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Rural Society

4.3
4.3
618 Reviews
$31 to $50
Argentinean
Rural Society is a contemporary Argentine steakhouse from nationally renowned master of Latin cuisine Chef Jose Garces. Inspired by his travels to South America, Rural Society is at once rustic and luxurious, bringing the energy and sophistication of Buenos Aires to Washington. Our menu and primarily South American wine list, combined with our warm hospitality and welcoming décor, transport you far from the bustle of the District to the sweeping cattle ranches and grill-fired kitchens of Argentina.

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Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable reservation network.

If you like, we'll notify you by email if this restaurant joins.


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Additional information

  • Dining style

    Fine Dining

  • Cuisines

    Argentinean, Tapas / Small Plates, Steakhouse

  • Hours of operation

    Monday - Sunday Happy Hour: 4pm - 6pm Dinner: 5pm - 10:30pm

  • Phone number

    (202) 587-2629

  • Payment options

    AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

  • Dress code

    Business Casual

  • Executive chef

    Jose Garces

  • Private party facilities

    Rural Society is proud to host private events of all sizes, from intimate dinners to corporate meetings to grand celebrations, throughout the year. Our private and semi-private rooms are available individually, and can also be combined to facilitate significantly larger gatherings.

  • Private party contact

    Jessica Malone: (888) 925-0452

  • Neighborhood

    Downtown

  • Cross street

    M Street

  • Parking details

    Valet is $10+tax for up to 4 hours

  • Public transit

    Rural Society is located a few blocks from both the Farragut North station on the Red line and the McPherson Sq station on the Orange and Blue lines of the DC Metro.

  • Additional

    Banquet, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 618 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

4.3
4.3 based on all time ratings
  • 4.3Food
  • 4.1Service
  • 4.2Ambience
  • 3.7Value

NoiseModerate

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  1. Deby

    Washington DC

    128 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    128 reviews

    Dined on August 19, 2017

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    In spite of the fact that the main location is under repair, the hotel staff who were handling the restaurant during this time, were very gracious and the food was simply delicious!
  2. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on July 4, 2017

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Lovely food would go again , the food was filling and looked amazing
  3. FFLG

    Miami

    11 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on June 24, 2017

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Good food and great service! The ambiance is very nice as well, different.
  4. GreatFrench

    Washington DC

    30 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    30 reviews

    Dined on June 23, 2017

    overall3food2service4ambience3
    Meat overcooked. Salad overdressed. Service was gracious.
  5. RV98

    Washington DC

    2 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on June 21, 2017

    overall4food4service4ambience3
    Food was very good but tables were pushed together, uneven and wobbly. For the price, there should have been tablecloths. Tables were like a diner. Our server, Javier, was wonderful.
  6. chasburt

    Fayetteville

    61 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    61 reviews

    Dined on June 21, 2017

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    As you would expect for an Argentinian restaurant, beef is the star of the menu. And, it is top quality and very good (although not cooked to the requested doneness on first attempt). However, it was the grilled avocado that exceeded my expectations. Cooked simply with 1/2 a lemon it was sheer perfection. The potatoes in bacon reduction sauce was also a stand out. I chose the tasting menu and they were willing to listen to my preferences in designing the menu for me. Cocktails are another element that exceeded expectations.
  7. MelB

    Washington DC

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on June 13, 2017

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Meat so tender you can cut it with a fork! Javier provided superb service to our table and the meal was quite memorable. A nice mix of authenticity and modern presentation.
  8. BARSTL

    St. Louis

    77 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    77 reviews

    Dined on June 12, 2017

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    I am always happy to get a chance to have Argentine food, and I was delighted by Rural Society—if a bit perplexed by its name. Both the beef and the other dishes were perfectly prepared. The staff made me feel truly welcome. When I am next in D.C., I'll go back!
  9. Jenn

    Los Angeles

    12 reviews

    4.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on June 11, 2017

    overall4food5service4ambience4
    The prix frixe brunch option was phenomenal and more than enough food (but I still ate everything because it was just that good). Staff were very friendly and willing to split checks without a fuss.
  10. DirkDiner

    Cincinnati

    19 reviews

    5.0

    19 reviews

    Dined on June 10, 2017

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Christina the hostess is remarkable, Javier our server is extraordinary, and Andrew is awrsome
  11. Mkblev

