If I lived in Fort Collins, Rare Italian would be high on my list for places to go for a special occasion dinner. They combine an excellent wine list with an extensive range of dinner options, including both top of the line steak and pasta dishes. Cameron was helpful with wine suggestions for the Italian sausage and potato agnolotti. The dish was delightful! Fresh and light. Really enjoyed our dinner here. read more

RARE is becoming our favorite dinner spot in Fort Collins. The service, from Micheal, was absolute perfection. The pacing of the food, nice. The support staff were always there when you needed anything. I should have taken more photos. I was having too good a time to remember. We ordered a wedge salad to share. The wedge was delicious, a bit small to share. Nice pieces of bacon and blue cheese. We shared a perfect rib eye steak. Cut into four pieces it was cooked medium rare and highest quality. We added scallops to the steak order and they were the BEST scallops I have ever eaten. I had the meatballs and pasta.Tender meatballs. There were three and I ended up bring one home. My family ordered three other pastas and all were top notch. Everyone was pleased. We ordered the Chateau Neuf du Pape and the waiter said it was an especially good one. He was right. It's an excellent wine. Be sure to order the fresh fruit crostini for dessert. Ours was fresh blueberry and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Yummy! We will be back, next time we are in Fort Collins. read more

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since this was my first time in Fort Collins, I looked for some really open happy hours. I found this happy hour that runs Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 PM. When walking in it is more of an upscale steakhouse and Italian restaurant. It has some dim lighting, but the sunshine outside was perfect. I would've opted to eat outside if it had not been windy. I was served by a waiter named Josiah and he was attentive and helpful. Especially when it came to building the charcuterie board he was super knowledgeable on all of the different meats and cheeses and gave me some great pairings. For my charcuterie board, I chose lemon ricotta, a hard cheese, prosciutto, and Calabrese. The crostini was also a really nice choice. For my main entrée, I opted for the Toscana pizza that is made with their fresh in-house dough and a wood fire oven. The pesto was delicious, but my favorite part was the mortadella and the pistachios together. Overall, I thought this was a great happy hour and would definitely be back to try more of their extensive menu. read more

RARE Italian - Charcuterie board - Italian Near Me - Fort Collins, Colorado

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The service was terrible. We saw our server once, when she took our order, and never again. We had to flag her down from the table next to us because it seemed like she completely forgot about us. When the food came out some of it was cold, the meatballs were burnt and inedibly salty. We constantly had empty water cups. The food was disappointing for the price point, and the service was horrible. read more

This restaurant is the best experience I've ever had. It was my first time going, and they gave me a thousand reasons to come back. The food is amazing, the drinks are wonderful, but the best part of all was the service. My server gave me the best recommendations, and the attention was incredible. I will definitely be back. read more

Good happy hour options. Service is alright, it's not slow or bad but not impressionable. Got a few different happy hour options and everything was pleasant other than the mussles which were fairly fishy. I assume they came in a bag and were defrosted in the microwave before being thrown into the sauce. The burger was a good medium and very flavorful, as well as the brussel sprouts, very well in flavor. Simple in ambiance and decor, relaxing. Not sure if I'd go back but not a bad experience. read more

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What a disappointing experience. We have been to Rare several times as a small group and have always had excellent service. Decided to book this months in advance for our party of 16 people for our daughter's CSU graduation. Our reservation was at 7:15. We arrived at 7:11 to check in to be told they'd get to us and wait outside until we were ready. We were not seated promptly, nor were we all together. We were seated at 2 tables of 8, right next to the kitchen. Our servers brought the wrong drinks after an another extended wait and then brought us the incorrect bottle of wine, thinking we may not notice since we ordered 5 bottles. Our appetizers and food didn't arrive for what seemed like forever. Our party did not eat until 9:15 and decided it was so late with several grandparents that we wouldn't order desserts or after dinner drinks, although we wanted to. Our servers seemed overwhelmed and under caring. They didn't acknowledge any delays, mistakes, etc. A $1500 tab should not get you that service. The food was good, but hell, shoe leather would've tasted as good with that long of a wait. Plenty of other great options in FoCo for large parties. Look elsewhere! read more

Wonderful service, terrific happy hour! Emily and Ella just two of the bartenders are amazing! I usually just get small bites and they are fabulous! They make their own buratta cheese and they have pizzas on the happy hour menu and charcuterie. I would say the best in town. read more

