Ray’s Wins ‘Best Seafood’ 2019!

Thank you for voting Ray’s ‘Best Seafood’ in Seattle Magazine’s 2019 Best of Seattle Reader’s Choice poll!!

We love our loyal guests and as a thank you we are extending our holiday gift card bonus offer for one extra week, until Dec. 31, 2019!  For every $100 in gift cards purchased you receive a $20 bonus gift card. Purchase online today!

We wouldn’t have won Best Seafood in Seattle without the incredible seafood purveyors, fishermen and women who supply us with the best available NW seafood! Thank you to Eydfinn Tausen, Fish & Family Seafoods, Pacific Seafood, Ocean Beauty, Penn Cove Shellfish, Seattle Caviar Co., Lummi Island Wild, Taylor Shellfish & Trident Seafoods for all that you do!!

Holiday Gift Card Bonus Offer!

Give the gift of Ray’s this holiday season!

Now through December 31, 2019, for every $100 you spend on Ray’s gift cards you will receive a complimentary $20 gift card! Keep it for yourself or gift it!

Gift cards are available in any amount and can be purchased online (recommended) or at Ray’s Guest Relations desk in the Boathouse.

Treat your loved ones to fresh Northwest seafood and stunning waterfront views on Shilshole Bay with a Ray’s gift card!

Happy holidays!

Winter Weddings at Ray’s

Dreaming of a winter wedding?

Book your wedding at Ray’s Northwest Room for January-March 2020 and receive 10% off your officiant, florist and photographer when you hire any of our preferred partners below!

Plus we’ll waive your ceremony fee for weddings of 65 people and under, a $600-800 value!

Call us at 206.789.6309 or email [email protected] to book your 2020 winter wedding today! Valid for new bookings only.

Photo credit: Sasha Reiko

Salish Sea Chef’s Dinner at Ray’s November 14!

Sustainable Seafood Celebration is joining forces with five incredible Northwest chefs with a passion for seafood, for an evening focused on sustainable seafood practices and successes in the Salish Sea. Guests will learn about the many success stories of local seafood from excellent runs of Baker River Sockeye in 2019 to expanding tribal fishing practices and more. They will meet the people who are driving this forward and making changes from fishermen and women to chefs and activists.

Five featured chefs will create a multi-course dinner with each preparing one course that highlights local seafood including: Salish Sea Dungeness Crab, Baker River Sockeye Salmon, Salish Sea Halibut, reef net Salish Sea Pink Salmon, and fresh oysters.

Featured Chefs
Paul Duncan, Ray’s Boathouse
Renee Erickson, The Whale Wins
Kevin Davis, Blueacre Seafood
Wayne Johnson, FareStart
Adam Stevenson, Copperleaf at Cedarbrook Lodge

Salmon Safe Wines
Brickhouse Vineyards Chardonnay Ribbon Ridge, OR 2016
L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Perigee’ Estate Red Seven Hills Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley, WA 2015
Sokol Blosser Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir Dundee Hills, OR 2018

“We’re extremely excited to share the many successes coming out of the Salish Sea with folks. We are facing perilous times in our environment and it’s important for people to see and understand that visible progress is being made and that our salmon and halibut runs can get stronger”, said Riley Starks, Salish Sea fisherman, founder of Salish Center for Sustainable Fishing Methods, co-founder of Sustainable Seafood Celebration.

The dinner event is Thursday, November 14 at 6 p.m. at Ray’s Boathouse in Ballard (in the Northwest Room) where the Salish Sea has been their backyard for 46 years. The evening will be co-hosted by Sustainable Seafood Celebration co-founders Riley Starks and Larry Mellum, owner of Pike Place Chowder.

Each chef will dine at a table with guests for more intimate conversation about protecting and nurturing the bounty of the Salish Sea and why sustainable fishing practices is important to them.

Tickets
Tickets are $125 per person and inclusive of multi-course dinner, salmon safe wine and gratuity. Reservations are required to attend and tickets must be purchased online by Friday, November 1, 2019. All guests must be 21 years of age and older to attend. Ticket proceeds benefit Sustainable Seafood Celebration and its partners in the fight to restore sustainable fishing practices, wild salmon runs and local waterways. Tickets available for purchase here.

About Sustainable Seafood Celebration
Sustainable Seafood Celebration is a nonprofit group launched in 2018. Its mission is to raise awareness of the fruits of the Salish Sea – encouraging efforts to keep our local waters healthy despite rapid population growth; rebuilding healthy populations of wild salmon from the Salish Sea; supporting the survival of the Orcas; and highlighting the successful results of good policy and responsible management. More at sustainableseafoodcelebration.org.

About the Salish Sea
The Salish Sea is one of the world’s largest and biologically rich inland seas. Its name pays tribute to the first inhabitants of the region, the Coast Salish. The Salish Sea is an inland sea that encompasses Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands and the waters off of Vancouver, B.C. The area spans from Olympia, Washington in the south to the Campbell River, British Columbia in the north, and west to Neah Bay and includes the large cities of Seattle and Vancouver.

