We went for a Birthday celebration and the food was amazing!!! We got the C1 and C2 combos (one with medium Cajan and the other with garlic butter). Both sauces were so delicious and the mussels are amazing! The customer service was amazing as well, biggest highlight of the visit! read more

Lobster Chef - The aftermath - Cajun/Creole Near Me - San Mateo, California

My fiancé and I wanted to celebrate our anniversary with a takeout meal (I'm still not ready for dine in service) and we decided to do something really romantic - eating with bibs, gloves and a provided placemat. Anywhoooo, craving Cajun seafood and this place opened up down the street. We tried ordering ahead on their website but it's down. We were able to pay via google for ASAP but any future time errored the system out. Also I know they're using the Square platform but gotta say it really sucks. Moving on, we got the C-3 choice combo with a side order of garlic noodles. Noodles were garlicky but tbh not super memorable. The combo had 1lb of mussels (or clams-your choice), crawfish, shrimp, and a sausage in it. You can choose how spicy you want the broth and they'll offer a plastic tablecloth for your to-go order, alongside a bib and plastic gloves. Gotta keep it classy yo. Seafood was a bit chewy and overcooked but that can be expected with to-go orders. Otherwise everything was good. Overall we have a habit of going to the same 5 places so it was nice to mix it up. read more

Lobster Chef - Garlic noodles - Cajun/Creole Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Closest you can get to Boiling Crab in my opinion! I've tried (almost) everything: Kickin' Crab, Claw Shack, Crawdaddy, C Food Crush, etc. However, my go-to when I don't want to go all the way to SJ for Boiling Crab is Lobster Chef. It was super easy to order online for takeout but they've now re-opened for indoor dining as well. If you dine in, everything is done through a mobile menu and you pay after you order as well. We liked this because it's convenient and there's also less interaction with servers (because covid..right). We've tried their shrimp, clams, sausage, fries, snow crab legs, and garlic noodles over the past few months. We always get either the Cajun Mild or Medium paired with the Garlic Butter sauce and I swearrr it almost tastes like Boiling Crab except a little less garlic-y and the sauce isn't as thick. I dislike sauces that have any sweetness whatsoever and I'm happy to report that the sauce at Lobster Chef is not sweet! Their garlic noodles are just ok and their fries are good if you prefer thicker cut fries. They also have a variety of other fried foods like cajun chicken bites, calamari, and even tofu! Also, their shrimps are HUGE. Lobster Chef is a solid choice for a Cajun seafood boil, highly recommend! read more

Tonight, my wife and I were looking a dinner restaurant after near half-a-day shopping (Costco/Ranch99/Safeway). We were thinking something casual and nearby so that we can finish our dinner early and take some rest at home. Lobster Chef came to our Yelf search when we looked, and we made the decision almost instantly. "Let's go !!" Environment: 4 stars (casual occasions, simple decoration, clean and tidy) Price: 4 stars (normal pricing) Food: 3.5 stars Service: 4 stars (making sure everything is good) Limited selection for sources. (Naked, Cajun and Garlic butter) Since the Cajun source is classic and usually strong in flavor, it may not be a good match for clams and mussels. I wish they have basils or lemon pepper source in the menu. It's just my preference =P. We understand most ingredients from what we ordered are frozen, but I was hoping the dish was hotter in temperature. For the sausage from both orders, I can feel that the center portion was slightly cooler than outside. I get that it is seafood, and you don't want to over cook the clams (especially). Perhaps, the sausage should be defrost in advance. Will definitely come back again for Cajun food. read more

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Quick and good service, quality food, fresh clams, meaty mussels, tender lobster tails in a mean Cajun sauce that makes me sweat--that's a public first. Thanks for the good dinner. read more

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Food was good not mind blowing but still good! It just needs a bit of kick in flavor in the noodles but everyone was nice there and food is fast read more

Low key no frills mom and pop shop with good seafood and fast service. If you don't want to deal with crowds and don't mind the mis-matchy plastic crab decor, then this is your spot! I've never had cajun corn ribs, so delicious - I could eat that every day! Kids gobbled up the mozz sticks, calamari and fried cod. Shrimp in spicy cajun sauce was a hit. I can't believe I didn't find this place sooner! read more

