Jim M.
Yelp
We came with friends who have seen this location turn over a few times, so we thought we'd drop in on a Saturday night to see what Stardust had to offer. We made a reservation, but it wasn't really necessary, 6:30 p.m. on a Saturday, and the place was nearly empty.
We started at the bar for cocktails. The martinis and bourbon were served in nice glassware, and the bartender was friendly. From there, we moved to the lounge area in the front, drawn in by the cushy chairs and the window view of the street. However, we were quickly warned not to block a door leading to the patio due to fire regulations. Despite being the only guests in the place, about 15 minutes later, a less-than-friendly staff member reprimanded us about our chair placement. I had only slightly turned mine to better face the group, but their approach felt unnecessarily harsh. I moved the chair back, but the interaction left a bad taste. Why is all this furniture placed in a fire exit area anyway??
The interior has a retro vibe, but yet it felt to me a bit cold and stark, lacking the warmth you'd expect at the price point.
On to dinner. I had the steak frites, and while the steak was cooked well, the fries were soaked in meat juices and soggy. A simple sidecar or divider on the plate would have solved this issue. My wife had the salmon Wellington, which seemed to fit the theme, this is definitely a "Wellington" kind of place. One friend had the retro-inspired airline chicken, while the other had a chicken pot pie topped with puff pastry instead of the usual crust. He said it was good.
Service was solid, and the food was generally good, but the pricing felt high for the overall experience. Most entrees ranged from $40 to $50, with some reaching $75 a plate, and there were few lower-priced options. When you're paying a premium, you expect both quality food and a quality atmosphere, and Stardust doesn't quite hit that balance for me. The nearly empty dining room on a Saturday night might speak for itself? I'll let you decide. I gave 4 Stars this visit, but almost gave a 3 for "OK".