A must visit when in NY.
The restaurant is located in the lower of Grand Central Stations, and has a 20's feeling. The food is obviously mostly seafood. I would recommend the NE clam chowder and any of the oysters. The selection here is huge, but the waiters are excellent at suggesting the type of oysters and the different tastes/sizes!
Last night’s dinner was fabulous. The Oyster Lovers were in 7th Heaven. I’m not one of them so I opted for an Asian/Tuna dish that was wonderful. There were a lot of ginger-influenced greens beneath the medium-rare, grilled, fall-apart-in-your mouth, Tuna. This restaurant is wonderful.
Nice Happy Hour menu, however exceptionally constrained seats where you can really arrange from it. You can appreciate the party time specials in either the parlor or at the bar in the cantina zone. The barkeep was pretty hammered however he was extraordinary. The crude bar must have additionally been hammered as it required an extremely long investment for us to get our shellfish. Still a lovely affair by and large!
Truth Be Told Australia
+4.5
This place is a must when visiting NY.. the oysters and prawns were amazing , super fresh , and the clam chowder was the best I have ever had, creamy and full of flavour. You must book this in advance as it gets really busy . The decor is amazing .
Beautiful place that I didn't even know about the first dozens times I was in Grand Central Terminal. It seemed so different that I just had to try it out and wasn't disappointed at all. I have never been the biggest seafood fan, but have nothing but complements for the fried oysters and New England claim chowder. The decor is remarkable, and although it was a bit loud, it is such an experience that it overshadows the noise. There was no trouble with the staff, and the drinks may have been the best part. My friend got a martini and they gave her a glass of gin on the side to add at her desire. To be able to pop in on your way out of town, or when your first arrive makes it a place I'm sure to visit again.
Timeless. Traditional. Old School. Always dependable. Always good...
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The cocktails are well prepared and the bartender service is efficient and friendly. The reception and wait staff are terrible. We were early for our reservation and went to the bar when we arrived. When our guests arrived, they were seated and also told we were in the bathrooms! After 15 minutes at the bar, our guests began to text they had been at the table waiting for us. Horrible service. At least they gave us a table we'd requested against the wall.
For our dinner waiter we had to get up from our table twice to go find him - thought he'd quit or went off duty.
The beautiful Grand Central Station interior, the tiled, vaulted ceilings of the restaurant are wonderful. The oyster selection and oyster service presentation are excellent.
Don't expect too much beyond cocktails, great ambiance and delicious oysters. They certainly have a lot of room for improvement.
I love the oysters here, they're so fresh and delicious. We ordered the raw oysters, oyster rockefeller and pan fried oyster and they all taste delicious. The restaurant is really big and I like their setting. It makes the environment very cosy and romantic when we were in NY. Definitely one of the restaurants we will go back when we travel to NY.
I always come there when I visit NYC. Croweded in late afternoon and evenings, Oyster Bar offers variety of amazing fresh seafood. We always have local stout or just one of Brooklyn lagers. It takes time to choose your favourite oysters here, I usually take some classics from Long Island, while my partner prefers rockefeller oysters with cheese and spinach on top, baked in the oven. Couple of days ago we've also tried very nice chowder soup which was a great choice after hours of Manhattan walks. I like interior design, casual atmosphere and service. Prices are not low, but still affordable having in mind location. Would love to come back here sooner han later.
Price point is high for this Restaraunt but the seafood is worth it and the historical setting is great come here after doing the market upstairs what a beautiful place I would go broke buying fish produce and cheese from the vendors if I lived here
This is a true gem. It's a large place with interesting architecture under the entrance to the grand station. I loved the large selection of oysters. So fresh. Yummm.
The kitchen is open and I was sitting on the bar so I have seen the cook prepare their signature soup right in front of me. The soul was creamy, rich and full of sea food. Absolutely loved it.
I also had the crab cake which was soft and full of flavor.
The waiters serving the bar were nice but I wanted more of their attention
I would go there any time I am near.
Cheri Mitchell-Santiago
+5
What a really cool place. Most people would not even know it's there. My friend has eaten here several times and she insisted we had to go, now I see why!
She wanted some clam chowder and since it was an oyster bar, I needed to try the Oyster Rockefeller. It was so good.
We sat at the bar and the bartender was so nice. They almost ran out of chowder, but he made sure she got her fix. We had some drinks and met some nice people passing through town.
I used to make a pilgrimage here on my annual layovers through the city, and have wanted to get back here since moving here a couple years ago. Sadly they were closed during the pandemic and now only open during weekdays, making it difficult. Happily I was finally able get over here last week though. The oysters are good and they have a nice variety though prices have gone up a lot since my last visit. The clam chowder is also a must. It was nice for the nostalgia though and the architecture is iconic. A good place to bring any out of town guests that are oyster lovers.
Definitely a bit of a touristy spot but it is worth trying out. Already it is meaningful that we can grab a glass of wine and seafood in the historical restaurant. Don't expect great service, amazing foods or anything, but if we could enjoy the hustling bustling atmosphere and beautiful architecture of the space, then that'd be enough.
Iconic for a reason! We needed to take the train north of Manhattan and wished for delicious seafood. After walking from the Tenement Museum to Grand Central station, we were hungry…The Oyster Bar was perfect! Start with oysters Rockefeller and order anything on the menu because it’s going to be some of the best food you’ve ever had. We had shrimp linguine (amazing!) and jumbo fried shrimp platter (incredible!) Key lime pie is a fabulous finish! Great service and atmosphere and central location.
Essential New York experience. Manhattan Clam Chowder was delicious, Crab Cake was crab-filled and fluffy, and the oysters were fresh. The best seating area is to the left where the bar and circular white tables are.
Like going back in time in the best way possible. A NYC staple. Delicious, fresh seafood, attentive staff, and delicious cocktails. Reservations are recommended, but we prefer the first come first served counter.
This place is massive. If you get sat at the far end, the trip to the restrooms is a lengthy one, but you get to see how cool it is with all the different sections and types of seating. The food was really good! Well worth going in!
Juliana “Mrs. Lo” LoBiondo
+5
Iconic! This visit, we had the Seafood platter with oysters, clams, shrimp and lobster. Delish! Also: grilled octopus, lump crabmeat, and cerviche. Everything was super fresh and delicious. The Oyster Bar never disappoints!!
One of the coolest places in all of Manhattan. Fantastic oyster and seafood bar hidden under a grand Central Station with a menu that changes every day to highlight the fresh deliveries. Choose between a super casual counter seating area, a saloon or a fancy section. Tons of choice and honestly rather cheap for NYC.
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