A note on the words: live lobster (raibu robusuta) refers to whole lobsters kept swimming in the dining room’s tank until ordered, here steamed whole so the meat and its rich inner tomalley (often called miso in Japan) can be enjoyed plain without sauce. Cocktail shrimp are boiled shrimp served chilled; on this visit they arrived with the heads still on. The Ultimate Seafood Platter is a lavish mound over ice of seven chilled seafoods, including lobster claw, snow crab, cold oysters, and green mussels. Crispy pie pizza is baked on a flaky pastry crust rather than bread dough, and jalapeno death poppers are jalapenos stuffed with shrimp and mashed potato, marked extra hot on the menu.
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Red Lobster Kamiitabashi ten on Tabelog (English) — opening hours, payment details and the Japanese address are kept up to date there, not here.
To all the shrimp lovers out there, thanks for waiting! It’s time for Hangover Meshi!
Here it is! My first Red Lobster in quite a while!
Man, this really gets my spirits up. For someone who loves crustaceans and shellfish as much as I do, Red Lobster is paradise! I cannot come all that often, so it is just for special occasions, ha.
All right, time to dig in!
First of all, let’s start with a beer!
Ice-cold and so good!
Now, let’s start off with the cocktail shrimp!
I feel like sometimes they come with the heads on and sometimes without — I wonder if the Kamiitabashi branch is always head-on? I seem to remember the Odaiba branch had no heads, I think. These plump, snappy shrimp go amazingly well with beer! The sweetness of the shrimp bursts across your palate, so good! Personally, I am in the camp that skips the cocktail sauce, and they are plenty delicious just as they are. Towards the end, a little squeeze of lemon makes them crisp and refreshing!
And then — this was a first for me on this visit — I went ahead and ordered the seafood platter!
Since Red Lobster is an occasional treat, I was determined to feast just as promised! It really is a dream assortment! The cocktail shrimp overlaps with what I already ordered, but you can never have too much shrimp!
On a plate bedded with ice, seven treasures from the sea! Lobster claw, cocktail shrimp, marinated green mussels, smoked salmon, black mussels, cold oysters, snow crab. A real treasure box!
The shellfish, the oysters, everything was delicious! Naturally, the very first thing I wanted to order next was white wine. A perfect match!
Since someone with me might get tired of eating only seafood (personally, I would be completely fine with just seafood, ha), I also ordered a pizza. It is a pizza made with a pastry pie crust, and it has such an interesting shape! It might be the first time I have seen one like this. The crust around the edges is a lightly sweet pastry, flaking crisply in layers. Even with the cheese melted on top, it does not feel heavy at all, and that lightness that lets you easily polish it off is delicious!
To my surprise, Red Lobster has an extra-spicy item on the menu!
It is shrimp and mashed potato wrapped in jalapeno peppers. The menu actually says EXTRA HOT!, ha. As someone who loves spicy food, I felt a sense of duty to take up the challenge and ordered it! Taking a single bite…
“Wait, maybe it is not so bad? Well, after all, how spicy could ‘extra-spicy’ at Red Lobster really be…?“
…or so I thought, until the heat slowly started creeping up, ha.
Whoa! This actually got quite spicy. There must be variations from pepper to pepper — the hot ones are seriously hot, ha. The ones that are not are pretty manageable. It is partly luck of the draw, but I am glad I hit a spicy one!
By the way, if you hit a really hot one, you can barely taste the shrimp or the mashed potato anymore, ha.
Now, with the heat subsiding, it is finally time for the main dish!
Ta-da!
Once the staff cracked open the shell for me, the sublime lobster was ready to enjoy. This runs around 17,000 yen, and on top of that there is no meat in the head or legs, so it is really just the tail and claws! It certainly comes with a price tag, but it is just so delicious…!!
As expected from a live lobster, the tail meat has incredible snap and firmness — really impressive springiness. And the sweetness is remarkable! That burst of sweetness filling your mouth alongside the distinctive savory depth of crustacean meat is irresistible! Cooking lobster while it is still alive really is an ironclad rule. It makes a world of difference.
