Craving for a Lobster Roll and desiring to find a new establishment to fill my craving, I set my sights on Lobster West. Being in Encinitas, California it gave me the opportunity to take the Porsche out for a long drive on a Interstate 76 which is a great highway for dropping the top, and cruising under the sun! The drive was extremely slow and long due to a huge accident on the freeway leading to I76 which really put the pressure on intended prize at the end of the journey, and I was ready for a mouth watering Lobster Roll and a cold brew. Upon arriving I parked my vehicle and strolled over to Lobster West to discover it's a small establishment with indoor as well as outdoor seating and we were able to order and be seating immediately. I ordered the "Boss" Lobster Roll combo which comes with two sides of your choice ( Kettle chips, and Iced Tea) and my wife chose the Dueling Combo which consist of a small Lobster Roll and a small Crab Roll and two sides (Kettle chips, and Iced Tea). For the Yelp "Check-in" you will receive a complimentary bowl of crab,oyster lobster soup (smile). As for the taste and level of enjoyment I experienced while consuming my "Boss" Lobster Roll which was packed with fresh lobster; I would say that it was absolutely delicious, but a total shock to my taste buds when I realized the lobster was extremely chilled! It was a shock to my senses when I looked at the perfectly toasted roll and then took a bite to discover the protein was was freshly plucked from the Arctic Circle! I have had a lot of Lobster Rolls, with a side of fresh drawn butter, and they were all warm if not hot sandwiches with crisp fries. As for my rating; it is based on the cold presentation, and the absence of craft, draft beer to accompany my meal. Bottled beer is not fails in comparison to a crisp, cold pint paired with a delicious sandwich. Aside from these shortcomings, the meal was delicious! I will visit in the future but I will probably get my Lobster Roll to go, and place it in my air fryer (smile). Great customer service, relaxing casual atmosphere, and delicious seafood! Totally recommend. read more

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Came here for lunch and it was disappointing. We were excited to try the lobster rolls and the chowder/bisque. The food was not fresh and the lobster was cold, like it had been left over from the night before. The chowder was thin and the lobster bisque tastes it came from a can additionally, it was cold as well. read more

Holy smokes! Best classic lobster roll (no mayo) I've had! Came back here twice in three days. Three days, two people, five lobster rolls (four classic and one jumbo). Delicious. Compliments to the chef HOLY MOLY MAMA MIA (I'm Italian from the east coast) Staff is awesome too read more

Lobster West - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

We always order the lobster roll on the way from Los Angeles to San Diego. This time we ordered the crab roll and the clam chowder as well. We LOVE the crab roll. It's delicious! We love it more than the lobster roll. We also like how the clam chowder was loaded with clams. Service was fast and the place was clean. read more

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I was out running errands in Encinitas and I wanted something quick to eat. I remembered i had a $5 off coupon so I stopped here. I went to the stand in the front of the restaurant to order but was told I had to order online. The host asked what I wanted and proceeded to get my order started whilst I navigated the online order process. After a short wait I had my order. I don't eat lobster often but I get a craving every so often. The spot always fills that need. Buttered toast with chunks of lobster. So good. A bit pricy but less than some of the other places and lobster is expensive!! Definitely my go to place for lobster rolls read more

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First time customer. I got the A"Boss." $32. Honestly, one of the worst lobster rolls I've ever eaten. I asked for it warm with the mayo on the side. First time around mayo all over it. Second try the lobster was stone cold with congealed butter on it. Lobster was dried out, no flavor. Won't be back. I was still hungry so I went next door. Food and service was awesome there, just saying... read more

As always an amazing stop on our road trips! I can't say enough, this place does not disappoint! I e been to all 3 locations now and love them. If you're in Encinitas though, stop by! Bella was super friendly and helpful and the food is delish! Try the Maine event! You won't regret it. The best lobster roll on the west coast, heck maybe amywhe read more

