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Cheese Haven
Categories: Food Specialty Food Cheese Shops Restaurants Delis Cheese Shops, Delis [Edit]
2920 E Harbor RdPort Clinton, OH 43452
(419) 734-2611
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Alcohol:
- No
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
13 reviews for Cheese Haven
13 reviews in English
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Review from Jen L.
9/10/2011
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. -
Review from Habby H.
10/17/2011 5 photos
One of my earliest childhood memories took place in Cheesehaven.
It was a dark and stormy night...
We stopped into Cheesehaven to escape the storm. There wasn't anyone in the store except my dad, mom and I. I was playing with my little stuffed orange tiger over by some large barrels. I can't remember if we bought anything. As we got in the car to leave, I screamed. I had left my little orange tiger in the store. So we ran back in. The tiger was GONE :( My dad asked the clerk if he saw my stuffed animal. He angrily replied "no!". My dad was like, it HAS to be here, we were the only ones in here. The guy was being a dick. My dad accused him of stealing my tiger. Voices rose, threats were made. I was like "holy crap!". I was probably 3 or 4. I started crying. My dad almost got into a fist fight. I was forever scarred.
Later in life, whenever I was in Sandusky and we passed by a colossal CHEESEHAVEN sign, I would gaze at it with pure disdain. Remembering that horror-filled night.
As time went on, however, I had to laugh at the huge obnoxious brown and yellow billboards... "CHEESEHAVEN - 5 MILES", "BEEF LOGS - THIS WAY", etc...
Then, it became an obsession...
The campiness and sheer ridiculousness of all the road signs, pointing one in the direction of the biggest tourist traps and biggest non-events in Sandusky. If you were from out of town, you would think Cheesehaven was the biggest thing since sliced bread. That is was some orgasm-inducing experience. A MUST SEE OR YOUR LIFE IS MEANINGLESS kind of place. Second only to the Taj Mahal.
I HAD TO GO BACK.
My sister shares my obsession. We hate Put in Bay so much that we filmed a mockumentary a few years ago. We made sure to include Cheesehaven in our short, reinacting that terrible night when I lost tiger. It brought me closure. It made me almost pee my pants with laughter. It clarified my life.
What does all of this have to do with my Cheesehaven review?
NOTHING... but it's a good story, huh?
Here's what I think of Cheesehaven. And I won't even take into consideration that decades ago, some A-Hole stole my tiger or their marketing genius thought it would be a good idea to make Cheesehaven seem like one of the seven wonders of the world with all of the nauseous signage.
Cheesehaven is overrated. Their cheese selection blows. It's mostly different kinds of cheddar. The dried meats are greasy and over-priced. The candy sucks. It's all that tasteless uninteresting Amish crap like suckers and waxy chocolate.
On a positive note, they DO have 5 different kinds of Mad Dog. If you are an alcoholic and homeless, THIS IS THE PLACE FOR YOU.Listed in: Places I love to hate
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Review from Jim R.
Detroit, MI
2/25/2011
I need only a few things to get through life.
Sunday crosswords by Merl Reagle, a coney from Detroit once in a while, Vernors and cheese.
You will always find cheese in my refrigerator. To say I like cheese is an understatement. I LOVE CHEESE.
Cheese Haven is my version of Mecca. Since I used to hang my hat in the Glass City, I could be spotted at Cheese Haven on most Sunday Mornings, that is after a long night behind the wheel of my cab. Yes, I am that serious about cheese.
You can count on one hand the number of Cleveland Sunday papers available in Toledo on any given day. Being that I was an obsessive type without access to the internet, driving to PC was the only sure way to score a Plain Dealer and the puzzle within without too much trouble.
While on one of these quests, I discovered Cheese Haven.
