The Cheesecake Factory of Hawaii is by far the busiest restaurant in Waikiki and is the busiest Cheesecake Factory in their whole chain. They have a very popular patio that allows visitors to watch fellow tourists walk down Kalakaua ave and in the evening as they’ll be illuminated with tiki torches and hear the sounds of the nearby street performers.
The location of the Cheesecake Factory of Hawaii is one of the best in Waikiki. It begins the east end of the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center and is just steps from the Royal Hawaiian, Moana Surfrider and Outrigger Hotels. Essentially it’s right in the heart of Waikiki so it’s not a far walk if you’re coming from either end.
Although they do have a patio lanai that faces the street they don’t have any oceanside views, but the atmosphere of the restaurant is casual yet upscale at the same time. Polished rich woods, granite tabletops, and an inviting atmosphere all add to the experience.
The Menu
With over 200 menu items and over 40 cheesecakes there’s a lot to choose from. Their menu alone is over 20 pages! Most everything is made from scratch and there’s something for everyone. The most popular dish is the Chicken Madiera, but most everyone comes for the Cheesecakes! Don’t be surprised when you get your dish if you’re not able to finish as they have really big portions.
My personal favorite dishes are pasta Da Vinci and the Wasabi crusted Ahi Tuna. The best cheesecakes in my opinion would be the Banana Cream and the Oreo, but in reality, they’re all to die for! You might want to take a long walk along the beach when you’re done though because they’re super rich and not exactly great for a diet. A single piece of cheesecake can run all the way up to 1,500 calories!
Although the cheesecake factory is a chain you’ll be able to find some local dishes such as the ahi poke, many variations of mahi mahi, along with loco moco.
Ahi Poke Appetizer
Reservations
The Cheesecake Factory of Hawaii doesn’t take reservations at all and in the evenings you can expect to spend up to or even longer than an hour on a wait while the enormous restaurant is full of eager tourists.
If you don’t want to wait for a table it’s usually best to try to hit them at a lul in the early afternoon (Between 3-5pm) or right when they open for lunch (11am). They also have a Sunday Brunch (served only on Sundays) and they serve breakfast foods all day everyday.
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