Every Cheesecake Factory Pasta, Ranked

Not sure what to order at the Cheesecake Factory? That's not surprising considering the menu has over 250 items on offer. When in doubt, pasta is always a good bet. But here you face another conundrum because there are 15 kinds of pasta to choose from (even more if you count that there are numerous ways to top the Fettuccine Alfredo). How do you narrow down the choices? While taste can be subjective, many diners agree that some pastas are far better than others.

Customers are pretty vocal about calling out the best and worst dishes at The Cheesecake Factory, and the pastas are no exception. Do some digging online and you'll find that some pastas get tons of praise, while others get lackluster reviews or even scathing critiques. To help you in your quest for the perfect pasta at The Cheesecake Factory, we combed through countless reviews to determine which pasta dishes are worth every last carb and which you may want to avoid.

From creamy classics to spicy Cajun creations, these are all of The Cheesecake Factory pastas ranked from worst to best. We'll go into more detail about our methodology at the end of the article.

You may be surprised to see The Cheesecake Factory's Fettuccine Alfredo at the very bottom of the list. After all, this popular pasta dish seems like a pretty safe bet. It comes with fettuccine noodles in a Parmesan cream sauce, and you can get it plain or topped with chicken or shrimp. Vox reports that it's one of the most ordered menu items at the chain with over 200,000 orders a month. Sadly though, many of those orders get sent back.

More than a few customers have called out the Fettuccine Alfredo at The Cheesecake Factory for being bland and watery. One customer left a Google review that said, "The fettuccine Alfredo tasted watered down; the pasta was eggy. It was pure butter, zero flavor." An employee at the chain told Mashed that the dish gets sent back so often that their manager advises servers to "tour guide" customers away from it. Considering the Fettuccine Alfredo falls in the same price range as many of the other pastas on the menu (between $20 to $35 depending on location), you may want to opt for something with a bit more pizazz.

Spaghetti and meatballs is another dish that many people order when they want something classic and comforting. Ideally, you want springy al dente noodles, a bright, tangy tomato sauce, and juicy meatballs. Unfortunately, many say that's not what you get at The Cheesecake Factory. Some say the sauce tastes sour and the meatballs can be dry or cold in the middle. One diner on Yelp went so far as to say, "It would have been better, sadly, getting canned spaghetti sauce at the supermarket."

There are several reasons spaghetti and meatballs is one of those dishes you should think twice about ordering at an Italian restaurant or a chain like The Cheesecake Factory. Restaurants that do a lot of volume often make the meatballs ahead of time and then reheat them to order. Same goes for the sauce. Often, the result is a dish that doesn't taste as fresh as it should. According to many Cheesecake Factory customers, you're probably better off making homemade spaghetti and meatballs than ordering it at the chain.

The Bistro Shrimp Pasta is one of The Cheesecake Factory's more creative pasta dishes. It features spaghettini noodles tossed with deep-fried shrimp, mushrooms, tomatoes, arugula, and a basil-garlic-lemon cream sauce. If that doesn't sound decadent enough, there's always the option to add chicken, salmon, or steak. As you can imagine, it's a seriously heavy dish. According to many customers, that's its main downfall.

While big eaters may love how filling the Bistro Shrimp Pasta is, many customers say it's just too full-on. Several diners comment on feeling sick shortly after diving in thanks to the deep-fried shrimp and the ultra-rich cream sauce. As one reviewer commented on Yelp, "Tasted like it was cooked in two bars of butter and a pint of heavy cream."  The dish clocks in at 2,170 calories without add-ons. Throw on some extra chicken or steak and the calorie count rises significantly. Unless you're truly ravenous, you may want to give this OTT pasta a skip.

If you're looking for a pasta dish that's packing some vegetables, you might be tempted by Evelyn's Favorite Pasta. The dish is named after Evelyn Overton, whose cheesecakes inspired her son David Overton to create The Cheesecake Factory. The dish consists of penne pasta with broccoli, zucchini, asparagus, tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, and herbs tossed with Parmesan cheese. It looks like a decent vegetarian option, but sadly some say this is one of the dishes you should avoid at The Cheesecake Factory.

Interestingly, the dish has changed since it first appeared on The Cheesecake Factory menu. It used to have Mediterranean-inspired ingredients like eggplant, artichokes, olives, and pine nuts. The company may want to revert to the old recipe because many customers say the new version is disappointing. As one Google review stated, "The much-anticipated Evelyn's favorite pasta failed to impress with its lackluster presentation and subpar flavors." Another Google reviewer said it looked like "a TV dinner poured into a big bowl." It may not be terrible, but many say it's not terribly exciting either.

The Tomato Basil Pasta at The Cheesecake Factory is pretty straightforward with just a few classic Italian ingredients. It features penne pasta, tomato sauce with garlic, chicken, mozzarella, and basil. If you want to jazz it up, you can add shrimp, salmon, or steak. There are no real surprises here, which can be a good thing. On the other hand, it also makes the dish a little ho-hum. There aren't very many reviews about it online, which is a sign it's not exactly a standout dish.

