Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen

I loved this concept. From the outside you see beautiful bricks and copper — in the inside you see a beautiful modern decoration complete with giant leaf fans, granite countertops, etc. Bathrooms are equipped with nice equipment from Moen and Georgia Pacific… Almost makes me feel like I’m in Biaggi’s or Wildfire. However, the prices are as low as a casual diner, presentation of food is great, portion sizes are huge, service is very friends, and food is served fast even when the restaurant is very full.
To reiterate, despite the extremely reasonable prices — there is no compromise on food quality or portion sizes. The service quality and decorations are also not reduced as a result of low prices. All dishes do have an element of slightly higher sophistication (but not Michelin Star level, as you’re paying about the same as you’d pay to go to any fast casual restaurant) and freshness to them. Flavors are simple in general, with clear themes and not overly reliant on sauces or spices. Here are my thoughts on some items:
Cheddar’s Painkiller and Spiked Cherry Limeade: Pretty good drinks, especially when you consider the price. These really stand out more for how nicely they are presented as you might think they’re over $ 10 from a fancy bar — although the flavor isn’t anything special.
Homemade Onion Rings: Huge portion and the flavor actually isn’t too different from Outback Steakhouse (although it has a lot less spices).
Chicken Tortilla Soup and Loaded Baked Potato Soup: Done surprisingly well — chicken tortilla had a decent kick to it with nice crispy tortillas — loaded baked potato really tasted like the potato was converted into a nice creamy soup and wasn’t overly salty.
Honey butter croissant: Nice and fluffy with a nice chewiness to it and just slightly sweet. Goes really nicely with the entrees.
Triple treat sampler: Nothing really stood out for me here (was hoping the Chicken tenders would really stand out since they looked great) but on the other hand — for $ 8.99 you get a lot of good food and it’s great for sharing with the table.
Fried shrimp: Nicely breaded, good for dipping but a little bland if eaten plain. Generous sizes for the prices paid though.
Homemade chicken pot pie: The pie crust was nice and had a good buttery flavor to it, but the filling was a bit bland.
Grilled tilapia and shrimp with mango salsa — looks great, taste is okay but much better than I was expected. Portion sizes are quite generous and the shrimp has a nice sear flavor to it.
Monte cristo: Tastes like a ham and cheese sandwich inside a nice fluffy soft donut. Sounds like an unusual combination but is actually a delicious dish.
House salad: Nice and well balanced with a good crisp to all the vegetables and good color combination.
Hand crafted asian salad: A bit too much dressing but the grilled chicken portion size was generous and the wonton crisp was perfect. The peanut sauce and sweet chili glaze helped to provide a very nice sweetness and just the right amount of heat to the dish.
Ribs: Wow… this is a must-​try dish here. Marinated nicely, with just a slight touch of burnt sauce. The meat falls right off the bone and is very juicy and not too lean.
Fries: Crispy and light — not too flavorful but matches well with other dishes.
This restaurant is the perfect combination of good food, huge portions, beautiful décor, and low prices. I wish more restaurants would offer this incredible value although I’d still purchase this food at higher prices.

Usually when you head into a «chain restaurant» i.e. Chili’s, Applebee’s etc… you have a expectation of what you should be getting. They surpass that here.
Cheddars is probably the least expensive out of the bunch & honestly best food quality in my opinion.
I’ve been here a few times and tried something different everytime. Haven’t been disappointed yet. The service is leaps and bounds better than when they opened.
It’s always an option when we’re heading out for dinner.

This place is a major let down. Both times I’ve been here I’ve been disappointed. Cheap but crappy quality food and service

The food is decent. The prices are reasonable and the in-​house service is okay. But don’t try to order takeout. First of all, you will be transferred over to the bar where you will be put on hold or nobody will answer for a long time. If you ask me, that is too much to ask a busy bartender to do. So don’t count on great takeout service. If you have the time, go eat at the restaurant. But be prepared to wait because the place is always packed:

Absolutely consistently exceeds our expectations. Great food, wonderful drinks, and at a very good value. Also very clean especially for how busy they always are. The only thing I would complain about is service behind the bar can be slow especially when they are busy. But that is offset by seeing how hard the bartenders work and how pleasant they are when they finally do get to you. Highly recommend this place

We love the food and drinks. Fabulous prices and great service. I recommend the buffalo chicken wrap!

