Ray's Hot Wings and Seafood

1002 Duluth Highway, Lawrenceville

678-242-8640

www.rayshotwings.com

• Open since: 2008

• Location: Ray's is on Duluth Highway next to Aldi's in Lawrenceville

• Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday

• Owner: Gary Ray Davis

• Atmosphere: Ray's daughter, Bryttani, designed the interior of the brightly colored restaurant on a computer, then painted and decorated it along with her mother, Ray's wife Sharon. Bryttani's friend, Jairobe McPherson, painted the large mural that dominates one wall of the small, homey, family-style restaurant. The other walls are decorated with pictures of family, friends and customers, and Davis brags that the bathrooms are not typical public-use restrooms, but "like you'd find in someone's home." Booths, tables and tall, bar-style tables are available for seating.

• Menu: Ray's offers chicken wings in 22 flavors ranging from lemon-pepper to cajun to Bloodboiling hot. Seafood dinners are available in small or large and start at $7.99. A three-item combo can be created for $12.79.

In addition to wings and seafood, Ray's offers a full menu that includes slow-smoked barbecue, hamburgers, po' boys and a variety of sides like cole slaw and baked beans, all home-made with attention to quality. He uses only fresh ingredients, meats and seafood, and all seafood is hand-breaded.

Ray also believes in big portions, his theory being that his restaurant is like his home, and "you don't go to someone's home and leave hungry. No customer will come in here and feel they didn't get their money's worth."

Ray's also offers lunch specials from 11 a.m. to

2 p.m. weekdays, and on Thursday evenings, several all-you-can-eat dinners that include catfish, whiting and of course, wings. Home-made brownies and peach cobbler are available for dessert.

• Things you might not know: Ray got his start selling wings from a roadside stand on Indian Trail in 1996. His first employee, Vanessa McQueen, still works with him today.

In addition to running the restaurant, Ray is a cafeteria manager for the new Mountain View High School. He has worked for the school system for many years and tries to hire high school students to work alongside his family members.