Such an amazing dining experience. We stumbled upon this restaurant walking in Santa Monica and thought we would give it a try for lunch but did not have high hopes given it was at the end of the Santa Monica Pier. It was absolutely amazing - we both got the Lobster Salad you cannot go wrong! And Andrew was a great great waiter! Beautiful views highly recommend!!!!!! read more

When I cracked open the Oxford English Dictionary and searched perfection: The Lobster appeared. read more

The Santa Monica pier was closing down so we stopped in here for dinner. No reservation and we were seated immediately People here were very friendly and pleasant We ordered the calamari appetizer. Was wonderful! Andrew was a great server and our entrees were excellent t Highly recommend! read more

Best LA Brunch Views The Lobster at the top of the Santa Monica Pier entrance needs to be on your list. Yes, when you walk in it's unassuming and next when you walk up the stairs, the views are breathtaking and it puts you in such a delightful and joyful trance. To see the ocean, mountains, the pier and the sand all at once while enjoying a meal, 100/10 ! The hardest part was deciding what to enjoy because there were so many things I wanted to taste but I had to prioritize. Lobster or Seafood Tower? The Seafood Tower won because I was craving fresh raw oysters, plump shrimp, lobster, mussels and the crab dip in the center really satisfied all of my cravings. The deviled eggs were a nice surprise to a classic. Love their Korean inspired Chicken and Waffles, that slaw was very addictive. You can't go wrong with the steak and eggs. I had to order a side of truffle fries! We cheered our lovely meal with beautiful cocktails and it was so much fun. The service was amazing as well. When you want to feel why you love LA so much, definitely visit The Lobster. Also in time for Mother's Day! read more

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I came here for the view and the food. Overall, the view was great because you got to see the Santa Monica Pier. It's a nice ambient location with a good atmosphere. Overall, the food is good. My only complaint was that the lobster might not have been fresh. The meat of the lobster was a little bit mushy, showing that it must have been sitting in a tank close to dying. I would assume, for the price and for framing yourselves as a more upscale restaurant, that you would try to have quality control on your lobsters. Overall, the other food was great. The octopus was perfectly cut, making it tender and flavorful. The gumbo wasn't too bad; it had a bit of spice and kick to it. read more

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Thank you to Amanda and her incredible team for a beautiful dining experience. We loved our server as well as attention to detail with steps of service. Beautiful presentation on all four of our dishes as well as dessert. Not to mention the most beautiful view. Thank you all so much. We will certainly be back. read more

I love this place! I have only visited at lunch before, but this time I went during dinner and it was just as fabulous as I remembered. The location is perfect with an amazing view, overlooking the pier and the ocean and the beach. Not only are the views fantastic and the vibe amazing but the service was top-notch and the food was amazing. I tried that ahi tuna over the crab fried rice and it was divine. Would highly recommend this place and although it is in a prime location, it screams nothing about being a tourist trap with mediocre food. It's actually the opposite.... A local vibe and fresh delicious food. read more

The Lobster - Seared Rare Yellowfin - Seafood Near Me - Santa Monica, California

While the restaurant offers an extensive seafood menu, the best dish of the house, as the name suggests, is its fresh Maine lobster. A 1.5-pound steamed Maine lobster comes with sautéed green beans and a medley of potatoes. The price tag as of this writing is $63 which is really not bad, considering the fact that this is an upscale restaurant located in the prime location of Santa Monica Pier. Moreover, live Maine lobsters are not easily found in the West Coast, so it's certainly worth a trip there. The chef did a great job of cracking open the shell at the appropriate places to make eating the claws quite easy. The lobster tasted fresh; the meat was succulent and flavorful. Service has been prompt and friendly throughout our dinner. This restaurant has over a hundred years of history and is now a local's favorite as well as a tourist attraction. They do get very busy, especially during summer and on weekends. Reservation is highly recommended. read more

The Lobster - 1.5-pound steamed Maine lobster - Seafood Near Me - Santa Monica, California

The food was absolutely phenomenal. Chef Govind Armstrong is not only incredibly talented but also one of the kindest people you'll ever meet. You can tell he genuinely cares about his team, and that care is reflected in every aspect of the restaurant. The staff feels like a family, with many of them having worked together for years, and that genuine connection translates into outstanding service. We felt welcomed and cared for throughout our entire visit. Thank you, Chef Govind and team! This was truly a special and memorable dining experience. We will be back in a heartbeat! read more

