Tillamook Cheese Factory

Visit Tillamook Cheese factory every year when we pass through while on vacation. Place was swamped at 5 pm on a Monday. We were there for one thing. The Smoked Peppercorn Jack cheese. Love this stuff… great on toasted sourdough. Anyway… we asked one of the staff if they had any end cut packages. At the moment he didn’t think there was any availabe. A few minutes later a man in a white Tillamook coat came out (Nathan the cheese guy) and said … Yes… I have some in the back! Woot!!! So happy we we not going to leave empty handed. :) Thank you Nathan!

I’ve been coming here since I was a baby (so over 30 years) and it has changed so much.
THE FACTORY TOUR: You used to be able to see them actually «stirring» the cheese, or the whey I guess, in the open vats, which was my favorite part as a kid. Now it seems they’ve moved those into the large, enclosed machines. I’m sure it’s more sanitary but… that was my favorite part as a kid. It’s still cool to see the packing and sorting side operating though. SO NOW the «factory tour» is a lot of video displays and infographic walls. No one reads or listens to that stuff.
SHOPPING: You can buy the cast offs, or end cuts that didn’t make the final cheese blocks, at a good price. I always come home with a few unique flavors (hello Garlic White Cheddar) that I don’t normally find at my home grocer. I do love the fun Tillamook souvenirs unique Oregon items. I was born and raised in this town but I’m such a fan girl tourist. There are TWO places to shop — the touristy Oregon gift shop you pass when you walk in which does have a few Tillamook specific items, and the Tillamook-​centric mini grocery store/​souvenir shop you walk into after the tour and cheese tasting. I love that you can pretty much buy any Tillamook product here.
EATING: Let’s face it. This is what you really come here to do. When I was a kid, the ice cream was the main draw. And it’s still bomb. All the amazing flavors! But now there is also a café with grilled cheese sandwiches and some other proper food stuffs for the hungry traveler. It’s all good!
So yeah, it can get real busy on the weekends and the lines can be long but they move fast. I just love coming here every time I take a trip back home.

The ice cream — yes and more yes. My
First visit I got the coffee almond fudge in a sugar come, which I expected to have an almond flavor and fudge. The texture of the nuts was more like walnuts and there was no almond flavor to speak of, and very little fudge. But if you like coffee like I do then it was still a solid choice.
But the next visit I got the marionberry pie in a waffle cone and that was a showstopper. I don’t know why I would ever try another flavor.
The one time I ate food there I got the Tillamooker with tomato, and tots. It was good but it was nothing more than I might make at home (if I had better cheese than Kraft singles). I will try the Mac and cheese next time in I’m the area.

This place was so much fun! I heard about it about three years ago and I have been itching to come here since. It was everything I expected AND MORE!
Although it is a little out of the way from Portland (about 2 hours+ with traffic), I thought it was definitely worth it. There isn’t much to see around in the area aside from some crabbing docks but this factory is more than enough to spend at least two hours.
First of all, you walk in and you’re blown away with all the fun stuff all around. Right up in front is their ice cream booth where you can order three scoops of ice cream for about $ 5. You can sample flavors too if they aren’t too busy. I had the blueberry ice cream. I shared with my husband and it was more than enough. In fact, we had to throw away some because we were so full. On the right is their savory section where they sell grilled cheese and so much other goodness. We ordered the bacon cheese tater tots. They were really cheesy and pretty good. I wouldn’t say they were all that great. The cheese on top actually was a bit disappointing since it was like this nacho type cheese but wasn’t buttery or creamy. The flavor was a bit off.
We first walked through both stores. The store on the right sells cheese and an assortment of other food item whereas the one on the left has Tillamook merchandise like t shirts and sweaters. The food store on the right is pretty fun to walk around where you can get different types of cheese, chocolate milk, candies, and other diary products. Before walking in, there is a sampling area where you can try a selection of their cheeses. I really liked the curd and also the garlic something. It was pretty delicious.
After going to the stores, we went to the second floor where we got to witness their factory in action. Factory workers were busy packing and QAing the cheese that was being prepared to be shipped. It was fun to watch the automated process. Also, you can read their posters where they provide a short history of how the cheese industry got started.
All in all, we had so much fun. Loved coming here. Would love to come back again.

