Great location and really nice interior. Went here for a private event and had the option to choose from a prix fix menu. I ordered the vodka pasta and I'm guessing the pasta was fresh because it was very overcooked and essentially mushy. The sauce was good but due to the texture, I almost couldn't eat it. We had a salad with a balsamic dressing which was delicious although we had to ask for extra sauce as it barely had any to begin with. Others had the chicken Milanese which looked delicious and was a great portion size. The sauce on the meatballs was fresh and flavorful but I did not try the meatball itself. I do think this place deserves more than 3 stars just from the flavors and from observing the experience of others, but I can only rate based on what I ate and my own experience. Now that I've seen the full menu, I would consider going back and trying other items. read more

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We went to Luna Stella for dinner. The restaurant is family owned and the pasta is all made in house. It was started by a pastry chef turned pasta chef. When we visited they had just switched over to their winter menu. We had crab cakes as appetizers, which did not disappoint . For mains, we had the Mushroom Ravioli and Shrimp Tortellini. Both the pasta were delicious and freshly made! We had several options to choose for dessert. We chose the chocolate lava cake, it was warm and gooey. The service was prompt and our sever was helpful with explaining the menu to us, read more

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Amazing food and service!! The lychee cocktail was made to perfection and tried the octopus for the appetizer, shrimp tacos was well seasoned and garlic shrimp pasta. The pasta is cooked fresh! Will def be back and try other items on the menu. read more

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On a lark, we decided to try Luna Stella for dinner earlier this week. We caught it out of the corner of our eyes as it is tucked away slightly off the Main Street of Maplewood, but boy are we glad we found it! We happened to catch them on a live music night so we decided to sit at a bar table and while the dining room was nearly empty, the bar was full. Our waiter was attentive even with a full plate of tables and the owner came over to us several times to see how we were doing. Our drinks were very good, but the food was amazing! The chicken was pounded so thin for the Milenese and fried perfectly. The short rib pappardelle had a deep unctuous beef flavor but was not heavy at all. The pasta was cooked perfectly! We will definitely be going back! read more

Luna Stella - Chicken Milenese - New American Near Me - Maplewood, New Jersey

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Definitely worth a visit. Cool ambiance, good service and well executed dishes. Bar does a good job of turning out solid cocktails to start and plenty of excellent entrees to choose from to complete your experience. read more

Luna Stella - Hamachi crudo - New American Near Me - Maplewood, New Jersey

Popped in this Maplewood restaurant for the first time for a work dinner with colleagues and counterparts, big open space at the bar upfront to the right as you enter, and seating more to the back and right. Bathrooms were downstairs, so not as friendly if you can't take the stairs. Some seating outside currently on the street built. Menu is QR code, but you can also get a paper one to look at for now. Server was good, he was quick and efficient with the wine and water. We tried apps: * grilled octopus - done well, nothing surprising here, solid choice * artisanal bread board - great big board, liked the pate, baba ganoush and fruit jelly spreads * rock shrimp - this was excellent - a little spicy aioli and everyone liked this * chicken wings - this is ok; skip * burrata caprese - one of the better appetizers today - this was refreshing and delicious * hamachi crudo - was fresh and simple; not what I'd normally think of getting here, but a good touch * apple radicchio salad - was ok; if you like salad, this is sweet Mains: I had the lobster pappardelle, which actually had a great sauce - but too little of it. The pappardelle came in a giant pile and the bottom 50% had no sauce on it after I ate the top level... making it plain pasta. Eh. I also shared one of the pan seared scallops, that was excellent. Dessert - apple pie a la mode was ok, though not quite what I expected, too much crust for me as a mini-pie. Pumpkin cheesecake - I'm not a cheesecake guy, but others liked it. Mousse dish - a little too light and almost like a decompiled "artisan" dessert. Needed to be more heavy in my opinion, but likely good for those that want a lighter-feeling dessert. Chocolate cake was too dry for me. Overall - some good, some bad. Will definitely come back to try more dishes! read more

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We really enjoy the atmosphere at Luna Stella, particularly the bar area. We went for dinner recently and had a very disappointing experience. Each time we've been there recently and sat at the bar we have found the service both unpleasant and poor quality. This last time my husband ordered steak frites and the meat was so tough he complained and got a new order that was just as tough. I ordered the chicken Milanese which was ok but there was a real shortage of red onion and the dressing was awful. We really wish they would get their act together so we will consider returning. read more

