Where to eat a whole Maine lobster that's somewhat affordable?

I'm taking pops out to dinner, and he wants a whole Maine lobster--you know, in the shell, with butter and a bib. I don't want to take him to the Palm or someplace else outrageously expensive. I'm willing to drive. Any suggestions?

Marks on La Cienega is having a Wed. nite lobster special---$23.95 p.p. which includes chowder, salad, corn on the cob and a 1 1/2lb Maine lobster. I've eaten there for dinner before, but not for their lobster special. They also have an outdoor patio area.

861 N. La Cenega Blvd.
310.652.5252
marksrestaurant.com

You might check into some of the Chinese seafood places in the SGV.

my family always orders two small to medium sized lobsters instead of a gigantic one. more tender and sweeter meat.

McCormick & Schmicks at Via Rodeo (corner of Wilshire and Rodeo in BH) does a monday night Lobster, $20 for lobster, corn, etc.

Their food is excellent, and very fresh.

neptune's net, malibu pch...picnic table but inexpensive...or have em shipped overnite and steam em at home...877. 991.LOVE

Frankie's on Melrose often has a whole lobster special at a good price. Prepared fra diavlo with pasta was $23 the last time I was there. Another place would be the Redondo Beach pier.

I don't know what your budget is like, but The Palm happens to be running a great special on lobster right now.

In this "Feast for Two", you get two salads (mixed green or Caesar), any two side dishes, coffee and hot tea...plus you share one of the following:

4 lb. lobster $75
5 lb. lobster $85
6 lb. lobster $95

Considering their lobster is normally $24/lb., this is a great deal.

Note that the price listed is the total price for the meal, not a "per person" price.

I did an earlier analysis on this very topic and suggested to not be fooled by the "SIZE" of the Palm's Lobster, click the link:

Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...

I think there are "Palm People" and "Not Palm People", and that's what makes the world go 'round :-)

Personally, I've always had great lobster at the WeHo location. I can't say the same for Downtown, unfortunately. I agree with another poster who said that they rarely have 5 or 6 lb. lobsters (I can't remember anything other than 3 or 4 lbs). We ordered a 5 lb once, and they gave us two 3-pounders instead. Your analysis comes out to $10/lb, and assumes that one chooses the least expensive salads and sides on the menu. Heck, you'd be hard-pressed to find live lobsters for less than $10/lb, so I think it's a pretty great deal.

As for Chinois, that's a great idea as well...but it's a completely different kind of experience and flavor/taste. She had asked for the standard bib-and-drawn-butter experience, and The Palm definitely provides that.

But I am "Palm People" - For about 7 -10 years I was a good enough regular patron that GiGi put me on their Birthday mailing list where they gave you a FREE 3 lb. lobster once any time during you birthday month. I never missed it. Also, worked for a boss that when we closed a deal or entertained clients, about 4 times a year, he would always order either a 5 or 7 lb. Australian lobster for the table that had claws equal to or bigger than my hand. It was these bigger ones, and sometimes even the 3 pounders, where the quality of their taste faded away.

According to their website, they are now serving Jumbo Nova Scotia Lobsters, 3 lbs and over; so maybe their is a difference in taste over the Australians they used to serve? The problem is that the OP's dad wants lobster but she may not? Also, the OP said she didn't want to eat at the Palm either because she thought it would be too expensive or she doesn't like the place. Bottom line, IMHO, "if" $95 is your budget for food, you'd have a better tasting dinner all round at Chinois sitting at the counter for Lobster than at The Palm - even though the OP's Dad requested drawn butter and Bib.

Food for Thought - After rounding up the usual suspects, based "solely" on their online menus, no other place EVER lists any Lobster over 2 lbs. Why do you think that is?

Some do say "Jumbo Lobster Tail" leaving its poundage a mystery.

Yes $10 a pound is a great deal for Lobster as long as you enjoy want your comsuming; however, the best Lobster deal I've seen is the one "LA GIRL" posted about above: a Wednesday Night special 1 1/2 pound lobster dinner for $23.95!

Link: http://www.thepalm.com/promodetail.cf...

Actually, I have a great time at the Palm. I just never thought of it as a cost-effective place to have a lobster dinner. It's certainly not the most expensive place for it either.

My dad is of the opinion that a lobster shouldn't be more than a couple of pounds because it tastes better and it's easier to get the meat out of the shells. I don't know if that's really the case or not, but he's my dad, so I'll have to go with that. He also gets himself worked up if it costs too much, which throws him into an evening-long riff about how when I was a baby (47 years ago), lobster was cheaper than hamburger meat (back East, of course). I just would rather avoid that whole scenario. You gotta love family!

Thanks for the suggestions!

Why do you think $10/lb is not a good deal for lobster? Certainly, the other prices per pound you noted for a regular lobster elsewhere were higher.

My own experience with the Palm lobsters (3-5 lbs usually but the odd 6 lber has crawled by) has mostly been very good--true many other places routinely overcook the larger lobsters but the Palm has typically gotten it right and, on the rare occasion that it hasn't, it has corrected the problem for me upon being told. Also, as a poster in the prior thread noted, if the restaurant doesn't have a 6 lber in the tank, it will substitute two 3 lbers.

This is not to diminish how wonderful the Shanghai Lobster at Chinois tastes but sometimes one just craves a simple lobster with drawn butter.