Ray’s Golden Lion is back. Did it live up to the hype for our entertainment reporter?

It’s rare to go an evening out without someone bringing up the legendary Ray’s Golden Lion.

So when their reopening was announced, I knew that this was going to be one of the most important events I could cover as I worked to reignite the Herald’s Arts and Entertainment coverage.

I jumped at the chance to take over the beat when I joined the Herald earlier this year.

I’ve worked in arts and entertainment before and was even appointed editor of the A&E section of my college newspaper. I wasn’t new to the Tri-Cities, having worked for the local NBC affiliate for some time before joining the paper. I thought I had a good idea of the social scene here.

Over six months later, I can say just how wrong that assessment was. I barely knew anything compared to the people I’ve met since, or the experiences I’ve had, the stories I’ve been told, the music I’ve heard.

Ray’s was at the center of many of those stories about the music scene. And after 50 years, it still lives up to the hype.

Ray’s Golden Lion’s Legacy

If you talk to just about anyone who was into the music scene here in the 90s and early 2000s, they’ll have high praise for Ray’s. Back then, there weren’t many venues in the Tri-Cities, and the scene wasn’t developing the way music was growing in larger cities.

The current owner of The Emerald of Siam, Dara Quinn, said moving back to Tri-Cities around that time after about a decade in Seattle was like a cold shock. The only music-focused venue that was really up to that big city standard was Ray’s, at least to her recollection.

Now, the venues at the Uptown Shopping Center coordinate their schedules, making sure performances don’t interfere with each other. If one venue has a rock band, the other will do EDM. If one has folk music, the other will have a banda. They aren’t in competition with each other — it’s about providing an environment for the Tri-Cities.

Back in the 90s, Ray’s was an integral piece in growing artist’s success. You can see this in the wall of handbills on the bar side, which showcases the many shows held at the venue over the years.

It’s a shame I missed that era. I think I would have enjoyed it, and would have been a regular at Ray’s.

The journey to reopening Ray’s

The community favorite closed in the 2010s after the restaurant and venue’s was evicted for unpaid rent. Shortly after, the original owner died suddenly. The space sat vacant for years.

That is, until current owners Talon Yager and Andrew McVay decided to get to work restoring Ray’s to its former glory, promising Tri-Citians they would bring back the iconic spot. Back in its heyday, the two performed at Ray’s. Now, they want to keep its legacy going.

After months of work, a grand reopening was scheduled for Sept. 30.

Tragically, a pipe burst the week of the reopening. Shows were canceled and postponed, damage was cleaned and more work was done.

The quick turnaround was no easy feat, but the grand reopening was rescheduled for Oct. 28. A soft opening was held the night before through word of mouth only. I went to both, getting a sense of the different vibes you can find at Ray’s on different nights.

Grand reopening at Ray’s Golden Lion

There are eight rotating taps behind the bar. I prefer cider over any beer, so I asked what cider options they had. To my delight, they had cans of D’s Wicked Cider and a peach lemonade cider on tap, which I opted for.

During the soft opening, I sipped my cider out of a glass and glanced around. You can tell the place has been fixed up, but not to the point where you feel guilty for spilling a drink. The space was bigger than I had thought, with a bar sitting area, a restaurant side with tables and booths, and a space for dancing. There was no live music, but someone’s phone was hooked up to the sound system as people mingled. A few dozen people were there, and the mood was lively.

I had no idea how grateful I would be for the ability to make such observations on Friday night. At least, not until I came back Saturday and saw a line down the sidewalk. I figured it would be popular, but it was barely past 8 p.m.; surely it won’t be packed?

It was. The line still moved quickly, but there were hundreds of people inside by the time I got in. I found out later that Ray’s had completely sold out. It was packed because the space was at capacity, some 400 people.

I found my friends in the sea of people, noting how varied the demographics were as I passed. It was Halloween weekend, so quite a few folks were in costume. The types of costumes varied, revealing the many different kinds of people gathered under one roof.

