It's no surprise that Simu Liu's favourite Toronto restaurant is Fishman Lobster Clubhouse, mainly because he always talks about it, but have you ever been?
Being a Toronto foodie myself, and a huge fan of the Shang-Chi Marvel actor, I had to make my way over to one of the only spots in Toronto that serve seafood in ginormous towers.
Last year, Narcity asked the famous actor what his favourite restaurants in Toronto were and his first choice was Fishman Lobster Clubhouse.
"Fishman Lobster Clubhouse, I don't know if you've ever heard of it. I don't know if you've been there. That's the restaurant with the lobster towers. You know? Absolutely delicious. So I got to do that," he said.
But out of the many restaurants in Toronto, why did Simu Liu call this seafood spot his favourite, multiple times? Obviously, my curiosity got the best of me, so I took three friends and paid this special spot a visit.
Trying to get a reservation
Outside of Fishman Lobster Clubhouse
Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
The restaurant is located at 4020 Finch Avenue East in Scarborough, and unfortunately, they are not on OpenTable or any other online booking website, so an old-school phone call is what you've got to do.
It was super simple. I called the restaurant, and they gave me some availabilities, and that was all done.
The atmosphere
Lobster in a fish tank by the table.
Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
The Chinese seafood restaurant, at first glance, seemed like any other Toronto restaurant with some outrageous eats, but it did not seem like an A-list celebrity kind of spot.
With an open mind, I walked through the doors and was immediately wowed! This was not what I was expecting at all.
The restaurant was huge and beautiful. The interior gave off a fancy restaurant vibe with its high ceilings, circular tables covered in white cloth, and fancy host desk.
But what caught my eye was the fact that fish tanks surrounded the restaurant. Everywhere you looked, you'd see moving lobsters and gigantic crabs.
The food
Lobster tower at Fishman Lobster Clubhouse
Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
Once seated, you can drink complimentary tea while reading the menu. Just a rule of thumb, get a bundle and maybe downsize.
We ordered the Lobster HK Style Dinner for 2-3 people, and even though we were 4, we still had leftovers. So before the food was brought out, the server came to show us what we would eat.
She brought two live and moving lobsters to our table and wanted to get our approval on price and weight; instead of a simple answer, I carried the lobster for some photo ops, which was odd — playing with your food.
Have you ever touched a live lobster? I guess I could cross that off the bucket list.
Eventually, the lobster tower was brought over, and I immediately knew why Simu Liu loved this place – but also why he doesn't go there on his own. It was so much fun and the food was delicious, but there was just so much of it.
The lobster was crispy, garlicky and juicy, all at the same time. The presentation made every moment picture worthy.
Besides the lobster, we got corn soup, steamed bass, snow peas tips, and rice, which were lovely in between bites.
The service
Part of the menu at Fishman Lobster Clubhouse.
Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
The service at Fishman Lobster Clubhouse was phenomenal, and they deserved every single penny of their tips. The server welcomed us the moment we were seated, provided us with menus and water, and made us feel quite comfortable.
Since the menu was mainly in a foreign language, the server helped us understand what to order and accommodated our dietary restrictions.
Everyone was prompt, and the food was constantly served hot without unreasonable waiting times.
Final thoughts
Mira and her friends at Fishman Lobster Clubhouse.
Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
This dining experience was definitely not the kind of Chinese seafood restaurant I was expecting. It was way out of my comfort zone, for sure.
The final price we paid, including a mandatory 12% service charge, was 236.30 for four people, but we did order the portion that was meant to be for two to three people, so the bill was on the pricier side of things.
Nevertheless, it was a lot of fun, and the whole experience was personalized, which left us with some great stories. I was able to play with my food – and while this was definitely something my parents would not condone, I would still take them there for dinner.
As much as I enjoyed my experience, I deem the restaurant to not be an everyday kind of place. It's more of a spot you'd go to for a special occasion, such as a birthday or reunion.
However, I must say I'm already planning my next visit with my friends.
