The Lobster Club
A jewel-box Japanese dining room inside the Seagram Building, where Major Food Group glamour meets fish flown in from Tokyo.
98 E 53rd St, New York, NY 10022 · hours vary by night
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Why The Lobster Club is hard to book
The room sits in the old Brasserie space at the base of the Seagram Building, the first American restaurant designed by Peter Marino, and it draws a steady Midtown crowd of regulars, dealmakers, and out-of-towners who all want the same prime evening windows. Seats are released a month out and the desirable times disappear within minutes of the drop, while the rest get absorbed by repeat guests and walk-in demand. The shared, fish-forward menu and the address keep it perpetually in play, so the gap between when a table opens and when it is gone is measured in moments, not days.
We get you in by working the clock. The moment the table releases, 30 days ahead at 10am Eastern, we are already there to claim your seat, and we keep watching the cancellations right up to the night you want in case a better window opens. The booking is secured in your name, for the date you asked for, at The Lobster Club itself. Same venue, same date, every time. We never hand you a different night or a different room.
How we work this room.
Pay when we get you in.
Your card is authorized when you submit the request. We charge it only when we confirm your table. No confirmation, no charge. Ever.
Authorize, do not captureThe host is expecting you.
You walk in to The Lobster Club and the table is yours, held for your party at your time.
Confirmed for your partyOne posted price.
One number, every night, every party size. No auctions, no surge, no Friday markup. Whatever the room is doing, the price does not move. Sign in to see it.
No auctions. No surge.The Lobster Club, the FAQ.
How do I get a reservation at The Lobster Club?
Name The Lobster Club and the night you want. We book it on your account the instant a table opens or a cancellation appears, and you only pay if we actually get it.
Why is The Lobster Club so hard to book?
The Lobster Club is one of the most in-demand tables in Midtown East. Prime-time seats are claimed within seconds of release, and many never reach the public at all, so refreshing on your own rarely works.
When do The Lobster Club reservations open up?
The Lobster Club typically releases reservations around 10:00, and seats also reappear when other guests cancel. We watch both around the clock and grab yours the instant it opens.
How much does it cost to book The Lobster Club through The Elusive List?
One flat fee, charged only when we confirm your table. No table, no charge. Sign in to see the exact fee for The Lobster Club.
Five steps, start to seated.
You ask.
Tell us the night, the time window, the party size. Two minutes on this page. Card on file, not charged.
We confirm the request.
An operator reviews the request, checks the room, and sends a confirmation that we are working it. Usually within thirty minutes.
We work the room.
We reach the floor manager directly, by phone or by text, depending on the night. We make the call.
You are confirmed.
We charge the card and send your confirmation — the time and the name to give the host.
You eat.
Walk into 98 E 53rd St, give your name at the host stand, sit down. The room takes it from there. We do not see you again until the next request.
Japanese, New York, Tier II.
Bad Roman
Comedy Cellar
Dhamaka
Tonight, tomorrow,
or three months out.
We work this restaurant every day. You pay only when we confirm your table.