It’s the view.
Yeah, it’s great and you want to sit close to the windows because it’s just so nice. The view helps make the place.
It’s the people.
Andrew and Kat one to floor, plus the staff in the kitchen including Chef Dom breathe life into the restaurant and make you feel like you’ve been part of the space, even if it’s only your first visit. Or maybe if it’s a repeat one.
And then there’s the food.
Plates that were thought out with intention, flavors that grab your tastebuds. They’re the things that make you relax into your seat with every bite. Was that second bite as good as the first? No, it was better. And such a trajectory continues until the dishes disappear.
That’s the sentiment of dining at The Lobster in Santa Monica.
They might have caught your eye while crossing Ocean Avenue to head toward the Santa Monica pier and maybe you didn’t stop in. I’m letting you know if that is ever you again, walking past the white exterior wondering if you should step inside: yes, you should absolutely step inside.
Especially now that they’ve launched brunch.
A couple of weeks ago, I found myself seated with ocean views in front of me and a table slowly filling with drinks and plates that immediately made it clear this wasn’t going to be an average brunch. With that understanding and a really pleasant waiter named Andrew, I happily started with drinks.
I’m not a bloody Mary person, but they sent one to the table for me to try and to see how beautiful it is. With that, know that I’m not the best person to detail how this drink is, but I can confirm it is in fact pretty. The House Bloody Mary ($19) had your standard ingredients of vodka, tomato juice, lemon juice and was paired with celery, olives, and a jumbo shrimp. The look was bold and the scent was fragrant. If you love a bloody Mary, just from the optics, this is one you should try.
A drink I really enjoyed was the fresh squeezed juice Apple, Carrot, & Orange ($10) and it was an instant refreshing start to both the brunch and the day. It was the perfect balance of each signature ingredient where you could taste each flavor and one wasn’t overpowered by the other. Not too heavy on the carrot, the apple didn’t overwhelm the glass, and the citrus from the orange didn’t take over the drink. It was just right.
As a person who doesn’t drink as much as I once did, exploring a zero-proof cocktail turned out to be a great option. I went with the Grapefruit Spritz ($16). The drink was made of pink grapefruits from the chef’s backyard and mixed with Ritual Aperitif and Topo Chico. It was incredibly refreshing – almost like each sip came with a spark that woke you up. It was light, tart, bubbly and could be the best drink to accompany any brunch item on their menu.
Then came the food.
The Cinnamon French Toast Bites ($22) arrived first and immediately felt like a wonderful representation of brunch. Warm toast bites were lightly coated with cinnamon sugar, balanced with market berries, mint leaves, and whipped crème fraîche. It was sweet, decadent, and came with a degree of indulgence that carried with each slice and forkful.
Then there was the Maine Lobster Benedict ($48). Two toasted English muffins were covered by poached eggs, braised asparagus, and a dill hollandaise sauce. It was done so nicely as the English muffins were covered with juicy heaping’s of lobster and such delicate poached eggs. It was warm, rich, buttery, and comforting.
What stood out most about brunch at The Lobster wasn’t just that the food was good. It’s that the experience felt complete. The pier and the ocean directly outside the windows, the energy of Santa Monica moving around you, and the attentiveness of the staff was everything to make for a great brunch. At The Lobster, the new menus is one that eases you into the morning, slows you down in the best possible way, and reminds you that dining out can still feel special. Not rushed or transactional, just special.
The next time you’re walking toward the pier and wondering whether The Lobster is worth stopping into, let me save you the debate. It is.
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Address: 1602 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Phone: (310) 458-9294
Hours: Monday through Wednesday – 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm, Friday – 12:00 pm to 9:30 pm, and Saturday & Sunday – 11:00 am to 9:30 pm
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