Ray's boathouse, the floor below, has a beautiful view and makes for a romantic, date night. Great ambience and not as noisy as its sister (rays cafe) upstairs. I always appreciate great service and our server for the night was nothing short of it. We had to get a half dozen oysters to try as they're in season and indeed they were delicious!! I got the scallops for my entrée which I really liked, there were three big pieces and it was a little charcoaled on the top but once you take a bite, it's very soft and tender beneath. Couldn't end the night without dessert!! The creme Brule was torched on top beautifully and the inside was like sweet pudding. Well done! read more

Ray's Café - Seafood Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Good things: Nice size portions, decent prices (we got equivalent meals of what you could get downstairs in the restaurant for less), great view, cheery bathrooms, good waitress, speedy service (bread almost finished, out comes the appetizer, then that's almost done, and we get the entrees!), and good food Bad things: The bread is cold and the cold butter makes them a poor pairing. It gets chilly upstairs when you're outside, so bring a jacket (they provide blankets, but I'm not a fan of public blankets), even in summer. We also had trouble getting our water refilled . . . hmm. We ordered the sable fish and king salmon for our entrees and the crab cake for an appetizer. We also got the razzle dazzle cake for dessert. All were yummy, although the crabcake did contain a lot of filler and the cake was supposed to be raspberry with chocolate and the raspberry flavor wasn't very strong. A ton of people ordered the calamari appetizer . . . I might try it another time. I definitely would go here again. read more

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Ray's is the quintessential seafood restaurant when visiting Seattle. I hosted some clients while visiting here and since it was casual I elected to dine in the cafe instead of downstairs. I made reservations and upon arriving the lovely hostess remembered my name and took me and my group to our awaiting table near the fireplace! How cozy. My clients ordered appetizers of Crispy Calamari and Ray's Smoked Salmon Skewers and we were impressed! Our main entrees of Grilled Alaskan Coho Salmon, Sautéed Alaskan Weathervane Scallops, and the evening special were all above par. We ordered local tapped Maritime IPA and Roger's Pilsner beers to accompany our repast. Our service was outstanding as we did not have to wait to get our orders and she checked on our table periodically. Our dessert was marvelous and we all shared both Chocolate Cinnamon Soufflé Cake and Cranberry Caramel Almond Tart. read more

Ray's Café - Catching the Ray's behind Ray's! - Seafood Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Ray's boat house Happy hour review - Loved the view!! you can enjoy HH at the bar and take in the scenery and watch paddle boarders in the water..they have a great HH selection for food and drinks! read more

I heart sweet potato fries. Doesn't matter who prepares them, they're always good and Ray's is no exception. We went here for lunch because it was a cold day and hot clam chowder sounded good. But because I can't ever (and will never) pass up the chance to eat sweet potato fries, I had to order some. Had to! I got the Rock Shrimp and Dungeness Crab Cake Sandwich (which is accompanied by the before mentioned Sweet Potato Fries). The view here is awesome, the food here is awesome, the location is awesome (2 miles from my condo)....overall, Ray's = awesome. read more

I was hoping for more esp. after seeing so many other great reviews. This place is nice and "out there" as in it's a bit of a drive and sort of secluded. It features some pretty nice views of Pguet Sound if you're lucky to have a sunny day in Seattle. Overall, the food was good but for the money you don't get much bang-for-your-buck. We had ordered the king salmon dish (TINY bit of fish), dungeoness crab cakes (decent but still pretty small) and a decently-sized rockfish entree. Oh and one big no-no for me: serving cold bread (w/butter)... what the heck is that? Perhaps we were meant to eat at the bar, but happy hour had just ended (albeit a bit early in my mind... it was only 6:30pm when we arrived). "Free" valet-parking is provided/required, but I could've parked myself - I don't see the need for it. In the end I was disappointed. It was okay... nothing to write-home about for me though. read more

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I always have loved both the restaurant and the cafe. It feels like vacation to me and the food is always great! Ordered a bottle of champagne and had to laugh when they brought the glasses. Seriously, you need to update your stemware. Champagne was fine but the grocery store quality stemware did nothing for it. read more

If it is busy, as most often it is, try for a table in the bar! You'll be able to order off the regular menu and service is great. Today I tried the fish and chips, they were soooooo good. I had the option of regular fires and sweet potato fries, I opted for the regular fries. We ordered a bottle of rose, you can choose from either a PNW rose or a French rose. Go with the French rose. If you would like to taste the wine, they are happy to let you taste it. Great views, you can watch the boats enter and leave the locks - lots of fun. read more

