These days, minor indulgences that don’t break the bank are important. It doesn’t get any better than a fresh, live lobsters off the boat – but finding the best lobster in New York City can be tricky. The Big Apple is chock full of outstanding restaurants and fish markets, but where can a seafood lover find the best lobster at the most reasonable price? We investigated, and what we learned is that not all lobster joints are created equal. Here’s a summary of what we learned.
Where to find the best lobster in New York City?
Here are the best spots for Maine lobster in New York City, with our top picks in each borough.
Manhattan
Luke’s Lobster (Multiple Locations)
The East Village boasts local favorite Luke’s Lobster (93 E. 7th). Prices are moderate and reasonable, with entrees ranging between $10 and $20 each. Luke’s friendly, attentive staff serves a solidly good lobster roll and several other exciting dishes. However, this establishment is tiny. Eight to ten seats occupy the dining area. Unless you’re interested in picking up your food to go (ensuring it won’t be hot by the time you get home), you’ll probably have to wait quite a while to get a seat here.
Ed’s Lobster Bar
PERMANATELY CLOSED (222 Lafayette St., Manhattan) serves fresh lobster and lobster roll that taste fine, but at a price that would make even the most jaded Soho consumer blush. The word “Bar” in the name is descriptive of the seating arrangement: stools are lined up at a bar for customers, such that all diners are facing a brick wall. If you’re dining alone and are interested in spending large amounts, Ed’s maybe be the place for you. If you have friends, family, a spouse or date, skip Ed’s. It’s neither conversation- or wallet-friendly.
Crab House All You Can Eat Seafood
A Manhattan fave, Crab House All You Can Eat Seafood (135 E 55th St New York, NY 10022) features a dazzling array of AYCE seafood dishes, including succulent Maine lobster. Steamed fresh daily as part of the restaurant’s Lobster Buffet, diners can enjoy the lobster with classic garlic butter, fresh with salt and pepper, or baked with mac and cheese. The menu also includes land-based entrees and a small number of tasty sides to round out your meal.
Lobster Place
Established in 1974, Lobster Place (75 9th Ave New York, NY 10011) serves fresh Maine lobster virtually any way you want. The restaurant is located in the city’s famed Meatpacking District and offers steamed lobster, lobster bisque, lobster rolls, a lobster picnic box, and much more. It features a fresh seafood market and an extensive menu of freshly prepared dishes, including sushi. There’s even a loyalty rewards program. The restaurant also has a loyalty program worth signing up for, as you’ll want to return to this unique spot.
PERMANATELY CLOSED City Lobster and Steak Co. in Midtown West (121 W. 49th) is reasonably priced, considering its upscale Rockefeller Center location. At around $40 per plate, they serve a great salad and tasty calamari. The lobster, however, was less than tender. If you prefer a quieter ambiance, avoid City at mealtime; tourists regularly pack the place.
Brooklyn
Nick’s Lobster Fish Market (2777 Flatbush Ave.) is a Brooklyn restaurant and fish market. In the past, Nick’s has enjoyed a loyal following. Staff has changed, however, and the differences are evident. The calamari was on the greasy side, and the restaurant’s lobster is filled with a “homemade” stuffing that may not suit your taste. There’s a great 300+ gallon tank in the back from which to get lobster, but the prices are premium-level.
Red Hook Lobster Pound
New York City’s self-billed source for lobstericiousness, Red Hook Lobster Pound (284 Van Brunt St Brooklyn, NY 11231), puts fresh Maine lobster front and center. This bustling casual eatery is a fixture on the Brooklyn culinary scene and is a local favorite for fresh-boiled lobster and lobster rolls. The creative and exciting menu features fast-casual faves, such as tacos and sandwiches, and sumptuous seafood boils that take up the whole table. Add seafood faves like oysters or crab cakes to your meal for the whole experience!
Red Hook Lobster Pound
New York City’s self-billed source for lobstericiousness, Red Hook Lobster Pound (284 Van Brunt St Brooklyn, NY 11231), puts fresh Maine lobster front and center. This bustling casual eatery is a fixture on the Brooklyn culinary scene and is a local favorite for fresh-boiled lobster and lobster rolls. The creative and exciting menu features fast-casual faves, such as tacos and sandwiches, and sumptuous seafood boils that take up the whole table. Add seafood faves like oysters or crab cakes to your meal for the whole experience!
Queens
Maine Ocean
A hole-in-the-wall favorite for Maine lobster lovers, Maine Ocean (3609 164th St., New York, NY 11358) offers elevated seafood in a casual, intimate setting. Diners can order lobster in numerous ways, including as lobster stir-fry, steamed, or as a combo with other shellfish, such as oysters, scallops, and lobsters. And if you’re feeling traditional, you can order a tremendous main lobster, served with butter, corn, and a side roll, ready for yourself or to share with a group.
