a bit steep but the sizes are big. For example, my entree of fish tacos, came with four tacos, beans and rice. Everyone was leaving with leftovers. I ordered the Reese Cup cheesecake and it tasted more like peanut butter fudge than Reese Cup or cheesecake, but highly worth a revisit. All in all, I think that the quirks will eventually be worked out.
(2)Brian K.
My wife and I were invited to the soft opening tonight. The food was excellent. The portions were so big that we had to take "doggie bags" home. It was my first visit to this chain. I'm told this is common for them. It was a soft opening so there were a few issues so I don't think it is fair to lower my review rating because of them. I highly recommend this restaurant when they open next week. Try the Factory Nachos. Enough for at least 2 people.
(5)Laurie A.
Finally, Lexington has a Cheesecake Factory! If you've ever been to the CcF you know how amazing it is. Do I even need to write a review?? I went on one of the training days and even though cooks, bussers, and wait staff were practicing it was the same service and quality that I have come to expect from the CcF. If you haven't been to a CcF then what are you waiting for? I recommend perusing the menu online beforehand as it is quite extensive. If you're a party of two I would say expect to spend around $50, more if you order drinks, etc. I'd say our average bill is around $75 whenever we go, which wasn't often. Until now! The ambiance is nice, with low light, and even though the place is usually packed with people it somehow doesn't feel crowded. Portion sizes are generous and more than likely you'll be bringing leftovers home with you. Favorite app: Tex Mex egg rolls. Favorite entrees: Miso Salmon and Bang Bang Chicken and Shrimp. Favorite Cheesecake: Red Velvet.
(5)Philip A.
Went in for lunch and came out full! First time I have been to this Cheesecake Factory and the service was very good! The food was just as good. The one thing to remember is that the portions are big! So, if you get dessert don't order a huge meal. Ask the server about the size. I would come here again!
(4)Dirk C.
Horrible service. The wait staff completely ignore us for approx. 15 mins. Before someone bothered to bring us water.... We were seated right next to where they placed their orders to the kitchen... It went down hill from there. Not going back.
(2)Jason B.
Let's just say I've been to the cheesecake factory quite a few times before this one open here in Lexington. For a corporate corporation move chains it's pretty decent you know specially being frozen food. But I always do love the service when you come in to the cheesecake factory always top notch always professional and always courteous and polite. The food is always about average Chino just like any other you know chain that you go to but the cheesecake is always what makes this place the cheesecake factory. I always go in and never expect less than perfect when getting served and being treated right. Happy to have one of these in Lexington now. :)
(4)Alana M.
A wonderful experience! From the time we walked in the door, the staff was excellent! The hostess were amazing! Totally friendly even though it was a mad house in there! I love the idea of them texting you when your table is ready! They said our table would be ready in 50 minutes and we were seated in exactly 50 minutes! We got an excellent waitress... She made sure we had everything we needed!!! The food was on point too!!! We ordered the stuffed mushrooms small plate!!! I LOVE those mushrooms!!! My husband being the picky eater he is, just got the burger, but he loved it all the same! I got the Chicken Madeira. It was really good! I've been to multiple Cheesecake Factory's and have tried alot of items and I will get this again, after I get through the entire 21 page menu :) last but not least, the Cheesecake! I got the Godiva chocolate cheesecake! This is MY cheesecake, from now on, this is all I'm getting!!! It even had chocolate chunks in the Cheesecake!!! Awe man! Delicious! My favorite has always been the strawberry, but I have turned in my resignation and I definitely have a new fave!!!
(5)Emily B.
My family rarely goes to chain restaurants, but had received a gift card for the Cheesecake Factory and decided to use it last week. I was pleasantly surprised that we were immediately greeted and seated in our requested dining area with no wait. I'd read about service being inconsistent at this location, but our server was great! We went for an early dinner (about 5:30) on a Monday so they weren't slammed, but by the time we left, he was covering about 6 tables (I've received MUCH worse service at restaurants where the server only covered 2-3), and our water glasses were never empty, he checked in regularly without being invasive, and any requests were promptly met. We ordered samosas for my son which were very good and came out quickly, a battered chicken with broccoli and mashed potatoes for me which was excellent, and the tempura fish tacos for my husband. The tacos, as well as the beans and rice that accompanied them, were very bland which is what keeps this review from being 5 stars. Overall though, portions were VERY generous (I ate until I was stuffed and still had half of my dish to take home for lunch the next day), most of the dishes were tasty, and service was really good. We would certainly return, though probably not during a busier time and we definitely wouldn't order the fish tacos again.
