Rare Bar & Grill

[SobaAddict70]

My love for burgers is not only ardent and epic but also unbigoted and magnanimous.

Rare Bar & Grill is a shrine to burgers of all kinds, arguably to a point of burger apostasy.

It serves not only a Kobe-style beef burger ($21) and a bison burger ($14) but also a chicken burger ($14) and a tuna burger ($16). It does a burger flambéed in whiskey and covered with caramelized shallots, Cheddar and bacon ($15).

Rare Bar & Grill (Frank Bruni)

Click here for related commentary regarding Mr. Bruni's style of reviewing and the New York Times star system.

Soba

[Lreda]

This place has offically started my worst of the year list. Arrived at 4:30 as the manager has the front of the house in a metting on problems and complaints that customers have been mentioning. So as we're sitting there listening to this it's a good 10 minutes before anyone asks us if we'd like anything. I'm getting bad vibes already. Order a couple of beers for me and my SO and place our order. Kobe burger for me and SO orders a regular burger and onion rings on the side from the manager who headed the previous meeting. Hers was good, I could tell because she offers me none. On the otherhand the Kobe arrives and the bechemel that comes with it I mistake as cold potatoes at first. No onion rings yet so we remind them. Remembering quickly the base of bechemel I offer my plate back but them say it'll be a moment and to keep the burger. I eat slowly but 15 minutes leter I'm done and here comes the bechemel brought by the waiter who served the burgers and he has a jacket on to go outside. Strange. We're offered a drink but politely refuse. Maybe when it's busy things click more but this is a place we'll avoid in the future.

[tommy]

i just don't think the burgers at rare are very good. if i'm in the mood for a burger i go to Blue Smoke, which trumps Rare on wine selection, beer selection, atmosphere, food, waitstaff, etc, etc, etc.

[Sneakeater]

Agree. I don't see why anyone (including the principal restaurant reviewer of the New York Times) would single this place out for especially good burgers.

[Lreda]

People, it was based on Bruni's Blog that we wound up here. I doubt they had his picture in the kitchen. Unless it's below the bechamel.

[tommy]

People, it was based on Bruni's Blog that we wound up here. I doubt they had his picture in the kitchen. Unless it's below the bechamel.

←

lou, next time you'll know to ask me, rather than bruni.

[Lreda]

word