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Rare

4 star rating
based on 53 reviews

Categories: Bars, Burgers  [Edit]

Neighborhood: Manhattan/Murray Hill
303 Lexington Ave
(between 37th St & 38th St)
New York, NY 10016
(212) 481-1999
  • Nearest Transit:

    Grand Central (4, 5, 6, 7, S)

    42nd St-5th Ave-6th Ave (7, B, D, F, V)

  • Hours:
    Mon-Fri 7:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.
    Mon-Wed 12:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m.
    Thu-Fri 12:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m.
    Sat 8:00 a.m.-12:00 a.m.
    Sun 8:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m.
  • Price Range: $$
  • Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
  • Parking: Street
  • Attire: Casual
  • Good for Groups: Yes
  • Good for Kids: No
  • Takes Reservations: Yes
  • Delivers: No
  • Take-out: Yes
  • Waiter Service: Yes
  • Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
  • Outdoor Seating: No
  • Good for: Dinner
  • Best Nights: Mon, Tue, Thu
  • Happy Hour: No
  • Alcohol: Full Bar
  • Smoking: No
  • Coat Check: No

53 Reviews for Rare

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Photo of Allan N.

Elite '08

17

81

Allan N.

Fairfax, VA

4 star rating
08/12/2008

Five of us stayed at the Shelburne this weekend so we were fortunate to just walk downstairs to Rare.  I forget what I had but it was delicious.  The waitress told us we probably wouldn't be able to eat the whole fry trio basket after I asked her if one was enough.  I scoffed and figured we could order more if we needed.  Our burgers came out great except one was undercooked.  Fortunately, mine was med-rare just like I ordered so I was putting my burger away.  We pretty much killed the fry basket which impressed the waitress.  We each had a beer so we might have needed more if we didn't drink.  

I'd have to say it's probably better than anything I've tried but there are a lot of burger places popping up here in DC.

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Elite '08

23

196

Amanda E.

New York, NY

4 star rating
09/06/2008

Stopped by with coworkers on a Thursday for dinner, followed by rooftop drinks. The view is fantastic. And the food was good enough that we ordered it for lunch at the office the next day.

The best fries of the three are the cottage fries.
Great spinach dip.
Good veggie burgers. The portobello burger and goat cheese burger is better than the garden vegetable burger. My coworkers loved the steakhouse burgers.
Dessert looked incredible. We saw one of the huge creations up close when one was accidentally sent to our table. We would have paid for it anyways but after it sat there for a few minutes, the server came back for it. One of the guys told her (he was kidding but she didn't know that) "I only licked one side" but THEY TOOK IT BACK ANYWAYS AND SENT IT TO ANOTHER TABLE. Ew.

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Elite '08

206

499

Kristin S.

Phoenix, AZ

3 star rating
08/10/2008

I'm not really a meat eater.  It's an odd occurrence when I sit down and have a hamburger....I think it happens like twice a year.  When a friend suggested we meet for dinner at Rare I was less than enthused.

The meal did work for everyone though.  A burger is a burger and this one was good.  Was it the best I've ever had? No.  Was it a tiny brick of charred meat?  No to that too.  It was a good messy burger. The restaurant itself is on the small side and has an equally small bar attached to it.  So if you arrive before your friends you will find yourself in a cramped waiting space.  Service was efficient and moved us along quickly.  To use the restroom you have to leave the restaurant and go into the hotel lobby.  

Rare isn't the type of the place I would be running out to again but if you happen to be in the area it's a good choice.

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Photo of Katie H.

 

4

20

Katie H.

New York, NY

4 star rating
08/09/2008

One of the best burgers I've ever had.

