Baumgartner Cheese Store

Get yourself a cheese sandwich, chili, and a beer and you wont be disappointed. Also, remember that they take cards but only accept cash tips!

Very cool, nostalgic place. The staff was awesome! We brought an entire hockey team there. They were so patient and courteous to our loud group. Loved it!

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.

Friendly staff. Quick service. Hot soup with excellent variety. A bit pricey, but it is the heart and soul of Monroe. Only one complaint… if you have a tattoo sleeve, do Not reach your arm in front of me. It is dirty looking and ruins my appetite. Wear a long sleeved shirt.

This place is awesome sauce. We were just traveling through and decided to stop because of other people’s reviews on Unilocal.Service was excellent, friendly and attentive. Food rocked! We loved the atmosphere, we recommend this place to anyone coming anywhere near it.
thanks Unilocal

Nice staff. A historical landmark.
I was surprised they don’t make grilled cheese sandwiches!!! All that cheese & bread & not grill??? Smh but some people love it! Yesterday I ordered a cheese plate, chili, a brat, & a 4 layer horchata chocate tart!
TO GO ORDER LOL so far I’ve are the brat, half the chili, a few bites of the cheesecake, & a half slice of the cheese.
There’s no wifi & my internet wasn’t connecting, so I’m late with this review

Not a fan of this place. All the hot sandwiches are microwaved. The beer selection is mediocre. The place is not very clean. Could probably give this a third chance but not sure.

We go for the Limburger sandwich any time we’re within fifty miles of Monroe.
Lots of onion slices, mustard. on their good rye bread.
Craft beer on tap.
Great afternoon!

Not my type of place. Deli turkey (very salty) on store bought rye bread and nothing else, lucky I asked for melted cheese. Fun atmosphere good service. Poor poor food.

This afternoon on the way home from New Glarus, our cell phone navigation conked out right as we were approaching Monroe. We decided to head into town and grab some lunch while we got the nav back up and running. We stumbled on Baumgartner’s and I’m so glad we did! The service was seriously the best I’ve had anywhere — everyone working there seemed to be just plain happy to provide a great experience. I had a cup of turkey noodle soup that reminded me of my mom’s Thanksgiving leftover turkey soup. It was so good I almost wished I’d gotten a bowl instead, but then I wouldn’t have had room for the delicious smoked brat I followed it up with. I’m not a mustard fan, but my husband added some of their house blend to a bite of my brat and was so impressed he bought a jar to bring home. Next time we have a reason to be in Monroe, we’ll definitely be back to Baumgartner’s.

Terrific bar good chili beer and sandwiches. Take some cheese home you won’t regret it.

My husband and I ate there last week. It’s really a culinary surprise. We need to go more often!

Cool little stop for us out-​of-​towners. Saw this place on the food channel or something like that for their famous limburger sandwich. Thank god I tried a sample first… that was the worst thing I have ever put in my mouth. Might be good for some, but no. I opted for the italian beef… the bomb!!! The cheese sandwiches are just that… cheese and bread, no big deal. Bloody Mary’s were awful as well. My daughter had the chili, she said it was the best she ever had, she didn’t leave me a bite, so I believe her. Fun touristy spot

In Monroe on business and wanted to hit up a local place to grab some local grub. Hit up Unilocal and saw this place had good reviews. Bellied up to the bar and ordered a grilled cheddar sandwich and a bowl of chili with onions. Sandwich was decent… I would’ve expected more cheese on a grilled cheese purchased at a cheese store… but hey. The chili was fantastic. Seriously just get a massive bowl of it. The call it the second best chili but idk… it was pretty great. Lightly sweet style. Yum…
Service was good. My fellow dinners to my left n right were friendly… it’s a good time.
I’d go again.

This place is a hallmark of the Monroe community. It was great to see people throwing down a few beverages on a weekday afternoon. The place was buzzing and the service was excellent.
We came merely to try out one of the cheese sandwiches. I tried the brick on rye, and that’s exactly what it is, a huge slab of cheese on rye bread. My kids were astonished, but when you had that fresh stone ground mustard, it really takes a cheese sandwich to a whole different level. We also had the garden Vegi soup which was also good.
Overall, this place has a great atmosphere and excellent service. If you want a beer in the middle of the day and some damn good cheese sandwiches, this is the place to be.

Wednesday is rib night. Go there. As soon as you can. Seriously. They are the best ribs I’ve ever had. I randomly discovered their mastery of ribs last year. (I mean, it’s not what I was expecting from the menu online.) I was ecstatic when I realized I was going to be in town for rib night again! I’ve got to find a way to get back to Monroe on another Wednesday night!

Attentive and friendly service and one of a kind sandwiches, made for a pretty pleasant experience. For a unique experience and to support a great cause, be sure to ask the guys behind the bar about the money on the ceiling.
I braved the Limburger and was not disappointed. The cheese soup was also superb.

Visited Baumgartner’s following the Minhas Brewery tour. I was buzzed and hungry for a cheese sandwich! We went early afternoon on a Saturday so there was quite a crowd (had to wait about 10 minutes for a table), but it was worth the wait! The atmosphere is great — I thoroughly enjoyed sitting at a long table in the back with some strangers. It felt so Euro!
When in Monroe, you’ve gotta have the Limburger. It’s definitely not for everyone and it absolutely reeks like stinky feet and really bad B.O. I have a love for stinky cheese but I have never tried anything as foul as Limburger. They know how to do it here — Delicious rye bread, a nice chunk of Limburger and some red onions on top. They even serve it with an Andes mint and boy will you need it after!

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.

Disclaimer: I heart cheese.
After taking a tour of the local brewery, we decided that we should take a trek to a local cheese and sandwich shop. The locals admittedly said it was touristy, but also said that they personally enjoy their treats. I wanted cheese, meat, more cheese, and maybe a beer. We ordered a cheese and salami plate, I ordered the corned beef on their signature rye, and a bowl if their «2^nd best chili» (because mom’s is best they say). This stuff was great, EXACTLY what I was expecting. I knew it would be a meaty/​cheese filled cold cut with a simple chili side. With that in mind, it was all done to perfection.
The atmosphere is fun, community tables encouraged– we had done great dining partners!