Stella’s Lounge
53 Commerce Ave SW, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503
Stella’s Lounge Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Grand Rapids for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Grand Rapids for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Grand Rapids for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
53 Commerce Ave SW
Grand Rapids, MI, 49503 - Phone (616) 742-4444
- Website https://www.stellasgr.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :4:00 pm - 2:00pm
- Mon : 4:00 pm - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Garage, Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Hipster
Noise Level : Loud
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Fri, Sat, Sun
Coat Check : No
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Drive-Thru : No
Caters : Yes
Categories
Burgers
Burger or Hamburger is savored as the most desired fast food meal in the United States. A hamburger is basically a sandwich prepared by stuffing ground meat patty, generally beef, between two slices of a bun cut in half. Hamburger is also famous for its seasoning. Most popular condiments used in hamburgers in the United States are mustard, mayonnaise, and ketchup. Besides ground meat patty, hamburgers are also stuffed with lettuce, onions, tomato slices, pickles, and cheese.
Hamburgers are also categorized into two types in the United States. Fast food hamburger and individual hamburgers served at restaurants are two basic types of burgers served in the United States. The individual hamburgers served at restaurants are prepared using everything including lettuce, onion, tomato, and sliced pickles as well as melted cheese on the patty or crumbled on top. American restaurants also serve veggie burgers for those who don't relish meat. Cheeseburgers are also hot favorite in the United States.
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Alicia G.
Most of my visits to Stella's have been after 10pm, and have revolved around either drinking or being the DD while others were drinking. What I mean by that is I haven't had enough of their food to rate it, which needs to be remedied ASAP because I'm all about vegan/vegetarian fare. I have had the stuffed tots, however, and I advise against them. I love tots, and these were just not good. To me. But I am more into tots with toppings, so there's that. The crowd is a good ten or so years younger than I am, so sometimes (especially when I'm the DD) I get this "OMG, can you not? Also, get off my lawn!" mood going, but that's my problem. What I like best about this bar is the whiskey. I love a good whiskey, love a well-made Old Fashioned even better, and this bar makes a rye Old Fashioned with my favorite rye even better than I make them at home. Throw in the arcade games and the retro dance music in the back and heck yes, this is one of my favorite places in GR.
(4)M W.
Great place to grab a drink and some food if you're in downtown GR. Went on a Saturday evening and only had about a 20 minute wait. Luckily there were 4 empty seats at the bar so we plopped down and got a drink while we waited. Didn't even finish half of my drink before we were seated. Our server was friendly and helpful with the menu, which was nice since it was our first time there. The stuffed tots were delicious. I don't really know what I was expecting, I guess I'm used to frozen tater tots, which these were far from those! I got the grilled cheese and chronic fries. The fries are cooked perfectly and the powder coating on them adds great flavor. The grilled cheese was good, but after seeing my friends burger, I wished I had gotten one too!! Everyone at the table was super satisfied with the food and service. I would definitely go back next time I'm in GR.
(4)Jon G.
Stella's is a great place to grab a can of Busch Light and play Street Fighter II. It is just like college except now you definitely aren't meeting anyone at the bar, because you are drinking Busch Light and playing video games. And also you are slurring your speech. Stella's also has good beers and some solid bar food too - like fat hamburgers and onion rungs that help you soak up a few IPA's worth of bad decisions. It is a quality stop on a bar crawl or bachelor party and offers a different vibe from the yuppie restaurants and breweries. Don't try entering with a backpack though. I had a friend try to meet us directly off a flight at Gerald Ford Airport. They said he couldn't get in because he could have drugs in his bag. FACT: There was a change of pants and some hairspray in said bag. Second fact; the next night we returned to the bar and we saw a girl with a backpack. They let her in and we joked that she was a drug dealer. Turns out, she was a drug dealer! Her name was Colleen and she had just gotten there after her re-up. In conclusion, go to Stella's for video games, food, beer and to buy drugs. P.S. If you work at Stella's/own Stella's I hope you really get upset about this post. If you would have just let my man in with his carry-on, I wouldn't have called you out for Colleen selling ecstacy in your bathroom.
(3)Valerie L.
Not impressed with Stella's at all......I'm not really sure what the hype is about this place. 1st problem: Don't go on a Saturday night. There was a 2 hour wait, so we put our name in, and walked over to Hop Cat. We got seated faster at Hop Cat.....there's not much seating at Stella's-- a few tables by the bar and some tables in a room in the front of the restaurant. 2nd problem: The "main" entrance seems to be at the back of the restaurant. So on a busy night, you have to elbow the guests and wind around the crowded bar area to get to the opposite side of the restaurant by the video games to the hostess stand. whew! It seems like they need to move the stand to the other side of the building. Thirdly, it's really a whiskey bar, so if you want a large selection of beer, go to one of GR's local breweries. Otherwise, the whiskey selection is HUGE! So, we decided to come back on a Monday night instead since I really wanted to try their highly-acclaimed burgers. The place was almost empty on a Monday about 6pm, so we got seated right away. Our server was very nice, but strange....he kept talking about "the industry" and the perks and negatives of being in "the industry". What he didn't know, was that I had been a server in 2 restaurants for 3+ years, so his "industry" talk didn't make him any cooler in my mind. He was very knowledgeable about the drink and food menu. I ordered a cider and the queso jalapeno burger. The cider was really good-- dry, but not too sweet. It was served in a large can; I almost couldn't finish it! My burger was supposed to be stuffed with jalapenos and pepper jack cheese with queso cheese dip and pickled jalapenos on top. The only things that were good about the burger were the bun & queso cheese dip. The bun was amazing--- sweet, soft, and chewy. The queso cheese dip was gooey, spicy, and really flavorful! It did not taste like the fake yellow cheese that comes from a jar! My burger was not stuffed with jalapenos; they were only on top-- all over. There were way too many of them! It was stuffed with cheese that was oozing out all over! I got very annoyed trying to eat the burger because it kept falling apart-- chunks of the meat would just fall off like icebergs onto my plate. I really just needed to eat it with a knife & fork. The meat itself was not tasty; it really had a metallic taste. I love flame grilled burgers, and these are NOT-- I do realize that it's difficult to grill a stuffed burger, but I much prefer a charred piece of beef! (I'm assuming that these are cooked on a flat-top.) I'd recommend a bit more seasoning added to the meat, which may allow for a "crust" to form on the meat as well as pressing it together more after stuffing to prevent it from falling apart. Overall, I did like my cider and their fries (better than Hop Cat's fries), but I'd rather get a burger somewhere that grills their meat! You can put all the toppings you want on a burger, but if the beef isn't flavorful, seasoned right, or cooked to enhance the flavor, then those toppings aren't going to add anything. BTW, they also brought my husband the WRONG burger.
(3)Megan C.
Wow.... This place is outstanding . I ordered my food to go and it was amazing , I can't imagine what a dine in experience is like . I called in my order and it took about 15-20 min to make . While I sat at the bar I tried one of MI own cider . It was a ginger peach , and it was a tall can for $6. The bartender was super nice and gave awesome service . The ambiance of the restaurant was cool . It has old school arcade game lined up in the front . The bar had old ticket stubs built into it . I'm a huge wing head and their wings were not disappointing at all . When wings are ordered to go they seem to somewhat sacrifice good quality . These wings should make a school for all other wings to go to. The meat was juicy and not at all dried out . It had plenty of sauce and full of flavor . I also ordered a pickled vegetable appetizer . I have never seen or heard of anything like it . It came with all sorts of pickled vegetables ( green olives , pickles , carrots etc) pita bread and humus. I don't even like humus but I saved the remainder of it to bring home and eat with more vegetables ! My boyfriend got a olive burger they he said was amazing. He said it had olive juice on it and actual olives themselves ! I defiantly recommend this place ! Super good food and super interesting flavor choices !!
(5)Tonyai G.
I had a good time here. There was only a 5 minute wait and it seem like 2 minutes. The service was good. The food was excellent! I had the Government Burger with bacon and it was delicious! I will go back again!
(4)Samantha D.
Very noisy, very grungy, but very good! I loved my White Lighting white bean burger, and my husband said his burger was a 9 (with 10 being the best burger he's ever had in his life). The apps were awesome too. It's just awesome, greasy junk food!
(5)Rosemary T.
First off, if you don't get anything you need to get the fries. It's so crispy so yummy so delicious so crunchy and so must get! I got the naked fries (no hot powder sauce) on it. The only false is that your mouth gets kinda sore after chewing a bowl of fries. I got the olive burger with mushroom, no sauce and no buns. The burger was suppose to be cooked medium but it was more on the well done side. But the burger was still seasoned well and very tender. The salty olive Paris well with the party and add a little bite of hot sauce to spice up the flavor. You could also add some spicy jalapeños to add additional sourness and spice together. They also got lots of choices for beer. I went for the cider since its on the sweeter side. Be careful which cider you choose though cause some tastes too smokey that smells like... Just not good.... Tip: gets super crowded during happy hour.
(4)Tony J.
Amazing burgers, decent prices, mediocre drinks. I mean maybe I'm stingy but when my drinks get measured out they tend to taste a lot different, which isn't a problem, don't get me wrong, but when it gets as noisy and busy and you feel like you're in a bar that's also serving food, it tends to sort of conflict my interest. Especially when theres only 2 bartenders on, it seems to take a while. Nothing about that makes me not want to go back however. Waitstaff is great, and I love it here.
(4)Kelly D.
Great burgers, Great staff, fun dancing in the back. Real unique place.
(5)Jill H.
Shot and a beer sloppy kinda place. Or maybe that's why we went there? Either way, it fulfilled what we were after. We got there with just 3 minutes to spare to order food and landed ourselves a spicy jalapeño jack burger and grilled cheese (the vegetarian one), some beer, and a couple o shots of their "soup of the day." Now anyone that says this is "MI's best burger" hasn't been to metro-Detroit BUT I'll dismount from my high horse and admit that it was a really good burger, sloppily handformed and damn tasty at just about midnight. The grilled cheese was also really good. The fries were nicely fried and had an interesting, addictive taste that left an after morning residue that smelled like onion powder and vinegar. I'm not from around GR but would return to Stella's. If not for the food but to people watch at the dance club and witness DBs getting kicked out.
(4)Jim C.
Yep! The other reviews are spot on. They really do have the best burger. GQ and that Grand Rapids paper were right. The burger is delicious and melts in your mouth. The "drunken avocados" were a treat worth trying too... I tried to fry avocados in my kitchen a few years back (clearly they were looking thru my windows), but they have the recipe nailed! The spicy fries that came with the burger were great too. The extra treat was the arcade- they had a ton of games all for a quarter. Kudos to them for not price gouging their customers with 50 or 75 cent video games. You're a class act, Stella's! The only reason I knocked off a star was because it's definitely more of a bar than a restaurant. The large bar and atmosphere make is more for a 21+ crowd (which is probably what they're going for with their awesome whiskey selection). Awesome place overall. I'll be back.
(4)the t.
Good beers, blah olive burger and poor (frozen) onion rings....I will be back again for the beer, but not the food. Still searching for a Mr Fables worthy dinner.
(3)Jason D.
Known for their burgers, and definitely should be. Especially when these big, juicy, stuffed with perfection babies are only $5 on Thursday's. If you need more reason to go than just a good burger, then check out their mass amount of beers on tap. One of the finest collections, along with great drink specials offered throughout the week. The actual restaurant isn't too big, so be prepared to wait, or come early to snag a spot. Parking is available in the back, which is nice since they are downtown. I've always had pretty good service here too. Definitely a place worth making a trip to.
(5)Michael V.
Was in Grand Rapids for the holiday weekend and stopped in Stella's with my girlfriend to grab some burgers. What a great choice! This place has a super chill vibe, with old arcade games scattered throughout the restaurant and rather dim lighting. Our waiter (I believe his name was Matt) was awesome! He was super friendly and gave some outstanding drink suggestions to us as I was looking for a stout and my gf wanted a cider. I went with the queso jalapeno burger which had all of the spicy stuff you could want on a burger while my gf went with the gov't cheese (for you more plain burger fans). There are several veggie burger options as well. The burgers were delicious! They were huge, well prepared/staged and cooked just right. It was one of the best burgers I've had and compares favorably to some of my favorite places in Chicago. The chronic fries have a lot of zing to them and complemented my burger extremely well. So glad we decided to hit up Stella's for dinner. Next time I'm in GR I think I'll have to pay them another visit!
(5)Brad S.
Great atmosphere and burger. I got the burger stuffed with blue cheese and bacon. Cooked a perfect medium and great taste. Not a big fan of the Avocado Nugents. Fries were good but be aware if you don't like spicy bc they have some sort tobacco type seasoning.
(4)Brandon A.
Hey the burgers have won some awards here for a reason.....yes they are worth your time.....yes they have original and unique spins on each burger option.....yes they are cooked perfectly and bursting with flavor coupled with impeccable size.....and yes the atmosphere is great for hanging out with whoever over some quality beer varietals in a mellow setting. Some people don't like the dark lighting but I'm a fan....I mean let's face it, who wants to be under magnifying bright light while stuffing face with a juicy award winning burger and downing exquisite beers without discipline....solely because it's so fulfilling and control should not be exercised.
(4)Smithy W.
Sunday's can be rough. Especially if you've been burning the candle at both ends the night before. That's why I occasionally frequent Stella's for a $5 DIY bloody (if you're too hungover, the bartender is glad to make your bloody for you). Best part, the bacon. Also, a little hint, if your bank account requires a hug, Stella's has $2-wells, and it counts towards the DIY bloody. So, instead of asking for their infused choices, I generally ask for a well pour. I never have had actual brunch here, but I have had a burger or two, and they're pretty good. The fries are the best. Definitely seasoned well, and crispy as fvck! I wouldn't recommend drinking here on a Friday or Saturday night, as it turns into a zoo, a wasted zoo. Elephants to lemurs. Watch out.
(3)Paul J.
The saving grace was the service and video games. I was really looking forward to a great burger based on the widely publicized reviews. If this was based on the food alone, I'd give it 2 stars. This was my second time at Stella's (on my first visit, they ran out of buns so I opted for a Philly cheesesteak). We ended up at Stella's on a Sunday night a little after 7pm. We were told the wait would be about 35 minutes, no problem since they had quite a few classic arcade games to keep us occupied! Our party of five was seated at a table about 40-45 minutes, no by deal, we were enjoying ourselves. The server was top notch, very attentive and responsive. He took care of us very well the entire time. I decided to go with the Big Ballah burger - a burger topped with bacon, jalapeño poppers, and an onion ring, paired with onion rings and a Founder's Pale Ale. I tried the chronic fries on my last visit, and they were average tasting fries with some heat, nothing special. We didn't have to wait very long for our food to arrive. My burger looked pretty impressive upon arrival. I had to pull the poppers off and eat 'em separately it would be nearly impossible to take a good bite out of a burger that tall. The poppers were tasty, but lukewarm, as if they'd been sitting for a little while. The onion rings were pretty tasty, albeit the portion seemed a bit sparse. As for the burger....well, I can without a doubt say it was not the best burger I've had, not by a long shot. It was somewhat dry and void of any real good flavor. I wish I could say it was just my burger, but the other two in my party that ordered burgers were similarly unimpressed, maybe more so than me. It makes me think that the stellar reviews of these award winning burgers must have clouded by a few pints of beer or a few too many shots of whiskey. If you're in the mood for a great burger, I'd advise you to look elsewhere. As I said earlier, the service was great and the classic arcade games are a nice bonus, but overall the food was just mediocre.
(3)Sal B.
Wife and I ordered the "Government" and "June" burgers with chronic fries and onion rings. The burgers lived up to their reputation - and more. Great seasoning and my June burger had the rigjt amount of zip. We both gave high marks to the burgers. I can see why this establishment rates so highly. Chronic fries were a nice change of pace for the side. Buffalo seasoning was spot on. Huge high five to Jackie who did a wonderful job serving. Very pleasant and fun. Well worth the drive into downtown for this burger treat. Come hungry. These burgs are the real deal.
(5)John K.
I like their burgers but also their spicy chorizo burrito. Great for sandwiches, not for full steak or other main entrees. Interesting vibe here, music is not mainstream pop fare and wall decorations are colorful and a bit odd but fits with the overall feel of the place. There is a parking ramp right across from the Commerce street entrance worth using if you can't find a spot on the street nearby. They have a full bar but emphasis here is on whiskey and whiskey-based drinks. Would not recommend the BLT nachos. The cardinal rule for great nachos is that the toppings aren't just on the top layer of chips - these violated that rule.
(4)Jonathan J.
The only problem I have with these guys is they use breadcrumbs in all of their buggers. SO someone with a gluten problem can never sample one of the greatest burgers of all time. Remember whiskey is soup of the day
(3)Lindsay C.
Went here for a friend's going away party and had several delicious sangria cocktails, with citrus fruit garnish. I had the stuffed cheeseburger, which was delicious, not overcooked at all. I also had the stuffed tater tots (apparently stuffed foods were the theme that evening?) which were awesome. My partner also had a burger, which was equally as tasty. I was able to try the spicy crack fries, which seem to have a spicy dust of Frank's Red Hot on it - super yum! I would love to come here again and try the vegetarian food, especially the veggie burger.
(4)Cari H.
In a nutshell: great burgers, beer, tons of 80's video games, cool vibe (sometimes a "I'm too cool" vibe...) They have vegan and vegetarian options, as well as good ole fashioned beef burgers. Good beer selection. Prices aren't too bad. Finding a seat for lunchtime usually isn't a problem, but evenings can be busy and packed with people who are there to hang out all night instead of just eating dinner and leaving... which is fine, but it doesn't free up tables very quickly. Hint: The "main" entrance off the parking lot is actually at the back of the restaurant, so you'll have to walk all the way through to find the hostess stand. Also, bring quarters from the video games!
(4)Matt S.
This place has real character. From the classic video games to the old episodes of Star Trek, Scooby Doo and Lost in Space playing on the screens with Tom Petty playing on the Jukebox. 200 Whiskeys on the shelf as well as a huge selection of Craft beer and old school beers. Now the food. According to GQ Magazine they have Americas Best Burger. I decided on the Angry Pig Tacos. They had great flavor and spice. Wish they would cube their pork instead of shred it. Hold flavor better and doesn't dry out. Over all great experience.
(4)Joe B.
This place is as rock and roll as they come, from the music down to the Mortal Kombat II arcade game. There's a great buzz about this spot and it's a solid place for a bite to eat or to meet a whole new group of friends while visiting the GR. I didn't have the pleasure of eating here but the Chronic Fries and the Cheese Stuffed Tots are calling my name from zip codes away. Their liquor selection is extensive and they have a punch concoction that comes with a disclaimer that was pretty good...and you get to keep the Stella's cup it comes in. The staff was all super friendly, the men's room was super clean and this place was all around a super fun spot to spend a night in GR. The bar is covered in old concert tickets, there's old cartoons on the TV (actual cartoons like Looney Toons & Scoobie Doo!!) Karaoke on Sunday was pretty extreme and I'm just looking forward to coming back when we get back into town. Definitely worth coming in for a drink and a burger.
(5)Jay G.
Best burgers in GR. Never say no to Stellas.
(5)Will B.
Disappointing management in an otherwise great bar. A significant portion of the staff seems unhappy to be employed there. We arrived with a group of friends on a fairly crowded night. Waited in line to get in, to be greeted by a woman at the door with a poor attitude/disposition. Having had a few drinks prior, our friend was a little overly friendly and casually made light contact with the door woman's shoulder while asking a question (nothing obnoxious, just normal human interaction). The response was overtly aggressive. Fair enough; we brushed it off and assumed she was having a rough night (despite prior interactions with her along the same lines). The back bar/dance area was packed. The kitchen doors are near the edge of the bar, where we were hanging out. The server let her displeasure be known that we were too close to the kitchen doors on a few occasions. We moved closer to a high top, but the bar being fairly packed, made it difficult to do so. A manager came over and accused us of willfully ignoring the server's (disdainful) request to move away from the kitchen doors, specifically citing 6 separate occasions, and informed us that we were to leave the bar immediately. I can understand keeping doorways clear and having to deal with inebriated patrons on a regular basis while trying to provide a safe and fun atmosphere. However, at no point in the evening were we dealt with any courtesy or professionalism. From the woman checking ID's at the door to the disgruntled server to the manager, we were treated as annoyances rather than welcome guests. Having experienced similar interactions with staff there on previous visits (and having let them slide since the bar is an otherwise good venue), it is difficult to not see this as systemic issue. An air of professionalism would go a long way here. There are many ways to deal with patrons, many of which include doing so in far more positive manners than what I have observed. For example, the woman checking IDs at the door could have let her displeasure be known in a far more professional manner other than "DO NOT TOUCH ME". The server coming out of the kitchen could have politely asked us to move away from the area near the doors, rather than scowling at us. The manager could have easily asked our side of the events, or moved us to a different part of the bar. The attitude seems pervasive there: poor and defensive. Not a place I look forward to visiting any time soon.
(1)Jim E.
What can I say about Stellas? It supposedly won the best Burger in America, and it is hard to find and located down an alley which looks to be a drug spot. We were going to go here for dinner but TGI Fridays won out and we just went for a Beer here. It was quite the happening and lively place, lots of music and a good crowd of people.
(4)Mark G.
I went on a Friday night. My experience as a man in my 30s was that this was very much an early 20s crowd. It was a bit douchey, and I suspect it is very different during the day time. It was a virtual meat market, and you could just smell the testosterone production going on as guys readied for fights over girls etc. Not fun. I strongly suggest not going on weekends- unless you are said douchebags, in which case I strongly suggest you go on weekends.
(2)Patrick D.
Always love Stella's! Burgers are awesome, vegan wings are good too. Service is usually pretty good, but came here last Saturday night and put our name in with the hostess. We were told 45 minutes, so we sat at one spot at the bar that was open. About 30 minutes later, decided to check on our name on the wait list. Hostess was NOWHERE to be found. Found a server/runner, who said the hostess has been giving them problems. OK, so what now? We've been waiting, and now it turns in to seat yourself with no warning? This was pretty annoying. So we sat in the middle of the floor and started singing kumbaya. Not really, but we luckily found space in the back room with a table, sat down, and quickly ordered food from the bar. The rest of the evening wasn't a loss, but what the heck, the hostess just runs off? Stella's- fire her please. This is no way to treat customers. With that exception, which isn't really Stella's fault, this is still one of my fav bars in Grand Rapids. The burgers are delish, the drinks cold, and service is usually great.
(4)Ryan F.
Burgers here are incredible, cant go wrong with most of them, also the place has an awesome selection of whisky and scotch for a burger joint. Cool vibe, and a great experience, check it out for a nice lunch spot when in GR.
(5)Christopher B.
The place has a dark, urban-inspired ambiance and its usually loud, a combination of music and people having a good time. I have had the "Mr. Fables" burger and also the "Stella Blue"; both excellent. The spicy "Chronic" fries are delicious as well. I have ordered either Pepsi or beer. I have not yet tapped into their formidable list of whiskeys. Apparently they have 200 available. Bottom line: its a busy, noisy urban pub with considerably better-than-average pub food.
(5)Daniel D.
I've been wanting to check this place out for awhile now. I had the Big Ballah burger and the chronic fries. I'm not really a fan of buffalo sauce and the fries are seasoned with something very similar. However, they are cooked really well with a nice crispy outside that even though I would rather have a different kind of seasoning I still enjoyed them. The burger was a little underwhelming. The burger patty is fantastic. Props to Stella's because they do make a mean burger patty. Just a perfect combination of juicy and tender. The cheddar cheese jalapeno poppers and bun were also good. However, the tomato was less than -unless it was some variety that is supposed to be pink and not red. And while it technically had "bacon," I think most people expect more than one solitary strip of bacon. I would be willing to give them another go because the burger patty itself is that good, but the supporting cast of condiments and accouterments needs an upgrade.
(3)Claire V.
Came here on a weekend trip to Grand Rapids. Get the jalapeño cheddar burger - you won't be disappointed! Add bacon to increase the gluttony. Bring some cash to indulge in the arcade games. Will definitely come back to sample the whiskey selection!
(4)Chris H.
The ambiance is mixed. It is very dark inside, which makes it hard to read the menu. Most of the seating is raised tables. The music is a little loud, but not blaring. The service is slow but very friendly. I ordered Bacon Fat Popcorn, Gov't Burger with fries, and a Pepsi. The popcorn at first seems ordinary but then you find it addicting. The Gov't burger is a burger with white cheddar inside the burger. I added bbq sauce which is a sweet tangy sauce that looks like french dressing but it is a very tasty bbq. The burger was soooo good. I have a new #2 burger for GR. The fries were good but not great. The only issue with the drink is they have a 2 page menu for alcoholic drinks but non alcoholic drinks are hard to find. Overall a great experience. 4 1/2 stars would be more accurate. I will be back!
(4)Chloe J.
Ah-mazing! Really fun atmosphere. There are 90's pinball machines and video games at this bar. I was excited about the vegetarian options. We tried the fully loaded nachos on the appetizer menu and I got the faux chicken sandwich and onion rings, recommended by the waiter. It was so good! My boyfriend got a hamburger and fries and beer. Service was good, food was good. Enjoyed it!
(5)Jenna P.
I was at Stella's celebrating my daughter's birthday, and had the most amazing thoughtful server: Ruben. I wanted iced tea, and they didn't have any, so he went out on a special mission and brought me back a glass of iced tea. His service and the food were fabulous, and I will recommend it to anybody.
(5)Laura P.
why, oh why, was i talking about beer in relation to stella's in my last review??? ANYWAY, i love stella's. the whiskey selection is amazing, the food is amazing, the sangria is amazing, their dance nights are amazing...i have a lot of good memories here. the stoner mac and cheese sandwich and blt nachos are my favorites and you should try the cookie rolls at least once!
(5)John C.
This place had a really cool vibe and was rated by GQ Magazine to have the "Best Burger in America" in 2012, but this burger was so bad that it, quite possibly, was one of the worst burgers I've ever eaten! The burger had very little flavor and fell apart while eating it. There was no sear on the burger and it tasted like a flavorless meatloaf sandwich! To make matters worse, I also tried the "Ted Avacado Nugents" (fried Avacado Nuggets), and they were very greasy and had absolutely no flavor either. The one positive to take from my experience at Stella's Lounge is that the service was very good, but I was extremely disappointed in the quality of the food and have no idea why anyone could possibly proclaim that this is the Best Burger in America!!!???
(1)Krista H.
One star goes to Laura, the most unprofessional and uncourteous manager I have met in my 10+ years working and playing in the bar scene. Last night my roommate turned 21 at midnight, and I insisted on bringing him to one of my favorite bars, Stella's. We arrived around 11:45pm, and with no door man present, walked right in. I received service at the bar without being carded, and our full table decided to order food. When the waitress came up, I informed her that my roomie was turning 21 at midnight. After insisting it shouldn't be a big deal, she got her manager, Laura, who is clearly not happy in any realm. She told my roommate, of whom had already ordered food, that he had to wait outside for the next ten minutes until he turned 21. Seriously. Unfortunately that area of GR has quite a few homeless and potentially dangerous individuals present, and we were approached by 2 in the ten minutes we were told to wait outside. Laura did not take it kindly when I questions her decision making and decided to not charge for my beers, closed my tab and banned me from the bar that evening. She also apologized to the rest of the party and discounted their food, which proved she felt poorly about her choices. Overall this experience showed the lack of solid leadership at Stella's. It is upsetting because this bar is usually so cool. I think it's time for Stella's to find a manager as impressive as their whisky list.
(1)Kathy L.
So it was my birthday celebration tonight and we had 2 parties coming in and out. Never in my life have I been kicked out of an establishment because we had "one too many people blocking the emergency exit". 1. We were not near an emergency exit 2. We had a table big enough for 6 and we had a total of 7 3. We were still ordering drinks aka giving business to the establishment. I will never come back to this business even if I live with 2 blocks away because of this ridiculousness. Stella's just lost out of their best customers. Such a bummer. We're now at hop cat. So much better. They're not kicking us out.
(1)Sasha G.
Long story short: 200 different kinds of whiskey & Mortal Kombat. Let me explain.... First thing- What am I doing in Grand Rapids, Michigan? Who knows.. But I found myself here with some peeps at around 9. After surveying the extensive menu we (actually I coerced them) decided on shots of Jameson Vintage & PBRs (served all cute in a glass jar). Jameson was awesome. I mean as a good whiskey should be.. I'm obviously no whiskey connoisseur but is "smooth" an appropriate descriptive? Smooth it was. And paired with a PBR was just classy. Place is pretty cool, divey in the refined sense of the word. And of course to top it all off: Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter arcade games!!?! Needless to say ish got wild. "Man they must be from New York."
(4)Christina C.
I just paid 11 dollars for a burger that has not been made fresh. The burger had probably been sitting around all day and when I came in to order it they reheated it a little bit. The sandwich was dry and gross. I don't know what has happened to this place. It used to be one of my favorite places to grab a burger.
(1)Jenne H.
The burgers are good, but far over rated. The staff is inattentive, for most part. Drunken pork tacos are amazing! But be prepared to spend a deal of time on service.
(3)Hanan A.
First time in Michigan and I came to Stella's to meet up with a friend that I was visiting. Parking was a breeze, and I went straight to the bar where I received an extensive whiskey menu that made me smile from ear to ear. I ordered bushmill with a splash of ginger ale. I asked the bartender for a recommendation on a popular food item. I ordered the Ted avocado Nugget (deep fried avocado on a asian slaw with a forgettable dip). I received the food and after a couple of bites I couldn't stomach it anymore. After I finished my drink it took 1/2 to flag down a bartender. Mind you I was one of four people at the bar. my area was never cleared, never asked if I needed anything, not asked if I liked the food item which was weird since I left a good portion behind. I had to ask for everything... Menu, water, and utensils. I was not impressed by the deep fried avocado there was no flavor, it felt like something you'd get at a truck stop. My friend arrived an hour and 1/2 later and I asked to leave to go to another bar. I would not recommend Stella's to anyone purely because of the horrible service, on top of the subpar apps. hopefully their other items are delicious but I don't plan on visiting again.
(2)Rene B.
Went here for the first time tonight, and had a great meal! I had the Stella Blue Burger (stuffed with blue cheese and bacon!), cooked medium, with chronic fries. The burger was messy, but delicious, and the fries were seasoned just right. It was a bit dark in the restaurant (but cool vibe). I was disappointed that the server didn't offer to tell me more about the whiskeys available (even though she was very helpful with everything else). The whiskey menu is so large, it's way overwhelming. Since it was my first time at Stella's, I wasn't sure what to pick- or frankly, what the differences were between the whiskeys. I would absolutely go back again, but next time I would definitely ask about the whiskey selection!
(4)Jen I.
Very cool atmosphere - has a lot of old school pin ball machines and a cpl games! My waiter was awesome and burgers came out pretty quickly! I ordered the Govt cheese - it was HUGE and tasty! I did add ketchup but I add that to all my burgers! The fries has some sort of "red hot" powder on them - it was good but then after eating more tasted like to much. You won't leave hungry that's for sure!
(3)Amanda L.
I always enjoy Stellas and my recent trip wasn't any different. They have the #1 rated burger in America per GQ magazine, but the Sweet Potato Black Bean Wrap will always be #1 in my heart. And if you'll looking for an appetizer, try the Ted Avocado Nuggets. They are beer battered avocado slices. Yep, that's how they roll here: They have a wide selection of vegan and vegetarian sides and dishes all with a twist. Another fun thing about Stella's is that while most bars in the Midwest have sports on 24/7, they have old Star Trek and Scooby Doo episodes going all the time. Not surprisingly, some of the best conversations I've had with people come from watching cartoons and campy favorites.
(4)Deborah R.
I was in Grand Rapids for a Griffins game (Go Griffins!) and afterwards walked down to Stella's. It was crowded like crazy, of course after the game, but luckily we managed to snag a table anyway. We came here because someone in our group said that GQ Magazine named Stella's Lounge as having 'The Best Burger in America'. And I can see why. I ordered the 'Queso Jalapeno' and it had to be one of the best burgers I have ever had in my life. The burgers are huge (half of our table didn't finish theirs) and they come with the best fries. They're called 'Chronic Fries' and they have a kick to them, watch out! I love spicy things so of course I was all about these fries. As far as ambience, Stella's is killer. It really is the perfect place to stop on a night out and if I lived in or near GR this would be one of my go-to spots, for sure. And the video games in the back are just a bonus, they had a good selection. After a few drinks and our burgers, we left and were kicking ourselves for forgetting to play them. Also: We all tried the Stellas Punch & it was definitely some variation of a 'Purple Rain', that drink is no joke. If you want one drink to hit you like a frieght train and get you riding a good buzz, then order this. Plus, you get a cute cup to take with you!
(5)Jeff M.
Finally went to Stella's during a recent trip to GR and it did not disappoint. Burger was extremely juicy, tasted like home BBQ, and the side of fries hit the spot. Definitely give this place a try..lots of burger and drink options, friendly service, and a nice vibe.
(5)Salvatore M.
Nice place to go, it's a whiskey bar...I recommend the Manhattan and old fashioned cocktails...age is young mostly.
(3)Adam B.
Voted "best burger in America" by GQ mag, their burgers are indeed amazing. Sometimes I get the Angry Pig tacos or the Poor man's chicken wings, but I usually go for a burger - they are great. The atmosphere is fun and casual and they have a wide variety of food, beers and whiskey.
(5)Becky C.
I really enjoyed my cheeseburger here (and I don't generally order burgers or beef). Great casual and trendy spot to hang out with friends. Fairly loud and dark atmosphere, with lots of classic video games from the 80's. I like the red booths at the far end, which used to be part of the old speakeasy (before the remodel). Probably not diet friendly because of the large amount of fried offerings. They do have some vegetarian options.
(4)Alicia I.
Stella's is such a great place! Awesome menu, fun atmosphere, Great drinks, and delicious food. I love the arcade games and sci fi classics playing on the televisions. Definitely one of Grand Rapids' best spots!
(5)Tina C.
Came for dinner. Crowded place filled with a younger folks (or so it seemed). It was extremely difficult to get a waiter at the random tables you sit at and we were confused as to who were waiters or customers. Finally just went straight to the bar where the bar tender was very busy but took decent care of us. Got a burger, tater tots, and the Cuban burger which I liked most out of the 3. Onion ring option with the burger seemed a little stale. The tots. Saw a picture and description on yelp which made me want to get it but it was very disappointing. It's fried and crunchy on the outside with a little too much seasoning and on the inside it's very mushy. I wasn't sure what I was eating. However, the place had tons of old school arcades (street fighter, mortal combat 2, knock out, pacman, tetris, pinball machines) and played old school cartoon (looney toons, the Jetsons, Scooby-Doo) which was awesomeee. Overall though. Wouldn't go back. Not a lot of drink options. But if u enjoy beer, they got some various different ones
(2)Ken M.
Stella's does burgers some serious justice. They have a fantastic bourbon and whisky selection, great collection of video games, and friendly service.
(5)Susan G.
We went to try Stella's last night for their $5 off stuffed burgers (first time there for us). I had the Gov't Cheese stuffed burger and Bob had the Fables burger. I was surprised I didn't care for the taste of the meat. I ate 1/2 though. A street person ( or a really smart broke guy that had a craving and knew where to position himself) got the other half " you gonna eat that?". The chronic fries were great. Bob enjoyed his burger. I loved the atmosphere (although way to dark to take worthy photos of my food). I played 6 games of Millipeed ( Bob kicked my ass) and 2 games of Qubert. Place was packed (usually is I hear, especially on Thursday night). Drinks were great. Loved the place! Can't wait to go back and try their Cubano.
(4)Prashant S.
One of the best burgers I ever had, keep it up!!
(5)Patrick K.