I think I was too excited and ordered too many things on top of my burger.  If I remember correctly, this is what I had:

One of them organic burgers (perfectly medium!) with:
- apple smoked bacon
- brie
- grilled portabello mushrooms
- fried egg over hard(OH YES)
- fried crispy onions
- the usual tomato and lettuce

That was poor planning on my part, because my burger definitely came out over 5 inches tall, which was basically impossible to stuff in my mouth.  I think all my colleagues looked at me like I was crazy.  There I was...an 100 pound 5'2" Asian girl with a giant burger in front of her.  How much of it did I finish you ask?  ALL OF IT.  DAMN RIGHT.

I took off a star because their fries (we had both the normal and the sweet potato ones) were soggy.  Though I give them props for having dips other than ketchup for it.  Also our waitress was pretty incompetent.  Apparently she was new.

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Photo of Sandra K.

 

1

14

Sandra K.

Northridge, CA

5 star rating
07/21/2008

This place is always crazy packed. So i needed to try it. This place is amazing!!!!!!!!!! For starters  we had the french fries trio ( criscut fries, shoesting, and sweet potatoes fries with there own dipping sauce ). My dad got a burger trio that had a mexican burger, swiss cheese onion buger, and a blue cheese buger that came with a salad. he loved it. I had the cheese of the day buger i forget what the cheese was but OMG best burger i have ever had hands down.

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Photo of Amanda W.

 

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13

Amanda W.

New York, NY

5 star rating
08/20/2008

The food here is over the top delicious. The burgers are amazing! The fries and onions rings are great! I ordered the vegetable soup and it was the best soup I've ever had! The portions are huge - so come hungry!

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Photo of Loan T.

 

19

74

Loan T.

New York, NY

3 star rating
07/05/2008

This place seems to get pretty crowded, but then again, it is small too.  I think the burgers are pretty much like any other burger joint around here, nothing spectacular, just good enough to get your fix if you're craving a burger.  I do like the sweet potato fries though, when they aren't soggy that is.  The service timing is average, or what you would expect.  I'm not a fan of dark places, and this place is kinda too dark for me.  I want to see what I'm eating.

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Photo of Ali W.

 

4

50

Ali W.

Hoboken, NJ

4 star rating
07/09/2008

If you work on the cusp of Murray Hill and Midtown East like I do, you may run out of new places to eat after a year or so.  At least I did.  I'd been to Rare View for cocktails but never thought to try the bar and grill downstairs even though I'd heard they had decent burgers.  To be honest, the burgers are fine, but it's the chicken "lollipops" (read: wings) that keep me coming back.  Spicy and delicious, paired with a basket of waffle fries (I believe they call them cottage fries at Rare) and a nice pilsner, you just can't go wrong. I'm not gonna lie, the wings are so good that even after a weekend of complete food hedonism, I've still mustered the lack-of-willpower just to eat these wings.

The burger trio and Murray's cheeseburger (both of which change daily) are worth ordering, but the buffalo burger is not much to write home about... unless you're really hard up for a buffalo burger. Otherwise I'd just go beef.

There are no beers on tap, which is a little weird, but they do have a pretty good selection of bottles.

A casual spot and good for a quickish, or not so quickish, lunch away from the office.

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Photo of Stephen W.

 

10

97

Stephen W.

San Jose, CA

3 star rating
08/12/2008

I really felt like this was an overrated restaurant. Sure the menu has tons of great ingredients like Kobe, and Foie Gras, but do they really improve the quality of the burger? I'd say it's really debatable.

We stayed at the hotel this restaurant is at by luck, and decided to try it out. I went for the Mexican Burger, my wife tried topping hers with Foie Gras and I have to admit, neither of us really had our socks blown off. There's a way to serve foie gras, and I don't necessarily think on a burger helps enhance things. It just ends up being a soft mushy buttery bite on the top of the meat.

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2

Andrew G.

New York, NY

2 star rating
08/09/2008

I've had 3 burgers here- like them medium rare. twice they have come medium well. if you specialize in burgers, that should not happen.

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Photo of Darius K.

 

3

24

Darius K.

