Finally!
For those of you that have been following this, you know the last few posts I have been nearly obsessed with getting to Ray's Tavern to try their burger. This is because I've been told that it is quite the experience just getting to go to Ray's. I had a few people tell me that the "ambience" was enough to require a visit but they also have a sign on the side of the building that says "Best Burger in Aiken."
That's a pretty tall order, right there. Lots of praise and that sign made this a requirement. So I've tried and tried for the last few weeks to get in, but when I have had the intent of going they've been closed and when I have been off doing other things, they've been opened. "Why is that?" you ask? Well, it's simple: the owner is the one behind the bar and he runs things his way.
He kind of sounds like me in that he doesn't really trust someone else to run the place when he's not there. He does the cooking. He does the serving. And he is the one who entertains his customers. Now, I don't mean that he is up there flipping burgers while strumming a guitar and playing a harmonica before juggling beer bottles which he slings out to his regulars. I mean he leans over the bar and talks to the people who come in.
Now there's a concept. A bartender/server who is interested in talking to you (FYI to my bartender friends, I'm not calling out anybody in particular and most of you that I know personally are excellent and need to keep doing what you're doing. It's more a shot at our culture of always being on our phones or not interested in talking to those around us). He takes this so much to heart that he has signs all over the place that say, "Please, no cell phones at the bar," and has supposedly been known to ask people to either step away from the bar or to leave the building if you are on the phone too much. I like this guy.
So, I was driving by Monday evening on my way to run a couple errands when I noticed the chains in front of the driveway were down, there were a couple trucks in the driveway and the neon "OPEN" sign was lit up. YES! YES! YES! I immediately texted Ryan and John (because they both have really wanted to try this place with me) and we decided it was now or never.
Anyways, before I go any further, allow me to show you the burger I ordered and talk about that before I get more into the ambience. NOTE: because of the ambience and the no cell phone rule, I was hesitant to really take my time to get a good picture with my phone and was unable to get a well-lit picture, so I'm sorry for the lack of quality in today's picture:
Yes, I get it. This picture is not one of my better ones. So sue me. But the burger itself makes up for it.
And those fries.
First, the burger. It's interesting to note the difference in some of the constructions of the burgers I've had. Most places like to have the burger on the bottom bun then stack everything else on top. Here, however, everything is split evenly between above and below the patty. The onions, ketchup and mustard are below, the cheese, lettuce and mayo are on top. The only thing it's really missing would be pickles and having the bun toasted, but what I was served was really, really good. That first bite was one of the best ones, yet.
Maybe it was just the cigarette smoke (I'll get to that in a second) but I think I may have shed a tear. It was a really good burger. A big burger that required a big bite. It did not disappoint in flavor, temperature or scale. I know I surprised Ryan and John when I said it definitely is one of the better burgers I've had, so far, but it's true. It was cooked well, it had some really good cheese melted perfectly on it, the veggies were crisp and fresh.
I think the reason it surprised them is that it came from this place that is definitely different from where they went with me, Malia's. When you order from Ray's, you realize this is a bar and it is bar food. BUT it is really good bar food. This was definitely one of the better burgers taste-wise. Again, I mentioned the type of guy that runs this place, well, he's also the type of guy who probably hasn't really cleaned the grill or changed the oil in the fryer in decades. And I am A-OK with that because it adds some great flavors to everything.
By the way, the fries were really good. Sure, they're just like some of the other places but they were cooked right. Crisp with a few that weren't and a healthy amount.
Now, here is what you are really after when you go to Ray's, the ambience and price:
Price: OK, I'm sorry but I don't have an exact price here because I don't have a receipt. This is a cash only bar, so no credit card slip. I remember the cheese burger was around $6.50 and my total order was something like $14 with two beers, the burger and fries and an 8% tax added on (according to the menu).
Ambience: This is a private "club" from what I am told and in the county (no 1% sakes tax on prepared food!). Because of this private status, you are allowed to smoke in there (I want to say that Cork & Bull is like this?). I know this will turn some people off, but for me it was nostalgia. A blast from the past, really. When I first started going to bars 7-8 years ago you could still smoke in places like the Holly House, Pat's/Playoffs and others, and especially over in Augusta. Now, I'm not a smoker and I realize the health risks associated with both smoking and being around second hand smoke, but there is just something about a smokey old bar that cannot be explained. Low lighting, a couple of pool tables, a couple TVs, and just a handful (if that) of locals puffing away giving the place a haze. If that's not for you, it's not for you. I just felt like it took me back to when I was first starting to go to places like that and how much fun I had. I really liked it.
Now, after thinking on it, I had to make a couple changes. The biggest was no tie. I went ahead and put Betsy's to the top and slid Brew Pub into a solid second place (I still love you Brew Pub). Ray's, while delicious, I feel like it is third. Honestly, that top-five right now is solid and if you go and have a burger from any of those places, you're going to enjoy it. All 8 have not disappointed, but you do start to realize some burgers are a cut above the rest.
1) Betsy's on the Corner
2) Brew Pub
3) Ray's
4) Playoffs
5) Malia's
6) Red Shed
7) City Bs
8) Blue Top
I am also going to see about adding Cork & Bull to the mix if they have a burger since I mentioned them earlier. May need to knock out the Wilcox and/or Manuel's soon (especially because I have heard great things about Manuel's breads).
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