Ray,s makes the best fried Oreos I've ever had, excellent Soft Ice cream. Ray is the nicest man in The Village I'm appalled someone would assault this man. I hope Ray is ok!!! I visit Ray's everytime I'm in the City!!! read more

We walked in because I read the name, I actually was looking for candy having no clue what this place really is. They serve egg creams,ice cream gelato, apparently fries and beignets Ray actually served me my gelato cotton candy and green apple and nice thing...there was yelp deal 2 scoops 2 dollars I could not pass up on the egg cream either I like egg creams and this one was fine this place apparently has had some issues in the past we noticed their rating was not posted(sign said to be determined) I only found all this out after its very tiny with just the freezer cases between you and your server there are no seats you wait on line and order your treats and your out the door Ray has charm the place is sort of dumpy but I really don't care unless they do not get an A rating from NYC read more

Ray's Candy Store - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York

I had the combo fried oreos and beignets, as well as a chili cheese dog. They were good, not great. If you happen to be in the area and are craving sweets, it could be worth it to stop by. read more

Fried Oreos so good! workers are chill best to visit!! We love ray always it's quick for a sweet treat

Ordered chicken fingers with fries, nachos with chili and cheese, popcorn shrimp with fries and chicken fingers with fries. ALL of the food was extremely salty. Was not able to eat the food because way too salty. read more

Omg! Cozy little old school sweet shop. Precious gem! It reminds me of my childhood. I had a an egg cream and they have soft serve ice cream. read more

I strive to accomplish in life what Ray has. This man came to the country with nothing and now feeds the mouths of thousands of New Yorkers, drunk and sober alike, every month. Fried oreos are the best in the country. I do mine with a cup of milk. I'll always ask if Ray is around - he's usually in the back either making the food or sleeping. I've had the honor of having this 80+ looking year old man bring out a hot plate of fried Oreos with his shaking hands & I cry inside every time. Thank you, Ray. I hope your legacy never dies. read more

Very special and authentic candy store, whatever your age you will retrieve your childhood feelings. Just try the Oreo fries, you will never forget its unique taste. read more

Came here because of the Anthony Bourdain/Food Insider hype, and it's definitely worth it! The fried oreos and beignets are the classic state fair-style fare, with enough sweet and salt to be delish late at night. Egg cream is pretty good too. Hot dog is meh, definitely stick to the desserts. I would say the menu def has some things priced better than others, so you should be wary of that (for example, $6 for a massive mound of fried oreos is a steal, but I doubt I would ever pay $15 for a banana split). read more

My husband and I went this past Friday night after our ramen date at Tatsu. I went there for the beignets but ended up getting their fried oreos because I read good things on them. They certainly did NOT disappoint. I fell in love with it on my first bite. The ladies who worked that night were so nice and friendly. I wish there was seating because it was cold out and we would have liked to stay and enjoy our fried oreos there. We also had hot chocolate but it was very weak. But what can you do. This place is surely not known for their hot chocolate. I will go back for their beignets and belgian fries someday! Maybe I will get to meet the famous Ray! read more

The epitome of food you want to get when absolutely smacked, or you're just feeling gluttonous and don't care about your cholesterol. Surrounded by bars this place is perfectly situated to absorb your bad decisions, offering every fare of sweet and fried food one could imagine, all for about the cost you're willing to spend after getting bent over buying $13 cocktails all night to impress your tinder date. I reveled in the absurdity of this place, but was sad to have not met Ray himself. However, the teenage employees he had who at first messed up my order remedied it by offering us my ice cream goop to me for free while they made my butterscotch sundae. Get the candy, be the trash racoon you so desperately want to be. read more

Just heard about Ray and another employee being attacked outside of the candy shop during a night shift!!!! HOW HORRIBLE AND HEARTLESS. Support this wonderful candy store in any which way you can! Ray is the sweetest man, he still works there to this day! I love my soft serve ice cream and fried oreos A true gem in East Village! read more

Old school, homey no frills place. We use to come here for their egg creams, milkshakes and fries with cheese! I haven't been there in years, I'm glad it's still open. I'll be back in the city next month and I'm def hitting up this spot for some fries and egg cream! read more

