This is by far our favorite restaurant in the area! The many times we have visited, both the food and service is always stellar! All of the staff is always so friendly and knowledgable, and truly makes you feel at home. The fresh pastas are absolutely amazing, as well as the bread, and every single thing we have eaten here. We truly enjoy the new specials and appetizers, and are always so pleased with our experience! Highly recommended!!!

We held the most AMAZING baby shower here at Sella's today which was a Sunday from 11am-2pm. This venue is only open on Sunday's for events. Which means we had the whole venue for our party of about 35 to ourselves. I can't say enough WONDERFUL things about all aspects from start to finish. The FREE parking lot is so close to the building, the staff was incredibly FRIENDLY and accommodating to all our needs, there was something for everyone on the menu and it was INCREDIBLE! This establishment is going to be (if it isn't already) booked very far out for sure, so if you are even thinking about having your event here you should do it IMMEDIATELY! Thank you so very much to everyone who made this event so SPECTACULAR!

Delicious food, everything we had was amazing. You can't beat fresh pasta with delicious sauce. Also had chicken Marsala which is one of my favorites. Great location to enjoy your meal. Will return when in the area, it is worth traveling for a great lunch or dinner.

I love the food, delicious! A very large building with many dining rooms so a large party is not going to be bothersome. Taco Tuesday, start the week with a new Taco. Friendly servers always attentive. Also they have a large parking lot. What else could you want?

One of our favorite restaurants and they never disappoint. I have recommended them to everyone I work with and many neighbors. Everyone has become regulars due to the excellent food and affordable prices. The weekly meal deal is always amazing especially their ravioli.

I had the linguine with meatballs. It was excellent as was the fresh bread. Service was great too. This place is definitely a winner!

The food is fabulous! Wait staff very good. We don’t care for jazz, but we just overlook that. Chicken and eggplant parm are delicious. Caesar salad is delicious. Bar only has local liquor, so that was the only negative for us. Will be going back soon.

I relocated to Schenectady less than two months ago, and being somewhat of a "foodie", I asked around for recommendations. Since Stella's was mentioned by several people I gave it a try. The food was delicious, the staff and owner were personable and friendly, and did I say the food was delicious? I went back a second time last night, and it was just as good. I read the 1-star and 2-star reviews and all I can say is that they must have gone to another restaurant, or they had a real stick up their you know what!

My wife and I ate here this past Friday night, we did a walk in which was the last one they had. We talk to one of the owners and he recommended reservations even for a party of two. Food was very good I had cheese raviolis, my wife got linguini (that was the shape of spaghetti) w/ meat sauce. Bread and olive oil was also very good. Kelly was our server and she was very good, very attentive to what we needed, I would recommend her. We will be back to try some of the other dishes we saw go by our table.

Loved it! Tremendously chic and fantastic atmosphere. Staff are super friendly and make your dining experience very relaxing and enjoyable. The food is very good and nice selection of different appetizers; not just the ol' standbys. Plenty of parking which is great since this is in the Stockade area. Definitely going back.

Fantastic! Took a trip to schnectady due to my a clinical rotation and I wanted homemade pasta and this restaurant popped up and did NOT disappoint. My husband and I are from CT and had high expectations due to Italian food in New Haven. The staff here was so friendly, pasta and sauce were full of flavor and just delicious!!

My brunch choices were ricotta scrambled eggs, with was absolutely deliciously creamy with slivers of eshallots on top.The bloody Mary was the best I have had so far. As for my midday dessert 😃...the Creme Brule was amazing. It was definitely a pleasant surprise when the owner introduced himself and thanked us for dining at his establishment and our sever was an absolute delight. I can't wait to have dinner at this restaurant in the future.

We threw my mom a small surprise 70th birthday dinner party 🎉 at Stella pasta bar in Schenectady. (25 people) Thank you to the owners (John/Chris) and staff (Ali/Angela) for an amazing evening! The food, service and atmosphere were absolutely amazing! We couldn't have asked for any better 🥰 If you haven't been to Stella's yet make your way there. (Lower Union Street) You will not be disappointed at all!!

Another perfect dinner at Stella’s. Our table had Stella’s crab cakes, the shrimp genovese, the lobster ravioli and the mushroom ravioli. I drank a pint of the Prima Vista, which was perfect with the ravioli. The crap cakes were a very generous portion of three cakes for an appetizer and delicious. All three entrees were so good we didn’t want to put our forks down!

Nice place with warm feel! The architecture is timeless! They have great pasta and live entertainment! It's nice enough for a dress or jacket, but you don't need a tie! 😉

This is my favorite place in Schenectady. The atmosphere is great and the food and drinks are even better. My partner and I frequent the happy hour here, and never leave disappointed. The prices are super reasonable as well. We'll continue to be regulars for sure. I also can't stop telling everyone I know about it, so hopefully this helps other people to make the right choice and check it out.

First visit but definitely not our last! What a great resturant. Located in the historic Stockade, the atmosphere was casual class. The food was outstanding! Crusty italian bread, home made pasta, wonderful sauces. Traditional Italian dishes and a few options with a twist! We were not rushed yet we did not wait for service. Besides excellent food the quantity was enough for a take home treat for later. Rosie, our wait staff was both sweet and attentive. Thankfully, when asked, she shared her opinion of her favorite dishes and her suggestions were spot on.

