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RARE
Rating Details »
- Nearest Transit:
-
Civic Center (North-South, Northeast-South, East-West, Proctor Creek)
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Valet
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good for:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
19 reviews for RARE
- Great place to impress your date
- Great ambiance
- For the Grown and Sexy
- Valet Parking
- Drinks are really fruity
- The environment is juss amazing.......neosoul playing in the background
- I would suggest the Lobster macaroni, the cornish hens (amazing), the chicken and waffle (waffle has pecan syrup) chicken not so great.....
- Staff is pretty knowledgable and friendly
-
So excited to hear that Rare is reopening soon!!!! I miss the lobster mac and cheese! The best place to eat and relax after a long day in Atlanta!!!!
On my first visit my wife along with another couple walked through the front door and immediately gave each other looks of skepticism. It was Friday night, before heading out to a Soulive show @ the Loft. The bar was PACKED. I literally had to shove a couple of disrespectful young brothers out of the way to make a path for my queen.
Our group had made reservations. The hostess was a sweetheart and when I walked past the curtain separating the seating area...I was in heaven. A warm, candle-lit, relaxing atmosphere was spread out in front of us. Hot Afro-soul blazed from the speakers. This was it. The atmosphere inspires romance and relaxation (with the appropriate company, of course). The food was delicious and the service commendable. I agree whole-heartedly with Talib K (how's Mos?) that RARE "is the Harlem Bars older full-figured sister". That's a good look...however...
...The second time around was a little different...kind of like seeing that fine girl for the first time and your mind replays the event as if she was the most beautiful child of God you've ever layed eyes upon then you see her again and it's like...that's it?
The young man at the front reception desk acted like his panties were bunched. Instead of being cordial, he snapped about me taking my cap off, which, by the way, was not a baseball cap, but a dressy tweed - also I intended to take it off once I actually got INSIDE. Whatever. The bar was less populated (it was a Sunday)...that was good. The atmosphere was the same, but different. There were several damp spots in the couches, scraps on the floor, the waiter seemed disinterested and told one in our party that she had to buy water because they weren't serving complimentary water due to the drought...
Any establishment is bound to have slight inconsistencies. All in all (as my rating reflects) RARE is a good combination of elements to compliment a wonderful evening.
Peace.
I walked in the door with my friend and the bartender immediately held up two Heinekens..........huh......what? I wondered, "did we just walk onto the set of a bad commercial or an equally bad cliche?" I don't even drink Heineken (reminds me of 'Private Stock' - remember that stuff....yuck?!?). Anyhow, the joint was buzzin' that night even though they were closing in 30 minutes.
The best way to describe Rare is that it is the Harlem Bar's older full-figured sister. Rare has three distinct areas; a bar with traditional and lounge seating, a cafe area with an outside patio, and a lounge with what are best described as large day beds. The menu is unique in presentation, they serve "soul food tapas." But their niche is really the vibe they have created in a city surprisingly bereft (by comparison) of businesses that truly cater to 30 something professional African Americans. The worst part of Rare is the music on some nights; sometimes the DJ goes a little too far underground (considering the audience).
When it comes to soul food, Atlanta is home to some of the best restaurants. If tapas take your taste buds to another place, ATL has no shortage of establishments serving up "small plates." However, until now, newbies to the edible fantasy that is soul food couldn't find a place to sample succulent southern dishes, like chicken and waffles or shrimp and grits. Rare, aptly named, brings soul food to a new audience in a space with ambience that embodies all the comfort and relaxation that goes well with this cuisine.
Walking in, you'll be greeted by the host and have the option of taking a seat in the bar area, reminiscent of the juke joints of times past, or laying back in the lounge, a room that will transport you to an African Kasbah complete with chandeliers, candles and colorful fabrics. Perfect for ladies night out, you can gather around the table in front of your plush pillow laden bed and pick out the dishes that are calling your name from the menu to share. The lobster macaroni will make you want to slap someone and so will any of the desserts. Make sure to keep an eye out for the owners, who keep a low profile, but are often spotted keeping the wheels turning on their new midtown dining destination.
Monday and Friday nights you'll find Rare is hosting new events for the professional who ponders an hour long drive home in traffic or a sip of his or her favorite spirit poured over ice. Parking in this area of town can give you agita, but you do have the option of using Rare's valet service for a small fee. Don't park at the neighboring post office or grocery store, unless you plan on visiting A-Tow later that night to pick up your ride.
Yet another restaurant who's food doesn't live up to its concept or surroundings.
