What is a good bar (good food with a good selection of beers), preferably within walking distance of Grand Central Station? Will be coming from the Mets game on Sunday afternoon and we may want to go someplace for dinner / drinks before getting on Metro North back to CT.

Any suggestions?

I can't suggest a bar, but I'd have dinner at Second Avenue Deli:

http://www.2ndavedeli.com/

Best pastrami in the city!

This is likely the opposite of what you are looking for, but when we are early for the metronorth, we often stop at the Roosevelt for an adult beverage. Never ate there, but food looked ok. There are also two other bars, one a roof top that might be of interest although I haven't visited them.

http://www.theroosevelthotel.com/def...=indoor_lounge

Within GCT itself, I'd recommend:
- Beer Bar, part of Cafe Centro on the north end of the complex (Vanderbilt Ave/45th St), though I've only been there for drinks and apps
- Zocalo in the lower level dining concourse: good margaritas, guacamole and entrees; not open late
- Grand Central Oyster Bar: food is good though expensive; love getting oysters at the bar with a glass of wine...

In the immediate vicinity: Annie Moore's on 43rd between Vanderbilt & Mad is a pretty good pub; also McFadden's in the other direction, on the corner of 42nd and 2nd Ave

I'd say Second Avenue Deli is not really close enough to the 7 train and GCT. If you're willing to go in that direction, they do make a great sandwich! Nearby, Cask for tapas is very good.

Is this place still running? Kind of trendy, expensive but you can't beat it for convenience!

http://nymag.com/listings/bar/campbell_apartment/

-john

When we don't stop at the Roosevelt we often stop at the Campbell - a great place, real old school atmosphere, and like any speakeasy you could sneak a smoke upstairs just a few years ago.

but I was not aware they have a food menu???

The bar at the Roosevelt has reallyfgood food...bar food plus...We've eaten many a dinner there wher we visit in the winter and the weather is too bad to go out....

Check out Pershing Square Cafe: good crab cakes, burgers, salads, drinks, desserts, etc. It's fun and feels like old New York. It's right across the street from GCT on 42nd street and under the Park Avenue viaduct. They also serve a great breakfast for others looking for that.

http://pershingsquare.com/

Beer Bar and Cafe Centro are nice, but neither is open on Sunday. But the Campbell Apartment is, though it's a bit too formal for an after-game drink. There are several bars/pubs of the TGI Fridays variety on 43rd, just west of Grand Central and along Vanderbile. Zengo (on 3rd Ave at 40th Street has a great bar, but beer is not a specialty). Sinigual might be your best bet. It's a Mexican restaurant with a nice bar and decent food, and it's open on Sunday.

Pershing Square is nothing like a bar/pub - it's definitely a cafe. And Campbell Apartments - while very attractive is a cocktail lounge - with a strict dress coe and prices to match. And I'm not sure about food - they list only a catering meny for special events. I'm sure they have beer - but really focus on mixed drinks from an earlier era - or new, trendy big $ ones.

Pershing Square is def. not a bar atmosphere but they do have a bar there in addition to tables and outside cafe seating. You might take a look and decide if that's something you'd enjoy. Can't beat the location and the food is more than decent pub grub.

You can also go to the Irish restaurant, bar, pub too, Annie Moore's. It's around the corner from GCT, quick walk from there on East 43rd.
Here's the link: http://www.anniemooresnyc.com/index2.htm

I specifically left out Campbell Apartment because it requires a dress code and IME doesn't serve food. Ditto places like Michael Jordan's steakhouse.

For Mexican, I would eat at the aforementioned Zocalo over Sinigual any day; personal preference.

Bowsprit, glad to see you second Annie Moore's - it's always an old standby for me in the area.

Again personally, I'd prefer the Bryant Park Grill over Pershing Square, even though it's a bit of an apples-and-oranges comparison. BPG is a little farther west, but super-easy to take the 7 train one additional stop, since the restaurant is practically on top of the "back" end of the station at 5th Avenue (stairs from platform at approximately 2nd or 3rd car from the end), then after dinner walk two blocks back to GCT...

I used to love eating outside at the Bryant Park Grill and depending upon who was mixing the drinks, they had the potential (and ingredients), to make a perfect mojito. It's a fun place.

However, I have had terrible food there the last 2 times we visited the Bryant Park Grill. Maybe we were just unlucky or caught them on an off night. Happens...

ggreen: Sorry, didn't see your recommendation for Annie Moore's. One of the few places that still has liver and onions on its menu. At least they did when last I visited but I haven't been there in quite awhile. It's another relaxed place with decent food and drinks.

Bowsprit, no apologies needed! It's always interesting to see where preferences overlap.

That's not good to hear about Bryant Park Grill! I last ate there a few months ago - maybe it was April or May. Both the food and our server were very good (the latter maybe surprisingly so, since a weekday cocktail hour outside there can be very hit or miss)... We did order off the specials menu, so maybe that made a difference?

Thanks for the great suggestions. We ended up driving in. Logistically for us, its easier to drive to Citi Field - Metro North to Grand Central and then the subway out is nearly an hour longer.

As it happened, it turned out to be a very long game (12 innings) so we wouldn't have stopped in Manhattan anyways. But we have this for a reference.