I am SO sorry to write this but Saturday night was so disappointing... we went to enjoy some wine/snacks and unfortunately WE had a terrible time. There was a guy in the bar who was screaming periodically. He was so drunk that he almost fell over into Some people sitting at tables on his way to the bathroom! Hey, it is ok to have some fun but this was over the top... HE was out of control... one gentleman nervously knocked over his drink at the counter. I will not go back when management cannot handle a bad customer who made it very uncomfortable for many.... 2/2/19 read more

I was so excited to see the Cheese Shop expanding! Finally got around to trying the new place and it did not disappoint. A friend and I split a grilled cheese and a smorg (open faced sandwich on thick sourdough). Beef & bleu smorg - corned beef, pickled red onion, hook's bleu cheese, and parsley ($12) - SO GOOD! The cheese wasn't overwhelmingly stinky and relatively easy to eat for an open-faced sandwich Gruyere 1655 grilled cheese - gruyere 1655, caramelized onions ($10), add some spicy tomato dip for $2 with all grilled cheeses (trust me ) - perfectly toasted and super filling We also shared a side of their signature cast iron mac & cheese ($5). A must-try if you've never had it at the OG place. Also noticed they formalized a catering menu. Lots of options for a variety of events and price ranges. Great place for a date if you want to share a cheese and charcuterie board with some solid wine selections or a nice place for a quick affordable lunch. read more

I was anticipating the opening of the Cheese Bar. It was very good and there were a few changes from the Cheese Shop. They have several beers on tap which is totally different than the Cheese Shop plus they changed the fondue recipe. The fondue was a bit of a surprise as I was expecting one thing and got something totally different. It wasn't bad just different. I do however wish they would serve both kinds of fondue for the patrons who are fondue purists. I will be back with a group next time vs just one other person do we can try even more if the yummy foods on the menu... This should be on your must do list! One of Des Moines finest local eats!!! read more

This place was so good! Staff was very friendly and attentive. Drinks were very unique and fresh. The food was so good! I got the bacon and blue grilled cheeses and it was something like I've never had before. Love the atmosphere! Definitely will go back. Wine on tap!!!! read more

Bring your lactaid pills, close your eyes, and pick anything on the menu. If you like heavy, savory sandwiches, this place is it. Also have had their cheese curds. I hate cheese curds. Theirs is good enough I find it tolerable. read more

Stopped here for a Friday lunch. Beyond good or great because it is amazing! Had the house Rosè and my husband had a Kolsch beer. Our food was so tasty! Shared a blue cheese salad, Jay had the perfect grilled cheese sandwich. It was exquisitely grilled with rivulets of melted cheese. I had the turkey brie. All well presented. Sorry, so delicious we forgot the photos. read more

Omg I love the cheese bar. It's like everything I loved about the Cheese Shop without everything I disliked about the Cheese Shop. There's a great beer selection, original mixed drinks, and everything I've tried on the menu was great. The exception to that was the fondu. Not impressed with the fondu but everything else was great. They'll also explain everything on the cheese board, which I appreciate. They're very knowledgeable and do a good job of using locally sourced foods which I like. read more

I was blindly taken here by my boyfriend on a night out on the town to celebrate. When we pulled up I was excited to see my two favorite things.. CHEESE and a BAR. So of course what's not to love about it? The restaurant is very open with shared tables which help to compliment the dining experience of being at a "bar." They have a full bar with reasonably priced bottle selections. The service was friendly, quick,and helpful. And as for the food... I was contemplating licking my macaroni skillet... but I figured I'd save face since I'll be a regular now. PS. Try the cheese curds. They are easily the best curds in town. read more

We've been excited for this to open ever since first announced! They have the most delicious food on Des Moines made with real and high quality ingredients. It's the way food should be! We got a couple toasties (hot cheese sandwiches) and their rotating cheese plate. Also a great place to get amazing high quality craft beer not found elsewhere in Des Moines! read more

I love this place and always try to come back when I'm in the DSM area! The cheese board is always phenomenal and the cocktail menu is unique and always has something to please. The bartenders/wait staff always seem knowledgeable about the offerings and are friendly and attentive. I've never had a bad experience here. read more

