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    The Happy Lobster

    4.3 (393 reviews)
    ModerateSeafood, Food Trucks
    Closed Closed
    Updated over 3 months ago

    The Happy Lobster Photos

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    Recommended Reviews - The Happy Lobster

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    Angry Lobster sandwich and fries
    Lisa P.

    Was craving a lobster roll really bad. But opted for an old favorite; premium sweet and tender warm lobster on a buttered and toasted brioche bun, sprinkled with old bay, melted butter and a spicy mayo. A side of seasoned fries was a nice accompaniment. Boy did I enjoy myself when I made it home. One squeeze of the lemon and in my belly it went. This is inside the food hall on State Street.

    Mark T.

    So, I try a fry and exclaim: "oh dang! (At this point, you know, I don't curse in my reviews. So, Wordle rules: the D & A are green, the N is yellow, and the G is gray.) The fries were piping hot fresh out of the fryer, and amazingly seasoned. I am not sure what they use, I think it might be old Bay? In any case it's not just salt, and the slightly acidic and savory notes work wonders. Though, you're not here to read about french fries. You probably wanna hear about the lobster roll, or should I say the "lobstah" roll. You can take the man out of Boston, but you can't take the Boston out of the man! I appreciate that it is impossible in Chicago to buy a lobster roll when the thing was just caught in the ocean an hour or two ago. For that, you have to go to a restaurant in New England. that said, the lobster roll at The Happy Lobster was still at least twice as good as one that cost twice as much in a supposedly swanky and/or bougie Boston restaurant. The lobster was high quality - it didn't have a chewy consistency and seemed fresh (perhaps not fresh off the boat, but the point stands). On both my visits, I ordered the Honey G. The combination of butter, mayo, seasoning, and especially the pepper relish was perfection. No ingredients were stepping on one another, and the lobster was still able to shine. Savory, a little sweet, a hint of heat, perfect! The service here is kind, and very fast especially in light of how fresh everything was.

    Fried shrimp bucket

    First of all the service was really nice. I'm a tourist so I'm usually a bit lost on what to order, but he helped me pick my sauce and safe to say it was really nice. I got the shrimp basket, it came with fries and some lemons in it. The shrimps were great, I was actually expecting just shrimp. The fries are amazing, but I guess that depends on your preference. It's really nicely seasoned. It's not just salt on fries, there's a lot of other spices that I can't place but I love them. Also try squeezing some lemons onto the shrimp. Order came out within 5-10 minutes. The surroundings are just those of a regular food court. I really recommend! Forgive my half empty box, I ate them on the way home

    Taylor T.

    What a large and in charge lobster roll! I was immediately impressed upon arrival because, my bun was stuffed with reddish pink lobster meat. Not what I was expecting from a restaurant in a food hall concept. For reference though I did order the bigger sized portion. The Happy Lobster serves one thing in a few different sizes with a few slight variations and that would be Lobster Rolls. The brioche bun isn't what I have come to expect from a New England lobster roll but, the butteriness does play well with the sweetness from the lobster. However, it gets insanely messy. This time around, I had to try the special because why not? I always love to see what the chefs at small restaurants come up with for their off the menu creations and this was something of the "hot honey" variety (which seems to be a culinary trend that just won't die) so, I knew it was what I was going to order. The slight spice from the hot honey with the succulent sweetness of the lobster was incredible. It was also pretty massive for the price, a hearty lunch for the more adventurous. If you like lobster (and butter) you'll leave happy as a...lobster, no clams here! So why 4 out of 5 and not a perfect score? Well, the lobster was a tad chewy and tough and the price was still a little high for a food court setting (but knowing what rent must be for one of these booths in Chicago I can forgive a little) also, the bun wasn't the best choice in my opinion because it made the overall eating experience quite messy.

    Lobster Grilled Cheese - slap yo Momma good! OMG!
    Darlene N.

