What? You're looking for reasons to eat here?? Just go... you will have to hunt for either street parking or that 1 stall next to the building... but Just Go! Located in Kalihi on King St. across from a Central Pacific Bank... Ray's has about 6 tables and can seat 2 to 4 on each table... place is pretty tiny and looks aren't impressive at all, BUT what comes out of this kitchen is the poster-child for gluttony... Chef Felix is a very nice and generous man, and what he creates in his kitchen is what Ray's reputation is predicated on... 'mean kine' portions with 'mean kine' flavors... with the other end of Ray's reputation... the price... very competitive with the types of dishes you can get here compared to other restaurants... you'll be asking yourself, "Why don't I just always come here?" Well, 1 is the parking can be a task, and 2 the hours... pretty much if the door is open, they're open, if not, they're closed. They are open during the day, but tend to close early evening before their posted hours due to food running out... so you wouldn't get any food anyhow... just come back the next day, earlier ;D. I'm a meat eater, and Chef Felix makes his meat dishes HUGE! Da Prime Rib is MASSIVE... just like their Rib Eye and New York cuts... MASSIVE! The size usually means MASSIVE prices too right? Wrong! Very competitive, but at limited quantities, so if you miss'um, you missed'um! Cry for a lil'bit, then just come back tomorrow! :D Their Fried Chicken is also bomb here... not Louisiana moist, but super close and a good side dish with your order if you didn't order the Fried Chicken plate. Also, if you don't feel like a full size plate, they also have mini plates, BUT those are also HUGE for a mini... hoooo I'm hangry now... time to Grind On! Pau! read more

Oahu's best kept secret! Parking is a little tricky here, but well-worth the effort to hunt for street parking. Awesome food at super reasonable prices plus the management are the epitome of what ALOHA is all about . I've been here 3 times and no matter how crazy busy they can be I am always greeted with such warmth and friendliness and man da food broke da mouth (forgive my lapse into pidgin) Do yourself a favor check it out. If you appreciate the charm of a Mom and Pop establishment and ono food, you will love Ray's Cafe...this I promise you! read more

Hidden gem IYKYK Cash only! Owner is very personable and good to his customers. So many good items on the menu but i've heard they're known for their fried chicken. Small seating area but luckily they have a seating area. read more

Everything was delicious and the staff was super friendly. Felix treated us with so much hospitality! He seated our party of 7 easily and made sure our experience was delightful. The food was flavorful and the portions were big! We'll definitely be back! read more

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Delicious fresh seasoned very lightly breaded fish with rice and macaroni salad. Generous portions. Very reasonably priced. Fast friendly service read more

Food is good for the price , nice local place. Service is standard but good. I'd go back

This is a hidden gem. The food was incredible. I love supporting old local mom and pop shops. We did take away for Mother's Day. Uncle was very nice and they were super busy. Stoked for them! The lobster tails were huge. The prime rib was cooked perfectly. We did a medium rare and a medium well plate and both were spot in. The au jus is delicious. The crispy rim was so flavorful. The fried chicken was also amazing. Lightly bartered. Juicy. Reminded me of how my grandpa used to make it when I was little. I will be going here regularly. read more

Ray's Café - Fried chicken - American Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Hours: Monday - Friday 6am - 730pm. Saturday 6am - 530pm. Sunday 6am - 430pm. Great value. Big portions. Recommend prime Rib or fish. read more

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During the latest Corona shut down our family ordered two prime rib plates from Ray's to take home for our dinner. I don't know why I waited so long to try Ray's, maybe because of the parking. I called Ray's to order our two plates earlier in the afternoon, but the lady on the other side said "no need order, get plenty prime rib". We picked up our dinner at about 5:30 and got home within 15 minutes. When we opened the containers we were impressed how big the meat was and how perfectly medium rare it was. The 2 plates fed the 4 of us and it was delicious. I will definitely be going back to Ray's again and try some other dishes. read more

