Every Cheesecake Factory Bowl, Ranked

If you've ever been to The Cheesecake Factory, you'll know that it has an incredibly long menu. That means everyone in your group can find something that perfectly suits their taste buds, whether that's the best-selling fettuccine Alfredo, a flatbread, salad, or some other menu item. I ventured over to my local Cheesecake Factory to try out the new set of menu items: the bowls.

When I visited my local store, I spoke with the assistant general manager, Kiersten Anady, who informed me that they had just rolled out the new items the week prior (after testing them behind the scenes for a couple of weeks in the kitchen). I tried all six bowls to rank them from worst to best. But I want to preface that nothing was bad whatsoever. Each is unique, flavorful, and fresh, so I know that each one will have a loyal audience. 

I'm basing the ranking on my personal preferences and taste, as well as the overall flavor, texture, and presentation of the dish — but I'll explain my thoughts for each one. Overall, I am thoroughly impressed with the price point of all the bowls as well as their portion sizes; I would highly recommend trying any one of these out that appeals to you. Now, let's get into it.

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

Seeing as this is a ranking, something has to come last. For me, that dish is the Teriyaki Salmon. But it doesn't receive this position because of any unsatisfactory flavors or funky textures. It is totally pleasant, but it simply isn't as memorable compared to the upcoming options. This fish dish is comprised of charbroiled salmon with a sprinkle of sesame seeds, pineapple, sauteed vegetables, and a bed of white rice. 

The fish is flavored with teriyaki. It doesn't receive a thick, dripping coating of the condiment, but instead has a light, sweet flavor. I like that it has grill marks on top, but I would prefer a bit more teriyaki to coat the fish; the portion is pretty generous and could benefit from the added flavor. The fish is kind of dense, so the flavor doesn't penetrate it.

The white rice gets some residual drops from the teriyaki but is otherwise relatively plain. This is a bowl heavily loaded with a bunch of veggies, which brings a vibrancy to the meal, and it looks like it's plated for a magazine. The edamame has a nice texture that is snappier than the one found in another dish on this list. You'll spot red and yellow bell peppers, purple onion, and mushrooms. I could see this being a good option for someone who wants lighter fare without loads of sauces (it has the least number of calories of the bowls). If I had to pick a salmon dish, though, I'd opt for the restaurant's herb-crusted salmon filet instead.

Moving up on the ranking is the Peruvian Chicken, which Area Kitchen Operations Manager Brian Russino told me is one of his favorite bowls. It's a combination of charbroiled chicken, black beans, plantains, salsa, and white rice. It also has some veggies that look nondescript upon first glance, but when I asked about them, I found out they are a pickled vegetable side called escabeche. This brings a tangy brightness and crispness that I thoroughly savored. This dish, however, has the same issue as the salmon one; the protein itself is light on flavor, despite the addition of salsa.

Admittedly, though, the texture is immaculate: juicy and succulent. Chicken can sometimes be unpleasant because of the rubbery or stringy texture, but none of the chicken-based bowls from The Cheesecake Factory face this issue, thankfully. The charred lime provides a shocking amount of juice, which I squeezed over the chicken to uplift flavor. The escabeche salad complements the citrus with tanginess, adding dimension to that plantain sweetness. 

The Peruvian Chicken has the second lowest number of calories, and I think this is in part because of the lighter amount of seasoning, salsas, and sauce. I won't mention the calories again (as it is not a component in my methodology for the ranking), but I found that this is a likely reason for the lighter flavor. This fares slightly higher than the salmon because I prefer the tangy, sweet, savory flavor points, and the veggie component offered a bit more intrigue in terms of taste and texture.

If you're seeking a vegan dish when venturing out, then the Orange Cauliflower Bowl is a terrific option. It comes with crispy cauliflower, thin snow peas, shredded carrots, and sliced mushrooms that are tossed in sweet and spicy orange sauce. Underneath the heap of veggies, you'll find a pile of white rice. The orange cauliflower is incredible and a true standout. The exterior has a crisp coating, like you'd expect with orange chicken, with a soft, but not mushy veggie interior. My toddler thoroughly enjoyed this (likely because it has that touch of sweetness).

You get a generous serving of cauliflower and rice, the latter of which is warm enough that you can see the steam coming out. This ranks higher than the Peruvian Chicken Bowl because the namesake component of the dish is well-seasoned, has the perfect texture, and is beautifully plated, like a mountain of veggies over rice. I can't rank it higher, though, for a couple of reasons. One, the huge pile of rice could benefit from a smidgen of added flavor, like a drizzle of the sweet and spicy sauce. Two, although there is an abundance of cauliflower, the other veggie inclusions (snow peas, carrots, etc.) are very minimal. For this reason, it would make a wonderful appetizer rather than a main course.