Great food and sincerely below average service. Every time I come the bartenders are standing around, even eating and drinking at the bar as I wait with empty glasses, barely able to order any food. Makes it so difficult to want to come back! I know LOTS of people that don't come here because they don't want really bad service. Get it together guys and pay attention to your guests! read more

Hung out at the host stand for about 5 min before anyone arrived. Only one bar tender so drinks took some time although they were good. Short on servers as well. Tomato soup was not good and Luke warm border line cold ( tasted like baby food). Bottom line this place needs to step up there service and food game big time. My neck hurt by the end of the night because I had to look for service so often in the hopes that eye contact would help get something done read more

It hurts to write this review as I'm a huge fan of The Cheese Shop. But my neck could use a nice massage from looking for our server during our 2 hour visit. Food was fine; but the service was SLOW. Took forever to order; took forever to get our wine after we ordered; took forever to get the extra pickles that we originally ordered; took forever for our server to check on us to order more wine; took forever to get our check; took forever to process one credit card. It was just a miss on the customer service side. The place was packed; I would be so pumped if I was working in one of THE most popular places in the city. But he seemed indifferent and not very enthusiastic. We ordered the Mac n cheese and cheese/ meat board to share. The food runner had much more personality as he explained the cheese and meat selections. Mac n cheese was good, not amazing. Cheese/meat board was delicious, as expected. But the service did not match the cool, busy vibe. The place gets loud; so if you're looking for quiet conversations, it may not be the best place. I'm glad to see a busy place on Ingersoll; however, I'd rather wait for a spot at the original location in 42nd. read more

I was driving down Ingersoll and seen this sign from god... It said "The Cheese Bar" so I almost caused an accident turning around so I could check out this amazingly titled place. Myself and my pre-husband walk in and it brought a tear to both of our eyes. This place is a slice of heaven. When you walk in it is rustic and new in the same breath. We get seated. We are watching people around us dive in to the most amazing looking good I have seen in a long time. We surf the menu and decide on a meat and cheese board. It was $35.00 and worth so much more. The staff was so knowledgeable, it made trying new things so comfortable. The staff was also super polite and professional. The server actually remembered waiting on us at the cheese store. (Same owners) they actually go to cheese school... I would highly recommend this place as a MUST VISIT! read more

The cheese curds are a must have along with the grilled cheese with moray sauce! Easy parking behind building. Oh and the root beer is sooo good read more

This is based of the Gruyere grilled cheese I got. HOLY CRAP! Soooo good. I knocked off a star because it was so ridiculously loud.

Neat little place. We went on a Friday evening. Just big tables which means sitting next to strangers; takes some getting used to but fine. Great charcuterie board and at a reasonable price. Also got an open cheese sandwich which was just ok. Gotta go at least once : ) read more

The food and service is phenomenal, I love the cheese plates and the toastees. My only sort of complaint is the seating. I don't prefer to sit next strangers while out with my husband or friends mostly because I'm shy. It's not the worst and definitely doesn't stop me from going, but I would love it if individual tables were an option. read more

This is certainly a restaurant that worships cheese. It's great to try something new, and maybe see a cheese you've never had before. The sandwiches, especially the muffuletta, are a high point here. The only misstep I've seen here, very unfortunately, is the raclette. I tried the summer seasonal with melted raclette over grilled veggies, but as the veggies and plate were cold, the melted cheese quickly congealed. The real heartbreaker was the traditional raclette board (melted raclette over fried potatoes with ham). Raclette cheese is at its best while melted and gooey, so the other ingredients just exist to provide structure to your cheese meal. This raclette spent so long under the broiler all the oil separated out, and the only visible sign of the cheese was the croute. Why still 5 stars? Because the servers have made any problem right. The variety and love of the product stands out. Can't wait to try the fondue next! read more

This is the sister restaurant to The Cheese shop. This location has a way more space. Way bigger menu. Way better in general. Awesome service. Love the new location. Also fondue​ everyday. The fondue at this location includes meatballs, bread, potato and tiny pickles. Also try the quince spread and the fig jam. No regrets. Come early this place gets busy fast. read more

This is my new favorite place in Des Moines. Warning: it's filling. You may think you need more than a grilled cheese sandwich but I assure you that you do not. I've shared an extra side with friends and most were good but kind of pricey. I tried the Mac and cheese and was underwhelmed. But. The grilled cheese sandwiches are life changing. Seriously. read more