The few people who do comment on the Tomato Basil Pasta have mixed feelings about it. One Yelp reviewer said, "Tomato basil pasta looked amazing but wasn't great in terms of the taste." Another diner on Yelp said, "The tomato basil pasta was, oddly enough, very sweet. While the ingredients themselves (e.g., the tomatoes, chicken, pasta) were fresh and cooked nicely in terms of texture, the flavor profile was just off." The dish gets better reviews than some of the chain's other pastas, but only by a small margin.

When you think of a four-cheese pasta, what comes to mind? Many people would conjure up something rich, creamy, and laden with umami flavors. What you get at The Cheesecake Factory is penne pasta with marinara sauce and mozzarella, ricotta, Romano, and Parmesan cheeses. As with many of the Cheesecake Factory pastas, you can add proteins like chicken or steak. While the pasta does have a few fans, some find that it lacks those luscious cheesy flavors you would expect of a good four-cheese pasta.

"Just okay" is a common phrase that pops up when people describe The Cheesecake Factory's Four Cheese Pasta. For example, one Yelp reviewer said, "The four-cheese pasta was just okay. I compared it to a well-made Stouffers meal." Several people comment that the dish is rather bland, which may not be surprising considering ricotta and mozzarella are very mild cheeses. Others say the ricotta makes the dish slightly soggy. Overall, it's a pretty middle-of-the-road dish that probably won't blow you away.

It's easy to see why the Louisiana Chicken Pasta draws so many people in. This hearty pasta dish offers crispy pieces of Parmesan-crusted chicken on top of bow-tie pasta with mushrooms, peppers, and onions in a spicy New Orleans-style pasta sauce. It's actually like two meals in one because you're getting chicken cutlets and a bowl of veggie pasta. It contains an alarming 2,270 calories, but that doesn't stop many diners from diving in.

Many people say the breaded, fried chicken is the star of the dish. Several people comment on how flavorful it is. Unfortunately, the pasta doesn't get the same glowing reviews. As one Yelp reviewer said, "The chicken was really tender and tasty and probably the best part of the dish. The pasta was mostly oil and I wish it had a cream base which would have made it much tastier." More than a few people say the pasta is greasy and bland. With that in mind, you may want to skip this dish and order the Parmesan-Herb Crusted Chicken instead.

Added to the menu in 2023, the Chili-Crunch Shrimp Pasta is relatively new to The Cheesecake Factory. It takes inspiration from Asian noodle dishes with thin spaghettini noodles, sauteed shrimp, mushrooms, snow peas, cilantro, and sesame. It also gets a hit of heat and added texture from crunchy chili-garlic crisps. So far, the spicy pasta has garnered mixed reviews from diners with some loving it and others saying it's not up to par.

On the positive side, customers comment on the generous amount of shrimp in the dish and the vibrant flavors. One customer said in a TikTok review, "Chili-Crunch Shrimp Pasta was the star of the day. Lots of shrimp flavored, seasoned well, spicy." However, another reviewer on TripAdvisor said, "This dish was runny, shrimp was rubbery, was salty, hardly any mushrooms and had almost a chemical taste." The varied reactions to the dish may just come down to who cooked it that day or perhaps personal preferences. Either way, the contrasting reviews earn the pasta a spot in the middle of our ranking.

A classic carbonara pasta features just a few ingredients: cured pork, eggs, cheese, and pasta. However, there are countless variations of the dish, from carbonara made with cream sauce instead of eggs to vegetarian carbonara featuring plant-based meats and veggies. The Cheesecake Factory puts its own twist on the Italian dish by combining smoked bacon, green peas, and spaghetti noodles in a creamy garlic-Parmesan sauce. It's a dish that some people love, while others are lukewarm about it.

The reviews for the Pasta Carbonara at The Cheesecake Factory aren't terrible, although some say the dish has its flaws. Several customers say it tastes good but can be oily. Others aren't a fan of the peas. As one diner stated on Yelp, "The carbonara pasta is far from the traditional Italian recipe and is greasy but it's good." Another diner on Yelp commented, "I didn't care for the peas added and rarely have seen this with carbonara ... The flavor was there but the sauce to this dish was lacking." 

The Cheesecake Factory is always rolling out new menu items and one of the latest is the Italian Sausage & Fresh Mushroom Rigatoni. It has all the hallmarks of a rich and hearty pasta with hefty rigatoni noodles, meaty Italian sausage, pancetta, and mushrooms. There is also broccoli to add greenery and texture, Parmesan to add umami flavor, and mild ricotta to balance things out.

There aren't a lot of reviews of the Italian Sausage & Fresh Mushroom Rigatoni yet, but that's likely because it's a newer menu item. The few people who have reviewed it have mostly decent things to say. One diner commented on Facebook, "Wow, amazing. Ate the whole thing." Another reviewer on Yelp said, "Perfectly al dente pasta and loved mixing the ricotta cheese in the dish." One Yelp reviewer commented that there wasn't a lot of sausage in the dish and it lacked flavor. Overall though, the dish gets a positive reception from diners.