    Washington DC

    16 reviews

    3.0

    16 reviews

    Dined on June 8, 2017

    overall3food4service3ambience3
    On a weeknight at 8 pm, the retaurant was not particularly crowded. My dinner guest and I were seated in one of the little alcoves, which took the noise level to zero and made conversation easy. That was nice. However, it was apparently a case of out of sight, out of mind. We sat there for twenty minutes (I timed it) without any contact with a waiter, without water, without placing a drink order or seeing a menu--yet the waiters and hostess walked by continuously looking in on us as they did. Finally I walked out to the open kitchen where several waiters were having a friendly chat and asked them to ask a waiter to bring us water and menus. One showed up soon after, apologizing for the neglect and blaming it on the old, convenient but unconvincing excuse of a "miscommunication." As a peace offering, he brought two unordered appetizers which were good and for which we were not charged. We then ordered from the Chef's Tasting Menu La Parrilla for two, which also was good. All in all, the value is good, not great, for the price and quality of food. The service, as I read in some other peoples' reviews, leaves something to be desired. One would think this would be the easiest problem for a restaurant to solve, yet the problem lingers.
  12. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on June 3, 2017

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Fantastic food, especially the mushrooms. Even if you don't usually like mushrooms, you have to try them.
  13. Matt

    Central Coast

    249 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    249 reviews

    Dined on May 27, 2017

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    I am biased in favor of Rural Society because of my love for the Argentine parrilla scene. After living in Buenos Aires back in 2015, I was excited to taste how Rural Society interpreted some of my favorite South American dishes, and my wife and I enjoyed an excellent date night which brought up some fun memories from two years ago! That said, the thing that's still a little odd for me is the fact that parrillas in Buenos Aires are just not that big of a deal, and my favorite (Parrilla Peña) was an extreme bargain and a simple affair. Jose Garces does an incredible job translating this cuisine to American tastes, and each of their wood-fired dishes is amazingly delicious! In my attempt to recreate a favorite Argentine dinner of mine (although we should have been eating between 10 PM and Midnight!) we began with the perfect Empanada de Espinaca, which also satiated our desire for Provoleta cheese! Next we ordered a Hanger Steak (jugoso/medium rare, which is probably too juicy for South American taste buds), Jumbo Gulf Prawns (not a normal thing in BA, but perfection off that wood-grill), and charred asparagus. Everything was prepared to perfection and our server was also wonderful. We were going to avoid dessert, but she talked us into the deceptively simple Almond Cake, which (although definitely not anything experienced in BA, where they seem to drench everything in Dulce de Leche) may be the world's most perfect dessert for adults! Grilled/chilled fruit slices, with little almond mini-cakes, scoops of goat cheese mascarpone, drizzled with an amazing red wine sauce, and topped with a bit of perfect herbs! If I was in the area late at night, I would honestly pop into the Loews Madison Hotel just for that perfectly adult dessert (don't let the boring name "Almond Cake" deceive you) paired with a glass of Vino Tinto or a Café con Leche. I wish Rural Society was located a bit closer to us way out here in the outskirts of Virginia's DC metro region!
  14. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    5 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on May 27, 2017

    overall4food5service5ambience5
    Delicious and tender Ribeye steak
  15. Returnvisit

    Washington DC

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 25, 2017

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Rural Society is an overlooked gem in DC's vibrant dining scene.
  16. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    3 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on May 22, 2017

    overall2food2service1ambience2
    This review may be a critique of Open Table as much as it is a critique of Rural Society. Around 9:30 pm on a Friday, I used Open Table to find a restaurant that was still open and had availability for dinner. According to Open Table, Rural Society had availability at 9:45 and 10:00. I made reservation for two for 9:45. We arrived at about 9:40 and the staff made it abundantly clear that we were not welcome (we stood at the hostess stand for about 5 mins receiving glares and eye rolls, but not service, from the staff). The hostess finally gets off the personal phone call she was having on her cell phone and tells us she has to "check with the kitchen". She returns and reluctantly seats us. A server comes by and tells us the same thing. After a few minutes we took the hint and left. Admittedly, according to Rural Society's posted hours, it closes at 10:00. But if they do not want to seat anyone after a certain time, and/or if the kitchen closes before 10:00, why accept reservations up until 10:00?
  17. Pugwoman

