Cheesy, creamy, and all-round scrumptious, mac 'n' cheese is the ultimate comfort food. It can be a decadent side or a meal in its own right, loaded with truffle, lobster tail, or barbecued meats. Wondering where to go for the best mac near you? We've got you. From the home-style to the high-end, read on for the best mac ‘n’ cheese dishes in every state.
At Nashville hot chicken restaurant Hattie B's Hot Chicken, the Pimento Mac & Cheese is a side order, but customers think it's the best thing on the menu. The contents of the tiny pot is absolutely drowned in cheese sauce and guaranteed to cool your mouth down after eating the spiciest chicken on the menu.
Casual bar and restaurant Spenard Roadhouse serves a classic take on the comfort food and customers describe it as the best ever. Pasta shells come in a cream, Parmesan, Cheddar, and Monterey Jack sauce, and are topped with breadcrumbs. There’s the option to jazz it up with bacon, broccoli, or tomato. Warning: it comes as a small plate but you are going to want to eat a lot more.
You would expect good things from classy American restaurant Rusconi's anyway, but the indulgent white truffle scented mac 'n' cheese made with white truffle cream and San Joaquin Gold (a hard cows' cheese) is an exceptional dish. It comes in a little pot as a side dish and customers say it's sublime.
Barbecue lovers will adore the Loaded Mac from Wright’s Barbecue, a food trailer that operates Tuesday to Saturday in Johnson. The pasta is al dente and swimming in sauce, then topped with brisket or pulled pork and barbecue sauce – a match made in heaven.
For insanely good mac 'n' cheese in California, head to Homeroom in Oakland. The Buffalo Chicken Mac (grilled chicken, sharp Cheddar, Monterey Jack, buffalo sauce, chopped scallions, crispy breadcrumbs, and homemade ranch) is consistently raved about by customers. You can also customize dishes – get it topped with Hot Cheetos for extra fire and crunch.
The best mac 'n' cheese in the Centennial State is said to come from Steuben’s Uptown in Denver. It features classic elbow macaroni and six cheeses for a rich béchamel with depth of flavor. Then it's topped with crispy panko breadcrumbs and optional green chiles. A large portion is big enough to share.
Cozy Connecticut restaurant Home serves a number of alternative mac 'n' cheeses including one with brisket, beer cheese, fried onions, and a white barbecue drizzle. However, the all-time favorite is the Spicy Buffalo Chicken, which is topped with blue cheese – it’s utterly delicious.
At Wilmington pizza restaurant La Pizzeria Metro, the wood-fired mac 'n' cheese made with a blend of cheeses is the surprising star of the menu. It comes served in a skillet and is perfectly golden on top. It’s highly recommended by those who've tried it.
Laid-back Patty Macs Restaurant has made a name for itself serving a Lobster Mac that’s irresistible, according to its customers. It’s ultra-rich and creamy, containing mascarpone, soft Italian fontina cheese, Gruyère, Cognac, tarragon, and lobster meat. After you’ve come here once, you’ll keep returning again and again.
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For a fine dining take on mac 'n' cheese, head to glamorous Wisteria in Atlanta. You'll get a generous portion featuring collard greens for a pop of color and a crisp cheese crust. Some people say it’s the best they’ve ever had.
Multi-award-winning Honolulu restaurant The Surfing Pig's fan-favorite dishes include St. Louis-style back ribs, truffle fries, and its Smoky BBQ Cheesy Mac. Made with campanelle pasta, smoked gouda, and Monterey Jack cheese sauce, it comes topped with Kalua pork, barbecue sauce, and fried onions – and customers love it.
The Macaroni & Cheese at Bittercreek Alehouse gets high ratings from happy customers. Served in a skillet, it's made with beer-fortified cheese sauce and has a breadcrumb crust. You can also order it topped with bacon, chicken, or pork schnitzel.
The five-cheese Mac & Cheese with garlic breadcrumbs at rustic restaurant The Eagle might be a side dish, but customers rave about it. The big portion comes served in a skillet overflowing with creamy sauce, and you can add shrimp or fried chicken on top.
The best mac 'n' cheese in Iowa can be found at Cheese Bar in Des Moines. Chefs add cheese sauce, Gouda, Cheddar, and tube pasta to a searing-hot cast iron skillet so it goes crispy on the bottom, then they sprinkle breadcrumbs on top for crunch. Customers highly recommend trying it.
One of the standout dishes at swanky fusion restaurant Wine Dive is the Lobster, Shrimp and Crab Mac & Cheese. Suiting cheese and seafood lovers alike, it features lobster, shrimp, and crab tossed in a creamy fontina, Cheddar, American cheese, and white wine sauce, with curly cavatappi pasta. It's served with slices of locally made baguette for even more carbs.
Customers absolutely rave about the Lip Smack’N Mac & Cheese from whiskey hall and live music venue Merle’s Whiskey Kitchen in Louisville. The shareable side dish features five cheeses and a crispy herb crust. Happy customers call it five-star mac ‘n’ cheese and the best in the city.
