A neighborhood place with a tiny dining room that serves great food found in Chicagoland. Order at the counter. Pick-up at the window. Will I return? Yes! read more

Ray Ray's Italian Beef & Sausage - Combo; beef and sausage, dipped. - Barbeque Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

Been here a few times while traveling for work. Small joint and good food. Hot chili is the right amount of spice! The portions are good and the cost is low read more

Ray Ray's Italian Beef & Sausage - Mj burger! The hot chili is good as well! Very good spot - Barbeque Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

Ray Ray's was highly recommended and it surely delivered. When I asked for the sandwich to be double dipped, they understood the assignment. The giardinera peppers were different than what I'm used to, but it was a very good sandwich. read more

Ray Ray's Italian Beef & Sausage - Italian beef double dipped - Barbeque Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

Service was quick, staff were friendly, food seems average priced. I purchased the Italian Roast beef and Sausage (not dipped, juice on the side) and an order of fries. I planned to take a picture for you, but once I smelled the sandwich and opened it up, I decided to take a bite first, then I remembered I didn't care if you saw my sandwich or not. 4 minutes later, I was having to wash my face with soap and water because it looked like I ate my food like a wild animal. Next time I'm in town, I will return to this spot without fail. If you are new in town, you should definitely go. read more

Small little spot with a chill Chicago sports theme dining area. I had dipped beef with peppers and onions that was great but the Chicago dog definitely was the standout of my meal. I stopped in for an early lunch and they appeared to be training a new guy, I still got great service and it was apparent the manager truly cared about the restaurant and the food they served. Will definitely be stopping in next time I'm in the area read more

Ray Ray's Italian Beef & Sausage - Dining Area - Barbeque Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

Food is consistently good! Seating is a bit cramped for dine in but it seems most customers like me get carry out.

Small wait, no big deal. Read the reviews and someone said that the pulled pork was huge! That! Was no lie! Ordered the pulled pork and fries. Nice smoky bbq flavor! Damn! It was indeed huge but I smashed it! I'd order that again! Yup! Totally recommend this place! The ONLY downside. They had Heinz on the table but stuck in some generic ketchup for carry-out. I'm just Super brand loyal (pardon me while I continue to lick my fingers from the delicious BBQ sauce!). I'll be back, no doubt about that! read more

I really liked the meatball sandwich and rip tips were ok but I wasn't a big fan for their chili cheese fries, mac & cheese and coleslaw. My husband wasn't a big fan of his Italian sausage and beef sandwich unfortunately. Banana pudding was ok as well. Everyone was nice and friendly :) I'd absolutely comeback to try more! read more

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Delicious food always fresh and fast service very friendly staff this place it's a must stop every time I'm on my way to Chicago.

I got the Italian beef and sausage combo with peppers/onions. Always, always order it "WET" it's messy, but it's worth it. Trust me. This place is a perfect lunchtime or early dinner meal. The service is excellent with friendly staff. Closest you'll get to Chicago street food. read more

Ray Ray's Italian Beef & Sausage - Italian Beef and Sausage Combo with sauteed peppers and onions - Barbeque Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

The food is great. I am excited when I get to go there.it is a small restaurant. But most people take food to go. It is very clean .

Ray Ray's in Kalamazoo is solid! Im not from Chicago but some family is and they tell me this is the true item; the main cook/chef had restaurants in Chicago in previous years.. I had a Chili Cheese Dog, and Chicago Dog, and a bunch of bbq pulled pork. I was there with family, and someone got a Coney Island Dog, so I had a bite of that - awesome! I also ate half a plate of fries. Excellent food. I will go back next time Im in town. read more

Ordered a "Chicago Dog" and an Italian beef. Many people came in after me and ordered at the counter. They all received their order before i did. When i finally did receive my food (20 minutes later) the "Chicago dog was PLAIN. PLAIN little poor excuse for a hot dog on a bun. No toppings. No pickles. No sport peppers. No mustard. No relish. read more

Ray Ray's Italian Beef & Sausage - This was supposed to be a "Chicago Dog" - Barbeque Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

I love this place. Out on the outskirts of town - they have great food. Locally owned and operated, the cook puts out some mean rib tips and his Italian beef is better than most in Chicago. The price is also really good. If you're driving through and just want some good food but don't want the hassle of going downtown or paying big prices, Ray Ray's is the place for you. read more

Wow. Come here. Eat. Note that "wet" means the sandwich is in a bowl with Au jus and needs to be eaten with knife and fork. Option to order Au jus on the side. We had Italian meat and an Italian meet sausage combo with peppers and onion. A feast. A little spicy! Fries were fresh hot homemade. Banana pudding is dreamy. Do it. read more

