Restaurant Review: Cheddar's Casual Cafe in Louisville, Kentucky

Our visit to Cheddar's Casual Café began with our noticing the beautiful landscaping outside the restaurant. If it hadn't been threatening to rain, we probably would have chosen to eat outside on the roomy patio so that we could enjoy the scenery. Pretty flowers and plants, rock formations, and a fountain were the highlights accentuating the outside of the restaurant.

Inside Cheddar's the decor was equally pleasing to the eye. It was clean and tables were adequately spaced apart from each other. A huge aquarium bordered by attractive wine racks took up almost an entire wall near the entrance. A paddle wheel-style ceiling fan rotated in the middle of the restaurant, creating a relaxing atmosphere. A friendly hostess took us to our table, a booth near the ceiling fan.

Our waiter, Chris, was quick to take our drink orders. Although he forgot to bring the lemon slice for my ice water, he quickly remembered without any prompting from me and brought it immediately. My friend with whom I was dining, Molly, ordered the raspberry lemonade, a specialty of Cheddar's. She said that it had a good flavor, but after the first glass the sweetness began to overwhelm her. It would be better served, she thought, without a meal but rather drunk alone as a refresher. Chris was quick to bring her a glass of water when she asked.

We began our meal with warm spinach dip served with tortilla chips and salsa. It was easily the best spinach dip I have ever had! It was seasoned with spices giving it a Mexican flavor, was very cheesy, and had a generous dollop of sour cream in the middle. The accompanying salsa was delicious as well; good flavor and not too spicy. Best of all, the spinach dip was only $3.99, making Cheddar's appetizer menu easily one of the most affordable I have found in a sit-down restaurant.

Our entrees arrived just as we were finishing the spinach dip. I ordered the buffalo-style chicken tender meal ($7.89) with sides of broccoli cheese casserole and buttered corn. Molly had the pepper ranch burger and French fries ($6.59). I had expected my chicken tenders to be served with blue cheese dressing as a dip, but they instead came with honey mustard dressing. The honey mustard was wonderful, but I think it would have been better with plain chicken tenders rather than my buffalo-style ones. I didn't bother asking to replace it.

The chicken tenders had a good flavor, and the breading was just crispy enough while the chicken itself was juicy. My side of broccoli cheese casserole was wonderful! It was the perfect temperature and had just the right amount of cheese. It stayed on my fork and was not at all runny. The side of corn was cooked just right, although it could have used a little more butter flavor. Molly's half-pound burger was served piled high with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and onion straws. She ended up removing part of the onion straws to make the burger easier to eat without making a mess. Her fries were crispy and well-seasoned.

Overall our trip to Cheddar's Casual Cafe was a pleasant experience. It is very affordable, especially when compared to other similar restaurants. The food was mostly delicious, and the service, while not stellar, was adequate. The parking lot can be a bit difficult to navigate; one part causes a traffic tie up with people trying to access the drive through of the Chick Fil-A restaurant next door. I would suggest parking in the back of the restaurant to make entry and exit easier. The short walk to the front will give you a chance to enjoy the lovely landscaping. I know you will enjoy your visit to Cheddar's!