Did you think you were ever going to The Cheesecake Factory to get carnitas? Well, it's a possibility! This bowl comes with sliced pork, Mexican-style rice, black beans, poblano peppers, and roasted corn salsa. You'll also get a dollop of sour cream and guacamole, and two flour tortillas to act as a vehicle to create your own little tacos. The presentation is lovely and colorful. The beans are a hard-to-achieve balance of well-cooked without being mushy. The carnitas come sliced and have a crispy sear; some remain tender while other pieces are slightly tougher. 

Typically, traditional carnitas (at least in the San Diego area) are more shredded in nature, like in this slow cooker carnitas recipe. When I inquired about what was coating the meat, I was told it is the house tomatillo chile sauce (a salsa verde), which is also used in the chilequiles brunch dish. This element brings a hint of freshness as far as flavor and color, while thoroughly enveloping the meat in mild heat. The dish in its entirety has a spicy kick, but you may find that it is pretty light if you are a spice fiend. 

Like some of the other bowls, there's a hefty serving of rice underneath the main ingredients (but it is well-seasoned here), while the corn salsa and guac are gone within two spoonfuls. I ranked this higher than the cauliflower bowl because the entire dish is flavorful, including rice, meat, and fresh herbs garnishing — not one morsel feels bland.

We're creeping our way up the list, and second place is given to the Southern Fried Chicken. The bowl has the titular chicken as well as fresh buttered corn, green beans, a warm buttermilk biscuit, mashed potatoes, and gravy (although I didn't notice the gravy). The food comes with a serving of Cholula sauce and melty, gooey honey butter.

When I read the menu and saw that there were going to be mashed potatoes, I knew I'd like it. Come to find out from Brian Russino (who said this was also his favorite bowl) that it's the same mashed potatoes used in the herb-crusted salmon filet meal that made it onto my list of the best chain restaurant salmon dishes; they were also my favorite mashed spuds out of the options I'd tried. Beware: It's lumpy and has the skins (just how I like it), so this may or may not be to your preference. 

Okay, we've established the spuds are tasty, but so is everything else. All elements are tastefully seasoned and perfectly cooked. You can see the spices on the succulent fried chicken, while the corn has that buttery profile and enough chewiness to ensure it's not overcooked. While this is the most expensive item on the list, you get a lot of chicken. The biscuit is hot and fresh, and the honey butter is immaculate. Every component works, is flavored flawlessly, and the plating looks appealing. You truly can't go wrong with this dish, but somehow the next one has a slight edge.

When the assistant GM, Kiersten Anady, told me this was a favorite, I noted it but didn't think it'd be at the top of my list. Well, here we are. This ranks as my No. 1 pick because every ingredient is fully flavorful, while the textures offer intrigue with each bite. The katsu chicken has a marvelously crispy exterior while the chicken remains supple. I like the thinness of the poultry paired with the crisp katsu breading, so the ratio is proportional. There's a drizzle of teriyaki glaze to add dimension, but it doesn't detract from the katsu itself, nor is it too liberal to make the exterior soggy. In the dish, we have edamame, mushrooms, cucumber, sesame seeds, bean sprouts, and white rice, all of which are bursting with flavor; yes, even the rice gets some residual sauciness.

You can't help but scarf down the tasty veggies that offer a crunch, balancing the softness of the rice. The bean sprouts are crisp, while the mushrooms have meaty chewiness. This was the first dish I had, and yet it remained at the top of my mind the whole way through the tasting. It was also the first leftovers I ate when I got home. Because of the range of veggies, the chicken katsu feels a bit lighter than the heaviness of the Southern Fried Chicken Bowl, which was abundant with poultry but not too veg-heavy. This was the standout bowl for me.

I visited one of the local The Cheesecake Factory locations in my San Diego area and dined in to ensure everything was as fresh as possible. I tried all six items in one afternoon, sampling one at a time until I'd nibbled on each one. I based my findings on my taste preferences (with a fondness for bolder flavors), as well as the overall flavor profile, texture elements of the bowl, and the plating. Although I had to pick something to rank last, it's not because it was displeasing — it's simply because others had more noticeable and interesting flavor profiles that I found memorable. The lighter calories and amount of sauce play a factor in the last two spots; while this wasn't the quality I was looking for at the time of writing, I can understand how this may be a wonderful quality for some. But hey, if you have room, try one of the company's best cheesecakes, the Triple Berry Bliss, which we deemed the ultimate cheesecake flavor in a previous ranking.