This is not fast food, it is a dining experience. Plan to spend at least an hour or two. The menu has been carefully put together for diners to savor flavors. I had been searching for a real muffuletta sandwich, and Cheese Bar delivered. It had balanced ingredients, and it made for a delicious meal. Another person in our group ordered the famed mac and cheese and loved it. Our group also chose the fondue to share. Each of the items on the platter for dunking in the cheese presented different flavor experiences, and they were all very good. Fondue is fun! The knowledgeable server suggested wine pairings that our group enjoyed with their meals. Our service was efficient considering the full dining room and patio. We will be back. read more

I had such high hopes for this place and unfortunately, it was just "okay" for me. Started with a Charcuterie Board, expecting a selection of meats and cheeses; however, we received a board with multiple terrines and spreads. The waitress described them, and I'll be honest, the one called "blood loaf", ruined any chance of me trying it. So that's on me, for ordering wrong. Rhwre was no hiding the disappointment in our faces. Willing to just accept it, our waitress was fantastic and shared that many expect something different as well when ordering that said item. She was extremely accommodating and brought out another board. It was a selection of "safer" less adventurous cured meats. Perfect for us. I ordered the infamous cast iron Mac and cheese and it was such a bummer. Where was the cheese?! My friend ordered the Royal Grilled cheese and she too was underwhelmed. Was also not a fan of the communal seating. All and all, cute space and I would return for happy hour drinks as they had a great selection of wines and craft beers and possibly attempt a cheese plate. Very appreciative of our lovely server! read more

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So cheesy, so good. Easily the best Cubano in town, not that there's much competition, but still! Beer selection is also excellent, and makes it worth the trip alone. read more

This is my favorite place to grab drinks. Their house wine is always good. And if you want a light dinner grabbing a meat and cheese place is the best. All their stuff is super fresh and the staff knows a ton about their food! read more

One of my favorites in Des Moines. I honestly haven't ordered anything I have not liked. The staff is great as well! I recommend The Champ or the Cuban. The Mac n Cheese is delicious although it's so rich that I only ever get it as a side. read more

We can in for lunch and got a little of everything. We ordered the grilled cheese, the cheese curds, mac and cheese and a cheese board. The cheese board was my favorite. We let them pick the pairings for us and they did not disappoint. The cheeses they selected for us were very good. The meats were great. And the 2 spreads were tasty. I enjoyed the prosciutto and the cheese they served from France were my favorite. We will definitely come back and try out some different boards. read more

My husband and I went on a Friday Night around 7pm. With this being their newest location and Art Fest on the same weekend, we knew there was going to be a wait. Surprisingly for the 2 of us we only waited 20 minutes to be seated. We got seated at the bar, which thankfully on a crowded night wasn't open seating. (They also have family style seating everywhere else in the restaurant.) My husband got the La Queria Grilled Cheese and a side of Preserved Lemon Salad. I got the Spanish Grilled Cheese, and a side of mac and cheese. Everything we had was fantastic and came out of the kitchen pretty fast. Unlike the Cheese Shop, they had a ton of beer taps with some different beers you may not find at other Des Moines bars, as well as 1 case of bottle beer you can choose from as well. read more

I ordered the raclette and also tried some of the mac and cheese. The food was delicious! The service was great but there was quite a bit of a wait for our food because they were so busy. Only thing not enjoyable was the temperature-it was so hot in the building. I will definitely be back to try a grilled cheese. read more

We learned that this is the "restaurant" location for its sister location The Cheese Shop, so we had to check it out! Seems to be first come, first serve seating with mostly communal-style benches. Plenty of seats, and I think this could work well for large groups. It was St Patrick's Day, so they had a chalkboard full of specials. I tried an Irish Cold Brew that was a surprisingly tasty blend of whiskey and coffee with a cute St Patty's stamp. The rest of our group ordered from the extensive craft/imported beer selection. As for food-- EAT HERE!! Prices are a little high, but everything we tried was delicious. They have a huge menu with grilled cheeses, sandwiches, salads, mac and cheese, soups, and charcuterie options. I'm assuming they also have daily specials besides just St. Patrick's Day. Our service was a little slow even when they weren't too busy. Our water was never refilled, and we had to track someone down to pay our bill. Even so, I can't wait to come back and try a meat/cheese plate (and probably another grilled cheese). read more