Sometimes it's 2 in the morning, and you pass by a sign that says "fried Oreos" and decide that you MUST have an order. No, two orders. And then you realize with horror that 2 orders is actually 24 fried Oreos and that you have made a terrible mistake, but decide to just roll with it. And then you eat maybe a third of them (with friends, of course, you're not that savage) and decide that you need a little salt to combat the sugar. So you go back and order nachos. And a chili cheese dog. And then screw it, the calories don't count this late at night, and you get an order of fries as well. And then the food comes and you realize you probably could eat for 3 weeks straight with the amount that you've received. But you're already in too deep, and you just have to give it the old college try. And then you're suddenly standing on the street corner, surrounded by the comings and goings of the East Village, furiously shoving fries in your mouth. Your hands are covered in cheese and grease. There may or may not be powdered sugar in your hair. The alcohol in your stomach doesn't stand a chance against the carbs you've consumed. You feel a need to keep going and not waste the bounty you've been unwittingly blessed with tonight. But there's only so much room in your stomach, and your pants are suddenly very tight. With equal parts satisfaction and shame with how much you've eaten, you give up and begin the long walk to the subway. You stand on the L platform, dizzy with the oncoming food coma, and reflect. You should have gotten a soft serve, too. read more

We need more stores like this to stay alive! Love ray's candy store. I go for the beignets but my family loves the fried oreos. Everything is cooked perfectly and it's still reasonably priced! Not to mention they hire young kids. Love that! read more

This place is a gem when it comes to catering to the ol' fried food craving at literally any hour of the day, with their menu offering classic snacks like fries (one order is large enough for sharing at $6 and comes with a generous amount of ketchup on the side for all you dippers and dunkers out there) to the fried Oreo platter (a friendly drunk was kind enough to allow me to try his on my first visit, which was quite an amazing experience, if you dabble in consuming absolutely unhealthy, decadent concoctions from time to time as I do). Conveniently located in the East Village in close proximity to Tompkins Square Park and the surrounding bars, Ray's is a neighborhood necessity, and I thank them for their service and all they do for us ravenous barhoppers and starving drunks in addition to the rest of the upstanding, comfort-food-loving community. read more

3 years later, finally made it back to try the fried Oreos (12 for $6). We also had got the chocolate and vanilla soft serve ($5). The fried Oreos were freshly made, piping hot and so satisfying! Drenched in powered sugar, these treats really hit the spot. The soft serve was huge and tasty. There are so many goodies at Ray's, you'll always find something to satisfy! read more

Fried Oreos whenever you want them. 12/$6. Probably also the cheapest coffee you'll find in the city. Super nostalgic place. Really any carnival or fair food you want. Take a walk in the park across the street and enjoy your delectable treats! read more

Great place for a fried oreo dessert but there isn't any seating for you to eat them! If you love oreos, you gotta try this palace! They're fried and loaded with fluffy powder sugar on top. A must have if you're just visiting the city. So far I haven't tried anything like it. Luckily too, there's a convenience store nearby to stop and grab some milk! Check this place out and enjoy!! By the way, it's cash only! read more

Ray's Candy Store - $5 fried oreos is the the bomb - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York

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Best fried Oreos ever! The first I got them I ordered half Oreos, half beignets since they were the same price, and Ray made them himself =) I didn't realize how much food it was so come hungry or come with friends that help you finish it haha...another time I ordered the fried Oreos I only wanted 6 pieces instead of a dozen and one of the servers told me it's the same price so I got the dozen anyway, and a milkshake to go! Soooo good! can't wait to try the egg cream and everything else on the menu! read more

Best fried Oreos! Cutest workers! They are freshly made to order. A NY classic!!!!!!! read more

Their deeply fried Oreo was so tasty! I ate it cold but I could imagine how amazing it must be when served warm! Bookmarked this place, for trying out their renown egg cream soon! Looking forward to!! read more

Ray's Candy Store - Deeply fried Oreo. - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York

All the way out in the boondocks of Alphabet City, surrounded by seedy dive bars lies a very quaint, charming place called Ray's Candy Store. Its run by the kindest 84 yr old man named Ray. Whereas most people his age would be relaxing by the pool in a retirement community in Florida, he still finds the energy to get up every night to open up his store and serve up the neighborhood. You quickly realize that he gets as much enjoyment serving and conversating with his customers as his customers do eating the finger food he serves. The little shop is surrounded by printed paper advertising everything he serves, from beignets, to chili and cheese dogs, to Belgian fries, flavored icees, milkshakes, and of course his famous soft-serve ice cream. I actually came here on two different nights. The first night I tried the soft-serve ice cream, and ordered the Pistachio flavor. It was nice and nutty, but I would have preferred if it was a bit colder. It literally started melting in my hand in like 5 seconds. Still, Ray served it with such a kind smile and I couldn't help but overlook that minor detail. The second night I came in, I ordered a strawberry icee. Ray gave me the largest drink size he had. It was so big, I had to take it home and save it in my fridge LOL. This is the secret to his success, his open generosity. He isn't stingy or cheap, he makes sure to give every patron a large, generous portion of food. read more

