We had a great Christmas birthday dinner. The service was fantastic. We tipped the dishwasher extra just because. The waitress came back and gave a heartfelt thank you on his behalf. We barely noticed the view because the food was so good. Our party of four were "oohing and ahhing" through each course. read more

Great scenery. Seafood is delicious. Service was excellent. My fiancée and I were blown away. We are having our wedding there next year! read more

Disappointed in this supposed icon. The food was just mediocre in a place where it should be exceptional. The 6 adults agreed "meh." Overpriced for sure. A great view only gets you so far. Save your money and go somewhere else. read more

Smoked scallops that I had in the scallop and bay shrimp salad were off-the-charts amazing. Good service and an fantastic location, right on the water. What a delight! read more

Ambiance was really nice. Great view of the water and had a very cozy feel to it. Our server was attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. While the food was fresh, it lacked flavor. The tuna was bland and needed more of the cucumber garnish to pick the flavor up. The salmon was cooked well but seemed dusted in flavor not well crusted. Per my husband the chowder has more potato than seafood and needed Tabasco to make it good. It was ok but with a few tweaks I feel like it could be really good. Hoping someone reads this from there and makes those tweaks as Rays could be very good if they do as there are some great aspects of it! read more

The view.... c'mon!!! Worth a seat @ the cafe just for that!! Calamari is addictive, fish n chips is very bland, unfortunately. Can't speak to the rest of the menu, but haven't heard that many great things. read more

Unfortunately, the busser dropped an ENTIRE FULL glass of ice water directly on my 4-year-old daughter's head & all over her body -- thankfully the heavy, full drinking glass didn't hit her in the head or she would have been seriously injured. After he did it, he exclaimed "SH*T!" (loudly in front of said 4-year-old and her friend....) but never actually came back to apologize to us. Our actual server did apologize to us, and they comped the kid food (just 2 kid cheeseburgers- no drinks, or desserts or anything) but that response just wasn't quite adequate for dumping a bucket of ice water on our unexpecting daughter's head when she could have been seriously hurt That guy should probably get several more hours of training before going back out on the floor- it's a danger read more

This is your classic Pacific Northwest seafood restaurant! The service is amazing as well as what a beautiful view of the water! It's not a place I am running to go back to but great place if you want to celebrate with friends/family! read more

Este lugar cuenta con todo lo que quieres en una escapada, Buena vista a las montañas, al mar, deliciosa la comida y buen servicio.. Amazing read more

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I usually only write reviews when I love a place and/or plan on going back. I don't know if it was the fact that I didn't look like a majority of the crowd here, but multiple staff gave me side eye glances. As I waited for someone to take my order I questioned whether or not I wanted to give this place my money. It was so palpable, that I felt a need to review. I typically try not to assume negative things about folks on the clock (sometimes people are tired, things are busy, etc...), but this felt straight up nasty. While my server was good, at least three staff looked at me in such a way that I know this is not the place for me. Will not be back. read more

Food and service were great! Just have to go back before sunset to really appreciate the beautiful view

This place was amazing!! The dinner was delicious- we had crab cakes for an appetizer, the salmon, the halibut and both sablefish and it was all immaculate. Our server was attentive and kind. The ambiance was impressive as well, beautiful views along the water. Definitely a nicer dinner place, with a more expensive price range but so worth it! read more

