1 word. Obsessed. Listen .. dairy may bother my stomach here and there but Ray's doesn't upset it. They have so many options and flavors but my top two favorites are Oreo and Birthday Cake! Our experience today was CHEF'S KISS. The cashier was patience as I asked for samples of Cookie Dough just to confirm if I should switch it up .. and I didn't. I got a waffle cone and my husband did soft serve vanilla. Ray's is so much better than any custard spot we've had in Northern VA L. It's smooth, rich, creamy and just the perfectttttt treat for a summer (or any) day haha! The spot itself is an outside space. They have a few chairs and benches that you can sit outside but honestly sitting in your car with the windows open hits the spot too. I can't wait to go back ! read more

Ray's Italian Water Ice - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Henrico, Virginia

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Favorite dessert spot in Richmond! My go-to is the mango Italian ice with vanilla custard and it always hits the spot. Will forever recommend! read more

Ray's Italian Water Ice - Mango Italian Ice and Vanilla Custard - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Henrico, Virginia

I came here on a Saturday night and it was quite popular here. After waiting in line for a bit I ordered a single scoop of the blueberry cobbler. ($5) Portion size was quite big and the custard tasted great! It was vanilla with blueberries and cobble crust. Staff was friendly. There was a bunch of Mr.potato head figures throughout the window which was a super cool aesthetic. Overall good ice cream place served at a good price, I would come back again. Food(50%): 7.8 Staff/service(25%): 7.5 Value(25%): 7.5 Overall: 7.7/10 read more

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Got here around 6:50ish on a Saturday with good weather, so understandably a long line. (iI would expect this is the norm) They have a LOT of options for flavors, and some specials that can help you make a decision if needed. I ended up getting the "Rocket" which is a frozen custard on top of a water ice. I got a Lime water ice layered with an orange vanilla swirl soft custard. The custard was sooooooo soft, and the water ice was solid. I very much enjoyed the layers because once you've had enough of one flavor, it is really easy to switch to eating more of the next layer to mix it up. I would definitely come again to try their other flavors, and it's a nice vibe atmosphere for a summer evening to get some water ice. read more

Ray's Italian Water Ice - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Henrico, Virginia

Top notch Italian ice! On these super hot summer days, this is definitely the spot to get a cold treat for yourself! If you haven't been here, then do yourself a favor and give this frozen ice a try! read more

The water Ice was delish. Tasted Fresh and not syrupy. It also didn't melt fast. Was able to sit and enjoy. Recommend especially on a warm October day! read more

Ray's Italian Water Ice - Strawberry watermelon water ice - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Henrico, Virginia

The custard here is super delicious. The cookie dough and brownie bits taste like fresh batter. Big portion size for the shake - the large is too much for one person so recommend splitting it. read more

Ray's Italian Water Ice - Cookie dough & midnight craving dark + extreme peanut butter cup - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Henrico, Virginia

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The custard is phenomenal and the service is quick and easy and it's a cute little outdoor place!

When I asked my friend from Richmond about dessert spots we should check out, he recommended Ray's! Kind of like Rita's, but local business version. it was poppin' when we were there! At this location you order and pick-up by the window. They have a good amount of outdoor seating as well to enjoy your treat. We tried their Rocket, Rockslide, and Water Ice desserts. read more

Ray's Italian Water Ice - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Henrico, Virginia

Is it possible to have warm soft serve? I walked up to the little window and I ordered a chocolate vanilla twist with chocolate sprinkles. The clerk at the window handed me a cone with rainbow sprinkles, no worries, she remade it. I got my treat which looked good and was a decent size for the price... but when I went to dig in, the ice cream temperature felt tepid, not cool or even chilled. Weird, right? I thought it may have been just the top, but after a few bites, I tossed it. My hubby tossed his too. My feelings about this place? Tepid. read more

Ray's Italian Water Ice - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Henrico, Virginia

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Ray's is always my first choice when picking out an ice cream spot! There are tons of parking spots surrounding the Lauderdale location. They currently are having all orders placed online (raysrva.com) - click on "ordering instructions" and then once you have your order, it will give you a time the order will be ready to pickup at the window. They have so many options - Italian ice, frozen custard, hand scooped custard, shakes, sundaes, and so many others. I usually get the Ray's Rockslide which is frozen custard (vanilla, chocolate, or twist (van/choc.)) mixed with any candy or topping you want. No matter what you get, your ice cream will be perfectly rich, creamy, and full of delicious flavors that leave you wanting more! read more

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Chocolate frozen custard dipped in chocolate in a cone is awesome. Great customer service too!

