Cute little diner that wasn't too loud. The food was good, but nothing spectacular. I have a feeling breakfast might be the hidden gem. Service was fairly quick and friendly. I'll go back and try the breakfast next time. read more

Delighted to see on the menu that the soups are Stella's recipes. So I ordered the navy bean soup and the server confirmed that it is homemade. It arrived and I was disappointed to taste soup that obviously came from a can. Then my egg salsa arrived. Aside from being somewhat warm, the strange cheese atop the overcooked eggs was completely rubbery and cold. Pork sausage didn't pair well with the cold salsa (I was expecting chorizo). The cold hash browns also seemed out of place; refried beans would have been better. Corn tortillas were dry, and had obviously been microwaved. Very disappointing and a move in the wrong direction compared to a few years ago. read more

Great breakfast and brunch spot in LP. This place is usually full but the wait is never too long.

This place is real nice to eat at. They're real friendly in here. The prices are reasonable despite a lot of the inflation that we're experienced now these days. I had this western omelette with some coffee. Couple other people I knew that were with me had different things like a Reuben sandwich in another person had some kind of a Greek rap. It's a busy place. And it's open probably late breakfast through toward the end of traditional dinner hour. Basically like 9:00 in the morning till maybe 8:00 or 9:00 at night. And it's located near public transportation. read more

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Oh my word, how do they know how to make a girl this happy? At the end of a busy week I got home exhausted and starving. After looking at a million options I went with comfort food and they delivered again! As a chef people ask me about my food philosophy and my response is always "honest food", food not pretending to be something that it's not. Stella's is nothing if not honest. You won't go wrong! read more

I tried this place because it's in the area, and I generally like diners. Stella's is an exception. The service was really slow. It's took way too long to get my food even though business was slow. The servers just chill out and talk at the counter while you watch your food get cold right next to them. The food was okay, but its not worth the hassle, especially because better diners like Yolk and Eggsperience are only a few blocks away. But by far the worst thing was the customer service. After going, I had a billing dispute with the restaurant. "No problem; mistakes happen. I'll just call them and get it sorted out," I thought. I called them 3 times and each time they took my info and said they'd handle it and call me back. And each time they didn't handle it, and they didn't call me back. TL;DR: Skip Stella's and go to one of the better diners nearby. read more

It was gloomy rainy day last week when I stopped in for the first time. I usually go to the place across the street. Maria R. was a burst of sunshine. She took great care of me. I was not feeling well. I ordered a turkey sanwhich and chicken soup. I took half of everything home. It's a comfortable spot with a no- nonsense menu. The people who work there have an upbeat vibe and their kindness to this customer will be remembered. I will go back in the future! You should try visiting. read more

HEY STELLA!!!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1A0p0F_iH8&feature=related I don't know if Brando ripped his sweat-drenched T-shirt in this place. I doubt it since they really don't serve the type of diner food that he and his beer-swilling buddies would have been chowing down before satisfying the lust-driven advances of lonely women who depend on the kindness of strangers. No, this is one of those faux-diners like Mel's Drive-In or Max's Diner in California but a lot more low-key. The menu is similar though, as I saw lots of big breakfasts, burgers, sundaes...you know the drill. Well, I felt a little indulgent and ordered the $9.50 Smothered Steak Sandwich. I have to say it was just OK. There was definitely enough meat on the French roll, but it was all rather chewy. The big disappointment had to be the fries which were oddly salty and overcooked. The Diet Coke refills, however, came fast and furious. And I actually came rather late in the evening last week, so the place was fairly deserted. The upside was that the service was friendly and attentive. I doubt if I would jump over hoops to come here again, but then again, it was open when I needed it. FOOD - 3 stars...standard diner food, nothing more AMBIANCE - 3 stars...one of those retro-commercial places SERVICE - 4 stars...fast and friendly TOTAL - 3 stars...nothing exceptional but if you need to eat, especially late in the evening... read more

Stella's Diner - Smothered Steak Sandwich - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ordered delivery from Ubereats and was pleasantly surprised by how good everything was! I got a BLT w avocado, side of fries, and a butterfinger milkshake, everything was delicious! Even the fries were good, even though they weren't super crispy still since they were delivered to us. The bf loves his turkey club and chocolate shake as well. I will most definitely be ordering from here again! Great diner food, nothing to complain about. read more

It was pretty good. Service was good, but we also saw a mouse run across the floor sooo, we probably won't be back...

