I couldn't imagine a trip home with a stop at Cheese Haven. The beer cheese, smoked meats, and - my favorite - beer cheese. Their butter cheese also is thoroughly amazing. Every holiday season I place a Cheese Haven order, which is a huge hit with my native Californian friends. Just goes to show that California cheese ain't all that. BTW, I'm in my mid-40s, and my mother remembers coming here with her parents as a child. This place has been serving up the good stuff for many moons now. read more

It's fun but make sure you go in with a sense of humor. Pros: This place has an AMAZING selection of cheese and local specialty items. Jams, wine, jams made out of wine... They even have homemade sodas for sale. Decent wine selection focusing mostly on local wines but have some other good ones thrown in the mix and their beer cooler is surprisingly diverse. Cons: Staff isn't the friendliest even under new ownership. I grew up in the area and the grumpiness of the original owner was legendary and was actually considered a big part of the Cheese Haven experience. Also, Candy can be a bit old. Beware of the salt water taffy! If you haven't been here in a while, the new owners have put in a lot of work and it shows! The place is much more open (no more bottle necking at the counter) and it seems a lot cleaner. I think they did well in getting rid of things that don't sell and bringing in delicious items that do. Sadly, they moved the samples behind the counter and clearly are not too happy about handing some out unless you look like you're a buyer. read more

http://www.cheesehaven.com/ While it ain't the Cheese Store of Beverly Hills, it IS just as much a tourist destination. The aged smoked cheddar is without compare and homemade mustard receives rave reviews across the tristate area. House-cured beeflinks and homemade lunch meats, plus a small bread selection make this a wonderful option for all your sandwich fixings whether you're heading to the Marblehead lighthouse for a picnic, Cedar Point for a day of coasters, or out on the boat for a long day of fishing. While they may not sell Golden Imperial Osetra caviar or truffle honey, their beer cheese is legendary and much more Ohio-authentic and pocketbook friendly. Good soups, samples of everything, a solid alcohol selection. One star off for somewhat high prices, but definitely worth a touristy-stop if you're in town. read more

I really wanted to like this place more - it's called Cheese Haven for goodness sake! They did have a whole lot of cheese, I will say that much. I was expecting some more samples - being able to try a $13 block of cheese I am not familiar with makes me much more inclined to purchase it. They had several soft cheese spreads out to sample with crackers as well as a hard salami. I thought these were all great so I would have liked to try some more, as many of their products were pricier and I would not want to buy it on a whim. I would describe the decor as " Rural Ohio Kitsch" - I liked it. If you are looking for a unique gift to bring someone back from Port Clinton this place would be your best bet. read more

The sign says it all - "125 kinds of cheese. Fresh and smoked meats. Delicatessen Department. Candy. Baked Goods." Needless to say Hubby and Dad love the cheese. I love the smoked meats. The candy would make any kid drool and everything is good!! Huge variety and some unique finds as well. read more

Amazing cheese selection! Highly recommend the smoked cheddar, our favorite! Will stock up next time we're in the area.

Don't knock it til you've tried it. It is a must-visit before spending a few days on the island of Put-In-Bay. Stock up on food fellow vegetarians - cause there isn't much too choose from when you've locked yourself onto the island. Plenty of beer & wine to choose from as well - the staff is very helpful and friendly - very willing to assist with re-sizing the cheese wheels they'v got for sale into more manageable hunks. read more

I have been by this place a couple of times, and always thought it was "cheesy" (see what I did there?) Anyway, after an incredibly disappointing stay on PIB, I figured lets see if we can make this worse...This place is FANTASTIC! They have a huge selection of cheese, and meats with samples to try but also they have a nice selection of wines and old nostalgic candies. The people are very friendly and knowledgeable about the different types of meat and cheeses and the service is great. I think this is a must stop by place if you are in the area. For people with small children, I should mention, the hot sauce area has some brands that use some strong expletives to describe how hot they are so you might want to keep the kiddos away from that section (they would be busy in the candy section anyway.) read more

