Rare Society — Restaurant in Mill Creek

A Disappointing Dining Experience: Not All That Glitters is Gold When seeking the ideal spot to celebrate a special occasion, one often relies on reviews, recommendations, and the initial charm of a restaurant's atmosphere. Unfortunately, what began as an exciting night out for an anniversary soon spiraled into a culinary letdown, leaving us questioning what went wrong at this dining establishment.

The Initial Ambiance Arriving at the restaurant, we were instantly taken by the inviting atmosphere. The décor was warm and welcoming, and the staff was notably friendly, setting a positive tone for the evening ahead. Our server was particularly enthusiastic, assuring us that our meals would be served to perfection, and gave a gentle warning regarding the potential for excessive seasoning. While his fervor was promising, it soon became clear that his claims were more aspirational than factual.

Misleading Menu Descriptions The first course, dubbed “steamed clams,” was the first sign that something was amiss. These were not matured clams that one might expect; rather, they appeared underdeveloped and lacking in meat and size. Worst of all, the dish seemed to consist primarily of ground beef and pork—both soaked in salt—rather than the prized clams we anticipated. Honestly, calling it "steamed clams" felt like a cruel joke; a more fitting name would have been "Ground Beef and Pork with a Side of Clams." If that had been the title on the menu, I wouldn’t have thought twice about ordering it. This unfortunate combination was a culinary misstep that shouldn’t grace the menu of a respectable restaurant.

A Main Course of Catastrophe If the appetizer set the tone for disappointment, the main course was an unyielding storm of culinary errors. Hoping that our entrees would salvage the evening, we faced another letdown. Both meals arrived charred beyond recognition. My steak, which should have been a celebration of flavor and texture, tasted like it had been sent off to Hades for an intense grilling session. The exterior was burned to a crisp, while the inside was inexplicably rare. How was it possible to achieve such a culinary paradox?

My husband’s salmon also bore the scars of overcooking, featuring unsightly burn marks that suggested a complete lack of attention. Rather than feeling celebratory, we felt robbed of a much-anticipated, romantic evening. Instead of dining out, we found ourselves battling stomach discomfort and dehydration—an unfortunate parting gift from our culinary misadventure.

Price vs. Experience Discrepancy To compound our disappointment, the restaurant's pricing was steep. Given its location on the outskirts of Mill Creek and Everett, we expected a more reasonable price point. Instead, the costs seemed to align with those charged by waterfront dining in Seattle or upscale spots in Bellevue. With the result being a mediocre meal, the disparity was striking.

On a special occasion, one expects at least a nod toward recognition. Unfortunately, aside from a brief “Happy Anniversary” from our server, there was no effort to make our night memorable. We had anticipated a celebration of love, but the evening morphed into a blend of regret and discomfort.

Final Thoughts As we shared our disappointing experience with family and friends, numerous kindred spirits relayed similar tales of letdown at this establishment. It has become clear that while the charm of a restaurant may lure you in, the quality of the food and service will ultimately determine whether patrons return or recommend it to others. For us, this experience served as a stark reminder that hype and atmosphere cannot make up for a poorly executed meal.

In conclusion, we’ll be diligently seeking other eateries that offer the dining experience we dreamed of, one that aligns both with their prices and their promises—after all, nothing can quite ruin an anniversary like a dinner that leaves you feeling unwell and...

We came here for a 40th birthday celebration as the birthday boy had his eye on this place for a while and wanted to give it a go.

Service: Impeccable, everybody was friendly, informative and the customer service was consistent. We were quite impressed. Well done to the staff, they are the best example of what customer service should be. Full confidence in staff and their abilities. Bravo.

Décor/Atmosphere: Calm, relaxed, art deco, glam. First thought was of a upscale speakeasy, hint of glam Vegas. Everything tied in really well, from the utensils to the bathroom walls. Gorgeous details, there's always something to look at and appreciate. Gold and green was the theme. Great atmosphere between the patrons. The Bar is defiantly a focus point and something not to be missed.

