Ray’s Place

The first time I ate here, I think I was one. I'm thirty seven at the time of this review. There's a reason they've been around since my grandparents were kids. Every time I'm back in town, I try to make time for a bite here. Good place for families until about 9pm. Starts to get rowdy with college students after that (I used to be one of them). Last time, the game was on too loud to hear my folks, but they kindly turned it down for us. Besides that, the changes I've seen Ray's go through have been for the better overall. Great crew. Huge pub fare menu with the staples and quite a few veg options. Lots of good beers from around the country. Hope to return before too long.

Amazing people! We walked in and right away offering us free food. That’s was grilled in the back. Ray, is the man that owns the bar. He has been is business ever since the year 1984. Him and his son run this cute place . Everyone there was so nice and so sweet. Met his brother and a wonderful lady, who filled us in on all the good spots. If your liking for a spot just to get a few beers and have great Conversation, this is one spot for you.

Food was amazingly hot and fast despite how slammed it was on a Friday night. Waitress was on point the entire time and super nice. She wasn’t impatient when I asked whether the brisket was fatty that day and went and asked for me. I got the brisket sandwich with the pepper cream cheese, pickled onion and bbq w/ a side of jerk fries. My husband had the pita cheese steak special. We both loved our meals and I had enough meat on my sandwich I could pull some off and have another sandwich for lunch today.

Ray's Place continues to be a community staple. The classic restaurant offers all the American Bar classics to the best level. On my trip, my group ordered a Burger with the works, Hot Wings, Taco Salad, and a Chicken Wrap. The taco salad and wrap were fine, but the burger and wings were incredible. The wings are a standout, especially when compared to other wings served at restaurants in the area. When in Ray's, you feel like you are eating a meal where people have eaten for decades. I too hope to eat here for decades as well.

I ate and drank a lot of beer here when I was in college at Kent State in the late 70's. Looks a lot different today. Brought my son here who is now going to Kent State. The food was delicious, the service was great and the atmosphere was comfortable. A little surprised that the crowd was mostly middle aged and some students.

I took a chance with this restaurant due to the rating even though it was a bar in a college town. I was not surprised by the sit where you want and the tables being ajar as if there had been a college party the night before. I guess the word I would use to describe the experience is sticky. The table was sticky which I overlooked and used the wipes I carry to clean it. I saw a dirty rag laying on the counter and another in a servers pocket. We were about to leave but a sever came over. We ordered the mushroom appetizer that was good and was 2 regular size and 2 small stuffed mushrooms for 10.50? Kinda steep. The cuban my date had was good. I had the corn beef which was a little greasy with thick sliced corn beef with some fat on it which I removed. The sandwiches were priced ok but they should have given you at least chips with them. The floors were also sticky as if they didn’t clean up from the night before and it was hard to walk around. The bartender had a long beard that that he should have had a hair net on.

It’s a bar in a college town and they’re doing their best! lol. We did go on a busy Friday and it seemed only 1-2 guys were waiting tables and trying to run the bar. With that said, they did great! The food was all so delicious! Nice place! Service being a little slower let us talk and catch up a lot more ♥️

We were told to give Ray’s Place a try and sure are glad we did. French Onion Soup and Chili were delicious, as was the cheeseburger and Ruben. Friendly and fast service. Great place to stop for a good bite.

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!

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!

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

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.

Visited on a Friday evening and there was a wait. We were finally seated in a booth in the back, next to a large party. Service was slow and the table next to us, meant for 8, quickly got up to 13 and started adding people to booths around us. Eventually it was so loud and we constantly had people standing at the end of our table talking, it was not an enjoyable meal. We had to ask the server 3 times for a glass of water and the meals took over 30 minutes.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

The food is very good and service is excellent it's a bar atmosphere I don't drink alcohol, but I still go for the food

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.

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.

Cool college atmosphere bar with friendly staff and great wings (got the smoked wings with Cajun dry seasoning). Fiancé had the chicken salad and said it was excellent. Will definitely be back again.

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.

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!

Delicious food! Only reason it doesn't get a 5 star is because it tends to be really cramped...however that's due to how great the food is! I've never had an issue with service. Definitely a kent staple and has been mentioned on Food Network during the favorite eats show!