A non-traditional option, the Roasted Garlic Mac N Cheese at esteemed barbecue joint Blue Oak BBQ is described as a must-try dish. It’s super-creamy, cheesy, and topped with crunchy breadcrumbs. Although you really have to love garlic to get through all of it.
Nearly every mac 'n' cheese joint in Maine serves a dish with lobster in it, but cozy Side Street Cafe’s version is particularly special. It’s a creamy bowl of pasta shells (rather than macaroni) with shaved cheese and a huge amount of lobster. Be warned: it will ruin every other mac 'n' cheese for you.
Nowadays, it’s easy to find good lobster mac 'n' cheese, but a cracking crab mac is harder to come by. For the best, head to modern American restaurant The Chasseur in Baltimore. It’s a fiery dish with fresh jumbo lump crab, Old Bay (paprika and celery salt seasoning), Cheddar, and sriracha. The punchy flavors work together perfectly.
Craft beer bar Olde Magoun's Saloon knows what it’s doing when it comes to mac 'n' cheese. It's always cooked to order and baked in a cast iron skillet with a choice of grilled Polish sausage, blackened chicken, buffalo chicken, or steak – and you can't go wrong with your choice.
The cheesy Mac-N-Cheese at Slows Bar BQ in Detroit turns mac 'n' cheese is a real crowd favorite that's not to be missed. It comes as a side dish and has an orange crust – evidence of how delightfully cheese-heavy it is.
One of the most beautiful lobster macs comes from seafood restaurant Smack Shack in Minneapolis. Semi-soft Italian Taleggio, sweetcorn, and breadcrumbs make it stand out from other mac 'n' cheeses and customers say it’s everything you want from the dish: creamy, rich, and buttery, with some crunch.
This small pot of cheesy pasta might not look like much but the Smoked Mac & Cheese that comes with a barbecue plate from The Pig & Pint in Jackson gets rave reviews. It’s described as creamy with a hint of smoke. Other reviewers say it's to die for.
Fancy barbecue restaurant The Shaved Duck serves a top mac ‘n’ cheese with a creamy, cheesy, savory sauce and crispy breadcrumbs. It also sometimes has an amazing mac 'n' cheese special featuring duck chili. Whichever you go for, it's bound to be delicious.
Montana spot Black Iron Grill is famous for serving the tastiest mac 'n' cheese. It's made with a three-cheese sauce, curly cavatappi pasta, and breadcrumbs. The best part is you can add spicy sausage, shrimp, steak, rotisserie chicken, or crispy chicken.
Visitors to cozy and casual Modern Love only have good things to say about the plant-based Classic Mac & Shews. The heavenly dish contains creamy cashew 'cheese' sauce, crispy tofu 'chicken', garlicky sautéed kale, and chives. It’s so satisfying you won't want to go back to non-vegan versions.
The famous Breakfast Mac from comfort food spot Truffles N Bacon Cafe doesn’t hold back. The huge dish packs in bacon, ham, and mushrooms, and is topped with hash browns, a fried egg, and truffle oil. Calling it good is an understatement according to satisfied patrons.
This casual mac 'n' cheese joint with four outposts across New Hampshire and Massachusetts should be added to your list of restaurants to visit. The Blazin' Buffalo Chicken (mac 'n' cheese with buffalo sauce, chicken, Cheddar, Monterey Jack, American cheese, and a pot of blue cheese or ranch dressing) has been called 'amazing'.
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At Jersey City joint Emma's you can expect to find plenty of hearty, comforting Southern-style fare – and there's nothing heartier or more comforting than the Cast Iron Mac & Cheese, loaded with Cheddar, pepperjack, smoked Gouda, and Gruyère. The creamy, cheesy, great-tasting dish gets customers coming back time and time again.
Southern fried chicken or fried catfish served with a side of mac 'n' cheese is the order of the day at Nexus Brewery & Restaurant, a New Mexico soul food restaurant in Albuquerque. The portion size is huge and it never fails to impress; many customers say it's the best part of the meal.
Southern-style bar Jacob's Pickles in NYC has a huge number of loyal customers, and one of its most beloved dishes is the Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese. Far from plain and boring, it’s spicy, creamy, and topped with blue cheese drizzle. It’s also near impossible to finish in one sitting – but we'd give it a good go.
On the menu at quirky brunch and dinner spot Haberdish, you'll find Southern classics such as fried chicken, smoked chicken in white sauce, and barbecue ribs. But the Mac & Cheese, with three-cheese mornay sauce, is the dish to order. Order it with spicy, crispy chicken skins for texture and it will exceed all expectations.
Feeling European? Head to Würst Bier Hall, which has locations in Downtown Fargo and West Fargo, for a highly-rated Spaetzle Mac & Cheese. It features spaetzle pasta pieces in a buttery beurre blanc cheese sauce and is the perfect accompaniment to a great German beer.
