As we have visited Fort Collins many times and walked by Rare, we have never stopped in or made a reservation. This year hubby surprised me with reservations based upon many GF options. We had an amazing waitstaff - Katie--she was informative, helpful with additional questions regarding GF ingredients, great personality and excellent customer service! In all honesty, I made the decision to review my selections for food! Appetizer- Calamari Fritti -- spicy perfect with Wine Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough New Zealand.. a great match to tamper the spices of the calamari Main course- Halibut Veracruzana- substituted broccolini for cauliflower.. a slight Mediterranean style, sauce is butter salted; veggies (carrots al dente, broccolini crisp and a wee bit charred, capers) potatoes puréed perfectly. Halibut crisp on the outside..falls apart melts in your mouth. The addition of green olives adds the smidge of a salty, briny taste- perfect combination. Dessert- Pumpkin Panna Cotta with fall spice cranberries .. gf of course! Absolutely delightful, the perfect combination to end a meal. I had to mention a few items hubby selected (I mean he did make the reservation!). He did the filet/ medium rare. Melt in your mouth, perfectly cooked! He also had gf hazelnut chocolate tort with chocolate ice cream!!! It was light, creamy and delicious to the last bite (yes, I had a smidge of a taste)! Have to say- my new FAV spot for a meal when in Ft. Collins! Excellent, customer service, exceptional waitstaff (kitchen staff as well), and ambiance! read more

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We had a really nice dinner at RARE Italian! The restaurant has a great atmosphere, and I loved the fun location in downtown Fort Collins. The hostess and our waitstaff were wonderful--friendly, welcoming, and attentive throughout the evening. The house-made bread brought to the table was a great touch, and the food was good overall. I just didn't love it quite as much as I expected to, especially given the restaurant's reputation. Still, it was an enjoyable experience with great service and ambiance, and I'm glad we tried it! read more

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

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First time going to Rare tonight for my birthday and it exceeding all expectations! The atmosphere was top notch from the moment we walked in and throughout our time there. Our server, Monica, was phenomenal! She went through the dinner and drink menu with us very thoroughly and checked in on us consistently. She brought a warm and inviting energy that made our experience so delightful! The food was top notch. We started off with fresh bread, which was light but filling. The pappardelle al ragù was phenomenal! The noodles were perfectly cooked and had a good snap. The ragù was seasoned well and kept you wanting more. The lobster risotto was heavenly! The risotto was creamy and was packed with flavor from the lobster broth. There was also a good amount of lobster on top as well! The cocktails are also amazing. We had the old-fashioned and the bergamot aperol spritz. Both were perfectly crafted! Lastly, we got cannolis for dessert and they were by far the best cannolis I've had! Not too sweet and balanced well with the pistachios. Will definitely be back again soon! read more

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The atmosphere in here was pretty nice, and the food was delicious. They had quite the variety of wine. I felt kind of judged in here and everyone at my table felt the same way. I've never felt like that in a restaurant before. read more

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I've been to RARE three times now, and every experience has been pretty much perfect. The ambiance and service is always great, with the staff being very friendly and knowledgeable. A special shoutout to last night's waitress, Juliette, she gave a lovely overview of the menu and the spirit of the restaurant, while also being so kind and attentive to all of our dietary needs and preferences. The food is never short of spectacular! I particularly enjoy the option to order a steak with a half side of pasta, so I can enjoy all that RARE has to offer! You can taste the quality, the steaks are delicious and perfectly cooked, the mashed potatoes so creamy and flavorful, and the pastas are so creative and delicious that it's almost impossible to choose just one! Highly highly recommend this restaurant for any occasion, you won't be disappointed! 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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We had a great experience over Fourth of July weekend. My partner and I walked in & didn't have a reservation but was sat immediately we the "group table". And then another group sat later but it wasn't crowded or awkward. Our server was amazing! I had an awesome cocktail and the truffle parm fries.... Came out TOPPED with cheese, like you couldn't see the fries. It was awesome and delicious. The pastas were amazing, we got the POLPETTE TAJARIN and our favorite, the BLACK TRUFFLE & MUSHROOM RAVIOLI! So good. And the vibes were nice. A great date night place! read more