Ray's Café - Oh yeah, prime rib was delicious. - American Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I've been coming here for years! Local hole in the wall place Take Out only, food is filled with some local love! Just check out the Prime Rib pictures! Check out their IG or call them for daily specials. During quarantine we've been cooking a LOT but also making it a point to support local businesses. Ray's has home cooked Ox Tail stew on Fridays! BYOP=Bring Your Own POT! Call ahead in advance because they do sell out, and BYOP! It comes with Rice and choice of toss salad or Mac salad. The portion is $12.50 and is very generous (approx 6 tails). Ono dinner were gonna have tonight! Aloha! read more

Ray's Café - Ox Tail Stew Friday special $12.50/order. This is 2x orders. - American Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Still great food!!!! Still cash only and sit down dining is now available. Wish there was parking but hope that you are lucky enough to find a street parking near by. read more

Ray's Café - American Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Factoring all things, I can see why this is a 4.5 star place. Not much I can probably add to the #589 reviews of this Kalihi Favorite. Been wanting to try this for the better part of eight or nine years, but never found the opportunity to actually walk in for a meal (walked by about seven years ago when shopping at a discount t-shirt store down the block). I told a Mililani friend about this place and he tried it a couple of years ago, thanking me for the introduction. So, when we met with him in January, I suggested having lunch on a Monday late morning. There was little doubt what I was going to order, given all the compliments by various Yelpers and this friend. I ordered the prime rib,medium rare (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=HftaMLoJvFBup8efIR6H3g&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q) with a side salad (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=_vUf2FQ4sQKAoq367HklNw&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q); my order was cooked closer to medium than medium rare but still tender and good especially when I dipped then drowned it in the provided au jus. I mostly poured the au jus on my rice as I just like it that way (rice and gravy = my Kryptonite). We also shared a side order of fried chicken (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=T49ZNpBaS-l26bnWyAeJWQ&userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q), another staple of this popular neighborhood restaurant. It was served sizzling hot and the meat was still juicy... since the batter isn't flavored, ketchup dipping was my solution. Enjoyed the old school style cooking and old school pricing aka wallet friendly. Reading several friends' reviews, I made a point to try to say 'hi' to Ray but apparently he wasn't there that morning. I also ended up sharing a conversation with a couple of fellow diners at the next table, one from the Rose Garden city (sporting a 'Dames' jersey, the Town baby!) and the other from the Bay Area as well as some local friends. Great minds enjoy great food... Kalihi is not a family friendly neighborhood especially evenings (prison just a few blocks away) so I do advise coming during the day or dining in groups or larger parties (not sure how this'll work with social distancing) evenings. When I searched to find the restrooms out back, there were some homeless men wandering the back area so, ladies, do be careful. read more

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Best prime rib, fried chicken, and plate lunch deals on the island. Sketch location, place is run down, and parking is difficult but the value you get for the cost is unbelievable.....and the taste is ono. They are also so nice.......a young homeless chronic guy came into the restaurant and I thought either we were going to be attacked or robbed.....instead he starts yelling at the workers he wants a piece of Fried Chicken.....he all twitching and twerking.....they give him a piece of chicken in a mini plate lunch container.......than he asks them for mashed potatoes......they start yelling at him to get out of there and he digs out.....he must come in everyday for a piece of chicken. Not sure if they gave it to him out of the kindness of their heart or they did not want any trouble......anyway they gave him a piece of chicken! I've witness restaurants doing this for the less fortunate.....mostly elderly chinese....at Royal Kitchen and Catania on Bishop.....giving people free food.....so nice of them. Anyways Rays is good. Cash only. Have eaten the Prime Rib, lamb, hamburger steak, fried chicken, grilled salmon, and grilled ono....all ono..... read more

Ray's Café - Crazy busy at 3:41pm...... - American Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Ray's cafe has the best prime rib I've ever had. The service was incredibly welcoming and Felix, the owner, was so friendly. He talked to us a bit and even hooked it up with some fried chicken. The fried chicken was so tender and had that perfect crispy outer layer. After we were all done he even let us try the ice cream there which was a nice dessert. I highly recommend this place and will definitely be back on my next visit! read more