Had a banquet for our volleyball team. Everything was perfect from setup through to dessert. Staff were extremely helpful and friendly. Food was delicious. Highly recommended.

I find Stellas to be an exceptional restaurant. They have first class meatballs, fantastic pasta and the best crab cakes I have ever eaten, although they are huge! They received their wine license which is a win for me and the Brewery is unique. I highly recommend the wild mushroom raviolis, any steak that chef John makes, and always, always the tacos. Also, their eggplant parm is exceptional. The staff is friendly and helpful and if there is a problem and you tell them about it, they make it right immediately, although I have rarely had a problem eating here. Fantastic addition to the stockade! Also plenty of parking as they have lot devoted to them.

The whole experience at Stella's was amazing from start to finish. Libby was our server, and she was very attentive to our needs and extremely friendly. We had the crab cakes and risotto balls as appetizers. The crab cakes tasted so fresh, and the crab meat was moist. The risotto balls were crisped perfectly, and the red sauce served with them complimented them very well. The meatballs were also very big, about the size of a fist. They were super soft, and you got 3 of them. I got the pesto pasta and it was out of this world. They make the pasta fresh each day and I could tell that the pesto was made with fresh ingredients. For dessert, I had the ice cream sandwich. The chocolate chip cookies were gigantic, and the vanilla gelato was so creamy. They have a great selection of wine, cocktails, and craft beers as well. They even paid for my sister's birthday dessert. I will definitely be back, and so will the rest of my family!

After being a longtime customer of the VanDyke for many years, I’m so happy that Stella has moved into the beautiful space. The service is great and it’s always a pleasure having Jeffrey behind the bar. His knowledge, experience and professionalism while bartending is top notch. He’s always very informed on the menu items as well. Always a tough decision to eat outside on the patio or at the bar! We’ve enjoyed many delicious meals and love getting the email from Stella each Tuesday announcing the specials for the week. Definitely give it a try for drinks or dinner out! You won’t be disappointed!

My wife and I started going here back when they were in burnt Hills. The new location is even better and the food is excellent. Chris was great for helping us set up for our rehearsal dinner back in 2018. We are taking the kids there for dinner and we are so excited for tomorrow night

I’ve eaten dinner at the bar a couple times since they opened, so far I’ve tried the fried ravioli, the Cesar salad, Alfredo, flourless chocolate cake, apple turnover, and the vanilla bean gelato, all of the food was pretty good. No complaints. I think the only thing that could of made the Alfredo better would be some extra fresh cracked pepper and maybe some extra grated cheese (I didn’t think of this while I was eating it but something I thought about in hindsight lol) the fresh pasta is *chefs kiss* The Apple turnover and the flourless chocolate cake are so good, make room for dessert (you can always get it togo 😉) The owner Chris and the staff are incredibly down to earth, friendly and make you feel right at home. A great addition to the Stockade.

Well if 5 stars across the board does not properly convey how pleased we were with everything the entire crew did at Stella's for our big event, then let me perfectly clear...These guys nailed it. From the very beginning, working with Chef John, Chris & Alex and the entire Stella's staff was a pleasure. We wanted to hold our wedding reception at Stella's because we had our very first date at the Van Dyck. We intended to use the upstairs event space, these guys gave us the entire building. We told them we wanted a very non-traditional reception (we had a 70s themed disco party) and they worked with us every step of the way to make that a reality. We expressed how important it was that the food was on point and that there was plenty of it. Well, if anyone left our event hungry, it was their own damn fault! The food was delicious!!! From the hot and cold antipasto that covered a giant table for our cocktail hour, to the several different varieties of pasta and salads and sides that were put out for the dinner. Every single thing was fresh, delicious and there was plenty of it. The servers spent the entire event walking around making sure all the guests were happy and that the whole building looked as good at the end of the night as it did in the beginning. Even at the very end of the night, when we had to get the dance floor out of the dining room because there was another party scheduled first thing in the morning, the kitchen crew came out and made it happen without thinking twice about it. People are still stopping us to tell us what a great event it was and how good everything was. Stella's delivered. We were regulars before, but we are loyal patrons now! Thanks again to everyone who did such an amazing job! You made it a night we will never forget! Ryan & Jac Solghan

The atmosphere is usually very relaxed and calm, and the staff is exceptionally friendly and helpful. You can typically expect to get an artful description of the specials that makes you feel as if you're in the kitchen watching it all come together. As regular customers, on occasion we've tried a dish that we weren't totally thrilled over, but overall it's always either good or great and we've never been disappointed. The farm-to-table concept is awesome, and the partner country store and bakery is also quite nice. I've never done the lunch or brunch, but people rave about it pretty much universally.

100% would go back! Service was excellent. Food was delicious. We got the Arancini appetizer, not the best I’ve had but definitely worth trying. The side salad that comes with all meals had a very delicious balsamic dressing. I got the cavatelli with vodka sauce which was very good. Had a little spice which I loved but the waitress did mention this when I ordered and said the kitchen could adjust the spicy level. My husband got the cavatelli with sun dried tomato pesto. This was very tasty although did not seem like a pesto sauce. Unfortunately the cheesecake was sold out by the time we got to order dessert so we opted to take a slice of carrot cake home which was excellent!! 10/10 recommend.