About Riley Starks
A Washington native, Riley Starks took the less traveled fork in the road for the first time when he eschewed law school and bought his first fishing boat in 1973. He has been a commercial fisherman all of his life, and along the way explored other uncharted territory on Lummi Island by building Nettles Farm in 1992, buying and operating the Willows Inn in 2001, founding Lummi Island Wild, a reefnet salmon business, and finally owning and operating Nettles Farm B&B in 2013.

About Larry Mellum
Larry Mellum is the founder and owner of Pike Place Chowder in Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market. In the 1990s he and a partner opened the Charlestown Street Cafe in West Seattle where they held a weekly chowder contest that drew fans from all over the state and lead to first-place wins in several national chowder cook-offs. In 2003 Larry opened Pike Place Chowder where eight varieties of chowder are served daily. Four years later a second eatery was opened in the Pacific Place Shopping Center. In 2018 Pike Place Chowder’s New England Clam Chowder was acclaimed by Yelp, “The Most Popular Dish in America”.

Christmas Eve & Day 2019 at Ray’s Boathouse & Café

Celebrate the holidays with Ray’s! Join us on Christmas Eve in the Café for a delicious Northwest seafood lunch or dinner as you enjoy our cozy fireplace and breathtaking views of the Puget Sound. On Christmas Day, the Café is featuring a greatest hits menu of our most-loved dishes!

In the Boathouse, you’ll feel the spirit of the holidays with festive décor and our seasonally inspired 3-course dinner including soup or salad, entrée, and your choice of house made dessert, available on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Read on for Christmas hours and menu details and reserve your table today!

Reservations strongly recommended for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at Ray’s! For Café reservations click here. For Boathouse reservations click here.

Christmas Eve – Tuesday, Dec. 24 

Boathouse
The Boathouse will be serving its regular dinner menu with dishes such as Sablefish in Sake Kasu, Alaskan King Crab Legs, Filet Mignon and delicious house made desserts. Or choose our 3-course menu including a choice of salad, entrée, and dessert (beverages, tax, and gratuity not included) for $60. Children’s menu available.

Starter – choice of one
Calamari Salad Citrus marinated, Jalapeno, cilantro, sesame, Won-ton
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup Crème fraiche, cayenne, pepitas
Roasted Cauliflower & Burrata WA honey crisp apple, sweet peppers, balsamic, hazelnuts

Entrée – choice of one
Prime Rib of RR Ranch Beef Roasted garlic mashed potatoes, black kale, Delicata squash, demi-glace
Neah Bay Ling Cod Fennel dusted, pan seared, potato gnocchi, preserved chanterelles
King Salmon Apple wood grilled, Ikura, fried Brussels sprouts, beurre blanc
Wild Mushroom Risotto Arborio rice simmered in mushroom consommé, wild Northwest mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, Parmesan espuma

Dessert – choice of one
Vanilla Pavlova Crème fraiche, lemon mousse, fresh mint
Cranberry Tart Hazelnut sucre, rosemary, ricotta

The Boathouse is open from 2pm (first seating) to 8pm (last seating) on Christmas Eve. Boathouse Bar is open 2-8pm offering the same menu and is seated on a first come basis.

Café
Ray’s Café is offering its regular lunch and dinner menu with dishes like Wild Northwest Salmon, Fresh Alaskan Halibut, Dungeness Crab Cakes, Seared Sea Scallops, Clam Chowder, Fish and Chips, and much more. Children’s menu available.

The Café is open from 11:30am (first seating) to 8pm (last seating) on Christmas Eve. The Café Bar is open from 11:30am to 8pm with regular menu offerings and seated on a first come basis. No reservations needed.

Christmas Day – Wednesday, Dec. 25

Boathouse
Enjoy our regular dinner menu plus the 3-course seasonal menu featured above with choice of starter,  entrée, and dessert (beverages, tax, and gratuity not included) for $60 per guestFull children’s menu available.

The Boathouse is open on Christmas Day from 2pm (first seating) to 8pm (last seating). Boathouse Bar is open from 2-8pm on Christmas Day with the regular menu available. No reservations are needed, first come basis.

Café
Ray’s Café is open Christmas Day from 12pm (first seating) to 8pm (last seating). The menu will include the greatest hits from our Café menu along with seasonally inspired a la carte specials! A full children’s menu will be available.

The Café Bar will be open from 12-8pm with the same Café menu. No reservations are needed, first come basis.

*Ray’s does not accept senior discount, passport or other promotional offers on holidays.

Bubbles & Bivalves at Ray’s Oct. 8-20

As we usher in the colder weather at Ray’s we look forward to a Fall bounty of super clean and bright tasting oysters produced in our chilly local waters. Join us for Bubbles & Bivalves Tuesday, October 8 through Sunday, October 20 at Ray’s Boathouse and Cafe!

Choose from a daily rotating variety of local oysters served individually, by the duo, or as a half dozen with a special menu of sparkling wines available by the glass and bottle.

Oyster varieties will be served on the half shell with red wine mignonette and pricing is $3.75 for one, $7 for two, and $20 for six.