They have plenty of parking (even for RV’s), Liked being able to take the self-​tour. The ice cream shoppe was a bonus — huge portions.

This is a really cool place to visit. The cheese manufacturing area was fascinating. We bought a ton of cheese for a really good price. End and scrap pieces are sold for next to nothing and they have the same awesome flavor as the more expensive packaged cheeses. The ice cream is popular, but we were not impressed. Stick with the cheeses.

My family and I went on a Monday, so I guess it wasn’t as busy as it would be on a weekend. This was a place my family and I wanted to go to for a long time. We were very excited to visit. When we got there it looked like it was extremely packed, but when we walked in, it wasn’t so bad. There are 5 lines you can get in. The self-​guided tour, the one for ice cream, the store, the fudge, and the café. We were coming from clamming, so we were starving and went straight to the café. You can go to the self-​tour tour, get cheese samples, exit into the store, order fudge, order a meal, and then after your meal, get some ice cream. It was all well organized with signs.
The café offers breakfast from 8am to 11am and lunch goes until closing. I ordered the Philly cheesesteak and it was not satisfying, unfortunately. The tater tots, were great, but it’s hard to mess up tater tots. We also shared the waffle fries nacho. It was good. Nothing spectacular. I also realized they use the same cheese sauce for everything. It was good, but not something I’d go back for. Otherwise, food wise… it’s OK.
What you come here for is the tour and the ice cream. After the mediocre food, ice cream was what I was hoping would bring this trip to a full circle. It did not disappoint. The ice cream portions were huge… at least coming from CA, the portion was huge. I chose banana split and it was good, but I wished I had something chocolatey. Everyone else loved their flavors.
The tour was OK. You see the factory packaging their cheese and you read or watch videos of how they made the cheese. I wish I got to see the actual making process. It was also short and brought you straight to the store.
Overall, the trip is worth it if you have kids. The self-​guided tour can be skipped, but if you’re curious, it doesn’t hurt to take 10 minutes to walk through the tour. The ice cream line is where you should go straight to because the line could get long. However, if you’re indecisive like me, the long line gives you time to decide your flavor

DAIRY FOR EVERYONE! Seriously, who doesn’t love cheese and ice cream and fudge and probably many other delicious things I know nothing about? Sitting here writing this, I’m wishing I could go back for more cheese. Yum!
High points:
Dairy products galore
Bigfoot memorabilia
Self guided tour with samples
Tons of families with entertained children
Everything. I want to come here all the time.

Blessed are the cheesemakers, especially in Oregon! Tillamook Cheese is so ubiquitous even a «farm-​to-​table» mercantile in New England was excited about having it. Tillamook is famous for its versatile cheddar, but there’s more to them than that. They make a delicious low-​fat sour cream, and of course, their ice creams. Their ice cream flavors are distinctly Oregonian. They make a marvelous salted caramel/​hazelnut (I’m not a caramel fan, but the hazelnut seals the deal) as well as Marionberry pie… which certainly isn’t bland vanilla.
Tillamook is famous for its melty cheese, unsurprising because of the Tillamook Volcanics–
Maybe it would be full hipster if Tillamook made a «Tillamook Volcanics» Sriracha ice cream.
While their cheese (along with the factory) are OK, it’s their distinctly Pacific Northwest flavor that makes them special.

I would move in tomorrow if I could. I think I went through the cheese sample line about 5 times and just loaded up my hands full of cheese as I went. It was really cool to watch the packaging process through the glass. I realized I would never be allowed to work there because I’d be eating it all as it came through. I wonder if the people that work there actually hate cheese now?
I ordered a grilled cheese for lunch and a side of cheese sauce for my fries. It was delicious of course and I wanted three more. Then we had to try the ice cream of course and it was yummy. I think next time I need to fast for a few days before so I can eat even more cheese.