White Plains, NY

4 star rating
06/02/2008

Arrived here after a night of drinking before taking the train back to  White Plains.  Landed at around 9ish, and the place was packed.  the bar was two deep, and had to scream just to get my beer (Sierra Nevada, Pale Ale).  Sat my party of two (unfortunately the other three (is that my second party of five joke in a review?  back to my parenthetical thoughts) didn't show up) in a relatively brief amount of time, obviously without reservations.

Burgers as mentioned previously, are standout-ish.  Ordered mine with the egg and bacon, making it a cheeseburger with egg and bacon.  It's not the ground up egg/may from Stand - no this is a big ole fried egg.  Sides of shoestring french fries and onion rings made up the delectable post-LES pubcrawl grub.

Very loud crowd, but not d-bagg/high fiving/bro-bash loud crowd.  Just a loud group of imbibers, getting their protein on.  

More formal a place than Stand, and with less of a selection of alcohol.  However the great locale relative to Grand Central made this a winner in my book.

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Photo of Michael B.

 

8

21

Michael B.

New York, NY

4 star rating
06/09/2008

Rolled in here on a steamy Sunday evening after travelling all day. Not too crowded in the W Village and attentive and cute, yet inexperienced wait and bar staff. No liquor, so little experience is required, I suppose. I had a salmon salad (rare, of course) which was very good...a decent portion of fish was included...and what was held out to be a glass of sangria, but I think it was little more than a glass of wine with an orange slice. It wasn't bad though.

It's just too hot outside to be critical...

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Photo of Michelle H.

Elite '08

56

216

Michelle H.

New York, NY

4 star rating
05/27/2008

Great for appetizers and drinks.  Calamari, spinach & artichoke dip, and the basket of fries.  The basket of fries - awesome! Three diff types of fries w/three diff dipping sauces.  Favorites were the sweet potatoe fries and the criss cross cut fries. Deeerriiccious!  My fiance had the cheeseburger and I think he liked it.  It was massive.  

Next time, I may come back to try the brunch.  Menu looks good.

I walk by this place all the time and now I can see why it's always packed.  Great to meet w/friends, watch a game, etc while enjoying good food.

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Photo of Ross D.

Elite '08

34

351

Ross D.

New York, NY

4 star rating
05/29/2008

My impressions of Rare were positive from the get-go. It's basically your slightly upscale American burger and steak kind of place. The employees we dealt with were all extremely friendly and the food was pretty good. I went with a tuna dish, which was probably not the best idea considering that's the dish I have at a lot of nice restaurants, so to compare is unfair. Next time I'll go with something a little more traditional.

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Photo of Yelpster S.

 

3

44

Yelpster S.

New York, NY

4 star rating
04/04/2008

Excellent place for burgers and beers, in a clean atmosphere that's not your local pub.  The wait staff were very attentive, and one in particular looked very much like a cross between Jessica Simpson and Julia Stiles.  We told her, and she just laughed and chatted for a bit.  Anyway, the food was great... good sized meat patties for burgers, which was cooked just right.

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Photo of Megan C.

Elite '08

940

498

Megan C.

New York, NY

4 star rating
02/04/2008

Upscale, cozy, dim, romantic burgers. YUM!
    And they serve food until 1:00 AM!

Came here just for a drink after dinner one night and was saaaad that we didn't just come here for dinner in the first place.  AMAZING Stuffed oreos smoothed and covered in ice cream, very friendly owner who was attentive and inviting. Cozy atmosphere, excellent menu.  Apparently they serve burgers that are specific to the cut of the meat so if you want a filet mignon burger or a ribeye then this is the place to be.  Any topping you can think of.

Date Rating: 8
Pick up Scale: TBD  (slow night but nice crowd and they're not too young, see what a dollar or two more for a burger does??  All the kids stay over on 3rd Avenue :o)

Strong Suggestions:  Come hungry and if you're having dessert don't bother with anything other than the house specialty.  Great fresh strawberries too -- I'd throw them on top of the stuffed oreos next time. SOOOOO YUMMY!

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Photo of Vishal D.