Homemade pasta, bread and desserts, need I say more! But I will. From the great deals at happy hour and some amazing pizzas available at the bar and patio to the elegant yet casual ambience of the dining rooms you can't beat Stella it's one of my favorite restaurants! The chicken picatta with tagliatelle and a stella salad with the roasted garlic parm vinaigrette is my favorite! Start that meal out with some crab cakes and their amazing freshly baked bread with olive oil and you're in Italian nirvana. Make sure to leave room for dessert. Chocolate flourless cake and a slice of cheesecake, you'll want to try both so make sure your date is cool with sharing! Unforgettable deliciousness, perfect for date night! Some food item photos were not taken because we ate them before we remembered to take a picture. Whoops!😉

Tonight was my first time at Stella’s and it was very delicious!!! My husband and I got the arancini balls in vodka sauce and they were very tasty. The two chicken entrees we got were also very good and the red pasta sauce was one of the best I’ve had out. The home made pasta really topped everything off. I would 10/10 recommend! Thank you to our server Gabby - she was also great!

Went to Stella. Had only been here when it was Van Dyke. We were so pleased with everything. Food was fabulous. Service was fabulous. Had the BEC and husband had the Lorena quiche. Bloody Mary was great IPA brew was great. So happy this business has moved into this fabulous, architecturally superb building. We will return to experience the jazz bar and outdoor dining once the Ice melts! Cheers to Stella!

Complements to Stella’s for amazing food, service and atmosphere! Thank you for making my daughter’s baby shower unforgettable! I highly recommend this venue!

+3

Had a party for my fiancé. Everything was exceptional. The food was wonderful, the staff were friendly and so helpful and the room was beautiful. Unfortunately it was raining and we couldn’t use the patio, but it really didn’t matter. Three different couples said they would be coming back to have dinner or brunch because they were so impressed with the food. A big thanks to the chef, Ali and Gabby for making our special day so wonderful.

Best happy hour specials I’ve ever seen-and with friendly, knowledgeable servers and delicious, quality options! 2 for one brewed in house NEIPA or Pilsner, $6 choice of sliders, wings, and more. For my livers sake, I’m so glad I don’t live nearby!

Had dinner here before a show at the Proctor and had a fantastic experience! Our server, Olivia, was amazing—she took our order promptly, delivered our food hot and fresh, and even remembered we were heading to the show, wishing us a great time. That level of attention to detail really stood out! The food was delicious, and the service was top-notch. Would recommend this spot for a great meal before a night out!” Let me know if you’d like any tweaks!

Melissa was great! Chicken Parm with vodka sauce and home made pasta was incredible! Will be back!

Wild mushroom ravioli. Pasta. Caccio y peppe. All 5 star choices. Pasta is cooked perfectly every time with a doughey texture that surpasses al dente. Wine and cocktail selections are stellar. Desert options all incredible. Price is EXTREMELY fair given quality of food. It's a must.

We get take out from Stella’s all the time. Try the eggplant parm! We also love the meatballs, homemade pasta and fresh baked bread. The homemade croutons on the Caesar salad are a very nice touch. If they have the pomodoro soup, get it! Five stars. UPDATE: December 2022 - Our old review was from their former Burnt Hills location. I loved having Stella in Burnt Hills, but I must admit the new location in the Schenectady stockade is beautiful, and fitting for the delicious cuisine. (Try the zucchini fries.) The private parking lot near Erie Boulevard makes it easy to get in, and their partnership with Seven Points brewery makes for a nice combination, too. For me, still 5 stars.

I am so happy that Stella moved to this location. The ambiance is cozy and beautiful & I love what they have done to it with their own touches and style. The food is excellent - we enjoyed everything...the zucchini fries were so delicious and the Veal Marsala was perfection and the service was top notch. The staff is so very attentive and friendly. It's also so nice to go out to dinner and get a small salad included with your meal along with a generous basket of yummy bread and it's also so nice to see reasonable prices! The new cocktail menu is also so impressive and we were so pleased with our choices! We enjoy Stella and as long as you are there, we will keep coming back!

Very happy with the brunch selection and food. Will come back.

+3

Went with a group of 4 during restaurant week (it was all of our first time), and everything was great! Between all of us we got different cocktails, beer, and wine, as well as apps, dinners, and desserts. We loved all the food/drinks and our server was awesome. Nice ambiance too.

What a wonderful experience! My girl and I stopped by after work and caught their happy hour special. Gotta say it really was a great deal! Got an order of their incredibly delicious wings, not one, but 2 orders of their scrumptious sliders, a glass of wine, and 2 beers for about 35 bucks! The food was really good and the happy hour special was definitely a great deal, but the ambiance and staff were equally amazing! Can't wait to go back and try some of their homemade pasta I've heard so much about! So do yourself a favor and give Stella's a try as soon as you can! You will not regret it! Update: Stella's has become our favorite restaurant by far! We come here nearly every week! Everything is delicious!!!

We had a fantastic meal there last night! Eggplant parm was so good and the pasta was perfectly cooked. Service was A +++ We will definitely be back. The beer from Northpoint brewery also very good. Finally Schenectady has excellent Italian food.

We hosted a family reunion in the private upstairs that was a fantastic party. I was a regular at the Van Dyck and Stella's owners have done a great job maintaining and extending the classic space- the vintage bar, French doors, and clean decor set a warm, inviting atmosphere. The open ceiling with exposed timbers takes the character to the next level. And the chef(s) are amazing- our guests raved about the food (the wild mushroom ravioli and meat sauce were mouth-wateringly good). The service was great too, topping off an all around fantastic evening. I highly recommend it.