Want to give it higher than a 3.....Started at the bar and the bartender was bothered by me being there on a Tuesday night an hour and a half before the kitchen closed. I finished my appetizer and asked for a table. She cared more about closing then asking if I wanted another glass of wine or how my food was. My server was a lovely gal and made up for it though! Food was prepared splendidly. Ambiance was also well lit and vibes were good after the unpleasant bartender. read more

RARE Italian - Italian Near Me - Fort Collins, Colorado

Ok- so.... we were recommended this place by a FOCO local... and soooo glad we listened! Went there last night, last minute... got pleasantly seated immediately:) Jeffrey was our server...and he was excellent!! So nice, gave us great recommendations and was so pleasant! We had the arancini, wine, Ceasar salad, carbonara, polpette, and the duck ragu gnocchi- yes it was a lot, but we couldn't decide! Boy let me tell you... I have spent time in Italy- and this is LEGIT!!! Ambiance is great... food is great.. service was GREAT! Definitely recommend!! GRAZIE MILLE Ps... the bread and butter was epic too read more

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Delicioso! Absolutely fabulous from the NY steak, Calabrese salami style Piettze pizza was outta this world! Fine wine and special drinks to compliment the meal. We went there with family to celebrate for my son's graduation with CSU. I highly recommend if you can afford the quality atmosphere service and food preparations your mouth will still salivate as mine is when looking back! read more

I have eaten at rare a few times for special occasions and out-of-town guest. A great menu and very delicious food. Really good wine list and excellent servers. Though it is kid friendly I wouldn't recommend taking your kids because it's pretty upscale and you don't want to disrupt the date night at atmosphere. read more

What an awesome Italian restaurant located in the heart of Fort Collins. Many have recommended Rare to us and we are happy to say it lives up to the hype. We started off with the arancini and then had the Tamarin al Ragu and the Surf and Turf linguini. We also got a side of the Chili & Honey glazed Brussels Sprouts. The arancini was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The pasta is incredibly fresh and you can tell it is handmade. I normally prefer a more substantial pasta like parpadelle for ragu but was pleasantly surprised with this thinner pasta. The surf and turf was not too "fishy" with a perfect amount of brine. The Brussels Sprouts were seasoned very well with the chili and honey glaze. I didn't think there was too much spice. Most of the dish were the individual Brussels leaves vs the whole head. Rare would be a great option for a date night, special occasion dinner, or a perfect stop in for when you are in the mood for good Italian food. They also have a great happy hour menu. The menu includes a variety of seasonal ingredients. We dined in the late summer and had a hard time choosing (so many good salad options!). I would love to come back and try more of their seasonal offerings. read more

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Impressive happy hour dinner for us! I started out by dropping my phone in between the booth and the wall and that went over very well. The head chef ended up getting it out for me, which was super nice. Liz, our waitress was more than attentive, and gave us plenty of recommendations and was so very kind especially when I spilled my drink and my ice all over the floor. The food was delicious. I had the Calamari Fritti, which was absolutely stunning, full of Fresno peppers, and had a sweetness that just cut the spiciness of the dish. I also had the brussels sprouts, which were equally delicious. Hubby had the. dry aged smash burger with bacon and truffle fries and he reports it was absolutely delicious. He thought it might have been a little bit salty but that's the dry aged for you. We will definitely be back here. Need to try the pizzas and the rest of the menu for sure.thank you for a splendid dinner! read more

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Came here for dinner while visiting a friend in Loveland! She'd been wanting to come here so we popped in for an early dinner. Overall the experience was quite good, but I was hoping for a bit more elevated food experience. We didn't have a reservation so came early around 5 and the hostess was super friendly and was able to seat us right away. There's lots of indoor and some outdoor seating, but I definitely recommend a resy for week nights. Our server was super friendly and helpful as well. We ordered Brussel sprouts and truffle fries for starters - both were pretty good but the Brussels were just the flakes instead of the whole sprout cooked and fries were mid. We also ordered the shrimp bruschetta which flavor wise was pretty good but most of the bread was soaked through by the time we got the dish so the soggy bread wasn't great. I ordered the steak salad which was good and a huge portion. Aesthetic and interior of the restaurant is super good and a good moody spot for date night or dinner with friends. I'd come here again in hopes of an improved food experience because everything else hit the mark. read more

