Marin French Cheese Company
Marin French Cheese Company
Marin French Cheese Company
4.5
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
216 reviews
Excellent
119
Very good
75
Average
18
Poor
3
Terrible
1
MinooTravels
Hercules, CA187 contributions
Jan 2021
Stopped here to pick up some brie and lunch. Was very pleasantly surprised with their Reuben sandwich. Very tasty and was served with salad. Large portion and nicely boxed. Currently, the picnic table seating is off limits due to COVID but it's just a few miles to Pt. Reyes National Seashore's beaches, which was our destination. So, had a great, lovely day at the beach, along with their boxed lunch. The staff was super friendly and helpful.
Written 20 January 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.
Jeana P
Raleigh751 contributions
Sept 2021 • Couples
The bucolic setting on the outside is at odds with the austere tourist trap souvenir offerings on the inside. There weren’t a whole lot of customers on the day we were there but the staff was running around like Chicken Littles, huffing and puffing and in too much of a hurry going nowhere to stop and answer questions effectively. We did buy some cheese just so we could have a code to open the bathroom doors. We enjoyed sitting at a Picnic table to relax - the weather was perfect.
Written 27 September 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.
Hitcher84
Eureka, CA1,433 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
Stopped here for lunch and to pick up some cheese for a cheese plate. Tasting is free and they had about six to eight cheese to taste when we visited. Besides their cheese, which are mostly Bree style cheeses, they have Laura Chenel cheeses, which are goat cheeses. Marin French are widely available, but they have cheeses you can only get at their shop. The Ash cheese was wonderfully creamy. They also sell baguettes and other local products. It is a nice setting for a picnic. Their deli has come grab and go sandwiches and salads, as well as some hot sandwiches. I would not go just for the dining, but it is a decent snack. Good spot if you are wanting to taste some cheese in the area.
Written 3 July 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.
John O’Neil
Leopold, Australia10 contributions
Feb 2022 • Couples
Great shopping experience. We dropped in while returning from Sonoma to San Fran. The staff were EXTREMELY friendly, helpful and offered suggestions on the best way to serve the cheeses. This stop is well worth a visit.
Written 25 February 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.
jnlinca2go
Vacaville, CA4 contributions
Jan 2019 • Family
Visited on a birthday drive through the countryside. This is the oldest cheese making company in the country. Delicious cheese tasting, and we hit a great sale, so left with 6 small wheels of their fabulous Double Brie. A great spot in a beautiful part of Sonoma/Marin Counties.
Written 7 February 2019
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.
PhantomPhlyer
Hercules, CA110 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
OK, first things first. This is a wonderful place to visit. So, you ask, why did I give them only two stars? I'll get into that in a minute.
Many times my wife and I have stopped at the MFCC to get a sandwich to eat when we go to the beach. When the beach is fogged in, we just stay there and picnic. It's got a cool pond with picnic tables at various places around it. The staff is friendly and helpful, and overall it's a fun place to go to picnic and relax.
Inside, they've got a wonderful selection of foodstuffs, wine, and of course, cheese. And not just their cheese. One of our favorites, Point Reyes Cheese's Toma, is there.
But something happened on our visit today that really made me upset. They have a sandwich bar that has two kinds of offerings: pre-made sandwiches which are in the cooler along with chilled drinks, and the ones they make on the spot, which are heated sort of like paninis.
I looked at the sandwiches in their cooler, and they looked like they always did. But we ordered two of the warm ones: the turkey, and the ham-and-cheese.
They put them in a paper box, so we didn't actually see the sandwiches until we got to our table. And then, the hammer fell.
The sandwiches were almost nonexistent. When I first opened the box, I thought, "Where's the sandwich?"
Instead of being on a fairly large ciabatta or similar roll, they were on a small, tough split baguette. There was very little meat inside them, and I mean like one layer of meat. Think of one slice and you'll get the idea. A little cheese, a smattering of dressing, some tiny sliced pickles on the side (on mine), and that was it. It was like half the sandwich we used to get there, for the same price. Can you say, 'shrinkflation?'
However, on the good side (I guess), they gave a lot more side salad. And each sandwich cost $13. So for $26, we got a minuscule excuse for a sandwich and a lot of greens. To say it was not worth it is being too kind.