    This place is inside a spacious food mall. I wasn't sure what I wanted when I went inside the mall. I walked around to see what all restaurants were there and came upon this place and as much as I love lobster, I knew I wanted to try them. The wait was about 7-8 minutes, which I didn't mind as I was with a buddy to eat lunch there at the mall. I ordered the lobster grilled cheese and fries. When I opened the wrapper, the angels were already humming. Looked delicious. I took one bite and was in instant HEAVEN. Flavorful and so good! Fries were seasoned well and yummy. The price is worth it as it is lobster. This was definitely a gourmet sandwich. I can't wait to come back. Staff was friendly. Thank you The Happy Lobster, you've got a new and soon returning customer outta me. Great food!

    Happy Lobster Box
    Mikaella M.

    I've been wanting to try one of these and finally, they had a stop close by my work. I preordered the Happy Lobster box for pick up. Took them less than five minutes to prepare. It came with the lobster sandwich, red cabbage coleslaw and a bag of chips for $31+ with tax and everything. Anyway, you do get a lot of lobster meat but the brioche bun wasn't really a good vehicle to hold everything together; it tasted good but it was soft and floppy, so the lobster meat was falling all over in every bite. The malt vinegar coleslaw was simple but it was crunchy and helped cut through the buttery taste of the sandwich nicely. Bag of chips was your regular sea salt flavor and it was an ok addition. Did I think this whole thing was worth more than $30? I'm not so sure. Don't get me wrong, who doesn't like lobster but kinda steep and it didn't really wow me. It's one of those you gotta try it once experience.

    Angry lobster sandwhich
    Eman S.

    This was the best lobster sandwich/roll experience of my life. $24 feels steep at first but then it's a quarter pound of lobster meat. My mouth is watering talking about it. The lobster is cooked perfectly. Delicate, soft, light and buttery. The angry lobster is spicy with spicy sauce and pickled condiments in it. I worried that it would take away from the taste of the sandwich, but I was proven wrong. The bun was also fantastic and was a beautiful vehicle that carried the lobster nicely into my mouth. This is one of the best things I've eaten in Chicago.

    Trad Maine Whoopie Pie and great potato chips
    Adriana F.

    Great tasty simple lobster roll and one of the best coleslaws I ever had - delicious and satisfying. My husband had the Happy Lobster and I had the Angry Lobster, a little spicy, yet subtle to not take away from the taste and texture of the generous serving of lobster Both were served on a toasted brioche bun, a side of the best coleslaw I have had in a long time, and potato chips. Sealed the deal with a sweet whoopie pie. Service was friendly and speedy. So far our favorite Lobster Truck (and we tried several) in Chicagoland.

    Fawn J.

    The Happy Lobster was the best thing I ate during my trip to Chicago! The Happy Lobster is a great option if you are craving delicious fresh Maine lobster with a food truck and a few indoor locations in Chicago! I stopped at the Washington indoor food hall. They have a simple limited menu but they stick to what they make best which is a few varieties of lobster rolls in small junior size or regular and a few other seafood options depending on location like shrimp. If you are new to lobster rolls, try their traditional Happy Lobster roll with Maine lobster, butter, a little bit of Mayo on fresh toasted brioche bun that come together with incredible flavors like a beautiful symphany. It also comes with a delicious side of chips and malt vinegar slaw! Since I love spicy food, I tried their Angry Lobster with Maine lobster, butter, hot giardiniera peppers, and spicy mayo on a fresh toasted brioche burger bun. It was sooooo good! I was cherishing every savory, heavenly, delicious bite doing a a little happy dance in my chair! I was pleasantly surprised how well the flavors came together despite the spice! I tasted the fresh, cold, buttery tender Maine lobster. I loved the spicy heat from the hot giardiniera peppers plus the spicy mayo, and the crisp toasted buttery fresh brioche bun added nice texture! It is worth the price! My mouth is watering still thinking about the Happy Lobster! Definitely check out the Happy Lobster if you want to try a fresh Maine Lobster roll!

    Lobster Roll
    Foodie X.

    I usually like my lobster rolls hot but the warmness of the Roll balanced out the cold Lobster. The flavors were definitely there especially after adding the sauce to it. A definite go to spot.

    Happy Lobster
    Vivienne C.

