Food was mediocre. Lacked flavor and seasoning. Small portions, overpriced. Beachy cabin vibes was probably the best thing about this place and that's a bit of a stretch... Service was average. Not returning. Don't recommend. read more

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Amazing service, Caleb the owner is unreal! Do not miss this spot. Nothing like this on the island hands down!

Lobster trap, tourist trap. Like most places on the island. Decent lobster sandwiches but really don't expect anything amazing. Service was okay. read more

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This is one of the best restaurants for tourists and locals alike! The owner is extremely generous (watch out for his Jagerbombs though) and his staff are some of the most generous on the island. I highly recommend this place for anyone looking for food from the sea or land... this place really has it all. We are excited for the major renovation coming this winter as they will have 2x more space to cook & service customers! Keep up the great work Lobster Trap, I can't wait to come back again. read more

Best seafood in Avalon by far! Everything is extremely fresh and favorable. The new expansion is beautiful with so much additional room at the bar. The owner is super fun to talk to and has hired all the right people to make it a welcoming fun delicious experience. read more

Left bacon off the bbq chicken salad Only meat in the verde burrito Slow service Wouldn't recommend read more

Came here on our trip to Catalina Island! I was hoping to order lobster, but it was a bit too pricey for us.. We shared the Mexican ceviche to start. It was ok - just wish the shrimp was cut up because it was a bit hard to scoop and eat. I had the ahi tuna blacked with mango salsa, which was pretty good.. my friend got the swordfish though and said it was tough. My other friend got a shrimp scampi and said it was mediocre. So maybe I guess you have to come here for lobster idk read more

The Lobster Trap - Mexican ceviche - Seafood Near Me - Avalon, California

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I get to go here once a year and I look forward to it every time. Back up, let me explain. I go to a yearly camp on Catalina Island, CBS Alumni camp. As part of the experience, campers have the option to hike up the rather steep, semi-treacherous Fletcher's Ridge and then down the other side into Avalon once during the trip. There they can do all the touristy golf-cart-and-parasailing type things, sample the town's food, and wander the beach and gift shops. Getting up Fletcher's Ridge is hard work, so a fantastic reward has been going to the Lobster Trap afterward. I've had clam chowder all over the country, and while I can admit I don't exactly have scientifically notated entries for which restaurants I felt served me the best soup, I can tell you for sure that Lobster Trap is definitely in my top 3 for most delicious clam chowder. AND IN A BREAD BOWL! Camp, like everything else, closed for 2020. During the next two years there was no hike into Avalon, due to a shortage of boats able to take us back to camp afterward. Finally, in 2023, the hike resumed. The first thing I wanted to know was, "Did the Lobster Trap survive the pandemic?" To my ecstatic gratitude, it had! I sat down in its hallowed hall last summer and ordered the dish I'd been dreaming of for THREE years at that point. It was every bit as good as I remembered. I'm moving out of country later this year, so this July I look forward to my last taste from the Lobster Trap for a while. I'm telling you, from the funky decor to the delicious seafood, this is a trap worth diving into. read more

The service here was wonderful, in a very busy day. The food was delicious, and served quite quick for such a busy beautiful spot. We sat outside, and were so glad we did. We'll be back! read more

Of all the restaurants on Avalon, this has got to be my top pick! The decor alone just makes for a fantastical atmosphere. I particularly liked their mahi tacos. I'm not a fan of fish, but these weren't fishy at all. Staff was friendly and attentive even during the busy dinner rush. Their rum and cokes always help wash down their very crispy chicken wings. read more

The Lobster Trap - Tacos - chicken, mahi, yellowtail - Seafood Near Me - Avalon, California

Fried fish tacos are basically not edible. Batter is about 2 inches thick and oily. Coleslaw has 0 flavor. Ambience and wait staff are very good but food is not very good. read more

Wait time wasn't long like 15 minutes around 12pm on a Sunday. Seating was kinda cramped and noise level a bit loud. But service was great. We ordered the lobster dish it's was good it was smaller than I expected and pretty pricy. read more

