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Cozy Holiday Cocktails at Ray’s!

Cozy Up with festive Seattle holiday cocktails at Ray’s Boathouse & Cafe.

Rainy season has officially arrived in Seattle, and there’s no better way to warm up than with a hot, handcrafted cocktail by the waterfront. This December, Ray’s Boathouse & Cafe invites you to grab a table by the fireplace, soak in the sweeping Puget Sound views, and sip on a lineup of cozy, seasonal drinks that pair perfectly with lunch or a relaxed afternoon escape. If you’re searching for the best waterfront dining in Seattle, this is your sign.

First up is the Sweater Weather, a rum-based hot toddy-style cocktail designed to warm you from the inside out. Featuring Gosling’s Black Seal Rum, Amaro Montenegro, St. Elizabeth’s Allspice Dram, fresh lemon, and a chai-tea simple syrup, this soul-soothing sipper is aromatic, gently spiced, and irresistibly comforting.

For a festive classic with a fruity twist, try the Warm Blueberry Mulled Wine. This holiday favorite blends red wine with Christian Brothers brandy, blueberries, clove, cinnamon, orange peel, and star anise. It’s rich, fragrant, and full of nostalgic winter flavor—perfect for slow sipping while watching the water shimmer outside.

Rounding out the trio is the decadent Hot Buttered Rum, a rich and velvety winter classic. Crafted with Gosling’s Black Seal Rum, brown sugar, cinnamon, clove, butter, nutmeg, and topped with whipped cream, it’s indulgent, comforting, and utterly satisfying.

Whether you’re stopping in for lunch, meeting friends for a midday toast, or planning a cozy date by the fire, these festive Seattle holiday cocktails are the perfect way to celebrate the season. This December, come experience the magic of warm drinks, waterfront views, and holiday cheer at Ray’s—where Seattle’s winter feels a little brighter, and a lot cozier.

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Ray’s Herradura Double Barrel Reposado Is Here!

Ray’s Boathouse on the shores of Ballard has always been a special place in special location that produces something that speaks to our specific area of the planet. We consistently seek to bring this uniqueness forward to our guests so they may experience what our little part of the globe has to offer in its purest form.  We do this in part by complementing our food with unique beer, wine, and spirits.

Years ago we decided to source barrels of hand selected Bourbon from iconic producers near Louisville such as Four Roses, Woodford Reserve, and Old Forrester to help support our December Steakhouse Pop-Up.  After a few years of doing this we started to think internationally. After some discussion we decide to visit Mexico and source a barrel of tequila.  In doing our research it became obvious to us that Herradura located in La Hacienda de San José del Refugio in the town of Amatitán in the lowlands of Jalisco (nine miles south of the town of Tequila) was our destination.

The Hacienda Herradura was founded in the 1500’s, the birthplace of tequila as we know it today, and the creators of the Reposado category. Upon arriving the history of this location was apparent. This is something that is so deep and amazing that we don’t have time to explore it here, but I highly recommend that you do.

With only enough time to be away from Ray’s for a few days our experience was a bit of a whirlwind. What sticks with me the most is the level of hospitality and kindness that not only the ambassadors of Herradura provided to us, but the people of Amatitán in general.  From restaurant and hotel staff, to drivers and passerby’s, the feeling of being welcome and appreciated was memorable.

Here’s some highlights:

  • Our guided tour took us from the estate Blue Weber agave fields, to the giant agave ovens, and then the distillery.
  • It culminated with us sitting in a private tasting room hand pulling samples from 3 different barrels of Double Reposado, an expression that is only available to those who visit in person and purchase a whole barrel.
  • This Double Reposado spends 11 months in charred American White Oak barrels, then expert distillers transfer the tequila to fresh barrels for an additional month of flavor-elevating rest.
  • This novel process results in a refined, intense sipping tequila.
  • Of the three barrels we tasted one stood out as exemplifying the true micro climate at Casa Herradura. It has the roundness of tropical fruit pulled in from the trees planted around the estate which the native bats cross pollinate.
  • This pollen and fruit plays with the ambient yeast that inoculates the open fermentation tanks.
  • This tropical flavor/aroma is mixed with the sweet potato style flavor coming from whole roasted agave piñas producing an amazing tour of Herradura in a glass. True terroir.

