By far the worst dining room in Knoxville with cattle like two tops where you are sitting right next to another party. Our waitress even took our orders at the same time like we were together. Also expect lots of staring and creepy behavior with the huge mirrors that line the table wall for the 2-tops. No kidding a woman waved and smiled in the mirror while I was eating. The food is decent but upset my stomach and my girlfriends as well. The food is way overpriced for the qualify and atmosphere. The cheesecake is amazing and should be for 7-8 dollars a slice. Can't imaging this place staying in business long term.
(1)
Jennie B.
Such a disappointment! My how the Cheesecake Factory has changed (and not for the better) over the years. 1. Walked in and wanted to sit out on the patio. Greeted by the hostess who told us they just shut the patio down because there is a storm coming. This is East TN where weather men are wrong 99% of the time. We asked again if we could sit outside. She approved it with her manager and we were the only table outside. It was a very warm, but totally overcast day, so not too hot for outside. I cannot believe no one else was out there, but hey, it was our own private (huge) patio! 2. Waitress Danielle was very nice. Diligent. Attentive. She did everything she could to make us happy. 3. We ordered 2 drinks- blueberry mojito (excellent) and a Bombay Sapphire on the rocks with blue cheese stuffed olives and olive juice on the side (so I could make my own dirty martini--most people make it too dirty and I hate sending things back if I can avoid it). 4. The first 'martini' came out and tasted like a jalapeno flavored vodka or liquor that was completely unlike any gin I'd ever had. My boyfriend tasted it and confirmed---it was NOT gin after all. We aren't connoisseurs, but we know when gin is good, or bad, or non existent. We sent it back. 5. The 2nd 'martini' arrived and tasted exactly the same. Slightly frustrated at this point but still willing to give it a shot, we asked for Tanqueray. I figured the Sapphire had either 1. Been contaminated or 2. Gone bad. We asked our server to taste the drink, she couldn't. We asked her to please have the manager taste it. 6. A few mins later the manager arrives with our new (and improved!) Tanqueray martini. We asked him if he tasted the other and he said 'Yes. It tasted fine. Just like gin.' Now this is where I get REALLY frustrated. The manager of this place tasted our drink and said it tasted like gin. So either he 1. Had NO idea what he was talking about or 2. Has NO taste buds! THAT WAS NOT GIN. I REPEAT. THAT WAS NOT GIN. 7. We chatted with the manager for a minute or two about what could have possibly happened. The top to the other liquor could have been accidentally swapped and hence taken on the flavor of jalapeno (tequila he said). OK whatever. Our new martini was just fine and delicious. 8. We ordered the spicy Jamaican jerk chicken with rice, beans and plantains. We really ordered this because the plantains sounded great and we were in the mood for them! The dish arrived without plantains. No acknowledgment on behalf of the Cheesecake Factory, so upon Danielle asking what else we need, I immediately mentioned--'We just need the plantains.' She turns around and looks at the food runner who says-'Oh, we're out of them.' WTF!!!!!! Now we are angry. That's the reason I ordered the dish! Of course there's nothing they or we can do but order a vegetable to sub, so we reluctantly accepted asparagus. 9. In all fairness--so you don't think I'm just trying to bash this place--the dish was delicious. The sauce had just the right amount of spice. The chicken was moist and tender. They did a really good job with this, lack of plantains aside. 10. We ordered cheesecake to go. Got home and went to take a couple bites and the slice was warm. Like, melted almost. The cheesecake and cream cheese topping was falling over, like a sad little leaning tower of Pisa. We had to stick it into the freezer for 45 mins to harden it in order to enjoy it. OK I remember the Cheesecake Factory growing up and this is not the same place. Something has happened, or NOT happened. But we won't be returning in the near future unless we hear that a miracle has taken place. BTW- it never rained. In fact the sky cleared and was almost blue by the time we finished dinner!
(2)
Andre' M.
I'm not sure what is so great about this place. The food was just ok to my wife and I and it was way overpriced. Maybe it's the large menu. That is kind of nice.
(2)
Josh P.
The Cheesecake Factory was absolutely amazing! I visited on a Sunday around 2:30 P.M. after the church crowed cleared out and immediately got a seat! It is very surprising because usually the wait seems to be very long anyways! I have to say that the staff was very accommodating and the food was great! Little pricey to get the whole experience but was worth every penny! Will be going back soon!
(5)
Ernie And Dora H.
Recently, my family visited the Cheesecake Factory in Knoxville, TN, on a Saturday night, but decided not to wait two hours. This weekend, we stopped in again, earlier this time. The 2-hour wait ended up only being one hour. Although jammed, service was attentive, yet we had plenty of time to savor our meal. The Fried Calamari appetizer was crispy and chewy, just the way we like it. Perfectly spiced, and paired well with the garlic dip. Since we planned to order cheesecake, we shared the Four Cheese Pasta: penne pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, Romano, and Parmesan cheeses, marinara sauce and fresh basil, and opted for the fried chicken add-on. The four cheeses blended well together, but the highlight was the chicken, tender and moist, thin strips with just the right amount of breading. The ample serving size was plenty for sharing. I chose Craig's Crazy Carrot Cake Cheesecake and Dora ordered Chris's Outrageous Cheesecake. This is a cheesecake factory, so you know the cheesecake was great. Dora here. Great? Oh my stars! Rich and decadent, melt-in-my-mouth heaven! I would rate this restaurant 4 forks out of 5. ~Ernie Hiers, Food blogger at Fiction Faith & Foodies
(4)
Thao T.