Not the best. The food was okay but took a long time to get to us. Our server was also very rude. Won’t come back here again.

Omg… the drinks here are on point! Try a Painkiller… is so good!!! Food here is o. k…now I know they have better food here and I have yet to try it all. The one thing I ordered was the chicken tenders… I am not usually a crazy fan of boneless wings but I ordered these
daughter, and they were the best tasting chicken tenders I ever had!!! They have a chicken fried steak that is real good too. Love the atmosphere here, the servers are quick with your drinks, food and most importantly most of them have a smile… which I find lacking in a lot of restaurants. Th e severs here make you feel more relaxed and you wanna come back… oh and I have been back a few times!!! This is across town from me, but when a few friends stop by, I always recommend coming here to hang out!

Every single thing I have ordered from here has been great!!! The croissants are the best I’ve ever had in my life by far!!! Fish tacos came with two huge portions of fish had enough for the two tacos and it was like I ordered two more sides of fish. Chicken strips are stupid good and love the homemade honey mustard. For real check this place out. I’m usually not the most thrilled when I done out ether from portion size or taste this place I eat at once a week. Seriously check it out!!! Great vegetables also!

Amazing. Came here with my gf and parents. Even though they told us it’d be a 40 min wait, I’d say we waited less than 20.
I got a 12 oz Ribeye with Mac & Cheese & fries for my sides. Amazing steak, great size (12 oz) and price (less than $ 15). Everybody really enjoyed their food. Nice atmosphere, albeit the kids making a lot of noise.
We would all definitely come back here again. You got a lot for your money and all the portions were very plentiful. That steak was so tasty!

Okay, unless they are slammed with people. Wait staff has been good so far. Can get expensive if you don’t pay attention. Pretty good food overall.

Have dined here several times. Service was good. Long waits during dinner rush. Food has been so-​so. When they first opened the food was great. Past couple of visits the food has been inconsistent. Our last visit may have been the last time going here. Not worth waiting 40 minutes to be seated then have to send two of the orders back because they were incorrect.

Cheddars used to be my go to place for a good meal. Times have changed and it seems that service has fell to the abyss of hell. The quality of food has also seen a dive. My last 2 visits were the breaking point, the ribs were dry, the waitor didn’t ask me for a refill for 20 minutes etc. Today I came with my mother hoping to take her out for a nice lunch, I was wrong. The hostess was very friendly and accidently bumped into our waitress and apologized, the waitress gave her a nasty look. The waitress asked for our drinks then asked us right away if we were ready to order. Obviously we weren’t as we were looking at the menus still. The waitress came back to ask us if we were ready 3 more times within a few minutes every time with a snarky attitude. I spoke with the manager told him what happened and I decided to leave. Offered to pay for my tea and he took my card. The only good experience that I had today at cheddars was the friendly hostess.
Waitress name: Debbie.

Was quoted a 15 minute wait and ended up waiting 50 minutes to be seated. Overall, prices were very reasonable and food was good, albeit portions not huge.

Holy cow! This is my second trip and I’m kicking myself for not writing a review sooner. The first time I visited was for lunch with a friend. She had chicken tenders and I had a sandwich. Both were excellent. I had a bite of her tenders first and felt like I made a mistake until I had my wrap.
Last night I went in for dinner and sat alone at the bar. The bartender, Tiffany, was both courteous and attentive. I asked for her recommendation and she had a few. I ended up correcting my decision from my last visit by ordering the tenders. I have never had better! They are the perfect amount of crisp coupled with flavor. And the honey mustard sauce was awesome! Tiffany alerted me to the fact that they make the sauce homemade and that the batter is made to-​order so it is fresh. Impressive.
Lastly, I need to mention what an attractive restaurant it is. The first time I came was middle of the day and the main dining area was just becoming full the ceiling fans were unique and the wood finish of the tables and trim were actually really cool looking. The bar area looks like a place I’d come to later in the evening.
Great job, folks!