We originally found Lobster West at their Coronado location. We fell in love with the food there but have since tried a couple of other locations based on our travel plans. We decided to try the Encinitas location both in to SD and also on the way home. The food quality was on point. The classic lobster rolls were buttery delicious. The clam chowder was just as delicious as the rolls. Definitely a strong recommendation for anyone wanting that lobster roll experience. The parking here is definitely much easier compared to the La Jolla or Coronado locations. read more

Lobster West - Classic lobster rolls with a bowl of clam chowder in the background - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

Came here on a Monday around noon and ordered food to go to eat at our campsite in Doheny. We got the Maine event, which consisted of their Lobster Roll, Crab Roll and Shrimp Roll. Each sandwich was cut in half, perfect for sharing and getting to try a bit of everything! My favorite of the three was of course the lobster roll, which was full of large chunks sweet fresh lobster meat. We also got a bowl of New England clam chowder, which was steaming hot and delicious. Tip: always check in on Yelp (which I forgot to, doh!) as they offer a free scoop of soup! read more

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We absolutely love Lobster West. Our first stop as soon as we're in the area! Today we ordered a Shrimp Roll, a Lobster Roll Boss, and a Crab Roll Boss. Fresh, light lunch and tasty as usual. read more

Lobster West - A Shrimp Roll, a Lobster Roll Boss, and a Crab Roll Boss. - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

Delicious! Fast no frills, very nice pleasant service. Ordered the Boss (medium) lobster roll with 2 sides. And the clam chowder. The lobster roll was very tasty by California standards. Lobster meat was decent quality and tasted fresh. The beans and cole slaw sides were good too, only $3.50 additional. We also really liked the clam chowder. Service was very nice and friendly, didn't wait long at all to get our food. Easy pleasant experience. read more

Lobster West - Lobster Roll Boss 2 sides New England Baked Beans House Made Coleslaw - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

The food was great! They give a good amount of seafood on each rolls. The rolls are soft on the inside but perfectly toasted and buttered. We also had lobster bisque. The flavor was good but on the thick side and just warm. They probably heat to serve and didn't heat it up enough. We were the only ones in the place and the server never came to check on us. We had to peek in the kitchen twice to talk to someone. The ambiance was ok. Just like any other order at the counter and take a number place. Go to the restroom ahead of time, or you'll need to walk all the way around the building to use one. read more

CRUISING FOR CUISINE On a beautiful Friday - July 8th afternoon, we cruised down the sun-drenched Coast Highway 101 through Encinitas. The salty, warm sea breeze whisked us past a sign for Lobster Rolls. We hooked a U-turn and hopped in the cue for a delicious late afternoon meal. QUIET SPOT, GREAT PARKING Parking wraps around this deli-style eatery with ample seating inside and out. You are immediately greeted at the door with a menu, smile, and craft sodas/beers to pair with your order. The lobster rolls may pull you in, but the menu offers more. You get traditional sides with crab and shrimp roll options too. I tried the lobster roll and grilled crab melt. LOBSTER ROLL: COLOR, TASTE, AND TEXTURE WERE PERFECT! * Lightly toasted hot dog style bun, split down the middle, was soft and buttery in flavor. * Split top bun is STUFFED WITH BIG CHUNKS OF SUCCULENT LOBSTER CLAW MEAT! * The cold meat and warm bun collide in a taste-tacular experience worth repeating. The claw meat was fresh and flavor-filled! CRAB MELT: SURPRISINGLY THIN BUN, BUT QUITE FILLING * Flat, hot dog-length bun was soft and offered a mild flavor. * Ample AND fresh crabmeat ensured meat in every bite. * And a mild white cheese sealed in all the goodness Finally, I paired everything with a Blueberry Craft Soda that was smooth as silk going down. OVERALL ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER RATING: I'll Be Back! read more

