Stella Van Buren
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We recently ate at Stella for an anniversary/birthday dinner. We enjoyed the atmosphere - cool bar area with high shelves stocked with high end liquor. High ceilings and a well designed space throughout creates a high end feel. Lighting and furniture are on point which helps create a fantastic ambience. There are great outdoor seating options with views of the city. Our waiter, Mike, was outstanding throughout the night and provided some great recommendations. Micky, the manager, checked in with us to ensure we were having a great experience, which we appreciated. Some highlights from our meal as we tried many of the items on the menu: Drinks: Strawberry Mint Mule - very refreshing and flavors worked together perfectly without being too sweet. Outstanding and one of our favorite drinks we’ve had at any restaurant. Paloma - another outstanding drink with fun garnishes. I coulda ordered a couple more of these but wanted to try other drinks on the menu. Highly recommend this if you are into Paloma’s. Appetizers: Crab cake - good size portion of delicious crab with an outstanding tartar sauce. One of my favorite items all night. Hot stone Wagyu - worth it for the experience alone. This was a fun appetizer where we cooked our own Wagyu strips on a hot stone brought to the table. Not something we have ever seen at a restaurant. The Wagyu was delicious. Tips for this one - salt the meat first before searing. The spicy chili dipping sauce was good but a bit overpowering for such delicious meat. I preferred eating the meat without the sauce though might change my mind if there was a different sauce. Overall I highly recommend this unique appetizer for the experience and meat quality. Entrees Wagyu Bolognese - very tasty pasta with tender cuts of wagyu bolognese. Well cooked, flavorful. Highly recommended! Italian Oscar - a delicious filet topped with crab meat and a delicious white sauce. Probably the best cut of meat I’ve had at a restaurant which paired well with the crab. The sauce was so good I just wish there was a bit more. Glad I ordered this one! Dessert: Bread pudding - very good bread pudding topped with vanilla ice cream. Would definitely order again. I highly recommend Stella for both locals and tourists staying at the hotel. The ambience is outstanding, the food was excellent, and service provided throughout the hotel and restaurant are the best I’ve experienced in Milwaukee. We will be back soon!
M JM J
00
Such a great experience! Our server was awesome and the food was exceptional! We started off with the hot stone wagyu for an appetizer and obviously you get to cook it to how you would like it done and it just melts in your mouth… literally unreal! The bread that comes before the meal was focaccia bread (I think) and it was so buttery, toasted on the outside and soft, pillowy on the inside. Just. So. Good. For the main course, my fiancé got the East coast style which is a petite filet with lobster on top with a side of the garlic Parmesan French fries. I’m a fry snob and these fries were perfectly seasoned and cooked. I, on the other hand, literally could not decide what I wanted so I, um, ordered quite a few things… I have big appetite! I got the petite filet-medium rare, the truffled bucatini, the whipped Yukon golden potatoes, and the baked Mac and cheese and when I tell you I ate everything - I Ate Everything! The filet just melted in your mouth and perfectly season on the outside. The truffled bucatini, Mac and cheese and potatoes were all so creamy and perfectly cooked. For dessert, we split the bread pudding with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. I was so full from dinner and didn’t think I’d eat much of the dessert, but after one bite, we both polished that bowl off. It was divine! I would go again in a heart beat. While I wouldn’t go crazy and order so much next time, I will say it would be hard to choose only one entree/side. Hands down one of my top favorite restaurants in the area. Well worth the money!
ChyChy
00
Every year, I stay at Westin in downtown Milwaukee when I come to town. Sometimes, I come to Milwaukee twice in a year. Stella Van Buren is the restaurant attached to the hotel. I have eaten breakfast every morning at Stella Van Buren on those trips. I've been doing this for at least 10 years. Their food is good, the menu hasnt changed much, but their food is good. Especially their crispy potatoes! This trip I was sorely disappointed in the service. There were only 3 tables full, me being one of them. My waiter had only my table, and he gave the impression that he couldn't be bothered. While nice enough, he didn't listen to my order and gave me something I hadn't asked for. While it was only the toast he switched out , the toast I got tasted like Natures Own Whitewheat. Then my eggs were overcooked. I had to ask for more coffee. He never once asked how everything was, and when he did come over, he said "are you done?" and put the bill on the table before I could respond. Now, after all the years I have come to this establishment they have ALWAYS had great service and friendly servers. This is a huge disappointment because this is my favorite hotel to stay at and I always look forward to eating at Stella Van Buren. I hope this was a one off and if it is, I will amend my review to the stellar service I have been accustomed to. Every year they ask me to review them and I have given stellar reviews (other platforms). Here's hoping I get to amend this review before I leave this time around.
Wendy MoranWendy Moran
00
I had a great experience at this restaurant. The staff members were genuinely great. Another guest lost an earring stud while we were there. The restaurant had a lot of their staff scanning the area. And even after the guests had left, I observed the staff came back to do a more thorough check. Our host and waitress was also very helpful. The atmosphere is top notch. Perfect place for a date or important meal with a guest you want to impress. The food was also very good. I do recommend the burratta bruchetta and crab cake for appetizers. The tomatos and the spread in the bruchetta compliment each other well and makes the flavors pop in your mouth. The crabcake was very generous with its portions of crab meat For entrees: I had the bone in ribeye. My guest has the omega burger. Both were very good. My steak was cooked perfectly to my liking (medium well). For a restaurant of this caliber, the steak was good but doesn't stand out amongst others I've had in the past. I'd definitely come back and try their other dry aged steaks and entree options. Overall, the atmosphere, and service was great. The staff was above excellent. Their food definitely does stand out and is worth trying to expand your palate with the different combinations they come up with. The steak was good but I would suggest you try something else if you're on the fence. Would highly recommend this place.
Junior Xeem VwjJunior Xeem Vwj
00
Bad Experience – Dishonest Billing & Poor Service We came to Stella Van Buren to celebrate a friend’s birthday with a group of seven women, and unfortunately, the experience was extremely disappointing. First, the food came out cold and overly salted, which was already a letdown. On top of that, a waitress accidentally dropped a glass that hit one of our friends in the head. While it was clearly an accident, and the staff did offer complimentary shots, it still added to the chaotic vibe of the evening. The real issue, however, came when it was time to pay. We split our bill using both cash and a card. Our server, Katie, took $200 in cash that was meant to go toward the bill — but then charged the full amount to the card anyway. That means she pocketed the $200 as an additional tip, despite gratuity already being automatically included due to our party size. This is blatant theft. We had to go back to the restaurant to address the issue, where the manager stood by as Katie admitted to having the cash and pulled the cash from her tip pocket. The lack of professionalism and accountability was shocking. We’re posting this to warn others: double-check your bill, and keep an eye on your payments if you decide to dine here. What should’ve been a joyful night ended on a sour note because of dishonesty and poor management.
sarai Gizasarai Giza
00
The food was fantastic. The family and I came there to celebrate a birthday. Service was eh, okay. Our waitress didnt go through the menu, specials, or really answer our questions. It was also disappointing when the waitress brought out the cake. Everyone was not present, and the candle wasn't lit. So half the family missed it when using the restroom.
Sooya xyoojSooya xyooj
00
Nearby Attractions Of Stella Van Buren
Milwaukee Art Museum
Henry Maier Festival Park by Milwaukee World Festival, Inc.
Discovery World
The Pfister Hotel
Escape the Room Milwaukee
The Riverside Theater
The Pabst Theater
Marcus Performing Arts Center
Betty Brinn Children's Museum
Cathedral Square Park

