The Tackle Box Southern Seafood & More-Closed

The Tackle Box Southern Seafood & More
17620 Bellflower Blvd
Unit B108
Bellflower, CA 90706
562-804-0736

I found out about The Tackle Box Southern Seafood & More when LA Eater published a story about them opening a store, after having a food truck for many years! It's a small galley style restaurant with the counter and the kitchen on the left and the dining room on the right side of the building.  It's dark with the only lights, the daylight from the windows.

Fish and Shrimp tackle box-$15 plus $10 for lobster, with mac and cheese.  You have your choice of fried or grilled seafood. I got the grilled lobster and the fried shrimp.  The shrimp was very good! Good flavor, and huge pieces of shrimp! The batter was very good, not as hard as other cornmeal batter.  This could have been great if this was made to order.  The shrimp was maybe warm, not hot.  But, fresh out of the fryer, this would be great!!

The lobster was good.  A bit on the small side, but tender and flavorful.  It was grilled with lemon butter.

Service is ok.  The lady taking the order is just going through the motions.  She isn't mean or unfriendly, but you know she doesn't want to be there!  They also charge extra, I think 45 cents if you use debit or credit cards!

I would go back for the shrimp and to try the fish, but I won't rush back. 

Broad Street Oyster Co

Broad Street Oyster Co sets up a Smorgasburg, which is near the Arts District.  Smorgasburg is a huge food court area, set into what used to be the produce warehouse.  They are open every Sunday from 10-4pm.  It can get very crowded!

Two places that had lobster rolls are now closed- Lobsta Shack and Knuckle & Claw.

Their lobster roll is very popular.  $20 served hot with melted butter, or served cold with mayo.  This was an outstanding lobster roll.  Tons of lobster meat, claw meat.  The roll was light and soft, but held up well to everything loaded onto the roll.  Maybe one of the best lobster rolls I've had!

Service is good.  The lady who took my order was nice.  One small thing, after I ordered, I was waiting for her to say the total, but she never did.  I had a $20 bill in one hand and my other hand had my wallet.  I was figuring there is tax.  I told her I thought there was tax.  This is my first time there.  Most people would figure there is tax added.  She shouldn't assume everybody knows the $20 menu price is what you pay, especially since the menu doesn't say tax included.  It's not that big of a deal, but they should just say that will be $20.

I would go back to Broad Street Oyster Co.!

Lobsta Shack-Closed

Lobsta Shack
701 W Cesar E Chavez Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90012
323-999-1797

Lobsta Shack is the brick and mortar version of the very popular Lobsta Truck.  Now, I've never chased the Lobsta Truck, but overwhelmingly they got great reviews.  So I was looking for to trying Lobsta Shack.  I wanted to compare it to Knuckle & Claw, a very good place to get a lobster roll!

Located next to the old WalMart Grocery store, that closed down after a few years, Lobsta Shack is a huge restaurant.  But, it was empty the day I went.

Fish and chips, $11.  The fish is cod.  The batter wasn't good- kind of soggy and not fresh.  Either the oil they used was old and dirty or the fish was in the fryer for too long because the color of the batter is awful.  The fries, while plentiful, was from the freezer.  Not impressed.

Lobster roll-$20.  Knuckle & Claw says their lobsters are shipped directly from Maine.  I doubt the lobster used at Lobsta Shack is from Maine.  The lobster roll is a good size and there is a good amount of lobster.  They offer with butter or spicy mayo,  I got the butter.  Stick with the original.  But, the lobster was only average.  Something was missing.  Yes, the price is cheaper at for the lobster roll at Lobsta Shack, but the value or quality isn't there!  Go to Knuckle and Claw for the lobster roll.

Service was good.

I was disappointed in Lobsta Shack.  I won't go back.  I'll pay a little more and get a better quality lobster roll!

Slapfish-Closed

Slapfish
3405 E Imperial Hwy
Brea, CA 92823
657-444-2291

Slapfish is a chain that recently came into the LA/OC market.  The Brea location opened in a new complex that includes a Whole Paycheck, I mean, Whole Foods, and other upscale restaurants and shops.