First things first, I enjoyed the decaf coffee. The service was quick and efficient. Their employees are all over the place and working hard. I had the Mad Texan ($10.95), which had hash browns, eggs, melted cheese, chili, jalapeños, and onions. read more

Stella's Diner - Mad Texan - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Stella's is a great diner off of Broadway. Went here for brunch with the parents and everyone enjoyed their meal. They have a pretty good sized menu with options that will please everyone, and there were no problems with our meals at all. The coffee kept getting refilled, and the service was friendly. Stella's also has a nice little charm to it, it's home-y and friendly. The food was great and came out at an average pace. Everyone left content and satisfied. Overall, it was a great experience and I will surely be back! Atmosphere: 8/10 Service: 9/10 Food: 8/10 read more

Stella's Diner - Egg white veggie omelette - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Stella's Diner is the best place for breakfast, lunch and dinner! The food is great and I've never had a bad meal. It's quality "diner" food, yet specials are made fresh and anything else is prepared for order. Maria, the owner, definitely knows her locals and those who frequent, which makes you feel appreciated and she appreciates her business. She's Greek, I'm Greek, so it's like family read more

Went here on a beautiful Chicago Wednesday evening before attending the esteemed Briar Street Theatre. It was a relatively quiet dinner experience, but that doesn't mean the aura inside the diner was boring! The service was lively and attentive, they also accommodated well for my nut allergy. (Enough about the ambience, how was the food?!?) Well I'm glad you asked. Me and my SO both got the granny grilled cheese, which is a heartier version of your childhood favorite. It was warm and delicious. The fries were crisp and a good accompaniment. All in all, a good meal and look forward to coming back! read more

Stella's Diner - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Food was fine, nothing groundbreaking but decent nonetheless. Service was pretty non existent. Came in by myself, sat for probably around 8-10 min before even getting water then had to wait for the server to come by to get my order. Wasn't checked on once during the actual meal. Was visited once for order and once to get the check. From the looks of it everyone else who came in with at least a couple people got speedy friendly service but if you come alone don't expect much. Nothing worth wasting my time coming back for especially to just be ignored.... read more

A true American classic. The great thing about this place is that you never know what you're gonna get. One moment you find yourself engorged in a fried avocado burger, the next you're devouring Santa Fe Chicken Wrap. If there's anything you should know when you come to Stella's, it's to start your meal with a crock of their French onion to get the taste buds percolating. Ciao. read more

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Stella's is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to eat. I've always been pro any place that has all day cheap breakfast. I've visited Stella's on different occasions, ranging from dates to solo, and they never fail to leave me smiling when I leave. Pros: - Large amounts of food for reasonable prices - the food isn't that memorable though - No matter how busy they seem the wait time to sit down is always very quick - This is a great place to go if you and your friends can't decide where to eat - The artwork in the restaurant is pretty cool and you will definitely be tempted to snap a photo or two - The owner is extremely nice and had us laughing while we waited to pay our bill Cons: - There has always been a pretty long line to pay your check - The server are always hit or miss the few times I've gone read more

Bland and nasty. The turkey was absolutely unseasoned and the gravy was solid. It's caked on. The french toast tasted like cardboard. The pancakes tasted like a motel six breakfast and weren't even cooked all the way. The chocolate shake had a red streak inside for some reason. Do they clean the equipment when changing flavors????? read more

Stella's Diner - the saddest turkey known to man - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great spot! My husband and I had a lovely breakfast here. Service was attentive and friendly. My husband got a breakfast sandwich that was delicious! I got the chicken fried steak and eggs. A HUGE portion of food for a reasonable price. The steak was so tender I didn't use my knife at all. The batter was seasoned well and the gravy was tasty. We each got fruit on the side which was strawberries and bananas. I would definitely come back! read more

