Need to buy some live lobsters. Where?

[foodiemahoodie]

99 Ranch has Boston-sourced lobsters for 9.99 lb, but they're 2-3 pounders. I'm looking for 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 pounds. (This is one course in a dinner party, and I think the smaller ones are usually a touch sweeter).

Any ideas? Santa Monica Seafood is 14.99 lb.

So I'd like 99 Ranch's price, but smaller if possible. Otherwise my guests are just gonna have to suck it up and suffer!

[OC Mutt]

Gelsons has 1.5 - 1.75 lb lobsters on sale for $9.99 a pound

[Fru]

Yep. Gelson's...Pasadena, North Hollywood (Valley Village), chain wide but those are the 2 I have seen/purchased. I bought them cooked as I used them for lobster risotto. They gave me extra shells as well (for stock).

[EricDC]

Ralph's at Bundy and wilshire selling them for $9.99/pound right now

[foodiemahoodie]

I'm the original poster - and the cheapest place I found was Shun Fat in El Monte. But their prices vary for the size and time of year. I'd give them a call. If Gelsons is selling for 9.99 a pound, I'd suspect they'd be cheaper in El Monte. Of course that's a big trek if you live on the westside. But if you're needing a lot of lobsters - then a visit to the Shun Fan "Super" Store is a fun experience. They've gota dozen or so tanks the size of hot tubs (large hot tubs) with live fish.

[walteam]

Any lobsters in the Philipino seafood markets around Vermont... south Los Feliz, North Ktown

[foodiemahoodie]

LAX-C downtown L.A.
1100 N Main St
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Last time I went there the were 7.99 a pound. Not sure what they're at now. Shun Fat in Monterey Park also used to have them at 7.99 a pound.

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Main St Cafe
450 Main St, El Segundo, CA 90245

[Servorg]

I just talked to a buddy in New Hampshire and he mentioned he got some nice ones the other day for 3.99 a pound. But out here 7.99 a pound is a good price.

[monku]

Does LAX C even want to sell lobster? I was there a few months ago and when lobster prices were low they had a price of $12.99/lb. and only a couple lobsters in the tank. Couple weeks ago I didn't even look at the price but only saw a couple lobsters in the tank.
I rarely see anyone in the fresh seafood department there.

[Mint T.]

Went to 99 Ranch hoping to get the $10/lb, 2-lb lobster everyone was posting about. Their prices are now $13/lb, and the smallest was 3.5 lb, so I would've spent $45 for a colossus. Couldn't afford it.

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99 Ranch
17713 Pioneer Blvd, Artesia, CA

[monku]

Wow!
Couple weekends ago at Shun Fat in Montery Park the 2+ pounds were $5.99/lb.

[yogacat]

i have been buying them from ralphs at 9.99 a pound for a awhile

[JPomer]

Gelson's in Silver Lake had the smaller 1 1/2 pound lobsters around the holidays.

[ligorner]

If you can wait until this Sunday, you can get live local lobster at the Hollywood farmers market. Go early though as they do sell out. Enjoy!

[Mateo R]

Seafood paradise market in Rosmead is easily the best seafood market in LA if price is considered in the equation. they have maine lobster for around 7.99 and also have several other varieties of lobsters and crabs.

[kelro58]

They also have one on South St. in Cerritos, just east of Los Cerritos mall. I was there last week, live Maines in the tank for $7.99/lb

[cjla]

Fish King had them last night.

http://www.fishkingseafood.com/

[PurpleTeeth]

they also have pacific lobsters right now IMHO I find them better than Maine Lobsters. They precook them but if you call ahead they will sell them to you live. They range quiet a bit on size.

[Passadumkeg]

Blasphemy!

[PurpleTeeth]

in what way?

[Passadumkeg]

This was half in jest. I live in Downeast Maine, the epicenter of Miane lobstering. The Maine lobster, Homarus Americanus has 2 claws and is closely related to the Eurorpean lobster, Homarus Gramarus. The base word for lobster in many european languages a variation of "homar". The Pacific lobster, Panulimus Interruptus, has no claws and the name sounds like an unfortunate sex act. I must admit that it does make sense to eat locally caught fare. I will be spending the week of 2/13 in Orange County and will have to try one. I will sin.

[PurpleTeeth]

LOL I was wondering. Def try one when you are down here they are excellent.

[Passadumkeg]

How expensive are these pacifist lobsters? I get local "bugs" for $2 /lb. Beware! Many "Maine Lobsters" are commie Cannuck imports. If it is over 3.5 lbs, it is NOT a Maine lobster. Maine lobster husbandry is a renewable resource and is very strictly regulated as to size. The largest lobsters do more than 90% of the breeding. To eat the big guys, is to help deplete future lobster populations. Side note: If you want to impress your fish monger, tell him that you prefer the tail meat, so please give me only females or that you prefer claw meat and give me males only. No anthropomorphic jokes, please. Lobsters are also right and left clawed, dependent upon the pincher claw.
End of Lobster 101

[PurpleTeeth]

pacific lobsters are pretty pricey at 20 bucks a pound but they are pretty big and their fishing is tightly regulated. They are also seasonal, we can only get them when they are marching off our coast. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Californ...

[lizziee]

According to jasper White there is no difference in the taste up to 5 pounds - just a myth!

[foodiemahoodie]

You're probably right, but Eric Ripert says otherwise.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi...

I ended up getting 2.5-3.0 lb-ers. They were fine.

[The Chowhound Team]

Folks, this board is dedicated to finding live lobsters and other food in Los Angeles. Please take the sidebar discussion on lobster size to the General Topics board.

[monku]

Asian markets in SGV like Shun Fat in Monterey Park...$7.99/lb. all different sizes.
421 N. Atlantic (1 block south of 10 Freeway at Atlantic)
Monterey Park

[foodiemahoodie]

VERY helpful, I'm going there next time. Thanks!

[Bjartmarr]

Last time I was at LAX-C, they had little ones. Price was $9 or $10/lb.

[degustateur]

Quality Seafood
130 S. International Boardwalk
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
[phone]

Outstanding live seafood selections from tanks filled with over 50 types of lobsters, crab, oysters, clams, mussels, sea urchin, other mollusks, fish and shrimp. Not aware of current lobster sizes or pricing - varies based upon the daily catch.

[TomSwift]

QS does indeed have an outstanding selection of live shellfish in the saltwater tanks, and their Maine lobsters do include 1-1/2 pounders, at least they did last month. The price isn't anywhere near 99 Ranch, though, so maybe the OP ought to give some thought to splitting the 99 Ranch guys among the guests.

[Mattapoisett in LA]

I would also recommend QS and 99 Ranch. Also as a Native Costal New Englander who as a kid remembers getting lobsters from neighbors who had traps in Buzzards Bay, I would say if you think that larger lobsters are not as sweet as smaller ones you have had over cooked lobsters.

Just remember: the larger the Lobster is to cook, does not translate into an equal multiple in cooking time. In other words a 4 lb lobster does not take twice as long to cook as a 2 lb lobster

Having cooked up to 8lb lobsters myself and had 10 and 15 lbers cooked for me. I can verify it is not the case.

[TomSwift]

10 and 15 lb behemoths - I'm envious.