Rare Bar & Grill

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(212) 691-7273

228 Bleecker St (6th Avenue)
New York, NY 10014 40.7298 -74.0023

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Neighborhoods: West Village, Downtown

Hours:

Mon-Thu 12pm-11pm

Fri 12pm-12am

Sat 11am-12am

Sun 11am-11pm

Price:

$$

Last updated 4.23.09

Category:

Restaurants, Catering, Bars & Pubs

Payment Methods:

American Express, Discover, Visa, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Family-Friendly Dining, Brunch, Lunch Spot

Cuisine:

Hamburgers, Traditional American

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Rare Bar & Grill

Featured Review

Erin Behan

Contributor

The Scene – This single-room, mustard-colored joint plays host to pick-up customers nursing their beers at the bar, as well as a diverse group of old and young chowing down at wooden tables. A chandelier of cattle branding irons hangs overhead, ready to stamp out "Rare" on unsuspecting rumps. – – The Food – The menu lists items other than burgers (salads, quesadillas, ahi tuna and lump crab "burgers"), but they are all distractions. The Rare burger is best unadulterated, either as the classic eight-ounce, or dwarfed as a trio of mini burgers. Both versions are…

Editor's Tips

Know Before You Go:
The restaurant's Lexington Avenue location has rooftop dining in the summer.
When to Go:
On weekends, the restaurant serves a traditional brunch menu (omeltes, French toast, etc.) or the burger menu from 11am to 4pm.
What to Drink:
There's more than 20 beers by the bottle including Stella, Sam Adams and Sierra Nevada.
The Extras:
Organically raised beef and turkey burgers are available, along with a slew of toppings such as a fried egg, apple smoked bacon, foie gras, sauteed mushrooms and six cheeses, including blue and smoked cheddar.
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. “The drink menu is extremely limited so no excitement there but I fell in love with the choices of toppings and sauces for the GREAT onion rings and the burgers.”
  2. “the beer selection is extensive and I forgot to mention Rare has their own version of the "Harry's Salad" (similiar to Bobby Van's in Bridgehampton) Its amazing!”
  3. “Service and crowd was great, beer selection was nothing short of spectacular, and the overall meal was superior to most other 'high end' burger places.”
  4. “this place has some cool beers by the bottle as well and in the spirit of the holidays -- sam adams winter lager.”
  5. “The drinks are just as tasty as the ones in the bar”
  6. “They also serve some of my favorite wines.”
food quality
88.33000183105469% positive
  1. “We wouldn't have had a problem with this if the burger had actually been tasty but even with the foie-gras, cheddar cheese, apple smoked bacon, leaks, etc. the burger was still pretty dull.”
  2. “The shrimp is super fresh, the green beans are crisp and ripe tomatos and a light vinegariette (I skip the bacon) One of the best salads around in my eyes!”
  3. “The drinks are just as tasty as the ones in the bar”
  4. “Great burgers”
  5. “Several friends said it was the best burger they'd ever had so we were all very eager to try but were all disappointed.”
  6. “The burgers are a good size and always very juicy and tasty.”
  7. “Service and crowd was great, beer selection was nothing short of spectacular, and the overall meal was superior to most other 'high end' burger places.”
  8. “It's also the most expensive meal of burgers and fries I've had in a while, but worth it.”
  9. “Great food (burger looked great--my date got it).”
  10. “The fries are great (all 3 varieties) the burgers ROCK”
  11. “love burgers and had been looking forward to going to RARE.”
  12. “This is the place to go for a juicy burger.”
  13. “We particularly enjoyed the assortment of dips that accompanied our side dishes.”
  14. “This is my favorite place to get a burger in NY.”
  15. “tasty burgers”
  16. “The first time I ate here I was happy with my tasty burger on bed of greens (no bun)”
  17. “The fries sampler is a sizeable portion and good for big groups.”
  18. “Those fries are fantastic.”
  19. “While we can understand that burgers at Rare are more expensive due to the quality of ingredients, what's up with the astronomical price for sparkling water?”
  20. “great place to get a burger, not cheap, but its worth it if u want a good burger, and they did it right, when u tell most places medium/rare it comes well, they really did it medium rare, would def recommend this place.”
  21. “The meat is always fresh and cooked to perfection.”
  22. “My daughter doesn't eat much big people food.”
  23. “While we enjoyed the appetizers (kobe beef quesadillas and a mix of fries) the burgers themselves were not nearly as good.”
  24. “My wife and I both enjoyed our burgers and really had a great time.”
  25. “But don't just go for the beef, the Ahi tuna burger is a great pick for any one, not just fish lovers and the ground turkey or ground chicken burger does not dissapoint the health-conscious.”
  26. “The french fries are fabulous too.”
  27. “With a unique decorum of trendy paintings this little dining room in the West village is the burger equivalent to the steak favorite Ruth Chris.”
  28. “The drink menu is extremely limited so no excitement there but I fell in love with the choices of toppings and sauces for the GREAT onion rings and the burgers.”
  29. “great burger”
  30. “The toppings, including cheddar and bacon, were excellent, as well as sweet potato fries and onion rings.”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “The fries are great (all 3 varieties) the burgers ROCK”
  2. “Rare is a rare find: it's one of a select few of restaurants where almost everything on the menu tastes good.”
  3. “the beer selection is extensive and I forgot to mention Rare has their own version of the "Harry's Salad" (similiar to Bobby Van's in Bridgehampton) Its amazing!”
  4. “really good brunch menu”
  5. “The drink menu is extremely limited so no excitement there but I fell in love with the choices of toppings and sauces for the GREAT onion rings and the burgers.”
  6. “Service and crowd was great, beer selection was nothing short of spectacular, and the overall meal was superior to most other 'high end' burger places.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “great place to get a burger, not cheap, but its worth it if u want a good burger, and they did it right, when u tell most places medium/rare it comes well, they really did it medium rare, would def recommend this place.”
service
66.66999816894531% positive
  1. “There are plenty of other great places in NYC that have good service, don't waste your time here!”
  2. “The service is always attentive.”
  3. “My daughter doesn't eat much big people food.”
value
33.3299994468689% positive
  1. “While we can understand that burgers at Rare are more expensive due to the quality of ingredients, what's up with the astronomical price for sparkling water?”
  2. “It's also the most expensive meal of burgers and fries I've had in a while, but worth it.”
  3. “great place to get a burger, not cheap, but its worth it if u want a good burger, and they did it right, when u tell most places medium/rare it comes well, they really did it medium rare, would def recommend this place.”
4 Star Rating: Recommended

