Review: The Cheesecake Factory in Yorkdale Shopping Centre

Almost a full two years after their Toronto location opened inside Yorkdale Shopping Centre, I was finally able to go to The Cheesecake Factory for dinner. Now, I have been to The Cheesecake Factory in the USA, and I was impressed with the decor of the restaurant, the large portions of food, and the dessert (Of course!). If the Canadian location can replicate what the American Cheesecake Factory restaurants can do, then the restaurant in Yorkdale can be a big success. In a way, The Cheesecake Factory's opening in Toronto reminds me of the department store chain Target's expansion into Canada. However, Target did not attempt to satisfy Canadians' expectations and that was a reason (among others) why Target had to pull out of the Canadian retail market.

I am happy to say that the experiences of going to both the American and Canadian Cheesecake Factory restaurants are the same. The decor was like a Venetian restaurant, with high ceilings and gold adorning the walls and the pillars. The Cheesecake Factory felt like going to a big-box luxury restaurant. I arrived during happy hour, so while we were waiting for our table, I ordered a large mojito at the attached bar, which was very sweet.

The menu at the Canadian Cheesecake Factory was as large as the American restaurant, as it looked like there was every food item you can think of on the menu. It is great that the menu had such variety, but usually, that is an indicator that the food would not be amazing, but rather just good. The food was pricey, but the food comes in large portions (just like in the USA), so I was okay with that. I ordered the ‘Mac and Cheese’ burger and fries (though I substituted the beef burger with the veggie patty), and when I put that burger together, it was one of the largest burgers I have ever sunk my teeth into. The burger itself was fine, and I particularly liked the Mac and Cheese balls popping into my mouth when I crunched into them.

Of course, I cannot go to the Cheesecake Factory without talking about the desserts. Despite the name of the restaurant, I do not actually like cheesecake, so I went and bought a slice of chocolate fudge cake instead. The cake was moist and creamy, and the chocolate chips on the side of the cake brought a bit of crunch as well.

Overall, the Cheesecake Factory inside Yorkdale Shopping Centre satisfied all of my expectations. It has brought a similar experience to the American restaurants and I would not mind going back here again for a special occasion.