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Awesome little seafood spot in fabulous Encinitas. Lobster rolls are very good. Actually, everything was very good and the clam chowder was my favorite! Sorry Sebastian. Maybe next time. LOL Parking was not bad in the center, I guess it depends on the time of day. I arrived at 1130 am. Pretty small place but plenty of seating between inside and outside. Very well organized, order at the door, find a seat and they bring you the food. Customer service was great. Very friendly and helpful and food was prepared rather quickly and correctly. The food was good! Ordered: Lobster roll - Filled with lots of meat, not a ton of seasoning, buttered roll. Maybe the roll was a little thick but small issue and probably just my carb shaming. Lobster Bisque - Good. I have only had lobster bisque a few times so I am not a pro at what it should or can taste like. This was good. Tasted like lobster and thick and creamy. Clam Chowder - YUM. So much clam, thick and had a wonder flavor. This was my favorite part of the meal. I would maybe try a different roll or sides but will get the CC again for sure. Sides - Slaw - no thanks, dry and no flavor or sweetness or sourness or anything. Beans were pretty good. Nice baked beans nothing special and exactly what I expected when ordering. Overall this was a good lunch. The price wasn't too crazy. I went in expecting to pay some decent $$ for food here and it wasn't outrageous. For the quality and amount it was well priced. I will be back here to try the other rolls and more clam chowder! read more

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This place doesn't look like much when you're driving by but let me tell ya, if you get the chance to stop you should. This is the best lobster roll I've ever had. It was very peppery and with a squeeze of lemon it was perfect. I also got the soup flight and out of the 3, the New England clam chowder was my favorite. The bisque was a bit too lobstery for my liking. This was about a $45 experience but I will say, I could have left full from the boss lobster combo alone. I will be dreaming of this place until I can come back again read more

Lobster West - Soup sampler - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

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It's a great place to grab a lobster roll. They have a pretty good one. I might be a little snobby about my rolls coming from the East Coast- this is the best I've found so far out in CA. I'm still tasting my way through. Lobster west has other seafood options on their menu, but I've only come for the roll so far. I enjoyed it on their patio while I was trying to kill some time before a meeting nearby. I'll share an update when I have more to review. read more

So what's good here? Lobsters, its kinda in their name. How were they? Not good. But that's a matter of perspective I suppose. Lets start with a serious topic first, parking. Its in a really busy area but luckily there are plenty of parking spots for customers around the back. Phew... Now onto the food. What did we order? Two loster rolls (epic, meaning double meat) and a lobster bisque. The lobster bique was pretty good. Came with a packet of biscuits to go with the soup. The lobster rolls were quite fully stuffed. Was the amount of lobster worth the $$$ you're going to shell out? Probably not. Especially if you've had this stuff from Maine. How were the lobsters and how were the rolls? Lets start with the roll. It wasn't too bad. Fairly garlic-y and well toasted. The lobster. I would've preferred hot lobster in my lobster roll, especially with butter. Or if it was cold, came with a bit of flavoring to help it along. It was just straight up cold lobster with a sprinkle of seasoning on top. Its all preferences but it didn't sit right with me. There's no ding on their part, its only matter of preference. read more

Lobster West - Epic lobster roll (2x the lobster vs standard) with a cup of lobster bisque. - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

Ordered the crab and shrimp roll mini sampler with a cup of clam chowder and it was AMAZING! Came out fast and it was hot and delicious. The cup size is a good portion of clam chowder and it came with lots of oyster crackers which I appreciated. The guy working the front Saturday afternoon was working hard! read more

Disappointing is the most accurate description I can think of. A grilled cheese (soooo tiny), a 3 soup sampler was fine (lobster bisque, clam chowder & (something else). Shrimp roll ($16) was ok, and a bowl of clam chowder. Paper bowl. Plastic ware & napkins on the table. Place your order at the front door (why did we leave a tip?) it's a 'bus your own table'. There is no service. None. Food is delivered to the table. That was NOT a $50 dinner. Tiny portions. No service. read more

Lobster West - 3 soup sampler, teeny tiny grilled cheese. - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

