Rare Steakhouse

"On my 2024 Tour of Steakhouses, this was at the top of the list. Where do I even begin? First I have to say we were well taken care of by the General Manager Devante and our server Alex. Both individuals made the experience a 10/10. The location is easy to find right off of Michigan, near the lake. There is a garage across the street with affordable parking by the hour but Ubering is a safer bet because the cocktail menu is amazing. We sat in one of their gorgeous booths in the back by their library. Although their dining room isn't enormous, there are plenty of seats and two private rooms. I think they utilize them as general seating when they aren't booked for parties, but again, plenty of room in the dining area. The bar was also large with a decent amount of seating. We started with martinis and calamari. The calamari comes with a spicy and a sweet dipping sauce. Per Alex's recommendation, we split the chopped salad. It's full of vegetables that compliment each other perfectly. They also bring enormous flaky popovers with a honey butter. You'll start with half because they're so big, but you'll finish the whole thing because addicting. For dinner I had the NY Strip and my friend had the Bottleneck. Both were cooked perfectly. We went with creamed corn (very strong smoky flavor), broccolini, and lobster mac. The lobster mac had a generous amount of lobster so I was very happy. For dinner we split their crème brûlée special, which was s'more flavored. Yum! We each also got some espresso because all of that eating had us exhausted. Alex and Devante stopped by the table periodically to chat. We had such a great time making small talk and learning about the establishment. After dinner we explore their library which is full of vintage books. It's hard to choose a highlight to our trip because everything was perfection. We haven't stopped talking about our visit and are recommending everyone try out this top tier steakhouse!!"

"My husband brought me here for my birthday and everything was amazing. The restaurant was beautiful and the food was amazing. Great portions and I loved the pear martini."

"The restaurant is lovely and exquisite. The decor and ambiance is luxurious. The service we received from Raj was fine but the food was underwhelming. The lobster in my bisque was cold. My NY Strip steak was cooked properly but it was tough. My guest ordered 4 oz of Japanese Wagu Beef. It was cooked perfectly but way over-seasoned. My guest commented to the server how salty it was but no offer to replace it was made. Any good chef knows that Wagu Beef barely needs any seasoning. For this restaurant, I would recommend the more expensive cuts of meat and avoid the less expensive steaks as we were disappointed. For what we spent, we expected better and they wasn’t busy."

"First time at this restaurant. Food was great. The steaks were cooked to perfection. Side dishes were tasty but the best part about this dinner was our server Raj. He was beyond amazing, kind and a great taste of humor. We simply loved it here and will definitely return."

"This place is an absolute gem. One of the best steak menus I’ve ever encountered. if you’re looking for an archetypal classic dining experience in Milwaukee this is the place to go. The ambiance is dimly lit, dark wood, and solid. You feel embraced as soon as you walk in from the very well lit and bright corporate lobby that it’s located in. We started with a half dozen oysters split between East and West coasts and they were incredibly fresh. The mignonette sauce was the best I’ve ever had. The lobster bisque was perfect in terms of taste and presentation. They serve fresh and gigantic popovers that made my wife, who has a generational family recipe, jealous. I ordered a bone in American Wagyu just as I ordered with side of delicious lobster mac n cheese. My wife ordered the ginger salmon which was done perfectly to her request. The wine list was extensive. We ordered one of the nicest Malbecs I’ve ever experienced. The whiskey selection was top notch even though it was lacking Weller. The aforementioned popovers are used to make the most incredible bread pudding my wife and I have ever had for desert. The cheesecake was incredible. The service was superb. Friendly, conversational, responsive without seeming overbearing. Our waiter described things in expert detail. The host was quite friendly and was so kind and genuine in hearing we enjoyed our dinner. The cost seemed quite reasonable for the sheer quality and quantity of food and drinks we ordered. We went at the end of January but looking forward to going back in nice weather when we can walk to the nearby lakefront afterwards. I’ve been to Carnevor a couple of times and would suggest Rare over it."