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Rare was amazing this evening! Ribeye and Ravioli were fantastic! Katie, our server, was the best! She gave us an appetizer suggestion (carpaccio) that was great. Katie is so enthusiastic and friendly. Going back to Rare and requesting Katie for sure! She made it a wonderful anniversary. read more

RARE Italian - Italian Near Me - Fort Collins, Colorado

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Food, excellent ! Service, Perfect...Ambiance...how could eating outside on a perfect Ft Collins evening get any better? It can't especially if you are having an amazing dinner at Rare Italian! We tried a variety of appetizers and dinner menu items and all our choices were delicious! Our Server was spot on with timing and went beyond expectations! A must stop among the many amazing restaurants in FoCo!!!! read more

Meatball: Great flavor. Caesar Salad: Good. Ragu: Decent. Risotto: A bit too heavy; the flavor was just ok. Agnolotti: Excellent. Pizza: Slightly spicy, but enjoyable. Steak: Well-prepared and tasty. They offer an excellent happy hour menu and the service was outstanding. Overall, while some dishes were just ok, this restaurant stands out as one of the better Italian options in the area. read more

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Great find in downtown Fort Collins. Lovely atmosphere, delicious homemade food and terrific service. We shared the chili Thai Brussels sprouts and lasagne and scored a half price bottle of wine with the Monday night special. The food was fresh and tasty, a great match to our wine selection. Our service was exceptional and dinner was so enjoyable! I highly recommend RARE when you're in the Fort Collins read more

RARE Italian - La Quicera wine with dinner - Italian Near Me - Fort Collins, Colorado

We had a dinner reservation at 4:00 and were seating immediately after the restaurant opened. Our server (I don't remember his name) was extremely helpful and attentive without being overbearing. We first ordered the antipasto which was DELICIOUS and the portions were good sized. The antipasto was $25 for 8 selections which I think is a fair price for the portion sizes. This alone is worth a visit! For the entree we had the Bistecca Alla Fiorentina with chived potatoes, tiger prawns and scallops. The prawns were good, the scallops were great and the chived potatoes were creamy, whipped and light. The steak, on the other hand, was pretty disappointing. It was cooked to a perfect rare but was quite dry and shockingly lacking in flavor. Definitely would not recommend it for $87. The house RARE Pinot Grigio was lovely!! We will definitely come back for the antipasto and maybe a pasta dish, but definitely pass on the steak selection! read more

RARE Italian - Dry-Aged Bistecca Alla Fiorentina (32 Oz.) - Italian Near Me - Fort Collins, Colorado

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I was really craving pasta and this place definitely hit the spot. The service was great, fast and friendly shout out Kelli :) everything was amazing here from the bread and butter to the entree. read more

RARE Italian - Rigatoni AL ragu and truffle fries - Italian Near Me - Fort Collins, Colorado

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Sadly, the three stars is for the food. Really liked the great comfortable seating/ambience/service, and very much appreciated the low volume music, thank you. Lovely, helpful, pleasant, and efficient hostess, and wait staff! Not enough sauce with pasta, meatballs seemed dry and quite spicy. Very very small serving of vegetable (from the sides for table). Highlight was the delicious polenta. Lowpoint was dessert - a watery, small creme brulee. read more

This place has a great ambiance and perfect for a fancy night out. We had to make a reservation here a couple days early for a 7pm slot on a Sunday night. The waiter was very kind and helpful about the menu. We got their seasonal burrata. It had some squash, sage, cranberries, etc. It was really delicious! It came with focaccia bread which was NOT good. It tasted more like a corn bread with how dry and not-fluffy it was. The free bread on the table was way better than the focaccia (also their whipped salted butter is amazing). Their steak was SO GOOD. We got medium rare and it was perfectly cooked. It's dry aged and the fat was rendered perfectly, it was delicious without the au jus that we ordered extra on the side. The potato and carrots were also full of flavor and complimented the steak well. I ordered their surf and turf. I would say I liked this dish, but the unshelled razor clams were no good. I don't know what I was expecting from a landlocked state, but the "surf" part was not executed well. With that being said, the "turf" sausage was very delicious. It was like night and day between the two proteins. But overall the linguine and the sauce were cooked well! We ended the night with a couple scoops of vanilla gelato. I was very happy about it because it was very creamy, and not icy at all. read more