(4)William G E.
Attended opening night of new store. Of course was crazy as expected. Waited 2hrs but knew I would. Lexington has been craving this forever. A beautiful place like all. The staff very attentive to us. Food awesome as knew would be. Had a new check in system which I'm not sure of. Took your cell # and text you. Ok I guess but the flashing pager is hard to beet. The hostess girls had to come into crowd and ask out people's names from check in slip. It's a noisy place and you couldn't hear them and they shouldn't have to holler! So maybe need to think over check in. Small problem to fix. Cheesecake Factory is an experience worth the wait. It will do great here, should have been bigger built maybe. Do go and enjoy!! The food selection is wild and amounts real nice! Thanks for choosing Lexington Ky!
(5)Katherine R.
They've left a few delicious items off the menu from the one in Louisville. Service was slow and never refilled drinks. Food took a while to come and was simply meh. They had to remake my Cuban since it had gotten cold from probably sitting. Tasted microwaved. I love the cheesecake and the only reason they didn't get 1 star. This place won't be first on my list of choices for dinner. Go to Travitina next door. Great food there!
(2)Sarah R.
Visited the Cheesecake factory for the first time mainly to see what all the hype was about. I went at 11am so it wasnt crowded yet the staff was friendly and helpful. I knew what I wanted already so no searching through their huge menu. I got the shepherds pie the dinner portion and it was huge enough for two meals and I took half home including the fresh hot bread six pieces of french white and oat wheat which was really good also. Cons were the wait on the food since they werent busy and what I ordered was one of their specialties also I noticed other customers getting tired of the wait. Also they play music basic pop rock but the volume was so loud at times that it was annoying maybe just background music would be better.
(4)Amy W.
I have a major sweet tooth, so you know that a restaurant devoted to a rich and sugary dessert would earn my repeated patronage! I have been to this location twice, but I keep forgetting to check in or take pictures. The high ceilings, art deco lighting fixtures, and servers dressed in shirts and ties give the ambiance of a nice restaurant. However, the crowds of people casually dressed reminds you that this is a restaurant attached to the mall. Expect a long wait until everyone who lives in Fayette and the surrounding counties have had their chance to try it out. The only upside to the long wait is the fact that you don't have to wait at the restaurant with a buzzer, but can roam the mall and you will receive a text when your table is ready. I have had the fettuccine alfredo at this location. It was okay, but on the plain side. On my second visit I had the Factory Nachos with spicy chicken as my entrée. The portion is huge (like all portions at this chain) and delicious! The tortilla chips are the real deal (made from tortillas cut up and fried it appears). The flavors of all of the toppings were just incredible. I love nachos and these have to be my favorite. As for the real reason why people visit this restaurant: the cheesecake is always perfect! The first time I had the Snickers cheesecake. It really tasted like a Snickers bar! It had that salty peaunuty, chocolatey taste! The flavor that I tried on my second visit was the S'more cheesecake. The presentation was pleasing with melted marshmallows and graham crackers on top. This is my favorite flavor yet. I can't wait to go back and try the pineapple upside down cheesecake. If you don't want to be eating the same leftovers for your next three meals then I would recommend stopping by and purchasing a slice of cheesecake without the hassle of waiting to dine in.
(5)Travis W.
It is hard to review a place that has a 2 hour wait. We left without dining both times. We have eaten at a CF before so we know the food is good. Large dishes but large prices. We did leave with take out cheese cake but it was $8 per slice. Eight dollars! That is crazy. It was a large slice and it was tasty but it was one slice for $8. If we did not have a gift card we would just write it off as a no go place.
(1)Sylvia R.
I've heard about the Cheesecake Factory, but never had a chance to go. Well my son and I went there for the first time. Amazing food. Both my son and I enjoyed the food we ordered. The menu is very big and could get overwhelmed by looking at the menu. Our wonderful waiter helped us out. Couldn't believe the size of the plates. It was definitely worth the wait. I recommend that to go without having a tremendous wait is go for lunch or late dinner.
(5)Elisha R.
Can't really comment on the food or service for dining yet but we have stopped in a few times while out in Lexington to get cheesecake to go. The quality is always great and very tasty. Only thing I've noticed is the rest rooms seem to always be short on supplies such as toilet paper and soaps etc. Overall probably a great place to go, things look a bit pricy but probably worth stopping in for a special occasion.
