Landlocked Atlanta isn’t exactly known for its lobster, but that hasn’t stopped Buckhead seafood houses and Brookhaven fish markets from whipping up some delicious crustacean creations. When restaurants bet on lobster rolls, they tend to come out on top.
But the sandwich itself isn’t one-size-fits-all. Knowing the terminology helps you order what you actually want. Broadly, they fall into two camps. Maine style means the lobster is chilled and lightly dressed in mayo, often with a touch of lemon and celery. Think tuna salad, but with sweet lobster meat. Connecticut style is served warm, with meat bathed in drawn butter—butter that’s been melted and clarified, so the milk solids are removed and what’s left is pure, silky fat. Some spots split the difference or riff entirely—brown butter, Old Bay, citrus-herb, even a French dip built around lobster.
Below are 10 lobster roll spots around Atlanta worth knowing, despite what camp you fall into.
The Big Ketch Saltwater Grill
This beach house-inspired Buckhead standby runs four Connecticut-style lobster roll variations, all $32 and all served warm on a butter-toasted roll with a side. Options include hot buttered (Maine lobster, drawn butter), Old Bay (Old Bay-lemon butter sauce), and mojo (citrus, garlic, herb butter). If you can’t decide, there’s also a $36 lobster dip, a French-dip riff served with a side of warm lobster bisque for dunking. 3279 Roswell Rd. NE, Atlanta, thebigketch.com
Atlanta Fish Market
For the lobster roll indecisive, Atlanta Fish Market solved the problem by putting two versions on the menu. The Maine-style take is built from a full pound of lobster, tossed in a lemon-celery mayo, and piled onto a butter-toasted New England bun. The warm version skips the mayo entirely, poaching the lobster in butter and serving it alongside drawn butter and lemon for dipping. Both come with Maryland-style (Old Bay and vinegar) fries and ring in at $36. 265 Pharr Rd. NE, Atlanta, atlantafishmarket.com
BeetleCat
A pass of brown butter is what sets this one apart. At this Virginia-Highland oysterette, the lobster roll keeps things simple otherwise—Maine-style, bound in mayo—but that finishing touch gives it a nutty edge that regular drawn butter doesn’t. It’s a $38 find tucked among the raw bar and coal-fired seafood plates that make up the rest of the menu, and worth ordering before you fill up on oysters. 299 N. Highland Ave. NE, Atlanta,beetlecatatl.com
The Optimist
Ford Fry’s West Midtown fish camp is a natural spot to settle in with a solid lobster roll. Like its sister restaurant BeetleCat, the Optimist leans classic, serving a chilled Maine-style roll, lightly moistened with mayo, and piled onto a toasted bun. At $43, it’s a splurge, but worth it if you’re serious about your shellfish. A side of house potato chips adds pleasant textural contrast to the soft and sweet sandwich. 914 Howell Mill Rd., Atlanta, theoptimistrestaurant.com
Brown Bag Seafood Co.
This Chicago-based fast-casual chain brought its sustainable seafood ethos to Atlanta in 2020 and never looked back. Brown Bag goes all in on the Northeastern beach-town vibe with wharf-inspired decor—hand-drawn “catch of the day” signage, boat-style lighting, and rope details—and a Connecticut-style lobster roll in a toasted bun for $35 that served with a side of truffle-parm tots. The no-nonsense, order-at-the-counter setup makes it easy to satisfy that casual lobster craving. Multiple locations, brownbagseafood.com
Fontaine’s Oyster House
Don’t let the worn-in booths fool you—this Virginia-Highland dive has been a neighborhood fixture for more than two decades, and the lobster roll is worth ordering alongside a round of oysters. Part Connecticut-style sammie, part po’ boy, Fontaine’s version comes with claw and knuckle meat on a butter-toasted hoagie with lettuce and remoulade—and at $27, it’s easily one of the city’s most affordable options. 1026 1/2 N. Highland Ave. NE, Atlanta, nightcapfoodandspirits.com
Big B’s Fish Joint
A chalkboard by the entrance calling out the day’s fresh catch sets the tone at this Buckhead neighborhood spot in Chastain Market Shopping Center. The lobster roll splits the difference between camps, featuring a quarter pound of Maine lobster finished in brown butter and lemon on a toasted New England bun, served with Old Bay-seasoned fries. Grab a seat at the bar during happy hour for a little post-work indulgence. 4600 Roswell Rd., Atlanta, bigbsfishjoint.com
Fishmonger
Locals know to call ahead: this Poncey-Highland walk-in-only joint has been known to sell out of its Connecticut-style roll—meat poached in butter, piled onto a split-top bun—by mid-afternoon. Priced at market rate, so expect it to shift with lobster costs. Order at the counter, BYOB, and try to snag a spot by the window before the space fills up. 674 N. Highland Ave. NE, Ste. A, Atlanta, fishmongergroup.com
Kathleen’s Catch
Skip the restaurant altogether: this Brookhaven seafood market sells its Maine-style lobster roll as a grab-and-go item alongside its daily-delivered fresh catch—a pile of chilled, mayo-dressed lobster in a classic hot dog bun, served with a side of chips. At $20.99, it’s among Atlanta’s least expensive options, with an extra 10% off on Tuesdays. Lobster roll season is a limited-time affair, so call ahead to confirm they’re in stock before making the trip. 3436 Clairmont Rd., Atlanta,kathleenscatch.com
Octopus Bar
The classic Maine-style lobster roll goes gourmet at this East Atlanta Village late-night spot. Maine lobster is bound in a tomalley mayo instead of the usual celery-and-lemon version—tomalley being the lobster’s roe and liver, which gives the whole thing a deeper, funkier edge than a standard roll. It’s a favorite among industry folks getting off their own shifts, since the kitchen doesn’t get going until 10:30 p.m. and keeps things rolling until 2:30 a.m. 560 Gresham Ave. SE, Atlanta, octopusbaratl.com…