durwoodx Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Back to the new lunch burgers... Stopped in today. As opposed to across the street at Hellburger where the burgers are cooked on a grill, these are made on a griddle and fried in butter. The result is a delicious, juicy, glorious, greasy guilt/shame spiral of a burger. Seriously so so so good. Recommend one per person per angioplasty procedure. The piece de resistance: there is a burger with a runny egg and bacon on it billed as a breakfast burger. I felt like I was in a Simpsons episode... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waitman Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 The steak was good, the chicken was great, the frites were acceptable, the oysters were addictive, the waitress was sweet, the manager was helpful, and the wine was an excellent value (Woop Woop Shiraz). The interior was so grim that I may never go back. No one patronizes a Ray's joint for the interior design, but a room less welcoming than a decent college dining hall diminishes the food and makes one yearn to hurry out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirite Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 The steak was good, the chicken was great, the frites were acceptable, the oysters were addictive, the waitress was sweet, the manager was helpful, and the wine was an excellent value (Woop Woop Shiraz). The interior was so grim that I will never go back. No one patronizes a Ray's joint for the interior design, but a space less welcoming than a decent college dining hall is not a space I care to pay to occupy again, unless my inter-city bus is arriving soon. What's the catch with Ray's the Catch? He keeps postponing his pescatorium, and I can't eat steak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. B Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 The interior was so grim that I may never go back. No one patronizes a Ray's joint for the interior design, but a room less welcoming than a decent college dining hall diminishes the food and makes one yearn to hurry out. I feel that way about my kitchen. That green sauce is crack btw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoramargolis Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 What's the catch with Ray's the Catch? He keeps postponing his pescatorium, and I can't eat steak. Don't hold your breath. Word has it that the challenges of sourcing affordable, sustainable species plus all of the environmental concerns about farmed fish made this an idea that, once floated, proved less than sea-worthy. Go to Ray's^3 and order chicken, shrimp, oysters or catfish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy DeLion Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 Stopped in Thursday night for an after work dinner. Found it to be a nice, familiar Ray's experience. Was quiet, about half the tables taken. We had the oyster app, one Gusher burger, Fried Chicken, and a Vanilla shake. The Fried Chicken and cole slaw/ mac n'cheese were really great. Moist chicken with a well done, thin and spicy batter. Very rich mac with great cheese flavor and texture, cole slaw creamy and also with great flavor. After all the raves, the oysters were a bit of a let down for me. I like a crunchier batter with a bursting briny flavor, these were a much thinner corn meal batter that, to me, seems to get a bit gummy while eating it. Partner had the Burger, Fries, and shake, which were all spot on. Ray's burgers are always a great treat. Waitress said they had just added the Lobster mac n'cheese and the menu was being modified on an almost daily basis. Can't wait to go back and try some other items. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
durwoodx Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 After all the raves, the oysters were a bit of a let down for me. I like a crunchier batter with a bursting briny flavor, these were a much thinner corn meal batter that, to me, seems to get a bit gummy while eating it. You must have been there on an off night or gotten a misfire, because the three times I've gotten them so far (my aching arteries...) gummy in no way would enter into the equation at any point during the experience. In fact I would categorize them as crunchy, briny, and bursting on all three occasions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jandres374 Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 East River location closed for renovations? My link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jandres374 Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Any idea on how crowded it gets here on Friday nights? My son picked Ray's the Steaks for his birthday dinner but when I called for a reservation they only had 5 or 10 pm for a party of 6. Wondering if we should give this location a shot. ETA: And my son wants to know if they have the spiced nuts here? He will only be 8 too funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monavano Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Any idea on how crowded it gets here on Friday nights? My son picked Ray's the Steaks for his birthday dinner but when I called for a reservation they only had 5 or 10 pm for a party of 6. Wondering if we should give this location a shot. ETA: And my son wants to know if they have the spiced nuts here? He will only be 8 too funny. I believe the front