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    Stella Van Buren

    4.1 (259 reviews)
    Open 6:30 am - 10:00 pm

    Stella Van Buren Photos

    STELLA VAN BUREN ATMOSPHERE

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    Upscale

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    Burrata Bruschetta
    Tarik B.

    Let's start with Tayler, our server, she was absolutely awesome, very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu all of her recommendations were 10/10 hits! The beef was from Linz Heritage Farms (code for halal protein option ) was cooked perfectly, the crispy Brussels sprouts were delicious and well seasoned. But the three main stars of the night were my wife's ravioli (even though it was too spicy for her, I ate it the next day for lunch, shoutout to Tayler for helping to get her a more mild version as well) , the Baratta bruschetta, and the those Italian donuts... I didn't even have room but you best believe I polished off those donuts they were special! Great date night spot! Will be back for sure!

    An excellent, if a tad peppery, carbonara.
    Warren D.

    Date of visit: April 6, 2025 I'm rather shocked that despite being open for seven years, I've never dined at Stella Van Buren! I've been in the building (the restaurant is part of the wonderful Westin) for events, but never really spent any time here, a faux pas on my part for sure. The decor is wonderful, with semi-circular booths and sheer curtains breaking up the space and lending a touch of privacy to your meal, but still allowing you the opportunity to see and be seen, if that's your thing, of course. Menu is Italian with some unique twists on the dishes--definitely not your staid, old school Italian. My carbonara did not have the overly salty taste that many carbonaras do from the prosciutto, if anything this one was too peppery, but it didn't detract from the overall enjoyment of the entree. My husband had the chicken parmesan and he was pleasantly surprised that the pasta did not overtake the chicken, as so many preparations of this dish do, with a healthy portion of the meat. We were treated to dessert and I selected the tiramisu, which had a wonderful presentation. My spouse went with the bread pudding (ice cream on the side, because lactose) and the bite I had was great. It was a near perfect meal; our friend who made the reservation had to remind staff that he had indicated it was a birthday (despite receiving an email confirming that the restaurant was aware and would make it special) and our server was very nice, but seemed a bit nervous, perhaps she was new. At any rate, certainly not enough of a concern to prevent us from dining at Stella Van Buren again, and definitely sooner than seven years from now!

    Van Buren Old Fashioned
    Shelly R.

    I can't say enough about the amazing experience we had at Stella last night. From the phenomenal Old Fashions to the sea scallops and Waygu hot stone appetizer and the whipped Yukon gold potatoes, everything was amazing. Our table also got steaks, raviolis and three types of desserts (tiramisu, bread pudding and gelato) and they were the perfect topper for the evening. Service was top notch as well. We cannot WAIT to visit again!

    Ny Dry-Aged New York Strip*
    Sam P.

    Can you guys burn this steak any more? Not only this, you guys need to reevaluate your dry age or cooking process, the steak was sour. The worst steak I have ever had in Milwaukee

    Karen T.

    Was here hosting an event in sept and had breakfast. Fast service and tasty food. Would recommend.

    Wedge Salad 10/10!!!

    We had the best time! Felt fancy for the night. We had the BEST waitress ever, I think her name was Katie! Honestly we would have been perfectly happy just ordering a bunch of apps to share. Those were our best! -GOAT cheese Brushetta 8.5/10 -Wedge salad 10/10! Big ol slab of bacon and sooo much flavor with the Gorgonzola -Spinach/Mushroom Ravioli 3/10 (came out kind of cold) -Vodka Rigatoni 7.5/10 (good flavor, the meat was in big chunks and it could have been creamier) Overall I would go again!

    Banana Bread
    Ryan V.

    We stayed at the Westin and decided to head downstairs to check out Stella's for breakfast. The restraint is very clean and the staff is very friendly with outstanding service. The breakfast menu isn't huge but they do everything on there well. I'll let you in on a little secret, get the sourdough bread and it comes with preserves (you're welcome). I also would highly recommend their banana bread. They crisp it up on the flat top and serve it with butter and the butter melts on an each warm piece of banana bread. I went back for more banana bread and it's the best I've ever had from a restaurant. Don't sleep on Stella's for breakfast if you're in the area or staying at the Westin in Milwaukee.