Love this place! Their signature drink, the Painkiller, is delicious and generous in size. I love their honey butter croissants. Prices are fair for the amount of food you get. Service is decent. Can get busy on the weekends which is expected but they usually end up serving us earlier than their anticipated time. The longest I’ve actually had to wait was only about 15 minutes.

Hands down THE best restaurant in the area. My wife and I found this place and discovered it is simply amazing. We go maybe twice a month and we are from Illinois but everything is worth it. Everything is scratch made so you can’t go wrong. There are no reservations so make sure you go during off hours which is after 8 o’clock or before 6 o’clock otherwise you are going to wait at least an hour on or more on the weekends. It is worth the wait though. I haven’t even touched on the best part the prices they are cheap! For a steak and ribs dinner with 2 sides you’re talking $ 17 where else can you find that? You will not disappointed! !

Chicken platter was delicious. Unable to finish due to quantity. The service was fast and our server was friendly.

GREAT and unexpected. Just left after celebrating my buddy’s birthday. Totally impressed by everything about this restaurant! Great parking, great hosts, great clean restaurant, great food and the cherry on top, GREAT QUALITY FOOD FOR YOUR MONEY. Very reasonable prices, you can easily feed a family of 5 for $ 100 or less (all adults) I will be back with a following and I will be telling anyone who will listen!!!

A relaxing bistro atmosphere and a menu that will have you wondering what of the many great sounding items to order.
We received A-​1 service and very tasty sandwiches.
Tip: try their battered onion ring tower.

Originally from Indiana, I had to make an impromptu trip to the Wisconsin border with my family. Initially disappointed with a 15 – 20 minute wait, we perked up a little when we were finally seated. The hungry, cranky kids needed a little more incentive though. Decent prices, and our waiter, a man who claimed he usually bartends, was amazing. Drink refills were brought to the table without even being required to ask, and his menu suggestions (spinach dip and an apple crisp dessert) were spot on. Everyone loved their meals (cheeseburger, key west chicken and shrimp, chicken fried chicken, and Alfredo), and the long drive home was much more tolerable. We made sure to note «great service» on the receipt with a nice tip!

Update: 12/​22/​2015
It’s been 2 whole years since I have eaten here, wow!
My date and I arrived at about 4:30 pm to beat the dinner rush and we were seated immediately. Unless we grabbed a really good waiter, service has really stepped up from when I last visited.
I ordered the Lemon Chicken plate with potatoes and the broccoli cheese casserole as my sides and she ordered the Chicken Pecan Salad. We got our food within 15 minutes and mine was nice and hot. Portions are still as large as I remember and we both had to grab a To-​Go box! The best part is that with drinks, I ended up paying $ 20, which is nearly unheard of for food and prices like that. I have 0 complaints.
I’d recommend highly for a great dinner on a budget. I think we just got lucky because we beat the dinner rush, so I also recommend not visiting during peak lunch/​dinner hours.

Great food & service ! In and out in 40 min. Food in expensive and very reasonable. No waiting and sat down within 5 min of arriving during prime dinner time –6pm on a Saturday. Friendly wait staff. I ordered the cheddar club and it was great. Main dishes are around $ 7.99 a group can eat for less than $ 30 and the food is delicious. Highly recommended place !

