The Lobster House

What The Lobster House does

The Lobster House is a privately held, family-owned seafood restaurant group operating from a single waterfront site at Fisherman's Wharf in Cape May, New Jersey, where it has served guests for over four generations. The core operation is an upscale, family-friendly full-service restaurant with five dining rooms and a full bar that is open for lunch and dinner year-round, complemented by four co-located venues on the same dock: the Raw Bar (casual indoor/outdoor dockside dining), the Schooner American (a 130-foot authentic Grand Banks sailing vessel that has functioned as an outdoor cocktail lounge since 1965), the Take-Out Shop (year-round dockside take-out), and a Fish Market retailing fresh and prepared seafood. A sixth on-site Coffee Shop opens daily at 6:00 a.m. for breakfast through 11:30 a.m. The defining operational feature is the company's own commercial fishing fleet, which docks on the property and supplies much of the seafood served on-site; the fleet also offloads and ships millions of pounds of seafood annually.

The business operates as direct-to-consumer only — the restaurant explicitly does not take reservations — with a primary customer mix of Cape May and Southern New Jersey shore tourists, local residents, and families seeking an upscale dining experience, alongside a secondary use-case segment of private event hosts (intimate gatherings through large weddings and social events) served with a dedicated event coordinator. Pricing on menu items is not publicly disclosed; the only priced SKUs are the Cape May Clambake (two live lobsters, 18 shrimp, 18 clams, 18 mussels, serving two, at $59.95 plus shipping) and gift certificates, both sold through a Shopify-based online store that ships Fed-Ex overnight anywhere in the United States. Marketing is entirely organic: a Facebook page, an Instagram account, and the corporate website, with no evidence of paid acquisition. The technology stack is minimal: Shopify for e-commerce and payment processing, Google Analytics for site analytics, and a registered Lobster House® trademark; there is no mobile app, no disclosed API or SDK, and no AI/ML capability.

There is no public revenue disclosure, no funding history, no parent company, no disclosed ownership beyond family control, no reported management team, and no M&A activity. Headcount is reported as 1-10, which is inconsistent with the venue footprint and most plausibly reflects only owners/managers rather than the full tipped and seasonal BOH labor pool; on that basis it should not be treated as a scalable headcount proxy. Operating geographies are limited to the United States (New Jersey) for dine-in, with clambakes shipped nationwide.

Name

The Lobster House

Legal name

The Lobster House

Website

https://thelobsterhouse.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Lobster House is a family-owned, dockside seafood restaurant on Fisherman's Wharf in Cape May, NJ, serving tourists and locals from six co-located waterfront venues, with its own commercial fishing fleet supplying fresh seafood.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Seafood Restaurant

NAICS

Fish and Seafood Retailers (44525)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Steakhouses & Seafood Restaurants (THAFACAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Seafood Markets & Fishmongers (CRAHAHAC), Seafood Fast Casual (THAFABAJ)

Keywords

• Seafood restaurant
• Dockside dining
• Fresh seafood market
• Waterfront dining
• Seafood takeout

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape May

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Dine-in Restaurant Sales: Full-service dining in five waterfront dining rooms with full bar, serving upscale family-friendly seafood in nautical atmosphere. Lunch and dinner served daily year-round.
2. Take-Out and Fish Market Sales: Fresh seafood for home preparation, prepared specialties (Clams Casino, Oysters Rockefeller, Barbecued Clams, Crab Cakes, Crab Imperial, Stuffed Flounder), sauces, breading, and utensils sold at the Fish Market and Take-Out shop for immediate consumption or home cooking.
3. Schooner American Cocktail Lounge: Outdoor cocktail lounge on 130-foot Grand Banks sailing vessel offering full bar, luncheon menu and appetizers with waterfront ambiance. Serves patrons before dinner or as standalone destination.
4. Online Store (Clambakes and Gift Certificates): Shipped Cape May Clambake (Two Live Lobsters, 18 Shrimp, 18 Clams, 18 Mussels, serves 2) at $59.95 plus shipping, shipped Fed-Ex overnight anywhere in the U.S. Gift certificates available with free shipping.
5. Private Events: Indoor and outdoor event spaces accommodating small intimate groups to large weddings/social events, with event coordinator assistance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Lobster House is a family-owned, dockside seafood restaurant in Cape May, NJ offering a portfolio of dining experiences including a main waterfront restaurant with five dining rooms and full bar, The Raw Bar, the Schooner American cocktail lounge (a 130-foot sailing vessel), a Take-Out Shop, a Fish Market, and a Coffee Shop. Fresh seafood is sourced directly from its own commercial fishing fleet docked on premises, with nationwide shipping of Cape May Clambakes and gift certificates via an online store.

