192927 Thu Nov 29 14:37:36 -0800 2001 13 18 Manhattan 0 1029934 My absolute favorite place when I was a poor NYU law student 25 years ago. Is it still there? I'm 3000 miles away, making it tough to walk by and see. Thu Nov 29 14:37:36 -0800 2001 0 soccerdad 1 1029938 Just as cheesy as ever. Thu Nov 29 15:10:45 -0800 2001 1029934 0 Mark M 2 1031319 Well! Nothing like bringing a thread back from the dead, but I googled this and I was in NYC about 2 years ago and I was staying 2 blocks from Rays @ 6th ad 11th. I ate there as much as I possibly could. The slices were SO GOOD! THe pizzas were very fresh, theres so many people going in and out of there constantly that they just keep making new pies. My fav is the regular slice. Lots of Parmesean. and some red peppers on there too. Damn I miss all that yummy cheese and dough. I need to go back now and try all these other joints everyone mentioning though. :) Mon Oct 17 09:56:55 -0700 2005 1029938 0 David 1 1029956 I'd avoid so that you don't ruin your memories. That stuff is sickeningly bad. Are those slices ever fresh? They look so miserable and stale all overlapping each other. Go to Lombardi's and create some new memories. Enjoy! Frank Fri Nov 30 01:29:08 -0800 2001 1029934 0 iron frank 1 1029961 It is exactly the way you remember it. That said, it's not the most popular pick among most local chowhounds. If you ever do make it back to NYC, give 'em a try for old time's sake, but you may want to also ask around here and we'll give you some alternatives to check out. We can send you on a scavenger hunt! ciao Fri Nov 30 02:46:08 -0800 2001 1029934 0 Jim Leff 2 1029969 I have a close friend who grew up around the corner from the 6th/11th Ray's, and he swears that it's NOT exactly as soccerdad remembers it, that in his childhood and soccerdad's student days, Ray's pizza was fresh and delicious with yummy cheese and abundant helpings of carefully prepared toppings - a far cry from the slop they churn out today. I was only a chowpup in the burbs at that point in time, so I can't say whether this is nostalgia or the truth... Fri Nov 30 10:10:09 -0800 2001 1029961 0 Elaine(Snutteplutten) 3 1029986 interesting. I first tried it years ago, during the era when it got a lot of press. I guess around...hmmm....1984 or so. How much further back does your friend go with them? Or, more importantly, if she disavows its present pizza, when did she think it went wrong? Fri Nov 30 14:20:57 -0800 2001 1029969 0 Jim Leff 4 1029990 I moved out of NYC in 1978. Ray's Pizza was great then. There was always a "controversy" as to which was the "original" Ray's and which was best. I thought they were all good....always a line at the 1 on the upper East Side..76th and 3rd..I think. I remember going in for a snack after a fancy dinner with my grandmother...don't remember the fancy dinner though. Fri Nov 30 15:01:11 -0800 2001 1029986 0 9lives 5 1030006 Pizza fans should try (true pizza lovin' Chowhounds likely already have) Joe's on Bleeker, St. Mark's, and Sal's on 7th & A. Best pizza outside of Brooklyn. Note: this is for old-style NY pizza shlices. Please let me know if you agree or not, and/or know of other similar jernts! Fri Nov 30 21:35:59 -0800 2001 1029990 0 Dan 6 1030014 Are you talking about St. Mark's Pizza next to the Continental on 2nd AVE.? That place epitomizes the mediocrity of the NY slice and confirms the greatness of DiFaras. If you're not talking about that place where on St. Marks is this pizza place? Thanks! Frank Sat Dec 01 01:41:43 -0800 2001 1030006 0 ironfrank 7 1030027 Yeah, the one on Third next to the Continental. I guess we differ there or maybe I must try DiFara's? Where is DiFara's Ironfrank? Thanks for the pizza tip. Sat Dec 01 14:02:30 -0800 2001 1030014 0 Dan 3 1029998 Let's see - based on my friend's age, I believe he is dating the era of love of Ray's to around 1976 and a few years before and after. I told him that by the time I started coming into the city by myself, and (unfortunately) sampling Ray's based on the "famous" hype (which was 1982)it sucked, and he agreed. I'm going to try to pin him down on a date - and see if it corresponds to an ownership change or anything like that. Fri Nov 30 17:49:49 -0800 2001 1029969 0 Elaine(Snutteplutten) 2 1029978 Thanks, Jim - I will take all of you up on that offer. Even back then, I never thought it was the "best" (John's on Bleecker comes to this fading mind), but I liked the way they tossed on an extra pound of mozzarella before putting my pepperoni slice back in the oven. Fri Nov 30 12:26:07 -0800 2001 1029961 0 soccerdad 3 1029983 Now JOHN'S is VERY downhill. Cross it off your list. Many like Lombardy's now for brick oven, but I'd go the extra mile to Patsy's at 1st Ave and 117. Yep, Ray's certainly does load on the cheese. ciao Fri Nov 30 14:09:08 -0800 2001 1029978 0 Jim Leff