Usually, places with good views serve mediocre food. Places with fantastic views serve even more mediocre food. But not here. Ray's cafe serves delicious food, and have the best, view, of all Seattle area restaurants imho. Nothing beats a sunset dinner at ray's looking over the Olympic mountains. read more

Ray's Café - Always delicious - Seafood Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The view is fantastic, the food is very good and the service is good. Our family of four ate an early dinner here on Labor Day. The appetizers - Alaskan Red King Crab Cake and Salt & Pepper Blackened Ahi Tuna - were delicious, The Upper Deck Mixed Greens was pretty good, but the Caesar and Spinach & Arugula salads were uninspiring. The Pan Seared Southeast Alaskan Halibut was very good, and a Salmon special I had was also pretty good. The regular salmon was good, but nothing special (I guess by definition). I've posted photos of each of these dishes. We've been here several times - it's a local favorite for the kids - but this was the first time we were able to sit outside. It was nice to be right next to the water, but the sun was getting a bit much or us by the end of the meal. read more

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The food was delicious. Please do try the clam dish, you will not be disappointed. The view was also really nice and the service was ok.

Went in for HH earlier and ordered the $6 "Jamaicanmecrazy" cocktail which was devine! Unfortunately Ahi Tuna is not on the happy hour menu as yelp advertises however, it was incredible!! The sauce it comes with is delish! They don't offer crab cakes as an appetizer so the only way to order is just requesting 1 or 2 for $8 each. They are super yummy and don't contain any filler!! It was really a superb crab cake! The food experience was great all in all. Service was surprisingly poor. The bartender was obviously very busy but wasn't personable at all and we felt like a bother :-/ read more

Ray's Café - Ahi Tuna $14 Super Delish! - Seafood Near Me - Seattle, Washington

If you go to Ray's two things are a must. 1 - Sit outside. It's a quintessential northwest experience that cannot be matched. Perched above the water of Shilshole bay you can drink your wine while enjoying the view of paddle boarders, seals, bald eagles and the majestic Olympic mountains. If you can snag a table for sunset you are in for a treat! 2 - Request Robert Slamowitz as your server. This gentleman is the epitome of class. We have had the pleasure of dining with him multiple times and he has exceeded expectations every time. You can tell he truly has mastered his craft. His uncanny ability to deliver an unforgettable dining experience can not be matched. We have been going to Ray's for years and will continue to as long as we are able. It's not easy to be a five star waterfront restaurant in Seattle but Ray's makes it appear effortless. read more

On a nice day, don't pass up sitting on the patio. I had the caesar salad topped with crab. I was not impressed with the Caesar dressing, which lacked the tinge of the true anchovies flavor. The crab, on the other hand, tasted fresh. My friend had the sablefish & it was beautifully presented. Had a bite & it was quite flavorful, but I wasn't blown away. The highlight had to be the Flourless chocolate cake. Slightly soft, but with a perfect cocoa taste without being heavy. The cherry tart, however, arrived chilled & tasted like it might be a day or two old. On a previous visit, I had the fish and chips. I do not like the coating, which has cornmeal. The fish wasn't over fishy, but lacked a great flavor that you look for in a fish and chips meal. My friend had the choppino, which was very tasty and something that should not be missed. I guess with all the buildup I received, I just expected more from this place. Make no mistake, however, I will be back! read more

Ray's Café - Sablefish - Seafood Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I ordered crab legs and they were delicious!!.' Kind of pricey but worth it. Nice view of water and great service

LOVE Ray's! This was or first time eating upstairs, and I love the menu just as much. We ordered the seafood salad and salmon sandwich, both of which were delicious. The bread downstairs is one of my favorite parts of the dining experience, so I made sure to ask for it. Unfortunately they were running low, but the waiter brought over a few rolls from the bartender- nice! We were not rushed out of the restaurant after dining, and were able to enjoy some QT with our friends. I will definitely keep coming back and bringing out of town visitors! read more

We ate on the Patio. Food was delicious. View was spectacular. Service was inconsistent hence 4 stars.