Elite '08

31

188

Vishal D.

New York, NY

5 star rating
02/02/2008

I felt like I had died and gone to burger heaven.  Not the place on 41st and Madison, but an eternal state of juicy beefy goodness.

Went in for lunch and walked straight to the bar.  Got myself a Duvel and an M&M Burger....a gourmet meal without pretense.  The M&M burger is amazing- cooked medium rare, its a juicy monstrosity of flavor,  topped with an ungodly amount of terrifically tasty applesmoked bacon, carmelized onions and delicous cheddar.  The burger is flambeed in whiskey.  While I wasn't sure what that did for the burger, I decided it was intriguing nonetheless.  After tasting it, I'm still not exactly sure what it did, but I'm convinced flambeeing in whiskey is now the only way to cook a burger.

Now if there are negatives, its that the burger comes apart.  It's a nice juicy 8 ouncer, but the bun isn't quite large or firm enough to keep everything in.  That's not a huge problem, but a truly great burger stays together and you get a little bit of everything in every bite.

2nd negative is that a burger and a beer costs around $25.  Yowza!  Maybe I did have a gourmet lunch.

Then again there aren't too many things I'd rather eat...

EDIT:  And cost be darned, I keep coming back to this place.  The Murray's Cheeseburger- which has a new selection of an exotic cheese from Murray's cheeseshop every day, and is formulated with different toppings, is exquisite and always a good surprise.  The burgers are always cooked exactly the way you asked.  And the bartenders are extremely friendly.  While pricy, its probably my favorite neighborhood spot.  5 stars.

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Photo of Stephen C.

 

47

70

Stephen C.

New York, NY

4 star rating
02/09/2008

Marketed as a "bar and grill",  Rare serves up some tasty burgers with a twist. The usual stuff includes traditional toppings on an 8 ounce burger, thoughtful selection of appetizers, soups and salads and of course some cool extras to "dress up" that burger.

What makes Rare unique however is the "steakhouse burgers" cut and ground from traditional meats including: rib-eye, New York Sirloin, Kobe steak and t-bone. I had the rib-eye burger, a recommendation of the bartender, garnished with avocado, smoked cheddar and cipolline onion: good combination! The presentation was simple but everything was cooked and seasoned to my liking. I also ordered a side of the sweet potato fries cut shoe-string style piled high for a $4 charge: a good portion for two to share if you had too. Of course a beer for me made the meal a hit.

An average value for your dollar, Rare serves up some tasty burgers in a casual space with that extra touch making it a very special burger place on the East Side.

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3

9

Kate H.

New York, NY

4 star rating
04/03/2008

Loved RARE, no question. I didn't really have high expectations, just thought it would be a fun burger joint, but wow, I was a happy girl. I hate to say it, because I've been to Corner Bistro, but this was my fave burger in NYC so far. I had the trio of mini burgers that came on a ceasar salad. Of course I would have rather had fries, but my friend had plenty to share. The burgers were each different - my fave being a mozzerella and pesto sauce. They were cooked to perfection - I asked for medium and it was a perfect pink color. Soooo juicy. My friend had the Murray burger with sharp cheddar - huge, but he finished it! It came with the truffle fries (which we couldn't stop eating!).

Good cozy atmosphere - a little noisy so hard to talk, but fun music and a good crowd. Good selection of bottled beer...as long as there is Stella, I'm satisfied though. I'll definitely go back, especially in the summer when the rooftop is open!

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Elite '08

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178

Keith K.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
03/05/2008

Met Mae here for a Sunday breakfast in early March. They serve breakfast buffet for less than $15, including coffee and juice. Standard fare: eggs, sausage, bacon, french toast. Friendly staff. I would return.

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Photo of Stef W.

Elite '08

203

462

Stef W.

Washington, DC

4 star rating
12/11/2007

If I'm craving some meat in Murray Hill, this is where I go!