    Mac and cheese | Italian salad
    Zoe W.

    The restaurant itself is very pretty and clean, the bar is mesmerizing! Service was great. Ordered the Mac and cheese and a salad. Salad was mid, nothing special. The Mac and cheese was very, very good! Would come back just for that!

    Steakhouse Wedge Garlic Parmesan French Fries
    Lauren S.

    Came here for dinner last night and thought the atmosphere itself was stunning. The bar was very ornate but also modern and it seemed like a hot spot for happy hour. My steakhouse wedge salad was delicious. The Parmesan fries were just okay and slightly under cooked.

    The American*  Note the blueberry pecan preserves... make sure you try these!!!
    Rob K.

    Let's start with the positives. The vibe is very cool. The view is nice as well. Large selection of spirits and the staff is super nice. They still have a limited menu, which is confusing 2 years out from Covid. I had the Porchetta. It was good, not great. Perhaps I should have stuck with a steak but I wanted to try something new. The person I was with got the Bolognese. I didn't try it but they're comment was that it was spicy. So, know that going into it. I also had a specialty cocktail that didn't impress. (Pecan old fashioned). Not tremendously balanced, very sweet. I stayed at the Westin, so figured I'd give breakfast a try because it was bitter cold outside. Breakfast was awesome. The little dish on the side of the plate has a blueberry, pecan preserve. It tastes way better than it looked. So I'd say, hit this spot up for breakfast or drinks. If drinks, stick to your normal order not the cocktail menu.

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    Good spot. Service is wonderful. Food is fine. Nothing stand out but everything is solid. Would return for the wedge salad and apps

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    Page 1 of 7

    Ask the Community - Stella Van Buren

    Do we have to dress up?

    Don't think you have to, but a most people at dinner had at least a buttoned shirt, even with jeans and casual shoes....for men's attire… Read more

    So they have gluten free pasta / bread options?

    Hi Paige, we make our own fresh pasta daily however it does contain gluten. We also keep gluten free pasta and a gluten free bread on hand for guests that are gluten free. thank you for your inquiry.

    View All 3 Questions

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    Onesto - Fusilli

    Onesto

    4.1(693 reviews)
    0.4 miHistoric Third Ward
    $$$

    We had an amazing time at their annual Galentine's dinner. All five courses were prepared fresh and…read morewere favorites of the restaurant. The beet salad was delicious. The three pasta dishes all very flavorful. The chocolate covered strawberry was a nice way to end the meal. Attention to detail was not missed from fun photo ops to a heart shaped jello on our aperol spritz. Chef Corrine came out and spoke about each dish. So great to hear about the incredible women running this place. Table decor was fun with heart shaped glasses at each spot. We for sure plan to attend next year!

    Italian food is one of my favorite cuisines and I've heard about this restaurant by many foodies in…read morethe area, so I was eager to try it out! Came here on a date, and we ordered classic dishes that we love like the carbonara and bolognese pasta dishes. I tried both dishes and the carbonara was my favorite of the two, but honestly, both were not the best pasta dishes I've had at a restaurant - they were okay. We did get bread and salted butter and ordered a cup of creamy clam soup - which was delicious. I would consider the bread, soup, and cocktails the highlight of the meal. The service was great! We had a very attentive server that frequently checked in on our table and answered all of our questions. The dining area is absolutely beautiful and well lit - creating a relaxing and romantic atmosphere for our date night. While the pasta wasn't our favorite, the dining experience was still wonderful and we enjoyed the appetizers/small plates.