COVID Review: I haven't been to Ray's for probably 10+ years but every few days, fellow Yelp Elite, Paul C. was filling my IG feed with delicious, mouthwatering photos. I couldn't take it anymore and ventured over to their account (@RaysCafeHonolulu) to see what all the hype was about. I didn't find the expected foodie photos, but rather a classic white board with many handwritten menu items that are posted everyday, except Sunday (they're closed). The next day, I tried to call in my order. Arranging it for pickup on the way home from work that evening. The phone line was busy at 11:00 am (lunch time.. duh), but Paul's photos gave me the patience I needed to get through. Upon arrival at 4:45 pm, I gave them my name and waited only a few minutes to pick up my Prime Rib with Lobster Tail ($32.95), and headed straight home. The aroma filled my car and although there was absolutely no traffic, it felt like forever before I finally arrived. I re-heated the prime rib by dipping it in the boiling au jus and heated the butter 5 seconds, just for the heck of it. Plated the food and set the table just in time for my hubby to walk in. I let him think I had cooked up a storm, before he saw the packaging. We loved the meal and I had no problem giving all the credit to Ray's (of course)! Menu selection is as if it was a fancy restaurant, next on my list.. Rack of Lamb! FYI: - Cash only. - For pickup, park in the front street parking and flash your hazards. Be sure you are outside of the bus stop area and keep an eye on your car from inside. - Definitely some sketch people out front, but nobody seemed to bother. - Be sure to leave a tip for these hardworking men, they are especially grateful for your patronage during this time. read more

Ray's Café - Plated prime rib and lobster tail - American Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Ray's gets a 4 1/2 stars for portion size and value. Ray's being noted for their steaks and Prime Rib I decided to try the Prime Rib. Had it cooked medium and that's what I got. Looked delicious sitting in the takeout container. The skin side was tasty. But the rest was lacking in flavor. You needed to dip it in the au jus provided. The cut of the meat was a mixed bag. Part was tough and a small section was tender. My wife had the Ray's Mix plate, it came with two pieces of chicken and a good size hamburger steak with gravy over the hamburger. Being we had to take it home to Kailua the skin of the chicken wasn't crispy. As for the taste it was average. The hamburger was grilled and you were given a large portion. The taste was just above average. The mac salad which came with both meals had a good taste. Better than many other eateries. The service was excellent. Give them a try. Support local and be safe. read more

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Food is delicious, generous portions,. Service and ambiance needs improvement. Sometimes they're friendly but often rude. 4 stars for delicious food and great price. read more

I enjoy the grilled pork chops and the no frill ambience at Ray's. I just found out that the owner's name is not Ray.What?Ha!

Took the wifey here for her first time. She wanted to see what this legendary place was all about. We got the last open parking stall on the street (only street parking available). Walked in and only one table open, so lucky me! Perfect timing, other parties had to wait outside for the next available table. Felix the owner came out from back to say, Hi. We got a picture together. He's such an incredible person always smiling and telling jokes. Was nice to see him from my last visit a while ago. Everyone seemed to be ordering from the Special menu. We did the same thing. The wifey ordered the Grilled Salmon $11.95. When it arrived, she blew her mind just by the size of the portion, it covered the plate! After the first bite, she couldn't believe how moist it was and how much flavor it had. We were impressed. I ordered the Ono and Fried Chicken Combo $11.95. OMG! The plate was full as well. The Ono just melted in the mouth and the Fried Chicken was crispy on the outside and moist and tender in the inside. Both were delicious and satisfying. We both had left overs to take home. The wifey can't wait to come back and try other items. read more

