Passing through DesMoines looking for something different and found this gem. The food was delicious. We couldn't make up our minds so we shared everything. First bite and we knew we had chosen winners. Very casual and the staff were so friendly. I wish we had a Cheese Bar back home. read more

Cheese Bar - Cheese curds, La Quercia and the Pig & Fig. - Cheese Shops Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

The toasty ham and cheese makes this a five star review by itself. Just amazing. The cheeses and ham are extremely high quality and the bread was toasted perfectly and it was just divine. The Mac and cheese was very good, but the sandwich was the star. The fried cheese curds were awesome too. The service was friendly and pretty fast considering how busy they were. If you are in Des Moines make sure to give them a try! read more

Cheese Bar - Cheese curd - Cheese Shops Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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I really wanted to love this place. I came about 1:30 in the afternoon. There were a few people sitting outside in a few people sitting inside which was a total of 11 people including myself. I walked in and stood at the bar with no direction as to if I'm supposed to seat myself as the two waitresses behind the bar ignored me. I ended up just sitting down at the bar and neither one of them acknowledged me for quite some time. I ordered the lunch special which was half corned beef grilled cheese with a side of mac for $10. The portions were pretty decent sized. Both items were just ok. I would not order either one again. They do have local draught beers so that was a plus. The two guys that were in the kitchen were super loud and obnoxious. There was one who was yelling really inappropriate stuff and both of them came out to the front so that's how I knew there were two of them. Somebody must have complained about the food or the service because I overheard the waitress talking to one of the guys in the back and they were mocking her from the sounds of it. I'm not in any hurry to come back. read more

Cheese Bar - Half corned beef grilled cheese and a side of Mac - Cheese Shops Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

I was very surprised to see the different kind of gin here. I'll have to come back since it's the only place I know with a variety. The chicken and chorizo Mac n cheese was the best menu item we tried. We also did a meat and cheese tray and a few items from happy hour. I also ordered a classic grilled cheese and tomato soup to go. The soup was not as good as I've had at other places. I like the location. There was an art gallery nearby and we stopped in at a cup cake place down the street. Overall it was a nice dining experience read more

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Holy moly this place is bomb diggity! Everyone was super cool, service was great! Food was awesome, Drinks awesome!! I live in Louisville Ky 9 hours from here, I wanna move here now! Don't think about it just go you will love it ...so long as you like cheese, and if you don't well you're not worth talking too! read more

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We were a party of 19 very tired and hungry people and the restaurant graciously accommodated us last minute with a smile. Food was fresh and tasty and service was fast! highly recommend ! read more

A delightful experience. Staff was friendly, food was delicious, and the drinks were fantastic. Highly recommend giving them a try, especially if you're a cheese lover! read more

Fabulous "working" lunch with incredible service by Charley - bottle of sauv Blanc, bottle of gorgeous Spanish wine. Couldn't be a better afternoon!! Thanks for the hospitality read more

Cheese Bar - Tomato special - Cheese Shops Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Great spot for trying a unique menu offering! Great drinks options and a better menu, will be back!

A random stop over and totally worth it!! Cheese bar offers some great options for someone who wants to snack and chill and for a full fledged meal. I would highly recommend the mac n cheese which has so many options. The soup of the day, which was the potato soup, was also delicious and highly recommended. read more

We sat at the bar. The servers were great and were eager to answer any questions. Our charcuterie board was fresh and had a nice variety of meats and cheese. My only complaint has nothing to do with food or service - it's the seating. The bar stools were uncomfortably hard and flat. The dining area seating didn't appear to be any better. Go for the excellent food and super friendly service but bring a cushion to sit on. read more

Wonderful food, the best cheese selection in town, many artisanal selections. Great charcuterie offerings and all accompanying accoutrements. Small but welcoming with warm, well informed staff. read more

Amazing atmosphere and ambiance wish that made better food back in KC. Love the service here. Always on point.