(4)Sylvia R.
I've heard about the Cheesecake Factory, but never had a chance to go. Well my son and I went there for the first time. Amazing food. Both my son and I enjoyed the food we ordered. The menu is very big and could get overwhelmed by looking at the menu. Our wonderful waiter helped us out. Couldn't believe the size of the plates. It was definitely worth the wait. I recommend that to go without having a tremendous wait is go for lunch or late dinner.
(5)Elisha R.
Can't really comment on the food or service for dining yet but we have stopped in a few times while out in Lexington to get cheesecake to go. The quality is always great and very tasty. Only thing I've noticed is the rest rooms seem to always be short on supplies such as toilet paper and soaps etc. Overall probably a great place to go, things look a bit pricy but probably worth stopping in for a special occasion.
(4)Alana M.
A wonderful experience! From the time we walked in the door, the staff was excellent! The hostess were amazing! Totally friendly even though it was a mad house in there! I love the idea of them texting you when your table is ready! They said our table would be ready in 50 minutes and we were seated in exactly 50 minutes! We got an excellent waitress... She made sure we had everything we needed!!! The food was on point too!!! We ordered the stuffed mushrooms small plate!!! I LOVE those mushrooms!!! My husband being the picky eater he is, just got the burger, but he loved it all the same! I got the Chicken Madeira. It was really good! I've been to multiple Cheesecake Factory's and have tried alot of items and I will get this again, after I get through the entire 21 page menu :) last but not least, the Cheesecake! I got the Godiva chocolate cheesecake! This is MY cheesecake, from now on, this is all I'm getting!!! It even had chocolate chunks in the Cheesecake!!! Awe man! Delicious! My favorite has always been the strawberry, but I have turned in my resignation and I definitely have a new fave!!!
(5)Emily B.
My family rarely goes to chain restaurants, but had received a gift card for the Cheesecake Factory and decided to use it last week. I was pleasantly surprised that we were immediately greeted and seated in our requested dining area with no wait. I'd read about service being inconsistent at this location, but our server was great! We went for an early dinner (about 5:30) on a Monday so they weren't slammed, but by the time we left, he was covering about 6 tables (I've received MUCH worse service at restaurants where the server only covered 2-3), and our water glasses were never empty, he checked in regularly without being invasive, and any requests were promptly met. We ordered samosas for my son which were very good and came out quickly, a battered chicken with broccoli and mashed potatoes for me which was excellent, and the tempura fish tacos for my husband. The tacos, as well as the beans and rice that accompanied them, were very bland which is what keeps this review from being 5 stars. Overall though, portions were VERY generous (I ate until I was stuffed and still had half of my dish to take home for lunch the next day), most of the dishes were tasty, and service was really good. We would certainly return, though probably not during a busier time and we definitely wouldn't order the fish tacos again.
(4)William G E.
Attended opening night of new store. Of course was crazy as expected. Waited 2hrs but knew I would. Lexington has been craving this forever. A beautiful place like all. The staff very attentive to us. Food awesome as knew would be. Had a new check in system which I'm not sure of. Took your cell # and text you. Ok I guess but the flashing pager is hard to beet. The hostess girls had to come into crowd and ask out people's names from check in slip. It's a noisy place and you couldn't hear them and they shouldn't have to holler! So maybe need to think over check in. Small problem to fix. Cheesecake Factory is an experience worth the wait. It will do great here, should have been bigger built maybe. Do go and enjoy!! The food selection is wild and amounts real nice! Thanks for choosing Lexington Ky!
(5)Rachel I.
Had lunch here last Sunday with my daughter and a friend. Luckily we got in before the midday rush and had no wait. Food was good, I had shepherds pie and we shared lettuce wraps. Service was inconsistent, we had one server who then introduced us to another man who supposedly was helping take care of us, then the female server disappeared for 20 minutes... a little confusing, the food was slow to arrive for lunch service standards, but it is a new restaurant. Overall a good experience.
(4)Katherine R.
They've left a few delicious items off the menu from the one in Louisville. Service was slow and never refilled drinks. Food took a while to come and was simply meh. They had to remake my Cuban since it had gotten cold from probably sitting. Tasted microwaved. I love the cheesecake and the only reason they didn't get 1 star. This place won't be first on my list of choices for dinner. Go to Travitina next door. Great food there!
