Last evening I dined at The Cheesecake Factory in Bloomington, MN. After waiting approximately an hour for a table in an awful cheap Vegas like waiting area we finally were seated at our table. At each seat was a spiral bound menu with approximately 20 laminated pages.

For starters, who needs to have a 20 page menu! That is ridiculous. Second, every section of the menu was categorized as “Specialties.” If everything is so damn special, then I can only assume it is all the same old crap and nothing is special. It also does not say much for the vocabulary or imagine of the person or people who designed and approved the menu.

That was already bad enough, until I discovered while flipping through the book / menu that on the back of over half of the pages was an advertisement. Advertisers were from local retailers some or all located in the adjacent mall.

At this point I am wondering why this restaurant that has a reputation for being “fine dining” and is listing a steak for $30 and charging $10 for a Manhattan would need another revenue stream. Is there food actually bad?

Bottom line, the food definitely left something to be desired. The service was average at best. I expect better service, quality of food, ambiance and menus from a place that costs between $35 - $50 a person with an entree and drink.