It's a great idea: Soul food served tapas style in a hip, funk/jazz enviornment. (think Soul Food meets Shaft via Love Jones). The setting is perfect: dimly lit, r&b/jazz pumping through the speakers, the latest game/fight playing on the big screen and plenty of platform sofas/beds instead of chairs - in case you need to take a nap before, during or (definitely) after your meal. It's the perfect lounge spot.....until you eat the food.
Bland and unmemorable; the food is unworthy of the title "soul". It's an odd attempt at upscale comfort foods that many try, but few succeed in accomplishing. Chicken was overly greasy and poorly seasoned, mac & cheese was both bland and oddly flavored, and the desserts left much to be desired.
Soul food is simple food, done well. It doesn't need all those extra's; that's what makes it so appealing.
I bet at least one of the owners has a "big momma" in the family that could shuffle in - wearing her house coat, slippers and a big scarf (so I don't mess up my hair honey) - and cook circles around whoever is there now.
I have been to Rare twice. Once on a Friday and once on a sunday. Friday night was cool. They had a really nice dj mixin and it was a grown and sexy crowd.
My drinks were $9 each and I didn't have much of a buzz after two which is a lot for me. Most people were coming to chill and have a drink but maybe you want a small snack. But if your not ording more than three or more tapas plates per person then you cannot get a sit in the back you must stand at the bar. Crazy!
The Sunday that I went we sat right down. It was quite and not too busy. I didn't really like the food and I consider myself easy to please. I had the mac and cheese and chicken and waffles. The seasons were a bit off. Me personally...I don't think mac and cheese is suppose to be a spicy dish.
I love it!!!! Soul food with a twist. I can't get enough of the cornish hen, lobster macaroni and cheese and the collard green pot stickers!! Whooo Lawd!!
Make reservations for Friday nights. It gets pretty crowded. Rare is nice for dates and catching up with friends. The drinks are on point, I love fruity stuff so the Strawberry fruit drink was delish. You get a huge glass for $9 and you will get a slight buzz after one drink. I'm a lightweight though. If you blink you will miss the place, it's in the same building with two other restaurants on Piedmont and the sign only has a "r" on it. Look for the Aloha restaurant sign and lots of people on the patio.
The only negative thing I will say is that the servers need to get it together. They were delivering the wrong food to the wrong tables. They kept interrupting me and my boyfriend to say "did you order shrimp and grits, did you order bread pudding?" Our waiter was sweating bullets and I thought if I see his sweat drip on my food, I'm gonna lose it.
Please keep in mind that on Friday and Saturday, you must order three tapas plates per person (so two people will run you around $50 worth of appetizers or "small pates") and there is a two hour maximum stay at tables. I would probably go during the week to really enjoy the ambiance and the food. But it's also nice on the crowded nights as well.
The owner is sexy, sexy, sexy. If I did not have a man, I would be on him. I pray to God he's not gay!
When I first heard about Rare, it was through a girlfriend who had visited the Restaurant. She descriped it to me as a nice lounge spot serving Soul Food Tapas.
Now, I don't know about you, but I was wondering "WHAT IN THE HELL IS SOUL FOOD TAPAS?" I was intrigued and knew that I had to make it there soon. Luckily, for her birthday last week, she picked Rare as one of the stops of the evening.
I can honestly say that I was pleasantly surprised.There were around 15 of us in the group. We were seated promptly and provided ample space to lounge, talk, drink, and have a great time. The ambiance was great with dim lighting, hip music, and appealing decor. The wait staff was friendly, prompt, and accomodating.
Now, I was most excited to check out the "Soul Food Tapas" and to find out exactly what that phrase meant. I openend the menu to find offerings such as Chicken and Waffles, Salmon Croquet, Cornish Hen, and Short Ribs. All at very reasonable prices, all delicious. I am sure that I must have ordered one of everything!
I would highly recommend rare to anyone that loves Soul Food, that wants a small bite to eat at a small price, and a nice place to just chill!
I hate to hear that this place is temporarily closed due to an electrical fire.
The service was really good -- our server did an excellent job explaining the dishes and making suggestions to us.
The food here is pretty good as well. I really enjoyed the mixed drinks, cornish hen lobster mac n' cheese & the peach cobbler (very tasty). I will definitely go back when it re-opens.
Just a heads up, Rare is closed, atleast for the time being because there was a fire in their kitchen and it got completely burnt out. I live close by and can see that there is still a huge whole in the ceiling from the fire. Haven't heard any word about when/if it will be back.
My boyfriend and I made a stop at Rare last night, looking for an alternative to our usual boring dinners. We didn't know what to expect, except to know that the food had gotten good reviews on sites like yelp.
From the moment we walked in, I was more than impressed with the atmosphere at Rare. The dining area is more like a chic living room than a restaurant. We were seated on a large cushioned bench with pillows reminiscent of a bed. There were long tables on either side of us as well as a table in front. Totally intimate, very romantic.
