On vacation in Carlsbad my husband likes the smoked bbq from Park 101. That's not really my thing so I always hit The Trap Shack next door for some Lobster! I love the OG Roll, Maine Lobster poached in garlic butter, can't go wrong. The lobster is sweet and tender. I also like their Cbad Lobster Tacos, Maine Lobster, slaw, avocado, topped with pico and queso fresco. They are delicious and they don't skip on the lobster. If you really want to indulge you can order the Lobster Queso Fries, they are messy but worth it! Before they had the Lobster Fries they used to make it with tots and called it Lobster Totchos! The Trap Shack has nowhere to sit. It's an order at the counter place but it's affiliated with Park 101, so you can just bring your order next door and eat there. The food is pricy, but you're paying for fresh lobster near the beach. read more

The Trap Shack - Lobster Totchos - Seafood Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Amazing Cod Fillet Sando and Lobster roll! They use fluffy batter and fresh cod fillets, then topped with a flavorful tartare. The lobster roll was great as well, but they could use a bit more butter. The store front is a takeout setting, but affiliates with the beer garden seating next door! read more

The Trap Shack - Seafood Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Awesome food, lots of gluten free options. Friendly service and atmosphere. We got the shrimp tacos, they were delicious.

I was severely craving a lobster roll and my bestie HIGHLY recommended the Trap Shack. My Maine lobster roll was impeccable. The lobster was abundant and so buttery. The bread was soft but also nicely toasted. It was worth the raving comments. My husband had their hot chicken sandwich and he enjoyed the spice level but the sandwich h was really messy to eat. My bestie had their buffalo fries and those were bomb.com. The portion was huge too. I can't wait to go back the next time I'm in Carlsbad! read more

The Trap Shack - Seafood Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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The Trap Shack was a nice surprise in downtown Carlsbad right near the beach. There are a lot of restaurants and people, so having a walk-up option is very convenient. The lobster rolls were amazing and were cooked to perfection. The sandwiches also come with tons of fries so no need to add sides. We went with the OG version and were very happy. Some of the kids ordered chicken tenders and fries, and while it tasted good, they do kind of fry the chicken to the point of it being overdone. Seating relies on the attached restaurant that has a nice layout with a full bar and sports. Prices were very reasonable and the service was about middle of the road - took a long time to cook but the value and taste of the lobster was good. Overall, a solid choice worth checking out! read more

The Trap Shack - OG Lobster Roll - Seafood Near Me - Carlsbad, California

The og lobster roll was very dry and they didn't serve it with a side of butter which is a given when you get a lobster roll, I couldn't even ask for a side because the server ran away from me before I could say anything. Over all not good food don't recommend, read more

The location is a good one and the service isn't bad. It took a bit longer than I thought it would to get a Maine lobster sandwich but I came on a Sunday afternoon during the Carlsbad street fair. The lobster was quite limp and tasted like it was previously frozen. I saw that the result was low (2.5 stars) and my hunger got the best of me so I got something anyway. However, I won't be coming back even though it was an inexpensive sandwich ($23) read more

The Trap Shack - Maine lobster roll - Seafood Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Walked over and grabbed some lobster rolls a few weeks back and thought The Trap Shack delivered! It's right next to the bar and owned by the same company, so you can grab a meal and then a table at the bar/restaurant (which have diff menus so it's slightly confusing). We all got a few diff kinds from the California Lobster Roll, to a traditional cold one...and thought the meat, bun, and all the fixings were fresh and delish. Also it was my first time trying a Cali rendition of this east coast classic and gotta admit; didn't hate the avocado and bacon and maybe even liked it. Tough to confess, but it's true. read more

I'd give this place a 3.9/4 stars- the only negative feedback I really have is the cost of the food and the portion size. Food overall tasted pretty good! The OG sandwich had a good amount of lobster, it could've been flavored a little better for me. The fries were really good- the breaded kind is my favorite. The place itself was in a cute portion of the village/ you order and pay for your food, then can sit in Park 101. It's right in downtown Carlsbad so you will need to find parking elsewhere and walk over. Service was decently fast for a Saturday night! Overall, the place is a solid choice if you're craving lobster sandwiches. read more