Went here just last night with a group but neglected to take pics. I've been here before but just bar area for drinks (which was good). Tonight was pretty busy but the staff was attentive and kind. I ordered the crispy rock shrimp and the Barbie drink special which was just a pomegranate cosmo. Both were very good. The drink could have been a bit more full to the rim for $15, but ok. The decor is rustic and it is larger inside than I thought. There is an outdoor eating area as well. It's a bit expensive but I'd go here again. Nice spot for an intimate date night or family/group event. read more

Luna Stella - Barbie cosmo (aka pomegranate cosmo) - New American Near Me - Maplewood, New Jersey

Quality American cuisine in a comfortable setting. Not sure why this place isn't more crowded. They're offering American cuisine that is fresh, flavorful and properly executed. They have a full bar with a decent wine list, cocktails, and a decent enough beer list. The service was efficient and attentive. They aren't doing anything particularly unique or special, but they're offering a quality meal in a clean setting. They offer vegan and an abundance of gluten-free options. It's simply a quality local American restaurant. read more

A friend of mine and I went to get drinks for happy hour at this restaurant. When I arrived I parked on the street nearby. I walked in and the place was super nice. They even had an open kitchen set up which I liked. We sat at the bar and Ally was our bartender. I started with an espresso martini. It looked great but was too espresso tasting so I switched to the old fashioned. It was super tasty. My friend enjoyed his cranberry vodka. I enjoyed my time here and would return. read more

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I hardly EVER give 5 stars, but when I come across that rare gem, I'm more than happy to oblige. Let's talk Ambiance...the inside was beautiful, open, clean. The staff was amazing. One of the servers dropped a bottle of sparkling water we ordered all over but they were quick to clean it up, move our table, and covered the new bottle on them. Now. Let's get to the fun part... Appetizer: Yellowfin Tuna tartar . Hands down the best I've ever had! I'm somewhat of a guacamole snob and it was absolutely delicious. The tuna was high grade quality tuna that just melted in your mouth and the homemade chips...well you could literally eat them by themselves. Main: Pan seared Bronzino with vegetables and an additional side of spinach. Yet again, the bronzini was the best I've ever had. The skin was perfectly seared and crispy. And the sauce that they drizzled on the side...Oh to the Em Geeee! Packed with flavor. For context...I'm Latina and I love my food flavorful and they absolutely managed to accomplish that with out it being overbearing. Mushroom Tortellini my boyfriend ordered this and completely clean the plate. Lol. He said it was delicious and the sauce was the right consistency. Desert: I forgot the name, but there is a pic below and my boyfriend rated it a . I'm not much for the consistency of the desert, but he did manage to convince me to taste it and it was pretty dang good. Lol. He absolutely loved it. It wasn't overly sweet with a delicious crumble. I'm honestly quite surprised that a place like this wasn't as packed as one would expect on a Saturday evening. I'm ecstatic we stumbled across this place (well the boyfriend suggested it as we walked past) and I will definitely be returning. read more

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This place is terrible, service is slow, staff has no clue. The menu is limited. Two items were sold out. Keep Training!!! read more

I love live music, but I don't like it so loud that I can't hear my partner over dinner. Unfortunately we came on an evening they had a live band, and while we are lovers of music- it was way too loud. I'm talking- you can hear the band a block away around the corner level loud. Please... skip the piercing vocals next time. We went out for dinner, not a concert requiring earplugs for ear protection. To start, the hamachi crudo was very good. The fish was fresh, all of the flavors and textures came together thoughtfully. The mushroom ravioli was excellent. It was perfectly creamy, salty, umami- the foam was a nice touch. Duck entree was a miss. Under salted and improperly scored, there was a very thick layer of chewy unrendered fat. The meat was beautifully done (cooked perfectly medium rare) but the skin was lacking that crispy/salty attribute that makes duck so delicious. Presentation was perfect for all three dishes, but had to knock a star off for the duck. Drinks were just ok, I have had better cocktails. I would skip personally. We will be back, but I hope they fix the music / balance issue and we will skip the duck next time. read more