Fell in love with Canadian Ice Wine from this place! I remember stopping in here one last time before I hit the road and was browsing the local wine. One of the gentlemen behind the counter was kind enough to explain how ice wine was made and I was hooked. I HAD to buy it! I'll never forget that, because when I think of Ice Wine I always think of the Cheese Haven. I'm definitely a tourist, a Camp Perry tourist to be exact and I look forward to stopping in here for some smoked Gouda and jerky to get me through the matches. This is a definitely a good place to stock up on some gourmet snacks for those LONG days on the firing line. read more

Some if the most unique cheeses you can find. The staff knows what they are talking about and they also have a solid meat selection, wines, and candy. Every time I'm up here I make a trip to cheese heaven mandatory. read more

Driving from Cinci to Put-In-Bay, my bf and I decided to stop at Cheese Haven, as he remembered it being really cool when he was there 10 or 15 years ago. He described to me the large wheels of cheese he remembered in the store, the aroma of aged cheese - I was excited to see such a place. We got to the store and saw the sign for over 125 kinds of cheese, and again I was stoked! Then we went inside... This place is very much like a convenience store. There is a row of coolers with packaged cheese blocks and spreads and curds. Not sure that there's 125 different kinds, didn't seem like it. There's lots of sodas, lots of wine, lots of candy. Nothing like what my bf remembered, and frankly nothing to write home about. Bought some aged cheddar and some beef sticks; haven't tried them yet. But will not likely return as there's not much draw. read more

If you can't find the cheese you like here your not looking hard enough. This local shop has gotten very busy at times . Lines can be bad, but it's worth it. The kids love the barrels of bulk candies. Like the name suggests, they have everything. Prices are good, cheese isn't cheap. The service ranges from great to poor, so go when they're slow. You'll get better service. Hands down the best selection in the area ! read more

Pretty neat shop with a variety of things. Lots of cheese for sure, and prices are reasonable. They could offer more selection of samples, I don't know too many people that will blind buy $10+ cheese. It's worth visiting if you are in the area, But if you are going for just the cheese, consider instead visiting Heini's or Guggisberg in Millersburg. read more

Very disappointed, we have traveled hours out of our way multiple times to try this place and is closed every time!

I love the products in here but not the employees. I seriously don't know how you can stay in business with such a bad demeanor. If you don't like people, hire someone that enjoys their customers. read more

We will not be back here. The cheese was over rated and way overpriced. I can get some of the same cheese from our local Amish market for less than half the price. There was a very rude employee there as well. A customer asked if they had an item and her response was "I don't know. You will just have to look." This was after I asked if they had a restroom for our 6 year old and she told me no, to go to Subway across the street. A place that large with no public restroom? Hole in the wall gas stations offer that for crying out loud. The second time I heard the employee be rude, I sat my items I was going to purchase down and walked out. I wasn't giving them a dime. read more

I don't have a lot to go on, but what I have stinks. My family was visiting the area, and I had an hour to kill and a need for cheese. I was thriled when I saw their billboard. 7 miles to a large selection of cheese. With my wife's wine and cheese party coming up, it seemed meant to be. 21 miles later and fuming, I found out I arrived too early to buy cheese. If I wanted to buy, I was going to have to wait four MONTHS Normally I would have thought it would have been nice if the seasonal hours were mentioned, but the misdirection of the mileage convinced me this us not a company that gives a shit about their customers. read more

Yummy. Get some cheese and smoked meats and olives then get some fruit and you have a picnic for Put in Bay. I am too from the era of the really nasty guy yelling at people over the counter but he passed and is not longer there so I under stand the post traumatic stress that Habby experienced. Get the 17 or 18 year old cheddar. Yes, it is expensive but delicious. Very rich. I cannot come out of this place without spending at least $75.00. Oh, also, try their sodas. Their ROOTBEER is amazing! I get some extra and put it in my son't stocking at Christmas. Cheese haven sells their own version of Rootbeer and it is DELICIOUS read more