The family took a trip up the coast and one of the destinations was the Tillamook Cheese Factory.
I grew up in Oregon, so my preferred cheese is always Tillamook.
The tour is okay, but it is short. The best part is to partake in sampling the many different types of cheese they offer after the tour near the store.
The ice cream was pricey and not that impressive, but you do get to try a wide variety of ice creams.
If you are not from Oregon, just be cautious that the price of the cheese bought here is double from retail stores. So wait and before you head out of state, just stop buy a grocery store and pick it up for half the price.
The bus is fun to take a picture in and adds to the goofy pictures in the trip album.

The 600+ reviews indicate Tillamook Cheese Factory is undeniably an absolute must for a tourist. And considering it’s located in the boonies, everyone is considered a tourist!
There I was, lactose intolerant and exploring a cheese factory. Paradoxical, I know. BUT there was more to this cheese factory than, well, cheese. We immediately raced to the café for lunch as we were starving. I ordered the Bacon Tillamook Cheeseburger (no cheese, obviously) and a side salad. The burger was pretty good, really generous portion of bacon. The salad was kinda on the small side but also tasty. I loved that they weren’t chintzy with the veggies! My total was $ 10.50 so it is a bit pricey but that’s to be expected with touristy places like this.
After our meal we decided to check out the self-​guided tour of the factory. It’s always interesting to see the inner workings of how common household items are processed. Maybe that’s just me, I don’t know. At the end of the tour, you exit directly into a buffet line of cheese samples. Again, not something I enjoyed but the rest of my party loved it. Following the samples is a vast assortment of food products available for purchase, it was almost like a cute little market.
And what kind of touristy place would this be without a souvenir shop? If souvenirs are your thing, you will be happy to know Tillamook Cheese Factory has not one but TWO souvenir shops. I bounced back and forth between the two looking for a good souvenir for my mom who I’m fairly certain is Tillamook Cheese’s biggest fan. There were some cool items but again, they can be a bit pricey.
We concluded our visit with the ice cream counter. There were so many different flavors and options! My brother got one of the sampler options with a few different flavors. While I’m not much of a fan of ice cream, I felt left out of the fun so I ordered a cone with White Chocolate Raspberry Yum. It was delicious! My favorite part of the factory has to be the Baby Loaf photo op. Overall, it was an enjoyable experience. It’s definitely something you should check out at least once!

How do you visit Tillamook and not visit the Cheese Factory? It’s impossible, unless you live here. Yes, it’s a tourist trap. Yes, it’s crowded. Yes, it’s wonderful and worth being pushed through the free cheese line like a herd of cows.
Most people don’t take the time to do the free, self paced, walking tour of the cheese process to packaging. It’s a great little diversion from all the cheese samples, souvenier buying, and ice cream tasting that will occur naturally on your way out.
Some of our friends stopped to have a grilled cheese and tomato soup lunch, which I highly recommend. The grilled cheese was made to perfection and the tomato bisque was delicious.
This a must stop if you are passing by. Don’t be terrified by the ice cream line, it moves more than quickly and worth the wait.

*****THIS IS A TWO OR MORE HOUR SPOT MAKE SURE TO MAKE TIME*******
Tillamook is such a beautiful town. Nestled in the Oregon coast is a honest to good dairy factory. Everything and anything about the Tillamook brand is heartwarming and inspirational. They do such a fantastic job keeping traditions alive. There really should be more companies like Tillamook.
The factory tour was informational. It is packed with so many details about Tillamook and it’s journey. From beginning to end you should really pay attention. I learned so much! At the end of the factory tour you are greeted with cheese samples. I opted out because I’m afraid of germs.
The café, fudge, and ice cream kiosks were also delightful. We tried almost everything on the menu. The traditional grilled cheese and cheese curds were to die for. It’s so rich and crispy!
The gift and cheese shop was also fun. The gift shop had everything from stamps, lactaid pills, and trinkets. I recommend sending a post card to a love one. I really can’t wait to visit again.