Took my chef friend here and his daughter. i think the lovely setting and sunset here, would make any experience here incredible. And it was beautiful.My friend is a Silican chef, who treasures seafood as much as I do, a Croatian seafood fan. He wanted to celebrate his daughter graduating from college. We were seated right on the waterfront. Almost glaring , due to the evening sun. But sun can be a rarity in Seattle, so it was welcome. No expense spared, we started out with cocktails and appetizers. A bread plate, manila clams and Steamed Alaskan Tanner Crab Cluster were our starters. All were fresh and nicely prepared. We really were in the mood for fresh seafood, so this was welcomed. Also had to get the bread plate to mop up the delicious broths left from the seafood. We all next ordered each the "Applewood Grilled Sablefish in Sake Kasu GF/DF seasoned brown rice, garlic snap peas, pickled cucumber, ginger-soy glaze, scallions". Really enjoyed the Sake Kasu sauce on this buttery fish. The brown rice and pickled cucumber added to the light take on this fish entree. Did not feel overly full after eating this, as it often seems with fish dishes containing heavier ingredients. We also each added four Del Pacifico Dayboat prawns to our entree, which added an excellent balance to this dish. As our dessert, we added the crème brûlée. Very nice Carmel finish, with the suggestion of Sauternes wine as an accompaniment. Great service here. Wonderful food and a beautiful setting. Made a special memory here tonight, that I will not forget. read more

So, I really thought at the end of the entree course I was going to give this place five stars. The cocktails and wine were top notch, the oysters were fantastic and the salmon was delicious. The pasta was slightly over al dente but still good. The view was amazing as well; the sunset was like an impressionist painting. The service however... /start rant - I'm not sure if there was a magic veil over our specific table or the staff had a collective stroke but the speed at which we were avoided pretty much all night was impressive. The person who took our order was perfectly pleasant and initially reasonably available, but we saw her with decreasing frequency; I initially thought it was the volume, which I totally get and make allowances for, but this persisted past the dinner rush. Ended up having to flag passing staff for the check cause sitting for 15 minutes after the plates were cleared in a half empty room isn't a good look; we got dessert elsewhere. It wouldn't have pissed me off nearly so much if it wasn't just our table being ignored. But it was. /end rant. Go for the sunset and the oysters. And maybe ask for the check early. read more

Lovely seafood restaurant on the water w/a great sunset view. I had the halibut w/polenta. One friend had fish and chips and another had scampi with pasta. A really terrific server who made us feel so welcome and cared for read more

Went to Ray's for a birthday celebration and they've made it so special! The food was excellent, fish was prepared perfectly and the drinks were Right On! Will definitely go back again! read more

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Ray's Boathouse is separated from an upstairs restaurant Ray's Cafe and a downstairs restaurant, Ray's Boathouse. I was taken to the upstairs location. I'm told the lower level is a trifle more upscale. We came for an early-ish dinner and it was a tad chilly outside, so we couldn't sit outside on the deck. If Ray's would just invest in some outdoor heaters, they could seat people outside much earlier as the scenery is why you're there. Our party ordered the Crispy Calamari as an appetizer. I'm allergic and did not indulge, but the others rather enjoyed it so I'll go with what they said. I ordered a small caesar salad and it was fresh and the dressing was good. A nice preamble to dinner. The funny thing about going here as that I and the two people who actually live in Seattle are not fish lovers. In fact, none of us like fish, so to be taken here is quite silly as it's mostly fish and seafood. I hear it's good, but know I'll never know. So the three of us got the burger. There's only one on the menu, the Classic Burger. I removed the butter lettuce as the bitterness of butter lettuce ruins a burger. The tomato and red onion had to go as well as, well, yuck. I kept the poblano aioli along with the aged white cheddar and added bacon. The aioli was the key. It really added a nice flavor with a little kick at the end. The burger was well made and juicy and nicely prepared and the fries were decent enough. However, in my humble opinion, fries should be hand cut. If not, you're making the diner think they are frozen, thawed, and then fried. Hand cut makes you think that they freshly cut the fries that day. These were not hand cut. They were okay. I know I'm talking more about fries at the moment, but let's not dwell. The burger was good. Beyond good. I have a burger club and we rate burgers on a 0-5. This was a solid 4.0. I would of liked to come here when the weather was a little warmer and sat outside on the deck to look at the water - the views were stunning. And I'd get this burger and a caesar salad again. A solid outing. However, with so many places in and around Seattle and me not being a fish/seafood lover, I'd skip this place (although good) and try something more my speed. read more

