Came here at the suggestion of our tour guide at the National Historic Center for Cheese Making. After the tour our family (2 adults, 3 kids ages 17-11) were all hungry for some cheese. We ordered the large cheese plate, various sandwiches, and even dessert. Everything was delicious! Well...almost...our tour guide warned us about Limburger cheese...so I went for it...I should have asked for a sample! WOW that's some STRONG CHEESE! Anyway, it's a cozy spot. Our family is road-tripping back to Massachusetts, and between The Cheese Museum and Baumgartner's Monroe, WI was WELL WORTH the stop between Madison, WI and Toledo, OH. read more

Awesome must stop place ! The decor and atmosphere alone give it 5 stars. The delicious drinks, cheap prices, and simple yet yummy food earn 5 stars as well!! We got some spotted cow beer (locally brewed) and a Moscow mule. They were exceptionally refreshing. For sandwiches, we of course ordered the braunschweiger (liver sausage) sandwich with onions and cheese. One bite of that took me back to memories of my grandpa eating it all the time and us kids having it on crackers. Great! The pastrami sandwich with melted brick cheese was out of bounds. Pastrami was amazing. Super cheap and reasonable prices ! Must stop in Monroe. read more

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Cute place, but the actual food menu is a bit weird. Got the Italian beef sandwich, just OK. The "second best chili" was a bit odd too. Gave me some serious wind. The shop has that look and feel of an old down home spot. It's on a charming town square. The cheese they sell? Overpriced, not made in-house not even sure if it's local. read more

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This was a great experience! We adventured here on a cold day and were greeted with a warm bustling atmosphere in the cheese shop. I mistakenly expected a grilled cheese sandwich when I ordered my cheese sandwich, (it never said that it would be grilled, so I made that up in my head) but the whole meal was complete with the "2nd best chili". It was delicious! Very quirky, very unique! read more

Being one of the first customers of the day definitely payed off for my furry friends waiting for me in car with their adorable heads hanging out the windows. Walked into the kitschy surreal ness of this historic Monroe tavern and cheese shop which boasts of the "best grilled cheese" and after wandering around and taking it all in and picking up a few provisions for a day of cheese sampling, girl slicing stockpiles of cheese for the day's sandwich making offered me a very generous sampling of the various bits of cheese leftovers she had accumulated and could she please see those gorgeous dogs? Well little did she know that she most definitely made Mr. Baxter's day as there is NOTHING in the world he loves more than his Cheese and as far as the lovely little Miss Freyja, well let's just say there is nothing that has passed her lips she hasn't liked! Limited selection of cheeses to outright purchase, but definitely worth a stop and try to do it around lunch for a historic sandwich and a bevvie or 2!!! read more

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Baumgarten's was great! The atmosphere was fun with seating outside and fun, quirky decor. The sandwiches were delicious, nice and hot, and good quality. Our waitress and the person who helped us at the cheese counter both had excellent service. Will go back for sure if we're in the area! read more

Visiting Monroe, and this place definitely has a friendly and welcoming vibe! Drinks were good! We are before we came, but the sauces were great with chips, so we can only assume the food is fabulous! Also, we love that they donate to local school/charity and make it entertaining, but I won't ruin it for you! Come in and visit! read more

Wonderful walk down memory lane. Traveling through Monroe, 25 yrs later. Great food & drinks. Above and Beyond awesomeness service! Look forward to our next trip home to Wisconsin from Nebraska read more

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When you're venturing through this wide and wonderful world by car, you always hope to find that bit of local color that you're pretty sure you would never see anywhere else, and that endears a place to you forever. Baumgartner's Cheese Store and Tavern is definitely that place for Monroe, WI. We drove into the town square and parked next to a City Hall that looks more like a tiny German castle. On the other side of the parking lot from its green there was this strip of late-19th/early-20th century cookie-cutter brick storefronts. Only, right in the middle of that line of uniform brick facades, there's one that looks like it's trying to be a rustic Swiss chalet, complete with a goat climbing the awning. I cracked up and demanded to go in. The proprietor and staff had every bit as much joviality as the exterior of the store implied, and I will never forget the murals of dwarves mounting cheeses on catapults and weilding battle-steins. But the amusing ambiance aside, their sign that promises "The worlds best cheese sandwich" is not wrong. The only image we managed to add is that of the cheese plate, unfortunately, since the camera holding most of the mouth-watering images of our meal was lost prior to my actually writing this review. Every last one of the house-made cheeses was stellar, though we actually ended up buying multiple of the Swiss Style Landjagers for the road because they were even more amazing than the house-made cheeses. Our only regret is that Baumgartner's is so very far away and that they don't ship their products anymore. I often find myself craving one of those landjagers now, and nobody within 500 miles of me makes them anywhere close to the quality and taste of Baumgartner's. (Date of visit 03/22/19) read more