(2)Sarah R.
Visited the Cheesecake factory for the first time mainly to see what all the hype was about. I went at 11am so it wasnt crowded yet the staff was friendly and helpful. I knew what I wanted already so no searching through their huge menu. I got the shepherds pie the dinner portion and it was huge enough for two meals and I took half home including the fresh hot bread six pieces of french white and oat wheat which was really good also. Cons were the wait on the food since they werent busy and what I ordered was one of their specialties also I noticed other customers getting tired of the wait. Also they play music basic pop rock but the volume was so loud at times that it was annoying maybe just background music would be better.
(4)David D.
3 people in our party, 2 burgers and sandwich to start: side salad was very good, burgers were over cooked, very badly seasoned and little flavor, took about 30 minutes for the burgers and another 10 for the sandwich. 2 Drinks were ok, just mediocre. Cheesecake was excellent, and coffee was fine... our bill was nearly $80, which is ridiculous in my opinion for some serious lack luster food...if you must come here, just stick to dessert.
(2)P I.
Had a chicken salad sandwich today. Was really spicy - I asked why? Waitress checked with the kitchen - said it was garlic in the mayonnaise. Yuck. Sweet potato fries were okay. This was my third time there - not impressed any of the times. Too much on the menu for any of the entrees to really be special.
(1)Happy F.
The food is really good but the service is not. You would think with the seriously long waits the staff would be told to make sure after waiting so long people are taken care of immediately. But they're not. After you get to the table you have to wait forever for someone to wait on you. It's like they don't see you. You may even have to ask for a server. I can't say that it's all really worth it. A lot of places have good food.
(3)Stephanie M.
Really yummy. However I think we will just come for appetizers & cheese cake next time. However our waitress was very nice & helpful. :) definitely returning.
(5)Doug O.
This is gonna be short and sweet. Waited 4 hrs, got food that wasn't that great, had the expensive jello no bake cheesecake, came out with a $110 check. The waitress was ok though. Never again
(2)Parker L.
What's all th hype?? The food is average.. So what if they give you big portions.. Who wants big when it's not good?? Most of th cheesecakes and layered with stale boxed layered cake.. Not impressed.
(2)Bryan P.
CF - Lex continuously put us on hold and didn't take our order after 15 minutes. Two of the three cheesecake chefs didn't wear gloves. One rubbed her nose and the other kept touching the desserts with her bare hands. And didn't ever see one curbside delivery while waiting for 20 minutes on dessert
(1)Don M.
My wife and I were really excited to try the new location since we have been to the one in Chicago, St Louis and Vegas. Always had AWESOME service and food. This is my review of this location. The wait was told to me 20-30 minutes. No problem. 55 minutes later we were finally seated. Not a problem I get that as it is new. Our server was there in no time for the drink order. Things were looking awesome. He came back few later, answered some questions and took our order. Now this is where it went down hill. We ordered an appetizer. We wait about 24 minutes roughly for the appetizer. To our surprise they brought out an Entree with the appetizer. When mentioned to the server (not our waiter for the record) she just looked at us in surprise. Nothing was said. Then we asked where the second entree was? I was told "I only have two hands." We waited another 9 minutes for my overcooked burger to arrive. I had a salad with it and I ordered dressing. Did she bring dressing, nope. I was told it is on it already. Well I ordered Thousand island which is not a clear dressing and can usually see it on leaves. Plus the lettuce appeared to be freshly washed. So after the dressing was brought and yes actually slammed on the table, our server came to check on how things were. We explained EVERYTHING to him about what was going on. His jaw hit the floor. Did he apologize, Nope. Did he offer to help at all, Nope. He simply asked if there was anything else we needed. My wife and I bit our tongues and refused anything further. We bought cheese cake after dinner, he bagged up the wrong ones. Did he apologize for that, nope. He said "they bagged up the wrong ones." If you are going to blame someone else for the mistake then I think you should make sure the people you are lying to cannot see you..... just pointing that out. He was friendly and seemed to try hard but severly lacks customer service. I have to say I am not sure if I will go back. The food was good but the service seemed to have most table looking for more. Food Great and the take home cheese cake was spectacular. The food is the only reason for the second star. Time waiting: 55 minutes (estimate 20-30 minutes) Time from seating to check out: 93 minutes (ordered 2 entrees, appetizer that came with entrees, kind of) Service 0 stars Food 5 stars
(2)Robin H.
