Trattoria Stefano — Restaurant in Sheboygan

I went to his restaurant over the weekend with a friend while we were in the area for a weekend getaway. Things started off well but quickly turned bad due to the rudeness of our waiter; because of this I will never go back. When we ordered our food we asked for Calamari as an appetizer. Since we went for an early dinner the place only had a few people. After awhile another waiter came out with a small appetizer dish, I saw him go to 2 other tables before reaching ours asking if we ordered "Cuttlefish", never hearing this word and having no idea what it was I said no as I didn't want to take another table's appetizer, and another table later said it was theirs. After awhile our waiter came to our table and asked if we got the appetizer, I told him no that an appetizer came out but the waiter said it was "Cuttlefish" but I didn't know what that was, to which the waiter replied "well you just gave away your appetizer" and he walked away before I could explain the misunderstanding. He never said if he was going to ask for another order so we waited. After an hour of waiting our waiter brought our food and I explained that I honestly didn't know "Cuttlefish" was Calamari, when I ordered it I asked for Calamari, to which he replied "well the menu says Cuttlefish". I explained that everything we ordered had Italian names but I didn't speak Italian so I honestly did not recall the exact name/spelling of everything we ordered, I also just asked for Calamari I didn't even look at the menu for this. I never got an apology for the mix up, he just said it was my fault for turning it away. Since we got our meals I told him to cancel the "Cuttlefish" as it didn't make sense to wait after we finished eating for an appetizer, to which the waiter replied " well I already put the order in" and I politely asked again to please cancel. I still can't understand why we were treated this way for such an innocent mix up, I never went and yelled or spoke to him rudely about the mix up I just said to please cancel the appetizer, paid the bill and left. On top of this the restaurant was empty so I don't understand why there was such a delay with everything. Unfortunately the treatment of this staff member reflected poorly upon...

My wife and I wanted to take our family out somewhere nice in Sheboygan and Stefano’s was an obvious option. We were not disappointed, our group of 15 was promptly seated, served and taken care of throughout the evening. With the expert opinion of the Reed, we selected a family style multi-course meal coupled with wine. We wanted it to be memorable and in line with meals my wife and I enjoyed while traveling EU. We are not a family of foodies- one of us ate only the pork fat on top of the pâté (not realizing the pâté below), we argued about the appropriate pronunciation of foie gras- but definitely enjoy good food. We do splurge and travel for good food in Denver and Boulder, and have a fair sense of the difference between quality and “flashy trends.” Bottom line: this was worth every penny. The service was attentive (top notch), glasses were full, courses well timed and described (often this forgotten even at “nice” places), the food- outstanding! Simply outstanding, perhaps the best meal out I’ve had in Wisconsin. Of course, I’ve not eaten everywhere, but of the “classic” restaurants I grew up with this meal stands out. Appetizers: Charcuterie Board was well rounded/extensive, meat balls were as good as advertised, the octopus was enjoyed by everyone (only fair in my opinion, but then again- its not like they are plucking them out of Lake Michigan, perhaps the only average thing I have to say). The salads were mind blowing: my wife still talks about the salads, we’ve not found anything comparable. I favor being a carnivore given the option, and even I remember how good they were. The ragu with homemade pasta, scallops (perfectly prepared) and filet exceeded expectations. I’ll be back for the pasta and filet! Great quality, great value, in all aspects a great place to eat. Friendly, fun, but classy… We will be back next time we visit family. Thank you for such an...

My review of Trattoria Stefano: Often, when you return to a place cloaked in fond memories of nostalgia, it lets you down. It's like seeing an old flame thirty years later, and you question the original infatuation. Well, Stefano's stirred my passions as if 15 years meant not a thing. 

After strolling Sheboygan's beautiful revitalized waterfront, we drove to Stefano's, parking in their rear lot. The restaurant looked the same, and we found two empty seats at the large front room bar. Ashley, behind the bar, was gracious and helpful, and we ordered wine from Stefano's eclectic offerings. While not as groundbreaking as 20 years ago, the wine list is still interesting and has reasonable pricing. 

We ordered Caesar salad, two pastas, the stuffed veal chop, a sausage dish, and the Tiramisu. The Caesar was fantastic and unique, with a sublime crunchy taste. That alone was worth the price of admission, but the veal chop was a stunning crescendo, maybe the best I ever had. Pastas were as good as I remembered. The ragu was simply delicious. My spouse thought her sausage dish was okay but nothing special. Tiramisu was ordered to go back with us to Milwaukee. 

Later, the restaurant was so packed on a Tuesday night that Ashley left to help out in the kitchen. Greg aptly took over, and the service did not miss a beat. The one discordant note was when I asked to tip the kitchen staff. Ashley led me to the kitchen, and I passed over a $20.00 and received nary a smile or thank you. Perhaps they were too exhausted. However, it was a wonderful evening, and hopefully, it will be repeated soon. Oh, the pricing was...