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This place is a cozy small indoor and outdoor restaurant with premium seafood sandwiches. The lobster roll on a perfectly toasted sweet bun was a very nice sandwich with tons of big chunks of lobster meat. It kind of pricey at $19 for a small sandwich but it's worth its price in taste. We also tried their crab and shrimp sandwiches that are also packed with meat. Both were good sandwiches but the lobster roll was the best sandwich. We loved their crunchy fresh coleslaw and added lots of crunch when added to a sandwich bite. The restaurant has a small selection of beer and wine which is great. Service was friendly and fast. They say you get what you pay for. We loved it here. read more

Lobster West - Lobster feast here - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

I dont often leave bad reviews. I have been coming here for 10 years. It was a treat to eat their buttery crisped bread with fresh lobster but this last time we went the cole slaw was old and the oil on the buns had a horrible bitter after taste. We ate it because we were hungry and in a hurry to drive a long distance but had we known we could have asked them to make new rolls we would have. We were offered some soup coupons for a return but after spending over $23 per roll for 5 people this didn't seem right. Now my sister just told me she felt ill afterwards. I don't know what happened to this place. read more

I will utter no critique of Lobster West's prices in this day and age: inflation, location and the main ingredient itself inevitably make the cost of a meal here more expensive than other spots along the 101. But the irony of this establishment comes in its lackluster signature dish itself: the lobster (and other assorted) rolls. The soups are actually quite good. The bisque and chowder are both first rate, with ample flavor and texture. The slaw and baked beans are great sides. But when it comes to the rolls? Frankly, they underwhelm. The meat is a bit thin on the ground unless you order extra or double portions. The accompanying spices might stand reconsideration. While perfectly edible, they did not generate enough enthusiasm with either my wife or I to make it part of our regular rotation of favorites. A small last point. I recognize this is a no-frills, beachy sort of spot, but the place really lacks any sort of ambiance. While the service was good and the staff friendly, this eatery looks like it was stuck in the early 00's. If you're going to charge premium prices, a remodel really is in order. OK place to go if the urge for East Coast seafood is too great to resist. read more

From start to finish it was fantastic! The lobster and crab rolls were super meaty and filling. The bread toast to crispy just how we like it w butter. Ask for butter in the side to drip it over your roll. Sooo good! We would come again! 10/10 in our books. New England clam chowder was also amazing! read more

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Came here with my brother and his girlfriend who's been wanting to try a lobster roll!! We used the yelp check in and got a scoop of clam chowder to go along with our boss lobster roll. We ordered at the stand and then seated ourselves in the dining room. The rolls came out quickly and the first thing I noticed was the toasty buns!! Perfect toasted with butter and stuffed to the brim with lobster! It was a very good lobster roll and I'll definitely be back if I'm in the area! read more

Lobster West - New England Clam Chowder and Boss Lobster Roll - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

Short one day trip to Encinitas and enjoyed for food here after 2hr drive from OC.. and yea we were HUNGRY and HANGRY..... To put all emotion aside. Ambiance: Space and table are little, so it can be crowded on a peak hour. And yea thanks to the traffic we got there at 1:30pm so we were able to find table (cray cray) Food: I ordered Nor's Easter which consisted of 3 half roll of lobster, shrimp and crab. The portion is good and meat is plenty for the price I think it is worth it. The meat is fresh and bread was grilled and tasty! Also Yelp had a check in for free small soup, the crab soup is good in taste but just fell a little short under lobster bisque and clam chowder. Will definitely visit next time when in town, Miles loves it! read more

Lobster West - Nor' Ester with Maryland crab soup - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

Today i had the best experience at the lobster west! omid really took care of me! i was tired so he took the time to see how my day was i told him i was coming from Temecula an i was down here for business and it was my first time ever being here. i think i found my favorite restaurant out here i highly recommended to everyone to visit , good clam chowder soup and lobster roll was yummy and fresh . read more

Checked this place out on our drive to San Diego and we were surprised at the $19 for a lobster roll. I get it....things are a bit pricey but woah! I still tried it though and it was soo good! Also, try their soups, they're so delicious, despite the price, I will be back haha read more