After reading some reviews and walking up to the restaurant, I was really excited. It's basically on a dock right on the sound and has some amazing views. The boathouse downstairs didn't seem too busy when we came in at 6 on a Monday, but the cafe upstairs was super busy! Again, very excited. The menu was pretty simple -- lots of seafood at typical Seattle seafood prices. Our server came and I was immediately taken aback by her lack of... joy, for the lack of a better word. She just didn't seem to be very excited and didn't really exchange pleasantries or anything. A little less excited, but looking forward to the food. We ordered the crab dip and razor clam appetizers. Both were really delicious! The crab dip was super creamy, though I couldn't tell how much crab there actually was. Regardless, even if it is just a cheese dip, it still tasted good with the crisp bread! The fried razor clams dish was also really good. I didn't really know what razor clams were, so I was expecting the smaller clams like at Ivar's. However, they were much larger, though still really good and not too chewy that you have to end up eating the whole thing in one huge, ugly bite. The aioli dipping sauce that came with it was the perfect complement to the clams. Appetizers were good -- still excited. I ordered the Sablefish in Sake Kasu because I was interested in how the Japanese flavor would be. I was also not really feeling salmon. First, the fish came with all of the bones in. Not exciting. I get that they're big and obvious, but wouldn't that make it easier to pick out? I don't know, I've just never seen a place serve fish with the bones still in. Next, the rice was sitting in the honey-soy, scallion oil, and just soaked it all up. There was so much that the rice became sooo sweet. The bok choy and fish were both cooked well which is good, but I think the fish was also expected to be dipped in the sauce so it really had no flavor at all. However, I just can't get over the fact at how sweet the sauce was. I definitely couldn't finish the rice because it was honestly kind of sickening. After that meal, we decided to get dessert, which I was excited for. How can you mess that up? We ordered the double chocolate brownie and the creme brulee. Usually, these kinds of chocolate cakes that come a la mode are made-to-order, warm, soft and just completely gooey. However, this one was clearly a store bought cake. First, it came out in like 2 minutes so it definitely wasn't made-to-order. Secondly, it wasn't even warm, which I knew before trying because the ice cream scoop on top was definitely not melting. It was hard to cut through, and the ice cream was probably also some store bought Dreyer's or something. Overall, I feel like they just tried to drizzle the whole thing in chocolate sauce to get that "gooey" feeling, and it just was not memorable in any way. The creme brulee was good, though it also wasn't warm so I'm skeptical about it being prepared fresh. There also was a huge dollop of whipped cream on it, which came without warning and sort of prevented you from getting a scoop without any. For some this is good, but for others, it's just really annoying. Overall, I was looking forward to eating here. We were celebrating a birthday, the views were pretty, and the reviews were favorable. However, we received really lackluster service (didn't get any refills on our water until after we finished our entrees), uninspiring food, and undeservingly high prices. I hope that our experience was just a one-off and maybe I just ordered the wrong dish for my palette, but our particular waitress was pretty disappointing. Unfortunately, an anticipated birthday dinner did not turn out the way we had all hoped. read more

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My boyfriend and I chose Ray's Cafe based on yelp recommendations and were happy with it! The food was delicious--my boyfriend had fish and chips and I had the halibut! We shared the crab and clam dip which was very good as well but was too big for only two people--we couldn't finish it! Our waiter was attentive but not intrusive. He recommended a nice wine pairing for my halibut and was knowledgeable about the menu!! The outdoor seating had a very nice view and there are blankets provided for if it is too chilly out! It didn't take long to be seated at all on a Sunday night around 6:30 pm which was nice as well! read more

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We stopped by for a belated birthday celebration and moved our reservation from downstairs to the cafe based on more gluten free menu options. The view is more obscured than downstairs due to the large deck and frosted glass railings, however it's still a great view. The service was quick and the server was experienced in fine dining. One big surprise - happy hour is offered in the dining room. We ordered some wine, appetizers, and entrees and I was surprised by how affordable it was given the location. read more

The views here are amazing! They have heaters and blankets outside so you can still enjoy the view and fresh air even when it's chilly. I had the fish and chips, which was crispy and delicious. The tarter sauce was also really good. It did come with cole slaw but it was pretty sour, I only ate one bite. My friend had the salmon burger with sweet potato fries. The burger was huge and she enjoyed it. The sweet potato fries with the red pepper aioli were really delicious. The service was just ok. The server asked us in the beginning if we would like bread and then never brought any out for us. Someone else delivered our food and we were about half way through before she even came to check on us. Overall, good experience! read more

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We had a lovely lunch here today. We had not been here for a long time and thought it was a good time to revisit. We started out with the apple salad a d fried calamari. The Calamari had a nice breading and enjoyed as not over done. The salad had a nice dressing, with a bit too much dressing. The apples were crisp; the salad had almonds and feta cheese. It was a nice combination. We then ordered a bowl of clam chowder and a single crab cake. You could taste the crab in the crab cake. It came with string beans which were cooked just right, nice and crisp. The chowder had a wonderful strength to it; a nice rich flavored. We ordered a very nice Sancerre. The entire meal was just what we needed. read more

We were there for lunch. We all shared appetizers. The calamari and the crab dip were outstanding. We also ordered the scallops. Just fantastic read more

