Delicious dinner at Stella in downtown Milwaukee. The restaurant was a little tricky to find because it's on the third floor of the Westin hotel, and the elevator had no number three on the panel. We definitely looked lost because one of the staff came to our rescue and told us to press the lobby button because that's the third floor where the restaurant lives. Stella is a large restaurant with a nice bar area, well stocked with good bourbon. We had a personable server named CJ, who was on top of everything and made our experience that much better. We started with cocktails, hubs had an old-fashioned and I had a paper plane. Stella's bread service was warm rolls with a chili garlic oil. Spicy! Everything we ordered we split between the two of us. We started with the Caesar salad which had the best anchovy dressing. Next was the grilled octopus with a creamy yogurt sauce. We could cut the octopus with a fork because it was that tender. For our main entree, we shared the bone-in ribeye. They offered different toppings, but we were glad we had it naked because it was perfect - tender, medium rare and flavorful. We chose the roasted carrots as a side and they were charred goodness. Happy to say there were no negatives to our dining experience - at all. It was fabulous! read more

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Very disappointing anniversary experience My husband and I chose Stella to celebrate our 23rd wedding anniversary, so we were really looking forward to having a special dinner together. Unfortunately, the experience was extremely disappointing. The food was honestly horrible. For what we paid, we expected the quality of the food and the overall experience to be much better. We spent $270, which is a significant amount of money, especially for a meal that left us so disappointed. Afterward, I called the restaurant to express my concerns and explain how unhappy we were with our experience. I was offered a $50 gift card. While I appreciate the gesture, it really didn't feel like an appropriate response considering we spent $270 on a meal that we felt was unacceptable. What makes this even more disappointing is that this wasn't just an ordinary dinner--it was our 23rd wedding anniversary, a special occasion that we won't get back. I don't expect perfection from a restaurant, but I do expect good food, good value, and for a special occasion to feel special. Unfortunately, Stella did not deliver that for us. read more

Very nice restaurant on the lobby floor of the Westin. Elegant and well decorated. We also had a very nice server. The only reason I am providing a less than perfect rating is because the signage isn't the best and it was freezing inside the restaurant. The food was really good and it was suggested to come back for dinner!! So maybe I will!! read more

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I have dined here multiple times on my work visits to Milwaukee. This time I actually stayed at the Westin hotel and the room service was catered from the restaurant. I tried the Greek yogurt bowl for breakfast a couple of times and it is totally worth it. My personal favorite dinner here is the Seabass with saffron risotto. Absolutely well done Seabass, on a bed of warm, perfectly well done risotto. All the flavors come together really well. I actually had recommended this to a few other colleagues who tried it and agreed that it was awesome. Please give it a shot and enjoy. read more

1 of the best hotel restaurants in the USA. Lunch and dinner. Fine cuisine. Great staff. Varied menu. Wonderful experiences. Again, 1 of the best hotel restaurants in the USA. read more

Food was delicious and the service was wonderful. In addition to the great food the ginger snap beverage was exceptional. read more

Stella Van Buren - Skillet with ham, fontina cheese, diced potatoes, onions, an English muffin, side of potatoes and Berry waffles - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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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! read more

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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! read more

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Katie was the highlight of our visit. Every interaction came with a genuine smile, and that kind of warmth makes all the difference. My husband and daughters loved the chili oil served with the bread. Both my husband and one daughter ordered the vodka marinated pasta and enjoyed every bite. My other daughter and I had the chicken piccata, which unfortunately was overcooked and too salty. The white wine lemon sauce couldn't save it. We'll definitely make our way back simply because of the wait staff over several visits. read more

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

got tha ravioli it was #awesome! this place is fancy fancy the waiters were all very sweet read more

Stella Van Buren - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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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! read more

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The service was very good. The food was good not great. I had the osso bucco on a bed of risotto. The meat was just slightly over cooked. But still flavorful. Just not as tender as I have had it. Even though it's located in a hotel, the floor is tastefully decorated. They have a great wine list! I think if we come back I read more

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 read more

Stella Van Buren - Ny Dry-Aged New York Strip* - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Food was very tasteless. The shrimp scampi tasted like nothing and the short ribs tasted like nothing and seemed as if they were microwaved. The waitress was great however, it took an hour from the time we ordered until we got our entrées. read more

