Eating at Grand Central Oyster Bar NYC. Tourist Trap? or Classic Restaurant?
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- Опубліковано 23 сер 2024
- I eat at and review the Grand Central Oyster Bar in Grand Central Terminal of New York City. The iconic restaurant has been around for over a century and has one of the most beautiful dining rooms in Manhattan, which reflects the famous train station the establishment is situated in. Oysters, shellfish and seafood are its most notable offerings. I also briefly check out the new Grand Central Madison addition to Grand Central Terminal.
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I've been here many times and while I stick the simpler dishes and the oysters, I've never had a bad meal. It's all about the ambience and I avoid the cavernous dining room and stick with the Saloon (kind of hidden away and secretive), the Bar {hard to beat sitting with a dozen of your favorite oysters and a martini or glass of sparkling wine) or, my favorite, the counter (probably the most iconic spot and best representative of the GCOB). One of my best memories was taking my mother here for lunch one day and asking her where she would like to sit. "Oh, no mistake - has to be the counter, has to be the counter" she replied, winding her way through a very busy lunch crowd to a specific spot at the counter. We sat, made ourselves comfortable and chatted with the very amiable server who took our drink order and got us started. "I used to come here as a child when I was 9 or 10 years old, traveling through the station by train to upstate NY, maybe in 1936 or 1937" she said, glancing around the room carefully and thoughtfully, "and I used to love to sit at the counter and drink soda floats and eat the oyster roasts which the server makes right in front of you in the little steam kettles." We sat and drank our glasses of wine and ate our oyster roasts (still made to order in front of you), with a jumbo lump crab salad with Louis dressing and a plate of fried clams. "I always sat here, in this same spot almost every time I came through." A wonderful memory from a very famous and iconic place. I still try to sit at the same spot whenever I return and think of my mother, as a small child, dressed to the nines like Shirley Temple, legs swinging below the stools and slurping on a soda. I love The Grand Central Oyster Bar!
Thank you for the wonderful and detailed comment! It was a joy to read! Yeah, the ambiance at the restaurant is like no other and I just love a place with so much history! I'll definitely have to try out the counter on my next visit.
Thanks for sharing this lovely story and history. Memories are such a great part of the dining experience.😊
I think a that a dozen oysters on the half shell and a split of champagne at the bar is one of the truly iconic GCOB NYC experiences!
@@rustybearden1800 I don’t drink champagne/ sparkling wine often, but when I have oysters it’s a must. In my city we used to have a Galway oyster fest in Toronto at a pub here. You got a free oyster with each pint of Guinness. You could choose raw or grilled. Omg the grilled oysters were so delish! Bonus was also meeting Oscar nominee Lawrence Fishburne at it.
@@skatingcanuck9837 I'll have a pint of Guiness and oysters - usually in a more informal setting but every bit as good!
I had no idea such an historic and beautiful establishment existed in Grand Central. I love how the arches in the dining room are inspired by those of GC. I like how you acknowledge you are paying for the ambiance (amongst a plethora of other costs). Too many diners complain about prices thinking they are only paying for food costs. Lastly I was happy to see New Brunswick oysters on the menu - I went to school there. 😊
@skatingcanuck9837 Yeah, I think the main draw to this restaurant is its design and history. It's definitely a unique place! The oysters are good too, but there are a lot of places that serve decent oysters in NYC.
Set aside pizza and the pastrami sandwich; the pan roast, in my mind, is THE quintessential New York dish. Uniquely NYC in the sense that you truly cannot get it anywhere else. Hell, even in the city you're very unlikely to find it outside of Oyster Bar (pro tip-next time you go sit at the bar. The pan roasts are made in these antique mini tilt skillets that I assume are as old as the restaurant itself. It's a fun experience to sit there and watch your food be made the same way it has been for 100 years). Great review and long live Grand Central Oyster Bar!
Indeed! The pan roast is definitely a unique and special dish! Yeah, I'll make sure to sit at the bar next time. Thanks for the tip!
"Felt like I was eating in a another era" This is why iconic restaurants should never change the decor, some want to feel as if they are actually sitting where there parents met, where they're great grandfather went for a quick bite.
Exactly! The food is good in this restaurant, but it's the decor, history, atmosphere that really makes the spot worth going to.
My favorite local. My family has eaten here since it opened. The Caesar salad with lobster and crab is quite delicious. Don't get me started on the New England clam chowder. Thanks James.
Thanks for watching!
An absolute must for anyone who loves seafood and visiting NYC!
Absolutely! Thanks always for watching!