Lobster West - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Amazing light, buttery, and flaky buns for the dense, cold lobster. The clam chowder is on the thicker side, but I can definitely enjoy this type of chowder. read more

Lobster West - Classic lobster roll and a scoop of chowder. - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

I came here before many years ago and I vaguely recall it being larger in space so I think they consolidated or something. We were craving for some good lobster roll and this place seemed to fit the bill. Most places these days charger well over $20-$25 a lobster roll and figured to see how this place would fair. One thing I observe is restaurants that have a smaller menu and have a focussed signature item tend to provide better quality and better pricepoint. This is what I got when I had their lobster rolls recently. No fancy stuff, just simple ingredients done right. I would come here again for my lobster roll cravings. Seating is very limited and most people seem to get it to go and maybe eat at home or some public space. I also liked their soups, very flavorful. Tried both their clam chowder and lobster bisque. It's very nice and creamy. Is it my favorite clam chowder, probably not, but it's still pretty decent. I have seen quite a few people complaining about finding hair in their food, thankfully I have not encountered that yet and hope maybe they should spent a little more care with hair nets and finding a better way to avoid this from happening. read more

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Best Lobster Rolls I've ever had! Seriously.. after you get the lobster rolls here, it's hard to enjoy lobster rolls anywhere else. I got both the Boss (+50% lobster meat) and Epic (+100% lobster meat) for comparison purposes. I like how their lobster rolls are not drenched in sauce and they use sustainably fished lobsters from Maine. Their lobster rolls are also super fresh. Their clam chowder is also amazing if it is hot. If it is cold, it is not as good. Their lobster bisque is just okay to me. Service is good, the employees are very friendly and constantly making sure everything is clean. There is a table set up at the entrance and you can order there. Highly recommend!! The original restaurant is in Coronado, but this one is just as good!! read more

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I was pretty excited to try this place out. I saw it on TikTok. I happened to be passing through the area. So I gave it a go. It's a cute little spot located right on coast highway. The guy taking our order was super nice. Gave us suggestions on what to order since this was our first time here. But ultimately, we went with just the lobster rolls and a scoop of soup. Which you get free when you check in on Yelp, 1 free scoop of soup. I really loved that. So I picked lobster bisque! The lobster roll was amazing. Everything you want in a lobster roll. The bread was nice and toasted. The lobster was fresh. It was good. I guess now I have to explain why I gave it such a low rating when I had nothing but nice things to say about this place. I was enjoying my lobster bisque soup. I kept telling my husband how good it tasted. I didn't noticed right away. That's when I saw the hair on the side of my container. I got so grossed out. I took a picture before I opened the soup. I didn't even notice it. You can see the hair in my picture. I just hate how I didn't even see it. And I ate from it. Finding a hair in food is automatically a low rating for me. I couldn't even go back to get a new one. I took my order to go and I live in Oceanside. So it's a little drive. but it just sucks that this happened. I'm glad the lobster bisque was free... because I would be upset had I paid for it. read more

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Our first time at this location. Lobster west is consistently great food . Young man who took our order was friendly and the lobster rolls (Boss size). Were amazing!! I got the gluten free bun and mmmmm... That's all I needed for lunch. Hubby had the NE clam chowder and says he loves it Will come here again read more

After oral surgery recently I had to eat soft foods for a few days and once I was able to have hot food, I was ready for soup. I'm obsessed with lobster bisque. At any restaurant I go to that has it on the menu, I have to order it. The lobster bisque is one of my favorites! It was so creamy and the flavor was delicious! They also serve it with a buttered roll! I could dip it in the soup to make it soft enough to eat. It was the perfect meal when my options were limited! This was a takeout order so not too sure about the space but I'm definitely going to give it a try when I can enjoy a lobster roll! read more