Best Brunch Ever - A Must-Visit Spot! Visiting from California and this was hands-down the best brunch I've ever had! Every dish was a standout. The shrimp and grits were rich, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned. The truffle eggs were next-level decadent -- creamy, aromatic, and indulgent in the best way. We also had the steak and eggs, which were cooked to perfection, and the French toast was the ideal sweet finish -- crispy on the outside, fluffy inside, topped with Nutella with just the right amount of sweetness. From start to finish, the experience was fantastic -- great food, welcoming service, and a lively atmosphere. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in town. This place is a brunch lover's dream! A Special thanks to Kelly and Amy who made us feel special. P.s. My only regret is not getting photos of the wonderful presentation of the food read more

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

Stella Van Buren - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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! read more

Stella Van Buren - Wedge Salad 10/10!!! - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

First and last visit. Raw duck, served twice. Catastrophic food experience. Good service. We had marrow bones for an appetizer. The preparation was nice, but the bone marrow itself, which should have been the highlight, was basically flavorless fat. Note, I love good marrow. I grew up eating marrow bones as a feast. Then we had duck breast for a main course, and it was a catastrophe. Duck tartare, more or less, though not chopped, appeared on the table. The duck breast was deep dark red raw inside and with a slippery raw meat texture. The service was lovely, and they took it back, preparing new batch for us. The new batch appeared with parts still dark red, raw. We ate what we could around the raw parts, as we were too hungry to wait for a third try, which they offered. The accompanying celeriac au gratin was wonderful, as was the other vegetable, Belgian endive I think it was, maybe. Good customer service. They comped the duck breast, and also gave us a gift card. I don't think we will come back, as there are many great restaurants in Milwaukee. We will give the gift card to someone who maybe will love this restaurant. read more

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. read more

Stella Van Buren - Banana Bread - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Rehearsal dinner! Went here for our friends son's rehearsal dinner, cocktails on the outside roof, drinks, dinner was fantastic. Servers were great, one piece of advice, don't park in the lot across the street from their front door, it's not the hotels lot & the 2 meters in there weren't working & we got a $41 ticket! read more

Stumbled upon this place when I was in town for the marathon. So glad we found it! Everything we ordered was so good and my family is extremely picky with coffee and we all agreed the coffee was excellent! They use a local blend I believe called valentine. I had this crusty piece of toast with soft scrambled eggs, mushrooms, and cheese, and it was so good. The lemon blueberry pancakes were amazing and the avocado toast was fantastic! We love the service so much. I wish I remembered the name of the waitress and the manager, but they were both phenomenal and our experience was 10 out of 10. I would go out of my way to have breakfast here again. It was that good. read more

Got a gift certificate and took some friends for lunch. Chicken sandwich was dry. Didn't have the sausage gravy it was supposed to. Waiter didn't check on our table until after we were done. We mentioned it and he checked and they said they did put it on. Lol. Two of us had the sandwich and we both know there was none. Way over priced. Water gone, soda gone, only 6 other people there, and nobody checked on us at all. For a supposed fancier place, it was rather old in there. Honestly, Chili's and other low priced restaurants have better food and service. Not even going to use the remaining money the gift certificates. I was embarrassed for taking friends there. read more

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. read more

Stella Van Buren - Steakhouse Wedge Garlic Parmesan French Fries - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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. read more

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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! read more

Stella Van Buren - Mac and cheese | Italian salad - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

We are at Stella Van Buren last night while staying at the Westin. View of the city was beautiful. We had the Shrimp cocktail and burrata bruschetta for appetizers. Both were really good. We ate the steakhouse wedge salads and it was probably one of my favorites of all time. For dinner entrees, we had the NY strip, spicy Shrimp linguine and the truffle Bucatini. Everything was delicious. Would go back next time in town. read more

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The modern ambiance was ok (a bit stale) but the bar ambiance was excellent. Cocktails were very good and reasonably priced. However VERY disappointing they charged a $2 for a sphere of ice with my Buffalo Trace and didn't tell me or itemize it on the bill. I noticed it because the price of my drink was 25% higher than the menu price. WHY are you up charging for ICE? RIDICULOUS. Started with the beef carpaccio and while a small portion and not really shareable, it was very good. We then shared the wedge salad. It was very good, but different than any other wedge salad I have had (eg, bib lettuce vs iceberg, green goddess dressing and shaved Gorgonzola) and came with a thick slice of delicious bacon. Fantastic steaks. The ribeye and the bone in filet were cooked perfectly and delicious. Accompanying vegetables were very good. For dessert we had the tiramisu gelato and the donuts. Both were exceptional!! Service by Kevin was very good and we appreciated the manager coming by twice to see how we were doing. read more