A friend told me to check out Slapfish and when I saw they had lobster rolls on their menu, I was going to give them a try!  The two places that I had lobster rolls were Knuckle & Claw and Lobster Grill.  They couldn't be more different!  Knuckle & Claw's lobster roll was served hot, while Lobster Grill's was served cold and more of a lobster salad. 

Fish and chip, $9.  They use hoki fish, which I think tastes a lot like pollock.  The batter was light and crispy.  The portion size was huge, well worth the $9.  The fries were great, still crispy on the outside and soft on the inside!

Lobster roll, $18.  A bit smaller than Knuckle & Claw's version, but also served hot.  This a good, with real lobster, flavorful, and very little to no fillers.  This wasn't a lobster salad!  The bun is better than Knuckle & Claw, but the lobster, which is what you're paying for, is a notch below.  But, still a good example of a lobster roll and a good price.

Service was good.  Orders are cooked to order, so expect a wait!  It's counter service and the girl who took my order was very nice.

I would go back to Slapfish, even if it is behind the Orange Curtain! 

Knuckle & Claw-Closed

Knuckle & Claw
3112 W. Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
323-407-6142

Having tried the lobster roll at Lobster Grill, I searched for another place to get lobster rolls.  I found Knuckle & Claw and decided to head down there.  A little west on Sunset Blvd. of Silver Lake Ramen, is Knuckle & Claw, a small restaurant, that serves up Maine lobster, which they get shipped from Maine everyday.

There is no indoor seating but plenty of outdoor seating.  Tastefully decorated in a nautical theme, Knuckle & Claw is a great addition to the dining scene in Silver Lake.

 
Full Lobster Roll, $18. A 6" roll with 1/4lb of lobster!  Unlike the lobster roll at Lobster Grill, this was all meat, not fillers.  Very tasty, not much mayo, just good lobster meat.  The bun was nice and firm, holding the lobster very well.  A damn good example of lobster roll!  Well worth the price, because you're getting real lobster!

There is a blue crab roll on the menu, but the blue crab is from the Gulf of Mexico, which means it isn't nearly as good as Maryland blue crab!  There is no debating this point!

Clam chowder, $9. A good hearty example of clam chowder.  But, a bit thinner than other chowders I've had.  But, lot of clams and potatoes cut into very small pieces.

Service was good.  It was very slow when I was there, only one other customer.  Maybe Silver Lake hasn't found out about this treasure?

Knuckle & Claw is an example of paying for quality.  Yes, the lobster roll at Lobster Grill is cheaper, but you don't get Maine lobster or the amount of lobster as Knuckle & Claw.  I would go back as long as the quality stays the same!

Lobster Grill-Updated Review-Closed

Lobster Grill
3210 Chino Ave Ste A
Chino Hills
909-628-6580

Things do change quickly in Chino Hills!   Lobster Grill is the same space that housed Villaggio Pizzeria then Bad Bob's BBQ.  Too bad that chain Buffalo Wild Wings, in the same center, is still open!  Lobster Grill is a combination of Boiling Crab and a Cape Cod seaside lobster restaurant.  They have the bags of seafood with the spicy sauces and the lobster rolls, along with whole lobsters, oysters, and shrimp.

Lobster Grill really brightened up the place.  The walls are white with shades of orange, a dramatic contrast to the dark wood of Villaggio Pizzeria.  A very welcoming place.  It's order at the counter and they will bring your food to your table.

There is a very good happy hour, Tues-Fri from 3:30 to 5:30pm, they are closed Mondays.  The lobster roll, regular price, $10.95 are $8.95.   So I stopped in for happy hour.

 Clam chowder, cup. $2.95 happy hour price.  This was very good.  Came pipping hot and full of flavor.  A rich, thick, hearty broth with bigs chucks of clams and potatoes.  Hit the spot on a raining day in May!  This clam chowder is pescetarian, as there is no bacon.   

