Yuuummm i love beer. I sat at the bar and the bartender was super friendly. When I came this place it was packed even though it was big, but its a good place to catch up with friends. It is across a cute park and commercial drive has a good vibe. The only thing I didn’t like is that we had to be seated, this makes it less casual and more formal. I wasn’t sure if they were going for the restaurant or bar scene.
Nam N.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Vancouver, Canada
Great place to come for beers, but I always seem to enjoy coming here more in the summer months. Huge selection of beers from Europe with a good assortment of decent tapas. Nothing fancy, just good finger food. Love the energy here after a work day, just a cool place to hang out with friends to chat over some serious beer tasting. Again I really like their selection of beers, should be a beer for every particular taste. Some interesting ones you might not find anywhere else so best to be adventurous here. Sure there’s better food elsewhere, but they don’t got the beers. PRICE: Average for beers, little bit more for their unique imports. Tapas are a little on the higher end considering its glorified bar food. I don’t come here for the food, who does? SERVICE: Awesome. Great advice given if you’re not sure what to try from their 20+ beers. SUGGEST: Drop by for beers. If you’re hungry you can snack here too. But look for dinner elsewhere. But seriously, with that much beers and constant snacking you won’t need dinner.
Alicyn C.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Coquitlam, Canada
Stella’s. What can one say about this establishment. I find it to be a great starter point to an evening of wondering and drinking along Commercial Drive. The beer selection is fantastic and the tapas are great. Including the very much enjoyable poutine. Yum! If you go there try the beer sampler. Mini beers are fun!
Jasmine T.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Burnaby, Canada
Whee! Friday Night Date Night once again… we chose this Stella’s because it’s closer to both our houses. It was really busy being almost seven and all, but there was still room on the patio for the two of us. As we walked to the our table, a guy with water soon placed two glasses in front of us. Our server was so nice! She was really friendly… since she knew we had just sat down, she told us she would give us a few minutes so that we weren’t rushed. Beer specials on a Friday? What? Most places we go act like we are lucky to even get a table and here they’re giving us stuff for cheap! Crazy. My fiancé got the Carlsberg and I got a coke… which tasted like fountain pepsi(do I sound picky?). Since I stuffed my face at my local IHOP, I didn’t want a lot of food for dinner. We decided to share a small plate, the Short Ribs, and a large plate, the Pork Tenderloin. The short ribs were nice and tender… but nothing really memorable. It came on a bed of spinach with pickled ginger. I hate ginger, so I didn’t touch it. Then the best dish ever came out! The pork was spice rubbed that gave it a nice crust. Inside, the meat was so tender and juicy. Yum! It came all cut up on a bed of creamy corn with bacon and topped with black bean salsa. It also came with a nice piece of cornbread. All of the best flavours all in one dish.
Nicole B.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Portland, OR
I can only vouch for the mussels and of course the Belgium beer. Love sitting outside on the patio sipping me some Belgium beer.
Sara M.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Vancouver, Canada
This girl is a fan of Stella’s. But when I think of Stella’s, I think extensive crazy cool beer menu. Food doesn’t really enter the equation for me. I suppose if I got hungry whilst reading all of the beer descriptions I might fancy a snack, but I am primarily beer minded. I have been here countless times and always leave happy. The patio is fun for people watching and inside has a welcoming atmosphere. The staff is friendly and very well educated when it comes to beer. I have to admit that large menus give me some anxiety as I struggle with pulling the trigger… but my server is always able to help a sister out and recommend one based on the beers I do like. Thanks! And I HEART the fact that each beer comes in it’s own oh so special glass — I like to think of it as their fashion sense. Think about THAT the next time you order a fancy Belgian would you? My most recent visit was this past Tuesday. I had fun with the menu reading and the helping hand of my server. Beers were admired and enjoyed, food was not ordered. Aaaand I left smiling. SO if you want to have a wicked beer party in your mouth, in a funtastic neighbourhood… go to Stella’s please.
