the lobster

What the lobster does

The Lobster is a legacy seafood restaurant operating at the top of the Santa Monica Pier at 1602 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica, California. Originally established in 1923 as a 900-square-foot fish market and seafood shack, the restaurant was closed in 1985 following El Niño-related damage to the pier and revived by a group of local families, reopening in 1999 as a two-story cantilevered fine-dining establishment with glass walls and 180°+ panoramic ocean views. The original 1923 structure is incorporated into the current building's main entrance. The restaurant is operated as The Lobster, LLC, a privately held California limited liability company with no disclosed external investment or institutional backing.

The Lobster's core offering is full-service fine dining spanning breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner under Executive Chef Govind Armstrong, who joined in 2017 from Bravo TV's Top Chef Masters and brings prior experience at Wolfgang Puck's original Spago and three-star Michelin restaurant Arzak in Spain. The menu centers on lobster-focused American seafood, with signature items including 1.5 lb Steamed Maine Lobster ($63) and 3 lb Grilled Maine Lobster ($132), alongside seafood and meat entrees ($22-$75), craft cocktails ($19-$22), and a wine list. Supporting programs include a daily 3-6 PM Happy Hour, all-day Friday specials, monthly Jazz & Pizza Nights on third Thursdays, premium seafood takeout by phone, and private event hosting for groups of 15-175 guests including corporate events, weddings, and full restaurant buyouts. The restaurant earned Michelin Plate recognition in 2019 and again in 2025.

The Lobster generates revenue through three primary streams: dine-in food and beverage sales, private events and catering, and takeout orders. Its go-to-market is direct-to-consumer, leveraging the iconic Santa Monica Pier location to attract walk-in tourists, local foodies, and destination diners, supplemented by Resy for reservations, Constant Contact for email marketing, social media presence on Facebook and Instagram, earned media coverage (Michelin Guide, Eater LA, CBS, KTLA), and recurring live event programming. Pricing is uniformly unit-based across all channels with no subscription, contracted, or recurring revenue components.

Name

the lobster

Legal name

The Lobster, LLC

Website

https://thelobster.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Lobster is a privately held, 100+ year legacy seafood restaurant at the top of Santa Monica Pier, serving fine-dining lobster-focused American cuisine, weekend brunch, cocktails, and private events for groups of 15-175 guests under Executive Chef Govind Armstrong.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Seafood Fine Dining

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Steakhouses & Seafood Restaurants (THAFACAE)

Keywords

• Seafood restaurant
• Fine dining
• Private events
• Lobster specialties
• Oceanfront dining

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Monica

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Dine-in Food & Beverage Sales: Full-service restaurant revenue from menu items including seafood entrees, cocktails, wine, and specialty dishes. Revenue generated from daily lunch, dinner, weekend brunch, and happy hour service periods.
2. Private Events & Catering: Private party hosting for groups of 15-175 guests including corporate events, celebrations, and buyout options. Revenue from group reservations and event bookings.
3. Takeout & Delivery: Premium seafood orders for at-home dining including lobster, calamari, salads, and specialty items available for phone orders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Lobster is a legacy seafood fine-dining restaurant located at the top of the Santa Monica Pier, offering breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner menus featuring sustainably sourced, locally acquired seafood and lobster specialties crafted by Executive Chef Govind Armstrong. The restaurant complements its dining service with private event hosting for groups of 15-175 guests, a daily happy hour, monthly live jazz events, and premium seafood takeout orders.

Product overview

The Lobster is a legacy seafood restaurant offering a unified dining experience centered on fine-dining seafood cuisine. The core product is its full-service restaurant providing breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner menus featuring locally sourced, sustainably designed seafood dishes crafted by Executive Chef Govind Armstrong. Supporting the dining experience are add-on services including a daily Happy Hour program (3-6 PM with discounted food and cocktails), monthly live music events (Jazz & Pizza Night on third Thursdays), and premium seafood takeout orders. For larger gatherings, the restaurant offers comprehensive private event hosting services accommodating groups from 15 to 175 guests with flexible seating options from intimate tables to full buyouts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fine Dining Restaurant Services Full-service fine dining restaurant offering brunch, lunch, and dinner with a focus on seafood cuisine, signature lobster dishes, fresh catches, and gourmet fare. Designed for diners seeking premium seafood dining with panoramic ocean views.
• Private Event Hosting Private party and group event hosting services accommodating 15-175 guests, with options ranging from intimate window tables to semi-private seating and full restaurant buyouts for corporate events, weddings, and celebrations.
• Premium Seafood Takeout

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ResycoreTechnology or IntegrationResy is the restaurant reservation platform used by The Lobster for table bookings. Guests can reserve tables through the Resy website or app, enabling online reservation management.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Water Grill: Long-standing upscale seafood restaurant with a Santa Monica location, competing directly with The Lobster for destination seafood diners, premium pricing, and similar menu positioning in the LA market.
• Providence: Michelin-starred seafood fine-dining restaurant in LA, comparable to The Lobster in culinary prestige, seafood-forward tasting menus, and high-end pricing for destination diners.
• Nobu Malibu: Celebrity-chef-driven oceanfront fine dining in coastal LA, similar to The Lobster in waterfront real estate, premium pricing, and tourist/destination diner mix.
• Mastro's Ocean Club: Upscale seafood and steakhouse chain with a similar LA-coastal fine-dining positioning, comparable high average checks, lounge/cocktail programming, and private event offerings.
• Gladstones Malibu: Iconic oceanfront dining destination on the LA coast, directly comparable to The Lobster in beachfront views, casual-upscale seafood menu, and tourist/locals diner mix.
• Catch LA: Trendy, high-energy seafood-focused restaurant in West Hollywood with celebrity clientele and premium pricing, competing for destination diners seeking upscale seafood experiences in LA.
• The Hungry Cat: Santa Monica-adjacent seafood-focused restaurant by chef David Lentz, with a directly comparable seafood-forward menu and Santa Monica/Venice destination-diner clientele.

Broad incumbents

• Ocean Prime: National upscale seafood and steakhouse chain with broad geographic reach, overlapping The Lobster's premium surf-and-turf positioning, private dining capabilities, and high-end cocktail program.
• BOA Steakhouse: LA-based upscale steakhouse chain with seafood elements, comparable to The Lobster in fine-dining pricing, cocktail lounge culture, and private event hosting.
• King's Fish House: California-based seafood restaurant chain serving fresh, sustainably sourced seafood, overlapping with The Lobster on seafood menu composition though at a lower price point and broader footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheLobsterSM
• Instagraminstagram.com/thelobstersm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thelobster

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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