The oyster bar inside iconic Grand Central Terminal has been serving commuters, tourists and diners since 1913. After going bankrupt and falling into disuse in the 1970s, it reopened with a renewed focus on seafood and a newly renovated interior. It took another little hiatus over the last few months thanks to you-know-what but it’s back with a bang on September 7.
It’s certainly welcome. This place has a very solid reputation, with around 12 to 15 varieties of oysters and fresh seafood sourced from local purveyors across the Northeast. There’s the raw bar, of course, and plenty of other appetizers like oysters rockefeller, grilled Spanish cuttlefish, and broiled Peconic Bay sea scallops with casino butter.
Move on to the specials of the day, which might include options such as tempura-fried catfish with spicy teriyaki sauce, and grilled jumbo shrimp over penne with puttanesca sauce. Thirsty? Pair your meal with something from the extensive wine list or one of their legendary martinis.
The vibe: It’s not swanky, no. Plenty of people here in t-shirts and with families–most are on their way to or from. But it’s hard not to get that feeling that you’re a character in an auteur film when, as befitting your iconic surroundings, you’re draining oyster shells between sips of a perfect gin martini up with a twist.
The food: Seafood, namely oysters. Raw bar, fried, in pastas, etc.
The drink: There’s a big draught list as well as plenty of bottles/cans for whoever’s into beer. There’s also a rather large wine list. You can get a bloody mary with an oyster. There’s not much invention going on vis a vis cocktails, but they do the classics well–the aforementioned perfect gin martini, for example.
Time Out tip: Go early, before 5pm, sit at the counter or bar and you can get a sandwich. Oyster Po Boy, Crab Cake Sandwich, Lobster Roll, etc.