Hayley Spellman

A wonderful location for a bridal shower! General manager and day of staff were friendly and attentive. Reasonable food and drink packages for an event and our brunch menu was delicious. We would absolutely recommend!

Nicole Murtagh

We recently hosted a baby shower brunch at Stella's. It was amazing. Angela was great. The venue was beautiful and only required a few decorations to fit the theme. The food was delicious. I had never been there before and now, I would not hesitate to have another function at this location.

Joe Dingwall

We had a great experience. The wait staff was attentive and accommodated our tight schedule to get to a musical after dinner. They were friendly and the atmosphere was great inside. The food was delicious and the drinks were great.

Debra Rinaldo

I would like to thank Chef & Owner John and Chris and Ali, General Manager, Char, Angela, Server, Gabby, Bartender for making my Daughter’s Bridal Shower a huge success!!! The food and service was outstanding!!! My Guests raved about the Quiche, Crabcake Sandwich, Cavitelli and Vodka Sauce, Arancini Balls, and more!!! The many flavored Mimosa’s and Bloody Mary’s were a big hit too!!! I highly recommend Stella’s Pasta Bar your choice of Venue for your next event!! I would give 10 🌟’s if allowed!!

Grady Wright

We went there on recommendation of our host at The Stockade—and what an outstanding choice! We both had cheese ravioli with meat sauce. It is simply the best we’ve ever had. I could sop up this sauce with some good bread and be happy with that. And the hostess and manager that kept checking on us while we waited made us feel welcome. We took the meal back to our hotel and could not have been happier.

Had Valentine's Day dinner here with the beautiful woman in my life and the service, atmosphere, food and drinks were all top notch. I highly recommend to pair the Clos Du Bois Chardonnay with the Wild Mushroom Ravioli. The meatballs are to die for as well. Can't say enough good things. They also brew their own beer and I have yet to have a bad one. Will be back a lot. Cheers!

Mackenzie Kelly

We are still waiting on our professional photos. However, we had our wedding at Stella Pasta Bar and Bistro and highly recommend. The food is excellent and their wedding packages offered so many options. One of our biggest wedding must haves was great food and Stella did not disappoint. They served their homemade tagliatelle (fettuccine) even at the wedding! Their cocktail hour appetizers and homemade desserts are fantastic. They also accommodated allergies for our guests. With all of their different packages, you have the option for a very reasonably priced wedding while still having great food and a beautiful unique venue. Ali Angela, and Chris are absolute rockstars! Everything from the initial planning to the cleanup, they were there along the way. They also fully customize your wedding to you. If we wanted something, Ali made it happen. Ali spent so much time on the details of our wedding and she is so easy and positive to work with. We couldn’t recommend Stella enough for a wedding venue or just a normal weeknight dinner!

Madison A. Howe

My husband and I discovered Stella’s last year, but we’ve already been several times since! The homemade salad dressing is incredible, especially the garlicky blue cheese. The mushroom ravioli is some of the best pasta I’ve had in a long time, and I LOVE pasta. Our service is always great too, very attentive and friendly!

Laurie Crawford

What a gem this place is in a beautiful atmosphere. There was a warm welcome when we arrived, the food was delicious and so flavorful, and prices were very reasonable: We enjoyed speaking with the owner for a bit learning about their story. Will Definitely be back!

Bryce Wells

My wife and I just celebrated our first wedding anniversary and we went back to Stella. The service was phenomenal and they had live music playing close by. Best part of course was the food and drinks. 10/10 dinner and will definitely be back.

We have been to Stella’s several times for brunch. The food is always great, the drinks are great and so is the service. We especially like Megan who has served us several times. The atmosphere is comfortable and up scale. The bar is so beautiful. So happy this business moved into this beautiful building that we love. Best wishes for a long life!

AJ Green

Ali, Angela and Chris were absolutely amazing in helping me create and celebrate my best friend’s bridal shower. From the beginning, Ali was so responsive, kind, helpful and fun! Many other potential sites I looked at were not even remotely the same in response or helpfulness. Events are reasonably priced and come with a wonderful selection of food choices. I loved working with Ali on the esthetic and overall vision. I highly recommend having your private events here. The location and rooms are stunning and provide a beautiful space for events. Ali and Angela and the whole restaurant team really thought of every detail and made everything so easy. I truly appreciate the small touches such as the linens and the sidewalk chalk sign, which was so beautiful. I can’t thank you Ali and your team enough. Angela was also such an angel and literally the bride, I and everyone at the event cannot imagine it going as smoothly without her. She was absolutely amazing. I don’t think since 2020 I have had as amazing service as Angela provided to everyone at the event. Still have no idea how she managed that many people but I am so thankful. I can’t wait to come back to visit and have dinner. Thank you all again!

+6

Krystal Greiner

Stella Pasta Bar was absolutely incredible for both our wedding rehearsal dinner and our post-wedding brunch. Ali was so responsive and accommodating throughout the entire process. The food was absolutely delicious, and our guests are still talking about how good everything was. The service was amazing as well — warm, attentive, and genuinely invested in making our events perfect. Stella Pasta Bar went above and beyond for us, and we couldn’t be more grateful. If you’re planning any event, big or small, this is the place you want in your corner. Thank you for helping make our wedding weekend unforgettable!