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My friend and I have Ray's on our "to try" list and she said it's an old school hole in a wall serving large portions of American food, with prime rib being a specialty, at very reasonable prices. For our recent trip, we were meeting friends there for lunch on a Monday. We were able to find a parking spot a block away, met our friends in front and didn't even have to wait for our table for five. The restaurant is small with about six tables for four. The menu is on the board and signs on the wall which consists of breakfast served all day, lunch and dinner items of steak, chicken, burgers and combos and the Specials of the Day, which had seven choices. My fellow diners all ordered what Ray's was famous for, the Prime Rib. I was tempted to get the Prime Rib, but having finished a breakfast buffet at the hotel three hours ago, I opted for the fresh grilled Mahi Mahi. Each of our entrees came with an iceberg lettuce and red cabbage salad with Thousand Island dressing. Good size and fresh. When my Mahi Mahi arrive, I was shocked at the portion. The fish filet was thick and must have been a pound. The fish was lightly dusted with flour and grilled to a golden brown and it was cooked perfectly moist. Complemented with two scoops of rice and tar tare sauce, this was a meal. So much for thinking I was selecting a lighter option. My dining companions' prime rib orders arrived and yes, they were large cuts, at about an inch thick. It must have met their satisfaction as they all finished their beef. If you need to use the restroom, it's outside and you need to walk through the kitchen and out the back door. Use the restroom, if you really need to. For some local down-home cooking in a hole in wall café with good comfort food at large portions and reasonable prices, check out Ray's. I hear they serve a delicious oxtail stew on Fridays, which I hope to come back and try. read more

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Sirloin was fantastic. Only side was sticky rice. Family enjoyed the prime rib and lobster. Will definitely try again when I return.

Good food and good prices but terrible service. Called ahead for three entrees and showed up 20 minutes later. Upon checking in it was clear that they hadn't even started my order. After waiting for twenty minutes on site (at which point others who came in to order takeout after me were being served), I get asked for a third time what I ordered. I could see if they were just that busy inside and were backlogged but to serve others who ordered after me is completely ridiculous, unprofessional unacceptable. And it takes a lot for me to write that. read more

One of the best places I've ever went to in Kalihi no one can beat his fried chicken even the east coast has nothing compared to his cooking Small literally no parking but well worth the taste This is a epic hole in the wall must try.... read more

Never dissatisfied nor disappointed real definition of "hole in the wall" & always worth the drive from the west.

TAKEOUT ONLY We're lucky Ray's Cafe is still in business with so many establishments closing because of the pandemic. It's always busy , No Mask NO SERVICE. We usually call for the Specials of the day. Today we got Prime Rib and Lobster so that it was. It would take 20 minutes but because of the hustle and bustle of the holidays we arrived a few minutes late. Parking is a challenge so I dropped my Husband off so he could grab our order. He had to wait longer than usual because a couple of customers before him had large orders of 8-10 each. Looks like they were feeding some hungry guys. Finally he got our order and we were on our way to feast in the comfort of our home. Felix the owner does not disappoint. Every thing was delicious!! Thanks for being opened! read more

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Went to my "go to" restaurant for my Christmas dinner! How's that?! Yes! We choose to get our Christmas prime rib from Ray's Cafe! Unfortunately I only give 4 stars because they only accept CASH, and NO PARKING! Crazy area where street parking is hard to get AND it's on a very busy street! BUT...their food is all worth it! Prime rib and their fried chicken is da bomb! Other restaurants have good prime rib too, but you can't beat RAY'S prices!! Their fried chicken thighs are $2.50 each, and they're just as good as that place that starts with a "Z". hahaha!! I always request to put all my prime rib together and rice together since it's just coming home with me. I don't want all the prime rib juices to get soaked in my rice. Ray totally understands my request. Thanks everyone at Ray's Cafe! After my 2 walkin prime rib dinners, they were sold out for Christmas Eve. WHEW!! read more

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I came here for the first time today. I've read many favorable reviews and I was always curious about this place. I've also spoken to people who have been here and they all loved it. A friend suggested that we should go for breakfast so we went this morning. Got there a little before 7:30 and we were greeted by a nice friendly man named Felix. I ordered the fried chicken and my friend got the prime rib and the king crab legs. The chicken was terrific, very juicy and tasty! I should have asked Felix how they season the chicken because it was the bomb!! My friend's plate was piled high and I tried the prime rib which was so delicious! I don't eat crab but my friend devoured every last bit of it. I would definitely come here again and the prices are very reasonable! read more