Quoted 2.5 - 3 hour wait for a table at lunch...not sure when the ridiculous wait times will end.
(1)T H.
Just had Sunday brunch and it was a horrible experience. Potatoes were obviously cooked twice, they were hard as a rock. Bagel was fifty percent black from being overdone in toaster. The worst thing was the giant clump of hair on the napkin and plate. The reason given was that it must have been from the staff that set the tables last night. So apparently no one checks tables before they serve. Outrageous for $62
(1)Shelly P.
Cheesecake Factory (CF)...what were you thinking when you created your chain's smallest restaurant in Lexington, KY at Fayette Mall? If square footage of available space was an issue, you could have easily made it two stories, but as it stands now, the minimal seating offered isn't half as large as it needs to be. Ahem. Excellent hosts/hostesses and the waitstaff are very friendly and helpful. The food is standard for the chain and as always, their cheesecakes out of this world. However, our family of 4 waited an hour and a half for a table on a Tuesday. I want to be clear however, this is not the fault of anyone working there--it's the fault of the Cheesecake Factory company for thinking that tiny space was sufficient for a city with a population of this size. Luckily-- you have the option of roaming the mall as you wait; so my advice is to come early, put down you name, and then do some shopping. They take your cell number and send you a text message when your table is ready, so you can wander away from the restaurant premises. Having lived in SF, ATL, and DC and been to CF's in each, this one is 1/4 the size of any of those restaurants.
(3)Tammy F.
Slow horrible service. Too pricey. Noisey. Annoying music. Feels like I'm in a dark dungeon trying to eat. Even the bathroom was dark. Never again
(1)Bradley And Laci S.
GREAT EXPERIENCE!!! Food was outstanding! Atmosphere, ambiance, and guest service was exceptional. Extremely well managed!
(5)Gerri F.
I went to the cheesecake factory at the mall for the 1st time and the 1st time ever to eat at one and for my birthday. It was very busy and crowded. The Cheesecake display was awesome to look at but way to expensive to buy. One would cost from $30 and up. A slice of any of the 30 choices to choice from was $7.95. They had huge menu and in my opinion to many options to pick from. I had the Renee Special which was a turkey sandwich and a side salad, cream corn soup. This was a huge amount of food for $11. Ice tea cost me $2.95. I choice the Dutch apple and pecan cheesecake huge slice.They even had gluten free section, a skinny selection and breakfeast selection. There was an open bar as well. It was very clean and the staff were very friendly. I would say it would be one of those special occasions for me to go back again for its really costly in my opinion.
(4)Jared S.
Stopped in for my first time here to have lunch. It was moderately busy but it is Christmas time. Seated in 10 minutes which was great but it took the server 10 minutes to get to us to get a drink order and another 7 minutes to receive it and 20 minutes to just get drinks is really too much for me to deal with especially since the server Tyra C. Had only 3 tables. Refills were a pain to get and had to flag other servers down, once the food arrived at our table our server never check on us to ask us how it was or if anything was wrong which would have been nice since I needed ketchup and my girlfriend had already finished her meal by the time I finally got our server to bring it to our table. The food was great which is why I at least gave it 2 stars. Hopefully if I come back I can get a better server which will increase my star rating of this establishment
(2)Travis W.
It is hard to review a place that has a 2 hour wait. We left without dining both times. We have eaten at a CF before so we know the food is good. Large dishes but large prices. We did leave with take out cheese cake but it was $8 per slice. Eight dollars! That is crazy. It was a large slice and it was tasty but it was one slice for $8. If we did not have a gift card we would just write it off as a no go place.
(1)Philip A.
Went in for lunch and came out full! First time I have been to this Cheesecake Factory and the service was very good! The food was just as good. The one thing to remember is that the portions are big! So, if you get dessert don't order a huge meal. Ask the server about the size. I would come here again!
(4)Dirk C.
Horrible service. The wait staff completely ignore us for approx. 15 mins. Before someone bothered to bring us water.... We were seated right next to where they placed their orders to the kitchen... It went down hill from there. Not going back.
(2)Jason B.
Let's just say I've been to the cheesecake factory quite a few times before this one open here in Lexington. For a corporate corporation move chains it's pretty decent you know specially being frozen food. But I always do love the service when you come in to the cheesecake factory always top notch always professional and always courteous and polite. The food is always about average Chino just like any other you know chain that you go to but the cheesecake is always what makes this place the cheesecake factory. I always go in and never expect less than perfect when getting served and being treated right. Happy to have one of these in Lexington now. :)
(4)Jennifer K.
