Father’s Day Specials June 18-20, 2021!

Get out and celebrate Dad this Father’s Day!

Join us June 18-20 in the Cafe and Boathouse for tempting Father’s Day specials created by our Executive Chef Kevin Murray and crew. Pair it with a Ballard beer or special cocktail to treat Dad!

Boathouse

  • Steak & Cake 4oz filet mignon, crab cake, hollandaise, triple cooked wedge potatoes, broccolini
  • Tom Kha Alaskan King Crab Knuckles scallion, thai basil, pickled serrano chiles

Café

  • Grilled Pork Chop Anson Mills white grits, grilled red cabbage, red eye gravy
  • Whole Fried Rockfish tomatillo salsa, escabeche, flour tortillas

Our first floor Boathouse is open from 5-9pm on Father’s Day Weekend (June 18-20) and is accepting reservations online for the indoor dining room. The Cafe dining room and patio is open at 11:30am for walk-ins only. Both restaurants’ patios are seated on a first come basis, weather pending.

We look forward to seeing you and the fam then!!

New! Virtual Wedding Tours at Ray’s

Weddings are returning to Ray’s in 2021 and looking ahead to 2022! If you or someone you know is looking for a stunning wedding experience we have created a series of virtual tours that highlight different elements of our gorgeous Northwest Room venue and catering offerings.

View our five virtual tours including a Ray’s Virtual Wedding Overview followed by close ups that explore the following: 

Ceremony
Northwest Room Tent
Northwest Room
Dance Floor

These are sure to spark wedding daydreams and create inspiration for your big day! Please contact our Catering Team to book your date today at rayscatering@rays.com.

You can also explore our Weddings page for menus, photos, floor plans, FAQs, and more!

Welcome Back to The Boathouse!

We are thrilled to once again be serving you in The Boathouse!

Come enjoy your favorite fresh Northwest seafood dishes, award-winning wine program and the best scenery in Seattle every Wednesday-Sunday from 5-9pm.

Reservations are now available for our main level indoor dining room. Our outdoor deck is not available for reservations and is seated on a first come basis, weather pending

Take a peek at highlights from The Boathouse’s reopening menu below and view the full menu here.

Razor Clams panko crusted, crispy fried, Thai tartar, basil
Applewood Grilled Sablefish Sake Kasu quinoa, yuzu dashi, carrots, edamame, bok choy, Shiitake mushrooms
Grilled Wild Alaskan King Salmon garlic & rosemary duck fat roasted potatoes, grilled WA asparagus, dill beurre blanc
Pacific Northwest Halibut cauliflower purée, snap peas, wild mushrooms, pea vines, hazelnuts, parsley vinaigrette
Dungeness Crab Cakes fried green tomatoes, sweet corn purée, green onions, hollandaise
Seared Oyster Mushrooms capers, kale, rice pilaf, Calabrian chili, miso, micro arugula
Penn Cove Clams tom kha broth, pickled serrano chilis, green onions, scallion oil grilled baguette

We’ll see you soon!

Mother’s Day Dining at Ray’s May 9, 2021!

Update: Mother’s Day reservations are sold out at this time but we will be accepting walk-ins for outdoor dining May 9, weather permitting!

Treat mom to gorgeous water and mountain views at Ray’s Café this Mother’s Day, Sunday May 9! We’re offering our full Café menu alongside a special Spring-inspired, 3-course plated menu available from 11:30am-9pm.

Reservations are strongly encouraged and available for groups of 6 or less (including children and infants). Reserve online today before we fill up!

Mother’s Day Menu
choice of one item under each course

Starter:
Ray’s Clam Chowder, Caesar Salad, or special Mother’s Day Salad

Entrée:
Seared Albacore jasmine rice, grilled broccolini, chili spiked ponzu, micro green/shaved fennel salad, scallion oil
Herb Marinated Sirloin smoked tomato jam, roasted garlic whipped potatoes, grilled Washington asparagus, demi glacé
Roasted Spring Vegetables baby carrots, Washington asparagus and wild mushrooms, ramp risotto, pickled ramps

Dessert:
Crème Brûlée, Strawberry Shortcake, Sorbet, or Ice Cream

Full children’s menu available

Pricing for the special 3-course menu is $55 (beverages, tax, gratuity not included) and is only available for dine-in at the Café. Reservations accepted only for Mother’s Day Sunday, May 9 for groups up to six people (including children and infants). Dining available indoors by reservation; covered and heated tent and/or uncovered outside seating weather permitting.