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I am blown away by my experience at Stella's! After attempting to go to the swanky place across the street and being told there was an hour wait (for one), I moved to next on the Yelp list. Admittedly, I wasn't thrilled about classic diner fare, but was just damn hungry. Stella's was busy, but got me seated right away. A gentleman (not my server) brought me water immediately and asked about other drinks. I got a coffee, and throughout my visit, neither my water or coffee hit within two inches of the bottom of the glass without someone asking about a refill, whether it was my friendly server or one of the other folks helping out. A++. I have a habit at breakfast places of maximizing my dollar in terms of variety, so after a thorough examination of the menu, settled on the Country Style Eggs Benedict. For $10.50, I was able to get biscuits topped with ham off the bone and covered in gravy and poached eggs with hash browns. From what I could see, this was the best value on the menu. The food came out in about 5 minutes, super fast! Up till now, this was a solid 4 star experience... Then I tried the food, and WOW! I don't really even like ham, but this was truly delectable, very moist and tender, cuttable with just my fork, and with excellent flavor. I truly don't know if I've had better ham. And they didn't skimp on how much ham was on the plate. The gravy, hash browns, and eggs were solid, but the biscuits!! The biscuits were perfectly fluffy, stopping just short of crumbling apart on their own...I didn't know it was possible to strike such a balance, it was just damn good. The best part about this meal was that it wasn't over-salted like you'll find at many diners, it was just great. I ate half the meal, then thought "Let me try this with some ketchup!" I ruined that bite, and went back to eating the rest as it was meant to be enjoyed, sans anything extra. When I finished what was on my plate, two gentleman asked simultaneously from different directions if I was done. Talk about service. All in all, I was in and out in a little over a half hour, and now this place is on my radar, which I'm ever grateful for. Best diner I've been to. They do have room for groups of 6 comfortably, but you might have to wait. There's also a dessert board that looked super fun, but if you read what I ate you know I had no room left over. There were also three specials on the board, so it seems like they like to change things up a bit. read more

So sad! This place used to be a good diner and now Subway has better bacon on their sandwiches Owners shouldn't profit off of this product..avoid it like the plague. read more

Always great selection and the food and service are fantastic, every time. I can understand why it's been in the neighborhood for so long.

This place is one of my long time favorite places to eat in Chicago. Everything one their menu is delicious but what I love most of all is I can get breakfast anytime one the day here. Their coffee is wicked awesome diner coffee. As a woman living in Chicago paycheck to paycheck I can get a delicious, fulfilling meal here along with outstanding friendly service and not feel bad about treating myself. Best diner in the city. TIP: weekend brunch time is very busy so expect to wait for a table. read more

Stella's is a staple in the Lakeview community. You can always expect consistency when it comes to the food and service. Your typical diner food, it's by far one of the more casual breakfasts and dinner places you'll venture to. Personally, I love the staff. Some of them have been working here for years and truly make it a gem of a place. Food wise, omelets are always on par, and I also love the grilled cheese. It's all fairly basic, but still solid quality. It's also BYOB, which is a plus in my book. Can't wait to be back soon! read more

Love it here! No complaints. Be prepared to strike up a conversation with Gus, the owner, and he will strike one up with you whether you want him to or not. Best milkshakes in my opinion, this time I got the chocolate peanut butter milkshake and oh boy it hit the spot! I can never go wrong with the buffalo chicken wrap and the cajun fries. Also the side of mac and cheese is soooo good. read more

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I used to live in East Lakeview and I have never been to Stella's Diner until last weekend. Every single time I walked by on the weekend, the place was packed and people waiting outside. Stella's Diner is a cute little neighborhood diner that fits Lakeview well. Stella's is a typical diner that is better than your Denny's and IHOP. The menu and food is simple at a very affordable price. I ordered a Bleu Cheese and Bacon burger with fries and a vanilla shake. The burger was average and a little dry and I wish the shake was a little thicker. The fries were hot and crispy. Food 3 out of 5. When you come to Stella's, don't expect anything special or over the top. This is your no thrills, simple eats, local neighborhood small business diner. Prices are very cheap and you pay for what you get. Portion sizes were big so it's a good bang for your buck. Service was fast and efficient, but nothing spectacular. It is what it is and Stella's a solid place to have in Lakeview. read more

Stella's Diner - Bleu Cheese and Bacon Burger. - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I always have amazing service and amazing food when I visit. I live very close to Stella's so I frequent it a lot and I have never had a bad time. My favorite is the BLT with avocado. It is always perfection. read more

Compared to other spots in the area Stella's Diner is no longer a great option. The food was a bit dry and the only plus for me was that we didn't have to wait long to get a table for brunch. Maybe what turned me off from the beginning was that the spoon on the table was used and dirty, that is never a good start to the meal. read more

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This place is right near my new apartment, and I get the feeling I'm going to be going there a lot. I just love the whole atmosphere, as well as the food. I went yesterday, and there were a bunch of different things on the menu that I wanted to try. First of all, we got the Dracula's Garlic Bread for an appetizer and it was HUGE. It was also delicious. Completely drenched in oil, garlic, and herbs, it was just amazing. Ugh. I felt close to full when our entrees came. I tried a couple of the fries and they were good, but I got the mac and cheese as my side. I ordered the grilled cheese with tomatoes on wheat bread. First of all, the mac and cheese was excellent - I wish I had just gotten that as a dish. Mmm. Delicious. I think the grilled cheese might have been better without the tomatoes. It seemed a bit overloaded with tomatoes and not quite enough cheese. It was good, but it wasn't great. Still, everything else was great, so I'll definitely be going back. As a vegetarian, it always feels good to find a restaurant where I can look at the menu and have a hard time deciding what to order. Can't wait to try some of the other options! read more