Cheese Bar - 12oz sour beer and Irish Cold Brew - Cheese Shops Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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The only cheese bar that doesn't have a list of there cheeses Half the items on the platter were salt, and the pairing of champagne was supposed to compliment the cheese items. One of the three cheeses actually had flavor, the other two tasted like pasteurized skim milk. The recommended pairing of champagne arrived to the table without me hearing the actual wine pairing. I ordered something a different wine, which paired with the cheeses instead of the recommended pairing for the salted items. I'll leave the restaurant with one question: have you considered fresh fruit with your platters? I won't return. read more

Great cheesy options, terrific wine and beer options, and a pleasant atmosphere make the Cheese Bar a classic. The charcuterie, fondue, and various melts are so well thought out and perfectly executed. Also, everything is very filling. I just wish there were more meat options for entrees. Plan to wait a few minutes for a table, because everyone else wants to eat here, too. You can't go wrong at the Cheese Bar. read more

Amazing food, and good beer. The Bacon and blue sandwich is the best grilled cheese I have ever had. The cheese curds are also a must. Delicious. Great place for a good bite. read more

Unique beer, wine and cheese restaurant. It's nice to always see something new on the menu every time that we i

Soooo this this a super awesome place.... except it's freaking loud. Love the smorgasbord platter! Live the cotes du Rhône... wife loved her grilled cheese. Nice beer selection... super place, come here now. Andy the bar tender was great! read more

My boyfriend and I were very excited about the Cheese Bar, as we always love a good charcuterie board. We first ordered the fondue, which was served overcooked, with sausage like a ballpark frank hotdog. After being completely unsatisfied, we decided to order a meat and cheese board. For the price paid, we were extremely underwhelmed. I am more than convinced I could have made a board twice the size/half the price going to Aldi's. Overall, I would not recommend the Cheese Bar if you are looking for good food. The aesthetic was nice overall... but if you are okay spending $50 on tasteless food, this might be your go-to. I had high hopes for the Cheese Bar... Which makes writing this review so sad. read more

Great new restaurant! Very different from other places! Will need to return to try new things. Great food and great drinks. All sorts of cheese if you want to try new things or just stick with Mac and cheese if you wanna stay in your comfort zone. Both are great. read more

Okay, so the deal is, you're going to have to wait. BUT that's a good thing because the food is fab. They wouldn't have opened up a newer location if it wasn't. The waiting situation is kinda goofy because it's family style, but it's all good. I went with a friend and we got a bottle of wine, the tomato sauce (blanking on the name) and some bread to dip in it. Uh yeah. Divine. Then we got the medium sized smorg board because we were overly eager for cheese. It was quite the commitment. I'd recommend going with the smaller one if it's just you and a pal, but everything was so good. I couldn't even tell you what I ate because I just wanted to shove meat and cheese in my mouth, but it was awesome. Can't wait to go back and eat a sandwich or the mac and cheese! read more

Was anxious to try this place but was severely disappointed. Had the cheese board which the cheeses were good but the accompaniments that came with it were just ok - the apple jelly tasted like apple pie moonshine, a bit too many cloves. A fig jam would of been much better. Some grapes or olives with it would of evened out the palette a little and a mixture of bread and an assortment of crackers would of been nice. It didn't compare to ROCA's cheese plate for me. The salad was said to be the best anywhere - lemon preserve salad was just a salad, nothing to write home about. And then there was the Mac n Cheese which I was so excited to try, unfortunately all the cheese must of shriveled up and died before it was served because it was lacking any creamy goodness, hard noodles and hard crusty mixture. I didn't give up hope I tried the chocolate mousse ... I should of known better,, worst dessert I have had in a long time. The mousse was almost frozen it was gritty and thick like ice cream and it had some sauce on it that was all thyme - very overpowering. The setting is nice, the waitress was good and the location is great but if your craving anything other then cheese on a cheese plate don't venture out here. read more

Always a wonderful selection of wines and cheeses, a great ambiance and lovely staff.