Review: Cheez-It's Elevated Food Court Popup Is Missing The Most Important Thing

Cheez-It is bringing a limited-time menu of nostalgic food court staples back to the mall this summer. In partnership with actor B.J. Novak's dining and lifestyle brand Chain, Cheez-It is taking over a space at the Westfield Topanga Mall in Canoga Park, California, from September 2 to September 30 for a special pop-up dubbed the Cheez-It Court.

This is just the latest in a series of Cheez-It pop-ups serving cheesy twists on American classics: First, Studio Cheez mixed up gouda-infused cocktails and bar bites. Later, the Cheez-In Diner took over a nostalgic Catskills lunch counter, offering dishes like the Big Grilled Cheez and a Sweet-N-Salty Cheezcake. 

The focus of the Cheez-It Court, though, isn't just food, but the creation of a place to hang out, socialize, and people-watch. "Malls are back, and it's not just nostalgia," said Chain's chief creative officer Nicholas Kraft in a statement. "It's a younger generation discovering something an older generation kind of took for granted: that hanging out somewhere in person, with nothing to do but gaze and graze, is actually really fun."

The Cheez-It Court will offer a small menu of food court-inspired dishes: the Korean corn dog-inspired Crunchy Cheez-Dog, the ribeye Cheez-Steak, and the sweet and savory Cheez-Y-Bun. We tried all three ahead of the pop-up's September 2 opening; here's how they stacked up.

I evaluated all three of these Cheez-It Court dishes first based on quality: their taste, texture, presentation, and ingredients. Since they're inspired by iconic food court dishes, I also compared them to their less cheesy counterparts, weighing them against more traditional cheesesteaks and established mall staples like Cinnabon. After tasting the whole menu, I also asked myself if I would choose to eat at the Cheez-It Court over other common food court offerings.

And, because this is a Cheez-It collab, I prioritized cheesiness over all. Ideally, I was looking for cheese to be a dominant flavor in each dish, not overpowering, but noticeable, abundant, and celebrated in every bite. All three use real Cheez-Its or Cheez-It seasoning in at least one way, highlighting various flavors of these cheesy crackers. That also informed my expectations as I considered how these star ingredients bolstered the flavor of each dish.

I decided to start with the Crunchy Cheez-Dog as a sort of appetizer. This dish is inspired by the Korean corn dog phenomenon, which eschews the traditional cornmeal batter for a crispier breadcrumb coating. 

Unfortunately, the Cheez-Dog didn't live up to other Korean corn dogs in that regard; the breading was a lot limper and soggier than I would've liked. That said, it was otherwise a perfectly good dog; salty and satisfying, with meticulously placed Cheez-Its poking out of the side. I appreciated the addition of the chopped pickle topping, which added a bright note to what could otherwise be an overly greasy dish.

That said, I was a little let down by the lack of cheesy flavor; this corndog uses crushed-up Extra Cheesy Cheez-Its in its breading, but they didn't come through fully in the final dish. I found myself repeatedly going back to the bed of Cheez-Its it was served on, breaking them up and sprinkling them over the top to add an extra dose of texture and flavor.

This was easily the better of the two savory dishes, and the one I'd be most likely to order if I spent another afternoon at the Cheez-It Court. The Cheez-Steak consists of sliced ribeye with melted American cheese, grilled onions, and pickled jalapeños on a Cheez-It seasoned hoagie roll, spread with dill pickle aioli and topped with a Hot & Spicy Cheez-It crumble. 

From the first bite, the ribeye was gorgeously tender, with a much fresher flavor than typical cheesesteak beef. The onions were grilled to perfection, golden brown and caramelized, and the pickled jalapeños added a nice, mild heat (even though I know they're not part of a traditional cheesesteak sandwich). However, the bread could've been a little sturdier; the sandwich nearly fell apart when I picked it up, making it messy and hard to eat.

While that sharp cheese flavor came through much more strongly here, I still think there's room to ramp it up even further. The filling could've been a little meltier; a good cheesesteak should be chopped finely so the cheese intermingles with the meat, but these were big chunks of ribeye. The Hot & Spicy Cheez-Its on top were a nice thought, but they got soggy quickly and didn't add as much texture as I would've liked. Maybe another Cheez-It variety, particularly Extra Crunchy, would be better here.

The Cheez-Y-Bun cinnamon roll was the dish that surprised me the most. This is a warm cinnamon roll topped with a Cheez-It-infused cream cheese frosting, then sprinkled with a shortbread crumble, dolloped with salted caramel, and finished with a handful of crushed Cheez-Its, including a single cracker placed dead center.

On its own, this was an excellent cinnamon roll; it was warm, comforting, and sticky-sweet. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's a dry cinnamon roll, and this was anything but; it fell apart at the seams as soon as I picked it up. I appreciated the creativity of topping a soft, doughy cinnamon roll with a crumble, adding a nice bit of crispy texture in every bite.

The frosting had the perfect balance of salty and sweet, and was absolutely packed with cheesy flavor. It had a gorgeously gloopy, almost Velveeta-like texture. It seemed a bit redundant to top it with salted caramel, which quickly hardened to a tooth-breaking consistency as soon as the bun cooled. But eat it while it's warm, and you won't have any issues.

Because of its abundantly cheesy flavor, the Cheez-Y-Bun was my favorite of the three dishes I tasted; it was also the only menu option that exceeded my expectations. However, I'd be more likely to go back for the Cheez-Steak if I once again found myself in the court of the Cheez-It king; relative non-cheesiness aside, it was the most satisfying and nutritionally complete meal of the two. As for the Cheez-Dog, it was good, but I likely wouldn't choose it over something from a regular Korean corn dog stand, which tend to get more creative with their fillings and toppings.

All three Cheez-It Court dishes were tasty, and are well in line with the mall food court/nostalgic classics theming. However, apart from the Cheez-Y-Bun, I didn't taste the Cheez-It connection as strongly as I would've liked. I really wish they'd crank up the cheese factor on the two savory dishes and really celebrate the brand's identity.