I’ve been to this location probably 7 or 8 times. The food is decent and prices are very reasonable however those two things can’t make up for trainwreck service I get every time I go. Never once have they quoted me a wait that has been anywhere within the time it actually takes to get seated. Someone needs to understand the concept of under promise over deliver, not the other way around. This is especially true when you’re hangry. I don’t think I’ve ever made it out of there once in under two hours. My husband likes to go so I relented last night. We were quoted 25 minutes and after an hour finally got seated only to wait another 10 minutes for someone to take the drink order. Tired of feeling like I’ve just been through an ordeal after finishing when all I want to do is have a nice relaxing meal out. This was the last time… Sorry hubby!
Get your act together and I might be back.

The prices were great but the food and service were not. The green beans were NOT made from scratch; they tasted bland and old. The chicken was ok. I won’t be going back if I can help it.

Great value for the money. Serving sizes are fairly large provide an opportunity to take home a doggie bag for a snack the next day. From salad to desset, every meal at the tablec was delicious. Drinks selection is large and each of the drinks at our table was very tasty. This location does get very busy and can be a bit noisy, but this would prevent me from coming back. Recommend.

The reason why this place got one star at all was because of the drinks. Very reasonably priced, very well thought out, and a good blend of alcohol. However, the onion rings were very heavy on the grease, the garlic bread was smeared in some sort of synthetic butter mess, and the shrimp noodle dish was so salty, you could use it to create jerky. The ribs were forgettable and the sauce tasted just like baby Ray’s, instead of calling this place chedders, they should call this place shredders because that’s exactly what it will do to your butt when it comes out. For a restaurant that boasts made from scratch menu items, the only thing you should scratch is this place off your list.

This place was great! The menu was huge! Our waitress was so friendly and helpful in giving suggesstions and then accommodating to our ordering preferences. When the food got to pur table it was hot and fresh! The atmosphere was very comfortable. I went here around 4:30 in the afternoon, and beat the lunch and dinner rush. By the time I was leaving the restaurant was jam packed with people dining and waiting for a table. I will definitely be going back!

We’ve probably been here ½ a dozen times and we have never been disappointed. We stopped in today (Sunday) at approximately 11:30 and it already had a good crowd (I’m estimating 85% full). This place must be a goldmine, because it is always busy. At peak times there is typically a wait but it usually isn’t too bad.
Today I enjoyed the chicken fried chicken, with mashed potatoes and broccoli casserole. My son had the chicken fried steak which was massive and very tasty. The other two each had soup and ½ sandwich.
Four meals and three alcohol drinks for $ 67. How can you beat that — you can’t.

They are very busy even after Peak hours! Really good food we wished we would have had more time between the appetizers and the meal. They were busy for Father’s Day even after 7pm.
Good portions for the money. I will go back.

I wish there were a Cheddars closer to my area. I was out in Racine and really wanted to try Cheddars so we headed over. It was a Sunday evening and the parking lot was packed. We were greeted and seated right away, that was a nice surprise. Inside seemed much bigger than it looks from the outside.
We were greeted by our waitress in a timely manner and since we were new to the restaurant, she gave us time to look over the menu without being pushy. Brie even gave us some suggestions based upon her experiences.
We placed our drink order and waited, and waited, and waited. We were sitting in the bar area and waited 15 minutes to get our drinks. We watched the bartender make drinks…1 at a time and slowly. I don’t know if he was new or just very slow but luckily our waitress went behind the bar to speed things up a bit after the 15 minutes so we could get our drinks.
We placed our order, 2 appetizers and sandwiches. Seemed to have a longer wait for the food too. Other people around us were getting their food, so we continued to wait. I was very disappointed when our appetizers came out, not because they didn’t look good, they actually looked delicious, it was because they came out on the same tray as our meals. I was told there «must have been an issue in the kitchen» I thought it was a little odd that she didn’t offer to at least take one of the apps off the bill for the mix up.
Overall, the food was great. Large portions for very reasonable price. Very tasty and fresh. Service could use some improvement, not as much by our waitress as the cook and bartender I guess in this situation.
I would definitely try it again — hopefully this was a fluke night.