The dining room is great. Open on two sides to let air in, with an open kitchen. Everyone who works here is proud of this place and it shows. It creates a great energy. The cocktails, the wine, the food are all quite good. The portions are on the larger side. The bread is fresh baked. This is a great restaurant to visit when you are in Truckee. read more

Thumbs up for vegan meal. We can,t find food just anywhere that we can eat,as vegans, but the chef at Stella came through with flying colors! Thanks for a great meal. We were a little worried when they brought us an amuse buche that looked like it had fish eggs on it. Turns out they were cantaloupe caviar! So good and creative! read more

Holy molly!! A tantalizing experience of the taste buds!! Don't order off the menu - just do the Prix Fix menu and you will NOT be disappointed!! read more

Much interesting, good food in the tasting menu. Attentive service. Well-thought-out and generous wine pairings. Plus, being the end of the evening, they gave us two loaves of bread to take home. (The bread s served with butter mixed with toasted sea salt: yum!.) read more

WOW!!!!! This has to be the best kept secret anywhere! This was my second visit and no drop off. Just the opposite. From the moment we stepped threw Stella's door the experience was on. The wait staff were exceptional. No matter who you asked about what, they new. It was very evident that the staff loved their work. The food? Again, WOW! From the appetizers to the dessert .....what an experience. Everything was cooked to perfection. I have to say San Francisco has little that compares. Whether just driving thru Truckee or staying, do yourself a favor and stop. You won't be disappointed. read more

Great service. Fun menu. We were not hungry enough for all courses and ala carte was available. Really great. We wil return for a tasting menu with friends next time. Loved everything about it. The ambiance is what I would call mountain elegance and the staff was present but not intrusive. They were quite knowledgeable but unpretentious. Pretty close to perfect. read more

I have to agree with everyone. This was a great meal. I had the four course tasting menu with wine pairings and everything was delicious. Presentation was impressive, and service was impeccable. Everything on the menu looked good, so it was hard to choose. I will definitely go back. read more

Went there last night and could not have had a better meal - my husband had the pork and he thought it the best he had ever had. I had the lamb but didn't want the sides that they had - too heavy for a warm summer nigh so the chef came out and we talked and he made up a wonderful warm side of fresh greens and mushrooms absoulutely delicious. Everyone was very accomodating -- we will be back - nice tod have fresh innovative food in the mountains with out it beeing overly priced. read more

It's really a wonderful food experience. Short summary. It's fancy Food timing was impeccable Food taste went from very good to amazing (especially the desert) Food presentation was amazing Great wines. Not a perfect score as the courses/dishes were very good to amazing and for the price I would expect everything to be amazing. read more

Amazing food. I have a hard time choosing which dish to dine upon. Service great. One of my favorite places. Crave it!

Trapped in Truckee due to I-80 closure - not too much sympathy from the co-workers as we ended up skiing another day. The good news was that we found a new restaurant in Truckee and it is a gem. The wine list by the glass is a little small, but there are good selections. The full cocktails are as expected - you get a very healthy pour BTW. The breads are house-made and are very good- got to sample a bleu cheese and walnut loaf that was excellent. Appetizers offered variety and good quality. I like the stuffed pork chop and the house donuts with dipping sauce was very nice. Overall, a nice bay-area restaurant and a great addition to the Truckee line-up. We will be back! read more

Absolutely incredible! My husband and I are visiting from San Diego and we can both say that this was the best meal (start to finish) we've had... EVER! And that's not to say we don't eat out. In fact, we try EVERYTHING and love a new restaurant as one of our weekend activities ;) Stella is a gem in the culinary world and in a league of its own here in Truckee. Ambiance (we really enjoyed your music selection), service, food... All A+! The creativity, presentation and attention to detail were impressive. We plan to re-visit as a regular side trip when visiting family in Sacramento. Bravo! read more

I did the tasting menu with wine pairing, definitely the way to go. I ended up drinking more white wine than I'd prefer, but I am just more of a red wino. The duck pate was excellent, the fish was phenomenal - a real highlight I would say. Very well prepared and well sauced. The dessert was a thai inspired bruleed banana with ice cream, also excellent. Overall, lots of good and creative flavors, everything was well prepared and tasted nice, however I would have like to have seen more traditional purebred french items, everything was pretty fusionesque. read more

We went for an in-person dining experience for the first time in almost 1.5 years with our baby, and it was amazing. I was concerned about being too close to other tables but inside the restaurant we were basically the only ones seated, with a couple of other guests outside. Our baby is teething and we kept asking the waiter for ice, and they were so gracious and kept refilling it for us. That kept our baby happy, and helped us to relax while we waited for our food to be prepared. We ordered sea bass, chicken (their popular dish), and the cauliflower -- everything was delicious that we probably could've ordered more food! They were super kind about accommodating our allergy requests (baby has dairy and nut allergies). We wish a place like this existed where we live (SF East Bay), but we will gladly return whenever we vacation out here again. Even our older daughter kept asking if we could come back here. Thank you again for a wonderful dining experience! read more

Just finished up a 2nd visit this last weekend to Stella, and it remains my favorite. We again got the four course tasting menu, which comes with little amuse bouches and palate cleansers along the way. I found our service to be not AS great as the first visit, but nothing sub-par, they were just busier than our first visit. read more

I will say it's not as good as Trokay. When I mentioned that I'm vegetarian, the alternative dishes are quite rigid.