The restaurant is small, and the decor has definitely seen better days.  But, the burgers are amazing!!!  I like the organic cheeseburger with cheddar for $12.  My friend is a fan of the M&M burger that was flambed in whiskey for $15.  We split the truffle fries, and these shoestring fries drizzled in truffle oil with garlic and parmesan are delicious!  (Be sure to bring some gum or mints if you are enjoying the truffle fries, though, as I wouldn't eat these and then head to a meeting or out on a date.)  

I came back here for brunch this weekend.  I love the fact that we did not have to wait to get a table at 12:30 on a Sunday.  Rare is smart to keep all the good things on its regular menu, while also offering about 10 items on a special brunch menu.  $12.95 got me a drink (choice of bloody mary, screwdriver or mimosa) and the most delectable Belgian Waffles with bananas and brown sugar.  The waffles had just the right amount of sweetness, and no syrup was even needed.  The bloody mary was huge with a nice kick to it.  I also ate quite a few of my cousin's shoestring fries.  I usually go for the truffle fries, but the regular shoestring fries are great, too.

For dessert, our table got the Fried Oreos.  Seven fried oreos with ice cream and whipped cream is worth it for the experience alone, but dessert lovers won't be disappointed.  There's a reason that the Fried Oreos are one of the house specialties.  

Brunch is offered until from 11:30 AM - 4:00 PM on Saturdays and Sundays with live jazz.  Live jazz on our visit entailed a talented guitarist who played long sets that didn't overpower the meal.  Service at Rare is good, but not great.  Everyone is friendly, but not always the most attentive.

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Elite '08

42

77

Jason H.

New York, NY

3 star rating
11/12/2007

Seeing that this is my office's go-to business lunch spot, I figured it's about time I write a review (plus I just got back from one of the aformentioned business lunches).  

The burgers are tasty but I'd recommend ordering it a little rarer than you normally would.  I've had the regular burger, turkey burger, buffalo burger, sliders, and tuna burger... and I've never been dissapointed.  My favorite so far is the buffalo burger ordered medium rare.  Though the sliders are a close second.  

Where rare does dissapoint is the sides, specifically the fries.  If fries inclined, I'd recommend getting the fries/onion ring basket.  However, DO NOT order the sweet potato fries.  They are horrible... dry and rubbery.  The sauce they give you is pretty good though... a mixture of mustard and maple syrup it seems.  I usually ask for the sauce to dip my regular fries in.  If you aren't much of a fries guy/gal, the vegetables of the day are usually pretty good.  

My recommendations in order:
1)  buffalo burger served medium rare
2)  sliders
3)  big bowl of chili
4)  turkey burger

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Elite '08

186

128

Chun L.

New York, NY

4 star rating
02/16/2008

Best Burger Hands Down! The succulent balance of tender ground beef combined with a hidden seasoning offers to its consumer one of the best burgers in New York. Opt for the Cheeseburger, Fries, and Onion Rings. There might be left overs, but more often than not, there isn't...

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Photo of Paul B.

 

7

9

Paul B.

Brooklyn, NY

3 star rating
03/12/2008

Rare?
They should call this place "Well Done".
I ordered my burger medium.  What i got was a charred puck...not even a tad of pink.
Fries were tasty.  But overall, I was expecting a lot more.

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20

30

Trina R.

Brooklyn, NY

4 star rating
01/26/2008

After giving up red meat and pork for 12 years, I started eating at least beef about a year ago. It took 6 months of only eating things my mom made or a bit or two from friends plates before I felt that I could actually eat my own burger. And Rare is where my friends took me for such an occasion.

Obviously, not eating meat for so long makes it taste funny the first few times. But now that I've become accustomed to it again, I wonder why I gave it up. And wonder why I never went to Rare sooner. The burgers are completely customizable from the kind of beef to the toppings and sauces. The fries cooked in truffle oil are to die for. I always try to mix up my burger choice when I go here and rarely have I been disappointed.

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1

5

Rex R.