I was in the area with a friend, and we were craving some sandwiches. This place has some of the best Italian beef I've had. I had the Italian beef and sausage wet with some fresh handcut cheese fries. Very scrumptious. It's a small establishment, but the inside tribute to Chicago sports was cool, and the service was top-notch. I would definitely recommend it. read more

My husband and I stopped here on our way into town and everything we had was excellent. The Italian beef sandwich was probably the best we've ever had (even better than what we've had in Chicago) and it was HUGE. Like definitely a meal for two itself lol. We also had the pulled pork sandwich, Mac n cheese, chili, and banana bread pudding which were all delicious. Would definitely order it all again! And on top of that, the staff were amazingly kind and chatted with us, even gave us a sample of the rib tips which were also awesome. Highly recommend Ray Ray's! read more

Ray Ray's Italian Beef & Sausage - Pulled pork Sandwich, Mac&cheese, Chili, Italian Beef and Sausage Italian Beef with Peppers and Onions - Barbeque Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

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If you are looking for something different to try, with a foreign kind of taste then don't think too much. This place is like if you were at an Italian beef place @Chicago. The taste is simply great. We ordered theItalian with beef and Sausage combo with onions and peppers and it was delicious and huge!!! We also had the chili fries with hot sauce. Great addition. Just be aware that they have no restrooms so wash your hands before :) or ask for a spoon. It's so good you will need to get your hands into the sandwich! It's a small place...so if you don't plan on eating here, a good option is to have it to go. read more

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I've never had anything I didn't like, but I'm a sucker for their hot dogs! Ray Ray's also donated 100 meals to unhoused folks in Kalamazoo without hesitation. Great food and amazing people! read more

I was in at the top of November 2020, and being from the Chicago area I have been blessed with growing up around some of the best italian beef sandwich shops there are in the Midwest, so I was SUPER thrilled to find Ray Ray's tucked into a tiny strip mall offering authentic Chicago style foods, especially the pile-it-on-high and thinly sliced roast beef sandwiches! Oh my was it good and oh-so-juicy! They offer all kinds of Chicago style fare, so if I ever travel through again I will be sure to stop for another beef or maybe a Maxwell Polish! Keep up the GREAT Chicago-tasting food guys. LOVE IT! read more

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my,first time eating here wow i haven't had such a juicy roast beef it was excellent mouth watering,i will be going back.........lol

So let me tell a story about my fave BAE BAE I was at a strip club (she works there by the WAY WAY) Dancing to Offspring's Come Out And PLAY PLAY And How To Save A Life by the god damn FRAY FRAY She looks so good, all the boys start to PRAY PRAY That she'll see them and make them her PREY PREY And when she does that move where she drops and does the SPLAY SPLAY She makes every patron give their money all aWAY WAY She leaves the stage and leaves the men in disarRAY RAY And meets me in back where I kiss her and I SAY SAY That she rocks my world, on stage she can SLAY SLAY And I wanna take her out for dinner cuz it's her bDAY DAY She's so good for me I could never beTRAY TRAY She pimps my body out, but my heart will never STRAY STRAY So we go out for a dinner SOIREE REE And she picks her fave place - hot dogs from RAY RAY! After dinner things get a little risQUE QUE As she tells me which kinda guy I should porTRAY TRAY And we engage in a little forePLAY PLAY Doing every single naughty sex cliCHE CHE Then she starts to whip me and demands that I NEIGH NEIGH Like Katy Perry she says she's my own bufFET FET After appetizers then she feeds me my enTREE TREE Most girls are steak, my girl's the Mignon FiLET LET Forget basic lame vanille Christian GRAY GRAY That's about as thrilling as knitting and croCHET CHET She's the only girl that could make me GAY GAY Make my bum feel like an Interstate HighWAY WAY I'm all over her like chicks are into Axe Body SPRAY SPRAY I guess I'm lucky that I'm a very good LAY LAY She is to me what Marley was to REGGAE GAE And I eat hot dogs for her - and I don't just mean RAY RAY What? What to get: Maxwell St Polish What to get for your bff Max Von Sydow: Actually, I don't know Max well. When you're in Kalamazoo, there are 2 things you simply must eat. One is the best BBQ I've ever had outside Texas and KC, at TNT BBQ. The other is just down the road from there, and it's the Polish dog here at Ray Ray's. Their other Chicago food is damn good, too. This hot dog place in Kalamazoo is definitely five stars. More than that, it's one of the best Chicago food eateries (and I've been to hundreds, no exaggeration) outside Chicago in the country. Easily the best I've found in Michigan and one of the best anywhere. The Polish is what you should really get. It's so juicy and tasty and perfect. They did a great job with it. It's actually one of the best hot dogs I've had anywhere in the country, and one of the best tasting Polishes I've ever had. The Chicago dog is pretty good, although not as good as some of the best ones I've had. It's still definitely better than most, and the best one I've had in Michigan by a distance. A really nice touch is that they give you a free drink with every purchase so I appreciated that. Seems to be really popular and so it should be. As an aside, if the Sun was named Ray, then rays from the sun would not be Sun Rays. They'd be Ray Rays. And they'd make one hellll of a hot hot dog. Now there's something to think about. read more