The view is fantastic. Lot's of activity on the water to watch. Food is very good but expensive. Salty asaparagus. Tough bread. So busy waiter did not check in on us. But besides that i cant complain. Note to self. If they offer a window table because pstio is full, decline and ask for 4 top more inside where they place table at an angle so 2 people can see views directly. Sitting at the window one has to turn head to see the views! read more

This is a beautiful location with friendly staff and delicious food. The curry mussels were amazing such a unique taste. The prices at the cafe are much better than the main restaurant. read more

Ray's Café - Seafood Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This establishment has been a constant for our visits to Seattle since our daughter attended UDUB law school years ago. Both the clam and salmon chowders are winners. Their crusty bread is a favorite. We have eaten here for both lunch and dinner and the staff has been helpful and attentive. Tried a variety of dishes and never have been disappointed. The tuna wrap for lunch is wonderful. Always a nice view of the sound out the windows. Worth the visit. read more

Mom was visiting from out of town, and she wanted some Seattle seafood. This is the first place I thought of. And we were not disappointed. We were there after dark, so we couldn't enjoy the view, but I'm sure it was pretty. As far as the meal goes, it was great. I had the clam chowder and the fish and chips. Loved it. Mom had fish and chips as well and she commented that it was one of the best pieces of fish she's had in awhile. With her living in Tampa and loving her seafood, that's saying a lot! My wife had a salad with smoked fish, and she enjoyed it as well. Recommend this place to others, especially for those who are brining in out of town era to check out the view... during the day. read more

Visited March 2018 Went upstairs on the top deck of Ray's, enjoyed the beautiful splendor of Seattle with sweeping views of Puget Sound, had Ray's Seafood Salad. The best seafood salad I have ever had. Our waiter did a wonderful job, very knowledgeable and helpful. Must go! :) read more

This place was great, it all started well and ended well. When we first got to Ray's Cafe we pulled in for their complementary valley, I love free stuff and this just made the experience so much better. We were seated right away when we got in, which was around 7 o'clock. It was a Thursday though, I imagine the wait is longer on the weekend. Our seats had a great view, and we enjoyed a vibrant sunset. There was a cozy fireplace by our table and the decorations on the wall were very Seattle like, they also had wooden and metal sculptures of salmon all over which was very fitting for a seafood place. My friend and I ended up having their clam chowder, clams steamed with dill and beer for starters, and we shared a salmon burger for our entree. The soup was wonderful, thick, creamy and had big chunks of clam perfect for dipping bread in our consuming out of a spoon. The clams with dill and beer were very well cooked and flavorful, most stayed in the shell and was quite impressive. The burger was a real surprise, not only was it cooked perfect it came with these delicious fries that I could have eaten for the whole night. I've passed this restaurant many times because I frequent Golden Gardens and made a smart decision to finally try it. I definitely will come back since the price is very reasonable and not only do you get to enjoy and awesome meal you get to see an amazing sunset. read more

Worst birthday dinner i didn't even get to eat. Their covid safety is a joke. You know how when a restaurant is super packed they have that extra small table by the bussing door just in case. Well when we showed up for our reservation for my birthday they gave us this table, which I know im being a bit of a diva but they asked if it was a special occasion so treat it like one. They gave us this table because the entire restaurant was packed wall to wall with people, not a mask in sight, tables about 3-4 feet apart. We asked for outside seating and were advised that it would be about 35 minutes. No problem i think, hopefully the outside is better even thought its just as packed and the tables are CLOSE. They tell us they will text when its available, We wait for an hour and are never contacted, we gave up. This was a Tuesday. Dont go here. read more

Ray's has a serious case of multiple personality disorder. One Ray is stuffy and doesn't hang out with just anyone. The other Ray is super fun and doesn't care how you dress or what you hair looks like. He's not as good a cook as the other Ray, but he also doesn't try to grab your wallet when your walking out of his place. This Ray has a great deck and he will let you sit on it during the summer. The other Ray will only let you look out his windows. Nice happy hour menu and good drink prices. Great during the summer months when you can sit on the deck. Parking is difficult at times, but they do have a free valet service. Just don't do what I do and confuse the two Rays... read more

I think I came to Ray's a long time ago, but for all intensive purposes, this most recent trip to Ray's cafe was my first. I have to say, this place was impressive. From the valet parking to the wondrous views to the lovely post and beam interior, this place puts its best foot forward in making your dining experience pleasant in all its aspects, and I haven't even mentioned the food yet. Well, we ordered the fried calamari for the table as an appetizer, which was delicious. For my entree, I went with their signature Sablefish in Sake Kasu with grilled choy sum, jasmine rice, honey soy and scallion oil. Well, needless to say, I was in fish ecstasy. Everything was absolutely delicious. The honey soy and scallion oil was the perfect compliment. All around, this place was great, and the only reason I gave it 4 stars was because one of the two pieces of fish I got was overloaded with bones. I know this can sometimes occur, and it was a shame, pulling bones out of my mouth all throughout dinner was the one thing that made my overall experience less than fantastic. I would definitely come back for another try though, maybe when the weather's warmer and the summertime views are breathtaking. Add one of their fancy cocktails, and it's a match made in heaven. read more

