Stella’s Lounge

Stella’s Lounge is the only bar/​restaurant I’ve been to that the soup of the day is always WHISKY! It boasts a «Best Burger in America» by GQ Magazine in 2012 and after 4 years, the burgers are still very good. The fries might even be better if you enjoy a light heat buffalo taste. The price of the alcohol is a bit high, but for the «buzz on a budget» crowd, they always have PBR on tap and a few Black Label cans available. Stella’s was one of the first food specific attractions I visited when I moved to the Grand Rapids area and I was not disappointed, but as the years rolled by and its popularity grew, the level of service proportionally dropped. Incorrect orders, long wait times outside peak hours, rising prices all contribute to a lower rating, however this review should not stop you from experiencing the phenomenon. Go for an early dinner or late lunch, perhaps on half off Thursdays, enjoy a local beer and tell your friends all about the fabled burger and Chronic Fries!

What a fun place!
I had dinner at a restaurant nearby, but found my way to Stella’s for an after dinner drink… or two ;)
Great bartenders — super friendly and extremely attentive.
My tour guide (business associate) raved about the Ted Avocado Nugents, so we ordered some. Per Stella’s menu: «Prepared just like Uncle Ted would want them, beer battered in Perrin Double IPA & served with Asian slaw & spicy avocado ranch dipping sauce.»
Ted Avo Nugents? Well, not really my thing, but a cheap opportunity to tell you all what a douchebag I think Ted Nugent is… a complete shitball in my book. Eff him and his anti-​Semitic views.
Back to the review…
Stella’s is a super spot to hang with friends. Lot’s of «stuff» (memorabilia) to look at, cool music… an overall great spot to hang and get your grub and/​or drink on.
4.5 stars — can’t wait to go again!

Food: Truly impressed by this place with the quality of food and amazing vegetarian options! The White lightning burger is vegetarian and a must eat! There are also several appetizers and other vegetarian entrees available!
Service: When we first arrived, we were disappointed that there were 17 parties ahead of us and they weren’t taking reservations for the main room anymore! Luckily, the back room bar is self-​seating in the evenings and you can order your food directly at the bar and they will bring it out to where you sit! It is a little better atmosphere for having a quieter dinner than the main room and definitely suggest if you go on the weekend. The food got to us within 15 minutes even though the kitchen was very busy.
Atmosphere: Hipster atmosphere with 80s artwork that makes it a great place to start any night during the weekend. The ambiance and lighting is a different experience from anything I have ever seen.
Overall: great veggie food options, great vibes and great service!

Ordered a togo order, looks like a fun place I’ll definitely be hanging out in next time. I ordered wings that were outstanding, stuffed tots the best thing I ever ate and 3 way nachos so fresh and awesome!!! I definitely recommend this place id give 10 stars if I could!!!

Probably the best burgers I’ve ever had. Cheese in the patty, actually made to your order, and good topping combinations. Delicious. I wouldn’t go as far as saying that these burgers are the best in America… its according to a fashion magazine. Come on. There are some arcade games to play, so have fun nerds.

This is a great place to show your (well mannered) kid your still young at heart. It’s not kid friendly according to Unilocal and a sign at the hostess stand. However yesterday (2÷20÷16) there were plenty of parents showing their kids they’re still cool by playing video games we grew up with, rocking out to OUR jams and eating burgers. There’s no kid menu but hey, it’s not kid friendly right? If they are going to cater to me bringing my kid in I’m willing to cater to their rules. Either way if you have a well mannered 8 year like I do I wouldn’t hesitate to drop in EARLY and get out by ¾. Remember this place has a stigma to maintain but I wouldn’t hesitate at the opportunity to show your kid your more than meats (lol) the eye.

This is a second review after going vegan. We came on Valentine’s Day around 3:45 PM after snacking at the Downtown Market but still feeling peckish. There was a 30 minute wait so we put our name in and proceeded to play a few vintage video games– they have Street Fighter! We waited for about 25 minutes and were seated at a modestly uncomfortable high top table near the front door in a high traffic area. Arguably the worst seat in the house but hey, someone was going to end up there! I ordered a ginger ale, my wife had a Bloody Mary from the $ 5 Bloody Mary bar. She said it was tasty. We ended up ordering two burgers– I had the Hippie Stuffed and she the White Lightening.
My burger was a black bean patty stuffed with vegan thousand island. I ordered their «crack fries» and also a small order of the deep fried avocado bites, served when vegan avocado ranch. The burger was hearty for sure– a huge patty with some pretty convincing vegan cheese and an onion ring, super flavorful. Crack fries are spicy but not over the top with spice. Those avocado bites– I have to be honest I am still not sure what I think of those! Part of me enjoyed them and part of me thought they were kind of strange.
The white lightening burger was also tasty and a little more mild than my burger. Still flavorful, but I did not note a spicy taste. We both enjoyed our food and will certainly be back again.