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Italian beef with onions and peppers dry, Chicago hot dog, French fries. Total was $20 and I added $2 tip. I wish I could get it back. My coworker ordered his wet and I think they made mine as well even though I ordered arizona dry. The concept of wet makes me sick. Au ju is meant for dipping day old bread. But still dipping not pouring broth into a to go sandwich. Disgusting. Fries were ok but stingy for the price. Chicago dog is the only reason they didn't get 2 stars. I'm too nice. Also a bit to much Italian seasoning on beef. read more

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Excellent food, and come at slightly off busy hours to ensure a table. If it's nice out, there are 2 wooden picnic tables around the back. Inside, there are 2 tables and stools on a wall counter. We loved the grilled Maxwell Street polish sausage - SO MUCH. It's incredible. My husband liked the Italian beef, and the Chicago dog was delicious. But that grilled sausage has us coming back again and again - it is SO flavorful! You'll want to order 2 plus fries - bring your appetite! The staff is extremely friendly, and the decor is Chicago sports, so there is plenty to look at. Love this hidden gem - just down the block from the Miller road post office. It's in a small strip mall with 3 (?) businesses, so slow down so you don't miss it. read more

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My family is from Chicagoland, so Italian Beef is a revered treat. My mom has a lake house in Kalamazoo, so I intended to pick up some beef sandwiches for a weekend party at her place. I called ahead to place my order so I wouldn't have to wait - I was on my way into town and would arrive around 7:30pm (the posted hours indicated they close at 8pm). After I finished placing my order for 8 people (they were out of a few things that we wanted), the person on the phone changed his mind and told me that they were closing early (on a Friday night) because of the "heat wave". Who closes early because of a heat wave? Don't we have air conditioning in this day and age? The call taker was not polite and confirmed that he had spoken with the owner before deciding to close. I won't give Ray Ray's another chance. There is another place near the mall that has a good Italian beef sandwich and it's managed properly and the staff isn't rude to customers. read more

This place is legendary for a reason - you will never find better carnivore options for lunch, esp. steak sandwiches and sausage. Portions are big, every order is cooked fresh right in front of you, and the Chicago style is legit, not just some marketing ploy. The joint is small, basic, sports-themed, and only seats about 8-10 ppl max if you don't want to do takeaway (the standard), and last I checked you need cash. But every time I've been here the service is friendly and the taste is knock-your-socks-off great. Pretty much everyone around knows this is your jam for meat. Top rec: mixed Italian beef & sausage w/onions & peppers, side of fresh-cut fries. read more

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A little slice of Chicago in Kalamazoo! It's seriously good food, great service, great vibe.

I ordered from here today and they blew my mind. Pulled pork, Italian sausage, and Chicago Dogs are all killer. Fries are crispy and kick ass. Italian beef and sausage I would walk bootless in a snowstorm to get. Pulled pork was juicy and the bun toasted. The mild sauce was kick ass and peppery, looking forward to trying hot. Chicago dogs that walk the line between spicy and beefy, fully dressed and ready for you to Smash. Italian beef and sausage that Ferris Beuller would take a day off to come get directly from Chicago. read more

Ordered bbq chicken (super awesome), chili dog (all beef!), and hamburger. If only we ate pork...the rib tip sandwich looked mighty tasty. Super friendly staff! (She gave me a slice of cheesecake, just out of the kindness of her heart! ) I know we will be back. Cash only is probably for the best as we would've gorged ourselves some more. Very pro-Chicago decor and festive. We love finding cool, local places with top notch food and service. Thank you for existing and we will be seeing you again very soon. Would be super geeked to find beef tips on the menu sometime. read more

Worth the 200+ mile drive and since I had a recital &/or festival to attend as well, why not treat the tummy? The "dining room" (THAT'S a stretch) is so small that I always do takeout. YUM!! read more

I was passing through town from Chicago, and really wanted to love this Chicago themed restaurant. I am all about BBQ Pork and Italian Beef sandwiches. The restaurant had the right look, feel and smell. The staff were friendly although it seemed like one of the workers kept nagging the poor register girl. I placed my order and waited in anticipation. There was very little seating so I ordered to go. It took about 10 minutes and I was on my way. The verdict- good but not great. The beef had the right look but for me the taste was a little bland. And the BBQ Pork was too sloppy for me. Next time I am back in town I will probably try the burger or dog. read more

Foods good but in order to eat here you have to wear sweats and not be employed. Save your appetite for Portillos or Al's. read more