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.

Nothing better than the old town ambience of Ray's Place! You just have to go there, and participate in the experience!

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.

Great Food - Great Service - No Crossdressers Every time I am there the food is great and the service is with a smile!!

Service was great; food was abundant but not exceptional. Pub fare with an emphasis on quantity not quality. Noisy atmosphere in this sports bar/college watering hole on the riverfront. Indoor & outdoor dining available.

I've been coming to Ray's place since college. It's always a good time and I always know what to expect. It's a Kent classic! There's a good mix of college kids and older adults. They ID at the door of course. There's a bunch of tables and booths inside - they easily accommodate bigger groups! There's also a bar inside as well. The bathrooms are also typically clean and well stocked, which is better than a lot of other bars in the area! The biggest thing they're known here for are Long Jsland Iced Teas - it's like their classic. They're $4.50 a glass. I'm a big beer drinker and they have a pretty extensive draft list, with a ton of local breweries, which is really great. If it's your birthday, they they have a fun wheel that you can spin for a free shot :) it's super fun. As for the food, it's pretty good! It's a lot of bar food fare, like sandwiches, burgers. onion rings, fries, etc. I'm never disappointed here, got onion rings the other night and it was pretty solid! My friend had a Reuben and really enjoyed it as well. As for parking, there's street parking available as well as public free lots nearby. I would highly recommend coming to ray's place to meet some friends, I always have a good time!!

Must say, I hadn't been to this landmark since I was in high school! (Different era). Stopped in with some friends and, for the first time ever, ordered food. I wasn't that hungry, so all I had was a quesadilla, which was pretty good. Very good draft selection, too - I had an Oberon - and friendly service. Two friends liked their burgers but complained that the fries were far too greasy. Get there early, however, as the place fills quickly, even on a weeknight.

Whenever I visit Kent, Ray's Place is a 'must' to visit at least once for lunch. I've never been disappointed here. The burgers (all versions) are great; the fries are great. They have an impressive array of beers-on-tap. Ray's is located down by the river in a quaint part of town, so after lunch plan to go for a stroll across the bridge and down to the river.

Rude service. At least have the decency to acknowledge customers who walk in. We were told the kitchen was open until 9:30 but they were not serving food at 8:45. Oh well

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!

Been going there since '77. Great atmosphere and great beer selection. The food has always been great but ever since I tried the smoked pastrami sandwich I can't eat anything else. One of the handful of food items on earth I eat very slow cuz I want it to last as long as possible...

Great food. Strong drinks. Nice people. It is a college bar.. so pick your arrival time wisely.. if you're there for a night out go late late. If your planing on eating. Your gonna want to go a bit earlier in the evening to make sure you get a seat.

Was told kitchen closes at nine so I changed my club time to earlier one , brought my club members in and one of my members was told at 8:40 the kitchen was closed. I asked young man in kitchen why and he just stared at me. I also was not asked if I wanted a drink so as a waiter walked by, I held up my hand to get his attention. He finally arrived in front of me and I asked again why the kitchen was closed so early and he asked if I wanted to see the manager, I said yes. She and I had a good discussion and she apologized and asked me to call when my club was going to come to Rays for dinner. I was satisfied with her and her response, not so much for the waiter and kitchen crew. I got my own beer at the bar.

Good service and good food. The jerk fries! Wings! Ribs! Excellent place to go for good food, drinks and good time

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!

Pat was the best! Such a nice guy and super good service. Get the pig rub fries when you go or else you're missing out!!!

I've been eating (and drinking) at Ray's for decades now, and I can't believe it's taken me this long to leave a review. The food here is absolutely excellent. Of course, you're getting bar food (e.g. sandwiches, wings, fried food, etc.), but the quality is better than any around. We've even had our shop's Christmas party here upstairs (pre-pandemic), and they did a bang up job with a large group. This is a Kent staple and a must visit. Pro Tip: Order something that comes off of the smoker (e.g. wings, pastrami, bbq). Yes, they have one and smoke daily. You won't regret it!