Sounds trite but one of the best burgers you'll ever eat. A little hipster in that they take pride in not showing football which is a sissy bitch move, but burgers and service are amazing. Also, the TV's have different classic films running on mute the entire time. I got a homeless guy in the restroom who I ended up giving a buck to just so he wouldn't stare at my genitalia. He asked for two and I had to tell him to F off. I told him to pretend like he was an attendant so people wouldn't turn him in. He didn't listen and I watched him get bounced shortly afterward. What a burger!
(5)Keaton M.
Best burger I have ever tasted, and I have had a lot. Their menu consists of about eight specialty burgers and they all sounded so unique and good. The fries were a little spicy, but I like the spice so it didn't bother me. The drink menu was incredible. Although I'm not a whisky drinker, their two page menu sure was impressive! I settled on a Michigan drafted beer they had on tap. Don't be fooled by the fact this is technically considered a bar, this place is amazing!
(5)Jenny S.
The number one spot for a burger, fries and brew. It's a pretty young crowd with a typical bar environment. The vintage pinball machines are pretty sweet too. My only complaint would be the confusing and inconvenient entrances. One entrance is in the front and the other is on the other side of the bar. Kind of annoying when looking for the hostess to get your name down. Overall was very please with food and service! The service is young, friendly and relaxed. Service is quick as well. Lastly, they have a respectable selection of craft beer on tap...but then again this is beer city
(5)Dan O.
Very cool vibe, with vintage video games. Took my family here for lunch. My son is a burger aficionado, so he was skeptical but hopeful when he read that GQ magazine gave them a great review for their burger. I've never seen that kid eat a burger so fast, so quietly. He was in heaven. Once he finished, all he could say was, "Wow. That is the BEST burger I've ever eaten." Which is saying something, because he's had burgers all around the country, and has a personal rating system, giving the bun, patty, and condiments a 1-10 rating - he's serious about burgers. He gave this on a 10 on all categories! Impressive beer list, equally impressive scotch and bourbon list, funky cool vibe (Reminds me a bit of BuzzBrews in Deep Ellum Dallas), definitely a place to stop when you are in GR.
(5)Griff G.
The staff seems to be very confident in the "national" rating of their BURGER. Nothing else. Bartenders, severs are all hilariously rude and play into the hipster / "don't care" vibe -- head down Ionia for something better
(2)Heather F.
There are signs all around Stella's that say "best best burger in America" according to various magazines. I was skeptical. I got The Buffalo---a beef burger stuffed with blue cheese and bacon, topped with franks hot sauce and celery mayo. It.was.delicious. The burger itself was soft without being mushy, and truly "stuffed" with cheesy bacon-y goodness. The celery mayo was warm and creamy, almost like a Boursin sauce. The fries were truly unique with a salty, slightly spicy fried coating. We also had the bacon popcorn, which melted in your mouth like butter and had just the right amount of flavor without being overwhelming. There are many vegan options, and not just the kind that are traditional dishes without the meat. Intentional, homemade vegan options---they even have vegan ranch! We had great service and I highly recommend this place!
(5)Angie M.
Burger and fry amazingness.....vibe, drinks and music are cool. Very busy. But they were out of AVOCADO AND donut holes?!?!?! NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But the burgers are worth a visit!
(4)Andrea S.
The food was great but it was so very crowded! It's a small space so we could not walk without running into and rubbing up against other people. Our waitress wasn't exactly all the great...a bit grumpy. Lots of old video goes to play as well. Not much for parking on the weekends, so get there early!
(4)Amber C.
We came to Stella's for dinner on a Saturday evening, after finding out that Hop Cat had an hour wait and I'm really glad it worked out that way! There was a wait when we arrived, but we didn't care because they had tons arcade games to keep us busy while we waited. We played one game of Pac Man and Mortal Kombat and our table was ready! The atmosphere here is really cool and fun. It doesn't feel like your typical bar/restaurant. Our waiter was super friendly and helped my boyfriend pick out a whiskey he thought he would like since they have about one million to choose from - they literally have a whole menu, two sides, of whiskey, scotch and bourbons. We both got a burgers. I got the Hot Stuff burger which was stuffed with jalapenos and pepper jack cheese and he got the Stella Blue which was stuffed with blue cheese and bacon. They were both delicious and the fries that came on the side were amazing. We went to 10 different bars/restaurants in Grand Rapids during our mini-vacation weekend and of them all, Stella's was number one! We would definitely go back if we find ourselves on that side of the state again!
(5)Jessica W.
Good beer, friendly staff, great burgers, and old school video games to play when you're sufficiently buzzed. Soup of the day was listed as "whiskey." I appreciate that.
(4)Christina S.
The food is great, but the snobby servers and management who aren't willing to hold themselves accountable for mistakes ruined it all. Me and my party are in the service industry and generally deplore yelp reviews, however, tonight was one for the books. I get it, most people don't know the difference between bourbon and rye whiskey. Most people won't notice when your drink has been sitting in a shaker of ice for several minutes before being served. Most people don't understand that bitters don't make. Your drink sweeter...But me and my party did. And when you advertise yourself as a whiskey bar then expect your customers to maybe, just maybe, know the basics. ...so we were treated poorly by an extremely passive-aggressive server who didn't even have the confidence to put her name on our receipt. The manager offered us a round of drinks... made incorrectly, watered down, and served with a horrendous attitude? No thanks, Stella's. Enjoy your 20% tip regardless, because we all you don't care.
(2)Karen Jason G.
Although I've been to Stella's before, my husband wanted to check out GQ magazine's "Best Burger in America" . I had the Stella Blue which is a burger stuffed with Blue Cheese and bacon and he had GOV'T CHEESE which I found humorous since he recently retired from the federal government. Both were served with fries which you can request to be made mild if you don't like a lot of spice on them. We thought they were a bit on the pricey side at $11.50 a piece which was interesting as most of the crowd looked to be college aged or perhaps young professional. They must have better paying jobs than I did when in college :) The burger's are huge however, so I had the 2nd half as lunch the next day which made the price a bit more reasonable. Décor is dark and fun, but it's loud so not a place for a quiet dinner. The COSMO's get a high 9 from me. Stop before or after a downtown concert.
(3)Randall K.
How could GQ or any reputable reviewer claim Stellas would be worthy of a 'Best Burger' award? Having eaten at 25 Degrees in Los Angeles, Au Cheval in Chicago, and the Burger Joint in NYC, Stellas burgers should not even crack the top 100 burger choices in the US. The quality of the meat here is terrible, and the fries were bland and regular. Pass, don't fall for the hype.
(2)Carson L.
Good place, except for the host. The dude with the dreds. We wait for an hour to hear our name called, only to ask and be told "ya we called, too bad." If you go, make sure to hover around the front so they don't treat you like a common animal. I like places that pride themselves on the "chill" factor, but for the love of God, you had one job. Be a proper human and have the courtesy to announce the name that's written in front of you. Its not hard.
(2)Christos M.
They have cut down their Whisky list!?!? And I have no idea why. Stella's used to be a great place to go try different whiskies that you either could not afford a bottle or you heard about from somewhere. Not anymore. Very disappointed they decided to cut down. No more Highland Park 15 and 18 yr old which is what I miss the most. Food is decent better than a normal bar. The burgers are really good and at some point were worth the GQ award. They also have a sandwich that was voted Grand Rapids best, give it a try (best grandwich). Their chronic fries give Hopcat's crack fries a run for their money. Has a hole in the wall vibe, which used to be tolerable when they had over 200 whiskies but now just makes me depressed. The arcade and pinball machines are great (who doesn't wish they still had a Mortal Kombat or Galaga machine?). This used to be a Grand Rapids must for me but sadly not anymore. 3 stars because they still have a good list of whiskies and a nice beer selection. Would be 2 stars if their food wasn't as good as it is.
(3)Jason B.
Best burger in America says GQ..... It's a really good burger, at a fun place, but a stretch to call it the best in America. The burger is the same concept of the Juicy Lucy which was put on the map in Minneapolis, but the one at Stella's is definitely a little bigger than any of the ones I've had up in the cities. Waiter was really good and helpful with recommendations of things to do in the area. It was a really good choice for lunch.
(4)Craig J.
HIPSTERS GALORE!!! So many hipsters I kinda started feeling unwelcomed not being in their douchebaggish uniform after dark, but I stood strong against their oppression. Food is always good. Amazing selection of whiskeys. Pin ball machines look like fun but the place is so crowded that it's hard to get a chance to play them. Burgers are great, but despite what GQ Magazine says this is not the best burger in America, I think it is the location, decor, whiskey selection, and general hipsterness..... But I digress. THIS PLACE IS GOOD AND YOU SHOULD TRY IT
(4)Jenna J.
Had a really hard time with this place. First of all when we first checked in the host, was super evasive in regards to how long we would wait... "how long should I wait?"...in sassy response" until I call you." It was so rude and embarrassing, my friend was visiting from Korea, what a terrible impression. Due to the lack of description of wait time, we sat at the bar. We ordered two entrees, anxiously waiting for our food, we saw our food come out 45 minutes later and delivered to the couple next to us who touched everything and made our food unsalvageable. In trying to explain to the bartender that the couple got our food, he denied it, he also denied it to the couple who was missing the olives on their "olive burger" - again obviously because that was my friends big ballah burger. It was eventually realized when the bartender apologized for our long wait...as we kept waiting... And waiting. Eventually he admitted that that the couple did in fact had our food. Since we were going to a show at the van andel we decided to leave without a lunch, with only a rude staff interaction and 1 hour of wasting our time. After the show at the van andel, we should of learned our lesson, however we decided to return to stellas because my Korean friend really wanted to try the best burger. We got a seat right away, ordered, and sadly received cold food and disgusting sauce that tasted nothing like the description. The vegetarian wings tasted like something stale out of the garbage that they collected and didn't even bother to microwave. The waiter was hardly understanding and made me feel like it was my fault that their BBQ sauce tastes like honey mustard (with no adequate description on the menu) . Very disappointed, especially for my friend.
(1)Kerry F.
Went on a Thursday and it was totally worth the wait. We each got burgers which were of course delicious but we also got the Porky's Revenge appetizer and oh man, that was the best. The ginger sauce served with was sublime. Good beer variety and of course the arcade was a hit with our kids (we went early)
(4)Nicole G.
Went here before a Griffins game. Loved the atmosphere and the beer menu. The food was mostly great. We started with pork eggs rolls which were phenomenal. I expected the burgers to be one of my top 5 because of all the hype , but I was slightly disappointed. The flavor was there..... But the texture was off. It tasted like they made the patties then froze them..... It was odd. But I would definitely go back because it was still a good burger and a nice place.
(4)Marino C.
If you are a pinball and whiskey lover then this is your bar. I like the ambience of the place; loud but not enough so that you can't talk to your table. There's people even on a Monday at this bar. I had the Auchentoshan classic whisky, really good 80 proof whisky. Also, I had the hot stuff burger and it was really good. This burger has pepper jack cheese and jalapeños stuff in it so its a must try.
(5)Paul M.
I really wanted to love Stella's, but just found it average. It was recommended to eat there by some locals as I was visiting Grand Rapids on business. First off, I loved the decor and look of the place. Dark gothic undertones with a fun retro 80's arcade video game vibe. And the arcade games were actually functional. :) I ordered some beer battered onion rings for an appetizer. Not amazing, not bad. Just average. Since they are known for their burgers, I went with a 1/2 pound order of "Hot Stuff", a jalepeno stuffed burger with diced onions. This also comes with habanero mustard, to really kick up the heat. The first turn off is that the burger was so soggy that it kept disintegrating in my hands. Very messy. The heat was definitely present in the burger, but that is about it. It was hot, but didn't resonate with flavor. Honestly, the burgers at 5 Guys are much better, in my opinion. As a side with my burger, I ordered the chronic fries. I love spicy food, so I thought I would love it. I actually really disliked it... I guess they used Frank's Chili Sauce in a powder form and cover the fries with it. Wasn't too hot, but was sour -- not how I like my fries. I also sensed a very "elitist" vibe from the servers there. I know they are going for an alternative feel, but it was almost somewhat snobby; as if I should have been more alternative myself with piercings and tattoos. Would not go back again, but worth trying.
(2)Susan M.
Went on burger night (Thursdays) and got $5 off all burgers. Great deal but be prepared to wait (45-60 min for 2) or sit at the bar and eat. My husband sat at the bar and had a great time. Bartenders were very attentive and knowledgeable. I ordered the Buffalo burger which was probably...no, it was the best burger I'd ever eaten. The combo of flavors (franks red hot, blue cheese and celery mayo...what) is what did it for me. The burger it self was cooked to my liking, a little over medium. I could've done without the fries...completely unnecessary in my book. But we did order the Ted Nuggets and would get them again. And again. And again. Good beer selection also! Overall, a great stop. I will say the decor is a bit hipster for my taste but I had no problem with being comfortable.
(5)Elizabeth M.
This place was alright. It's my friend's favorite bar, so we stopped in (I'll admit it was a little early for both me and my friends, as well as the bar life). It was a chill atmosphere, but seemed rather boring. I got a sex on the beach and there was too much orange juice (I hate oranges to begin with but can usually tolerate it in a mixed drink). I'd definitely give it another try, but from first impressions, I wasn't very impressed.
(2)Dan P.
Went twice: very unique atmosphere and friendly staff. The fries are unbelievable. Had the Buffalo Burger: first time was tremendous. Ordered again two months later and it wasn't great.
(4)Mark F.
The food is great but my table ordered 4 different beers on tap and all 4 tasted awful. The New Holland Poet was oxygenated, Bell's Two Hearted was soapy, Founders Pale was watery, and an Irish Stout was very flat. If you come here, order bottled beer!
(2)Amanda J.
My husband took me for a surprise day trip to Grand Rapids to visit one of our favorite vegan restaurants (Bartertown) only to get there and they were completely closed down. So we found Stella's and went there for lunch. It was totally worth it! Their food was great and the environment was supper fun. The only thing I didn't really like is that when we walked in we didn't know what to do. Being out-of-towners we were trying to figure out if we should seat ourselves or not and there were no signs or wait staff to talk to us. Finally we sat down and after about 5 minutes someone came to us (even though they were standing ten feet away from us the entire 5 minutes). All in all I would go there again.
(4)Jana L.
Amazing! I thought I had eaten a good burger before but not until I came here did I really have a good burger!
(5)Teresa M.
Absolutely love this place! Great for adults and kids love the arcades. Dive bar feel with really good food. I had a sandwich with brie and pork belly that was amazing. The Bloody Mary was simply delicious. My husband loves the beer selection and the burgers. This is our new favorite local spot since we relocated from DC.
(5)Joyce E.
Awful establishment!! Disrespectful staff would never recommend to my worst enemy! This red head woman bish on staff was evil and thought she owned the bar.
(1)Brittany B.
Best burger (and fries) I've ever had. GQ is spot on...best burger in America. When family is in town we always bring them to Stellas
(5)Elizabeth G.
Stella's is really good. I always get a cheese stuffed burger and the hobo wings (I think that's what they are called on the menu). The hobo wings are potatoes quartered and deep fried and then tossed in wings sauce. There is something about them that is so pleasing. Stella's is also a whiskey bar so they literally have hundreds of whiskeys to choose from. I have been here countless times and I will keep going back when I visit Grand Rapids. The decor is cool too - they have tons of old pinball backboards decorating the walls and retro arcade games populate the entrance area. You can actually play these games for a quarter a play. Arcade Punch Out? Yes, please!
(5)Whitney O.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks. You cannot go wrong here. Their burgers are amazing, the fries addicting, drinks stiff and early Simpsons/ others great old TV on in the background. ALWAYS packed on the weekend and later evenings so just be ready for lines. They have a DJ on the weekends too, always fun.
(5)Scott C.
I've been to Stella's twice now, once with my sales team and another time with a group of friends and family. I think they have one of the coolest websites I've ever seen for a restaurant, loved their descriptions of their food and the description of the restaurant experience that they offer their patrons. Love the decor, video games and unique menu items. Our servers were great both times, very attentive and helpful regarding recommendations. The stuffed tots and wings were popular appetizers and the gov't cheese burger was ordered by several people on both occasions. The fried avocado appetizer was probably my favorite. It's a great place to hang out with friends/family and we love the music they play, a lot of classic rock. One of downtown GR's best.
(4)Daniel H.
I was eyeing this place as I was researching places to eat before I flew into Grand Rapids for work. This was a bar/arcade place. Once I entered, I was told to find a place to sit anywhere so I walked towards the back to look around. There were arcade machines and pinball machines which was cool. I don't think I had ever been to a bar like this before. I sat in the front and the waitress asked what I wanted to drink. I told her I wanted a soda (more specifically a Pepsi which was $2) and she asked to see my ID. I was surprised and she said she had to check because it was a bar. I didn't get it but whatever. The Stella Blue burger ($10) was the most popular/most ordered burger here but it didn't appeal to me. Instead, I ordered the Big Ballah burger ($11) with what they called Chronic Fries. The Chronic Fries were fries with chili powder covering almost everything. It sounded more interesting than onion rings. Lol the food probably took almost 30 minutes to come out. I wasn't in a hurry to go anywhere so it was fine to me. The Big Ballah burger was huge! I liked the cheddar-stuffed jalapeño popper in the burger and the bacon had a smokey flavor to it which was good to me. The Chronic Fries were good but spicy. It turned my fingers all red and almost the same if you were to eat flaming hot Cheetos. It wasn't something I would try or order again. The soda was in a bottle which was okay. I didn't play anything but I'm sure I would've been there a lot longer. Overall, I thought it was a good place to order some burgers with a fun atmosphere.
(4)Jeremy C.
I've been to Stella's a few times, and the service there has ranged from "not very good" to "absolutely atrocious. " The last time I went there was squarely on the "absolutely atrocious" end of the spectrum. I was treated with such rudeness and hostility that I would have to be a masochist to ever go back there again. Don't worry, though; I won't be making that mistake.
(1)Mary H.
I had heard rumors of Stella's having the best burger in Grand Rapids so I decided to try it. I was NOT dissapointed! It was sooo good! I split the queso burger with my husband and instantly regretted not having the other half! Best burger! Fun atmosphere!
(5)Alea G.
I must say that I've been very pleasantly surprised by the food I've had in Grand Rapids so far. As a snotty Californian, I didn't come with high expectations but have been so happy with what I've had so far. Today's venture was to Stella's Lounge. I already came in with high expectations. I mean, greasy food goes well with retro arcade games. This place surpassed expectations. Despite my carnivorous leanings, I went with an all vegan meal today. I started with the Ted Avocados Nugents. So, avocados are pretty much the greatest gift to the world to begin with. I didn't think frying could make them better, but they did. They most definitely did. Went with the vegan chicken wings, next. They were good. They were fried well with a nice crispy glaze around them. Additionally, they didn't taste like they were trying to be chicken. They stood on their own. I appreciated that. Then, I went with the black been Hippie burger. that was good. I have a serious love for black bean burgers and the tempeh bacon added a nice crisp to the burger. The true star of the meal, though, were the french fries. I told myself that I'd limit my fry intake, but this was a pleasant exception. They tasted like they were covered in some sort of buffalo wing dry rub, so they went really well with the ranch dressing. Of course, this all went down very well with the double IPA I had. This renewed my (temporarily) forgotten love for IPAs. This all would have been an incredibly satisfying experience in itself, but when you add retro arcade games with Ren & Stimpy and classic Bugs Bunny cartoons, you are in true paradise. Well done, Stella's. You've won my heart.
(5)Jackie O.
A server at Founder's said this was a great spot for drinking whiskey. A very drunk bachelor party said we HAD to get the burgers (rated #1 by GQ). Well, that was a tough sell. If you are lucky enough to find a seat amonst the pinball and classic atari machines, you're going to eat some excellent food. We ordered stuffed tots with bacon, cheese and bleu cheese dip. Tasted as good as it sounds. Got the gov't cheese burgers (stuffed with aged white cheddar). I was surprised the server asked me how I wanted my burger done (since... you know, the middle is made out of cheese?), and it seemed to come out on the darker side of medium. Still great! My friends burger apparently was an "oozer" and lost all its cheese on the grill. They had to remake it, but were fast about it. I loved the spicy fries, but they probably aren't for everybody. We tried to come back Saturday night, but the bar was already over capacity by 11.
(5)Beth H.
So where did my previous review go? So here we go again. Hipster crowd and place. Can't believe how packed it is w college kids on a Thursday night in the summer. Tons of drafts but nothing notable as they had none of the New Holland or New Belgium on tap when we visited. Service is grumpy and spotty. Food selection is interesting and intentionally spicy to keep you drinking, I am sure. LOVED the video games and TVs showing all the retro cartoons. It's a ADHD kid's heaven. So much to see, do and pulls your attention everywhere but at your table. Neat place to hang out but don't go for conversation, too loud.
(4)Mary B.
Never again! Not quite sure, what GQ magazine was thinking! But, I need to remember that was two years ago! Incredibly rude staff! Burgers served cold and tasted terrible! I think between the seven of us, maybe one whole burger consumed! Tried to squeeze seven of us in to a table for four! Of course the rude staff member wanted to tell me how usually six adults sit there, but he would give us three more seats! You could obviously see from other tables in the restaurant the table was made for four! Wanted to give him a lesson in math and matching but you can't teach ------! Hope you take this review serious before you drop over hundred dollars to go eat somewhere else!
(1)Derrick V.
I love the burgers at this place. I have tried a few and would recommend it to others. I enjoy the laid back kind of dark environment. The old school Scooby-doo and Jetsons are awesome in the background. There is something to them that makes them interesting.
(5)Alana V.
A few weeks back my sister in law and I had a rather interesting and uncomfortable experience at Stella's. Our server Matt (redhead) made several vulgar and lewd advances. We thought we made it clear his advances were unwelcome but he didn't give up. He even tried rubbing my sister in law's shoulders and told us to relax. We couldn't believe this all really happened. We usually have such good experiences with the servers there. Excellent food but this man is quite the creeper. I'm not sure either of us feel comfortable going there ever again.
(2)Becky T.
It's an okay burger but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. We were passing through and it looked interesting so we thought we'd give it a try. I had the Stella Blue and my husband had the Gov't Cheese. I thought mine was ok and he didn't care for his at all. We ordered a plain burger for the kids which ended up coming with all the toppings on it and our waiter pushed back when we ordered it plain and kept suggesting that we order one of their specialties for the kids. I wouldn't recommend it as a place to bring kids.
(3)Brian B.
Very crowded and tough to eat at bar. Burger was good but not best in America! Hodads in San Diego is best in the U.S! Better and best fries in U.S. Around the block at HopCat.
(3)Aaron S.
The atmosphere is cool, albeit a little calculated. The not real arcade machines give away the facade. It seems to work for hipsters and grown ups alike though - the place is always packed. The big fuss is over their blue burger thanks to GQ magazine. Mysteries abound. Take away the toppings and condiments and you have a fairly flavorless disc of ground mediocrity before you. Skip the over rated burgers and get the poor man's chicken wings - breaded, deep fried, tossed in sauce potato wedges. My mouth waters at the thought. Return if the calculated irony of the place makes you feel safe, west michigan style.
(3)Aaron M.
The new and improved Stella's (better layout, more windows, better food) is definitely new and improved, but still has a ways to go -- particularly when it comes to service. Great whiskey selection (and decent whisky selection) but the bartenders are typically unfriendly and/or clueless. Last time in I asked for a cocktail menu for my wife and the bartender responded that they didn't have one and handed me the drink menu...which includes a cocktail section. She then didn't know how to make any of the cocktails on the list, nor even a basic Old Fashioned. Top that off with the fact that it was Halloween week and the costumes that the staff were wearing were likely violative of the health code (one of the bartenders clearly bought his "costume" at the Lion's Den). Great concept but poor execution. Too many other options in Grand Rapids for me to continue being disappointed here.
(2)Alex K.
Came in at about 6:15 on a Thursday. Sat down at about 7:15. My main reason for coming here? Of course, the "Best Burger in America." Well, I walked in with two others and we were initially happy to see no line -- until we saw "See host at back of restaurant" ... once we get back there, there are about 15 people and a huge list of names. Oh joy! We got our names down, and, as said above, we waited an hour or so, maybe a bit longer. There are quite a few arcade machines around, but with all the people around, it'd be pretty uncomfortable. From what I could tell, most people used them just to lean on. They add a nice bit of character to the bar, as do the shows that play on the TV. While there, I noticed Ren and Stimpy and Star Trek. I ordered the Queso Jalapeno burger expecting a whole lot of awesome... hugely disappointed. Not just by the fact that I waited an hour to sit down and order, but because the burger was COLD. Not only that, the burger didn't even appear to be stuffed or have much queso at all. Any cheese this burger did have was on top of it and still cold, as I could see that it was shredded cheese. Additionally, I ordered a medium rare burger, but mine was medium. That's a minor annoyance though, because I'm not all that picky with how my meat is cooked. So now you're wondering, "Hey shithead, why didn't you send it back?" Simple answer... I was too damn hungry to wait for another to be made. On the plus side -- the BIG plus side -- the fries were phenomenal. At first bite, I noticed that they seemed to have hot sauce in the batter or something like that, as they had a very nice vinegary, spicy kick. Nothing too hot, but definitely there. Without a doubt, the fries were better than the burger in my mind. My sister said her burger was hot and thought it was very good, she just said the obvious -- she wouldn't want to stand around for an hour waiting for it. My dad got some loaded tater tots and pickled vegetables. The loaded tater tots were very good, but they were more like fried mashed potatoes, as the inside was sort of creamy -- not like the texture of a tater tot at all. I'd get myself an order myself if I were to go back, because they tasted that fine and dandy. Stella's has a nice arcadey aesthetic to it with some promising food, but I was pretty hugely disappointed by my seeming "reject" burger. Again, it didn't seem to be stuffed, the cheese wasn't melted, and worst of all, the burger was cold. I'd visit Stella's again to give it another shot, but I sure as HELL would not want to wait for about 70 minutes like I did. It's a good burger, but there are a few places closer to my house that can make one better, and I don't need to drive 3 hours to get it.
(3)Jenny H.
Good burgers? Yes. The best burger in America? No. The burger patties are stuffed with a whatever you choose as your burger, I went with the Stella Blue Stuffed Burger in which the patty is mixed with bacon and blue cheese. The bun was moist and toasted, and the patty itself was pretty good. But nothing struck me as particularly delicious or unique about the burger. And the fries were just OK, I could not taste anything different about them, they were just perhaps slightly spicy. The stuffed tots in the beginning were good, stuffed with bacon and cheese, with blue cheese on top.
(3)Marin C.
I had the pleasure of visiting this place with some friends for their birthdays this past weekend (one was last week, one's next week so they split the difference). I ate the hippie burger and the french fries. Burger was decent, fries on the spicy side, I liked them other friends not so much. Another friend ordered the nacho app and it was good. I tried a Vandermills peach-ginger cider, it was okay, a bit on the bitter side, probably due to the ginger. Overall, I am a fan. The music was alright, we danced a small amount (the dj took our photo, that was nice). Service was very kind, our friend has friends. Lol. Perhaps there were some hipsters about and finding the restrooms was a lil' marco polo expedition, but overall a fun place and pretty reasonable on prices.
(4)Cory S.
Stella's is a must whenever I come back to visit Grand Rapids. Sometimes I'm in the mood to get with old friends and have a night of seeing who can get the high score in pacman or just want to chill, drink some whiskey and talk about the good ole times! Either way the atmosphere of Stella's is great for any social occasion.
(5)jim S.
Stopped by here for a quick bite before a show. Surprised by how busy it was, wait took about 45 minutes for a table. All of the staff were very friendly and the service was quick.Kind of a bummer that with so many people crammed into such a small spot there was not a lot of room to play the video games, of which about three or four were broken and taking up valuable space. The food was good, but not great. I had a Blue Cheese Burger and Fries, my wife had the Sweet Potato Black Bean Burrito. I would like to give this place another shot sometimes as the menu had a lot of interesting choices, but if its crazy long wait you may be better off finding one of the many other spots right within a few blocks that are just as good or better.
(3)John A.
Oh my did I fall in love with their burger. I honestly have to say that this is one of the best burgers I have ever had in my life. The meat is just perfect and I love how the cheese comes inside the meat patty. The bread on the burger is superb and the fries are to die for. Been here twice and I loved it. The atmosphere was great and the wait time wasn't that long for the food. Definitely will be back soon!
(5)Miss P.
Freakin awesome music selection!! Violent femmes... who does that anymore?? Love it... Great food too!! Philly sandwich, fried avocado, porky's revenge all excellent... surprisingly their burgers were just aight. Stella's Punch is a must if you're ready to get wasted and fast! Very cool place and staff.
(5)Andrew Y.
The food is really good. The stuffed burgers aren't available many other places around GR. The government cheese and queso burgers are great. The portions are big, so you won't leave hungry. They don't advertise enough their awesome whiskey selection. Neat retro beers served in jelly jars is also fun. The bummers... Arcade area is neat, but they could use more seating during weekends. It can get pretty crowded so get there early. Clientele don't appear to eat and go...they stick around. Service can be slow during busy times even at the bar. Glad to have Stella's in GR and congrats on getting noticed by GQ.
(3)Maurice F.
You come here for the burgers and crack fries. Stella's has found a bit of an older crowd on certain days but it didn't matter. Ate some great food, the waiter was awesome, service was prompt for the time of day we went. I can't stress enough though... eat the burgers here. You won't regret it.
(5)Glenn V.
The half and quarter star system needs to be applied here are 3..3/4 starts are in order. Very cool ambiance, dark and NYC Downtown nightclub-ish with Speed Racer, Land of the Lost & an all time favorite of mine, good 'ole Scooby Doo playing upon the flat screens. Deep fried avocado (Ted Avocado Nuggets)-what a concept and totally delivered the flavor pact punch I had hoped. The slices/nuggets kept their moisture inside these encrusted beauties.The Stuffed tots were very thick, almost clumpy, the bacon, cheddar & chive stuffing brought a wonderful balance. At $6.00 for four, it was a good deal, not so much with the burgers as were at $11.00 each. The Queso Burger beat out my Mr. Fables which was a burger built with olives, good in theory but was not what my palate had envisioned. To me the best of the lunch options I had consumed in my 3 times at Stella's was the Angry Pig Taco's. The 2 pitchers of Sangria were good in look, concept but lacked in taste and overall alcohol consistency. The mustard oddly enough was amazing as was the Cole slaw. Mustard has a jalapeno infused bite that warmed your throat and the Cole slaw has a coriander or cumin taste that will be long remembered.
(3)K S.
Booze selection! Awesome! Last time I was here they had a grilled cheese with mac & cheese inside. Awesome! Music was decent and the server was very helpful helping us decide what adult beverages to choose next!
(4)Valerie G.
Hipsters say hey~~! We stopped in after a wedding on a weekend night- and it was crazy crowded, but in a good way. They serve their beer in mason jars, which is super fun, and have a crazy selection of beers for your enjoyment. They also have a good assortment of foods on the menu - lots of veggie options for those who don't like the meat :) The waitstaff was busy, but attentive enough to keep us happy - All in all, an enjoyable experience.
(4)Jay A.
The fries were great! The burger was okay, but the flavor just wasn't there. The drink menu was pretty good too! Gave this place another try a few months later, got the jalapeño queso burger with sangria and it was amazing! Can't wait to go back!
(5)John M.
Excellent local beer. The menu is great and well rounded. I have prolly eaten here too many times but I would like to see some seasonal variety to keep things fresh.
(4)Danielle P.
The good - The atmosphere is cool, retro video games and old school cartoons on big screens and interesting art. The burger that I had was very good, excellent flavor and more than enough to eat. I also had fries and a cup of chili, all great flavors. The whiskey menu is huge and exhaustive, with probably close to 30 Irish alone. The waitress was nice, the music was good. The prices were fine. The bad - It was too dark, like out of a Girl with the Dragon Tattoo movie, the music was a bit too loud (I know it says it right on the website), and we had a problem with our drink order. We ordered expensive whiskeys, and diet cokes in a way that we thought was clear we wanted them separately. The waitress brought them back to us as mix drinks. If I had been her, I probably would have said, "did you want that rather pricey version of Tullermore Dew as a mix drink?". Although our burgers were quite tasty, the buns were pretty greasy. The ugly - When my Mom told the waitress about the mix up, she looked like we had given her an unsolvable Rubik's Cube and said she'd need a manager. The bleach-blonde bartender/manager came over, chewed us out for for ordering wrong with a passive-aggressive smile and cigarette breath (I'm sure we did, but we'd never been there before), gave us the proper drinks, acted like adding ice to the diet coke would have been so much extra work on her part, and snatched away the screwed-up drinks. Again, I'm sure that we ordered wrong, but give me a break. It was a serious lack of customer relations skills. Good food, but I don't think I'd go out of my way to go back.
(2)Mande B.
OMG. Everything about this place makes me happy. Fun atmosphere, old cartoons showing on various TV's, rows of vintage video games and the most amazing burger I've ever had. The hubs and I split the Stella burger served with chronic fries and a side of ranch. Freaking amazing - I'm sad my stomach has a capacity. I'm glad I don't live in this area because lord knows I'd spend A LOT of time eating burgers and fries paired with delish beers. Enough raving - enjoy life by stopping at this place and eat a burger. For those of us who aren't carnivores, they've also got an extensive herbivore menu...
(5)Sean M.
I never get tired of Stella's - not only is the food great (they get my vote for the best burger in GR) but the whiskey selection is stellar and the people watching is superb. A night at Stella's isn't the fashion / freak show that it is at so many other pubs, so if your idea of a beautiful lady involves cleavage, Body Bling or strategically placed highlights you may want to imbibe elsewhere. But if your special kind of eye candy includes tattoos, angular haircuts and intelligent conversation, pull up a stool and order a round. Stella's is your kind of place.
(4)Jes S.
We were in Grand Rapids for a wedding, and we had heard what a bar town GR is becoming. A friend recommended Stella's, both for the atmosphere, whiskies, and the food. Things I loved: - The Food! TheFood, the food the food. So many vegetarian options! We had vegan black bean wings. THEY WERE GREAT, as were the fries! - I had a Gov't Cheese burger... and I WANT ALL OF MY BURGERS TO TASTE LIKE THAT ALL OF THE TIME. There's a reason they won Best Burger in the US by GQ.. - 200 affordable whiskies - Affordable beers - Pinball machines and games and things on walls that made my husband feel young again! - Server was FANTASTIC, bartender was DELIGHTFUL Things I didn't love: - After 10pm... it becomes a douche haven. Or at least haven for young drinkers who don't know what they're doing... So 4 stars, because I loved the place SO SO much. But I don't know if I'd go after dark... just to avoid the crowd/throngs of wild drinkers
(4)Megan B.
Now this place is good. It has great burgers and music and great service. My fries we're delish and my burger was well cooked. It was fresh and pretty. I really enjoyed this awesome place. I would totally come here again.
(5)Matt P.
Fantastic whiskey list! Best I have seen in town, bar-none. Came here around 5:30 on a Friday night-- wait for a table was 30 minutes but we were able to belly up at the bar while we waited. The menu is interesting-- obviously the stuffed burgers are what these guys are known for, but there were so many more things that looked good. Ordered some of the stuffed tots to start-- great! Although I'm not sure I would consider them a true tot (more like breaded cheese), they were quite tasty. In terms of main food, wife and I each had a burger on this visit. They were good. Not great, but a solid good. Only negative was that I couldn't help but feel service was a tad slow. We weren't in a huge rush to get anywhere, which kept this from being a real complaint, but I just have to say I did feel our waitress wasn't the most attentive. So, to sum it up-- whiskey list is a 5, food is a 4, service (this visit, at least) was a 3.5, so I'll average it out to a 4.
(4)Kristen M.
Everything I tasted was delicious : Jalapeño poppers w/ bacon ranch Grilled cheese w/ pesto, spinach, tomato BBQ faux-chicken sandwich Sweet potato & black bean wrap Breads are from Nantucket Baking Co, which I LOVE. Especially delicious were their spicy fries & dipping sauces, like the hot mustard and one that tasted like hot wing sauce.
(5)Kenjamin S.