    Washington DC

    23 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    23 reviews

    Dined on May 20, 2017

    overall5food4service5ambience5
    My husband found this gem of a restaurant when he was in DC for business. My parents are from Argentina, and it has been a very long time since DC has had a noteworthy Argentine restaurant, so I was very excited to try this one out. We went to for an early Saturday dinner to Rural Society, and it did not disappoint! The food is an authentic representation of Argentine food, especially the empanadas, grilled meats, and desserts, but somewhat tweaked for North American tastes. We could choose between domestic beef, or the beef imported from Argentina. We did the latter, because Argentine beef has very particular taste that I love. The sausage appetizer and the beef main dish were superb; my only complaint is I ordered a medium and it was closer to medium-rare, hence the 4 stars. That is a small dent in an otherwise nearly-perfect meal. I have yet to try their pizza, so I cannot tell you if it is resembles the pies I ate in Buenos Aires. The wine list included a good selection of Argentine, Chilean, and other wines, and some inventive cocktails were on the list. The desserts include classic Argentine sweets like chaja and flan, again reinterpreted with some "twists" like chocolate shavings, to add interest. Bravo! This is a pricier restaurant than average, but you will get quality. If you are looking for a true Argentine food experience, you will find Rural Society to be worth it. I highly recommend this restaurant.
  18. Meloni

    Baltimore

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on May 11, 2017

    overall4food5service2ambience4
    The food was absolutely delicious. We were a large group(party of 11), but only assigned one server, so the service was a little slow. Also, he seemed to get just a little agitated when I asked him about out meals. Overall, love the restaurant and loved the meals and I will definitely be back.
  19. FromStL

    St. Louis

    12 reviews

    4.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on May 2, 2017

    overall4food5service5ambience4
    I had the Tasmanian sea bass and broccolini. Very nicely cooked and tasty. Full but not too crowded on a Tuesday night at 8:15, looked like it was packed earlier. Trendy, enjoyable.
  20. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    7 reviews

    3.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on May 2, 2017

    overall3food2service4ambience4
    Both of us ordered an 8 Oz steak. However mine came out significantly smaller than the one friend got. The steak tasted good (though a bit hard), and the service was good as well. I just can't pass by the unfair 8 Oz size difference since the steaks are not that cheap at this place!
  21. LoveAvas

    Washington DC

    48 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    48 reviews

    Dined on May 2, 2017

    overall4food3service2ambience5
    Service was not up to par for the price. Lunch food and service are much better than dinner.
  22. Jai202

    Chicago

    14 reviews

    3.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on April 29, 2017

    overall3food3service4ambience2
    Had the chef's suprise selection for a 3 course meal for two people. Appetitizers were good. THe main course Ribeye was very tough; the bronzino fish was oxidize, ie, tasted a little like caster oil. Service was polite . Wine selection was excellent. Meal was not worth the price. Noise level was pretty high-- not great for intimate dinner or meeting.
  23. OpenTable Diner

    E. Tennessee

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on April 28, 2017

    overall4food5service4ambience4
    Food good. Surprisingly empty on a Friday night. Very expensive. Portions small.
  24. Olga

    Washington DC

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on April 20, 2017

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Spectacular pork! Perfection of pacing. Friendly and knowledgable wait staff. We don't usually spend this much on a meal, but it was worth it.
  25. OpenTable Diner

    Philadelphia

    5 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on April 19, 2017

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    It was amazing. We chose to eat a little of everything and share. Probably the best experience I've had eating Argentinian style.
  26. OpenTable Diner

    New York Area

    7 reviews

    4.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on April 15, 2017

    overall4food5service2ambience4
    The meal was fantastic.
  27. OpenTable Diner

    New York Area

    4 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on April 15, 2017

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great cubby seating for kids. Attentive servers and the grilled chicken was mind blowing
  28. Unimpressed

    New York Area

    3 reviews

    vip
    1.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on April 15, 2017

    overall1food3service2ambience4
    Inexperienced staff , short staffed, slow
  29. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on April 14, 2017

    overall5food4service5ambience5
    Great restaurant! Service, ambiance and food are exceptional Only thing is that the signature grill is a little bit salty.
  30. MarissaO