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"If You Want a Chair, Go Elsewhere--If You Want Flavor, Stay!" Let's be real: this place doesn't win any awards for ambiance. In fact, if you're looking for a romantic candlelit dinner or a comfy booth to sink into, you've got the wrong address. The "atmosphere" here is mostly you, your food, and maybe a seagull eyeing your plate if you're outside. There's a good chance you'll be eating off the hood of your car or balancing your meal on one of those rickety picnic tables that look like they survived a hurricane. But here's the thing: if you're after the best food you've ever tasted in your life, you've struck gold. The fish and chips? Crispy, golden, and so good you'll forget you're sitting on a milk crate. The lobster and tri-tip tacos? I don't know what magic is happening in that kitchen, but it's working. And the fries? Forget about it. You'll be dreaming about them for days. So, if you're a foodie who's not afraid to get a little grease on your shirt and sacrifice a little comfort for flavor, this is your spot. Just don't expect a chair--or a napkin, for that matter. But do expect to leave with a full stomach and a new favorite hidden gem! read more

Today on my walk I stopped at this restaurant and ordered the OG lobster roll and tater tots. The sandwich was pretty meaty and the tater tots seasoned well. Danny took my order. He was courteous and helpful and provided great customer service. I asked him about his name and shared it's my bf name too. I asked for the garlic butter on the side and I appreciated that he came back to alert me the lobster is cooked in the garlic butter. I will be back when visiting Carlsbad. read more

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This restaurant is closed. The restaurant said they still serve some food but the menu is another restaurant

Pretty good food, but the wait was super long (even with low volume at the restaurant), portions are small, and the price is way too high compared to what you get. We got the lobster roll, chicken tender fries, and surf & turf tacos. All were good, but I was a bit surprised by the $75 price tag (w/ 2 waters) and the small size of the lobster roll with the price tag. read more

This by far is some of the worst food I've ever eaten. My family and I got food poisoning. I was visiting Carlsbad and this ruined the remainder of my trip. The location is nice, it stood out well enough for me to visit. It's located in a cute downtown like area. I ordered the chicken nuggets for my 4 year old, my son got some type of king combo and I ordered the fish and chips. I'll start with mine. The batter was bready and slimy. There was absolutely no flavor in the fish in chips . After a couple of bites i started trying to figure out if the fish was rancid or the tartar sauce. The fish was gummy too! It was like old fish they threw batter on. You get 2 small pieces and a village of fries. I want to be super clear the 1 star is for the fries ... the fries were great. DO NOT ORDER THE FISH AND CHIPS EVER! But hold your beer because the "chickie" options were repulsive. My 4 year old refused to eat it and my 17 year old son is practically a damn eating machine and would eat anything but refused. The chicken looked liked dog feecees. *see picture* It was dry no flavor and marinated in a strange red sauce. It was impossible to bite into. Maybe they perfected the lobster but the food my family and I were served the outta be ashamed of themself. We had immediate headaches and because nauseous as soon as we got to the car. Spent the next 2 hours driving back to long beach with a vomit bag in our car. I hope the owner does some major changes when it comes to flavor and proper cooking techniques. read more

The Trap Shack - Chickie nuggets - Seafood Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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The Fish & Chips needs to be called fried batter & chips. I swear there is more batter than fish on each of the 3 pieces. The ad photo shows coleslaw included but not in mine. No coleslaw. My wife loke her OG Lobster. Thats why I gave this 2 stars. The fried batter & chips was $19 plus a service charge & of course tax. Yes, I left a tip on our order to go. If I had eaten there, I would have returned the batter & chips. See my photos. read more

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First of all, the food was DELICIOUS! I got the OG, my daughter got the fish tacos and her boyfriend got the lobster fries.. and we all really liked our food. It did take quite a while to get our food and the price for a walk up "order at the window" establishment is kinda crazy. Thankfully there was room to eat in the bar next door, but if there wasn't room.. you'll have to take it to go. read more

This used to be Wicked Maine Lobster, but apparently Park 101 took it over and renamed it. Also changed what was a fabulous menu and messed it up. We go here every time we visit our daughter, and it had become my standard for Fried Shrimp. Not many places could live up to those shrimp, they were so crispy and delicious. Not any more! The (different) breading mostly fell off, and there was different spice that didn't work. Only the fries saved the lunch. My husband who is from New England, always orders the Lobster Roll, but this time it was topped with a pile of Old Bay, which ruined the lobster flavor. So disappointing! Will have to stick with the Park 101 menu next time. read more

The fish and chips was inedible. They put cayenne pepper in the batter! Without saying. A total waste of $20. And they did not include slaw. So it's yogurt and water for dinner tonight. Ugh. read more