I've had a yelp account since 07 and this is only the second review that was worth posting about. The experience and food was way beyond expectations. Each of our dishes were fantastic and we probably had the best waiter in the world. Definitely 5 stars!! My friends were still talking about it the next day. read more

Terrific dining experience. Fabulous food, expertly prepared and whimsically presented. Try the tasting menu with a dining partner and share 8 wonderful dishes. Enjoy a spirit before dinner and have a bottle of your favorite varietal from the well constructed wine list. We loved the amuse bouche between each course. The attentive and well informed wait staff and the rustic but hip surroundings made for a wonderful night out. Perhaps the best dining experience in the area. read more

We love this place. Food is excellent, service is excellent and oh well ambiance is classic relaxed Truckee. If you like spicy get the ceviche chalupas. The filet with the vegetables was the bomb. Did I mention they make and bake the bread an hour before the restaurant opens and they send you home with a complimentary loaf...yum! read more

Tasting menu is great. One of my favorite places to dine....anywhere. Lettuce wraps were amazing. Everything is very good.

Fantastic dinner. Food, service, and atmosphere all knocked it out of the park. The four course tasting menu ended up being 8 courses with the complimentary amuse bouches. The accompanying hotel also looks charming. We'll be staying here on our next trip to the tahoe area. And we'll definitely be back for another wonderful dinner. read more

Inside these doors lies an explosion of awesomeness. I'm going to start by noting that I am food obsessed. This is the only restaurant review I have ever written on Yelp. My meal was so good that I felt compelled to write this. We started with the duck pate and tomato bisque. Both outstanding. The pate was prepared on top of blood oranges and a frisee salad, which I devoured. I have probably ordered pate a hundred times and was pleasantly surprised by their unique preparation. We had the stuffed pork chop and baby lamb chops. Wow. Cooked and seasoned to perfection. The pork chop came with a roasted root vegetable salad with truffle oil drizzled on top of it. Insanely, mouth-wateringly delicious. The only so-so dish was the apple tart we ordered for dessert. I'd give that a 6/10. The service was top notch and the atmosphere was charming, warm and unpretentious. Prices were very reasonable. Portions were very good. We ordered 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, and dessert. We could only finish 1/2 the entrees. If you're reading this, make a reservation now because the popularity of this little gem is sure to erupt very soon. read more

Absolutely the best restaurant in Truckee/Lake Tahoe. The food is beyond belief. Try the tasting menu to sample all the different choices. Tim is fantastic - great mixologist, but even a better person to explain all of the dishes. Do not miss this restaurant!!! read more

Stopped by for dinner on a Thursday evening and luckily got a table without a reservation. The butter lettuce salad was delicious with the toasted pine nuts and a light tasty dressing. The beef filet was perfect - medium rare - tender and juicy and full of flavor. Even though we declined dessert, the chef offered a creamy fudgy almond ball treat that melted in my mouth. Save a sip of red wine for the end of the meal!!! read more

Delicious; inventive; upscale yet casual feel; great service; intimate but not cramped Clearly this is an excellent restaurant, as one can see from the reviews, so I won't linger on unnecessary details. We went once, found everything to be perfect, and will go again. I'll try to stick to a few helpful bits of information... Wear: most people were dressed a nice; not suit & tie, but sportjacket or nice sweater, pressed pants, skirts/dresses, etc. But there were some in jeans as well, though they dressed those up with nicer shirts and jackets. You come here for the meal only. There is not a bar or lounge area and though they can make a few cocktails, their alcohol selection is not extensive and I am not sure they have an actual bartender Though it is affiliated with the Cedar House hotel, the restaurant is in a completely separate building, which is kind of nice because you aren't dealing with kids, dogs, noise, etc in the lobby. Ambiance: this place is warm and inviting, kind of like a mountain lodge but more modern and open; I'd describe it as comfortable upscale...not stuffy or snooty, but certainly higher-end; and though people were chatting and having a good time and the kitchen is open to the dining room, overall the place is somewhat quiet, but in a nice way read more

Deconstructed Banana Split dessert is to die for. Dinner was delicious. Service was great. Intimate setting with a direct connection to the kitchen. read more

There is no way to express how great this restaurant is. The food and the service were absolutely perfect! As a restaurant owner I know how difficult it is to do what they do at Stella. My wife and I had our anniversary dinner there and we had the tasting menu and wine pairing and again, there are no words to convey how great everyhting was. We can't wait to go back! read more