Huge menu and portions. Even the lunch portions of the salads are massive. The Santa Fe salad is my favorite! I get it with no cheese and if I know I'm not going to finish it, I get tortilla strips on the side so they don't get soggy. The factory nachos with chicken appetizer is massive and really good too. Of course, the cheesecakes are amazing. Pretty expensive overall though. And the seating arrangement is horrible if you're a party of 2. They really squeeze you in there and it's mildly awkward, but the high tops and patio are great. I've been to this location a handful of times and every visit was pleasant.
(4)
Nancy B.
Huge portions and a very extensive menu. The cheesecake was yummy!
(3)
Jones B.
The food is great but sadly the service was terrible even though it wasn't over crowded. The waiter never brought me my drink and when I finally asked him about it he said he would bring it back but never did. Finally close to 20 minutes later he brought the drink and on his own accord said he was sorry and was going to send a manager over. The manager never came over. Good food, great atmosphere, bad service....but for that cheesecake I'll be going back.
(3)
Julia H.
I cannot believe I have never reviewed this place. Took my husband here as a surprise lunch birthday and this check-in was for my daughters 18th birthday. My mom met there early to get balloons set up - they were on a wait, as usual but they took the balloons and as soon as a table was ready had them already set up with our party hats at each setting. The manager said we were so festive on our celebration he bought her a cheesecake just for making him smile when he passed the table, and they never buy you a cheesecake for your birthday. The food portions were so big, each of us took a box home, and the steaks we ordered were cooked to perfection. The salmon was cooked well and the pasta was spicy, just as my daughter likes it! The servers took turns waiting on us, they made us feel a bit rushed, but overall we will keep going back. The food is just too good to pass up.
(5)
Anne M.
There was no wait when I got there. I made the staff aware of an allergy and they were quite accommodating, but it took a long time for a server to take our drink order and then to come back with drinks and to take the food order. The food took forever to get to the table. I ordered a steak cooked medium, then was first given a well done steak. I sent it back and they prepared a new one, which was medium well bordering well. The manager offered to have another made, but I ate the second because I didn't feel like waiting another half hour for another new steak. The manager offered me a complimentary piece of cheesecake, but my allergy prevented that. I was offered another dessert I could have at no charge for the wait, and improperly cooked second steak. The staff was good, otherwise I would have left 1 star.
(3)
Vanessa W.
This was my first time eating at TCF. It was really good. Not great, but good. The service made up for the overpriced "what I consider to be ordinary" fare. Our waitress was great, as well as patient, and that IS rare. I was taken as a treat so I can't complain, but had I paid this review might have been modified slightly. Ultimately, I recommend eating here at least once , and try the Chicken Madeira. I also recommend not going during peak hours. Arriving at 5 for dinner is ideal if you want a table in a timely manner.
(4)
Susan T.
The food is pretty well done here, and they certainly do have a large menu. I like the fact that they offer a pretty wide variety of lower-calorie items, although I wonder how accurate the calorie count really is in these "Skinnilicious" offerings. The non-low-cal entrees are large and, I'm sure, absolutely loaded with extra butter...because they're very good. Cheesecake varieties for dessert are almost too thick; I can't imagine ever eating a piece totally by myself after a dinner here. If you're planning on having a cocktail or a glass of wine with your dinner, bring some extra cash because they're amazingly expensive. $8.50 for a glass of house wine? Come on.... Service is very friendly, not overly so, but professional. Good place to take your folks or family for dinner. Good food, not terribly inspired, but consistent and tasty.
(4)
Jared M.
3 hour wait. Don't do it unless you like to stand around outside in the parking lot. Rude hostess, rude waiter, rude manager. Will not come again. Ever. As we came back in after 2 hours of waiting to ask for an update I was actually laughed at. I mean I chuckled with her too, especially after being told that 2 hours and 45 minutes was a fairly reasonable wait. I then burst into laughter after that was followed by "sir there is a delay because people are ordering cheesecake and sitting around". Is that not what people should do at The Cheesecake Factory? I went with a group of 8, and the only thing that was complemented was the dessert. Just order the dessert through their take-out or walk-in service and skip a wonderful experience that I wish I had never endured.
(1)
Joe P.
Not good for a meal...perhaps ok for dessert and coffee but I'll never do dinner there again. I ordered a simple Margrettia Pizza and it lacked enough sauce, tomatoes, basil and mozzarella cheese. Mine arrived cold with a burnt crust and looking like it had been prepared hours before. I've honestly had better frozen pizza. I brought it up to the manager and he did remove the cost of the pizza from our bill. The place was packed so our waiter was tried...he made a point to tell us so...so our service was not to good either. I couldn't get out of the place quick enough!
(2)
Chuck C.
I thought it was good. Huge portions and a tad high until you see how much food. I can usually get two meals on them. The cheesecake is delicious. The only problem I have is the wait. But I guess that means it is good. I like better calling it in and picking it up to avoid that. I have discovered the huge and delicious salads. I keep trying them all. Very, very good!
(5)
Chelsea G.
Sooooo delicious! Large portions - I usually get 2 more meals out of the leftovers! The whole grain bread is to die for! And, of course, the cheesecake is unbelievable!
(5)
Chip B.
Plan to get here an hour before you're ready to eat. Getting a table in less than 30 min is impossible.
(2)
Edith R.