We highly recommend you visit Seatt and give this a try for yourself.  We hope that you get transported back in time to a place where tequila was first born.

– Douglas Zellers, Ray’s GM and Co-Owner

Enjoy Ray’s Herradura Double Barrel Reposado Tequila in our 1st floor Boathouse and 2nd floor Cafe!

Boathouse

The Plot Twist – Ray’s Herradura Double Reposado Tequila, house tamarind syrup, lime juice, ancho chili rim, large rock

Cafe

Raymance – Ray’s Herradura Double Reposado Tequila, Benedictine, hibiscus syrup, cranberry, orange bitters, lime

 

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Father’s Day at Ray’s Boathouse & Cafe!

Ray's Boathouse Seattle's best waterfront business meeting venue

Treat Dad to an Epic Father’s Day at Ray’s!

Feast on Father’s Day only specials on Sunday, June 15 at Ray’s, Seattle’s best waterfront restaurant! Specials include Grilled Kalbi Short Ribs with jasmine rice, kimchi, ginger-garlic green beans, and gochujang barbecue sauce. And Grilled Prime NY Strip with garlic whipped potatoes, grilled Washington asparagus, and ramp butter.

Don’t forget the drinks! Here’s a few Dad-approved selections:
Buffalo Trace ‘Ray’s Private Selection No. 1
Old Forester 100 Proof ‘Ray’s Private Selection No. 4
Dad’s Perfect Manhattan Buffalo Trace ‘Ray’s Private Selection No. 1’ Bourbon, Carpano Classico sweet vermouth, Dolin dry vermouth, orange and Angostura bitters, up

Celebrate with delicious steak, fresh seafood, mega Seattle waterfront views, and great memories! Enjoy a casual lunch or dinner in our 2nd floor Cafe, or an elevated dinner in our 1st floor Boathouse.

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Sip New Spring Cocktails At Ray’s!

Cocktails at Ray's Waterfront restaurant in Seattle

Enjoy new Spring cocktails at Seattle’s best waterfront restaurant!

Our 1st floor Boathouse and 2nd floor Cafe have a fresh lineup of cocktails to sip on our outdoor waterfront patios.  Enjoy a casual dining experience with the freshest local seafood every day of the week!

Southern Charm Tito’s vodka, Giffard Crème de Pêche, triple sec, lemon, Scrappy’s grapefruit bitters

Staycation Diplomatico Planas white rum, Giffard apricot liqueur, lime, pineapple, up

Blueberry Bourbon Smash Buffalo Trace ‘Ray’s Private Selection’ Bourbon, Giffard Crème de Pêche, lemon, blueberries, demerara

Velvet Old Fashioned Ray’s ‘Private Selection No. 4’ Old Forester Bourbon, Monkey Shoulder Scotch, Lustau Pedro Ximenez ‘San Emilio’ Sherry, chocolate bitters, large rock

Passionfruit Mai Tai Don Q white rum, Pierre Ferrand Dry Orange, Curaçao, Reynold’s orgeat, lime, passionfruit, Gosling’s dark rum float, rocks

Evergreen Negroni Uncle Val’s Botanical gin, Ransom Old Tom gin, Carpano Classico sweet vermouth, Campari, Clear Creak Douglas fir Eau de Vie rinse, large rock

Explore our full cocktail list here! See you soon!

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Sip on New Fall Cocktails at Ray’s!

Our talented bar team has created a new lineup of Fall cocktails to complement our newest menu items! Sip them at Ray’s daily. Cheers!