Product overview

The Lobster House is a family-owned, multi-experience seafood restaurant offering a portfolio of interconnected dining and retail products. The core offering is the main waterfront restaurant with five dining rooms and full bar serving fresh seafood from its own commercial fishing fleet. Supporting the restaurant are distinct dining venues: The Raw Bar (casual dockside raw seafood and bar), Schooner American (outdoor cocktail lounge on a 130-foot historic sailing vessel), and the Coffee Shop (breakfast service). The Take Out Shop provides full take-out menu items for dockside or home dining, while the Fish Market retails fresh and prepared seafood. The Cape May Clambake (shipped seafood meal) and Gift Certificates are retail products extending the brand experience beyond the physical location. All offerings are unified by the restaurant's direct access to fresh seafood from its own commercial fishing fleet docked on premises.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Raw Bar: Casual dockside dining experience with raw clams, oysters, crab soup, hard shell crabs, lobster, burgers, sandwiches, and salads.
• Schooner American
• Take Out Shop
• Fish Market
• Cape May Clambake

Products and services

• The Lobster House Restaurant The main waterfront restaurant featuring five unique dining rooms and a full bar, offering upscale family-friendly dining with freshly caught seafood from the restaurant's own commercial fishing fleet. Served during lunch (11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.) and dinner (4:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.) year-round.
• The Raw Bar Dockside casual dining venue offering raw clams and oysters, famous crab soup, hard shell crabs, lobster, burgers, sandwiches, salads, and draft beer in an authentic waterfront boat-house atmosphere. Entire menu is available for self-serve dockside dining.
• Schooner American Outdoor cocktail lounge on a 130-foot authentic Grand Banks sailing vessel moored dockside, offering a full bar, luncheon menu, and specialty appetizers during evening hours. Provides free dockage for patrons arriving by boat.
• Take Out Shop Year-round take-out service offering a full menu of seafood specialties for dockside dining or home consumption, including homemade soups, fresh breads, fried and broiled seafood platters, and steamed shrimp. Phone ahead for pick-up available.
• Fish Market Fresh seafood market offering locally landed seafood from the restaurant's own dock plus daily imports from around the world. Features prepared specialties like Clams Casino, Oysters Rockefeller, Barbecued Clams, Crab Cakes, and Crab Imperial, along with sauces, breading, utensils, and a cookbook. Seafood is packed on ice for transport.
• Coffee Shop On-site coffee shop open daily from 6:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. (9:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays), serving breakfast every day until 11:30 a.m.
• Cape May Clambake Shipped seafood meal containing two live lobsters, 18 shrimp, 18 clams, and 18 mussels, serving two people. Cooked in its shipping can on the customer's stovetop. Available for Fed-Ex overnight shipping to anywhere in the U.S. for $59.95 plus shipping.
• Gift Certificates Digital and physical gift certificates available for purchase through the online store at shop.thelobsterhouse.com with free shipping on all gift certificates.
• Private Events Indoor and outdoor event spaces accommodating small intimate groups to large weddings and social events, with event coordinator assistance and customizable menus.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Tourist-destination casual seafood restaurant chain located in waterfront and entertainment districts. Comparable to The Lobster House on tourist-driven, harbor-adjacent seafood dining and themed ambience.
• Legal Sea Foods: Established East Coast seafood restaurant group operating full-service casual and upscale locations. Highly comparable to The Lobster House as a multi-decade, multi-format seafood operator with a strong brand and standard restaurant service model.
• Joe's Crab Shack: National casual seafood restaurant chain specializing in crab, shrimp, lobster, and other shellfish. Direct comparable to The Lobster House on seafood-forward casual dining and raw bar offerings.
• McCormick & Schmick's Seafood & Steaks: Upscale-casual seafood and steakhouse chain with full bar service. Comparable to The Lobster House's main restaurant offering on menu mix (seafood-forward with full bar) and price positioning.
• Captain D's: National quick-service and fast-casual seafood chain. Comparable as a seafood-focused restaurant operator, though at a lower price point and broader geographic footprint than The Lobster House.

Regional players

• Lucky Bones Backwater Grille: Waterfront casual seafood and American restaurant in Cape May. Competes with The Lobster House's Raw Bar and Take-Out Shop for casual waterfront dining traffic.
• Harpoon Henry's: Family-friendly waterfront seafood restaurant in Cape May. Regional peer competing directly with The Lobster House for family seafood occasions and casual harbor views.
• Blue Pig Tavern: Historic Cape May restaurant serving American tavern fare with seafood emphasis. Direct regional competitor for tourist and resident dining dollars against The Lobster House within the same Cape May market.
• The Ebbitt Room: Upscale American and seafood restaurant located in Cape May's historic district. Direct regional competitor targeting Cape May's higher-end dining segment, comparable to The Lobster House's main restaurant on price point and experience.

Emerging players

• Fisherman's Wharf Restaurants: Multi-venue, dockside seafood restaurants in Cape May. Comparable in concept to The Lobster House's multi-format waterfront model combining sit-down dining, raw bar, and market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheLobsterHouseCapeMayNJ
• Instagraminstagram.com/the_lobster_house
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lobster-house

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Lobster House