No Happy Hour or promotional discounts available on May 9, 2021. Loyalty cards accepted and encouraged!

Easter Sunday Dining at Ray’s Cafe

Marking our first reservation event since reopening the Café dining room (and takeout) earlier this month, Ray’s Café is delighted to announce our Easter holiday, Sunday, April 4, 2021. In addition to offering our Café menu on Easter, we’re extending a special three-course plated menu with choice of one under each course:

Soup or Salad Starter
Soup du jour
Ray’s Classic Chowder
Caesar Salad
Spring Pea Salad 

Entrée
Pan Seared Rockfish, rice pilaf, grilled asparagus, sautéed mushroom medley, chive beurre blanc
Grilled Sirloin, twice baked potato, broccolini, demi-glace
Vegetable Coconut Curry, somen noodles, fresh herbs, lime, chili oil, scallion oil (V, GF)

Dessert
Seasonal Berry Crisp
Brownie
Olympic Mountain Creamery Sorbet
Olympic Mountain Creamery Ice Cream
Pricing for this special menu is $55 (dine-in only; beverages, tax, gratuity not included).Reservations

  • We will be offering plated meals including our Café greatest hits menu, our Easter three-course pre fixe, and our children’s menu for those 11 years of age and younger from 11:30am – 9pm.
  • We will not be offering a buffet.
  • We are accepting reservations for inside dining on Easter Sunday April 4th for groups up to a maximum of 6 people including children and infants. Reservations can be made here.
  • If upon arrival you decide you’d like to sit outside we will cancel your inside reservation and add you to the end of the waitlist.
  • Guests arriving without indoor reservations will be offered our covered and heated tent and/or uncovered outside seating, weather pending.
  • Please be timely for your reservation as we are not allowed any lobby space to hold guests.
  • We do not offer happy hour and do not honor any promotional discounts on holidays.
  • We continue to be walk ins only on non-special event holidays.
  • Loyalty cards are accepted and encouraged!

Book your Easter table online or by calling 206.789.3770

We’re Back! March 3 Reopening

Ray’s Café will open for dine-in service at 25% capacity and for takeout service on Wednesday, March 3! The deck will also be open, so join us on a walk-in basis for the views you’ve missed and the food you crave.

 

We’ll be waiting for you with such classics as our Seared (Oregon) Albacore Cobb Salad, the Blackened Neah Bay Rockfish Sandwich, our quintessential Grilled Wild Alaskan King Salmon, the ginger-aromatic Vegetable Coconut Curry, and our beloved Steak Frites. View the full menus online; dine-in or order takeout beginning March 3.

Please note, cloth face coverings are required anytime guests are not seated and while at the table and not actively eating or drinking. Maximum allowed party size is six people, including children and infants.

 

Café Lunch and Dinner Hours
Wednesday-Sunday, 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m.
Happy Hour: Wednesday-Sunday, 4-6 p.m.
Closed Mondays and Tuesdays
walk-ins only; not accepting reservations

Note: The Boathouse remains temporarily closed for dinner and bar service.

St. Patrick’s Celebration March 17
Mark your calendars for specials available for dine-in at the Café or via takeout! House made Corned Beef Sandwiches on rye bread and a special whiskey flight.

$15 flights of Jameson Whiskey
(Five half-ounce pours)
Jameson Original
Jameson Black Barrel
Jameson Caskmates IPA Cask
Jameson Caskmates Stout Cask
Jameson Cold Brew
Sláinte!