 Calamari, $4.95 happy hour price.  Regular price, $7.95.  This was served lukewarm.  This a just frozen calamari fried up.  Very rubbery and soggy.  This could be good, if served right out of the fryer. 

Lobster roll, with fries, $8.95, happy hour price.  Regular price, $10.95.  Lobster roll was great.  Lots of lobster mixed with celery and some herbs,  in a ketchup and mayo sauce.  The lobster is served cold but the roll is nicely toasted and holds up to the large amount of lobster. 

Fries were served lukewarm, but could be good if served hot!  

Service is good.  The guy who took my order was nice and helpful.  When he brought out the clam chowder, he went and got a spoon for me.  Food came out quickly. 

The idiots on Yelp give Lobster Grill three stars, mostly because they got butt hurt their groupon wasn't accepted.  One stupid yelper got mad because they wouldn't allow her to use her groupon, which included alcohol, because she didn't have her ID.  No wonder yelp is a damn joke!

They do need to work on getting out fried items while they are hot.  But, overall I like Lobster Grill, especially for their lobster roll.  I would go back and would gladly pay the full price for the lobster roll.  It's a steal at their happy hour price!

Updated June 24, 2015

So I went back to Lobster Grill and tried the Crab Melt sandwich, $8.95, during Happy Hour.  $10.95 regular price, which comes with fries.  The sandwich has cheese, provolone or white cheddar and a ton of dungeness crab!  A bit salty and there were three small pieces of shell in the crab.  Despite that, it's a good sandwich and worth the price, a good deal at the Happy Hour price.  Fries were barely warm and a bit salty.

Service was terrible!  The lady was nice but my order took about 40 minutes and it wasn't busy at all!!!!  Not sure why it took so long.  Did they forget my order?  Is the kitchen and the front, not communicating with each other? Whatever it is, they need to improve.  No way a sandwich takes 40 minutes to make.  TERRIBLE!!

My second time at Lobster Grill wasn't as good as my first time. Not sure if I would return!

Legal Sea Foods

Legal Sea Foods
255 State St
Boston, MA 02109
617-742-5300

Boston, a racist city filled with the biggest bunch of whining loser sports fans. A perfect combination for a city that I hate. But, I'm stuck in this hellhole city and figure to make the best out of it. So, I figure I'll try some of what Boston is famous for, lobster and clam chowder. I found that Legal Seafoods is a popular, long time restaurant and decide to give them a try.

Bowl of clam chowder, $6.95. This chowder was very good. Served hot and filled with clams and a decent amount of potatoes. I hate restaurants that use potatoes as fillers for clam chowder. Luckily Legal Seafoods uses the potatoes to enhance their chowder. The hearty broth, fresh clams, and well seasoned chowder made this the highlight of my meal.


Small steamed lobster, with two sides, broccoli and cheese and potato strings, $29.95. So I'm looking forward to the lobster, and when it arrived it was steamed perfectly and the meat was tender and flavorful. But, while it was good, it's not overwhelming or special. Maybe my expectations were higher but the lobster in Boston didn't overwhelm me.

What did underwhelm me was the side dishes. The broccoli and cheese could have been good, if the broccoli wasn't almost raw. I bet the broccoli had been in the steamer for about a minute. Come on leave the broccoli in the steamer for five minutes and make the broccoli tender. The onion strings were luke warm and greasy. They may have been good if I got a fresh batch, instead of a batch that had been sitting under heatlamps for too long.

Service is good, but one thing I'd like to point out. Their menu says certain items were not served after 4pm, like their lobster roll. The server told me, they will make lobster rolls after 4pm. Maybe they should change their menu to reflect that? I would have ordered a lobster roll as an appetizer, if I would have known lobster rolls are served after 4pm.

If I ever had the displeasure of going back to the hellhole city of Boston, I would not go back to Legal Seafoods again. I was expecting more and they didn't deliver.