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3 words PISTACHIO SOFT SERVE!!! stumbled upon this plate late at night & was enticed by the carnival looking sign outside!! found out they had SOFT SERVE... sold... found out they had interesting flavors SOLD.... sampled the strawberry which was good but a bit melty SO went w/ the pistachio because i've never had that flavor in soft serve form... $3 for AWESOMENESS they have other flavors too but I just hope the pistachio isn't a seasonal flavor.. or if so... hope something even better replaces it!! read more

Ray's Candy Store - Pistachio soft serve yum! - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York

- for the price you're paying there's no place that can possibly compare to ray's - everything is very generously sized and most things are large enough to be shared - he's been going through a lot of financial problems lately and is in danger of closing, so whenever I manage to stop in I always let him keep the change to my bill - opened 24/7 read more

Ray's is the mascot of the East Village, representing the personality of the neighborhood so fully that I can't imagine walking down Avenue A without passing its crumbling storefront. Advertising Belgian fries and fro-yo via back lit signs born in the 80s and usually boasting at least a few semi-conscious bodies loitering at its mouth, let's all agreed that it's not the most appetizing façade. But in the wee hours of the morning, those fried treats start sounding mighty fine so ignore the grime and sidle up to the counter for a pile of greasy home sliced potatoes. I like to add extra salt and request a little pot of mayo for dipping. There's not much room for lounging so instead grab your snack and go across the street to Tompkins or simply stand and devour. While I have a tendency to go savory after a few cocktails, I do plan to test out the must-yelped-about beignets on my next visit ... update to come! read more

Ray is a saint; he was so honored by Reverend Billy's Church of Stop Shopping, I believe. He's an integral part of this neighborhood, feeding the hungry and hung-over, and Councilwoman Rosie Mendez has even cited his store as a neighborhood "gem" that must be preserved. I'm all about the ices during this hot, unforgiving summer, and I'll only go to Ray's for my fix. $1 buys you a pomegranate ice--or mango, strawberry, or many other flavors. Although I used to patronize "NYC ICY" when they were on 2nd and B, I won't go there now that the "ices queen" is in direct competition with Ray. (Now that ice season is over and the "Ices Queen" is gone away, I go in for the Belgian fries; just $4.50 for an insanely huge order, and it stays hot when I carry it across the park, so I don't have to eat it alone. I made a sauce of spicy ketchup, Vegenaise, and one drop of Mamoun's hot sauce; believe me, one drop is enough! I love my neighborhood.) read more

Ray's Candy Store - The excellent, affordable (only $1!) mango ice at Ray's. Try all the flavors! - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York

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There are two things you can always count on in the East Village: teenagers lined up on Saint Mark's to buy "tobacco" pipes, and Ray's Candy Store open to fry up beignets to satiate your late night munchies. Even though evacuation zone B is only two blocks away, Ray's stayed true to his word: @RaysCandyStore Been open 24/7/365 for 37 years. Will take more than what #Irene was laying down to close these doors!!! Come stop by! #evbizopen Thank you for your faithful service all these years, Ray! read more

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See: http://www.yelp.com/biz/belgian-fries-new-york#hrid:0MKh894Y_cxb6H3qUOG1Hw read more

The Five Stages of Eating Ray's Fried Oreos for the First Time: 1) Skepticism - "Fried Oreos? Really?" 2) Wonder - "Holy f*ck, what is this? Manna from heaven?!?" 3) Euphoria - *squeals like a schoolgirl* "Where has this been all my life!!!" 4) Anger - "I'm actually angry that I've lived 23 years without this." 5) Despair - "They're all gone! NEED. MORE." No exaggeration though--this was actually one of the best things I've ever eaten, and days later, I'm still thinking about them and planning my next trip to the East Village to get more. This place may not look like much, but inside, Ray is quietly working his magic. He's super nice as well! And for $5, this large pile of fried Oreos (way too much for one person) was an awesome deal. I also had a bangin Oreo milkshake that was easily split between two people for only $5. I would come to the city just for this alone, and I am super jealous of all the people who live nearby. Actually, it's a good thing for my BMI that I don't. Thanks Ray, for making my life! read more

Nostalgia Beignets and a coffee at 2am after some drinks ..... What else can one ask for .....(keeping it PG) read more

Ray's Candy Store - More small zeppoles than beignets - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York

Pistachio soft serve was heaven. If you like soft serve come here!!!!! Run here!!!! 4 dollars well spent. I'll be back. read more

Ray's Candy Store - 4 dollars of heaven - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York

