Burger & Lobster, the popular UK chain, has opened in the Flatiron district, not too far past its projected 2014 opening. The concept is so simple that the name of the restaurant doubles as the menu. As in the UK, diners are given the option of either a hamburger, a lobster roll, or a one and a half pound whole lobster, served with fries and a salad for a set price. In the UK that price is £20, while here it is $20, which sounds like a better deal given exchange rates (currently £20 is equal to $30.38). However, there is no tax and tip in the UK, so the prices are pretty close when you factor in both.
The project is ambitious, to say the least. The restaurant is a sprawling 13,000 square feet on two levels (it formerly housed a Tiger Schulmann karate studio) with 340 seats in total and two full service bars. There is a "lobster condo" that holds 4,000 crustaceans in the basement and another tank on the main floor that will hold larger specimens up to 15 pounds, which will be sold by weight instead of the set menu price. The burger is a 10 ounce custom Hereford beef blend from Pat LaFrieda, and bacon and cheese toppings are free. There is also a single dessert option that changes regularly. Lobster & Burger is open seven days a week, lunch and dinner.
Take a look around the space in the slideshow above.