Baumgartner's Cheese Store & Tavern - Cheese Shops Near Me - Monroe, Wisconsin

Wonderful Unique Old World experience. Fabulous service. Great beer selection. If you like cheese you are in luck. read more

Visited here with another couple on a Friday night and can't say better things about it. The bar staff was very friendly and prompt. Good beer lineup and have to get the mixed cheese plate!!! Historical spot and very unique. Can't wait to be back. read more

I just love this restaurant I think so as most of people who visited. Foods are tasty, people are nice, atmosphere is pretty, price is reasonable. They had soooo much types of draft beer too. They just made me love. Must go place!! read more

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Cheese store and Tavern? If you're looking for presentation on your plate, this isn't it! Just great cheese and meat sandwich served on a piece of paper! Delicious and very reasonable prices. Heather was a pleasant and fun waitress. Nice area for a road trip. read more

Baumgartner's Cheese Store & Tavern - Inexpensive and tasty! - Cheese Shops Near Me - Monroe, Wisconsin

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A must stop when in Monroe. Food, service, cheese and drinks are amazing. Highly recommend to everyone. read more

Baumgartner's Cheese Store & Tavern - Cheese Shops Near Me - Monroe, Wisconsin

Ate at Baumgartner's on the square in Monroe. We ate under the covered patio outside and it was relaxing. There was a young lady playing the violin just down the street so we had live music! The waiter was good even though he brought out the wrong meal for me but it was quickly corrected. The food was good and comes with a slice of cheese and dill pickle spear. The sides are extra. There is a cheese shop inside and we bought Baby Swiss and Mild Cheddar and they were excellent! Seems to be a popular spot. read more

Good food. Good service. Stopped in for a beer and sandwich. Left full and still had money in my pocket. read more

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Drove about 1200 miles from the East Coast. This place was highly recommended so I stopped to get a bite. While waiting I went across the street and ordered a Latte. I finished about 1/2 when the table became available. Waitress wanted to take my 1/2 cup to dispose with the table dishes and trash. WTF? I cancelled dinner on the spot, and ate dinner elsewhere while drinking my delicious vanilla flavored iced latte and she gave up a $25 order that I had elsewhere. Ambience on a warm day is more pleasant with outside table. Inside are wooden bench seats and a bar and 1 bathroom for all? Genders. read more

is outstanding. Try the Limburger. it may be your only chance, ever. give them a dollar to stick in ceiling. Youve paid more for less.

Fun...can I say fun again!! What a great place. If you're from out of town and want to know what it means to be in Wisconsin for an average meal here's the place. I had the Ruben and chili, my wife and kids had the grilled cheese. Simple, flavorful and prefect. Simple menu and few options but lots of volume!! Check it out. But get dessert!! read more

I don't know why I expected the place to be larger than it turned out to be. Fairly compact inside, bar, restaurant, and cheese store. Nice kitchey feel. We sat at a booth in the front part of the place which is the cheese store as well. Decent tap selection of brews, we chose the Fat Squirrel, which on tap is way better than it is in a bottle. The rueben sandwhich was delicious, even tho the bread was untoasted, which would have amped it up even more! Possibly the best rueben ever. The corned beef was super lean. And of course the cheese was good. They also served a small slice of cheese on the side in the basket. Nice place, excellent friendly service too. Fall 2016: Uff Da Bock on tap, New Glarus is making my fav brew again, delicious! read more

Me and hubby went to this adorable historic cheese store to try their famous "Big Stinky" sandwich with braunschweiger (liver sausage) and super smelly limburger cheese on delicious rye bread! Friendly staff inside explained us that limburger cheese owes it's strong smell to the bacterial fermentation that is used to produce it. Monroe is the only place in the US where it is still being produced. It is not for the faint of heart but if you can handle strong flavors like me, you will find it delicious and unique! Truly a taste of history! read more