Sparkling wines include the following with pricing by the glass and bottle:

  • Domaine J. Laurens Brut Rosé Crémant de Limoux, FRA NV   $11 / $42
  • Sokol Blosser Bluebird Cuvée Sparkling Wine OR/WA, 2016   $13 / $50
  • Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs North Coast, CA 2016   $19 / $75
  • Bollinger ‘Special Cuvée’ Brut Aÿ, FRA NV   $35 / $140

Our Bubbles & Bivalves menu is available daily from October 8-20 in both our main level Boathouse and our upstairs Cafe.  Menus and pricing may change without notice. Reserve in the Boathouse or the Cafe today. Cheers!

Pumpkin Carving Party Returns to Ray’s October 26!

Calling all Halloween enthusiasts! Join us for our sixth annual Ray’s Cafe Pumpkin Carving Party on Saturday, October 26! All ages are invited to show-off their pumpkin carving skills on our covered Cafe deck, rain or shine.

Each carver receives:
1 pumpkin
Child-safe carving tools
LED candle
Hot apple cider

Food and beverages are available for purchase, including Ray’s seasonal fall cocktails.

Tickets to the party are $17 per carver (tax and gratuity not included). Reservations are required and guests can choose from the following three time-slots: 11:30 am, 1:45 pm and 4:00 pm. Please call or email Gabby Morgan at [email protected] or 206.926.0820.

Costumes are encouraged! We invite all attendees to show off their costumes and pumpkin creations by tagging @raysboathouse on InstagramFacebook and Twitter. We’ll see you at the Cafe on Saturday, October 26!

Fall Events & Holiday Parties at Ray’s!

Experience the ultimate Northwest event setting at Ray’s Northwest Room! Enjoy fresh sustainable seafood, bubbly, custom cocktails and award winning service!  Book your fall gala, school fundraiser or holiday party at Ray’s now and don’t sweat it come fall.

From cocktail parties with casual bites to buffet lunches and multi-course sit down dinners we handle the details from start to finish. Our private Northwest Room has a large deck that overlooks Shilshole Bay and the Olympic Mountains and can be enclosed and heated for year-round use!

Need catering? Ray’s will come to your home or venue of choice with catering and bar services, so we’ve got you covered any which way!

Contact our Director of Catering, Amanda Viereck, to book your event today! 206.789.6309 or [email protected]

August is Washington Wine Month!

August is Washington wine month and Ray’s has you covered! Our Wine Director Chip Croteau has hand-picked a gorgeous selection of reds, whites, and rosés from some of the most incredible winemakers in our state! Enjoy these wines by the glass or bottle all month long in our first-floor Boathouse. Reserve today!

Featured Washington Wines include:

Sparkman ‘Lumiére’ Chardonnay Columbia Valley, WA 2016 15 gls / 58 btl
Aromas of hazelnut, lemon curd, stone fruit and honeysuckle lead into lively flavors of green apple, lemon oil, minerals, and just a smooch of sweet toasty French oak. An elegant, well-balanced chardonnay.

Avennia ‘Oliane’ Sauvignon Blanc Yakima Valley, WA 2017 16 gls / 62 btl
Barrel fermented with native yeast, the aromas of lemon verbena, lemon oil and herbs emerge. The flavors are tart, racy and acid driven, with a long, drawn out finish. It’s elegant and subtle.

Tranche ‘Pink Pape’ Rosé Black Rock Estate Vineyard, WA 2018 12 gls / 45 btl
A blend of three traditional Châteauneuf-du-Pape varieties, discover delicate aromas of mountain berry, white peach, citrus blossom and honey dew with lifted notes of pink grapefruit and lemon peel.  Bright and focused on the palate, with fresh citrus and underscored by a wet stone-like minerality.

Delille Cellars Rosé Columbia Valley, WA 2018 17 gls / 68 btl
Presenting a beautiful pink coral color, this Grenache-dominated rosé showcases a nose of kiwi, melon and light red raspberry.  Bright citrus flavors join dried strawberry, peach and hints of dried tarragon and dill in the mouth. Perfectly dry and brilliantly crisp, this wine has a substantial finish capped by a generous tropical guava flavor.

Devium Mourvèdre/Syrah Red French Creek Vineyard Yakima Valley, WA 2017 19 gls / 70 btl
Wild Oregon Marionberries and potting soil lead into a silky palette with balanced tannins, great acidity and hints of earth, red fruit and savory herbs.

Two Vintners Syrah ‘Some Days Are Stones’ 2016 Stoney Vine Vineyard Walla Walla, WA 18 gls / 68 btl
From Walla Walla’s famous Rock’s District, intense aromatics of blueberry and plum are followed by smoked meat, dried violet, olive, gravel and dried herbs.  It shows a whole lot of hang time on the potpourri filled finish. Incredible!

Cadence ‘Bel Canto’ Cabernet Franc & Merlot Cara Mia Vineyard Red Mountain, WA 2007 22 gls / 85 btl
Knockout nose combines sappy black cherry, red currant, black tea, mocha and rose petal. Wonderfully intense but light on its feet, with enticing floral lift and outstanding verve to the red berry and brown spice flavors.  One of the many testaments to the ageability of WA wines.