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 there was a place known as Burger & Lobster that existed in the Flatiron District of New York City, I knew right away that I had to make the visit.

Burger & Lobster is actually part of a worldwide chain that has finally made its way to New York City. They also have locations in England, Sweden, Kuwait, and Dubai.

The menu here is simple. A burger, a lobster roll, a whole lobster, and a couple of deserts.

That’s about it.

Interior of Burger & Lobster

Live lobster tanks
Live lobster tanks

When you walk through the doors of Burger & Lobster, the first thing you will notice are the tanks of live lobsters. There were some massive creatures in the tanks, some even over 10 pounds.

I was told that there was a fisherman and his family who moved to Nova Scotia just for the purpose of supplying Burger & Lobster with live lobsters. Prices are kept surprisingly low for a city such as New York City by the fact that it is cheaper to ship lobsters to here than to other cities in the country.

If you are looking 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
Long bar with plenty of first come, first serve seating

Just past the tanks was a really cool looking metal bar with plenty of first come, first serve seats. Since there was a group of people 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 was able to snag a seat at the bar right away.

Towering behind the bar was an impressive liquor display. Unfortunately, there was only two beers on draft: a Pilsner and a pale ale.

Adjacent to the bar area was a spacious and open dining area that was packed with everyone from couples to large groups.

You would think that a restaurant that served lobster in New York City would be fancy and uptight, but this was not the case. The decor was cool, clean, and hip while being casual and inviting. The modern and bright interior felt industrial with black ceilings, exposed air conditioning vents, and big white columns along with wooden floors, wooden tables, and maroon seats. Everything just seemed to work well together.

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

Burger & Lobster Menu

This is really the Burger & Lobster menu in New York City
This is really the Burger & Lobster menu

When I sat down, I never received a menu. Turns out, there really wasn’t a menu at Burger & Lobster. You only have 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. Not a bad deal if you ask me. I didn’t have any of the deserts on my visit but I heard they offered a cheesecake gelato with chocolate or strawberry.

If you need more details just look at the blackboard “menu” written on the wall with a short description for each item.

If you are wondering, yes, that’s about all they offered.

The Lobster Roll

The Lobster Roll at Burger & Lobster in New York City
The Lobster Roll

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

You would think with only three items on the menu that it would be simple to order. But no, it made my decision that much more difficult.

After I made my order, my food arrived no more than five minutes later. Usually when food comes out that quickly, I get a feeling that my food was prepared before and was sitting around and getting cold. In this case, with only three items on the menu, I understand that the chefs just crank out the same food one after another.

The lobster roll was served with a small salad and a side of french fries on a rectangular metal tray on top of white paper. Nothing fancy but surprisngly presented well.

Just look how much lobster is packed into the bread
Just look how much lobster is packed into the bread

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 that this thing was heavy. When I looked closer, I was surprised by the generous amount of cold lobster that was packed inside the warm, buttery, and lightly toasted brioche bun. This thing didn’t skimp on lobster.

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

The lobster was simply tossed in just the right amount of light Japanese mayonnaise and diced chives. To be honest, I’m not really sure how the mayonnaise was considered Japanese. It just tasted like standard mayonnaise to me.

Every bite was rich and buttery and was made even better with a quick squeeze of lemon.

After demolishing the lobster roll, I almost forgot about the fries and salad on the side.

The basic fries arrived warm, crispy, and salty. They had just the right amount of crispiness on the outside while remaining soft on the inside. Ironically, they tasted exactly like the french fries you would find 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 slightly sweet balsamic dressing that was lightly drizzled around. I also enjoyed the sprinkling of Parmesan cheese on top which gave each bite a good pungent flavor.

Service

When I first sat down at the bar, I was located at the very far end, so getting the attention of the bartender on a busy night took a little bit of effort.

After that, the service was great.

My food arrived quickly and my drinks were refilled at a moment’s notice.

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 think I wil try out the whole lobster. Sounds crazy that you 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 of my expectations.

With that said, I can easily recommend Burger & Lobster for the food, drinks, decor, and casual ambiance.

Pros

  • The lobster roll was packed with delicious cool chunks of tender lobster
  • The slightly sweet balsamic dressing on the salad was wonderful
  • Cool, casual, and hip interior
  • Food arrived quickly

Cons

  • Limited menu options
  • Expensive beers and cocktails
  • Limited draft beer options

Hours

Monday: 11:30AM-10:00PM
Tuesday-Thursday: 11:30AM-11:00PM
Friday-Saturday: 11:30AM-12:00AM
Sunday: 11:30AM-10:00PM

Address

39 W 19th St
New York, NY 10011
GPS Coordinates: 40.740093,-73.993430

Map



Last Updated on January 1, 2024

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