Waikiki’s The Royal Lobster — a clean, high-quality lobster roll house by Justin Sok — is opening a second location right here in Los Angeles, on the 9000 block of Santa Monica Boulevard. The incoming Beverly Hills outpost will open in September, says Sok, but the founder has his fingers crossed for a late August debut.
The Royal Lobster popped up in Hawaii in 2021 after Sok had seemingly tried every roll on the island. Deciding to keep his rendition simple, Sok opted to add only two things to his menu: a no-mayo lobster roll and a lobster salad — each made with 100% Maine lobster.
At its core — or perhaps, its claw — The Royal Lobster is no-fuss meets fine dining, at least as far as quality fare goes. The roll, which features a lightly seasoned full tail, claw, and knuckle, comes served on a fluffy brioche bun and is finished with warm butter. On the side, Sok serves up chilled house coleslaw and potato chips.
Similarly, The Royal Lobster salad is a crisp bed of mixed greens topped with house balsamic vinaigrette and layered with fresh lobster meat (tail, claw, knuckle). The only catch, however, is The Royal Lobster is open from 11:30 am to 6 pm or until sold out, and the eatery is limited to 100 servings a day. That means, first come first serve; luckily, Angelenos love exclusivity and a little competition.
Ahead of the sister store’s opening, What Now Los Angeles caught up with Justin Sok to find out more about the motivation behind expanding and what we can all expect from the forthcoming island delight:
WNLA: Why are you opening a second location in LA?
JS: Since being in Waikiki, we get a lot of visitors from all over the world. California, especially Los Angeles visitors, visited the most and they really wanted us there. We feel like the lobster roll scene is great in LA, and we’re excited to make it even better.
WNLA: Will the LA location operate the same as the Honolulu outpost with its limited servings daily and two-item menu?
JS: Yes, it will be operating the same way we do here.
WNLA: Pending the LA store’s inevitable success, do you see yourself expanding the concept further?
JS: As we continue to gain success and support from our customers, we are looking into expanding to other parts of California as well.
