Cheesecake Factory   

Born in Beverly Hills in 1978 of one woman's talent for making cheesecake, Cheesecake Factory restaurants quickly exploded nationwide. Now a second-generation family affair, the chain keeps its creative edge without sacrificing quality. Folks line up for "tons of fun" layered burgers, Hawaiian pizza with pineapple, San Remo pizza with Brie, mahi-mahi soft tacos, avocado egg rolls, and (of course) 35 kinds of cheesecake -- from banana cream to pumpkin. Lighter eaters go for Cobb or Luau salad, and Cheesecake Factory caters to the egg affinity of the Sunday brunch bunch. The atmosphere is California-sleek-meets-art- deco. The clientele includes college kids on dates, couples after the movies, dessert-seeking families, and seniors on a budget. This is upscale chain food, with class as well as sass, and the more than 200 menu items are innovative enough to keep you coming back. Dessert may reign here, but Factory meatloaf, Caribbean steak, heavenly mashed potatoes, and pad Thai with chicken or shrimp please everyone.