Man, have I had a difficult time writing this review. After a back and forth period I finally decided how I'm going to rate trap shack. Four stars. Now, up front I want to say that I really enjoyed my food at trap shack. My sandwich was great, and the tots were absolutely fantastic. Absolutely no complaints about the quality of the food. The portion sizes were also pretty good. So why four stars instead of five? And now we get to the difficult part. The first thing is that the food was just a little... Expensive. Look, I know we're in Carlsbad and I know we're expected to pay tourists prices. That being said the food, although very good, was still a little bit more than I would have expected it to be. The next issue comes down to the layout of the restaurant and the staff. I get it being a host is a stressful job, and the host when we were there was very very good at her job. She was making sure that everybody got seated, and that everyone's questions were answered, and was really put in a chaotic position. That being said, the restaurant isn't exactly laid out great to help her in doing that, with a mix of open and seated places to sit. Also, I understand your job might be stressful, and I'm not expecting you to put on a show, but if I'm trying to be friendly it wouldn't hurt to try to be friendly back. The last issue that I had is that there is no parking. Again, I understand I'm in Carlsbad, and I understand that this is a common issue in Carlsbad. That being said, it's still a detracting factor for enjoying a night out. I just want to say again, I really really enjoyed my food at trap shack. I would definitely go back giving the opportunity. Please don't think of this as a negative review I would absolutely recommend this place. read more

Where to begin...you walk up to an empty counter and type in your meal of choice, about $20-up. There is ONE person there and she tells you where to sit. It is JAMED PACKED with loud sports TV on. It is not possible to have a conversation. It is a conglomerate of several restaurants all outside. You finally are text that the food is ready for you to pick up at the empty counter where you ordered it. You then retrieve your food that's in a styrofoam container and plastic silverware. I had to take the batter off the fish in the fish sandwich as it was inedible. I am not a picky eater but this was really NOT GOOD in all respects. If I could have given it a 0 I would have. read more

I went to this place for the first time last week with my wire. We ordered different dishes. The food was cold, old and very small portions. I talked to the people at the next table, and they said the same thing that the quantity and the quality of the food was not acceptable for the price they are charging. The service was as bad as the food. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE. read more

The lobster rolls are ok. I had a couple bites with bits of shell in that threw off the whole meal and there needs to be more garlic because all you can taste is the greasy butter on the bread. The tater tots were cold when we got them and also helped ruin the meal. Overall I don't think I would come back here. This place would probably be amazing if more tlc was put into the food they gave to their customers. read more

I should've listened to the recent reviews. Unfortunately, I also ended up with food poisoning after the lobster fries. While it tasted good, it definitely wasn't worth spending the rest of my night on the toilet read more

This was our first time here at THE TRAP SHACK. We ordered WESTCOAST ROLL and CBAD Lobster Tacos. It was easy to order, and Walter did great getting our food ready for us quickly. read more

The Trap Shack - The CBAD Lobster Tacos - Seafood Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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All the lobster sandwiches I had were very delicious, the main lobster sandwich, the truffle lobster sandwich and the lobster tacos. read more

The Trap Shack - Lobster tacos - Seafood Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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We ordered the chicken tenders and lobster queso fries. Let's begin... Chicken tenders were nearly black. Okay... maybe it's the seasoning? Nope... they were so burnt that we were shocked anyone would put them in a box to serve. The thinner piece looked like beef jerky and was so rubbery it bent in half without breaking. The roof of my mouth is tore up from attempting to eat the one piece that I gave a chance to. The only flavoring was the burn. The lobster queso fries were loaded with salt. We could hardly taste anything beyond that. The other taste very much resembled eating a loaded baked potato, but not in a good way. And for $25 we expected to see more than 2 chunks of lobster. This is what we get for not yelping before eating. read more

If I could leave 0 stars I would. This wait was ridiculous. I waited 30+ minutes just for my order of OG roll. I saw that people who ordered after me got their order way before I did. I had to ask where my order was and they said they were finishing packing it. Sure... It looks like this place is severely understaffed and lack of management and care . It's ridiculous to wait over 30+ minutes for one item! I ordered OG roll and instead got the maine roll?? Or is your image switched on Yelp and in store read more

The Trap Shack - Wrong order - Seafood Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Service not great, everything automated. Should have someone up front anyway. Trays left around for a while in the seating area. The food is decent, but the experience of eating here leaves a lot to be desired. read more