The Lobster Trap - Inside - Seafood Near Me - Avalon, California

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The food is outstanding and very fresh tasting. We always get the ahi poke and the calamari steaks which are both killer. The staff is incredibly friendly and attentive. This is our 3rd time here and we have had Ellie, Rosandra, and Maricella and they were all so awesome! We love this place and eat here every time we are visiting the island. Must stop on your Catalina excursion. read more

We love coming here over the years. The grilled sea bass was wonderful tonight. Unfortunately we also had the seafood pasta. It had absolutely no flavor at all. There wasn't any seasoning. The sauce was just milk and flour. It seamed a close resemblance to Elmer's glue. It actually wasn't edible and I was really hungry. Fortunately I also had a bowl of clam chowder and their clam chowder is always the best. Hope this review helps. read more

Best seafood in the island. We had the ceviche as appetizer and I had the Cioppino as an entree... maybe it is because of the freshness, but it this was one of the best seafood meals I've had in a very very long time. Excellent arrive and delicious food!!! Highly recommended! read more

The Lobster Trap - Linguini - Seafood Near Me - Avalon, California

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All the food we ordered was great. The price range also reasonable too. Enjoyed very much read more

The Lobster Trap - Pesto penne - Seafood Near Me - Avalon, California

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The restaurant staff are amazing hard workers and great service. The oysters Rockefeller was the best I've ever had.

This place always seemed to be very busy. The food was OK, there are better options to be honest with less of a wait. The oysters barely had any meat to them. I tried a better tasting clam chowder across the way. Not a place for claustrophobics either, seating here is tight. read more

The Lobster Trap - Oysters - Seafood Near Me - Avalon, California

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It was my first time on Catalina this past weekend. I was looking for a nice spot for some fresh seafood and The Lobster Trap rose to the top of the list. It did not disappoint! Since they don't take reservations, we planned accordingly and arrived a little before 5PM to beat the dinner rush. We were seated promptly - at the bar because we didn't care to sit at a table. We watched someone cut fresh fish in front of us while we chowed on a tasty salmon sandwich and swordfish, mahi, and shrimp tacos. I definitely recommend this spot to anyone looking for a good island vibe, great food, and tv's to watch football! read more

Don't come for lunch at 1130. We waited over an hour for mediocre food. We saw many other tables who arrived after us (similar or smaller party size) get their food before us. Server was not apologetic or sympathetic that we were waiting hungry for food. Unfortunately gratuity for a party of 6 was mandated so we had no way of expressing our frustration. Food was ok. Definitely not worth the wait. read more

The food was good the service was great the location was ok. It's not fancy and it worked for my hangry kids after a day of climbing trees. No view and it was hot. read more

Lobster was okay.. nothing too special Location is prime but quality of food can be better. I wouldn't come back I wish the restaurants here tried harder.. one would think this island's livelihood depends on tourism.. read more

Food was delicious. Best New England clam chowder I've ever had. Cool vibe. Service was fine, not great. But worth it for the food.

Busy busy busy! They said it would be a 30 minute wait yet it only took about 15! Staff was friendly and the bar seemed like a fun local hang out. Food was good unfortunately our chides weren't great but they can't be good at everything. Some other patrons choices looked better! The artichoke was over cooked and certainly not with $14. The house salad also was left really wet from washing the lettuce. Overall average. The staff however were working very hard and were super attentive. We'd give it another try! read more

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So good, we went two days in a row! This is where you go when you want very fresh seafood at prices much more affordable than the other restaurants in Avalon. The star here is the lobster (which you can get as a cold lobster roll, or as a tail, or by the pound), but the fresh fish is best in my opinion. For only $14 (lunch and dinner price), I got an amazingly fresh yellowtail sandwich with three big pieces of fish on a French roll. The fish was pleasantly moist and had delicate, fresh flavor. It came with a large portion of coleslaw (or you can get it with fries). We also ate the crab cakes, which I highly recommend, as they are grilled with a nice crunch on top without being fried, so you get the crab flavor and don't feel heavy. Two large crab cakes come with an order for $16. We ordered clam chowder twice -- first in a bread bowl, and then in a bowl. Both are a good way to go for the chowder. It seems like you get the same amount for the actual soup. The bread was excellent -- nice and chewy on the ouside, and fluffy and fresh inside. I love how even though the fish is top-notch, it's a very unpretentious place, with its sassy funny signs on the bar, the giant fish and whale decor hanging from the ceiling, and relaxed crowd. read more