    Photos
    Onesto
    Onesto - Agnolotti (Maine Lobster, House Ricotta, Peppercorn Cream, Lemon Oil)

    Agnolotti (Maine Lobster, House Ricotta, Peppercorn Cream, Lemon Oil)

    Onesto - Hot ToTTi

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    Hot ToTTi

    Safina - Chicken parm

    Safina

    4.6(76 reviews)
    0.3 miEast Town, Downtown

    This is such a quaint and romantic pasta shop! What makes this restaurant so interesting and unique…read moreis that on their menu, they write in all caps: "All items subject to change without notice." I do hope that their pistachio pasta and veal dish don't go away. For starters, I ordered the Seasonal Bruschetta, which had citrusy notes from the diced tomatoes and pickles with mortadella. For the main course, I ordered the Giovanni's Original Veal Parmesan with fettuccine alfredo. This dish is prepared in the style of Parmesan or Corletta served with your choice of pasta. The veal parmesan was nice and crispy. But the most memorable dish of the night was their Fusilloni al Pistachio. The creamy pistachio pesto, Guanciale, and Brontë pistacho panna crudo brought this dish together so well! I loved the sauce so much that I ended up pouring the sauce all over the fettuccini alfredo. Staff was very attentive and friendly--striking the perfect balance between being available when needed and allowing me to enjoy my meal at my own pace. I ended the night with a classic cheesecake, which was the perfect way to end the night.

    Went on a Saturday night with no reservation and we were able to get bar seats. The bar area can…read moreturn quickly as there was quite a few people waiting for their tables. The bar area was good but can be loud. The bartender and host were very nice. We started with the bruschetta special which had fig jam, honey, chili oil, and prosciutto. We could have done without it. It sounded very interesting and just was not impressed. We got two pasta dishes to split and our favorite was the Fussalloni al pistachio, it was amazing! The sauce was delicious! The Chicken Parmesan was also really good with almost three pieces of chicken, lots of meat.

    Photos
    Safina
    Safina - Seasonal bruschetta (goat cheese, Brussels, pistachios, some fancy honey AMAZING

    Seasonal bruschetta (goat cheese, Brussels, pistachios, some fancy honey AMAZING

    Safina - Bread and wine - what else do you need?

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    Bread and wine - what else do you need?

    Lupi & Iris - Amaro sundae with two glasses of the sauternes recommended by the bartender. Really excellent!

    Lupi & Iris

    4.4(266 reviews)
    0.2 miEast Town, Downtown
    $$$

    Service is always top notch! The food was delicious, we had the Taste…read moreOf Lupi and Iris. Started with goat cheese/beet salad, pasta coins, sea bass, lamp chop, and desert! Each course served in a timely manner, beautiful plating loved every course.

    Located in the heart of downtown, Lupi & Iris is a gorgeous open-kitchen restaurant. I came on a…read moreweekday for dinner, and the main dining hall was all filled so we sat at the bar area, which was still lovely. Staff was very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. We started off with the Tarte au Chèvre, which is a baked goat cheese tart with smoked trout, Belgian endive, radicchio, cherry tomato and herb pistou, and the Pulpo a la Plancha, which was wood-grilled to perfection. Both appetizers were a hit! We especially enjoyed the Pulpo a la Plancha because the Spanish octopus paired so well with the Romesco sauce, chickpeas, orange and citrus vinegar. This dish was well-balanced and such a memorable dish. For the main course, we ordered the Magret De Canard and the Bistecca. The Bistecca was a wood-oven roasted 44 oz Angust porterhouse with sauteed mushrooms, cauliflower and potatoes. This entree could easily feed 4 people! I absolutely loved the steak!! We ended the night with the Pots de Creme au Caramel, which had the perfect balance of sweet and salty. Will definitely come back when I'm in Milwaukee!

