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An unexpectedly good steak house right off Colesville. I went here with a buddy and received absolutely great service. The waitstaff is brilliant and the decor is very nice.
The steaks are good, wine/beer list is good and the prices are reasonable. Pretty darn good if you ask me and not a chain like Ruth's Chris.
I had to park across the street over in "Downtown Silver Spring" but otherwise no complaints.
It seems like an eternity since I first caught wind of the existence of the fabled hellburger. At the time I shrugged off the rumors of greatness -- Ray's Hell was in Arlington, and I couldn't be bothered. And as more reports of the burger's prowess reached me, so did complaints about the parking situation, lack of readily available seating and line confusion. I sat back and waited.
And then Ray's the Classics opened in Silver Spring, a scant 15-minute drive from me. Still I bided my time, trying every other vaunted burger I could get my hands on, until one fateful evening when my Spring-dwelling friend Katie said she wanted to check the place out. No traffic and an easy, free-after-6 pm curbside park later I arrived at the door, breathless with anticipation (and the cold).
Upon entry I was warmly greeted by the hostess, relieved of my coat and shown a cozy corner table for 2. Menus materialized instantly before me, and the deals were great: $24 three-course steak dinner; massive hellburgers for $8, excellent draft beers for $5. Katie and I had a rough time figuring out which meat preparation/sauce/topping/cheese combination to go with, but we both ended up with au poivre, medium -- I ordered mine with aged bleu cheese, and she ordered mushrooms, onions and white cheddar.
Our drinks came quickly, and so did our massive, juicy burgers. I cut mine in half for an optimal eating approach and took the plunge.
First impression:
hmmfluffybunwhere'sthe cheese?that's a lot ofpepper!great consistency...there's the cheese!mmmmm, creamy.spicy,spicy,aughhh!ahhhh,beer.
Au poivre = more cracked pepper than you can shake a stick at.
So, it was an intense eating experience. The bleu cheese did a lot towards cutting the sharpness of the pepper; so did the little fried bites of mashed potato that came with the meal, and my delicious Hook & Ladder backdraft brown ale. In the end neither of us were able to finish our burgers, so we got to-go boxes and a delicious slice of key lime pie to split. Two tiny cups of rich hot chocolate accompanied our bill, which was a very reasonable $20 each.
What struck me about R:TC, beyond their excellent burger (now #2 in my list of local favorites), was the extremely friendly service -- the smile as I walked in, the promptness of our server's checkback to make sure we were enjoying our food, the chat we had with the coat-check girl. It was the inverse of "you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone" -- I didn't know what I was missing until I had it.
Oh my foodie friends, this is heaven!! I have found love in Silver Spring MD with the most excellent and freshest bacon wrapped scallops and the wonderful bargain price of just $19.95. Could this be!!! How is this possible that a neon restaurant of the street that seems little out of place from the Burlington coat factory and Barnes and Noble neighborhood, could have such delicious food without the high cost?
Yeah I know it says three dollar signs but the bar menu is really all you need if you want good food. My friend ordered their famous Hell Burger which is 10 oz. of ground steak which is the best EVER!!! I had the bacon wrapped scallops from the dinner menu and it was still a bargain price. The scallops were cooked to perfection - not chewy, fresh and tasty with really good bacon wrapped around it. It was just heavenly. The mashed potatoes and the creamed spinach come with the meal and they are fresh and delish as well.
If you are in the are, you must try this place. My friend and I yelped this place and this was not our first choice given the reviews, but this really is a gem and you must stop by and have a try. The drinks are great and the bartender even better. Kristjean (that right, with a K and a J) is great and the drinks were fabulous. I was wasted after the first Gin and Tonic....
When I come back to D.C. I will definitely be back here and you should give this place a try as well.
This was an excellent dining experience. Great steak and pepper crust and like many others have said the mashed taters were excellent!!!
Good service and I really liked the cajun cashews as the compliment to the bread.
The cheesecake was exactly what I had been looking for!!!
I will be back!
Buy the hype.
Sit in the teeny bar area. Order the hell burger for an astoundingly affordable $8 if you're feeling starved and cheap. If you're feeling starved and classy, order the 3 course menu for an astoundingly affordable $24. If you're feeling in between, order the $18 special (which I also think was 3 courses. I can't remember. Anyways.)
This is probably the best bang-for-your-buck quality restaurant in the metropolitan area. Sure, the decor isn't anything particularly fancy and the location is kind of out of the way (which makes it super convenient for me, actually), but the dining experience FEELS fancy and the food TASTES fancy while the bill doesn't indicate fancy or uppity at all.
We came as a party of 6 (plus a super late, lost straggler 7th person i.e. my mom) around 7pm on a Wednesday night. By a stroke of luck, we managed to get three teeny tables pushed together in the teeny bar area without having to wait. If we had come in the 6 o'clock hour, I don't think there would have been enough free tables. But the hostess was totally gracious and cool about rearranging tables so we could fit.
The spiced cashews that tasted of Old Bay and super soft, thick rosemary/herby bread were really delightful introductions to the meal ahead.
Our whole table started with the crab bisque (which my dad initially thought was "biscuit"... HAHA) and it was so buttery and creamy and delicious, with a decent amount of crab chunks in it.
I ordered the hangar steak with the port/peppercorn/cream sauce (au poivre?) as my entree after reading all the rave reviews on here.. and you know, Yelp never disappoints. It was not just good but GOOOOOOOOOOOOD. Perfectly medium, as I had ordered it, and deliciously seasoned and surprisingly tender. The only very slight downside was that my sauce was pretty salty and I probably wouldn't order it with that particular sauce again.