Can't believe I haven't written my amazing review for this place so here it is. I don't know when they opened but I have been going for years now. I definitely remember going before 2020 but it was always as a special occasion. It is hilarious whenever I go, I always end up ordering like the same 5 different dishes LOL but as they say, don't mess with what is perfect though. I finally had their cheese fondue as my son went with me this last time and I never tried it because I worried it would be too much for just me. It was perfect for the both of us. We usually get the cheese board and tomato dip. Occasionally I get their lemon salad and he will get a grilled cheese. But it is rare if we don't get the cheese board though lol. I can't say enough good things about this place. Between the amazing and kind staff to the amazing foods! Still is one of our top favorites in the city! One of these days I really want to get there on a Sunday and try that special treat they only do for Sundays but I work weekends so that makes it very hard for me to get too. I have yet to try the Mac and cheese but I hear it is amazing though lol. So hard to try new stuff when the cheese board is the best part hahaha. Great now I kinda wanna just go and eat more cheese from them lol. read more

This place should hold the gold standard for grilled cheese. Seriously, SO GOOD! The bread is crispy yet chewy, the cheese combination they use is literally perfect and they also let you add whatever you want to it to make it even better. They also have tomato soup everyday! You can even order a 2oz option of soup to literally just dip your sandwich in. All the seating (minus the bar) is community seating so 4 extra long tables with chairs on both sides where you can potentially sit next to other parties. They have a bunch of local beers as well as wine. If you sit on the Southside of the bar near the cheese/charcuterie case, the people throwing the boards together are super fun to talk to and very knowledgeable! Not to mention they sometimes sneak you samples! read more

I will be 100% honest, as I always am on Yelp. The reason Cheese Bar has 4 stars has absolutely NOTHING to do with the food. It's a CHEESE. BAR. 5 stars is technically right in the business name and model...however... We'll get to it. I need to pace myself. (unlike my natural response to cheese). THE ENVIRONMENT The ambiance was warm both in lighting and color scheme. It was extremely welcoming. For a smaller space you didn't feel crowded. Everything appeared clean and very well maintained. The bar top was well organized. The overall feeling was just...simply, nice. It was comforting. (Excellent vibe for date nights ) THE FOOD Uhm...it's cheese. THE SER-- (kidding, we'll do the food) Fun Fact: I've never had fondue* until this place, and I have ZERO regrets of the brie-ing my first time. (I know, bad pun, I'm learning). We ordered the large platter which gave us a creamy, lighter cheese with a large accoutrement of dipping choices: (sausage, pickles, warm bread, roasted potatoes). The platter was plenty; a bit more than the cheese could keep up with! When the cheese was gone, however, the food would delicious on its own. (I did not expect to like the pickles with cheese, and I feel like a fool for doubting them on this choice...it was great!) THE SERVICE Alright...this may a strictly personal preference, so please take it as such. They sat us in the bar area, which was totally fine. Our server was incredibly pleasant, quick, and well-versed in their menu description. Behind the bar, we also had a bartender who was also very friendly and knowledgeable.... except... ...except... They were very conversational. I mean to a point where it was a bit interruptive to our date. They had a knack for interjecting, or interrupting, our conversation on the topics they overheard us discussing. It was to such a degree that one point they came in with their two cents and kept...I honestly couldn't get a word in! I think it was honestly just a personality trait so don't want to fault them, but it was a bit disruptive when you are on a date and trying to connect/unwind with your companion. OVERALL I would highly recommend this place! Their ambiance, amazing. Their food, fantastic. Their services, sensational (speech-friendly). I would just suggest, if you're looking for a bit more 'us time'...get a table, ha! I'm going to return though! *- Please note how I did not make ONE 'fundue' jab. You're welcome. read more

I really enjoy the concept of this place. Dining at a communal tables can be a little intimidating to some introverts but with food in front of you at least there's something relatable at least to talk about or you can just stick to conversing with the people you came with. Either way, you're most likely going to sit with strangers. I really do like the changes coming to Ingersoll and hope to see more of this kind of growth. Last visit I sat at the bar and the bartender/waiters there were so nice and know how to hold a conversation. We got a Meat and Cheese plate and it was presented to us beautifully with a little rundown of what was on the plate. We also had some sandwiches that were pretty good. I wouldn't say it's anything amazing but there's a nice selection so I'll be back to try others. There was a Banh Mi on the menu for $13 and me with an Asian background can't get myself to spend that much on something I can get for $2 at an authentic Vietnamese place. It's not that big of a place so you may have to wait to get seated during the weekend but I feel it's worth it if you're a cheese lover. read more

Cheese Bar - Meat and cheese board - Cheese Shops Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

The charcuterie was clearly the winner. Neither of us enjoyed the grilled cheese sandwiches.

The food is so good! Great lunch spot! The service is always good. Love the vibe too!! One of the best spots in Des Moines!

