Da Lobsta

Great lobster rolls! Bread is perfect! Slaw is great! Kind of pricey– but so is everywhere else in Chicago. Cool little place I’d definitely recommend!

Swung by for lunch as I was craving a lobster roll. Guy at the counter asks if I want extra meat, I don’t know I’ve never been here before, should I get extra meat? He advises I do, and I don’t fault him, it was good advice, I’m not sure if really the standard lobster roll would have had half the meat of what I ended up with, but if so, it would’ve been a pretty laughable sandwich. As it was, I was starring down a $ 21 lobster roll. Now, I’ve had several lobster rolls in my life that probably cost $ 21 or more, but then the quality of the lobster meat is much higher. So, either this place was too pricy, the serving was too small, or we weren’t in New England so it’s just not as good. It was able to help soothe my craving but not a place I’d seek out otherwise, and when I’m paying $ 21 for a lobster roll, I might as well just bite the bullet and go somewhere legit as opposed to fast food.

This place’s lobster roll was amaaaaazing. So flavorful, so tender, so fresh. Was not as much of a fan of the lobster bisque (but I think I might just not like bisque that much).
Staff here were mega-​friendly too, and the place was super clean and tidy.
Overall very very highly recommended!

Da Lobster is Chicago’s hidden little secret. My cousin and I decide to celebrate her birthday in Chicago and found this restaurant on Unilocal.The food here is amazingly delicious and the our server Isaiah was very polite, professionally and respectful. This is definitely a must taste spot. Thanks Unilocal

This is a rediculous AMAZING find. Thanks to Unilocal!I found this great restaurant. Our service was hands down the best. Very tentative and extremely nice. Atmosphere was very clean, authentic, genuinely themed. They also have a food truck and second location. I highly this brick and mortar. Great, great place.

Got the lobster salad which is OK, but not enough meat. Wouldn’t buy it again.
The hush puppies sucked. Where is the shrimp??? It tasted like corn dog batter in a ball. If u like that ish then come here.

The staff at this counter server restaurant is really engaged with their guests, and concerned that everyone have a great meal. That makes the place quite special.
The lobster bisque was as good as any I’ve every had, a nice combination of fresh lobster flavors in a creamy base.
My lobster grilled cheese was good, but I might have a lobster roll next time. The bread was perfectly grilled, but the cheese was quite mild and I’m not sure the lobster added that much. However the sriracha mayo that came with it had a marvelous herbal flavor and the combination was excellent.
Those two items plus a fountain drink came to $ 27, so this is not cheap fast food. But they don’t scrimp on the lobster, and I would definitely go back.

Got a crab roll for a change, Chicago-​style (giardiniera, Sriracha mayo, warm garlic butter)
Love their mayo-​less cole slaw!
Make sure no one can see you trying to open your mouth wide enough to get the crab meat that’s sitting on top of the bun

My favorite restaurant in the country. Hands down. Not only is the food phenomenal, I consistently receive the best service from their employees.
I had been to their location on Cedar St before they closed that one and have now also tried out the Clark St location. Menu items I’ve tried are: traditional lobster roll, lobster mac & cheese, lobster grilled cheese, lobster poutine and lobster bisque. While the menu prices might look high, the portions and quality will make you forget them quickly. The lobster is amazing and you get large pieces, not a mush of stringy pieces that are overpowered by a filler. They also offer a multitude of spices and condiments for you to dress your roll any way you’d like.
Pro tip: Start with the lobster bisque and go for the lobster grilled cheese. It comes with an epic mayo for dipping and you’ll probably dream about it the same night!

My husband tried Da Lobsta a few months back and really enjoyed it so I, of course, needed to try it, too. We stopped in for lunch a few weeks back and even before I get to the food, I need to compliment the staff. The guy who took our order was extremely friendly and explained everything to me. And then after he brought us our food, he later checked on us to be sure everything was good. Now — it wasn’t that crowded that day, so I can see how he was able to make the rounds. But my husband said they did it the last time he was there — and it was pretty crowded that day. I think that speaks volumes of how the restaurant is run. They definitely hire great staff.
As for the food — I ordered the Shrimp Roll «chicago» with Sriracha Mayo & Topped with Spicy Giardiniera and Warm Garlic Butter, while my husband had the Lobster Roll «Traditional — Tarragon Mayo & Topped with Warm Garlic Butter & Celery Salt. The meat is cold — which I didn’t expect. I’m usually a fan of cooked shrimp, but it was still good — once I got used to the temperature. From seeing the pictures, I did actually think the roll would be a bit bigger, but it was still a nice size. it came with a vinegary cole slaw — which was nice. We also got the spicy butter pickles — which for a $ 1 were a bit of a waste.
I would go again because I liked the food and staff — just know that as the other reviewers wrote, it is a little pricey for what you get.