Excellent! I've had Portillo's Italian beef in Chicago...Ray Ray's makes me forget their name. Get the Italian beef - wet with peppers and onions, you won't be sorry! Huge portion. Oh yeah, their fries are on point too! Wow read more

I was really craving Italian Sausage and thought about Ray Ray's as I hadn't been in years. The ribs smelled so good when I walked in that I almost changed my mind. They have more food options available than I remembered, but I went with my initial craving and ordered the Italian Sausage sandwich with grilled peppers and onions. I was asked if I wanted it wet (dipped) and I wasn't sure, so I asked how most people preferred it and was told that "wet" is usually ordered so I went with that. My food smelled so good that I had to stop myself from pulling over because I didn't want to wait to get home. The sandwich tasted amazing and it was bigger than anticipated so I had some leftover. I was so hungry that I didn't take pictures but I was literally thinking about it until I got home and finished it off for dinner yesterday. I can't wait to go back for that as well as trying the other food on the menu. One point I forgot to note is that I thought the sandwich had a little kick (spiciness) to it that I hadn't expected. I'm not big on too much heat, and couldn't figure out if it was the sausage or the peppers but it wasn't too overpowering for me. As I said, I definitely plan to order it again. read more

I Will be Back. My wife and I had Italian Beef and it was delicious. I would recommend getting a bag full 2day.

Food was great for being a small hole in the wall. The guy cooking even asked how everything tasted, and we said amazing. Everything was good & fresh. read more

Ray Ray's Italian Beef & Sausage - Italian Beef with peppers & onions with homemade fries - Barbeque Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

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Simply a great place to get a homestyle Chicago meal at a low price. Yelp sent me here and glad everyone was right. Chicago themed, limited seating, disco piped thru the speakers and the placed was packed. Seemed like everyone was getting theirs to go but I wanted to soak it all in and stayed. The Maxwell St Polish deluxe with fries and slaw were out of this world tasty. Cheap too. Certainly will be back when working in the Kzoo area. read more

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The Kalamazoo barbecue scene is weak, yet Ray Ray's is really solid. Banana pudding - small but tasty. Smoked chicken - excellent Chicago dog - good read more

While still a relative newcomer to the food scene in Kalamazoo, Ray Ray's has quickly become a must-eat in the area. The location is unassuming, in a half empty strip-mall, down the road from a post office. The first thing I notice as I get close is that this place is dripping with Chicago pride. It's clear that Ray Ray's is designed to be a Windy City outpost, across the lake in Michigan. I step inside to a space the size of a suburban living room; tiny counter to my left for dine-in, colorful hand-written whiteboard menu to my right. Past the menu I see a kitchen full of succulent foodstuffs and friendly folks. At the top of the menu, written in big, red, underlined letters, I see "Italian Beef Sandwiches." I know I'm in the right place. I've brought an appetite, so I ask for an Italian Beef and Sausage Combo sandwich, dipped, with peppers and onions, and giardiniera. I pay cash (they don't take plastic), drop a buck in the tip jar, and start to drool as my sandwich is assembled. Once my sandwich is ready, it's clear I've got something special. It's steaming hot, soaking wet, and heavy in my hand. The aroma is sublime -- savory, beefy, and spicy. I'm dining with company, so I can't dive in face first like I want to, so I grab some plastic cutlery to get started. First, a slice of beef. It's perfect. Unctuous, juicy, salty, sexy. Then a bit of sausage. It's got just the right amount of char on the skin, and it's got that "pop" you want. I was expecting it to be spicier, perhaps with fennel, but I realize that would detract from the great taste of the meat. After these two bites, I had no more patience for manners. I carefully lift the soaked bun, bring my face to the sandwich and let loose. It's all so perfect. The homemade giardiniera is fresh, spicy and crunchy, the meats are chewy, and the bun is soaking in the sublime. Five minutes later my hands were a mess, my stomach was full, my lips were tingling, and my sandwich was gone. I smiled contentedly, and knew then I'd be back many times to Ray Ray's. read more

Ray Ray's Italian Beef & Sausage - Chicago Style Hot Dog - Barbeque Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

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On a tip from a local, some coworkers and I found Ray Ray's while on a business trip to Kalamazoo. All that had to be said was "smokehouse" and I was sold, but what makes it even better is that Ray Ray's is a tiny mom & pop (or father & son) place fully run by the owner, his teenage son, Ray and daughter, Rachel. This place is amazing and I cannot say enough about how good their sandwiches and fries are. The sausage for the sandwiches is made by a butcher from Richland; grills were set up in the rear of the restaurant to smoke chicken and rib tips; potatoes are cut from scratch daily to make french fries. In one word, delicious. Ray Ray's is hard to find, it's in a tiny strip mall and has an even smaller sign, but it's well worth it. Also, cash only and there's only one table and a counter with three seats, so take-out might be the best option. read more