I'm so glad you enjoyed! This has been my default go to when I'm indecisive for years. The main room, as you mentioned, is gorgeous old school NYC, but then you have the counter seating, the bar area, and the saloon in the back. I even own their cookbook! Next time you go, you have to get their Manhattan Clam Chowder, it's iconic! The Mrs. has been commuting into Grand Central Madison since the first day it opened (we're in Bayside, her office is 41 & Mad) and she loves it! I need to go explore myself. As always, a great video sir!
Thank you! Yeah, I'll definitely be trying the clam chowder next time and I would enjoy sitting in some of the other areas of the restaurant as well. It's such an incredible place!
@@Jamesnu And I'm going today for lunch because of you😂😂I'll be in GCM at 1230
@@2Wheels_NYC Haha! Nice! Enjoy it!
I'm originally from Connecticut and went off into the Air Force for almost 30 years. I often came home to visit through JFK and took the subway to Grand Central to connect with Metro North. I would ALWAYS stop at the Oyster Bar and eat in the Saloon. I would bring a copy of the huge menu with me on the train to visit my folks. I still remember the long time bartender, Alex.
Nice! That's a great memory and it's good to have traditions like that.
I’ve been to the Oyster Bar many times throughout my life. The last time I went was with a friend after going to RuPauls drag con in 2019. We missed our train but had a great drink and snack at the bar. I had heard they were closing. So happy that isn’t the case.
Hopefully the restaurant will be around for years to come.
Wow that oyster roast looks good. Appreciate your videos. Makes me feel like I’m at lunch with you discussing the food.
Thank you! Yeah, it was a really unique and tasty dish.
Although I am not a big fan of oysters, the meal looked great. The hunk of bread was a nice addition to soak up the stew broth. The building architecture was amazing. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for watching! Yeah, it was a good lunch and being seated in such a beautiful restaurant with so much history really added to the experience.
Looked really good and that was a pretty cool place with its design…good job buddy
Thank you! Indeed, just the look of the restaurant was one of the things I enjoyed the most about the experience.
A beautiful building, through and through. The restaurant, simply gorgeous. Worth the $ if one has it to spend for sure. I hope you sopped up that gravy with the rest of your fries too!!!
Delicious! ❤
Indeed! And I definitely sopped up the gravy and ate every crumb! The food was pretty satisfying.
I love that you always save room for dessert.
It's the perfect way to finish a meal!
You left the check out of this video. It is really helpful to know what you paid for your meal.
Yeah, I didn't always showcase the bill in some of my older videos, but I don't forget to do that now.
When was younger, I used to occasionally sit at the bar of the Oyster Bar for a bowl of clam chowder. Anything else was out of my price range, but the chowder was a bargain.
Nice! Yeah, I debated about getting the chowder, maybe on my next visit.
It would have been quite a surprise if you opted for a steak or sandwich instead of oysters. Glad to hear they were decent!
Oh yeah! That would've been a twist! Both the oysters and pan roast were very enjoyable!
Are you making a second video including the food hall and the whispering corners effect. Love the background tunes !
Thanks! Maybe. I really love Grand Central! Before I moved here, Grand Central was always a place I thought of when I would dream about NYC. It's such an incredible building!
James, you are awesome. I can almost taste the beautiful food you consume. No one deserves success more than you. Hopefully it will come soon and your subscribers reach seven figures and your Orient and Seiko watches get Orient Star and Grand Seiko added to a fine watch collection.
Thank you so much! I really appreciate the support! Yeah, I would love to buy a new watch soon!
I've thought of their combo pan roast every week for a decade... wonderful place
Indeed!
I always seem to be in nyc on Sundays.
That's a shame, but there's still a lot of great restaurants that are open to try.
Ate their not too long ago, and I sat at the bar. The bartender was hilarious. The clam chowders were not on the same level as the ones I had in Boston but the Oyster selection was impressive. And yeah, you definitely pay those prices for the ambiance.
Nice! Yeah, the food is good, but it's the combination of the incredible architecture and history of the restaurant that make it a great experience that's worth the price tag even if there's better food elsewhere.
Looks amazing james hope you enjoyed it
It was fantastic! I really enjoyed the whole experience!
I agree that the ambience is great. However, in my most recent experiences at this fine venue, the food was just a tad above average, and inconsistent with the cost. I like crab quite a bit and have found that the best crab cocktail that I have had in NYC is at Bobby Vans at 46th and Park (closeby for those not familiar with NYC). I do agree that everyone should have the experience of dining at this place. As always, another great video on your part. Keep them coming!
Thank you! Yeah, their menu is so big that certain items won't be up to par. I really enjoyed my oysters and pan roast, but my fries and cheesecake were just okay. The actual dining room and atmosphere were really special though. I'll have to remember that when I eventually check out Bobby Van's.
I don’t know if they still get it but back in the early 2000s they had raw sea urchin served in its actual “shell” or exterior formation. Extremely rare to see sea urchin served like that. It was probably the most unusual seafood presentation I’ve seen in America
@@ramencurry6672 That's awesome! Unfortunately, I don't believe they have that anymore.
so cool
It's a cool restaurant for sure!