You've tried the rest now try the best! The hidden gem of the beautiful side of kalihi. This is my go to place for prime rib lobster crab legs... read more

Tiny hole-in-the-wall but they serve a mean prime rib! Stopped by thinking "I'll just grab a plate lunch" on a Sunday and ended up ordering the prime rib because everyone I asked (including a guy that drove all the way from Waimanalo!) recommended it. Perfectly cooked to order (medium rare) with au jus. Or ask for horseradish (and they don't give you the wussy kind either!) I can't remember the last time I ate a huge hunk of meat for lunch but by God, it made me glad to be an omnivore. Oh, and they serve old school mac salad too. Super ono...but not for the carb phobic (Ha - more for me!) read more

Ray's Café - American Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

It may not look like much but Ray's is the best place to get your bang for your buck. Giant slab of prime ribs with rice and toss/mac salad for under $20?? It truly is so good and it's definitely a treat. I also really like getting Ray's special - hamburger steak, gravy, grilled onions, and fried chicken! Comes with rice and toss/mac salad. Ray's Cafe's menu is pretty expansive but it seems they are able to still produce quality meals. So far, I haven't dined in -- mostly because parking seems a bit difficult, but takeout is not a problem at all. We order 15-20 minutes in advance and the food is usually ready by the time we get there. Highly recommend everyone try Ray's out. It's a small and unassuming kind of place, but it'll surprise you! read more

Always Good! Mahalo for great service and delicious food Prime Rib and fried chicken is our go too meals next time going to try the oxtail stew read more

Small, hole in the wall place, with Flavorful Food!! Their Friday Prime Ribs are better than some of the higher priced restaurants I've eaten at! Our company has ordered our lunches from here several times in the past! Parking, not really, but you're lucky if you get a street one nearby. Inside is small, maybe with 6 or 7 tables, but I always say it's worth the wait for Ray's food if there's a line to get inside. Service is always great! Cute Lil elderly people work there, I believe they're all family. Try it, all kine local grinds! Worth the visit to Ray's! 5 stars here! read more

A true hole in the wall. Not the prettiest of places but the best tasting food. I came for the prime rib. It was huge! For 19 bucks it comes with macaroni salad and rice. My gosh it was too damn good. The prime rib nice juicy and fatty. The macaroni salad made just right. Rice was soft and fluffy. Where else can you get prime rib with rice? Recommendation: prime rib read more

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Like many of my 5-star review places, I was introduced to Ray's Cafe by @Paul C. He's had a bunch of UYE's at Ray's, so it came as no surprise when I first went, how impressed I was with the food. Ray's is tucked in a little unassuming storefront in Kalihi. Parking is on the road and sometimes you have to circle around to find a place. There are about 5 tables inside to eat, and Muggles would never know the magic that's just inside that rusty security screen door. I've been lucky not to have to wait outside for a table the few times I've been to Ray's, but don't be afraid to hang out and wait if the tables are full--it's worth it. Things I've ordered at Ray's: Prime rib Pork chop Fried chicken Omelette (can't remember which one) Ordered in advance half rib roast. Things I've tasted at Ray's from other peoples' plates: Oxtail stew Hamburger steak The plates I've ordered all came with tossed or mac salad (I go with tossed), rice, meat and sometimes dessert (usually watermelon). The prices are good and the portions are HUGE! The prime rib is spot-on in flavor & tenderness. Pork chops (2 giant chops per order) are enough to feed three people, tender and moist. the fried chicken is super crispy outside (don't eat it in your car, you'll get crumbs all over the place) and moist inside. The oxtail stew is so good that I want go back to get my own order, and the hamburger steak plate is reliably good and comes with a couple pieces of fried chicken to sweeten the deal. The other night we got the rib roast for Christmas Eve dinner. There were 14 of us eating, so we figured the 1/2 roast would be fine. It was...but it was so tender & tasty that there was not a leftover in sight! Pick up times are a little on the "soft" side on busy days like Christmas Eve (so give yourself some leeway)--it's a tiny kitchen, so delays are totally understandable. My sister was so impressed that she may be ordering again for another event tomorrow night! Tips: CASH only, so be prepared. It's pretty warm in there--I don't think there's a/c Order in advance, pay upon pickup Pickup is a job for minimum 2 people: 1 to wait in the car and 1-2 to bring out your trays of food, depending on how much you got. A 1/2 roast is 11.5 pounds to start out, just to give you an idea. When you get your roast home, there's a bowl of tasty au jus and a little container of horseradish. It's a little container because it is POTENT and you're meant to mix in your own sour cream to tame it (yeah, @Paul C. also had to teach me that!) If you're in the mood for 5 star flavors but don't want to get dressed up, or if you need big meat for a crowd Ray's is the place to go. Thanks Felix!! read more