Baumgartner's Cheese Store & Tavern - Not for the faint of heart but delicious "Big Stinky"! Dip it in their delicious sweet mustard sauce that looks like caramel - Cheese Shops Near Me - Monroe, Wisconsin

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Baumies is a classic. Great food, ambiance and service. The room temperature cheese sandwiches are simple and delicious. If you get the Limburger sandwich, make sure your significant other has one too, or you may find yourself sleeping on the couch. That said, it's a delicious enough sandwich that the couch may be worth it. read more

We are out doors beautiful day on the sidewalk. Great service and the sandwiches were just fantastic. We ordered a pastrami with Swiss, turkey, salami, and ham with American , cheddar,and Swiss, and a roast beef with Swiss! Also Wisconsin cheese soups and chili... all were wonderful!! read more

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Been coming here for decades and never a bad experience. FYI They no longer ship cheese or sausage products since Covid hit. Bathrooms are both UNI which I'm not fond of. Staff is fun and friendly. read more

Best cheese sandwiches ever. Wonderful service and great prices. Outdoor seating is wonderful as well.

I wouldn't imagine that this place is in Monroe - equal parts swiss chalet/cheese store/wisconsin dive bar - it's a gem that can't be missed - right on the central square downtown. The chili was solid, nothing to write home about.... but that limburger sandwich with raw onions - on point. If you're not looking forward to smelling like foot cheese for the rest of the day, there is a multitude of less stinky options. read more

Baumgartner's Cheese Store & Tavern - Iconic menu - Cheese Shops Near Me - Monroe, Wisconsin

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We were disappointed in the salami cheese sandwich-it was plain and not very good. We did enjoy the chili though!

Great chili and they'll grill you their great cheese sandwiches if you'd like. (Very good.). Friendly and timely service.

A great place with a lot of nostalgia! Enjoyed the cheese sandwiches and locally brewed root beer.

Pretty good burgers. Very limited menu but few burgers I've had have been good. Nice outdoor area to dine in the summer. Will go again especially as there is a lack of good places to eat in Monroe. read more

I've been here three times in the past year. We live in Madison (since 2015) so it's a dedicated journey to be here. And why are we here? For the Limburger, braunschweiger sandwich on dark rye with red onions. There is probably no other place in the US (the world?) you can get this sandwich. The service is always gracious and attentive. We love this treasure. Others report the chili and tomato basil soup are wonderful too. read more

Over Christmas week we had Baumgartner's twice. One time we ate in and had lunch. I had the chicken salad, which was okay. My partner ordered the chili which was also okay to good. We went early to make sure there weren't as many people with Covid seemed spread out enough but again, wasn't super busy. So, I'd say lunch was a three-star. Food was good, dependable but nothing to crave. NOW...the crave part. Later in the week, we had their Smashburger, YUM! We all raved about the burger and the price. Way affordable. Loved the bacon spread. The burger was a five-star and I hope to have it again when we are in town. read more

This place is just so much fun! Situated on the square in Monroe, it caters to a HUGE crowd during Cheese Days and is pretty popular during lunch on normal days. They serve good sandwiches, and you can order Limburger as a side. I usually get a Reuben made with deli sliced Corned Beef and Emmentaler cheese, with aged Limburger on Rye with Mustard on the side. Sitting at the booths, you get a good view of the cheese that is for sale in the cooler across the walkway. The bar offers a great mural and good conversation with bartenders. One thing you will see when you look up is dollar bills suspended from the ceiling. It's odd, but what you do is give the bartender your $1 and they will tuck a magnet into it and toss it up to the ceiling. It's all in fun and once a year, they take down the cash and give it to a local charity. One year it was the Human Society. Take your townie friends, and show them Baumgartner's. They need the experience! read more

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It doesn't get better than this. Braunschweiger and Limburger with raw sliced onion on dark rye bread. Mmmmmmmmmmm.

