Ray's Cafe occupies the second floor above Ray's Boathouse, looking out over Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains from Seattle's Ballard waterfront. It's built for lunch, happy hour, and an outdoor deck that fills whenever the weather cooperates — a looser, more come-as-you-are counterpart to the more formal dining room downstairs.
The menu runs through Northwest seafood staples: wild salmon, crispy true cod fish and chips, clam chowder, local shellfish, and a Pacific sablefish in sake kasu that's developed a following of its own. Crab cakes, salads, and a burger round out a lineup meant for casual eating rather than a long sit-down meal, alongside Ballard microbrews, wine, and cocktails from the bar.
Regulars and visitors alike point to the same things: fresh seafood, friendly service, and a view of the Sound that makes it feel like a classic Seattle destination rather than just another lunch stop.
The menu runs through Northwest seafood staples: wild salmon, crispy true cod fish and chips, clam chowder, local shellfish, and a Pacific sablefish in sake kasu that's developed a following of its own. Crab cakes, salads, and a burger round out a lineup meant for casual eating rather than a long sit-down meal, alongside Ballard microbrews, wine, and cocktails from the bar.
Regulars and visitors alike point to the same things: fresh seafood, friendly service, and a view of the Sound that makes it feel like a classic Seattle destination rather than just another lunch stop.