room at RTS is for walk ins. It may be an option to go on the early side and hopefully not have too long of a wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pidgey Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Too bad, and I hope they do re-open in January. As a Capitol Hill resident with a toddler, this was the best Ray's for us to go to, in terms of convenience and speed of dining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithstg Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Too bad, and I hope they do re-open in January. As a Capitol Hill resident with a toddler, this was the best Ray's for us to go to, in terms of convenience and speed of dining. Agreed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ad.mich Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 Went for lunch yesterday. Fried chicken is NOT available at lunch, sadly. However there are fried chicken sandwiches available in southern style and spicy varieties (Chick-fil-Ray's?). I audibled to the oyster po-boy and was very happy, especially since it was dressed with crawfish in a remoulade sauce... Did not expect that but was pleasantly surprised to see some massive crawfish tails in the sandwich. The girlfriend had a burger, and we were both discussing afterwards that the griddled patties were better than the grilled ones across the street. Both are great, but just a personal preference. If you haven't had the onion fries, get them. They're an unholy offspring of the Bloomin' Onion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pidgey Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 Any idea on how crowded it gets here on Friday nights? We went last night (Friday) just after 6 pm with our toddler, and got seated immediately in a four-top near the back. No spiced nuts, but there was corn bread to start (like at Ray's East River). There was a great selection of steak frites, but I decided to go for the fried chicken and shrimp, and was not disappointed. The chicken looked a little overcooked, but when I bit into it, it was moist and flavorfully smoky. It may have just been the seasonings that made it look darker. The shrimp were huge, but I'm not sure if I'm a fan of the batter, almost like a beer-batter consistency, but not nearly as thick. Another group walked out when they discovered that they don't have a full menu of burgers, and instead have "gushers"--double meat with cheese. It seemed a little extreme to me, but I guess they were really craving a specific burger! When we left an hour later, there was a waiting list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdt Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 The Hell Chicken is pretty damn good too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhone1998 Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 Went for lunch yesterday. Fried chicken is NOT available at lunch, sadly. However there are fried chicken sandwiches available in southern style and spicy varieties (Chick-fil-Ray's?). I audibled to the oyster po-boy and was very happy, especially since it was dressed with crawfish in a remoulade sauce... Did not expect that but was pleasantly surprised to see some massive crawfish tails in the sandwich. The girlfriend had a burger, and we were both discussing afterwards that the griddled patties were better than the grilled ones across the street. Both are great, but just a personal preference. If you haven't had the onion fries, get them. They're an unholy offspring of the Bloomin' Onion. I was there for lunch on Thursday. The lunch menu is much more limited than the dinner menu, which I took a look at. No fried oysters at lunch, though the waitress helpfully offered to serve me the oyster po'boy sans bread. I wound up getting that sandwich anyway, along with the wonderful crab bisque. The oysters were good, but overwhelmed in volume by the bread of the sandwich, which overall made for a pretty dry dish. My dad enjoyed his burger. Oh, and in case it hasn't been noted yet, they offer a milkshake with bacon in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ilaine Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Does anybody know the answer to this question? If I ask whether items are gluten free or dairy free at Ray's, will I be humored or castigated? I am not asking that anything be cooked just to suit me . . . . I do love me some Ray's . . . . Apologize for being a PITA. Wish I were not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcs Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Does anybody know the answer to this question? If I ask whether items are gluten free or dairy free at Ray's, will I be humored or castigated? I am not asking that anything be cooked just to suit me . . . . Ray's the Steaks was noted here for gluten-free tolerance. No doubt the third will follow suit. Ray's the Steaks was also very accommodating on a recent dinner, serving the Devilishly Good Eggs sans toast points. Our server was excellent at pointing out the hazards (no creamed spinach for me), and many of the dishes were safe without alteration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Foodie Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Oh, and in case it hasn't been noted yet, they offer a milkshake with bacon in it. Do want. What else is in it? What flavor (e.g. maple or something?