Stella Van Buren

  4.7 – 1,807 reviews   • American restaurant

Social Profile:

Stella Van Buren is a fresh take on the Italian-American steakhouse with the flavors of a classic Italian kitchen, modern style, unique design and food that appeals to todays diner. Offering a selection of prime steaks, fresh baked bread, and flavorful house-made pasta, Stella Van Buren is one of the top restaurants in downtown Milwaukee.

Posh Westin Hotel restaurant serving upscale Italian dishes, steaks & seafood, plus craft cocktails.

✔️Breakfast ✔️Brunch ✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in ✔️Take out Stella Van Buren 53202

Menu Photos

Order and Reservations

Reservations: opentable.com

stellavanburen.com

Photo Gallery

Related Web Results

Stella Van Buren | Official Site

Experience Stella Van Buren in Milwaukee’s premier Italian-American dining destination. Modern tastes meet chef-crafted excellence in the heart of the city.

Stella Van Buren (@stellamilwaukee) · Milwaukee, WI – Instagram

Italian-American Steakhouse in the heart of Milwaukee Elevated dining & curated cocktails Downtown Milwaukee | Reserve your table ⬇️ …

Stella Van Buren Restaurant – Milwaukee, WI | OpenTable

Stella Van Buren is a fresh take on the Italian-American steakhouse with the flavors of a classic Italian kitchen, modern style, unique design and food

Reviews

Robert Bozeman
We stayed overnight at the Westin and had breakfast at Stella. A small but diverse menu with GF and vegan options. Our server Lori was fantastic and the food and drink delicious.
Highly recommended!
… more
AstroNomad
A few weeks ago, my partner and I visited Stella Van Buren for breakfast on a day that simply wasn’t their best. Instead of brushing it off, the Restaurant Supervisor, Jenna Boen, did something rare—she invited us back to experience dinner service, confident in what Stella truly offers.

We accepted her invitation last night—Friday, January 9th—and let me say this plainly: It was hands-down the best VIP dining experience we’ve had in 2026 .

From the moment we arrived, Jenna greeted us with genuine warmth, radiant smiles, and a familiarity that felt less like hospitality and more like being welcomed home. That kind of energy cannot be trained—it’s felt.

We were graciously offered a choice of entrée and dessert. My partner and I both selected the Faroe Island Salmon—hers cooked medium-well, mine well. When the plates arrived, they were visually stunning: a beautifully glazed salmon paired with charred Brussels sprouts, resting on a bed of parmesan farro. The cook was precise, the flavor balanced, and the presentation elegant without pretension.

That said, the true star of the night—for me—was the crab cake appetizer.

Absolutely tantalizing.
Full, robust lump crab meat.
Bright notes of lemon that lifted every bite.
A remoulade sauce that tied everything together flawlessly.

This is how crab cakes are meant to be experienced.

The garlic-whipped smashed potatoes reminded me what comfort food tastes like when it’s done right—warm, familiar, and satisfying. While the baked mac and cheese wasn’t my personal favorite, it certainly didn’t lack flavor and would easily please many palates.

Before our meal, I enjoyed the house bread dipped in oil infused with chili oil—and let me tell you, that subtle kick at the end had me wanting to dance a little in my seat. Out of respect for Stella’s refined, upscale ambiance (and not my own kitchen ), I restrained myself.

Speaking of ambiance—Stella Van Buren understands atmosphere.
From its prime location to the thoughtfully designed interior, the space offers sensory pleasure at every turn. Floor-to-ceiling cream sheer curtains gently divide the dining room, creating intimacy without isolation. It’s elegant, warm, and inviting.

For dessert, we selected the lemon tart (mine) and tiramisu (hers). We chose to take them home—already full from the experience itself. Saving dessert felt intentional, like extending the evening into another moment of joy later. And I’m grateful we did.