    Why is Happy Lobster the best thing I ate in Chicago? I literally ate at this place 3 times within 2 weeks. Lobster rolls are such an East Coast thing but I genuinely feel like this is the best lobster roll I have ever had in the US. The first bite is just perfection! I will say that especially during weekday lunch hour, the waits are sometimes upwards of 20 minutes which is inconvenient if you only have a 1 hour lunch. Ordering the Happy Lobster, their classic lobster roll, is the way to go. The bread is so crisp but soft in the inside. They stuff the entire sandwich with the best, most tender and flavorful lobster you will have in your life. Every bite is just perfection. This is what happiness tastes like. And the mayonnaise goes so well with the lobster as it combines all the potential dry-ness of the sandwich. The fries are really good as well as they have the residue lobster flavor from sitting in the box with the delicious sandwich. I really can't get over how good it is. Happy Lobster really needs to become a national chain. I'm literally their biggest fan and I'm not sure who wouldn't be. Yes it is expensive, but it is worth every dollar. Why get cheap but bad tasting food when you can get expensive and good food? Also, the waiters are super nice people which is a big plus.

    Happy lobster sandwich

    Really cool concept. Especially since there's not a ton of lobster options in the Chicagoland area. I had the happy lobster sandwich. It was good and the lobster had a fresh taste. But the sandwich was on the bland side. I'd try the angry lobster or the lobster grilled cheese next time. Lobster bisque soup would be a great offering from them! Hope we see more food trucks in the Chicagoland area regardless

    The Happy Lobter truck
    Licia M.

    I pulled into my parking spot 2 cars away from the truck. I got there early to avoid the crowd and was first in line. The people in the truck were helpful and friendly. I ordered my sandwich they took my name. A crowd was already forming in front of the brewery. My sister was on the phone and asked me to take pictures which I did I then drove home and parked and ate my sandwich in the car jealously guarding it like a hungry dog not wanting to share even the smallest morsel with anyone. It was so delicious the bun was toasted to perfection the generous portion of lobster meat was sweet and the texture was just right it also had just the perfect amount of mayonnaise not too much. I really dislike things smothered in Mayo and you could also taste the butter in the lobster. I can't remember enjoying any take out food lately like I enjoyed that sandwich Thanks Happy Lobster. You made my first experience with a Lobster roll out of this world. Can't wait to visit your truck again.

    Regular Happy Lobster sandwich

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    1 year ago

    Really disappointed with the quantity of lobster; seems to be way less from earlier. Taste was on point though

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    7 months ago

    Food was average and very expensive do not go there, they overcharged us $220 for dinner ,not worth

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    1 year ago

    Maybe have a little bit more lobster on the sandwich. It was a little weak, but it was really good.

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    Page 1 of 10

    Ask the Community - The Happy Lobster

    We will visiting Chicago next Friday July 18. Where can we find you for lunch or dinner?

    The following link will take you to their calendar which they keep updated with locations: https://www.happylobstertruck.com/chicago-calendar/

    Do you or will you ever come to the south suburbs or Northwest Indiana? Maybe Pierogi Fest in Whiting in 2018?

    Hey Andrew - we are always willing to travel! I don't see anything on our schedule for the South Suburbs, but if you know of anything you can let the event know to reach out to info@happylobstertruck.com.

    Do they give you enough lobster? I went to DaLobster & left hungry after $37?

    Hi Jeanette - thank you for your question! Our regular size roll has 4oz of premium Maine lobster on it and is $17. While you won't find a lobster roll with more lobster for a similar price, we do understand that $17 can be pricey, so we have built… 

    View All 6 Questions

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    Crazy on a Monday night at 630 pm the place was packed!!…read more Classic Chicago steakhouse. It's lively and fun & the food is great! So is the service, excellent without being overbearing. We had a big party and most orders were a bit different. Everyone lived the apps, drinks and their dishes! Everyone was too stuffed to have desert. I had a perfectly cooked strip steak. It was delicious and the flavor was great! Shared a baked potato and the wonderful Mac & cheese. Mrs A liked it better than Swift and Sons - but that is still #1 for me - although it's in the west loop and not walkable if staying on MI Ave. Don't like the 3.5% for "rising" costs...seems like that has been around since COvID. I always catch it after I pay the bill...