New York, NY

4 star rating
01/11/2008

I visited this place on a Friday after work and I must admit it wasn't as great as I expected. I did enjoy my appetizer which was the Fries Sampler which included 3 types of fries served with 3 types of dipping sauces, my favorite were the sweet potato. Now on to the burger, I ordered the cheeseburger with double smoked bacon.  I enjoyed the burger but again was not satisfied with the bacon which was very rubbery and was about an inch thick. As for the service, I thought it was very good, our waitress was prompt and friendly. Overall Rare is a good place for a burger but definitely not the best. My one suggestion on the menu is to get the sweet potato fries, they are delicious..

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3

20

Jason F.

New York, NY

4 star rating
11/15/2007

One of the best burgers I have had in NYC, and I've been trying to find good burgers in this city for years, so that says alot. They have a great selection of burgers to choose from as well, and even a sampler platter if you can't decide. I highly recommend the Mexican burger myself.

Though I am not a fan of sweet potatoes, the sweet potato fries are supposedly amazing.  Everyone I have been here with has loved them. If you don't like them either, they still have a choice of cottage and standard shoe string fries.

The atmosphere is nice, but no where near snooty. A nice mix. If you're looking for a spot to have a dinner out with a group of friends, I definitely recommend Rare.

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Elite '08

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88

Paul C.

New York, NY

3 star rating
12/31/2007

I wanted to like Rare more than I did.

What I liked - live Jazz

The burger (see picture) looked pretty all be it having a little too much bun for me. The fries looked goo but turned out to be a little overcooked - how rare is that!

The burger had flavor but not much, it was cooked well but just was bland, forgettable, boring.

It is certainly worth a visit but not in my top 10.

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7

21

Josh T.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
10/17/2007

I visited NYC last weekend and stayed in Gramercy Park with a friend, we were debating where to eat and she mentioned a spot that is a nice sit down restaurant that "only does burgers".  I was intrigued...immediately.  We got there on a Friday night around 8 and got seated at a window table right away.  It was meant to be!  Our server, Kyle (graced with supreme wit and an awe inspiring level of professionalism), was great with suggestions and attentive to our needs...but not overbearing.  In other words he played his role to perfection.

Anyways, the food.  Quite possibly the greatest burger I have ever had in my entire life.  I do not make that statement lightly, but really...I love me some In N' Out Burger, a Rare burger is on a whole 'notha level.  Great beer and wine selection, they even make steak burgers where they grind up sirloin steaks and make patties out of them and grill them like a burger...unreal.

Just go here, stuff your face and love life.  Oh, and get the fried basket sampler, and say what's up to Kyle for me.

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429

430

Audrey J.

New York, NY

3 star rating
05/05/2007

Yeah, so here's the story -- because this is close to work, I've had their non-fast food burgers a number of times, and they've always been consistently tasty. On a recent trip, however, their air conditioning in the dining room was OUT OF CONTROL. As in...SO freaking cold our food was chilling faster than we could eat it! Thus, I feel the need to knock them from 4 to 3.

Figure out the correct temperature control, Rare, and I shall reconsider this adjustment.

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37

134

Tina S.

Irvine, CA

4 star rating
03/06/2007

Bad times at this joint are completely RARE!!

hahahahahhahhaa !!!!!!!!!!

wow... I left this place in a hardcore food coma, all cross-eyed and shit.  Drunk on good times.

You gotta get the mixed fries basket, with 3 dipping sauces... the sweet potato fries with the maple sauce is a little slice of french toast heaven.  I liked the chipotle the best, I have a thing for chipotle and am looking into having a chipotle fountain installed in my bathroom.  Showering with water is so 1982.

The salads are amazing, but I recommend the mini-burger trio, as you can try 3 different burgers for $15.  I had mozzarella pesto, cheddar bbq, and bleu cheese.  That, some fries, and a couple beers, and I had to undo my pants.  No, not because I was so full (although I was), but because every time I have a couple beers I have to undo my pants.  It's science.