My daughter had a hell burger. She's only 5 and there's no way she could eat a 10 oz meat patty but I knew exactly what I was doing. Her burger (with awesome mushrooms and sauteed garlic) got split and sampled by the table... and served as my lunch the next day. This burger was huge. HUGE. And so tasty. Came with a few "potato croquettes" aka deep fried breaded balls of mashed potatoes and a pickle.
For dessert, I had a key lime pie and it was sort of run-of-the-mill, but I didn't really care because I was already stuffed from delicious meat. The coconut cream pie was a bit better, and the chocolate mousse was really rich.
And as a nice little extra touch, when the bill came, we all got espresso-sized mugs of amazing hot chocolate. I don't know if it truly was amazing on its own or if it was amazing because it was a cool surprise ending. But this was the best darn hot chocolate we ever had.
I don't know why it took me so long to have my first Ray's experience, but it makes me think I should be back soon. Very soon. Like maybe next week let's get a hell burger soon.
This was the 4th or 5th time I'd been to Ray's but this is the first time I ate on the cafe side.
The Cafe menu is great and they offer a good amount of the menu. The waitstaff was friendly and prompt and the food for myself and the diners with me was great.
I fully recommend the Hell Burger, the beef was very tender and flavorful and the accompanying potato croquettes were tasty as well. Great dining in the heart of downtown Silver Spring.
I wanted to like this place more than I did. The food was hit and miss. The sides were great--creamed spinach that was just the right mix of creamy and vegetable goodness, mashed potatoes that were whipped to an incredibly light and fluffy consistency, and macaroni and cheese with a delicious golden crust.
The main course was a different story. My wife's crab wasn't horrible, but it was oily and uninspired. My filet mignon, ordered medium rare, was unevenly cooked. Half was medium rare, the other half was medium well. Overcooking a tenderloin like that is simply unforgivable. You run a steakhouse, and charged me $30 for a premium cut. I didn't send it back, as we had little time and I didn't want to deal with the confrontation, but in retrospect I should have on principle alone.
The service wasn't anything to write home about either. Our waiter was fairly inattentive and awkward. Like the food, there wasn't anything horrible about the job he did, but nothing to make me want to come back again either.
I've been here a few times for the Hellburger and it's everything its been hyped to be. If you want a huge juicy delicious burger, this is it. I recommend getting it au poivre or diablo. The potato croquettes and the heck sauce are great.
The service here is awesome as well. We had to wait a while to grab a seat at the bar so the bartender, really nice older gentleman with a lot personality, offered us each a beer on the house. He also remembered us after only having been once, definitely makes you feel special. The only downside is that if you eat the whole burger and have a beer or two or three you will instantly want to go into a food coma.
Going to have to try the rest of their menu next time.
*4.75 stars...or maybe even 5*
I much prefer getting a Ray's burger here in the bistro or bar rather than at Ray's Hell Burger. Loved the potato croquettes that came with the burger, although would have liked more than just three. The burger itself is just as good as in Arlington. Great place for dinner before seeing a movie at AFI across the street.
Perhaps it was a Sunday night and we all know that means in the kitchen (second string) but it should not be hard for a good steak place to maintain consistency. The creamed spinach was cool in the center and there was only one small dish to pass around for 6 guests.
The steaks were good, but not great and all meats were medium rare even when one guest had asked for medium well. The plates were very cold. The chocolate cake was dry and very cold. The (one?) waiter was quite acceptable but like his hair was on fire -- I kept thinking he was cooking in the back and running out front to wait on tables.
Let's get this out of the way at the beginning - one of the best burgers I've had. Period.
Apparently they only serve the burgers in the bar, which is why we sat in the bar. They grind them in-house, and they are fucking delicious. And huge. Thick, perfectly cooked 10oz patty (that's been well salted before cooking), dripping with deliciousness, plenty juicy, incredibly flavorful, and great texture. They've got a bunch of options of toppings - grilled onions, blue cheese, sauteed mushrooms, blackened, etc. I went with just the classic (with grilled onions) to get the real taste of the burger. And damn, it's good. And a mouthful! It's served on a big brioche roll, just the right consistency to stand up to the burger juice without being too chewy.
The bar makes reasonably good cocktails, but nothing to really write home about. They're fine. But the burger... THAT's worth writing home about!
Overall I like this place! They can cook the steak the way you want them to, free yummy sides (I LOVE the garlic mashed potatoes), and we got free desserts because it was my birthday! So what's not to like?!?
We had reservation at 8, but didn't get seated until close to 8:15 because the table was not ready. A 15 minute wait is acceptable, but any longer would have been a big no no in my book.
I thought the wine choices were kinda expensive...no real solid choices under $45...we got a bottle of cabernet for about $46, it was a decent choice. The crab bisque was very good. I just had a taste, but wish I had gotten a cup for myself. The rib eye I got medium rare was just perfectly cooked and tasted great! Most people at my table got the filet mignon and all had no complaints about the doneness of their steak. The hanger steak looks like at great value at $19.95. I think I will try that next time. The complimentary creamed spinach was very popular amongst my friends, but I was just in love with the garlic mashed potatoes (we didn't really touch the regular mashed potatoes) and we helped ourselves to a lot of those.
