Ray’s Deli

I really enjoy Ray’s friendly staff and quick service, and the fact that you can get a variety of drinks and a candy bar or pack of gum. Their breakfast sandwiches are my favorite. Also their fresh fruit bowl is very carefully prepared and packaged so that it doesn’t turn into tasteless mush. I’ve scored an entire fresh-​roasted turkey leg on occasion! I’m also a fan of their tuna pasta salad. The only disappointing item has been their tomato soup; I can’t recommend it. Has anyone else fared better? Anyway, a solid place for a decent meal.

I love Ray’s. It is the best sandwich in the Columbia Center, maybe in Seattle. Nice people too.

If you are hungry at Columbia Tower and you walk in and see Specialty’s – just keep walking. Why overpay and overwait when Ray’s is just 3 steps more? A sandwich at Ray’s runs anywhere from $ 5.50 and up. I get their California Club for $ 6.70 (with tax). It’s a huge sandwich and really fills you up all the way to dinner. Also, unlike other places in Columbia Tower, this place is by far the quickest. Between ordering and getting my order, it’s about 5 minutes. You can’t beat that!
Today when I was there, my order got lost (which was the first time of the many times I had been there). Luckily, one of the employees took note after about 5 minutes, and immediately got my order ready. He also apologized profusely and gave me a free cookie! I love a local business that values their customers. You better believe that if you’re waiting 20 minutes for a Specialty’s sandwich (because that is the standard wait time if you don’t pre-​order online) and they lose your order, you’re not getting a free cookie!

The wonderful folks at Ray’s Deli put a lot of goodness and creativity into their menu. The Lemon Basil Chicken on croissant is to die for, with sundried tomatoes and black olives. They use Boar’s Head Brand which I love, and they have the best pickles in Seattle. The staff/​owners are so sweetly humble and I always get a beautiful smile every time I go. I’ve been going there for years and they have never made a mistake on my order and everything tastes so fresh.

I come here often for breakfast or lunch. The service is typically fast and friendly. The breakfast sandwiches are great! I never would have combined turkey, bacon, egg and cheese but it actually works very well. The sandwiches are reasonably priced and the quality is consistent. I enjoy walking right past Specialty’s to see the smiling faces behind the counter at Ray’s.

Nice service, cheap, fast, just okay food.

This really is a great little spot to get a good sandwich, soup or salad. Their layout is a bit odd, with registers on 2 sides of the counter, soup in the middle, and no obvious place to stand and wait for your food. They do a good job making decent sized portioned lunches pretty quickly. I’m a big fan of the tuna and chicken salad sandwiches, and their split pea is really yummy too! The french dip is also a favorite, and the california club is very hearty. They also have a huge stock of candy and drinks in their little random «mini mart» like closet area next to the counter.
I like Rays! If they streamlined their counter setup a bit I’d be on board to give the 5^th star.

Ray’s kicks Specialty’s white-​bread, crappy-​service ASS. Locally owned and operated by the people who care about it, the service is better, the food is superior, and the prices are better besides.
Located in the northwest corner of the lower level of the Columbia Tower food court, you have to walk past Specialty’s to get to it… and it’s absolutely worth it to do so!
From hot bagel sandwiches in the morning to cold or hot sandwiches at lunchtime, soup, coffee, and the like, this place does all the deli standards with great care and competence.
They serve Boar’s Head brand cold cuts (delicious) and home-​roast their turkey. Their soups are usually outstanding. I hear the coffee is good (I am not a coffee drinker). They have a wide selection of bagged chips and canned/​bottled cold drinks too, and offer fruit and green salads.
The Asian ladies at the counter are friendly and polite. When you become a regular, they are extra-​nice to you, but I’ve never encountered any bad attitude.
I don’t work in Seattle Municipal Tower anymore, but I miss Ray’s.