TV Restaurants

Is Ray's Place Still Open? Best Thing I Ever Ate Update (Kent, OH)

Open reported

As of September 2026, Ray's Place is listed open on Yelp, reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026; not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

Primary source
Yelp ·
Secondary source
Tripadvisor

Last verified

What the source shows: Yelp's listing, last updated in August 2026, shows Ray's Place active at 135 Franklin Avenue with 353 reviews, and Tripadvisor ranks it the top restaurant in Kent.

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What happened after Best Thing I Ever Ate?

"The Best Thing I Ever Ate" featured Ray's Place for its classic bar burger, part of an American pub menu that also includes wings, appetizers like spicy shrimp flatbread, and taco salads. The tavern has operated in Kent, Ohio since 1937 and is known for an extensive draft beer selection alongside its food, serving as a longtime meeting spot near the Kent State University campus. According to Yelp, whose listing was last updated in August 2026, the restaurant remains active at 135 Franklin Avenue with 353 reviews. Tripadvisor ranks Ray's Place first among restaurants in Kent, with a 4.5-star average across its listed reviews. No closure, sale, ownership change, or relocation has been reported for the tavern since its television appearance, and it continues operating under its original name at the same address.

Featured on Best Thing I Ever Ate

Season / episode
Season 5, Episode 7
Original air date
Not confirmed
Episode title
Old School
What was featured
the tavern's classic bar burger
Role
Featured restaurant
Name on the broadcast
Ray's Place

Frequently asked questions

Is Ray's Place still open in 2026?

As of September 2026, Ray's Place is listed open on Yelp, reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026; not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

What happened to Ray's Place after Best Thing I Ever Ate?

"The Best Thing I Ever Ate" featured Ray's Place for its classic bar burger, part of an American pub menu that also includes wings, appetizers like spicy shrimp flatbread, and taco salads. As of September 2026, Ray's Place is listed open on Yelp, reviewed by our team on September 7, 2026; not yet independently confirmed through direct contact.

Where is Ray's Place located?

135 Franklin Avenue, Kent, OH 44240. That is the address on the record as of September 7, 2026.

What season and episode of Best Thing I Ever Ate featured Ray's Place?

Season 5, Episode 7 of Best Thing I Ever Ate. The episode is titled “Old School”.

What do reviews say since Best Thing I Ever Ate?

According to Yelp, whose listing was last updated in August 2026, the restaurant remains active at 135 Franklin Avenue with 353 reviews. We summarise what dated sources report; we do not publish our own rating.

Is Ray's Place still using the Best Thing I Ever Ate menu or branding?

"The Best Thing I Ever Ate" featured Ray's Place for its classic bar burger, part of an American pub menu that also includes wings, appetizers like spicy shrimp flatbread, and taco salads. Anything newer than our last check on September 7, 2026 may not be reflected here.

Every status on this site carries a confidence label and a date, and names the source it rests on. Read the Editorial & Corrections Policy for what each label means and how quickly we act on corrections. The questions above are generated from this record's own published fields — we never publish a question we cannot answer from the data.

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Visit info

Address
135 Franklin Avenue, Kent, OH 44240
Venue type
restaurant
Official website
None found

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Sources

  • Yelp — https://www.yelp.com/biz/rays-place-kent
  • Tripadvisor — https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g50499-d504636-Reviews-Ray_s_Place-Kent_Ohio.html

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