Stella Van Buren - Wedge salad - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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I had some family in town and they wanted to get dinner at a nice spot. Stella has been bookmarked on Yelp, so in happy I finally got to check it out! The restaurant itself is gorgeous. Extremely tall ceilings, and modest decor. There are a couple balconies which are nice to relax on for a drink and appetizer. We started outside with drinks, the meatball appetizer, and the calamari. The meatball is one giant meatball and the perfect sharing size. The calamari is dressed in a chili flake seasoning and the dipping sauce matches the heat. For the 4 of us, the two apps was a good portion. One would not have been enough. We moved inside to enjoy our dinner. I split the shrimp spaghetti and the filet with my aunt. Our filet was a perfect medium rare and had a fun black pepper sauce. It came atop mashed potatoes and asparagus, which were both tasty. The shrimp spaghetti is a large portion and has a delicious garlicky flavor. My husband got the pasta bolognese. We've definitely had better, but it wasn't horrible. He would have opted for lasagna or chicken parm, but the menu changed a few weeks ago, and those items were no longer available. My uncle got the scallops. They were cooked perfectly, and practically melt in your mouth. Whether you're in Stella for some drinks, or a meal, this is a fancy place with great options! read more

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If I can give zero stars I would. Bartender charged us one price for a glass and the manager came in and said that price was wrong, it's actually more, so our bill ended up being more than what we were charged. Worst customer service... that's not how you run a business. Good bartenders, but the manager doesn't know a thing about customer service. read more

I came here for a birthday dinner that turned into an absolute nightmare, however this restaurant is very nice! It's located inside the Westin, which would have been nice to know because I had no idea where it was. But once I knew where it was, it was easy to navigate. The service was friendly and not intrusive. The calamari was good and the shrimp pasta was good as well. The food was amazing so I'd say it's definitely worth the visit! Price-wise, I'm not sure I'll be back, but I would definitely recommend it! read more

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Ordered two ounces of whiskey and was told it was one price. When the bartender delivered the check, I was told the price was not correct and charged me twice as much. I asked to see the manager and he was rude, told me the quoted price did not match the price in the menu and I should have known that the menu price was correct, not the quoted price. read more

Amazing for gluten free eaters! Staff was great at making sure everything we ordered was good for me to eat. They have GF toast, so I was able to get Burrata Bruschetta (which was fantastic). Our server, Jack, was lovely and gave us great recommendations of other places to visit during our Milwaukee trip. Would return for the views and aesthetic alone. read more

Stella Van Buren - Gluten free Burrata Bruschetta - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I visited Stella Van Buren as we had people in town for work. To start, the environment and ambiance was amazing. Tall ceilings, very spacious, while still offering segmented comfortable space to have conversation. Regarding the food...overall the food was better than standard but not standing out like it should at a location like this. I am a huge consumer of steak especially in the Milwaukee area and this spot is worth visiting but won't replace my go to locations in the area. read more

Great, went to dinner with my sister, we both got the Italian Oscar and split the Cesar salad. It was big enough for two. read more

Stella Van Buren - Italian Oscar - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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We came here for a birthday dinner and had a good time. The interior was really nice and they also had a great view of the city. I got the lamb chops which was tasty. Service was good, our waitress was super helpful when deciding what to order but could've filled our waters more. read more

Stella Van Buren - Lamb Chops - Italian Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Went here for dinner with some of my coworkers and was a good experience. The environment of the restaurant was very cool and modern, with super tall ceilings. Service was good, I felt like the server did a good job for our large group. I got a burger for my meal, which was cooked exactly how I asked and tasted great. One complaint I would have would be that the lunch menu runs until 5. I would have preferred to be able to do the dinner menu, but because our event was at 4, we had to choose from a very small lunch menu. The lunch menu itself is only 6-7 options. Overall good experience and I think I will come back to try the dinner menu sometime! read more

Amazing food and wonderful service by Maigann who went above and beyond. We went for our anniversary and everything was perfect, 10/10 recommend! read more

This was my third visit to Stella and honestly it's about time I leave a review, because everything here is great and I keep on coming back. The food is always great and so is the service. This most recent visit our server was a sweet woman named Anjail. She had a great attitude and an infectious smile, and she made great recommendations for us as well. The dining room is always clean and well lit, offering an intimate feeling without also feeling cramped at all. We will be back!! read more

The decor is breath taking and the patio is a great outdoor area to lounge. We have pancakes that were lemon ricotta and an omelette. They must've cooked the pancakes on a griddle that just cooked onions or scallions. My lemon ricotta pancakes tasted like onions. The omelette was mediocre at best, the bacon or ham that was inside of it was very salty and tough. It was an extremely overprice breakfast for the quality of food. Great place for a drink in the eve. Skip breakfast. read more