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Loved the vibe, food and service!!! Total 5 star experience! We were all so grateful that our 4:00 reservation at the Regional Food apparently got lost (though we showed them the confirmed email from Resy) and just didn't end up working out. All of us were so thrilled with RARE. The shrimp bruschetta was to die for. The garlic butter sauce and so perfectly cooked shrimp were fantastic. The Charcuterie board was super fun with figs, ricotta and all of the 5 meats. The entrees were all super fresh and so delicious. We all left super happy. Thanks RARE Italian for the really memorable experience. read more

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Always my Italian go-to when in Fort Collins. Service, atmosphere and food excellent.

Had an awesome experience here--the staff was super friendly and the service was spot on. All of the food was delicious as well. Definitely recommend the rigatoni. read more

RARE Italian - Rigatoni was fire - Italian Near Me - Fort Collins, Colorado

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We celebrated our Anniversary here last night. The food was delicious, atmosphere was great and our waiter Jefrey was amazing. Wanted to shout out to him and say Thank you for making our night a lot of fun! read more

RARE Italian - Italian Near Me - Fort Collins, Colorado

Waiter was very nice and welcoming. Good pairing with the beautiful space. Started with the salt and pepper calamari which was good. Calamari was crispy with a nice peppery flavor. Marinara that came to pair it was delicious. Lemon-y aioli was also good. The 10 oz Dry-Aged New York Strip that I got was mediocre which is unfortunate for an Italian steakhouse. The flavor on the steak was minimal and it was served lukewarm. Instead of a garnish of truffle butter, it was a patty that did not melt well because the steak wasn't hot. Made for an interesting steak dinner. However, the carrot and mashed potato were both delicious. read more

RARE Italian - 10 oz Dry-Aged New York Strip - Italian Near Me - Fort Collins, Colorado

Josiah was absolutely courteous-- made a fun date night super smooth and kept the service coming! Would recommend rare to anyone looking for a fun night out!! read more

We've been to Rare many times and I've recommended them as the best steak in Fort Collins to others. We went last night and, as we've often done, ordered a steak substituting the potato for fries. I was informed they no longer allow substitutions despite fries being on the menu with the burger. Our waitress was wonderful and the manager managed to convince the kitchen to "allow" the substitution. They both said the potato is a "garnish", not a side. This is asinine - the chef needs to go. He's a moron. read more

One of my favorite happy hours in town! RARE has a fantastic patio out front with plenty of shade and great people watching, so I normally ask for a seat outside. Service is always on point when I'm here - they never crowd me and always make sure that my water or wine glass is full. I traditionally come in for the small bites - the burrata with crostini, the option for single meatballs which are packed with flavor, and the brussels sprouts are my general go-to, while I'll grab the Polpette appetizer (beef and pork meatballs with polenta) if I'm feeling a little more than just "snacky". I highly recommend balancing out the meal with a glass of their house red. If I'm feeling extra splurgy, their Limoncello is pristine and icy cold on a summer afternoon. read more

RARE Italian - Perfect little happy hour - Italian Near Me - Fort Collins, Colorado

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I grew up in New York and still have family in Italy, so I tend to have high expectations when it comes to food--especially Italian cuisine. Overall, Rare delivered a fair experience with a few highlights and a few drawbacks. The sausage was excellent--truly some of the best I've had, rich in flavor and clearly made with care. Our server, Monica, was outstanding: attentive, knowledgeable, and warm, adding a personal touch that made us feel welcome. Unfortunately, the steak was overcooked; we requested medium rare but, it came out closer to medium-well. Additionally, the portion sizes were noticeably small considering the price point. While there were some missteps, there's promise here, and with a few adjustments, Rare could be a go-to spot. I'd return--especially for the sausage and the service--but I hope to see more consistency in execution and value. read more

We had an outstanding dinner at Rare!! The warm bread with butter was outstanding. The wedge salad was really tasty. The filet with mashed potatoes was outstanding. Our server, Noah, was exceptional! We will definitely be back. Great job! read more