When I arrived there was only one party waiting and the sign says "Please Seat Yourself". Since the other group didn't make a move, I took a table when one opened up. A server cleared the table but never said anything to me. After about 10 min a different server came over and asked if I was on the waitlist. I said No the sign said seat yourself, so I did. They said "no it says Please see a server." They proceeded to tell me I couldn't have the table because I wasn't on the "waitlist" and there were parties in front of me. They offered to put me on the list but that it would at least be a hour wait because I would have to go behind everyone who arrive since I got there. I love this place, but was treated so rudely. The Guy who talked to me didn't even apologize when he came to the lobby with me and saw the sign. He just switched it out and walked away. read more

Unique restaurant. Amazing cheese curds with a dip. Grilled cheese sandwiches were good, but very rich! We only ate half. We would come again to try the fondue! read more

Been here once or twice. It's okay. The owner of this establishment does not look out for service workers. Single handily got my sister fired from her job at little brother (her job of two years) for lying to the owner about something that was said while they were swamped with no host. read more

I dunno, this place is okay. Very trendy and nice atmosphere. Food is good, but very average. I could take it or leave it here.

The Cheese Bar is an awesome place! Basing off the popularity of its sister restaurant The Cheese Shop, I knew it was going to do well. This venue is nice because of its location, more seating, and a little more relaxed environment. The addition of beer is great too. The Cheese Shop felt more catered to those that like Wine. At The Cheese Bar, there is wine of course but it seems more fitting to lay back and have a beer or multiple there. My favorite item is the Royal Sandwich which is a Grilled cheese with ham, bacon, fried egg and a delicious Mornay sauce on top. It reminds me of a Croque Madame. So delicious!! My partner had the Banh Mi and it was actually not bad despite it being on the expensive side (Traditional Banh Mi is usually under $5) We usually are hesitant to try Banh Mi from non Vietnamese places as they can be culturally appropriated, overpriced, or the name gets spelled wrong. (We are Vietnamese). We tried it because we love pate and know that the Cheese Bar makes good pate. The Mac and Cheese is great here too. They serve their beer in cute glasses that sort of mock wine glasses. We had a great time here and would definitely go again to try more items! Haven't tried one yet but will get a charcuterie plate next time since those one of the most popular items here. read more

Cheese Bar - Banh mi - Cheese Shops Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Wow! Definitely worth a side trip off of I-80 for lunch on our way out West. The food was fantastic. We got a tomato appetizer and 2 grilled cheese sandwiches. There were 4 different types of tomatoes, and they were very fresh, juicy, and delicious! The grilled cheese sandwiches were also filling and tasty. Finally, Very Good beer list. Worth a stop!! read more

Cheese Bar - THE tomato appetizer! - Cheese Shops Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

After all the hype around this place opening up, I was very excited to go. I really enjoyed the cheese shop and liked going there for food, and I was excited that they had a new place that was not only bigger, but closer to my house. I was underwhelmed. The menu is basically the same (it may be exactly the same, but I don't have the memorization skills to confirm) and nothing really new to offer besides extra space. read more

Cheese Bar - Wine tap! - Cheese Shops Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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The cheese curds here are some of the best i've ever had! They also have a really great selection of beers which is great! The grilled cheese was really nothing special but I do enjoy coming here because everything else is always amazing! read more

OH Hype, I kinda love Hype.. Remember when the Strokes were new and the Hype was this is the coolest band of all time! I was so into 60's and 70's music at the time I didn't even bother to check it out.. Then finally I was at a party and heard it, and I was like ok, I get the Hype this band is incredible and fun and made me want more! This is kinda how I feel about the Cheese Bar! Sure I have been to the Cheese shop many times and even though I'm a vegan, I have loved every time! The service is always amazing, the beer selection is out of this world and it's cozy and cool! The Cheese bar does not fall far from the tree.. it's bigger and can fit more people and it's beautiful looking and the staff is still great and knowledgable about the beers, wines, meats, and cheeses you are about to be intaking! It really does live up to the hype down to every last drop of that glass bottle water they give you right away as a trade mark of their bad ass-ness! I love it already and all I did was go for a beer! read more

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I had their Alpine Grilled Cheese (Swiss Mountain Cheese blend and Caramelized Onions) and was blown away. One of the best grilled cheese sandwiches I've had. My wife had the World Famous Mac which was dry and, ironically, didn't have a lot of cheese in it. Probably a fluke since they were very busy the night we went. She tried my grilled cheese and said she'd def go back just for that. read more

Beautiful atmosphere! The decour is really nice and the music is the perfect. The smorgasbord is AMAZING! They explain everything once it comes out and they recommend the ones to go together. read more

Cheese Bar - Smorgasbord - Cheese Shops Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