Yeah.....NO. Living close to Jungle Jims and having Heini's as our all time favorite cheese store, there is just NO comparison. No samples=no fun. Their prices are not great. There was no one else in the store,it was boring and bland. Won't bother again. read more

I guess having a Cheese Haven makes sense with all the wineries in the area. Stock up and take a wine tour. Go to ohiowines.org to map your trip and have fun! read more

The sign says "125+ kinds of cheese," but it's almost all processed cheese. It's all either shrink wrapped or in plastic tubs. There were a few real cheeses, but less than you would find in a quality grocery store. I think you could run through the Monty Python "Cheese Shop" routine, and they would only have cheddar, and it is processed. read more

This place is ok, as long as you don't already know what the many different kinds of cheeses they sell taste like. There are no samples except for spread cheese. They have meats but only samples for 2 kinds. There are signs all over the place about only taking one sample per person. There are signs everywhere to tell you to do this or that, it really makes it seem like you can't sample or touch anything. The cashier stands there and says "I can ring you up" over and over again when nobody is in line, making it painfully obvious that they are just trying to get you in and out. Honestly most of the stuff they sell is pretty generic. At least they take credit cards. read more

Great selection of wines, cheese etc. however , the check out process is crazy and needs to changed. The woman who handled my purchases was rude and with no customer service skills at all. I will not go back. read more

Good cheese selection, but the the worlds famous bbq ribs and the 125 cheese sandwiches no longer exist because they closed their shop but no signs indicating that it was closed. Despite the big signs on the building indicating that they have them, disappointing. read more

My family once frequented this cheese shop annually on vacations to Lake Erie/Port Clinton. It had been several years since our last trip but this year we returned and Cheese Haven remains a fromage lover's paradise. The cheese selection is tremendous. They also have an extensive selection of cased meats, mustards, jellies, jams, wines, candy, fudge, and interesting pops/sodas. That said, the cheese is the main event. It is kind of expensive, but worth it. One drawback is that they don't have as many samples as they used to. I'd imagine that's a money saver, but it makes it more difficult to comfortably select THE cheese for you. Bottom line - worth the trip. read more

I'm so excited that this weekend is Memorial Day. First stop in Port Clinton...Cheesehaven. I absolutely love to come in here and try the different cheeses. We always leave with the Horseradish Cheddar and crackers. read more

Back again today. The three year old cheddar is awesome, as is the ghost pepper spread. Also: they are open on Tuesdays in summer. Ignore what your phone is telling you about that. read more

Wow! You want cheese? They got cheese. They also have a variety of smoked fish, jams, deli meats and candies. We came home with smoked trout, smoked horseradish cheddar cheese and homemade mustard. We'll go back. read more

The cheese here is impeccable. My dad was born and raised in Oak Harbor and had recently been spending some time up there. He had been RAVING about this place and bringing home the Swiss almond spread with their delicious buttery crackers. I finally had the opportunity to go there and man was he right. I walked away with about $50 worth of cheese and I have enjoyed it so much. If you are as big of a sharp cheddar fan as I am, I HIGHLY recommend the 9 year old one. I'm about half way done with it and already trying to scheme how I can order another one. Great place! read more

We picked up some cheeses that we absolutely wonderful. The 17 year old cheddar is so smooth and rich with flavor. The Ghost pepper cheese spread will knock you out, but it is so good. We bought a small block of the chocolate cheese - I wish we had bought more! read more

The service was extremely friendly and they are willing to give you samples of just about everything. Prices are also pretty fair in my opinion for the quality of what we received. Smoked Salmon was great, the 18yr cheddar and 2yr Gouda was awesome. ****BEER CHEESE**** I bought some of this based on the reviews here on yelp. Thank goodness I love stinky cheese as my wife thinks it smells like sour feet. Me personally, I loved the flavor, but even I think the smell may not be pleasing to all. Just want to add this disclosure to anyone looking to go. Should I be up in the Sandusky & Port Clinton area again, I will definitely come back. I will probably order from them on-line some time soon as well. read more