Love Ray's. I grew up coming here with my grandparents. 70s - present with the exception the late 80s when the fire happened - and now love to bring my son. Great food, service, and view. Sablefish is always good - great salads. Heat lamps on the cafe deck and watching the boats and sunset - just great. read more

Booked a reservation for 3 people at 5:15pm for a Saturday and requested a window seat. It being a sunny Saturday and Mother's Day weekend, the parking lot was very busy but we were able to snag a parking spot. We were greeted and seated quickly next to the window. The cafe upstairs looked rather busy, but the boathouse wasn't full until later into the evening. We ordered the Manila clams, Brussels sprouts, calamari and little gem salad off the happy hour menu. The portions were happy hour size but fine for 3 people. The salad was overdressed. We also the ordered crab cakes and the steak for entrees. The prices were as expected for a finer dining restaurant, but I've had better calamari elsewhere with a larger portion for hh. Staff was kind and attentive. There's also a free bread basket. Cute for date night or another occasion, but I wouldn't say that I would be excited to come back. read more

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Been a long time since I've eaten at Ray's. Went for our anniversary this year and everything - the service, views and food were all top notch. Halibut was excellent as was the carrot risotto. Rays is in our special occasion rotation! read more

Great views all day and night long but the food ranks as SUB PAR! RAYS BOATHOUSE is a Ballard " OLD SCHOOL " institution. Shades of the 70's and it shows. Now with all the quality chefs in Seattle maybe it's time to modernize your cuisine to reflect 2022.... It's obvious you'll all wanna hang onto the past but damn you've taken it to an all new level. You've got the location to be a rock star eatery but maybe a remodel plus menu overhaul. I dined for Thanksgiving and it was the single worst unforgiving thanksgiving I've eaten in my life. Ok Turkey but not moist, soggy stuffing made Frank and unhappy camper... I'm sure the derelicts at the homeless shelter received a better Turkey dinner than me.... Come for cocktail and 70's fashion but avoid the food.... On a side note the service was good and the seals swimming around was entertaining. ciao bella ! read more

Ray's Boathouse - Thanksgiving 2022 - New American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Ray's Boathouse was a great experience! A friend recommended their margaritas, and we tried the black cherry one--it was dangerously good! It was my first time there, and I'd love to return to explore more of the menu. Service was good. We sat by the window with a view of the Puget Sound, which added to the lovely ambience. I can only imagine how stunning it must be at night! read more

Upstairs in the Cafe: Definitely a tourist trap, like every restaurant sited anywhere on the water, anywhere. Over priced, skimpy cheeseburger and skimpy portion of french fries., No lettuce or tomato for the burger. No follow up by server after food was brought to the table. Cold hostess, no smile, no personality, possibly a HS student who needed some kind of a summer job. Server negated my feed back when I brought it to my attention that my food could have been better. Sub-par experience, I won't be returning. read more

Good atmosphere, beautiful views and had a great server! I had the lingcod special which was delicious. wine selection was a bit overpriced for what's offered per glass but overall enjoyed and will be back on a sunny day. read more

On our last visit to Seattle we had a fabulous time dining at Ray's Boatyard beautifully located on the water! Party of 5 and I will list all the fabulous and highly recommend dishes: clams, mussels, crab cakes, tostado, halibut, sockeye copper spinach salad, albacore, brussels and calamari. We arrived during happy hour and were able to take advantage of HH prices. We all loved our dishes and highly recommend Ray's Boatyard! Next trip to Seattle we will return and promise to take photos! read more

Wonderful & delicious food with spectacular views! Staff is friendly & helpful. Definitely not to be missed! read more