Andrea B.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Burnaby, Canada
Who wants to go drinking? Then come on down to Stellas! Stellas also has a location on Cambie Street but for some reason I love the vibe of this one on Commercial! It always seems busier and buzzing with life and the patio is pretty sweet for people watching! Went here last night and got super overwhelmed by the beer menu!!! I only just recently started to like the taste of beer so imagine a beer-newbie staring at a list of 20+ beers to choose from! Yeah! The one I got ended up being perfect! It was delicious. Didn’t try the food but the food menu is less overwhelming so yes, as a previous Unilocaler said, it’s «ALLABOUTTHEBEER»! The friend who introduced me to this place is a huge beer drinker so you know it’s good! ;) UPDATE: Went again the next day to the one on Cambie Street and actually tried the food: Mussels in Marinier Sauce — people rave about Stella’s mussels and they were good but not great. It was like watching the sequel to your absolute favorite movie — never satisfying. Fish Tacos — interesting but yummy. Who’s ever heard about putting fish in tacos? That’s crazy talk, right?! Well, apparently I’ve been missing out. 3 bite sized soft tacos come on a place with a dipping sauce and it’s the perfect amount… but it’s definitely an appy. BC Halibut Filet — i think this was my favorite dish. The fish was so soft and fluffy like pillows. It comes on a bed of risotto which was a bit too creamy for me but the pea shoots made up for it. The décor is kinda confusing — outside it looks like a typical pub you could wear sweats to and feel at home but inside it suddenly looks sorta fancy. If I were wearing sweats, I’d wish I brought a change of clothes but I’m sure they don’t care! Again, LOADSANDLOADSOFBEER!!! Yum.
Richelle O.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Vancouver, Canada
This place is heaven. AMAZING selection of beers. A-MAZING… I only tried an appy(philly cheese steak app) and it was the first PCSs I’ve had, and were pretty good. However my firend said he’s had much better. LOVETHISPLACE. BEER I LOVEYOU
Michael C.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Vancouver, Canada
I’ve been seeing a lot of mixed reviews about this place, so I decided to see this place for myself and I’m beginning to understand why. First off, this place is bar sooooo lets talk about drinks. Great selection of beers from all over. They even have my fave beer here, Le Fin De Monde. Definitely try out the beers they got here and plus they got a patio =) Something about beers and patio = Awesome! Food was ok. We had fish and chips, jambalaya, brie in phyllo, and mussels. Fish and chips, good batter, great fries, the pea shooter… don’t care for that much. Brie in phyllo, was actually really good, but the only turn off from this dish was the bruised and rotting greens it was served with. Jambalaya was alright, but it kind of reminded me more of a paella lol.(Not saying it’s bad, but correct me if I’m wrong… there’s red and white jambalaya. This was was cooked in saffron and took on a more yellow like how most places do paella). Server was awesome! She was quick and even offered blankets to my friend when the evening started to cool down outside. Well, all in all… I would not suggest this place for food primary, but would for drinks! I usually don’t expect much from a bar, food wise, but their name is Stella’s Tap &TAPAS Bar.
Thom H.
Rating des Ortes: 1 Toronto, Canada
Eggs: Greasy enough to see your reflection. Greasy enough to wonder if you might be in Scotland. Sausage: Unique, but not really in a good way. Home Fries: Reconstituted tater-tots from hell. Coffee: More bitter than Rosie O’Donnell. Price: High, given the low quality. $ 8.50 for eggs & sausage. Most others are around $ 11 – 13. Our server was very nice(and exceptionally beautiful, too!), and the place is comfortable. So I would gladly come back for beers.
Mark H.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Vancouver, Canada
One of my favorite places to drink and share some tapas with some friends. They have a long beer menu that resembles a sophisticated wine list. For those of you that think they don’t like beer, try out some of the many Belgium beers they offer, a lot of them you can’t find anywhere else! Usually I ask the server to suprise me as it takes too long to decide based on the wine-ish taste descriptions. I usually go for their awesome calamari and Normande-style mussels(grannysmith apples and bacon cream sauce). Great atmosphere on the drive.
Jay A.
Rating des Ortes: 2 Long Beach, CA
I didn’t get a chance to try the food because we planned on going somewhere else for dinner a few hours later– but I did try a few of the beers… Had a Mort Subite Frambois, Deus Brut des Flandres, and a bottle a of Satan Gold. They have a Huge Belgium beer selection, but I wasn’t a fan. Comparing it to most American Domestics and some of the more common Imports, all of the beers I tried were a bit more like champagne– very bubbly and slightly fruity… The food(on the table next to us) looked really good and the ambiance was cool… it was something different…
Littlefish B.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Vancouver, Canada
I’m surprised to see the 3.5 star average here. I like the atmosphere, I adore the beer tasting notes, and the food’s been very tasty(their 6 or so mussel dishes have been great!). They specialize in Belgian beers(«All served in traditional glasses using the 10 step Belgian beer pour ritual» — don’t ask me but the beer tastes great!). Very fun & I don’t even usually drink beer!