For the tastiest mac in Ohio, head to Lucky's Cafe in Cleveland. Hearty and satisfying, Lucky's take on the classic dish is made with a decadent blend of Cheddar, brie, Parmesan, and mozzarella cheeses topped with a generous sprinkle of brioche breadcrumbs. There's even a portion of applesauce on the side. Some customers say it's the best mac 'n' cheese they've ever had.
If you’re looking for good mac 'n' cheese in Oklahoma City, make a beeline for modern diner The Press. On the menu there's a Buffalo Mac made with radiatori pasta (named so because it resembles tiny radiators) and topped with spicy buffalo chicken, blue cheese, green onion, and ranch drizzle. It’s your favorite childhood dish with a twist.
For a really decadent mac ‘n’ cheese, check out the Ultimate Seafood Mac and Cheese at trendy restaurant Everybody Eats PDX. The grand dish features macaroni noodles in a shrimp, lobster, crab meat, and cheese sauce, topped with half a lobster tail, two shrimp, and lump crab meat. It’s on the expensive side but it packs in plenty of seafood to justify the price.
An English-style pub in Philadelphia, The Dandelion’s Macaroni & Cheese incorporates braised ham hock and Cheddar. It’s certainly not a light version of the dish, and is served in a skillet with a heavy blanket of cheese. People who visit reckon it’s one of the best ever and to die for.
Providence restaurant Hemenway's serves a Lobster Mac 'N Cheese to be reckoned with. The fancy dish consists of whole lobster, cavatappi pasta, and Vermont white Cheddar béchamel topped with seasoned crumbs and served with garlic spinach. Many customers vouch that it’s the best.
People who visit classy brunch and dinner spot Crave are highly enthusiastic about The Mac & Cheese. It’s no ordinary dish and contains mature Cheddar, Parmesan, mozzarella, and cavatappi pasta. You can also top it with scallops or truffled mushrooms for an extra cost. Customers say it's the most delicious around.
Irish pub Murphy’s serves a rather refined mac 'n' cheese. It contains Cheddar, Monterey Jack, blue cheese, Parmesan, and corkscrew pasta. It's got a strong flavor so kids might not like it so much, but adults love it.
Modern cocktail, pizza and burger bar The Stillery in Nashville has one dish that steals the show. It’s the Mac & Cheese with cavatappi pasta, house cheese sauce, buttery breadcrumbs, and hot chicken. The combination of crispy, spicy chicken and creamy mac is unbeatable – this is a must-try dish if you’re in town.
There’s more to casual Seabrook joint The Backyard than mac 'n' cheese, but it’s certainly where you should start. The NOLA Mac is made with white Cheddar, mozzarella, andouille sausage (a smoked Cajun sausage), blackened shrimp, onions, and green peppers. It has been described by some as off the charts, while others say they’d come back and order it again.
At casual restaurant Station 22, you can find the American comfort food you loved growing up. In particular Station’s Mac & Cheese, featuring Cheddar, smoked Cheddar, Parmesan, and toasted breadcrumbs, is a crowd-pleaser. It’s super-cheesy and has a crunchy crust.
You won’t find more creative mac 'n' cheeses than at Our House Bistro, where the options include a Breakfast Mac with a fried egg and a Cheeseburger Mac. But the one customers rave about is the Poutine Mac with bacon, mushrooms, Cheddar curds, gravy, crispy fries, and scallions – it combines so many great flavors in one dish.
Old-school cheese shop Cheesetique has locations in Alexandria and Arlington and is a great go-to spot for incredible mac 'n' cheese. Its Mac ‘N Cheesetique is one of the most rich and sophisticated dishes around, combining goat Gouda, Asiago, and cacio de Roma (both semi-soft Italian cheeses). It's then topped with truffle-infused breadcrumbs.
Casual barbecue restaurant Wood Shop BBQ serves a spicy Smoked Jalapeño Mac & Cheese, which is said to smell so good it will knock your socks off. What's more, hungry diners can opt to get it topped with pulled pork, beef brisket, smoked chicken, or brisket chili. Customers say it tastes so good it brings tears to their eyes.
Pub and restaurant Huntington Ale House combines two amazing foods in its mouthwatering Pepperoni Pizza Mac & Cheese. It features cheesy mac topped with mozzarella, provolone, Parmesan, marinara, and pepperoni slices. But if pizza pasta isn’t for you, there are other gourmet options to choose from, such as Cajun chicken mac 'n' cheese and Philly steak mac 'n' cheese.
Looking for a cheesy bite to eat in Madison? You can't go wrong with a serving of The Old Fashioned's classic mac 'n' cheese, made with aged Wisconsin Cheddar and flavor-packed SarVecchio. Impressively cheesy, customers say it's definitely the best they've ever tried. If you like your mac a little meatier, try the bacon version – it's equally delicious.
The Epic Mac at HQ BBQ, a buzzing smokehouse in Evansville, may be a side dish, but it’s still thought of as one of the best in the state. It's so creamy and delicious, one customer called it a heart attack waiting to happen – it's a good job it comes as a small portion.
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