The bar is a great place to hang out!! Quick service. The wait staff is well trained to deliver high quality service. Full menu available at the bar. Thumbs up!! read more

Stella Van Buren - Lobby/Restaurant bar - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I've been looking for a premium place to have a lovely meal in a quiet, upscale environment. Stella hit the spot. My father has been my restaurant companion for the past two and 1/2 years since moving him up from St. Louis. He is hard to please. But, Stella's Prime burger did the trick. And, their fries were some of the best I've tasted. I opted for the bruschetta (it's pronounced Brew-Skay-Ta not Brew Shetta people!). It was with burrata and was one of the best I've had. The pasta with black truffle was good but devoid of black truffle flavor. The service was outstanding as well. For a Friday evening, it was easy to get in and enjoy without the typical noise level MKE suffers from. I'll be back. read more

Sage took on a busy bar solo with patience and expertise with each order. He made a delicious Hugo spritz and served our whole group throughout the night. Thank you Sage! read more

We stopped into Stella for downtown dining week and ordered the tomato basil soup, chicken sandwich, and Zeppole. The decor and ambiance were wonderful! We've been wanting to try this place out for a while, so glad we were finally able to. The chicken sandwich was good but the chicken was small for the giant bread it was on. Fries were solid, as was the tomato soup. The Zeppole were also delish. Great service, and the staff was flexible with our needing to get back for meetings and such during the day. Would definitely check it out! read more

Stella Van Buren - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

This is a usual haunt for us due to proximity to a number of things... the third ward, the highway ramps, and the harbor. The food can be very good even if a little pricey and at times inconsistent. The cocktails and the bar are just tremendous. The staff is always friendly and attentive. The kitchen is always interested in feedback on your meal and willing to make it right even if it's off in just the slightest - they care about their efforts which is wonderful to see! Eat in the bar for a fast and attentive meal. Seats at high tops are a bit uncomfortable. read more

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Wow! I am amazed that I have not written a review of this place since I have been here a few times. My first time here was a Yelp! Elite event that I reviewed and now I need a formal review. Hotel restaurants can get knocked but Stella Van Buren is a definite surprise. I expect kick-ass decor but I don't always expect great service and food. Stella does NOT disappoint on either of them. If you are a wino and many of us can edge that way then Stella has a great selection with some bottles that only we can dream to afford. Other price points are very reasonable for an upscale restaurant with great quality food. My recommendation is to hit Stella Van Buren for their brunch. Many places are crowded but here it is big enough to accomodate large groups without a reservation. PS - I really shouldn't share because now it will be crowded. Anything truffled eggs is amazing. The Prosciutto Benedict received rave reviews along with the Italian Sausage Hash. The Bloody Mary for $8 had amazing flavor with a good amount of WI sides - no full size chicken but that is okay with me. This place is definitely overlooked but should be your next brunch destination along with dinner. I hope they are still serving the garlic knots for dinner but I guess I will need to make another stop to find out. read more

all I can say is fantabulous. My friend and I were late due to traffic and called about our reservation and they graciously said no problem that many of their customers had called with similar issues. Once we arrived at the restaurant and explained that we had opening tickets to see my friend's daughter as the prima ballerina that evening -every single person worked to get us dinner so promptly. For starters we enjoyed a perfect salty Caesar salad and a handmade crabcake. To our surprise this wasn't the normal bite-size crabcake most restaurants serve but could serve as a meal in itself and was delicious. We both had the halibut special which I am a seafood lover and this was the best halibut I've had in my life the sauce with the light mustard flavor , the light crust on the halibut and the sweet potato mash were extraordinary. So you would think that would be the end of my review however it's not - this elegant restaurant heard us when we spoke of our time constraints and our hostess and waiter from the south of France made it their priority that we were late with caring and kindness. Including a complementary cup of handmade tiramisu that we engulfed in about a minute because it was so delicious. Again go to this restaurant although maybe I would love to keep it my secret. And thank you again to everyone at that restaurant including the bartender the chefs the our waiter from Southern France and the hostess. PS go to the Milwaukee ballet version of Giselle it was lovely read more