We celebrated our first year anniversary and July 4th here. We checked in an hour and a half earlier than our reservation. Front desk staff was friendly and accommodating to check us in and seated us at the most beautiful ocean view next to the blue water for July 4th fireworks! We had Server Alejandro for the rest of the dinner time. Alejandro was attentive, knowledgeable and helpful to attend to our dietary restrictions. He helped us to make sure menu options would be accommodating to our food allergies. He helped us to light the candle and was very friendly to have some good chats. He helped from ordering, cleaning dishes all the way to our bills. Great customer service and left us a very pleasant and happy impression. We ordered one dozen Miyagi and one dozen Kumamoto oysters. They were absolutely fresh, delicious and great Appetizers. Grilled Beacon Russel Sprouts were so delicious, crispy, aromatic and smoky. Applewood Sablefish with Brown Rice as main course which the Sablefish was very tender, fresh, tasty, meaty and juicy, loved the sweet apple sauce with brown rice. White wine cooked with clams were fresh with seawater taste, meaty and tender! Sparkling Prosecco Rose and Brut Reserve which were the highlight for the seafood! We closed the dinner with a refreshing passion fruit/ orange sorbet with gluten free cookie that was to die for! I truly appreciate all the great seafood, beautiful ocean view and great staff customer service that helped giving us a beautiful memory of our one year anniversary and July 4TH celebration. We recommend you Ray's Boathouse and will definitely be back for more! read more

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Great place...go during happy hour...4-6 pm daily. Both food and drinks on the happy hour menu. We were able to sit anywhere and receive the HH prices. I went in Dec...during the summer you can sit outside overlooking the water. I visited this restaurant twice during my stay in Ballard. My family members are STILL talking about how great the clam chowder is! 1 star deduction for the high pricing for average food. read more

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Went to Ray's for a get together with out of town guests and it's fitting given the setting and menu prices. Ray's boathouse is right on the water with views that compliment it, even at night, inside or out with its larger windows. This visit was inside however. The menu is of course primarily seafood with its kitchen chefs and staffed proudly printed on the menu. Started with the burrata and broccolini appetizer. Good quality Buratta, broccolini was sizable but the dish was a bit cold. Had "Rhu the day" tequila cocktail which had some umph which was good. For entree I got the Alaskan king salmon - come with whipped mashed potatoes and asparagus. Topped with Dill beurre blanc which I believe is the sauce. It was quite good. Salmon was seared just right and the asparagus had a nice roasted taste. Potatoes were alright. If you want to join your love of water views with a seafood meal, Ray's will do it. I'd say it's for sure a place for special occasions - date, family gathering, celebration. For reference 1 entree, 1 app and 1 drink can easily take you into the $$$ range. The quality and service seems to support it so if that all sounds good. Rays has it. read more

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Great views from the outdoor dining on the deck. Plenty of drinks and menu items to choose from. We tried a few appetizers and shared some of the entrées. Everything was delicious. read more

It was busy so we sat and ate at the bar counter. The clam chowder was great. Nice views!

Went to Ray's tonight for a celebratory dinner. The waitress and staff were really nice and the sunset view was stunning! Had a great time. I live an hour away, and there are restaurants that I would intentionally drive that far to go to, if not just for someone else's birthday. I can't say this is one of them. While the majority of the food was good, the bread was hard and cake-like and I was disappointed by that. The meal I had (I can't remember what it was called, the Asian-inspired meal) was pretty good, but the sauce had zero flavor, which, again, was disappointing. Overall, not bad and I can't say a bad thing about any of the staff (they were all friendly and attentive and the girl that served us was amazing), I think you're mainly paying for the experience but there are quite a few places closer to home that I'd choose first. read more

Ray's Boathouse - New American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I can't believe it's taken me so long to visit this Seattle institution. Came in on a Saturday evening to celebrate a birthday. We had a table by the window, and even though it was dark, it was lovely to see the holiday lights on the houses across the way. I had the sablefish and was blown away by how perfectly the fish was seasoned and prepared. The garlic fried brown rice was a lovely accompaniment. Ended the meal with a creme brulee and a birthday wish. A great place to celebrate! read more

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Food is always amazing. Don't skip anything with seafood. Setting is prime. Staff is lovely. ALWAYS. read more