I had never had a lobster roll before. I wanted my first one to be a legit one. My first one at Lobster West set the bar VERY HIGH... It came highly recommended by a good friend who frequents the Encinitas area often. We were at Beacon's catching the sunset and I just happened to send a pic from there to my friend. He insisted we try Lobster West because he and his wife love it and never miss an opportunity to go there whenever in town. That was all I needed to hear. We walked up and ordered 2 classic lobster rolls. $16 each. They are made with authentic Maine lobster lightly tossed in mayo, butter and a spice blend that comes all in a freshly baked bread roll... Everything about this roll was perfection. The bread was toasted on the outside. It was buttery. It was soft inside. And the lobster.... wow. It was amazing. It tasted so good. Lightly dressed, as they described it and that was perfect because you let the lobster speak for itself. It was SO GOOD. Love that rich lobster flavor... You have to get it. 2 would be great. 1 was perfect but leaves you wanting more.... Delicious. Free parking on their shared lot. April 2021 Covid precautions still in effect. No indoor dining yet. Take-out or outdoor dining at the tables located just outside their entrance. BEST lobsta roll ever... FIRST lobsta roll ever. Claiming it now. read more

My son asked for a lobster roll again. Kinda shocked so see the price increased from $16 to $19.50, but I certainly don't blame them. Inflation is not a joke! The rolls and chowder are still just as good! read more

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We walked up and just got a couple cups of soup - (lobster bisque and clam chowder). Both did the trick. Ate them outside on a rickety table, and went on our way. read more

Covid responsible, no dining in yet, a few outdoor tables. Set up keeps customers outside the building. Appreciated all that, including super service. My wife said this is one of the best lobster rolls she's had. Very flavorful. I'm not a seafood roll person but i gave the shrimp roll a shot and was not a fan. Fishy tasting cold cocktail shrimp w seasoning? Don't get it. Toast bun was delicious though. But since I shouldn't judge them for something they may do right but I just don't enjoy, I instead make my review primarily on the clam chowder which was edible, but lackluster. Clams were tiny chopped bits I cant confirm for sure were even there. Potatoes could have been boiled softer. Flavor just ok. Wife will be back, said its far better than the popular spot at Liberty but Ill pass. read more

Lobster West - Shrimp Roll (big version), New England Clam Chowder - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

Lobster West brings a touch of Maine to the west coast. If you're a fan of lobster rolls and you're near Encinitas, then you should give this place a try. Food The lobster roll is served in a red seafood basket with a simulated newspaper lining, and cradled in a pastry wrapper. The brioche roll is soft, fluffy, and crispy like a thick piece of warm buttery French toast. The lobster is a generous mix of claw and tail meat - nice and chewy. The lobster is cool and refreshing with a sprinkling of thyme and black pepper. Parking There's a nice big parking lot. Ordering There's a table set up by the front door where you place your order, pay, and pick up. Dining Area There are plenty of tables in the patio area along the walls by the walkways. read more

Lobster West - Lobster roll - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

This was such an amazing stop. I got the boss wanting more lobster meat and usually am Disappointed when I get rolls when I travel however this was a very wonderful filling surprise.. here for a week and I will stop back because the soup also looks Wonderful. Good value for good food considering the location read more

Lobster West - Boss Lobster Roll - Seafood Near Me - Encinitas, California

Seriously good! This is a super tiny spot, with just about a few tables/chairs inside and outside. You walk up, make an order, and they give you a number. They will bring out your food to your table. We were in a rush, with a baby that was approaching bedtime, but Lobster West delivered. Service was decently speedy. We went for one shrimp roll and one lobster roll. Both were amazing! I knocked off a star because I wasn't as huge of a fan of their baked beans which were on the sweeter side, and the coleslaw was good but not outstanding. The rolls that the sandwiches were served on were perfectly buttery. I kind of wish the seafood on top was warm, but it was still good. Portion sizes were decent, but not on the larger side. Overall, very delicious fast-casual spot in the heart of downtown La Jolla if you are looking for a cozy seafood meal! read more