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Wayne S.

Houston, TX

4 star rating
11/12/2007

Like a reviewer below wrote: "An upscale restaurant devoted to only hamburgers" ...Now this could get interesting!  Rare was a great experience.  Very nice atmosphere, definitely a place to impress someone at.  I ordered the T-Bone burger, and yes it's pretty unbelievable.  My girlfriend ordered the M&M burger and it was also great.  I can't really see anything wrong with this place.  The only regret we had was ordering the basket of fries and eating too many fries before the delicious and gigantic burgers came out.... how painful it was to see 2-3 bites of T-bone burger left on the plate at the end of the night.

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Deborah S.

New York, NY

5 star rating
11/12/2007

I'm always in search of the "perfect" burger and may have found it here at Rare (although I'm still partial to The Burger Joint at the Meridien).   They have these 3 mini burgers you can get (which are served on top of a Caesar salad, so you feel a little less guilty), each with a different and interesting cheese topping.  

One of the things I really like about this place is that the burgers are really juicy and are cooked exactly how you order them (I have spent at least 50% of my life sending back burgers to the kitchen for a "do-over," so that's something I really appreciate).  They also have the MOST amazing sweet potato fries that come with this delicious honey maple dipping sauce!  They also offer bison and kobe beef burgers.

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Chip S.

New York, NY

4 star rating
07/15/2007

I first ate there in 2003 or 2004 on a whim with my parents while they were visiting and stayed at a hotel in the area.  We were blown away by the burgers.  I have been back many times just to make sure they are still on it.  I must admit my last trip wasn't as good as my first, but still above the bar for burgers.

The crab cake burger is also a sleeper hit.  The mixed fries are a lot for 2 people to eat, but still good.  I like to keep my burger rather simple, maybe one or two toppings, but not much more.  I know other people who fault them for this because they love like 5 or 6 things on top, I like to see the meat be the star with the toppings being there to heighten the experience rather than be the experience.

The menu has also branched out a lot in the past years for what that is worth.

Restrooms are located in the hotel lobby, you have to good up and down stairs to get there, but are well kept and stocked.  4 Flushes for the extra travel.

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Lindsay K.

New York, NY

3 star rating
12/30/2006

Rare *can* make an exquisite hamburger, with decadent toppings, served hot and fresh by a friendly wait staff.  

The M&M burger (flambed in whiskey, topped with caramelized shallots, cheddar cheese & apple smoked bacon) --when done right-- is to die for.  $15 is a bargain when you bite into this glorious beef perfection.  

But the last few times I've been the burgers have been overcooked (you call this RARE?) and lacking love. Add in the lame shoe-string fries that don't stand up to the mighty burgers and the fact that they're a la carte, and we've got some heavy duty, over-priced, over-cooked burger crime.

Hamburgler, beware.

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Zedar B.

Hancock Park, CA

3 star rating
08/18/2007

I am reviewing the restauraunt on the ground floor, not the rooftop bar.

I ordered an organic classic burger, which was far above average.  (Next time I am interested to try the cheeseburger which changes from week to week, depending on the latest and greatest cheese.)  My boss loved the appetizer dish with three mini burgers.

Our waiter was patient and adorable, but some of the condiments we ordered didn't come out.

I also went to the breakfast buffet here but didn't partake because everything was very heavy (I wanted fruit and yogurt, but there was none).  There were eggs, meat, french toast, bagels, juice, cereal and coffee.

Basically, this is a great place for fancy hamburgers, but I would avoid it for breakfast.

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norm g.

New York, NY

1 star rating
11/13/2007

had an omelette here. it was lousy and dry and made me wish i had cooked it myself. the waiter messed up the drinks and charged us for drinks that were included in the brunch. the other rare (on bleecker) was way better.

annoying and unsatisfying. 'nuff said.

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Meg C.