 

Long Live the Kings’ Salmon Stream, A Benefit on March 18

 

Ray’s is proud to serve as a fundraising partner with Long Live the Kings (LLTK), as in King salmon! Join us in supporting their upcoming virtual event and auction byRSVPing and bidding in their auction (opens early on 3/15). Look for an afternoon of boating and a picnic featuring Ray’s food and treats, and other great items and experiences. Your support helps LLTK in fulfilling its mission to restore wild salmon and support sustainable fishing in the Pacific Northwest, a mission we are also dedicated to here at Ray’s.

A Taste of Rays – Feb 2021 Newsletter

Raid Our Cellar for Valentines Weekend Enjoy a Ray’s Classic Dish At Home

 

Loyal guests, teammates, and alumni,

We are all very excited to see the regionwide healthcare metrics slowly improving. Our most vulnerable populations are receiving vaccines, children are slowly starting to return to school campuses, and the days are getting longer as the sun starts its march northward along the Olympic Mountains. These are all indicators that we are moving closer to the beginning of a new chapter. We are all anxious to start doing what we love again, but still don’t know when that will be. At this point Rays will re-open when we are allowed to have at least 50% inside capacity or consistent deck-dining weather. So for now that means that we are in advanced planning stages for what should be a very busy spring and summer.

As we continue to be patient and do the right thing, my craving for some of the classic Ray’s dishes grows stronger. I was recently asked if we could share the recipe for our signature Thai Mussels. This dish has been on our menu since at least 1983. The freshest ocean flavors of the mussels, combined with the aromatics of Thai curry, are a surefire way to lift your spirits. We hope you have as much fun making it at home as we have serving it here to you.

Thai Mussels Recipe:

Ingredients
1 cup coconut milk
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon red curry paste
2 teaspoons Thai fish sauce
2/3 cup sake
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
2 pounds Penn Cove mussels, cleaned and debearded

Garnish
2-4 springs fresh basil

In a large bowl whisk together a broth made using the coconut milk, lime juice, curry paste, fish sauce, sake, garlic, ginger, and chopped basil. Heat a heavy saucepan over high heat for about 30 seconds. Add mussels and broth. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes or until mussels are fully open. Discard any mussels that do not open. Divide the mussels into bowls, spoon over the broth, garnish with basil sprigs, and serve with plenty of crusty bread for broth-sopping.

Pick Up Valentine’s Bubbles
While we are known for our treasured waterfront location, we are also renowned for our vast premium wine collection. For the approaching Valentine’s weekend, while we are not serving dinner for this occasion, we are opening our virtual cellar for special orders of extremely limited selections of Champagne and Sparkling Wines by the bottle, from near and far. Cava, Cremant, Champagne and Sparkling Wines are all available! Examples on offer:

  • Bollinger Grand Année Brut Aÿ 2008 – $300
  • Cristal by Louis Roderer, Brut, Montagne de Reims 2008 – $445
  • Domaine Huet Pétillant Brut Réserve, Vouvray 2009 – $90
  • Ruinart Brut Rosé Reims, France NV – $135
  • Sea Smoke ‘Sea Spray’ Blanc de Noirs Santa Barbara, Calif. 2014 – $155

All it takes is a click and your fast-acting decision to get your hands on something you won’t find just anywhere. Simply click, peruse, purchase and schedule your pickup time starting now. Items must be picked up no later than Thursday, Feb. 11. Not to burst your bubble, but these bubbles will go quickly, so don’t delay!  Shop here.

Happy New Year!

 

Community Spirit in 2020
&
Looking Ahead to 2021
As we enter the New Year, I wish to take this time to reflect on some wonderful things that our community helped make happen in 2020. I hope to convey my gratitude for all of the hard work and dedication that our guests, team, fishers, farmers, brewers, distillers, and purveyors have put in to make these possible. This was not an easy year for anyone. However, much like sharing food, adversity can bring people together. When communities come together, great things can happen. And we saw this happen here at Ray’s on a daily basis. I am humbled to be part of an organization that fosters this togetherness. Here are a few successes that touched me for which I am most grateful:

Rock The Vote:  We engaged rockthevote.org and encouraged restaurant industry voter registration through social media, in-house materials, and our Ray’s newsletter. The result contributed to more than 4.1 million Washington State voters casting a ballot this year, compared to the 3 million cast in 2008.