I had an AMAZING experience here. I celebrated my 22nd birthday with a group of friends. The reservation process was super easy I reserved my table about a week in advance. It was perfect timing. I showed up a little bit late for my reservation due to the difficulty of parking in the city. They understood and my table was still available. Speaking about the food. It was AMAZING! I was nervous about the limited menu, but it worked out great for everyone. I will be there again. read more

Stella Van Buren - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Great spot with solid service. The minestrone soup was delicious Nd had a nice little kick to it. Very clean. The wagyu bolognese was good and extremely filling! Highly recommend. read more

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Stella has been a favorite of mine for a couple of years now. The environment is always welcoming, from the hostess staff and occasional manager, to the servers! I've frequented Stella during both their lunch and dinner services and their food is always amazing. A favorite has always been the goat cheese bruschetta, as well as any of their various salads. During my most recent visit, I ordered the Grilled Faroe Salmon (cooked to the perfect medium) and the Parmesan Roasted Asparagus, which was also perfect, as some restaurants tend to over or undercook their asparagus sides. The cocktails are flavorful and my server Natalie was great at making suggestions based on my personal taste and what she thought might complement my food orders the best! Overall, Stella is a great restaurant for an afternoon lunch, happy hour meetings and/or dinner with the family. Their food and drinks are exceptional and should be regarded as one of the best restaurants in the city - if it isn't already! read more

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My goodness, what an unexpected surprise. The space is beautiful - including the hotel property/bathrooms/lobby/etc. A long time fan of Westin/SPG properties (after bailing on Marriott a while ago) and obviously while my review isn't of the hotel, the restaurant sits in it so I thought it was appropriate to mention. No comments on the food for this one. Can't wait to go back. read more

Came in for a quick bite after the gym, forgot what I got because I was too tired, but remember ordering and saying, "I'm pretty easy, just get me whatever you like or think I'd like". That line has never failed me. Staff was welcoming and warm always 5 stars for me, if you can take your time to be kind and mindful I'm more than happy to comeback. Been quite a while since I've been back. read more

Came here last night for a bday party it was 8 of us. Waiting forever for drinks, bread and then to even order took an hour they were not even that busy. Two people ordered steaks they were way overcooked and dry, Brussel sprouts burnt, broccoli burnt. Server only came over once since we got the food. Then asked if the bday lady would like a dessert gave her dessert menu and never came back to the table to get the dessert ordered. Make sure to check receipts as well we were overcharged on taxes and they could not explain why. First and last time ever going there. Terrible service and food. read more

Nice hotel breakfast. Great staff. Avocado toast with poached eggs. Coffee was constantly refilled and warm.

Went here for an anniversary dinner based on reviews, pictures, and menu prices. I expected this to be a high class Italian steakhouse. The food was mediocre at best. The steak was over seasoned and not as tender as it should be for a $60 fillet. The menu was limited, and the service was a bit slow. We were also surprised when we told him it was an anniversary, they have no process for some sort of special recognition. They are priced like many much better restaurants, but they do not meet the bill. read more

Had a hamburger at the bar. It is one of the best hamburgers I've had in the last decade. Maybe the best. Great old fashioned and great service too. Highly recommended. read more

Great subs great service, better than the average sub, and the people there are friendly

For all that Stella might be for eggs and sandwiches, they ARE NOT a steakhouse. This was the worst steakhouse dinner experience that we have ever had. The portion sizes were surprisingly small, and the steaks were overcooked. Needless to say, all of the steaks had to be prepared again. The mac and cheese came out cold, dry, and crusty from being under the heat lamp for far to long. This was the same for the crusted mashed potatoes. For the hundreds of dollars sent, I highly recommend looking for "a real steakhouse" in the Milwaukee area. read more