Tuesday, 30January2023, was the first time I went to The Trap Shack - and met two friends. I had the Lobster OG and it was sooooo delicious. The coleslaw was wonderful, too, but it shocked me that it was so spicy. I ate it all, however. When I mentioned The Trap Shack to other friends/neighbors they didn't know about TTS and now they want to drive west and south to get there, too. Parking was a bit sketchy but I managed with a short walk and my friends found parking closer. Go figure. For me, good food is worth the drive around the block a couple of times and then parking wherever I can to make an acceptable walk for these old bones. I'll absolutely be back to The Trap Shack. BTW, one friend ordered tacos from the attached Park 101 and she enjoyed both tacos and fries! Park was accommodating with refilling my TTS soda. This elderly gal is most appreciative of both places! Thank you for having good food in both . . . I'll have to come by when there's less sun. ;-) read more

Don't be fooled by the photos of the food on this yelp listing or at the restaurant. It's definitely a trap! Looks like Park 101 has taken over Maine Lobster now called The Trap Shack. Ordered over $40 worth of food and got two chowder bowls only 1/4 full and three tiny pieces of fish. Totally unacceptable and a ripoff. Ruined a great spot / menu. read more

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Fuck these guys. We were at the window trying to order for 5 mins and got no service then whoever was in the back started trying to argue. They must've never seen an Asian before racist mf. Would never come back here again. read more

Ordered the trap shack taco plate $25!! two tacos on tortillas that were the saddest things I've seen in a whole. The two tacos featured were supposed to have lobster and shrimp in them, with cojita queso. I received two tacos that had one piece of shrimp cut into many small pieces and "mystery" meat that was supposed to be lobster but looked like demolished crab meat. The cheese was burnt to the tortilla and "meat" with a weird sauce that was pretty flavorless. Needless to say the texture of the food was much like they'd plated and stuck it in the microwave for heat, the meat was chewy and again NO flavor, and the obvious there was little to no meat in the taco itself. No other "fillers" so the tortilla was just sad laying on itself. I was refunded the $25 for this really sad excuse of a dish, but there was another table next to us that stated the same thing, the food was TRASH! read more

Would not return. Came here on a business business lunch and for my lobster roll (supposed to be hot, with garlic butter) there was no garlic butter, and the plain lobster was cold and the only taste was like it was previously frozen. I complained (discreetly because it was a business lunch) via the text they sent me to pick up my order. There was no apology or response. I'm sure there must be a better place for lobster rolls in San Diego county. This place is all (expensive) hype. read more

Unbelievably pricy and not great at all actually the worst I ever had I don't recommend this place not one bit. Don't waste your money Ordered a lobster sandwich looks so good in the photo. $25 later it sucked. Barely any lobster all bread and you get a tiny cup of coleslaw the size of a cup you put salsa in for your tacos Unbelievable what a rip off. So bummed I spent $25 on crappy greasy sandwich from this place They have some big balls charging this for a crappy sandwich. Are you kidding me!! The smallest coleslaw I ever got and barely any lobster what the hell Get out of the food service business because you guys are really bad. Never would I recommend this shack! Good riddens!! Too bad I'm in the food service as well and you just made me realize how many other places there are and what you get for $25. So pissed off read more

Extremely rude dismissive staff took forever to even get someone at the counter food took just as long, they completely forgot our sides Then have the gall to ask for a tip I'd recommend hiring more friendly staff who actually seem like they won't spit in your food or lower your prices. read more

Ordered for the first time, The OG roll $23 only the roll 4.00 for fries. Roll and fries good, but don't expect a lot of food small portions, at least give more fries. Cold slaw was maybe 3 spoon fulls. read more

I would expect more lobster on a 25 dollar lobster and fries plate. It had a sprinkle of lobster the fries were very salty Never coming here again. read more

BRING BACK WICKED MAINE LOBSTER!! They recently changed owners and it's terrible nothing to what it used to be. I mean the food is fine, we ate it. But Wicked Maine was a huge reason we loved coming to Carlsbad. read more

Alright. My bf and I stumbled upon this place while exploring Carlsbad and he OG lobster roll + fries was bomb. When we went to check the yelp reviews, we were surprised of how low it is! I saw that it was changed from another store according to the locals but we thought it was 5/5. Service was great. This employee didn't get his name was so nice and chill. We enjoyed his presence haha. Blonde younger dude but he was cool lol. We sat at Park 101 at the bench overlooking the street and people watched. They had some beers to sell as well. The coleslaw had a little kick or hint of jalapeño, the lobster itself was delicious! And the bread was toasted to perfection. And the fries! Perfectly crispy and fresh. Delicious meal! And park 101 was playing nostalgic music so we loved the vibe and energy from the place! read more

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The worst food I ever had. The portions were small, and the fish was not fresh. The service was not any better. The servers were unfriendly and would not listen. read more