Rae

Love the food, hate the room. Though the corner table in the back room is a nice place to sit. Have gotten the same waiter the few times we visited, great personality, good memory, knew service and was food savvy Some happy hours can make the noise level for the tables near the bar unbearable and negotiating the bar area a challenge.

Having been traveling in and out of 30^th St. Station for years, I stopped in on the way back from NYC, last week, for the first time.
There were three of us and the only problem was that our server seemed to lack the ability to remember things and, like most servers these days, did not seem to be able to wield a pen and paper.
The bread/​rolls were quite fresh. I had a duck confit wrap. No problem there.
The $ 2 martini was nothing to complain about either.
(My one nephew ordered his martini with Grey Goose, so of course that was $$$!)
Second nephew’s burger was perfectly done. He has been in food service for years, so he was impressed that train station food would be this decent. (We had just eaten in Grand Central, and Rae was better).
The homemade chips were cold and greasy, but that wasn’t exactly the highlight of the meal, anyway. Had the service been better, especially considering they weren’t busy, I would have given four stars.

Truffle pizza is delicious as are the risotto fingers. Happy hour is one of the best in city, nice wine by the glass and cocktail specials. On Wednesdays and Fridays there is a complimentary charcuterie, cheese and fruit spread.

I don’t know if I’m being stingy or if all this economy business has me paying more attention to financial matters, but lately I’m feeling like quality is declining and yet prices are crazy high!
Hang on. Wait just a minute. I think my micro and macro economics professors just got their wings! Finally, five-​plus years later, I get it!
Joking aside, 2007’s Best of Philly happy hour winner leaves A LOT to be desired. They boast $ 5 wines by the glass– but that’s only for two selections, one red and one white. The Cabernet they had on special was pretty beat, and since we didn’t want to take a chance on the white, my friend and I ordered a bottle of chardonnay off the regular menu that was actually really good.
After a couple drinks, we ordered the tomato & mozzarella pizza and a wedge salad to share. The pizza was good for sure but there was no substance. A saltine is thicker than the crust used in this pizza, no joke. As for the wedge salad? I had to ask the bartender if he brought the right one– it was a hunk of iceberg with some really random vegetables leaned up against it, and an unidentifiable gray substance on the side. When the bartender confirmed that this was indeed the wedge salad, I asked where the Gorgonzola came in– oh the gray stuff, of course! The menu didn’t mention that it would be presented in a baby poop-​inspired way so that’s probably why I didn’t realize. My bad!
Rae is a cool-​looking spot for sure, but I think they take advantage of the fact that they are the only real restaurant in the 30^th Street Station/​Cira Centre vicinity. They miss the mark on «creative, complex and imaginative» because they try too hard to get overly fancy, which is just annoying and unnecessary (much like the 5 star reviews that are clearly written by Rae staff). I can see why it’s a popular spot, and the complimentary valet is definitely a bonus, but I don’t think I’ll be going out of my way to grab a drink or bite to eat there again.

Decent lunch spot, but too fancy & expensive for frequent stops. It’s convenient to 30^th street station, and of course, the Cira Centre, and it has the distinction of being the only nice restaurant around. It can be fairly pricey, so its nice to go on the company’s dime.
If I was paying and in the area for lunch, I’d rather do Slainte on the other side of the station.

I’ve been to Rae a number of times for lunch and I’ve never been fully satisfied. I only go back because that’s the only restaurant in the area. There is no consistency in their food. They can’t even cook a burger to the right degree…
Save your money and go somewhere else. Wish I could!
I will say a few good things… risotto fingers are yummy and I like the truffle pizza. Plus…$ 2 martinis for lunch.

I went for a quiet lunch date with the missus because I happen to work in the Cira Center. I’d heard a lot of hype about the place, but I’d say it falls short in a couple of areas.
The food was tasty but nothing spectacular. I had some random complimentary appetizer that my GF couldn’t eat because it was meat based. This was, foodwise, probably the best portion of the meal. I had the Rae Burger, which was fairly substantial, but not prepared how I had asked, and nothing you wouldn’t find at any mid-​scale burger joint (and certainly not worth the $ 16 price tag). The lady had a veggie burger which was not particularly stunning either.
On the upside, the space is wonderful and our service was fine. Also, the lunch menu includes a few drink specials: $ 2 classic martinis and $ 5 glasses of wine.
I may give Rae another shot, but it’s not something I will go out of my way to try again soon. I wish this great concept had been executed more successfully.

