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Rara, Palo Alto, CA

Rara

4.2
4.2
27 Reviews
$30 and under
Nepalese

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 12 times today
  • Vegan-friendly
  • Charming
  • Neighborhood gem
Rara, a charming Nepalese restaurant located in Palo Alto, California, derives its name from the breathtaking Rara Lake in Nepal. This enchanting lake, known for its pristine beauty and serene surroundings, serves as an inspiration for our culinary journey.

Just as Rara Lake captivates all who visit with its natural allure, our restaurant aims to captivate your senses with the irresistible flavors of Nepal. Our commitment to providing authentic Nepalese food with a modern touch is a tribute to the authenticity and beauty of Rara Lake, and we invite you to experience the harmony of tradition and innovation in every dish we serve. Come dine at Rara and embark on a culinary adventure that carries the spirit and name of Nepal’s stunning Rara Lake.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Nepalese
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Fri, Sun 11:00 am–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (650) 485-1055
  • Dress code
    Business Casual

What 27 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.2
4.2 based on recent ratings
  • 4.4Food
  • 4.1Service
  • 3.8Ambience
  • 4.2Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Peninsula

    Healthy

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Rara offers a delightful dining experience with authentic Nepali cuisine. Guests rave about the "outstanding momos" and "great service." The restaurant provides a cozy atmosphere, perfect for special occasions. While some mention slower service during busy times, the overall experience is "highly recommended" thanks to its flavorful dishes and attentive staff.

27 Reviews
  1. Ryan

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 20, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Tried Rara for the first time with my family. I’ve had Nepali food before, they have not. All of us enjoyed Rara. Service is casual, so it can take a bit of time to flag down a waiter, but it’s on par with other similar restaurants. Cozy ambience. Some of the food is very spicy, and not always clearly marked as such, so definitely ask before you commit. Standouts for us were the gorkhali lamb shank (fell off the bone and the rice was great too), the momos (we didn’t think there was a need to get the sizzler, so we just got the regular momos), and the very spicy mushroom chhoila. We also enjoyed the goat taas (also pretty spicy) and the paratha. The lassi was also good (and helpful with the spicier food). We didn’t try the curries but they also looked very good; it seems like they do a really good job with slow cooked meats or really anything that has to braise/simmer. Definitely a good place to order family style so that you can try everything (they don’t make it obvious that you can do it that way). Flavors were rich and deep, but the food wasn’t overly heavy either - really well-cooked. Will definitely go back!

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  2. Alison

    San Francisco

    20 reviews

    4.0

    20 reviews

    Dined on November 11, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Interesting and delicious Nepali-spice flavor profiles, well-cooked tasty food, with a range of vegetable dishes also (harder to find). Will definitely go back. Service was good, friendly and with that family run feeling.

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  3. Brian

    Washington DC

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on October 27, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Very promising beginning for this new restaurant. We sampled the chickin momo, himalayan salad, lamb shank, and cauliflower. Table favorite was the cauliflower, but everything we tasty. Everyone was nice, but service and ordering were a work in progress. We look forward to returning.

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  4. S

    San Francisco

    32 reviews

    2.0

    32 reviews

    Dined on October 26, 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2
    It was just Ok for us. We wanted to love it! One dish was Amazing and completely baffled our tastebuds in a good way, but others that followed it were very Meh :/ service was spotty, there were only 2 servers helping the wholedining room, so I’m sure they were doing the best that they could. We wouldn’t go back in a hurry.

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  5. Kellie

    San Francisco

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 11, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    We had a big party (20ppl) so I’m understand that the service would be slower. However it took over an hour and a half for our entrees to come out and one person’s entree didn’t even make it out. We also found some of the chicken undercooked. Other than this, everything else was great.

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  6. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on October 4, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Great food! There is something for everyone (meat, veg, gluten free, etc). Don’t miss the cauliflower appetizer!
    RaraResponded on October 8, 2024
    Thank you for the 5-star review! We appreciate your support and look forward to serving you again soon.

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  7. Sunil

    San Francisco

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 29, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We ordered the paneer wrap, jhol veg momos and veg chow mein. The paneer wrap was good. Everything else was just average. Quite average compared to other nepali places I’ve been to in the area
    RaraResponded on October 8, 2024
    Thank you for sharing your feedback, Sunil. While we’re glad you enjoyed the paneer wrap, we’re sorry to hear that the other dishes didn’t meet your expectations. We appreciate your input and will use it to improve our offerings. We hope you’ll give us another try in the future.

    1 person found this helpful

  8. sunita

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    1.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on September 27, 2024

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    The food quality was not at all good. Our waiter was good…
    RaraResponded on October 8, 2024
    Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear the food didn’t meet your expectations, but we’re pleased you had a positive experience with our service. We appreciate your input and will work to improve the quality of our dishes. We hope you'll consider giving us another chance in the future.

    1 person found this helpful

  9. Cynthia

    VIP

    San Francisco

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 5, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    The food was very good and the two waiters were very friendly. However, they were the only two people and there were many tables to serve. Everything was very, very slow. They weren't able to check on us to see if everything was okay nor to refill our water. It was also difficult to get their attention when we wanted to get the bill; that took another 30 min. The problem was not the waiters but the management's idea to only have two people working in the dining room. Will not be going back unless I have a lot of time to spend there. My friend and I ended up eating over a three hour period and we didn't even have dessert nor did we order more than the first drink.
    RaraResponded on October 8, 2024
    Thank you for your detailed feedback. We’re glad you enjoyed the food and the friendliness of our waiters, but we sincerely apologize for the delays you experienced. Weekdays are usually slower, making it challenging to predict busy periods accurately. We do our best to balance staffing levels to stay afloat, but we appreciate your patience and understanding. We hope you might consider giving us another try when your schedule allows for a more relaxed visit.

    1 person found this helpful

  10. Pawan

    VIP

    Austin

    3 reviews

    1.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on September 2, 2024

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 1
    Horrible service. Food took hours to come and they didn’t bring all of it.
    RaraResponded on October 8, 2024
    We're very sorry to hear about your experience. While we're glad you enjoyed the food, we apologize for the long wait and missing items. Your feedback is important, and we’ll work on improving our service and overall experience. We hope you might give us another chance in the future.

    1 person found this helpful

FAQs

Rara is rated 4.2 stars by 27 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 12 times today
Google Map for Rara

201 California Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Palo Alto
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Fri, Sun 11:00 am–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Nepalese
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    None
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  • Terms of Use
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