The Cheesecake Factory

Really nice location and good food!

We have a Cheesecake Factory near my home in the San Gabriel Valley, but have found the service to be unfriendly and the wait to be unbelievable. So when a friend wanted to celebrate her birthday at the Cheesecake Factory and recommended that we go to the Marina Del Rey location - at least 40 minutes away - I was hesitant. Why drive that far in traffic to get treated poorly? My friend assured me that when she has dined here on past occasions, the experience was positive and memorable. So we made the trip and I have to say it was worth it. We went for an early dinner on a Saturday - about 4:30 or so - and were immediately seated on the heated patio overlooking the Marina. Bread, butter and beverages were received immediately, and our first server politely helped us navigate the appetizers, salads and other menu items. Once we'd placed our dinner order, our server came to say her shift was over, and to introduce us to our new server. Both were quite professional, but the second one was very kind and quite pleasant throughout the remainder of the evening. We started by sharing a lunch-sized Barbeque Ranch Chicken Salad - which we were unable to finish. My friend ordered the Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta, and I ordered the Beef Ribs. From the online photo, I thought the ribs were small to medium-sized, like short ribs, but when the platter was served, there were six huge, meaty ribs on the plate! I was only able to eat two of them, along with a few fries and onion strings. My friend's entree was huge as well. I want to note that unlike some chain restaurants that serve huge meals that are usually big on size and miniscule on flavor, the huge portions here were full of flavor. We finished off the meal sharing the Godiva Chocolate Brownie - three absolutely decadent wedges of Godiva goodness, along with a decorative dollop of whipped cream and chocolate sauce on the side. Again, the portion was large - we ate one wedge each and it was rich and quite filling. All in all this was one of the best dining experiences I've had in quite some time. One tip: go hungry, eat slowly, and savor every bite. And if weather and time permit, take a walk along the Marina to aid in the digestion of your meal. It'll make for a memorable evening.