Grand central station restaurants?

[ffutures]

For something I want to write, is there anything like a good burger restaurant in or very near Grand Central Station in New York?

Comments

[shana.livejournal.com]

In Grand Central Station, there is now a food court on the lower level -- it has a couple of eat-in places, including a deli. But when I was commuting and wanted a quick but good meal, I'd go to the counter at the Oyster Bar, and have a bowl of clam chowder and one of their desserts. They have both Manhattan (red) and New England (white) clam chowder.

http://www.oysterbarny.com/

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Not quite what I'm after - the protagonist is taking a couple of teenagers for a quick meal.

[akicif.livejournal.com]

In the Feline Wizard books, one of the cats is very good at begging pastrami from the counter of a sit-in sandwich restaurant....

[akicif.livejournal.com]

Or even http://www.grandcentralterminal.com/go/dirlisting.cfm?currcat=2138210776

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Yes, I remember that, but it doesn't feel quite right for this situation (though a familiar feline face may possibly be making an appearance...)

[shana.livejournal.com]

The counter is quick, unlike the table area. I was usually done in less than half an hour - including dessert.

On the other hand, you could have them go to the lower level food court area, and decide whether they were going to do sushi, indian, pizza, or chicken, and have one stake out a booth while the others brought the food over.

The Junior's and offers both a place to sit and a counter for take out, and I think Mendy's does the same.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

OK, that sounds good - thanks!

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

It's Manhattan. There's a pretty good food court in the lower level (and an excellent market om the main level; if I lived in NYC I'd probably shop there), but I don't think there's a burger place there.

It also depends on how you mean "very near" -- 10 minute walk? Quick subway ride?

A quick Google shows that there's a Five Guys about 2 blocks away on 3rd Ave, between 43rd and 44th, so that's a 5 or 10 minute walk. Short ride on the subway, there's a Shake Shack on 8th and 44th, right near Times Square). There are also going to be restaurants that serve burgers in the area (for example, Pershing Square, which is a casual place right on the other side of 42nd Street under the Park Avenue overpass, and I'm sure you can get an overpriced burger at the Grand Hyatt.

Bear in mind that depending on time of day, the lines (since it's New York, we don't queue up, we don't get in line, we get on line) can get pretty long. (Actually, the line at Shake Shack seems to be long regardless of time of day).

On the other hand, it's New York Freakin' City. Why not have your characters get something from a food cart, which will exist in great profusion there? Common cuisines would be a hot dog (mustard and sauerkraut) and a can of Coke (total cost: under $5), falafel or gyros (pretty much the same thing as doner kebab). There are plenty of other cuisines (for example, there's food cart that does Korean food over on 6th Ave, but that's not really close to Grand Central)

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Pershing Square sounds good, if it's the one where the statues come from in the YW books.

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

Sort of. There's the Pershing Square Building right down there (there may even still be a public space; I'm not sure), but I was thinking more of the restaurant.

It's it's not the cheapest place in the area, given the location, but it's not too horrible for midtown, and the food isn't bad.

If it's speed, though, the food court or a food cart are probably the way to go; if they're going to sit down and eat, the food court is better.

By the way, if the characters have never been there before, they really should spend time looking around the main hall there. It's magnificent, and a tourist destination in it's own right (alas that I don't have any pictures of the stars on the ceiling)

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Thinking about it some more, the food court probably fits best for various reasons - thanks!

[cobrabay.livejournal.com]

There's a great cafe called the Pershing Square Cafe. I went there 5 or 6 years ago (a quick Google search tells me it is still there), and while it's more of a restaurant than a cafe, it's not overly fancy, and does a great, though not cheap, burger. More amazingly, they can actually do a decent pot of tea. It's on 42nd St., opposite Grand Central station.
Just found it on Google Street View, here (https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Pershing+Square+Cafe,+New+York,+NY&hl=en&ll=40.751557,-73.977116&spn=0.00512,0.013078&sll=40.752047,-73.977765&layer=c&cid=11540451938142726225&panoid=iueKqHBnRlbd7eq8M-MocA&cbp=13,173.57,,0,11.59&hq=Pershing+Square+Cafe,+New+York,+NY&t=m&z=17&cbll=40.752029,-73.977746).

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Thanks - on reflection it will probably be the food court inside the station, it fits the plot better, but many thanks for your help.