The Lobster

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1602 Ocean Ave (at Ocean & Colorado)
Santa Monica, CA 90401

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(310) 458-9294
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The Lobster - Santa Monica, CA
The Lobster - Santa Monica, CA
The Lobster - Santa Monica, CA
The Lobster - Santa Monica, CA
The Lobster - Santa Monica, CA
The Lobster - Santa Monica, CA
The Lobster - Santa Monica, CA
The Lobster - Santa Monica, CA
The Lobster - Santa Monica, CA
The Lobster - Santa Monica, CA
The Lobster - Santa Monica, CA
The Lobster - Santa Monica, CA
The Lobster - Santa Monica, CA
The Lobster - Santa Monica, CA
The Lobster - Santa Monica, CA
Reviews
( 63 )
( 46 )
( 18 )
( 3 )
( 7 )

Best

Our service was great and the waiter was adorable. Ambiance was romantic and definitely recommended. For the music,,,I would recommend jazz or house and the people were cool. Port...

Worst

Great view. Everything else....over rated. Over priced decent food. Service below average. Great view. Pros: view Cons: price, staff, food

my review 11/3/2008

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Awesome. Enough said. 9/20/2008

Absolutely Fantastic! After a horrible experience at Tengu, ""The Lobster"" saved the day. I had a great time at this restaurant and the staff were just FANTASTIC! I loved it, and I look forward to coming back again. more
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Great drinks! 9/15/2008

We stopped by this place out of curiousity. We'd heard about it through many acquaintances and had recently read about their delicious Bloody Mary drink. Well, the drink was delicious.. not the best i've ever had, but delicious nevertheless. My hubby had a mojito and wasn't too impressed, so he had a beer after that. We both ordered oysters as appetizers (unimpressive presentation), and after talking to the people sitting next to us who were not happy with their measly lobster meal, we opted to have dinner at the local ""hot dog on a stick"" instead. Although we didn't try the dinner at The Lobster, based off of what we saw and heard from the couple sitting next to us, our money was best used elsewhere. Pros: Great Bloody Marys Cons: Crowded more
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Good food and location, not friendly waiters 8/15/2008

I am glad that I read reviews on citysearch prior to going there for a dinner. Overall experience was nice but the service, as some have complained before, wasn't great. Our waiter did not introduce himself by his name, he didn't feel bad about arguing with the member of our party when we complained about the portion size ( it looked as if one of us got the meal that was much smaller than the rest of us). The waiter did not apologize or show any consideration for our concern, it seemed that it was very common for him to explain that if there is something that you don't like here, it is your problem, not the restaurant's. \r The location is definitely a great catch! We were there during the sunset, so the view was absolutely gorgeous (as sunsets usually are in LA). The food was pretty good, although I wouldn't recommend tuna sashimi for an appetizer: 5 slices were extremely thin, and they put a huge amount of sweet sauce on them, it wasn't worth 16 or so dollars, really. Their entrees were pretty good. And they have nice wine selection (a good bottle would cost you about $50+). Their signature dish - lobster - was good, although be prepared to pay another 50% or so for the meal in addition to the price shown on the menu, the price on the menu is for a pound but served meal includes a pound a half (at the end it costs about $60 compared to $30 that was on the menu). \r Overall, I would recommend this place if you are looking for a nice, more upscale place to dine by the beach in Santa Monica and don't feel like driving further down to Malibu. more
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Beautiful place - perfect for a special occasion! 8/13/2008

This is literally on the beach at Santa Monica, at the foot of the pier, so it's great for dinner, or even just drinks at the bar. The service was excellent, as was the food. Okay, so this isn't the cheapest place, but it's certainly value for money, and the views from those bay windows are priceless! And the food is worth it - even the salad and bread rolls were first class! I was also thinking this is a fantastic place to take visitors to Los Angeles, as they'll have a fantastic view of Santa Monica and the ocean. I definitely recommend it here!! Pros: Fantastic view, excellent food, service was prompt and friendly more
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Pleasant place to people-watch on the Pier 7/29/2008

Came here for drinks on a Friday evening. The rock music was a little loud and the place was quite dark inside, but my drinks were mixed well, and it was cool to people-watch Pier visitors on the patio. Plus, there was a little place to play pool at the back of the restaurant. Overall, it was nice to find a more relaxed, casual bar not far from the Promenade. more
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Romantic View!! 7/28/2008