I was visiting Santa Monica with my sister this past Friday and this restaurant happened to have happy hour all day so we decided to stop by and have a drink. The host Andrew was awesome - super friendly and fun! The restaurant has a nice view of the beach and is right next to the pier. read more

The Lobster - Shot & beer; raspberry margarita - Seafood Near Me - Santa Monica, California

So I stopped into The Lobster at the Santa Monica Pier during happy hour from 3 to 6. Happy hour itself was solid. $10 glasses of wine with a real pour and a nice variety of appetizers. I was excited to try the lobster bisque. Normally it is $26 but at happy hour it was $13. I am glad I didn't pay full price because it just was not it. The bisque had a lot of potatoes and celery and the flavor leaned more tomato based than creamy lobster. I was expecting something buttery and rich with strong lobster flavor and it just did not give that. It reminded me of a red clam chowder with pieces of lobster. Maybe some people love it but it was not what I wanted. For my entrée I splurged on the pound and a half lobster for $63. It came out watery and filled with eggs which was a huge turn off. I found myself enjoying the sides more than the lobster. The green beans and potatoes were seasoned perfectly and absolutely delicious. My bill was about $95 and with tip $100. Service at the bar was average. The view of the pier was nice but overall the food did not live up to the hype or the price. read more

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Good times at The Lobster for Dine LA Winter 2026. I sat at the bar where the bartenders were super attentive and friendly. There were 2 courses and dessert. For the 1st course, I enjoyed the Clam Chowder which had bacon. Delicious. The 2nd choice was the Kurobuta Pork & Gulf Shrimp Larb. Wonderfully tasty with a mix of flavors hitting the palate. The best part was the dessert; warm Sticky Toffee Pudding. OMG. read more

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Unfortunately got stuck in an hour 30 traffic and missed our reservation by 15 minutes for Valentine's Day dinner. Called to let them know we'll be late and they were kind enough to say they would hold our reservation. When we finally arrived they let us know they were getting our table ready and should be called in around 15 minutes. Got seated 30 minutes after arriving. It looked like the manager was passing out some bubbly to others as thanks for waiting but I was not given one (maybe I missed something) We got seated with an amazing view, the place is pretty tight and crowded so just make sure to not miss a step! We ordered a couple appetizers and the pasta as our main dish. The server was attentive and helpful. I would say the food was good and standard on quality. Parking is Valet: $15 after parking validation if under three hours and $20 if longer than 3 hours with validation. Overall, my husband and I had an ok experience at The Lobster. The food is okay and the service was alright. read more

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I swore I'd never come back after two bad experiences in a row, but, a friend from out of town has been wanting to try the lobster for quite some time. We found ourselves in Santa Monica at lunchtime and figured why not. I acknowledge their views are incredible and it's a lovely space. We didn't have reservations but were warmly received by the host who immediately took us to a table. We were greeted shortly thereafter by Andrew, our server, who wound up making the experience completely worthwhile. Although we had only intended to stop in for an appetizer and a cocktail we wound up spending close to $400 after having multiple appetizers and a few rounds of drinks. While still not a fan of their clam chowder their fried calamari, crispy rice spicy tuna, 20 layer lasagne side dish, Caesar salad, and butterscotch budino along with the Paloma cocktail and Espresso Martini were all very good! I still can't give them 5 stars but this experience was a noticeable improvement from the last few times. Service has a huge impact on the experience and Andrew absolutely made our day. read more

Great location and consistently good - though expensive - food. The problem comes at the end after a lovely meal when the bill arrives and it is simply fraud - there's no other term for it. Two people $312 without tip - no problem with that. At the bottom of the check they calculate suggested tips for you and kindly total them. Only problem is while 20% tip would be $62 as shown- the total is nowhere near the $405 they display. Someone suggested it did not iclude tax but that didn't fly. The check had 3 fields : 'Subtotal' as displayed then 2 blank: 'Tip' and 'Total.' As such tax has to be included in 'Subtotal', no? I have fond memories of this place but for the love of god- why try to rip off your diners? Do you think they've had a bit to drink and won't be able to do math in their head? BAD move read more