    Philadelphia

    5 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on April 14, 2017

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Jose Garces never disappoints.
  31. sunnybrook

    Washington DC

    22 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    22 reviews

    Dined on April 14, 2017

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    had a great dinner with friends last Friday night. got to sit in one of the private alcoves, which is wonderful for conversations and catching up with old friends. Food was really outstanding. The special steak of the day, was literally, the best steak any of us have ever had. We all agreed. Grilled fish was delicious. Side dishes, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts and the creamy potatoes to die for. Just a lovely restaurant and experience. We have eaten here several times during Restaurant Week, which is an outstanding value.
  32. johnp

    Portland

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on April 13, 2017

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    I FOUND RURAL SOCIETY ON THE APP ON A RECENT VISIT TO WASHINGTON DC . LIKE A FAMOUS NATE KING COLE SONG UNFORGETTABLE
  33. MissT

    Baltimore

    7 reviews

    4.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on April 9, 2017

    overall4food3service5ambience5
    Good food. Except they use olive oil as garnish on EVERYTHING which was a turn off. Will remember to ask to keep it off. Otherwise good value, fresh salads and good portions. Did $25 prix fixe brunch.
  34. FabricioS

    New York Area

    5 reviews

    2.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on April 4, 2017

    overall2food2service5ambience3
    I have been to different Argentinian restaurants across the world and it has always been an amazing food experience, except for this one. The food is underwhelming.
  35. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 4, 2017

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Very nice place, food was amazing, staff very accommodating
  36. Martin

    New York Area

    59 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    59 reviews

    Dined on April 1, 2017

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    That was our first time, and we were extremely pleased. We shared the charcuterie platter, was was outstanding, the the Argentinian Skirt skate cooked by the open fire. Service was really good as well.
  37. aureo

    Washington DC

    2 reviews

    1.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on March 25, 2017

    overall1food1service1ambience1
    I am very sorry for the employees of this restaurant. They should not pay the heavy price of a terrible restaurant. It has nothing of an Argentine-Uruguayan parrilla. The steak was burn. The owner, son of Argentines in Chicago should not advertise the restaurant as is. I foresee a soon closure unless owner puts the act together.
  38. Holly13

    Washington DC

    2 reviews

    2.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on March 22, 2017

    overall2food1service2ambience3
    The food ( dry aged steak and lobster) were not good. The mushrooms were amazing. For an upscale place I was very disappointed, luckily my girlfriend and I did not let it totally ruin our 'date night".
  39. MarielaC

    Washington DC

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on March 16, 2017

    overall5food4service5ambience5
    Ambiance and food presentation was very nice. We chose the 3 course parrillada and we we're given the chef's selections. Everything was delicious!! We got a lot of food! We had ordered an appetizer and shouldn't have. The steak was mouthwatering delicious. But one of our favorites was the trout. This place is great! Worth the money!
  40. Hacome

    Washington DC

    4 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on March 16, 2017

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Amazing as always. Staff is incredible, food is amazing. Well done Rural Society

FAQs

Rural Society is rated 4.3 stars by 618 OpenTable diners.

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable reservation network.

If you like, we'll notify you by email if this restaurant joins.


Is this your restaurant?
Claim this listing

Additional information

  • Cross street

    M Street

  • Neighborhood

    Downtown

  • Hours of operation

    Monday - Sunday Happy Hour: 4pm - 6pm Dinner: 5pm - 10:30pm

  • Cuisines

    Argentinean, Tapas / Small Plates, Steakhouse

  • Dining style

    Fine Dining

  • Dress code

    Business Casual

  • Parking details

    Valet is $10+tax for up to 4 hours

  • Public transit

    Rural Society is located a few blocks from both the Farragut North station on the Red line and the McPherson Sq station on the Orange and Blue lines of the DC Metro.

  • Payment options

    AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

  • Executive chef

    Jose Garces

  • Additional

    Banquet, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

  • Phone number

    (202) 587-2629

  • Private party facilities

    Rural Society is proud to host private events of all sizes, from intimate dinners to corporate meetings to grand celebrations, throughout the year. Our private and semi-private rooms are available individually, and can also be combined to facilitate significantly larger gatherings.

  • Private party contact

    Jessica Malone: (888) 925-0452

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  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
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