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe H Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Now we are beginning to approach what could be the ultimate flavor combinations in ice cream. My suggestion: CANDIED BACON WITH MAPLE SYRUP. Serious. In fact: http://icecreamfellow.blogspot.com/2009/06/maple-and-bacon-ice-cream_20.html Hmm...duckfat fries...candied bacon and maple syrup ice cream... Michael? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyG Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Does anybody know the answer to this question? If I ask whether items are gluten free or dairy free at Ray's, will I be humored or castigated? I am not asking that anything be cooked just to suit me . . . . I do love me some Ray's . . . . Apologize for being a PITA. Wish I were not. At Rays the Steaks, the server was gracious about my unbelievably picky inquiry concerning the scallops and whether they could be absolutely sure no sodium tripolyphosphate had touched them. She checked with the kitchen, and I was able to enjoy the first scallops I've had in restaurants in years. We're cursed with a pair of rather unusual food allergies (sodium tripolyphosphate and in the +1's case, porcinni mushrooms) and have found it helpful to make sure the server understands that these are genuine food allergies rather than picky eating disguised by a claim of allergy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Foodie Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Now we are beginning to approach what could be the ultimate flavor combinations in ice cream. My suggestion: CANDIED BACON WITH MAPLE SYRUP. Serious. In fact: http://icecreamfellow.blogspot.com/2009/06/maple-and-bacon-ice-cream_20.html Hmm...duckfat fries...candied bacon and maple syrup ice cream... Michael? Not to get off track on the thread, but I recently made some candied bacon and maple ice cream and I can assure you it was quite delicious. In fact, Restaurant 3 up the street has a bacon waffle with maple bacon ice cream on their dessert menu. Excellent flavor combination for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielK Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Possibly heading over tonight for dinner - anyone in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhone1998 Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Do want. What else is in it? What flavor (e.g. maple or something?) Sadly, I don't remember the details. Anyone else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdt Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Sadly, I don't remember the details. Anyone else? I believe it is vanilla ice cream with caramel and chocolate sauce topped with bacon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saf Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Now we are beginning to approach what could be the ultimate flavor combinations in ice cream. My suggestion: CANDIED BACON WITH MAPLE SYRUP. I admit, this is neither at Ray's, nor is it ice cream. Have you tried the bacon maple creme brulee at Smoke and Barrel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saf Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 May I be nitpicky? Ray's was never in Anacosita. That's closer to Deanwood really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tentimesodds Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Thinking about heading to Ray's to the Third tonight. Can anyone who's been tell me what the wait situation is like? The bar looks small and while I'm all about having a drink while waiting, I'm not sure an hour plus will do. Thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdt Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Thinking about heading to Ray's to the Third tonight. Can anyone who's been tell me what the wait situation is like? The bar looks small and while I'm all about having a drink while waiting, I'm not sure an hour plus will do. Thanks in advance In the 3 times that I have been there for dinner I have never had to wait for a table. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ulrath Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 I know Rays to the 3rd are open for lunch on the weekdays. How about tomorrow? Thinking of stopping in on my way back from the zoo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted November 4, 2011 Share Posted November 4, 2011 I know Rays to the 3rd are open for lunch on the weekdays. How about tomorrow? Thinking of stopping in on my way back from the zoo. So many questions that could be answered on their website. Could someone research the current data on Ray's: The Basics and send it to me? I'll update that thread accordingly because by now it's way out of date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hm212 Posted November 5, 2011 Share Posted November 5, 2011 So many questions that could be answered on their website. Could someone research the current data on Ray's: The Basics and send it to me? I'll update that thread accordingly because by now it's way out of date. Their Website is way out of date too. It still shows East River open and no mention of cheesesteaks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcs Posted November 13, 2011 Share Posted November 13, 2011 Uniontown Bar and Grill? Off topic, but oh my! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ulrath Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 Welp, there was no info on their site about Ray's the third but I drove by anyways on Saturday for lunch. They were indeed open and they were indeed excellent. The onion strings are fairly awesome and the fact that you can get the crab soup there is even more awesome. I may just get three cups of that next time I go, then swing by the cardiologist on the way back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genericeric Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 Welp, there was no info on their site about Ray's the third but I drove by anyways on Saturday for lunch. They were indeed open and they were indeed excellent. The onion strings are fairly awesome and the fact that you can get the crab soup there is even more awesome. I may just get three cups of that next time I go, then swing by the cardiologist on the way back. They may have gotten it up over the weekend, as the Web site does now have Rays the third hours and info - http://raystothethird.com/ - which caused me to pop in for the first time last night. Overall really enjoyed the fried oysters, lobster bisque, and a small salad (though the later was substantially overdressed). What surprised me was how much I enjoyed watching football while eating in the bar area - which was very quiet on a Sunday evening at 6:30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanMike Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 Loved the fact that they had a five ounce burger - that's all I need at lunch. Got one with egg, grilled onions, and heck sauce (to my surprise, the latter two came out on the side) which was delicious, even if it was cooked more like "well" then the "medium rare" I ordered. Got the fries half and half with onion fries - delicious! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoramargolis Posted November 15, 2011 Share Posted November 15, 2011 Loved the fact that they had a five ounce burger - that's all I need at lunch. Got one with egg, grilled onions, and heck sauce (to my surprise, the latter two came out on the side) which was delicious, even if it was cooked more like "well" then the "medium rare" I ordered. Got the fries half and half with onion fries - delicious! At dinner, the only available burgers are "gushers"-- a double patty with cheese in the middle. It's interesting conceptually, but less successful in vivo. In order for the cheese in the center to melt, the meat surrounding it gets overcooked. The cheese choices were 'merican, provolone, brie or danish blue. I got blue, and about half as much cheese as I got would have been enough. I think I prefer my cheese on top, where it can melt while the meat stays medium rare. And I like cheddar on a burger. So, after many "hits" at Ray's^3rd, a "miss." But I'll be back for steak frites, fried shrimp and oysters, and fried chicken. And I agree with SeanMike, the half-and-half fries were great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
durwoodx Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I don't want to be alarmist, but the menu up on the website currently has no fried chicken on it. Can anyone confirm that my supply of chicken crack has gone away? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genericeric Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I don't want to be alarmist, but the menu up on the website currently has no fried chicken on it. Can anyone confirm that my supply of chicken crack has gone away? They had fried chicken on the menu in the restaurant as of Sunday night Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Doctor Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 They had fried chicken on the menu in the restaurant as of Sunday night In addition to the hell chicken, is the regular fried chicken the same as they were serving at the East River location? (ie, smoked then fried?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdt Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 In addition to the hell chicken, is the regular fried chicken the same as they were serving at the East River location? (ie, smoked then fried?) Not smoked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genericeric Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 Living in DC, I'm sure I'm not the only one that drives by the White House ten times a week and rarely looks over. But every once in awhile, you catch a glimpse and get that little shiver that we live here. I eat at Ray's, Ray's the Third, etc frequently, and always enjoy myself but have been lulled into the expectation that I'm going to get a really f**king good meal at a really affordable price (maybe that's why the original RTS is rarely discussed on this forum anymore). For some reason last night, I put a bit of my Steak Bertolucci (NY Strip with Roasted Bone Marrow, Served a la “Maria Schneider,” with Roasted Garlic and Persillade for 29.99) - cooked a perfect medium rare, topped with a clove of roasted garlic and a quivering chunk of marrow - into my mouth and got that little shiver when you taste a truly great bite of food. Two steaks, a cup of crab bisque, three beers, a wonderful glass of cabernet, and 2 dark chocolate mousses to go - less than $120. I've never had bad service at Ray's, never felt "rushed", never really had a bad experience. Every once in awhile, I'm reminded how glad I am to have Ray's down the street. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Landrum Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPvlrdv3cqk&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4wxxzFwbgY&feature=related Another year, another reason, for the love in each steak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Landrum Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Ave Maria was never sung for a badder ass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanCole42 Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Every once in awhile, I'm reminded how glad I am to have Ray's down the street. I frikking love sauce. Like, love it. If it were socially acceptable, I would eat Bearnaise sauce like soup. The dry aged anything at Ray's are the first steaks I've ever had where I actually prefer them sauceless (not that the sauces aren't great!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanMike Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Went to Ray's the Steaks tonight. OMG: the "R" cab sauvignon that Mark Slater gave me is so, so, so good. I went with the dry aged Brazilian tonight. I used almost none of the sauce - just a small dab here and there - and the steak was so good I demolished the whole thing in practically record time. Plus onions and some of the sides. Damn that was delicious. And it was fantastic seeing Mark back. I heard it was busy enough they were sending folks to Rays^3 - so even if you're in the area, you might want to call ahead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonc Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 I went to Rays3 over the holidays and while I have nothing to add in terms of the food (it's obviously very good), I would like to say that I think Lauren is an exceptional server. Efficient, knowledgable of the menu, and socially attuned to the vibe at the table, there is little else you can ask for at an establishment of this nature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 My first visit to Ray's the Steaks in years was a mixed bag. Crab bisque is still tasty, although insanely rich for a starter. I might have split that with the +1 had I remembered how large the "cup" is. My starter glass of rose did a good job cutting through the butter & seafood. A demitasse portion for a couple of bucks less would probably be perfect. Kid split the mixed greens salad and enjoyed the warm bread. +1 had the Brazilian strip, dry aged, and loved it and the spicy sauce. The kids made short work of their shared Hangar steak, and kudos to RTC for not assuming that they should overcook it, as has happened to us in other places. My children have always eaten their steak medium rare. We got an order of the macaroni & cheese to make up for the kids splitting an entree, but neither of them liked it. We brought most of it home. I ordered badly, both the items and the timing. Glancing distractedly at the menu, I saw The Blue Devil and thought "blue cheese and steak sounds good tonight!" What I failed to notice was the sauce, onions, and garlic listed on the menu. My steak came out so covered in extraneous stuff that it was hard to identify a piece of meat underneath, and despite scraping everything off, it was hard to taste anything but the huge mound of garlic. It was an unappetizing preparation. A mistake I won't make again. I told our server when I ordered my rose that I would be ordering a bottle of red later to go with my main. As our first course dishes were being cleared, I asked for some help selecting a red. Mark wasn't there, and when I asked for the sommelier the gentleman who came over said he knew the wine list and could help me. He was very kind, but his attention was elsewhere and it was hard to explain what we were looking for. He brought me a glass of something to taste, but before he could come back and ask me about it our steaks had been delivered. I flagged our server and made a quick decision on a lower-priced cabernet (The Sum) based on the description on the list, because everyone's dinner was cooling and the other gentleman was nowhere in sight. By the time he came back to check everyone had started eating and the other wine was open. It was fine, but not to my taste, and I wish that we'd been a little less rushed because there is now 2/3 of a bottle sitting next to me of something I didn't really care for. The protocol must be to make the wine decisions at the same time as the food decisions, based on the timing of our food. So, my bank account is lighter by $178 (including tax and tip) which I guess is "reasonable" but honestly? I regret spending the money on what was supposed to be a treat, and will order more carefully the next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbh Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Retro Ray's? link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanMike Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Retro Ray's? link If you walk by there, you'll see a big banner say "BISTRO" on it. Looks like a nice space - though I could've sworn the sign on the door last night said it opened at 5:30. UPDATE: Was told they'd be open at 5 PM today. So if you're there early, say hi. Mark told me a bit about it the other night when I was in Ray's but I hadn't been able to tell if it was actually open or not yet. I did see that the tables are all set... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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