RARE Steak and Seafood will bring a taste of Wisconsin to the nation’s capital when it opens its doors to the public on November 1 at 1595 I Street NW (corner of 16th & I “Eye” Streets NW). The restaurant which focuses on exquisite cuts of meat, fresh seafood, and an extensive wine selection also offers a history of Midwestern family hospitality.
This is the first venture on the East Coast for RARE Founder and CEO Jack Sosnowski, who owns and operates all his family’s restaurant concepts. His love for the old nostalgic romance of the great American steakhouses inspired the idea for RARE, his flagship brand. “I’m thrilled to bring RARE from Wisconsin’s capital to the heart of the nation’s capital,” said Sosnowski. “We pride ourselves on providing an escalated dining experience and I can’t wait for DC to experience a taste of RARE’s Midwestern hospitality.”
Located just two blocks from the White House, the 10,000-square-foot restaurant will seat over 300 guests. The tavern concept, with 170 seats, occupies the first floor and includes an extensive bar and raw seafood bar. The classic steakhouse, with 150 seats, commands the second floor. With luxurious tufted leather booths framing the dining room, a custom wood and glass wine case showcasing distinctive bottles of wine. For larger groups, there is a rooftop private event space, which overlooks Lafayette Square and the White House.
With Executive Chef Marc Hennessy, formerly of BLT Restaurant Group, at the helm, diners can expect delightful appetizers like pork belly from Autumn Olive Farm, crepe manicotti, and roasted bone marrow; an oyster bar specializing in Maryland and Virginia oysters, tiger shrimp, rope raised mussels, Chesapeake Bay blue crab and more. Guests will also enjoy seafood dishes like channel bass with palm puree, peanut, and hot honey; Maine lobster with black trumpet and vierge brown butter; and steamed Scottish salmon with artichoke vinaigrette.
At RARE, the beef is dry-aged in-house and is seared in their custom-built 1800 degree Montague infrared broiler. Expect nothing but the best in the steak selections such as American and Japanese wagyu. Steak offerings include specialty cuts like the 20oz dry-aged Kansas City strip and the 50oz double-bone Union Chop as an ode to their occupancy in Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) Building.
The Tavern at RARE will offer an all-day menu with lunch and dinner being served Monday through Friday 11:30am to 11 pm and dinner service Sunday and Monday until 10pm, and Tuesday through Saturday until 11pm. The upstairs steakhouse will serve lunch Monday through Friday 11:30am to 2:30pm, dinner Sunday and Monday from 5pm to 10pm, and dinner Tuesday through Saturday from 5pm to 11pm. The bar will be open until midnight every night with happy hour specials offered at the Tavern from 4pm to 6pm Monday through Friday. Beginning January 2018, RARE plans to offer breakfast service during the week and weekend brunch and lunch service at the Tavern. F