One of the more colorful pastas on The Cheesecake Factory menu is the Farfalle with Chicken & Roasted Garlic. The dish consists of bowtie pasta with chicken, tomatoes, green peas, mushrooms, pancetta, and caramelized onions in a creamy roasted garlic-Parmesan sauce. If you prefer a different protein, you can swap out the chicken for salmon, steak, or shrimp. The pasta has been on the menu for quite some time, which is a pretty good indication of how popular it is.

Fans of the farfalle pasta love the creaminess of the sauce, the combination of flavors, and how filling the dish is. One Yelp reviewer said, "Creamy sauce with bacon and chicken ... How can you go wrong? This was one of the first pastas at [The] Cheesecake Factory I fell in love with." The only issue seems to be consistency. Some diners report the dish can be overly salty or bland if not executed properly. With the right person in the kitchen though, it can be a solidly good pasta dish.

Looking for something spicy and substantial? The Cajun Jambalaya Pasta may fit the bill. It starts with classic jambalaya ingredients like chicken, shrimp, onions, and green peppers. They're sauteed in a spicy Cajun sauce and piled on top of a bed of linguini noodles. The pasta ticks a lot of different boxes — ample portions of protein, flavorful veggies, and linguini noodles to soak up all the sauce. If you can handle the heat, many say this is a must-try dish.

"Let's just say the Cajun Jambalaya Pasta is so good that the other pasta dishes are almost irrelevant," said Yelp reviewer. Many customers agree, commenting on the ample portion size and the vibrant flavors. While several people say it delivers in the heat department, others say it could be even bolder. As another diner on Yelp said, "I had the spicy Cajun pasta, which was scrumptious, but wish it was a little more on the spicier side. I asked for more of the Cajun seasoning on the side." If you love your food fiery, you may want to ask the kitchen to amp up the spice.

The Cheesecake Factory has several dishes that have a cult-like following and the Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta is one of them. Many people say it's their favorite dish and it's even spawned a slew of copycat recipes. You could try making it at home, but as one fan said on Yelp, "There's just so many steps, it's easier to just go to the Cheesecake Factory and order it." According to many diners, what you'll get is an ultra-flavorful pasta dish with just a subtle hint of heat.

The Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta offers a variety of textures and flavors with penne pasta, honey-glazed chicken, asparagus, bell peppers, onions, peas, and garlic. It's all tossed in a spicy chipotle Parmesan cream sauce and topped with crunchy tortilla strips. Diners appreciate the medley of flavors that you get from all the different elements and the decent portion size. Just don't expect a tongue-searing amount of heat though. As one Yelp reviewer said, "Not really spicy but super flavorful and definitely shareable."

New pastas often make an appearance on the menu at The Cheesecake Factory, but not all of them stick around for the long haul. The Spicy Rigatoni Vodka was introduced in 2022, and the fact that it's still on the menu today is a good sign that diners love the dish. The chain puts a spin on classic penne alla vodka by using larger rigatoni noodles, fresh cherry tomatoes, pancetta, and basil. Everything is tossed in a spicy vodka sauce that's slightly creamy.

Reviewers rave about the pasta's velvety vodka sauce, the toothsome rigatoni noodles, and the pleasant hit of heat. A reviewer for The Comenian said, "It strikes a nice balance between being thick and creamy, which a lot of competitors often struggle with, and the spice adds a nice and different flavor to it." Another reviewer commented in a YouTube video, "The sauce on this is everything." Some diners say the only thing that would make the pasta better is protein like chicken or shrimp. You can add those, but it will cost you extra.

The top-rated pasta at The Cheesecake Factory that consistently gets five-star reviews is the Pasta Da Vinci. On paper it looks pretty basic — penne pasta with chicken, mushrooms, and onions in a Madeira wine sauce. However, diners say that the combination of juicy chicken, earthy mushrooms, and rich wine sauce makes this a masterpiece that even Da Vinci would appreciate. And like the Italian master's work, many have tried to replicate it but few have managed to achieve perfection.

While The Cheesecake Factory isn't about to reveal the secret to making the much-lauded Pasta Da Vinci, Reddit users say it's all about the preparation. A former kitchen manager at the chain said caramelized onions are key. Other users cite critical steps like lightly flouring and seasoning the chicken, reducing the Madeira wine with stock, and adding cream and butter. According to diners, the efforts pay off big time. As one Yelp reviewer said, "That creamy Madeira sauce is what makes it a winner. I love how creamy and rich it tastes. It goes perfectly with the mushrooms and chicken. I cannot think of a better combination."

Our ranking of Cheesecake Factory pasta was based primarily on customer reviews. We scoured platforms like Yelp, Reddit, TripAdvisor, and Google reviews to see what diners are saying about all of the pasta dishes at various Cheesecake Factory locations across the United States. We also pored over restaurant reviews in online publications and watched video reviews to get the low-down on each pasta. Flavor was the most important factor we looked for, followed by texture, execution, and consistency.