#FAIL You Want to be ROBBED??! Da Lobsta will do it…
Saw it on CNBC The Profit show
Actually ordered it for delivery
1. Food arrived cold
2. There was hardly any meat (I guess I should have paid another 50% extra for more meat?
3. $ 14 EACH for this was a joke given the portion sizes
4. I don’t buy that lobster is expensive excuse as this was next to NO MEAT
If you heard about them like I did or somewhere else and want to try I say DON’T not worth it. But if you need to after reading this review KNOW what you are walking into and just put your hands up in the air. That way you can feel like you are participating in the robbery
$ 37 for 2 little rolls with a little lobster meat.
We helped these guys rob us. our fault their delivery.
SHAME of a SHAM

Visiting from out of state with some friends and we came upon this place for dinner. It’s only a block or so away from our hotel so it was great it was close by. I ordered the Ghengis Khan crab roll. The bread is really soft, like a Texas toast and was stuffed with good amount of crab so I’m glad we didn’t get skimped out on that! The flavor was decent. I’d like to try their lobster but I just wasn’t in that mood this time around. It’s a small sit down so it’s best for smaller groups (2 – 4). It’s a nice place for a quick bite and staff is also very courteous!

It’s 1:00 pm on Tuesday. No wait. Small place decorated very nice. Good music. BYOB FYI. The bread was toasted perfect. I had the fries which were just average. I personally like fries very crispy but that’s just my taste… Anyways… the lobster roll — traditional — with single meat was outstanding. Different if you’re used to the north east US. Basically came with two large claws and a very good vinegar slaw with touch of sweetness. About $ 14 aka carte. Worth it!
IMPORTANT: I want to commend the gentleman that was working today. He was very friendly and very tentative to all the people in the restaurant he deafly added value to the experience. Thank you.

After A Hard Day’s Work I came to this location to enjoy good food and this up lifted my spirits!
Chiquita the manager insured that I received good food and good service to the point I purchased an additional meal for lunch tomorrow!

This is a very unique location. Their menu basically consists of food stuffed or mixed with things like crab and, of course, lobster.
They are renowned for their lobster rolls but I had the ‘da gold coast’ lobster roll. Which included lobster, blue crab and shrimp. This was delicious but I was surprised to find the seafood served cold. I wonder if it would have been better warmed up. It didn’t ruin the taste. I just didn’t expect it. And also it seemed a bit small for $ 30. But it was filling. I think he lesser prices rolls have less meat.
I also tried their hush puppies and lobster Mac and cheese. The hush puppies were good. But I definitely recommend getting the Mac and cheese. Just do it!
The staff was very friendly and helpful.
Overall I recommend trying this place out. Just be aware it gets pricey if you want a lot of meat. For a lobster roll you can’t do much better in Chicago!
GET DAT’ LOBSTER!

When I saw mentions of this restaurant being on an episode of The Profit, I had to watch it before I came. I’m glad I did because I saw the people on the show when I came in for lunch and felt connected. A one way connection, but still a connection.
We had the Groupon for 4 for $ 40, which came with a lobster roll, chips and a drink. It was a great deal since a traditional lobster roll is $ 14 by itself. Isaiah was there working the counter and was helpful with the menu. The lobster roll was amazing! Tons of lobster chunks and a big claw piece served on warn buttery buns topped with mayo. There are other variety of lobster roll you can get including Chicago (spicy), Surf and Turf (bacon), South of the Border (cheese and guac) and Genghis Kahn (Asian twist). There’s also 3 different kinds of chopped salad on the menu and a variety of sides.
The space isn’t good for big groups with the biggest tables seating 4 comfortably.
Pay street parking, may need to walk a few blocks.
BYOB!

Positives:
–You can’t find a lobster roll in many places of the city so it was nice that this location was located in River North by many restaurants.
–It’s small, cute, and nicely decorated. Lots of Chicago culture.
–Service is excellent. The girl working alone was really nice and gave us time to order.
–A pretty creative menu to choose a Lobster Roll that suits your style– I like spice so I went for the Chicago one and I wasn’t disappointed. I loved the garlic bread– so warm and toasty.
Negatives:
–Was on The Profit– and I guess the owner is not the warmest person and is going through financial struggles.
–You get the tiniest pieces of lobster in your roll. You hardly taste it. There was just one big piece.
–The garlic bread is so toasty — but i feel like I can make that at home. 14 bucks is A LOT to pay. I doubt that I would return anytime soon. They should change the price to attract more customers.