So take this as a warning. If you're going there and want to buy food to eat there, here's a tip. If you come through San Marin (Novato) as we did, there's a Harvest Market that makes wonderful sandwiches for $8.99 ($9.99 for specialty sandwiches). They're really good, and you can save yourself some of your hard-earned cash. It's only about a five-minute drive from the MFCC, so even if you get the warm ones, they'll still be warm when you get there.
Again, the MFCC has great cheeses and a lot of locally-made foodstuffs, so it's great to shop there. But my recommendation that you stay away from their sandwiches, unless you get the ready-made cold ones that you can see before you buy.
Many times my wife and I have stopped at the MFCC to get a sandwich to eat when we go to the beach. When the beach is fogged in, we just stay there and picnic. It's got a cool pond with picnic tables at various places around it. The staff is friendly and helpful, and overall it's a fun place to go to picnic and relax.
Inside, they've got a wonderful selection of foodstuffs, wine, and of course, cheese. And not just their cheese. One of our favorites, Point Reyes Cheese's Toma, is there.
But something happened on our visit today that really made me upset. They have a sandwich bar that has two kinds of offerings: pre-made sandwiches which are in the cooler along with chilled drinks, and the ones they make on the spot, which are heated sort of like paninis.
I looked at the sandwiches in their cooler, and they looked like they always did. But we ordered two of the warm ones: the turkey, and the ham-and-cheese.
They put them in a paper box, so we didn't actually see the sandwiches until we got to our table. And then, the hammer fell.
The sandwiches were almost nonexistent. When I first opened the box, I thought, "Where's the sandwich?"
Instead of being on a fairly large ciabatta or similar roll, they were on a small, tough split baguette. There was very little meat inside them, and I mean like one layer of meat. Think of one slice and you'll get the idea. A little cheese, a smattering of dressing, some tiny sliced pickles on the side (on mine), and that was it. It was like half the sandwich we used to get there, for the same price. Can you say, 'shrinkflation?'
However, on the good side (I guess), they gave a lot more side salad. And each sandwich cost $13. So for $26, we got a minuscule excuse for a sandwich and a lot of greens. To say it was not worth it is being too kind.
So take this as a warning. If you're going there and want to buy food to eat there, here's a tip. If you come through San Marin (Novato) as we did, there's a Harvest Market that makes wonderful sandwiches for $8.99 ($9.99 for specialty sandwiches). They're really good, and you can save yourself some of your hard-earned cash. It's only about a five-minute drive from the MFCC, so even if you get the warm ones, they'll still be warm when you get there.
Again, the MFCC has great cheeses and a lot of locally-made foodstuffs, so it's great to shop there. But my recommendation that you stay away from their sandwiches, unless you get the ready-made cold ones that you can see before you buy.
Written 31 August 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.
SilverLakeEcho
Los Angeles, CA5 contributions
Mar 2021 • Friends
The store name ("Marin French Cheese Co.") points to a sophisticated experience. The customer service dispels this illusion and reveals what this place is: a low-level tourist trap.
I visited together with a guest on Saturday 03/13 around noon and then on our way back around 4:45 PM. I talked to the manager during our second visit.
There are two buildings: the store and a separate pavilion for the toilets. The toilet doors have coded locks, which are an efficient way to restrict their use to paying customers—nothing out of line here.
The good part is that the management is very strict about Covid protocol.
The bad part is that the gatekeeper who keeps the number of in-store customers to the accepted level needs some serious training on exercising her freshly acquired powers. She is propped on a tall chair, facing an obedient and long line of masked customers waiting alongside the store's entry ramp. The gatekeeper cuts quite an impressive figure with an Instagram-able, freshly colored hairstyle and an autocratic demeanor, a bit at odds with her young age.
The line was long, and I was very pressed to use the toilet. I asked the gatekeeper if I could have the toilet door codes assuring her I intend to come back and visit the store afterward. She answered with a hint of irony that the toilet door codes are on the receipt I get after making a purchase. I pointed to the long line and the urgency of the situation, and I reiterated my intention to buy the piece of French cheese that would grant me the privilege of using their toilet. The gatekeeper frowned and said sternly: "This is store policy." After that, to my incredulous eyes and ears, she turned to the people in line and told them: "Don't worry, you get to use the toilet."
I pondered the situation for a second and decided to avoid making a scene. The store was on our way back from Point Reyes, and I decided to talk to the manager just before the closing time when the customer numbers decreased. Dolores (the manager) was very defensive, kept mentioning that she never had any customer service complaints in her 20 years of employment. She agreed to talk to the employee assigned to manage the customers' entry.
