Ray's Candy Store
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A nostalgic sweet shop in New York since 1974, Ray's Candy store offers soft serve, fried bites, and even hot dogs. It's 24/7 and the perfect spot to hit your sweet tooth craving any time of day. We got their soft serve and it was so yummy.
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!
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.
Ray's Candy Store isn't just a food stop -- it's a New York institution with powdered sugar on its knuckles. Located at 113 Avenue A, Ray's is where you go when your cravings overpower your common sense. Fried Oreos, beignets buried in sugar, fries, milkshakes, egg creams, chili cheese hot dogs... basically everything your doctor warned you about but your soul desperately needs. All served from a perfectly ramshackle counter that feels like NYC before it got polished and overpriced. People don't just love Ray's -- they love Ray. Born in 1933, former Iranian Navy, lifelong grinder, and the definition of a real New Yorker. Through the gritty 70s, the Tompkins Square Riots, 9/11, the pandemic -- Ray kept the lights on. When times got rough, the neighborhood raised nearly $50K to make sure he could keep doing what he's always done: take care of people. No matter the hour, you'll find NYU kids, neighborhood legends with face tattoos, punk rock lifers, and confused but happy tourists from Germany and Japan all packed in together. Ray talks to everyone. Gives directions. Takes photos. Tells stories. The man's in his 90s and still outworks most people half his age. Ray's is for bad days, broken hearts, late nights, brutal hangovers, or loving someone who doesn't love you back. You walk in hungry -- you walk out better. I went classic: chili cheese hot dog (elite), fried Oreos (dangerously good), and finished it off with his famous egg cream -- no eggs, no cream, just chocolate syrup, milk, club soda, and NYC magic. Everybody should have a Ray's memory. Go in. Talk to Ray. Eat whatever feels right. And appreciate one of the most beloved humans this city has ever had.
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.
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.
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
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.
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).
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
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.
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.
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,
15 years ago
Such a cute and awesome spot! It's such an old mom and pop store that makes you feels as if you traveled back in time. Once you enter the shop, there are a load of papers slapped against the wall of what they have to offer. It's pretty much a kid's dream. I mean, ice cream, milk shakes, waffles, fries, anything your kid name, it's pretty much there. I was so overwhelmed and too bad I already ate beforehand so all I can get was an ice cream and even that was huge! It's like a double size soft serve, but so good and satisfying. The fat kid inside me was literally jumping for joy. Ray's a great place to take anyone since it offers a bit of the old New York that was once there. This place is a must visit if you have time when visiting New York. read more
creamy, generous $4 vanilla-chocolate twist cone with rainbow sprinkles, served by the iconic man whose run the place for decades. like walking into a miniature carnival in a small town. welcome to one of the few places left that has it all: quick, delicious, cheap and run independently. 5 stars! read more
Angry at myself for not locating the East Village Ice Cream Shop, I happened upon this lone, somewhat bedraggled storefront. I had passed by it numerous times, dismissing it as any other place that sells hot dogs, fries, or shitty ice cream. Funny how I was dead wrong. My hankering for ice cream pressed on. Stepping inside, I was greeted with endless lists of flavors for egg creams, milkshakes, ice cream and frozen yogurt. Beyond all that, rotating hot dogs and a lone counter woman with a brassy but appealing attitude. I was excited. I ended up settling for the pistachio ice cream - just a small cup. What I was presented with was a coffee cup filled with enough soft-serve ice cream to engulf my head. I was astounded! And I only had to pay $3.50 - that's the beauty of it. I left feeling elated, and hypnotized by the electic green color of the quickly-melting ice cream. It was great - not overloaded with the taste of almond extract, and very mild. Consistency was smooth and easy, but regardless I couldn't get through half of it before I suffered the effects of food coma. I can't wait to return and get some peanut butter frozen yogurt with a hot dog. Whoo-ee! read more
7 years ago
Nostalgia Beignets and a coffee at 2am after some drinks ..... What else can one ask for .....(keeping it PG) read more
13 years ago
I was strolling down avenue A looking for somewhere, anywhere, when I saw Ray's Candy Store. I was brought in by the large picture of beignets (obviously). Upon walking in, I was a little turned off; the interior in no way resembles a five star restaurant, but instead is quaint and has that distinct "mom and pop" feel (which it is). The signs are handwritten and strewn about the walls in no particular order. The menu had a distinct carnival feel, consisting of waffle fries, fried oreos, hotdogs, milkshakes, and the aforementioned beignets. Literally the most unhealthy foods ever. Of course, though, this isn't somewhere you'd go everyday. I ordered a chocolate milkshake and the beignets. Both came in very large portions - I finished only about half of each, but they were not bad. The milkshake was one of the best I'd ever had (though admittedly I haven't actually tried milkshakes at many places) and the beignets were on point. All in all, despite its unassuming exterior, Ray's Candy Store is an excellent mom and pop shop that gives you a little taste of NYC. I definitely recommend going with friends and sharing though. read more
11 years ago
Lou Reed wrote a song called "EGG CREAM". Make mine vanilla please. All those tools giving this classic spot 1,2,3 stars is not a local, did not grow up in the city, and has no clue... You want old school Alphabet City grit, Ray's is your place. Ray's has been around for decades (40+yrs) serving up classic ny egg creams, icecream, candy, zeppolies (aka beignets), belgian fries, and other greasy fried snacks to the masses 24/7. Yeah it's a hole in the wall. Yeah it's NOT gourmet. Yeah it's old school. That's the point. Don't come here and expect gourmet anything.. If you want gourmet take yourself to some new fancy pants icecream shop and spend your big bucks there. "Truth, justice, and the comics" is what you'll get from Ray ;-) read more
5 years ago