For dessert we got key lime pie (so very very very good) and coconut pie (the couple that ordered it finished it so fast we didn't get a chance to taste, but I assume it means it's good :) and berry and cream. I would go back to have the key lime pie alone (maybe with a side of garlic mashed potatoes, haha).
Overall, Silver Spring is just too out of the way for us, but I would definitely go back and try the bar area's fixed price 3 course deal. You can't beat that!
If I could give 3.5 stars I would.
So, I took the good boyfriend to Ray's the Classics for his birthday this past weekend. Not being a huge meat eater, overall I was quite pleased. I was a bit nervous and afraid after reading some mixed reviews. We'd been disappointed with so many "finer" steakhouses, but Ray's wasn't bad at all. We both ordered the NY Strip, he ordered the house special blackened with blue cheese and I had a "modest" 12 ozs with mushroom cream sauce on the side. I think by far my steak without the additional crusts and cheese had a much better flavor, well seasoned, completely unmasked and just delicious. We also ordered the 3 cheese mac and cheese, which was also quite good.
What didn't work so well...the steaks were a bit undercooked. I like my steak cooked to medium; however it was delivered rare to medium rare (cool red center). I barely finished half of the steak, so I left most of the rare areas untouched. His steak was supposed to be medium also but came out practically mooing! I figured since it was a huge steak, they didn't want to chance ruining it by cooking it too much. He said the taste was fine, but the rareness wasn't so pleasant for him. The other issues all revolve around the service. Though the server was polite, friendly and professional he was a bit absent minded. I wasn't a fan of my Bellini so I ordered a Diet Coke, which I had to request 3 times before he brought it out. Also they did not deliver the birthday dessert I requested for my boyfriend. If there hadn't been like 5 other tables in our area getting the birthday desserts, I wouldn't have been as bothered.
Overall the Meatatarian boyfriend who eats no vegetables and who I consider a steak snob was generally pleased as was I. Many places that we've been will give you a great cut of meat while neglecting the flavor and seasoning aspect. I think Ray's delivered in the flavor department. I hope that when we return the steaks will be cooked as we request (not referring to asking for steaks that can't cooked beyond a certain temperature; just that my medium steak be medium, not rare) and that the server will be a little more attentive. I would definitely give Ray's the Classics another shot and would recommend others to try it out also.
We have been to Ray's the Steaks, but this was our first time to Ray's the Classics...it was excellent! I am probably one of the few people that goes there and doesnt eat steak, but my crab bisque and grilled shrimp were delicious! My husband had a Caesar salad that was ok, but a hanger steak which he LOVED. The service was great. The cashews, bread, hot chocolate served with the bill, and family style sides were all delicious! Chocolatae mousse and key lime pie were also really good...definitely will be back and suggest this to people who want great food without ridiculous prices!!!
In A Nutshell:
*Organized a room reservation for a recent business trip to the D.C. area. Great coordination from Joseph!
*The menu was great, $40 bucks for a 28 oz. Cowboy Steak and smoked salmon w/ caviar appetizer. You can't beat that price!!
Overall, the food was amazing the service top notch and prices are perfect. 5 Stars easily!!!!
My husband and I returned here to give it a second chance. When Ray's opened, the menu was very different and we really enjoyed it. However, the next time we visited the place, the menu had been totally revamped and we were so disappointed we left. Last Saturday we decided to give the new menu a try. We like the fact it's a dinner establishment pretty close to where we live.
First off, I really appreciated the hostess squeezing us in for a dinner reservation on short notice. When we arrived, we were seated at a nice big table for 4 instead of one of those dinky butt tables most restaurants will seat you if you are just a party of two. So we really liked the fact that we would have some good elbow room to eat. Our waiter was very helpful and was not annoying. We both ordered rib eyes and appetizers. The Caesar salads were nice, lettuce and dressing were cold - just the way I like it, although the dressing didn't really taste that Caesar, but it was still tasty. We also ordered the smoked salmon appetizer which was fabulous! A beautiful laid out plate with salmon, two types of caviar, capers, onions and toast points. Very appetizing and appealing to the eye. The steaks were perfect, broiled perfectly and just the way we liked them. And the creamed spinach was delicious! Service was excellent. Food was very good. The atmosphere was pleasant, couples, a couple of families, and all age groups. It was a full house when we were there at 6:30. Great location, right across from the Silver Theatre and free parking in rear.
Like Patrick and Joel have said, the bistro/bar area (no reservations) offers 1) the full dinner menu as well as 2) Ray's hell burgers, 3) a $24 prix-fixe menu AND 4) another $18 prix-fixe kinda menu. Unbelievable!
I was a hell burger newbie so I decided to take the $8 plunge. Au poivre with garlic, mushrooms and Ray's heck sauce, medium. This burger is HUGE! The patty is probably the biggest I've ever attempted to eat, and I only got through half of it (definitely not Ina-sized portions here). To be honest, the burger was really good, but not so easily the best burger in the DC area.
My favorite parts of the meal: the service and the potato puff thingies. Our server was quick, friendly and professional. And the potato puff thingies came with the burger and tasted like deep fried mashed potatoes! How can you beat that?
And the $8 burger qualifies Ray's the Classics for my All About the Hamilton's list! :D http://www.yelp.com/li...