Christine Purpura

This is one of my favorite restaurants in the area. We gravitate here for everything from just a drink at the bar or patio, to appetizers with friends, to a nice sit down dinner. It’s a great atmosphere for any occasion. We’re always met with friendly hospitality and consistently have great experiences. Not to mention, the food is amazing! Unique, inventive and always hits the spot whether you’re in the mood for a more eclectic dish or some of the best wings in town. You can’t go wrong! Any night is a Stella’s night!

Christine Shannon

Words cannot describe how grateful I am to Ali and the whole Stella crew for helping to create our dream wedding reception! From the first meeting, Ali was super professional, helpful, and detail-oriented. She perfectly executed my vision, and always responded to questions in a timely manner. I got so many compliments from guests on food/drinks/service/atmosphere, and one guest noted it was the best wedding they had ever been to! I cannot thank everyone at Stella enough. I highly recommend considering Stella for your next special event!

+2

mischarlcm

Update on Feb 1 2025 I upgraded to 5 stars on the second visit. We ordered pasta dish. Dinner comes with bread and small salad. I wish there are more choices for dressing, but the bread was very good! Pasta has a lot of sauce, very generous portion of sauce. They were very flavorful and tasty. We'll definitely go back. My husband and I walked in around 5 pm on Saturday and oh my gosh, all the tables were reserved so we ended up sitting in the pub area. So we could not get the regular menu but pub menu which was not much choices. I got Patty melt, which was really good but the sandwich and burger don't come with any sides so l had to order a regular size salad. There was a ton of juliend carrots over the lettuce! I didn't care for too much carrots. My husband got pasta with vodka sauce and sausage. That was really good too. We were happy about the food other than the prices. Next time we'll definitely make a reservation and get an entre dinner.

Lynette Turo

Had a wonderful experience at Stella’s. The staff were attentive and the food was fabulous. Looking forward to to going back again and again!

Beth Sanges

So happy to have Stella back!! We really enjoyed it's location in Burnt Hills and while this is a little further for us, we love the new spot! The atmosphere is so cozy. The staff is very friendly and helpful. We informed them when we ordered that we had a show at Proctors to make in about an 1-1/2 hours and they were so accommodating to make sure we got there in time. And the food is just as good as I remember. I had the Shrimp Genovese which was so flavorful & delicious. The fresh pasta makes this place a must try but everything else makes it a place to come back to again and again.

Dined on the outside deck for a nice socially distanced meal. Wife's GF chicken marsala was delicious, my home made wild mushroom ravioli in cream sauce was also very good. The homemade bread was outstanding and the remaining slices went home with me. Great spot. Hope they work on their wine and cocktail offerings which were a little limited. Will be back though!

Ate at Stella Pasta Bar recently and enjoyed the experience. My server, Callie, took great care of us: friendly, knowledgeable, and efficient. I ordered a beer, Prima Vista, hoping the description was accurate, as I am not a "hops person." And it was! Light, refreshing, with a bare hint of a honey note, a great accompaniment to a pasta dinner. There are about a dozen beers on offer, with a wide range of both flavor profiles and ABV numbers. Session beers, IPAs, fruits, and sours were all represented. Although the beer comes from their own brewery (on the far side of the terrace), Stella boasts a full bar. Diners are offered both wine and cocktail lists. The house pinot grigio got a big thumbs up from my dining companion. The pasta bar portion of menu notes that the tagliatelle and linguine are hand-made in-house daily. That sounded intriguing, so I ordered the tagliatelle with basil pesto sauce (one of about eight choices) and grilled chicken (about 7 other choices available for protein available, too). A basket of warm bread was served; made with semolina flour, I think, based on the warm buttery color and the slightly grainy crumb. The bread was delicious and was served with both butter and a bottle of olive oil from the Saratoga Olive Oil company. My main came with a house salad. I chose the house vinaigrette for the dressing. This salad was perfectly dressed. Every piece of greens, every sliver of carrot, every cherry tomato, had been artfully touched by the dressing, each coated with just the right amount. On top of that, the salad was nicely composed in the bowl. To the pasta! The tagliatelle was al dente, as promised in the menu, and the slices of chicken breast were moist and tender. It was obvious from its appearance that the pasta was indeed both fresh and made on the premises. Salut, Stella! The basil pesto sauce was delicious. So delicious was it that my dining partner wanted me to box it up and bring it home! TBH the only downside was that the plating should be improved. Maybe Stella's customers like vast quantities of sauce, but I felt there was too much of it. Yes, it tasted great, but there can be too much of a good thing. If I were plating that dish at home I would probably sauce the tagliatelle very lightly, then twirl it in a big ladle, in order for it to make a pleasing looking mound on the plate; then once on the plate, knap it with a little more sauce, shingle the slices of chicken breast on top, and lay about a 1 inch wide stripe of sauce across them. The grated cheese Callie offered to sprinkle over brings a savory nuttiness and some salt to cut through the richness of the olive oil in the sauce. Toasted breadcrumbs would be a good option also. Visually and architecturally the building is a gem. Stella's owners wisely decided not to meddle with the winning combination of vintage dark wood paneling, that beautiful long bar, and kept the main dining room open to the rooftop skylight. The interior manages to look classic, yet modern at the same time. Restaurants with hard surfaces low overhead usually amplify the sounds in the room. Diners raise their voices to make themselves heard, which, once everyone is doing it, worsens the problem. At one dinner at a packed Del Frisco's in Manhattan, we had to shout to speak to the person sitting next to us. At Stella Pasta Bar, on the other hand, the overhead space and the generous space between tables make normal conversation easy, and private. White linen tablecloths in the dining room add just a bit of formality. If you are in the mood for excellent Italian food and some good conversation Stella's is a great choice.