We ordered 2 lbs of shrimp with head, corn and sausage in the bag and cajun fries and garlic noodles on the side. Everything was really tasty. The shrimps were pretty big. We got the cajun sauce and garlic butter, and the lemon butter on the side. I didn't think the sauce was grainy or anything like other reviewers stated. We chose the "hot" level and it's really spicy. I have a high spice tolerance so I thought it was a good level of spice. It's a little pricey but all cajun shrimp places are. The service was a little slow but there was only one person taking orders so I wouldn't recommend this place if you're in a hurry. Overall, I recommend this place and would come here again. read more

Everything was great and very flavorful. Almost too flavorful!! Shrimp, lobster and crab were all cooked to perfection not hard or chewy at all. We took our food to go and they gave us everything we needed to eat it at home. Would definitely recommend it. read more

I fell for the good reviews and now I'm suffering. I walked in and the place was empty. Not a problem it was late afternoon, after lunch and before dinner. It's all you can eat seafood for $35.00. Again another red flag. There were so many red flags and things I picked up on as negatives, but I ignored my gut sense and now my gut has got me on the toilet. The seafood is not fresh!!!!!!. Save yourself and go somewhere else. read more

Happy to have a seafood boil option on the Peninsula. The Cajun seasoning has good flavor, but even the mild was too spicy for me. We got the shrimp, fried oysters, and Cajun fries. I have to say, the fried oysters were bomb. So crispy but moist inside. I would order those again for sure. I wish you could combine the Cajun sauce with the garlic butter. My friend got the garlic noodles and thought they were pretty good too, especially mixing it with some sauce. I appreciated that they also packed gloves in addition to bibs! Prices seemed slightly higher than other places, but not exorbitantly so. Overall, glad I don't have to go to SJ for boiling crab but maybe need to get an extra mild option for me... read more

At the end of the meal, my little guy said,"Yum, what a satisfying meal!" I know we have found our new place for dinner going forward! It is hard to find a consensus among my household with two teen boys. But, we all absolutely LOVE this meal tonight!! It is certainly better than CFoodCrush in San Mateo Downtown. It is comparable to Boiling Crabs in South Bay. I am talking about the food quality and taste. I don't really remember the pricing of the other two places. I think this place is very reasonable. We had fried oyster + the lobster tails combo + side combos + 2 pounds of shrimps. We have about half pounds of shrimps and random sides leftover. We just combined all the bags and brought the leftover home. The sauce is addictive!! We will absolutely come back for more. The lady server is super friendly and the place is clean and tidy. 10 stars out of 5!!! read more

My friend and I love seafood boils so we decided to try this place out for dinner. Cute decorations inside, place was clean, server was attentive, and the food came out quick. I ordered a lb of mussels and she got a lb of shrimp (head on). We both asked for a combination of the 3 sauces (medium). The cook and texture of the seafood was great. The sauce was heavy on the Cajun side which I liked and the spice level was a perfect medium. We also got the garlic noodles, it wasn't oily like most are and I enjoyed the garlic flavor. Definitely try this place if you're craving seafood! read more

New restaurant in San Mateo area, they started their soft opening on Saturday and still working out the kinks. We ordered the 2 lobsters special in mild Cajun sauce, it still have a kick to it. Boss lady came out apologizing that the supplier didn't give her fresh lobsters today even though she served us 1 lobster and it be on the house, she gave us 2 fresh lobster tails, 1 pound of shrimp and 1 pound of clams. All were very delicious. The clams were plump and shrimp were definitely larger than other places. So full afterwards. Service is excellent even though you order and pay at the counter. Boss keep coming over to refill our drinks and asked us about our meal. read more

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Order: - 1 lb Shrimp, 1 lb Clams, both with Cajun mild garlic butter - Total before tip: $33.44 Pros: - The flavor is perfect. It's as good or better than the best I've had of this type of food in the Bay. - The size of the shrimp and clams are as big or larger than what I've had at other similar restaurants. - The host that helped us was super friendly and welcoming. Cons: - Ambiance is a bit underwhelming. Comments: The flavor comparison to Boiling Crab in San Jose is inevitable as they are what I consider to be the bar for this category of restaurant and cuisine. This place shockingly emulates my many visits to Boiling Crab, except here there's no wait and you can easily get through to them on the phone. I predict this place will become very popular once social distancing ends. read more

Overall, food was good and customer service was amazing! A couple of things that could improve were the spiciness and the heat. I couldn't taste the heat even though I ordered the spiciest. Also, when we received the food, it was lukewarm, I like it when it's hot! But the customer service was great and looking forward to going to this spot whenever I am in the area read more

