Fresh Lobster meat at $80 pound!

[raw]

So I decided to make Lobster Rolls for my partners birthday yesterday and ended up purchasing lobster meat out of the shell at Citarella for $80.00 a pound. I thought this was very expensive but not knowing where else to go I ended up buying a 1/2 pound and made some delicious lobster rolls. For the future when I decide to make lobster rolls again, is there another place I could purchase fresh lobster meat for less.

[judithuk]

Prices vary according to market and season.
Lobster Farm at the corner of Hester and Allen on the edge of Chinatown is the cheapest I have found.
Boss speaks English but the Chinese staff are super helpful, sign language helps
Lots of frozen fish as well as huge tanks.
Closed Sundays but open on Christmas Day ( we have lobster then)

[NYCkaren]

Blue Moon Fish at the farmer's market now has live lobsters for $8.25 lb. At least they've had them in Tribeca the last two Saturdays. I bought a nice frisky one yesterday. They'll sell out early whenever they have them. I go around 8 a.m.

[monku]

New York magazine March 2009 issue says lobster salad at Loaves & Fishes in Bridgehampton is $100/lb.
Citerella opening a store there soon will charge $59.96/lb.
http://nymag.com/news/intelligencer/5...

[Ora]

I went to Pearl's Friday and had a lovely Lobster roll for 28!!

[srirachacha]

Parlor Steakhouse on UES has yummy lobster roll for $24
Though absolutely best deal is driving up to Stews in yonkers, they sell 2 lobster rolls for 10 bucks...yes 2!....and will make fresh for you if you ask. Also, you can buy lobster salad for around 18 dollars per pound and lobster meat for a reasonable price
in the fall they had lobsters for 3.99 per pound...we flew them with us to Pittsburgh for a Giants/Steelers tailgate extravaganza

[Ora]

I was at Stew's in Yonker's just days ago. Whole lobster uncooked was $10.99 lb. Cooked lobster meat was $24 lb.

[The Chowhound Team]

Folks, please keep your responses focused on where to find meat in Manhattan for less. Thanks!

[shaogo]

Indeed lobster prices on the wholesale market are at rock bottom. Citarella's got some nerve! The Newington, Connecticut Stew Leonard's charges $30 a pound for good quality (big chunks) lobster meat (tails and claws). I wonder if the Yonkers store charges the same price?

[Miss Rennie]

Is there a Stew Leonard's nearer to Manhattan than Yonkers? I don't have a car...

[Ora]

No. Check here for locations: http://www.stewleonards.com/
The Yonkers location has an interesting selection of wines in the adjacent liquor/wine shop.

[HazeyB]

Good lord! You could have gotten 2 huge, overflowing lobster rolls (with at least 3/4 lb. of meat each), plus salad and shoestring fries to go from Pearl Oyster Bar for about $48!

[ExFlexitarian]

Or 4 servings of beautifully executed lobster rolls with old bay seasoned fries at Mermaid Inn for $80 + tip

Hell, i'd hit up John Dory with that kinda dough.

[UES Mayor]

You could have gone to Sables on 78th/2nd Ave and bought already made lobster salad for less than half that!

[lambretta76]

I've actually fallen in love with using the langostino meat from Trader Joe's, which is $8.99 per 10 ounces. It's frozen, but it's got a sweetness that I really enjoy for "lobster" rolls. They also sell the top-split hot dog buns there, too.

[Miss Rennie]

I have a problem with the wateriness of this, though I agree with you on taste. By the time I squish all the water out, the meat is pretty messed up.

But I do love me some lobster roll! I would think that The Lobster Place would be a bit cheaper, considering that the wholesale price is so down.

[currymouth]

Here in New Jersey we are at $5.99/ lb for live up to 2 lbs and $9.99/ lb for fresh tail meat. Get a Zip car and still save a load of money.

[Ora]

Where exactly? And, are these places open on weekends? Thanks for the tip.

[currymouth]

The Shop Rite Grocery and my local Asian food mart in East Brunswick, but you don't have to even get on the Turnpike, I understand the prices are the same in Jersey city also, right out of the Holland Tunnel. Come on over, hit Ikea with 3.50% sale tax and make a day of it.

[Ora]

OK--heading over there Sat., I'll check the Shop Rite in Hoboken/JC. I know the one you mean. Thanks!

[RCC]

Chinatown fresh fish/lobster stores.
You'll leave with live lobsters with all your arms and legs intact.

[NYCkaren]

Inspired by this thread, I ordered twoi live lobsters from FreshDirect and cooked them Friday. First time I've done that. Delicious! At $11.99 a pound. What are they charging in Chinatown?

[RCC]

$9.99 per lb of the medium sized ones at the seafood place between Bowery and Grand St. Bought some feisty ones last Friday.

[NYCkaren]

I might just go with FreshDirect then. A couple of dollars extra is worth the convenience of delivery.

[plantainsandkimchi]

For a bit cheaper: I just bought fresh lobster meat from The Lobster Place, $60 a pound.

[Miss Needle]

You're paying for the labor and the convenience. And Citarella is probably one of the priciest fish stores in NYC (but one of the best as well). I think I'd have a heart attack paying $80 a lb for something I can do at home for much less. I'd probably just buy the lobster, cook it and just remove the meat from the shell. I think the last time I checked a couple of weeks ago at The Lobster Pot in Chelsea Market, 1.5+ lb lobsters were going at $11 a lb.

[ExFlexitarian]

Wholesale lobster prices are at a near all time low right now ($6-7/lb i think)? I remember seeing lobsters go for around $8/lb around Chinatown, and even around $15 at Whole Foods. $80/lb is a ridiculous markup

[LeahBaila]

Agreed...$80 is horrifying, but I completely understand going in to a store and purchasing something not knowing the wholesale price. But hey, atleast the lobster rolls were a hit!

www.thelunchbelle.com

[Miss Rennie]

Whole Foods isn't doing live lobster (steamed while you wait) anymore, and yes, that was the price, or nearabouts.

Something about Whole Foods disapproved of the "inhumane" conditions in which poor little lobsters were being transported to meet their doom. Apparently they didn't get to ride in upholstered observation loungs with drinks and pretzels...so now all Whole Foods has is those stupid frozen lobster tails. Idiots.