This is a gem in the Stockade section of Schenectady. The building is beautiful inside and out. The service was good although we never got the specials read to us. Didn’t matter since we were there for the lobster ravioli, and it was excellent. The veggie sides of sugar snap peas and broccoli rabe were a bit tough though. It was hard to get past the stems on both the pea pods and rabe. Always hate to be critical, and hoping it helps, but it made the sides a waste and left you hungry for something to fill the void. That said, the berry tiramisu and creme brûlée was 5 star! We will definitely be back to sample the menu more - it all looks delicious!

Went here for dinner last night. Atmosphere is very cool, I heard it used to be an old hotel. The service was pretty good for our party of 6. My clam linguine was exceptionally good. Very flavorful and the clams were tender. The home made bread that comes with the meal was very heart and delicious. The salad was subpar. Some greens with tomatoes and carrot slices. I like more to my salad than that. Heard from my party the chicken parm was deliciously flavorful and tender. I would come back

Food was decent, if a little uneven. Flavorful dishes, but several execution problems like undercooked pasta, and bread that should have been warmer. Cocktail was very good. But don’t go for the food! It’s all about the atmosphere. Jazz playing during dinner was amazing; felt like I was transported back in time to a cool jazzy supper club. Stayed for an amazing band (Brighton Beat) upstairs after dinner. Will definitely go back—what a fun place if you’re looking for something different to do. Crowd was very eclectic— young and old enjoying the music together.

Five of us dined for my mom's birthday and were overall pleased. The bread was incredibly good. We ordered appetizers, fried ravioli, special crab cakes and meatballs, all were good and flavorful. One app was slightly cold in the center, so we had them take it back and they fixed it promptly. We all ordered meals, chicken Marsala, lobster ravioli, veal , shrimp, and chicken cutlet dishes. Of the five, one was slightly imperfect so they offered a replacement or dessert. We went for desserts which were amazing. Our server (Callie?) was prompt and courteous. The bill was slightly less than expected and we were in and out in under 2 hours. Would recommend.

George Burns

First, visit to the new location in downtown Schenectady! Does not disappoint. Located in the old VanDyke, with parking just up the street off Erie Blvd the location could not be more interesting. The bldg. is still spectacular, and now it presents cleaner. FYI, at this time they are still waiting on the liquor license, so beware! This should not deter you from trying it! The staff is friendly and the service is on par! The food arrived hot and presented fabulous. The Seven Points brew was tasty, I tried the larger and it is exactly what it should be. It's nice that they now have more tables, although the kitchen seemed a little backed up. I'm sure they will adjust as they settle into the new digs. Try it out!

+1

Joe Masucci

First timer for an early dinner. Nice place, clean and well staffed. Visually interesting interior. The tables didn't feel crowded. FAST service, food was hot when it arrived. The bread was the BEST I've ever had in a restaurant, warm and with cold butter. The salad was really good but could have used a little more of the dressing. Now I know and will ask. The homemade pasta was good, you could tell it was fresh. My three year old son had the ravioli and the kid's portion was adult adult size and came with a salad. My six year old daughter had the spaghetti and meatballs and she loved it. My wife thought the salad was awesome and their red sauce excellent. Looking forward to the next meal.

David Hernández

The staff was friendly and attentive. I liked that. The food was OK. My tagliatelle Marinara was good. The Bolognese did little favor to an actual quite good ravioli. The atmosphere is nice and at the time I arrived there was barely anyone left. It took a while to get our food. The bread was actually quite good.

+4

Wait staff was excellent the crab cakes were delicious. My entree, eggplant parm just ok one slice of eggplant cut in half served with a side of pasta and a tomato sauce that had no flavor actually the sauce tasted like Hunts tomato sauce. Coffee was good.

For a pasta bar only had ravioli linguine or cavatelli. Service was excellent. Food not so much. Bread not Italian. Food came out hot but with very little taste. My friend always finishes his chicken parm but not last night. I could see a grease ring around my bowl of cavetelli and meat sauce. Salad dressing was delicious but won’t be running back to Stella’s anytime soon

Cute restaurant and beautiful setting. There is a patio out back which is great when the weather is nice. The food was only okay. I went a few different times but the sauces were over salted to the point I couldn't finish my food. The food has potential. Cut the salt in half and it would be awesome.

We were there for my sister-in-law's birthday. We were the only people there. There were about forty people. Stella only had one bar tender (and it was not open bar). The bar tender worked hard but could not keep up with the line. There was finger food but the kitchen did not keep up with the demand. During the three hours there it seemed most of the time was waiting. UPDATE : Interesting response from owner. Instead of accepting the feedback as that, feedback, instead attacks the person leaving the review. It appears that if you do not have a 5 start review then you should not leave a review. I did not reach out to the owner because it was not my event and I was not going to tell my brother-in-law that his party for his wife was less than perfect. However, Stella does not need to worry about future reviews from me, as I will not have anything to review from there in the future.