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This place has the best and fresh pizza. You should try it, service is ok since they are busy here read more

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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Had lasagna and speghetti with meatballs. Both were tasty and arrived quickly. Service was on spot, not rushed and timed well. We sat on the patio as the weather was perfect. I did hear a couple that were leaving commenting that it was so loud that they were not able to have a conversation. Overall a good place for a nice date night. read more

We visited Fort Collins for a week while dropping our daughter off at CSU. We ate at many of the restaurants in old town, but certainly RARE was our favorite. Food was excellent and Savannah our server was a total pro, completely charming and efficient. The Sunday half price wine promotion coupled with a truly curated wine list make Sunday visits a must. 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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The food was good. the Lasagna was delicious. Service was just ok as our server was quite impatient with allergen and wine inquiries. But it was the ambiance that was terrible - loud and crowded. Despite other available tables, our party of 8 adults was seated at the very back of the dining room, directly in the intersection of the kitchen, the drink filling station, and the dish washers. Throughout our meal, there was a constant stream of tray-carrying servers colliding at the swinging door. The clanking of dirty dishes and the smell of dish washing drafted over our dinner plates with every door swing and server rushing by .... needless to say, none of this made for a perfect pairing with our fine bottle of red... or the total bill. read more

Wonderful food, wine and ambiance. We enjoyed our dinner and the. A walk downtown. Service was great and we will be returning.

Never been before, but will definitely return!! Initially came for just steak, but ordered both steak and pasta and was pleasantly surprised! read more

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Not sure how it took us this long to visit this place, but it was outstanding. The food and drinks were of really high quality and they make most of their items in house. They seem to have a very high emphasis on quality and we were beyond impressed with everything we ordered on happy hour today. Our server was so knowledgeable and friendly. The only regret is that it took us so long to try this place! Can't wait to visit again! read more

RARE Italian - Arnold Palmer cocktail - Italian Near Me - Fort Collins, Colorado

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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

The FINAL straw! Food was good, very tasty. Good atmosphere too but we couldn't believe the lie and lack of effort on the part of our server when asking for a straw for a soft drink. We were told RARE was all out of straws and even contacted their sister restaurant who didn't have any for them. We continued then to witness other servers bringing drinks to their tables with straw after straw. We decided to then walk over to the bar and ask for a straw from their glass full of straws. We didn't order apps or desserts but we still spent nearly $400 on our meal but weren't worthy of a straw. Comical really. read more

I' ve been to RARE a few times, and always had a wonderful experience. The restaurant is classy and modern chic. Food is always excellent. The staff is professional and definitely geared to a finer dining experience, friendly, knowledgeable and prompt, which is important because the meals are not bargain priced. BUT, today I went for their Happy Hour, and much to my great pleasant surprise, their Happy Hour menu is abundant and much more price friendly. I certainly recommend RARE for a upscale dinner experience, but REALLY recommend RARE as a great Happy Hour experience! read more

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

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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We went here for our anniversary last night and it was so amazing. Loved it all from the inside ambiance, food, and service from Savanna. We had some great laughter with her and she was very knowledgeable. Our favorite Caesar salad with amazing dressing to the main meal and even the asparagus and Brussels sprouts. Thank you so much for the suggestion Sam. You gave us a beautiful suggestion to help us celebrate 50 years married. read more

Clam was really good. Carbonara, steak salad, duck gnocchi were meh. One flavor no dimension or depth. Service was ok. Ambiance was ok. Very loud inside and lots of loud bike passes by outside but the view is pretty. Overall, I would say 3/5. 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

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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It was for our 40th wedding anniversary with nine people. Dinner was excellent. We had steaks and Italian dishes. Cocktails and wine were excellent. Service was very good too. read more

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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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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Order the pizza or the ravioli- you will thank me later! Lots of excellent wine choices as well! Lovely ambiance at the outdoor tables.

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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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

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

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

Visiting from out of town. Food, drinks, and service were excellent! Definitely on the list for next time!

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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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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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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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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