Grand Central Oyster Bar

89 E. 42nd St., Midtown East, NY

7.7

map & more

Neighborhood
Midtown East

Cuisine
Raw Bar
Seafood

Nearby
Grand Central Station

212-490-6650

Official Website

By Andrew Steinthal
January 10, 2011

All of this recent oyster bar talk surrounding Jeffrey’s Grocery, The John Dory and Goat Town got us thinking (shocking, I know). Do we not have a Grand Central Oyster Bar review? Time to fix that and drop a little respect on the elders.

The truth is, I hadn’t actually been to Grand Central Oyster Bar since well before we started this site back in April 2009. It was time for a revisit and man, trips to Grand Central are way more pleasant when you’re not rushing to catch a train.

Grand Central Oyster Bar is a legendary, Classic NYC Establishment located inside Grand Central Station. It’s one of a kind – a beautifully tiled space that just might have served bivalves to your grandparents’ parents back in the day. The restaurant is split up into two sections – a formal dining room with tables, and a long winding bar with tons of seats. Grab a stool and prepare to get schooled by one of the old ladies behind the bar, who will help you navigate through the enormous menu. On the run? Hit up the take-out window for soups and sandwiches on the go. There ain’t another place like this in the world, and unless you commute from Westchester everyday, it can be easily forgotten. Don’t let that happen.

Photo Credit: Tanguero

Food Rundown:

Oysters
So many oysters, they’ve got a daily newsletter to keep all interested parties informed. Serving over 25 types of oysters ranging from $1.95-$3.05 each, it’s a bit overwhelming (in a good way).

Fried Oysters, Oysters Rockefeller, Broiled Oysters
No frills, just tasty oysters fried, broiled and ready to eat to your heart’s content.

New England Clam Chowder
We’re huge fans of this chunky and delicious chowder. If you want to treat yourself for lunch one day, make sure to roll up to their take-out window and get soup to go. It’s a big step up from Hale & Hearty.

Bouillabaisse
Grand Central’s fish stew is apparently an oyster bar classic, but we think there are better things on the menu. It’s not bad, but it’s certainly not incredible, and in terms of stews and soups, there is too much other goodness to go this direction.

Cherrystone Clam Stew or Pan Roast
Instead of the bouillabaisse, get one of the stews or pan roasts. The cherrystone clam is our favorite, but both the sea scallop stew and oyster stew are worthwhile orders as well.

Today’s Catch
A laundry list of fresh fish, broiled, grilled or pan fried and served simply with some steamed veggies, a potato and a slice of lemon for extra seasoning. You’ll often find grouper, flounder, brook trout, black cod, scallops, salmon, and swordfish. If you dig Quality Fish, you’ll be a happy camper.

Fried Oyster Po Boy
The take-out window offers up some awesome sandwiches, the best being this Oyster Po Boy. Midtown Lunch has an in-depth run-down of them all.