New York, NY

3 star rating
07/17/2007

Maybe if the couple next to me hadn't been making out for a good 30 minutes while I was eating I would have enjoyed this place more.
I mean, she was sitting on top of him, slurpy kissing and I think he was moaning.

On to the food review:
The wine list and beer list were very nice which was surprising. The burger I had was the tuna burger, which I liked, no bun, just a seared tuna steak on sobu noodles and a spicy sauce ($16). My friend had the shrimp salad and liked it as well. To be fair, neither of us had an actual hamburger with red meat, but they looked nice from what I could see.

The rare view (rooftop bar) had great views but also extremely crappy service. I think the bartender was high and not on life. It  took him 4 tries to pour the right drink. WOW. It's no deal either, $10 a drink. Or maybe they should have been less but the wasted bartender was so out of it, he could only handle easy dollar amounts!

My verdict, maybe when I am craving red meat and I'm on the east side, I'll give it another try.

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Rachel J.

Brooklyn, NY

4 star rating
06/12/2007

Order the T-bone burger.  It's perfection.  While we enjoyed the french fry tasting basket (although I didn't like the sweet potato fries, the shoestring and the spicy fries were great) and the spinach + artichoke dip, the T bone burger stole the night.   I was with three other people.  The rare classic with cheddar was great as was The Mexican burger.  The classic topped with fois gras and cheese was not great, but that's expected when the restaurant allows guests to choose their own burger toppings from the list at the bottom of the menu.  To top off the evening, the batter-fried Oreo cookies with ice cream dish is AWESOME and perfect for sharing.  Have drinks upstairs at Rare View first.

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Melissa P.

New York, NY

4 star rating
10/08/2007

I've passed Rare a million times, but hadn't ventured in until an impromptu dinner with friends this past weekend. We went on a Saturday around 8:30 and there was no wait. We got a table in the smallish back room, which I really liked because it was a little more secluded and quieter than the main dining room. Points for decor; it feels somewhat like a French salon, and is decorated in red and rich silky fabrics.

After perusing other reviews, I told our party that we simply had to start with the fry basket (and obviously beers to go along with it...) Shoestring, country (waffle like) and sweet potato fries arrived in an absolutely huge basket, overflowing out of the top with crunchy oily goodness. I thought the shoestring regular potato fries could have been a bit crispier, but the waffles were spot on. The sweet potato fries were similar to the shoestring in shape and texture and their flavor was hearty and delicious. The waiter brought each of us a spicy "New Mexican Chili" ketchup, and a trio of sauces to share. The barbeque was excellent, the honey maple was the perfect accompaniment for the sweet potato fries. The only one I thought was lacking was the chipotle aioli. Too much bacon flavor for my taste.

For entrees three of us got the burger trio, which featured one with cheddar, one with gorgonzola, and one with pesto and a white cheese (can't remember...). The pesto was kind of weird. I thought it overpowered the cheese it was with, but the other two choices were excellent. The meat was rich and buttery - we all ordered ours medium rare and agreed that each mini burger was cooked perfectly. Moreover, despite being "mini", the burgers were very thick and fulfilling. They all came with a large salad with raspberry vinaigrette, which was a good light touch to balance out the burgers and fries. The last member of our party made his own burger with goat cheese, canadian bacon, caramelized onion, lettuce and tomato, and devoured it! I snagged a little bite and it was excellent (although personally I think ham on a burger is a bit of overkill...). The buns were only so-so; while fluffy and light, they didn't have any flavor and I thought they didn't really stand up to the quality and sumptuousness of the meat. The menu also has a wonderful selection of veggie, tuna, and turkey burgers for non-red meat eaters, as well as burger, shrimp, tuna and plain salads. The meat steals the show here - it is definitely lusciously rich - and they even feature four "Steakhouse" burgers, made from Kobe, NY Strip, Ribeye or T-Bone, which are pricier but promise an even more refined burger experience.

Side note: one person ordered onion rings with his burger and it was just way too much food after consuming the fry basket (and we only got through half!). Order additional sides at your own risk!

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