Ray's is a solid place for ice cream treats - soft frozen custard, hard scoops, sundaes, rockslides (concrete's/blizzards), Italian ice, and rockets (layered italian ice and soft-serve custard). Since Covid, all ordering is online, so be prepared to submit your order through their website and wait for a text. On a hot day, this place is busy, so it can take 20-30 minutes for an order. Service is friendly, if a bit slow, and the treats are good portions and tasty. I wish we had a few more soft-serve options like this around here! read more

I have wanted to try Ray's frozen custard for a long time and finally made a point to stop there after eating dinner at "The Other Ray's". It was a rainy evening, so they were not real busy and there wasn't a line. We went completely unprepared so we stood and stared down the menu for quite some time, it was appreciated that the young lady working inside did not rush us, and there was nobody pushy behind us. I finally decided to keep it simple and just go with a small cone of custard, vanilla and chocolate swirled, and at the last moment I decided to have it dipped in peanut butter. I wish I'd just kept it plain because the peanut butter didn't have much flavor and did not add to the enjoyment of the Frozen Custard. My mom loves pistachio ice cream, it's her absolute favorite, she decided she would get a small cone of the hand-scooped pistachio, which she admitted she might regret because she really is a pistachio ice cream snob, but she loved her pistachio custard, it had real pistachio nuts in it, which impressed her greatly. The custard is so smooth, light, and for a small cone, portions are generous. It was just over $6 for the two if us, for what you get it is totally worth it. They have the patio area decorated with chairs and beautiful potted plants, this transforms a corner walk-up window service "ice cream shop " into a community gathering spot with a touch of old world charm. I can't wait to return and try the Italian water ice! read more

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I love this place and cokes the closest to the water ice you can get up north! I love the Mango water ice and occasionally get the rocket which also has the custard. My boys usually just get soft serve with rainbow Jimmies. Kinda disappointed today I asked for a Large and it was small but honestly I was so full after. Definitely recommend read more

Ray's Italian Water Ice - Mango Rocket - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Henrico, Virginia

This is by far the best frozen custard place ever. If I could recommend anything I'd recommend frozen custard not hand scooped custard b/c its creamier and it comes in vanilla, chocolate or twist. In case you're interested they have the normal sprinkles in chocolate and rainbiw but they also have cotton candy and mint chocolate chip too (they are green and brown). They can hand dip the cone in chocolate, cherry and cotton candy coating too. Yummy. Also had the ice rocket (top of the menu chart-think that's what it's called) where they do a scoop of soft serve frozen custard and some frozen water ice (highly recommend vanilla soft serve custard with lemon water ice-so yummy). They have various sizes. You can also get milkshakes in various yummy flavors and blends of soft serve custard and a frozen water ice flavor (sort of a milkshake in a way). YOU CANT GO WRONG HERE. GO THERE. GO THERE NOW. NO OTHER ICE CREAM SHOP COMPARES. read more

Ray's Italian Water Ice - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Henrico, Virginia

Not worth the wait Only option is online ordering. Would have been okay if the menu was not a fraction of what it used to be. And the order would not be ready for at least 20 minutes. Two miles up the street is another locally owned business. Convenient outside seating. Helpful live enthusiastic staff. Looks like at least two other people followed me from Rays to Dairy Queen. Is it the same, no. But they certainly appreciate the customer. Lost a customer for the summer. read more

