Rare Society was a birthday celebration for one of my really close friends, and I was very much looking forward to this place because I'd heard some good things about the quality of their meat and their food. I ended up getting the Caesar salad, which comes with lemon, fried anchovy, and a ton of pecorino, and they were not kidding about the pecorino. It was literally like a blanket over the whole thing. But this Caesar was probably one of the best I've ever had. It was so good I literally didn't share it with anybody, I was like nope, I'm eating this whole thing by myself. The flavor, the pepper, the anchovies, the lemon, everything was so perfectly balanced. Even the waitress was super sweet and told me if I needed a salad, as basic as it sounds, the Caesar is the go to. She was absolutely right, phenomenal salad.
We also got the beef marrow tartare dip thing that came with potato chips. It was good, nothing too crazy to say about it honestly. The Parker House rolls though, those we got as a side and they came out buttery, juicy, and just really good. The truffle came right through, these were phenomenal and absolutely a must have to go along with that Caesar. Then there's the bacon, which sounds crazy, it's literally just called bacon and it's this fat thick four inch slab, one single piece, and it was so so so good. I was absolutely shocked by it. For my main I went with the forty day dry aged bone in New York strip. It was pretty dang good, wouldn't say I was completely blown away, but I have a hard time with steak places in general because I always compare them to how I make a steak at home, and I still think I can make a better one myself. That said, this was very good, great crunch and crisp on the edge, those nice burnt increased edges, seasoned perfectly, and a spot on medium rare, so no complaints there. For sixty bucks though I just have a hard time paying for it, even if it was very good.
The one that stole the whole night, hands down and by far, was the dessert. I don't remember what it was called but it was like this pancake ice cream, buttery, gooey, delicious, light and airy heaven. I literally apologized at the table and said I'm going to eat this entire thing, and I did just that. It was awesome. The ambiance and decoration of this place is straight up fine dining, you can feel and see it, and they even have actual dry aged beef ribs on display which is really cool. Not bad at all. I'd recommend it as a high end spot, just not somewhere I'd go consistently since I can do better at home. But that dessert dish, whatever the heck it was, I would go back for that alone. Best dish of the night for sure.
Taznin Bashar
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April 28, 2026
Rare Society is definitely a must visit. Not only is the location beautiful, but the interior is absolutely stunning, creating the perfect upscale yet welcoming atmosphere. The food was just as impressive as the setting.
We started with the broiled oysters, topped with capers and lemon. They were flavorful and fresh, though slightly salty for my personal taste, but still very enjoyable.
For the main course, we ordered the steak board, which came with a variety of cuts of meat along with bone marrow. It was absolutely worth the price. Every cut was cooked perfectly, full of flavor, and the portion size was generous enough for two people to share comfortably. It’s the perfect option if you want to try a little bit of everything.
For sides, we had the truffle potato au gratin, which was incredible rich, cheesy, and packed with flavor. It was so good that I actually tried recreating it for Christmas dinner later that year. We also ordered the Wagyu beef ravioli, which was delicious and a great addition to the meal.
To finish, we had the banana foster cheesecake, and I highly recommend it to everyone who visits. It was easily one of the best desserts I’ve ever had, very rich, decadent, and the perfect ending to an amazing meal.
Overall, Rare Society delivered on every level and made my birthday special. It’s the kind of place you leave already planning your next visit.
Bill K
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August 26, 2026
We had a medium size group here, atmosphere is great, Food is very, very good, but dinner took almost 3 hours. We started with seafood tower and some lamb lolipops, went into salad and entree, the Rolls are AMAZING, then had a few butter cakes for dessert. Would definitely go back, but would hope for quicker service on a weeknight (it was still crowded and they deserve credit for that)
Holly Hart
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June 20, 2026
The restaurant is so beautiful. The ambience reminds you of a fancy restaurant in Vegas. I had the Lady Luck to drink, it was quite refreshing. I stated with the ahi tartar which was good. Next I had the Fire grilled artichoke which stole the show! Absolutely incredible!!!! Followed by Fresh Baked Parker House Rolls topped with Truffle Butter and the Ricotta Raviolis, both which were absolutely incredible, every bite so full of flavor. 5 out 5. Great job chefs, managers and crew. Josh and Noah were exceptional. Absolutely amazing experience. A must try.....and then try again and again.
Liz Estacio Humphreys
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July 27, 2026
If you love steak, definitely get the steak boards. Yes, both of them. We have always loved the steak boards and always enjoyed the delicious drinks. We get our steak medium rare, and the chefs always get it right! We love this for date night, but we especially love coming here with friends to share steak with and have a great time. Dressy casual, but can be a cool place for date night. Love the decor. But the food, drinks, and the fast and courteous service makes this one of our top favorites! Also, we love how much cheese is on the Cesar salad. Best Cesar salad in the world. On busy nights, usually Fridays and Saturdays, it can be loud and having a reservation would be smart. Most nights, it's pretty easy to walk in and have a quiet conversation with your company.