Went to the Cheesecake Factory for a late lunch on a Sunday. It wasn't too crowded and not too noisy. The food was good and our server (Jacob) was excellent, attentive and checked on us often but not too often. I had the Avocado Egg Rolls, Cobb Salad and Red Velvet Cheesecake. The servings were quite large so I have food for another meal (or 2)! Will hopefully return in the near future. In my opinion this location is just as others I have been to in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, New York, Maryland, North Carolina and Florida!
(5)Tony M.
Service is really slow, food is okay, I'll rather drive to Louisville and eat at that one. This location is a joke, they need better management.
(2)Pepper T.
The husband and I receive the gift card for Christmas and decided we would stop in to get a couple of cheesecakes slices to take home. I called the curbside to go because nowhere on their menu doesn't state they cannot take cheese cake orders over the phone. After waiting 10 minutes on hold I was told that they could not take my cheesecake only orders and that we would have to come in and order and wait 10 minutes. I think we will be regifting the gift card and stick with our local mom and pop eateries. What I find absurd is there cheese cake slices are as much if not more than some of their appetizers which you can order to go.
(1)Ruth R.
We were here on a Saturday night, right before Christmas, so we expected a long wait. We checked in and gave our name and cell number. We were giving a wait time of approximately an hr. Had time to do a little shopping in the mall while we waited. Approximately 30 mins later, we were texted and returned to the restaurant. We received excellent service and were pleased with our entire experience. The food was wonderful and we were even serenaded with a lovely "Happy Birthday" song for my son. Very pleased with our waiter, who was extremely accommodating. Unfortunately, I am bad with names and cannot recall his. Wish we had a Cheesecake Factory in our home town!!
(5)Laurie A.
Finally, Lexington has a Cheesecake Factory! If you've ever been to the CcF you know how amazing it is. Do I even need to write a review?? I went on one of the training days and even though cooks, bussers, and wait staff were practicing it was the same service and quality that I have come to expect from the CcF. If you haven't been to a CcF then what are you waiting for? I recommend perusing the menu online beforehand as it is quite extensive. If you're a party of two I would say expect to spend around $50, more if you order drinks, etc. I'd say our average bill is around $75 whenever we go, which wasn't often. Until now! The ambiance is nice, with low light, and even though the place is usually packed with people it somehow doesn't feel crowded. Portion sizes are generous and more than likely you'll be bringing leftovers home with you. Favorite app: Tex Mex egg rolls. Favorite entrees: Miso Salmon and Bang Bang Chicken and Shrimp. Favorite Cheesecake: Red Velvet.
(5)Elaine D.
Have to give my Harvest Salad 5-Stars as it may be one of the best restaurant salads I've had anywhere. Billed as an appetizer salad, it's quite large and hearty, given the multitude of generous ingredients -- faro/quinoa, greens apples, grapes, tomatoes, green beans, edamame, marcona almonds, parmesan, chicken (good sized, shaved slices) with a house made vin dressing. Did I miss anything? Ate only half the salad so I could manage the cheesecake. My dinner companion and I shared a slice of the White Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Nut. There are no bad cheesecakes at the Factory, just a matter of taste. Owing to the lovely evening, we ate outside,which I find preferable here. Props to Josh, our waiter.
(4)James S.
So, I have never been to this place, ever. Yet every woman under 40 screams like she is in high school again at the name of this place. So, I went to try it. At first sight it was large, current , and well decorated. It was busy, but we were seated almost instantly. After being seated we ordered 2 alcoholic drinks that were brought relatively quickly. The food menu was huge! I've never seen a restaurant that offered that many choices. The food was brought out quickly. I would best define the food as "okay ". It was very edible, but nothing that blew my mind. We then ordered a piece of cheesecake. It literally tasted like a HUGE piece of regular old cheesecake. Nothing special My complaints. It was noisy as a rock concert in there. There were 15-20 minutes periods that we never saw our waitress. The alcoholic drinks were small and SHOCKINGLY expensive!! (That must be where they really make the $$$$. My vodka and tonic was $7 but, to give them credit, was strong). My date had a strawberry martini. It was $11!!!!!! It was laughably small but VERY strong. Definitely not an $11 drink. To best describe this place I would say that it offers Chevrolet food at Cadillac prices.