The other food may be fine for a hotel restaurant, but this is not a "steakhouse". We were very disappointed with the quality and value of the steak. The preparation was wrong as well. If you want a steak house. There are many other better options than this. read more

I'm saddened to report that I will no longer be coming back here. We previously thought this was the best steak in Milwaukee but had an awful experience tonight. The service was so slow we didn't get our food until over an hour after we'd ordered and our waitress did not acknowledge the wait once. One of our appetizers was forgotten and arrived much later than the others. When the main courses arrived, only one of our steaks was cooked the way we had ordered. The waitress's response was "cooking steaks is tough". I'm saddened to no longer highly regard this restaurant as I've had good experiences in the past. Hoping they can make some changes. read more

Greeted warmly, offered bar to wait or table seating immediately. I like that:). Our server also greeted us warmly and courteously. Took drink orders while we waited for our table mates to join us. Dinner well paced. Food was delicious and was a variety of items on the menu. Food arrived equally for all diners and mostly hot though fries on my burger plate could have been a bit warmer. Large dining space divided in to sections but well decorated and felt warm and comfortable with tables and booths strategically placed in all rooms. Thoroughly enjoyed our meal and birthday celebration with friends. Was quite a surprise. It was a hotel restaurant and its standards were high. read more

I came into Stella for dinner with my family and our experience could not have been better! We were greeted & served by warm, welcoming & knowledgable staff who made sure we were taken care of the entire time. The cocktails were delicious & the food was phenomenal. The steak & burger were cooked perfectly, & the caesar salad & pasta were to die for. The atmosphere was beautiful - the bar is absolutely stunning! Highly recommend for locals & tourists alike. read more

Stella Van Buren is a beautiful space! It is quite lovely to walk in and see the breathtaking bar and gorgeously designed dining room. Don't get too confused getting there as the actual lobby is upstairs, so you'll have to take the elevator up a couple floors. I also believe you can valet without charge if you're eating in the restaurant, but not 100% sure and forgot to ask the last time I was there. The bloody I had there was really nice! I good amount of "kick" but was just perfect for me. And I always love them being served with a little "shorty" beer, so cute! I had another craft cocktail there for dinner anoterh time, barrel aged boulevardier, which was very good and who doesn't get wowed at a drink where a blow torch was involved as part of the preparation, hah! My last meal there was brunch, the quinoa cakes with poached egg were pretty good and seemed to be healthy, too! My friend has some allergies, so a woman from the staff was helping us with what she can order and after a few questions and back & forth, instead of making another trip to the kitchen, she brought the chef right out to our table - oh, hi! :) That actually was even better and they were both so kind and polite! The staff really is great! For being in a hotel, this is one of the better restaurants because they can sometimes be on the bad side from my experiences and travels. I would definitely recommend this to anyone. The dinner can get on the pricey side, but if you're getting a huge steak, anyplace is going to cost you, really! Not only steaks, but they also have some pastas, seafood, and a great zeppoli dessert! read more

Stella Van Buren - Quinoa cakes for brunch - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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I've had lunch a couple of times and brunch once, but I wanted to hold off on my review until after I had dinner at Stella, which occurred Tuesday night. The boss was buying so our team each ordered the NY Strip. I held back from ordering the 22-day dry-aged ribeye...another time perhaps. The steak was perfectly cooked to medium rare and had a great sear! The steak was tender, but I think my knife was on the dull side because I had to saw through it. I appreciated that the steak was flavorful on its own and didn't need to sit in a pool of jus for flavor (you know who you are). We shared sides of smashed potatoes, which were buttery and delicious, and sautéed mushrooms and onions. We also shared the Crispy Parmesan Truffle Potatoes (basically crispy parmesan potatoes with a side of truffle aioli for dipping), Burrata Bruschetta, and Calamari Fries. All of them were excellent. I was impressed that the calamari fries were so thick and not the calamari strips that other places refer to as "fries." The Burrata Bruschetta was the star of the show. It was truly fresh tasting and amazing! Past trips have included the Steak Tartare Bruschetta, which I felt was missing umami, the meatball sub and Italian Grinder, which were both excellent, although the house made chips could use more seasoning, and a Baked Rigatoni Carbonara, which was a different take on carbonara with fennel sausage instead on pancetta and celery bits instead of peas but every bit as delicious! My brunch visit included the steak and eggs, which was good, but my friend ordered the Country Fried Chicken Parmesan, and that dish knocked our socks off! Aside from consistently great food, the service has been excellent on every visit, as well. I mean truly top notch! So I say Bravo to Stella. It made its way onto my list of favorite dining spots in town, and that's not easy to do. Now the hard part is to keep up this level of excellence. :) read more

