Lobster Bay — Restaurant in Rowland Heights

🦞“Big Group, Big Meal, Tiny Bill” Lobster Bay – Rowland Heights | 4.7/5

Lobster Bay is one of those classic Cantonese-style restaurants tucked into a strip mall. This one’s right off Nogales and the 60, and yes, plenty of free parking, which already puts it ahead of half the city. We rolled in for a lunch meeting with a big group, eight of us total. Five of us were from a community committee, and two were local officials we were hosting (yes, actual local officers, no pressure, right?). So this lunch had to do a couple things: feed everyone well, not make the guests feel awkward, and not torch the wallet. Spoiler: Lobster Bay nailed all three. We came right at noon, and the place was maybe 30% full, which was surprising for how solid the food is. Staff was super polite, really attentive, and brought out hot tea and house soup right off the bat, no questions asked. Everyone ordered an individual lunch entrée. Cantonese-style dishes like chow mein, chow fun, eggplant with garlic, sautéed mushrooms, and a few of the “greatest hits” off the menu. All came with rice, all came out fast, and everything was fresh, flavorful, and filling. No one left hungry, including our two guests, who we quietly made sure had more than enough on their plates (Cantonese hospitality is real). And just when we thought it couldn’t get better, the manager brought out a free cold chicken appetizer, on the house. Didn’t even put it on the bill. Speaking of the bill: eight entrees, soup, rice, and tea = $106 total. Toss in the tip, and it was $121 out the door. That’s $15 per person, including tip, for a full sit-down meal with real service and real portions. Where else is that happening? We hadn’t been to Lobster Bay in a while and honestly forgot how solid it is. But now it’s firmly back on the radar. Great food, great value, chill vibes, easy parking. Whether you're feeding a crew or just want some comfort Cantonese, this place...

Make sure to plot your driving directions beforehand. The lack of sign on Nogales was problematic for me. Turn into the street with the traffic light just north of Denny's then it's at the end of it. Make a left once off the street otherwise you will be stuck behind lots of traffic going to the other popular hot pot place next door.

The store front is a little overkill with menu items. Pardon that and it's good inside. Choices are plenty but do note the prices are not sam woo or cafe tier. I think we got our money's worth. You do need to come as a group so you can order a lot of dishes. Otherwise it would be hard to justify the visit by having a plate or two. Not the place for fried noodles or fried rice. It's a place for live seafood as its name sake lobster. We had pepper steak, lobster with noodles, "fried paper" chicken, shrimp with walnut, fried fish, etc etc. Most dishes were great. The seafood soup of the night was a bit disappointing. Perhaps the cold bowls and spoons cooled the soup too much when it was served or maybe it was cold to start. It caused or accentuated a bit of fishiness on the sea cucumber in the soup. Then the same cold temp issue with the dessert--red bean soup. That could definitely be better with a bit more ingredients and beans. This batch we had was just thickened with starch. Hardly anything in the soup. Service was excellent. But the night...

Lobster Bay in Rowland Heights is a family favorite — we’ve been coming here for years, especially for birthdays and big gatherings. It’s ideal for large groups, with both open seating and private rooms available upon request.

The plates are massive, and the lazy Susan setup makes it perfect for family-style dining. Must-orders include the lobster noodles, walnut shrimp, Peking duck, chow fun, and fried rice — all super flavorful. The food comes out fast, and the servers are quick, helpful, and attentive. They’re great about switching out plates throughout the meal, just ask!

They’ve got a solid drink selection too — from milk teas and boba-style drinks to wine, beer, and liquor. You can also call ahead to make reservations, which we often do. And if you bring a cake, they’ll store it in the fridge for you — really convenient for celebrations.

Heads up: the plaza is packed with restaurants, so parking can be a pain, especially during peak times. But honestly, it’s worth the hassle — the service, speed, and flavor...