Hi James, maybe you have a tip for a families stay in NYC for two weeks? Anything (B&B, hotel, etc) also outside NYC up to one hour ride by train is great. Thx!!
I'm not the most knowledgeable when it comes to NYC hotels, but I would make sure that wherever you're looking is near a subway stop to easily be able to get around NYC. Both Jersey City and Hoboken might be more affordable options and it's easy to travel to and from those cities to Manhattan with the PATH trains.
Looks like a beautiful restaurant 👌🏻
Definitely! I think it's one of the most beautiful restaurants in NYC.
I didn’t know they reopened! Best seafood soups! I have to suggest another seafood spot that’s hardly fancy 😂 but has some of the best fresh oysters, clams, boiled corn, fried scallops, chowders, fried and more and it’s right on the water! It’s in gorgeous City Island in The Bronx and it’s called “Johnny’s Reef”, it’s”reachable by subway + a short bus ride that takes you all the way to the end of City Island Avenue.. If you’re a Sopranos fan, “Big Pussy” lives near there.
I go there for the best homemade Fish Sticks. Thinly battered and delicate, no one else makes fish sticks this way, fresh NOT frozen.. The view of the bay is fantastic, they have those old school viewfinders that kids can stand on and for few coins it’s a lot of fun. City Island is NYC’s very own fishing town. But start your adventure early because there’s only one road in and it often gets packed with traffic.Johnny’s gets super busy too but the line moves along. Nearby Orchard Beach is a bus ride away. It’s a vibrant scene, filled with wonderful families taking in the sun, having picnics on the grass and listening to Salsa, it’s like Puerto Rico transplanted 🇵🇷 .
I just looked that up. I can't believe sometimes just how big and diverse NYC is. City Island looks like it's in a whole other state. I have to check that out sometime and Johnny's Reef sounds like the perfect place to eat. Thanks for the recommendation! I really appreciate it!
Cheesecake is ho-hum, should have had the nesslerode pie.
I'll remember that for next time.
This place looks beautiful and very intriguing. Based on that, and the type of food they serve, I’d want to check it out. However, I see it’s rated 3/5 on Yelp and another food vlogger that went there stated he wouldn’t go back. Do you recommend it for an oyster sampling at least? Or should I find somewhere else?
I’m sure there are tons of oyster bars in the city worth going to, but they likely don’t offer the amazing decor and history of this place.
Yeah, I would definitely come here for oysters or the pan roast, but some of the items I wouldn't bother with because they do seem a bit expensive and one can certainly get better examples of them at other restaurants. The other issue people tend to mention is the service. I had no problems with it when I went, but I also went right after it opened and it might be a different story during a busy dinner service. From what I can tell, it seems when they reopened after the pandemic they were short staffed and most of the complaints seemed to occur around that time. At the end of the day, it's still a beautiful restaurant that I would recommend going to, but only for certain dishes and an understanding that one is also there for the experience.
When your roll is round, who smears butter on the outside?
How about cutting it in half and butter the inside?
😜🤔
Absolutely!
It is interesting that oysters taste different depending on the origin!
Yeah, I wish I could've tried more of them, but even the ones I did try the flavors were very subtle from each other.
Just like any other type of food - terroir, growing methods, climate, etc…
Enjoyed the review, but the music was SO annoying, and too loud in the mix.
Thank you!
Went with wife back inn 2009 and the service was horrid. Made to feel like we were a hindrance to the waiter. Not sure why? Maybe they just focused on this buying big oyster platters rather than a smaller sample and couple of lunch options. So bad we considered leaving no tip. Such a shame as the interior is stunning.
That's a shame.
Only way to eat at the Oyster Bar. Dozen oysters and then a roast. Eat it at the bar where they cook it and tip it into the bowl in front of you. They need to clean house with the servers for the rest of the place. Terrible service unless they know you as a regular.
I definitely have to try it at the bar next time.
Chopped oyster-cheese sandwich? NO!!!!!!!
That dish may not be for everybody.
Yikes, look at those menu prices?
Yeah, it's expensive.
since when does he quality of the oyster have anything to do with its size? Chew it, taste through the different sensations, crunchy, salty, sweet, bitter. That is what a raw oyster is about, not its size....ffs
You’re crazy. GC Madison is the worst. Unless you work in the mid-40s on the East Side it makes no sense. It took me 15 minutes to walk from the #6 to the LIRR! And now there are 1/2 the trains heading direct from GC to LI so I have to switch at Jamaica all the time when I hadn’t seen Jamaica Station in 30 years prior. Screw GC Madison and the overpriced Oyster Bar.
Comb your hair.