Medium Rare Restaurant

The restaurant is great for a casual night out. My steak was a bit over cooked but still tasty and was a great value for the set menu price. At first, I was a bit surprised at the small plate set in front of us. I was not expecting a second helping of the same plate to arrive after we finished the first!

One would think that for a restaurant that sells only steak that it would be decent. sadly, this disappointed and was the most flavorless steak i've ever had

The ambience and the server were wonderful. The cocktails ordered unique and delicious. Everyone was courteous and friendly. The bread would have been delicious if it wasn't overly toasted making it hard. The steaks were quite think and one ordered medium was well done. The fries were overly crunchy as well. Sadly it is not somewhere I would patronize again. I wish the food had been better as it's a simple enough menu.

While the food was great, it was obvious that our waitress was inexperienced. She tried to take plates or did take plates of food off the table that people were not done eating yet. Also felt it was weird we said we were celebrating a birthday and there was no mention of it other than at the hostess stand.

I have enjoyed Medium Rare and their secret sauce many times before, and I was looking forward to sharing the experience with my date, but unfortunately, this time it came up short. First, our assigned waiter was great, although it seemed like we waited quite a while after we were finished with our first helping for someone to come around again. However, it seemed like the entire rest of the wait staff stopped by to refill my date's nearly empty glass of unsweet iced tea. While I appreciate the effort to make sure he was happy, being asked 3 or 4 times within 20 minutes or so if he wanted a refill was overkill. He eventually said yes just to get them to stop asking. Unfortunately, the big disappointments weren't about oversolicitous iced tea. I LOVE the secret sauce - but something about the sauce last night was off. It was gritty, not creamy, like something hadn't fully dissolved, and something about that texture impacted the flavor. It had an unusual tang to it. The last disappointment was that I came in VERY HUNGRY, which I explained to our assigned waiter. But when the bus person came to ask if I was done and I said I wanted another helping, maybe he didn't hear me (though my date did from across the table), but instead he cleared my plate and the entire table. My previous experiences have been superb, so I hope this is a one-off.

Very happy we got to sit by a window. Not my favorite cut of steak. Not my favorite salad dressing either. A choice would be great.

Pedro was the best server he was very attentive to me and my girlfriend and overall great experience

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 5

You will definitely enjoy the food and the delightful surprises lol... also loved the gum at the end. Took me back to my childhood ?

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: 3 Course Prefix Steak Frites Meal

Food is fine, steak was cooked well, albeit under seasoned and the fries tasted like oil that was past its prime. It was impossible to have a conversation during dinner, we were placed directly next to a TV blaring a sports talk show and the restaurant was playing rock music way too loud. Adding onto that there seems to be some shady practices with their water. Our server asks us if we want “Sparkling, still, or tap water”. We order still water and are brought a glass bottle of water to have at our table and refill our glasses, similar to how many restaurants serve their free water nowadays. We ask for a refill once we run out and the server brings us another. It must be included that never at the time of ordering the water originally or getting a refill are we told we had to pay for it, nor is it listed at all on their menu. Once we get the check we are charged $6 for each 1 L bottle of water. The price in itself is preposterous, but it is scummy and frankly illegal that we were never told that the “still” water had an up-charge and is not included anywhere on their menu. Certainly will not be coming back here again.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 3

Service: 1

This restaurant is my favorite stake house

Wheelchair accessibility: Plenty of room, and side entrance

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: 3 Course Prefix Steak Frites Meal

Limited menu, but delicious food

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: 3 Course Prefix Steak Frites Meal

The food is delicious! It's cooked with lots of flavor. Everything about this restaurant is extremely good. I love the ambiance.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Menu is way too limited
Steak or portobello mushroom. That is it!

The brunch selection allowed a poached egg to be added to the steak frites, but the poached egg was not poached long enough. If you going to offer poached eggs, you better do it correctly. see the instructions that Steve Martin and Martin Short recently gave online.

the steak and "secret sauce" (i.e., brown gravy) were fine and went well with the perfectly done fries, but frankly I enjoy the sliced teriyaki steak with sauce at the Katana Sushi restaurant in Clarksville. There, the bento includes many other items as well, and is significantly less expensive than Medium Rare.

We will not be returning to Medium Rate because the menu is not sufficiently interesting that it requires further investigation. Generally, I am in favor of a business concept that limits the menu so that the quality can be perfected. However, I would prefer the limited menu to change from day to day. A perfect example of this was a French restaurant we used to love in Carmel, CA, which offered three meals on each day. The schedule for offerings was on a blackboard outside the restaurant, and one could plan accordingly.

Also, I should mention that, in line with many "modern" restaurants, it is designed to be as loud as possible. Even though there were few customers left in the restaurants, we still found it difficult to understand each other in conversation. This is just a complaint that applies to many other places. In particular The Food Market in Columbia.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 3

Service: 4

The manager and bartending staff is amazing!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: 3 Course Prefix Steak Frites Meal

Medium Rare in Columbia, Maryland, is a hidden gem that truly stands out in the local dining scene. This steakhouse offers a simple yet brilliant concept: a prix-fixe menu focused on high-quality steak, fries, and salad. From the moment you walk in, the warm, inviting atmosphere sets the stage for an unforgettable dining experience.

The star of the show is the steak, cooked to perfection every time. Medium Rare’s signature preparation, often cooked to a perfect medium-rare as the name suggests, ensures a juicy, flavorful bite with a beautifully seared crust. The steak is accompanied by their famous secret sauce, which elevates the dish to a whole new level of savory goodness. The hand-cut fries are crispy and golden, complementing the rich flavors of the steak perfectly.

The service is outstanding, with staff who are not only knowledgeable about the menu but also genuinely attentive and friendly, making guests feel like regulars even on their first visit. The relaxed yet sophisticated ambiance, paired with an impressive wine list, makes Medium Rare a great spot for a romantic evening, a celebration, or even just a casual dinner for steak lovers.

Every time I have been I get the feeling of a well oiled machine. Every employee seems happy to be working there and that speaks volumes to ownership but more importantly management.

In addition to its fantastic food and service, Medium Rare offers excellent value. The prix-fixe menu includes a delicious fresh salad to start and unlimited portions of fries, ensuring that guests leave fully satisfied. It’s a wonderful balance of quality, flavor, and affordability, making it one of Columbia’s must-try dining spots.

5 stars from top to bottom!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5