Came here for dinner during one of my visits in Chicago, and it was very convenient, just a little over 10 min walk from my hotel. When I first walked in, the cashier was very friendly and greeted me right away. It wasn’t a busy weeknight or anything so there was plenty of seats for me. Good impressions so far.
I ordered the traditional lobster roll, hot, with extra meat (when I asked him how much was extra meat he said it was double the amount!). While I was waiting for my food to be done, the cashier/​waiter was kind enough to give me a sample of their lobster bisque. On a cold winter day, it was a pleasant gesture!
The lobster roll was awesome! I definitely recommend you to get it hot because you can taste the meat and its buttery aroma waaayyyy better than it being cold! And the double meat was worth the extra money. For a seafood place in the smack middle of the city, it was good! :)

A place that DELIVERS LOBSTER and lobster accessories straight to you!!! At affordable prices, even??? BRB, moving to Chicago…
We LOVED our food here. The huge chunks of lobster were so flavorful and nice! The sandwich itself could’ve been better — I’m used to the style of lobster roll that’s an actual roll, not just a piece of toast folded and stuffed. The top of the sandwich was all lobster, and the bottom was full of mayo, never the twain shall meet. Or whatever. It could’ve been integrated a little bit better!
The spinach dip & chips was totally divine, though there could’ve been a few more lobster chunks for our liking. Still very addictive!
The sandwich was only $ 13.50! I live near San Francisco, so I’m used to being robbed blind at a mere whisper of the word «lobster». Maybe someone else would find this an unacceptable price, but I was blown away at how reasonable it was.
A very solid choice for delivery in Chicago, and heaven for lobster lovers like me!

I have been itching to try Da Lobsta for some time now. Today I had the opportunity to eat at Da Lobsta and what a serious let down.
I ordered the lobster roll and a soda. The cost, almost $ 20.00. Twenty bucks I thought was a bit high, but it is lobster.
When the basket with my lobster roll and side of slaw arrived I almost shit myself. Where’s the lobster? A pitiful sprinkling of about nine pieces of small lobster is all that was on the roll. I pushed the meat down into the sandwich roll to make it easier to eat. After my first bite I tore off the excess bun. The buns are small and still the lobster DOES NOT fill up the roll.
Disappointed with the quantity I was hoping for some awesome flavor. The bun was toasted perfectly and tasty. Unfortunately all you taste is bun. The lobster has very little flavor and was well below my expectations.
Service was fine and hospitable but I went for the food and will not return because of the food.
Save yourself twenty bucks and try something new somewhere else. Even McDonald’s has more flavor than Da Lobsta’s signature roll.
Da Lobsta for me was a complete Da Fail!

First time; not the last. No disappointment here. Da Lobsta Mac & Cheese was creamy and filled with «lotsa» Lobsta! And the noodles were fat and soft! Our host was very friendly, accommodating and quick. He kept working and cleaning and greeting guests. He even swept the sidewalk and gutter outside. Pretty cool dude. Go visit!

I first had Da Lobsta at the Pilsen Food Truck Fest. It was incredible. I normally don’t like my lobster cold, but it was seriously phenomenal! What makes it so incredible is honestly the bread. Soooo good. I recently start seeing a chiropractor who’s office just happened to be a block away from the new location so naturally, I ventured in. Ordered the classic lobster roll and an order of hush puppies. Both were insanely good. The hush puppies shocked me how good they were. Total meal ran me about $ 19 which I guess isn’t too bad. Looking for a good lobster roll, this is where you need to be!

I NEVER review, but… I had to!!! I’ve been a loyal customer since this place popped up! I’ve always enjoyed my experience and food as well, but lately I’ve noticed that as the price has increased, the quality and quantity has reduced GREATLY!!! The rolls are more bread than meat, and the lobster Mac n cheese lack flavor and meat as well; my last experience with the food was VERY DISAPPOINTING, the only thing that made up for the lack of what I’d become accustomed to with the food, was the excellent customer service that myself and my husband received from Chiquita! She was an absolute joy, and should I come again, I hope to see her! She was an exceptional host!!! Chiquita gets 10 STARS, the food gets 2!