I've been seeing a trend with these places owned by the Sellers... poor staffing. BUT delicious food!! I love the burgers at stellas, especially the jalapeno stuffed burger. and their fries are almost as chronic as hopcat.. almost. I haven't always felt disappointed with Stellas though. I've been going to Stellas for years... since it didn't have a back half and it was only accessable from the alley and you could go at 11:30am. It has certainly came a long way from being a hole in the wall that nobody went to with reliable service and free choice of games to bumping elbows with people being a vulture for a table and waiting 5-8 minutes for service. My frequency of visitation has decreased in the last couple years but thursdays are half off burgers. and i can wait for that!! yuum
(3)Anna P.
i'm would give stella's a three star based on their beer and the venue itself, the arcade games are sweet and the people who frequent the place have always been cool. as far as food is concerned i'd give it a two. as far as service, negative one. the beer - decent selection, lots of local beer, so many whiskey varieties! however, none of the tap list is written down and the bartender has to yell the beers at you, which is often hard to hear over the loud music. the food - come on guys, if you're going to offer a veggie burger at least make it a patty, it was just a mess of mushed together beans. so unappealing. the fries were good though. my boyfriend has been searching for the best burger in GR, and he reports that this is NOT it. found it bland and unmemorable, but agreed the fries were good. the service - jeez, i want to drop an f*bomb at how terrible our waiter was. seriously, i have never encountered such TERRIBLE service. the first two times we went in we only had drinks at the bar, and that was fine, but the waiter was AWFUL. he took our order and we were excited, but after fifteen minutes without any sign of a return visit to our table we were a little concerned, but no big deal, it was right at the end of the buy a beer get a burger for 5$ night. another 10 minutes went by and we were officially put off. not once did he come back by to see how we were doing or tell us our order would be a minute. so after waiting for A HALF AN HOUR he unceremoniously drops our food on the table and walks away without so much as asking if there was anything else he could get us. that would likely have been enough to make someone really mad, but we're not about service and more concerned with good food. we ate our rather boring burgers and enjoyed the fries and as soon as we took the last bite of our burger the waiter comes back with our check and says no rush. we were going to order more drinks but were getting tired of his pushy attitude. he went over to an empty table whipped it off and CAME RIGHT BACK! my boyfriend was still working on sorting out his money at this point and every other server we've ever had would have waited, and this guy even said "no rush" but for some reason stood at our table AND TAPPED HIS FINGERS as he waited for us to give him the bill. Our bill was like 20 and some change, and since my boyfriend was rushed when our waiter said he wouldn't be he threw in the 20 and three ones. HOWEVER this RUDE WAITER OPENED THE BILL, SAW THE AMOUNT, GLARED AT THE TEN STILL IN MY BOYFRIENDS HAND AND PICKED UP SOME CHANGE OFF THE TABLE WHICH WE HAD NOT OFFERED HIM, AND, WAS AN OBVIOUS STACK OF QUARTERS MEANT TO PLAY THE ARCADE GAMES!!!!!! HE WAS THE ABSOLUTE WORST! Even if we had liked our food we would have still left rather angry. the owner and the reviewer bickering - i agree that the reviewer is misleading about their taps, they carry decent beer. and i'm glad the owner had the intention of giving her his phone number so that it could be worked out on a personal level, however, that's not a full phone number. we're hoping that's just because it's on the internet, but we're not sure... more importantly we agree that an owner/employee/co-owner/any one closely affiliated with a business has NO RIGHT to heckle someone on a REVIEW SITE meant for unbiased reviews. in fact, the entire integrity of the reviewing process seems lost if you have an owner responding to every review. save that shit for your facebook/website, it's not meant for yelp. I usually base my review on the food and drinks only, but we're talking about the worst waiter in the world, so i can't give it a three like i originally intended. we'll go back someday and try again, maybe change our review but if we ever see that guy again, i will straight up tell him i will not let him serve me, he was just TOO RUDE.
(2)levramosis H.
It was probably my fault for wanting to eat here on a late saturday night. It took forever to get noticed and served by the waitress. There was no printed beer menu so the waitresses recitation at double speed made it difficult to chose one. they did have a nice list mid-range of whisky/bourbon/scotch. They had a nice range of vegetarian/vegan choices. The fries and onion rings were great. The burgers were decent. Not amazing, there are better choices in this city. The atmosphere was loud. Can't hear your dining partner loud. I'm not likely to return unless most other kitchens in the area were closed or if I had a mad hankering for onion rings.
(2)Joshua S.
Stella's is an interesting combination of college rocker bar specializing in PBR and a whiskey bar with a massive whiskey list. The place is always packed at night, but during happy hour you can walk in and get probably the best burgers in town for 6 bucks(normally 10-12). On my last visit we had the bacon and cheddar tots, which were acceptable, but don't really stand out above any other fried cheesy potato appetizer in the world. The part that really stood out was the burger, I had the buffalo, which was a blue cheese stuffed burger with buffalo sauce and onion ring on top, the beef was juicy with great flavor, the roll was amazing, soft, chewy and perfect. I've lived in GR for 7 years and this is one of the only burgers worth mentioning.
(4)Andrew K.
Crazy good burgers, great beer selection, and enough whiskey to choose from it will make your head spin. When I lived downtown I would go here at least twice a week, grab some fries and a beer and just relax for a couple hours. One thing I will note...if you come here wearing college kid type clothes (like I wear) you can expect to get hassled by hipsters once in a while. These PBR-sipping skinny jean wearing intriguing individuals are a dime a dozen in this area of town, but as long as you maintain eye contact and mention sports they will scatter immediately. Lots of retro arcade games throughout the place to keep you entertained if silent episodes of old black and white TV shows aren't your thing.
(4)Billy B.
Tried this for the first time tonight because we heard about the great whiskey selection & great burgers. The whiskey list lived up to its reputation - everything you could ever want. We tried the hot & spicy stuffed burger & it was great! Ordered it medium & it was medium well. Others have mentioned the burgers r overdone so I'd suggest ordering it a little undercooked. The 4-6pm happy hour on Sat offered some great values. Def will go back again.
(4)Mark V.
Really fun atmosphere and lots of cool cats here. I haven't tried the food but the bar service and music is great. This is a must stop spit when bar hopping in downtown GR. Don't forget to play the classic video games!
(3)Amber A.
They've scaled way back on vegan options (maybe not enough demand?) and last time I was there they were out of both vegan burgers (really?!). The onion rings used to be vegan by default but now you have to request them to be vegan. I did. My friend thought mine were better than her (non-vegan) onion rings and asked the waitress what the difference was. She went on and on about how testy the vegan batter recipe is and that sometimes you get awesome onion rings but usually they just suck...blah blah blah. Maybe develop a better recipe? Although like I said, mine were better. Anyway, I made it pretty clear that I wanted vegan onion rings but she served them with mayo dip instead of the spicy avocado vegan dip...just a little thing, but also kind of a big thing. On the plus side, the Drunken Retort spoken word thing on Monday nights is pretty cool. The menu has changed and so has the scene (more yuppies and bros, fewer punks and artistic types), but Stella's is still a fine place to start off a night of bar-hopping.
(2)Steven H.
I love eating here. The food is great, the drinks are great and the staff is some of the nicest in town. I come here every Monday for happy hour and enjoy it a lot.
(5)Traci T.
Love Stellas. On a business trip, I went to Stella's twice in one week. Great, friendly staff and awesome laid back atmosphere. The burgers are to die for. And the chronic fries are like crack...so addictive!
(4)Jillian M.
Stella's has a great variety- delicious burgers, vegan options, and good beer! I recommend the sweet potato wrap and the nachos. Stella's has something for everyone!
(4)Leigh S.
Awesome vegetarian choices! I was very satisfied with the sweet potato black bean burrito wrap. It had great flavor, and isn't as much of a carb overhaul as it sounds. My dining companion had the No Bull Steak sandwich and was very impressed with the tempeh (vegetarian) sandwich as well. Extensive Whiskey list, and a few good beer options as well. Vintage video games were fun to play while you wait, which isn't long at all. All of the service was fantastic. Our server was very friendly and nice.
(5)Craig W.
Very good food. Great bouncer. Good bartender. A little slow, but she is working alone. Props to her.
(4)Rob E.
My burger was good. I chose the black n blue, spouse had some hippie veggie burger (pretty good) friends had an olive burger and angry pork tacos. Kids had a cuban and a grilled cheese with bacon. This place is not great for kids, but it was like 1 PM on a Saturday so....yeah. Pin ball machines always rule, but these were quite well worn. Lots of great video games too, took me back a few years. I will return here, but def not with kids...they deserve to be somewhere....sunnier? I really thought my burger was great, but I am sure I have had others on par if not better.
(3)juston m.
YUCK so disappointed with my last trip here. after waiting patiently at the bar (and having a good time) for 1 hour we were seated. the bartender was awesome, really nice. once we were seated that's where everything went wrong. we got the worst (JAMES) waiter ever. he was really rude when we asked for split checks. i really have no patience for this. i was a waiter for 7 years and i worked about 10 years ago last, computers split checks pretty well back then, i'm sure they still do. he was also very rude to the tables around us. it got worse during dinner. he told my bf to fuck off. he told my friend to fuck off. he said fuck at least 7 times in front of our table. when our food came with the appetizer at the same time, he told the food runner he had no idea what the fuck we ordered. he was about 2 feet from us. when my bf said his manhattan tasted funny, he accused my boyfriend of lying and then told him (after replacing it) that if he didn't like it, he could drink water. btw, stella's has like 100 bourbons. also, my boyfriend always drinks bourbon manhattans. usually makers mark. he knows what it is supposed to taste like. this, compared to my last visit, was just horrible. last time we had the nicest waitress ever. i really like the atmosphere and the food is good. but, i'm not paying a business to insult my friends and treat us like we did something wrong. i come here when i visit grand rapids. i have friends in grand rapids. i will never return. love, juston
(1)David G.
My first time at Stella's and it won't be the last. This place has all the appearances of being a dive bar but in the best kind of way! The menu is varied enough for almost any diet with the specialty being their burgers. I had the blue burger and my wife had the grilled cheese. Both were fantastic! Our waiter, Adam, did a great job steering me to a great choose of burger since I was torn between a couple that sounded equally as good. His service and personal attention was appreciated. The tap beer selection changes occasionally and is varied enough to satisfy may discriminating palate for micro brewed beers. Very satisfied overall!
(5)Hannah V.
Super tasty food, a bit expensive and burgers are a handful to eat (literally). Pretty loud environment and bar was super busy.
(4)Kenneth A.
One of the coolest places I've ever been to. They have one of the BEST vegan food, ever. I recommend trying their PICKLED VEGGIES, "CHICKEN" WINGS and BLACK BEAN BURGER. They also have a great beer selection and they serve all their alcohols in mason jars, which is a cool touch. They have old school arcades, tons of tv and a dancing floor! Great place for a party, date or a guys/girls night out.
(5)Adam P.
The bar is cool. But the burger was crap, I've eaten at other places that have gotten nods from GQ, and being a chef myself, the burger isn't what it's said to be. Crumbly, over cooked and pretty blah when it comes to taste. The average person could cook a better burger at home. Go there for drinks, not the burgers.
(2)kerry m.
This place is The. Greatest. This particular visit was on a Sunday afternoon.... they have the most epic bloody mary bar with house infused vodka/tequila/whiskey and house made mixes, plus the most glorious selection of garnishes known to man. Our waiter, James, was incredible. Glasses were never empty and he did a wonderful job of recommending beers or drinks or snacks based on what we had already ordered. He was completely adorable and sweet and we fully plan on coming back specifically thanks to his incredible service. Don't miss out on this place. We didn't order meals on this specific trip but their food is so great. Everyone says it but its worth mentioning the fact that there is so much vegan/vegetarian action on their menu. They rock. You will come here and lose an entire afternoon/evening and be happy it happened. Again, thanks to James! He is the greatest!!!!
(5)Bodie S.
We popped into Stella's for a few drinks while we were bouncing around to different bars. It was a really great place, although packed to the wall with people. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to try their "best burger in America," but I hope to return someday to try specifically that. Any magazine with Kate Upton on the cover (GQ) that rates this the best burger in America is legit by me. Stella's has a huge selection of craft beer, both local and not, and domestics, alongside tons of whiskeys, cocktails, good music, good people, and video games. If you're a vegetarian, fret not, as they have loads of vegan and vegetarian options as well. But, who would want to do that when there's the best burger in America at the table next to you? Go with something local--it's hard to be disappointed that way.
(4)Erin D.
Chronic fries = fries with buffalo flavor on them...enough said. Also, Adam gave us amazing efficient and friendly service. Loved the atmosphere too but had to go elsewhere to watch the game...they play the Jetsons, tom and jerry and other weird 70s sitcoms. Ha.
(4)Haley S.
Whiskey bar with video games, great for the non talkers. Hah. It's loud, great place to people watch. Ive heard their burgers are great.
(4)Caroline H.
Stella's is a great place in GR! They have video games, happy hours and a cool atmosphere. It is named after the owners dog, which as a dog owner, I LOVE! The stuffed burgers are good, but a little greasy. The poor mans wings are yummy! The thing that got me there first was their Grandwich, which was amazing!
(4)Tim H.
Great atmosphere with cool staff and classic arcade games. But don't go if you're looking to watch a game, the show old school cartoons on their TVs. The real reason to go is for their amazing stuffed burgers. GQ magazine gave them "Best Burger in America." While I may not necessarily agree, its definitely the best I ever had in Michigan. Go and try them all with cheese busting out of the savory patty. Condiments? No thank you, they are not needed, The cheese does the trick. The fires were season and perfect. The only better side would be another burger!
(5)Jessica B.
WOW! I just moved back to the area, and wanted to bring my mom to a great place to get a great meal. I searched around, and once I looked at the reviews for Stella's, we had to try! It was the Sunday after voting ended for Art Prize, so we knew it was going to be busy. The owner was there, ensuring tables were seated fast - and we only had to wait 15 minutes to get a table. We were a bit sad the 4-6pm 1/2 price burger deal was no longer around - I guess it just ended, but we were pumped about trying the unique burgers anyway, so we had no problem paying $11. My mom is not into spicy, and I LOVE spicy, so she was really happy to see an olive burger, and I was over the moon about the queso-jalepeno option. My mother is a woman who, will eat slow, but does have a good appetite for a smaller-figured lady. We both ate steadily with little comments of "WOW." and "YUM" before we shoved another bite in. I tried to be conservative, and save some of my burger, and as I glanced over, her burger was gone. This never happens. It's a testament to the quality of the end product. Waitress was very nice. Very attentive and helpful. Food came out quickly. Please go and visit. Great decor, and great food. Definitely will be returning!
(5)Dan M.
I had read an article about how Stella's burgers were recently ranked as best in America, so while in town we decided to pop in for lunch on a Sunday at about noon. A group of 4 of us walked in and saw two waiters running about, but nobody greeted us. We started walking towards a booth and sat down, then a waiter ran by and told us he'd be right there. Yeah, he never came back after 5 minutes. I walked over to the bar to ask for some menus, but the bartender ignored me and then walked out from behind the bar with a drink. I saw a stash of menus along a wall so I grabbed a few for myself, and when the bartender returned she didn't even seem to care I was rifling through their stuff. Took them back to the table and we all started drooling over what looked like good food choices. After 15 minutes of our waiter not returning, we got up and left. This was on June 24th, just in case a manager is reading and feels like firing the entire group of staff working that day. I'm sure your burgers are great, but they're kinda hard to eat when you can't friggin' order one!
(1)Caleb E.
Stopped in for a quick cocktail and some snacks. Stella's is a pretty fun hang out. Vintage video games that I grew up with, Jameson vintage, good vibes, and great service. We were in and out pretty quick, but I could definitely have spent the entire evening in this spot. Unfortunately didn't have time to test out the 'best burger in the US' but, that will give me a reason to come back next time :)
(4)Krista P.
I love the government cheese burger! It's definitely the best burger I have ever had. It's no wonder they were voted best burger in the country! Boo Ya!
(5)Chad H.
Everything in this venue is great, food looks great and drinks are made well, but when It comes to customer service they are horrible. Andrew, the bartender, is not a nice fellow and when I mentioned his angry attitude to management they told me I was wrong. They told me he's a nice guy and I was being a jerk(I am sober but the entire staff seems drunk.). As I wrote this review they continued to speak badly about me in front of other customers. I'm now leaving.... Wow.
(1)Jesse P.
My go to place on Sundays between 4-6 for half off stuffed burgers and super cheap drinks. I don't know how it took me 2 years of living in Grand Rapids to find this place but thankfully my father suggested we go get a good burger and I've been wanting to try it and it didn't disappoint. The burgers are delicious no matter which one you try and the fries that come with them have buffalo seasoning on them are absolutely phenomenal. I highly recommend at least trying it out and you'll be hooked! Great happy hour!
(5)Ian P.
Love Stella's. I am too young to really go out there to get a drink, but I'm sure next year that I'll be by more often. Love the crazy colorful and retro feel that you get when you walk in, and the burgers are so good, as well. Went there when they were fairly new, and then started going again after they got the "Best Burger in the US" award. I've had quite a few amazing burgers in my life, and Stella's is way up there. Especially for the price (go on Tuesdays)! Overall, Stella's is a great place to go for a bite.
(4)Chris T.
Great service, good burger (not the best I've had, but very good nonetheless), delicious fries! I'll note that whoever made the fries understands how to properly fry them. Will definitely be back when in Grand Rapids to try some of the other items on the menu.
(4)Jodi W.
I want to like this place a lot but have a hard time because every time I go the service is either excruciatingly slow or excruciatingly poor. I usually skip it for lunch since they can't quite seem to get you in and out in an hour, and I don't know about you, but I don't have more than hour for lunch. I give them high marks for the vegetarian options, and the food is good. On Thursdays, they do this $5 burger/drink/fry night - which is a great deal. I asked them if they had an olive burger on the menu, and they didn't, but just for me, they made one - that earned them back a BIG star just for that - impressive and delicious. I caution you though if you do plan on going for their Thursday night burger deal: be prepared to WAIT....for a very long time.
(3)Bill S.
Service was very poor and the food was mediocre at best. The whiskey selection was excellent but that was all that Stella's had going for it. The beer selection was just about non existent. The worst thing was there was no security and beggars were coming in off the street and hounding every table. No one from Stella's tried to remove them. Will not return again.
(1)Jay S.
Our visit to Stella's was stellar! I am not sure anyone makes a better tasting burger in Grand Rapids and I am sure no one makes a sloppier one! We sat at the bar and watched old Lost In Space episodes. The ladies at the bar were wonderful, attentive and just plain fun to be with. We will go back soon.
(5)Sarah S.
I wanted to like Stella's so much, I came here for drinks with a friend and it was super fun (the only reason they are getting 2 stars). It seemed so cool, that when my mom came to town I suggested Stella's because I herd they have veggie burgers. Well to start off they sat us at a table in the back next to the most obnoxiously drunk people I have ever seen in my life. Next the waitress was extreamly slow, and she must have been new because when my mom asked if the v burgers were black bean, or more like garden burgers the waitress replied "um I don't know, but alot of people seem to like them..." A little annoyed my mom just ordered it. Well they were black bean burgers, pretty gross tasting black bean burgers, and they took forever to come out. Really we were sitting there for 45 minuets waiting for burgers! I mean in what world does it take 45 minuets to make a burger when a place is half empty!? After eating one bite my mom was done, and she told the waitress how dissatisfied she was with it, her response "oh wow well alot of people like them". No sorry, no offer to take it off the bill, or exchange for something else, just "oh wow, well alot of people like them"? Yep never returning again, and the worst part is I felt terrible for suggesting to go there with my mom.
(2)Nick L.
The burgers are fantastic! Would definitely recommend eating lunch or dinner there just to try one.
(4)Tracy M.
AN ADDITION TO MY REVIEW: **The owner is apparently rude and has immediately (and unprofessionally) commented on my unfavorable yelp review. Sorry to report that yes, I have been here (I only review places that I have been!), more than once, and each time it is worse than the last visit. All members of my party agreed that each time we have go, there is no improvement, just more to dislike. My most recent visit was to check it out after a source said that Stella's Lounge had hit rock bottom. I trusted this source, but I wanted to see for sure. I like to support places that offer vegan food. But, my source was correct -- It sucks. Now, the owner has sealed the deal -- I won't support him (even if the place improves) and will encourage others to spend their $$ at other establishments in the area. GR offers many great places to spend your evenings, and hard earned $, and Stella's Lounge is not one of them, according to this yelp reviewer. Sorry -- your not going to bully me into changing my review.** ORIGINAL POST Oh no -- The Hipsters took over and now you can really only get canned beer or Pabst on tap. Yuck. Seriously, if you're not in college and HAVE (no $$) to drink the cheapest watered down beer, bought for you by an upperclassman, why would you? The hangover is not worth it. "Strong Drinks, Cheap Beer, Loud Music, No Bullshit." is their slogan. I guess there is a market for this cheap beer, but I am sure it won't last. ( I have hope for the next generation of bar clientele.) The music -- Natalie Merchant. Really? Huh... Stella's is trying hard, too hard -- and I think that is the problem. What is your identity? Your staff doesn't match your clientele, your music don't match your "theme"... There is seriously a lack of identity at this place.
(1)Cassandra N.
I have a great time every time I come here. The Gov'ment Cheeseburger & the stuffed tots are fantastic. I don't drink beer, but they usually have a decent hard cider available so that I can imbibe. I love the little hidden dance club inside. Great place to hang out!
(5)Joshua G.
Very cool place. The Stella blue burger is definitely the best. The pinball machines and old school arcade machines are a lot of fun, especially after a few drinks.
(5)Apryl C.
I'm not quite sure how it happened, but Stella's has become one of my go to places. Especially for Sunday Brunch which is the best in town with the $5 bloody mary bar, all day. The food is often a little too spicy for me, but I enjoy stretching my tolerance. :) The drinks are good, but the food is great. I really like the atmosphere now since they expanded. They have a great selection of pinball machines and arcade games. Great old school televisions on all the TVs as well. There is often an issue with service being slow, thus the reason for 4 stars instead of 5.
(4)Ashley M.
I can't praise Stella's enough. Wonderfully unpretentious, low-key atmosphere. A slightly (pleasant) grunge ambiance meets a warm-welcome feeling when you walk in. Booth/Table seating. Long bar with many seats. Video game Arcade! Great vegan (and non-vegan) eats. The vegan wings = freaking awesome. Friendly/chill wait staff and bartender. Kick-ass house made Sangria. One of my very favorite places in the city :)
(5)Sara C.
We've been here many times and we have never been disappointed. The service is great. The people working here all have cool and nice personalities, and it's never difficult to get a drink. If you're sitting at the bar, you don't even have to flag the bartender down - they always notice when you're empty. Even when I switch to drinking water, they're on top of the refills. :) The other customers here are always friendly and fun, too! We've met some really great interesting people here that we still talk about sometimes - like "remember that couple we met at Stella's who told us all about their snowboard wedding?" The atmosphere is awesome. It's a fun place to eat or drink. We regularly go for vegan burgers and sangria, and for more wild nights they have tons of whiskeys and their Stella's Punch is pretty amazing. Even when we go at unusual times like Sunday evening, there are lots of people here - but even on crazy busy nights like the night before Thanksgiving, you can manage to get a place to sit (if you want one) without waiting too long. Another thing I love is that the volume is always perfect - the music is loud in a fun way but not so loud that you can't carry on a conversation if you want to. This is our go-to place when we are entertaining family and friends - Stella's is always a hit and everyone wants to return when they're back in town.
(5)Anissa C.
Excellent drinks, food, and service. The atmosphere is amazing. There are pinball machines, old arcade games, and powerful whiskey. When I need to unwind, I come here. One of my favorite places to go in Grand Rapids, MI.
(5)Travis F.
One of my favorites bars in Grand Rapids... Great bartenders/servers, amazing food & atmosphere, and fantastic stiff drinks. My only suggestion would be to carry Red Bull :) Edit (2014): And now they have Red Bull!!
(5)Jenna D.
My fiancé and I went here a couple days ago and we didn't have the greatest time. We only had to wait for a table for about 25 minutes. During our wait we played arcade games which was great until the game shut down on is. Most of the other machines were crowded by other people waiting for a table. We finally got to our table and ordered. I ordered a burger and wasn't to pleased with it. I got the cheese inside of the meat but I noticed while eating it that there was only cheese in about a quarter of the meat patty. Also since I heard that they have the best burger in America I was obviously expecting greatness but instead I was really disappointed. The burger just didn't have the "best burger in America" taste. It was just okay to me. The service was HORRIBLE! We waited at least 30 minutes for our check. Then I made the mistake to ask for a box which took another 20 minutes. When she finally got back with our credit card she "forgot" my box so I just said nevermind because I didn't feel like waiting a ridiculous amount of time. The thing that really bothered me is the waitresses table section was empty besides us so I'm not sure what took so long! I probably won't go back because the food just isn't good enough to put up with that kind of service ever again.
(2)Lindsey G.
Love the stuffed burgers here. I've always wanted to try other things on the menu....but I can't part with the burgers! The fries are awesome! Kinda spicy though so be aware of that. Just order some ranch to go with it and you're set. I like the service here too. Very prompt and matter of fact. None of that annoying fake-baby-voice waitress talk. Can't beat the vibe there too. Anyone can fit in. I've seen families, couples, hipsters, etc.
(5)Adam G.
So yesterday was opening night for Stella's. The place was packed. It's amazing what Facebook and word of mouth can do. Maybe it was just me, but it was presented a little different to me. The "arcade" sounded huge. I ran in to check it out and was as disappointed as the Griswalds at Wally World. I was expecting row after row of games along with a cool bar to get drinks from and play. What I saw was only 6-7 games with most of them being the "60 in 1" type. Where you can select multiple games from one cabinet. I did try the Blue Cheese burger. It was AMAZING. When you get the burger and you have to make a plan of attack to eat it, you know its gonna be good. The creamy drippy blue cheese worked well with the perfectly cooked thick burger. I was excited when I saw the homemade potato chips (because I love me a good chip), but saddened a bit because there was zero seasoning on them. Just plain dry chips. So I had a good experience, just not all I had dreamed of.
(4)David W.
Disclaimer: went during slow time so didn't experience bar when it's in full swing. *decent size vegan and meat menu *I had a great wing sauce spicy vegan chicken sandwich with fries--$10 *200 whiskey choices from $3-$50, mostly $7-ish. Plus an array of beers,etc. *Video games and pinball! *Indie music selections on the jukebox *Cool art throughout *Good service Awesome eclectic bar!
(5)Rebecca B.
I would have rated this place better had we not had been stuck with the most bitter waiter ever!! First of all, we arrive and there is an hour wait for a table. No biggie.. I mean sure we'd like to have a table immediately, but everyone is here and it's Saturday night! They have old school arcade game to pass the time, super fun and nostalgic.. We were able to snag a couple seats at the bar for some drinks and an appetizer. I ordered the chips and queso..good, but not life changing. A simple filler, exactly what I was looking for. I ordered a Long Island, ok tasting..I've had better, kind of pricey. There are tons of bourbons to choose from. The bartenders were great. So then we get a table.....Our waiter (I think his name was James) said the 'F' word more than once. Our appetizer came out with our meals. The waiter forgot our water. I ordered the Stella Blue burger which includes bacon and blue cheese, it was scrumptious!!!! The fries were ok. My friend didn't care for his drink and tried to get a new one, but our jerk waiter brought back the same one!! I would go back, but would not accept the same waiter.
(3)Julie T.
They serve beer in mason jars so yeah, this is the hipster bar in Grand Rapids. I loved the music they played and they have a nice little dance floor for shaking your groove thang. Great for people watching.
(4)Dustin W.
Crowd is good and the atmosphere is solid. The food is good bar food but took me 10 mins of sitting at the bar to get services and then 5 mins after that to get my drink.
(3)Jimmy M.
I went here the other day after going to the beach in muskegon. I've heard several good things about this place from friends and figured I'd check it out. I tried one of the burgers and while it tasted ok, it was really messy. The bun was soggy and looked like it was prepared in a rush. It tasted good, I just had to use a lot of napkins. What really bugged me though is I became sick after eating it on the drive home. I' be willing to give this place another chance if friends wanted to go here but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here again. It does have a great atmosphere and it seems like a nice bar. I'd just play it safe with the food if I was you.
(3)Matt B.
Man, the place is decorated like I would like to decorate my basement bar. Super dark, gothic, video games and lots of whiskey. The staff is friendly and the food is good. Big cans of shitty beer? Yep. They have that too. Honestly, Stella's would get 4 stars if it weren't for their clientele. They are hipsters with a chipster on their shoulder. If you're not wearing some trendy, thrift store throwback ugly cardigan with shit stained shoes and an ironic tshirt with grandpa's corduroy pants, paired with big ass rimmed glasses you stole from the church donation box with the roadkill-looking haircut, you're not in. If you can't quote Understanding Psychology or discuss what you learned in Art History at a school you can't afford, let alone find a job when you graduate, you might as well go to Hop Cat for nine dollar beer night. At least you won't be judged walking through the door. No offense to Stella's and their staff, but the patrons suck.
(3)Sarah R.
I went here with my 2 brothers-in-law, sister and my husband. We all had mixed drinks and they all tasted really good. The atmosphere was just ok. Definitely wasn't "my thing"--loud music and equally "loud" wall decor. Our waitress was really friendly and always made sure we had everything...water and other drink refills. Although, there was a waiter/waitress crowd at the bar, but she managed talking to her friends and catering to us fairly well. I got their version of the black and blue burger. The meat was really fantastic..melt-in-your-mouth, juicy but not overly greasy. The thing was...is there was hardly any blue cheese on the burger. It didn't upset me so much that I wanted to ask my waitress for a re-do, but kind of a joke that they call it a black and blue burger. Other than that Stella's is just ok. It's for some people, but not me. I prefer Brew Vivant anyday over Stella's/
(3)Raphie B.
Visited Stella's on a trip to Grand Rapids to see a show at The Intersection. We were thrilled at the selection of vegan grub on the menu and didn't hold back when we ordered. We had the: "Blessed Black Wings" (mild) - I guess these are made from some sort of chick pea flour? They tasted ok, but nothing like the taste or texture of chicken (Gardein may have ruined me for all other fake chicken substitutes) and they needed extra sauce as you could barely taste it on the wings. What I tasted of the sauce from wiping my finger on my plate (yeah, I did) was good, too, so i was disappointed I couldn't taste it on the wings. South of Heaven (half) - Stella's version of a vegan Philly cheesesteak. The menu says this feeds 2 or 3 people, which might be true, but only if it's just an appetizer. It was a good size sandwich on a tasty but dense bread, with not much in it. Filling was tempeh, peppers, onions, and your choice of a vegan cheese or dairy cheese. Tasted a little bit bland, I think it needed some sort of sauce. This came with 3 pieces of the "Poor Man's Chicken Wings" which were battered potato wedges in the mild buffalo sauce. These, too, were too light on the sauce. "For Whom The Dog Tolls" - A veggie dog with sauerkraut and veggie sausage crumbles. This was, by far, my favorite thing. Really tasty. I would go for this again i a heartbeat. It was served with 3 "Rings of Hell", onion rings which were house-made and also really tasty. The server told us they were dipped in PBR and falafel. I could taste the PBR, but definitely no falafel taste - perhaps it was just chickpea flour? There were good though, I'd go for them again too. All in all, I enjoyed it, and I was a little jealous that in Detroit we don't have anyplace for vegetarian bar food goodness... Anytime I'm in GR, I'll stop here again...
(4)Natalia B.
This place is really awesome. I love the decor of this place. Had a hamburger at their place and was delicious. It kept me full for the whole day. Their fries are really good as well. It also has a lot of old game machines which i though was a fun touch to the place. Our server was great as well. Overall will be coming back there anytime that i stop by again in Grand Rapids.
(5)Lizz C.
Stella's is a, wow, it's hard to explain. We entered to the lovely strains of Beat on The Brat if that explains it somewhat... Stella's is an underground-but-non-pretentious punk rock whiskey bar with fine fine eats for vegetarians, vegans and omnivores. THE biggest whiskey list that I've seen anywhere yet. Some taps, including a few craft beers. Many arcade machines and pinball machines. Band ticket stubs encased in the bar, and flyers on the wall. Nice jukebox with *good* 70's and 80's music. And a bartender that really digs beers, including craft beer. The atmosphere was very laid back and just.. happy. There was an adult family with all age-ranges at a table behind us. If you don't get the D&B appetizer, well, there may be no hope for you. We split a Stella Blue Stuffed burger and my friend, it is as good as you'd hope a blue cheese/bacon stuffed burger could be. A *lot* of 'vegetarian' restaurants could take lessons from their menu. If their nosh sounds good to omnivores/carnivores, then that says something. If you're in Grand Rapids, go here. If you think you won't like it here because it's too laid back for you, *then* have a few beers and then go here. You will thank me. =)
(5)Jacki W.
I really love the vibe at Stella's, but my boyfriend will never go there because he got sick after eating there a couple years ago. Well, he finally went with me last night and we both ordered burgers and woke up with food poisoning this morning. Such a bummer.
(3)Dan B.
You might easily miss this little gem since it's kind of located in an alleyway behind some other buildings. And the outside looks forboding with skulls painted around the entrance, but inside is a pleasant surprise: Kind of a grunge atomosphere, dark but friendly with the long bar surrounded by retro, old time video games. Usually go to drink, but have sampled their excellent burgers. I don't drink whiskey but I've heard they have Michigan's largest selection with over 200. Prices area reasonable and it's become a favorite of mine.
(4)Michael H.
Holy crap, I never thought I would be jealous of a city in Michigan. San Francisco has NOTHING like Stella's. Incredibly sexy waitresses with dreadlocks, VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN DIVE-BAR FOOD, a jukebox with a very respectable punk selection, awesome art-work on the wall and a great selection of classic video games. I played dozens of games of pac-man and digdug last night. Aww yeah. It's worth coming to Michigan just go to to this bar.
(5)Chris A.
I was there yesterday for the TSO concert and needed a place to eat lunch. Stella was my wife's grandmas name so we had to have lunch there. Had the burger and it was awesome. It had a slight smokey flavor that I absolutely loved. Reminded me of camping. Cool decor and really friendly staff.
(5)Dave B.
Awesome place! You owe it yourself to stop in and have a drink. One of the best bars in GR.
(5)Derek Z.
This place is amazing. The outside is hard to find and somewhat low-key. It's dark inside and the mural from last year's artprize is still up, wrapping around the dining area. The bar is large and filled with whiskey. Some top shelf bottles are lit from below with fiery red devil masks hung above them. Past the bar are numerous retro arcade games. The beer gets served in mason jars. There are a hundred or so whiskey shots on one side of the menu and specials that are fair. The menu isn't so much as traditional with vegan options but more like vegan with some meat options. Basically any dish can be ordered fully vegan except three or so (some burgers). You can use real cheese if you want to go vegetarian, but this is one time where you can go full vegan and not lose out on flavor. The vegan dog is great. The vegan nachos are decent and huge. There are some potato wedges that you can have rolled in barbecue sauce, which are so much more than what they seem. I tried the vegan chicken sandwich covered in a spicy sauce and served with the amazingly crunchy whole potato chips. I would go back just for those perfectly seasoned chips. There's something to be said about a whiskey bar that serves such awesome healthy choices. Kind of like a gay republican or a straight Catholic priest. I'm comfortable with all of these unusual combinations. You'll find me sipping on numerous whiskey shots and eating some damn good vegan foods. By the way, I'm a proud unapologetic carnivore. That's how good the food is.
(5)Patrick L.
The place has an amazing selection of great whisky at good prices. I've been here a few times for a night cap but hadn't ever tried the food. The other night, however, I was starving and craving a burger. My brother-in-law recommended Stella's so I gave it a shot. I had the Government Cheese Burger and was blown away. Most bars just serve the typical fare and Stella's is not one of those. Throw in the great whisky list and good beer selection along with the arcade games and the ambiance, minus the irritating hipsters and you have a great bar! Actually, with the irritating hipster crowd it's still a great bar.