Pros: perfectly cooked seafood, juicy plump shrimp with heads and New Zealand Mussels. And you must, and I repeat you must get Garlic Butter and Cajun Sauce. The little chunks of garlic that you scoop up at the bottom of the bag are magical.... My meal with tip was $49-ish but it was enough for two. I had a pound of shrimp with heads; pound of mussels; 2 small ears of corn and one sausage (which is cut in multiple pieces). I was raised on Southern food and seafood boils are in my blood. This warmed my soul. This is a family business. The owner is there and she is friendly and seems to really care and Raymond was so kind. I can't wait to return. read more

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Unimpressive and overpriced. I was hoping this would be an awesome place based on all of the 4-5 star reviews. Turns out...it wasn't. Arrived on a Saturday afternoon around 4:30-4:45. Seated immediately. That's where the good ends. Soda pop are from the can which is whatever. Kinda pricey at $2.75/each but whatever. I can see why they wouldn't invest in having a fountain drink dispenser if they're marking up their sodas that much. Hubs got the 1 lb lobster special ($24.99) and a lb of peeled shrimp, both with garlic butter. I got the lobster special and added a lb of crawfish, Cajun and garlic butter mixed, mild. We shared an order of fries. Fries came out first which was fine, nothing special about them. Seafood came out next. The shrimp had been boiled in water and thrown into the bag of garlic butter. Unfortunately, they were pretty tasteless. Crawfish were a good size but that's about it. The sauce wasn't good but wasn't bad. There was a lot of it. Both lobsters were ok, they're Eastern lobsters (small tails with claws). Anyway, $120 and I wish we'd gone somewhere else for dinner. read more

Boyfriend and I have been twice now, at my urging. I watch wayyy too many mukbangs, making me crave seafood boils too often. The first time we went, the deal for 2 crabs was under $40. I told my bf it would be silly of us not to go for it. Holy mackerel. Delish!! Last weekend, we went again and the price jumped up. Glad I got it the first time (but I'd totally be down to get it at this new price point if I was in the mood to splurge- seriously, it's so frickin' good!). Btw, get their cajun sauce. Don't even mess with any of the other flavors (I've never had them, but their cajun sauce is fiiiiyah.) The owner(?) remembered us when we walked in which was nice :) You order at the counter, take a number and find a seat. You can grab your own water and utensils and condiments on the side. They bring the food to you :) Food is perfection and I raaaaved about it to everyone I knew. Bomb seafood boil outside of San Jose?! Unheard of! AND IT DOESN'T GIVE YOU A BELLY ACHE AFTER?! (tmi, sure, but I stopped eating seafood boils because I'd get heartburns/pains every time after) With this place, you don't get any of that. I am freakin' sold!! They take a little longer to cook, but I think that's because they're still new. They're also super eager to please. The lady chef has been so sweet with us. The shrimp we got the second time were lightweight under cooked (but they were MASSIVE in size so it's completely understandable). She made sure to give us a new steaming hot bag and apologized profusely. Sweet, sweet lady. I'll be back! read more

Had a fantastic to-go meal from Lobster Chef. It's been a while since I've gotten this style of food since Boiling Crab has always had a wait and didn't feel quite worth the effort. We ordered 1.5 lbs of shrimp with head on with the sides combo. We were super excited to find that the shrimp were very large compared to what we were used to from other Cajun places. The sides combo also seemed like a pretty good deal in comparison to ordering individual sides. To add-on, they were nice enough to throw in a placemat, gloves, and bibs with the to-go order, which was a nice touch. Overall, the quality of the seafood here is much higher than Boiling Crab, with on-par seasoning and flavors. Would highly recommend this to anyone craving some Cajun seafood! read more

Good tasting spicy crab. Owner and was very nice, Good service and overall enjoyable experience. Will definitely visit again. Went back again today and tried the mixed Cajun seafood in a bag. Shrimps were big, juicy and delicious. Clams were also yummy . The kids loved picking out the seafood from the bag and really goes well with rice. Loved I just came back again and found out that not only do owners de-vein shrimps but also remove the sharp portions of the headed shrimps. I asked owner why. She says it taste better, cleaner and also safer for customers. That is a lot of work I told her. But I do agree it is super yummy and fresh! Definitely will be back again! read more

Lobster Chef - Mixed Cajun seafood in a bag mild - Cajun/Creole Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I'm obsessed with the crawfish in cajon hot! I like that they provide gloves and butcher paper when you get it togo.

