Madhu William
Our Valentine’s Day experience at Stella’s was extremely disappointing.
Before our visit, the host called twice to confirm our reservation and specifically stated that it would be an ocean front view, which was the main reason we chose this restaurant for such a special occasion. When we arrived, that arrangement was suddenly changed at the last minute with no clear explanation or real effort to honor what had already been confirmed. Although our assigned server was sweet and attentive and did their best, the rest of the service was very unprofessional. One of the other servers who is bald behaved in a way that was completely inappropriate and made the environment uncomfortable, especially for Valentine’s Day and in a restaurant setting. Between the reservation issue and the overall lack of professionalism, the experience was frustrating and far from what we expected. Aside from our server’s kindness, nothing stood out positively, and this is not a place I would recommend, especially for a special occasion.
… moreSarah Martin
What a lovely place to dine—largely thanks to Mario! He was a wonderful server who took exceptional care of us as we enjoyed several items from the menu. Mario was professional yet genuinely warm and friendly, and he took the time to explain the menu thoroughly, which made the experience even more enjoyable. (Thanks for the tip on the Carpaccio Mario. Loved it!) The live saxophone entertainment added such a charming touch, and the prices were very reasonable. Everything was clean, comfortable, and well cared for. We truly had a fantastic experience.
… moreSandy Jaramillo
Wonderful dinner. There Filet of Sole was SPECTACULAR! Excellent service and a gorgeous view of the sunset!
… moreAref E
The ambiance was great. Saxophone player and all. They sat the 2 of us for a reservation on time on a Friday nite. They gave us 1 menu. After that no one showed up. Tables around us were getting service. No one paid us any attention. We tried to catch the eyes of couple of servers. Didn’t work. 25 minutes and we left. Not even a glass of water. Pathetic. We should have brought food from home and eaten there.
… moreMegan Madeo
Stella’s has a great spot in Dana Point with oceans views and a nice patio area. It can feel like a green house in the back room when the sun is coming in through the windows but when the weather is nice it’s a great spot. Our servers here have always been very nice and knowledgable about the menus and daily specials.
The calamari here is solid and it comes with a tartar sauce as well as marinara. The Ceasar salad was pretty good thought I thought they could’ve eased up a bit on the cheese. The chicken parmegiana was a hefty portion and the chicken was high quality. My friends were impressed with their pasta dishes and chopped salad as well. The prices were reasonable too even with inflation. It’s definitely a spot worth checking out and coming back to.
… moreWayne Kimball, Jr.
We went off of a recommendation and weren’t disappointed. They have a small dining area near the bar and way more seating in a tented area in the back. We shared the crab cake with an arugula salad and was off to a great start! The crab cake wasn’t all breading and had good flavor. My wife had the lasagna with the split red and white sauce and she really enjoyed it. I had a spicy scallop pasta and was happy with the dish but it could always be spicier. For dessert we enjoyed the pistachio cheesecake and a chocolate pie. Both were good. We definitely finished strong. As far as the drinks, we brought in one of our favorite wines and was just charged a $20 corking fee. We chatted with the owner, Riccardo briefly and he has worked hard to produce and authentic and delicious product. The serving staff was also great. You can tell there are regulars and no surprise they keep coming back.
… morejohn m.
Nice n cozy ambiance in backroom having chicken parmesan entree with salad & garlic pizza. Meat had been beaten allowing its tenderness to soak up the delicious red sauce flavors. Even next day leftovers tasted great.
… moreDesigning Women of Orange County
Such a great place! Good food and wine selection. Reminded us of our trip to Italy! Very quaint, relaxing and upscale feeling without upper end pricing. Also has a great happy hour from 3-7! Definitely catch them when they have musicians. Tommy Benson Duo was great tonight!
… moreElena Lyutik
Best Italian pizza I have ever had! The place is perfect for quiet weekend lunch , with ocean view. Try any wine from their “special list” – it is delicious and reach. Will come back definitely to try all their menu and wine. Love!
… moreDave Eats
This pleace overlooks the oceans. The servers are nice attentive and very knowledgeable of their food. They have daily specials that range from gourmet pastas to seafood soups that will blow your mind. I had the seafood stew “Cioppino” it was the special of the day. However this place is a bit pricey and great date night spot so be ready to throw a few hundos around for this amazing place. It’s worth it. Cozy seats with pillows and full bar inside for those who like that setting
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