The Lobster - do the math. $312 + $62 does NOT equal $405. Fraud, no? - Seafood Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I've eaten here before several years ago but have moved out of state since then. I found this to still be a great dining experience. The presentation and service are stellar, and the meals are excellent. This is an upscale business causal dress (jeans allowed) to a nice date spot (suit/tie). Beautifullll waterfront views. We had a party of 5, the total was around $400.00. It is pricey but worth it. The food was delectable as I remembered it to be. Ambiance was akin to fine dining on a more relaxed scale. Recommendation: absolutely yes! read more

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My friend and I lunched at The Lobster last Friday at noon - incredible service by waiter Andrew and team members, including the staff manager who checked with us to make sure our needs were met. The food was delicious - the desert divine. We had an ocean view table (a request in our reservation) and the experience could not have been more lovely. Kudos to The Lobster and the friendly, professional and quality service provided by all, including the receptionist who greeted us when we arrived early at the front desk. read more

Spectacular view, beautiful interior, insanely good food. Every single staff member is friendly and completely on their game. Especially our top notch waiter, Andrew. He waited on us on our 29th anniversary. He is friendly but not intrusive and anticipates your every need. If you go, and are lucky enough to get Andrew as your waiter, tell him Bernie and Tim say Hi. read more

The Lobster offers outstanding food, great ambiance and attentive, friendly service. Their brunch is exceptional! Today, we enjoyed lobster roll, house smoked salmon eggs Benedict on a potato galette and sipped excellent Bloody Marys just feet away from the beach. Did I mention truffle fries? Out waiter, Andrew, was attentive and friendly. We cannot wait to go back! read more

The view is priceless! Service by our waiter, Andrew was on point. Had a few apps, they were all delicious. read more

The Lobster - Lobster salad - Seafood Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Hubby took me here for my bday dinner as I was craving for some lobster :) Very nice ambience, romantic with an ocean view. Service was great and food was delicious. Overall, a great experience. read more

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My husband recently came to grab dinner around sunset hour. First of all, the view of restaurant is amazing, especially when they roll up the blinds during sunset. First glance at the menu, typical over priced items on touristy spots, so we didn't have high hope for food, but maybe we ordered the right things? We actually enjoyed our lobster cocktail, king salmon and filet, food were amazing but tasted better than your typical touristy food. The service was good, given how busy they were, makes me think they were understaffed, but overall a good experience, I just can't justify the price tho. read more

First, I wanna say I have been to the lobster many many times...it never gets old. The food is always top notch. The views, the service, the location, the drinks, the appetizers, the vibe... There's a reason why I go back over and over I've never had a bad experience there and I've been going to the lobster for at least the last 15 years. I'm not a regular by any means, but I have been there so many times I can't count them all. This is not a H salt/Long John Silver seafood joint... This is top-notch deliciousness...oysters, crab, shrimp, sea bass, salmon, clams, mussels! I have never had a bad dish here this is a must go to if you are a seafood lover. They have steaks too. I love a surf and turf action, but I especially always order seafood here because it's just so fresh so good so delicious! My sister-in-law comes here so much that the owner and the cooks come out and talk to her and tell us what we're eating and all that fancy stuff she's the regular. I just tag along, but it is one of my hands-down favorite spots on PCH in Santa Monica. read more

We've been coming here for years, a scenic restaurant with delicious food and great service. Always recommend a reservation. Fresh seafood and perfectly cooked lobster. Crab cakes 10/10 Calamari 10/10 Lobster 10/10 Views 10/10 read more

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Today was the first day I got to come in and try this restaurant. I've heard nothing but great things but always love to see for myself. The food was great, had the shrimp and calamari for an appetizer and it was delicious! Ordered the filet steak for main course and it was so good! I also tried a side of the crab fried rice, so amazing. The service was amazing every server is so nice and attentive. The restaurant was not too packed today so it was great. I sat by the window for the views, I even seen the owner seated inside as well. Everything was so perfect will be adding this restaurant to my favorites read more

