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    Ray's Candy Store

    4.5 (523 reviews)
    Open Open 24 hours
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    RAY'S CANDY STORE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Divey
    Casual
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Ray's Candy Store

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    Almost gone
    Tina M.

    Changed my order half way thru.... I don't regret it one bit. It's small af in here but by the looks of the traffic it's worth it!

    Chocolate vanilla swirl with a dollop of strawberry on top soft serve
    Erin H.

    Never gone wrong at rays. Must try every time you pass by th neighborhood. Best fried Oreos and soft serve I've ever had. They're accommodating too-- I got vanilla chocolate swirl with a dollar of strawberry on top. Superb indeed.

    Cookies and Cream Soft Serve Ice Cream
    Larion S.

    This Alphabet City institution fills that greasy, late night, munchie craving when you want to relive your college days. Cheesy fries and onion rings in a grease-laden brown paper bag, deep fried candy bars and Oreos, soft serve and milkshakes, and the list goes on. Sure, the food is mediocre, and you might feel some oil and sugar-filled regret the morning after, but how I feel about Ray's is nothing but nostalgia and affection. This place is historic, and I hope Ray and his candy store stay in the East Village for a very long time.

    Sadia H.

    Small, narrow shop, cluttered but warm. The owner is the beloved Mr. Ray. My niece had the fried oreos that she loved and my nephew ordered the "Obama Coffee". It fascinated me that I had been having Obama coffee all my life without knowing I was! Just a scoop of vanilla ice cream added to a cup of black coffee.

    Melissa N.

    5 stars for this LES neighborhood staple. Best place to get a late-night snack. This colorful and quirky shop serves ice cream, frozen yogurt, hotdogs, fries, beignets, egg creams, and so much more - all reasonably priced. My go-to order is the chili cheese dog. There's a comforting feeling about this place.

    Beignets Deep Fried Oreos
    Crystal L.

    I finally got to go after having this location saved in my Google maps for a few years! I enjoy making my own fried Oreos so I decided to their special of half fried Oreos & half fried beignets. They were so gooodd! Funny thing is I asked for zeppoles and i basically got a mini version of them I went on a Sat. night and luckily there was no line! I loved the decor and I liked how there was so much to look at and luckily it wasn't hard for me to choose from because I already had my heart set on fried goodies! Can't wait to come back and order more

    Ray making my Egg Cream
    J S.

    A New York institution everyone must visit. I've been wanting to visit Ray's candy store FOR YEARS & was happy I was in the neighborhood to stop by quickly & show support . Lucky enough I wanted to get my first egg cream & the man himself was there to make me one. This hidden gem of a store has almost everything you need to fulfill any craving. They have a vast menu, from pistachio ice cream to fish & fries. Will it be the best you've had? Maybe not but should we do our part to support a small business that has been here since 1974? YES. The interior has signs & decor literally covering the walls, if you look too quickly you might miss out on what feels like 100 options they have. The egg cream was really good, satisfied my sweet craving I had. My companion tried the pistachio ice cream & really enjoyed it. Had us in & out in less than 3 minutes. I even snagged myself a t shirt. I'm glad I got to visit a part of NYC history (that was almost lost during the pandemic).

    Menu
    Nicole K.

    Vibes in here are pretty insane. It's a tiny, old-school candy/ice cream shop with an eclectic menu ranging from fried Twix and root beer floats to chili cheese dogs and falafel. Mostly appreciate the fact that they have soft serve, which can be tough to find in this city

    Root Beer Float
    Elena S.

    The two men in this storefront have the operations locked in. The root beer float was fantastic, as was the chocolate dipped soft serve cones. They can even mix flavors for you, we got vanilla and cookies and cream! One note, the prices for items are not the same on the wall as they are on the register. If something is listed a few times with different prices, assume it's the higher price.

    Interior
    Anurag T.

    Overall (A-) It's good but not great. Would maybe go by if in the neighborhood but not worth the special trip. The egg cream is pretty good and so is the ice cream. But nothing special. Yes unique but a reason why it hasn't been replicated by others. It's a novelty. Service is excellent. Gut instinct is that there are old folks hyping this up based on nostalgia.

    Inside
    Mandi R.

    Oh Ray, you have my whole heart. My husband and I have been to Ray's Candy Store multiple times in the summer when there's been a steady trickle of clientele, but recently we visited around 11:30AM on a random Tuesday when it was 25° outside. When we walked in, the shop appeared empty. We waited a few moments before Ray himself stood up from where he was (sleeping?) behind the counter and said, I'm up! I'm up! I know he stays there and maybe he was short staffed that day and wanted to rest up at the front of the shop. Anyway, he made us some delicious fried Oreos and fried twinkies. I didn't try the twinkies but the Oreos are absolutely sinful. They come out piping hot and are delicious. The place isn't much to look at. In fact, it's a pretty disorganized dump on the inside, but you can tell Ray has a system. He was absolutely as sweet as can be, and we were happy to wish him a belated 92nd birthday. We'll be back,

    Amanda S.

    As a native New Yorker, Rays candy store in the east village has been a part of the urban landscape my entire life. It was awesome to see him smiling behind the counter and making my ice cream cone! He didn't even charge me for sprinkles. I'm so glad he's doing well and that a lot of folks still patronize this establishment, cause it's a landmark by now.

    Soft Serve Ice Cream
    Joann S.

    Pistachio! Loved it. Got the fried oreos too 12 for $7 is pretty good. I knew I was ordering out of gluttony so the cashier helped me ask for sugar on the side so my big backed behind could eat it for later Also there was not a lot of candy I really wanted a pack of gum

    Soft Serve Ice Cream

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    1 month ago

    the service was impeccable. the owner was very sweet and patient. recommend this play after a long hot day.

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    Page 1 of 14

    Ask the Community - Ray's Candy Store

    How is the average cost of your desserts?

    Very reasonable.

    Could I coerce someone to drop by and ship me a box of the deep-fried oreos? What would you charge for such a service? I'm in Portland, OR.

    Afraid those won’t travel well! You’ll have to come to the store and try them in-person!

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Stopped by Grace Street while looking for something sweet and a little different, and this…read moredefinitely fit the bill. We saw the milk tea boba toast on the menu and had to try it. It came out as a thick piece of deep-fried toast topped with ice cream, boba, caramel popcorn, and strawberries on the side. Not healthy at all, but really good. It's one of those desserts you probably wouldn't get every day, but worth trying at least once. Fun to share and definitely something different from the usual desserts.

    This is my go-to bathroom + sweet treat spot in KTown! There's typically a line, but it usually…read moremoves quickly and there's usually free seating as well. They have a water dispenser, two locking bathrooms, and plenty of outlets, so I already have a very positive view of Grace Street as a good place to rest. The food is alright. It's a bit overpriced and the teas are not good quality. However, the desserts are delicious. I usually split a slice of basque cheesecake with my friends. The regular and matcha have both been good in my experience. I don't like chocolate cake, so I haven't tried that variety. I wish the pumpkin was available in the smaller size too! I've tried their boba, and it isn't good. The hot teas are okay but not great. They're pretty much just syrup and milk. I would avoid the drinks and just get the desserts! I haven't personally tried the bingsoo, but I've heard good things. The waffle is alright--all in all, come here to recharge and for the basque cheesecake!

    Photos
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    Grace Street - Sunset Lemonade ($5.50)

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    Sunset Lemonade ($5.50)

    Ray's Candy Store - desserts - Updated May 2026

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