My initial reaction was OMG. Cheese. Beef. Cheese. CHEESE. Ok, I'm nuts. You have to be to live in Toledo as long as I did. I scored a few pounds of their 2 yr old apple cheddar. I loved it and regretted that I didn't buy more. This next part is going to sound gross. On one of my raids, I happened to score some really gnarly 4 year old cheddar, wrapped in a protective plastic sheath. I parked it in the cold box and left it there for 3 years. While cleaning it out (at the request of the Lucas county health dept,) not really, I came across this little gem. Not wanting to be a cheapskate, I called the cheese dude and asked him if my cheese had turned into a science experiment.
He told me that my 4 yr old cheddar was now 7 yr old cheddar, and I should remove the plastic and enjoy with a good wine. He also told me that the rule of cheese is this. Hard cheese, scrape off the mold and enjoy. Soft cheese, terminate it with extreme prejudice.
On your next trip to Cedar Pointe, eschew the turnpike, and take SR 2. Don't pass, and dont speed. and when you reach SR 53, take the north bound exit and drive until you meet up with SR 163. On the corner will be Mecca sans the kabbah and the minarets. But trust in this. You will be at the center of the cheese world.
One last thing.... Mice don't like cheese. If they did, Cheese Haven would be in serious trouble. Very serious trouble.Listed in: The Best of the Best., Ohio food
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Review from Catherine M.
LONG IS CITY, NY
5/30/2011
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. -
Review from Tina W.
Sandusky, OH
4/12/2011
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. -
Review from Rob S.
7/23/2010
When I was a kid, I thought Cheese Haven was a grandma's paradise. (Grandma's paradise = boooooring.) All this place offers is cheese, beer, wine, beef jerky, and fancy snacks. Now that I'm an adult, it dawns on me that these are the only things that bring meaning to my life.
Seriously, this place alone is worth the trip to this lovely and charming section of the country. Make it part of a day trip or something during the summer, and you won't be disappointed. I personally drop a hellacious amount of money here towards cheese alone, money that would probably be better served going to my wardrobe or 14-year-old car or something. -
Review from K. A. R.
Clovis, CA
3/11/2009
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. -
Review from Kiarash Z.
Lima, OH
2/4/2009
I went to Cheese Haven expecting to be wowed by a unique cheese I could take home and share with friends, like a European explorer returning with silks and spices of the East. Instead, I came home with a decent smoked cheese and some homemade mustard. Nothing amazing.
Also, I thought there would be sandwiches or dishes using some of the ingredients sold by Port Clinton. Not so much. Just ribs.
The clerk did help me try several cheeses and threw a free Cheese Haven pen into my bag. That was nice. I wouldn't go out of my way to return, but it wasn't a complete waste of time. -
Review from Michael U.
Dublin, OH
5/20/2008
http://www.cheesehaven.../
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. -
Review from Meredith M.
Columbus, OH
5/22/2008
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.
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Review from Ashley M.
Ferndale, MI
11/13/2009 3 photos
YES!! YES!!! YES!!! Amazing!! How did I live this long never knowing that such a place existed. I spotted this shop on a billboard while driving home from cedar point. I gasped and got off on the exit immediatly. They had a huge selection of aged cheeses, meats, candy, and local wines. I picked up some aged smoked swiss, a big block of dill havarti (my fav), and a couple bottles of wine that were made locally on lake erie. The employees were a ll super friendly and helpful, great service. And the prices were not to bad at all. I can't wait to make my next stop at Cheese Haven!!
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Review from Alex R.
Columbus, OH
8/29/2009
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. -
Review from Brent S.
Maumee, OH
8/21/2010
I can't imagine a summer without stopping at Cheese Haven on our way home from one of the Lake Erie Islands or Marblehead. I'm a huge fan of the smoked cheddar, smoked horseradish cheese, and the 18 yr old cheddar. I always make sure I have a cooler in the car with me so I can bring back some cheese to Toledo. The best part about their cheese (aside from the taste) is that the cheese doesn't expire... I'm actually going there today and I cant wait!