    Joe's Seafood in Chicago has an unusual amount of personal history for me. It opened as a…read morepartnership between Miami Beach's iconic Joe's Stone Crab and Lettuce Entertain You, bringing South Florida to Grand and Rush. I first went when it was still a huge, buzzy Chicago spot, and one of my most memorable dinners came after my high school graduation in 2003. I even got a speeding ticket on Lake Shore Drive with my grandmother in the back seat on the way to dinner, which still makes me laugh. Chicago was an especially fun place for Joe's to arrive. Open outcry trading was still a force, and the wealth creation around it was wild: people who had dropped out of high school could become millionaires in their twenties, while math PhDs from the University of Chicago could make fortunes in the same ecosystem. It was a golden era for hustle culture, when commerce idolized Tony Montana in a way that today is more likely to idolize Jamie Dimon or David Solomon. Death Row and Bad Boy ruled the airwaves, while Michael, Shaq, Kobe, and Allen Iverson defined the NBA. Basketball was so dominant in Chicago culture during my coming of age that I still map other things, including restaurants, to NBA teams. Joe's felt like the Miami Heat coming to Chicago in much the same way Smith & Wollensky represented the New York Knicks: each brought a recognizable piece of its hometown culture into another major city. Joe's brought real South Florida sizzle to Chicago, and it landed at exactly the right moment. Going there felt like an occasion. Florida took longer for me to understand in full. My family has roots in the state going back decades, farther north along the Atlantic coast, and I didn't visit Miami until March 2007, when my sister started graduate school in Coral Gables. That trip began my love affair with Miami and helped me understand why the original Joe's was such an institution. A close family friend's father spent time around Miami in the 1960s and 1970s. He knew local fishermen who caught stone crabs, which gave me an appreciation for the older South Florida culture around the food, separate from Joe's own history. Another Joe's memory captures an entirely different moment. Looking through my OpenTable history, my July 31, 2008 reservation at Joe's in Chicago is the earliest reservation I can find at a restaurant that is still open today. I was 23, working at UBS, preparing to move to New York while the firm was already on fire from its mortgage losses, and Lehman would file for bankruptcy just weeks later. I was broke but wildly aspirational, dreaming about dinners at Balthazar, begging my way past the doors at Cain and Tenjune, hoping to drink for free, and trying to meet women comically far out of my league. Through all of those memories, the restaurant itself has been remarkably consistent. The stone crab claws are incredible, the seafood is excellent, and Joe's holds its own among Chicago's serious steakhouses. The room has traditionally felt a little more formal than Miami, with bow ties, polished service, and a darker old-school steakhouse rhythm, while still being genuinely welcoming. Finish with the key lime pie. Years later, my wife and I held our wedding reception at RPM Seafood, another Lettuce restaurant, then ate at the original Joe's during our honeymoon in Miami during COVID days later, which felt like a fitting circle back. In sheer range of venues, repeatability of quality and atmosphere, and consistency of hits, Lettuce is the gold standard in Chicago, with some of that same reach in Vegas and DC. I've been extraordinarily privileged in my exposure to hospitality, and I still repeatedly admire Rich Melman's model, taste, and execution, now carried forward by the next generation of the family. Joe's is a prime example: world-class, durable, unmistakably Chicago, and absolutely somewhere I want to return next time I'm in town with some dough to spend. While Joe's may not be French, this place still earns my highest marks: très bien!

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    Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab - The dining room

    The dining room

    Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab - Creamed Corn

    Creamed Corn

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    4.1(1.3k reviews)
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    I really enjoyed my meal. I ordered the white fish with mashed potatoes, and everything was…read moreincredibly delicious and perfectly prepared. I really loved it and will definitely be coming back! The only thing that was a little disappointing was that there were quite a few flies flying around inside, and they would occasionally try to land on the food, which was not very pleasant.

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    Us seated in the elevator car

    Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House - Lump crab mac and cheese

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    Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House - Located in Chicago's Gold Coast, Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House is celebrated for its fresh seafood, prime steaks, and lively atmosphere.

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    The Happy Lobster - seafood - Updated September 2026

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