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Betty Nicolas Celeste Jesse Martin Rosandra & Kelly are the best everrrrrrrrr! They def make the business worth going to, they need a raise for sure!!! Coming back because of them and the amazing food! The most amazing service they need a raise!! Thank you so much read more

Normally good for fish dishes, but I had the fish taco. It was fried fish, but, it came with unflavored slaw, just plain cabbage and red salsa. That is not how you make a fish taco. First off, the slaw should have had a bit of cilantro and maybe a little shredded carrot for color, a small bit of green onion and the sauce should have been a mayo-based, lemon, or lime sauce with maybe a hint of sriracha or chipotle. That is how you make a fish taco, not just fish slapped with cabbage and flavorless red salsa. So disappointed. My husband wanted to try the buffalo burger. You would expect a nice bun, maybe brioche, lettuce tomato onion pickle, but it came on plain sourdough bread, the tomato was horrible, and just the white part that should have been tossed was served on his burger. Again another disappointment. Although we did have the clam chowder which was the bomb. We left and 2 hours later went to NDMK, Topside, and had happy hour which we again had swordfish tacos, delicious, with a proper chipotle sauce. I had the lobster sliders, the bomb, so good. Really disappointed with The Lobster Trap, won't be back there. We will stick with NDMK. So I posted a photo of somebody else's taco, and this is how it looks, another person complaining about their taco, this one looked just like mine. If you like your fish taco plain, then this is the place for you, I much prefer flavor. I make excellent fish tacos and I would expect a restaurant specializing in fish should be better than mine. read more

The Lobster Trap - Seafood Near Me - Avalon, California

Been coming here for over 7yrs and the food still smacks The service has improved and we were taken very good care of this evening...I believe in growth & change Appreciate you Maricela@Lobster Trap I recommend you guys 2 Everyone read more

The Lobster Trap - The Aftermath Yes this is leftovers 4 mañana - Seafood Near Me - Avalon, California

We ordered crab legs and lobster, tasted not fresh , If you think its high end resturant with fresh food, no its not read more

While planning a mini vacation to Catalina Island, i read few helpful reviews and blogs recommending this place. So stopped by for a little quick lunch with my friends. It has very friendly ambiance, we got a seat at the table on boat which was kinda cool. We got a few times to share, they were different than I had anywhere else for example Calamari was big flat pieces and taste great. We got artichoke, baked potatoes, fish and chips and few beers. I will definitely recommend this to anyone who plans a trip. read more

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Let's get one thing straight...Lunch here was not bad, nor was the service we received, but in all honesty, I personally was not impressed. I've said it time and time again before, a 3 star review from me is by no means a bad thing, so please do not take this as a negative review. There are just a few things that could have made our experience a little better. For starters, I ordered the Lobster Roll which had a generous portion of sweet lobster meat, but it was served on a top & bottom bun (like a hamburger) versus on a traditional bread roll, no big deal, but not what I expected. Also it had a bunch of side garnishes that didn't really fit the traditional Lobster Roll you would typically order. We also ordered 2 tacos, 1 beef & 1 fish, but they both fell apart because only 1 corn tortilla was used. Service was good, but overall the meal didn't meet our expectations. read more

The Lobster Trap - Old Glory @The Lobster Trap - Seafood Near Me - Avalon, California

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What a food here. This place is lit.Me and my wife loved it. Fresh sea food with great taste. Tried coconut shrimp appetizer and local lobster quarter pound. Shrimp and the sauce were delicious. And lobster was super duper delicious. Lobster is baked with shrimp cheese filling and it really creates wonder. Also it is served with 2 choices of sides. They have 3 sizes and prices are $50, $60 and $80. For thanksgiving they gave 20% off on lobster so had to pay around ~$40 for the smallest size. Beer mug is just $8 and very economical. Server was super sweet. Service was super fast and top notch. Costed enough $$'s but worth the food taste. Highly recommended. All reviews redirected me here and I can proudly recommend this place to everyone. read more