5 stars for the crudo. Perfectly balanced. 5 stars for the wild mushroom ravioli. I cannot fault this dish. 1 star for the duck. The flavors were on point, but the skin was not scored deeply enough, so the fat didn't render, which resulted in blubbery, chewy, fat layer under the skin. The skin was not salted, so the excess oil was not absorbed, and the duck was under seasoned overall. Eating it caused the same tummy ache you would get if you ate a whole steak of A5 Wagyu Ribey by yourself. If you know, you know. The ambience was fine until a band the restaurant hired started playing. It was so loud you could not hear yourself think. I'll emphasize, I'm not a million years old, and I like loud music. The band was good, but it so was insanely loud, you'd have to yell across the table. You could hear the music two blocks away - you'd expect that vibe from a bar. The restaurant was also too hot. Between the tummy ache, the obnoxiously loud music, and the heat, we elected to skip dessert. The drinks lacked sophistication for the price - pretty one note, though admittedly strong. Just stick with a pilsner or a glass of wine. Though, I would go again. I would not order the duck. And when making reservation, I would ask if there will be any live music present that night. read more

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We came here for the first time last night 5/17/25. We sat outside on the patio as it was very nice out. The server was great. She told us all about the owner and the chef and how everything is homemade. We started with a round of drinks which were very good. Moved on to the appetizers of the Buratta and prosciutto and the kale salad. Very good. Entrees were the pork chop, two pasta dishes (homemade pasta) and the grain bowl. Everything was fantastic. The homemade pasta was the star of the dish. I had the short rib pasta which was fantastic. The grain bowl was huge, my wife at it for two meals. Desserts are homemade but we skipped to go get ice cream in town. We are going to definitely go back and bring friends. Great job. read more

I don't know where the negative reviews came from because my experience was great. I went with three other people, and we all loved our food (2 ordered pork chops, 1 ordered short rib, and I ordered chicken Milanese). The servers were very nice & personable, and the man who I'm getting was the owner came up to our table to greet us. They brought out food fairly quickly but you could tell the meal was thoughtfully prepared. The atmosphere was really nice with soft, warm lighting and a lively bar. The high top tables were our personal preference because they were spaced out well yet it felt like you were in the middle of a very personal experience with other families chatting at the tables next to you. If you're looking for something more private, they also have a seating with more typical/ "normal" height tables. If you're looking for a place to spend a nice dinner with friends or family (and willing to spend a little money (well worth it)), this is the place. I included pics of the food :) read more

Luna Stella - Pork Chop - New American Near Me - Maplewood, New Jersey

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Wow. What an amazing experience! Decided to meet up half way with my in laws and came across meeting up here. Beautiful restaurant. The decor and lightening is stunning. Love the rustic wooden look. Our sever Tracey was on point. She was very attentive and made my family feel like they were VIP. Drinks were amazing. Great list and variety. For the food we got a salmon app, meatballs, the lentil and tomato salad and a arugula salad with fig. So good!! For my entree, I got the Luna Stella chicken cordon blue. I wish I can eat this every night. The chicken was breaded just right, it was not dry at all. I was shocked. When ordering a chicken dish from any restaurant, it could be a toss up between any where from not being seasoned correctly or being dry, but this wasn't the case. I wish I would have had a dessert but I was so full from all of the goodness! Even their cappuccino was really good! All around 10's across. I wish it was closer to me because this would be my regular date night spot. Odette the manager was also very kind. Family owned restaurants are the best and definitely need the support! I will definitely without a doubt make trips down here and come back on a weekend night. Highly recommend. read more

Here with my family in a Saturday night food was delicious service on point Tracy our wonderful waitress was awesome thank you for a wonderful dinner!!! We will be back when in the area read more

Gave 2 stars because I was very disappointed from the last visit, although the past two visits were very pleasant and 4 stars. We sat at the bar last night and noticed some staffs were not acting professionally, not greeting new customers, not paying attention to them, instead just goofing around with staffs and looked being drunk. The best service customers getting was from the busboy who noticed customers first, greeted them and kept working hard for them. It was probably due to Memorial weekend and nobody wanted to work or no manager's existence. read more

Service was slow and erratic and food was just average. Restaurant decor and design was very nice. Has a lot of potential.