Way to much seasoning. It's a bit too fishy for me. No drink service, when we were done she finally asked if we needed more to drink. They don't have fountain drinks, they give cans so one can better be enough. Mango smoothie was good and ranch dressing is really good. There is a lot in the boil bag so it's definitely enough, just way too much seasoning. Parking is a breeze. read more

Quality, fresh seafood with great sides and sauces. The lobster pair was tender and perfectly cooked. We had it with mild Cajun sauce. The mixed side of potatoes, corn, onion & sausage was a big size serving with plenty of food which we also chose the mild Cajun sauce. The mild Cajun sauce was still decently spicy but flavorful. The fried oysters are served with a cocktail sauce - delicious and there are 6 per order. We also had the mussels in a garlic & butter sauce. The mussels were a good serving size and they were a pretty good size and not the tiny type of mussels. We did take out and they pack a paper tablecloth that is a bit waxy on one side, plastic bibs, plastic gloves and napkins. Overall, a good and filling meal. I wish I had some rice or bread with it. On the expensive side but not outrageously so because this is in fact quality seafood so you get what you pay for here. Quick and friendly service. Thumbs up! read more

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It's been a long time since I've had Creole style seafood. Glad we found this place closer to Daly City instead of driving all the way to Fremont or San Jose. The 2 Lobster Tails package mild Cajun and an order of garlic noodles and corn were plenty for the two of us. Even had some leftover to take home. Contactless ordering via phone is easy and a plus given the current pandemic situation. The only thing missing was white vinegar with garlic for dipping--it's a Filipino thing read more

Lobster Chef - Non alcoholic beer, perfect drink to wash down the spicy taste and if your the designated drive. Please DO NOT drink and drive! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - San Mateo, California

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We went to try out this place for their lunch special and it was so good, I was surprised that they had dine in. I think their sauce rivals boiling crab i would definitely come back again. read more

Lobster Chef - a meal of shrimp, pasta, corn, and rice - Cajun/Creole Near Me - San Mateo, California

I was just walking around the plaza looking for a place to eat, and I wanted to try something new and this place caught my eye and I'm sure glad it did!!! Lobster Chef has great service and produced an amazing dinner for my girlfriend and I. This is one of their combo platters and it was to die for! Will definitely come back here again read more

Lobster Chef - a platter of clams and corn on the cob - Cajun/Creole Near Me - San Mateo, California

I usually don't put reviews because I don't really care to, even though I read others all the time haha. I decided to place a to-go order as I had to go to the airport in about 50 minutes and talked to the guy manning the cashier. He was really friendly and pretty cool. I asked if we could mix both the Cajun and garlic butter and he said yes and that's on the "secret menu". I got 1lb shrimp Cajun medium and 1 lb clam mix sauce. The shrimps were huge and seemed fresh, way better than boiling crab's tiny, dead shrimp. The Cajun sauce was pretty damn good and wasn't overly spicy. The clams though... one of my clams had a huge mass of black sand in it and I was wondering where all the crunch was coming from. Not the best experience with the clams but the shrimp really made up for it. I'd suggest just sticking with the Cajun sauce as the mix of both sauces didn't really do it for me. Thankfully I won't have to go to San Jose to cure my Seafood boil addiction. I'll definitely be a regular here. read more

Lobster Chef - Clams with black sand stuffed into it. The shrimp was bomb though. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - San Mateo, California

Went here for my birthday to get takeout and I was so surprised how good this place is. It's very Tasty just like boiling crab but way closer to me. We got the shrimp With the Cajun sauce, and some with garlic butter. Very flavorful. I have to go back and try some more of the other foods here. read more

Disappointed. Fried cod was a bit greasy, husband enjoyed the fried oysters. Clam chowder was heated in the microwave. Not entirely sure it wasn't from a can. Cajun wings had good flavor. Too bad the staff wasn't friendly at all. Never once checked on us during our meal. Got more eye contact from the chef. Chalked it up to wait staff being young and perhaps shy. But if they are the owners, they have some improving to do. Would recommend if you don't mind unfriendly staff. read more

