Burger & Lobster in the Flatiron District of New York City

Burger & Lobster, New York City, NY — Burger & Lobster

I love burgers, and I love lobster. So when I heard a place known as Burger & Lobster existed in the Flatiron District of New York City, I knew I had to visit.

Burger & Lobster is part of a worldwide chain that has finally reached New York City. It also has locations in England, Sweden, Kuwait, and Dubai.

The menu here is simple: a burger, a lobster roll, a whole lobster, and a few desserts. That’s about it.

Since my last visit to Burger & Lobster, their Flatiron District location on W 19th St St has closed. I have yet to visit the new Bryant Park location on W 43rd. Therefore, this review will focus on my visit to their old location.

Interior of Burger & Lobster

When I walked through the doors of Burger & Lobster, I first noticed the tanks of live lobsters. Some of the creatures were massive, some even over 10 pounds.

A worker told me how a fisherman and his family moved to Nova Scotia to supply Burger & Lobster with live lobsters. Prices are kept surprisingly low for a city such as New York City because shipping lobsters here is cheaper than to other cities in the country.

If you want to take home a live whole lobster, you can purchase one for about $20 a pound.

Long bar with plenty of first come, first serve seating

Just past the tanks was a cool metal bar with plenty of first-come, first-served seats. Since a group was congregating around the front of the restaurant near the hostess, I knew the wait was probably long. Luckily, since I was alone this time, I quickly snagged a seat at the bar.

An impressive liquor display towered behind the bar. Unfortunately, only two beers—a Pilsner and a pale ale—were on draft.

Adjacent to the bar was a spacious, open dining area busy with couples and large groups.

You would think a restaurant serving lobster in New York City would be fancy and uptight, but this was not the case. The décor was cool, clean, and hip while casual and inviting.

The modern and bright interior felt industrial, with black ceilings, exposed air conditioning vents, big white columns, wooden floors, wooden tables, and maroon seats. Everything worked well together.

Everyone was also having a great time. The place was lively and loud, with music playing in the background and people talking across the dining room.

Burger & Lobster Menu

When I sat down, I never received a menu. Burger & Lobster didn’t have a physical menu, only a blackboard menu. You had three options: the burger, the lobster roll, or the whole lobster (1.5 pounds). Each was $20.

Burger & Lobster also offered a special. For $60, you could get two burgers, one lobster to share, and two desserts. That’s a good deal if you ask me. I didn’t have any desserts on my visit, but I heard they offered cheesecake gelato with chocolate or strawberry.

If you need more details, look at the blackboard “menu” on the wall, which had a short description for each item.

The Lobster Roll

After much debate, I ended up settling on the Lobster Roll ($20).

I thought ordering would be simple, with only three items on the menu. But no, it made my decision that much more difficult.

After I ordered, my food arrived at most five minutes later. Usually, when food comes out quickly, I assume it is sitting around and getting cold before being brought out. In this case, with only three items on the menu, I understand that the chefs crank out the same food one after another.

The lobster roll came with a small salad and a side of French fries on a rectangular metal tray on top of white paper. It was nothing fancy but surprisingly presented well.

At first glance, I was slightly disappointed at the size of the lobster roll. For $20, I expected something larger.

But then I picked up the lobster roll and realized it was heavy. When I looked closer, I was surprised by the generous amount of cold lobster packed inside the warm, buttery, and lightly toasted brioche bun. This thing didn’t skimp on lobster.

The chunks of lobster were cooked perfectly, tender, and almost melted in my mouth. You never want to see such delicate meat overcooked.

Tossed with the lobster was just the right amount of light Japanese mayonnaise and diced chives. I don’t know how the mayonnaise was considered Japanese, but it tasted like standard mayonnaise to me.

Every bite of the roll was rich and buttery. A quick squeeze of lemon made everything better by bringing the lobster roll together.

After demolishing the lobster roll, I remembered the fries and salad on the side.

The basic fries arrived warm, crispy, and salty. They had the right amount of crispiness on the outside while remaining soft inside. Ironically, they tasted like the french fries at McDonald’s.

The simple salad of baby greens, lettuce, spinach, and sliced red onions was crunchy and refreshing. What made the salad great was the lightly drizzled balsamic dressing, which was slightly sweet.

I also enjoyed the sprinkling of Parmesan cheese on top of the greens, giving each bite a spicy flavor.

Service at Burger & Lobster

When I first sat at the bar, I sat at the very far end, so getting the bartender’s attention on a busy night took a little effort.

After that, the service was excellent, with my food arriving quickly and drinks refilled constantly.

When the night got a little less busy, the bartender also stopped by a few times for a quick chat and to ask about how the food was.

Conclusion

Whether you choose the burger, lobster roll, or whole lobster, you can’t go wrong for $20. Next time, I’ll try the entire lobster. I can’t believe I can get a 1.5-pound whole lobster in the middle of Manhattan for only 20 bucks.

The lobster roll, packed with cool chunks of tender lobster, surpassed all my expectations.

I recommend Burger & Lobster for its food, drinks, décor, and casual ambiance.