I almost never mention service first in a review, but it was exceptional. There was a long wait for a table so we decided to dine at the bar. Our bartender (I wish I had asked her name) oozed hospitality; she was personable and efficient. If we go back, and she’s working at the bar, we’ll wait for barstools to open.
Menu is creative. The bacon fat popcorn is a must. The hubs had a burger and I had the nachos. We thought our food was very good, but, aside from the popcorn, not what we would consider memorable.
The atmosphere, I would say, is hipster kitsch — very fun! We truly enjoyed our evening. I would definitely go back if we were in town.

The food is amazing but avoid it on a Saturday night. The waiting time was 1.5 hours but for more than 15 min they had five tables open but no staff to clean them. Hence the waiting time. At one point they had six tables open and no movement. A guy who came with his family and sad down said he counted five tables open when he arrived an hour before being able to sit down. After talking to a few regulars, I got the scoop: Apparently they text you when your table is ready but give you 10 – 15 mins (or more if you are friends with the staff) to come to the desk, so people go for a walk in downtown knowing that their table will sit there, waiting for them. We waited for 1 hour 20 minutes for a table and even then they had four empty tables when we sat down. Again… If you can tolerate all this, the burgers are really good, fries? Wrong place, Hopcat is just around the corner.

Drove up here from NWI. Trip was primarily for Madcap Coffee, but I wanted to pair it with a great meal. Our party consisted of four and we were looking for a great burger. Stella’s boasted Best Burger in the Nation by GQ Magazine so I figured it was a good bet.
This is a bar coupled with classic TV shows playing on three screens — an episode of the original Star Trek earned points with this Trekkie. Whisky list was incredibly extensive, along with a decent craft beer menu, which featured Michigan favorites such as Bells and New Holland offerings. Burgers ordered were the burger of the month fittingly called January and the Buffalo. Fries were included and we opted for the chronic version with special seasonings. Waitress asked how we wanted our burgers but they all came out very well done. I have to say the burger was good but not outstanding. Not sure how they got the prop from GQ but they obviously skipped places on par with Kuma’s in Chicago, which leaves a lasting impression that you just enjoyed a truly elevated and well crafted burger.
Service was decent and prompt, bathrooms clean and music was excellent. I wish the food had been outstanding.

Unbelievable. The burgers and fries are phenomenal. They’ve got a great menu with standard bar fare, the difference is the quality and prep. You can tell they try to put out a quality product.
More things to love:
whiskey
specials
TVs showing old horror movies and 70s Japanese programs
5^th Element tatted servers
I should also mention they have a dozen old school arcade games lining the whole place.

We were visiting Grand Rapids from out of town and met up with friends to have a drink on a Monday night. The service was excellent and the happy hour was even better.
The bacon fat popcorn is delicious and savory and the french fries were even better.
It never got packed while we were there so I was able to look at all the rad arcade games and even play some pinball. The music was at a very reasonable level that created a nice background feeling but never forced you to shout across the table.
The bathroom graffiti is also pretty sweet.

I should really leave two reviews here: one for Stella’s on Mondays, one for Stella’s on any other night.
On Mondays, Stella’s is hopping with talented poets, musicians, and writers. I love Drunken Retort and am so glad that Stella’s is my Monday night home (: I also love drink specials and the fact that the staff know me personally and are so incredibly helpful and kind.
My fiancé and I love (LOVE LOVE LOVE) their burgers, especially because they have an extensive vegan and vegetarian menu. However, it can get crazy busy around dinner time and doesn’t slow down until usually after 10p.m. It might end up being a 15 or so minute wait, so just take that into account when planning your visit.
If you’re the type of person who loves interesting and unique menu options and whiskey, and you don’t mind a crowd or short wait, do yourself a favor and check out Stella’s. Oh, and try their vegan wings! You’ll have to double check that they are actually vegan, that’s how good they are.