RARE Italian - Italian Near Me - Fort Collins, Colorado

This restaurant is our new favorite restaurant when we visit Fort Collins. We were celebrating a birthday and our server made sure everyone felt special. The food was absolutely amazing! And the decor and ambiance was perfect for a romantic date or celebration with a group of friends. read more

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There are no vegetarian pasta dishes explicitly on the menu, but our server was kind enough to say any could really be modified or another created all together! So I was able to get a veggie vodka sauce dish that was really quite good. The portion was a bit small, I was able to eat the whole portion and not feel overly full. The flexibility of the menu really won me over, and the willingness to accommodate vegetarians. read more

Took a day trip to Fort Collins for a little Sunday Funday- my first time visiting while my partner used to live there. I have been wanting to check out the city as I am a huge fan of craft beer and the breweries in the area but lemme leave that for the other reviews..let's talk about RARE Italian. First off, this is a great location right on the corner and the inside has such a awesome atmosphere. You can see the wood fire pizza setup, meat hanging during the dry aging process, and much more. My partner and I started off with a antipasti board- went for the 8 choices for $25. All 3 cheeses (Mozzarella, Burrata, and the oh so addictive Lemon Ricotta) 3 meats (Coppa, Speak, Prosciutto Di Parma) and also Peperonata, Spiced Nuts. This was one of the best boards I've personally had in some time..my mouth is watering just thinking about it all over again. We also got the Tomato Arancini which was a tomato risotto with mozzarella filling and marinara sauce..it was great but then again everything was. My partner has been boasting about the lasagne so we split it and wow, I think it may have been the best I have ever had..no joke. That lasagne is not playing around!! Also got a side of the chili and honey-glazed brussel sprouts. All the above was paired quite nicely with their RARE Sangiovese by the way..definitely order a glass(or bottle) to compliment your dinner. Of course we had to get desert and I had my eyes on the Birramisu- which were lady fingers with expresso, coffee liqueur, mascarpone and Sad Panda Coffee Stout from Fort Collins very own Horse & Dragon Brewing Company. What a way to end the whole experience! 10 outta 10 everything that we ordered..would love to go back and try more of the menu and one of those house-aged steaks! read more

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Food. Ambiance. Service. All great. Loved the pasta/sauce and salad. The atmosphere was nice and relaxing

My friend and I had a blast at happy hour here recently -- and it's a pretty good HH deal, too! We shared a carafe of rosé wine and an antipasti board with our 4 choices: taleggio cheese, castelvetrano olives, housemade burrata with an incredible cherry apricot mustard (I'm not sure how to spell that, it's not like ketchup & mustard, it's MOO-stard), and the finochietta which is the leaner of the salami meats of the options our bartender said (he was right!). That taleggio cheese was so unique! It's skunky and mild at the same time, and don't leave the rind, it's soft and edible. The burrata was worth getting for the "moo-stard" chutney like spread -- SO delicious! Then, I tried the meatballs and polenta on happy hour (polpette appetizer) and thought it was going to be quite small, but it wasn't! 4 full meatballs on a bed of creamy polenta, I had a hard time finishing after the board & wine. On top of that we ordered truffle fries, too. They tasted great, but I'll be honest, I like thick fries more than I do super skinny fries. Wish these were beefier and more potato-y. Glad they were on $5 for HH. We sat at the bar, it was only two of us. I like service much better at the bar, but it was a very small bar at that. 10 chairs (I want to say) were a real squeeze to fit in there. If you find yourself in Fort Collins or needing someplace to grab happy hour, this is definitely worth it! read more

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As a group of five we shared, Caesar salad, calamari, and the polenta. All great dishes! read more

RARE Italian - 14 oz Dry-Aged Rib Eye with truffle butter - Italian Near Me - Fort Collins, Colorado

I have been coming to Rare Italian for a while. Every single time that I have been here has been incredible due to our wonderful server Jeffrey! If you go, try to get sat in his section as he is wonderful! Today the manager Kelly went out of her way to make me and my guest feel unwelcome and uncomfortable, by coming to our tables twice. When I told her that due to her behavior I would not be coming back she replied that's great. I've always been treated with kindness and respect here until today. This interaction makes me unlikely to come back, regardless of how much I love their food. I hope that they can hire kinder staff in the future to avoid this situation. read more