I've been going to Ray's Place for 50 years, which probably says more than anything else I could write in a review. There's something special about a place that can remain part of your life for that long. On this visit I went with the chili (which is a must with cheese and crackers), pickle fries and regular fries, and everything hit the spot. The chili was hearty and satisfying, the pickle fries were a great addition, and you simply can't beat the value. You can still come to Ray's, get plenty of good food, and leave feeling like you got your money's worth. Ray's has been a Kent institution for a reason. It's comfortable, familiar, affordable and filled with a lot of memories for me. After 50 years of visits, I'm still happy to walk through the door -- and I'm sure I'll be back again. read more

Solid 3.5 Rays always delivers. Whether it is their Clam Chowder on Fridays, the delicious locally sourced burgers, or the terrific Lasagne. Yes, it's a bar, but family quality dining up till 8pm or so. Then, it's a college bar. Today was Clam Chowder and a Octoberfest (actually, Thirsty Dog Barktoberfest). You can't beat the beer selection (tap). Good place, good food, good beverages. read more

Ray's Place - Clam Chowder, Barctoberfest beer. - American Near Me - Kent, Ohio

I dined here with a friend recently and had a good experience overall. This quintessential college town bar has a charmingly rough aesthetic which is pretty much what I want when I think "college bar." It has wooden booth seats, is dimly lit and contains mostly down to earth patrons of all ages. The service was prompt and our server was pleasant. My friend ordered a grilled cheese with fries and thought it was good overall (nothing spectacular). I really enjoyed my chicken gyro mostly because I couldn't detect dill in the cucumber sauce that it came with, and I really dislike dill which is often in tzatziki sauce. read more

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My friend and I stumbled upon this place while walking around Kent one evening. On a Monday night, most other places were closed, but Ray's Place was open.. The interior is warm and inviting and has the feel of a cozy pub. There's a large amount of seating, including a bar, tables, and booths. The menu is mainly just basic pub fare, including apps, sandwiches, soups, and salads. My friend tried the chicken Gyro and I ordered a grilled cheese and fries. Nothing fancy, just a quick evening meal. Our server was friendly and attentive. The food was just OK, nothing spectacular if I was in the area and looking for a place to pop in for a drink, I may come back, but it wouldn't be on the top of my list. read more

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Ray's is the place to be for a fun night out! It's a good spot to go out if you want to grab a couple of drinks with friends, play a game of pool, or meet new people. They also offer food but I've never had anything from their food menu before. All the bartenders and staff are really nice and pretty efficient for how busy it can get. When you first walk in, there are a bunch of tables, some booths, and obviously the bar. One of my favorite things about Ray's is that they have a shot wheel. When it's your birthday, you get a free shot from the shot wheel. There are all kind of flavors, some great, and some pretty bold. But that's the fun of it. Also, there is a second floor with another bar. There are more tables to sit and pool tables as well. Overall, it's a great vibe and I love to start my night out at Ray's. read more

Great food and service. Waitress was attentive and checked up on us. Good place to catch a game! read more

Food is a bit expensive. Burger was overcooked. Fries so salty could barely eat them. Draft list long, and lots of great selections. Bartenders aren't very attentive unfortunately and a big delay in getting refills or food service. It's a very small place, and it's a nice environment. But maybe we just went at the wrong day or time. read more

Very good food, the environment is fun and inviting, and the service is very quick and efficient, along with everyone being very professional and nice. It is very popular, so plan to carpool or be ready to park far away. There is an extensive menu and large interior (much bigger than it seems from the outside), but a fairly small parking lot read more

We were in town for a concert and decided to stop by Ray's for a late lunch/early dinner. Ray's is a super casual townie bar. Service was quick and friendly. They offer a good variety of local beer options as well as old standards. My husband ordered the cheeseburger and onions rings. They were great, he said the burger tasted fresh off the bbq! I ordered the poutine fries - the serving is more than enough to share with a group and oh was it good. The meat was smoky and delicious and the fries were crisp- so good. We would definitely recommend Ray's and return if we're in town! read more

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Love rays! The servers are really funny and nice. The food comes out quickly and is good quality. Love the family friendly vibes.

The food is always a hit! You have to go before the kitchen closes and just know it's delicious. The drinks here are great and they are known for their Long Island Ice Teas. Highly recommend. Bartenders are friendly and it's a great bar. read more

Went to Ray's for the first time this week. We shared a large rack of ribs. Really fantastic. Friendly service, very moderately priced. We will definitely be back. Only thing less than 100% was the noise. Because of the brick walls, the noise reaches cacophony levels. Highly recommended. read more

I love this pub. Good food, friendly bartenders and a great beer selection. They always have a large number of tap handles with a good mix of beer. Drink specials are posted and we saw many head out during our stay at the bar. We split an order of smoked wings with a dry Jamaican jerk seasoning. Perfectly cooked: crunchy yet soft chicken inside. Definitely would order again. New is that the street in front has been blocked off so there's plenty of places to sit outside with your drinks. Nice! A good alternative to the regular indoor seating. read more