There are several things that Ray's the Classics does better than Ray's the Steaks: there's an… Read more »
A dinner for 6, we opted to sit in the bar area, because a few of us wanted to try the Hell burger. I think it's dumb to only offer it in the bar area. So it's fairly empty and they decide to seat the 6 of us in a table made up from two two-toppers?!?! At first we went with it, but quickly realized that it wasn't going to work, we barely had any elbow room and we were planning on ordering a lot of food. There was a whole free table that they just needed to add to one side. So I ask the hostess if we could do that. She gives me this scared look and says that the manager didn't want to take up another table. What?!?! (I was about to get all old skool Silver Spring on his ass). I asked to speak to the manager and just at that moment he went outside to take a cell phone call. Anyways, our waiter finally came up and saw that it was too cramped and started to add another table without even being asked. He saved this from being 2 stars. Overall, we got great service here after the table incident.
The nut mix and the warm bread to start were delicious. We ordered the diablo strip steak, the hangar steak, 3 rib eyes, and a hell burger. Guess which was mine? The diablo! Ordered medium, it was closer to medium rare but that's fine. The seasoning was delicious with a slight kick, the portion was huge! I tried a bit of the hangar and found it to be alright, it wasn't that tender. Also a bite of the hell burger, again, nothing to write home about. The mashed potatoes, creamed spinach and mac n cheese were delicious and we had plenty of food to take home. So there's some value there.
For dessert, I had the chocolate mousse, it was light and super chocolaty, so I couldn't finish it all, it started to taste heavy after a while. But the rest of the table helped finish it off. We also had the key lime pie which was pretty decent.
Overall, the food is decent, it's not the best quality steak, but they make up for it in their sides and portion sizes.
JUST A NOTE: Ray's Hell Burgers are available in the Bistro side of Ray's the Classics. If you don't want to wait in line at the Arlington location, there is rarely a wait for a table at RTC or you can sit at the bar and snarf wantonly on the complimentary spiced cashews.
Better still, the entire dining room menu is available on the Bistro side, which means, if you want a Hell Burger and creamed spinach, or mashed potatoes or seared scallops... have at it. They also feature a pared down but rather pleasant bistro menu at sharply reduced prices.
Oh, and by the way, the Hell Burger...Incredible! But you already knew that.
I suppose the comparisons to Ray's the Steaks are inevitable and I certainly won't be immune to it… Read more »
Pretty plain decor, but great and relatively inexpensive food. Free creamed spinach and mashed potatoes, lots of steak stuff, great broccoli, etc etc.
I never would've gone in here given the way it looks from the outside without being told about it, but I'm glad I did.
While I have been to both Ray's the Steaks and Ray's Hell Burger, I feel that I cannot compare Ray's the Classics not only because I haven't been to the new RTS location but because RTC's dining format is merely different and still comparable. With that said, the husband and I had an amazing dining experience here.
If you're lucky to get there early (or on a slow night like when I went) I would opt to sit in the first-come, first-serve bistro/bar area instead of the main dining room. The bistro includes a menu that includes Butcher Burgers (a more limited offering than what you'd find at RHB) and a prix-fix menu.
The husband and I opted for the prix-fix menu, which includes selection of appetizer, entree and dessert. My husband's diabolo steak was large in portion, very tender, and with a spicy yet almost sweet marinade. Very flavorful and not overwhelming the taste of the sirloin. My hangar steak was absolutely amazing - tender, well salted and well seasoned. Sides include creamed spinach (just the right amount of creamy butteriness) and mashed potatoes (flavorful and not too garlicy as some places can make it). Appetizers and desserts were good (I like key lime pie and you'd be in bad shape if you mess up salads) but the steaks were the main event and they blew our minds away.
Sure there's no filet mignon or other fancy cuts in this menu, but for $23.95, it's definitely a steal for the amazing quality meal you get. And what's even better - the prix-fix menu is offered every night as long as you can get a seat in the bistro. Definitely something to think about if you want a bargain steak at Ray's and it's not a Sunday night in Arlington.
As for the ambiance, the bistro has a modern classic yet not too pretentious feel. Dark wooden furniture with ostrich-leather chair cushions. Staff was attentive and very friendly throughout the entire meal.
A dining format that showcases all that the Ray's restaurants has to offer, but the quality is overall top notch. A great place to enjoy steaks cooked amazingly well without the pretention and without the ridiculous price tag.
This review is for the bistro/bar area, although we've also been to the restaurant side a couple of times. First off, we get here on a Saturday evening at before 6:00 PM to beat the rush. We sat at the bar and had a couple drinks waiting for our party to arrive. The hostess said we couldn't sit down yet until at least four out of our six showed (one being a high chair).
So our party arrived and we sat down. They put two tables together where four people would comfortably fit, but they stuffed five adults here and the high chair on the end. We had a stroller and the hostess gave us a rude tone on how we can fold the stroller. Can you give us a few minutes to settle in and sit first? My goodness. So our server came and took our drink orders and eventually our food.
Now for the food. Personally, I had the crab bisque and the famous Hell burger with grilled onions, heck sauce, and a slice of swiss. The bisque was very tasty, although a touch salty, but definitely enjoyed it. I threw some pieces of their complimentary herb bread and the flavors meshed well together. Timing on our main courses were good. My 10oz burger came out and man, it was something I did not expect as far as size, pretty ginormous. I cut the burger in half and took a bite (no heck sauce yet, wanted to taste it straight up first). It was dripping with wonderful burger juice and very moist. Their brioche bun was good and made it delicious. However, I have to say the burger had a slight "beef" taste to it, but it was not a dealbreaker, I didn't expect it. Finally slathered on the heck sauce (homemade thousand island) and it was most excellent. Their potato croquettes were good, something a little different vs the typical fries.