(2)Arvin B.
Went to this place today to try out a slice of the white chocolate raspberry cheesecake, recommended by a youtube food reviewer. I went in to get a carryout order of the cheesecake and felt that I should try the Chinese Chicken Salad as well. Immediately, I was helped out. The gal said it would take 15 minutes and really, I had the order in my hands within less than 10! Speedy customer service. When I got home, I opened it up and the portion size was HUGE!!!! It also came with free little white curly chinese cruton things and the sesame salad dressing. The cheesecake portion was huge as well. Had taken a fork full of salad and it was delicious! The cheesecake flavor was like a taste of HEAVEN!!! Backstory (yawn)...The first time I ate at The Cheesecake Factory was when I was in California, very young with my family. So glad one popped up here. Also, to anyone who says it is expensive: Stop being whiny stinges! This place is obviously not tuned to Kentucky's cost of living, as it is HQed in California! If you are as big of a foodie as I am, do some ground work research of the restaurant you want to eat at. Know where it is hqed and history (okay...maybe I am just that nerdy enough to do that~) If you cannot afford to eat at this place, then do not. Stop hating just because you can't pay!!
(4)Ernie D.
This place is all right. I had a mushroom burger which was pretty good, although it was a bit heavy on the garlic. The Oreo cheesecake was fantastic. Our waitress was great and knew what she was doing. I don't think the place is worth the prices you pay, though, and i'd rather have something comparable somewhere else for less than half the price. I know it's mainly about the name, but I just don't really care about that.
(3)Jamie M.
I love the cheesecake factory and am so happy we finally got one in Lexington. I've been to the one in Louisville several times. It's usually always busy and some sort of wait so I knew this one would stay that way, not just because it was new, but because of my experience with the on in Louisville. That said, I do agree with others that this one is definitely smaller than the one in Louisville so that will probably cause it to have longer wait times. If you go in expecting the wait then there should be no reason to complain about it. It's a new restaurant and popular and will probably stay that way. Given this, the neat thing is instead of having to sit in the restaurant and wait, they can text you when your table is ready. If you plan around having to wait, you can do some window shopping or actual shopping in the mall and you don't feel like you've wasted your time. My first visit was on a Saturday about two weeks or so ago. My mom and I were already at the mall early (10amish). We finished our shopping right about 11am so I said lets see how long the wait is. There was a line outside the door, but it was just about 11:05. I think they were trying to seat as they went at first and then decided to check people in and then seat to get the line outside moving. We had about 10-15 minute wait. They texted me when our seat was ready. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive. Brought the bread out with our drinks and even recommended when we received our meals to go ahead and order the cheesecake if we planned to do so that way we wouldn't have to wait very long for it. Great idea! I had the fish and chips and forgot to take a picture of it. The fish was really light and great flavor. It came with coleslaw and fries. I don't care for coleslaw so I didn't eat that and I failed to ask if I could switch it out with something else. My mom had one of the salads and it looked awesome. The menu can be overwhelming because they have so many options, but the portion sizes are plentiful and most will want a take home box. It is on the pricier side, but it's a great atmosphere. We split the pumpkin and pumpkin pecan cheesecake slice. Wow that was amazing. Like eating pumpkin pie and pecan pie all in one bite. Heaven!
(5)Matthew B.
Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, Excellent, That about sums it up!
(5)Ashley M.
Three stars because the food did taste good. Between the two of us we had two salads: The Luau & The BBQ-Ranch. These salads were off the lunch menu and were HUGE. Seriously couldn't eat it all. Didn't want such a big portion for the "lunch"size. Speaking of the menu, it too was HUGE. I don't like having to read more than a couple pages to figure out what I'm going to eat. I've had better cheesecake. Perhaps the specialty flavors are better than the plain with strawberries? You can buy an entire cheesecake at the Fresh Market for the price of their one-slice. Our wait-staff were friendly. The music too loud and not to my taste. Surprise of the meal: the Mojito. I generally don't like them but this one had a fun twist, pineapple. It turned out to be excellent. Kudos to the bar tender! I may go back to try a specialty cheesecake for a special occasion but I can't justify the cost. I'd rather go to Malones to spend that kind of money in Lexington. No pictures from me on this review. The lighting isn't great and made things look yellow-ish. Unless someone was sitting outside for better lighting all these photos posted by other people that look so clear & bright are not from actual patron's experiences. I just don't believe it.