One of the best ice cream (custard) experiences I've ever had. A no frills place just to stop by and get ice cream. A friend brought me and I was so happy to have my first proper frozen custard experience here. I got a vanilla with pumpkin pie (made with real pie!!!) and it was so delicious. The custard itself was perfectly flavored, and the accompanying pie was just as delicious. Will be coming back if I end up back in Richmond!!! read more

Ray's Italian Water Ice - Vanilla with pumpkin pie - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Henrico, Virginia

The custard was the thick, creamy, and flavorful! It was absolutely delicious. Although, the Italian ice tasted a bit weird--maybe because I got chocolate flavor but it tasted cheap and watered down. I would come back for the custard but as for the Italian ice, it was a bit underwhelming. Lastly, for the tiny thing of custard and Italian ice I ordered, it took almost 40 mins for it to be ready. read more

Ray's Italian Water Ice - Ray's Rocket - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Henrico, Virginia

If you like soft serve but a way creamier, more delicious version, you'll love this!! I love their custard!!! It's so creamy! My favorite is just the plain vanilla but sometimes I'll start experimenting and get myself a swirl of chocolate too. I've also had their banana split called the "Evil Twin" and boy is that delicious. Their peanut butter is out of this world. You really cant go wrong with anything that you order! Their prices are fantastic for the portion. A kids size is almost too big for me and its under 3 bucks! read more

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I love the ordering process. There was no crowding at the pick up window. I saw some people even got turned away because they did not have face coverings. Most importantly they have not sacrificed quality even during these times. We all loved our choices. I had the vanilla custard with caramel and moon pie. My daughter had the rocket. My wife had the banana split. read more

Ray's Italian Water Ice - Medium vanilla custard with caramel and moon pie!!! - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Henrico, Virginia

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I took my mom for a drive and ice cream and decided to try Ray's frozen custard. The custard is rich and creamy and the portions very generous. Yummy! The online ordering worked well. read more

I ordered few flavors for the Italian ice. Since their name indicates their Italian water ice is their specialty I only tried those. Got watermelon, cotton candy, and strawberry. Taste wise, it was fine. Kind of had a slight artificial taste. Can't seem to figure out what the taste is. Seems like they use corn syrup also, because it wasn't a sweet clean sweetness, like natural fruit or sugar cane. So you can tell that it is really sweet. The sweet and an unknown artificial taste is a bit overpowering. read more

The food here is amazing! The custard is rich and flavorful, there are a variety of topping options, and the menu encompasses a large range of custard creations. The only reason I gave four stars is because the menu is a little difficult to read. The varying sizes, colors, and fonts make the menu hard to decipher. read more

This is one of my family's favorite spots. It is a seasonal ice cream shop with no indoor seating but all their options are delicious. My personal favorite are the rockslides (like a blizzard), ice cream sandwich and crunch cone. They also have special flavors to help benefit the local public high schools. Highly recommend! read more

Ray's Italian Water Ice - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Henrico, Virginia

Update - Ray's management responded to my frustration with the ordering system by comping my $11 order, and expressing their own frustration on various verbal and even physical assaults on their staff over their Covid precautions. So setting aside the drama and turning to the product - a decent soft serve cone, nice and creamy, good flavor but not as custardy as a true frozen custard à la upstate NY. On a par with Rita's. I'll be back when I'm in the neighborhood, but this isn't "destination ice cream" to drive out of your way for. (Earlier) Omg - enough already with the online ordering. What a PITA - jus tryna get an ice cream cone. 10 minutes to navigate the online ordering for two simple orders. Finalized order as we pulled up to the store - now it's a 15 minute wait. The hell? read more

Not sure how many ways to say YUMMY!!! This is a weekly staple in our house. Custard is so rich and flavorful. Must try the cookie dough rockslide - heavenly read more

This place is popular, so I don't think it even needs my praise to give it promotion. But it deserves it anyway. The custard is delicious. The prices are right. Give it a try and you won't be sorry. read more

I love the rockets! The lemon flavor does not taste artificial, which is a plus! It's a drive for us, but worthwhile.