(5)Laura Y.
YES. Galaga FTW. I was doing an internship in Grand Rapids, and was pretty amazed that it's got some pretty great places, Stella's being at the absolute top. My first GR experience was at the BOB. Never again. Underage girls getting hit on by older men is just creepy to watch, Crush. ANYWAYS. Stella's is great for the following reasons: -Great beer list (MASON JARS) -Great whisk(e)y list (LIKE 200) -Nommy foods (LIKE STUFFED BURGERS-- EXTRA MEATY) -Awesome decor (LIKE DEVIL MASKS) -GALAGA. -Helpful/knowledgeable staff (LIKE KATIE)
(5)Cari M.
It was a really cool atmosphere and the Menu looked amazing. I tried a burger, since it is supposed to be the best burger in the US...it was WAY overdone when I asked for medium. I should have sent it back, but we had waited for over an hour for our food to come out. Server was nice but she was obviously in the weeds and she was to overwhelmed to give proper service. I would give it another try, but I wast impressed this visit.
(3)Chuck D.
I don't want to give this four stars... but I want to give it four stars so bad! ...now that I sound like a crazy person let me explain. Stella's is great! Its got a lot of character and might be on the boarder of trying to hard, but doesn't cross it. Great atmosphere - great crowd - great whiskey list - great drink selection in general - arcade machines - pinball! - great service (and when I say that I mean they keep the drinks coming). They also have delish food and vegan options!!! You should go here! Why do I always hesitate whenever I call someone and hear them screaming into the phone that they are at Stella's and to come meet them? ...and I'm really afraid I'm going to sound like an old fogie right now... but... It's too. darn. loud!!!! I don't mind bars being noisy, in fact, I prefer it ... but what I realized is every time I go out to Stella's, the next morning none of us have our voices anymore from trying to compete with the ridiculously loud (but good) music! Just turn it down a single notch and I'd love you so much Stellas! SO much!
(4)Molly H.
What an awesome place! The entrance is the coolest: Walk down Ionia, look through a parking lot on your right at a brightly graffitied expanse of wall with a giant pop-art sign over the nondescript door. I stopped by on a Monday afternoon at about 3pm, so maybe the slowest time of the entire week. This was entirely purposeful as I was hoping to eat lunch and have a few drinks in a quiet, but fun atmosphere while reading my New Yorker - Stella's was the perfect choice. Really love the layout: there are a few arcade games in front, but most of them are in the back allowing spectators to gawk without clogging up the works. The bar is super long with probably 20 or so stools and half-bench, half-stool tables run along the wall parallel to the bar. It's all very comfortable and there doesn't seem to be a bad seat in the joint. The decor is maybe just a little Hot Topic for my taste, but I'll get over it, especially when you hand me a menu with seemingly 5,000 different bourbons on it. In that case, I can forgive just about anything. I ended up forgoing bourbon and, inspired by the beautiful sunny day, asking for a margarita. My server said "Sure, but no blenders." Yes. Thank you. And Stella's scores 20 more points. The margarita was served on the rocks in a little highball glass which is possibly my favorite margarita presentation. Score again. And it was really good. Later, I overheard my server/host/bartender talking about what a tequila nerd he is. I am so digging this place. I ended up ordering the vegan burrito and it was killer. Great flavor, great heat, very fresh and satisfying. Only complaint: it'd be great to have an actual salsa rather than the pico with the tortilla chips. I needed something for dipping. Oh, well, I'll just order another $3 margarita. Woe is me. I topped off the visit with a $1.50 Rolling Rock on draft, served in a mason jar. Awesome. Their happy hour is *every day* from 3-6 I believe. Great beer prices and "$2 drinks" which I assume means well mixers. I would be very interested to see what the night crowd is like and I can't wait to go back here and try more of the food. What a great bar and a great concept. You rock, Stella's!
(5)Garrick G.
Unique and authentic look, feel, sound, and flavor. Both the inside and outside walls are covered in grade A Skater Punk style graffiti, authentic Punk and New Wave is always playing loudly, the beer runs the gamut from cheap to choosy, and they have several arcade cabinets and pinball tables! The food is a no frill fat fest with most everything being a combination of deep fried or cheese stuffed. Even their vegan menu is unhealthy, something I didn't think was possible. The service can be a bit slow, but the food is worth it. After playing a vintage Elton John:Captain Fantastic pinball table I sat down to eat an enormous blue cheese stuffed burger, all while The Bauhaus played over the jukebox. What more could you ask for?
(5)Susanne A.
Husband loved the grilled cheese a lot - not the classic sandwich, but updated with spinach and pesto. I took a bite and it was indeed very tasty. Their homemade chips were great too. I often find restaurant made chips overly greasy, but these were nice and crispy. I'll definitely go back!
(4)david W.
Good place. Kind of geared for hipsters, but I don't let ruin my fun. The decor is a mix netween punk and class with a crap ton of video vintage games. Of course they had PBR on tap for low pricing. I had the stuffed bacon/blue cheese burger, it was alright, but honestly not for me. I like my bacon crisp, this was chewy, also I thought it came with an over powering amount of blue cheese, to the point where I you couldn't taste the beef anymore. The poormans wings were off the hook though. Id go again in a heart beat but am going to skip the burger. If anyone else is from ypsi, think andys version on the elbow room but classier.
(4)Sheri K.
Great Vibe and Atmosphere, OK food and Slow Staff I walked into this place and loved it instantly. Playing 25cent old video games and drinking beers in old glass jars... it was so cool. They have a Tron game, Tetris and many more. The lighting, graffiti walls and good music contributed to a great atmosphere. We were greeted by a guy at the door who told us he'd be back to tell us when a table was free. He never came back! Then people came in and just sat at the next available table. So if you see a table, sit! We were under the impression there was some sort of order, there isn't. The menu is diverse for bar food and offered a lot of vegan options. The food we had was just ok, not great. Service was slow. If the service had been better and a less fried food option was on the menu, I'd give it 5 stars. We still had a good time. But the guy at the door taking off really was a bummer for us. We waited sooo long! We were there on Saturday night.
(3)Bigboss A.
Great food with a TON of hipsters
(4)Corey H.
Whiskey bar? I like it. Skulls and devil heads? Like them too. Back alley entrance? Big fan. Saw they had the 25yr Glenlivet... smiles on my face for sure! Didn't see the Nadurra, but they prolly got it too. Some of that, one of their large cubes of ice, and boom... heaven. Almost didn't go to Stella's cause I hatereal busy spots but it wasn't too hard to get a drink and the atmosphere was great for just hangin' around and people watching.
(4)Alivia Z.
I love this place. Whenever I think about Stella's I want to jump in the car and drive to Grand Rapids, and I live three hours away! The "wings" are a must - vegan potato wedges crispy fried on the outside, fluffy hot inside and slathered in such good, tangy bbq sauce. My boyfriend and I could not stop talking about them for days. We had them in the early evening and returned later that night to have them again but the kitchen had closed. Much pouting ensued. The concept is flawless. They offer every each huge, delicious sandwich in three forms: vegan, vegetarian and meat-eater. I am not veggie but I split a veggie tempeh philly with cheese, onions and peppers. Killer! I would have ordered another one of those as well. Some of the best bar food I've ever had, Stella's provides totally satisfying comfort food. The veggie options make it an exceptional restaurant and the punk rock vibe means a ton of eye candy. All that and a bunch of rad arcade games. Let's go to Grand Rapids!
(4)Lacey B.
Really delicious vegan food here! Also a unique fun atmosphere. 2 stars taken away because service here can be pretty iffy :( I've been here a lot and there's usually a wait but I've had mix ups with orders too so I hope they can work on that!
(3)Mindy N.
Hands down, one of my favorite places in Grand Rapids - they've got a cool vibe, a great drink selection, and an awesome menu with plenty of unique and delicious vegetarian and vegan options. It's a total hipster locale, but truly has something for everyone. The service can sometimes be a little slower, just head there when you've got time to enjoy the experience!
(5)Rachel S.
I've been scouring all of Michigan to find what I think is the best burger ever, and look no further, Stella's is the place! I was skeptical when I heard GQ named them "best burgers in America" but they weren't kidding! The burger itself was seasoned perfectly and everything from the cheese, to the toppings, to the bun made this my new favorite burger place by far. The atmosphere is a little quirky, but totally fun! The fries, loaded tots, and dessert cookie roll ups were delicious too! Strongly recommend the Gov't cheese burger or the Stella Blue, you won't be disappointed!
(5)Kiarash Z.
Lots of people have reviewed the food at Stella's, so I'll skip that part. Any place that has 200 whiskeys with $7.50 long pours and beers under $2 has a place in my heart. My snooty drinking friends will be assuaged, and my guzzlers of cheap suds can't complain. The friendly staff who helped me navigate some spirits I hadn't tried didn't hurt.
(4)Justin S.
Fantastic burgers!! Had a group of four and we each got a different one. Ended up passing them around to taste. Cool atmosphere. Great beer selection. Pitchers are a bit pricy outside of happy hour, but most pints are $5. Over 200 whiskeys to choose from. If you want a good burger and beer, check this place out!
(4)Jenny K.
Stella's is a great casual bar that I consider a superior alternative to the Meanwhile: Think Meanwhile with less hipster attitude, the ability to hold a conversation without yelling, the same great drink prices, and a full veg menu. It's set back in an alley way just off Ionia, making it seem like a GR best kept secret. The interior is abound with graphitti murals and old school arcade games. The menu is unique and healthier than your average bar food, and I've experienced average to good service every time.
(5)B T.
Experienced the best Sunday brunch menu ever for vegetarians, foodies, and meat n potato types alike. I had the Tequila Sunrise minus chorizo --- the bomb! For real. The dish was awesome and the accompanying drink of the dish's namesake was positively sublime. Also had bites of the Schezuan tofu scramble (a little dry, but taste was spot on) as well as their potato hash (can't remember the name, but it was also goooood). Service was a little slow, but very attentive and friendly. The bloody mary bar was great and included the basics and well beyond (sausage, cheese, pickled beets, squash, ummm...lots of stuff!)... The experience seriously makes me want to spend every Sunday afternoon in downtown GR. Oh, and did I mention $2 wells (I think from 2-6p on Sunday). I also think they also have the $6 burger special during that time on Sunday, but I'm not a burger fan, so I wasn't really paying attention.
(4)Ginny S.
Excellent downtown spot for a drink and a burger. Can't beat their Sunday brunches. Gets busy with downtown events and weekends but I've never waited more than 20 min when there was a wait. Twice our food took longer than expected and we were given a discount. Always great service and food.
(5)Stephen H.
ok, so who cares if the place seems a bit phoney. I mean the owners are too young to have possibly have gone to any of the shows from the dates on those ticket stubs under the bar glass. The collage of pictures was fabricated from somewhere else and probably custom made. The music selection is great although its all coming from Itunes, not a jukebox.. But hey, CBGB's closed and SOMEONE had to pick up where they left off. And St. Andrews has lost its place and the best local place for alternative in Detroit. So Stella's, you have honored the memory of alternative and punk the way we remember it being. Beers are priced good and pizza is served late. Whoo hoo...
(4)Megan M.
As a displaced GR native, Stella's is now my number one go-to restaurant on visits home. I think about the french toast sandwich all the time - it's the perfect storm of vegetarian breakfasts. On a recent visit, I was with a large group trying to find a Sunday brunch place. Naturally, the usual suspects (Wolfgang's, etc.) were all packed, and then we had a flash of genius: Stella's! It opens at noon and is fairly empty at that point, so it was perfect for a big group. The servers were admirably patient with our slow orders, split checks, and disheveled appearance.
(5)Nick L.
Quite literally the best burger I've ever had.
(5)Kate C.
I dig the vibe that they have going on at Stellas. It seems like a lot of hip new places have popped up in the past few years and I'm glad to see something unique like Stellas that caters more to the hipsters than the brosephs. Although the arcade games are cool and all, I'd suggest for them to have a stack of board games on hand as well -- major bonus points there. Anyway, the beer prices were cheap as all get out, which was fantastic. $1.75 PBR served in a mason jar? Sign me up. They featured a lot of local brews on their beer list too, which was nice. Although I think they could stand to look further into the midwest rather than just within the state. And I'm not saying that just because we have Surly here in MN. For reals. I dig the vegan vibe on the menu. A terrible experience with a vegan brownie two years ago and a vegan pumpkin pie last thanksgiving had scared me away from vegan food for eternity, but I respect places that go for it. I'm pretty much a professional nacho tester, so I use bar nachos as a way to rate my establishments of choice. Their vegetarian nachos were quite good -- the tempeh sausage was spicy and had a good texture to it. Couldn't go vegan though. Had to have the real cheese. Would have liked more beans though, they were a little sparse. I need my protein, you know. This place reminds me a bit of Donnie Dirk's Zombie Den in NE Minneapolis. Its definitely got the same vibe as Donnie Dirks/Psycho Suzis. I've heard that the folks that own Stellas have been putting up a whole bunch of restaurants in the area. I can't decide if thats good or bad yet. Gilmore collection for the young and trendy, I suppose. The only thing I didn't care for was the location. Having Viceroy there, I get it. Its a speakeasy. But Stellas is hard to find, even for a former GR-native. I was totally happy to carve into the tables, though. The second to last table near the arcades features some of my handiwork representin' NSRG. Go roller girls, go!
(4)Brandon Z.
Someone took a trip to Brooklyn one time and decided to open a place that is a combination of Foodswings and Barcade when they got home.
(3)Mari K.
This place is great! Awesome vegetarian food, fun drinks that range from cheap to super-fancy. Fun decor, video games, and one incredibly cheerful lunchtime bartender. My only issue is that they don't serve late-night food. I'm hungry people!
(5)kim d.
love it. Great food-even vegetarian options. Cozy atmosphere. classic games. And a great happpy hour too.
(4)Brian J. B.
What everybody has said is so true -- the decor, the video games, the vegan food so good that carnivores crave it. Also, the best jukebox in town. However, what keeps this place from getting 5-stars is woefully inconsistent service. Sometimes it's great -- particularly if Roach is working! -- and sometimes it's just flat-out terrible. I've sorta stopped going there to eat, which is a pity.
(4)Liza G.
I've been to Stella's a few times now and there are a lot of things that I really love about this place. It's the first of its kind downtown and provides a different atmosphere than a lot of the other bars on Ionia. I also love the food selection. I'm not vegetarian or even vegan, but I don't eat beef or pork and it's awesome to see a menu filled with delicious veggie choices. Not to mention my meat eating husband can get a burger while I have my vegan burrito (everybody's happy!). I've had the burrito, vegan chicken wings, fries, onion rings and tasted a few other things on the menu. So far the burrito and fries are my favorite. I've wanted to try other things, but these two things always sound so good! What I can't get over about Stella's is the consistently terrible service I've had there. Last time we were there our waitress was m.i.a. for most of the evening. We had to ask a bartender for menus because no one came to our table. When we wanted to order food our waitress was nowhere to be found (she only came back because another table got up and asked the bartender where she went). We've had similarly bad experiences every time we've been there and it's never been busy since we usually got on weeknights or Sundays to grab dinner or a late lunch. If the service improves I would love to give this place 4 or 5 stars
(3)Amanda H.
This place is a great alternative to many of the bars on Ionia and elsewhere downtown. It has a nice casual atmosphere with comfy banquette seating, perfect for spending a long night with friends. The drink specials were good, especially for the area. Our waitress was really attentive and held conversations with people at our table each time she came, even though I think she was serving half the bar, a big plus. The arcade was somewhat disappointing, not as many games as we expected and many of them were not working well, which isn't that surprising as there isn't really anyone to service the machines anymore. A majority of the food on their menu is vegetarian and vegan, and not just the normal ultra healthy veg/vegan food. I saw a bit of veg bacon, chicken wings, etc., even vegans need good bar food. My partner had the white cheese stuffed burger and the few bites that I took were amazing. I'm pretty picky when it comes to burgers in restaurants, but I have no complaints, it was good quality beef, juicy, and well cooked. The grilled cheese with white cheddar, spinach, pesto, tomato and onion was surprisingly light and very flavorful. The chips that came with both meals were spicy and well seasoned but quite a few of mine stuck together and didn't get cooked in the fryer. Overall, it's not quite what I expected, but is a nice addition to the downtown bar scene
(4)Katya Z.
Incredibly hip place with a wonderfully diverse vegan menu. Loved it. Have eaten there several times and the food is the bomb. Far too many meat substitutes but they've carved a much needed vegan niche market in Grand Rapids. I'd give them a 5 but it gets way too loud up in there! My b/f is a meat eater and he loves the food there as well. It's great to have a place where everyone can feel good about having so many things to choose from.
(4)Chad B.
My 26 year old twin brother, myself, our 20 year old younger brother, and our 26 year old friend drove in from the Detroit area on Saturday to spend the night in Grand Rapids and go to the Griffins game. Upon arriving around 4 pm on Saturday, February 2, 2013, we were very hungry and were looking for places to eat before the game which started at 7:00 pm. We went online and based on all of Stella's fantastic reviews, we decided to go there and we were all very excited. When we arrived at Stella's around 4:30 pm, we were not greeted by any host, so the four of us walked around and then sat down at a booth near the front. About two minutes after sitting down, a waitress came up and before she even handed us the menus she asked to see everyone's ID. Without hesitation, my 20 year old brother politely said, "I am not 21, I am just here to eat." The rather oppressive looking waitress snarly replied, "you can't be in here without parent or guardian if you're not 21." My 20 year old brother again politely stated, "I am not here to drink, it is 4:30 on a Saturday, we just drove three hours from Detroit, we are starving." The ponderous waitress then answered in another angry tone, "doesn't matter, you have to be 21." My brother and I jumped in at this point and said, "that is not a rule, you don't have to be 21 to eat." The waitress got even more upset and replied, "actually since this is a bar, you do have to be 21." I then said to the waitress, "this 20 year old is his and my little brother, (while pointing to my twin) here are our IDs, we take full responsibility of him." The rude and inconsiderate waitress replied, "So, doesn't matter, you have to be 21." At this point we had enough and all decided to get up and take our money elsewhere. As someone who has a lot of family in Grand Rapids and has a lot of connections to the Grand Rapids area, I have to say I was extremely disappointed in not only the ridiculous "rule" that you have to be 21 to even be inside the building at 4:30 pm, but by the way our waitress handled the situation. I will be sure to put the word out to all my family and friends to never enter your establishment ever again.
(1)Steve W.
Awesome vegan wings (half off if you Foursquare) and a great vegan chik'n sandwich!! Fun place. Service was a little slow, but they were friendly.
(4)Samuel C.
Honestly, there isn't anything this bar does not have. Pinball, arcades, plenty of seating, classy bar and bar staff... well, sometimes it takes a little encouraging to get them to warm up. The menu is great. THere is a huge whisky selection. I encourage everyone to go here. People from out of state are, without exception, blown away that Grand Rapids possesses this gem.
(5)Joe G.
Food: 4/5. Service: 3/5. Lots of vegetarian & vegan offerings.
(3)Russell R.
Beers in mason jars, a massive feast of a burger, back alley entrance, anddd, they play the Pixies. Good enough for me to say the least!
(5)Lindsay O.
Stella's Lounge since I have now visited you a few times and tried different things, I feel that I can now say how awesome you are! I have been there on opening night when it was packed to the gills and I have been there when it was still early and easy to find a seat and an open arcade machine "Fun House" (even though you gobbled up my quarters faster then a hamster on a wheel and showed no love. I will have my revenge on you!). Stella's entrance is nestled down an alley and could easily be missed but, the blazing lights of Stella's will get your attention! It doesn't look like much from the alley or the entrance. Then once you step inside and walk up the stairs you find great wall art and awesome music playing from bands you loved in the 1980's. I love the options from the bar...A forty in a brown paper bag, tons of different kinds of whiskeys and my favorite the Sangria made with Mad Dog. The sangria is AWESOME! Bitter and sweet the perfect combination. Upon looking at the menu it is filled with so many vegetarian options and I know that my dining companion's one of who is a full out vegetarian; really loved all the options and really loved, loved Stella's! After about 20 minutes later are table finally came up with decisions...We started off my munching on the poor man's chicken wings (made from potato wedges), mild and a side of vegan ranch dressing. These were crunchy like real chicken wings minus the chicken, super yummy! A must have or the deep fried pickles and olives are very good too. For our main course we decided on For Whom the Dog Tolls (a vegan dog with a slaw ruben mix and tempeh sausage and that comes with a side of really great onion rings); Spiritual Healing (a grilled cheese that has melty gooey pepper-jack and white cheddar with pesto, spinach and onions, so very good. I crave this grilled cheese! Finally, Stay Hungry which is a big burrito stuffed with sweet potato, rice, black beans, lettuce, tomato and vegan sours cream all wrapped up in a spinach wrap. A great change from the same ole' four tortilla. Also served with a tortilla chips and pico de gallo. It all makes my mouth water! As I said I have had other things then just that experience. I have also tried Cornbeef Jigsore Quandary (a vegan ruben), the World Eater (a vegan "chicken" sandwich buffalo style, though I hear it also comes bbq style too. Because I like meat too! I have also had the Stella Blue Stuffed Burger, a burger stuffed with blue cheese and bacon; frickin' yummy to the yum! Though, I have heard to the Blessed Black Wings which are vegan wings. I plan to have those next time! Go to Stella's because it is yummy and the sangria is fantastic!
(5)Nickolas J.
We went there because of the vast selection of whiskeys. Some of their unique appetizer are outstanding. Their burgers are rated number 1? They should be rated number 101! They need some training in customer service. I will never go there again.
(3)Ashleigh K.
The food is top notch. They have choices that range from vegan, to vegetarian, to full on carnivore. I like to try a little bit of each. This last time I went the service was great but the time before that it was clear the server did not want to be there. Not only from her attitude but that fact that she straight up TOLD US how much she wanted to go home. As a server I am pretty lenient on other servers but I thought that was just ridiculous. I know as good as any other server that sometimes bar shifts suck but that doesnt mean you burden your table with that. Ridiculous. Food was fantastic as always though!
(3)Mighty M.
I recently heard there was a new vegan place in GR, so of course I had to check it out. This is not what I expected from a vegan joint. The website promises "Strong Drinks, Cheap Beer, Loud Music, No Bullshit", and this is a true story. You enter through the back, that if it weren't for the blazing Stella's sign above would look like a sketchy hole in the wall. They do have an aptly named "Pet Semetary" section in the menu for your carnivorous friends who refuse to even sample the vegan fare. Dear carnivores, this food is still not particularly healthy, so rest assured that it is delicious, although vegan. ;-) This is bar food for the most part: vegan wings, dogs, fried pickles, burgers, etc. This place is owned by the people who own Hopcat, and they offer delicious "chronic fries" instead of "crack fries." I ordered the REFUSE/RESIST: "the breakfast of champions...french toast sandwich with tofu scramble & tempeh bacon. served with a side of michigan maple syrup, raspberry chipotle sauce & spicy breakfast potatoes. $7.95" OH MY GOD. Vegans miss out on a lot of breakfast foods, and this really hit the spot. The sweet French toast and the savory veggies and scrambled tofu dipped in maple syrup and the AMAZING tangy raspberry chipotle just about gave me a vegasm. I washed it down with the BEST Sangria I have ever had. Seriously, it was dangerously good. You can't even taste the alcohol in it. My only gripe is that there is SO many meat substitutes on the menu. I don't mind veggie burgers and the occasional crispy chick'n, but I don't eat meat for a reason. I'd like to see some other dishes on the menu. However, they have a niche and they fit into it nicely: a bar that bikers would look at home in that caters to vegans and kids at heart (hence the arcade). The arcade is a nice little addition to this place. I enjoyed some post-Sangria pinball. :-)
(4)Stacee G.
You want sangria and vegan wings. So good! Love the environment. My 4 year old loves this place, however, not a kid friendly place.
(4)Rick S.
Saved us from a bad experience at founders. Fast friendly service . Great crack fries truly enjoyed the angry pig tacos . Not so sure the wife will appreciate them later tonight but I loved them. Had a few margaritas to wash them down. Talked to the manager about holding my daughters get together after she graduates from grand. Valley in December very nice guy . The decor is a bit wacky but so am I . Bring your quarters they have a great collection. Of vintage pinball and video games to play. Great afternoon hot spot.
(5)Lisa H.
The food was delicious and a nice selection of whiskey.
(3)Jason S.
Mmmmm. Spicy burgers. Spicy fries. Even better with beer. ...and video games, wonderful video games (Punch Out, Tron, etc. + pinball)!! Awesome service. How have I lived in GR and not come here before? Don't let that happen to you -- eat at Stella's now!!
(4)Corey S.
If I could give this place a negative rating, I would. This place has horrible service. I will never go back. The bartenders are lazy and slow and will tell you to go to another bartender if you want a drink. My advice? DON'T GO TO THIS DUMP!!
(1)Matt M.
After attending the international auto show in downtown GR me and my group of friends decided we needed to get some food. After a quick yelp search we decided on Stella's because we thought we might like the gamer vibe. After driving around the block for 10 mins looking for parking on the street we finally found a spot. After finally parking we walk in and seat ourselves at a booth near the door. After a few minutes our waitress came to get our drink orders. We ordered waters all the way around only to get a funny look from the waitress. She then asked if I have my ID with me. I confusingly told her no and reiterated that we just wanted to order water before our food. She said "you must be 21." Again, I told her we just wanted waters, not understanding what was happening. She then says you have to be 21 just be in the establishment. It was 4pm in the afternoon. I was caught off guard to say the least. Nowhere on the website or yelp description does it say anything about an age limit. I have literally never had that happen to me and was very disappointed when we were kicked out for not having IDs, when we weren't even trying to drink anything of the likes! I will never be back to this establishment or anything that the parent company owns (Grand Rapids brewery, ect). If you are going to have a 21 and over rule 24 hours a day you should have that posted more than just on the door..
(1)Rashid J.
For what it was worth, Stella's Lounge had one of the tastiest burgers I've had since July--and that's saying a lot after moving to Grand Rapids from Brooklyn, New York. Albeit the burger was tender and well seasoned, I thought it was a-bit on the small side and didn't really add up to the hype (or long wait at the door). The beer and hospitable waitress made my visit to Stella's enjoyable, so that's saying a lot about a yummy burger and beer that really hit the spot.
(4)Jessica S.
Really great burgers and fries (called Chronic fries), and they also have a build-your-own bloody mary bar. There was a surprising number of breakfast items considering how they're not actually open for breakfast, but maybe Stella's is trying to appeal to a younger crowd who's up until 3 AM anyhow, making noon the perfect time for breakfast. The atmosphere is cool, but I'm too old to appreciate it, I guess. Everything is painted black with blacked out windows, but I just thought it was too dark, and I liked the music, but it was too loud. They have some vintage arcade games and the TVs play vintage kids' TV shows, like "Scooby Doo" and "The Electric Company." I did see a couple of kids there on a Sunday afternoon, but there's no kids' menu (it's a bar, after all), and I don't think there was a changing table in the bathrooms. I wouldn't take my kids here.
(4)Jim P.
This place is retro cool from the pictures on the wall, the dark lighting, the old school arcade games and beers in a can that we all drank in college when we were poor! It's also a full whiskey bar with a gigantic selection, but the real show stopper here is the stuffed burgers. These are voted best in GR and there's a reason why! WOW!!
(4)Andrea R.
Loved the vintage video games, and the food and service was awesome.
(5)Christine S.
I don't even know where to start, two weeks later and I'm still fuming writing this review. We were warned at the door that it would be a 1 1/2 hour wait at least which we were prepared for, no worries there. A couple of us grabbed seats at the bar while the others played video games. The bartender was cool. He let us taste test some beers to see if we liked them before ordering. The place is advertised as a whiskey bar and my friend who loves whiskey took advantage of that. His Manhattan was phenomenal and he was totally in his element. We get to our table and JAMES was our waiter. Remember the name James and never let him wait on you if you go there. We were a table of 5, just happy to be here to try the burgers we heard so much buzz about. We ordered and while waiting for our order James was waiting on the table next to us. The table was taking a bit too long to his liking to place their order so he just completely walked away, rude much? The waiter's helper came to the table with James and he was like, is this their food? James says "I don't know what the F (insert expletive here) they ordered, you figure it out". Our appetizer came with our meal instead of before and my friend that had the phenomenal Manhattan ordered another with James this time instead of the bartender. James brings the drink back and the drink doesn't taste right. My friend politely tells James that this doesn't taste right, would it be OK if they made him another. James storms off with his drink and brings back the exact same drink, not a new one. My friend tells him that this isn't right and James' response, "If you don't like it, you can drink F'ing (insert expletive here) water! Speaking of water, we had all ordered water earlier that never came. I went to the bar to have the bartender get us some and who is standing next to me, James. I don't think he realized I was at one of this tables. He was ranting and raving, asking me if I was having a good F'ing day, talking mad stuff about our table, he must have said the F word at least 10 times..etc. I was livid at this point, I couldn't eat the rest of my meal. While asking for our check, he kindly pointed out "you mean check(s)" because apparently it was a pain in the ass to separate our tabs. No tip for him and we ended up speaking to the manager who didn't really seem to give a sh*t...Stella's this makes me sad because I had high hopes for you.
(2)Chantel M.
I absolutely adore Stella's stuffed queso burger. Soooo delicious! The best time to stop by is on Thursdays because all the burgers are half priced. Great ambiance feels like a blast from the retro past with a hipster/ alternative twist to it.
(5)Matthew R.
I love a good burger. It doesn't get better than Stella's. The fries have a perfect kick and there's a whiskey on menu for anyone's tastes.
(5)Sara B.
This is a hidden gem and can be hard to find, but is yet another GR place that always seems packed, especially on Thursdays for $5 stuffed burgers. The best way I can think to describe this place is a bunch of vegetarian art students, bikers, and vampires decided to make an eatery and this is what popped out. This used to primarily be vegetarian in fare with a few splatterings of meat items, but is now probably almost half and half. With that said, none of it is healthy.... it's bar food. Some of my favorites are ride the lightning, pickled veggies, you suffer, poor man's wings, and the spicy fries. While many people swear by Hopcat's crack fries I prefer Stella's. The fries here are spicy and come with a house made (vegan?) chipotle ranch dipping sauce that is just killer. They also have the largest whiskey selection in Grand Rapids with a decent selection of cheaper and local beers and a full bar. The best part about this place? They have arcade games all over the front and back of the restaurant and a jukebox up front. After I've done nothing about gush about this place you might wonder why I"m giving it a three? The service is why. There is always a wait, and the waitstaff isn't as attentive/friendly as they should be. This also isn't just a bad experience, this is a pattern. If you go in expecting that it can be super fun.
(3)Joe V.
I'm only giving it 4 stars because I came in for drinks and didn't eat...the menu was enticing, but I had just eaten. If I get the chance to eat here, I'll consider bumping it up the last star. Walked in and immediately fell in love with this place. The vibe was really cool and laid back and the atmosphere is completely inviting. They have a ton of old school video games which was also very cool. They have an unprecedented whisk(e)y selection. I haven't seen Powers in a bar since moving back from NYC, so that was a pleasant surprise. I really wanted to stay there all night and eat and drink, but just couldn't. Definitely the type of place where I would want to spend a considerable amount of time if I lived locally. If anything, just walk in and take a look around.
(4)Jennifer C.
I had heard alot about the burgers since I moved to GR around 9 months ago and finally go the chance to try it out the other night with my boyfriend and friend. The burger's were delicious! However, I don't really agree that they are the "Best Burger In America" I had the "Queso Jalepeno". It was very delicious, but I wish that there was more cheese in it. I also felt that the taste of the burger was covered by the jalepenos. Now, I do love spicy stuff, but I would have liked to taste something other than jalepenos. The super hot mustard dip on the side was quite interesting and was really good with the fries. My boyfriend had the "Big Ballah". Now THAT WAS AMAZING, especially the jalepeno poppers. Next time I go, I would love to order the jalepeno poppers appetizer. Their fries are very delicious and their onion rings aren't bad either. -1 star because they switched up our burger patties. I ordered my medium rare and got a medium well, while my bf ordered a medium and got a medium rare Overall, service was ok and we got a decent amount of food for the price we paid.
(4)Adam W.
Stella's Lounge is a lot like something you'd expect to find in a proper city. Not a place like Grand Rapids, MI. That's something that's definitely to its credit. Before you even get in the door, the place seems cool. It's kind of in a back alley looking place, like a secret club entrance, with all sorts of graffiti-esque style art painted on the walls. It's dark and dingy looking and that's what they're going for. I like it. The inside is more of the same along with some video games. Including Mortal Kombat II (the best in the series, folks!). A huge hip-hop looking mural is on the back wall that kinda makes me think of the movie Avatar. Seating seems sparse, but on the day we were there it was more than enough. I can definitely see how this place would get crowded quickly. Among the other customers, I felt a bit out of place... a few reviews mention the presence of many hipsters and that's precisely right. I think it's to be expected a bit after you look at the menu with its many vegetarian and vegan options. Good to see that they have a variety for many different palates though, and I applaud that. They're also big on the organic and locally sourced bandwagon which isn't a bad thing, but it's not a selling point for me either. Let's get on to to the good stuff. The food. GQ named this as one of the best burgers in the United States. I'd have to know what other places they tried to give it that title (and try those places myself), but I have a hard time believing it's one of the best in the country. Was it really, really good? Yes, it most definitely was - and it's certainly the best burger I've had in Grand Rapids. I went for the namesake burger (the Stella Blue) and was not upset with my choice at all. The stuffed cheese does, indeed, ooze out all over the burger and adds a very nice little touch to the uniqueness of the meal. The fries had a tinge of spice to them, which made me enjoy them all that much more. I didn't need any ranch like another reviewer mentioned, but it might be an option for you if you're a wuss. ;) Service was very attentive but not overbearing. A nice balance. Refills were always brought upon request and in a timely manner. Our waiter even had quite a few tables and it never seemed like any of his tables were forgotten or an afterthought. There were a few options on the menu which I'm definitely going to go back to try... so that says something about how awesome a lot of the food sounds here. That burger can't be messed with either. I do think the prices here are a bit high, especially for bar food, but I suppose that's to be expected with locally sourced/organic food. It's the price point that, more than anything, would really stop me from making Stella's a more frequent stop when I'm downtown. Well, that and the calorie count... While I'm not a huge fan of the hipster crowd and many of their attitudes, you can't fault a business for its clientele. I'll definitely be returning to Stella's, most likely when there's company in town or a special occasion arises. This is one place to hit up if you're looking for a unique spot with some great grub to chow down on.
(4)Evan S.
I hear Stella's has great burgers but I've never eaten there. Cool atmosphere, decent music, reasonable prices, but every time I've gone (always been Saturday night) it's been so crowded I could barely move. I'm not saying that's a bad thing necessarily, Especially with a good buzz a big crowd can be fun and a chance to meet new people. However, as a DD it was pretty annoying, and borderline claustrophobic. I'd like to go again to try their burgers but during off peak hours.
(3)Ben B.
Burger special on Thursday's is top notch. $5 for one of the best burgers you might ever have. 6pm-11. Sunday mornings, there is a great breakfast brunch and bloody's. Stella's is in the same family as Hopcat, GRBC, and Mcfadden's on Ionia. Mark Sellers has really improved the bar scene in Grand Rapids and I thank him for it. I know restaurants can be extremely difficult to run, especially if you arn't there all the time, but these places seem to keep it together quite well. Awesome french fries at all his restaurants. The drinks arn't any more stiff then other bars though as all the mahogany mate's are trained to use jiggers (as they should with $200 bottles of scotch). Also, I was a bit disappointed when they got rid of The Viceroy... :( Interesting hipster grunge vibe. Great arcade games. Tons of scotch, whiskey, and wiskey. A fair amount of crappy beer and craft brews.