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226 Avenida Del Mar, San Clemente, CA 92672, USA
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Rare Society was a birthday celebration for one of my really close friends, and I was very much looking forward to this place because I'd heard some good things about the quality of their meat and their food. I ended up getting the Caesar salad, which comes with lemon, fried anchovy, and a ton of pecorino, and they were not kidding about the pecorino. It was literally like a blanket over the whole thing. But this Caesar was probably one of the best I've ever had. It was so good I literally didn't share it with anybody, I was like nope, I'm eating this whole thing by myself. The flavor, the pepper, the anchovies, the lemon, everything was so perfectly balanced. Even the waitress was super sweet and told me if I needed a salad, as basic as it sounds, the Caesar is the go to. She was absolutely right, phenomenal salad. We also got the beef marrow tartare dip thing that came with potato chips. It was good, nothing too crazy to say about it honestly. The Parker House rolls though, those we got as a side and they came out buttery, juicy, and just really good. The truffle came right through, these were phenomenal and absolutely a must have to go along with that Caesar. Then there's the bacon, which sounds crazy, it's literally just called bacon and it's this fat thick four inch slab, one single piece, and it was so so so good. I was absolutely shocked by it. For my main I went with the forty day dry aged bone in New York strip. It was pretty dang good, wouldn't say I was completely blown away, but I have a hard time with steak places in general because I always compare them to how I make a steak at home, and I still think I can make a better one myself. That said, this was very good, great crunch and crisp on the edge, those nice burnt increased edges, seasoned perfectly, and a spot on medium rare, so no complaints there. For sixty bucks though I just have a hard time paying for it, even if it was very good. The one that stole the whole night, hands down and by far, was the dessert. I don't remember what it was called but it was like this pancake ice cream, buttery, gooey, delicious, light and airy heaven. I literally apologized at the table and said I'm going to eat this entire thing, and I did just that. It was awesome. The ambiance and decoration of this place is straight up fine dining, you can feel and see it, and they even have actual dry aged beef ribs on display which is really cool. Not bad at all. I'd recommend it as a high end spot, just not somewhere I'd go consistently since I can do better at home. But that dessert dish, whatever the heck it was, I would go back for that alone. Best dish of the night for sure.
Rare Society is definitely a must visit. Not only is the location beautiful, but the interior is absolutely stunning, creating the perfect upscale yet welcoming atmosphere. The food was just as impressive as the setting. We started with the broiled oysters, topped with capers and lemon. They were flavorful and fresh, though slightly salty for my personal taste, but still very enjoyable. For the main course, we ordered the steak board, which came with a variety of cuts of meat along with bone marrow. It was absolutely worth the price. Every cut was cooked perfectly, full of flavor, and the portion size was generous enough for two people to share comfortably. It’s the perfect option if you want to try a little bit of everything. For sides, we had the truffle potato au gratin, which was incredible rich, cheesy, and packed with flavor. It was so good that I actually tried recreating it for Christmas dinner later that year. We also ordered the Wagyu beef ravioli, which was delicious and a great addition to the meal. To finish, we had the banana foster cheesecake, and I highly recommend it to everyone who visits. It was easily one of the best desserts I’ve ever had, very rich, decadent, and the perfect ending to an amazing meal. Overall, Rare Society delivered on every level and made my birthday special. It’s the kind of place you leave already planning your next visit.
We had a medium size group here, atmosphere is great, Food is very, very good, but dinner took almost 3 hours. We started with seafood tower and some lamb lolipops, went into salad and entree, the Rolls are AMAZING, then had a few butter cakes for dessert. Would definitely go back, but would hope for quicker service on a weeknight (it was still crowded and they deserve credit for that)
The restaurant is so beautiful. The ambience reminds you of a fancy restaurant in Vegas. I had the Lady Luck to drink, it was quite refreshing. I stated with the ahi tartar which was good. Next I had the Fire grilled artichoke which stole the show! Absolutely incredible!!!! Followed by Fresh Baked Parker House Rolls topped with Truffle Butter and the Ricotta Raviolis, both which were absolutely incredible, every bite so full of flavor. 5 out 5. Great job chefs, managers and crew. Josh and Noah were exceptional. Absolutely amazing experience. A must try.....and then try again and again.
If you love steak, definitely get the steak boards. Yes, both of them. We have always loved the steak boards and always enjoyed the delicious drinks. We get our steak medium rare, and the chefs always get it right! We love this for date night, but we especially love coming here with friends to share steak with and have a great time. Dressy casual, but can be a cool place for date night. Love the decor. But the food, drinks, and the fast and courteous service makes this one of our top favorites! Also, we love how much cheese is on the Cesar salad. Best Cesar salad in the world. On busy nights, usually Fridays and Saturdays, it can be loud and having a reservation would be smart. Most nights, it's pretty easy to walk in and have a quiet conversation with your company.