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Thursday eve dining there's live music playing around 6.30pm. Along with great scenery outside the window, watching sunset in Santa Monica, making perfect ambiance. Service is very pleasant and polite. Lobsters are great and the Harland brewing beer is a must order to try. Valet parking is available just next to the restaurant, it's $15 for the first 3 hours and $20 after that. read more

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My wife and I made a reservation to celebrate our 21st wedding anniversary. From the moment we walked in, we knew we picked the perfect spot! Andrew greeted us warmly and provided a quick history lesson... from there we enjoyed a great happy hour with $2 oysters and a Margie. Our table for dinner was right at the window over seeing the Ocean. CJ our waitress made us feel special and suggested the grilled lobster... it was amazing! As we left, we felt like part of the family as we were hugged warmly as we prepared to start year 22 of wedded bliss. Thank you! Buck and Michi read more

The views are spectacular, especially during sunset. Andrew, our server extraordinaire was so friendly and delightful. Thank you for a wonderful sunset experience. read more

We just left this incredible restaurant! The food was so amazing! It's so difficult to find perfectly cooked Maine lobster. Look no further....it's here. We had a fantastic waiter, Andrew who took great care of us. He made suggestions and treated us like old friends. The view was spectacular! Can't wait to come back! read more

You know places that has three dollar signs, and you had been waiting so long to go there, and when you did, it was blaaah?!? Yeah, this place is not like that. We ordered calamari, crab cake, seared yellowfin, and crab gumbo. All three were amazing, and one (gumbo) was okay. The calamari mixed with prawn and fried olive, and it was presented with three sauces; aioli, soy, sweet chili (i think). The seared yellowfin served on a bed of rice and it was amazing. The crab cake was served with salad in which, honestly, maybe good enough for my dinner. The gumbo was quite tasty, but something was missing. Just felt a little bland. The service was great, water always filled and we didnt have to look for help throughout the meal. St Monica's Pier-night time view set up a great ambiance and the restaurant lighting was perfect. Their specialties are lobsters but since I felt very tired after work, I didn't feel like it. They also have extensive selection of wine. Dessert menu also available. Since I am trying to lose weight, I didn't order alcoholic beverages/ desserts. read more

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Food was Tasty & appealing to the eyes... Service was great... Ambiance is amazing .. With a beautiful view of the Ocean... The Brussel-Sprouts were delicious .. Fried Seafood dish was Crispy .. Tasty & Crunchy... Manhattan Seafood Chowder was Tasty .. But a tiny-bit too thick... Thank-You for an enjoyable dinner... -GRATEFUL- read more

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Beautiful dining room. We saw Captain Jason from Below Deck Down Under while eating here which my mom was very excited about. And our lobster salads were amazing perfect amount of lobster. Overall it was a 10/10 experience. read more

The Lobster - Maine Lobster Salad - Seafood Near Me - Santa Monica, California

We went on a very busy weekend, but we were happy with the food, view and service. Prices were reasonable as well. I think the only thing was that it was very loud and hard to hear who I was with. read more

Very disappointed with this restaurant, absolutely no wow factor, bland food and mediocre service. Beautiful views IF you put in a reservation for a table, I saw a lot of disappointed standby people getting mad because they couldn't get a seat in the dining room. I started with the tropical iced tea - excellent but it's like pulling teeth to get a refill. For appetizers we got the fondue bread (three thin slices of bread served with a tiny side of cheese sauce Flavor was great, but felt like it was such a tease.) Also got the claim chowder and steamed mussels, Claim chowder 3 out of10! How do you ruin claim chowder!? Personally for me it had too much of a very strong bacon taste. And the steamed mussels were very bland and in an even more bland sauce (it is definitely NOT in a buttered wine, garlic sauce that we've all come to love) 2 out of 10. Next the entrees i had the gumbo - unseasoned proteins in a overly spicy gravy that was not enjoyable 2 out of 10 My son got the black chiratta pasta - for the love of god PLEASE STAY AWAY! Disgusting!!! squishy unflavored seafood with boring black ink noodles served in toilet water. 0 out of 10! My wife got the mixed grill steak and lobster, Steak was cooked Perfectly, lightly seasoned but otherwise great and lobster was fresh,sweet, cooked perfectly and delicious! But for $120...? Idk 6 out f 10 For sides we ordered lobster mashed potatoes and brussels sprouts, for the mash - cold lobster atop oily runy mashed potatoes but at least it was flavored. 4 out of 10 as for the brussels sprouts 10 out of 10 best thing served to us that night! For dessert, we got the chocolate cake and basque cheesecake both were delicious but the serving of chocolate cake was smaller than a hostess dingdong 7 out of 10 on the desserts. Altogether our bill was over $450 was it worth it? 100% NO! read more