Our waiter gave us a great rundown of his recommendations, since we were first time diners. He encouraged us to start by ordering 2 plates each, and assured us we could order more at any time.
We had the Rare BLT, Collard Green Potstickers, Lobster Macaroni and Cheese, Country Fried Steak and Piri Piri Pork. All of them were delicious, especially the meat dishes. They were generous portions for a tapas joint, larger than I've had at other places and plenty to allow us to taste eachother's dishes. The Lobster Macaroni and Cheese is advertised as a fan favorite. We found it to be delicious, but definitely not the highlight of our meal.
We followed this up with a shared dish of chocolate bread pudding, which was more like a chocolate filled croissant than a traditional bread pudding. Still yummy.
The service was excellent. We will definitely be back. They advised us to be aware that it gets very crowded on Fridays and Saturdays and there is a 3 plate minimum per person on these nights. There is also a 2 hour dining limit. Our waiter informed us that most waitstaff will let the minimums slide if you are ordering a lot of drinks.
If the stars were for food and ambience alone, I would give it five stars. But since we have to consider service as well then I must knock a little off.
Rare's concept and food: great. Rare's hiring of hosts and hostesses: ICK. It's kinda the same problem they have at the Harlem Bar, but oh well. I shared my thoughts with the owner....hasn't changed.
but if you have an ability to compartmentalize, then you definitely want to give Rare a try. The food is actually pretty outstanding and the desserts are just flat footed criminal in their decadence. Send a lil' encouragement to the bartender and your drinks will come out FANTASTIC.
Waitstaff is eager, if not very experienced.
I visited Rare for a birthday party earlier this month and oh-my-gosh...the food was fantastic! I loved the atmosphere, too...sitting intimately as a group, talking, laughing and lounging. The jerk tilapia and plantain to the chicken and waffles...superb - seriously, I can still taste it (which is sad...pining over food like that, but that just says how good it is!).
I visited this place for the first time last Friday after work. The food was way better than I thought it was going to be, because I was not excited about the idea of "soul food tapas" I had the BLT fried green tomato salad, fried cornish hen, and the peach cobbler with ice cream. All was excellent, and the peach cobbler was to die for! The service was truly excellent. I definitely want to come back here again.
Love this place. It's romantic, cool, trendy, dark, fun...Something tasty on the menu for everyone. I don't get the lobster mac and cheese; it was not good to me, but others loved it. The chicken and waffles and shrimp and hoppin john did it for me. I took my parents there and my dad could not stop bobbing his head to the jazzy beats in the background. Also had a few great times with the girls. We've seen celebrities there everytime, too. Service has always been pretty bad (friendly but slow or forgetful), but it's been a few months since I've been back so hopefully it got better. Go, it's grown and sexy.
Love the decor. The food is yummy and creative. I love the BBQ chicken livers, they are delish! Also, the lobster mac and cheese is great. Plus the collard green pot stickers are great!
Okay So the first time I went to Rare I loved it. I went with a large party and honestly if we had been at any other chain restaurant the service would have been unacceptable, but Rare is special so you let some things slide. The food was good, we had a great time and all were good and tipsy at the end of the night. I went again on a Thursday on a date and it was TERRIBLE. We had reservations, granted we were a little late, but I called Rare to ask if this was okay. They said no problem, they weren't that busy and get here when you can. 10 minutes later we were at Rare. 40 minutes later we were seated and there were open tables all over. We clearly did not have a waiter because 15 minutes passed with nothing. My date finally pulled someone over to take our order and his attitude was this is not my table but go ahead. We ordered a few things and they came out relatively quickly but that was it. No water, no drinks, no offer for dessert, no how the heck are you, nothing. My date spoke to someone who appeared to be management and really he acted like it was no big deal. He offered us a bottle of whatever we wanted...hello we are trying to get our check and leave, we don't want anything else unless it's a free meal or an apology would have been nice. My date accepted a free cocktail which someone came and cleared before he was half way finished with it. My thought is that if I was at an Olive Garden or Outback no way would I accept that treatment. Rare needs to do better. It's a cool spot, but there are tons of those in the ATL, I'll take my date's hard earned money somewhere else next time. I do have to say that the bar and bartenders have been consistently great. They will spoil you, whatever you need, now that's what I'm talking about.
This was a great spot to try! I found out about this place from a friend that had heard about it. So I checked out Yelp to read what the reviews were like before deciding to go. My husband and I and two other couples went here one Saturday night and we had a great time. The food was good and the ambiance was great! I would definitely recommend that you check it out if you like tapas restaurants. This was our second tapas restaurant and we're still fans!