Great customer service! Addicting lobster rolls ! Fast service. However a little over priced. & portions could be bigger ;)

Love this place — been here several times now. The Chicago-​style lobster roll adds some nice spice to an already great sandwich, and you can never go wrong with lobster mac n cheese! If you aren’t a huge fan of coleslaw, you can ask for a side of pickles instead.
The staff is great, especially Isaiah, who is extremely helpful and friendly.

Okay lobster rolls for Chicago. Friendly service too. I’ll be back when there’s another groupon deal.

Da Lobsta is in Da Belly and it is gooood.
We popped in here with a groupon for 4, an extra friend, and bad intentions on some Mac ‘n cheese. Da Lobsta sandwiches were great! A little pricey at retail, but honestly not that bad — you get a hefty and pretty helping of lobster with a few pretty claw pieces to accent everything. The classic sandwich doesn’t seem huge, but it was plenty. The lobster is cold-​served and the small bit of mayo really helps bring out the flavor. As far as the cole slaw — I could leave it… just not my style but it wasn’t bad per-​say. The mac ‘n cheese was creamy and delicious too with a bunch of big lobster chunks. My friend ordered a set of hush puppies also (missing that there was a difference between regular and lobstered pups) and they were pretty darn tasty with a nice dipping sauce that appeared to be sriracha mayo.
Isaiah was very helpful and friendly and helped us get our orders in without issue or surprises. There was one little surprise that was made clear before we ordered — the groupon doesn’t cover tax — but c’est la vie.
The restaurant isn’t really designed for groups bigger than 4. There isn’t a ton of space and we had to squish in a bit next to the garbage to seat our party of 5, but it wasn’t really a big deal. Isaiah was nice enough to hold off on garbage duty until we were done and was super nice bringing our order out and getting us forks/​napkins/​etc before we even asked.
As far as people mentioning The Profit — I wouldn’t say taking personal expenses out of a business is a way to run things and make them big, but it really isn’t anybody’s business outside of the TV show. Things appear to be clean, well kept, and all on the up and up other than finances — so it doesn’t bother me much and it shouldn’t bother you.
BYOB FTW — bring in a couple of beers and enjoy what is coming to you!

Price is high, lobster not even that well flavored, unhealthy all the way around. The only redeeming quality is that they give a sizable portion of lobster, and this location is BYOB. The rolls are completely slathered in butter, you can avoid getting oil on hands.
I am intrigued by the Genghis Khan, but also feel that it would be disrespectful to lobster.

Da Lobsta is has some great quick lobster food. The guy who took our order provided some of the best customer service we’ve had and was very friendly. The lobster roll was good could have used butter to dip it in. We got the lobster crab spinach dip it was Wow tasty. Love the hush puppies here and the dipping sauce for them. We also tried the lobster bisque soup, had a minor sweet flavor to it, pretty good though overall. A pretty fun place to go for a quick bite, next time I will BYOB here.

Da lobster popped up when I searched for Asian food. I wasn’t sure why at first, but then I saw the Genghis roll.
Grabbed some food to go. I ordered and paid through the Unilocal App (first time, pretty quick straight forward besides having to enter payment information).
I received a call from when my asap order would be picked up so that the food would be fresh. Nice touch.
Went in, let them know I was here, sat for about 3 minutes and then was handed my food. Did not have to break out any payment or sign anything. I can’t see how a take out order could have been more smooth. Good job Unilocal app and da lobster!
The food was solid. The lobster salad was good. I like the traditional plain lobster roll over the Genghis, which has a lot of other flavors.
The place is open, has a large TV with a basketball game on, and looks like a good place to dine in.
Overall solid food, easiest take out order and pick up ever.

We bought a groupon for this place which included 2 bags of chips, 2 cups for soda, and two lobster rolls for $ 20. This was a great deal since the lobster roll itself is $ 14 each, drinks are $ 2.75 and chips are $ 2.
We were greeted right away by the gentleman behind the counter, Isaiah, as soon as we walked in. He was so friendly and helpful and really made this a 5 star experience. He brought out samples of the new england clam chowder and the lobster bisque for us to try while we waited for our food, which was a smart idea since we loved the chowder so much we couldn’t help ordering a large ($ 8). The food came out so quickly and was pretty good. There is a good amount of lobster on the roll! The chips are Cape Cod and they have original, bbq and salt and vinegar. They carry Coke products. Isaiah checked on us several times throughout our meal and also let us sample the lobster mac and cheese!
I think food alone I would have given 4 stars but the service really bumped it up. I would definitely return, and you should keep an eye out for Groupons or deals!
Oh, and it is BYOB!