Visit on May 16, 7:45 PM) Just got off work and, without time to change, I walked into Ray's Boathouse hoping to enjoy a quiet dinner on the first floor. The hostess looked me up and down and told me there was a 45-minute wait. She suggested I go upstairs instead because "it's open seating." Said the main floor was full. But I stood near the entrance and watched. Within minutes, two other parties walked in--without reservations--and were seated downstairs immediately. I heard it. I saw it. I didn't imagine it. Let's be honest: I was judged based on how I looked after a long day of work. Tired, casual, not dressed up. That's what cost me a seat. --- About my income and your assumptions: Here's the truth: I'm not just someone who can afford to eat--I can afford to eat at refined dining restaurants like this three meals a day, 365 days a year. I'm not new to fine dining, and certainly not new to paying full price for great food and good service. For someone like me, this place is just my everyday McDonald's. I chose to come here because it was convenient--not because I needed to impress anyone. --- About your hostess and staff: Your hostess was wearing a tight yoga top, the kind you wear to a hot pilates class--not what you'd expect at the front of a "fine dining" restaurant. Her hair was greasy and pulled back like she barely cared. It's ironic--you judged me for being too casual, but your own staff looked like they were on a gym break. Respect goes both ways. Image starts at the door. --- About the space and hygiene: The wood panels along the walls were scuffed and scraped like they've been there since the '70s. Corners of the floor? Caked in dust and grime. The bathroom? Sticky floors, almost no toilet paper, and a smell that screamed, "we forgot to clean." The decor upstairs and downstairs? Like someone tried to recreate their grandparents' house--without cleaning it first. I couldn't even sit down upstairs. It felt filthy. You can throw a white tablecloth on anything--but that won't cover up dirt, decay, and neglect. --- And let's be brutally honest here: I didn't come here to worship this restaurant. I came here for a quick bite because I was nearby. Ray's Boathouse survives because of two things: the water view, and a giant parking lot. Take those away, and what are you? If you dropped this exact restaurant anywhere in downtown Seattle, it would be closed in under three weeks. You're not standing on quality. You're standing on location. That's all. read more

We picked this place for the views, but really loved the food and experience. It took a short while for our table to be ready (we had a reservation, but I think they forgot we were waiting). The dining room was really busy, and at almost sunset on a June evening was super bright indoors. We had to move to be out of the sunlight, but it was a beautiful view. The food was extremely good, and service was subtle and attentive. Would highly recommend the grilled salmon. Will be back! read more

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Stopped in for a cocktail and app on a Sunday night and like all the reviews here say...... the view is everything! We were sat after 10 min, lovely friendly waitstaff. Fun vibe..... it is expensive.... But overall enjoyed the experience. It's a place I love to stop in when I visit Seattle read more

We went here for a team dinner while in Seattle for a conference. What an amazing place. We got here after dark and I was sad not to be able to really see and appreciate the view. It seems like an amazing location and view. The food and service were both outstanding. The waiter explained the food, specials, and what they're known for (sablefish) really well. I am vegetarian, I got the roasted delicata squash. It was delicious, and looked very pretty on the plate. Everyone else got the sablefish, 2 got the house smoked sablefish and 2 got the applewood grilled sake kasu sablefish. I tried a bite of the applewood grilled sablefish and it was amazing. Everyone loved their food. I am so glad my boss had lived in Seattle before and brought us here! We had a fantastic conference, work trip, time in Seattle, and dinner here. read more

The clam chowder unexpectedly had carrot, which made it kinda sweet, which was a bit off-putting. The calamari and crab cakes were pretty good. The fish and chips were not well battered so it came apart but the fish itself was fine. The grilled salmon with mashed potatoes and asparagus was maybe the best entree out of the four we got. But you can't beat the waterside view. read more

Cute spot! Right on the water overlooking Seattle. If you get a clear day the view is killer, cloudy is still pretty too. Classy ambiance, a bit of an older steakhouse feel. The staff is very fun and kind. Our food was delicious, they put the Dungeness crab in a hollandaise sauce and it is so good!! read more

Ray's Boathouse - Grilled Salmon - New American Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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