Luke’s Lobster Brings Rolls, Beers & A Relaxed Maine Attitude To 5th Avenue
Luke’s Lobster, the regional restaurant chain known for its lobster rolls, opened today at noon on 5th Avenue, and it’s been a long time coming — a little too long, for some.
“If it had been up to me, Park Slope would have been the second location!” says Luke’s vice president Ben Conniff, who also happens to be a local resident.
When he joined president Luke Holden in his original quest to open a single, awesome lobster roll joint in New York City back in 2009, Conniff definitely had his sights on this area if they expanded, and now, many years after that first thought, two and a half years after securing the location, and only about a month since they’ve been in possession of the space, he can now walk to work.
As excited as neighbors have been about the new space — Conniff says there was a constant stream of people stopping in the past few weeks to ask when they’d open — he might be even more thrilled than they are. Though they’re serving up all the things that have made them so popular at 11 locations, a food truck, and a kiosk, there are also local touches that neighbors, himself included, will appreciate.
“We made a conscious effort to bring in items from places in the area,” Conniff says, explaining that they’ve never really had space to serve up dessert or install taps for beer, but this spot gave them the opportunity to do both. So they’re working with local favorites Four and Twenty Blackbirds (grab a slice of Maine blueberry or salted caramel apple pie) and Gowanus-based Grimm Artisanal Ales (“They live a few blocks from me!” he says).
They also happened to find just the right space — the basement allowed room to install those taps, and the building, which was most recently the His & Hers Social and Athletic Club, had one essential requirement.
“We had to have a backyard in Park Slope, that was a must,” Conniff says.
They plan on throwing grilled lobster tail parties, brewer’s tastings, and more in that spacious backyard, which occupies the back of their space and the adjacent, currently vacant, storefront. It will be a nice spot to hang out with the family, or to enjoy what’s left of the warm weather this season, perhaps during happy hour.
There’s also seating inside, a few tables and bar-height ledges where you can stand to enjoy the beers on tap and all the Maine eats you can handle. The space has been gutted — Conniff notes sadly that the original tin ceiling was removed without them getting the chance to save it — and the Luke’s team only had a brief window to get in and make it their own, giving it a New England feel with reclaimed wood and a whole lot of sea-inspired art.
“This project in particular is a great accomplishment for the team,” says Holden, who lives in southern Maine managing Cape Seafood, Luke’s sister seafood company, and commutes to the city about two days a week. “There were a lot of people involved, and they communicated very well. It’s so cool to come in from Maine, and all they say to me is, ‘Hey, can you plug in the stereo?'”
Of course, what we’re really here for is the food. There’s New England clam chowder and a daily rotation of soups from Hurricane’s Soups, a family-run business in Maine, but the real attraction is the rolls. At an opening party last night, we got to sample the three of them — lobster, crab, and shrimp — and you really can’t go wrong with any of them, but there’s a reason that lobster roll is their most popular. Prepared with a touch of mayo, a drizzle of lemon butter, and dash of seasoning in a buttered and toasted bun, we dare say it’s better than any we’ve had in Maine — perfectly cooked, perfectly seasoned, it’s summer in each and every bite.
What also stands out, though, is how proud every single person who works at Luke’s is about the new space, and the company as a whole. Their job listings say “rapid advancement is not only a possibility, it is an expectation,” and all the employees we spoke with talked about how long they’ve been there, the various positions they’ve held, and the excellent opportunities they’ve had to create a place for themselves there.
“The thing about working here is that some places don’t seem to care quite so much,” says Keyon Alexander, who’s making the switch from another location to cover the Park Slope space. “But here, we work hard and we play hard. They do a lot to make sure we’re happy, and that we’re doing something challenging. And it’s great that Luke is a normal guy, he comes in here and jokes around with us, but cares about us — he knows my name, out of hundreds of employees, and I don’t wear a nametag.”
For his part, Holden says creating a successful restaurant business with a happy and fulfilled crew is a pretty simple formula.
“Great people attract great people,” he says. “We have great leaders who hire well, and we have a great product that people believe in. And then it’s just sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy. We’re really lucky, and we work hard.”
Luke’s Lobster is located at 237 5th Avenue, between Carroll and President, 347-457-6855. Hours are Sunday-Thursday 11am-10pm and Friday-Saturday 11am-11pm; delivery is available daily after 5pm with a $20 minimum.