Ray's Place - American Near Me - Kent, Ohio

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Drove the family to Kent to pick up my daughter for family dinner night. We hadn't had a family night out in a while, so I decided to make the trip. Upon arrival, Ray's was packed, but we waited 15 minutes and were seated. Our waitress was fast and friendly. Our drink orders were taken and drinks were delivered quickly. For dinner, I went with something I've never had before at any restaurant - a meatloaf sammich. I also requested a 1/2 southwest salad. My son requested a pulled pork sammich and fries, my daughter requested chicken wings, and my wife, a cubano pita. We watched some NCAA tournament games while we waited for our food, which was delivered in a reasonable amount of time, considering how busy the restaurant was. My southwest salad was tasty. My meatloaf sammich was very good. It had a good flavor and texture, and was served on toasted bread. I'd order it again. We were pleased with our meal and it wasn't very expensive. Next time we're in the area, we'll stop by again. Oh, and it wasn't full of college kids, even though it's right next to Kent State. It was full of local patrons. read more

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Had lunch for 24 people this past Sunday. Management and staff were amazing. They were attentive and very considerate. The food was delicious as always. The perfect place to celebrate the family member we lost. She LOVED their burgers so it was only appropriate many of us had one in her honor. Can't thank the staff enough!!! read more

This busy busy place is loud and bustling with folks! I wasn't comfortable because barely a mask was on and we were a foot away from strangers in the midst of COVID so I kept my mask on most of the time, but we enjoyed our food. Nothing much is low cal or a healthy option but what BBQ place is going to be! The ribs were fall off the bone tender, the onion rings were big and crispy, the fries were french (LOL) , the shredded pork was piled high with 2 sauces and the meatball parmesan was saucy and cheesy! Overall, a great smoky smelling spot for KSU families! read more

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Based on only a turkey Reuben , grilled without bread, since that was the only gluten free option. Fries were tasteless and looked like old oil was used.... Very brown and not crispy. Service was fine and ambiance was typical sports bar atmosphere, with some TVs playing. read more

Been going here since I was a kid. All of the specials are immaculate works of art. The chili is legendary and the same for decades and decades. The meatloaf is amazing. Burgers destroy the competition elsewhere. Belgian style fries are as good today as they were over forty years ago. Skip the hype elsewhere in town and give these people your money. read more

Ray's Place - Belgian fries with meatloaf special - American Near Me - Kent, Ohio

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My recent experience was horrific. Upon arrival we were barely greeted by the hostess and she pointed us to a table with no menus. After waiting for quiet some time Our food was cold and the fries were still frozen. I used to be proud of our home town restaurant but the lack of respect for customers made it clear they have lost what made them the place to go. Consider new management read more

There were no gluten free options when I went and they refused to allow me to bring in food. I sat and watched 11 other people eat for several hours. Should have reported them for discrimination. read more

I love Ray's burgers. They have a lot of add on options and it's always cooked to perfection. That is all I get from Ray's. I've tried other dishes a was disappointed so I stick with what they do well. I do wish they would do carry outs but they don't. read more

Great food. Excellent wings. Didn't go during busy time and service was just ok, had to go to the bar to get a refill on my beer.

Good bar food Loud atmosphere but friendly always busy worth the wait for a casual dinner experience read more

The bartender was friendly and attentive. We got a spot at the bar and ordered wings. I've never been served wings as bad as this in my entire life. They were hard and leathery and chewy. They tasted like beggin strips or something. I felt like I was going to break my teeth. The group barely finished 1/4 of our wings before being thoroughly disgusted and in shock. The bartender said nothing. We laughed it off and got pizza later but I am still in shock that this is something that they think is special or even edible? They were worse than the worst fried wings Ive ever had. Really shocking that people think they are good. read more

This was a great find! Andrew was an excellent waiter - very quick and polite and attentive. Other employees checked in on us too. Beverages refilled quickly. My husband loved the spicy shrimp, said it had a great flavor and the bread with it was really good. The fries were just ok. The burger and fish were good. Bathroom very clean. Parking on the street was free on Sunday. We liked the ambience. Cute area of town. read more

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4 stars = will be back. Rays is old school Kent and has been here longer than I have been alive. Food is good, pastrami made on premise. Try the Blue Moon. Service is efficient and pleasant enough. Atmosphere is local hole in the wall, college town bar and restaurant. read more

Ok, this joint is legit. Was in Kent for my oldest son's orientation/overnight right of passage. The wife and I ended up at this bar midday. She had the Reuben sandwich. It was great. I had the stuffed gourmet burger and it was life-changing. These people stuffed high quality beef with mushroom duxelle (yeah, the concoction you encase beef Wellington in) and topped with caramelized onions and bleu cheese. There was also a hint of balsamic vinegar. Incredible. I sipped a local hazy IPA and we split a hefty basket of fries. The kitchen isn't playing around here. Looking forward to dropping my newly minted collegiate scholar off in a few months to visit again. read more