They gave me raw chicken, TWICE. When I reported it the first time, I was made to feel like I was the person in the wrong. I was given a gift card that I later embarrassingly found out had a zero balance. The second time was also very unpleasant, the manager on duty was less than apologetic. I know his company has a strong positive culture, I'm sorry the Knoxville location doesn't follow suit. I hope no one else has this same experience.
(1)
Jennifer T.
I love Cheesecake Factory!! Regular menu, great ambience. Service is always standard. I ate tons of cheesecakes during this visit!! Hahaha....
(5)
Channa P.
Cheesecake Factory is an interesting place. The wait is usually 2 hours long, the menu is literally a book of food, the portion sizes are insanely large, and the cheesecake seems to take a backsit to everything else. I tend to eat at the bar for brunch to avoid the wait, and I am a huge fan of the monte cristo sandwich. It's the right balance of sweet and savory. Most of the food is good, but not great, and I definitely think this is place is more about experience. If you are looking to go to a nice, initimate dinner with a few friends, avoid this place. If you're looking for a fun time in a busy place with TONS of options this is the right choice. Just be prepared to wait and always be willing to sit at the bar. It has literally saved an hour of my time.
(3)
Maureen W.
Shrimp platter was disappointing. All breading a sliver of shrimp, no salt on fries, no dressing at all on coleslaw but the tartar sauce was outstanding! Shepherd's pie was outstanding! As was the pumpkin cheesecake and the Godiva cheesecake!
(3)
Jessica C.
This place does not take reservations, and they always have a wait, and when you are on a lunch break or on a time schedule of any kind it is not feasible to sit and wait forever and ever for a table. So I guess this restaurant doesn't want my business. Too bad, they actually have good service and decent food once you actually get to sit down. I work nearby and would come by for lunch often if I could call first to make sure I won't spend most of my break waiting in line. Oh well, I'll just take my money elsewhere since they don't want it. :)
(2)
Jane K.
Great service and good food. We had the Thai lettuce wraps. They were very tasty and pretty. Also, I tried the tiramisu cheesecake. It was pretty good. My husband adored his banana pudding cheesecake. As for my Ultimate Margarita, I have to say it was almost perfect.
(4)
Brandon H.
Busy Friday night (as usual) wait time was 90 mins. At 8pm. Not a lot of standing room inside too cold outside. Food was as expected. Waitress could have been less talkative. Checking in on us every two minutes was a little much! But we had a good time with friends.
(4)
I G.
The food at the cheesecake factory used to be better but it's still good. Big portions, big prices. The table we got was terrible. If you're looking for a little privacy be careful alot of tables offer none. I ordered some fish tacos with black beans and rice. It was good not great and the black beans were definitely canned. The wait was too long to be sitting in our neighbors laps and not feeling comfortable talking. My wife had a salad with all those green healthy things like kale. She seemed pleased with her food. I think the best thing was the bread basket and piece of cheesecake we took to go, just couldn't sit in the public school cafeteria atmosphere any longer to eat our desert.
(3)
Nikki K.
This was my second time eating here, both times I've eaten here I can't help but notice the expansive menu. When I say they have a little bit of everything, I mean EVERYTHING. I chose the chicken and shrimp jumbalaya. There was plenty of chicken and shrimp and there was a perfect amount of spice. For dessert, I chose the strawberry cheesecake. I thought it was a bit underwhelming. The cheesecake tasted like any decent cheesecake and I was expecting fresh strawberries but that wasn't the case. So lets talk about price...was the food good? Yes. Was my pasta worth the almost $18? No. Was my cheesecake worth nearly $8 a slice? No. It's worth going once but I won't be running back anytime soon. I just feel like I can get a similar dish for a portion of the price elsewhere. Also, both times I've been here we have been seated less than 24 inches from the people next to us. You literally couldn't fit two rulers between my partners butt and the patron next to her. It's very awkward and uncomfortable. Just for that reason alone I had to knock it down a star.
(2)
Marisa M.
Tonight was a good night! 45 minute wait meant we could do a little shopping first. Then we went back and we were next to be seated (we missed when they called our name). Server was friendly and efficient. Our food arrived faster than thought it would. We had the fish tacos, thai lettuce wraps, and the kids macaroni. Everything was delicious. No complaints this time around. We had plenty of leftovers to bring home. Would have been a reasonably priced meal had we not gotten two pieces of cheesecake to go!
(4)
Charley S.
Food was good. Not great but good. Menu was waaaay too big. The atmosphere was awful. Tables were packed together. I felt like I was sitting closer to the diner next to me than my own wife. Felt like a restaurant in Las Vegas. And not a nice one. Cheesecake was good.
(3)
Christine S.
I absolutely love the Cheesecake Factory! They have an amazing selection of healthy, low calorie, options.
(5)
Nicole T.
Ordered a steak and cheese sandwich and it came out very dry. Asked if they could add more cheese and they poured a cheese on it that would remind you of Alfredo sauce. Not a great first impression for this new location. Nashville and Atlanta have always exceeded my expectations.
(3)
Alan S.
Good food.Good service.Design of waiting area awful! Waiting line with little to no room to sit.Mob mentality around hostess area .Getting out after our meal was a challenge, the waiting to be seated crowd was blocking the exit. Prices are high compared to other Knoxville equivalents.
(3)
Rachelle S.
Came here for lunch the other day. Every single food item was cooked perfectly! I tried the mushroom/avocado fries and they were really good. One important thing to note is the fact that a nice young couple sat next to me. They were hearing impaired. I was curious how the restaurant would handle this. I was amazed when two waiters came over and spoke ASL fluently. How wonderful!