The best burger ever! I was kind of bummed out because Sunday they wouldn't take any carry out orders. They said it was too busy for pick up orders which seemed strange to me, to turn down business because I didn't want to dine in?? Most places will take the order and caution that it's going to be an hour or so before it's busy. But anywho by the next day I had forgiven them and placed a take out order for the mo fo burger and fries. I'm so glad I did because it was GREAT!

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.

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!

If in Kent, a must to visit. I can't say I've ever had anything bad to eat here. Great beer selection and big menu. Something for everyone! I'm

Love this place!! Great food and service!! We've eaten here hundreds of times and have never been let down!

It's pretty noisy during busy times but the wait staff are amazing and the menu is varied and good. I can honestly say I've never had a bad meal there. Can recommend the Cuban and the Reuben as well as any of the burgers. Nice selection of beers on tap and in the bottle.

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!

Ray's is one of our "go-to" favorites. Food and service is always good. Great selection of drinks and food.

Good food and good atmosphere! Good size portions, clean tables and booths .. love to visit again

Just a regular ol' bar. Sports on the TV and decent music playing. VERY friendly bartenders. Menu is normal bar food with a twist, they have things like hummus, stir fry, and dumplings. My favorite thing on the menu is the smoked wings. I get them hot every time (and you HAVE to get them smoked) They're a Ray's Place favorite and for sure a go-to of mine. They taste absolutely spectacular and the meat just falls right off the bone Everything else on the menu is average, not much more to say.

As a bar, it's 5 stars. Ray's is quintessential Kent. Great classic atmosphere, always good service, open late. If you've never been to Kent, it's a must stop for a drink. I'm at about 3 stars for the food. I've eaten here a lot, because it's where everyone always wants to go, but it's incredibly hit or miss for me. I'm usually more excited to drink here than eat. The good: The smoked pastrami sandwiches are a must try, loads of smoky flavor. The mussels appetizer is top notch, way better than you'd expect from pub food. If you get the pulled pork sandwich, they give you a heaping pile of meat. I got a gourmet burger once and thought it was really tasty. The fried pickles and the sauce that come with them are great. I've also always enjoyed the garlic finger wrap. The bad: I hate wasting food, but I don't think I even finished the meatloaf. It's a savory (gravy) rather than sweet (ketchup/ bbq) meatloaf, and tasted like something out of a TV dinner. Maybe it was just that day, and was made a few days before and just re-heated, but not good that particular time. My wife ordered a burger yesterday. They never asked how she wanted it cooked, and it came out with hockey puck consistency, and taste. People love the wings, but I've had bad luck. They were fatty and rubbery when I tried them. The weird: The fries. Sandwiches don't come with fries, you have to order them separately, which is fine. But a single order is $4.75, and it comes in a basket that serves like 4 people. That's great if you want to share, but if you're just a person that wants some side fries, it's expensive and excessive. If you get a $6 basket, I'd imagine it feeds 10-12 people, I'm joking, sort of. The jerk fries are great and have a good kick. The suns stix (sweet potato) are good when cooked normally, but I've had them either totally burnt or underdone enough times to avoid them.

Ray's is Ray's, hasn't changed too much, yet still seems to update with the times. Good quality bar food and great beer selection.

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

I've only been to rays for the drinks which are absolutely amazing! Definitely suggest the Long Island iced tea! But the food was absolutely awful! I got the atomic burger which was super bland. Also the fries were super overdone and I ended the night feeling sick for hours! Definitely will stick to just drinks!

An icon of the Kent scene. Above average bar fare, decent drinks. I wouldn't make a special trip there just for the food, but as I stated earlier it is an icon of the Kent scene and must be experienced. ... Oh, the staff is fantastic

I have been going to Rays Place since the 90's when I was a college student. I have watched it evolve from a simple town bar with good food to a fantastic all around restaurant. They have a great selection of alcohol and the menu is a perfect mix of bar type food and great meals. I have to admit my favorite has always been the max the knife sandwich and you can't say no to their fresh cut French fries. Also, it's pretty famous. If you ever find yourself in Kent, Ohio, you must stop in to say hello and have a few pints. Don't forget to pick up a t-shirt, you'd be amazed how wide you can travel the world and have people ask you about it!