This is the sister restaurant of the Cheese Shop. Food excellent, service fine. I had the side mac and cheese and a side blue cheese salad for $5 each. Both were excellent and well worth the money. The wine was good but pricey, $11 a glass. My only disappointment was the noise level. They have nothing to absorb sounds. You also sit at large farm style tables so there is no privacy. Finally if you are looking to have a cheese plate I would recommend you try the Cheese Shop, you will have a much better selection. read more

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**this place is We went the first week it opened and the food was amazing! Positives - all the cheeses are so good! They use different cheeses on almost every sandwich so whatever you're looking for, they have it. The beer selection was very large as well. I got a toasted ham and cheese sandwich for lunch and it was great! There was a ton of meat and the sauce was the best. If they didn't have other delicious-looking sandwiches, I would get this one every time. All-in-all, the food and drinks were all Negatives - the service was slow. It was the first week the restaurant was open, so I was kind of expecting it. Really not terrible, but I was hoping for quicker. Summary - go eat here read more

Cheese Bar - The second half of my toasted ham and cheese - Cheese Shops Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Went here with my friends for a taste of wine and cheese after work on a Thursday. The place is nice and bright and I like the farmhouse dining room, almost cafeteria-esque, style. They have a huge menu of diverse beers and wines I never heard of before, and I settled on the house red, which wasn't half bad. Next time I come, I'd like to sit at the bar. My friend and I ordered a cheese board. The menu was kind of confusing, you can have a cheese board with your selection of three cheeses, but they only listed four, with one option being "mixed." I was not sure if they were perhaps categories of cheese? If not, it's hardly a selection of your own choosing. In any case, we went with mixed and it was great. The apple jam that came with it was so fragrant and deliciously sweet and tasted awesome combined with the strong cheeses. I looked around and saw people eating from fondue, bread with oil, and other little plates. The sandwiches looked great. Service was okay. My server was a very jolly dude who was a bit awkward, but fine. It took ages to get refills of wine, which is unacceptable in a cheese/wine place. The cheeseboard took some time too, but that's kind of understandable if they're masterfully putting it together. Just get an appetizer while you wait for it. Their version of happy hour is also from, I believe, 3 to 5pm, which kind of sucks for cubicle dwellers who get off work at 5. Place is also a biiiiit pricey if you spring for the fancy stuff like fondue, but they do have cheaper alternatives for appetizers. My house red wine was five bucks. The oil and bread was a mere two bucks! I'm excited to return and try their famous mac and cheese. read more

Cheese Bar - Smorgasbord cheese plate. - Cheese Shops Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

My favorite place in Des Moines! I hope they expand since there is not a lot of seating. Food is amazing I don't think you could go wrong with anything you pick. A little loud inside. Lots of bar seating. Tables are family style. No reservations allowed. read more

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Everything I've had here has been amazing. Charcuterie, grilled cheese, muffuletta, tomato dip.... drool

What a lovely evening at Cheese Bar! The staff here was so warm and friendly (in true Iowa fashion) and really went above and beyond. I'd describe this spot as "modern cozy"--love the subway tile and cool wooden elements here just as much as I love the big community tables and nods to Iowa culture in the art and menus. We arrived on a busy Saturday night and there was a short wait, but the staff was amazing and even let us order our drinks while we waited. When we were seated we ordered a feast--specifically the preserved lemon salad, cheese (server's choice), crackers, and jam, and some amazing smoked ribs. Everything was fabulous and paired well with my glass of pinot (of which I had two). My favorite part was hearing from both the server and chef about the menu, their favorites, where everything came from, etc. You can tell they really take pride and put a ton of thought into what they're doing here. I also may be biased, but Midwesterners are just the friendliest. This ended up being A TON of food for a pretty fair price. There's plentiful parking around the back and not really a bad seat in the house. Love this addition to DSM and will definitely try to pop in for some cheese and a glass of wine next time I'm in town! read more

I have been here a few times now and love this place! I love the outdoor seating they have here. Mac and cheese is great and they have lots of additional add ons for it too. The Spanish grilled cheese is definitely my favorite though. It is so good and tastes so unique that I have gotten it the past few times I've been here. Cheese curds are also some of the best I've had in DSM. Also their lunch special is a great deal! Make sure to try this place out! read more

Cheese Bar - Blue Cheese Salad - Cheese Shops Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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A welcome addition to the Ingersoll area. I have been numerous times both in the warmer weather and the cold of an Iowa winter. While I have tried many things, my favorite is the classic grilled cheese that is made with 3 cheese blend complimented with the tomato dip on the side. It is my standard order! This is one of my top 10 places for Des Moines and one of my favorite restaurants. I love to frequent their retail place that will package me up the 3 cheese blend so I can make my own classics at home! read more

