Cheddar's Restaurant

Great buffalo chicken wrap, great croissants, terrible burger.

Buffalo chicken wrap was really tasty, and we'll go back for that.

Burger meat didn't even taste like beef - it looked and tasted like soy. Bun and toppings were great, though.

The Bloomington Cheddar's opened to the public on Monday, February 25 and I visited on Tuesday, February 26.  I arrived at approximately 5:30 p.m. and the place was packed.  There were lots of people eagerly waiting for a table at this chain that's new to Bloomington.  I sat at the bar and ordered a glass of wine.  The wine list is comparable to Applebee's and O'Charleys...limited to say the least...but in line with similar establishments.  I had a Mirassou pinot noir while I perused the menu.

This place reminds me quite a bit of O'Charley's in the menu department.  It is more limited than O'Charley's but the selections are similar...sans the hot rolls.  I didn't really see anything that tempted me this particular evening.  I did spot a couple of things that I'd like to try, but only in very small doses, so the Monte Cristo and Chicken and Waffles will have to wait until they can be shared among friends.  These are two items that the moderately priced chain restaurants in Bloomington don't have.

I ordered a burger (no cheese) and was warned that it is HUGE...  I decided to put on my big girl pants (literally) and give it a try.  The bartender even reminded me that I could take half of it home (thank you).  I decided to get fries and coleslaw...I thought the menu said that you could add fries and coleslaw for $1.99...  The bartender said, "Both sides?", not to insinuate I'm a pig or anything...and I just nodded my head yes.

So, my burger and fries and coleslaw arrive fairly quickly.  I noticed that I waited far less than some other diners sitting near me.  I ate half the burger...it was pretty tasty...nice crunchy pickles and chopped onion.  Nice toasted bun too.  The fries were cooked well and weren't too greasy and the coleslaw was tasty too.  I thought the burgers seemed inexpensive...then I realized that the burger is on the menu ala carte, no sides included in this deal.  Pricing: $4.89 for a burger and an additional $1.99 per side item.

I took into consideration that this was the second night this place had been open to the public.  A few kinks; I noticed people waiting way too long for meals and carryout.  There were some people congregating near the server drink stand...owners/franchisees, managers(?) not quite sure who they were, standing around trying to motivate the staff.  That was sorta weird and these people were behaving somewhat inappropriately at times.  I'm sure these people won't be hanging out celebrating their grand opening too long and when they are gone so will the tongs they are making the bar staff use to apply garnish to fruity drinks...

Back to more positive points... They have a signature drink that looks pretty tasty...calorie packed I'm sure...and it's garnished with toasted coconut.  It was tempting...but I didn't order one this go around.  Also, this is not a bad place for an inexpensive family meal that isn't pizza or fast food...  The bar staff is friendly and an ok place for someone to grab a brew and grub on a Sunday afternoon, maybe even hanging around to watch an NFL game.  I suppose I'll pop in from time to time...maybe once a quarter.  The aquarium is a nice backdrop to the bar and it is a nice way to divide the bar from the family dining area.  Oh...the bar is wide...meaning you really have to reach to grab your bill or credit card...I've never seen a bar so wide and I've been in a few.  The reach can be a long one...especially if you're only 5'2".  ;)

One of my favorite restaurants back home. Good food, big portions, and CHEAP prices. Their spinach dip is my favorite item, but also LOVE their painkiller alcoholic drink and the monte Cristo sandwich (its description on menu sounds weird but is yummy)!