Tom Ray's Family - Damascus

Everything about this restaurant is EXCELLENT. It's family-owned, and the owners genuinely care about the customer experience. The burgers are delicious, and they actually ask how you'd like it cooked! The sweet potato fries are PERFECT—no undercooked or overly thick fries here, just perfectly made.

This is a wonderful family restaurant located on the side of the shopping center that faces the street. It can be a bit difficult to spot.

The food was incredible. I ordered the Rachel, which was like a whole new take on a Reuben, and it was delicious. The chicken tenders were fantastic—crispy and buttery. The pancakes were fluffy, rich in butter, and just the right amount of sweet. Overall, it was excellent food!

This is a regular place for breakfast. The pancakes are HUGE! Yummy waffles. They serve meat from local butchers. The staff is always so friendly.

For our last two visits, we decided to let go of our carnivore appetite and dive into the sea. We had the most amazing fried fish. The catfish was to die for. From the cold Arctic waters and into the deep fryer, the cod fish kept its sweet flavor and flakiness. They were both unbelievable. Thank you Ms. Tracy, Mr. Bernie, Mr. Gary and staff. It has been 5 months since we first visited Tom and Ray?s and the love affair still continues. Thanks to Mr. Bernie, Ms. Tracie and their staff, we are always excited to drive the 1 hour (one way) to their restaurant for our Friday night destination. Upon arrival to the restaurant our eyes immediately go to the Specials Board to see what delicious entrees and tantalizing desserts are being offered. If we don?t tell the waitperson what we want for dessert before ordering our entree, usually our choice is wiped off the board meaning ?gone, better luck next time?. Hence, we learned our lesson and order dessert first now. When you see the dessert menu, you can kiss your diet goodbye. The pandemic and Ms. Tracie?s desserts are not helping our waistline. Sorry doc. Damascus, you domesticated me today with your hospitality. We were driving in the general area when suddenly hunger hit us. Fortunately we found this hidden gem. We were given crispy potato chips with Old Bay seasoning while we waited for our food. They were crispy and delicious. For our starter, we ordered the spicy summer sausage soup. At first sip, my tastebuds exploded. The broth, vegetables and bits of sausages brought me back to the time of the Tang Dynasty, when the fireworks were created. The spices added to the soup enhanced the flavor of the soup but were not overwhelming. I never pass up meatloaf or fried chicken when offered by a restaurant. They also had another favorite of mine, Chef?s Salad. Our side dishes were mash potatoes, green beans, mac cheese and Sky?s fries. Let?s talk about the best fried chicken I have ever had in my life. It was light, juicy, fried to a beautiful golden brown, and crispy. What a perfection! The meat loaf with brown gravy was to die for. The Chef?s Salad was dazzling. The side dishes were delightful. Then came dessert: carrot cake. I thought I was floating on the Milky Way. It was so good I thought I was dreaming. What a beautiful way to end a meal. I would also like to point out that their portions are extremely generous. Our waitress, Samm, was delightful, polite and knew the menu. Chefs and the kitchen crew, you must love your job. It certainly shows in your food. Folks, whenever you are in this area, please stop at this restaurant for a pure delight.