I Heart Mac & Cheese Turlock

As someone who has been anticipating an "I Heart Mac & Cheese" establishment to arrive in my hometown for nearly two years, I am happy to say that the wait was worth it, with some additional notes for potential refinement in the future for this business.

To begin, I want to immediately address the service and ambiance within this restaurant. The Staff is extremely kind and efficient in getting the job done for what they need to do. The cooks and employees preparing your food are absolutely incredible and certainly make the experience of creating your mac & cheese bowl all the more enjoyable, and I really appreciate that. In addition, I was very impressed with my visit, seeing as how this is 2nd day after their grand opening, that I had an employee tell me that they were back-ordered with orders, yet the food was made in a rather quick manner. So despite the circumstances, I was thoroughly impressed by how soon I got my meal.

The Atmosphere and Ambiance this establishment has forged is very nice. It most certainly gives a fast-casual type of restaurant vibe (i.e. Panera, Chipotle) but with its own unique flair that radiates the emphasis of serving a delicious Mac & cheese meal. The colors inside are chic, the personification-esque designs of the mac and cheese images are very cute too, and overall make the experience when dining into this establishment all the more enjoyable to witness and experience.

Now, let's go ahead and talk about the food. For my meal, I ordered the Lobster Mac and Cheese meal, which consisted of my entrée, fountain drink, and side (I got a Coke Zero and Cheesecake bites with chocolate sauce). The total came out to $31.03 (tax included) as of this time of writing. Now immediately, for the casual consumer, $31 is a steep price for a single meal. However, when taking inflation, market price of the lobster, and other miscellaneous factors into consideration, the price for this meal was fine, but certainly something that you should indulge in once in a good while, or for a special occasion.

To continue, My Lobster Mac consisted of Maine Lobster, Muenster cheese, Lobster cream sauce, White Truffle oil, and Scallions. In execution, the combination of ingredients in this plate were immaculate. One thing I was slightly underwhelmed on though, was the ration of lobster and pasta noodles served into the bowl. For the price I paid, I would have loved a bit more pasta and lobster in my plate, but portions aside, the flavors were great and was an 8/10.

The Cheesecake Bites were good, but nothing crazy to write home about. You get the option of either strawberry, caramel, or chocolate sauce with your bites, and I went with chocolate, and it did not add anything major to what was already provided with the bites. The cheesecake bites had a nice cinnamon coating on the outside, and when bitten, the interior of the dessert was good without an overwhelming taste of cheesecake filling (it was more mild, which I did not mind). You can certainly acquire a better dessert elsewhere, but if you want something on the spot and good, then the cheesecake bites are a great middle-ground option - 7/10.

Recommendations: two recommendations I would like to provide for this business:
1. Having a lunch special combo at a wallet-friendly price would be great to see for consumers! I know it may be hard with how the economy is right now from a business standpoint needing to be financially viable, but it would be great if something could be created!
2. Brisket! We have tri-tip on the menu, and I would personally love to see a brisket mac plate alongside that option!

Conclusion: Overall, I enjoyed my visit here at "I Heart Mac & Cheese" and I will reiterate that the two year wait was worth it. I would certainly recommend going for a more wallet-friendly signature bowl over the Lobster Mac (tri-tip mac will be my next endeavor!), but if you curiosity enlightens you, then give this restaurant a go! You will most likely find something to appreciate :)

Food is wonderful. Great service. Cute place good vibes. I will be back soon!

5 STARS! Great food that’s made to order right in front of you with incredible service. Top notch, can’t wait to have the Cuban again.

I was driving through town for work and noticed a new place on the block. I will try anything once. I got one of the chicken bowls (forgot the name) but it was one of the best things I’ve ever put in my mouth. I will be back next time I’m in town. Incredible quality great service.