12/21/08

try the t bone burger to experience heaven

by colleen817 at Citysearch

if there is anything you do before you die, try the T Bone burger at rare bar and grill! my waitress explained how its ground sirloin and strip which had me sold immediately. its wrapped in bacon and smothered with cheddar and crispy fried onions. aaamazing.

this place has some cool beers by the bottle as well and in the spirit of the holidays -- sam adams winter lager. you just cant go wrong!

if the food hasnt sold you -- their staff is friendly and know the menu in and out, as if they have tried everything on it (if i worked here, i definitly would) and theyve got a TV by the bar to keep up on the game

  • Pros: food, service, beer selection
  • Cons: decor, ambiance
4 Star Rating: Recommended

08/28/08

Cool spot.

by msdecember at Citysearch

Went there on my husband's birthday and we made reservations that we couldn't make and still received very quick seating when we finally made it to the restaurant. The drink menu is extremely limited so no excitement there but I fell in love with the choices of toppings and sauces for the GREAT onion rings and the burgers.. Next time, I will get a turkey burger because me and beef don't really work well together. LOL.

The only weird thing was that our bill came to $59 and I left a 20% tip and the waiter sort of frowned at me?? Was I wrong... when in NYC am I supposed to leave more? Anyways, I will definitely go back. Right in the heart of the West Village which is our fave spot in the city.

  • Pros: Great location, fast seating, great toppings, sauces
  • Cons: Limited drink menu
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/27/08

RARE is great!

by brooklynbaby07 at Citysearch

Went the other night with my wife and daughter. We loved everything. Those fries are fantastic. My daughter doesn't eat much big people food. She is 1! She had her first sweet potatoe frie and then her second and so on. We had to order another plate. My wife and I both enjoyed our burgers and really had a great time.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/27/08

YUM! Burger Heaven! and great

by kris234 at Citysearch

Rare on Bleecker and Rare Murray Hill are DA BOMB! The fries are great (all 3 varieties) the burgers ROCK

I think they won Best Burger, not sure, but Rare is definitely the Best Burger in my book! hands down.

the beer selection is extensive and I forgot to mention Rare has their own version of the "Harry's Salad" (similiar to Bobby Van's in Bridgehampton) Its amazing! The shrimp is super fresh, the green beans are crisp and ripe tomatos and a light vinegariette (I skip the bacon) One of the best salads around in my eyes!

  • Pros: YUMMY Fresh
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/27/08

tasty burgers

by brett02 at Citysearch

I stopped by Rare this past monday night to have some burgers with some friends after reading raving reviews on citysearch. We started with the lolipop buffalo wings which were shaved perfectly to the top. I had the burger trio because i couldnt decide on which burger i wanted from the excellent selection of gourmet toppings. Also we shared the fry sampler which had the excellent sweet potatoe and great sauces. This is a must when it comes to burgers.

  • Pros: Fry sampler
  • Cons: none

The Details on Rare Bar & Grill

Place Categories:

  • great burger
  • great place
  • always attentive service
  • great lunch spot
  • loved everything
  • just as tasty drinks
  • order plate
  • most expensive meal
  • great pick
  • great cheese
  • favorite wines
  • great crowd
  • unique charm
  • great onion rings
  • not big people food
  • best salads
  • cool beers
  • excellent potatoe
  • super fresh shrimp
  • great rare
  • good brunch menu
  • enjoyed appetizers
  • fantastic french fries
  • excellent toppings
  • unique decorum