If Stella Van Buren represents anything, it’s this:
✨ A higher-level dining experience.
✨ Elevated flavors.
✨ Exceptional service.
✨ A place that transports you to a new portal where hospitality is felt, not performed.

If I had to change one thing, it would be the music—I’d love to hear contemporary jazz or even hip hop jazz woven into the atmosphere. That said, this is still a 10 out of 10 experience.

Because of the food, the service, and the care shown, I will absolutely be back—and next time, the Sea Scallops are calling my name.

Thank you, Stella Van Buren, and thank you, Jenna, for reminding us what true hospitality feels like. ️
… more
Daniel Martines
Amazing service and food. The restaurant is beautiful. I stayed at the hotel and had a chance to enjoy the restaurant for dinner and breakfast. A dinner the salmon was delicious especially together with the pecan infused old-fashioned. At breakfast I really enjoyed the yogurt. Kelly was my server and he did a great job!
… more
Benjamin Khachaturian
What a stunning local Milwaukee gem of a restaurant! ✨ Absolutely delicious dishes and friendly wait staff make this a must-not-miss in Milwaukee. Very fancy but actually very fair pricing for what it is. A perfect place to celebrate a birthday! Highly recommend! The raspberry chocolate dessert is just WOW. I share more of my favorite restaurants on IG @benkhach
… more
Gary K
Great experience at an affordable price. Mr Kelly and Ms Ana presented one of the most rewarding meals we’ve had second to London. Thank you Westin Milwaukee.

G Kroening
R Badger
… more
Lin Stacy
Giving 2 stars because the food came out super slow (waited close to 30min for the main dish). Ordered the steak tartare to start, then the red snapper and ossobuco. Red snapper was pretty good but the ossobuco was too dry and bland. I feel like it’s missing a sauce. The saffron risotto on the side was what made it palatable. Would not visit again.
… more
David Mabon
Highly recommended. The old fashioned’s are tasty and the Waygu beef was an experience! Brought to you rare with a 500 degree stone so you cook it at your table in seconds. Thomas was our waiter and was great! We were celebrating the 250th Marine Corps birthday so he brought us tiramisu with his own hand drawn chocolate flag.
… more
Rhonda McAloon
Our server, Claudia, was fantastic as was the other waitstaff who took care of us. Everyone was very personable and attentive to our needs. The food was incredibly delicious. The atmosphere was beautiful. The hostess made sure she listened to where we wanted to be seated and would stop by to see how everything was. It was a wonderful experience.
… more
Common Sense
The service was horrible. Our waiter was hurried and running. He rarely stopped to check on us. He acted as if he was annoyed and didn’t want to be bothered with our table. The first time he tried to take our order he was rushing around the table asking each individual what they would like, he was speaking and moving so fast that he had everyone confused. I asked how a certain dish on the menu was prepared, but he spoke so fast that I never understood what he said. His accent didn’t make it any better. I ended up just ordering the soup and salad.
I had the little gem ceasar salad and the french onion soup. The salad was really fresh but the flavor was indescribable. I don’t know if it was the dressing or the anchovies. I love anchovies but these didn’t taste like anchovies. The soup was ok, I know it’s supposed to be sweet but this was a little too sweet it kind of tasted like it had artificial sweetene added. We were there for a birthday dinner for my daughter. She and her sister had the dry aged new york strip. They both ordered it cooked medium well. They were both cooked past well. The were dry and tuff. The atmosphere was was really nice. The seating was very comfortable and the decor is very appealing. All that mattered was, My daughter had a nice time being surrounded by her family on birthday. I myself would not recommend this place. It is too expensive to have the problems that we encountered.
… more
M T
We had a truly wonderful dining experience! The food was absolutely excellent. The service was just as impressive. Thomas was amazing, attentive, friendly, and made us feel right at home. Thanks to him, our evening was smooth, enjoyable, and memorable. We had a very pleasant time and will definitely be coming back. Highly recommend!
… more
… View more

Leave a Comment