Written by Matt Schorr
Clarksville, TN – The history of the grilled cheese sandwich is long. Its roots reach into Victorian France in the form of the croque monsieur, and even as far back as the Roman Empire where the elite dined on bread topped with melted pecorino.
Or conciato romano. Or mozzarella. (As it happens, the Romans had a lot of cheeses.)
Now that history includes a chapter about Clarksville. Or, more specifically, Cheesy J’s.
Located at 2305 Madison Street, the establishment opened in 2025 with the promise of “gourmet grilled cheeses.” It was a promise that co-owners Jennie and Jeff Davidson and business partners Jeff Bryant Jr., Jeff Bryant Sr., and Justin Bryant spent months cultivating, and now, more than a year delivering.
Grill Cheese Connoisseur
My seven-year-old daughter – a long-time grilled cheese connoisseur – insisted on joining me for this review. She opted for the Classic American Grilled Cheese, which features house-shredded American cheese on buttery Texas Toast.
I’ll paraphrase Rowan’s description of the experience here, since her expert review mostly included “Mmmmmm!” or “Mmm-hmm!” or “There’s cheese in my teeth!”
Her meal was a decadent contrast of textures, with the toast offering a crispy, golden-brown, buttery exterior. This then gave way to a pillowy, soft, and of course, cheesy center. The bread’s generous thickness balanced the melted, gooey cheese inside and delivered a rich, savory, and comforting bite.
Also, “mmm-mmm-mmmmmm!”
Spicy, Cheesy, and ever-so-slightly Acidic
I felt a bit more adventurous. So, I opted for the Big Buffalo, a spicy blend of brioche bread, oven-roasted chicken, buffalo sauce, and pepper jack cheese.
The brioche bread – toasted, of course – boasted a rich, melt-in-your-mouth contrast. The heat caramelized the butter and sugar contents, which produced a crisp, golden-brown exterior atop a pillowy, soft, and sweet interior.
This, then, mixed with the buffalo chicken, which was bold, tangy, spicy, rich, and ever-so-slightly acidic. Cheesy J’s utilizes traditional buffalo sauce, which blends the flavors of melted butter and vinegar-based cayenne pepper sauce. The result is savory chicken with a fiery kick balanced by smooth, buttery richness.
Also, it requires multiple drink refills.
Crunchy Sweetness
Where my daughter kept her side item simple – a bag of standard potato chips – I once again chose to go bold and went with sweet potato waffle fries.
I’ve taken a lot of grief over the years for my love of sweet potato fries. Traditionalists and purists scoff at me for it. Fast food aficionados view it as sacrilege and blasphemy. Still more just insist yams are somehow “less than” when compared with almost anything else.
But fie upon them all, I love sweet potato fries. And bless Cheesy J’s for their sweet potato waffle fries.
As expected, they have an irresistible salty-sweet flavor. They boast starchy, savory notes with a distinct sugary richness encased in a perfectly crisp exterior.
But Cheesy J’s doesn’t stop there.
While literally every other restaurant I’ve visited (to date, anyway) offers sweet potato fries with ketchup or, sometimes, garlic aioli, Cheesy J’s goes the candied-yam route with a dipping cup filled with marshmallow fluff. It’s intensely sweet, with a smooth and distinct vanilla flavor.
And it combines exquisitely with sweet potato waffle fries.
Beachfront Vibes
Cheesy J’s atmosphere, meanwhile, strays from Midwest ambiance and ventures into beachfront territory with coastal themes and tiki Polynesian vibes. The color scheme is bright and warm, and the walls are lined with surfboards and maritime designs. The tables resemble wooden picnic-style models you’ll find at beachfront parks and resorts.
The theme is a tribute to the late Debbie Bryant, who adored spending time at the beach.
But lest you think this theme doesn’t reflect anything on the menu, one of their sandwiches is the Rajin Cajun, which sports Cajun-seasoned shrimp with pepper jack cheese on grilled brioche bread, with spicy mayo on the side.
I haven’t tried this one, yet, but as a lover of all things spicy – with a strong enthusiasm for Cajun cuisine – you can be sure it’s on my radar.
‘It’s easy being cheesy’
Another popular sandwich is the Presto, which features flame-kissed chicken breast strips, red ripe tomato, parmesan pesto sauce, and mozzarella cheese on European wheat berry bread. This is also, of course, grilled to perfection.
Then, there’s the Brisket, which sports slow-smoked Angus beef brisket, house-sharp cheddar cheese, and sweet, seedless blackberry jam on mild sourdough.
Meanwhile, the dessert menu offers the Peanut Butter Delight: brown sugar butter on Texas toast, two scoops of peanut butter, and a whole chocolate bar melted to absolute gooey impeccability.
These are all just to name a few, mind you. Cheesy J’s complete menu, like the history of grilled cheese, is long and varied, with choices that appeal to spice lovers (like moi), seafood enthusiasts, cheese connoisseurs, and sandwich scholars of all stripes.
Also, those who can’t resist their sweet tooth.
So, pay them a visit the next time you’re in the Sango area. Sample the cuisine. Enjoy the atmosphere. And find out why they believe a certain mascot cheetah was wrong all those years ago, and insist, “It’s easy being cheesy.”