Waited an hour to receive bread and a soda. Soda was flat, bread was very good. Meal came, and I was very unimpressed. Chicken parm was ultra thin, pasta portion was small at best. It came with a salad. Basically, all dressing options were a form of vinaigrette. Honestly, it's not worth coming at all. Burger Kings chicken sandwiches are bigger. The wife got a whooping 6 raviolis. SMH......

Unfortunate - the place was nice, the staff friendly but seemed to forget about us a lot, our food came missing items which took a long time to arrive and cold...we got charged for two beers that were supposed to be a BOGO for Happy Hour but we just wanted to get out of there so didn't argue. Although the food was tasty we won't be back. 😕

I've come here regularly with friends many many times. The atmosphere is great and the bartender is really wonderful, but the food quality for the price you pay is often inconsistent. My consensus is that unless you are buying one of the main entrees (between $22-30), you are often not getting good quality food for the price you pay. I once ordered zucchini fries for $15 and got 7 measly fries, lately the bruschetta has been pretty bad (I know that tomatoes are not in season) but I actually got sick last time I ate it, and there just aren't a lot of good sandwich options, unless you want a burger. I am frequently staring at the menu and nothing looks appealing unless I want to get pasta (which is too expensive). The beers are quite good though and I would recommended it just for that. Stella's is so so for a weekly spot, I think it would be a nice occasional nice dinner place but I would love it if they improved their cheaper bites / bar menu options. (Bring back the soups, calzones and parmesan potatoes for one and add other reasonably priced options)

My family went here before a show at Proctors. We were very disappointed. Half out orders were incorrect. Despite having reservations, there was reluctance to seat us even though the table was open. Service was crazy slow. My signature drink which was pricey was all of 1/4 cup. Absolutely not worth the money.

Service slow. Waitress either lied or had no idea of what was served. Ordered meatball with taglitelli and sausage. Very Little sausage scattered on dish. When asked where meatball was (extra charge) I was told it was cut up.and scattered in with sausage....(must have been the size of a pebble with NO RED SAUCE ON IT).

Surprised and disappointed. I went to Stella the first time on a Thursday evening. The service was mediocre. We ordered an app and two dishes. The app didn't arrive as it was forgotten. Wasn't added to the bill. Didn't see our server very much. Was waiting to order more wine on several occasions. It was not busy at all. Not a full bar. Minimal liquor. No whisky/bourbon. Nice wine selection. Didn't try the beer. I ordered linguini alle vongole. The clams were gritty. The pasta was definitely not linguini. More of the shape and texture of ramen. It was wavy. Not a wine sauce. Worst pasta I've ever had at a restaurant. Ambiance was ok. I will not be returning.

Went to Stella’s for date night. When we got there they asked if we had reservations. We did not. It was an hour wait but we were okay with that as we weren’t in a hurry. We walked through the dining area to see the outdoor seating. There was one table occupied outside. We went to the bar. There was a 3 piece band playing that was very nice. There weee 2 people at the bar and two tables taken in the bar area. We waited 29 minutes to get a drink. We were finally taken to our seat in the outdoor eating area. We were the only ones in there. Very strange. Our server was very nice and had only been there 3 months. We were there for over four hours and had two drinks. This is not the Stella’s from Burnthills Ny.

Loved the setup but my food was late and we wanted pizza but it was on the outside menu and it was getting dark and cold. We had Dami it was great service. Bread was delicious the most delicious thing I’ve ate at this restaurant. The rice was undercooked and had peas and cheese in it.. I recommend it for the service and place and not the food! Shout out too dami😝. Still waiting for our fresh Parmesan, for our noodles 🍜 the ceiling is peeling. Left Dami à $20 tip you ate Dami you ate👍🏽.

Beer is good but the kitchen is trash, the bartender had to check on my food after 40 minutes waiting, it was to go and what I ended up eating was barely cooked. Don't waste your time.

We ordered vodka rigs with grilled chicken and got two little pieces of chicken! Spent $33 for just pasta!!

I ordered a house salad and asked for onions in it if they could. I got salad with 5 slivers of onions. Oh well. Not too bad until the check came and they charged $1.50 for onions added to salad. Next time, I'll bring my own onion and put it on salad. TOTAL BS!! Since I can't reply to your post. I've been to quite a few restaurants in Capitol district and if I asked if I could have onions on salad, there's never a charge. Usually salads come with onions but restaurants stopped putting them on unless you ask for them. They don't charge because it's not on their menu. If you are so broke that you need money for something that's supposed to be on a salad, then charge because it's not on menu, you need help. You should think about it.

We sat at the bar and tried a few happy hour specials. The raviolis are a pass. The texture was definately Restaurant Depot frozen and served cold. However the red sauce tasted authentic . The wings had a house buffalo sauce, not too spicy . The wings are listed as crispy but they were not at all. So order crispy if you love crunch like we do. The calzone lacked flavor and tasted like frozen spinach. The portion seemed small but it maybe because most spots serve portions that are entirely too large. The best part was the bartender. He offered small tastes of beer which we declined and paid attention to us throughout the meal. Wish the food had hit the spot but the service and beauty of the bar are 5 stars. The owner reached regarding this review and stated my concerns should have been voiced during my visit. Unsure how frozen food would have been turned to fresh to order food if we had spoken up. But goes to show the mgmt style of this establishment.

