08/31/07

My Lobster

by blgfan

Can't go wrong here. My husband can order steak and I can have crab cakes and lobster. Ask the bar tender to recommend wine for your meal. Our's went perfectly. The crab cakes were full of huge chunks of crab instead of being ground fine with a lot of filler. Also, the dips/sauces were incredible!

• Pros: Lobster

10/06/08

I could drink the lobster bisque through a straw!

by ez2pleeze

Fine dining at its best... A step more casual than Chops above it, but with no cut corners on the menu.

Most delicious lobster bisque that I actually ordered an additional bowl, and upon sampling mine, 2 other diners at my table ordered a bowl as well. I had the salmon as my entree and was blown away by the freshness and seasoning of the fish. My meal was accompanied witht the special martini of the evening and I could not have been more pleased.

The staff, although experienced, was not much of a modern upbeat group and some of the beverages went empty to long, considering the caliber and accolade of the restaurant.

I would most definely dine again and would consider such a venue for lunch dining as well.

• Pros: Menu variety, great modern bar, delicious flavors!
• Cons: Tired/old staff, slightly dark.

04/08/08

Low Class Service, High Price Meal

by quietwisdom20

After having dinner at the Lobster Bar with my significant other Friday night, we can honestly say that we not be returning. Upon arriving we were immediately seated and to our dismay our table was extremely unbalanced to the point our water would spill out of the glass if the table was bumped. I actually had to ask our waiter to put something under the table to prevent it from shaking. Dealling with a shaky table would have been OK within itself however the unfortunate experience did not stop there. When his 4lb Lobster was brought out over cooked and unseasoned the evening continued to get worse. He wasn't even able to finish it because it was so poorly cooked. We continued to try and enjoy the evening as much as possible and I decided not to complain at that point because we really just wanted to leave. The next morning he went out to start his truck and the battery was dead. Why? Because the valet turned on his lights instead of keeping them on automatic lights. His lights had been on all night because of a valet mistake. On Sunday I decided to call and express my concerns to the manager. Not because we wanted to be compensated because we already decided we would not be visiting there again, but in hopes another customer didn't experience what we did. The manager who I expressed my concerns to had an excuse for everything. The table was shakey because it was half on carpet and half on tile. The lobster was rubbery because it was a 4lb lobster. The valets always turn the lights on fully. As a customer of such a high profile restaurant I expect my concerns to be heard out with out excuses being made. If 4lb lobsters are rubbery then why serve them on your menu? If having tables split on carpet and tile causes instabilty find something to fix the issue prior to the customer sitting down? An experienced valet would know the difference between automatic lights and manual lights if he looked at the dial when he touched it? Low Class Service.

• Pros: Ambience
• Cons: Food, Customer Service

07/01/07

The best

by oes32

My sister wanted to take me for my birthday so we went 6/30/07. From the time we arrived at 5:30 til the time we left the service was impeccable. The food was superb and I had the best Mojito I ever had. Our waiters were so professional and attentive. The food was fresh and needed nothing but to be eaten!!! I cant wait to return again. Its very classy and upscale and the service and quality you get will have you leaving feeling the same way!!!!!!!!!!!!

• Pros: everything
• Cons: none

06/14/06

OVERRATED!

by meag13

My significant other brought me to the Lobster Bar for my birthday, and I was ecstatic to go - highest hopes in the world. Being from the Northeast, I naturally ordered a 2lb lobster to spoil myself. But I was horrified to discover upon service, that my lobster was OVERCOOKED! Who overcooks lobster? It's the simplest thing in the world to cook, yet it was so rubbery I had to cut it with a STEAK KNIFE! I'm not joking. And as I sat and waited to tell the waiter to have it sent back, my partner's fish was getting cold. I never got a chance to complain about my food because neither of our TWO waiters, yes two of them, never inquired about our meal. Even after my partner switched meals with me, so I wouldn't have to suffer through a terrible birthday-meal, we weren't asked why we switched or how anything was, and were finally handed our (incredibly overpriced) check. On our way out we attempted to ask to speak to the manager, but the Maitre d was too busy stuffing his own face with overcooked lobster to be bothered with us. After waiting for 20 minutes to be attended to, we finally stormed out in a rage. Perhaps I'm old fashioned, but when I pay $50 for a piece of seafood, I expect it to be cooked perfectly and to be asked how it was. I've had much better lobster sitting on a picnic table in Maine having paid $10 to have it thrown in a big open pot outdoors by a man in overalls. I will never set foot in this amateur excuse for a high-end restaurant.

• Pros: None
• Cons: Food, service, decor (poor excuse for the Oyster Bar at Grand Cen

10/23/05

Overpriced

by sjlacasse

I've eaten in high-end restaurants, and steak houses in particular, from Montreal to NYC and from Dallas to LA. Overall, I was disappointed with my experience at the Lobster Bar. The food was average and the service was average. The prices are outrageous. Smehow I would have expected more for about $160 for just two people.

• Pros: ambience
• Cons: PRICE, food, service

09/05/05

Shocking to my taste buds

by hromo

I am a chef's wife so I admit, I am a bit of a food snob. In my defense however, I am very confident in saying that I have been lucky enough to experience great food: food filled with passion and a love for the culinary arts. What I experienced tonight was the product of a kitchen staff who had no care for the delicate seafood that they were preparing. My husband's lobster was rubbery, and our guest's grouper was as tough as plastic. The price that accompanied these dishes amazed me. Our bill was $300 for four and I left with a feeling of immense dissapointment. Overall, service was as good as could be expected for the business, but the food was lacking the gusto that I was so looking forward to.

• Pros: atmosphere
• Cons: price, food quality

02/14/05

Not worth the price

by flowb

Good food, service was okay. Waited 15 minutes for waiter to take our check, just not woth the price! $200 for two people! Would rather go somewhere else and spend $110 for a great meal. Good to have experienced it but wouldn't go back.

• Pros: It's Lobster Bar
• Cons: Price

06/18/04

Sublime seafood at Chops' elegant paean to old-school sophistication.

by Contributor

In Short
Loosely modeled on the famed Oyster Bar at Grand Central Station, complete with a vaulted-tiled ceiling, this downstairs adjunct of Chops steakhouse is awash in old-world class. Dark wood fixtures and understated lighting give the room a cozy, clubby feel. A formally attired waitstaff, eager to satisfy the whims of the upscale clientele, works the room with grace. While steaks are available in the Lobster Bar, if you want meat, you're better off upstairs. Start with crab cakes, surprisingly light given the abundance of moist lump meat they contain. Live Maine lobsters--ranging from two to five pounds--are fried, steamed or broiled to order and arrive tender to the bite, with just the right balance of briny and sweet tones. Choice sides, which easily feed two, include earthy creamed spinach and dense, buttery mashed potatoes. For dessert, try the carmelized rum-raisin bread pudding or decadent chocolate-bottom pie with an Oreo crust.

12/16/03

Good Service/Okay Food

by kohki730

My dining experience here was just slightly above average. The service was good, the food in general was not impressive. My husband enjoyed his lobster meal, but my Asian-inspired fish entree lacked the flavor I was expecting. They do have the best mash potatoes I have ever tasted and their complimentary cheesecake (celebrating an anniversary) was divine.