Let’s be completely honest with each other: Denver is about as far from an ocean as any major US city gets. We’re a thousand miles from the Atlantic, eight hundred miles from the Pacific, and sitting at 5,280 feet of elevation, which affects everything about cooking and eating here. That altitude changes how cakes rise, how beer carbonates, how long it takes to boil water, and how long a box of live lobsters takes to get here from the coast. But Denver’s restaurant scene has grown tremendously over the past decade, and the chefs here have gotten serious about sourcing premium seafood from both coasts. The result is a lobster scene that’s better than a landlocked mile-high city has any right to be — but also a city where shipping lobster directly to your home makes more economic and quality sense than anywhere else in America. I’ve spent plenty of time eating through Denver’s seafood options, from downtown to Cherry Creek, and I’m here to give you the honest breakdown of where the lobster is worth ordering and where you should just order online instead.
Jax Fish House: Denver’s Seafood Standard
Jax Fish House has been a Denver institution since 1994, with locations on Glenarm Place downtown and in LoDo. They take seafood seriously, flying in fresh fish and shellfish daily from both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. The whole Maine lobster is the classic order — steamed to perfection, served with drawn butter, fresh lemon, and your choice of two sides from a rotating seasonal list. The lobster roll is excellent: chilled Maine-style on a toasted bun with a side of Old Bay fries that are addictive. Jax runs a popular happy hour from 4-6 PM daily with $8 lobster sliders that are one of the best deals in Denver and draw a lively after-work crowd. The atmosphere is warm and approachable — dark wood, exposed brick walls, a long marble bar with a dozen beers on tap including local Colorado craft options. Jax is my go-to recommendation for anyone visiting Denver who wants a solid, no-drama lobster dinner without breaking the bank. For a broader comparison with other cities across the country, check out the lobster roll near me guide.
The Oceanaire Seafood Room: Fine Dining in Downtown Denver
The Oceanaire Seafood Room in downtown Denver is part of a respected national chain, but this particular location delivers serious quality that rivals independent restaurants. The seafood is flown in from both coasts daily — you can taste the freshness in every bite. The Maine lobster dinner is a classic preparation: steamed whole, cracked tableside by a skilled server, and served with drawn butter and lemon. The atmosphere is old-school elegant — white tablecloths, dim lighting from elegant fixtures, a piano player on weekend evenings adding to the ambiance. The lobster cocktail is a standout starter that shouldn’t be missed: chilled claw and tail meat with a house-made cocktail sauce that has just the right amount of horseradish kick. The wine list is deep, with excellent selections from California, France, and Italy, and the service is polished and professional without being stiff. Oceanaire is expensive — whole lobster dinners run $50-65 — but it’s the right choice for a special occasion, a milestone celebration, or a business dinner where you need to impress clients. The bar scene is also surprisingly lively for a fine-dining restaurant, with a strong happy hour crowd of downtown professionals. For more top-tier dining recommendations, explore America’s best lobster restaurants.
Ocean Prime and Cherry Creek Lobster Spots
Ocean Prime in Cherry Creek is another upscale option with a strong lobster program that draws from the same daily shipments as their coastal locations. The lobster tail — broiled with garlic butter and served with drawn butter on the side — is consistently excellent and cooked with precise timing that preserves the meat’s tenderness. The lobster bisque is rich and creamy, served with a sherry float that adds complexity. Ocean Prime is more of a steakhouse that also does seafood than a pure seafood restaurant, but the lobster dishes are treated with the same respect as the steaks. The space is modern and sophisticated, with a large circular bar and a popular happy hour that features half-price appetizers. Cherry Creek Grill, also in Cherry Creek, does a lobster club sandwich at lunch that’s become a local favorite — generous chunks of lobster meat, crispy bacon, lettuce, and ripe tomato on toasted sourdough bread. It’s not the same as a whole lobster dinner, but for a casual lunch in a beautiful neighborhood, it’s one of the best lobster sandwiches in Denver.
The Honest Truth: Lobster Shipping Is the Best Bet in Denver
Here’s where I’m going to be completely direct with you: if you love lobster and you live in Denver — or you’re visiting and want the best possible lobster experience — you should order live lobsters online and cook them at home. I don’t say this lightly, and I don’t say it because Denver’s restaurants are bad. I say it because the math and the quality story are overwhelming. Here’s why: a live 1.25-pound lobster from a Maine supplier costs about $18-22 including overnight shipping to Denver. The same lobster in a Denver restaurant costs $50-65. The lobster shipped to your door arrives as fresh as what the restaurants get — often fresher, because suppliers can ship directly from the dock within hours of the catch. And you control the cooking: steam them for exactly nine minutes (adjusted for altitude), serve them with your favorite sides, and eat in the comfort of your own home with the people you love.
I also recommend the LobsterGram Ultimate Lobster Gift Box for a perfectly curated selection of live lobsters shipped directly to your home — it includes cooking instructions, shell crackers, and everything you need for a perfect lobster dinner, even at 5,280 feet.
Ordering Lobster to Denver: What You Need to Know
Shipping live lobster to Denver is straightforward and reliable. Major suppliers like LobsterAnywhere, GetMaineLobster, and LobsterGram all ship overnight to Denver addresses using FedEx Priority Overnight. The lobsters are packed in temperature-controlled Styrofoam coolers with ice packs and damp seaweed to maintain humidity. They arrive alive and active — you want them sluggish from the cold, not warm and stressed. Denver’s altitude doesn’t affect the lobsters themselves during shipping (they’re kept cold), but it does affect your cooking: water boils at 202°F in Denver instead of 212°F at sea level, which means steaming takes slightly longer. Add about two minutes to your normal steaming time and check doneness by temperature (140°F internal) rather than strictly by the clock. Use the lobster sizes guide to figure out how many pounds you need per person, and check out where to buy live lobster online for the best suppliers serving the Denver area.
My Denver Lobster Recommendation
If you want to go out for lobster in Denver, go to Jax Fish House downtown. Order the whole steamed Maine lobster with drawn butter, start with a half-dozen oysters from the raw bar, and enjoy the lively atmosphere that makes Jax a Denver classic. It’s a solid meal that will satisfy your lobster craving without emptying your wallet. But if you want the best lobster experience in Denver — the freshest product, the best value, and the most satisfying meal — order live lobsters from a Maine supplier and cook them yourself. Denver’s altitude might affect your cake and your beer, but it doesn’t have to affect your lobster. For everything you need — cooking guides with altitude adjustments, prep tips, recipes, and supplier comparisons — start with the lobster guides at buylobster.org. The Mile High City may be the most landlocked major city in America, but a great lobster dinner is just an overnight FedEx shipment away.
We earn a commission if you purchase through our links, at no extra cost to you.
Leave a Reply