Known for its odd ambiance and kick-ass cheesecake, the decor of the Michigan Avenue restaurant is reminiscent of melting cheese. Yellowish and all curves, the walls seems to be sluggishly meandering around you.

The menu of the Cheesecake Factory takes the form of a small book (seriously). It's a slightly manageable 15 pages, making for a rather painful process of deciding what to eat. Entrees run $10-$15, and include everything from double BBQ bacon cheeseburgers and chicken marsala to filet mignon and grilled chicken tostada salad. If none of those items get your mouth a-waterin', no worries. There are about a thousand more items to choose from (15 pages, remember?).

And you must, you must, save room for the cheesecake. The final page of the menu is dedicated to the cheesecake list. The servings are generous, and they are yummy. Have your pick, among others, of white chocolate raspberry truffle, tiramisu, dulce de leche, vanilla bean, dutch apple caramel streusel and chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake varieties.

Long waits are commonplace. You'll get saddled with a pager, and you are welcome to wander around a bit, have a drink at the bar, take a walk around the Hancock Tower, whatever. It vibrates when a table is available.

Average cost: $10-$20