Rae is beautiful, make no mistake about that. You’ll find her just inside Cesar Pelli’s Cira Centre (design snobs, take note) and a few convenient steps from the Amtrak station.
But sadly, her food does not measure up to her lovely proportions.
Skip the white gazpacho. Seriously. Just trust me on that one. And the rabbit nachos? Don’t believe the hype!

Come on, Rae. We could have had something, you know? My friends were saying such good things about you, and seriously, you looked REALLY good on paper. My mom would have been so proud. So when we finally met at last, I have to say that I was more than a little disappointed. Sure, you looked gorgeous, with your beautiful dining room and high ceilings. And you were super convenient, since I was picking my friend up from the train station and all. It could have been so good between us.
But from the moment I sat down, things went south, and not in the kind of way I’m usually hoping they do on a good date. The server seemed like she was doing us a favor by taking our order, and would have preferred to be anywhere but where she was. And those famous Rabbit Nachos I’ve heard so much about? Not only should they be re-​named (they’re much more similar to rabbit empanadas, but what do I know, I just eat out 7 days a week?) but they were just ehhh. I had a shrimp Caesar salad, and while it filled my belly, I walked away feeling a little unsatisfied and a lot let down.
But don’t let it get to you, Rae. Just because it didn’t work out between us doesn’t mean that there’s not somebody else out there for you. Just look at all these other glowing reviews. And just so we end it on a positive note, your lemonade was delish. Tart, bitter and a tiny bit sweet… just like I like it. See, maybe you get me after all.

Loved it. Loved it. Loved it! Took my father, a major foodie, for his birthday. We had split a carpaccio tuna pizza (with pickled beets, wassabi, and watercress) and a black truffle pizza (with parmesan and some other wonderful cheese and arugula). They were so wonderful, and different! Paired with the stainless steel chardonnay (AKA ‘naked’ chardonnay), the pizza flavors just popped.
Located in the new Circa Centre building, the atmospere is bright, airy and sunny. The décor is wonderfully up to date, with soft teal and dark brown, and a grass topped half wall that the management can move to fit more tables. There is a ball room downstairs for private parties, and though it was nice, the entrance was a bit worn and drab… the use of sheer curtains and the hd tvs helped to sophisticate the room.
I’d recommend this place anytime; but we went for lunch… last note: the wait staff and management were WONDERFUL! Very attentive, happy and informative (told us about the history of the chardonnay…)

The idea for this place is great. good restaurant just across the street from 30^th st station where you can grab dinner before/​after the train. They even have the amtrak boards in the restaurant so you can check your train status. SOUNDS great.however.
The menu is not at all suited to a quick-​ish meal pre-​train. Supposedly they used to have burgers and salads etc. but now it is a much more intense New american menu w/​fish, steaks, etc. aka nothing that you want to be rushed eating (or have them rush to make). The most casual thing on the menu is a caesar salad which you can add shrimp or chicken to. comes with some gloppy mayo-​y dressing. I will admit that my boyfriends roast chicken and sauteed spinach were good but they took so long to bring our food that we had to take everything to go and roast chicken is not an ideal meal to eat on the little amtrak seat back tray table.
This place needs to embrace its convenience factor and improve its efficiency (did I mention we were one of 3 tables in the restaurant and couldnt get our food w/​in one hour?) .and adjust the menu, at least adding some lighter/​more portable items.
Bottom line. im really not such a fan

It’s not cheap, but this is great bar food. I’ve never had dinner, but I have had many a cocktail and ‘dinner’ at the bar. Good place to wait for a train (they have a board with Amtrak updates in the bar), wait for a friend on a train, or sit with said friend during her layover.
Great wine list, beautiful and stylish décor. It can get crowded and noisy during happy hour, but don’t let that deter you!