Romantic restaurant with a great view of Santa Monica Pier, the beach and beautiful Santa Monica Mountains to the West along the coast of Malibu. A bit touristy and overpriced for what you get. Been here twice now and found some items on the menu to be creative and delicious, others not so good and way too overpriced. Avoid the pan roasted Lobster with Jack Daniels sauce. Burned, tastless & yeck!\r \r First visit here, the server was so, so; seemed a bit phony and greatly rushed our service against our request upon initial ordering.\r Brent attended to us on our second visit and I highly recommend him! Great service not rushed and gave attentive yet unobtrusive service.\r \r Both times we have eaten here we reserved a view table well in advance and had earlier in the evening reservations. But upon arrival, we had to ""play the game"" of ""well.... it will be 20-30mins for a window table, please wait in the bar area"". Nice way of upping the sales!\r \r All and all I will definitely come back to this restaurant!\r \r Pros: Awesome view, wait for a view table\r \r Cons: Menu items can be h(i)ot or miss. Stick with the plain & simple lobster preparations Pros: View, views, VIEWS! Romantic all the way! Cons: Food menu items can be h(i)ot or miss. (Citysearch won't let me use other vowel to 'e') more
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Great Location, Fair and Good Food 7/4/2008

My husband and I ventured to the Lobster on the 4th of July and we were delighted to have a table at the window overlooking the Santa Monica Pier. We had the dungeness Crab ?Louis? Cocktail and it was delicious for an appetizer along with the Steamed Manila Clams & Black Mussels soup that was good but not great and had much less lobster and clams than the one shown in the picture on the menu page at the Lobster Website. We decided to split these items and to also split the the Lobster Stuffed Avocado entre salad and it was average as well and not as good as we expected. However, given all that we have said, we will definately go back but will stay away from the lobster dishes. The crab is great! Maybe they should change the name... more
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Overrated, Snooty Service 7/1/2008

I've heard about The Lobster ever since I moved to Santa Monica and finally decided to try it with my fiance. I will say that the location is great being so close to the Pier and the food is good. My main complaint is how extremely LA it is. When we were escorted to our table there was an open booth available but instead we got the worst possible table in the entire restaurant right next to the loud and noisy kitchen. Later on I saw that they seated another couple in that open booth who walked in no more than 5 minutes after we did. I was looking forward to this place and I am disappointed with how they treated us. I spent the first half hour after we sat down sizing up the patrons sitting by the windows and wondering what I had to do to get that beautiful ocean view. The service was a bit snooty and I felt a little rushed. We went on a Tuesday night and still had to wait 45 minutes for a table, or as I choose to call it, the dinner nook. Growing up in LA, I'm used to the idea that it's about who you know and how well connected you are. But this place doesn't deserve such high praises for the disparaging way they treated their non celebrity patrons. Now that I've tried it I know what I was (or wasn't) missing and I most likely will not be back. Pros: Location, near the beach Cons: Service, Attitude more
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Depends on what you're looking for 5/22/2008

First of all, this restaurant has great views of the pier and is great for a quiet and romantic meal. However, if you go here for lobster and you know what good lobster tastes like, you may be a bit disappointed. Coming from the east coast, my family frequently travels to Maine on vacation and we are avid lobster eaters. I was hoping that this restaurant may satisfy my craving for that lobster, but my (extremely expensive) lobster lacked that freshness and taste. It might have just been a bad day or something, but I admit I was disappointed in my food. Nevertheless, it was by no means bad, but just not what I expected and WAY overpriced. Pros: View, location, service Cons: OVERPRICED, okay lobster more
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Best seafood in town 4/22/2008

I had a great 30th birthday over the weekend, and we went to the Lobster to celebrate. We started with drinks at the bar..great fun staff, and then we had a wonderful table right along the window...it was amazing to see an unobstructed view of the pier and the ferris wheel at night!\r We started with the Lobster pancakes and the Wild Halibut sashimi, and I must say they were marvelous! As for entreess we had the grilled salmon and grilled lobster. It all was perfectly cooked on a special night..our server Michael was amazing, and the night was more than I had hoped for..and I am not easy!\r This place is a 5 star winner, I will be going back, and not waing for a special occation like my birthday! Pros: the view and the food Cons: can be loud, and long waits if no reservation more
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LOBSTER MADE US SICK! 4/21/2008

Although I have been to The Lobster on several other occasions and liked it, the last time I went, it turned out to be a nightmare. My husband and I got terrible FOOD SICKNESS from the Lobster salad (on pancakes). My husband was the one who actually ordered the dish and it was really bad for him. I would not eat there again myself, and I would certainly not recommend the Lobster salad to anyone. I am sure it was an honest mistake, however; for a restaurant called ""the lobster"", it would be nice if they could get the lobster right and not sicken people!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!\r Lily Pros: I feel less sick now. Cons: Got sick from the lobster dish. more
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Fantastic Seafood and Excellent View 2/19/2008

I had a chance to meet with and old high school friend for lunch and he suggested the Lobster. I was impressed with the food and good service and the view was excellent from the ocean front. The had a good wine selection as well. more
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Excellent Customer Service and Fabulous Food! 1/28/2008

This is my new favorite spot! We went there on a Sunday night, with a 7:30 reservation. We were greeted by 2 very nice and friendly hosts. We were seated promptly, and given wonderful customer service throughout the entire evening. We had Prawns for an appetizer, which were fantastic. We had the Lobster Special ($51-a tiny bit overpriced for a small portion, but it tasted amazing), and the Chilean Sea Bass. Both were wonderful and melted in your mouth. The only thing we didnt like about the Lobster was the stemware, the forks are huge. I think if that is your only gripe about somewhere- then they are doing a very good job. I will absolutely come here again and make sure that everyone I know, also goes there!!!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! :) Pros: customer service, view, seafood Cons: HUGE Forks more
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really enjoyed it this time! 11/2/2007