Christine K.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Vancouver, Canada
My friend came out to visit from the burbs so I decided we should go for a walk down the Drive to Stella’s. She likes beer & has been going on about all the different ones she has been trying so I thought this would be a good choice… It was about a ½ hour walk on one of those«too hot & humid» Saturdays so we were a little uncomfortable when we got inside. No a/c but they did have the fans going — it was still a little miserable though. The nice thing was the server immediately brought us a couple of glasses of ice water which helped! We spent some time looking at the menus. My friend spends more time looking at the beer menu and then orders out of all those wonderful choices: drumroll… A Stella! Sheesh, whatever… though we could have walked somewhere a lot closer if I knew she was going to drink Stella! She got the BLT& said the brie was a bit much on it but she enjoyed it. I ordered a bacon cheese burger & was pretty happy. I don’t know why but I wasn’t expecting much for the food and I ended up being pleasantly surprised! I like getting aoili to dip my fries in too! Great service, nice place to stop for a bite. So after a couple of beers, a couple glasses of wine & full bellies, we waddled back home in that oppressive heat!
Chris R.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Vancouver, Canada
People always tell me to go to Stella’s Tap and Tapas Bar on Commercial Drive in Vancouver(there is a new one on Cambie too). They rave about the awesome beer selection, but I’d never considered Stella’s a destination worth seeking out. I’d go to their website to check out their beer menu and not be particularly impressed. What they have on tap is pretty solid, but not enticing enough to warrant a special trip. Turns out there is a whole other beer menu on the website under the Fresh Sheet tab that I’d been completely missing. I finally made my first visit to Stella’s after work on Friday with some coworkers. The Fresh Sheet beer menu at Stella’s is even more impressive than the one on their website. I was delighted to find a six page menu listing many fine Belgian style beers. There were so many that I had a hard time deciding what to have. I ended up choosing Troublette, a witbeir from Brasserie Caracole, which was lovely. I’d tried many of the sixty odd beers on Stella’s menu, but there were a few rare gems that I’ve never even seen available before. I’ll definitely be making the pilgrimage to Stella’s a few more times now. The appetizers we shared were delightful and where we sat on the patio offered entertaining views of Commercial Drive’s funky residents. I know most Vancouver beer enthusiasts already know and love Stella’s, but I highly recommend making the trip if you haven’t yet.
Emily S.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Vancouver, Canada
Food is yum, but a little expensive for«tapas» portions. Sit outside for some extra people watching. Staff was very cool, some are ninjas so watch out!
Geraldine G.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Toronto, Canada
This review is for their brunch!!! All in all, a good satisfactory brunch. low on the grease and one of the best sausages and for that matter, sausage options in town. In this particular instance, i chose the andouille. None of that run of the mill pork sausage you find on most brunch plates. Potatoes were well seasoned with a nice crunch. The atmosphere is definitely lively. One busy joint on the weekends. I’ve gone back several times for brunch here! Cons: no fruit and the presentation is kinda dull. Customer service could have been bette but I did return on another occasion with several different servers and the service was spectacular!
Alan S.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Vancouver, Canada
While I’ve never eaten here, I definitely have had a few drinks. The depth and selection of the beer menu puts most of the city’s wine lists to shame. For extremely cost-conscious drinkers, this might not be the place — most bottles go for around $ 8-$ 12; however, they’re higher percent. So… if you do the math… I strongly recommend the Golden Dragon from Belgium.(I went with the staff recommendation for my first pick). The mussels LOOKED great.(just like mine… hi-o!). Every time I’ve been there, it’s been busy, so prepare for that.
Megan S.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Dallas, TX
Macaroni & Cheese! Macaroni & Cheese! I’ve loved it since being a kid, and I still love the cheesy warm carb-stuffed food. My friend pointed it out one day. The menu includes the regulars– soups, salad, some seafood, tapas, sandwiches, etc. I was so delighted with the mac and cheese, that I had it that night, and ever since. I’m not sure what most people have with their mac and cheese, but I go for an IPA or pale ale. I’ve enjoyed all the ales I’ve tried here, and they have a nice variety. Not a huge book, but a well rounded selection. Being a Van Gogh fan, one day I will try their Starry Night Martini! Tempting, eh?
Simon R.
Rating des Ortes: 4 BC, Canada
This is a classy joint, another bar that aims to reflect the upscale momentum of Commercial Drive’s future, but one that does so successfully, by putting a considerable amount of thought into the menu, as well as the décor. Reknown for its clams and mussels, these are featured on the menu under many different recipes and sauces, and reasonably priced considering their unique style and decadent flavor. There’s also a vast range of good imported beers, including the really fancy stuff that tastes like chocolate, olives, or cedar. These finer details will cost the customer extra, but sometimes life creates a scenario where you deserve to satisfy your curiosity about what a $ 9 pint tastes like. With its cozy interior decorating, high class furniture and smiling servers it succeeds in emanating a comfortable atmosphere, and the smell of 7 different kinds of sauces for the shellfish wafting in from the kitchen makes the fanciness authentic. Definitely worth at least one visit, especially if you’re willing to thin your wallet to impress a date. .