On the bistro/bar end, they got a special 3-course prix fixe going on and it's a rather good deal in my opinion. Wifey had the new england clam chowder and boy, this had tons of good stuff in it and wonderful smokey bacon scent, well done. However her bacon wrapped scallops were not so good. They must've added more salt to the scallops, it already has bacon (not recommended). The finale was chocolate fudge cake, which was so-so. Overall, good deal for $23.95 and you get creamed spinach and mashed potatoes. Our companion had the diablo strip cut, good stuff here too. Moist, tender, basically what you expect from a ny strip.
The bistro/bar area got a little crazy when approaching 7:00 PM. I recommend going early on a weekend night. Service gets hairy, but I can expect it because we weren't on the restaurant side of the place. For the service, a 3-star, my burger and sides were a solid 4-star. I will definitely be back to the SIlver Spring spot for their burger. Can't beat a starting price of $7.95.
I'd heard from some that Ray's the Classics wasn't as good as the original Ray's the Steaks, but if this is lesser...can't wait to try the other.
Everything was tasty, starting with the spicy cashews. I had the petit filet which was fork-tender. The garlic-laden mashed potatoes and creamed spinach were the perfect accompaniments. Two of my fellow diners had the crab entree which was also great. Wish we'd had room for dessert, because the post-dinner peanut butter-y fudge was rich and delicious.
My only complaint was that I ordered my filet medium and it was medium rare, hinging on rare. I'll eat beef on the rare side so long as it's not still cold or purple in the middle, but I know many people would've sent it back.
Will be back to try the bistro offerings!
After having eaten in both the bistro and the dining room, I feel I can finally give an appropriate review of Ray's the Classics. The verdict? Really, really, REALLY good, but a couple of snags hold it back from being truly great.
First off, the bistro, which is most notable for serving the now-legendary Hell-Burger. You've heard plenty about it, and yes, it's true - this is the best burger in the area, especially at the price. If you're not in the mood for a burger, the entire dining room menu is available, as well as the three-course $24 bistro special, which is an absolute steal.
Don't be mistaken, though - Ray's isn't a one-trick pony. The dining room menu features a variety of steak dishes. On my visit, I had the much-lauded hanger steak - a cheaper and tougher cut of meat, but holy heck, it is definitely flavorful, and at $20, a fantastic bargain. My companion had the 12 oz. NY strip, which was also fantastic. The complimentary sides of creamed spinach and mashed potatoes were a nice touch as well. We finished with the coconut cream pie, which is an absolute must-order. I've also had the Key lime pie, which is also great.
So, why just four stars? The biggest issue was how the steaks were cooked. I ordered mine medium-rare, and my friend's strip was ordered medium. When they came out, mine was definitely medium, and the strip steak was on the rarer side of medium-rare. Now, we didn't send them back, because mine was still tender enough, and my friend actually preferred her steak cooked the way it was than the way she thought she wanted it. However, it's still a pretty egregious offense, especially for a steak, and I can't in good faith give full marks for missing on both counts. Also, while I enjoyed the flavor of the mashed potatoes, the texture was odd to me. There were the lumps that you enjoy in mashed potatoes, but the rest of the mash was oddly thin, at least for my tastes.
All in all, Ray's the Classics is a great experience, and the food is top-notch. There are some things which hold it back from being, in my mind, an elite dining experience, but it's still one of the best restaurants in the area, and if the steaks had come out cooked properly, I'd have easily given this a 5-star rating.
I love this place! The food is so worthwhile that the occasional blip is forgivable -- like a little scar on a beautiful woman's nose -- just the right amount of imperfection to make it real (I hate perfect weddings, too).
We went Saturday and had a wonderful dinner. The service was nicely attentive except for the evening's blip. The crab bisque is out of this world, and frankly, is worth the trip by itself. I had the 16-oz Strip. My wife had the House Special. One daughter had the Diablo and the other had a 12-oz Strip. I love the way they do steak. It's coated in peppercorns, and mine came with a mushroom sauce. The Diablo was apparently somewhat spicy, which my oldest daughter enjoyed, but not over the top (my wife said the flavor was great). The youngest just likes steak, so she looooved hers.
The mashed potatoes are okay. I freaking HATE cooked spinach. HATE IT, I tell you. I have eaten two versions of cooked spinach that not only didn't turn my stomach, but made me dive in for seconds. One is available at Ray's the Classics, and comes free with your meal. Cool. I should probably thank my wife for making me try it, but I won't.
In a previous visit a couple of years ago, I had wild boar. It was served with a mustard sauce over kraut of some sort with apple wood bacon -- it was very, very nice. I wish they would bring that back.
Okay the Saturday blip. They forgot one of our appetizers. I'd mentioned the crab bisque to the kids ahead of time, so both ordered it (as did my wife and I), and I had read that the "devilishly good" eggs were good, so I ordered those, too. As our entrees were being placed, I asked about the eggs, and they had apparently forgotten, or had some sort of mix-up -- whatever. They brought them during the meal, and apologized profusely -- no harm done. I rate service not based on the mistake, but what you do to fix it. They did fine. I'll be back.
This restaurant is rated as not good for kids. I sort of disagree. Mine are nine and 13, and it was all good. I'll grant the point that there were no coloring books, which get on my nerves anyway -- I want to talk while we're waiting for food, not watch my kids color. The wait staff engaged the kids, and seemed to know how to deal with them. I was not at all uncomfortable having them there.