The Monster Crab – Bayside
If you’re feeling like Cajun or Creole Maine lobster or just want to grab a few bites, The Monster Crab – Bayside (211-35 26th Ave New York, NY 11360) is the spot for you. This spacious casual joint offers extensive seafood options, including crab, fish, and Maine lobster. Choose your seafood basket and sides, or order a whole boil if you’re here with a group. The combo plates let you sample the menu and are more than enough for two diners, making this a fantastic value with the quality to back it up.
Chef Wong Bistro
Chef Wong Bistro (135-53 Northern Blvd Queens, NY 11354) offers Cantonese classics in a refined dining environment if you’re looking for upscale, elevated Maine lobster. The restaurant features round, spacious tables perfect for big groups and live tanks in the main dining room. The service is premium, with an extensive menu with many seafood and land-based options. Diners can even pick their seafood from the tanks, so be sure to inspect the options and pick the one that looks best to you!
The Bronx
City Island Lobster House
For old-school Maine Lobster, City Island Lobster House (691 Bridge St, Bronx, NY 10464-1102) has you covered. The small, tightly focused menu features faves like the whole lobster in the shell with butter, lemon, and lobster bisque, along with other seafood house standbys like clam chowder and crab legs. Outdoor seating is available with views of the nearby boat docks, making this the perfect place to stop for seafood if you’re in the Bronx.
Hudson Garden Grill
Situated in the lovely New York Botanical Gardens, Hudson Garden Grill (2900 Southern Blvd, Bronx, NY 10458-5126) features an extensive menu with elevated American dishes, with many vegetarian and vegan-friendly options. The restaurant’s farm-to-table philosophy keeps the Maine lobster here fresh. Order lobster on its own or as the star of a fine dining dish while taking in the majestic views of tall pines and green, rolling meadows surrounding the building.
Artie’s Steak & Seafood
There’s nothing like ordering a bright red Maine lobster at a classic, old-school steakhouse like Artie’s Steak & Seafood (394 City Island Ave, City Island, Bronx, NY 10464-1323). This upscale, classic Italian steakhouse serves whole Maine lobster with corn, bread, and butter for dipping. There’s also steak and many other Italian-American classics to build a complete meal for yourself or your whole party!
Staten Island
Patrizia’s Of Brooklyn
Maine lobster features prominently in the old-school Italian dishes at Patrizia’s Of Brooklyn (4255 Amboy Rd, Staten Island, NY 10308-2308). This open, family-style community favorite has classic dishes served at an elevated level, including lamb chops, pizza, pasta, steak, and more. The lobster here is served resplendent on a platter with herbs on a bed of mussels and clams, a bounty of the sea that can feed your whole party.
Real Madrid
Have you ever had Maine lobster with a Spanish flair? Real Madrid (2075 Forest Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10303-1735) offers classic whole steamed lobster with liquified butter for dipping, along with an extensive menu of modern Spanish classics. Lobsters are also prominent in other dishes, like paella, a saffron seafood studded rice dish full of mussels, clams, and other delicacies.
Joe’s Lobster House
Serving Italian-American classics, Joe’s Lobster House (1898 Hylan Blvd, Staten Island, NY 10305-2112) is a Long Island staple. Featuring an extensive menu, you can order Maine lobster here boiled with corn and a side of slaw as the star of your dish. Whether you’re ordering the lobster bisque, rolls, tail, or full dinner, you’ll get a freshly caught, succulent lobster that keeps you coming back for more!
Urban Lobster (240 E. Houston Ave.) provides lobster delivery to the Lower East Side/Alphabet City areas. The staff is friendly and the side orders are mostly low-carb – a bonus for the diet-conscious. However, the quality is, well, delivery quality. Sometimes the containers are leaky, sometimes the food is bland. If you’re hoping to enjoy a delicious lobster dinner at home, you might keep looking.
Wild Edibles is an interesting concept. Their trifecta of locations includes an oyster bar (535 Third Ave.), their seafood market (Lexington Avenue at 43rd), and a wholesale store (2151 Borden Ave., Long Island). Wild Edibles, like Urban Lobster, offers delivery, but at much higher prices. The delivered lobster took over an hour, the lobster and sides weren’t prepared as ordered, and the employees were surly. The dine-in service is similar: We waited 40 minutes for inattentive service. If you like paying top dollar to be ignored during your dining experience, this is the place for you.
Our Pick for Maine Lobster in NYC
The best deal we found was LobsterAnywhere.com, which offers live Maine lobster delivered fresh to your door – or anywhere in the USA – the next morning! Located in Maine (where all good lobster comes from), LobsterAnywhere.com gets their seafood directly from the Atlantic Ocean via trusted suppliers and ships it so it arrives at its peak freshness.
In addition to whole lobster, this company offers lobster tails (in four different sizes), lobster meat and lobster rolls. Other shellfish, shrimp, chowder and starters are available for the full seafood experience. The prices are completely reasonable, and the result is a high-quality meal delivered to your door, fresh, the next morning. Try it!