Ray’s Cafe

Back in My Day
Old Forester 100 Proof Rye Whiskey, Letterpress nocino, Luxardo Maraschino liqueur, maple syrup, angostura, large rock

Jalisco Old Fashioned
Campo Bravo reposado tequila, Amaro Montenegro, chai simple, Bittermen’s, Xocolatl mole bitters, large rock

Ray’s Boathouse

Apples & Pears
Boulard V.S.O.P Calvados Pays d’Auge, St. George Spiced Pear liqueur, Mata Tinto sweet vermouth, Dolin dry vermouth

Autumn Sidecar
Metaxa ‘5 star’ Greek Brandy, Cointreau orange liqueur, lemon, apple cider, nutmeg, up

Coffee & Cigarettes
Caffé Vita Espresso infused Cynar70 amaro, Ilegal Mezcal Joven, Old Forester 100 Proof Rye Whiskey, agave, Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters, large rock

Available at Ray’s Boathouse & Cafe

Bolívar
Diplomático Mantuano rum, Vecchio Amaro del Capo, Lillet Blanc Aperitif, Bittermen’s Tiki Elemakule bitters up

Earth & Sky
Ford’s London dry gin, Tozai ‘Well of Wisdom’ ginjo sake, yuzu, bell pepper syrup, up

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New Fall Menus at Ray’s!

Dive into new Fall menus at Ray’s Boathouse & Cafe! We love seasonal changes and showcasing local flavors in delicious new ways.

Our first floor Boathouse has a new selection of small and shareable plates to mix and match alongside main dishes. And our upstairs Cafe has introduced some delicious new sandwiches as well as a PNW Seafood Gumbo.

Take a peek into our new menus below and click for full menus: Boathouse and Cafe. Then join us to try them all at Seattle’s best seafood restaurant!

Ray’s Cafe

Seafood Gumbo
PNW salmon & whitefish, clams, mussels, prawns, Uli’s andouille sausage, green bell pepper, okra, jasmine rice, scallion (pictured)
Seared Dungeness Crab Cakes
sweet potato puree, fried brussels sprouts, honeycrisp apples, toasted pecans
Chicories Salad
Treviso, Belgian endive, blue cheese crumbles, sliced pears, candied walnuts, balsamic vinaigrette GF
Smoked Scallop Carbonara
house-smoked bacon and bay scallops, bucatini, pecorino romano
Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich
spicy fried chicken thigh, cilantro slaw, buttermilk aïoli, bread and butter pickles, King’s Hawaiian Bun (pictured)

Ray’s Boathouse

Seared Diver Scallops
braised pork belly, cauliflower puree, radicchio, pork jus, toasted pecans (pictured)
Honeycrisp Apple Salad
mixed greens, red onion, Honeycrisp apples, blue cheese crumbles, craisins, toasted pecans, apple cider vinaigrette GF (pictured)
Dungeness Crab Cakes 
grapefruit, goat cheese and fennel salad, stone ground mustard aioli, pine nuts, olives, basil oil
Pan Seared Wild PNW Halibut
creamy polenta, sautéed greens, chanterelle mushrooms
Butternut Squash Risotto 
pepitas, fried sage, basil oil
Ray’s upstairs Cafe is open daily from 11:30am to 9pm for walk-ins during lunch, happy hour and dinner. Ray’s first floor Boathouse is open daily from 5-9pm for happy hour and dinner. Reservations accepted and encouraged for the Boathouse. Cheers!
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Sip on New Summer Cocktails at Ray’s!

It’s not summer until you’ve had cocktails at Ray’s! And luckily we’ve got some exciting new additions in our first floor Boathouse and upstairs Cafe. Cheers!