They have the best employees so friendly! We tried some great cheese and the chili is awesome! We had a couple ciders which were very refreshing! We will be sure to stop by next time we're in the neighborhood! read more

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We can't help but stop in for lunch on our way back home from family visits in Iowa. If you're going to serve simple foods they better be good, and the Baumgartner does not disappoint. Our kids love the unique atmosphere. read more

Baumgartner's Cheese Store & Tavern - Cheese Shops Near Me - Monroe, Wisconsin

Went here on a nostalgic tour from childhood Sandwiches r good. Staff pleasant. Prices fair lots of tap beers Order the swiss and salami read more

I've got lots of favorite places. I've got a favorite place in Milwaukee. I've got a favorite place in Taiwan. I've got a favorite place in Mexico City. And I've got a favorite place in Barcelona. I've even got a favorite place in lovely Doolin, Ireland. But no favorite place is like my favorite place in Monroe, Wisconsin. My favorite place in Monroe is the bomb. Or more like, "the Baum." Of course, if you know Monroe, you know I am talking about the incomparable Baumgartner's Cheese Shop and Tavern - Wisconsin's oldest cheese store (1931). There's so much to love about Baumgartner's it's hard to know where to start, but picking one ... I'd have to say it's the cheese. Why more places don't serve good cheese sandwiches, I don't know, but it's worth driving two hours from Milwaukee or Chicago to Monroe to dine on one of these beauties. Earlier today I ate one made from a thick slab of medium cheddar on light rye. Of course I had to upgrade it with hard salami and red onions and, at my own discretion, I slathered it up good with some stone ground mustard. So simple you could make one right now in your own home. But, for whatever reason, it won't taste as good as one at Baumgartner's! They also serve craft beers from nearby breweries like New Glarus, Ale Asylum and the very near (two blocks!) Huber. (I suggest not drinking TOO local, if you know what I mean.) Besides the great cheese and beer, the ambiance and service is pure fun and classic Wisconsin. There must be $1,200 stuck to the ceiling and one young waiter will show you exactly how it's done. I dunno, they wrap a quarter into a dollar with a thumbtack or something. Give it a good hard whip and it sticks right up there. If you try, and in the process you knock some money down, it's yours to keep! What took me to Monroe today was business. I traveled with a colleague who had never been to Monroe. At the end of our meeting, I said to the guy with whom we had just met, "You know, my coworker has never been to Monroe and there's a place that I need to take him." Without a moment wasted, he said "You're taking him to Baumgartner's for a cheese sandwich and beer, aren't you." "Yes," I said. "How'd you know?" "EVERYBODY that visits Monroe goes to Baumgartner's for a cheese sandwich and beer!" Well it's good to know that America hasn't swung completely to the corporate side and that they still recognize the quality, value and fun of a true American classic -- Baumgartner's. My favorite. read more

This place is awesome. + Cheap good LOCAL beer (I think $3.25 or less per pint) + Cheese shop + Two of the coolest and friendliest bartenders on earth + $3 sandwiches (cheese, salami, etc) + 2nd-best chili in Monroe + Various humorous signs + A huge hand-painted mural depicting a battle of wine vs beer + Wooden coats of arms of all the Swiss cantons + Wooden signs with factoids for all the Swiss cantons + Massive, magnificent deer head on the far wall + Right on the square in downtown Monroe The only detractions are the cigarette smoke and the fact that after 8pm they serve only cheese sandwiches and chili. If you walk in and get the impression that everybody here knows each other, don't worry--soon you'll know them too. read more

You just don't get any better than this Mecca of Wisconsin cheese and beer. The brick cheese (or whatever kind your heart desires) sandwiches on soft, mild rye served at room temp and their delicious chili and daily special soups are just out of this world. The atmosphere is jovial, casual and quintessential German pub. There are dollar bills signed by patrons, thrown up onto the ceiling with a coin and pin and sticks up there for all of eternity...or until they need the money for rent. ;-) They sell beer, cheese, bread, cheese cutters, postcards and other gear for you to take with you. Take time to walk around the charming square and buy goods from more of the awesome local vendors. Everyone is incredibly friendly and Carly was a fantastic server. She even let our little guy ring their bell at the end of our meal as an incentive for being good. I have been here many, many times and it continues to impress. Many of the beers are local and can't even be shipped or sold outside of Wisconsin. There is truly a brew for everyone and if you don't know what you would like, they will bring you samples. read more