Black Lives Matter: We donated 100% of the gratuity from the first month of our meals-to-go program and helped raise awareness within our community as we help to declare racism a public health crisis in Washington State.

Ballard Food Bank: We provided two large perishable food drop-offs plus 100% of our gratuity from our December “gifts to go” promotion to help support those in need throughout our neighborhood.

Educator Gift Card Promotion: This past September, as remote learning started up again, we offered a gratis $20 card for each $100 in gift cards purchased with the hopes that people would gift it to those who are (or have become) educators in their families.

Reinventing Rays Happy Hour: When we re-opened in June, we knew that Seattle would need “more happy.” Our team worked hard to reinstitute our famous Cafe happy hour and facilitated some much-needed outdoor relaxation time for friends and families at a discount.

Best Seafood in Seattle: The fishers and purveyors who bring us amazing seafood, the culinary team members who make it happen, and our loyal Rays fans who voted us to the top as the Seattle Met magazine Best of 2020 “Best Seafood Restaurant”for the second consecutive year.

Resiliency: The guests who have supported us for 47 years, our flexible team that embraces ‘speed to market’ and absorbs change after change, and our compassionate leadership groups’ long-term strategic vision have allowed us to be nimble, adapt, and survive this current challenge. We earned a spot on the Seattle P-I’s “16 Historic Seattle Restaurants Still Open – and What They Look Like Today”article posted on 12/4.

Ray’s has been in Ballard long enough to have lived through the 70s oil crisis, the 80s economic depression, the 90s recession, the 2000s dot com bubble-bursting and the housing market crash. There will be a point in the future when we will all look back on 2020 and reflect on how we each persevered over the challenges we faced. I hope that when this happens, we will each be able to remember those around us who helped prop us up, kept us moving, and provided support. I know I certainly will. And I will thank my family, both here at work and at home, for helping me to remain grateful.

Batched Cocktails & Kits To-Go

Bring home a craft cocktail in a bottle! Our seasonal selection of batched cocktails is now available for pickup on Toast. All you have to worry about is “rocks, or neat,” and choosing a worthy glass. Just grab from the fridge and pour, no mixing required!

If you prefer to make your own beverage, opt for our Private Selection Manhattan Cocktail Kit complete with Ray’s Custom Woodford Reserve Bourbon, a bottle of Dolin Sweet Vermouth and house-made Brandied Cherries. It’s the perfect cocktail kit to spruce up your home bar cart! Stock up for the holidays now via Toast.

Cocktails include:

Barrel-Aged Brooklyn – 1-liter, $50
Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Luxardo maraschino liqueur, Dolin dry vermouth, Amaro Ramazzotti. Aged onsite in small American oak barrels. Add on House-Made Brandied Cherries (10oz) for an additional $10.

Barrel-Aged Negroni – 1-liter, $50
Hendricks Gin, Carpano Antica formula vermouth, Dolin rouge vermouth, Campari, aged onsite in small American oak barrels.

Private Selection Manhattan Cocktail Kit – 1-liter, $100
One liter of Woodford Reserve ‘Ray’s Private Selection No.1’ Bourbon, 750 ml of Dolin sweet vermouth and house-made brandied cherries (optional).

House-Made Brandied Cherries – 10oz, $10
Dress up any drink with brandy-drenched holiday festivity. This also serves as a sweet, boozy topper for ice cream and desserts!

Ray’s Holiday Gifts To-Go!

Although winter dining is on pause at Ray’s, our holiday gift offerings are in full swing! Now through December 23, we’re offering select items to-go for your holiday giving!

Choose from bottles of Ray’s Red and Ray’s White Wine, Bollinger Champagne, and Ray’s Custom Woodford Reserve Bourbon, plus highly-allocated bottles of wine pulled directly from our cellar! We also have a small stash of limited-edition Ray’s Hats, the perfect gift for any Ray’s fan!

Order these items for pickup only on Toast and choose your pickup time at checkout. Limited pickup times are available. Please note that Ray’s gift cards and loyalty points cannot be used on Toast. Happy holidays!