(4)Jay Z.
We stopped by Stella's on my sister's birthday. I have been here a few times and had an ok experience, but after tonight I will not be back. The bar tender lady was incredibly rude, acting like we were inconveniencing her. The reason for my low rating, though, is that after she was rude to us she gave my credit card to someone else and made no effort to catch them as they left, she just said it was a busy night and our drinks were comped... I lost my credit card and was comped for 4 PBRs and a jack and coke!
(1)Luke R.
Rude bartenders in the club area. They wouldn't wait on an asian girl and they mimicked her in a racist way when she tried to flag them down. Do NOT go to the club area and deal with Laura or Roach. Rude nasty girls
(1)Alicia G.
Most of my visits to Stella's have been after 10pm, and have revolved around either drinking or being the DD while others were drinking. What I mean by that is I haven't had enough of their food to rate it, which needs to be remedied ASAP because I'm all about vegan/vegetarian fare. I have had the stuffed tots, however, and I advise against them. I love tots, and these were just not good. To me. But I am more into tots with toppings, so there's that. The crowd is a good ten or so years younger than I am, so sometimes (especially when I'm the DD) I get this "OMG, can you not? Also, get off my lawn!" mood going, but that's my problem. What I like best about this bar is the whiskey. I love a good whiskey, love a well-made Old Fashioned even better, and this bar makes a rye Old Fashioned with my favorite rye even better than I make them at home. Throw in the arcade games and the retro dance music in the back and heck yes, this is one of my favorite places in GR.
(4)M W.
Great place to grab a drink and some food if you're in downtown GR. Went on a Saturday evening and only had about a 20 minute wait. Luckily there were 4 empty seats at the bar so we plopped down and got a drink while we waited. Didn't even finish half of my drink before we were seated. Our server was friendly and helpful with the menu, which was nice since it was our first time there. The stuffed tots were delicious. I don't really know what I was expecting, I guess I'm used to frozen tater tots, which these were far from those! I got the grilled cheese and chronic fries. The fries are cooked perfectly and the powder coating on them adds great flavor. The grilled cheese was good, but after seeing my friends burger, I wished I had gotten one too!! Everyone at the table was super satisfied with the food and service. I would definitely go back next time I'm in GR.
(4)the t.
Good beers, blah olive burger and poor (frozen) onion rings....I will be back again for the beer, but not the food. Still searching for a Mr Fables worthy dinner.
(3)Jason D.
Known for their burgers, and definitely should be. Especially when these big, juicy, stuffed with perfection babies are only $5 on Thursday's. If you need more reason to go than just a good burger, then check out their mass amount of beers on tap. One of the finest collections, along with great drink specials offered throughout the week. The actual restaurant isn't too big, so be prepared to wait, or come early to snag a spot. Parking is available in the back, which is nice since they are downtown. I've always had pretty good service here too. Definitely a place worth making a trip to.
(5)Jon G.
Stella's is a great place to grab a can of Busch Light and play Street Fighter II. It is just like college except now you definitely aren't meeting anyone at the bar, because you are drinking Busch Light and playing video games. And also you are slurring your speech. Stella's also has good beers and some solid bar food too - like fat hamburgers and onion rungs that help you soak up a few IPA's worth of bad decisions. It is a quality stop on a bar crawl or bachelor party and offers a different vibe from the yuppie restaurants and breweries. Don't try entering with a backpack though. I had a friend try to meet us directly off a flight at Gerald Ford Airport. They said he couldn't get in because he could have drugs in his bag. FACT: There was a change of pants and some hairspray in said bag. Second fact; the next night we returned to the bar and we saw a girl with a backpack. They let her in and we joked that she was a drug dealer. Turns out, she was a drug dealer! Her name was Colleen and she had just gotten there after her re-up. In conclusion, go to Stella's for video games, food, beer and to buy drugs. P.S. If you work at Stella's/own Stella's I hope you really get upset about this post. If you would have just let my man in with his carry-on, I wouldn't have called you out for Colleen selling ecstacy in your bathroom.
(3)Megan C.
Wow.... This place is outstanding . I ordered my food to go and it was amazing , I can't imagine what a dine in experience is like . I called in my order and it took about 15-20 min to make . While I sat at the bar I tried one of MI own cider . It was a ginger peach , and it was a tall can for $6. The bartender was super nice and gave awesome service . The ambiance of the restaurant was cool . It has old school arcade game lined up in the front . The bar had old ticket stubs built into it . I'm a huge wing head and their wings were not disappointing at all . When wings are ordered to go they seem to somewhat sacrifice good quality . These wings should make a school for all other wings to go to. The meat was juicy and not at all dried out . It had plenty of sauce and full of flavor . I also ordered a pickled vegetable appetizer . I have never seen or heard of anything like it . It came with all sorts of pickled vegetables ( green olives , pickles , carrots etc) pita bread and humus. I don't even like humus but I saved the remainder of it to bring home and eat with more vegetables ! My boyfriend got a olive burger they he said was amazing. He said it had olive juice on it and actual olives themselves ! I defiantly recommend this place ! Super good food and super interesting flavor choices !!
(5)Tonyai G.
I had a good time here. There was only a 5 minute wait and it seem like 2 minutes. The service was good. The food was excellent! I had the Government Burger with bacon and it was delicious! I will go back again!
(4)Samantha D.
Very noisy, very grungy, but very good! I loved my White Lighting white bean burger, and my husband said his burger was a 9 (with 10 being the best burger he's ever had in his life). The apps were awesome too. It's just awesome, greasy junk food!
(5)Valerie L.
Not impressed with Stella's at all......I'm not really sure what the hype is about this place. 1st problem: Don't go on a Saturday night. There was a 2 hour wait, so we put our name in, and walked over to Hop Cat. We got seated faster at Hop Cat.....there's not much seating at Stella's-- a few tables by the bar and some tables in a room in the front of the restaurant. 2nd problem: The "main" entrance seems to be at the back of the restaurant. So on a busy night, you have to elbow the guests and wind around the crowded bar area to get to the opposite side of the restaurant by the video games to the hostess stand. whew! It seems like they need to move the stand to the other side of the building. Thirdly, it's really a whiskey bar, so if you want a large selection of beer, go to one of GR's local breweries. Otherwise, the whiskey selection is HUGE! So, we decided to come back on a Monday night instead since I really wanted to try their highly-acclaimed burgers. The place was almost empty on a Monday about 6pm, so we got seated right away. Our server was very nice, but strange....he kept talking about "the industry" and the perks and negatives of being in "the industry". What he didn't know, was that I had been a server in 2 restaurants for 3+ years, so his "industry" talk didn't make him any cooler in my mind. He was very knowledgeable about the drink and food menu. I ordered a cider and the queso jalapeno burger. The cider was really good-- dry, but not too sweet. It was served in a large can; I almost couldn't finish it! My burger was supposed to be stuffed with jalapenos and pepper jack cheese with queso cheese dip and pickled jalapenos on top. The only things that were good about the burger were the bun & queso cheese dip. The bun was amazing--- sweet, soft, and chewy. The queso cheese dip was gooey, spicy, and really flavorful! It did not taste like the fake yellow cheese that comes from a jar! My burger was not stuffed with jalapenos; they were only on top-- all over. There were way too many of them! It was stuffed with cheese that was oozing out all over! I got very annoyed trying to eat the burger because it kept falling apart-- chunks of the meat would just fall off like icebergs onto my plate. I really just needed to eat it with a knife & fork. The meat itself was not tasty; it really had a metallic taste. I love flame grilled burgers, and these are NOT-- I do realize that it's difficult to grill a stuffed burger, but I much prefer a charred piece of beef! (I'm assuming that these are cooked on a flat-top.) I'd recommend a bit more seasoning added to the meat, which may allow for a "crust" to form on the meat as well as pressing it together more after stuffing to prevent it from falling apart. Overall, I did like my cider and their fries (better than Hop Cat's fries), but I'd rather get a burger somewhere that grills their meat! You can put all the toppings you want on a burger, but if the beef isn't flavorful, seasoned right, or cooked to enhance the flavor, then those toppings aren't going to add anything. BTW, they also brought my husband the WRONG burger.
(3)Rosemary T.
First off, if you don't get anything you need to get the fries. It's so crispy so yummy so delicious so crunchy and so must get! I got the naked fries (no hot powder sauce) on it. The only false is that your mouth gets kinda sore after chewing a bowl of fries. I got the olive burger with mushroom, no sauce and no buns. The burger was suppose to be cooked medium but it was more on the well done side. But the burger was still seasoned well and very tender. The salty olive Paris well with the party and add a little bite of hot sauce to spice up the flavor. You could also add some spicy jalapeños to add additional sourness and spice together. They also got lots of choices for beer. I went for the cider since its on the sweeter side. Be careful which cider you choose though cause some tastes too smokey that smells like... Just not good.... Tip: gets super crowded during happy hour.
(4)Tony J.
Amazing burgers, decent prices, mediocre drinks. I mean maybe I'm stingy but when my drinks get measured out they tend to taste a lot different, which isn't a problem, don't get me wrong, but when it gets as noisy and busy and you feel like you're in a bar that's also serving food, it tends to sort of conflict my interest. Especially when theres only 2 bartenders on, it seems to take a while. Nothing about that makes me not want to go back however. Waitstaff is great, and I love it here.
(4)Kelly D.
Great burgers, Great staff, fun dancing in the back. Real unique place.
(5)Jill H.
Shot and a beer sloppy kinda place. Or maybe that's why we went there? Either way, it fulfilled what we were after. We got there with just 3 minutes to spare to order food and landed ourselves a spicy jalapeño jack burger and grilled cheese (the vegetarian one), some beer, and a couple o shots of their "soup of the day." Now anyone that says this is "MI's best burger" hasn't been to metro-Detroit BUT I'll dismount from my high horse and admit that it was a really good burger, sloppily handformed and damn tasty at just about midnight. The grilled cheese was also really good. The fries were nicely fried and had an interesting, addictive taste that left an after morning residue that smelled like onion powder and vinegar. I'm not from around GR but would return to Stella's. If not for the food but to people watch at the dance club and witness DBs getting kicked out.
(4)Jim C.
Yep! The other reviews are spot on. They really do have the best burger. GQ and that Grand Rapids paper were right. The burger is delicious and melts in your mouth. The "drunken avocados" were a treat worth trying too... I tried to fry avocados in my kitchen a few years back (clearly they were looking thru my windows), but they have the recipe nailed! The spicy fries that came with the burger were great too. The extra treat was the arcade- they had a ton of games all for a quarter. Kudos to them for not price gouging their customers with 50 or 75 cent video games. You're a class act, Stella's! The only reason I knocked off a star was because it's definitely more of a bar than a restaurant. The large bar and atmosphere make is more for a 21+ crowd (which is probably what they're going for with their awesome whiskey selection). Awesome place overall. I'll be back.
(4)Michael V.
Was in Grand Rapids for the holiday weekend and stopped in Stella's with my girlfriend to grab some burgers. What a great choice! This place has a super chill vibe, with old arcade games scattered throughout the restaurant and rather dim lighting. Our waiter (I believe his name was Matt) was awesome! He was super friendly and gave some outstanding drink suggestions to us as I was looking for a stout and my gf wanted a cider. I went with the queso jalapeno burger which had all of the spicy stuff you could want on a burger while my gf went with the gov't cheese (for you more plain burger fans). There are several veggie burger options as well. The burgers were delicious! They were huge, well prepared/staged and cooked just right. It was one of the best burgers I've had and compares favorably to some of my favorite places in Chicago. The chronic fries have a lot of zing to them and complemented my burger extremely well. So glad we decided to hit up Stella's for dinner. Next time I'm in GR I think I'll have to pay them another visit!
(5)Brad S.
Great atmosphere and burger. I got the burger stuffed with blue cheese and bacon. Cooked a perfect medium and great taste. Not a big fan of the Avocado Nugents. Fries were good but be aware if you don't like spicy bc they have some sort tobacco type seasoning.
(4)Brandon A.
Hey the burgers have won some awards here for a reason.....yes they are worth your time.....yes they have original and unique spins on each burger option.....yes they are cooked perfectly and bursting with flavor coupled with impeccable size.....and yes the atmosphere is great for hanging out with whoever over some quality beer varietals in a mellow setting. Some people don't like the dark lighting but I'm a fan....I mean let's face it, who wants to be under magnifying bright light while stuffing face with a juicy award winning burger and downing exquisite beers without discipline....solely because it's so fulfilling and control should not be exercised.
(4)Smithy W.
Sunday's can be rough. Especially if you've been burning the candle at both ends the night before. That's why I occasionally frequent Stella's for a $5 DIY bloody (if you're too hungover, the bartender is glad to make your bloody for you). Best part, the bacon. Also, a little hint, if your bank account requires a hug, Stella's has $2-wells, and it counts towards the DIY bloody. So, instead of asking for their infused choices, I generally ask for a well pour. I never have had actual brunch here, but I have had a burger or two, and they're pretty good. The fries are the best. Definitely seasoned well, and crispy as fvck! I wouldn't recommend drinking here on a Friday or Saturday night, as it turns into a zoo, a wasted zoo. Elephants to lemurs. Watch out.
(3)Paul J.
The saving grace was the service and video games. I was really looking forward to a great burger based on the widely publicized reviews. If this was based on the food alone, I'd give it 2 stars. This was my second time at Stella's (on my first visit, they ran out of buns so I opted for a Philly cheesesteak). We ended up at Stella's on a Sunday night a little after 7pm. We were told the wait would be about 35 minutes, no problem since they had quite a few classic arcade games to keep us occupied! Our party of five was seated at a table about 40-45 minutes, no by deal, we were enjoying ourselves. The server was top notch, very attentive and responsive. He took care of us very well the entire time. I decided to go with the Big Ballah burger - a burger topped with bacon, jalapeño poppers, and an onion ring, paired with onion rings and a Founder's Pale Ale. I tried the chronic fries on my last visit, and they were average tasting fries with some heat, nothing special. We didn't have to wait very long for our food to arrive. My burger looked pretty impressive upon arrival. I had to pull the poppers off and eat 'em separately it would be nearly impossible to take a good bite out of a burger that tall. The poppers were tasty, but lukewarm, as if they'd been sitting for a little while. The onion rings were pretty tasty, albeit the portion seemed a bit sparse. As for the burger....well, I can without a doubt say it was not the best burger I've had, not by a long shot. It was somewhat dry and void of any real good flavor. I wish I could say it was just my burger, but the other two in my party that ordered burgers were similarly unimpressed, maybe more so than me. It makes me think that the stellar reviews of these award winning burgers must have clouded by a few pints of beer or a few too many shots of whiskey. If you're in the mood for a great burger, I'd advise you to look elsewhere. As I said earlier, the service was great and the classic arcade games are a nice bonus, but overall the food was just mediocre.
(3)Sal B.
Wife and I ordered the "Government" and "June" burgers with chronic fries and onion rings. The burgers lived up to their reputation - and more. Great seasoning and my June burger had the rigjt amount of zip. We both gave high marks to the burgers. I can see why this establishment rates so highly. Chronic fries were a nice change of pace for the side. Buffalo seasoning was spot on. Huge high five to Jackie who did a wonderful job serving. Very pleasant and fun. Well worth the drive into downtown for this burger treat. Come hungry. These burgs are the real deal.
(5)John K.
I like their burgers but also their spicy chorizo burrito. Great for sandwiches, not for full steak or other main entrees. Interesting vibe here, music is not mainstream pop fare and wall decorations are colorful and a bit odd but fits with the overall feel of the place. There is a parking ramp right across from the Commerce street entrance worth using if you can't find a spot on the street nearby. They have a full bar but emphasis here is on whiskey and whiskey-based drinks. Would not recommend the BLT nachos. The cardinal rule for great nachos is that the toppings aren't just on the top layer of chips - these violated that rule.
(4)Jonathan J.
The only problem I have with these guys is they use breadcrumbs in all of their buggers. SO someone with a gluten problem can never sample one of the greatest burgers of all time. Remember whiskey is soup of the day
(3)Lindsay C.
Went here for a friend's going away party and had several delicious sangria cocktails, with citrus fruit garnish. I had the stuffed cheeseburger, which was delicious, not overcooked at all. I also had the stuffed tater tots (apparently stuffed foods were the theme that evening?) which were awesome. My partner also had a burger, which was equally as tasty. I was able to try the spicy crack fries, which seem to have a spicy dust of Frank's Red Hot on it - super yum! I would love to come here again and try the vegetarian food, especially the veggie burger.
(4)Cari H.
In a nutshell: great burgers, beer, tons of 80's video games, cool vibe (sometimes a "I'm too cool" vibe...) They have vegan and vegetarian options, as well as good ole fashioned beef burgers. Good beer selection. Prices aren't too bad. Finding a seat for lunchtime usually isn't a problem, but evenings can be busy and packed with people who are there to hang out all night instead of just eating dinner and leaving... which is fine, but it doesn't free up tables very quickly. Hint: The "main" entrance off the parking lot is actually at the back of the restaurant, so you'll have to walk all the way through to find the hostess stand. Also, bring quarters from the video games!
(4)Matt S.
This place has real character. From the classic video games to the old episodes of Star Trek, Scooby Doo and Lost in Space playing on the screens with Tom Petty playing on the Jukebox. 200 Whiskeys on the shelf as well as a huge selection of Craft beer and old school beers. Now the food. According to GQ Magazine they have Americas Best Burger. I decided on the Angry Pig Tacos. They had great flavor and spice. Wish they would cube their pork instead of shred it. Hold flavor better and doesn't dry out. Over all great experience.
(4)Joe B.
This place is as rock and roll as they come, from the music down to the Mortal Kombat II arcade game. There's a great buzz about this spot and it's a solid place for a bite to eat or to meet a whole new group of friends while visiting the GR. I didn't have the pleasure of eating here but the Chronic Fries and the Cheese Stuffed Tots are calling my name from zip codes away. Their liquor selection is extensive and they have a punch concoction that comes with a disclaimer that was pretty good...and you get to keep the Stella's cup it comes in. The staff was all super friendly, the men's room was super clean and this place was all around a super fun spot to spend a night in GR. The bar is covered in old concert tickets, there's old cartoons on the TV (actual cartoons like Looney Toons & Scoobie Doo!!) Karaoke on Sunday was pretty extreme and I'm just looking forward to coming back when we get back into town. Definitely worth coming in for a drink and a burger.
(5)Will B.
Disappointing management in an otherwise great bar. A significant portion of the staff seems unhappy to be employed there. We arrived with a group of friends on a fairly crowded night. Waited in line to get in, to be greeted by a woman at the door with a poor attitude/disposition. Having had a few drinks prior, our friend was a little overly friendly and casually made light contact with the door woman's shoulder while asking a question (nothing obnoxious, just normal human interaction). The response was overtly aggressive. Fair enough; we brushed it off and assumed she was having a rough night (despite prior interactions with her along the same lines). The back bar/dance area was packed. The kitchen doors are near the edge of the bar, where we were hanging out. The server let her displeasure be known that we were too close to the kitchen doors on a few occasions. We moved closer to a high top, but the bar being fairly packed, made it difficult to do so. A manager came over and accused us of willfully ignoring the server's (disdainful) request to move away from the kitchen doors, specifically citing 6 separate occasions, and informed us that we were to leave the bar immediately. I can understand keeping doorways clear and having to deal with inebriated patrons on a regular basis while trying to provide a safe and fun atmosphere. However, at no point in the evening were we dealt with any courtesy or professionalism. From the woman checking ID's at the door to the disgruntled server to the manager, we were treated as annoyances rather than welcome guests. Having experienced similar interactions with staff there on previous visits (and having let them slide since the bar is an otherwise good venue), it is difficult to not see this as systemic issue. An air of professionalism would go a long way here. There are many ways to deal with patrons, many of which include doing so in far more positive manners than what I have observed. For example, the woman checking IDs at the door could have let her displeasure be known in a far more professional manner other than "DO NOT TOUCH ME". The server coming out of the kitchen could have politely asked us to move away from the area near the doors, rather than scowling at us. The manager could have easily asked our side of the events, or moved us to a different part of the bar. The attitude seems pervasive there: poor and defensive. Not a place I look forward to visiting any time soon.
(1)Jim E.
What can I say about Stellas? It supposedly won the best Burger in America, and it is hard to find and located down an alley which looks to be a drug spot. We were going to go here for dinner but TGI Fridays won out and we just went for a Beer here. It was quite the happening and lively place, lots of music and a good crowd of people.
(4)Mark G.
I went on a Friday night. My experience as a man in my 30s was that this was very much an early 20s crowd. It was a bit douchey, and I suspect it is very different during the day time. It was a virtual meat market, and you could just smell the testosterone production going on as guys readied for fights over girls etc. Not fun. I strongly suggest not going on weekends- unless you are said douchebags, in which case I strongly suggest you go on weekends.
(2)Patrick D.
Always love Stella's! Burgers are awesome, vegan wings are good too. Service is usually pretty good, but came here last Saturday night and put our name in with the hostess. We were told 45 minutes, so we sat at one spot at the bar that was open. About 30 minutes later, decided to check on our name on the wait list. Hostess was NOWHERE to be found. Found a server/runner, who said the hostess has been giving them problems. OK, so what now? We've been waiting, and now it turns in to seat yourself with no warning? This was pretty annoying. So we sat in the middle of the floor and started singing kumbaya. Not really, but we luckily found space in the back room with a table, sat down, and quickly ordered food from the bar. The rest of the evening wasn't a loss, but what the heck, the hostess just runs off? Stella's- fire her please. This is no way to treat customers. With that exception, which isn't really Stella's fault, this is still one of my fav bars in Grand Rapids. The burgers are delish, the drinks cold, and service is usually great.
(4)Ryan F.
Burgers here are incredible, cant go wrong with most of them, also the place has an awesome selection of whisky and scotch for a burger joint. Cool vibe, and a great experience, check it out for a nice lunch spot when in GR.
(5)Christopher B.
The place has a dark, urban-inspired ambiance and its usually loud, a combination of music and people having a good time. I have had the "Mr. Fables" burger and also the "Stella Blue"; both excellent. The spicy "Chronic" fries are delicious as well. I have ordered either Pepsi or beer. I have not yet tapped into their formidable list of whiskeys. Apparently they have 200 available. Bottom line: its a busy, noisy urban pub with considerably better-than-average pub food.
(5)Daniel D.
I've been wanting to check this place out for awhile now. I had the Big Ballah burger and the chronic fries. I'm not really a fan of buffalo sauce and the fries are seasoned with something very similar. However, they are cooked really well with a nice crispy outside that even though I would rather have a different kind of seasoning I still enjoyed them. The burger was a little underwhelming. The burger patty is fantastic. Props to Stella's because they do make a mean burger patty. Just a perfect combination of juicy and tender. The cheddar cheese jalapeno poppers and bun were also good. However, the tomato was less than -unless it was some variety that is supposed to be pink and not red. And while it technically had "bacon," I think most people expect more than one solitary strip of bacon. I would be willing to give them another go because the burger patty itself is that good, but the supporting cast of condiments and accouterments needs an upgrade.
(3)Claire V.
Came here on a weekend trip to Grand Rapids. Get the jalapeño cheddar burger - you won't be disappointed! Add bacon to increase the gluttony. Bring some cash to indulge in the arcade games. Will definitely come back to sample the whiskey selection!
(4)Chris H.
The ambiance is mixed. It is very dark inside, which makes it hard to read the menu. Most of the seating is raised tables. The music is a little loud, but not blaring. The service is slow but very friendly. I ordered Bacon Fat Popcorn, Gov't Burger with fries, and a Pepsi. The popcorn at first seems ordinary but then you find it addicting. The Gov't burger is a burger with white cheddar inside the burger. I added bbq sauce which is a sweet tangy sauce that looks like french dressing but it is a very tasty bbq. The burger was soooo good. I have a new #2 burger for GR. The fries were good but not great. The only issue with the drink is they have a 2 page menu for alcoholic drinks but non alcoholic drinks are hard to find. Overall a great experience. 4 1/2 stars would be more accurate. I will be back!
(4)Chloe J.
Ah-mazing! Really fun atmosphere. There are 90's pinball machines and video games at this bar. I was excited about the vegetarian options. We tried the fully loaded nachos on the appetizer menu and I got the faux chicken sandwich and onion rings, recommended by the waiter. It was so good! My boyfriend got a hamburger and fries and beer. Service was good, food was good. Enjoyed it!
(5)Jenna P.
I was at Stella's celebrating my daughter's birthday, and had the most amazing thoughtful server: Ruben. I wanted iced tea, and they didn't have any, so he went out on a special mission and brought me back a glass of iced tea. His service and the food were fabulous, and I will recommend it to anybody.
(5)Laura P.
why, oh why, was i talking about beer in relation to stella's in my last review??? ANYWAY, i love stella's. the whiskey selection is amazing, the food is amazing, the sangria is amazing, their dance nights are amazing...i have a lot of good memories here. the stoner mac and cheese sandwich and blt nachos are my favorites and you should try the cookie rolls at least once!
(5)John C.
This place had a really cool vibe and was rated by GQ Magazine to have the "Best Burger in America" in 2012, but this burger was so bad that it, quite possibly, was one of the worst burgers I've ever eaten! The burger had very little flavor and fell apart while eating it. There was no sear on the burger and it tasted like a flavorless meatloaf sandwich! To make matters worse, I also tried the "Ted Avacado Nugents" (fried Avacado Nuggets), and they were very greasy and had absolutely no flavor either. The one positive to take from my experience at Stella's Lounge is that the service was very good, but I was extremely disappointed in the quality of the food and have no idea why anyone could possibly proclaim that this is the Best Burger in America!!!???
(1)Jay G.
Best burgers in GR. Never say no to Stellas.
(5)Krista H.
One star goes to Laura, the most unprofessional and uncourteous manager I have met in my 10+ years working and playing in the bar scene. Last night my roommate turned 21 at midnight, and I insisted on bringing him to one of my favorite bars, Stella's. We arrived around 11:45pm, and with no door man present, walked right in. I received service at the bar without being carded, and our full table decided to order food. When the waitress came up, I informed her that my roomie was turning 21 at midnight. After insisting it shouldn't be a big deal, she got her manager, Laura, who is clearly not happy in any realm. She told my roommate, of whom had already ordered food, that he had to wait outside for the next ten minutes until he turned 21. Seriously. Unfortunately that area of GR has quite a few homeless and potentially dangerous individuals present, and we were approached by 2 in the ten minutes we were told to wait outside. Laura did not take it kindly when I questions her decision making and decided to not charge for my beers, closed my tab and banned me from the bar that evening. She also apologized to the rest of the party and discounted their food, which proved she felt poorly about her choices. Overall this experience showed the lack of solid leadership at Stella's. It is upsetting because this bar is usually so cool. I think it's time for Stella's to find a manager as impressive as their whisky list.
(1)Kathy L.
So it was my birthday celebration tonight and we had 2 parties coming in and out. Never in my life have I been kicked out of an establishment because we had "one too many people blocking the emergency exit". 1. We were not near an emergency exit 2. We had a table big enough for 6 and we had a total of 7 3. We were still ordering drinks aka giving business to the establishment. I will never come back to this business even if I live with 2 blocks away because of this ridiculousness. Stella's just lost out of their best customers. Such a bummer. We're now at hop cat. So much better. They're not kicking us out.
(1)Sasha G.
Long story short: 200 different kinds of whiskey & Mortal Kombat. Let me explain.... First thing- What am I doing in Grand Rapids, Michigan? Who knows.. But I found myself here with some peeps at around 9. After surveying the extensive menu we (actually I coerced them) decided on shots of Jameson Vintage & PBRs (served all cute in a glass jar). Jameson was awesome. I mean as a good whiskey should be.. I'm obviously no whiskey connoisseur but is "smooth" an appropriate descriptive? Smooth it was. And paired with a PBR was just classy. Place is pretty cool, divey in the refined sense of the word. And of course to top it all off: Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter arcade games!!?! Needless to say ish got wild. "Man they must be from New York."
(4)Christina C.
I just paid 11 dollars for a burger that has not been made fresh. The burger had probably been sitting around all day and when I came in to order it they reheated it a little bit. The sandwich was dry and gross. I don't know what has happened to this place. It used to be one of my favorite places to grab a burger.
(1)Jenne H.
The burgers are good, but far over rated. The staff is inattentive, for most part. Drunken pork tacos are amazing! But be prepared to spend a deal of time on service.
(3)Hanan A.
First time in Michigan and I came to Stella's to meet up with a friend that I was visiting. Parking was a breeze, and I went straight to the bar where I received an extensive whiskey menu that made me smile from ear to ear. I ordered bushmill with a splash of ginger ale. I asked the bartender for a recommendation on a popular food item. I ordered the Ted avocado Nugget (deep fried avocado on a asian slaw with a forgettable dip). I received the food and after a couple of bites I couldn't stomach it anymore. After I finished my drink it took 1/2 to flag down a bartender. Mind you I was one of four people at the bar. my area was never cleared, never asked if I needed anything, not asked if I liked the food item which was weird since I left a good portion behind. I had to ask for everything... Menu, water, and utensils. I was not impressed by the deep fried avocado there was no flavor, it felt like something you'd get at a truck stop. My friend arrived an hour and 1/2 later and I asked to leave to go to another bar. I would not recommend Stella's to anyone purely because of the horrible service, on top of the subpar apps. hopefully their other items are delicious but I don't plan on visiting again.
(2)Rene B.
Went here for the first time tonight, and had a great meal! I had the Stella Blue Burger (stuffed with blue cheese and bacon!), cooked medium, with chronic fries. The burger was messy, but delicious, and the fries were seasoned just right. It was a bit dark in the restaurant (but cool vibe). I was disappointed that the server didn't offer to tell me more about the whiskeys available (even though she was very helpful with everything else). The whiskey menu is so large, it's way overwhelming. Since it was my first time at Stella's, I wasn't sure what to pick- or frankly, what the differences were between the whiskeys. I would absolutely go back again, but next time I would definitely ask about the whiskey selection!
(4)Jen I.
Very cool atmosphere - has a lot of old school pin ball machines and a cpl games! My waiter was awesome and burgers came out pretty quickly! I ordered the Govt cheese - it was HUGE and tasty! I did add ketchup but I add that to all my burgers! The fries has some sort of "red hot" powder on them - it was good but then after eating more tasted like to much. You won't leave hungry that's for sure!
(3)Amanda L.
I always enjoy Stellas and my recent trip wasn't any different. They have the #1 rated burger in America per GQ magazine, but the Sweet Potato Black Bean Wrap will always be #1 in my heart. And if you'll looking for an appetizer, try the Ted Avocado Nuggets. They are beer battered avocado slices. Yep, that's how they roll here: They have a wide selection of vegan and vegetarian sides and dishes all with a twist. Another fun thing about Stella's is that while most bars in the Midwest have sports on 24/7, they have old Star Trek and Scooby Doo episodes going all the time. Not surprisingly, some of the best conversations I've had with people come from watching cartoons and campy favorites.
(4)Deborah R.
I was in Grand Rapids for a Griffins game (Go Griffins!) and afterwards walked down to Stella's. It was crowded like crazy, of course after the game, but luckily we managed to snag a table anyway. We came here because someone in our group said that GQ Magazine named Stella's Lounge as having 'The Best Burger in America'. And I can see why. I ordered the 'Queso Jalapeno' and it had to be one of the best burgers I have ever had in my life. The burgers are huge (half of our table didn't finish theirs) and they come with the best fries. They're called 'Chronic Fries' and they have a kick to them, watch out! I love spicy things so of course I was all about these fries. As far as ambience, Stella's is killer. It really is the perfect place to stop on a night out and if I lived in or near GR this would be one of my go-to spots, for sure. And the video games in the back are just a bonus, they had a good selection. After a few drinks and our burgers, we left and were kicking ourselves for forgetting to play them. Also: We all tried the Stellas Punch & it was definitely some variation of a 'Purple Rain', that drink is no joke. If you want one drink to hit you like a frieght train and get you riding a good buzz, then order this. Plus, you get a cute cup to take with you!
(5)Jeff M.
Finally went to Stella's during a recent trip to GR and it did not disappoint. Burger was extremely juicy, tasted like home BBQ, and the side of fries hit the spot. Definitely give this place a try..lots of burger and drink options, friendly service, and a nice vibe.
(5)Salvatore M.
Nice place to go, it's a whiskey bar...I recommend the Manhattan and old fashioned cocktails...age is young mostly.
(3)Adam B.
Voted "best burger in America" by GQ mag, their burgers are indeed amazing. Sometimes I get the Angry Pig tacos or the Poor man's chicken wings, but I usually go for a burger - they are great. The atmosphere is fun and casual and they have a wide variety of food, beers and whiskey.
(5)Becky C.
I really enjoyed my cheeseburger here (and I don't generally order burgers or beef). Great casual and trendy spot to hang out with friends. Fairly loud and dark atmosphere, with lots of classic video games from the 80's. I like the red booths at the far end, which used to be part of the old speakeasy (before the remodel). Probably not diet friendly because of the large amount of fried offerings. They do have some vegetarian options.
(4)Alicia I.
Stella's is such a great place! Awesome menu, fun atmosphere, Great drinks, and delicious food. I love the arcade games and sci fi classics playing on the televisions. Definitely one of Grand Rapids' best spots!
(5)Tina C.
Came for dinner. Crowded place filled with a younger folks (or so it seemed). It was extremely difficult to get a waiter at the random tables you sit at and we were confused as to who were waiters or customers. Finally just went straight to the bar where the bar tender was very busy but took decent care of us. Got a burger, tater tots, and the Cuban burger which I liked most out of the 3. Onion ring option with the burger seemed a little stale. The tots. Saw a picture and description on yelp which made me want to get it but it was very disappointing. It's fried and crunchy on the outside with a little too much seasoning and on the inside it's very mushy. I wasn't sure what I was eating. However, the place had tons of old school arcades (street fighter, mortal combat 2, knock out, pacman, tetris, pinball machines) and played old school cartoon (looney toons, the Jetsons, Scooby-Doo) which was awesomeee. Overall though. Wouldn't go back. Not a lot of drink options. But if u enjoy beer, they got some various different ones
(2)Ken M.
Stella's does burgers some serious justice. They have a fantastic bourbon and whisky selection, great collection of video games, and friendly service.
(5)Susan G.
We went to try Stella's last night for their $5 off stuffed burgers (first time there for us). I had the Gov't Cheese stuffed burger and Bob had the Fables burger. I was surprised I didn't care for the taste of the meat. I ate 1/2 though. A street person ( or a really smart broke guy that had a craving and knew where to position himself) got the other half " you gonna eat that?". The chronic fries were great. Bob enjoyed his burger. I loved the atmosphere (although way to dark to take worthy photos of my food). I played 6 games of Millipeed ( Bob kicked my ass) and 2 games of Qubert. Place was packed (usually is I hear, especially on Thursday night). Drinks were great. Loved the place! Can't wait to go back and try their Cubano.
(4)Prashant S.
One of the best burgers I ever had, keep it up!!
(5)Patrick K.
Sounds trite but one of the best burgers you'll ever eat. A little hipster in that they take pride in not showing football which is a sissy bitch move, but burgers and service are amazing. Also, the TV's have different classic films running on mute the entire time. I got a homeless guy in the restroom who I ended up giving a buck to just so he wouldn't stare at my genitalia. He asked for two and I had to tell him to F off. I told him to pretend like he was an attendant so people wouldn't turn him in. He didn't listen and I watched him get bounced shortly afterward. What a burger!
(5)Keaton M.
Best burger I have ever tasted, and I have had a lot. Their menu consists of about eight specialty burgers and they all sounded so unique and good. The fries were a little spicy, but I like the spice so it didn't bother me. The drink menu was incredible. Although I'm not a whisky drinker, their two page menu sure was impressive! I settled on a Michigan drafted beer they had on tap. Don't be fooled by the fact this is technically considered a bar, this place is amazing!