(3)Heather P.
This is the smallest Cheesecake Factory that I've ever been to. Maybe that's a big reason why the wait is always so long. The first time that I attempted to eat at this new location was a weekday around noon. The wait was 90 minutes and I decided that I was too hungry to wait. Here is my opinion on the wait... if you're going to the mall and will be walking around or shopping for the amount of the wait, then it's not a big deal. What is a big deal and a major annoyance, is when people sign in, and wait at the door and just inside the entrance. Both times that I've been there people are doing just that, like they have no clue that they will text you when your seat is available and you have 10 minutes to get there. Not to mention that they stand and stare at the people dining near the entrance and gawking as the cheesecake is brought from the bakery area. The time that I actually stayed and dined.... there wasn't a separate line for the people who just arriving and were signing in and the ones whose tables were ready. So, the ones whose tables were ready seemed to be rudely cutting line, but it's actually a mismanagement that will hopefully be worked out. When you sign in and give your phone number, they give you a receipt to present once they text you to let you know that your table is ready. That is the only organized part about the check in stand. Otherwise, it seems chaotic even though there were four hostesses, only one was taking the names and phone numbers. Finally, I was seated and my drink order was taken and my soda brought immediately. The weird thing was that the waiter continuously grabbed my soda and took off with it to refill it... every time that it was even remotely near the half way mark. It was annoying because it was literally minutes each time until his return. In all of my days of dining out, this was a first... I've never complained about getting refills... until now. The menu could use less advertisements and more pictures of entrees... until then, hopefully more people will post entree photos on Yelp ;) The waiter was pretty attentive, except we didn't receive the complimentary bread until our appetizer was brought out and the people at the tables on each side of us, who arrived after us, received their food entrees prior to our appetizer... strange. When we finally received the fried avocado egg rolls, they were excellent, just as the last time that I ordered them, in Miami. For my entree, I ordered the fish tacos and they came out cold and tasteless. My husband ordered a Jamaican shrimp dish that came out piping hot, so I assume that my meal sat while his was being prepared. After the long wait after ordering, I was looking forward to enjoying my meal... not so much. The entree prices are a bit steep but the sizes are big. For example, my entree of fish tacos, came with four tacos, beans and rice. Everyone was leaving with leftovers. I ordered the Reese Cup cheesecake and it tasted more like peanut butter fudge than Reese Cup or cheesecake, but highly worth a revisit. All in all, I think that the quirks will eventually be worked out.
(2)Brian K.
My wife and I were invited to the soft opening tonight. The food was excellent. The portions were so big that we had to take "doggie bags" home. It was my first visit to this chain. I'm told this is common for them. It was a soft opening so there were a few issues so I don't think it is fair to lower my review rating because of them. I highly recommend this restaurant when they open next week. Try the Factory Nachos. Enough for at least 2 people.
(5)Amy W.
I have a major sweet tooth, so you know that a restaurant devoted to a rich and sugary dessert would earn my repeated patronage! I have been to this location twice, but I keep forgetting to check in or take pictures. The high ceilings, art deco lighting fixtures, and servers dressed in shirts and ties give the ambiance of a nice restaurant. However, the crowds of people casually dressed reminds you that this is a restaurant attached to the mall. Expect a long wait until everyone who lives in Fayette and the surrounding counties have had their chance to try it out. The only upside to the long wait is the fact that you don't have to wait at the restaurant with a buzzer, but can roam the mall and you will receive a text when your table is ready. I have had the fettuccine alfredo at this location. It was okay, but on the plain side. On my second visit I had the Factory Nachos with spicy chicken as my entrée. The portion is huge (like all portions at this chain) and delicious! The tortilla chips are the real deal (made from tortillas cut up and fried it appears). The flavors of all of the toppings were just incredible. I love nachos and these have to be my favorite. As for the real reason why people visit this restaurant: the cheesecake is always perfect! The first time I had the Snickers cheesecake. It really tasted like a Snickers bar! It had that salty peaunuty, chocolatey taste! The flavor that I tried on my second visit was the S'more cheesecake. The presentation was pleasing with melted marshmallows and graham crackers on top. This is my favorite flavor yet. I can't wait to go back and try the pineapple upside down cheesecake. If you don't want to be eating the same leftovers for your next three meals then I would recommend stopping by and purchasing a slice of cheesecake without the hassle of waiting to dine in.
(5)