Milwaukee Art Museum
4.8
(3.3K)Click for details

Henry Maier Festival Park by Milwaukee World Festival, Inc.
4.6
(2.2K)Click for details

Discovery World
4.6
(1.9K)Click for details

The Pfister Hotel
4.6
(1.8K)Click for details
Nearby Restaurants Of Stella Van Buren
Rodizio Grill Brazilian Steakhouse Milwaukee
Café Benelux
SafeHouse
Harbor House
Sweet Diner
St. Paul Fish Company | Historic Third Ward, Milwaukee
The Wicked Hop
Swingin' Door Exchange
Smoke Shack
Mo's Irish Pub Downtown, Milwaukee

Rodizio Grill Brazilian Steakhouse Milwaukee
4.8
(3.6K)Click for details

Café Benelux
4.5
(2.2K)Click for details

SafeHouse
4.3
(1.7K)Click for details

Harbor House
4.6
(1.4K)Click for details
Basic Info
Address
550 N Van Buren St, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Map
Phone
(414) 847-5622
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Website
stellavanburen.com
Visit
Reviews
Overview
4.6
(684 reviews)$$$
Ratings & Description
Description
Posh Westin Hotel restaurant serving upscale Italian dishes, steaks & seafood, plus craft cocktails.
attractions: Milwaukee Art Museum, Henry Maier Festival Park by Milwaukee World Festival, Inc., Discovery World, The Pfister Hotel, Escape the Room Milwaukee, The Riverside Theater, The Pabst Theater, Marcus Performing Arts Center, Betty Brinn Children's Museum, Cathedral Square Park, restaurants: Rodizio Grill Brazilian Steakhouse Milwaukee, Café Benelux, SafeHouse, Harbor House, Sweet Diner, St. Paul Fish Company | Historic Third Ward, Milwaukee, The Wicked Hop, Swingin' Door Exchange, Smoke Shack, Mo's Irish Pub Downtown, Milwaukee
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