(5)Jenny S.
The number one spot for a burger, fries and brew. It's a pretty young crowd with a typical bar environment. The vintage pinball machines are pretty sweet too. My only complaint would be the confusing and inconvenient entrances. One entrance is in the front and the other is on the other side of the bar. Kind of annoying when looking for the hostess to get your name down. Overall was very please with food and service! The service is young, friendly and relaxed. Service is quick as well. Lastly, they have a respectable selection of craft beer on tap...but then again this is beer city
(5)Dan O.
Very cool vibe, with vintage video games. Took my family here for lunch. My son is a burger aficionado, so he was skeptical but hopeful when he read that GQ magazine gave them a great review for their burger. I've never seen that kid eat a burger so fast, so quietly. He was in heaven. Once he finished, all he could say was, "Wow. That is the BEST burger I've ever eaten." Which is saying something, because he's had burgers all around the country, and has a personal rating system, giving the bun, patty, and condiments a 1-10 rating - he's serious about burgers. He gave this on a 10 on all categories! Impressive beer list, equally impressive scotch and bourbon list, funky cool vibe (Reminds me a bit of BuzzBrews in Deep Ellum Dallas), definitely a place to stop when you are in GR.
(5)Griff G.
The staff seems to be very confident in the "national" rating of their BURGER. Nothing else. Bartenders, severs are all hilariously rude and play into the hipster / "don't care" vibe -- head down Ionia for something better
(2)Heather F.
There are signs all around Stella's that say "best best burger in America" according to various magazines. I was skeptical. I got The Buffalo---a beef burger stuffed with blue cheese and bacon, topped with franks hot sauce and celery mayo. It.was.delicious. The burger itself was soft without being mushy, and truly "stuffed" with cheesy bacon-y goodness. The celery mayo was warm and creamy, almost like a Boursin sauce. The fries were truly unique with a salty, slightly spicy fried coating. We also had the bacon popcorn, which melted in your mouth like butter and had just the right amount of flavor without being overwhelming. There are many vegan options, and not just the kind that are traditional dishes without the meat. Intentional, homemade vegan options---they even have vegan ranch! We had great service and I highly recommend this place!
(5)Angie M.
Burger and fry amazingness.....vibe, drinks and music are cool. Very busy. But they were out of AVOCADO AND donut holes?!?!?! NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But the burgers are worth a visit!
(4)Andrea S.
The food was great but it was so very crowded! It's a small space so we could not walk without running into and rubbing up against other people. Our waitress wasn't exactly all the great...a bit grumpy. Lots of old video goes to play as well. Not much for parking on the weekends, so get there early!
(4)Amber C.
We came to Stella's for dinner on a Saturday evening, after finding out that Hop Cat had an hour wait and I'm really glad it worked out that way! There was a wait when we arrived, but we didn't care because they had tons arcade games to keep us busy while we waited. We played one game of Pac Man and Mortal Kombat and our table was ready! The atmosphere here is really cool and fun. It doesn't feel like your typical bar/restaurant. Our waiter was super friendly and helped my boyfriend pick out a whiskey he thought he would like since they have about one million to choose from - they literally have a whole menu, two sides, of whiskey, scotch and bourbons. We both got a burgers. I got the Hot Stuff burger which was stuffed with jalapenos and pepper jack cheese and he got the Stella Blue which was stuffed with blue cheese and bacon. They were both delicious and the fries that came on the side were amazing. We went to 10 different bars/restaurants in Grand Rapids during our mini-vacation weekend and of them all, Stella's was number one! We would definitely go back if we find ourselves on that side of the state again!
(5)Jessica W.
Good beer, friendly staff, great burgers, and old school video games to play when you're sufficiently buzzed. Soup of the day was listed as "whiskey." I appreciate that.
(4)Christina S.
The food is great, but the snobby servers and management who aren't willing to hold themselves accountable for mistakes ruined it all. Me and my party are in the service industry and generally deplore yelp reviews, however, tonight was one for the books. I get it, most people don't know the difference between bourbon and rye whiskey. Most people won't notice when your drink has been sitting in a shaker of ice for several minutes before being served. Most people don't understand that bitters don't make. Your drink sweeter...But me and my party did. And when you advertise yourself as a whiskey bar then expect your customers to maybe, just maybe, know the basics. ...so we were treated poorly by an extremely passive-aggressive server who didn't even have the confidence to put her name on our receipt. The manager offered us a round of drinks... made incorrectly, watered down, and served with a horrendous attitude? No thanks, Stella's. Enjoy your 20% tip regardless, because we all you don't care.
(2)Karen Jason G.
Although I've been to Stella's before, my husband wanted to check out GQ magazine's "Best Burger in America" . I had the Stella Blue which is a burger stuffed with Blue Cheese and bacon and he had GOV'T CHEESE which I found humorous since he recently retired from the federal government. Both were served with fries which you can request to be made mild if you don't like a lot of spice on them. We thought they were a bit on the pricey side at $11.50 a piece which was interesting as most of the crowd looked to be college aged or perhaps young professional. They must have better paying jobs than I did when in college :) The burger's are huge however, so I had the 2nd half as lunch the next day which made the price a bit more reasonable. Décor is dark and fun, but it's loud so not a place for a quiet dinner. The COSMO's get a high 9 from me. Stop before or after a downtown concert.
(3)Randall K.
How could GQ or any reputable reviewer claim Stellas would be worthy of a 'Best Burger' award? Having eaten at 25 Degrees in Los Angeles, Au Cheval in Chicago, and the Burger Joint in NYC, Stellas burgers should not even crack the top 100 burger choices in the US. The quality of the meat here is terrible, and the fries were bland and regular. Pass, don't fall for the hype.
(2)Carson L.
Good place, except for the host. The dude with the dreds. We wait for an hour to hear our name called, only to ask and be told "ya we called, too bad." If you go, make sure to hover around the front so they don't treat you like a common animal. I like places that pride themselves on the "chill" factor, but for the love of God, you had one job. Be a proper human and have the courtesy to announce the name that's written in front of you. Its not hard.
(2)Christos M.
They have cut down their Whisky list!?!? And I have no idea why. Stella's used to be a great place to go try different whiskies that you either could not afford a bottle or you heard about from somewhere. Not anymore. Very disappointed they decided to cut down. No more Highland Park 15 and 18 yr old which is what I miss the most. Food is decent better than a normal bar. The burgers are really good and at some point were worth the GQ award. They also have a sandwich that was voted Grand Rapids best, give it a try (best grandwich). Their chronic fries give Hopcat's crack fries a run for their money. Has a hole in the wall vibe, which used to be tolerable when they had over 200 whiskies but now just makes me depressed. The arcade and pinball machines are great (who doesn't wish they still had a Mortal Kombat or Galaga machine?). This used to be a Grand Rapids must for me but sadly not anymore. 3 stars because they still have a good list of whiskies and a nice beer selection. Would be 2 stars if their food wasn't as good as it is.
(3)Jason B.
Best burger in America says GQ..... It's a really good burger, at a fun place, but a stretch to call it the best in America. The burger is the same concept of the Juicy Lucy which was put on the map in Minneapolis, but the one at Stella's is definitely a little bigger than any of the ones I've had up in the cities. Waiter was really good and helpful with recommendations of things to do in the area. It was a really good choice for lunch.
(4)Craig J.
HIPSTERS GALORE!!! So many hipsters I kinda started feeling unwelcomed not being in their douchebaggish uniform after dark, but I stood strong against their oppression. Food is always good. Amazing selection of whiskeys. Pin ball machines look like fun but the place is so crowded that it's hard to get a chance to play them. Burgers are great, but despite what GQ Magazine says this is not the best burger in America, I think it is the location, decor, whiskey selection, and general hipsterness..... But I digress. THIS PLACE IS GOOD AND YOU SHOULD TRY IT
(4)Jenna J.
Had a really hard time with this place. First of all when we first checked in the host, was super evasive in regards to how long we would wait... "how long should I wait?"...in sassy response" until I call you." It was so rude and embarrassing, my friend was visiting from Korea, what a terrible impression. Due to the lack of description of wait time, we sat at the bar. We ordered two entrees, anxiously waiting for our food, we saw our food come out 45 minutes later and delivered to the couple next to us who touched everything and made our food unsalvageable. In trying to explain to the bartender that the couple got our food, he denied it, he also denied it to the couple who was missing the olives on their "olive burger" - again obviously because that was my friends big ballah burger. It was eventually realized when the bartender apologized for our long wait...as we kept waiting... And waiting. Eventually he admitted that that the couple did in fact had our food. Since we were going to a show at the van andel we decided to leave without a lunch, with only a rude staff interaction and 1 hour of wasting our time. After the show at the van andel, we should of learned our lesson, however we decided to return to stellas because my Korean friend really wanted to try the best burger. We got a seat right away, ordered, and sadly received cold food and disgusting sauce that tasted nothing like the description. The vegetarian wings tasted like something stale out of the garbage that they collected and didn't even bother to microwave. The waiter was hardly understanding and made me feel like it was my fault that their BBQ sauce tastes like honey mustard (with no adequate description on the menu) . Very disappointed, especially for my friend.
(1)Kerry F.
Went on a Thursday and it was totally worth the wait. We each got burgers which were of course delicious but we also got the Porky's Revenge appetizer and oh man, that was the best. The ginger sauce served with was sublime. Good beer variety and of course the arcade was a hit with our kids (we went early)
(4)Nicole G.
Went here before a Griffins game. Loved the atmosphere and the beer menu. The food was mostly great. We started with pork eggs rolls which were phenomenal. I expected the burgers to be one of my top 5 because of all the hype , but I was slightly disappointed. The flavor was there..... But the texture was off. It tasted like they made the patties then froze them..... It was odd. But I would definitely go back because it was still a good burger and a nice place.
(4)Marino C.
If you are a pinball and whiskey lover then this is your bar. I like the ambience of the place; loud but not enough so that you can't talk to your table. There's people even on a Monday at this bar. I had the Auchentoshan classic whisky, really good 80 proof whisky. Also, I had the hot stuff burger and it was really good. This burger has pepper jack cheese and jalapeños stuff in it so its a must try.
(5)Paul M.
I really wanted to love Stella's, but just found it average. It was recommended to eat there by some locals as I was visiting Grand Rapids on business. First off, I loved the decor and look of the place. Dark gothic undertones with a fun retro 80's arcade video game vibe. And the arcade games were actually functional. :) I ordered some beer battered onion rings for an appetizer. Not amazing, not bad. Just average. Since they are known for their burgers, I went with a 1/2 pound order of "Hot Stuff", a jalepeno stuffed burger with diced onions. This also comes with habanero mustard, to really kick up the heat. The first turn off is that the burger was so soggy that it kept disintegrating in my hands. Very messy. The heat was definitely present in the burger, but that is about it. It was hot, but didn't resonate with flavor. Honestly, the burgers at 5 Guys are much better, in my opinion. As a side with my burger, I ordered the chronic fries. I love spicy food, so I thought I would love it. I actually really disliked it... I guess they used Frank's Chili Sauce in a powder form and cover the fries with it. Wasn't too hot, but was sour -- not how I like my fries. I also sensed a very "elitist" vibe from the servers there. I know they are going for an alternative feel, but it was almost somewhat snobby; as if I should have been more alternative myself with piercings and tattoos. Would not go back again, but worth trying.
(2)Susan M.
Went on burger night (Thursdays) and got $5 off all burgers. Great deal but be prepared to wait (45-60 min for 2) or sit at the bar and eat. My husband sat at the bar and had a great time. Bartenders were very attentive and knowledgeable. I ordered the Buffalo burger which was probably...no, it was the best burger I'd ever eaten. The combo of flavors (franks red hot, blue cheese and celery mayo...what) is what did it for me. The burger it self was cooked to my liking, a little over medium. I could've done without the fries...completely unnecessary in my book. But we did order the Ted Nuggets and would get them again. And again. And again. Good beer selection also! Overall, a great stop. I will say the decor is a bit hipster for my taste but I had no problem with being comfortable.
(5)Elizabeth M.
This place was alright. It's my friend's favorite bar, so we stopped in (I'll admit it was a little early for both me and my friends, as well as the bar life). It was a chill atmosphere, but seemed rather boring. I got a sex on the beach and there was too much orange juice (I hate oranges to begin with but can usually tolerate it in a mixed drink). I'd definitely give it another try, but from first impressions, I wasn't very impressed.
(2)Dan P.
Went twice: very unique atmosphere and friendly staff. The fries are unbelievable. Had the Buffalo Burger: first time was tremendous. Ordered again two months later and it wasn't great.
(4)Mark F.
The food is great but my table ordered 4 different beers on tap and all 4 tasted awful. The New Holland Poet was oxygenated, Bell's Two Hearted was soapy, Founders Pale was watery, and an Irish Stout was very flat. If you come here, order bottled beer!
(2)Amanda J.
My husband took me for a surprise day trip to Grand Rapids to visit one of our favorite vegan restaurants (Bartertown) only to get there and they were completely closed down. So we found Stella's and went there for lunch. It was totally worth it! Their food was great and the environment was supper fun. The only thing I didn't really like is that when we walked in we didn't know what to do. Being out-of-towners we were trying to figure out if we should seat ourselves or not and there were no signs or wait staff to talk to us. Finally we sat down and after about 5 minutes someone came to us (even though they were standing ten feet away from us the entire 5 minutes). All in all I would go there again.
(4)Jana L.
Amazing! I thought I had eaten a good burger before but not until I came here did I really have a good burger!
(5)Teresa M.
Absolutely love this place! Great for adults and kids love the arcades. Dive bar feel with really good food. I had a sandwich with brie and pork belly that was amazing. The Bloody Mary was simply delicious. My husband loves the beer selection and the burgers. This is our new favorite local spot since we relocated from DC.
(5)Joyce E.
Awful establishment!! Disrespectful staff would never recommend to my worst enemy! This red head woman bish on staff was evil and thought she owned the bar.
(1)Brittany B.
Best burger (and fries) I've ever had. GQ is spot on...best burger in America. When family is in town we always bring them to Stellas
(5)Elizabeth G.
Stella's is really good. I always get a cheese stuffed burger and the hobo wings (I think that's what they are called on the menu). The hobo wings are potatoes quartered and deep fried and then tossed in wings sauce. There is something about them that is so pleasing. Stella's is also a whiskey bar so they literally have hundreds of whiskeys to choose from. I have been here countless times and I will keep going back when I visit Grand Rapids. The decor is cool too - they have tons of old pinball backboards decorating the walls and retro arcade games populate the entrance area. You can actually play these games for a quarter a play. Arcade Punch Out? Yes, please!
(5)Whitney O.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks. You cannot go wrong here. Their burgers are amazing, the fries addicting, drinks stiff and early Simpsons/ others great old TV on in the background. ALWAYS packed on the weekend and later evenings so just be ready for lines. They have a DJ on the weekends too, always fun.
(5)Scott C.
I've been to Stella's twice now, once with my sales team and another time with a group of friends and family. I think they have one of the coolest websites I've ever seen for a restaurant, loved their descriptions of their food and the description of the restaurant experience that they offer their patrons. Love the decor, video games and unique menu items. Our servers were great both times, very attentive and helpful regarding recommendations. The stuffed tots and wings were popular appetizers and the gov't cheese burger was ordered by several people on both occasions. The fried avocado appetizer was probably my favorite. It's a great place to hang out with friends/family and we love the music they play, a lot of classic rock. One of downtown GR's best.
(4)Daniel H.
I was eyeing this place as I was researching places to eat before I flew into Grand Rapids for work. This was a bar/arcade place. Once I entered, I was told to find a place to sit anywhere so I walked towards the back to look around. There were arcade machines and pinball machines which was cool. I don't think I had ever been to a bar like this before. I sat in the front and the waitress asked what I wanted to drink. I told her I wanted a soda (more specifically a Pepsi which was $2) and she asked to see my ID. I was surprised and she said she had to check because it was a bar. I didn't get it but whatever. The Stella Blue burger ($10) was the most popular/most ordered burger here but it didn't appeal to me. Instead, I ordered the Big Ballah burger ($11) with what they called Chronic Fries. The Chronic Fries were fries with chili powder covering almost everything. It sounded more interesting than onion rings. Lol the food probably took almost 30 minutes to come out. I wasn't in a hurry to go anywhere so it was fine to me. The Big Ballah burger was huge! I liked the cheddar-stuffed jalapeño popper in the burger and the bacon had a smokey flavor to it which was good to me. The Chronic Fries were good but spicy. It turned my fingers all red and almost the same if you were to eat flaming hot Cheetos. It wasn't something I would try or order again. The soda was in a bottle which was okay. I didn't play anything but I'm sure I would've been there a lot longer. Overall, I thought it was a good place to order some burgers with a fun atmosphere.
(4)Jeremy C.
I've been to Stella's a few times, and the service there has ranged from "not very good" to "absolutely atrocious. " The last time I went there was squarely on the "absolutely atrocious" end of the spectrum. I was treated with such rudeness and hostility that I would have to be a masochist to ever go back there again. Don't worry, though; I won't be making that mistake.
(1)Mary H.
I had heard rumors of Stella's having the best burger in Grand Rapids so I decided to try it. I was NOT dissapointed! It was sooo good! I split the queso burger with my husband and instantly regretted not having the other half! Best burger! Fun atmosphere!
(5)Alea G.
I must say that I've been very pleasantly surprised by the food I've had in Grand Rapids so far. As a snotty Californian, I didn't come with high expectations but have been so happy with what I've had so far. Today's venture was to Stella's Lounge. I already came in with high expectations. I mean, greasy food goes well with retro arcade games. This place surpassed expectations. Despite my carnivorous leanings, I went with an all vegan meal today. I started with the Ted Avocados Nugents. So, avocados are pretty much the greatest gift to the world to begin with. I didn't think frying could make them better, but they did. They most definitely did. Went with the vegan chicken wings, next. They were good. They were fried well with a nice crispy glaze around them. Additionally, they didn't taste like they were trying to be chicken. They stood on their own. I appreciated that. Then, I went with the black been Hippie burger. that was good. I have a serious love for black bean burgers and the tempeh bacon added a nice crisp to the burger. The true star of the meal, though, were the french fries. I told myself that I'd limit my fry intake, but this was a pleasant exception. They tasted like they were covered in some sort of buffalo wing dry rub, so they went really well with the ranch dressing. Of course, this all went down very well with the double IPA I had. This renewed my (temporarily) forgotten love for IPAs. This all would have been an incredibly satisfying experience in itself, but when you add retro arcade games with Ren & Stimpy and classic Bugs Bunny cartoons, you are in true paradise. Well done, Stella's. You've won my heart.
(5)Jackie O.
A server at Founder's said this was a great spot for drinking whiskey. A very drunk bachelor party said we HAD to get the burgers (rated #1 by GQ). Well, that was a tough sell. If you are lucky enough to find a seat amonst the pinball and classic atari machines, you're going to eat some excellent food. We ordered stuffed tots with bacon, cheese and bleu cheese dip. Tasted as good as it sounds. Got the gov't cheese burgers (stuffed with aged white cheddar). I was surprised the server asked me how I wanted my burger done (since... you know, the middle is made out of cheese?), and it seemed to come out on the darker side of medium. Still great! My friends burger apparently was an "oozer" and lost all its cheese on the grill. They had to remake it, but were fast about it. I loved the spicy fries, but they probably aren't for everybody. We tried to come back Saturday night, but the bar was already over capacity by 11.
(5)Beth H.
So where did my previous review go? So here we go again. Hipster crowd and place. Can't believe how packed it is w college kids on a Thursday night in the summer. Tons of drafts but nothing notable as they had none of the New Holland or New Belgium on tap when we visited. Service is grumpy and spotty. Food selection is interesting and intentionally spicy to keep you drinking, I am sure. LOVED the video games and TVs showing all the retro cartoons. It's a ADHD kid's heaven. So much to see, do and pulls your attention everywhere but at your table. Neat place to hang out but don't go for conversation, too loud.
(4)Mary B.
Never again! Not quite sure, what GQ magazine was thinking! But, I need to remember that was two years ago! Incredibly rude staff! Burgers served cold and tasted terrible! I think between the seven of us, maybe one whole burger consumed! Tried to squeeze seven of us in to a table for four! Of course the rude staff member wanted to tell me how usually six adults sit there, but he would give us three more seats! You could obviously see from other tables in the restaurant the table was made for four! Wanted to give him a lesson in math and matching but you can't teach ------! Hope you take this review serious before you drop over hundred dollars to go eat somewhere else!
(1)Derrick V.
I love the burgers at this place. I have tried a few and would recommend it to others. I enjoy the laid back kind of dark environment. The old school Scooby-doo and Jetsons are awesome in the background. There is something to them that makes them interesting.
(5)Alana V.
A few weeks back my sister in law and I had a rather interesting and uncomfortable experience at Stella's. Our server Matt (redhead) made several vulgar and lewd advances. We thought we made it clear his advances were unwelcome but he didn't give up. He even tried rubbing my sister in law's shoulders and told us to relax. We couldn't believe this all really happened. We usually have such good experiences with the servers there. Excellent food but this man is quite the creeper. I'm not sure either of us feel comfortable going there ever again.
(2)Becky T.
It's an okay burger but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. We were passing through and it looked interesting so we thought we'd give it a try. I had the Stella Blue and my husband had the Gov't Cheese. I thought mine was ok and he didn't care for his at all. We ordered a plain burger for the kids which ended up coming with all the toppings on it and our waiter pushed back when we ordered it plain and kept suggesting that we order one of their specialties for the kids. I wouldn't recommend it as a place to bring kids.
(3)Brian B.
Very crowded and tough to eat at bar. Burger was good but not best in America! Hodads in San Diego is best in the U.S! Better and best fries in U.S. Around the block at HopCat.
(3)Aaron S.
The atmosphere is cool, albeit a little calculated. The not real arcade machines give away the facade. It seems to work for hipsters and grown ups alike though - the place is always packed. The big fuss is over their blue burger thanks to GQ magazine. Mysteries abound. Take away the toppings and condiments and you have a fairly flavorless disc of ground mediocrity before you. Skip the over rated burgers and get the poor man's chicken wings - breaded, deep fried, tossed in sauce potato wedges. My mouth waters at the thought. Return if the calculated irony of the place makes you feel safe, west michigan style.
(3)Aaron M.
The new and improved Stella's (better layout, more windows, better food) is definitely new and improved, but still has a ways to go -- particularly when it comes to service. Great whiskey selection (and decent whisky selection) but the bartenders are typically unfriendly and/or clueless. Last time in I asked for a cocktail menu for my wife and the bartender responded that they didn't have one and handed me the drink menu...which includes a cocktail section. She then didn't know how to make any of the cocktails on the list, nor even a basic Old Fashioned. Top that off with the fact that it was Halloween week and the costumes that the staff were wearing were likely violative of the health code (one of the bartenders clearly bought his "costume" at the Lion's Den). Great concept but poor execution. Too many other options in Grand Rapids for me to continue being disappointed here.
(2)Alex K.
Came in at about 6:15 on a Thursday. Sat down at about 7:15. My main reason for coming here? Of course, the "Best Burger in America." Well, I walked in with two others and we were initially happy to see no line -- until we saw "See host at back of restaurant" ... once we get back there, there are about 15 people and a huge list of names. Oh joy! We got our names down, and, as said above, we waited an hour or so, maybe a bit longer. There are quite a few arcade machines around, but with all the people around, it'd be pretty uncomfortable. From what I could tell, most people used them just to lean on. They add a nice bit of character to the bar, as do the shows that play on the TV. While there, I noticed Ren and Stimpy and Star Trek. I ordered the Queso Jalapeno burger expecting a whole lot of awesome... hugely disappointed. Not just by the fact that I waited an hour to sit down and order, but because the burger was COLD. Not only that, the burger didn't even appear to be stuffed or have much queso at all. Any cheese this burger did have was on top of it and still cold, as I could see that it was shredded cheese. Additionally, I ordered a medium rare burger, but mine was medium. That's a minor annoyance though, because I'm not all that picky with how my meat is cooked. So now you're wondering, "Hey shithead, why didn't you send it back?" Simple answer... I was too damn hungry to wait for another to be made. On the plus side -- the BIG plus side -- the fries were phenomenal. At first bite, I noticed that they seemed to have hot sauce in the batter or something like that, as they had a very nice vinegary, spicy kick. Nothing too hot, but definitely there. Without a doubt, the fries were better than the burger in my mind. My sister said her burger was hot and thought it was very good, she just said the obvious -- she wouldn't want to stand around for an hour waiting for it. My dad got some loaded tater tots and pickled vegetables. The loaded tater tots were very good, but they were more like fried mashed potatoes, as the inside was sort of creamy -- not like the texture of a tater tot at all. I'd get myself an order myself if I were to go back, because they tasted that fine and dandy. Stella's has a nice arcadey aesthetic to it with some promising food, but I was pretty hugely disappointed by my seeming "reject" burger. Again, it didn't seem to be stuffed, the cheese wasn't melted, and worst of all, the burger was cold. I'd visit Stella's again to give it another shot, but I sure as HELL would not want to wait for about 70 minutes like I did. It's a good burger, but there are a few places closer to my house that can make one better, and I don't need to drive 3 hours to get it.
(3)Jenny H.
Good burgers? Yes. The best burger in America? No. The burger patties are stuffed with a whatever you choose as your burger, I went with the Stella Blue Stuffed Burger in which the patty is mixed with bacon and blue cheese. The bun was moist and toasted, and the patty itself was pretty good. But nothing struck me as particularly delicious or unique about the burger. And the fries were just OK, I could not taste anything different about them, they were just perhaps slightly spicy. The stuffed tots in the beginning were good, stuffed with bacon and cheese, with blue cheese on top.
(3)Marin C.
I had the pleasure of visiting this place with some friends for their birthdays this past weekend (one was last week, one's next week so they split the difference). I ate the hippie burger and the french fries. Burger was decent, fries on the spicy side, I liked them other friends not so much. Another friend ordered the nacho app and it was good. I tried a Vandermills peach-ginger cider, it was okay, a bit on the bitter side, probably due to the ginger. Overall, I am a fan. The music was alright, we danced a small amount (the dj took our photo, that was nice). Service was very kind, our friend has friends. Lol. Perhaps there were some hipsters about and finding the restrooms was a lil' marco polo expedition, but overall a fun place and pretty reasonable on prices.
(4)Cory S.
Stella's is a must whenever I come back to visit Grand Rapids. Sometimes I'm in the mood to get with old friends and have a night of seeing who can get the high score in pacman or just want to chill, drink some whiskey and talk about the good ole times! Either way the atmosphere of Stella's is great for any social occasion.
(5)jim S.
Stopped by here for a quick bite before a show. Surprised by how busy it was, wait took about 45 minutes for a table. All of the staff were very friendly and the service was quick.Kind of a bummer that with so many people crammed into such a small spot there was not a lot of room to play the video games, of which about three or four were broken and taking up valuable space. The food was good, but not great. I had a Blue Cheese Burger and Fries, my wife had the Sweet Potato Black Bean Burrito. I would like to give this place another shot sometimes as the menu had a lot of interesting choices, but if its crazy long wait you may be better off finding one of the many other spots right within a few blocks that are just as good or better.
(3)John A.
Oh my did I fall in love with their burger. I honestly have to say that this is one of the best burgers I have ever had in my life. The meat is just perfect and I love how the cheese comes inside the meat patty. The bread on the burger is superb and the fries are to die for. Been here twice and I loved it. The atmosphere was great and the wait time wasn't that long for the food. Definitely will be back soon!
(5)Miss P.
Freakin awesome music selection!! Violent femmes... who does that anymore?? Love it... Great food too!! Philly sandwich, fried avocado, porky's revenge all excellent... surprisingly their burgers were just aight. Stella's Punch is a must if you're ready to get wasted and fast! Very cool place and staff.
(5)Andrew Y.
The food is really good. The stuffed burgers aren't available many other places around GR. The government cheese and queso burgers are great. The portions are big, so you won't leave hungry. They don't advertise enough their awesome whiskey selection. Neat retro beers served in jelly jars is also fun. The bummers... Arcade area is neat, but they could use more seating during weekends. It can get pretty crowded so get there early. Clientele don't appear to eat and go...they stick around. Service can be slow during busy times even at the bar. Glad to have Stella's in GR and congrats on getting noticed by GQ.
(3)Maurice F.
You come here for the burgers and crack fries. Stella's has found a bit of an older crowd on certain days but it didn't matter. Ate some great food, the waiter was awesome, service was prompt for the time of day we went. I can't stress enough though... eat the burgers here. You won't regret it.
(5)Glenn V.
The half and quarter star system needs to be applied here are 3..3/4 starts are in order. Very cool ambiance, dark and NYC Downtown nightclub-ish with Speed Racer, Land of the Lost & an all time favorite of mine, good 'ole Scooby Doo playing upon the flat screens. Deep fried avocado (Ted Avocado Nuggets)-what a concept and totally delivered the flavor pact punch I had hoped. The slices/nuggets kept their moisture inside these encrusted beauties.The Stuffed tots were very thick, almost clumpy, the bacon, cheddar & chive stuffing brought a wonderful balance. At $6.00 for four, it was a good deal, not so much with the burgers as were at $11.00 each. The Queso Burger beat out my Mr. Fables which was a burger built with olives, good in theory but was not what my palate had envisioned. To me the best of the lunch options I had consumed in my 3 times at Stella's was the Angry Pig Taco's. The 2 pitchers of Sangria were good in look, concept but lacked in taste and overall alcohol consistency. The mustard oddly enough was amazing as was the Cole slaw. Mustard has a jalapeno infused bite that warmed your throat and the Cole slaw has a coriander or cumin taste that will be long remembered.
(3)K S.
Booze selection! Awesome! Last time I was here they had a grilled cheese with mac & cheese inside. Awesome! Music was decent and the server was very helpful helping us decide what adult beverages to choose next!
(4)Valerie G.
Hipsters say hey~~! We stopped in after a wedding on a weekend night- and it was crazy crowded, but in a good way. They serve their beer in mason jars, which is super fun, and have a crazy selection of beers for your enjoyment. They also have a good assortment of foods on the menu - lots of veggie options for those who don't like the meat :) The waitstaff was busy, but attentive enough to keep us happy - All in all, an enjoyable experience.
(4)Jay A.
The fries were great! The burger was okay, but the flavor just wasn't there. The drink menu was pretty good too! Gave this place another try a few months later, got the jalapeño queso burger with sangria and it was amazing! Can't wait to go back!
(5)John M.
Excellent local beer. The menu is great and well rounded. I have prolly eaten here too many times but I would like to see some seasonal variety to keep things fresh.
(4)Danielle P.
The good - The atmosphere is cool, retro video games and old school cartoons on big screens and interesting art. The burger that I had was very good, excellent flavor and more than enough to eat. I also had fries and a cup of chili, all great flavors. The whiskey menu is huge and exhaustive, with probably close to 30 Irish alone. The waitress was nice, the music was good. The prices were fine. The bad - It was too dark, like out of a Girl with the Dragon Tattoo movie, the music was a bit too loud (I know it says it right on the website), and we had a problem with our drink order. We ordered expensive whiskeys, and diet cokes in a way that we thought was clear we wanted them separately. The waitress brought them back to us as mix drinks. If I had been her, I probably would have said, "did you want that rather pricey version of Tullermore Dew as a mix drink?". Although our burgers were quite tasty, the buns were pretty greasy. The ugly - When my Mom told the waitress about the mix up, she looked like we had given her an unsolvable Rubik's Cube and said she'd need a manager. The bleach-blonde bartender/manager came over, chewed us out for for ordering wrong with a passive-aggressive smile and cigarette breath (I'm sure we did, but we'd never been there before), gave us the proper drinks, acted like adding ice to the diet coke would have been so much extra work on her part, and snatched away the screwed-up drinks. Again, I'm sure that we ordered wrong, but give me a break. It was a serious lack of customer relations skills. Good food, but I don't think I'd go out of my way to go back.
(2)Mande B.
OMG. Everything about this place makes me happy. Fun atmosphere, old cartoons showing on various TV's, rows of vintage video games and the most amazing burger I've ever had. The hubs and I split the Stella burger served with chronic fries and a side of ranch. Freaking amazing - I'm sad my stomach has a capacity. I'm glad I don't live in this area because lord knows I'd spend A LOT of time eating burgers and fries paired with delish beers. Enough raving - enjoy life by stopping at this place and eat a burger. For those of us who aren't carnivores, they've also got an extensive herbivore menu...
(5)Sean M.
I never get tired of Stella's - not only is the food great (they get my vote for the best burger in GR) but the whiskey selection is stellar and the people watching is superb. A night at Stella's isn't the fashion / freak show that it is at so many other pubs, so if your idea of a beautiful lady involves cleavage, Body Bling or strategically placed highlights you may want to imbibe elsewhere. But if your special kind of eye candy includes tattoos, angular haircuts and intelligent conversation, pull up a stool and order a round. Stella's is your kind of place.
(4)Jes S.
We were in Grand Rapids for a wedding, and we had heard what a bar town GR is becoming. A friend recommended Stella's, both for the atmosphere, whiskies, and the food. Things I loved: - The Food! TheFood, the food the food. So many vegetarian options! We had vegan black bean wings. THEY WERE GREAT, as were the fries! - I had a Gov't Cheese burger... and I WANT ALL OF MY BURGERS TO TASTE LIKE THAT ALL OF THE TIME. There's a reason they won Best Burger in the US by GQ.. - 200 affordable whiskies - Affordable beers - Pinball machines and games and things on walls that made my husband feel young again! - Server was FANTASTIC, bartender was DELIGHTFUL Things I didn't love: - After 10pm... it becomes a douche haven. Or at least haven for young drinkers who don't know what they're doing... So 4 stars, because I loved the place SO SO much. But I don't know if I'd go after dark... just to avoid the crowd/throngs of wild drinkers
(4)Megan B.
Now this place is good. It has great burgers and music and great service. My fries we're delish and my burger was well cooked. It was fresh and pretty. I really enjoyed this awesome place. I would totally come here again.
(5)Matt P.
Fantastic whiskey list! Best I have seen in town, bar-none. Came here around 5:30 on a Friday night-- wait for a table was 30 minutes but we were able to belly up at the bar while we waited. The menu is interesting-- obviously the stuffed burgers are what these guys are known for, but there were so many more things that looked good. Ordered some of the stuffed tots to start-- great! Although I'm not sure I would consider them a true tot (more like breaded cheese), they were quite tasty. In terms of main food, wife and I each had a burger on this visit. They were good. Not great, but a solid good. Only negative was that I couldn't help but feel service was a tad slow. We weren't in a huge rush to get anywhere, which kept this from being a real complaint, but I just have to say I did feel our waitress wasn't the most attentive. So, to sum it up-- whiskey list is a 5, food is a 4, service (this visit, at least) was a 3.5, so I'll average it out to a 4.
(4)Kristen M.
Everything I tasted was delicious : Jalapeño poppers w/ bacon ranch Grilled cheese w/ pesto, spinach, tomato BBQ faux-chicken sandwich Sweet potato & black bean wrap Breads are from Nantucket Baking Co, which I LOVE. Especially delicious were their spicy fries & dipping sauces, like the hot mustard and one that tasted like hot wing sauce.
(5)Kenjamin S.