one word: phenomenal.
ok, maybe i shouldn’t just completely blow my wad so quickly.
in any case, i came here for lunch, and it was amazing.
we started with the rabbit nachos. i never thought i would be eating rabbit, much less enjoying it. the meat was perfectly smoky and game-​y, and the fried nacho wraps were perfectly greasy.
we got the venison cheesesteak and roast beef sandwich. the roast beef was ok, but not spectacular. the venison cheesesteak makes me almost love cheesesteaks. and go with the fries.
and dessert? i’d go with the hazelnut pear soufflé. in the words of rachael ray, yumm-​o. seriously.
the service was great, the place was quiet (no one was there) and there was great light shining through the windows.
i didn’t drink, but it looks like they have a fabulously extensive wine list as well. close to $ 900 for a bottle of dessert wine. nice.
my one caveat? my breath was terribly stanky for the rest of the day. glad there is no making out anywhere near in my future.

I held my wedding at Rae and I couldn’t be happier. It was the perfect setting for our small (50 people) elegant wedding. The staff was attentive and always one step ahead of us and the food was phenomenal!
The wedding was in the atrium and the light pouring in was gorgeous, the cocktail hour was in the restaurant with risotto fingers, rabbit nachos, etc coming out of nowhere. Dinner was downstairs, in their ballroom, with wine, lamb, fish, and filet as choices. The desserts they made for us were out of this world! Their pastry chef is an artist.
We’ve been to Rae for «regular» dinner as well. My then-​boyfriend and I shared the rabbit nachos, he had the dry aged rib eye and I had the surf and turf. I’ve never had surf and turf like this, it was a lobster stuffed with slow cooked short ribs… in other words amazing and delicious. As for the steak, it was more of a standard dish than anything.

I was here for a happy hour. Rae is easy to get to, just hop off the Schuylkill at the 30^th Street Station exit. Complimentary valet parking is available, with validation.
The restaurant lies beneath the escalators of the Cira Center. It is spacious, and may get a little loud and echoey if you get a crowd in there. Décor is modern, simple.
The bartenders and wait staff served our party of 90+ admirably. The staff had to zigzag through our group to get dishes to their «real» diners. Everyone I dealt with (servers, bartenders, and hostesses) were friendly. Can’t say the same about the management, as they tried to end the happy hour specials early since they didn’t expect so many people to show. (Drink specials are reasonably priced, by the way. Oh, and shots are NOT their specialty, though our bartenders rocked as well as they could.)
Appetizers were fine. In order of least-​to-​most interesting:
— red chips — salty
— regular chips — fine
— tomato mozzarella pizza — fine, thin crust
— pigs in a blanket with a mustard on the side — tasty
— mushroom dumplings with a truffle sauce — not objectionable
Four stars for effort, ignoring their management.

The menu here is ecletic. Don’t come here for a simple steak. Come prepared to try new combinations of food that all sounds good, but you are not sure how it fits together. We went there as a work lunch for seven of us. We just hopped on the regional rail line from Suburban Station to 30^th Street and the same back. Our table was a very large round table, and due to all the hard surfaces and glass, it was hard to talk due to the noise.
I had a tuna pizza — it had layers of tuna carpacio, seared ahi tuna, and some other items on top of a pizza crust (no cheese nor sauce). It was topped with a spiced popcorn — yes popcorn. Weird, yes. Tasty, yes.
Other things on the menu sounded intriguing, but when they came out, they were good, but not fantastic.
The deserts also sounded better than they were. Don’t get me wrong, they were very good, but we expected great.
I might give it another try, and although it is easy to get there from Center City, I would probably stick to the plethora of other cool and tasty options in Center City before going back.

this place is cool, very chic. the restaurant is situated under an escalator!
the food, we got a special chef’s tasting menu.
we started out with a tomato gazpacho with something sorbert, tasty
next: tuna carpaccio pizza, morelle mushroom pizza, rabbit nachos (really?) it worked. yum. garlic shrimp thingy.
then: there was so much food that just kept coming out…
uh– steak & lobster
chocolate beignets
food glorious food! what am i thinking? for i only have 1 stomach.
my head was spiraling out of control! the wine was awesome too.
i would definitely come here again, the next time i’m in philly