Drinks: We had the LADY LUCK and THE BOOKKEEPER The Lady Luck, (Vodka, lime, aloe vera, soda, mint) was tasty and refreshing, good balance between sweet and sour. I would come back just to order this and the Tuna Tartar together. The Bookkeeper, (mezcal, grapefruit, lime, cinnamon) was a smokey, sexy thang that transported you to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. All of the ingredients blended well together and they were well made. The presentation for both, chef's kiss.

Starter: AHI TUNA TARTAR, blew our socks off. Set the tone and expectation for the meal. As I said above, I would come back just to order this and drinks. Perfect balance between textures and taste. Great starter.

Mains: This is where we start to get dicey. While the drinks and starter set the tone, the mains did not deliver. It was described as "underwhelming". My guest got the 35 DAY DRY-AGED BONE-IN RIBEYE and was disappointed in the fat to meat ratio. Half the cut was thick fat and inedible and he had to "saw" through it. For an almost $100 steak, it was a disappointment. In addition, he asked for medium rare and received rare. For my main, I went with the SNAKE RIVER FARMS WAGYU TRI-TIP. This was a better cut and quality than the dry aged and less expensive. (Pictured) This was good, cooked perfectly, would get again, definitely would recommend as a protein.

Sides: WHIPPED POTATOES, smooth, cloud like deliciousness that would have been perfect if not for copious amounts of salt. We ended up cutting the saltiness with some horse radish. FETTUCCINE ALFREDO, could not give feedback or a review as I only had one bite and can not recall any specifics. But my guest did not mention it when we recapped the night.

Total Bill: $380-ish

Verdict: It was kind of a disappointing experience after the starter and drinks. My guest said he would not go again and I could tell he was really disappointed and he said no desert due to the mains. I would like to give happy hour a shot but for the price range I'm not sure. It was definitely a pricey meal for us and we left underwhelmed and kind of sad that the meal was not consistent throughout. If the food was as consistent as the customer service, I would be happy to recommend to someone as a special occasion option but not sure...

Never had a chance to actually experience the food, which appears to be what the majority of the great reviews are for. Unfortunately while they're food may be 4.4 worthy their customer service is a zero or at least the managers last nights was. Had heard wonderful things when looking for a nice place to take my parents for a celebration meal so we thought we would give it a shot. We were prepared to drop a hefty sum of money for the occasion and were excited for a night of steak boards and cocktails and everything inbetween! I mean the menu looks divine! When I called to make our reservation I spoke with a lovely woman named Delaney. I explained the situation and then also asked about the noise level in the restruaunt. My dad has hearing aids and has trouble in large rooms that are cafeteria style seating. She explained that the main seating did indeed get pretty loud (that's an understatement by the way which we know now) BUT not to worry - that there were TWO booths that they had available and she assured me that we were reserved for one of them at 5:45. Well... to our surprise when we arrived we were seated smack dab in the middle of the very loud dining room. When asked to speak to the manager they quickly informed her that we had a concern and then we got to watch her ignore us on the other side of the hostess desk for several minutes. Enough time for my husband to go converse with my parents to find out what they would like to do if they did not honor our reservation (which based on the lack of concern from the manager I was pretty sure was the case) FINALLY the manager emerged and no "sorry for keeping you waiting".. nothing like that. Just a, "who needs to speak to me?" So I explained the circumstance. Interestingly she first tried to tell me there were no booths and that technically we were seated at the booths they had. Hmmmm, then I told her about my conversation when I made the reservation and ohhhh her tuned changed to OHH they could seat us in a booth at 8. TWO HOURS and 15 MINUTES AFTER our reservation for said booth. She had not desire to help us, no desire to make things right, gave absolutely NO effs that our reservation was not honored. I said, no, that won't work. She then flipped her head around and looked at the dining room, rolled her eyes at me and said well I can stick you at the end of the room that might be quieter. Really? Obviously we left. There is no amount of delicous food that would make me spend a cent at an establishment that employs a manager with that terrible of...