I desperately needed a place to unwind and relieve some stress and Ray's was the place. My friend and I wanted a place that with outdoor seating and a view. The view is amazing. It was cold and gloomy, but that didn't take away from the spectacular view of the islands and ferries in the background. Two beers and an appetizer including tip ran us under 25 bucks. They have an extensive wine list, a nice one I might add, but a little on the expensive side for what they listed. The host was nice enough to go around and hand out blankets to the shivering ones. Only in Seattle do people sit outside in 50 degree weather. Great place to bring the family or friends from out of town. Without a doubt a place to hit on a hot summer night for a romantic night or just to unwind. read more

A bit of a limited review since I was here for a party and just had dessert. First the space is nice. It's always an advantage to have a great view and Ray's has water and mountain views. It's hard to go wrong with this. Plus the interiors are also aesthetically pleasing. It's mostly wood (I could be wrong, but I recall that it's part of the leftovers from the boathouse which previously burnt down) with the walls tastefully decorated with photos. The staff was also friendly and quick, especially while bringing a peppermint white chocolate cheesecake. It was as good as it sounds. read more

A sunny day and Ray's Cafe go together like PB&J, like gin & tonic, like Yelp & slacking off at work. Great HH food specials, but you go to Ray's for the view. read more

I will eat here over and over before I die! And after I die! Its for me! excellent food - a little pricey for this sub teacher BUT that craigslist dating finally paid off! Excellent service! Of course we all love going to Golden Gardens afterwards. read more

"Oh, my pee's gonna stink for sure later on!" our dinner guest commented when his plate was put in front of him. "um, ok?" my husband and I responded as we looked at each other with concern. (we were both thinking "what's wrong with this guy?!) All this happened as three plates of the most simply delicious food was placed before us. Husband had steak with silky mashed potatoes and spinach, soon-to-be stinky guest had salmon with asparagus, and I had the most unbelievably moist, tender halibut I've ever had with perfectly cooked asparagus. Our server was so on point. She was running her butt off and never let us feel her pain. When she was at our table, she gave us her full attention and, even more impressive, her smile. The cafe was packed. As it always is. While it was a beautiful pre-sunset evening, it was still chilly outside, which didn't stop people from eating outside. Are we that starved for summer?! I've been here many, many times and it occurred to me after this visit that I can't ever remember a time that I did not leave happy. Oh, the guy (who really is a cool guy) and his stinky pee...evidently, asparagus makes your pee smelly! Who knew! read more

I went to Ray's Cafe for the first time recently, even though I've lived in Seattle now for 4 years, which is just sad! It was an absolutely wonderful experience. We went on a Friday night, arrived around 6pm and easily got a table out on the patio on a beautiful day. Wonderful view. Service was great as well. I got a caesar salad and snow crab legs. They were great! I will say though that the sauce which was served with the crab, some kind of butter mixture but not just standard butter, had a slightly odd taste to it, but it didn't ruin the experience and the crab was still delicious! My husband had the burger and he was very happy as well :). Highly recommend! We'll definitely be going back. read more

Perfect spot for a date night! OMG we loved this place! I lived in Washington for years but never heard about Ray's and while visiting we discovered it on Yelp and decided to give it a try, despite the long wait for a table. We ate upstairs at the cafe, more casual, and amazing view from the deck! Definitely wait for an outside table! We took sunset pics, saw paddleboarders, and when the sun set they brought out blankets for everyone to warm up with! Food was just to die for too! And the most interesting cocktail, martini with smoked salmon as a garnish! It was worth it just for the experience. Food was super fresh, delicious, fantastic! read more

I hear there's a great view of Seattle from Ray's, but unfortunately when it's foggy or rainy the view is substantially diminished, as it was on the day I visited. Nevertheless, it's a gorgeous restaurant of the Old School Seafood restaurant one would expect. I had the lobster, which was fresh and fantastic, and also appreciated the delicious, more modern, deconstructed clam chowder. On my visit I was with a young child who was being sassy and mildly difficult, and our server was delightful and patient with her. All in all, the service was impeccable, and the food was everything I hoped for. Hopefully next time I get to see that pretty view. read more