The cheeses are are great but don't ask the employees for help or questions they have the worst customer service and attitudes every

Great service, amazing cheese selection, candy, wine, and cured meats. Every cheese was amazing! They let you sample most cheeses when asked and even have different samples out for everyone to taste. The "smokies" are incredible, extremely fresh with a delightful flavor. Must try the fresh bread! read more

What an overrated little shop this is,,,,The staff are very unfriendly and they act like they are doing shoppers a favor by them gracing our presence. The cheese is highly over priced, to the point of being robbery. Yes they do have all types and kinds of cheese, but you diffently pay for it. And to top it off, after driving 3 hours to get there, a bathroom would have been nice..Staff were very adament and stuborn in not letting anyone use the restroom. That was the reason we left, without buying anything. Will not go back ! read more

Amazing! I have not found better cheese anywhere! I am now a cheese snob because I will not eat any cheese that is not from the Haven. The fresh meats are wonderful. Always great service and I love the people who work there. They ship to me where ever I move. read more

What a disappointment! Having traveled for several hours, I needed a restroom before I could direct all my attention to cheese. I asked for one and the girl just glared and shook her head. Fine. No bathroom. For a place called Cheese Haven that brags about their vast selection, they lack. Sure they have lots of cheddar aged at varying amounts. And they have other processed cheese. But thats about it. As a lover of stinky blue cheeses, of pungent brie, and of strong goat cheeses, I was sorely disappointed. The samples of swiss and cheddar I had were mediocre at best. Hungry, I tried ordered a sandwich. It took ten minutes for the countergirl to stop yapping and help us. The same girl from before, annoyed, asked what I wanted in one word questions. Bread? Sauce? Meat? There was no list to choose from. I was supposed to instinctively know what the options were. What is worse is that, despite selling 125 kinds of cheese they only offer Swiss on the sandwiches! I paid $4.25 for regular wheat bread with generic turkey and swiss with mayo. No lettuce. No tomato. No nothing. Upset, feeling ripped off and still hungry, we went next door to Subway. read more

Very disappointed. Poor selection. One sample per customer . Go to Grandpa's Cheese Barn, great selection , great customer service

I was excited to see cheese Haven when I visited the area. I love all different sorts of cheeses and enjoy tasting new ones. I stopped here late afternoon and outside it did not look like they had a lot of traffic. However inside the place was packed. It made it hard to even move around and see what was available. It looked like half of the store was dedicated to alcohol. And the other half of the store was dedicated to candy. There was a line that was 12 deep waiting to be checked out. I saw at least two or three other cashier stands with no one there. I did see some of the Cheese's however they were blocked by the checkout line. So I never actually was able to shop for what the place is named after. After being highly frustrated I turned and left without buying anything. The people that were parked next to me did the exact same thing. Well it's great to offer hundreds of cheeses and selections of meats if nobody can see them to buy them you will lose customers. It's not worth returning to see if they had anything worth buying. read more

I don't understand how or why anyone could complain about this place unless you hate cheese or don't have any money to spend or expect to eat lunch on free samples. They DO have samples of their different cheeses and cheese spreads. And they are awesome. I live in Cincinnati 10 minutes from Jungle Jims and it is just different. Cheese Haven is a specialty shop and actually make their own cheese, meats, fudge, candy, smoked food, butter, etc.. They are small family owned place. Their prices are a little on the high side, but the quality is amazing. The staff can be short with customers sometimes if you are a pain and asking stupid questions (is that cheese any good?) or wanting to sample everything in the store. It gets busy on weekends with all of the tourists. I love their smoked cheeses, beef smokes, and jerky. It's all amazing and handmade. read more

This place is a classic. I have been going for over 30 years and the old guy behind the counter used to be really mean and nasty. He would tell peoplel not to kiss in front of the cheese, don't touch the cheese etc. he has been nice the last couple of years though. Don't come in here without expecting to put down over 50 dollars. We get some cheese, crackers etc and then go to Put In Bay--go the winery and sit in the garden and drink and eat. It just doesn't get any better than that. read more