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As a occasional visitor of Milwaukee - we like to try various restaurants The restaurant is located in the Westin Hotel, however, it is not the typical bland hotel restaurant. The entry to the restaurant is on the same level as the registration as for the hotel guests so this restaurant is very easy to find. We went on a Tuesday night so the restaurant was not busy, therefore, we were seated right away. The restaurant's decor is very chic with the light colors and the openess of the restaurant. Josh, server, had greeted us shortly. He was very friendly and very helpful regarding the menu and all of our questions. We had ordered couples glasses of wine and the Roasted Mushroom Bruschetta for an appetizer. The wine was excellent while we weren't really crazy about the bruschetta. Maybe we were expecting the appetizer to be warm - to was just room temperature/cold. He did explain that is how the appetizer was served. Both my friend and I had a hard time deciding what to order since we couldn't decide. So many great items on the menu. My friend had ordered the Grilled Faroe Island Salmon and I had ordered the Chicken Parmesan, however, switched the sauce to an Alfredo Sauce. Within reasonable amount of time, our entrees were brought to us. We were both very happy with the meals. Perfectly seasoned - the salmon was very delicious. I would highly recommend the Chicken Parmesan with Alfredo Sauce. Plus having a slice of the smoked mozzarella cheese on it.... OMG.... is so good. The manager did stop over to chat with us regarding our evening and the meal. Throughout the evening, Josh would check in with us. Again very outstanding server and a great future ahead of him in the industry. We did review the desserts but nothing really jumped out at us. I would highly recommend this restaurant and I would defiantly return. read more

Stella Van Buren - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Great food for the cost. Inside the Westin and would definitely go back. Steaks In Milwaukee are extremely overpriced and this is a great middle of the road option while keeping it nice. read more

We've been here on a few different occasions now. We've dined in the bar (from their limited bar menu) as well as enjoyed a full blown meal in their dining room. They're a fantastic spot for either. Their bourbon selection is phenomenal. Their signature cocktail menu is a collection of classics done phenomenally well. They make a Boulevardier that rocks my bourbon loving socks. They also boast an expansive wine list. I haven't tried (can't seem to ever pass up their bourbon selection), but it looked comprehensive. Their knife and fork bruschettas should never be passed up. I've tried three of the six and they were all amazing. My favorite is their goat cheese (goat cheese topped with strawberries, smoked almonds, and arugula and drizzled in truffle honey) with their spicy tuna tartare coming in at a close second (tuna, castelvetrano olive, parmesan, pickled mustard seed). They're totally different flavor combinations and both are splendid. As for their entrees, I'm a huge fan of their pasta dishes. Their pasta is fresh made in house on a daily basis, which, of course makes all the difference. It's absolutely amazing. I've also had their burger (from the bar menu) and it's savory perfection. For sides, I'm a huge fan of their fried Brussels sprouts with brown butter vinaigrette as well as their smashed Yukon gold potatoes with rosemary and garlic. The atmosphere is beautiful and the service is prompt and lovely in every way. Get to it! read more

