THIS IS MY WORST REVIEW YET. Come here if you want weird vibes, warm drinks and terrible service. 0.8/10. read more

Cool drinks (named after famous Ray's!) Bumping beats--great music for millennials. My friend and I kept saying we'd leave because it was late, but the music was so good we kept saying "one more song." It gets busy--the pool table is fun! Cool decor, too. Service was good. read more

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The Best part of Ray's on Chrystie is when Xenia is working as a bartender. She's extreamly charming with an Excellent vibe who really makes this place that much better when She's working. The only time that I ever go to Ray's is when Xena's there. All the other nights pale in comparison. I'm so Thankful Xena has her day's off so I can get other things done in my life when she's not working. read more

I may be in the minority, but I love an upscale dive bar. I can't really put my finger on why, as it is such a blatant contradiction.... but one of my favorite terms is "the silence was deafening," so I guess it tracks. Ray's is leading the charge of the upscale dive bar from the front, like any good leader should. I do love the versatility of feeling like I'm in a no frills environment with sticky checkered floors and a pool table where I can get a beer and a shot ($12), but also get a bomb $18 espresso martini. Gotta stay flowy. I most recently came here for my big homies birthday, as he is known in our friend group as "Mr. Ray's." He has 12 different colored Ray's hats hanging on his walls, which is crazy. Ray's is like the Shellback of the Lower East Side. Real ones know. After shaking hands, kissing babies, and downing a couple tequila sodas he began to run that pool table like a prime Efren Reyes. The silence was deafening. IG @jnov_ Tiktok @jnov_reviews read more

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Always a great time. Can really fit any vibe whether you are looking for amazing bar food and a cocktail or a beer while playing pool.

Great spot. Peter provided unforgettable service! From start to finish, he was personable, attentive, and made sure we felt totally welcomed. His hospitality is unmatched and he really knows how to go above and beyond to create a memorable experience! You can tell he genuinely enjoys what he does. read more

exactly what its meant to serve as - casual fun night spot! its a really cool interior, love the theme and decor they have going on. it gets really busy. we got in at around 9pm and room was full within an hour. bartenders are really attentive and friendly. it serves as a great hangout spot and good end to a night! read more

Ray's - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York

We were on the waitlist for a restaurant up the street. The wait was over an hour, so we decided to wait here at Ray's instead. Much better! This was a perfect place to chill with a beer-and-a-shot. Nothing fancy. The bartender was friendly. They have a decent selection of beers. Ice cold and reasonably priced. We didn't try the food, but what I saw other people getting looked good. No complaints. read more

Such a fun vibe in here even on a Wednesday night. The 2 girls running the bar in Wednesdays were amaze too. Great music and a little bit of everything going on at this place. read more

Great dive bar with great music! Honestly some of the best fries I've had in a long time as well. The food menu is minimal but everyone said it hit the spot for a late night bite. Staff was friendly and attentive to our group! read more

Ray's - Best fries! - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Perfect late night dive bar. There is a Venn diagram in terms of hip dive bars that straddle the line between being cool and being gross. This hits perfectly in the center. The musty and dark bar is the perfect place to go for a nightcap or five before going to bed. The music and ambience are perfect for hiding in the corner and having drunken conversations, while other couples make out in booths around the place. I guess this has famous ownership that sometimes can be around, but we didn't see anybody. Instead we crushed Miller lights in the corner until it was time to pass out for the night. read more

Ray's - Beers - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York

Visited off peak on a Sunday. You walk in and hit the pool table. I thought I went in the wrong door. Burger was delicious. Dog was ripped. Fries were possibly salted and old bay'd, borderline too salty but good company for drinks. Bartender was nice. Insta party vibe brought me in but I was very happy to not find it when I was there. Just a regular every day normal mother pub(er). read more

Cute dive bar with a diner vibe. Cold beers on a beautiful day with some outdoor seating. Really neat spot. Would stop in again

Ray's is kinda like a dive bar with a Canal St Gucci belt on. The aestetic is divey but the prices are not. Greasy cripsy eats. Solid drinks. Nice staff. Pool tables. No complaints from me. Come on the earlier side if you want a seat, it got pretty full around 9! read more

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Jenna was super hospitable and fantastic accompanied by Lili who was an outstanding host for Pride

Your typical dive bar. You're not gonna know a lot of the creatures that may come in here, just embrace it for what it is, order your beverage in commingled if you shall Don't get bougie with your beer options. As the bartender looks like she knows what she's doing. Keep it cute with a basic old fashion or Margherita other than that pick your poison and order your seltzer Oh they have one pool table in the space which is always still up since I love to join in on pool games. No payment required. Respectfully put your set of quarters on the table if you want next. read more