    Photos
    Lupi & Iris - Seating

    Seating

    Lupi & Iris - Pulpo à la Plancha

    Pulpo à la Plancha

    Lupi & Iris - Dinning room

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    Dinning room

    Il Cervo - Chicken Parm

    Il Cervo

    4.0(199 reviews)
    1.0 miBronzeville, Westown

    A classy, top-tier Italian restaurant for any occasion. Whether you're looking for a nice date…read morenight, cocktails with the girls, or just some good food, you've come to the right place. At the top of the Trade Hotel, location is perfect with gorgeous views of downtown Milwaukee. I went for a bachelorette party and the staff were very accommodating, even giving the bride a free glass of champagne which was so sweet! The food is amazing! The portions were perfect, especially since pasta can go both ways. The creste de gallo was perfectly cooked and the shaved truffle on top, chef's kiss. The roasted garlic focaccia had a nice savory mascarpone sauce to dip in. Overall, a top restaurant in the Milwaukee area.

    We recently enjoyed a Mother's Day dinner at Il Cervo. With construction all around parking was…read moretight but we took advantage of the valet parking. Our server greeted us right away with water, and was attentive and helpful throughout the meal. The Colombo and Spritz al Sambuca were great zero-proof options. The view of the city was the perfect backdrop for evening - we had a great view from our table, and then popped out onto the balcony to take it all in after the meal. We shared the Medjool dates as an appetizer (very good), and for entrees had pappardelle, conchiglie alla vodka (gluten-sensitive), and spicy chicken 'Parmesan' served over a creamy risotto - every single thing was delicious. We didn't save room for dessert this time but they had several delicious options. We'll be back!

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    Il Cervo - Il Cervo

    Il Cervo

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    Il Cervo - Aviation cocktail. Perfection.

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    Aviation cocktail. Perfection.

    Tauro Cocina - Guajillo Risoto

    Tauro Cocina

    4.6(187 reviews)
    1.1 miLower East Side
    $$

    I had my bridal shower in their event space on 04/11/26. It was the most magical day with all my…read moreloved ones! The staff were great - they were attentive, friendly, and overall wonderful to work with. We were able to customize our floor plan with different tables and chairs that fit our vision. The decorations and colors matched perfectly with my theme (Love is in Bloom)! They also provided a projector and screen that we used for the games. My sister made a Spotify playlist specifically for this day that they played as well! My sister and I toured the venue about a year in advance and immediately booked it; I'm so glad we did because there were multiple inquiries later on which goes to show how many people truly want their special event held here. The owner, Ahidé, was such a dream to work with during the process. She was informative, kind, and always made sure we got what we needed throughout. We ordered the brunch menu which included eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, lemon ricotta french toast, pastries, and a small parfait bar. The food was seriously 10000/10! My guests gave so many compliments on the food, the drinks, the decor, and everything in between. Ahidé even went the extra mile to customize the bar and brunch signs that matched my theme! She made sure to check on us right after the food was served and was available if we needed anything at all. Every little detail was perfect and I couldn't have asked for a better day. Thank you SO much Tauro Cocina for making my bridal shower a dream come true

    We had a great first dining experience at Tauro Cocina! I kept hearing about how great of a spot it…read moreis, but haven't been to this building since it was Trocadero back in the day. I love the location of this restaurant, a cozy little nook set apart from the business of downtown but still so accessible! With events happening at the fiserv and new music venue in the deer district, it was a welcome reprieve from the action. The restaurant itself is lively but chill - is there a word for that!? lol very laid back, friendly and informed staff. We were able to snag a seat at the bar which was great - it's probably got 12-15 seats. Full dinner service too! My husband got a mezcal old fashioned (not on the menu) and I got a spicy margarita. Both were great! As for food, the menu is eclectic, but everything looks and tasted great! We got 2 appetizers, the bruschetta and stuff pepper - both were delish!! And then we shared the braised beef risotto topped off the night with a spirit free strawberry Fresca & churros (SO GOOD). Great experience for deciding last minute and getting a walk in spot.

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    Tauro Cocina - Back room and bar

    Back room and bar

    Tauro Cocina - Mejillones

    Mejillones

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    Ilegal en Milwaukee

    Stella Van Buren - italian - Updated June 2026

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