I have always thought of myself as somewhat of a Cheesecake Factory snob. I have eaten at more than a dozen of these restaurants in different cities, some of which were impressive, and some that were disappointing at best. I recently ate dinner at The Cheesecake Factory in Norcross, Georgia, and if I’m rating on a scale of one to 10 in comparison to the others, I would give the restaurant a seven.
The Cheesecake Factory Atlanta-Buckhead is at 3024 Peachtree Road, NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30305. (404) 816-2555 www.cheesecakefactory.com
Hours of Operation are:
Monday – Thursday
11:30 am – 11:00 pm
Friday & Saturday
11:30 am – 12:30 am
Sunday
10:00 am – 11:00 pm
There is complimentary valet parking, although we did not utilize the service. If I were to go back, I would take advantage of it, though, because it took us a few minutes to find parking. The restaurant is located outside a busy mall next to several other popular chain restaurants such as Maggiano’s and Pf Chang’s. Imagine this on a Friday night and be thankful someone is willing to park your car for you!
One of the things I have always loved about the Cheesecake Factory is their unique décor. All restaurants have the same pillars, blown glass fixtures, and all murals. The setting is trendy and fun but comfortable. Dress code is casual, although at first glance, it may feel more upscale.
I was surprised that for a Friday night, the restaurant did not have a wait. I have waited up to three hours to be seated at a CF before, and I was expecting at least an hour. We did arrive after nine, however, and things might have just been winding down. We were seated immediately in a comfortable booth in a corner.
Service at the Cheesecake Factory is one of the chain’s few inconsistencies. I have been to some locations and had excellent and attentive service. I have also been to some where I was shocked at how poorly my dining companions and I were treated. I would say that this particular restaurant was better than some in terms of service but nothing to rave about.
Our waiter was attentive; however he was not very friendly. I had not been to a CF in about a year, and I realized when I looked at the menu that my favorite dish was no longer available. I asked the waiter about it, first asking if the menu had changed recently. The man looked at me as if I had two heads. When I told him how long it had been since I had eaten there, he did admit the menu had changed since my last visit. I didn’t really appreciate his reaction, although I don’t think he meant to be intentionally rude. I just think it was his natural demeanor.
Once I realized my favorite dish, the pasta with chicken and pesto, was not on the menu any longer, I asked for our server to tell me which of two other items he would recommend. He said he would not recommend either, and although I did appreciate his honesty, again I didn’t appreciate the tone he used.
Other than these two incidents, our server was attentive and did take care of our needs. We never had to wait for anything, from water, to bread, to our meals. The service was prompt which did help to make up for the other issues.
As I mentioned, I had my heart set on a dish that the Cheesecake Factory no longer had on the menu. This has happened to me before, and it is quite a disappointment. When I have my heart set on a meal and then find I can’t have what I want, nothing else seems like it can be quite as satisfying.
Instead of the chicken with pasta and pesto, I had the Pasta Da Vinci. The dish consists of sautéed Chicken, Mushrooms, Onions and Garlic in a
Madeira Wine Sauce Tossed with Penne Pasta and Parmesan Cheese. It might not have been exactly what I craved, but it was delicious all the same. The sauce had the right blend of tang and sweet and was very rich. I wanted to take it back to the hotel and heat it up later, but the waiter did not ask me if I wanted it boxed; another service ding.
My favorite dessert (no, not cheesecake) was thankfully still on the menu. I got the strawberry shortcake which is a large sweet biscuit topped with vanilla ice cream, mounds of strawberries, and whipped cream. It is one of my all time favorite desserts and the last time I’d gone to the Cheesecake Factory they were out of it, so I was excited that I was able to order it, especially after the pesto pasta fiasco.
Overall, this Cheesecake Factory rates a seven. Had the parking been easier and the service better, the rating could have hit an eight or nine. My disappointment in not being able to have the dish I craved would have kept the rating from being a ten.
I would definitely go back to this CF location and would recommend it to anyone in the area, although I would warn about the parking. Overall, though, it was a pleasant dining experience at one of my favorite places.