At the grand opening, the line for drinks was much longer than it had been the night before. I took note of this and ordered two drinks at a time — as did most of my friends. I got another cider and a vodka cran, my go-to cocktail, especially when it’s a bar I haven’t been to. Next time, I’m planning to try one of the specialty cocktails.

We noticed that most of the bartenders were still using jiggers, measuring shots out before pouring them into a drink. But the staff still moved quickly, taking longer to work out the new cash register than to make drinks. With so many heads in the building, everyone was getting plastic cups, even for shots. Bar staff let us know if we wanted food, we’d have to get a table on the restaurant side.

Music and food at Ray’s Golden Lion

I listened to the band for a bit before leaving the bar side. The first opener was Forest of Hate, a local metal band I had heard about before but hadn’t seen. They had good energy, which was evident by the headbangers’ moshing below. They were followed by Not for the Innocent, another local band who kept the energy going.

Two ladies left their table on the restaurant side and offered it to my group, a marvelous gesture in such a packed house. My friends and I had already looked at the menu offering gastropub cuisine. While everyone ordered for themselves, it quickly became family style the way each new dish was accompanied by, “Oh my god, you guys have to try this!”

We tried the mozzarella sticks, pulled pork nachos, a burger, fries, chicken thumbs and deep-fried Oreos. My personal favorite was the nachos, but I think my friends might start going back for deep-fried Oreos every single day. We were in disbelief at how good the food was. The menu also had extensive vegan options, including “rainbow tacos” that I’m quite excited to try.

The restaurant staff were also quick and attentive. Despite hundreds of people inside, we didn’t wait long for the food. Service wasn’t perfect, but it never is on opening night. We were expecting much worse, and found the staff very pleasant, helpful and focused.

The grand reopening was headlined by LA’s premier Mötley Crüe cover band, Mötley 2. We were still on the restaurant side when they took the stage, and were listening to our own conversation more than music, though it was audible. We thought it was a recorded track from Mötley Crüe, at least for a little bit.

The band’s energy was wild, with the mosh pit packed to its limit. The crowd sang along with the lead vocalist during fan favorites like “Girls, Girls, Girls” and “Home Sweet Home.” All of the band members were on top of their game, doing tricks and even keeping the show going through some short technical difficulties.

I thought “Home Sweet Home” would be my favorite song of the night, but I was in for a surprise. While nowhere near the front, I waited for my friends to get drinks and meet me behind the mosh pit. I didn’t expect to get asked to sing, especially this far back.

During “10 Seconds To Love,” the vocalist made his way through the crowd. The band would extend the chorus, giving the lead singer a chance to sing the hook, then give someone in the crowd the microphone to parrot the line. He did this a handful of times, moving throughout the crowd.

“Who’s going to sing with me?” he asked into the microphone. I turned my head at the same time he did, and his eyes locked on mine. “You’re going to sing with me.”

Before I could think about it, he walked up to me, put an arm of support around me, and sang the line. I sang the line back, and the crowd in front of me cheered me on like it was some massive feat. The energy was infectious. I would normally wave my hand at that opportunity and tell the singer to ask my friend instead, but I just did it.

Ray’s Golden Lion reopening review

Overall, my first weekend excursion at Ray’s Golden Lion was a massive success — as was their grand reopening. A chill hangout spot to end Friday night and a wild night with high energy Saturday night shows the venue is more than capable of holding its own for different events across different demographics. With good music, good food and good drinks, I suspect Ray’s reopening will be followed by a resurgence of significance in the Tri-Cities music scene. At the very least, my friends and I will certainly be back a lot.

Ray’s Golden Lion is on an adjusted schedule for its first week, open for all ages from 5 to 10 p.m. and 21-plus until 2 a.m. You can follow the Ray’s social media accounts for event updates. The next show I will definitely be at features three local bands, Mad Ruby, Rice and easyday, on Nov. 3. Starting Nov. 5, restaurant hours will be from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and bar hours from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Got a review idea for Karlee? Send her an email at kvandeventer@tricityherald.com