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We had a delicious dinner here. The food is fantastic, the tuna tartar and burrata are served almost as crostini's on bread, but it made it even more delicious given the right balance of each ingredient. We both tried the steak, had the filet and the New York. Although it was slightly over cooked the seasoning was simple and perfect! The two letdowns: 1) Asparagus side which was tiny pieces of asparagus and minimal flavor 2) the reason I cannot give this place five stars is the small misses on service. I was there for a birthday and asked if they could do something with the dessert, they didn't have any cake but I asked if they could put some candles in the gelato. Come dessert time the waiter brings one small scoop of gelato, no candle or anything special in it, drops it on our table and says "gelato". Then walks away. Doesn't even tell us the flavor, and I was very disappointed that even though I was told at dinner they would be able to do something special for the dessert it wasn't done. read more

Stella Van Buren - New York strip - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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What a great environment to enjoy Italian food in the downtown area. Located in the Westin Hotel on Van Buren, Stella's serves up sophisticated-glam, yet comfortable environment. Anyone knows if you are driving in town right now, parking can be a pain, but Stella's has valet and they will validate your parking....yay!! When you step off the elevator look to your right and see the beautiful fireplace that heats up the front lobby of the Westing. You will find Stella's to your left. Both times we have been there we have been warmly greeted by the host/hostesses. Walking through the restaurant you see people dressed in business suits, jeans, and dresses, which is nice because you can go in whatever makes you comfortable. We started off with a Pinot - Lupino which is really a nice wine with a crisp taste. As an appetizer hubby and I split the Buratta Cheese Bruschetta...OMG Shut the Front Door- DELICIOUS on a plate. The bruschetta is huge and is garnished with heirloom tomatoes, white balsamic, basil. Everything is fresh and the flavors mingle to make magic in your mouth ya'll. Next I had the chicken parmesan served with buttered noodles. First let me say, this plate is so huge I will be eating it for lunch for the next three days. It did come out a tad over-cooked but was still delicious. The buttered noodles had just the right amount of flavors and the parmesan was not too heavy but enough to combine to make a delicious plate! The service at Stella's has been impeccable both times we have been there with the servers giving great recommendations and insight into the menu. Definitely will be going back to Stella's! read more

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I've been to Stella Van Buren several times and enjoy the service, ambiance, and food. During the day, the tall ceilings and soaring windows give the place a very bright and spacious feel, and at night, the warm colors make Stella feel cozy and inviting. Cocktails are very good. The Blood Orange Manhattan and Hickory Smoked Sazerac were exceptional. At our recent lunch, everyone in the party was happy with their orders, which included the Ravioli in pesto butter, the Tallegio & Ham Panini and Grilled Shrimp & Avocado salad. For lunch, sandwiches and salads run $11 to $17 and large plates are $22 or less (except the filet mignon.) Stella's is a pleasant spot for good drink and food with friends or family. read more

Stella Van Buren - On a sunny afternoon, the dining room is very bright and cheerful. - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

This may be my new favorite brunch spot! Stella Van Buren was very modern and bright in its decor. We started with "Brunch Cocktails" -- I had the East Side Spritz which was made with their house-made raspberry limoncello. It was yummy and refreshing! My cousin enjoyed a Bloody Mary. For my entree I was between the prime skirt steak and eggs and the Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti. At the recommendation of our server, I went with the steak and eggs. It was excellent -- tender steak and the crispy potatoes were so good! Next time I will probably try the spaghetti though bc that sounds amazing as well! My cousin liked her sausage hash and I loved how it was presented! Finished with a glass of wine, again a great recommendation by our server. The prices were reasonable and valet parking was validated by the restaurant which was a bonus! I truly enjoyed my meal, drinks, the service, and the ambiance and look forward to returning! read more

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When we first got there they took so long with the drinks, we had to wait an hour to order and another hour to get our food, our waiter was rude it wasn't a good experience. Everybody was so hungry the food wasn't all that and was expensive. I got the truffled pasta and it did not taste good at all I had to get something different. This was not fun. read more