We decided to try this place since it was close to our house. Generally we go to supreme crab in Redwood City. When we arrived, there was no one else in the restauarant. There were two people working. One was the "cook" and the other was the lady working the register. She promptly took our order (there were three of us) About ten minutes after taking our order, we were told there was no dungeness crab. We were offered king crab legs at a much higher price. The 'cook" came to change the order, however he did not change my order. We approached and asked about my order and somehow I did not have an order. We then reordered my order. Ten minutes later, the server came our to reconfirm once again. At this time, we had ordered three beers. They brought me the wrong drink and we sent it back. Finally our meals came out. Mine was made with the wrong sauce. I ordered garlic butter, I was served with a cajun sauce. She insisted I ordered this (I hate spicy). They had to remake my order. Finally, I received my meal. The crab legs were fishy and stringy. The sauce was mediocre... mostly butter very little garlic flavor. In the end, we spent $280 on three meals and no discount or anything was given for the many many mishaps, delay in food, wrong items etc. We were not given any kind of "I'm sorrys" etc. Very disappointed. Will drive to RWC from now on. read more

Delicious! This place has been opened for a while (right before SIP I think) so I didn't have a chance to dine in. I decided to order some food deliver to home. I've order the snow crab combo (Cajun and garlic butter) with Cajun fries. The seafood is very fresh and the seasoning is great. The Cajun fries are delicious as well! Will definitely go back again! read more

Lobster Chef - Snow crab combination - Cajun/Creole Near Me - San Mateo, California

Found this place on Yelp while looking for seafood boil along the Peninsula. Drove on over on a Saturday evening from Pacifica, took about 20 minutes. We walked in and were seated right away. There was only one other couple dining in when we got there. We ordered the headless shrimp with corn, a side of rice and garlic noodles. I wasn't expecting much due to the fact that it was empty, but WOW! The burst of flavors in my mouth were so good. I opted for a mix of all 3 sauces. The garlic noodles were also very good! Why was this place not busy?!!! It was clean and service was quick and very friendly. The bathroom was really nice and clean too. The glass sink was pretty cool! We will definitely be returning. So glad to have found a place closer to home that taste so good. Now I don't have to drive all the way to San Jose to get my craving fixed! read more

I rarely give five stars. The Cajun sauce is amazing. The lobster was fresh. Loved the food. The service is great. It's a pity they are not open for lunch and for all days of the week. read more

One of my families favorite take out spots during Covid. We try and order every 2 weeks or so. Their Cajun flavor is the best! We typically make 2 meals out of it by using the extra sauce the next day with pasta and chicken etc. They once made a mistake on our order and credited to our next one. Next time we came to grab our usual they threw in some of their Cajun fries for the inconvenience and now we add those to every order as well. So good! Our 3 year old even loves it and frequently request the "Shrimp". Wish Covid would pass soon so they can return to working more days of the week. read more

This place isn't bad. I had a pound of shrimp with sausage in their cajun sauce with "you'll be sorry" heat & a side of rice. I can handle heat so I wasn't sorry at all lol. From 1-10, 10 being the highest, I'd personally give it a 7ish. Also the sauce was kind of on the sweet side & not as thick as I'm used to and wasn't as oily which is a good thing, I guess. The shrimp were huge, tasted fresh & were not overcooked. I did not care for the sausage & probably won't order it again. Not that cajun Andouille as I know it. More kind of like a Hillshire Farms smoked sausage thing. I will definitely be back when I want a quick cure for a cajun craving & don't feel like planning my day around a trip to the south bay. I would have easily given this place all 5 stars but it's just that the other place has set the bar high for me, personally. But it's the best I've had besides... Forgot to mention that its counter service. You walk up, place your order & you go get your own bib, napkins, utensils, limes or lemons, pepper & salt, ect... No alcohol & sodas are not refilled. You get a can. read more

Excellent restaurant for shellfish and seafood cajun style. No need to drive to San Jose it's right here in the Peninsula way better than Boiling Crab. You will not regret it. I am hooked. read more

Ordered on a whim. Admittedly somewhat pricy it feels for what you're getting but the food was tasty. Their conch was quite delicious and would recommend read more

The cajun sauce is amazing. I bought a couple combos for dinner for my family and it was a huge hit. They were able to take my order via email and they had it ready when I got there. My family is so happy they opened here. Cant wait until they are able to open up freely and enjoy everything on their menu. read more

Wanted to try a new place and so happy I did. Loved the shrimp medium Cajun with corn. The noodles were very good too. Definitely worth the 2 hour round trip, good news there was no traffic. I should have ordered more to bring home. read more

Lobster Chef - Medium Cajun shrimp no heads - Cajun/Creole Near Me - San Mateo, California

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