I've been seeing a trend with these places owned by the Sellers... poor staffing. BUT delicious food!! I love the burgers at stellas, especially the jalapeno stuffed burger. and their fries are almost as chronic as hopcat.. almost. I haven't always felt disappointed with Stellas though. I've been going to Stellas for years... since it didn't have a back half and it was only accessable from the alley and you could go at 11:30am. It has certainly came a long way from being a hole in the wall that nobody went to with reliable service and free choice of games to bumping elbows with people being a vulture for a table and waiting 5-8 minutes for service. My frequency of visitation has decreased in the last couple years but thursdays are half off burgers. and i can wait for that!! yuum
(3)Anna P.
i'm would give stella's a three star based on their beer and the venue itself, the arcade games are sweet and the people who frequent the place have always been cool. as far as food is concerned i'd give it a two. as far as service, negative one. the beer - decent selection, lots of local beer, so many whiskey varieties! however, none of the tap list is written down and the bartender has to yell the beers at you, which is often hard to hear over the loud music. the food - come on guys, if you're going to offer a veggie burger at least make it a patty, it was just a mess of mushed together beans. so unappealing. the fries were good though. my boyfriend has been searching for the best burger in GR, and he reports that this is NOT it. found it bland and unmemorable, but agreed the fries were good. the service - jeez, i want to drop an f*bomb at how terrible our waiter was. seriously, i have never encountered such TERRIBLE service. the first two times we went in we only had drinks at the bar, and that was fine, but the waiter was AWFUL. he took our order and we were excited, but after fifteen minutes without any sign of a return visit to our table we were a little concerned, but no big deal, it was right at the end of the buy a beer get a burger for 5$ night. another 10 minutes went by and we were officially put off. not once did he come back by to see how we were doing or tell us our order would be a minute. so after waiting for A HALF AN HOUR he unceremoniously drops our food on the table and walks away without so much as asking if there was anything else he could get us. that would likely have been enough to make someone really mad, but we're not about service and more concerned with good food. we ate our rather boring burgers and enjoyed the fries and as soon as we took the last bite of our burger the waiter comes back with our check and says no rush. we were going to order more drinks but were getting tired of his pushy attitude. he went over to an empty table whipped it off and CAME RIGHT BACK! my boyfriend was still working on sorting out his money at this point and every other server we've ever had would have waited, and this guy even said "no rush" but for some reason stood at our table AND TAPPED HIS FINGERS as he waited for us to give him the bill. Our bill was like 20 and some change, and since my boyfriend was rushed when our waiter said he wouldn't be he threw in the 20 and three ones. HOWEVER this RUDE WAITER OPENED THE BILL, SAW THE AMOUNT, GLARED AT THE TEN STILL IN MY BOYFRIENDS HAND AND PICKED UP SOME CHANGE OFF THE TABLE WHICH WE HAD NOT OFFERED HIM, AND, WAS AN OBVIOUS STACK OF QUARTERS MEANT TO PLAY THE ARCADE GAMES!!!!!! HE WAS THE ABSOLUTE WORST! Even if we had liked our food we would have still left rather angry. the owner and the reviewer bickering - i agree that the reviewer is misleading about their taps, they carry decent beer. and i'm glad the owner had the intention of giving her his phone number so that it could be worked out on a personal level, however, that's not a full phone number. we're hoping that's just because it's on the internet, but we're not sure... more importantly we agree that an owner/employee/co-owner/any one closely affiliated with a business has NO RIGHT to heckle someone on a REVIEW SITE meant for unbiased reviews. in fact, the entire integrity of the reviewing process seems lost if you have an owner responding to every review. save that shit for your facebook/website, it's not meant for yelp. I usually base my review on the food and drinks only, but we're talking about the worst waiter in the world, so i can't give it a three like i originally intended. we'll go back someday and try again, maybe change our review but if we ever see that guy again, i will straight up tell him i will not let him serve me, he was just TOO RUDE.
(2)levramosis H.
It was probably my fault for wanting to eat here on a late saturday night. It took forever to get noticed and served by the waitress. There was no printed beer menu so the waitresses recitation at double speed made it difficult to chose one. they did have a nice list mid-range of whisky/bourbon/scotch. They had a nice range of vegetarian/vegan choices. The fries and onion rings were great. The burgers were decent. Not amazing, there are better choices in this city. The atmosphere was loud. Can't hear your dining partner loud. I'm not likely to return unless most other kitchens in the area were closed or if I had a mad hankering for onion rings.
(2)Joshua S.
Stella's is an interesting combination of college rocker bar specializing in PBR and a whiskey bar with a massive whiskey list. The place is always packed at night, but during happy hour you can walk in and get probably the best burgers in town for 6 bucks(normally 10-12). On my last visit we had the bacon and cheddar tots, which were acceptable, but don't really stand out above any other fried cheesy potato appetizer in the world. The part that really stood out was the burger, I had the buffalo, which was a blue cheese stuffed burger with buffalo sauce and onion ring on top, the beef was juicy with great flavor, the roll was amazing, soft, chewy and perfect. I've lived in GR for 7 years and this is one of the only burgers worth mentioning.
(4)Andrew K.
Crazy good burgers, great beer selection, and enough whiskey to choose from it will make your head spin. When I lived downtown I would go here at least twice a week, grab some fries and a beer and just relax for a couple hours. One thing I will note...if you come here wearing college kid type clothes (like I wear) you can expect to get hassled by hipsters once in a while. These PBR-sipping skinny jean wearing intriguing individuals are a dime a dozen in this area of town, but as long as you maintain eye contact and mention sports they will scatter immediately. Lots of retro arcade games throughout the place to keep you entertained if silent episodes of old black and white TV shows aren't your thing.
(4)Billy B.
Tried this for the first time tonight because we heard about the great whiskey selection & great burgers. The whiskey list lived up to its reputation - everything you could ever want. We tried the hot & spicy stuffed burger & it was great! Ordered it medium & it was medium well. Others have mentioned the burgers r overdone so I'd suggest ordering it a little undercooked. The 4-6pm happy hour on Sat offered some great values. Def will go back again.
(4)Mark V.
Really fun atmosphere and lots of cool cats here. I haven't tried the food but the bar service and music is great. This is a must stop spit when bar hopping in downtown GR. Don't forget to play the classic video games!
(3)Amber A.
They've scaled way back on vegan options (maybe not enough demand?) and last time I was there they were out of both vegan burgers (really?!). The onion rings used to be vegan by default but now you have to request them to be vegan. I did. My friend thought mine were better than her (non-vegan) onion rings and asked the waitress what the difference was. She went on and on about how testy the vegan batter recipe is and that sometimes you get awesome onion rings but usually they just suck...blah blah blah. Maybe develop a better recipe? Although like I said, mine were better. Anyway, I made it pretty clear that I wanted vegan onion rings but she served them with mayo dip instead of the spicy avocado vegan dip...just a little thing, but also kind of a big thing. On the plus side, the Drunken Retort spoken word thing on Monday nights is pretty cool. The menu has changed and so has the scene (more yuppies and bros, fewer punks and artistic types), but Stella's is still a fine place to start off a night of bar-hopping.
(2)Steven H.
I love eating here. The food is great, the drinks are great and the staff is some of the nicest in town. I come here every Monday for happy hour and enjoy it a lot.
(5)Stacee G.
You want sangria and vegan wings. So good! Love the environment. My 4 year old loves this place, however, not a kid friendly place.
(4)Rick S.
Saved us from a bad experience at founders. Fast friendly service . Great crack fries truly enjoyed the angry pig tacos . Not so sure the wife will appreciate them later tonight but I loved them. Had a few margaritas to wash them down. Talked to the manager about holding my daughters get together after she graduates from grand. Valley in December very nice guy . The decor is a bit wacky but so am I . Bring your quarters they have a great collection. Of vintage pinball and video games to play. Great afternoon hot spot.
(5)Lisa H.
The food was delicious and a nice selection of whiskey.
(3)Nickolas J.
We went there because of the vast selection of whiskeys. Some of their unique appetizer are outstanding. Their burgers are rated number 1? They should be rated number 101! They need some training in customer service. I will never go there again.
(3)Ashleigh K.
The food is top notch. They have choices that range from vegan, to vegetarian, to full on carnivore. I like to try a little bit of each. This last time I went the service was great but the time before that it was clear the server did not want to be there. Not only from her attitude but that fact that she straight up TOLD US how much she wanted to go home. As a server I am pretty lenient on other servers but I thought that was just ridiculous. I know as good as any other server that sometimes bar shifts suck but that doesnt mean you burden your table with that. Ridiculous. Food was fantastic as always though!
(3)Nick L.
Quite literally the best burger I've ever had.
(5)Matt M.
After attending the international auto show in downtown GR me and my group of friends decided we needed to get some food. After a quick yelp search we decided on Stella's because we thought we might like the gamer vibe. After driving around the block for 10 mins looking for parking on the street we finally found a spot. After finally parking we walk in and seat ourselves at a booth near the door. After a few minutes our waitress came to get our drink orders. We ordered waters all the way around only to get a funny look from the waitress. She then asked if I have my ID with me. I confusingly told her no and reiterated that we just wanted to order water before our food. She said "you must be 21." Again, I told her we just wanted waters, not understanding what was happening. She then says you have to be 21 just be in the establishment. It was 4pm in the afternoon. I was caught off guard to say the least. Nowhere on the website or yelp description does it say anything about an age limit. I have literally never had that happen to me and was very disappointed when we were kicked out for not having IDs, when we weren't even trying to drink anything of the likes! I will never be back to this establishment or anything that the parent company owns (Grand Rapids brewery, ect). If you are going to have a 21 and over rule 24 hours a day you should have that posted more than just on the door..
(1)Rashid J.
For what it was worth, Stella's Lounge had one of the tastiest burgers I've had since July--and that's saying a lot after moving to Grand Rapids from Brooklyn, New York. Albeit the burger was tender and well seasoned, I thought it was a-bit on the small side and didn't really add up to the hype (or long wait at the door). The beer and hospitable waitress made my visit to Stella's enjoyable, so that's saying a lot about a yummy burger and beer that really hit the spot.
(4)Jessica S.
Really great burgers and fries (called Chronic fries), and they also have a build-your-own bloody mary bar. There was a surprising number of breakfast items considering how they're not actually open for breakfast, but maybe Stella's is trying to appeal to a younger crowd who's up until 3 AM anyhow, making noon the perfect time for breakfast. The atmosphere is cool, but I'm too old to appreciate it, I guess. Everything is painted black with blacked out windows, but I just thought it was too dark, and I liked the music, but it was too loud. They have some vintage arcade games and the TVs play vintage kids' TV shows, like "Scooby Doo" and "The Electric Company." I did see a couple of kids there on a Sunday afternoon, but there's no kids' menu (it's a bar, after all), and I don't think there was a changing table in the bathrooms. I wouldn't take my kids here.
(4)Jim P.
This place is retro cool from the pictures on the wall, the dark lighting, the old school arcade games and beers in a can that we all drank in college when we were poor! It's also a full whiskey bar with a gigantic selection, but the real show stopper here is the stuffed burgers. These are voted best in GR and there's a reason why! WOW!!
(4)Andrea R.
Loved the vintage video games, and the food and service was awesome.
(5)Jason S.
Mmmmm. Spicy burgers. Spicy fries. Even better with beer. ...and video games, wonderful video games (Punch Out, Tron, etc. + pinball)!! Awesome service. How have I lived in GR and not come here before? Don't let that happen to you -- eat at Stella's now!!
(4)Corey S.
If I could give this place a negative rating, I would. This place has horrible service. I will never go back. The bartenders are lazy and slow and will tell you to go to another bartender if you want a drink. My advice? DON'T GO TO THIS DUMP!!
(1)Christine S.
I don't even know where to start, two weeks later and I'm still fuming writing this review. We were warned at the door that it would be a 1 1/2 hour wait at least which we were prepared for, no worries there. A couple of us grabbed seats at the bar while the others played video games. The bartender was cool. He let us taste test some beers to see if we liked them before ordering. The place is advertised as a whiskey bar and my friend who loves whiskey took advantage of that. His Manhattan was phenomenal and he was totally in his element. We get to our table and JAMES was our waiter. Remember the name James and never let him wait on you if you go there. We were a table of 5, just happy to be here to try the burgers we heard so much buzz about. We ordered and while waiting for our order James was waiting on the table next to us. The table was taking a bit too long to his liking to place their order so he just completely walked away, rude much? The waiter's helper came to the table with James and he was like, is this their food? James says "I don't know what the F (insert expletive here) they ordered, you figure it out". Our appetizer came with our meal instead of before and my friend that had the phenomenal Manhattan ordered another with James this time instead of the bartender. James brings the drink back and the drink doesn't taste right. My friend politely tells James that this doesn't taste right, would it be OK if they made him another. James storms off with his drink and brings back the exact same drink, not a new one. My friend tells him that this isn't right and James' response, "If you don't like it, you can drink F'ing (insert expletive here) water! Speaking of water, we had all ordered water earlier that never came. I went to the bar to have the bartender get us some and who is standing next to me, James. I don't think he realized I was at one of this tables. He was ranting and raving, asking me if I was having a good F'ing day, talking mad stuff about our table, he must have said the F word at least 10 times..etc. I was livid at this point, I couldn't eat the rest of my meal. While asking for our check, he kindly pointed out "you mean check(s)" because apparently it was a pain in the ass to separate our tabs. No tip for him and we ended up speaking to the manager who didn't really seem to give a sh*t...Stella's this makes me sad because I had high hopes for you.
(2)Chantel M.
I absolutely adore Stella's stuffed queso burger. Soooo delicious! The best time to stop by is on Thursdays because all the burgers are half priced. Great ambiance feels like a blast from the retro past with a hipster/ alternative twist to it.
(5)Matthew R.
I love a good burger. It doesn't get better than Stella's. The fries have a perfect kick and there's a whiskey on menu for anyone's tastes.
(5)Sara B.
This is a hidden gem and can be hard to find, but is yet another GR place that always seems packed, especially on Thursdays for $5 stuffed burgers. The best way I can think to describe this place is a bunch of vegetarian art students, bikers, and vampires decided to make an eatery and this is what popped out. This used to primarily be vegetarian in fare with a few splatterings of meat items, but is now probably almost half and half. With that said, none of it is healthy.... it's bar food. Some of my favorites are ride the lightning, pickled veggies, you suffer, poor man's wings, and the spicy fries. While many people swear by Hopcat's crack fries I prefer Stella's. The fries here are spicy and come with a house made (vegan?) chipotle ranch dipping sauce that is just killer. They also have the largest whiskey selection in Grand Rapids with a decent selection of cheaper and local beers and a full bar. The best part about this place? They have arcade games all over the front and back of the restaurant and a jukebox up front. After I've done nothing about gush about this place you might wonder why I"m giving it a three? The service is why. There is always a wait, and the waitstaff isn't as attentive/friendly as they should be. This also isn't just a bad experience, this is a pattern. If you go in expecting that it can be super fun.
(3)Joe V.
I'm only giving it 4 stars because I came in for drinks and didn't eat...the menu was enticing, but I had just eaten. If I get the chance to eat here, I'll consider bumping it up the last star. Walked in and immediately fell in love with this place. The vibe was really cool and laid back and the atmosphere is completely inviting. They have a ton of old school video games which was also very cool. They have an unprecedented whisk(e)y selection. I haven't seen Powers in a bar since moving back from NYC, so that was a pleasant surprise. I really wanted to stay there all night and eat and drink, but just couldn't. Definitely the type of place where I would want to spend a considerable amount of time if I lived locally. If anything, just walk in and take a look around.
(4)Jennifer C.
I had heard alot about the burgers since I moved to GR around 9 months ago and finally go the chance to try it out the other night with my boyfriend and friend. The burger's were delicious! However, I don't really agree that they are the "Best Burger In America" I had the "Queso Jalepeno". It was very delicious, but I wish that there was more cheese in it. I also felt that the taste of the burger was covered by the jalepenos. Now, I do love spicy stuff, but I would have liked to taste something other than jalepenos. The super hot mustard dip on the side was quite interesting and was really good with the fries. My boyfriend had the "Big Ballah". Now THAT WAS AMAZING, especially the jalepeno poppers. Next time I go, I would love to order the jalepeno poppers appetizer. Their fries are very delicious and their onion rings aren't bad either. -1 star because they switched up our burger patties. I ordered my medium rare and got a medium well, while my bf ordered a medium and got a medium rare Overall, service was ok and we got a decent amount of food for the price we paid.
(4)Adam W.
Stella's Lounge is a lot like something you'd expect to find in a proper city. Not a place like Grand Rapids, MI. That's something that's definitely to its credit. Before you even get in the door, the place seems cool. It's kind of in a back alley looking place, like a secret club entrance, with all sorts of graffiti-esque style art painted on the walls. It's dark and dingy looking and that's what they're going for. I like it. The inside is more of the same along with some video games. Including Mortal Kombat II (the best in the series, folks!). A huge hip-hop looking mural is on the back wall that kinda makes me think of the movie Avatar. Seating seems sparse, but on the day we were there it was more than enough. I can definitely see how this place would get crowded quickly. Among the other customers, I felt a bit out of place... a few reviews mention the presence of many hipsters and that's precisely right. I think it's to be expected a bit after you look at the menu with its many vegetarian and vegan options. Good to see that they have a variety for many different palates though, and I applaud that. They're also big on the organic and locally sourced bandwagon which isn't a bad thing, but it's not a selling point for me either. Let's get on to to the good stuff. The food. GQ named this as one of the best burgers in the United States. I'd have to know what other places they tried to give it that title (and try those places myself), but I have a hard time believing it's one of the best in the country. Was it really, really good? Yes, it most definitely was - and it's certainly the best burger I've had in Grand Rapids. I went for the namesake burger (the Stella Blue) and was not upset with my choice at all. The stuffed cheese does, indeed, ooze out all over the burger and adds a very nice little touch to the uniqueness of the meal. The fries had a tinge of spice to them, which made me enjoy them all that much more. I didn't need any ranch like another reviewer mentioned, but it might be an option for you if you're a wuss. ;) Service was very attentive but not overbearing. A nice balance. Refills were always brought upon request and in a timely manner. Our waiter even had quite a few tables and it never seemed like any of his tables were forgotten or an afterthought. There were a few options on the menu which I'm definitely going to go back to try... so that says something about how awesome a lot of the food sounds here. That burger can't be messed with either. I do think the prices here are a bit high, especially for bar food, but I suppose that's to be expected with locally sourced/organic food. It's the price point that, more than anything, would really stop me from making Stella's a more frequent stop when I'm downtown. Well, that and the calorie count... While I'm not a huge fan of the hipster crowd and many of their attitudes, you can't fault a business for its clientele. I'll definitely be returning to Stella's, most likely when there's company in town or a special occasion arises. This is one place to hit up if you're looking for a unique spot with some great grub to chow down on.
(4)Evan S.
I hear Stella's has great burgers but I've never eaten there. Cool atmosphere, decent music, reasonable prices, but every time I've gone (always been Saturday night) it's been so crowded I could barely move. I'm not saying that's a bad thing necessarily, Especially with a good buzz a big crowd can be fun and a chance to meet new people. However, as a DD it was pretty annoying, and borderline claustrophobic. I'd like to go again to try their burgers but during off peak hours.
(3)Ben B.
Burger special on Thursday's is top notch. $5 for one of the best burgers you might ever have. 6pm-11. Sunday mornings, there is a great breakfast brunch and bloody's. Stella's is in the same family as Hopcat, GRBC, and Mcfadden's on Ionia. Mark Sellers has really improved the bar scene in Grand Rapids and I thank him for it. I know restaurants can be extremely difficult to run, especially if you arn't there all the time, but these places seem to keep it together quite well. Awesome french fries at all his restaurants. The drinks arn't any more stiff then other bars though as all the mahogany mate's are trained to use jiggers (as they should with $200 bottles of scotch). Also, I was a bit disappointed when they got rid of The Viceroy... :( Interesting hipster grunge vibe. Great arcade games. Tons of scotch, whiskey, and wiskey. A fair amount of crappy beer and craft brews.
(4)Jay Z.
We stopped by Stella's on my sister's birthday. I have been here a few times and had an ok experience, but after tonight I will not be back. The bar tender lady was incredibly rude, acting like we were inconveniencing her. The reason for my low rating, though, is that after she was rude to us she gave my credit card to someone else and made no effort to catch them as they left, she just said it was a busy night and our drinks were comped... I lost my credit card and was comped for 4 PBRs and a jack and coke!
(1)Luke R.
Rude bartenders in the club area. They wouldn't wait on an asian girl and they mimicked her in a racist way when she tried to flag them down. Do NOT go to the club area and deal with Laura or Roach. Rude nasty girls
(1)Traci T.
Love Stellas. On a business trip, I went to Stella's twice in one week. Great, friendly staff and awesome laid back atmosphere. The burgers are to die for. And the chronic fries are like crack...so addictive!
(4)Jillian M.
Stella's has a great variety- delicious burgers, vegan options, and good beer! I recommend the sweet potato wrap and the nachos. Stella's has something for everyone!
(4)Leigh S.
Awesome vegetarian choices! I was very satisfied with the sweet potato black bean burrito wrap. It had great flavor, and isn't as much of a carb overhaul as it sounds. My dining companion had the No Bull Steak sandwich and was very impressed with the tempeh (vegetarian) sandwich as well. Extensive Whiskey list, and a few good beer options as well. Vintage video games were fun to play while you wait, which isn't long at all. All of the service was fantastic. Our server was very friendly and nice.
(5)Craig W.
Very good food. Great bouncer. Good bartender. A little slow, but she is working alone. Props to her.
(4)Rob E.
My burger was good. I chose the black n blue, spouse had some hippie veggie burger (pretty good) friends had an olive burger and angry pork tacos. Kids had a cuban and a grilled cheese with bacon. This place is not great for kids, but it was like 1 PM on a Saturday so....yeah. Pin ball machines always rule, but these were quite well worn. Lots of great video games too, took me back a few years. I will return here, but def not with kids...they deserve to be somewhere....sunnier? I really thought my burger was great, but I am sure I have had others on par if not better.
(3)juston m.
YUCK so disappointed with my last trip here. after waiting patiently at the bar (and having a good time) for 1 hour we were seated. the bartender was awesome, really nice. once we were seated that's where everything went wrong. we got the worst (JAMES) waiter ever. he was really rude when we asked for split checks. i really have no patience for this. i was a waiter for 7 years and i worked about 10 years ago last, computers split checks pretty well back then, i'm sure they still do. he was also very rude to the tables around us. it got worse during dinner. he told my bf to fuck off. he told my friend to fuck off. he said fuck at least 7 times in front of our table. when our food came with the appetizer at the same time, he told the food runner he had no idea what the fuck we ordered. he was about 2 feet from us. when my bf said his manhattan tasted funny, he accused my boyfriend of lying and then told him (after replacing it) that if he didn't like it, he could drink water. btw, stella's has like 100 bourbons. also, my boyfriend always drinks bourbon manhattans. usually makers mark. he knows what it is supposed to taste like. this, compared to my last visit, was just horrible. last time we had the nicest waitress ever. i really like the atmosphere and the food is good. but, i'm not paying a business to insult my friends and treat us like we did something wrong. i come here when i visit grand rapids. i have friends in grand rapids. i will never return. love, juston
(1)David G.
My first time at Stella's and it won't be the last. This place has all the appearances of being a dive bar but in the best kind of way! The menu is varied enough for almost any diet with the specialty being their burgers. I had the blue burger and my wife had the grilled cheese. Both were fantastic! Our waiter, Adam, did a great job steering me to a great choose of burger since I was torn between a couple that sounded equally as good. His service and personal attention was appreciated. The tap beer selection changes occasionally and is varied enough to satisfy may discriminating palate for micro brewed beers. Very satisfied overall!
(5)Hannah V.
Super tasty food, a bit expensive and burgers are a handful to eat (literally). Pretty loud environment and bar was super busy.
(4)Kenneth A.
One of the coolest places I've ever been to. They have one of the BEST vegan food, ever. I recommend trying their PICKLED VEGGIES, "CHICKEN" WINGS and BLACK BEAN BURGER. They also have a great beer selection and they serve all their alcohols in mason jars, which is a cool touch. They have old school arcades, tons of tv and a dancing floor! Great place for a party, date or a guys/girls night out.
(5)kerry m.
This place is The. Greatest. This particular visit was on a Sunday afternoon.... they have the most epic bloody mary bar with house infused vodka/tequila/whiskey and house made mixes, plus the most glorious selection of garnishes known to man. Our waiter, James, was incredible. Glasses were never empty and he did a wonderful job of recommending beers or drinks or snacks based on what we had already ordered. He was completely adorable and sweet and we fully plan on coming back specifically thanks to his incredible service. Don't miss out on this place. We didn't order meals on this specific trip but their food is so great. Everyone says it but its worth mentioning the fact that there is so much vegan/vegetarian action on their menu. They rock. You will come here and lose an entire afternoon/evening and be happy it happened. Again, thanks to James! He is the greatest!!!!
(5)Bodie S.
We popped into Stella's for a few drinks while we were bouncing around to different bars. It was a really great place, although packed to the wall with people. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to try their "best burger in America," but I hope to return someday to try specifically that. Any magazine with Kate Upton on the cover (GQ) that rates this the best burger in America is legit by me. Stella's has a huge selection of craft beer, both local and not, and domestics, alongside tons of whiskeys, cocktails, good music, good people, and video games. If you're a vegetarian, fret not, as they have loads of vegan and vegetarian options as well. But, who would want to do that when there's the best burger in America at the table next to you? Go with something local--it's hard to be disappointed that way.
(4)Erin D.
Chronic fries = fries with buffalo flavor on them...enough said. Also, Adam gave us amazing efficient and friendly service. Loved the atmosphere too but had to go elsewhere to watch the game...they play the Jetsons, tom and jerry and other weird 70s sitcoms. Ha.
(4)Haley S.
Whiskey bar with video games, great for the non talkers. Hah. It's loud, great place to people watch. Ive heard their burgers are great.
(4)Caroline H.
Stella's is a great place in GR! They have video games, happy hours and a cool atmosphere. It is named after the owners dog, which as a dog owner, I LOVE! The stuffed burgers are good, but a little greasy. The poor mans wings are yummy! The thing that got me there first was their Grandwich, which was amazing!
(4)Tim H.
Great atmosphere with cool staff and classic arcade games. But don't go if you're looking to watch a game, the show old school cartoons on their TVs. The real reason to go is for their amazing stuffed burgers. GQ magazine gave them "Best Burger in America." While I may not necessarily agree, its definitely the best I ever had in Michigan. Go and try them all with cheese busting out of the savory patty. Condiments? No thank you, they are not needed, The cheese does the trick. The fires were season and perfect. The only better side would be another burger!
(5)Jessica B.
WOW! I just moved back to the area, and wanted to bring my mom to a great place to get a great meal. I searched around, and once I looked at the reviews for Stella's, we had to try! It was the Sunday after voting ended for Art Prize, so we knew it was going to be busy. The owner was there, ensuring tables were seated fast - and we only had to wait 15 minutes to get a table. We were a bit sad the 4-6pm 1/2 price burger deal was no longer around - I guess it just ended, but we were pumped about trying the unique burgers anyway, so we had no problem paying $11. My mom is not into spicy, and I LOVE spicy, so she was really happy to see an olive burger, and I was over the moon about the queso-jalepeno option. My mother is a woman who, will eat slow, but does have a good appetite for a smaller-figured lady. We both ate steadily with little comments of "WOW." and "YUM" before we shoved another bite in. I tried to be conservative, and save some of my burger, and as I glanced over, her burger was gone. This never happens. It's a testament to the quality of the end product. Waitress was very nice. Very attentive and helpful. Food came out quickly. Please go and visit. Great decor, and great food. Definitely will be returning!
(5)Dan M.
I had read an article about how Stella's burgers were recently ranked as best in America, so while in town we decided to pop in for lunch on a Sunday at about noon. A group of 4 of us walked in and saw two waiters running about, but nobody greeted us. We started walking towards a booth and sat down, then a waiter ran by and told us he'd be right there. Yeah, he never came back after 5 minutes. I walked over to the bar to ask for some menus, but the bartender ignored me and then walked out from behind the bar with a drink. I saw a stash of menus along a wall so I grabbed a few for myself, and when the bartender returned she didn't even seem to care I was rifling through their stuff. Took them back to the table and we all started drooling over what looked like good food choices. After 15 minutes of our waiter not returning, we got up and left. This was on June 24th, just in case a manager is reading and feels like firing the entire group of staff working that day. I'm sure your burgers are great, but they're kinda hard to eat when you can't friggin' order one!
(1)Caleb E.
Stopped in for a quick cocktail and some snacks. Stella's is a pretty fun hang out. Vintage video games that I grew up with, Jameson vintage, good vibes, and great service. We were in and out pretty quick, but I could definitely have spent the entire evening in this spot. Unfortunately didn't have time to test out the 'best burger in the US' but, that will give me a reason to come back next time :)
(4)Krista P.
I love the government cheese burger! It's definitely the best burger I have ever had. It's no wonder they were voted best burger in the country! Boo Ya!
(5)Chad H.
Everything in this venue is great, food looks great and drinks are made well, but when It comes to customer service they are horrible. Andrew, the bartender, is not a nice fellow and when I mentioned his angry attitude to management they told me I was wrong. They told me he's a nice guy and I was being a jerk(I am sober but the entire staff seems drunk.). As I wrote this review they continued to speak badly about me in front of other customers. I'm now leaving.... Wow.
(1)Adam P.
The bar is cool. But the burger was crap, I've eaten at other places that have gotten nods from GQ, and being a chef myself, the burger isn't what it's said to be. Crumbly, over cooked and pretty blah when it comes to taste. The average person could cook a better burger at home. Go there for drinks, not the burgers.
(2)Jesse P.
My go to place on Sundays between 4-6 for half off stuffed burgers and super cheap drinks. I don't know how it took me 2 years of living in Grand Rapids to find this place but thankfully my father suggested we go get a good burger and I've been wanting to try it and it didn't disappoint. The burgers are delicious no matter which one you try and the fries that come with them have buffalo seasoning on them are absolutely phenomenal. I highly recommend at least trying it out and you'll be hooked! Great happy hour!
(5)Ian P.
Love Stella's. I am too young to really go out there to get a drink, but I'm sure next year that I'll be by more often. Love the crazy colorful and retro feel that you get when you walk in, and the burgers are so good, as well. Went there when they were fairly new, and then started going again after they got the "Best Burger in the US" award. I've had quite a few amazing burgers in my life, and Stella's is way up there. Especially for the price (go on Tuesdays)! Overall, Stella's is a great place to go for a bite.
(4)Chris T.
Great service, good burger (not the best I've had, but very good nonetheless), delicious fries! I'll note that whoever made the fries understands how to properly fry them. Will definitely be back when in Grand Rapids to try some of the other items on the menu.
(4)Jodi W.
I want to like this place a lot but have a hard time because every time I go the service is either excruciatingly slow or excruciatingly poor. I usually skip it for lunch since they can't quite seem to get you in and out in an hour, and I don't know about you, but I don't have more than hour for lunch. I give them high marks for the vegetarian options, and the food is good. On Thursdays, they do this $5 burger/drink/fry night - which is a great deal. I asked them if they had an olive burger on the menu, and they didn't, but just for me, they made one - that earned them back a BIG star just for that - impressive and delicious. I caution you though if you do plan on going for their Thursday night burger deal: be prepared to WAIT....for a very long time.
(3)Bill S.
Service was very poor and the food was mediocre at best. The whiskey selection was excellent but that was all that Stella's had going for it. The beer selection was just about non existent. The worst thing was there was no security and beggars were coming in off the street and hounding every table. No one from Stella's tried to remove them. Will not return again.
(1)Jay S.
Our visit to Stella's was stellar! I am not sure anyone makes a better tasting burger in Grand Rapids and I am sure no one makes a sloppier one! We sat at the bar and watched old Lost In Space episodes. The ladies at the bar were wonderful, attentive and just plain fun to be with. We will go back soon.
(5)Sarah S.
I wanted to like Stella's so much, I came here for drinks with a friend and it was super fun (the only reason they are getting 2 stars). It seemed so cool, that when my mom came to town I suggested Stella's because I herd they have veggie burgers. Well to start off they sat us at a table in the back next to the most obnoxiously drunk people I have ever seen in my life. Next the waitress was extreamly slow, and she must have been new because when my mom asked if the v burgers were black bean, or more like garden burgers the waitress replied "um I don't know, but alot of people seem to like them..." A little annoyed my mom just ordered it. Well they were black bean burgers, pretty gross tasting black bean burgers, and they took forever to come out. Really we were sitting there for 45 minuets waiting for burgers! I mean in what world does it take 45 minuets to make a burger when a place is half empty!? After eating one bite my mom was done, and she told the waitress how dissatisfied she was with it, her response "oh wow well alot of people like them". No sorry, no offer to take it off the bill, or exchange for something else, just "oh wow, well alot of people like them"? Yep never returning again, and the worst part is I felt terrible for suggesting to go there with my mom.
(2)Nick L.
The burgers are fantastic! Would definitely recommend eating lunch or dinner there just to try one.
(4)Tracy M.
AN ADDITION TO MY REVIEW: **The owner is apparently rude and has immediately (and unprofessionally) commented on my unfavorable yelp review. Sorry to report that yes, I have been here (I only review places that I have been!), more than once, and each time it is worse than the last visit. All members of my party agreed that each time we have go, there is no improvement, just more to dislike. My most recent visit was to check it out after a source said that Stella's Lounge had hit rock bottom. I trusted this source, but I wanted to see for sure. I like to support places that offer vegan food. But, my source was correct -- It sucks. Now, the owner has sealed the deal -- I won't support him (even if the place improves) and will encourage others to spend their $$ at other establishments in the area. GR offers many great places to spend your evenings, and hard earned $, and Stella's Lounge is not one of them, according to this yelp reviewer. Sorry -- your not going to bully me into changing my review.** ORIGINAL POST Oh no -- The Hipsters took over and now you can really only get canned beer or Pabst on tap. Yuck. Seriously, if you're not in college and HAVE (no $$) to drink the cheapest watered down beer, bought for you by an upperclassman, why would you? The hangover is not worth it. "Strong Drinks, Cheap Beer, Loud Music, No Bullshit." is their slogan. I guess there is a market for this cheap beer, but I am sure it won't last. ( I have hope for the next generation of bar clientele.) The music -- Natalie Merchant. Really? Huh... Stella's is trying hard, too hard -- and I think that is the problem. What is your identity? Your staff doesn't match your clientele, your music don't match your "theme"... There is seriously a lack of identity at this place.
(1)Cassandra N.
I have a great time every time I come here. The Gov'ment Cheeseburger & the stuffed tots are fantastic. I don't drink beer, but they usually have a decent hard cider available so that I can imbibe. I love the little hidden dance club inside. Great place to hang out!
(5)Joshua G.
Very cool place. The Stella blue burger is definitely the best. The pinball machines and old school arcade machines are a lot of fun, especially after a few drinks.
(5)Apryl C.
I'm not quite sure how it happened, but Stella's has become one of my go to places. Especially for Sunday Brunch which is the best in town with the $5 bloody mary bar, all day. The food is often a little too spicy for me, but I enjoy stretching my tolerance. :) The drinks are good, but the food is great. I really like the atmosphere now since they expanded. They have a great selection of pinball machines and arcade games. Great old school televisions on all the TVs as well. There is often an issue with service being slow, thus the reason for 4 stars instead of 5.
(4)Ashley M.
I can't praise Stella's enough. Wonderfully unpretentious, low-key atmosphere. A slightly (pleasant) grunge ambiance meets a warm-welcome feeling when you walk in. Booth/Table seating. Long bar with many seats. Video game Arcade! Great vegan (and non-vegan) eats. The vegan wings = freaking awesome. Friendly/chill wait staff and bartender. Kick-ass house made Sangria. One of my very favorite places in the city :)
(5)Sara C.
We've been here many times and we have never been disappointed. The service is great. The people working here all have cool and nice personalities, and it's never difficult to get a drink. If you're sitting at the bar, you don't even have to flag the bartender down - they always notice when you're empty. Even when I switch to drinking water, they're on top of the refills. :) The other customers here are always friendly and fun, too! We've met some really great interesting people here that we still talk about sometimes - like "remember that couple we met at Stella's who told us all about their snowboard wedding?" The atmosphere is awesome. It's a fun place to eat or drink. We regularly go for vegan burgers and sangria, and for more wild nights they have tons of whiskeys and their Stella's Punch is pretty amazing. Even when we go at unusual times like Sunday evening, there are lots of people here - but even on crazy busy nights like the night before Thanksgiving, you can manage to get a place to sit (if you want one) without waiting too long. Another thing I love is that the volume is always perfect - the music is loud in a fun way but not so loud that you can't carry on a conversation if you want to. This is our go-to place when we are entertaining family and friends - Stella's is always a hit and everyone wants to return when they're back in town.