Went to this place for a late afternoon lunch, absolutely no line.
I had looked up the prices beforehand so I knew what we’d be spending. It is pricey for what you get though. I did think the lobster tasted good but for the price of a roll I’d expect more meat and less bread. I felt like I was mostly full on bread and not the actual meat. I feel like they take advantage of the area they’re in and overcharge.
Our service was amazing. For the kind of eat and go establishment it is I wouldn’t expect such nice attentive service but the one guy working there was very professional and was genuinely concerned that everything was going well. He even brought me pickles because I hadn’t eaten my coleslaw yet so he thought I didn’t like it (I just hadn’t gotten to it yet, haha)
We got the hush puppies too, I thought they were delicious. Super moist and I liked the spicy mayo that came with them.
Overall it was a good lunch. For two people, two sandwiches and a side of hush puppies it ended up being $ 36. I wish each sandwich was like $ 3 – 4 cheaper.

This was my first time here I discovered this via Groupon
Isaiah, the host, made this a very positive experience I will be back and telling all of my friends. There are. Sandwiches and I submitted pictures so that people can see the variety

Tried three things here:
— Chicago Lobster Roll: not as unique; tasted a lot like a lobster roll with some sriracha, but was still very good
— Lobster Mac and Cheese: my favorite — very generous with lobster chunks, very cheesy, and a reasonable amount for the price.
— Hush Puppies: also really good, a big portion for the price
I enjoyed everything I had here, and not just because I didn’t get to eat all day while traveling to Chicago. Definitely an option to come back to if I’m here again.

I went here because I saw a good Groupon deal and I wanted to try my first lobster roll. The deal gives you on traditional roll, soda, and chips. I substituted the chips for hush puppies and paid two dollars more.
The lobster roll was really good. It was on this toasted garlic bun, which was my favorite part. The seafood had light seasoning. I liked that because I know other places put mayo on theirs. I’m not a huge fan of it. The food was good, but I think the bun didn’t let the lobster shine in the dish.
The cashier/​waiter (it was the same person) was very hospitable. He took the time to talk to everyone. It was nice to see. He also saw that I didn’t touch my cole slaw, so he replaced it with pickles. I love pickles! Da Lobsta had da best pickle medley.
I recommend coming here with a groupon. If I did not, our meal would have been $ 40+. To me, that price doesn’t equate to what you get. The Groupon costed me $ 25 for the same amount of food. That’s pretty much a 50%, which means you can eat here twice as much! Happy eatings, everyone!

Quick service. Lots options without being overwhelming.
Special shout out to Isaiah who was friendly and explained everything and make recommendations. Funny dude who provided ‘a notch above’ service. Rare these days.
Reasonable prices.

I tried this place on a Groupon and had a great experience! We were there around noon on a Tuesday and there was enough seating for us + 5 other parties already dining. The cashier was very friendly and thorough with explaining the differences in options. We ended up getting one roll with extra meat and one roll without (both traditional style), 2 chips & 2 drinks.
When he brought us our food, he suggested that we let him know if there were any modifications he could make to the rolls. You could tell he was very concerned with making sure we had a great experience! The portions were just right for lunch and I thought the seasoning on the crab was great. I do wish there were more options for chips but other than that, it was a wonderful dining experience.
I look forward to coming back to try some of the other menu items (lobster mac, rolls in different seasoning, etc).

I hadn’t ever been here before and my coworker and I went here for lunch. Oh man was this place good! I ordered the lobster salad and some hush puppies and she ordered a lobster roll (which is their most popular item). The salad had just the right amount of lobster so that it wasn’t overwhelming. The lobster tasted fresh light. Definitely a meal that I ate without hating myself afterwards. I don’t remember a whole lot about the hush puppies. They were good, not too memorable one way or another.
The guy working at the counter was really great though. He didn’t do anything so out of the ordinary but you could just tell that he liked his job and wanted to make sure everyone enjoyed their lunch there. He was very helpful explaining the whole menu and even stopped back around halfway through to see how we liked everything. It’s always nice to grab a quick lunch somewhere the people don’t act like they hate their job! So great job Da Lobsta

My friend and I had a late lunch (around 1:30PM) at Da Lobsta on a weekday. There was no wait and the food was really good. I am a big fan of a restaurant that focuses in on doing just a few things really well, and that’s what I like about Da Lobsta.
I’m from Connecticut and so for me, the only weird part was having a cold lobster roll (that’s called Massachusetts style back in my neck of the woods.) The chowder was creamy and rich. The star of the meal was definitely the hush puppies with aioli for dipping.
Great spot and they are executing it well!