This place rocks! You can get samples of many cheeses for free, ice cream, and cheese burgers!
It’s all things Tillamook cheese. Watch how it is made, shop in their gift shop, and enjoy a snack along the way.
My first time since living in Oregon and i will definitely be back.

I thought this was an incredible experience.
We went here as our first stop on the way to Cannon Beach from the Portland area — and I am SO glad we came. As someone who steers away from dairy, I HAD to try everything. The indigestion was so worth it.
This place is PACKED. Over 1 million people visit this place a year… We Americans just love our cheese and ice cream.
This building is hard to miss. Big parking lot. FREE self-​guided tour… But as I mention in a lot of my reviews, NOTHING is free in life. You will be spending a pretty penny on a bag of cheese curds or a nice big cone of their to-​die-​for ice cream. I had the cinnamon horchata and I thought I needed to sit down somewhere from all the serotonin bursting out of me.

Cheese, cheese, and more cheese! Who doesn’t love cheese?!
This place always brings back memories from when I was a kid. I love coming here for the tours, samples, gift shop and fun.
They are open for self guided tours. Which is fun. There’s lots to learn from all of the pictures and informational blurbs on the wall as you walk around. There’s also lots of fun photo opportunities as well. You can go upstairs to an observation deck to watch the plant and packaging happening.
Once that is over, they have a gift shop with touristy stuff, and Tillamook Cheese Factory items. I have an adorable pair of salt and pepper shakers I bought a few years ago. Then there’s unlimited samples of great cheese. I’ve tried several that I never would have bought if I hadn’t tried them beforehand.
I use almost exclusively, Tillamook cheese in my house, so I love the opportunity to visit here and spend a fun day with my husband.
It’s kind of out in the middle of nowhere, it seems like. But it’s totally worth the drive. There is a place called the Blue Heron nearby, which we always stop at as well. It’s just fun. I’ve been coming here since I was a kid and always come back every year or two, to enjoy the old memories of being here with my parents, and to make new memories with my husband.

Free cheese samples, ice cream, and the gift shop! 3 things that have this review 3 stars, otherwise this factory was lack luster. It’s tiny, not much to see… Though we did spend quite a lot of our time trying to figure it why the workers kept throwing away so many bricks of cheese!!! Maybe for the sample? Lol!
The gift shop sells all the cheese they produce, however I went to Winco and found the same cheese for $ 2 cheaper. Boo! Cafeteria was slow, took about 30mins for a grilled cheese, which was bland! I was expecting amazing cheesy goodness, but nope. The ice cream is the star of the building. The waffle cones!!! Yum yum yum. So if you come, don’t expect too much, save room for ice cream, and save your money for the overpriced cheese!