The best quality and size of steak for your money...can't get any better then this..also local support our local businesses

If you havent eaten here you should!!! Stopped by to order the Ahi plate with tossed greens and brown rice. His portions are always huge making it worth your buck! Even during this time Ray's is open so come on by and order some ono food. TAKE OUT ONLY because of this dang pandemic! But they are open! And check out the size of his Grilled Ahi plate! Holy junk! read more

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I just love their gourmet food and daily menu offered. Totally whole in the wall.. hidden gem of a restaurant in Hawaii. Totally recommend them, especially their prime rib that's always on the menu and their fresh fish on the menu especially yellow tail and butterfish. Their fried chicken is also awesome! read more

There's a reason why hole in the wall joints have a special place in my heart. It's places like Ray's Cafe that make trudging through sketchy neighborhoods worthwhile. Lol I only have two words. Prime. Rib. Oh my lord. I don't know if it's the $18.95 price tag or the juicy and perfectly cooked slab of meat that makes this place so tantalizingly good but either way, this place is my new favorite go to spot when we're in Oahu. For years, we've always passed by this place because the hubs used to work down the street from it. His co-workers would always bring back and brag about the ribs here. We told ourselves we had to go but never got around to it until now. It's safe to say that we've seriously have been missing out. For starters, who honestly sells a 24 oz. prime rib for $18.95?! That's unheard of! Not to mention they also give you 2 scoops of rice and a house salad. Neither of which I ate by the way. Nope. After one bite of that delicious prime rib, I was determined not to ruin my palate with something meaningless like a salad! Any other day I would be down for rabbit food but that day I was a true carnivore and left no trace of that poor cow on my plate. While the place itself is probably no bigger than my college studio apartment, it manages to carry a pretty hefty menu including a Cowboy Steak! I'm going to assume that's some sort of tomahawk steak. There were only 6 small tables there but it looked like everyone was there for all the same reason. The hubs and I agreed that it was by far one of the best prime ribs we've ever had. Right up there with the $60 Lawry's prime cuts. No joke. While I'm reluctant to recommend this place out of pure selfish reasons, this joint really is a diamond in the rough and I hope they never leave and keep making delicious and juicy prime ribs until I die or can't eat meat anymore. read more

Ray's Café - His and Her Prime Ribs - American Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

A little restaurant, but their menu was a nice surprise. Came in for breakfast starving so we ordered the steak and mushroom omelette, lobster omelette and an order French toast. Oh my goodness!!!! The steak was cooked perfectly, medium rare and oh so tender. They were quite generous with the amount of lobster in the omelette. $5.00 got you a plate of 4 slices of french toast. Everything was awesome!! I'll have to come back to try out their rack of lamb! Customer service was good. Bring CASH because that's all they accept. read more

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They're overwhelmed. Overworked. Called ahead. Didn't register or remember. Don't blame them.