Ray's - Rum and ginger beer - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York

If you want to be treated very rudely by the staff then I would suggest coming here. Great dive bar ambiance with nice bouncer but when I went to use the restroom staff was banging on the door and then proceeded to yell at me when I came out that she is entitled to the restroom since she worked there. Woman had black hair, white and was medium built. Please train staff better and reeducate staff. read more

The Romance is over. The staff here is still outstanding but, I legit can't afford this place. Perhaps I'm so accustomed to the normal price of a Miller High Life being $4 or $5. But the costs here pretty much cover the sort of patronage that is okay with a $15 well vodka. I really wanted my initial gesture about a place like this was needed in this part of town but I realized that it is in fact only the guise of a "Dive" seeing we are still charged accordingly to the cocktail bars nearby. Naturally with the aesthetic you'd figure it would be competitive pricing but I'm afraid I was sorely mistaken. Again the bar staff is awesome and I give them alot of credit with dealing with this last part of my bummer diatribe. The folks that go there are strait up the worst. I get it, it's celebrity owned. That doesn't necessarily bode it to be a good bar even if I like that fella * - - - Update to 1 star - - - * Buying 5 stars reviews with Burgers and Beers does not make one a good bar. ALSO, TAGGING & POSTING someone's personal IG is crossing quite the line. *** UPDATE TO Ø *** It's this "Dive Bar" a Taylor Swift theme bar now? This takes pandering to a whole new level. read more

At this point I've basically hoarded enough coasters from Ray's to turn my tiny 1br into Rays 2. Just waiting for the carpet guy to do the walls. There's like this community within Rays they're always hosting pop ups or sick events like the recent 'free tattoo' night. You can come here any day of the week and somethings happening. IYKYK. read more

Ray's - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York

People come here, because it's Justin Theroux's bar, but there honestly nothing to see here. It's just a standard dive bar that you're going to wait way too long to get in for. Once in there, it's super crowded and super no-frills. This place is probably fine if you're in your 20s and 30s and single. But I don't go to dive bars to wait in a line outside and get constantly jostled around inside. Plus, it's Manhattan. There are a million other bars you could go to within a few blocks. read more

Here we go again. This place is just simply... the WORST. What once was great and welcomed in the neighborhood is now sketchy AF and overwhelmingly unpleasant to be in. Don't bother. Really, truly, don't waste your time and money. read more

Used to love this place it was really charming but definitely not worth it anymore. The bouncers are some of the most disrespectful immature workers I've ever come across. I'd recommend going to one of the other 25,000 bars in nyc. The bouncers behave as though they're working the door of the box when they're really working at an overpriced sweaty dive bar. read more

There are a few bars in NYC that are so spectacular words can not describe them, and Ray's is one of them. Nestled in between SoHo and the Lower East Side, the coolest and truest New Yorkers can be found at this beautiful bar. Hands down one of my favorite bars in New York City. Long live Ray's! read more

Ray's - Long live rays - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York

He may have dumped America's sweetheart, Jennifer Anniston, with little pageantry--but Justin Theroux knows a thing or two about building out a cozy dive bar. New in the space vacated by Le Turtle, this new bar has '70s dive bar vibes that will have you scratching your head how it opened just four days ago. Muted wood paneling, orange banquette seats, and a great pool table are some of the standout decor items dotting the space. If you've been to Flower Shop on Eldridge, you'll notice a similar vibe. No cocktail menu to speak of--again, they're going for a dive bar aesthetic. But snag a High Life and enjoy what's likely to be a popular summer // fall destination in Lower East Side. read more

Cool dive bar scene , projector screen for movies or sports , a ppl table , and some loud music , I wanna say I think I remember the prices being a little high, or maybe the area , the two girl bartenders were super cool and on point , chill people and chill vibe, outside area (Covid outdoor seating) as well , either way pretty. lol dive bar spot to chill and have drinks read more

Saw a cockroach within 5 minutes of sitting down. no idea why there was a bouncer (who was rude) at 6pm in the evening but maybe their SLA license requires them to have one. either way, dressed like a dive but an obnoxious cool kids bar at heart read more