(5)
Jeffery M.
The food was good but overpriced, and I can't begin to overstate how overpriced the drinks are. Do not make the mistake of ordering a mixed drink without asking the price of everything very carefully. Nine dollar (small) margaritas seem pretty ridonculous to me. Smooth move not listing your drink prices, guys. You got another sucker who was distracted by conversation and the overwhelming menu. Also, nice job upcharging me 4 bucks for a salad you implied came with the meal. The menu has way too many options. I would guess there are more than 100 options when it comes to food. No kidding. People don't want to deliberate that much about food. Having just one third of those options would still be a huge selection. It was my first time eating there, but I won't go back, since I got slightly above-average lunch and drinks, for the price of a fairly high-end dinner. I'm baffled that there are so many 5 star reviews of this restaurant. Prime example of an overrated chain. There are reviews that fit my experience but then there are many endlessly praising and if price is mentioned it's in the context of "totally worth it for the experience". No, no it is not.
(2)
Casey H.
Sitting here waiting on hour 3 of a 2.5 hour estimated wait. I would never have come here of my own volition, but my wife has a work party here. It is obvious their turnover rate and thus management is to blame. I just watched a 4 top go unbussed for 8 mins... I can only imagine What other time wasting inefficency is going on behind the scenes. The organizer of this event tried to do reservations and the manager rudely told her they dont take reserves and that everyone asks that. Pretty obviously they should take reservations, at least for the near future. 3:05 after our first unlucky person put in our name- the hostess blames the party sitting at our table for the overdue wait. They evidently are just sitting around enjoying themselves. I relay this to our party along with a Blues Brothers joke about offering to buy these people's children to get them moving ( youtube.com/watch?v=mvZg… ). The joke falls flat as no one gets the reference. Boy I love mixed company. 3:10 The loungers leave. The table is immediately bussed as compared to the earlier tables but.... 3:18- Though the table is bussed and set, we are still waiting to be seated. This place has a half dozen hostesses on staff for whatever reason, and 4 computers where they are plugging in parties to tables first through their computer program and color coding available tables. This takes quite some time and manpower evidently as it takes 11 minutes from our table being ready to seat us. Two couples in our party have left. 3:21 We are finally seated. The manager spontaneously brings out a pair of appetizers for us on the house due to our wait. 3:29 Our waitress finally shows up to get our drink orders. Yes, 8 minutes after seating. The lady beside me orders a beer. 3:36 Our waitress brings our drinks, no beer for my lady friend beside me. Waitress states they are waiting to change the keg. We finally order. 3:45 Still no beer, changing the keg. 3:48 Manager comes and states they have no more Blue Moon, he will take care of whatever else she wants. 3:54 Our food arrives and lady beside me gets her second choice on the beer front. 4:15 We are done eating. Ask for check. 4:35 A scant 20 minutes later we get our check. The holdup is blamed on the bakery because some other people in the work party ordered cheesecake and she thought it would be best to wait to divide checks after they got their cheesecake orders in since we have divided checks. Now I went into this place knowing there would be a wait as it is a new restaurant. However a near 5 hour turnaround time on getting fed pretty much takes up your entire Sunday afternoon. Pretty much uncalled for. We had to pay a babysitter to go to this event, and ended up paying her for overtime on this one. A comped appetizer or two does not make up for the fact that this is entirely a fubar operation. We were there at brunch time and left at dinner time. Holy lord! The kitchen seemed to be running relatively smoothly but everything else was just a clusterF of inefficiency. If it hadnt taken so long to get our check I would have had the 18% gratuity removed in favor of 10%. Just a poor experience all around. And yes I have eaten at Cheesecake Factory before in other cities. I took into account a long wait but they sure did exceed my expectations on that one!
(1)
Joanne L.
Way overpriced. They give you plenty of food but the quality is only so-so. At our table we had fish tacos, fried catfish, and salmon. The fish tacos were just mediocre, the fried catfish was not very good, but the salmon was excellent.
(2)
Beth W.
Overall I was highly dissatisfied. My first experience will probably be my last at this restaurant. I took my daughter for her 11th birthday, something she had been looking forward to. The wait was horrendous, the seating process was botched causing us to have to wait for 1hr 45min to be seated. The service was something you would expect from a 1 star dining facility, not a restaurant with such a grandiose reputation. My entire party had drink glasses that were never refilled. If you are looking for a chicken dish you have come to the right place, an overwhelming amount of chicken to choose from, ridiculously so! My dish was bland and not very appetizing. After a near 4 hour experience with this place, taking up my daughters entire birthday evening and disappointing her tremendously, we were finally free of that establishment. Overrated and overpriced is the kindest thing I can say of The Cheesecake Factory.
(2)
Joi D.
I love this place and am happy to see one in Knoxville finally. The buzz for this place will not die down though which will cause for long wait times to be seated. I ordered 2 meals to go one opening day. Was pleasantly surprised at the wait for my order to be 30min on such a busy day. Curbside to go is definitely the way to go if you want dinner during peak times here. You can also pick up inside. The are proud of their food (pricey). Since the portion sizes are quite large I won't order two meals again for my daughter and I. One definitely is enough and then that allows for the budget to include more cheesecake! It would have been nice if they had chosen another location besides at the mall. A standalone restaurant I think would have allowed for easier access and more seating to accommodate their popularity.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Brunch Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes
Mike B.