Gabrielle Perry

Oh man, where to begin. Went here with a friend for happy hour on the patio - we have been before and have had good meals both as carry out and in-house. We had a round of beers that were solid and ordered fried raviolis and a pizza. Food took about 50 minutes to come out after ordering. It was hardly busy but we didn't make a stink about waiting because it was a nice evening to sit outside and we were enjoying our beverages. However, the real reason for writing this review is because of the pizza. We were literally stunned by it and you could tell from the second that it was placed on the table that it was not going to be good. I'm writing this a few days later and am still shocked that that was served to us. We each took a slice because we didn't want to judge a book by it's cover but wow - it was practically inedible. We ordered the Pesto Chicken pizza. It was drenched in oil, the ricotta was overcooked and placed on the pizza way too early, there were a few shreds of other cheese that wasn't melted, and the chicken was overcooked and dry (with one small strip on each slice). I cook pizza pretty frequently and this crust had all the markings of crust that was frozen and then not given enough time to thaw and rise before cooking. It was dense, chewy and gray. The dough was also undercooked (and soggy because of the amount of oil) and there was a ton of char on the pizza pan? We were stunned and so disappointed. We let the waitress know and told her we'd pay for it (of course it wasn't her fault!) but wanted to give her a heads up to check in with the kitchen about it. No way they were ok with sending something like that out. Looked for management staff on the way out to give a heads up too but didn't see anyone. We don't plan on coming back which is such a bummer because the patio (and the beer!) is so solid. P.S. One other thing that my friend noticed (as a former server) was the waitress bring someone else's food out with the plate tucked into her neck and her face in the food....

Absolutely dire. I went with some friends Tuesday night to try them out. The service itself was fine. Waitresses were nice but probably either too inexperienced or understaffed to be able to handle a busy evening 3/5. We received the appetizer roughly 30 minutes in where we had the clams and risotto balls. I didn't get to taste the risotto balls but the clams were alright. The sauce needed more seasoning but the clams were cleaned very well at the very least. Apparently that night, there was only one cook so we waited at over an hour for our main course. I had the veal dish, while my party also ordered the mushroom ravioli, the chicken Alfredo, and the clam pasta. Honestly, if the main dish was even passable I'd write Stella off as decent if slightly overpriced and write off the long wait time, but if I was a restaurant owner or cook I would be embarrassed to serve what I received. I'm sure plain oatmeal had more flavor than both the veal and pasta that I had. It was 25$ for some flavorless pasta and fried cutlet that the line cooks from Olive garden could have done better. The pasta itself wasn't terrible and was cooked nicely, but the gravy/sauce did nothing for it. It was too watery and didn't have any cling to the noodles and even if it did, just plain butter would have been better at making it at least taste like something. Needless to say I barely ate any of my meal. I boxed it up to take home but realized it wasn't worth the waste of time and money this evening used up and tossed it in the trash. Overall, I couldn't recommend this place for the food at all. The experience itself was passable but I would have gotten better food and service from Carrabba's for less.

I give this a one only because I cannot choose to do a 0. My husband and I got to our table for our 730 reservation and were given the normal menus, as well as a cocktail menu and specials. Went to order a margarita and was told no tequila, and then went to order a gin and tonic and was told no gin. Got our drinks and my husbands coke was just plain weird…not flat but there was just something weird about it. Went to go order entrees. I wanted the scallop special that they had for the night, to which then I was told they didn’t have scallops. So I switched it out for shrimp. Our order came out and mine looked like LITERAL soup…it was suppose to be linguine (NOT linguine) with a white wine sauce. The asparagus looked like it was canned even though they talk about “fresh” vegetables on the menu. The shrimp was the most decent thing on the plate and it had 0 seasoning on it. My husband ordered chicken parm to which the sauce tasted like it was straight out of a can with again…no seasoning on the chicken. I ended up sending mine back because I was not paying $32 for something that looked so unappealing and lackluster in flavor. I subbed it out for the rice balls (only thing at that point that looked promising on the menu) and they were subpar. Safe to say we will not be returning. The only saving grace is the homemade bread which was FANTASTIC and the atmosphere that comes with the old Van Dyke. EDIT TO ADD: Not one time did management come over to the table and ask what was wrong with my dish. They did take it off of the bill and sub it for what I ordered. Never was asked why the dish was sent back.

Service was very delayed. But worse, the food was not good at all. The crab cake and rice balls were average, the pasta had no flavor… salt and pepper did not help. An Italian restaurant that does not offer pepper and cheese over your pasta? Pasta ordered included pasta a la vodka and pasta pesto. Full plates left behind. The sliders were over cooked, burnt, not appetizing at all. Three adults ended the dinner munching on the kid’s chicken fingers. Oh, and no one advised us that they have limited alcohol license which equals to a dirty martini tasting like pure olive juice.

Went this past weekend- got pasta/ chicken cocii. Definitely wasn’t what was explained on the menu - very bland - my husband got some pasta w/sundried tomatoes also very not flavorful. Also was only served with our WATER once never saw our server AGAIN??? We will never go back. We like to try new places but this one one won’t be one of them!!! 👎👎