Just awesome! Incredible beer, wine, and in addition to a great selection too. If cheese and meets the Mac and cheese was easily the best I e ever had. And I've had a lot lol. Additionally the explanation of the cheeses we got was awesome! We got an English and domestic cheddar. I had no idea how different they are treated and made. I walked away from an awesome meal not only full, but smarter. I get to DSM once a Month and will certainly be back! read more

I can feel it.  I can smell it.  The white & blue, bitter, unrelenting evil of another Iowa winter fast approaching. If you listen closely you can hear it's howl in the distance when the moon is full and the night is otherwise silent. This is no ordinary howl.  This is the death howl, when death has been released upon humankind in the form of cold, snow, ice, power disconnect notices and the reemergence of people who have forgotten how to drive. If winter itself doesn't kill you, one of these asshats will.  You hear it right before the creature comes for you, crawling through your window, leaving behind a trail of broken dreams, unrealized orgasm's, empty vials of what once contained the souls of your heroes and half ingested lines of 1970's era booger sugar.  Then it grabs you, with it's Trumplike tiny, cold dead hands.  Not by the pussy mind you, but by the taint as death knows neither male or female. You gasp from the fear and sudden cold, opening your mouth wide.  It is then that winter breaths into you and infects you with the dreaded hairy black tongue.   I'd rather be dead then be forced to endure this horror for another season, but even on the verge of death by sheer disgust of my geographical location and frozen wedding tackle, my natural instincts kick in and shoving something with some level of nutritional value becomes a real need.  Charcuterie and cheese.  Cheese warms my soul.  Cured meats satisfies beast within.  The Cheese Bar Nova has never there.  "Take me there" How is this possible.  The woman lives for charcuterie, cheese, wine, all of which the Cheese Bar has, and small circular frozen fruit.  She could fund NASA with the shear amount of cash she spends on grapes.  You think we should colonize Mars?  Take grapes away from her and you have your funding. You know what screw Mars. She needs those grapes.  Deep in the recesses of my mind, hidden in the few cells that remain unmolested from a once knee buckling addiction to working girls and blow, they whisper to me that her having grapes in her life might be the only thing that keeps her from killing me in my sleep.  God how I love this woman. The Cheese Bar sits on Ingersoll, a foodies Paradise where the choices are lined up like string warts running east to west or west to east depending on where you are coming from. Plenty of parking in the back if you can't find a spot on the street. We entered through the backdoor and the first thing I noticed was that the bar was full. This is a good sign unless you like to sit at the bar like we do for reasons I'll explain a little later.  The next thing I noticed was communal seating. I am not a fan of people in general.  I'll tolerate sitting next to someone on a plane but I will also make sure that they are the pocket New testament I pull out of my pocket.  A New testament or any "sacred scripture" is an almost sure fire small talk detterant. Your welcome. The third trying I noticed was that it was loud as shit in there.  My hearing 90% gone in my right ear and slowly disappearing in my left.  I blame it on way to many front row and on stage seats to Black Sabbath, Blue Oyster Cult, Rush and AC/DC concerts. I was in the music business a long long time ago and never embraced the concept of ear plugs like I was told to time and time again.  Communal seating means sitting across from Nova instead of her to my left so I can hear her.  It also means I will be forced to try to read her lips which I pretty much suck at.  Nova ordered the house wine and I stuck with water. Kinda a self imposed detox. I'm not a wine drinker but the smell alone was not good. Nova asked for a different wine which they gladly did without question. We kept eyeing our fellow table companions food and were trying to match it up with the menu. Our waitress, I wish I could remember her name because she was amazing, walked us through the menu and we decided on the Raclette Smorg, the Smoked Salmon Smorg, the Olive Tapenade Smorg, a meat and cheese tray and the mac and cheese with bacon which just looked to good to pass up. The meat and cheese tray arrived first. It was brought to us by the sous chef who took the time to describe, in detail to us what was on the board. By detail I mean its name and where it was sourced from. This level of personalized service is unheard of, especially considering how busy they were. The rest of our order arrived within minutes. I really wanted to be blown away by the food but the truth is I wasn't. It was good but it was just that. There wasn't anything that really set it apart. Again, the service was exceptional and the value for the amount of food we got was definitely skewed in our favor. I don't know what the x-factor is for the Cheese Bar and I know that my rating is not in line with the vast majority of others who have visited here, but in my mind, other then the exceptional service that they provide the food was average. read more

Cheese Bar - mac and cheese with bacon - Cheese Shops Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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