Grand Central Oyster Bar Makes it Official on Fifth, Posts Facade Plans
Monday, August 12, 2025 at 8:14AM 
While walking past the space that was last home to Fornino, which closed in January after about three years on Fifth between Garfield and Carroll, I noticed that an intriguing sign had gone up in the window of what used to be their meatball shop Polpette:
Lo and behold, it's not only official confirmation from the folks behind Grand Central Oyster Bar that they're indeed moving into the space, but it's a full mockup of their plans for the restaurant's facade (click for a closer look):
;)
It appears as if they'll be keeping the doorways and windows just about the same, but the space above them will be redesigned to incorporate two classic architectural elements of the original Oyster Bar: arches and Gustavino-style tiling.
If the "Late fall 2013" opening date specified there is any indication, construction should be getting underway just about any day now.
Coming Soon, Good Signs in Food, Storefronts
Reader Comments (11)
Groovy
It will be interesting to see what effect it has on other seafood-centric restaurants in the general area.
@jbob...how will it be interesting?
also what other seafood-centric restaurants are you referring to?
@likestopretendtobeothers
Its a huge restaurant that will likely be a big draw, which will necessarily take diners away from places like the very average Crab Spot and the very good Blue Ribbon. With rents so high even a few lost diners will be significant.
Brooklyn Fish Camp, too.
ohh come on; nobody really goes to the crab spot.
and less of a wait at blue ribbon....awesome!!
blue ribbon is horrid. ate there a few weeks ago, and both food and service were abysmally embarrassing. cocktails were great, but my drinks were tiny. I wholeheartedly understand why the sushi rest. closed - also a joke (and continues to be). i guess its OK for natives who are landlocked on the island and never lived in manhattan adn have no idea what good food is.
i just don't see how a place that large can survive in a neighborhood that can't support the volume of diners needed to stay open. it ain't manhattan.
i wish they would've divided the space in two.
Best show up before 5:30 pm or they will be out of everything good.
very well article.
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