Stella's Diner - Dracula's Garlic Bread - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

After have a great workout, I decided to enjoy a great burger so I stopped in at Stella's. You never can go wrong with this is restaurant. Upon entering the restaurant, I was told I can sit anywhere I want to, since it was a sunny day, I decided to sit on the patio. I was the only one there so I had plenty of tables to choose from. The waitress, Dawn, flops down the menu and asked if I needed a beverage so I had ordered a coke. When she brought the coke, she asked in her gruff voice, "Are you ready?" Granted, I was craving a burger, but I may change my mind..... I asked for couple of more minutes. Meanwhile, an additional table taken by some regulars, I couldn't believe how sweet sounding she was with them. About five to seven more minutes, she took my order. She brought my food and with her gruff voice, "Need anything else?" Ketchup, I replied. She brought the ketchup and walked away. I then realized the one napkin that was brought to me had some wet spots on it. No one around to get couple of new napkins, I can make it work with this napkin. While eating this half burger, I continue to hear her with other guests. Did she stop and check on me to see if I needed a refill or anything? No. Nothing. The only time she stopped by was to give me the check and stated, "Thanks honey", and walks away. BTW, the burger and fries were prepared perfect. I have never received bad service and food here before. I will make sure she will not wait on me again. Sorry Maria and Gus. read more

Standard diner with standard options and friendly service. If you want skillets and omelette that never disappoint, then this is your place. We ordered the Two Eggs Scrambled with Corned Beef Hash and the Hungry Person Skillet, as well as the Dive Cake. The Eggs, both scrambled and sunny side up, were perfectly seasoned. The Corned Beef Hash was a little on the salty side and the hash browns were a little on the bland side. The Eggs and hash browns really benefitted from the hot sauce and ketchup combo. The Hungry Person Skillet was filling and well seasoned as well! The Diva cake was like a less runny lava cake with a layer of fudge and topped with vanilla ice cream. Truly a decadent dessert that everyone deserves for whatever reason! The food was honestly standard and nothing really that spectacular, but it does its job. read more

Utterly meh food. Diner standards with most unremarkable meatloaf. The shakes are tasty but overpriced.

Love this diner and their menu. You can order breakfast or lunch and the food is good. It's always packed for weekend brunch but the staff is friendly and quick. If you want a good home style breakfast this is the place. read more

Great food! Great service! Loads of dessert choices! Stella's Diner is a neighborhood staple.

Loved this find in a familiar neighborhood. Highly recommended. Thanks for being a local diner with no issues

Great neighborhood spot with fast, friendly service and reliably good food. Give it a try!

What a difference a year makes. The food quality has gone WAY down. Food doesnt taste fresh. For example: the "cajun rice" definitely tastes and looks like its been microwaved. Not sure what happened to this place. Maybe they had to find ways to cut costs, i dont know. What i do know is that I will no longer be ordering food from here. read more

When I had gotten my food it was cold my partner and her food was really cold as well. When I bite into the bacon it was as hard as a rock and tasted like it was made 3 days before along with all the other food. Will never come here again read more

This place is bomb! Went here for lunch on a Saturday afternoon with two friends. We were quickly seated by really friendly staff. Place is nice and clean. There are two gender neutral and clean bathrooms, and the place is actually pretty big. The waitress gave us enough time to look over the large menu before coming back for orders. I got the hot roast turkey sandwich, which was so good. The mashed potatoes tasted like real potatoes and not powder. A friend got the spicy steak sandwich, medium rare, which he said was super tender and juicy. My other friend got a skillet which was hearty, filling, and delicious. The shakes here are also huge, and to die for. Definitely don't come here looking for a bunch of diet meals. The mac and cheese was a little soft for my taste, but still tasted good. All in all, great experience and we will be back! They really make you feel like family. read more

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Tasty! Came in for a bacon cheeseburger and it was delicious. Cooked perfectly. I wish there was some seasoning on the burger itself because it was a tad bland. Fries were cooked perfectly but could have used a bit of seasoning. Coleslaw was oddly delicious! Service was excellent. Looking forward to trying more from here. read more

Stella's Diner - Bacon Cheese Burger - Diners Near Me - Chicago, Illinois