Rare Society — Restaurant in Solana Beach

I wish there was a way to give 3.5 stars, but forced to choose I had to say 3. So why 3 stars? In chronological order:

We live very close, but haven't been here since it opened. First impressions are upscale as the decor is chic. But no tablecloths, so that was less than expected. Also, my wife was wearing black and was not offered a dark napkin. Maybe too much to expect, but the norm at high-end dining / this price point.

We reserved a table for two for my wife's birthday. We were actually seated in the bar at a high top which isn't really a table and I find it less comfortable, but in an of itself not a big deal. But, while we were dressed for dinner, some people in the bar were wearing shorts and flip flops. Not sure why I got all shined up... but maybe that's my mistake.

Menu had that annoying "we're adding 4% to cover labor and cost...". This is a personal issue with me... I know some people don't mind, but just print the actual prices on the menu please so I don't have to do math while out for a dining experience.

Started with cocktails which were as expected and then ordered wine to go with dinner. The wine list by the glass is quite limited for a steak restaurant. The prices were a bit high even for Solana Beach. The wine we ordered was $25 / glass for a wine you can by retail for $25 a bottle. Well actually the wine was $26 a glass if you account for the additional 4%... Again not the end of the world. But I did notice the pour was short. Very short on mine (I'd estimate 4 once in my glass and 5 once for my wife). A standard restaurant pour is usually 6 oz. This was very noticeable when the glasses were placed on the table together as mine looked significantly less full and not filled to the widest part of the glass to allow it to breath. I didn't bring it up to the server as I was trying to enjoy the evening and didn't want to cause any embarrassment for my wife or at least any more than she usually feels when seated next to me.

Appetizers were delivered to the wrong table by a runner where they were closely inspected and commented on by those diners. Then taken back to the kitchen and then brought back to our table. Again, stuff happens but at this price level the servers have 3-4 tables so it is odd. In general the place seemed significantly over staffed and that's fine, but with that much staff and at this price level the service could/should have been higher level.

After the apps we kind of entered limbo where we sat without drinks or food or a drive-by from our server for about 20-25 min. We struck up a conversation with the people at the next table (which didn't seem inappropriate because as I mentioned above we were actually seated in the bar) to pass the time.

When our main dishes arrived they were cooked as desired and we enjoyed them. This was the 4-star potion of the evening.

In summary, we expected more for $400 for 2 people (without dessert). Would we give it a second chance, maybe... Would we recommend it to our friends based on our first visit, probably not.

Hope this is taken as constructive criticism as I wish...

I'm sorry to say our experience was a major disappointment at Rare Society. We were going to celibrate and had heard good things about the resturant. We had reservations for two. We were seated quickly and placed our order with our server Who was pleasant. The crab dip came out and was so salty we only ate about 1/3 of it. The ceasar salid and rolls were fine. The service to this point was friendly and attentive. Then we waited for our entrays and waited and waited. It was as if they didn't place the oder. The server might have come to check in and offer a excuss but no.The tables around us were served then cleared as we continued to wait. After over an hour and and a half went by before I went to the hostess to ask when our food might be coming out. The manager came by to say "If I could cook it, I would." but still we waited. The guests at the ajacent table asked what we ordered that it might take so long. When the swordfish came out it was about 1/4" thick, dried out, over salted, and overcooked. I could not eat more than a few bites. The fillet was about the size of a silver dollar and so salty we did'nt eat but a couple of bites. I left with a stomach ache, went home and had some yogurt. If you're looking to lose weight and lighten your wallet this is the place. I wouldn't mind their price if the product was delivered at that level. To be fair I didn't demand something free nor did I send back our diners. I was cold and tired of waiting at that point and couldn't see sitting for another attempt. Was the cheif off that night? I don't know. It was a Saturday evening so you'ld think we would...

Easily one of my favorite steakhouses in all of San Diego. They have two locations in San Diego and at least one in Orange County and another up in Santa Barbara. Inside has a very 1920s to 30s look in the best sort of way and it is really classy and hip. This location is fairly new and a bit smaller than the South Park one, but I honestly loved it and I was worried about sound crossover from the other tables, but it was honestly pretty quiet even though every table was booked. Parking in the area is very easy. We were able to find a free street spot right out front. Our server was very polite and everything came out very fast. It is a bit expensive but the food quality and taste is there.

They have a pretty large menu filled with all sorts of great options, but they’re most famous for steak. For my dinner I started off with the Steak Tartar and honestly loved it. It was a great mix of flavors and the salt and vinegar chips with it were a perfect combination. For my entrée I ordered the Cedar River Prime Bullseye Ribeye (16oz) and really liked it. Sometimes ribeye is too fatty and chewy but this one was perfect and had really rich and deep flavors. I also ordered a side of the Broccolini and the Sumac Yogurt was an incredible combination. I’m a big fan of sumac so if you are too, you would love it. I really want to order dessert after my meal, but I was pretty full once finishing. I will definitely be back soon to try more items and I’m a big fan of...