Good portions, tastes great. They also had a nonalcoholic beverage made with grapefruit and it was fantastic! Very fancy atmosphere and was overall a very good experience. The staff is also very kind. read more

Stella Van Buren - Waygu Bolognese, brussel sprouts. - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Absolutely amazing. Started with the tomato basil soup which was probably the best soup I've very had. I had the bolognese and my boyfriend that the white fish with risotto. Both were phenomenal. Elias was our server and was also 10/10. Perfect date night spot. read more

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Food and service were great, and the place had a pretty cool atmosphere, too. The views of the city, as seen through Stella Van Buren's enormous windows, are definitely a selling point here. The entire restaurant from the seating area and bar on back is a really cool looking place, and it's definitely a great spot for an intimate dinner or a work brunch. We went for brunch and sampled a bunch of things from the menu, including lemon ricotta pancakes that were pretty good, the bruschetta with avocado which was tasty, and the American, which was a standard eggs, potatoes, and bacon breakfast that was done well enough. I remember the potatoes being a stand out and tasting great. They have coke, not pepsi, if that's something you keep an eye out for. Will definitely be back to try their dinner menu. read more

From the drinks to the desserts to the service. This place is absolutely fabulous!! When we got to the hotel, we were greeted and let in by 2 doormen!!! We arrived to the restaurant and was taken to our table right away, where we were greeted by our server "Vania". Vania went over the menu with us since this was our first time here. She suggested we try any one of the Bruschettas because that was a specialty of Stella. We decided on the Mushroom Bruschetta and the meatballs-these choices did not disappoint, very very delicious. She also suggested the "Red Wine Braised Short Rib Pasta" another suggestion that was spot on. Looking forward to trying Stella again 2019 Holiday Dinner Our favorite annual holiday dinner restaurant Another nice time including the service and food!! Appts-Meatball & crab legs bruschetta=delicious Paul-Chopped Salad (Shared) Tagliatelle Bolognese Scott-Chopped Salad (Shared) Tagliatelle Bolognese Claude-Chopped Salad (Shared) Spicy Gulf Shrimp Spaghetti with the garlic & hot pepper oil on the side. Dewayne-Chopped Salad (Shared) Berkshire Pork Chop with Fried Brussels Sprouts. Everything was DELICIOUS!! Already looking forward to annual holiday dinner 2020!! We'll be back again and again! read more

Great service (5-stars), very good food, loved the meatball and the potato appetizers (5-stars) , Brussels sprouts side (5-stars), I had the spicy gulf shrimp pasta (4-stars) pasta was excellent, but wasn't very spicy and sauce was good but didn't knock my socks off. My wife had the filet steak (4-stars) could have used some toppings/sauce but was cooked well and flavorful. I'd love to come back and try their brunch. read more

The staff was super friendly and accommodating. We started with the waygu meatball which were excellent but spicy incase one doesn't like spice. For mains we got the grilled chicken sandwich with tomato jam and the rigatoni with vodka sauce. I excluded the spicy lamb sausage as I was sharing with an infant. This dish was delicious but was not actually shareable because the vodka sauce was spicy. I would not recommend this restaurant for kids (there was no kids menu). read more

I'm not usually the type to order a burger at a restaurant, I'd rather stick to something more unique, but I'm glad I decided to order the prime burger! It was fantastic! Perfectly cooked, and perfectly dressed with delicious aioli. The Brussel sprouts are another item you definitely have to try, we couldn't stop saying how good they were! read more

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We like to come here while in Milwaukee. This time it's a different place. COVID is over, wake up! Get a chef. This once great restaurant has let itself be reduced to the carcus of mediocrity. The menu is so limited! My wife and I shared the filet which was edible. When we asked for our check, the waitress actually said, "would you like hang out and finish your cocktail"? We'll come back because this used to be so good. But, time to move on, it's August 2021! read more