By far the worst dining room in Knoxville with cattle like two tops where you are sitting right next to another party. Our waitress even took our orders at the same time like we were together. Also expect lots of staring and creepy behavior with the huge mirrors that line the table wall for the 2-tops. No kidding a woman waved and smiled in the mirror while I was eating. The food is decent but upset my stomach and my girlfriends as well. The food is way overpriced for the qualify and atmosphere. The cheesecake is amazing and should be for 7-8 dollars a slice. Can't imaging this place staying in business long term.
(1)Jennie B.
Such a disappointment! My how the Cheesecake Factory has changed (and not for the better) over the years. 1. Walked in and wanted to sit out on the patio. Greeted by the hostess who told us they just shut the patio down because there is a storm coming. This is East TN where weather men are wrong 99% of the time. We asked again if we could sit outside. She approved it with her manager and we were the only table outside. It was a very warm, but totally overcast day, so not too hot for outside. I cannot believe no one else was out there, but hey, it was our own private (huge) patio! 2. Waitress Danielle was very nice. Diligent. Attentive. She did everything she could to make us happy. 3. We ordered 2 drinks- blueberry mojito (excellent) and a Bombay Sapphire on the rocks with blue cheese stuffed olives and olive juice on the side (so I could make my own dirty martini--most people make it too dirty and I hate sending things back if I can avoid it). 4. The first 'martini' came out and tasted like a jalapeno flavored vodka or liquor that was completely unlike any gin I'd ever had. My boyfriend tasted it and confirmed---it was NOT gin after all. We aren't connoisseurs, but we know when gin is good, or bad, or non existent. We sent it back. 5. The 2nd 'martini' arrived and tasted exactly the same. Slightly frustrated at this point but still willing to give it a shot, we asked for Tanqueray. I figured the Sapphire had either 1. Been contaminated or 2. Gone bad. We asked our server to taste the drink, she couldn't. We asked her to please have the manager taste it. 6. A few mins later the manager arrives with our new (and improved!) Tanqueray martini. We asked him if he tasted the other and he said 'Yes. It tasted fine. Just like gin.' Now this is where I get REALLY frustrated. The manager of this place tasted our drink and said it tasted like gin. So either he 1. Had NO idea what he was talking about or 2. Has NO taste buds! THAT WAS NOT GIN. I REPEAT. THAT WAS NOT GIN. 7. We chatted with the manager for a minute or two about what could have possibly happened. The top to the other liquor could have been accidentally swapped and hence taken on the flavor of jalapeno (tequila he said). OK whatever. Our new martini was just fine and delicious. 8. We ordered the spicy Jamaican jerk chicken with rice, beans and plantains. We really ordered this because the plantains sounded great and we were in the mood for them! The dish arrived without plantains. No acknowledgment on behalf of the Cheesecake Factory, so upon Danielle asking what else we need, I immediately mentioned--'We just need the plantains.' She turns around and looks at the food runner who says-'Oh, we're out of them.' WTF!!!!!! Now we are angry. That's the reason I ordered the dish! Of course there's nothing they or we can do but order a vegetable to sub, so we reluctantly accepted asparagus. 9. In all fairness--so you don't think I'm just trying to bash this place--the dish was delicious. The sauce had just the right amount of spice. The chicken was moist and tender. They did a really good job with this, lack of plantains aside. 10. We ordered cheesecake to go. Got home and went to take a couple bites and the slice was warm. Like, melted almost. The cheesecake and cream cheese topping was falling over, like a sad little leaning tower of Pisa. We had to stick it into the freezer for 45 mins to harden it in order to enjoy it. OK I remember the Cheesecake Factory growing up and this is not the same place. Something has happened, or NOT happened. But we won't be returning in the near future unless we hear that a miracle has taken place. BTW- it never rained. In fact the sky cleared and was almost blue by the time we finished dinner!
(2)Andre' M.
I'm not sure what is so great about this place. The food was just ok to my wife and I and it was way overpriced. Maybe it's the large menu. That is kind of nice.
(2)Josh P.
The Cheesecake Factory was absolutely amazing! I visited on a Sunday around 2:30 P.M. after the church crowed cleared out and immediately got a seat! It is very surprising because usually the wait seems to be very long anyways! I have to say that the staff was very accommodating and the food was great! Little pricey to get the whole experience but was worth every penny! Will be going back soon!
(5)Ernie And Dora H.
Recently, my family visited the Cheesecake Factory in Knoxville, TN, on a Saturday night, but decided not to wait two hours. This weekend, we stopped in again, earlier this time. The 2-hour wait ended up only being one hour. Although jammed, service was attentive, yet we had plenty of time to savor our meal. The Fried Calamari appetizer was crispy and chewy, just the way we like it. Perfectly spiced, and paired well with the garlic dip. Since we planned to order cheesecake, we shared the Four Cheese Pasta: penne pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, Romano, and Parmesan cheeses, marinara sauce and fresh basil, and opted for the fried chicken add-on. The four cheeses blended well together, but the highlight was the chicken, tender and moist, thin strips with just the right amount of breading. The ample serving size was plenty for sharing. I chose Craig's Crazy Carrot Cake Cheesecake and Dora ordered Chris's Outrageous Cheesecake. This is a cheesecake factory, so you know the cheesecake was great. Dora here. Great? Oh my stars! Rich and decadent, melt-in-my-mouth heaven! I would rate this restaurant 4 forks out of 5. ~Ernie Hiers, Food blogger at Fiction Faith & Foodies
(4)Thao T.