The claws are large and slip cleanly from the shell, and because it was steamed, the natural sweetness of the meat comes through straight and clean. And the lobster tomalley served on the side — that tomalley is so good! It makes a fantastic snack with drinks, whether with white wine or a highball.
The restaurant recommends squeezing lemon into the melted butter served alongside, but I prefer eating it completely plain, just as it is! (Which is precisely why I choose steamed!) My personal style is to save that melted butter for the other shrimp, seafood, or potatoes!
Ahhh, completely satisfied!
By the way, what prompted me to visit Red Lobster this time was a promotion sent over LINE: spend 3,000 yen or more and receive a lobster-claw-shaped chopstick rest as a gift. The little claw chopstick rest was so cute! (Incidentally, the offer ran through August 16, so it has already ended, ha!) Promotions like this pop up from time to time, which is why I keep finding myself coming back. Time to go eat shrimp again soon.
Here’s hoping we encounter more delicious food today!
Red Lobster Kamiitabashi ten Menu
Live Lobster
A live lobster swimming in the tank inside, prepared in your choice of cooking style: steamed, oven-baked, chili bean sauce (doubanjiang), spiced, or sea urchin sauce.
A half lobster broiled with special mayonnaise sauce — the more casual way to enjoy lobster.
Prices for live lobster fluctuate with the season and catch volume, and quantities are limited depending on supply. Jumbo sizes from 3 to 7 pounds can apparently be ordered directly from Canada if reserved at least two weeks before your visit.
Combinations
A surf-and-turf lineup that satisfies both sea and land cravings on a single plate.
Baked golden lobster + mini paella + spare ribs.
Baked golden lobster + crab pilaf + grilled salmon.
Appetizers
The section of the menu designed to keep the beer flowing.
Regular / Large.
Stacked onion rings — the tallest dish on the restaurant’s menu.
Served with 3 baguette slices. Additional slices are 66 yen each.
8 pieces / 16 pieces.
2 pieces. Additional pieces are 220 yen each. Apparently a signature side dish dating back to the very first restaurant in Florida in 1968.
Chilled Appetizers
Marinated green mussels, cocktail shrimp, lobster claw, smoked salmon, black mussels, cold oysters, snow crab.
Oysters
A sign was displayed detailing their commitment to domestic Japanese oysters, along with a map showing harvest areas.
6 pieces / 9 pieces. Enjoy all three styles at once: seaside grill style (hamayaki style), basil butter grilled, and sea urchin sauce.
All three grilled oyster selections are listed as 3 pieces / 5 pieces. The sea urchin sauce version is said to originate from a local Okinawa specialty.
Seasonal Special: AMERICAN BEACH
A 2026 seaside resort feature showcasing local specialties from various American states.
Washington State. Served with two sauces: watermelon mignonette and bloody shooter.
Louisiana. Extra cilantro (3x) or extra cheese (3x) for 330 yen each.
Texas. A WARNING mark was attached to it on the menu.
Florida.
Wisconsin.
Alcoholic Beverages
Eight varieties including Yona Yona Ale, Kyushu CRAFT Hyuganatsu, Hitachino Nest Yuzu Lager, and Brooklyn Defender IPA. The items marked with stickers were available that day.
Highballs chosen from 6 base liquors and 3 mixers.
Mojitos, tropical sangria, and more. Big-size Sunrise Beach and Seaside Lemonade are 1,089 yen.
Days ending in 2 each month (the 2nd, 12th, and 22nd) are “Lobster Days.” Apparently beer and My Choice Highballs are half off, and Red Lobster Card points jump from the usual 2% to 10%. If picking a drinking day, aiming for one of these is the way to go.
Lunch
Served with rice or bread.
You can add a salad and free-refill drink set for 759 yen, or just drinks for 429 yen.
* From the restaurant menu at the time of visit in August 2026. Prices include tax; menu items change with the season. Please check the official website or in store for the latest details.
Red Lobster Kamiitabashi ten (Seafood / Kami-Itabashi Station)
Tabelog lunch rating ★★★★☆ 4.0
I ate here and paid for it myself. Nothing on this site is a comped meal.
One more for the road?
