New Milwaukee Cheese Curd Pass gets you deals — including free curds — at participating restaurants, bars

Hannah Kirby, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
·3 min read
In Ellsworth, Wisconsin, there is a cheese curd festival every June to celebrate the small village's designation as the Cheese Curd Capital of Wisconsin.

Attention cheese curd lovers: A "Milwaukee Cheese Curd Pass" now exists — you cheddar believe it.

On Wednesday, VISIT Milwaukee announced the launch of this new, free pass. So what exactly does it do? It gives deals on cheese curds at 19 — and soon to be more — area bars, restaurants and shops.

People can sign up for the pass, which is built for mobile devices, at visitmilwaukee.org/cheesepass. The passport will be delivered via text and email, and can be saved to a phone's home screen, according to the website.

When someone is visiting a participating venue, they can "check in" on the pass and redeem that business' offer by showing the pass to a staff member.

Participating businesses include:

  • AJ Bombers, 1247 N. Water St., Milwaukee

  • Black Sheep MKE, 216 S. 2nd St., Milwaukee

  • Bottle House 42, 1130 N. 9th St., Milwaukee

  • Clock Shadow Creamery, 138 W. Bruce St., Milwaukee

  • Dairyland Old-Fashioned Frozen Custard & Hamburgers, 275 W. Wisconsin Ave.

  • Lakefront Brewery, 1872 N. Commerce St., Milwaukee

  • Motor Bar and Restaurant, 401 W. Canal St., Milwaukee

  • Oak Barrel Public House, 1033 N. Doctor M.L.K. Jr. Drive, Milwaukee

  • On Tap, 1203 N. 10th St., Milwaukee

  • Pizza Man, 2597 N. Downer Ave., Milwaukee

  • SafeHouse, 779 N. Front St., Milwaukee

  • Third Street Tavern, 1110 N. Doctor M.L.K. Jr. Drive, Milwaukee

  • Vagabond, 1122 N. Edison St., Milwaukee

  • Who's On Third, 1007 N. Doctor M.L.K. Jr. Drive, Milwaukee

  • The Bavarian Bierhaus, 700 W. Lexington Blvd., Glendale

  • The Village Cheese Shop, 1430 Underwood Ave., Wauwatosa

  • Water Street Brewery: 1251 Gateway Drive, Grafton; 3191 Golf Road, Delafield; and 140 W. Town Square Way, Oak Creek

More: How and why did cheese curds become such a big deal in Wisconsin? The answer is 100 years in the making

Foxtown Brewing, Jimmy's Island Grill & Iguana Bar, Leff's Lucky Town and SportClub will be part of the program soon, according to the announcement.

There are a variety of offers through the pass, from $2 off cheese curds at AJ Bombers to free pancake-battered cheese curds at Black Sheep MKE, the website said.

And whoever checks in at every business on the pass by Dec. 31, 2022, will be eligible to win "The Ultimate Cheese Giveaway," per the announcement.

"The Milwaukee cheese curd is a delicacy that's not only cherished by locals, but also revered by foodies around the world," Peggy Williams-Smith, president and CEO of VISIT Milwaukee, said in the announcement. "We cannot think of a better way to promote the remarkable local businesses that sell this sacred food than with a pass that brings locals and travelers together."

A pop-up event to celebrate the pass' launch is planned for May 12 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Harley Davidson Museum's Motor Bar and Restaurant. People who download the pass before June will be entered to win free curds for a year, the announcement said.

This pass follows up VISIT Milwaukee's "Brew City Beer Pass," which offers deals at more than 25 local breweries and taprooms.

Contact Hannah Kirby at hannah.kirby@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HannahHopeKirby.

Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal.

DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and more

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Bring your Milwaukee Cheese Curd Pass to these restaurants, bars