Huge menu and portions. Even the lunch portions of the salads are massive. The Santa Fe salad is my favorite! I get it with no cheese and if I know I'm not going to finish it, I get tortilla strips on the side so they don't get soggy. The factory nachos with chicken appetizer is massive and really good too. Of course, the cheesecakes are amazing. Pretty expensive overall though. And the seating arrangement is horrible if you're a party of 2. They really squeeze you in there and it's mildly awkward, but the high tops and patio are great. I've been to this location a handful of times and every visit was pleasant.
(4)Nancy B.
Huge portions and a very extensive menu. The cheesecake was yummy!
(3)Jones B.
The food is great but sadly the service was terrible even though it wasn't over crowded. The waiter never brought me my drink and when I finally asked him about it he said he would bring it back but never did. Finally close to 20 minutes later he brought the drink and on his own accord said he was sorry and was going to send a manager over. The manager never came over. Good food, great atmosphere, bad service....but for that cheesecake I'll be going back.
(3)Julia H.
I cannot believe I have never reviewed this place. Took my husband here as a surprise lunch birthday and this check-in was for my daughters 18th birthday. My mom met there early to get balloons set up - they were on a wait, as usual but they took the balloons and as soon as a table was ready had them already set up with our party hats at each setting. The manager said we were so festive on our celebration he bought her a cheesecake just for making him smile when he passed the table, and they never buy you a cheesecake for your birthday. The food portions were so big, each of us took a box home, and the steaks we ordered were cooked to perfection. The salmon was cooked well and the pasta was spicy, just as my daughter likes it! The servers took turns waiting on us, they made us feel a bit rushed, but overall we will keep going back. The food is just too good to pass up.
(5)Anne M.
There was no wait when I got there. I made the staff aware of an allergy and they were quite accommodating, but it took a long time for a server to take our drink order and then to come back with drinks and to take the food order. The food took forever to get to the table. I ordered a steak cooked medium, then was first given a well done steak. I sent it back and they prepared a new one, which was medium well bordering well. The manager offered to have another made, but I ate the second because I didn't feel like waiting another half hour for another new steak. The manager offered me a complimentary piece of cheesecake, but my allergy prevented that. I was offered another dessert I could have at no charge for the wait, and improperly cooked second steak. The staff was good, otherwise I would have left 1 star.
(3)Vanessa W.
This was my first time eating at TCF. It was really good. Not great, but good. The service made up for the overpriced "what I consider to be ordinary" fare. Our waitress was great, as well as patient, and that IS rare. I was taken as a treat so I can't complain, but had I paid this review might have been modified slightly. Ultimately, I recommend eating here at least once , and try the Chicken Madeira. I also recommend not going during peak hours. Arriving at 5 for dinner is ideal if you want a table in a timely manner.
(4)Susan T.
The food is pretty well done here, and they certainly do have a large menu. I like the fact that they offer a pretty wide variety of lower-calorie items, although I wonder how accurate the calorie count really is in these "Skinnilicious" offerings. The non-low-cal entrees are large and, I'm sure, absolutely loaded with extra butter...because they're very good. Cheesecake varieties for dessert are almost too thick; I can't imagine ever eating a piece totally by myself after a dinner here. If you're planning on having a cocktail or a glass of wine with your dinner, bring some extra cash because they're amazingly expensive. $8.50 for a glass of house wine? Come on.... Service is very friendly, not overly so, but professional. Good place to take your folks or family for dinner. Good food, not terribly inspired, but consistent and tasty.
(4)Jared M.
3 hour wait. Don't do it unless you like to stand around outside in the parking lot. Rude hostess, rude waiter, rude manager. Will not come again. Ever. As we came back in after 2 hours of waiting to ask for an update I was actually laughed at. I mean I chuckled with her too, especially after being told that 2 hours and 45 minutes was a fairly reasonable wait. I then burst into laughter after that was followed by "sir there is a delay because people are ordering cheesecake and sitting around". Is that not what people should do at The Cheesecake Factory? I went with a group of 8, and the only thing that was complemented was the dessert. Just order the dessert through their take-out or walk-in service and skip a wonderful experience that I wish I had never endured.
(1)Joe P.
Not good for a meal...perhaps ok for dessert and coffee but I'll never do dinner there again. I ordered a simple Margrettia Pizza and it lacked enough sauce, tomatoes, basil and mozzarella cheese. Mine arrived cold with a burnt crust and looking like it had been prepared hours before. I've honestly had better frozen pizza. I brought it up to the manager and he did remove the cost of the pizza from our bill. The place was packed so our waiter was tried...he made a point to tell us so...so our service was not to good either. I couldn't get out of the place quick enough!
(2)Chuck C.
I thought it was good. Huge portions and a tad high until you see how much food. I can usually get two meals on them. The cheesecake is delicious. The only problem I have is the wait. But I guess that means it is good. I like better calling it in and picking it up to avoid that. I have discovered the huge and delicious salads. I keep trying them all. Very, very good!
(5)Chelsea G.
Sooooo delicious! Large portions - I usually get 2 more meals out of the leftovers! The whole grain bread is to die for! And, of course, the cheesecake is unbelievable!
(5)Chip B.
Plan to get here an hour before you're ready to eat. Getting a table in less than 30 min is impossible.
(2)Edith R.