The Lobster - Seafood Near Me - Santa Monica, California

For somewhere advertising Michelin 2025, I'm beyond disappointed and wished I had gambled the 300 bill or gave it to a homeless. At least then I would not have remorse. I'll give praise where due and the steamed lobster is great, it didn't taste like fish so you know it's fresh fresh. Also for my first time having lobster and no instructions given, I wasted a lot of meat not knowing how to break it. Very lazy kitchen staff. My clam chowder had no seasoning at all. They removed both from the bill but it ruined the experience. I'm a bad cook and my Brussels sprouts have more flavor than this the burnt not crisp Brussels. I will say the lobster roll was good and would order it again. It was by far the worst dining of my life. Sorry. The only bright side was that I could do a double on my margaritas but my old fashioned they were too lazy to make simple syrup that it was just whiskey on a chunk, not round or smooth ice ball, of ice with sugar on the bottom not even stirred. This is honestly me being kind for a review. This Valentine's Day was the worst choice of my life. So beyond disgusted. read more

The Lobster - 1.5lb. Steamed Maine Lobster - Seafood Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Have been coming here for years, this time we came with our dog and we were seated on the back patio, not the best spot for the view but you can check out the crowds heading to the pier. It just felt a bit like we were in the back alley, and our server was also a bit surly. He was the bartender, the bar is near the door into the restaurant, and seemed to be put off or something by having to wait our table. Had this weird sarcasm trying to be funny but not. We started with the calamari with shrimp, some veggies and fried olive, and it was presented with three sauces; aioli, soy, sweet chili. Very good, nice and crispy. I had the Crab Gumbo, good but just not quite that good. A little underwhelming. Lobster roll was good but meager portion. Grilled Octopus over a bed of Edamame Hummus nicely done. Warm Chocolate Truffle cake was a decent closer. If you can sit inside here, enjoy the view and the ambience. The food is decent, but I wouldn't race back. read more

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What a wonderful experience from start to finish. The chef was walking around the restaurant all night, checking in on guests and genuinely making sure everyone was enjoying themselves which was such a special experience. I only ordered one entrée, but it was absolutely fantastic and left a huge impression. The service was honestly 1000 out of 10, attentive, warm, and seamless. I am so glad I decided to come here and this is officially my new go to spot. Can't wait to come back:))) Also... you really can't beat this view!! read more

The Lobster - Seafood Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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We had not visited in a very long time and are so glad we did! We had the cheese fondue, yellowfin tartar, burger and lobster roll and the butterscotch dessert. Everything was delicious. Andrew was an excellent guide and gave us great advice. They have a great daily happy hour. Highly recommend. Valet parking is $16 with validation. read more

We got the Steak and Lobster. I wish the steak was a little bit more seared on the outside, but I did ask for a medium rare, maybe I wasn't too specific with my request. Andrew was our server and he was wonderful and attentive. He wasn't pushy with making us order anything more and took pictures of us with a great attitude. My favorite part was probably the owner of the restaurant coming to our table three times and saying "enjoy, Bon Appetit'. It became our little inside game on how many times he'll come back to our table. LOL. They also gave us a free salmon appetizer to try out. Will be going back again for a romantic sunset dinner. read more

Had lunch at the Lobster today and was truly impressed with the service and meal. Our waiter Javier was friendly and patient as we enjoyed a leisurely lunch. We started with some bread and crab cakes which were delicious. They were served with some amazing fresh greens and honestly that could have been my meal. But we shared the 3lb lobster and some sides. The lobster was cooked to perfection and the drawn butter was truly not needed. We also had the masked potato's (without lobster). These were so good and tasted home made. The chef, Govind, came out and we were able to compliment on an amazing meal. I would definitely dine here again. ** And the view is priceless read more

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