The phrase «it’s a small a world» does actually have some semblance of truth to it. I am a firm believer in it, and I tell you what– some of the places I have met people I would never have thought I would ever see again in my lifetime… I think just for saying that I will get to experience even more unexpected encounters down the road.
One of my former bosses who I worked with in Denver got transferred to Portland, OR. I enjoyed his company, and his family’s company. It sucked that they had moved, but it was for the best. Honestly, I would have never thought I would run into him or his family again.
It was New Year’s, and I got a call from him. He enticed me with going crabbing on the coast of Oregon. I have never done it before (and holy hell do I enjoy eating crabs), and I thought it would be a great experience to catch up with him. I told him give me a few hours. I didn’t realize that drive would have taken more than 12 hours and 700 miles from where I was staying.
It was kind of hard to understand him, but kept saying (poor cell reception) something about a cheese factory, and hearing «mook» come out of his mouth. I figured, I am always down for cheese. But what was it it!!! And then, I pulled over, and did some research. Holy shit, he was talking about the dairy motherland, Tillamook! Only where the best cheddar that goes on burgers comes from! I went from «excited to see him» to «overdrive, get there ASAP!»
The funny thing is, after finally getting there, I didn’t expect this place to be as big as it was. I thought it was one of those small places that just received national attention for being so damn good. I thought the only thing they did was make cheese… I sure was wrong!
After finally arriving, I was just glad to see familiar faces in a completely unfamiliar territory. It was too late to go crabbing, but I at least got to visit this place and see bossman. He told me it is only about a 90 minute drive from where he lives, and he ventures there quite frequently (lucky).
We stood in line for the free cheese samples, and realized this place was pretty busy. After trying the different types of cheeses, I saw they had a full blown store of dry goods, merchandise, cheese, and ICE CREAM. Nobody told me about the ICE CREAM! I mean, this was like a whole new ball game! So, after stocking up on cheese blocks and fudge from the store, I ventured over to the next long line– the ice creamery.
It was like Baskin Robbins, but only better. The prices were great too. I ended up getting a 3 scoop cone of s’mores. They kept laughing at me like I was going to spill it, so my question was, «why sell something that would make such a mess?» So, as I got it, I told them to put it in a cup upside down. No mess was made (thankfully).
The ice cream was fantastic, some of the better stuff I have ever had. And for the price, I couldn’t believe it. I mean those 3 scoops were definitely larger than a half pint, and it wasn’t even $ 6– including a cone! Chocolate ice cream is typically the last flavor I get (as s’mores here they use that as the base) — and I still wolfed it.
Getting to see familiar faces in a place I would never think I would ever get to visit, this was truly a five star experience. Oh yea, the blocks of cheese were a great snack for the drive home…
Because this place is so popular, they have plenty of parking places and a nice place to get relaxed. They have restrooms here too and plenty of food options around in the immediate area if you want something else other than dairy to dine on…
Not to be missed!

¿Quieres queso? Well get your cheesy ass in here. I first visited in the late 90’s and always wanted to take my JL here, if we were ever in the area. Well the planets aligned and we partook in everything the factory had to offer.
Visited during NYE day and it was still crazy crowded. Even though there were only a few people manning the processing factory, it was still a sight to behold. We ordered a Tillamook Supreme (grilled cheese, bacon, tomatoes), vegetarian ravioli soup, Tillamook Bacon Cheeseburger, salad, and waffle nacho fries. Yeah, the burger was a bit dry and the waffle fries could’ve used more of a kick, but no big deal, since we were in cheese factory heaven.
Take the self-​guided tour, sample their wares (the habanero, swiss, and curds were beyond), and buy lots of merch. Yeah, the service was a bit slow, but it was crowded. Plus, this place makes for many a great photo op. Be sure to bring a cooler in your car to stash all of that cheesy goodness. Moooooooo!

I had a great time at the cheese factory, probably because we visited on a Wednesday and it wasn’t that busy. We took our time peering through the windows upstairs, watching the workers slice and package the cheese blocks. It was mesmerizing and kind of intense in a very organized, methodical way.
We didn’t have to wait to sample the cheese downstairs and I definitely enjoyed the vintage sharp cheddar and garlic pepper cheese the most. One thing that confuses me is the labeling on their special reserve and vintage sharp cheddars. Some are aged 2 years, some are aged 3 years, and some are aged 9 months. Some aren’t labeled with the age at all. I kinda wish it was clearer because I was looking for the oldest cheddar for the best crumbly, sharp flavor.
We couldn’t leave without eating some of their ice cream, so we decided to have ice cream for lunch. I got a waffle cone with a scoop of Tillamook mudslide, a chocolate ice cream with chocolate fudge swirled in. Their waffle cones aren’t your tradition kind — they’re thick and more cake-​like. The experience is more like eating a waffle than a waffle cone. I really enjoyed it.
I really wanted to try one of their grilled cheese sandwiches, but there was no room in the tummy. I’ll have to save that for my next trip out there.