I Tasted Every Appetizer on Cheesecake Factory’s Happy Hour Menu—Here’s How They Rank

• What Is It: spinach, artichoke hearts, shallots, garlic and a mixture of cheeses, served with tortilla chips and salsa

No appetizer menu is complete without a cheesy, spinach-dappled dip. It was rich in texture and the spinach bits were small, making for even distribution and easy noshing. (It sucks when your chip pulls out a mile-long, soggy leaf, no?) However, I wished the artichokes had been more plentiful; I would’ve loved if their brininess shone through a bit more.

• What Is It: crispy shrimp tossed with spicy garlic aioli

I’ve never met a Bang Bang Shrimp-esque dish that I didn’t like. The shellfish was impeccably fried and offered stellar crunch, but I found the batter’s flavor to be one-note. That said, the dipping sauce—which was lightly spicy and intriguingly umami-rich—amped up the flavor of this appetizer.

• What Is It: bite-sized burgers on mini buns, served with grilled onions, pickles and ketchup

As a Jersey-born carnivore, sliders are super nostalgic for me. (XOXO, love you White Manna.) The patties were tender-yet-crisp and thin. They came with plenty of silky grilled onions and a delightfully greasy, soft bun. In terms of ratio though, it felt like a lot of bread in each bite. I also wouldn’t have minded cheese (which I’m sure you can ask for).

• What Is It: spicy chicken, corn, black beans, peppers, onions and melted cheese, wrapped in eggroll wrappers and served with avocado cream and salsa

These handhelds were shatteringly crisp; the wrappers were super thin and easy to eat. My favorite feature of this Cheesecake Factory happy hour appetizer though was—hands down—the avocado sauce on the side. It was super citrusy and creamy without being overwhelmingly thick.

• What Is It: baked soft pretzels with cheddar cheese sauce and whole-grain mustard

Pretzel bites are one of those snacks that I never think to order but can eat a zillion of them in a single sitting. (I blame Auntie Anne’s and my mall rat adolescence). These were soft, buttery and malty, just like soft pretzels should be. I preferred the punchy, spicy mustard to the cheese sauce; in my opinion, it’s a better foil for the buttery notes of the pretzels.

• What Is It: Asian dumplings, pan-fried and served with soy-ginger sesame sauce

The preparation here was pretty flawless, IMO. The dumpling wrappers were chewy, toothsome and soft without being mushy, and they still sported a crisp, photogenic sear. The filling wasn’t the most intensely seasoned I’ve ever had, but the sauce on the side was impressively nutty and nuanced.

• What Is It: avocado sun-dried tomato, red onion and cilantro, fried in eggroll wrappers and served with tamarind-cashew dipping sauce

If I could order the tamarind cashew sauce by the gallon, I would. It was bright, sweet and sour, sort of like a nutty chimichurri. As for the eggrolls, these are one of the most popular Cheesecake Factory happy hour appetizers for a reason. The filling was silky-smooth (not as chunky as standard guacamole), refreshing and herbaceous, while the wrappers offered much-welcome crunch.

• What Is It: fried squid, served with garlic dip and cocktail sauce

I adored the breading on this standard starter; it was *so* well-seasoned without being excessively salty. It clung to the squid without getting soggy, too. Don’t even get me started on the dips: The aioli was genuinely delicious—so rich, garlicky and tangy—and the cocktail sauce was just acidic enough and on the sweet side (I’d call it ketchup-inspired).

• What Is It: chicken, cheese and Buffalo sauce, stuffed in a spiced wrapper and fried until crispy, served with celery and blue cheese dressing

I was super excited to try this inventive delicacy, and it didn’t disappoint. Think of it like a Buffalo chicken empanada that’s chicken-fried (it looks that way, at least) until crisp. The doughy-yet-crackly texture was divine, but I thought the filling, although pleasantly vinegary and not intensely spicy, was a bit sparse. This is also one of the more satiating appetizers on the list and designed for sharing, BTW.

• What Is It: crispy tortilla chips covered in melted cheeses, guacamole, red chile sauce, sour cream, jalapeños, green onions and salsa

OK, real talk: These might be the most perfectly constructed nachos I’ve ever had. They come in a crowd-pleasing size, but are assembled long instead of tall, meaning the chips were evenly covered with toppings (no naked ones buried under a mountain of condiments!). But the quality of the nachos was also top-notch. They were covered in cheese sauce and melted cheese, and the chips were extra thick and not as brittle as the norm, so much so that I questioned for a moment if they were made with flour tortillas. My one note? I wish they came with more sour cream and guac.

• What Is It: Angus beef, Italian sausage and Parmesan meatballs with tomato sauce and whipped ricotta

Mamma mia, were these meatballs exquisite. They were firm yet soft and impossibly cheesy (even without the light-as-air ricotta on the side). I loved the tart-forward tomato sauce that tasted undeniably fresh and simple; it wasn’t super garlicky or oregano-y. I would love these slapped on some brown bread, TBH.

• What Is It: corn tamale cakes, topped with sour cream, salsa, cilantro, avocado and salsa verde

Don’t sleep on this Cheesecake Factory happy hour appetizer. It may not be the most commonplace, but it was balanced, flavorful and checked many boxes in terms of taste and texture. The corn cakes were fluffy and soft, like a sweet, moister-than-usual cornbread. I also adored the herbaceous salsa verde, and the sour cream offered cool, tangy respite to the zippier accoutrements.

• What Is It: crispy, crumb-coated macaroni and cheese balls, served with creamy marinara sauce

Old faithful does it again. The pasta was tender—not mushy—and incredibly decadent, swimming in a thick, gooey cheese sauce. The breadcrumb coating was impeccably crispy, as always. What gets me every time, though, is the creamy tomato sauce, which offers the optimal dose of acidity for cutting through the mac balls’ richness.

• What Is It: double patties, double cheese, grilled onions and special sauce on a toasted brioche bun

Maybe it’s not an “appetizer” in the traditional sense, but this double cheeseburger blew me away. The meat itself was tender and juicy, but also crisp and lightly charred on the outside. The cheese was rich and evenly distributed. The onions were caramelized and paper-thin. The sour pickles and tangy special sauce teamed up for acidity, and consequently, balance. TLDR? It’s basically the perfect burger.