Never a summer goes by without having a Ray's Rocket, or two Can easily say it's a summer tradition

THE PERFECT VARIETY of SWEETNESS on a summer day! I love Ray's and their consistently happy customer service. The menu is so large (and CHEAP!) that it makes you return time and time again. The servings are extremely generous and always taste fresh. I am sad that the weather is cooling down and I will no longer have the seasonal appetite for this delicious treat... :( read more

Ray's Italian Water Ice - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Henrico, Virginia

I love this place so much. Their birthday cake ice cream is basically birthday cake with a little bit of vanilla ice cream mixed in. Best birthday cake ice cream I've ever had. Definitely recommend this place for ice cream lovers. read more

Not sure how anyone could not rate this place a 5. The choices are always changing, with many of the staple flavors always being available. We come here when we are in the area, but it is soooo far away from where we live. I wish there was one in the downtownish area, or Northside, instead of having two out in Short Pump. I always get a Rocket because it is the best of both worlds. Custard and Ice, but anything you choose, you cannot go wrong. If it was possible to franchise and move closer to the city, I would be down for that! read more

We are in town from Rochester, NY & wanted custard tonight & stumbled on Ray's! It was fabulous! When you drive up & see a place this busy, we knew we found something good & we're not disappointed! Just what we wanted! Delicious & such nice people! read more

I have been by Ray's Italian Water Ice many times, and it seems to be always very busy. They have now been there for several years... so this tells me that they are doing something right, so I decided to take the time to stop by... It was a very Hot and Humid day here in Richmond yesterday and when I approached the window, they had a huge menu on a LCD screen. When it came to flavors... there was nothing missing, so I chose Pomegranate. The young man at the window allowed me to taste it and to my surprise... it was very rich in flavor and taste. So, instead of ordering a small, I ordered a Med. The flavor Italian Ice was excellent and the people working there are extremely nice. I saw many other deserts like custards and frozen bananas which are dipped into many varies concoctions of many flavors.... This will be my next visit. It hit the spot as my ride home was more enjoyable as I felt cooled off from the Pomegranate and Italian Ice. I hope I will see you there as they are worth the visit..... ;-) read more

Ray Rays, as our family likes to call it, is a place of pure deliciousness! I am a huge fan of the Rocket, layered creamy frozen custard & any flavor of Italian ice (my faves - coconut, mango, or cherry). Try it once and I promise, you will return to consume more. As Laura R. mentioned, I do wish Ray would appear more cheerful - he is indeed, an ice cream god! Cheers! read more

Ray's Italian Water Ice - Cherry Rocket - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Henrico, Virginia

Frozen custard, water ice, frozen bananas, sundaes... it's great for an evening treat under the sunset, a moonlit hang out among friends and neighbors, or a cool relief under the beating sun. I had a frozen coconut custard that was just stellar, and my Mom had a strawberry water ice with chocolate frozen custard mixed in! She and I kept fighting over each other's desserts, as we traded them back and forth. Seating is outside and predominantly benches. Canine friends can get a special pup-sundae if you ask! Can't wait to go back, bringing more friends and family with me! read more

Open for business! Best Neighborhood Ice Cream and Ices around! Close to the CVS on Lauderdale and the Fire Station and Food Lion. Try their new Dreamsicle soft serve cones! So good and delicious! Window service or order online! read more

Could this place be any better?! Yes, if it was in walking distance of my neighborhood. :) Love Ray's and can see it becoming a family tradition for us every summer. We even ensure to take visitors from out of town there! My son's favorite is the "choco-nilla" (chocolate and vanilla swirl), and mine is the strawberry vanilla rockslide. One thing to make this better (just though of the actual one thing for improvement): a toddler portion option: currently I ask the server to fill the kid's cup halfway, which is great, except I'm still paying for the full cup. read more

the ice cream is good! i get the same thing ever time and enjoy it soooo much! the only complaint is that it takes a long time to get the ice cream. i order one thing and it gave me a 20 minute wait time and the parking lot was COMPLETELY empty. so i would work on that but i would go again. read more

Ray's Italian Water Ice - sugar free fruit punch freeze - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Henrico, Virginia