Ok this may sound shocking but…I’ve never eaten at Pearl’s Oyster Bar. Or their lobster rolls. And it’s sort of known in NYC with long waits and a cult following practically. With that said, Ed’s Lobster Bar was started by a former sous chef of Pearl’s and there was a bit of controversy with the opening for obvious reasons. The reviews on the lobster rolls at Ed’s have been pretty stellar – particularly noting the fact that they use not just claw meat, but tail meat and the lobster meat is supposedly plentiful. I prefer lobster tail meat in my rolls so I was excited to try this place. I preferred to sit at the bar but there are high tables in the back.
I ordered the 5 oysters that they had fresh that day for appetizer: ($3 a pop)
And though Ed’s serves whole steamed lobster (which I was tempted to get), I had to see what the hype on the lobster roll was all about:
I thought it was pretty darn good! I loved that they used sweet tail meat and they definitely give you a generous portion of lobster that isn’t overdoused in mayonnaise all served in a heavily buttered hot dog bun. (honestly that buttered bun was divine!) The french fries were amazing and came piping hot. Crispy on the outside with a nice saltiness to it. I also liked the sweet sliced pickles they serve with the roll to cut into the richness of the lobster.
Kale, my dinner companion, claims that Pearl’s was still hands down the best in the city and much better than Ed’s but unfortunately I can’t give you my two cents on that comparison as I haven’t tried Pearl’s. I guess I’ll have to try there next! 
Ed’s Lobster Bar, 222 Lafayette Street, New York, NY