My roommate found this gem and really everything about it is great. It's definitely what I would define as a "themed" dive bar, but it's trendy and cute. The drinks are good, service is prompt for the most part. Location is good, prices are decent and they have a great atmosphere overall. This is the type of bar that I come to and always have a good time. Really, what's not to love about this place? The last time I came, they had even partnered with a food truck and were dishing out DELICIOUS pulled pork sandwiches. We will definitely come back to this spot. 4.8/5 read more

Ray's almost feels like you are crashing someone's house party, it seemed like everyone kind of knew each other? Very fun atmosphere, not impossible to get drinks at the bar and the music is great! read more

Dive bar reimagined qt this spot. Cool ambience coupled with bartenders that know their way around a NYC establishment makes for a winning combination. read more

The vibes are never anything short of impeccable. Seems like almost every time I go here, I head in expecting only to "begin" the night there but end up hanging around for hours longer than I had planned. Cool staff. Chill clientele. One of the best pool tables in Manhattan. Surprisingly good mozz sticks. Really a unique place. read more

Best bar in New York! Great staff great drinks ! Went with a few friends and everyone enjoyed their drinks and the environment!

I wish I could give this place a zero.. this guy, the bartender Jordan, is the worst bartender ever!! Ignored me for 10 minutes to continue a conversation with a girl, while 4 people in an empty bar waited for a drink. When I grabbed his attention finally, he threw my change at me! Tried to order a second drink, and he told me I was going to have a great evening then walked around the bar and pushed me out the door. The only I thing I said to him was "hey Jordan can I order a drink". No wonder this place is going under! read more

Ray's - Bartender - Dive Bars Near Me - New York, New York

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$9 for a Modello $15 for a well drink. I'm not someone who is typically bothered by "fake" dive bars, but this is the most egregious example I've ever been to. It's such outstanding BS. Decor, bartenders, music are all A+. Drink prices are just ridiculous. Concert/airport drinks are cheaper. read more

Way overpriced. Bouncer made us buy cookies before we could enter, not only was it not a fundraiser for any charity, the woman charged us 20 bucks for 3 cookies and had the gall to claim that was fair because it had Baileys in it. Overpriced beer inside too, really dont understand the hype. Just go to home sweet home, much better. read more

I wish I could write a good review of this place, but they don't care about their patrons at all. We'd been in the bar for a couple of hours before the bar staff came over and told us we had to leave because the owner's friends wanted the table we were sitting in! They're happy to take your money and then treat you like you're worth nothing just because their boss wants your table?! No apologies, nothing. The fact they feel like they can treat you like that, just shows that deep down they really don't care about you at all. They'll take your money as long as it suits them and that's all. There are so many other good bars in NY, with staff that treat you like a human, that are kind, fun, happy you're there, whereas these guys think you're nothing but money for them. That's all. It's such a cold way of running what should be a warm place. Have fun in NYC, just not here. You'll regret it. read more

I came here last week with a friend who is always on top of the "new hot bars and clubs". She had been talking about Ray's for a whole week, so we decided to check it out. The good: Our bartender was really nice. Super friendly and worked fast. The bad: I don't know how to explain this, but I've been to a lot of dive bars and there is something so totally fake about this one. Like they are TRYING to be a dive bar, but that's not how it works! It's fake in all ways shapes and forms. Like they're trying to buy "old". And you can't be a "dive bar" and charge $8 for a domestic beer that would cost $3 in a real dive bar. Conclusion: This is a pretend dive bar - phony and fake. read more

Save your time and money. Came here for a friend's birthday after work on a Friday. The space was small and way too crowded. The door man hassled two people that came directly from work because they had backpacks and the owner "doesn't like them". The vibes was off. Everyone was mostly shuffling around trying to move so people could get to the bar, bathroom or leave. Then half the people were trying to act like they didn't care that Justin Theroux (the owner) was in the corner but were all staring in that direction. Our party left after about 15 minutes. There are too many great bars in the area to waste your time on this one. read more

Dive bar selection with rooftop prices. I paid 7 dollars for a modelo, which was one of four or five beers they had. I'm not one to comment on decor, but this place is trying way too hard. Service was nice though. Just go to Fish bar a few blocks North of here. read more

The most disgusting, unprofessional and rude bar owner I've ever met in my entire life. I ordered chicken bites and I took one bite and noticed a funny taste. I split them open and it was DARK THIGH MEAT! I told the bar owner and he got extremely snappy and aggressive with me and cursed me out! The music sucked and the drinks were extremely watered down! read more

Best damn bar this side of the Mississippi! From bartenders to managers to clientele. Stop in for a beer, a shot and maybe hear a story or two. read more