Entree: Chicken Parm Sandwich w/fries My first couple of bites were really good. It was juicy and had a lot of sauce and cheese which I love!! However the next bites after that were a little dry. If the chicken wasn't overcooked it would be delish. It think it just went a little too long. The fries were undercooked and a little cold. Overall: It was ok Return Visit: I am willing to give it another try. Cost: $ #letseat #clevelandfoodie #akronfoodie #akron #food #lovetotrynewfood #akronohio #akron #tremont #foodporn #foodie #akronfoodie #akron #food #lovefood #cleveland #tremont #northside #akronsfinest #columbus #germanvillage #germanfood #cantonfoodie #kentfoodie #kent #ohio read more

Ray's Place - Chicken Parm Sandwich - American Near Me - Kent, Ohio

Hoppin' happening bar and grill. Food is really super good. Service is amazing. Literally everyone who works here hustles. Price point is good. Beer selection fabulous. Wine selection good. Great Bistro in Kent. So fun and good win win. read more

First time at Ray's Place, but it won't be the last. Poutine fries were delicious! Equally as tasty were the following items~ *brisket sandwich *blue moon sandwich *finger wrap The service was terrific, and the price was reasonable. read more

We went for dinner and it was worth the wait time! By the time that we were seated, we knew what we wanted and ordered right away. My son ordered the ribs with fries, my daughter ordered the pulled pork sandwich with fries, my husband and I both ordered the blue cheese burger with fries. All of the food was delicious with great flavors! For dessert we ordered the key lime pie and my son and daughter shared it and said that it was good. I'd definitely recommend this place for lunch or dinner! read more

The place is small. We've never been able to get a table. We lucked out. The food was absolutely delicious. It is kinda dark inside. But the ambiance is great. Service was top notch! Will be back! read more

Food - Pastrami Sandwich was awesome. Fresh cut fries were good but not hot. Service - Very Good Ambiance - As expected pub/tavern atmosphere read more

Came here on a Sunday evening to catch the game and grab dinner. Fairly sparse crowd as you'd expect for a Sunday night, but plenty of tvs which made it easy to watch. Great variety of beers available at reasonable prices. Their flight deal (4 5oz beers costs however much the most expensive of the 4 as a pint is) is one of the best values I can remember. Nachos were tasty, nice serving size for the price, but nothing to write home about. The stir fry was much better than you would expect from a sports bar! All the veggies were well roasted, the chicken wasn't too dry and the Szechuan sauce went nicely with all of it. Overall, chill place to catch a game with a wider array of food options than the appearance would lead you to believe. read more

Ray's Place - Ray's Stir Fry with Grilled Chicken and Szechuan Sauce - American Near Me - Kent, Ohio

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Loving this place. Lunch. Very friendly staff, great food, and great place! Love the view and the walk to get here. Right downtown, but you can wander around and bump into things, to work up an appetite. Daily specials, beer and food. The menu is killer. Just pretty darn happy right now, all due to this place. Thank you Ray's! read more

There are a lot of things I like about this place. I like how there is an upstairs and downstairs! It has a rustic aesthetic and I love the drinks. A bit on the pricier side, along with the food. I ordered the stir fry with shrimp which came to about $15. It was super good! And I had leftovers the next day. There were a couple other things I want to try. My only complaint is I wish there were more vegan or seafood options. This place is one of my favorites to go to in Kent. I like going upstairs with a friend! read more

Ray's Place - American Near Me - Kent, Ohio

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First visit yesterday. Nice friendly place, waiter was friendly & informative, good menu (both food & beer). I don't see poutine offered very often, so i got the poutine fries. Portion somewhere between large and enormous, the pulled pork & fries were VERY good, and the cheese held it all together. Will be back to surf the menu. At home, tweaked the remains of the poutine, added a handful of horseradish cheese curds. Worked well. read more

A little bit loud, BUT overall wonderful place! Absolutely delicious, homemade everything!! It's a bar, so makes sense. I got the Mustard Seed 2.0 and a side of French Onion Soup, both we're super filling and absolutely delicious. Classic place to go in Kent and wonderful selection of beers on draft, too! Enjoyed an Oktoberfest. Mussels and Pickle fries as an appetizer, yummy! Super delish seasoning on the food, and the French onion soup was absolutely perfect. Definitely a cute, traditional place to visit while in Kent! read more

Rays is always great. The menu is varied, the beers available on draft are always interesting and several are local. It's often loud, loads of hard wood walls bouncing the sound around. But, the food is tasty and the prices are reasonable. College student, parent, grandparents are all welcomed and present when I've been there. read more

Awesome beer selection, amazing food, good vibe. Highly recommend this place. It's very clean and well maintained as well