This is easily one of my favorite restaurants in the DC metro area.
Went to Ray's last night (Saturday) and had an excellent meal for a great value. Sat at the bar and ordered from the special bistro menu. Spicy cashews, rosemary bread, crab bisque, hanger steak, and chocolate cake - all for about $24! The cashews tasty, the bread fine, the bisque VERY YUMMY, creamy, with sweet tender crab chunks, the steak perfectly cooked (med-rare), flavorful and juicy. On the steak, I tried the pirana sauce (cilantro and halapenos and olive oil - a little zingy but very good). Choc cake was a little dry and tasted a little stale, but whipped cream and strawberries helped cover it. My SO had burger but found the sharp cheddar overpowered the burger and thought the cheesecake didn't taste that fresh either. But I will still definitely go back. I want to try the burger myself. Seemed like most of the patrons in the bar area were ordering and enjoying them!
P.S. We arrived around 5:45. Service was attentive for most of the meal, but got really slow towards the end.
So, tell me how this place is different from Ray's the Steaks? Oh I know, bad service.
I honestly couldn't tell the difference between the Ray's the Classics and Ray's the Steaks menus. I thought the Classics was supposed to have chops, fried chicken, stuff like that? No, just steak, and some seafood dishes, but isn't that pretty much the Rays the Steaks menu? I thought so.
No problem, I'm always in the mood for steak, and as expected, it was fantastic. My rib eye was perfect, as well as my girlfriend's NY Strip Au Poivre. So why not 5 stars? Well, it's not that the service was BAD per se. It was a bit too... methodical. Everyone knew their role, but it was more annoying than helpful. Waiters would wait around until they were sure your plate was clean to quickly take them away. Hovering might be a better word. We never got the personal attention a good restaurant can give. We got a handful of waitstaff, rushing to make us happy mind you, but ridiculously annoying and intrusive. How do you complain about fast, good service? I dunno, I can.
Another major downside was the dessert. Chocolate cake was stale and dry, and the ice cream was overly creamy. Nausea inducing.
Ok man, fast attentive service, extra creamy ice cream... are you serious? These are bad things?
Yes.
Red neon lights in retro font display the restaurant's name. Here, in the heart of reimagined "downtown" Silver Spring, lies an upscale take on DC foodmark Ray's the Steaks.
Ray's the Classics seems to envision itself as a bourgeois restaurant reliving the 1950's. Booths are diner-esque, but feature darker and more muted tones for a classier feel. My companions and I made reservation for 7pm on a Friday night. The restaurant was somewhat full. We arrived fairly early with only half our party but were promptly escorted to our table.
We waited for a while for our last friend to arrive but the wait staff did not mind. They were accommodating. Our waiter was fairly attentive, friendly. He even suggested we cut our own cake (it was a birthday party) to save on the $2.50/plate fee for the restaurant to do it. The service falls short of what you may expect from higher end steakhouses, but definitely a step up from your casual dining server.
My steak was pretty good; though in general, after trying other dishes, I've concluded I've had better in terms of taste and quality. My ribeye was cooked to a perfect medium-rare (which is quite a feat for some restaurants). The steak was tasty; seasoned simply and seasoned well. I tried a bit of the Filet, which had a strange texture to it, can't put my finger exactly on it. It came with a creamy sauce which was good. I had a bite of the crabcake. Very good. Decently portioned dish with large soft chunks of crab. Friends ordered some steaks with bleu cheese crumble, though they admitted the cheese became a bit too overpowering after some time with the dish.
Mashed potatoes were soft and creamy, though not very thick (which is a personal preference of mine). The creamed spinach was a bit lacking. Both are free of charge and served family style. One "pay-for" side was ordered, macaroni and cheese, which probably isn't worth it especially considering the no-cost options.
Many of the steaks on the menu are attached with a condition that they are only available from rare to medium. Which tells me they love their steaks, but also tells me they don't cater to the customer. The restaurant does offer its own unique cuts for well-cooked items, if you insist. Though If you dislike this rule I would suggest a non-red meat item.
What you get at Ray's Classics is good steak and good service. Not great though. In the end, having not tried the original yet, its just another gut-wrenching teaser for Ray's the Steak. Classics just eeks into 4 stars.
Last Saturday night I took my girlfriend out to dinner at Ray's with a movie to follow. It was my second time visiting and our server (Greg?) not only remembered our names but my favorite drink (grey goose martini, dry and dirty with two olives). This time I had to try the burger. I'll only say this- believe the hype. 12oz steak burger with all the condiments for 8 dollars. Amazing- I'd pay 10 and leave feeling like I robbed them. I had my burger devil style and it had just enough kick without detracting from the flavor of the beef. My date had the marinated sirloin and to be honest, we weren't impressed. Last time we had the hanger steak which blew the sirloin out of the water. Not to say that it was bad, but the other cuts are just that much better. For desert (which we got for free with the bar special!) was the dark chocolate mouse. Very rich and served with whip cream just the way I like it.
Excellent service. Before we left, the bar was entirely full but Greg still found time to catch up with us. The food is spectacular and one of the better values in Silver Spring. Ray's is no longer the best kept secret in town so if you want a good table make a reservation. Five stars all day.
