Mars Cheese Castle
Mars Cheese Castle
4
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
About
Mars Cheese Castle is a family owned Wisconsin staple and grown tour attraction situated on I-94 between Milwaukee and Chicago. It is a castle that houses many departments including a specialty market offering more than 700 cheeses, wines and specialty items from Wisconsin and around the world, an in house bakery featuring desserts, kringles and breads (famous for its cheese and jalapeno cheese bread) baked daily, a restaurant popular for its many generously portioned cheese & meat sandwiches and featured burger and sandwiches of the month and a pub, well known for it's Wisconsin beers on tap and famous Bloody Mary (don't forget the beer chaser, a Wisconsin tradition!). Don't forget to pick up a souvenir in the gift shop on your way out!
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Full view
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience nearby attractions
The area
Address
Best nearby
Restaurants
6 within 3 miles
Attractions
11 within 6 miles
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
697 reviews
Excellent
287
Very good
261
Average
102
Poor
29
Terrible
18
slalemand
Auburn, ME439 contributions
Sep 2021
It could get 5 stars and probably should but CIVD did play a small in our visit and a small part in some of the services not being opened or serving. Of what we could do, see, feel touch, try out and all, it's a great stop of the "Tourist" in you.
Make no mistake, this IS a Tourist Trap, and I do NOT mean this in a bad way. There are tourist Traps all across the country, designed for folks who are traveling won't likely be back in the area again, but who want to get a flavor for the area. this is a Very Good Tourist Trap. Some one asked me once, "what do you mean "Tourist Trap"? ok, the best way to describe it for me is, It's NOT the place you are asked to go and get a quart of milk or loaf of bread (That's the local grocery store), but it is a great place to go and get interesting things from the region. As Tourist Traps / Stops go, this is a damn good one.
Cheeses, Wines, and bakery goods galore, and all really good. My wife really LOVED the fact that many of the wines (Hint, hint) had nice small sign explaining about the wine, what it is like, would go with, taste like, came from and more. While my wife likes to have a glass of wine occasionally, she knows very little about wines, just knows what she likes, but would like to know why as well as what to serve with different meals or guests come over.
Bakery was almost as big and fun to shop in, as was the crackers from around the world, and the many different honeys, jams and other treats.
Cheese selection isn't huge, I might say they have as much interesting meats, Jerky, Sausages and other meats as they do cheeses.
One thing that was starting to show up after a dozen or so stops so far in our trip, which the general lack of knowledge about the products they are offering. Now I'm sure this has a lot to do, with the lack of help (which is REAL bad across the country) and lack of good help. Now this no doubt is partly due to the pay scale and the fact that many folks - who are choosing to work instead of sitting on their butts at home (Good for you), these aren't the jobs they hope to have for long, or maybe they haven't been working in these places long, in any case.
Oh yeah, you'll stop when in the area, you'll be glad you did.
Make no mistake, this IS a Tourist Trap, and I do NOT mean this in a bad way. There are tourist Traps all across the country, designed for folks who are traveling won't likely be back in the area again, but who want to get a flavor for the area. this is a Very Good Tourist Trap. Some one asked me once, "what do you mean "Tourist Trap"? ok, the best way to describe it for me is, It's NOT the place you are asked to go and get a quart of milk or loaf of bread (That's the local grocery store), but it is a great place to go and get interesting things from the region. As Tourist Traps / Stops go, this is a damn good one.
Cheeses, Wines, and bakery goods galore, and all really good. My wife really LOVED the fact that many of the wines (Hint, hint) had nice small sign explaining about the wine, what it is like, would go with, taste like, came from and more. While my wife likes to have a glass of wine occasionally, she knows very little about wines, just knows what she likes, but would like to know why as well as what to serve with different meals or guests come over.
Bakery was almost as big and fun to shop in, as was the crackers from around the world, and the many different honeys, jams and other treats.
Cheese selection isn't huge, I might say they have as much interesting meats, Jerky, Sausages and other meats as they do cheeses.
One thing that was starting to show up after a dozen or so stops so far in our trip, which the general lack of knowledge about the products they are offering. Now I'm sure this has a lot to do, with the lack of help (which is REAL bad across the country) and lack of good help. Now this no doubt is partly due to the pay scale and the fact that many folks - who are choosing to work instead of sitting on their butts at home (Good for you), these aren't the jobs they hope to have for long, or maybe they haven't been working in these places long, in any case.
Oh yeah, you'll stop when in the area, you'll be glad you did.
Written October 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mrjonesii
Indianapolis, IN301 contributions
Oct 2022 • Couples
Heading to Milwaukee we had to visit a cheese factory or store of some sort. This is right off the highway. Not a big store which I was happy about because I didn’t want to feel overwhelmed. You can souvenir shop here. Two places to eat however I believe the cafe isn’t open every day. They sale Kringle which I’m not a fan. However I did like their pumpkin apple loaf! Yummy! After leaving here we went to the Civil War Museum which is like 20 mins away. You really can spend a day in the Kenosha area. We visited the castle on our way to Milwaukee and on our way returning home with some goods.😊
Written October 19, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cherylpd1
Delran, NJ355 contributions
Aug 2022
This touristy establishment called out to us in our travels so we had to visit of course. It kind of just looks like a supermarket inside, but there are lots of local items and cheese, as well as items from other states. We did not have the ability to store anything refrigerated so I hunted down some small items that I could easily transport home for myself and others. It was a fun stop that took us off the drive for a short time, but not one that's a must-see.
Written September 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aaron G
1 contribution
Mar 2023 • Couples
Ho hum yawn. Walked in there to eat lunch with my wife and found the bar was very small and barley any seating available and the only restaurant they have is a cheap sandwich shop with sandwiches and hotdogs .
Self serve.