They gave me raw chicken, TWICE. When I reported it the first time, I was made to feel like I was the person in the wrong. I was given a gift card that I later embarrassingly found out had a zero balance. The second time was also very unpleasant, the manager on duty was less than apologetic. I know his company has a strong positive culture, I'm sorry the Knoxville location doesn't follow suit. I hope no one else has this same experience.
(1)Jennifer T.
I love Cheesecake Factory!! Regular menu, great ambience. Service is always standard. I ate tons of cheesecakes during this visit!! Hahaha....
(5)Channa P.
Cheesecake Factory is an interesting place. The wait is usually 2 hours long, the menu is literally a book of food, the portion sizes are insanely large, and the cheesecake seems to take a backsit to everything else. I tend to eat at the bar for brunch to avoid the wait, and I am a huge fan of the monte cristo sandwich. It's the right balance of sweet and savory. Most of the food is good, but not great, and I definitely think this is place is more about experience. If you are looking to go to a nice, initimate dinner with a few friends, avoid this place. If you're looking for a fun time in a busy place with TONS of options this is the right choice. Just be prepared to wait and always be willing to sit at the bar. It has literally saved an hour of my time.
(3)Maureen W.
Shrimp platter was disappointing. All breading a sliver of shrimp, no salt on fries, no dressing at all on coleslaw but the tartar sauce was outstanding! Shepherd's pie was outstanding! As was the pumpkin cheesecake and the Godiva cheesecake!
(3)Jessica C.
This place does not take reservations, and they always have a wait, and when you are on a lunch break or on a time schedule of any kind it is not feasible to sit and wait forever and ever for a table. So I guess this restaurant doesn't want my business. Too bad, they actually have good service and decent food once you actually get to sit down. I work nearby and would come by for lunch often if I could call first to make sure I won't spend most of my break waiting in line. Oh well, I'll just take my money elsewhere since they don't want it. :)
(2)Jane K.
Great service and good food. We had the Thai lettuce wraps. They were very tasty and pretty. Also, I tried the tiramisu cheesecake. It was pretty good. My husband adored his banana pudding cheesecake. As for my Ultimate Margarita, I have to say it was almost perfect.
(4)Brandon H.
Busy Friday night (as usual) wait time was 90 mins. At 8pm. Not a lot of standing room inside too cold outside. Food was as expected. Waitress could have been less talkative. Checking in on us every two minutes was a little much! But we had a good time with friends.
(4)I G.
The food at the cheesecake factory used to be better but it's still good. Big portions, big prices. The table we got was terrible. If you're looking for a little privacy be careful alot of tables offer none. I ordered some fish tacos with black beans and rice. It was good not great and the black beans were definitely canned. The wait was too long to be sitting in our neighbors laps and not feeling comfortable talking. My wife had a salad with all those green healthy things like kale. She seemed pleased with her food. I think the best thing was the bread basket and piece of cheesecake we took to go, just couldn't sit in the public school cafeteria atmosphere any longer to eat our desert.
(3)Nikki K.
This was my second time eating here, both times I've eaten here I can't help but notice the expansive menu. When I say they have a little bit of everything, I mean EVERYTHING. I chose the chicken and shrimp jumbalaya. There was plenty of chicken and shrimp and there was a perfect amount of spice. For dessert, I chose the strawberry cheesecake. I thought it was a bit underwhelming. The cheesecake tasted like any decent cheesecake and I was expecting fresh strawberries but that wasn't the case. So lets talk about price...was the food good? Yes. Was my pasta worth the almost $18? No. Was my cheesecake worth nearly $8 a slice? No. It's worth going once but I won't be running back anytime soon. I just feel like I can get a similar dish for a portion of the price elsewhere. Also, both times I've been here we have been seated less than 24 inches from the people next to us. You literally couldn't fit two rulers between my partners butt and the patron next to her. It's very awkward and uncomfortable. Just for that reason alone I had to knock it down a star.
(2)Marisa M.
Tonight was a good night! 45 minute wait meant we could do a little shopping first. Then we went back and we were next to be seated (we missed when they called our name). Server was friendly and efficient. Our food arrived faster than thought it would. We had the fish tacos, thai lettuce wraps, and the kids macaroni. Everything was delicious. No complaints this time around. We had plenty of leftovers to bring home. Would have been a reasonably priced meal had we not gotten two pieces of cheesecake to go!
(4)Charley S.
Food was good. Not great but good. Menu was waaaay too big. The atmosphere was awful. Tables were packed together. I felt like I was sitting closer to the diner next to me than my own wife. Felt like a restaurant in Las Vegas. And not a nice one. Cheesecake was good.
(3)Christine S.
I absolutely love the Cheesecake Factory! They have an amazing selection of healthy, low calorie, options.
(5)Nicole T.
Ordered a steak and cheese sandwich and it came out very dry. Asked if they could add more cheese and they poured a cheese on it that would remind you of Alfredo sauce. Not a great first impression for this new location. Nashville and Atlanta have always exceeded my expectations.
(3)Alan S.
Good food.Good service.Design of waiting area awful! Waiting line with little to no room to sit.Mob mentality around hostess area .Getting out after our meal was a challenge, the waiting to be seated crowd was blocking the exit. Prices are high compared to other Knoxville equivalents.
(3)Rachelle S.
Came here for lunch the other day. Every single food item was cooked perfectly! I tried the mushroom/avocado fries and they were really good. One important thing to note is the fact that a nice young couple sat next to me. They were hearing impaired. I was curious how the restaurant would handle this. I was amazed when two waiters came over and spoke ASL fluently. How wonderful!