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We went to this restaurant after reading reviews on yelp and it's worth in every sense, ambience was great along with food and service. The food quality was top notch along with quantity, price was right so we group of seven enjoyed our lunch to the hilt. Will surely go next time and will recommend to all. Can't say which dish was best as I liked chicken masala, other people in my group liked sea bass, salmon, fish and chips and penne with chicken . Overall great experience after enjoying first half of day in Catalina island, what a way to end your day with sumptuous food. read more

Went for lunch during the week. Mexican shrimp cocktail was ok Fish and chips small for the price but tasty. Drinks we good. read more

The Lobster Trap - Seafood Near Me - Avalon, California

Fish and chips, was really good, also the ceviche and the wings. The lobster sandwich, was good, but all dishes needs to add something else to complete the meal. Feels poor, but was really good read more

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Lobster Roll was mostly bread, for $34 I would expect a little more lobster! And there New England clam chowder was just ok

We arrived this place on Saturday at 11:00 sharp and there was no wait. We ordered Ahi tuna: 4 star, I've had better ones for sure but not bad Clam chowder: 4 star Angle hair pasta in pink sauce: 5 star, best dish for my lunch Lobster roll: 3 star... I can name so many other places that doesn't specialize in making lobster roll but taste better than this one Seabass in lemon sauce: 3 star... again same as above and I don't understand why the fish is kinda dry Fish and chips: 3 star Service: 2 star....... I don't feel welcomed at all... I wouldn't say they were rude but no smile and they sorta have the "I really don't care" kinda attitude, I guess since most people who comes are tourists that might never see them again? Price: 4 star, the place has very reasonable price. Check came out at $117, we definitely over ordered for 3 people Overall, I wouldn't say anything's "bad" but nothing amazed me either. The whole experience was also brought down a bit due to the servers. read more

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Sadly, we were just a LITTLE too early before Catalina lobster season, so I ended up getting the Maine lobster to fulfill the craving. Obviously I'm not complaining, it was still great. Guess we will just have to go back, as we've heard GREAT things! Service was great. We didn't even have to wait too long. A nice surprise on the menu... lemon cake! Don't see that very often so I had to get it. It was SO GOOD. Don't sleep on their lemon cake! We actually ended up coming back near closing the next day to get another slice :) read more

The Lobster Trap - Seafood Near Me - Avalon, California

I wasn't expecting much but did spend some time researching a good place to eat on this island, keeping in mind there's not so many choices. This place is small and very busy. There's more tables than should be so you're rubbing elbows with other diners around you. However, there is a quaint feels about the place. It's sort of like your local go to place. With that said, the food is ok. The fried calamari, I thought was fried fish (see photo) and didn't taste like calamari. I was expecting tentacles or rings. The fish and chips were good. Didn't ask what fish they were serving but it tasted fresh, as well as the ceviche. The shrimp scampi, I thought was served with pasta was savory but lacked appeal. I chose the 1.5 lb lobster as opposed to the 1.25 lb option. I also close the filet mignon (medium rare) as opposed to the rib eye. I think liked the steak more than the lobster although it should be the other way around. Overall, I left disappointed. All the dishes were plated poorly as if it was a mess hall. Prices are high, but still slightly cheaper than the other joints. Our female server seemed too overwhelmed and was slow to act. Things were forgotten or took forever to come. Plus, her thick accent made it all the more difficult. As stated earlier, I wasn't expecting much. There's a lot of food vendors (non-restaurants) that serve just as fresh seafood but at a much lower price. I will not return and can't say if I recommend. You'll just have to see for yourself. Happy dining! read more

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The food was very good. The lobster was a very nice portion. The ambiance was very casual as you might expect in a beach town. The wait staff was very friendly and service was quick. read more

The Lobster Trap - Lobster - Seafood Near Me - Avalon, California