Diverse crowds enjoy good food, service at Ray's ESG

Photo by Greg Wood

Chris Wilson and Jenn Kranyak are all smiles at Ray's ESG.

Photo by Greg Wood

Chris Wilson and Jenn Kranyak are all smiles at Ray's ESG.

KNOXVILLE — These days I'm not a regular at any bar in town.

Over the years I've gone through phases of various Knoxville establishments. Living in the Fort made it easy for me to end up at Sunspot on a regular basis. Living just across the river from downtown provided easy access to Market Square.

But now that I live farther west, going to about any bar is somewhat of a chore. And as my friends have also dispersed across town, my odds of ending up anywhere have increased.

And for better or for worse, going to Ray's ESG has become a frequent occurrence for me.

Ray's stirs up my nostalgia for the bars on the Strip despite being in the Bearden/West Knoxville area. It feels like a sports bar with the onslaught of flat-screen TVs, though its all-wood interior distinguishes it from the rest. Cigarette-smoke smell lingers in the air as does that distinct fragrance of spilled Miller Light.

Yet the crowd's average age is probably somewhere in the 30s, with some of the mid-20s crowd also being present as are those in the 50s and 60s.

Ray's also seems to target diverse crowds. They offer complimentary valet parking - something usually associated with the upper-class types. Yet they also have their own calendar of attractive Ray's women - something usually associated with more blue-collar places.

On some nights the volume is low, the crowd sparse, and the food and drinks cheap. It's a great place to catch a game and chat with friends. But if you stay too late, the crowd usually gets bumping. Loud, obsolete music blares as scantily clad patrons move their bodies to the beats in provocative manners. Early on weeknights it's (relatively) relaxed and comfortable. On weekends and gamedays it's more like a fraternity house.

It feels like Cool Beans for an older crowd. When we outgrow the Strip, we head a few miles down Kingston to Ray's.

This bizarre dichotomy enthralls me. You never know what you're going to get with Ray's. It's always teetering on the brink, and I appreciate that. Its clientele never seem to be having a bad time, that's for sure.

You have a safe bet of good food and good service on any night of the week if you come early enough. On a recent Monday night I was not disappointed by their $5.99 black angus burger special accompanied by an enormous Fat Tire draft. The server did forget our order of fried mushrooms, but was quick to deliver them once we pointed this out, and she was kind enough to give them free of charge.

And the staff's kindness didn't stop there. When I went to get photos of a couple sitting at the bar (one of whom is a Ray's employee) my camera's batteries died, and the young lady jumped up and ran off to get me some replacement batteries. Most of the time people are terrified by the thought of having their photo in the paper. This marks the first time anyone I've ever asked has actually gone out of their way to help me out.

My girlfriend and I occupied one of the enclosed tables to the east side of the building, which is one of Ray's greatest perks. These larger booths are self-contained and have two television sets - perfect for a private viewing for a small party. I make a point of taking these tables every time I go.

The place frequently hosts special events that coincide with popular sporting events. And on these days the crowd peaks earlier and spans wall to wall. Fortunately, with a flat-screen TV hanging on virtually every inch of wall space, the place serves as an adequate venue for such events.

Ray's currently has several specials occurring (only) during NCAA tournament games, including $3 large domestics, 50-cent wings and $7.50 domestic pitchers.

© 2010, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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