They used to have a great restaurant back in the day but now it’s a tourist trap.
They do have a lot of good cheeses and wines though , along with the typical Wisconsin tourist junk like cheese head hats, key chains and coffee cups.
It was disappointing .
A lot of tourist hype for Illinoians to drool over.
Self serve.
They used to have a great restaurant back in the day but now it’s a tourist trap.
They do have a lot of good cheeses and wines though , along with the typical Wisconsin tourist junk like cheese head hats, key chains and coffee cups.
It was disappointing .
A lot of tourist hype for Illinoians to drool over.
Written March 13, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lizzy N
1 contribution
Jun 2022 • Family
We were excited to make our visit to the Mars Cheese Castle in Wisconsin, but was disappointed to find that the restaurant was closed. When we asked about it being closed, they told us to check the website and we explained there was no clarification on it being closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The manager came explained that if they put that on the website then they would get less business.
Written June 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Margie S
3 contributions
Jul 2021 • Couples
The bartenders and service is amazing. If you want cheese curds you better get them fresh. I ordered an order of fried cheese curds and after waiting 45 minutes I was told it would be another 45 minute wait. What kind of place makes you wait 1 1/2 hours for fried curds? Not in Wisconsin when it only takes 10 minutes to make.
Written July 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Angie R
Mount Pleasant, WI30 contributions
Feb 2020
Me and my family went to the Mars Cheese Castle this past weekend and it was FABULOUS! We went for the cheese but stayed for all the other surprises such as the wine selection (they have a whole room), the beer cave, the Cedar Crest ice cream, and the fudge counter. There's also SO much more; I will be going back to buy cute, WI, local products such as homemade jellies/jams, and witty shirts/hats. There's also a whole room of candy! We could have spent more than the hour there; there was so much to see and look at. So lucky to be so close to this special castle! The employees were also super friendly and helpful :)
Written February 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cdpd119
Albertville, AL173 contributions
Aug 2020
Nasty people. I wear a hard plastic face shield which covers my eyes, nose and mouth. I am not able to wear the tradition mask due to a medical condition, so I was denied entry. FURTHERMORE, N95 masks, scarves, bandanas, and most other face coverings are NOT allowed. They require people to wear either the fabric or cheap paper things. I am not sure of their motivation, but since it has been proven that shields are at least comparable to, and in many cases superior to those poorer choices, it seemed unreasonable. The man at the door (gatekeeper) had an attitude when I politely asked (because I had not had time to read all of the signs that were posted) I politely asked about medical situations. He got pretty nasty. NO worries. I am so thankful that I was not tempted to leave any of my hard earned money there. Wisconsin is full of cheese stores, and I will patronize the smaller, more customer friendly ones. I will not forget the way I was treated, even after the pandemic is over.
Written August 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
groupleader45212
Helena, MT1,249 contributions
Jul 2020 • Family
This is a great spot for a delicious and reasonably priced lunch. They say they make the best fried cheese curds in the world and they are right!!!!
Also knock out Mac and cheese, grilled cheese, nachos and home made soups. They have a ice cream bar, huge selection of Wisconsin cheeses, vast beer selection and a shop full of all thing Wisconsin. This is a must see ! ( and eat)
Unfortunately the pub is closed during Covid.
Great Covid precautions.. bring a madk
Also knock out Mac and cheese, grilled cheese, nachos and home made soups. They have a ice cream bar, huge selection of Wisconsin cheeses, vast beer selection and a shop full of all thing Wisconsin. This is a must see ! ( and eat)
Unfortunately the pub is closed during Covid.
Great Covid precautions.. bring a madk
Written July 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lisa B
Chicago, IL473 contributions
Jun 2020 • Family
The “castle” is a fun collection of rooms carrying a large variety of cheese (and related items), beer, wine, bakery goods, novelties and various Wisconsin tourist items. Be prepared to pay more here than elsewhere. A 6 pack of a popular Wisconsin beer brand (New Glarus) is $2 more here than every gas station nearby which also sells cheese curds, cheese and tourist trinkets. Go for fun but don’t stock up here unless you can afford it.
Written June 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
boendertwinm
Highlands Ranch, CO
Do you guys use flower in some of your cheeses? I have a gluten intolerance and I've recently have had a reaction. The only thing different in my diet has been cheese from your place that I recently bought while visiting. I'm really hoping you don't because I love your cheese!
culaugh2012
Tacoma, WA471 contributions
I have never seen flour in cheese...but I just visited there...I don't work there...I also have GF intolerance and had no reaction to any I tried or bought
Do they sell raclette cheese?
B. Gail W
Houston, Texas92 contributions
Sorry! unable to tell you! As the person above stated give them a call!!
Mars Cheese Castle (Kenosha) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go
Frequently Asked Questions about Mars Cheese Castle
- Mars Cheese Castle is open:
- Mon - Wed 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
- Thu - Sun 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
- Hotels near Mars Cheese Castle:
- (0.17 mi) Oasis Inn Kenosha
- (3.16 mi) Hampton Inn & Suites Kenosha
- (6.51 mi) Fairfield Inn & Suites Kenosha Pleasant Prairie
- (2.89 mi) Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Kenosha, WI
- (3.11 mi) Best Western Executive Inn
- Restaurants near Mars Cheese Castle:
- (0.23 mi) Subway
- (5.68 mi) Tenuta's
- (9.06 mi) Javier's Cuisine
- (4.26 mi) Apple Holler
- (6.73 mi) La Fogata Mexican Grill
- Attractions near Mars Cheese Castle:
- (6.24 mi) Boundless Adventures
- (4.74 mi) Petrifying Springs Park
- (7.41 mi) Civil War Museum
- (7.46 mi) Kenosha Public Museum
- (7.09 mi) Twenty Four VII Charters