It's been a few years since I've beent at The Lobster and I remembered an ok dinner for a high price. A friend took me there last Thursday evening and we had a great experience. They seated us really promptly and had an awesome table by the window. The food was great: he had the chowder to start and the halibut and I had the mushroom soup to start and the sole. We both enjoyed our meals -tasted great and not overcooked (like alot of restaurants do with seafood). No room for dessert cuz we were stuffed! Pros: service, food Cons: nothing I can remember more
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Always a Homerun!! 10/13/2007

I have been dining at The Lobster for eight years and cannot remember one bad experience. The bar scene is where it is at. There are always fun people at the bar that make the evening that much more memorable. When my parents come to town, the first thing they ask is when we are going to The Lobster. The food is great, the portions are generous, and the prices are reasonable. Don't feel you must get the lobster. Its good, but the fish is amazing and where the value is. I have recommended it to countless people and they are always grateful for the suggestion. I will say that if someone in your group is anti seafood, pick another place. There are too few choices to make them feel part of dinner. The best part is sharing everything. Pros: Wonderfully consistent fresh seafood, Really fun, not touristy Cons: If you don't enjoy seafood, try something else more
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Good food-- bad reservations 8/20/2007

First the good: I think that the food at the Lobster is priced well for the quality and size. It has always arrived promptly, and I'm never dissapointed.\r \r Now the bad: I have been here a few times, and I always make reservations on special occassions or weekends. If it's a special occassion, I ask if they can please put a note to get a table close to the water or atleast with a good view. They never say they can't, but when I get thre, my reservation usually winds up getting moved 15 minutes later, and even though I remind the host that I asked for a ""good table"", I'm often stuck next to the kitchen or next to another party. \r \r The valet parking is easy, if you do not mind valet. I strongly reccomend valet if you're dining here. It's not much cheaper to park far away. Pros: Food is good, and the view is nice. Cons: Reserving a good table is impossible, no free parking more
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My absolute favorite restaurant because I LOVE lobster! ... 8/16/2007

My absolute favorite restaurant because I LOVE lobster! It's right on the Santa Monica Pier so if you're... more
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My absolute favorite restaurant because I LOVE lobster! ... 8/16/2007

LisaTon Provided by Partner
My absolute favorite restaurant because I LOVE lobster! It's right on the Santa Monica Pier so if you're lucky enough to get seated next to a wind... more
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Great Dining at the Beach 7/1/2007

We just ate at the Lobster. Prior go going, I read the reviews and noticed that the food was usually highly rated, but the service was spotty. Well I can tell you that the food was exceptional, very creative for my wife's and my palates, plentiful and very tasty. The service was equally exceptional. Wait staff very attentive without being overbearing. My wife and I commented during the meal, that this was one of the best meals that we've had in many years, and we go out to eat at least twice each week, so we know what we're talking about.\r \r I don't know what our table number was, but we had a great view. We arrived about 45 minutes early for our reservation, thinking that we would have a drink at the bar and enjoy the beach weather, but when we were greeted by the host, we were told that there was a table at the window available now, and would we care to eat now, rather than waiting. We took his advice, and were not disappointed. A table at the window, looking out at the Santa Monica pier, and the whole coastline, without an obstruction. \r \r This restaurant is a must for great food and views. Pros: Food taste, quality and creativity; phenominal view of Santa Monica bay Cons: crowded and noisy more
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Menu for The Lobster


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Voted "Best Seafood" in Los Angeles by Citysearch voters!

Owner Message

  • Rich in history, "The Lobster" stands as a tribute to the family that built its reputation. Established as a Lobster Shack in 1923, the remaining original structure within the foundation and walls of the main entrance and footprint still stand at the corner of Ocean Avenue and the Pier. "Established in 1923", recessed in the corner stone, greets guests in the spirit and heritage that only belongs to "The Lobster".

    The menu is classic American seafood featuring whole live Maine lobsters. Guests can sit at any seat in the restaurant or bar area and enjoy 180 degree views of the spectacular Pacific Ocean, accented by it's breathtaking sunsets, even celebrate the sea spun sunset phenomena called the 'Green Flash'. The terrace provides fresh coastal air for those who love to dine outdoors.

Editorial

  • This is a Santa Monica staple located at the Pier with excellent service. Come for happy hour with $6 cocktails and discounted food items.

  • 4/25/2012 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Mon - Thu 11:30am - 10pm Fri - Sat 11:30am - 11pm Sun 11am - 10pm
  • Payments: Discover, American Express, Master Card, Diner's Club, Visa, Carte Blanche
  • Neighborhoods: West LA, Downtown
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