RAY IS SOO CUTE AND nice ! I walked by and was like oh I found it and he was like "hi I love you" or something idk if I misheard. BUT LOVE the chocolate cream as the fried dough:0 the fries look amazing and SOO WORTH for only 5$ you get this HUGE portion of fries! Go visit this shop!! So cheap for what u get and also 24/7!! There is no tax . Very small shop so it's a grab and go! The soft serve is HUGEE def share it with someone ! Good service and junk food give it a go ! Also hotdogs if u don't want sweet stuff. 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
13 years ago
Not sure why this is called Ray's Candy Shop when they don't exactly sell candy ... but they sell delicious shakes, egg sodas, beignets, fried oreos, belgian fries, and soft served ice cream !!! I ordered the pistachio soft served ice cream ... the small was more than enough for two people to share !! Definitely try the beignets with powdered sugar on top, super crunchy & delicious. Ray is a really humble guy. I'm glad I found this little gem, and its also open 24/7 !! Weeeeeeeee :) read more
8 years ago
I came here with a couple of friends to see what the fuss is about regarding fried Oreos and beignets. They are BOTH DELICIOUS!! However the customer service could've been better. The cute girl with the short curly hair wasn't really pleasant... she was acting as if she didn't want to be there. She had a friend there.. that was standing there for a good twenty minutes talking about nothing. I wanted to take a picture in this cool spot and the friend didn't move ONCE. I really wish I could've met Ray now he seems like a cool guy. But that girl get better service read more
4 years ago
12 years ago
I've only gone here twice. The first time I got a small order of the deep fried Oreos to share with my boyfriend and his brother. We thought we'd be having 2 each since it's advertised as half a dozen but there was more! We were joking that it was the never ending bag because there was at least 9 in there. That night there was only one girl working. She was very nice and polite and she must have liked us to give us extra! (I guess she could have miscounted but I like to think she was being generous). Anyways, the deep fried Oreos were delicious. My boyfriend and his brother never had them before and they loved them. I've never had them that fresh so it was a sinful delight for me as well. Ooey and gooey in all the right ways! The second time I came, here there was a nice middle aged woman and Ray himself! It's crazy to see a man at Ray's age moving around a lot and taking orders. I thought that was really awesome. I ordered a chocolate soft serve in a cone. They give a good amount and even fill the cone up all the way! That's a pet peeve of mine! Getting to the bottom of the cone and having no ice cream down there. They did not disappoint. I'll definitely come back. Good desserts. Good prices. Good people. read more
11 years ago
Ray is way too adorable and sweet! I tend to love when stores seem more old-timey so the inner decor was definitely my taste! I had egg cream for the first time there! A woman was there with her son so my friend and I asked her what an egg cream was and ultimately, decided to try the chocolate egg cream! Addicting!! We also tried the beignets and they came out hot and so so good. Ray seems to really love his store and you can really tell from his spirit that he treats his customers very well so they just keep coming back. Oh and let me tell you, the amount he gives for the amount you pay is so so worth it. He is just too kind! My friend and I saw someone buy an order of fries and it was huge! Definitely coming back again and bringing a friend as well! :D read more
7 years ago
This place is really cute but tiny. I got the fried Oreos and beignets, but the Oreos were my favorite. I was expecting beignets reminiscent of cafe du monde in New Orleans but these were really small. Overall I like the nostalgia especially the painted storefront and the decorations inside. read more
5 years ago
7 years ago
It's a hole in the wall spot. The place is small, cluttered and a little dirty but everything on the menu is sooo good. Like...you can't go wrong. Any and everything thing you choose to eat will be legendary. You'll come back and when you do...the appearance of the place won't even be a consideration. read more
7 years ago
This is probably one of the most authentic candy stores in the city with all of its history but the best part is you can have just about anything fried. The fried Twix and apple rings are delicious and the egg cream is something you have to try. You can also get normal late night food here too read more
9 years ago
I love everything about Ray's Candy Store - especially the Black & White Egg Cream. So much, in fact, that i had three in two days. Great service, and the decor is just perfect. I love it in there. If i moved to NY, i would be so fat. But so, so happy! Love you, Ray's Candy Store! read more
11 years ago
Absolutely love it here. Ive been here on my first few dates with my spouse and came back to celebrate today for our anniversary. I love the cozy unique feel of the place. The egg creams are delicious.... Honestly, this has been a staple of the neighborhood according to him. Its been around for over 20 years and its still amazing. The way he described it to me when we first met is... 'its carnival food in a store' read more
6 years ago
8 years ago
5 star because they make food to please the people. Fresh cut fries Ice cream and and NY counter service!! Bare bones simple, they have something for everyone. Nuff said. read more
6 years ago
7 years ago
11 years ago
There's really not much good to say about this place. Ordered "beignets" lets face it they're just small zeppoles which I was really enjoying until I bit into a completely raw one. So deceiving until u bite into it and liquid batter comes out. Also got a peanut butter shake which was very large and not that great. Took about 3 sips and threw it out. Honestly I can't stop thinking about the fact that I ate raw zeppole batter. I had high hopes for this place and I feel bad because the sweet old man working there was so kind. But I won't be back. read more
5 years ago
5 years ago
11 years ago
I had the vanilla and chocolate swirl cone for $4. It's true, Ray does pile the ice cream on. It's definitely bigger than what the Mr. Softie ice cream trucks serve. However, I can't taste the difference between Ray's and the cones from the ice cream truck; to me, they taste the same. So I guess what I paid for was the extra amount of ice cream, which I couldn't even finish. Maybe I'll stop by next time I'm in the area to try the million other foods Ray sells! There's just about anything you could want to eat for dessert here! read more
5 years ago
More info about Ray's Candy Store
113 Avenue A
New York, NY 10009
East Village, Alphabet City
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(212) 505-7609
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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!
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