I was hoping for more variety in dishes since this one doesn't say "Ray's Steaks". Unfortunately, all you can really get is steak. The cheapest dish is vegetarian and it changes each day. I didn't like the one they had for the day, and that left me with the salmon dish. It was okay, but nothing that tasty. The sides are so-so. I've definitely had better creamed spinach and mashed potatoes.
I tried my boyfriend and his brother's steaks. They each had a different sauce, which, by the way, they charge $1 for. I don't get why since the sauces are nothing fancy and imo should be included in the cost of the (already pricey) steaks. Both steaks were okay, but I've had much better at home and at other places.
The service was fine, and they followed the meal with little shots of super thick hot chocolate (yum--but not enough to add another star).
Incredible value. Any minor critiques I have are outweighed by value: the what-you-get for what-you-pay.
We sat in the bistro and ordered off of the bistro prix fixe menu. I would like to try the restaurant at some point because that's where the ribeye is! But you cannot beat the bistro offer, 3 courses for $24. There was a steak and salad offering and a petit bistro offering (salad or soup, 10 oz. strip steak, dessert), both for less than $20 as well.
The clam chowder and crab bisque were excellent. As others have said, the bisque was chock full of fresh, sweet, lump crab meat. The chowder was smoky and hearty. I had the Diablo strip steak. In all honesty, it was under-seasoned and not seared in a hot enough pan. But this is a minor complaint. My partner had the bacon wrapped filet-- which I didn't try. But he was happy. The spinach and mashed potatoes were delicious. For dessert, we had the cheesecake (which was admittedly a little less than fresh tasting) and a decadent, eyes-roll-back-in-your head, dark chocolate mousse.
So, a couple flaws. But we took home a huge take-out box of leftovers which will surely feed us through the next day. Two people, a 3 course meal and a drink each-- $66 before tip. Unbelievable!
Service was pleasant and minimalist-- which is just fine. We'll definitely be back to try out the other facets of this restaurant, i.e. burgers at the bar and ribeyes in the restaurant.
Taking the hint of other yelpers, I came here to devour the popular ray's hellburger (8 bux at the bar). Incredibly deelish. Perfectly cooked. I liked the potato things that came with it, too. Really friendly bartenders, too (esp considering we were off our tits from Piratz grog and I'm sure we were obnoxious). I had my burger au poive (wonderfully peppery) with swiss - YUM! Next time it's blue cheese for me tho. The mac in cheese is totally awesome, so definitely order a side of it. Washed it all down with the champagne of beers...ahhhhh.
I thought it wasnt very high quality meat. I found my filet was dry and it had a looseness to it, not like a quality dried steak - just old meat. Almost made me wonder whether they had cooked it for a long time at low heat to make an inferior cut of meat seem "tender." The meat at Sam & Harrys, Smith & Wollenskys and Mortons was, in my opinion, far, FAR superior. This place was closer to Bobby Van's than any of the aforementioned places - not a good thing.
The ambience here is lobbylike. Very, very limited wine list for a steakhouse, although the wine prices were very fair, especially towards the high end (around $135 for silver oak).
Best Taps with a Butcher burger, cafe side only,
Went back, and deja vu, same quality, same taps.
Got a burger blackened Cajun, crusted AND moist, crumbled while I ate it open faced, hell sauce tasted like 100 island mixed with relish, not too exciting this time. Same complementary espresso size hot chocolate. Moose less dense or served warmer.
Got one here grilled (not blackened or ....) to max out natural flavor, with hell sauce (trek and oyster sauce flavor), White Sharp Cheddar (took off after one bite, made it too salty), Red pepper sauce topping.
Done perfect with light grill marks, nice and moist.
Thought hell sauce would be spicy hot (like hell), it hid some of the beef flavor, will try without next time.
Marianne and Chelsea had the salmon, Marianne sent hers back for more cooking, later tasted Chelsea's and agreed with Marianne. Their dish came with light fluffy milky mash and excellent spinach.
Thickest choc moose desert, the whipped cream was twice as thick as any whipped cream I've had, the moose was 3x thicker almost like a soft fudge.
Had a clipper city Loose cannon IIpa, They serve 2 kinds of Sil spg firehouse ales, One looks like a Hydrant the other an Axe.
In a 10oz glass.
Big TV on end above bar, easy to ignore.
Closed Mondays
In my mind, I am going to say that I went on a off night or I may have not ordered the right things. In which, I will be back because I'm determined to like this restaurant more because of all the good reviews from yelpers.
A friend and myself went here on a Friday around 5 PM. They did not have an happy hour, which was fine with me because I am not a big drinker, but my friend was surprised they did not have one.
I started off with the crab bisque and she had the bacon ranch wedge salad. My bisque was okay...I have had better. There was barely any crab which was disappointing. My friend's salad looked like your typical wedge salad, but next time I will order that instead. For dinner I had the Hell burger with Vermont cheddar and diablo style. My hamburger was falling apart a lot. I was almost done eating the burger when I must have hit the diablo because all of a sudden my mouth was on fire. Next time, I will not get the diablo sauce and just try it plain. My friend had the sirloin and that was good. It was juicy and cook to perfection. However the creamed spinach was not that great. Oh and the potato croquettes that came with my sandwich were not a favorite of mines either. Dessert, we both had the chocolate fudge cake. That was okay. Tastes like a cake found at a local bakery in Hyattsville, Md. I can say the best part of my meal was the peanut butter/chocolate fudge they brought out. Now that was good hahha.
