Ray’s Place

Since it opened in 1937, Ray’s Place has become synonymous with Kent and is a must-stop attraction for visiting folks.

“We have a lot of history,” Charlie Thomas, Ray’s Place owner, said. “Lots of kids’ parents hung out here when they were in school, so while there may be new places popping up around town, we offer the familiarity of a comfortable old shoe.”

The building takes you back to another time with heavy black wooden chairs and a stuffed moose over the bar greeting you as you walk in. It’s the kind of place where you can sit and talk for hours and catch up with friends and family.

Mike’s Place

If you want a good conversation starter when mom and dad come to visit, look no further than Mike’s Place.

The building is a collection in itself with a castle jutting out the back of the building and plenty of quirky surprises within, from gas pumps to fishing nets.

Tobin Rogers, Mike’s Place manager, said the restaurant stands out because of the “decor and the fact that we pretty much offer everything.”

“It’s just selected things, like license plates, that people have dropped off. You never know what you’ll find,” Rogers said.

The menu features clever items like “Wayne’s Carbtastic Breakfast” and the “Flogging the Molly” fish sandwich. Rogers recommends trying the Reuben and exploring all that Mike’s Place has to offer.

Bar 145

Bar 145 offers versatility.

It’s the kind of restaurant where you can take your friends one night and your parents the next and be comfortable in either situation.

“If my parents come to visit, I’d take them to Bar 145,” Tracy Vollbrecht, a sophomore fashion design major, said. “The atmosphere and music is casual enough that you don’t have to constantly talk and can just relax and enjoy the food.”

With the summer months heating up, you could also sit outside on the patio with a cold beverage and a hot meal.