Had not been to Luna Stella in years, not for any reason other than it just wasn't on our radar but it certainly is now. Had a delicioius meal in a wonderful setting. Everything we ordered was cooked perfectly across the board (pork chop, steak frites and pasta) and paired with an enjoyable wine. Will definitely be making this a more regular stop. read more

WHAT. A. JOKE. My husband and I were extremely disappointed with our evening tonight, which was planned to celebrate my birthday - this was made evident in our Resy booking and reinforced to the staff upon entering. We expected fine dining, albeit in a contemporary atmosphere. This would at least justify the menu prices, exceeding those found in much more creative, avant garde restaurants in NYC. But I digress. We started at the overcrowded bar as we were a little early. We avoided happy hour drink specials, as those were quite mediocre on prior occasions before the chef and concept changed recently. Instead we hoped to enjoy a few French wines. Every wine we ordered was underwhelming and flavorless. Thankfully this was balanced by their slightly more interesting cocktails. We eventually sat down for dinner. The bread board had delicious sourdough. But unfortunately we waited 30 minutes for our next drinks. Hardly any attempt was made by our server to acknowledge this delay. But she had no problem repeatedly asking for our entree choices 5 times (still no cocktails in sight). Eventually our drinks arrived, followed by our entrees. The short rib was cooked nicely, but paired with polenta which was utterly bland and took away from an otherwise promising dish. My husband ordered the scallops - beautifully presented, flavorful overall, but with an off-putting raisin "chutney" which was confusing and unnecessary. We felt neutral about our plan to return. Luckily our decision was made much easier after we ordered dessert. I should mention that the waitstaff could not be more clueless and uninformed about the menu and food here. They zipped around us as if they were in a relay race, causing anxiety and completely eliminating any semblance of a fine dining ambience. It felt much more like a cantina. No vibe to speak of whatsoever. And back to dessert. A random server dropped off a plate of lava cake and ice cream - again, beyond uninterested. No attempt to make it special for my birthday and unapologetic when this was pointed out. Let's be real - it takes about 30 seconds to place a candle in a cake and give the appearance of giving a ****. As for molten lava cakes, it was delicious (what's not to love?!). But the entire sentiment was lost on them tonight. At over $200 with hardly any drinks (and none without a ridiculous wait time), this is unacceptable. That's unfortunate, because we were looking forward to making this a local fave. Do yourself a favor and have pizza at Arturo's. It will be memorable for the right reasons! read more

This place is so delicious! Pleasantly surprised by how good the food was. Attention was paid to every item placed on the plate. How items are paired together are astonishing (like ginger sorbet on top of tuna tartare) and beautifully placed for presentation. I will be back. Might be one of my new favorite places. read more

Luna Stella - Pan Seared Duck. Trust me, it was amazing! - New American Near Me - Maplewood, New Jersey

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My husband and I dined here on a Wednesday night. There was a small trio providing live music. They were very enjoyable. We ordered the branzino and the ahi tuna. Both dishes were excellent. We would return . read more

I'm back. I said I needed to try more and I certainly did. This restaurant is a MUST try. We started with the buratta, Tuna tartar and baby back ribs. The buratta was fresh and delicious. the tuna tartar had this amazing yuzu ginger wasabi sorbet on top. The baby back ribs fell off the bone. INCREDIBLE. Then for dinner we shared the salmon and wild mushroom ravioli. The salmon came on top of a great beet purée and with a tempura apple. The apple was so interesting!! The ravioli was impeccable. For dessert we got the goat cheese budino which was like goat cheese crème brûlée, and the avocado chocolate mousse. Loved both but loved the goat cheese more. Our waiter was fantastic and attentive, and we chatted with the manager about how great everything was and he was so kind and excited. RUN don't walk truly amazing dining experience. read more

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we drive 30 minutes each way to go eat at LS. the food is sooo good and ambiance and service are amazing. there's a really nice lady that comes by to check to see if the food is good, etc. I am not sure if she's the manager or the owner, but she's doing a great job at gonig the extra mile. she doesn't have to, but you can tell she's very genuine and I love that! can't wait to go back! read more