Cafe
The Tiki Drink 
Don Q white rum, Planteray dark rum, Amaro Montenegro, St. Elizabeth’s allspice dram, lime, pineapple, float of Gosling’s black seal rum, rocks, adorable umbrellaHot Girl Summer 
cucumber infused gin Broker’s London dry gin, Aperol, lemon, soda, rocks

New Cafe Happy Hour Cocktail!
Happy Hour Paloma
blanco tequila, lime, grapefruit soda, rocks, salt rim

Boathouse
White Sangria
dry white wine, brandy, triple sec, melon, pineapple, orange, cucumber, rocks

Check out our full drink menus including delicious zero proof beverages for the Boathouse here and Cafe here.
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Boathouse Happy Hour 5-6pm Daily!

Kick off your evening or end your day with our Boathouse Happy Hour! It’s the perfect mix of Boathouse food and drinks to enjoy with friends, on a date, or with family.

Join us nightly at Ray’s first floor Boathouse for Happy Hour from 5-6pm and take in the gorgeous views. It’s the best happy hour in Seattle!

Boathouse Happy Hour Menu

Food
Ray’s Clam Chowder house smoked bacon, red potato
Little Gem Salad green goddess, pickled lemon, feta, scallions, cherry tomatoes
Crispy Fried Calamari mini sweet peppers, green goddess dressing
Ancho Crusted Albacore ginger sesame sauce, wakame
Crispy Brussels Sprouts muhummara, walnuts, scallions (pictured)
PNW Mussels jalapeño-lime butter, radish, baguette
PNW Manila Clams onion, celery, Old Bay, white wine, baguette

Premium Cocktails
Negroni Broker’s London Dry gin, Campari, sweet vermouth, up
Old Fashioned Old Forester Bourbon, demerara, bitters mix, rocks
Vesper Martini Bombay Sapphire gin, Lillet Blanc, vodka, up
Vodka Martini Grey Goose vodka, Dolin dry vermouth, up, olives or a twist

Click here for the full drink list including beer, wine and more cocktails!

(no substitutions, excludes holidays)

The Boathouse is open nightly at 5pm for happy hour, dinner and drinks. View our menus here. We look forward to seeing you soon!

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Seattle Cocktail Week is March 3-10!

Celebrate local craft cocktails at Ray’s Boathouse & Cafe during Seattle Cocktail Week March 3-10! We’re offering two new cocktails in our restaurants just for the occasion.

Try them both before they’re gone!

First floor Boathouse
Ray Bird in the Jungle 
Ten to One white & dark rum, Aperol, chai simple, lime, pineapple, black strap bitters, large rock

Upstairs Cafe
Spill the Tea 
Hibiscus tea infused Tito’s vodka, Giffard ‘Ginger of the Indies’ liqueur, lime, rocks

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Winter Warmer Cocktail Recipes from our Bar Team!

Try these delicious, guest-favorite hot cocktails from our talented bar team and stay nice and cozy while we’re closed this month. Cheers!

Ray’s Hot Buttered Rum

Buttered Rum Mix

  • 1lb gold unsalted butter softened
  • 1½ cups brown sugar
  • 2 heaping tbls molasses
  • 1 tbls vanilla
  • 5 tsp cinnamon
  • 5 tsp nutmeg
  • 3 tsp clove
  • 2 tsp cardamom
  • 1 tsp allspice
  • 1oz dark rum

Blend together with kitchen aid or similar device.

Build your cocktail:

  • 1.5oz dark rum similar to Gosling Black Seal or Plantation Dark
  • Heaping bar spoon of mix
  • Hot water

In a mug combine rum and butter mix, top with hot water and stir to mix until combined. Serve hot and top with whipped cream. Enjoy!

Ray’s Blueberry Mulled Wine

  • 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
  • 1⁄3 cup sugar
  • 10 whole cloves
  • 5 allspice berries
  • 5 cardamom pods
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 bottle (750 mL) red wine

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine blueberries and sugar.  Cook until lightly simmering, about 5 minutes.

Puree blueberry mixture until smooth, then add in cloves, allspice, cadamom, and cinnamon. Continue lightly simmering for 30 minutes.

Pour wine into the pot and reduce heat to a very slow simmer for 30 minutes.

Strain and serve warm with a cinnamon stick and blue berries.