All in all, she was tone-deaf about the reason why I insisted on meeting her.
Maybe this explanation will allow her to understand:
Selling French cheese while surrounded by the sublime landscape of West Marin doesn't necessarily make you the lord of the land. You should strive to live up to the privilege of working in such a pleasant environment and train your employees to be polite, courteous, and friendly. They should have a basic understanding of a delicate situation. If they don't, the owner will save money replacing them with a mechanical turnstile or a vending machine with the same if not better results. I hope this note gets the proper reception and improves a store that lucked up such a fantastic location. If not, it will continue to break the spell of a perfect Northern California landscape.
I visited together with a guest on Saturday 03/13 around noon and then on our way back around 4:45 PM. I talked to the manager during our second visit.
There are two buildings: the store and a separate pavilion for the toilets. The toilet doors have coded locks, which are an efficient way to restrict their use to paying customers—nothing out of line here.
The good part is that the management is very strict about Covid protocol.
The bad part is that the gatekeeper who keeps the number of in-store customers to the accepted level needs some serious training on exercising her freshly acquired powers. She is propped on a tall chair, facing an obedient and long line of masked customers waiting alongside the store's entry ramp. The gatekeeper cuts quite an impressive figure with an Instagram-able, freshly colored hairstyle and an autocratic demeanor, a bit at odds with her young age.
The line was long, and I was very pressed to use the toilet. I asked the gatekeeper if I could have the toilet door codes assuring her I intend to come back and visit the store afterward. She answered with a hint of irony that the toilet door codes are on the receipt I get after making a purchase. I pointed to the long line and the urgency of the situation, and I reiterated my intention to buy the piece of French cheese that would grant me the privilege of using their toilet. The gatekeeper frowned and said sternly: "This is store policy." After that, to my incredulous eyes and ears, she turned to the people in line and told them: "Don't worry, you get to use the toilet."
I pondered the situation for a second and decided to avoid making a scene. The store was on our way back from Point Reyes, and I decided to talk to the manager just before the closing time when the customer numbers decreased. Dolores (the manager) was very defensive, kept mentioning that she never had any customer service complaints in her 20 years of employment. She agreed to talk to the employee assigned to manage the customers' entry.
All in all, she was tone-deaf about the reason why I insisted on meeting her.
Maybe this explanation will allow her to understand:
Selling French cheese while surrounded by the sublime landscape of West Marin doesn't necessarily make you the lord of the land. You should strive to live up to the privilege of working in such a pleasant environment and train your employees to be polite, courteous, and friendly. They should have a basic understanding of a delicate situation. If they don't, the owner will save money replacing them with a mechanical turnstile or a vending machine with the same if not better results. I hope this note gets the proper reception and improves a store that lucked up such a fantastic location. If not, it will continue to break the spell of a perfect Northern California landscape.
Written 16 March 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.
kvance28
18 contributions
Jun 2019 • Family
The cheese is wonderful and locally made. The location is beautiful. The staff is super helpful and welcoming. Will be back!!
Written 18 June 2019
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.
AndyandHelena123
Petaluma, CA12 contributions
Nov 2018 • Friends
Amazing experince! We cannot stress enough, how much fun & a zillion family memories we have had at Marin Cheese! We have enjoyed their fabulous cheeses & free pond picnic area over 60 years! We have tons of great memories with our families as kids....you can’t beat the country location, ability to purchase everything for your picnic, cheese, wine & local cheeses, French bread, soup, coffee, local oils, canning & gifts. We have brought all of our families & friends, plus our friends from other countries to the most “ idyllic location” in the Bay Area! My father always brought us there when we visited him in Novato from out of state 45 years ago.... our 11 kids & their families always want to go there first when they visit us in Petaluma! Don’t forget to get extra for gifts for Christmas, hostess gifts & your everyday food needs! Don’t miss your chance to go on the factory tours as well! Honestly it’s our favorite place go to on a lazy day or weekend for lunch with the ducks on the pond ! Don’t miss it & the beautiful 10 min. drive from town! Maybe we’ll see you there!
Written 13 February 2019
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.
Jbloodworth
World587 contributions
Mar 2019 • Friends
On way to Point Reyes found this little gem and stopped! This is part of the Cheese Trail in California and they have a small deli inside free cheese tasting, cute little souvenirs and a beautiful outside picnic area! So glad we stopped!
Written 17 March 2019
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.
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