This place is awesome. It's like traveling back in time before gentrification was a thing. I've always believed that if a place looks crappy/old/rundown/plain (choose your adjective) but has been in business for a long time, there's a good reason for that. There are tons of places that have the best design and ambiance in the world, and they're closed after a year. Ray's is that place. It's cramped, the menu is just a bunch of pictures hanging on the wall and the service (literally just Ray) is slow because he's a one man show. All of that is completely irrelevant though because all you need to know is that the dessert is so good. We split ice cream, fried Oreos and beignets. Ray gave them to us fresh right out of the fryer in brown paper bags and we happily ate on the 1 train ride home. While you're waiting for your food, read the newspaper articles on the wall about him coming to the US and ultimately becoming a citizen. It's an amazing story to hear in the midst of all the other political BS we're subjected to everyday. read more

Ray's Candy Store - The "menu" - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York

Ray is adorable. I was so tempted to give him all of my money. I really liked the quote on his wall where he says, "I have no family. My customers are my family." It makes me so sad to see such an old man (he's 83) still working so hard but I'm also incredibly humbled by this man's work ethic and compassion. Ray knows almost every customer who comes in and genuinely seems to love his job and this store. I ordered the beignets, fried oreos and pistachio soft serve in a cup. While the pistachio ice cream didn't taste like pistachio, it was still good soft serve. The beignets and oreos were dope; I totally would come back for these. read more

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The food is good, but when I went I had to stand there for almost an hour after I ordered my food... The process of taking orders is so confusing because they don't write anything down, so I had to repeat my order like 5 different times. They take orders on Yelp but when I got there they told me they don't actually take orders on Yelp, so I had to reorder and wait for an hour for my food. read more

Run by an old gentleman, you can see his portrait proudly displayed on the wall. The place looks real old and captures and maintains the beautiful ambience of old school days. The guy is really nice and you can tell he works so hard to serve tasty treats to his customers. Had vanilla sundae with hot chocolate fudge and he wasn't kidding, as soon as you receive the cup you can feel the warmth of the fudge as it melts the vanilla soft serve immediately! It turns into vanilla soup but the coldness of whatever is left of the soft serve combined with the hot fudge is heaven! read more

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A New York gem. Plentiful portions for reasonable prices. This is true New York at its finest. The menu is extensive...I've had the ice cream and Oreos. Looking forward to going back to try other things! read more

I feel like an idiot that I've been in NYC for 7 years finding all the cool little hole in the wall spots and I've only now discovered Ray's. This Ray guy is the most adorable shop owner I've ever seen and his store is the most eccentric and dingy yet surprisingly charming I've ever seen as well. It feels like old NYC but in a good way. It's worth noting that one things I didn't see at Ray's Candy Store was candy. If you want candy and are in the area, go to Economy Candy. It's a little hard to decipher the offerings from the mosaic of photos cluttered on the back wall but the main draw of this place seems to be the fries, beignets, egg creams, and soft serve ice cream. I also saw signs for fried fish, oreos, and a couple other things. I stuck to soft serve and got pistachio (which seems to always be one of the flavors available here). It was $4 for a decent sized cup. It was the smoothest soft serve I've ever had, it was delicious. I'll definitely be back for more ice cream and the fries. I'm not a fan of egg creams (chocolate milk with seltzer water) but it's a NYC staple and according to many people, Ray's makes the best in the city. read more

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I've been wanting to try Ray's for a while and it lived up to the hype when I finally did. The East Village is saturated with trendy, instagram-worthy, and pricey ice cream joints. Ray's is rife with nostalgia for the classic, slightly dingy dessert shop. I came for ice cream but Ray's has much more to offer--the menu wall, decorated not with a hipster letterboard but rather with individually printed sheets of paper, and prices scrawled in permanent marker, boasts an impressive array of selections with no particular cohesion. You can get an ice cream cone, shrimp sandwich, chili cheese nachos, or fried Oreos. My ice cream cone was a classic twist with rainbow sprinkles, and was absolutely massive. I couldn't come close to finishing it, and at 5$, it was a steal. Next time I'll definitely have to try the fried Oreos or beignets--they looked heavenly. read more

Walking around Manhattan late night and was looking for a dessert place still open. Yelp led us here! Open 24/7! Small whole in the wall place ! Good selection of dessert sweets like ice cream, deep fried Oreos / twinkies , etc! I decided to go with a half n half (vanilla / chocolate ) swirl on a cone. It was really good and satisfied my sweet tooth! My friend went with the pistachio in a cup and she said it was really good too! read more

Ray's Candy Store - Half and half swirl on a cone ! - Desserts Near Me - New York, New York