We all have a hero. This review is a tribute to an American Hero, a legend, Matt Maier.
M is for Meticulous, the way his grill flames kiss my burger
A is for Attention, he pays to prepare and serve
T is for Tender, the burgers under his watchful eye
T — Oh, so tender
M is for Many, his burgers I will eat
A is for Again, his burgers are a treat
I is for Indiana
E is for Electronic, the genre of music he will play
R is for Remember, the burgers he will slay

Stella’s really does have an incredible atmosphere. Old arcade games (TRON was one), graffiti-​like murals that cover portions of the walls and cartoons playing silently above the bar area.
Dark and moody, Stella’s is the perfect place to come sample hard to find whiskies and grab a bite to eat.
I tried their angry pig tacos (shredded pork plus toppings in hard corn shells). The meat was tender and flavorful, but the shells tasted like they had just come out of the box. The accompanying tortilla chips and salsa were great. The whiskey recommendation I received was excellent.
I would definitely come back to sample more, but I’d lower my expectations for the food.

Full disclosure: if you can combine pub food and vintage arcade games, I’ll be the easiest person to please. Stella’s does just that, with a bit of a punk-​rock hipster vibe to accompany pinball machines, delicious buffalo wings and a stellar craft beer selection.
We were looking for a unique experience in Grand Rapids, and this was certainly it. Big fan. I’ll definitely be back when visiting again.

We went for lunch primarily for kick ass food
before we headed out of town. My friend who bartends at a local spot suggested it and after checking the menu it looked perfect! I’m a vegetarian and my Manfriend is most definetly not, so he was excited to get «America’s best burger».
Veghead Nachos, similar to their classic but with spicy tempeh. Manfriend digs in first, his words «at first it was the freshest best Nachos I’ve ever put it my mouth … but then what’s that weird after taste though?». It must have been their tempeh. I kept seeing lentils… stale might be the word?
I got the Vegan Meatloaf. Halfway through our nachos a young man pops over and let’s me know that it usually comes with peas, «but we can’t find any». The way he worded it cracked me up, look no longer– I’ll just take some brocolli.
Manfriends burger was good, he got the jalapeño/​pepper jack stuffed one. He confirmed it was not the best burger he’d ever had and he found it strange because it was… soft. As if they had steamed the burger patty almost. Perhaps because he ordered it medium rare? My meatloaf was terrible. The loaf itself had those same strange spices in it that just tasted… old. Mind you I eat tofu, lentils, beans etc. regularly and every which way. The mashed potatoes tasted similar to the inside of an plain overbaked baked potato… dry, gritty, crumbly potato, that appeared to have nothing added to give them life. Topped with onion strings that had been taken right out of the French’s container and gravy that resembled pepper water mixed with cornstarch. And my sad little broccoli in place of the lost peas. All I could taste was pepper from the gravy and loaf. I salted it and it helped balance. A big let down, with their large variety of veg options I thought they’d nail it.
Laura our server was great though, friendly, awesome energy and wonderful advice. Enjoyed her service very much. The atmosphere was great, loved the dark walls covered in memorabilia. Video game selection rocked. Will try someplace different when we come to town again though.

This place was described to me as a dive bar. I was pleasantly surprised to find out it was more like a hipster barcade (arcade + bar) dark trendy atmosphere. I was in Grand Rapids for business and was running around with my more adventurous coworkers. The dining room was packed, so instead of waiting for a table we bellied up to the bar.
The beer list was ok, but not as robust as I expect in a beer Mecca like Grand Rapids.
This place specializes in «stuffed» burgers. We found out that basically it was a burger with cheese and stuff mixed in with the meat. We all ordered burgers, beers and an appetizer of fried avocado. The avocado came out quickly. They were battered and fried but most of the batter was falling off or had fallen off. The sauce was fine but nothing exciting and fried parts were constantly getting stuck in it. I wasn’t mad at the avocado but it wasn’t really impressive.
Luckily the burgers and fries were excellent. I got the hot stuffed burger. It was awesome. Juicy and spicy and perfectly done. It was a great sized patty. The meat was gooey with cheese, and was almost sticky through the bun. It came with a spicy mustard that was super spicy and totally tasty. The fries were perfectly cooked and had a nice spicy all spice flavor. They were perfect for dipping in the hot mustard. This was a great burger spot.
At the end of the meal we got after some old school street fighter in the arcades

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 !!

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.