(5)Anissa C.
Excellent drinks, food, and service. The atmosphere is amazing. There are pinball machines, old arcade games, and powerful whiskey. When I need to unwind, I come here. One of my favorite places to go in Grand Rapids, MI.
(5)Travis F.
One of my favorites bars in Grand Rapids... Great bartenders/servers, amazing food & atmosphere, and fantastic stiff drinks. My only suggestion would be to carry Red Bull :) Edit (2014): And now they have Red Bull!!
(5)Jenna D.
My fiancé and I went here a couple days ago and we didn't have the greatest time. We only had to wait for a table for about 25 minutes. During our wait we played arcade games which was great until the game shut down on is. Most of the other machines were crowded by other people waiting for a table. We finally got to our table and ordered. I ordered a burger and wasn't to pleased with it. I got the cheese inside of the meat but I noticed while eating it that there was only cheese in about a quarter of the meat patty. Also since I heard that they have the best burger in America I was obviously expecting greatness but instead I was really disappointed. The burger just didn't have the "best burger in America" taste. It was just okay to me. The service was HORRIBLE! We waited at least 30 minutes for our check. Then I made the mistake to ask for a box which took another 20 minutes. When she finally got back with our credit card she "forgot" my box so I just said nevermind because I didn't feel like waiting a ridiculous amount of time. The thing that really bothered me is the waitresses table section was empty besides us so I'm not sure what took so long! I probably won't go back because the food just isn't good enough to put up with that kind of service ever again.
(2)Lindsey G.
Love the stuffed burgers here. I've always wanted to try other things on the menu....but I can't part with the burgers! The fries are awesome! Kinda spicy though so be aware of that. Just order some ranch to go with it and you're set. I like the service here too. Very prompt and matter of fact. None of that annoying fake-baby-voice waitress talk. Can't beat the vibe there too. Anyone can fit in. I've seen families, couples, hipsters, etc.
(5)Adam G.
So yesterday was opening night for Stella's. The place was packed. It's amazing what Facebook and word of mouth can do. Maybe it was just me, but it was presented a little different to me. The "arcade" sounded huge. I ran in to check it out and was as disappointed as the Griswalds at Wally World. I was expecting row after row of games along with a cool bar to get drinks from and play. What I saw was only 6-7 games with most of them being the "60 in 1" type. Where you can select multiple games from one cabinet. I did try the Blue Cheese burger. It was AMAZING. When you get the burger and you have to make a plan of attack to eat it, you know its gonna be good. The creamy drippy blue cheese worked well with the perfectly cooked thick burger. I was excited when I saw the homemade potato chips (because I love me a good chip), but saddened a bit because there was zero seasoning on them. Just plain dry chips. So I had a good experience, just not all I had dreamed of.
(4)David W.
Disclaimer: went during slow time so didn't experience bar when it's in full swing. *decent size vegan and meat menu *I had a great wing sauce spicy vegan chicken sandwich with fries--$10 *200 whiskey choices from $3-$50, mostly $7-ish. Plus an array of beers,etc. *Video games and pinball! *Indie music selections on the jukebox *Cool art throughout *Good service Awesome eclectic bar!
(5)Rebecca B.
I would have rated this place better had we not had been stuck with the most bitter waiter ever!! First of all, we arrive and there is an hour wait for a table. No biggie.. I mean sure we'd like to have a table immediately, but everyone is here and it's Saturday night! They have old school arcade game to pass the time, super fun and nostalgic.. We were able to snag a couple seats at the bar for some drinks and an appetizer. I ordered the chips and queso..good, but not life changing. A simple filler, exactly what I was looking for. I ordered a Long Island, ok tasting..I've had better, kind of pricey. There are tons of bourbons to choose from. The bartenders were great. So then we get a table.....Our waiter (I think his name was James) said the 'F' word more than once. Our appetizer came out with our meals. The waiter forgot our water. I ordered the Stella Blue burger which includes bacon and blue cheese, it was scrumptious!!!! The fries were ok. My friend didn't care for his drink and tried to get a new one, but our jerk waiter brought back the same one!! I would go back, but would not accept the same waiter.
(3)Julie T.
They serve beer in mason jars so yeah, this is the hipster bar in Grand Rapids. I loved the music they played and they have a nice little dance floor for shaking your groove thang. Great for people watching.
(4)Dustin W.
Crowd is good and the atmosphere is solid. The food is good bar food but took me 10 mins of sitting at the bar to get services and then 5 mins after that to get my drink.
(3)Jimmy M.
I went here the other day after going to the beach in muskegon. I've heard several good things about this place from friends and figured I'd check it out. I tried one of the burgers and while it tasted ok, it was really messy. The bun was soggy and looked like it was prepared in a rush. It tasted good, I just had to use a lot of napkins. What really bugged me though is I became sick after eating it on the drive home. I' be willing to give this place another chance if friends wanted to go here but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here again. It does have a great atmosphere and it seems like a nice bar. I'd just play it safe with the food if I was you.
(3)Matt B.
Man, the place is decorated like I would like to decorate my basement bar. Super dark, gothic, video games and lots of whiskey. The staff is friendly and the food is good. Big cans of shitty beer? Yep. They have that too. Honestly, Stella's would get 4 stars if it weren't for their clientele. They are hipsters with a chipster on their shoulder. If you're not wearing some trendy, thrift store throwback ugly cardigan with shit stained shoes and an ironic tshirt with grandpa's corduroy pants, paired with big ass rimmed glasses you stole from the church donation box with the roadkill-looking haircut, you're not in. If you can't quote Understanding Psychology or discuss what you learned in Art History at a school you can't afford, let alone find a job when you graduate, you might as well go to Hop Cat for nine dollar beer night. At least you won't be judged walking through the door. No offense to Stella's and their staff, but the patrons suck.
(3)Sarah R.
I went here with my 2 brothers-in-law, sister and my husband. We all had mixed drinks and they all tasted really good. The atmosphere was just ok. Definitely wasn't "my thing"--loud music and equally "loud" wall decor. Our waitress was really friendly and always made sure we had everything...water and other drink refills. Although, there was a waiter/waitress crowd at the bar, but she managed talking to her friends and catering to us fairly well. I got their version of the black and blue burger. The meat was really fantastic..melt-in-your-mouth, juicy but not overly greasy. The thing was...is there was hardly any blue cheese on the burger. It didn't upset me so much that I wanted to ask my waitress for a re-do, but kind of a joke that they call it a black and blue burger. Other than that Stella's is just ok. It's for some people, but not me. I prefer Brew Vivant anyday over Stella's/
(3)Raphie B.
Visited Stella's on a trip to Grand Rapids to see a show at The Intersection. We were thrilled at the selection of vegan grub on the menu and didn't hold back when we ordered. We had the: "Blessed Black Wings" (mild) - I guess these are made from some sort of chick pea flour? They tasted ok, but nothing like the taste or texture of chicken (Gardein may have ruined me for all other fake chicken substitutes) and they needed extra sauce as you could barely taste it on the wings. What I tasted of the sauce from wiping my finger on my plate (yeah, I did) was good, too, so i was disappointed I couldn't taste it on the wings. South of Heaven (half) - Stella's version of a vegan Philly cheesesteak. The menu says this feeds 2 or 3 people, which might be true, but only if it's just an appetizer. It was a good size sandwich on a tasty but dense bread, with not much in it. Filling was tempeh, peppers, onions, and your choice of a vegan cheese or dairy cheese. Tasted a little bit bland, I think it needed some sort of sauce. This came with 3 pieces of the "Poor Man's Chicken Wings" which were battered potato wedges in the mild buffalo sauce. These, too, were too light on the sauce. "For Whom The Dog Tolls" - A veggie dog with sauerkraut and veggie sausage crumbles. This was, by far, my favorite thing. Really tasty. I would go for this again i a heartbeat. It was served with 3 "Rings of Hell", onion rings which were house-made and also really tasty. The server told us they were dipped in PBR and falafel. I could taste the PBR, but definitely no falafel taste - perhaps it was just chickpea flour? There were good though, I'd go for them again too. All in all, I enjoyed it, and I was a little jealous that in Detroit we don't have anyplace for vegetarian bar food goodness... Anytime I'm in GR, I'll stop here again...
(4)Natalia B.
This place is really awesome. I love the decor of this place. Had a hamburger at their place and was delicious. It kept me full for the whole day. Their fries are really good as well. It also has a lot of old game machines which i though was a fun touch to the place. Our server was great as well. Overall will be coming back there anytime that i stop by again in Grand Rapids.
(5)Lizz C.
Stella's is a, wow, it's hard to explain. We entered to the lovely strains of Beat on The Brat if that explains it somewhat... Stella's is an underground-but-non-pretentious punk rock whiskey bar with fine fine eats for vegetarians, vegans and omnivores. THE biggest whiskey list that I've seen anywhere yet. Some taps, including a few craft beers. Many arcade machines and pinball machines. Band ticket stubs encased in the bar, and flyers on the wall. Nice jukebox with *good* 70's and 80's music. And a bartender that really digs beers, including craft beer. The atmosphere was very laid back and just.. happy. There was an adult family with all age-ranges at a table behind us. If you don't get the D&B appetizer, well, there may be no hope for you. We split a Stella Blue Stuffed burger and my friend, it is as good as you'd hope a blue cheese/bacon stuffed burger could be. A *lot* of 'vegetarian' restaurants could take lessons from their menu. If their nosh sounds good to omnivores/carnivores, then that says something. If you're in Grand Rapids, go here. If you think you won't like it here because it's too laid back for you, *then* have a few beers and then go here. You will thank me. =)
(5)Jacki W.
I really love the vibe at Stella's, but my boyfriend will never go there because he got sick after eating there a couple years ago. Well, he finally went with me last night and we both ordered burgers and woke up with food poisoning this morning. Such a bummer.
(3)Dan B.
You might easily miss this little gem since it's kind of located in an alleyway behind some other buildings. And the outside looks forboding with skulls painted around the entrance, but inside is a pleasant surprise: Kind of a grunge atomosphere, dark but friendly with the long bar surrounded by retro, old time video games. Usually go to drink, but have sampled their excellent burgers. I don't drink whiskey but I've heard they have Michigan's largest selection with over 200. Prices area reasonable and it's become a favorite of mine.
(4)Michael H.
Holy crap, I never thought I would be jealous of a city in Michigan. San Francisco has NOTHING like Stella's. Incredibly sexy waitresses with dreadlocks, VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN DIVE-BAR FOOD, a jukebox with a very respectable punk selection, awesome art-work on the wall and a great selection of classic video games. I played dozens of games of pac-man and digdug last night. Aww yeah. It's worth coming to Michigan just go to to this bar.
(5)Chris A.
I was there yesterday for the TSO concert and needed a place to eat lunch. Stella was my wife's grandmas name so we had to have lunch there. Had the burger and it was awesome. It had a slight smokey flavor that I absolutely loved. Reminded me of camping. Cool decor and really friendly staff.
(5)Dave B.
Awesome place! You owe it yourself to stop in and have a drink. One of the best bars in GR.
(5)Derek Z.
This place is amazing. The outside is hard to find and somewhat low-key. It's dark inside and the mural from last year's artprize is still up, wrapping around the dining area. The bar is large and filled with whiskey. Some top shelf bottles are lit from below with fiery red devil masks hung above them. Past the bar are numerous retro arcade games. The beer gets served in mason jars. There are a hundred or so whiskey shots on one side of the menu and specials that are fair. The menu isn't so much as traditional with vegan options but more like vegan with some meat options. Basically any dish can be ordered fully vegan except three or so (some burgers). You can use real cheese if you want to go vegetarian, but this is one time where you can go full vegan and not lose out on flavor. The vegan dog is great. The vegan nachos are decent and huge. There are some potato wedges that you can have rolled in barbecue sauce, which are so much more than what they seem. I tried the vegan chicken sandwich covered in a spicy sauce and served with the amazingly crunchy whole potato chips. I would go back just for those perfectly seasoned chips. There's something to be said about a whiskey bar that serves such awesome healthy choices. Kind of like a gay republican or a straight Catholic priest. I'm comfortable with all of these unusual combinations. You'll find me sipping on numerous whiskey shots and eating some damn good vegan foods. By the way, I'm a proud unapologetic carnivore. That's how good the food is.
(5)Patrick L.
The place has an amazing selection of great whisky at good prices. I've been here a few times for a night cap but hadn't ever tried the food. The other night, however, I was starving and craving a burger. My brother-in-law recommended Stella's so I gave it a shot. I had the Government Cheese Burger and was blown away. Most bars just serve the typical fare and Stella's is not one of those. Throw in the great whisky list and good beer selection along with the arcade games and the ambiance, minus the irritating hipsters and you have a great bar! Actually, with the irritating hipster crowd it's still a great bar.
(5)Laura Y.
YES. Galaga FTW. I was doing an internship in Grand Rapids, and was pretty amazed that it's got some pretty great places, Stella's being at the absolute top. My first GR experience was at the BOB. Never again. Underage girls getting hit on by older men is just creepy to watch, Crush. ANYWAYS. Stella's is great for the following reasons: -Great beer list (MASON JARS) -Great whisk(e)y list (LIKE 200) -Nommy foods (LIKE STUFFED BURGERS-- EXTRA MEATY) -Awesome decor (LIKE DEVIL MASKS) -GALAGA. -Helpful/knowledgeable staff (LIKE KATIE)
(5)Cari M.
It was a really cool atmosphere and the Menu looked amazing. I tried a burger, since it is supposed to be the best burger in the US...it was WAY overdone when I asked for medium. I should have sent it back, but we had waited for over an hour for our food to come out. Server was nice but she was obviously in the weeds and she was to overwhelmed to give proper service. I would give it another try, but I wast impressed this visit.
(3)Chuck D.
I don't want to give this four stars... but I want to give it four stars so bad! ...now that I sound like a crazy person let me explain. Stella's is great! Its got a lot of character and might be on the boarder of trying to hard, but doesn't cross it. Great atmosphere - great crowd - great whiskey list - great drink selection in general - arcade machines - pinball! - great service (and when I say that I mean they keep the drinks coming). They also have delish food and vegan options!!! You should go here! Why do I always hesitate whenever I call someone and hear them screaming into the phone that they are at Stella's and to come meet them? ...and I'm really afraid I'm going to sound like an old fogie right now... but... It's too. darn. loud!!!! I don't mind bars being noisy, in fact, I prefer it ... but what I realized is every time I go out to Stella's, the next morning none of us have our voices anymore from trying to compete with the ridiculously loud (but good) music! Just turn it down a single notch and I'd love you so much Stellas! SO much!
(4)Molly H.
What an awesome place! The entrance is the coolest: Walk down Ionia, look through a parking lot on your right at a brightly graffitied expanse of wall with a giant pop-art sign over the nondescript door. I stopped by on a Monday afternoon at about 3pm, so maybe the slowest time of the entire week. This was entirely purposeful as I was hoping to eat lunch and have a few drinks in a quiet, but fun atmosphere while reading my New Yorker - Stella's was the perfect choice. Really love the layout: there are a few arcade games in front, but most of them are in the back allowing spectators to gawk without clogging up the works. The bar is super long with probably 20 or so stools and half-bench, half-stool tables run along the wall parallel to the bar. It's all very comfortable and there doesn't seem to be a bad seat in the joint. The decor is maybe just a little Hot Topic for my taste, but I'll get over it, especially when you hand me a menu with seemingly 5,000 different bourbons on it. In that case, I can forgive just about anything. I ended up forgoing bourbon and, inspired by the beautiful sunny day, asking for a margarita. My server said "Sure, but no blenders." Yes. Thank you. And Stella's scores 20 more points. The margarita was served on the rocks in a little highball glass which is possibly my favorite margarita presentation. Score again. And it was really good. Later, I overheard my server/host/bartender talking about what a tequila nerd he is. I am so digging this place. I ended up ordering the vegan burrito and it was killer. Great flavor, great heat, very fresh and satisfying. Only complaint: it'd be great to have an actual salsa rather than the pico with the tortilla chips. I needed something for dipping. Oh, well, I'll just order another $3 margarita. Woe is me. I topped off the visit with a $1.50 Rolling Rock on draft, served in a mason jar. Awesome. Their happy hour is *every day* from 3-6 I believe. Great beer prices and "$2 drinks" which I assume means well mixers. I would be very interested to see what the night crowd is like and I can't wait to go back here and try more of the food. What a great bar and a great concept. You rock, Stella's!
(5)Garrick G.
Unique and authentic look, feel, sound, and flavor. Both the inside and outside walls are covered in grade A Skater Punk style graffiti, authentic Punk and New Wave is always playing loudly, the beer runs the gamut from cheap to choosy, and they have several arcade cabinets and pinball tables! The food is a no frill fat fest with most everything being a combination of deep fried or cheese stuffed. Even their vegan menu is unhealthy, something I didn't think was possible. The service can be a bit slow, but the food is worth it. After playing a vintage Elton John:Captain Fantastic pinball table I sat down to eat an enormous blue cheese stuffed burger, all while The Bauhaus played over the jukebox. What more could you ask for?
(5)Susanne A.
Husband loved the grilled cheese a lot - not the classic sandwich, but updated with spinach and pesto. I took a bite and it was indeed very tasty. Their homemade chips were great too. I often find restaurant made chips overly greasy, but these were nice and crispy. I'll definitely go back!
(4)david W.
Good place. Kind of geared for hipsters, but I don't let ruin my fun. The decor is a mix netween punk and class with a crap ton of video vintage games. Of course they had PBR on tap for low pricing. I had the stuffed bacon/blue cheese burger, it was alright, but honestly not for me. I like my bacon crisp, this was chewy, also I thought it came with an over powering amount of blue cheese, to the point where I you couldn't taste the beef anymore. The poormans wings were off the hook though. Id go again in a heart beat but am going to skip the burger. If anyone else is from ypsi, think andys version on the elbow room but classier.
(4)Sheri K.
Great Vibe and Atmosphere, OK food and Slow Staff I walked into this place and loved it instantly. Playing 25cent old video games and drinking beers in old glass jars... it was so cool. They have a Tron game, Tetris and many more. The lighting, graffiti walls and good music contributed to a great atmosphere. We were greeted by a guy at the door who told us he'd be back to tell us when a table was free. He never came back! Then people came in and just sat at the next available table. So if you see a table, sit! We were under the impression there was some sort of order, there isn't. The menu is diverse for bar food and offered a lot of vegan options. The food we had was just ok, not great. Service was slow. If the service had been better and a less fried food option was on the menu, I'd give it 5 stars. We still had a good time. But the guy at the door taking off really was a bummer for us. We waited sooo long! We were there on Saturday night.
(3)Bigboss A.
Great food with a TON of hipsters
(4)Corey H.
Whiskey bar? I like it. Skulls and devil heads? Like them too. Back alley entrance? Big fan. Saw they had the 25yr Glenlivet... smiles on my face for sure! Didn't see the Nadurra, but they prolly got it too. Some of that, one of their large cubes of ice, and boom... heaven. Almost didn't go to Stella's cause I hatereal busy spots but it wasn't too hard to get a drink and the atmosphere was great for just hangin' around and people watching.
(4)Alivia Z.
I love this place. Whenever I think about Stella's I want to jump in the car and drive to Grand Rapids, and I live three hours away! The "wings" are a must - vegan potato wedges crispy fried on the outside, fluffy hot inside and slathered in such good, tangy bbq sauce. My boyfriend and I could not stop talking about them for days. We had them in the early evening and returned later that night to have them again but the kitchen had closed. Much pouting ensued. The concept is flawless. They offer every each huge, delicious sandwich in three forms: vegan, vegetarian and meat-eater. I am not veggie but I split a veggie tempeh philly with cheese, onions and peppers. Killer! I would have ordered another one of those as well. Some of the best bar food I've ever had, Stella's provides totally satisfying comfort food. The veggie options make it an exceptional restaurant and the punk rock vibe means a ton of eye candy. All that and a bunch of rad arcade games. Let's go to Grand Rapids!
(4)Lacey B.
Really delicious vegan food here! Also a unique fun atmosphere. 2 stars taken away because service here can be pretty iffy :( I've been here a lot and there's usually a wait but I've had mix ups with orders too so I hope they can work on that!
(3)Mindy N.
Hands down, one of my favorite places in Grand Rapids - they've got a cool vibe, a great drink selection, and an awesome menu with plenty of unique and delicious vegetarian and vegan options. It's a total hipster locale, but truly has something for everyone. The service can sometimes be a little slower, just head there when you've got time to enjoy the experience!
(5)Rachel S.
I've been scouring all of Michigan to find what I think is the best burger ever, and look no further, Stella's is the place! I was skeptical when I heard GQ named them "best burgers in America" but they weren't kidding! The burger itself was seasoned perfectly and everything from the cheese, to the toppings, to the bun made this my new favorite burger place by far. The atmosphere is a little quirky, but totally fun! The fries, loaded tots, and dessert cookie roll ups were delicious too! Strongly recommend the Gov't cheese burger or the Stella Blue, you won't be disappointed!
(5)Kiarash Z.
Lots of people have reviewed the food at Stella's, so I'll skip that part. Any place that has 200 whiskeys with $7.50 long pours and beers under $2 has a place in my heart. My snooty drinking friends will be assuaged, and my guzzlers of cheap suds can't complain. The friendly staff who helped me navigate some spirits I hadn't tried didn't hurt.
(4)Justin S.
Fantastic burgers!! Had a group of four and we each got a different one. Ended up passing them around to taste. Cool atmosphere. Great beer selection. Pitchers are a bit pricy outside of happy hour, but most pints are $5. Over 200 whiskeys to choose from. If you want a good burger and beer, check this place out!
(4)Jenny K.
Stella's is a great casual bar that I consider a superior alternative to the Meanwhile: Think Meanwhile with less hipster attitude, the ability to hold a conversation without yelling, the same great drink prices, and a full veg menu. It's set back in an alley way just off Ionia, making it seem like a GR best kept secret. The interior is abound with graphitti murals and old school arcade games. The menu is unique and healthier than your average bar food, and I've experienced average to good service every time.
(5)B T.
Experienced the best Sunday brunch menu ever for vegetarians, foodies, and meat n potato types alike. I had the Tequila Sunrise minus chorizo --- the bomb! For real. The dish was awesome and the accompanying drink of the dish's namesake was positively sublime. Also had bites of the Schezuan tofu scramble (a little dry, but taste was spot on) as well as their potato hash (can't remember the name, but it was also goooood). Service was a little slow, but very attentive and friendly. The bloody mary bar was great and included the basics and well beyond (sausage, cheese, pickled beets, squash, ummm...lots of stuff!)... The experience seriously makes me want to spend every Sunday afternoon in downtown GR. Oh, and did I mention $2 wells (I think from 2-6p on Sunday). I also think they also have the $6 burger special during that time on Sunday, but I'm not a burger fan, so I wasn't really paying attention.
(4)Ginny S.
Excellent downtown spot for a drink and a burger. Can't beat their Sunday brunches. Gets busy with downtown events and weekends but I've never waited more than 20 min when there was a wait. Twice our food took longer than expected and we were given a discount. Always great service and food.
(5)Stephen H.
ok, so who cares if the place seems a bit phoney. I mean the owners are too young to have possibly have gone to any of the shows from the dates on those ticket stubs under the bar glass. The collage of pictures was fabricated from somewhere else and probably custom made. The music selection is great although its all coming from Itunes, not a jukebox.. But hey, CBGB's closed and SOMEONE had to pick up where they left off. And St. Andrews has lost its place and the best local place for alternative in Detroit. So Stella's, you have honored the memory of alternative and punk the way we remember it being. Beers are priced good and pizza is served late. Whoo hoo...
(4)Megan M.
As a displaced GR native, Stella's is now my number one go-to restaurant on visits home. I think about the french toast sandwich all the time - it's the perfect storm of vegetarian breakfasts. On a recent visit, I was with a large group trying to find a Sunday brunch place. Naturally, the usual suspects (Wolfgang's, etc.) were all packed, and then we had a flash of genius: Stella's! It opens at noon and is fairly empty at that point, so it was perfect for a big group. The servers were admirably patient with our slow orders, split checks, and disheveled appearance.
(5)Kate C.
I dig the vibe that they have going on at Stellas. It seems like a lot of hip new places have popped up in the past few years and I'm glad to see something unique like Stellas that caters more to the hipsters than the brosephs. Although the arcade games are cool and all, I'd suggest for them to have a stack of board games on hand as well -- major bonus points there. Anyway, the beer prices were cheap as all get out, which was fantastic. $1.75 PBR served in a mason jar? Sign me up. They featured a lot of local brews on their beer list too, which was nice. Although I think they could stand to look further into the midwest rather than just within the state. And I'm not saying that just because we have Surly here in MN. For reals. I dig the vegan vibe on the menu. A terrible experience with a vegan brownie two years ago and a vegan pumpkin pie last thanksgiving had scared me away from vegan food for eternity, but I respect places that go for it. I'm pretty much a professional nacho tester, so I use bar nachos as a way to rate my establishments of choice. Their vegetarian nachos were quite good -- the tempeh sausage was spicy and had a good texture to it. Couldn't go vegan though. Had to have the real cheese. Would have liked more beans though, they were a little sparse. I need my protein, you know. This place reminds me a bit of Donnie Dirk's Zombie Den in NE Minneapolis. Its definitely got the same vibe as Donnie Dirks/Psycho Suzis. I've heard that the folks that own Stellas have been putting up a whole bunch of restaurants in the area. I can't decide if thats good or bad yet. Gilmore collection for the young and trendy, I suppose. The only thing I didn't care for was the location. Having Viceroy there, I get it. Its a speakeasy. But Stellas is hard to find, even for a former GR-native. I was totally happy to carve into the tables, though. The second to last table near the arcades features some of my handiwork representin' NSRG. Go roller girls, go!
(4)Brandon Z.
Someone took a trip to Brooklyn one time and decided to open a place that is a combination of Foodswings and Barcade when they got home.
(3)Mari K.
This place is great! Awesome vegetarian food, fun drinks that range from cheap to super-fancy. Fun decor, video games, and one incredibly cheerful lunchtime bartender. My only issue is that they don't serve late-night food. I'm hungry people!
(5)kim d.
love it. Great food-even vegetarian options. Cozy atmosphere. classic games. And a great happpy hour too.
(4)Brian J. B.
What everybody has said is so true -- the decor, the video games, the vegan food so good that carnivores crave it. Also, the best jukebox in town. However, what keeps this place from getting 5-stars is woefully inconsistent service. Sometimes it's great -- particularly if Roach is working! -- and sometimes it's just flat-out terrible. I've sorta stopped going there to eat, which is a pity.
(4)Liza G.
I've been to Stella's a few times now and there are a lot of things that I really love about this place. It's the first of its kind downtown and provides a different atmosphere than a lot of the other bars on Ionia. I also love the food selection. I'm not vegetarian or even vegan, but I don't eat beef or pork and it's awesome to see a menu filled with delicious veggie choices. Not to mention my meat eating husband can get a burger while I have my vegan burrito (everybody's happy!). I've had the burrito, vegan chicken wings, fries, onion rings and tasted a few other things on the menu. So far the burrito and fries are my favorite. I've wanted to try other things, but these two things always sound so good! What I can't get over about Stella's is the consistently terrible service I've had there. Last time we were there our waitress was m.i.a. for most of the evening. We had to ask a bartender for menus because no one came to our table. When we wanted to order food our waitress was nowhere to be found (she only came back because another table got up and asked the bartender where she went). We've had similarly bad experiences every time we've been there and it's never been busy since we usually got on weeknights or Sundays to grab dinner or a late lunch. If the service improves I would love to give this place 4 or 5 stars
(3)Amanda H.
This place is a great alternative to many of the bars on Ionia and elsewhere downtown. It has a nice casual atmosphere with comfy banquette seating, perfect for spending a long night with friends. The drink specials were good, especially for the area. Our waitress was really attentive and held conversations with people at our table each time she came, even though I think she was serving half the bar, a big plus. The arcade was somewhat disappointing, not as many games as we expected and many of them were not working well, which isn't that surprising as there isn't really anyone to service the machines anymore. A majority of the food on their menu is vegetarian and vegan, and not just the normal ultra healthy veg/vegan food. I saw a bit of veg bacon, chicken wings, etc., even vegans need good bar food. My partner had the white cheese stuffed burger and the few bites that I took were amazing. I'm pretty picky when it comes to burgers in restaurants, but I have no complaints, it was good quality beef, juicy, and well cooked. The grilled cheese with white cheddar, spinach, pesto, tomato and onion was surprisingly light and very flavorful. The chips that came with both meals were spicy and well seasoned but quite a few of mine stuck together and didn't get cooked in the fryer. Overall, it's not quite what I expected, but is a nice addition to the downtown bar scene
(4)Katya Z.
Incredibly hip place with a wonderfully diverse vegan menu. Loved it. Have eaten there several times and the food is the bomb. Far too many meat substitutes but they've carved a much needed vegan niche market in Grand Rapids. I'd give them a 5 but it gets way too loud up in there! My b/f is a meat eater and he loves the food there as well. It's great to have a place where everyone can feel good about having so many things to choose from.
(4)Chad B.
My 26 year old twin brother, myself, our 20 year old younger brother, and our 26 year old friend drove in from the Detroit area on Saturday to spend the night in Grand Rapids and go to the Griffins game. Upon arriving around 4 pm on Saturday, February 2, 2013, we were very hungry and were looking for places to eat before the game which started at 7:00 pm. We went online and based on all of Stella's fantastic reviews, we decided to go there and we were all very excited. When we arrived at Stella's around 4:30 pm, we were not greeted by any host, so the four of us walked around and then sat down at a booth near the front. About two minutes after sitting down, a waitress came up and before she even handed us the menus she asked to see everyone's ID. Without hesitation, my 20 year old brother politely said, "I am not 21, I am just here to eat." The rather oppressive looking waitress snarly replied, "you can't be in here without parent or guardian if you're not 21." My 20 year old brother again politely stated, "I am not here to drink, it is 4:30 on a Saturday, we just drove three hours from Detroit, we are starving." The ponderous waitress then answered in another angry tone, "doesn't matter, you have to be 21." My brother and I jumped in at this point and said, "that is not a rule, you don't have to be 21 to eat." The waitress got even more upset and replied, "actually since this is a bar, you do have to be 21." I then said to the waitress, "this 20 year old is his and my little brother, (while pointing to my twin) here are our IDs, we take full responsibility of him." The rude and inconsiderate waitress replied, "So, doesn't matter, you have to be 21." At this point we had enough and all decided to get up and take our money elsewhere. As someone who has a lot of family in Grand Rapids and has a lot of connections to the Grand Rapids area, I have to say I was extremely disappointed in not only the ridiculous "rule" that you have to be 21 to even be inside the building at 4:30 pm, but by the way our waitress handled the situation. I will be sure to put the word out to all my family and friends to never enter your establishment ever again.
(1)Steve W.
Awesome vegan wings (half off if you Foursquare) and a great vegan chik'n sandwich!! Fun place. Service was a little slow, but they were friendly.
(4)Samuel C.
Honestly, there isn't anything this bar does not have. Pinball, arcades, plenty of seating, classy bar and bar staff... well, sometimes it takes a little encouraging to get them to warm up. The menu is great. THere is a huge whisky selection. I encourage everyone to go here. People from out of state are, without exception, blown away that Grand Rapids possesses this gem.
(5)Joe G.
Food: 4/5. Service: 3/5. Lots of vegetarian & vegan offerings.
(3)Russell R.
Beers in mason jars, a massive feast of a burger, back alley entrance, anddd, they play the Pixies. Good enough for me to say the least!
(5)Lindsay O.
Stella's Lounge since I have now visited you a few times and tried different things, I feel that I can now say how awesome you are! I have been there on opening night when it was packed to the gills and I have been there when it was still early and easy to find a seat and an open arcade machine "Fun House" (even though you gobbled up my quarters faster then a hamster on a wheel and showed no love. I will have my revenge on you!). Stella's entrance is nestled down an alley and could easily be missed but, the blazing lights of Stella's will get your attention! It doesn't look like much from the alley or the entrance. Then once you step inside and walk up the stairs you find great wall art and awesome music playing from bands you loved in the 1980's. I love the options from the bar...A forty in a brown paper bag, tons of different kinds of whiskeys and my favorite the Sangria made with Mad Dog. The sangria is AWESOME! Bitter and sweet the perfect combination. Upon looking at the menu it is filled with so many vegetarian options and I know that my dining companion's one of who is a full out vegetarian; really loved all the options and really loved, loved Stella's! After about 20 minutes later are table finally came up with decisions...We started off my munching on the poor man's chicken wings (made from potato wedges), mild and a side of vegan ranch dressing. These were crunchy like real chicken wings minus the chicken, super yummy! A must have or the deep fried pickles and olives are very good too. For our main course we decided on For Whom the Dog Tolls (a vegan dog with a slaw ruben mix and tempeh sausage and that comes with a side of really great onion rings); Spiritual Healing (a grilled cheese that has melty gooey pepper-jack and white cheddar with pesto, spinach and onions, so very good. I crave this grilled cheese! Finally, Stay Hungry which is a big burrito stuffed with sweet potato, rice, black beans, lettuce, tomato and vegan sours cream all wrapped up in a spinach wrap. A great change from the same ole' four tortilla. Also served with a tortilla chips and pico de gallo. It all makes my mouth water! As I said I have had other things then just that experience. I have also tried Cornbeef Jigsore Quandary (a vegan ruben), the World Eater (a vegan "chicken" sandwich buffalo style, though I hear it also comes bbq style too. Because I like meat too! I have also had the Stella Blue Stuffed Burger, a burger stuffed with blue cheese and bacon; frickin' yummy to the yum! Though, I have heard to the Blessed Black Wings which are vegan wings. I plan to have those next time! Go to Stella's because it is yummy and the sangria is fantastic!
(5)Mighty M.
I recently heard there was a new vegan place in GR, so of course I had to check it out. This is not what I expected from a vegan joint. The website promises "Strong Drinks, Cheap Beer, Loud Music, No Bullshit", and this is a true story. You enter through the back, that if it weren't for the blazing Stella's sign above would look like a sketchy hole in the wall. They do have an aptly named "Pet Semetary" section in the menu for your carnivorous friends who refuse to even sample the vegan fare. Dear carnivores, this food is still not particularly healthy, so rest assured that it is delicious, although vegan. ;-) This is bar food for the most part: vegan wings, dogs, fried pickles, burgers, etc. This place is owned by the people who own Hopcat, and they offer delicious "chronic fries" instead of "crack fries." I ordered the REFUSE/RESIST: "the breakfast of champions...french toast sandwich with tofu scramble & tempeh bacon. served with a side of michigan maple syrup, raspberry chipotle sauce & spicy breakfast potatoes. $7.95" OH MY GOD. Vegans miss out on a lot of breakfast foods, and this really hit the spot. The sweet French toast and the savory veggies and scrambled tofu dipped in maple syrup and the AMAZING tangy raspberry chipotle just about gave me a vegasm. I washed it down with the BEST Sangria I have ever had. Seriously, it was dangerously good. You can't even taste the alcohol in it. My only gripe is that there is SO many meat substitutes on the menu. I don't mind veggie burgers and the occasional crispy chick'n, but I don't eat meat for a reason. I'd like to see some other dishes on the menu. However, they have a niche and they fit into it nicely: a bar that bikers would look at home in that caters to vegans and kids at heart (hence the arcade). The arcade is a nice little addition to this place. I enjoyed some post-Sangria pinball. :-)
(4)