We had an amazing meal at Stella tonight. The food was fantastic, we chose the 4 course sampler. The service was simply amazing, friendly, knowledgable, and efficient. What a great surprise for our 25th Anniversary. read more

As good as it gets. Just go here! Everything was delicious! Wonderful presentation, fresh food and service was super. Thanks Stella's. You are awesome! read more

Went to Stella last week for the first time and was greatly impressed. Menu and presentation are very creative, and service is friendly and attentive. The waiter took the time to explain each menu item (not a lengthy menu but it changes regularly). A-1 Ahi salad was perfect; Halibut and salmon dishes were melt-in-your-mouth perfection; and the chocolate dessert was amazing. Interesting and unique touches - there was freeze-dried sesame oil alongside the ahi salad, and a chocolate truffle covered with freez-dried peanut butter was a chef's surprise at the end. Amazing how the little powder exploded with flavor. We sat on the back patio on a nice sunny evening. Other than the noise of Brockway and a hard crust on the fruit tart, this was perfection. Will definitely come back! This place is up there with Gary Danko in SF as one of my favorite places. read more

As you can see, I don't take the time to write many reviews. However, the food and experience we had at Stella compelled me to add to the wealth of raving reviews you see here. We had the four course tasting menu with wine pairings and were blown away by the platings, the unique added touches to each dish (cantelope caviar was a first for us), the amuse broches and the fine pairings that accompanied each course. We've have lived in SF, currently live in the east bay, eat in Napa regularly, and know a good meal/restaurant when we come across one. Stella is the best meal you will have in the Sierra and is in the conversation with the some of the finest in NorCal. Catch chef Jacob Burton in Truckee while you can! read more

My husband and I ate here for our anniversary and were very pleased. A tasting menu is offered for $60 per person and four courses are included. The food was very good, as was the service, and the dining room ambiance was warm and inviting. There is a lovely patio for outdoor dining, although I have to mention that the restaurant and adjoining hotel where we stayed the night is located really close to a very busy road, so we noticed a lot of traffic noise on the patio and in our room during the evening; my only complaint. Stella is a great little gem not to be missed if you're staying in Truckee. read more

We visited tonight, our first time here. We were celebrating our anniversary and wanted to go somewhere special. We both had the tasting menu, paired with wine. Each course was prepared and presented beautifully. Definitely would recommend this place. read more

This review is possible because of prior fine dining experiences. Having traveled from Hawaii to New York and experiencing fine dining at it's best in SF, LA, Denver, Seattle and Boston, who would believe that such a place as Stella exists in Truckee, CA. I highly recommend the four course tasting menu and choosing items that maximize your experience, sharing is not only possible but highly encouraged. I witnessed other tables where couples were feeding each other or switching plates. The intermezzos between each of the courses were a delight. Every bite of the butter lettuce salad, beets with radishes, scallops, beef poke, filet mignon, chilean sea bass, pear tart, and their special swundae brought the palate extraordinary combinations of textures and tastes that are reminiscent of dining experiences of Morimoto's in NY and Hawaii and Aquaknox in Las Vegas. This is a dining experience I would recommend to the most discerning diners as well as those seeking a romantic evening out with that special someone. Go and enjoy the open kitchen, the friendly and attentive wait staff, and the talented chefs. A truly memorable evening with my wife made all the more special by Stella. Kudos to Jason Burton for a great dining concept. read more

Excellent start to finish! Enjoyed tasting menu with wine pairings. Food, service, ambience-all perfect. Will definitely go again.

Best in the area. A wonderful unique dining adventure. The house made bread is so special and impossible to resist. We have dined here on a number of occasions and always been pleasantly surprised with the quality and personal attention to both the food and service. Absolutely outstanding!!! read more

Without a doubt, this is the best restaurant in the area. We came here for my birthday with my daughter & her husband from San Francisco & all of us commented that this was on par with food in the city. We shared several apps - each one was wonderful & beautifully presented. Two of us had the halibut & two had lamb for our mains - also delicious. The atmosphere is very nice & the chef came out to introduce himself, which added a nice touch to our dining experience. We will definitely be back soon! read more

Just had our 5 year anniversary dinner here. We loved it..yes, even my husband. It was romantic and cozy with a wonderful menu. We had the tasting menu paired with wines. Every course was delicious. Our waitress Jessica took great care of us and made us feel as if we were the only people in the place. We will be coming here more often. read more

Beautiful room, very creative menu and a good value. My husband and I enjoyed the 4-course tasting menu and every dish was flavorful and beautifully presented. Unfortunately, my halibut was over-cooked and dry. It was probably a timing issue, getting it to our table at the same time as my husband's entree but I was disappointed. The service felt rushed and it seemed that everyone was responsible for every table, so no one was responsible for any one table. read more

The reviews look great - so I was very disappointed to learn when calling today (9/9/15) that they no longer serve dinner to the public on a regular basis. The fellow that I spoke to said they now only to "underground dinners' a few times a year, for which you have to buy a ticket in advance on their web site. read more