Angie Nagel
Google
Great Drinks, Friendly Service, but the Kitchen Missed the Mark
We stopped by The Cheesecake Factory at Washington Square Mall for a quick bite and cocktail after some shopping. Since it was happy hour, we decided to take advantage. We were warmly greeted in the bar area, which was a nice start.
I ordered a Bloody Mary, and it was absolutely amazing! The bartender mentioned they make their own mix, and it definitely showed—it looked incredible and tasted even better.
While browsing the menu around 4 p.m., we finally decided on the happy hour nachos. When our bartender/waitress came back, she said she managed to get us the happy hour nachos, which surprised us. We hadn’t seen a happy hour menu, and it was already 10 minutes into happy hour. I found it odd that no one had mentioned it earlier, but we were glad to have gotten the deal.
Then came the waiting… and waiting. It took about 25 minutes for the nachos to arrive, and the bar wasn’t even busy—just a couple of people at the bar and a few tables. A different bartender started her shift during our visit, and she was fantastic. Super attentive and really listening. She overheard us joking about how good the bread looked and offered to bring us some. We declined (trying to be good with the calories), but it was great to see that level of attentiveness. If I had wanted the bread, I know she would have brought it without hesitation.
Unfortunately, when the nachos finally arrived, they were a letdown. They were cold, the cheese was burnt on one side, and they lacked pico de gallo (though we got some on the side). The guacamole was also pretty bland.
But honestly, the highlight of our visit ended up being watching the second bartender craft some of the most beautiful drinks I’ve ever seen. These frozen concoctions looked like literal art pieces—bright, colorful, and stunning. I can only imagine how amazing they tasted.
I’ll definitely go back to Cheesecake Factory—it’s always been a favorite—but I left feeling like the kitchen and bar weren’t quite in sync during this visit, especially considering how quiet it was. Still, great drinks and friendly service made it worth it.