My wife and I stopped here for drinks and appetizers a few months ago, then they closed due to COVID. Finally got back here on valentine's Day and was pleasantly surprised. It was a set menu but all good choices, there was a wine pairing which we passed on but seemed good. No complaints at all, from the delicious appetizers and even more delicious entrees, right up to the yummy desserts. Service was beyond expectations and my personal favourite... Cocktails were well supplied with a very good amount of alcohol... Definitely coming back to try the regular menu but I'm sure we will be happy. read more

went there on our anniversary the App Meatballs was one of the best meatballs but the sauce was the best. My wife had chicken cordon bleu. I had to short ribs. both dishes excellent the restaurant is a $$$ read more

Went here for new year's eve dinner yesterday, a fairly pricey prix fixe menu. We were a party of two so it wasn't like it was a complicated order. They forgot our drinks, the food was cold and the only flavor was a little bit of salt. I've never had worse filet mignon or ribs, and I've had $2 filet from a truck stop in North Carolina. Worst money I've ever spent, including the times I've straight up lost cash on the street. read more

I was there for dinner with a friend a month or so ago. The specialty cocktails were delicious, our favorite was their twist of a spicy margarita - it's called something like "detoxrita " or something like that. We shared a few appetizers, our favorite was the octopus dish. The servers were always on top of topping off the water and making sure we were happy with everything. read more

We went out for my wife's birthday and it was a quiet Tuesday night after a snow storm earlier in the day. Everything was perfect, from the tuna tartare (over guac) and Brussels sprout appetizers to our main courses (ahi tuna and branzino) and Baked Alaska for dessert. Our waiter was friendly, gave great suggestions and the cocktails looked and tasted great. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

It was OK. For those prices I expected better table service and better food. Some of the combo's were just weird. I expected more from a $35 pasta dish. I will not be returning in the near future. Our entire party of 5 was pretty underwhelmed. I understand that it is much improved from the food the former chef put out, but not enough to make me want to return. Too bad as it is a lovely space with great potential and better quality restaurants are much needed in the South Orange/ Maplewood area. read more

Just had a wonderful dinner here last night. Super fresh ingredients and terrific flavors. Pastas, salads, eggplant stuffed with farro, and a starter of rock shrimp fried oh-so-lightly with a creamy but delicate sauce. Very professional service. Can't wait to go back! read more

We came here on a Friday night and were seated without a reservation. To start we ordered oysters, octopus and burrata. The appetizers were delicious and the burrata was plated beautifully. The entrees left something to be desired. The scallops entree came with 4 small scallops, a zucchini mix that was sub par and saffron risotto that was a bit crunchy. My partner got the venison which they enjoyed however the polenta fries and brussel sprouts on the plate were plain. The cocktails were delicious and beautiful to look at. We did not order dessert. Overall a restaurant with a nice ambience and style however the food is inconsistent. read more

Luna Stella - Burrata - New American Near Me - Maplewood, New Jersey

Wow, just wow! We stopped in thinking this was the old place pre-pandemic and it's so different. Loved it. The food was incredible, enjoyed the atmosphere. Sat by the kitchen and got some surprise tastings. Can wait to come back here. This is now going on our regular rotation of restaurants. read more

The restaurant and ambiance is perfect! Food is amazing and seasoned perfectly! Everyone was friendly and attentive. Love the open kitchen concept and ability to sits and watch how the delicious food is cooked!! A definite winner....don't miss out. read more

Wow! The whole package. Great place, atmosphere, cocktails and the food was amazing. Each plate looked like a work of art and tasted incredible. we'll definitely be back. read more

Have come here a few times over the last few years and it keeps getting better. Kate, our server, was charming and attentive. She and the staff showed great care regarding our dietary concerns. The vegetables were expertly prepared (Chef Miguel) and the chicken Milanese was perfectly prepared with just the right amount of lemon in the sauce. The gluten-free vegan dessert with chocolate avocado mousse and banana fluff was the perfect finish to the meal. It's expensive enough that I won't be going often, but I certainly look forward to my next visit. read more

Great food and service. Perfect ambience for a birthday. Thank you for a wonderful time!

This place was not only super cute, but the food was really good! I had the pan seared scallops which were amazing!! my husband had the chicken Milanese which he sad was very good. read more