(5)Jeffery M.
The food was good but overpriced, and I can't begin to overstate how overpriced the drinks are. Do not make the mistake of ordering a mixed drink without asking the price of everything very carefully. Nine dollar (small) margaritas seem pretty ridonculous to me. Smooth move not listing your drink prices, guys. You got another sucker who was distracted by conversation and the overwhelming menu. Also, nice job upcharging me 4 bucks for a salad you implied came with the meal. The menu has way too many options. I would guess there are more than 100 options when it comes to food. No kidding. People don't want to deliberate that much about food. Having just one third of those options would still be a huge selection. It was my first time eating there, but I won't go back, since I got slightly above-average lunch and drinks, for the price of a fairly high-end dinner. I'm baffled that there are so many 5 star reviews of this restaurant. Prime example of an overrated chain. There are reviews that fit my experience but then there are many endlessly praising and if price is mentioned it's in the context of "totally worth it for the experience". No, no it is not.
(2)Casey H.
Sitting here waiting on hour 3 of a 2.5 hour estimated wait. I would never have come here of my own volition, but my wife has a work party here. It is obvious their turnover rate and thus management is to blame. I just watched a 4 top go unbussed for 8 mins... I can only imagine What other time wasting inefficency is going on behind the scenes. The organizer of this event tried to do reservations and the manager rudely told her they dont take reserves and that everyone asks that. Pretty obviously they should take reservations, at least for the near future. 3:05 after our first unlucky person put in our name- the hostess blames the party sitting at our table for the overdue wait. They evidently are just sitting around enjoying themselves. I relay this to our party along with a Blues Brothers joke about offering to buy these people's children to get them moving ( youtube.com/watch?v=mvZg… ). The joke falls flat as no one gets the reference. Boy I love mixed company. 3:10 The loungers leave. The table is immediately bussed as compared to the earlier tables but.... 3:18- Though the table is bussed and set, we are still waiting to be seated. This place has a half dozen hostesses on staff for whatever reason, and 4 computers where they are plugging in parties to tables first through their computer program and color coding available tables. This takes quite some time and manpower evidently as it takes 11 minutes from our table being ready to seat us. Two couples in our party have left. 3:21 We are finally seated. The manager spontaneously brings out a pair of appetizers for us on the house due to our wait. 3:29 Our waitress finally shows up to get our drink orders. Yes, 8 minutes after seating. The lady beside me orders a beer. 3:36 Our waitress brings our drinks, no beer for my lady friend beside me. Waitress states they are waiting to change the keg. We finally order. 3:45 Still no beer, changing the keg. 3:48 Manager comes and states they have no more Blue Moon, he will take care of whatever else she wants. 3:54 Our food arrives and lady beside me gets her second choice on the beer front. 4:15 We are done eating. Ask for check. 4:35 A scant 20 minutes later we get our check. The holdup is blamed on the bakery because some other people in the work party ordered cheesecake and she thought it would be best to wait to divide checks after they got their cheesecake orders in since we have divided checks. Now I went into this place knowing there would be a wait as it is a new restaurant. However a near 5 hour turnaround time on getting fed pretty much takes up your entire Sunday afternoon. Pretty much uncalled for. We had to pay a babysitter to go to this event, and ended up paying her for overtime on this one. A comped appetizer or two does not make up for the fact that this is entirely a fubar operation. We were there at brunch time and left at dinner time. Holy lord! The kitchen seemed to be running relatively smoothly but everything else was just a clusterF of inefficiency. If it hadnt taken so long to get our check I would have had the 18% gratuity removed in favor of 10%. Just a poor experience all around. And yes I have eaten at Cheesecake Factory before in other cities. I took into account a long wait but they sure did exceed my expectations on that one!
(1)Joanne L.
Way overpriced. They give you plenty of food but the quality is only so-so. At our table we had fish tacos, fried catfish, and salmon. The fish tacos were just mediocre, the fried catfish was not very good, but the salmon was excellent.
(2)Beth W.
Overall I was highly dissatisfied. My first experience will probably be my last at this restaurant. I took my daughter for her 11th birthday, something she had been looking forward to. The wait was horrendous, the seating process was botched causing us to have to wait for 1hr 45min to be seated. The service was something you would expect from a 1 star dining facility, not a restaurant with such a grandiose reputation. My entire party had drink glasses that were never refilled. If you are looking for a chicken dish you have come to the right place, an overwhelming amount of chicken to choose from, ridiculously so! My dish was bland and not very appetizing. After a near 4 hour experience with this place, taking up my daughters entire birthday evening and disappointing her tremendously, we were finally free of that establishment. Overrated and overpriced is the kindest thing I can say of The Cheesecake Factory.
(2)Joi D.
I love this place and am happy to see one in Knoxville finally. The buzz for this place will not die down though which will cause for long wait times to be seated. I ordered 2 meals to go one opening day. Was pleasantly surprised at the wait for my order to be 30min on such a busy day. Curbside to go is definitely the way to go if you want dinner during peak times here. You can also pick up inside. The are proud of their food (pricey). Since the portion sizes are quite large I won't order two meals again for my daughter and I. One definitely is enough and then that allows for the budget to include more cheesecake! It would have been nice if they had chosen another location besides at the mall. A standalone restaurant I think would have allowed for easier access and more seating to accommodate their popularity.
(4)