Stella Maris Restaurant & Grocery — Restaurant in Louisiana

I don't leave reviews often, it takes a place to be amazing or awful for me to take my time to leave reviews. I honestly wish I could give more than 5 stars for this place. First the service - The service here is second to none! I have only ever seen one gentleman serving and at the register, I believe he is the owner. He is quick to explain the menu and any specials going on that day. He has pictures on his phone of all the menu items and he is great at explaining each dish. This is awesome for people like me that is not familiar with this type of food. He is very nice and polite. You can see him running around the store to ensure you get served quick! Always has a sense of urgency. Atmosphere - it is a restaurant/grocery store. On the right side they have a few booths and a few tables. The booths are comfortable and and clean! I love that they have a grocery attached! After you order, go and explore the grocery side. They have so many things that I've never seen before! Candies and foods from the other side of the world! Ingredients that you can't find anywhere else. It's honestly really cool to look at all of these different items available. Food - I have only eaten at a few different Mediterranean restaurants, it's not something I typically go for when choosing a place to eat. From what I can tell this stuff is the real deal! I watch a lot of different YouTube channels that explore other cuisine and culture and this place looks spot on and the flavors are great. Please ask about the special of the day! It is always interesting, different, and delicious! Just ask the nice gentleman what it is and he will explain and show pictures right away. Don't shy away because you're unfamiliar, I can guarantee you'll love it. I always get a side of gyro meat no matter what, the small is enough for 2 people. The hummus is delicious and comes with warm bread for dipping. The menu is very diverse and I can't wait to try everything. My fiancé loves the chicken shawarma plate with humus. The portions are enough for 3 meals. You MUST try the fresh mint lemonade. It's made in-house, fresh squeezed juice and blended mint... it's so refreshing and delicious! Ok so that's the savory food part... now the desserts that are offered look great as well. I have tried the pistachio honey cheese cake... words can't describe how good this item is. I had to eat it over 3 days, it doesn't look like a huge slice but it packs a punch. I had to get another one this time around and I also opted to try the biscoff cheesecake. It looks great and I can't wait to dig in later today. Just do yourself a favor and give it a try! The menu is awesome and...

In 2024, it's difficult to find eateries (or any business, for that matter) which check most to all of the standard boxes. Ask yourself when you last went out to eat somewhere with good food, prepared and presented thoughtfully, served promptly, in a pleasant atmosphere, by caring and attentive waitstaff, for an amount of money that didn't sting when the check arrived. Stella Maris meets and exceeds each and every one of these criteria, which has been cause for me and mine to return there on a biweekly basis for the past several months, as we will continue to do for the foreseeable future.

Jamal and the rest of the Stella Maris crew have gone to noteworthy lengths to make each dining and shopping experience one which, lamentably, resembles fewer and fewer businesses in the US, and feels more like the hospitality one could expect abroad, in a far less atomized, sanitized, corporatized, price-gouging country than this one.

When after dinner one night, one of us accidentally knocked over our hookah, shattering the glass base, Jamal was emphatic that we not worry one bit about it, and didn't charge us a cent for the damage. When I later bought my own (beautiful and affordable) hookah from him as a surprise birthday present, and discovered in it a small design flaw, Jamal automatically and graciously offered an entire replacement hookah at no additional cost, along with a handful of other proposed remedies to ensure I was taken care of. Upon leaving the store that day, I had accidentally left a small piece of our hookah behind, and failed to see him flagging me down in the rear view mirror as I drove away. The next time I stopped in, at first sight of me entering the door, he immediately went to the back and retrieved the piece, perfectly and wordlessly anticipating the very reason for my visit.

These people are just plain kind, and that kindness shows up in every facet of their work and their business. You can taste it, hear it, see it, feel it. I feel as nourished by that kindness in my trips to Stella Maris as I do anything on its menu. Rare is the restaurant or store where you feel like helping the place out for free on your day off. This is...

I am not happy with the customer service I receive from the wife of the cook. Sometimes she gives one the feeling that she does not like her job. I do not know if it is a problem with the English language, but her communication is poor. She does not even try to ask if the customer needs anything, and she is very serious, and rarely smiles. I have had a meal where the chicken was not fully cooked, and when I reported it to her, she just looked at me and never even apologized. I told them that I could have gotten sick. Also, I have to order at the register in order to get my food quickly. If I sit at the table, they take forever to take my order. Today I had to go to the register to get a box and I decided to pay. The bill was $11.98 and I gave her $14.00 which included the tip. I always tip her, even when I take out, so she is aware that when I pay the extra is the tip. Today she just rudely told me that I gave her more money than the bill. I told her that the extra was the tip, but after her attitude, I told her I could take it back, and she threw the money on the counter, and told me you can take it back, so I did. This is the last time I will ever go to that...