The waiters were very attentive. The second you were finish eating your last piece, they were there to take the plate away. The minute your glass looks like you took a few sips, they were there to refresh it. Our main waiter never really came around our table, but the other individuals were there every second we needed something.
I will go again, next time for the steak.
we visited Ray's the Classics for their famous hell burger....it satisfied! the burger is available in the bistro section of the restaurant (~30 seats + 10 across the bar). the burger is 10oz of sweeet sweeet beef. here's what i ordered:
hell burger with raw onions, mushrooms, and ray's heck sauce... au gratin with white cheddar.....medium.
no need to order fries! your burger comes with fried mashed potatoe patties, a pickle, and a slice of tomato.
here's the kicker....the low, low, low, low, low price of $9!
since the dining area is small, make sure to call ahead.
move over fuddruckers, burger king, and mcD's....ray's the classic's burgers is tops in town
***1/2
I was one of the very first customers at the original Ray's the Steaks in Arlington - well before all the hype that he has received over the past 7 years or so. So, I was pleased to see him do well and open up Ray's the Classics a few years ago (followed by Hell Burger last year). My wife and I had been meaning to make the trip up to Silver Spring to try Classics out, but the geographic inconvenience kept us away until just now.
Ray's always gets a lot of flak for his bare-bones decor, which compared to Steaks in Arlington is actually not bad. The dark wood trim and dim lighting are just fine, even if there's a lack of art on the walls. I'd always heard how the service at Classics was the biggest disappointment, and while our server was ok, I could see where people would have room to complain. He got the job done, but left a lot to be desired: empty glasses waiting for refills, odd recommendations, and when removing my appetizer plate he took the dirty steak knife off my plate and re-set it at my place - he couldn't get a clean knife?
The bright spot at Classics is the cuisine - both apps and mains. Everyone ordered appetizers, all of which were universally enjoyed. My bacon wrapped scallops were a meal in themselves and the onion chutney that came with it was excellent. The steak tartare/deviled eggs were also excellent. Everyone at our table ordered steak and were very pleased. My Steak Diablo - slices of NY strip with a spicy sauce - was excellent: tender, flavorful and SPICY!
The only disappointment on the food side was dessert - totally skippable. My fudge cake could've been two weeks old. My wife's key lime pie was ok, but everyone left most of their dessert on their plates - not worth the calorie investment.
Overall, Classics was ok. If Ray (Michael) could fix a few things - service and dessert - Classics would be a star.
The bistro prix fixe menu is an awesome deal. For under $25, you can get a three course meal at a quality that would be much more at other steakhouses. I had the crab bisque which was a bit salty but had a great flavor and wasn't too creamy. My entree, the bacon wrapped filet medallions were perfectly cooked medium well to my liking. The mashed potatoes were good though I'm not too big of a fan of the creamed spinach in general. Dessert was included and you can choose from everything that they have. The chocolate cake was a nice way to end the meal. This is a great neighborhood restaurant and I wish that I came here more often while living in downtown Silver Spring.
Definitely deserving of 4 stars. Food was delicious. The meal was not without its flaws but the meat was excellent.
I had the peppercorn crusted 16oz NY Strip, medrare. Excellent, huge hunk of beef. Brandy cream mushroom sauce was excellent too, not overpowering at all, a perfect compliment.
Those who have criticized the potatoes and spinach as nothing special surely miss the point. They are very good, and the perfect complement to the meat. If the potatoes and spinach upstaged the meat then i'd be worried. Have not been to Ray's the Steaks and would have appreciated a bit more variety than this Meat Heavy menu but once again my steak was awesome.
Service was a bit odd (the waiter took one drink order, filled it, then took the next one--for our party of six!--hilarious actually). But we were never rushed and our food came out quickly enough
Deviled Egg/Steak Tartare appetizer a bit disappointing. Meat was served nicley chilled and super fresh but otherwise flavorless and overpowered by the egg it was served in. Desserts disappointed as well. Not an original idea in the bunch and execution just ok. Choices we samled included berries and whipped cream, chocolate mousse and a coconut-y pie. don't waste your time.
The gratis hot chocolate shot to end the meal was a nice touch though (as were the zingy spicy cashews to start).
Will definitely return and may bring some picky eaters too as I feel the steaks, if ordered wisely (cut/temperature) are worth every penny.
I've been trying to get myself over to Ray's the Steaks for forever and it just never happens. So when my friends and I decided to meet for dinner in Silver Spring, I immediately suggested Ray's the Classics despite somewhat shaky reviews and never having been to the Arlington original.
What I found is that the majority of the reviews I read were spot on. Service was ok, but not special. Ambiance was ok, but also not special. Prices were ok, not really cheap but by no means astrnomical (steaks are reasonable, but salads/appetizers/sides seem to be on a bit of a higher scale). Side dishes were ok (so-so mashed potatoes and creamed spinach, and pretty awful mac and cheese). Appetizer selection left something to be desired and for lack of anything appealing to us, we did not even order one. Wine list was decent and we liked the bottle we chose.
But steaks - the steaks were good. Really good. I had the House Special NY Strip - pepper crusted, brandy mushroom cream sauce, blue cheese crumbles - and it was great. My friends loved their petit filets.
So, I liked it. I'd go back. But I don't know that I would call it a must-try or worth going out of your way for.
Silver Spring, MD
Category: Italian
Silver Spring, MD
Category: Caribbean
Silver Spring, MD
Category: Italian
Silver Spring, MD
Category: Mexican
Silver Spring, MD
Category: Italian
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