Knuckle and Claw brings a taste of New England seafood to Main Street Santa Monica with a tight menu of lobster, shrimp and crab served on a casual, outdoor patio.

Anyone who has spent time on the East coast or in New New England, knows that you don't need a white tablecloth to enjoy great lobster or seafood. In fact, my best lobster memories include a plastic tray, mallet and picnic table outside on the water. Knuckle and Claw may be on the west coast, but they're bringing the east coast seafood experience to their casual, picnic table filled patio, steps from the beach in Santa Monica.

The seafood at Knuckle and Claw is being flown in overnight from Maine. The menu is small, but concentrated on the "knuckle and claw" meat of lobster, shrimp and crab. Choose from the 3 and how you'd like it delivered. You can order the salad and have your seafood spread onto a bed of greens with fresh corn, cherry tomatoes, and a lemon vinaigrette.

There's a knuckle sandwich option using fresh baked sourdough with melted cotswold cheddar cheese, or you can go classic and get a roll. I love that you can also opt for a mini or a full roll and that there's a gluten free bread option as well.

Knuckle and Claw also has sampler platters where you can try all of the rolls, which my friend and I did. We went with the "White Dog," so we could taste the mini lobster roll, blue crab roll and shrimp roll. Sides include chips and honey dijon slaw.

The bread to meat ratio was very favorable. I never had an all bread bite. There was plenty of seafood to go around, and it was well seasoned, with just the right amount of sweetness.

Oysters rounded out the meal and on Thursday's they offer $1 oysters from 5-10pm. I'll be back for that.

They're working on the liquor license, which is actually fine by me since you can BYOB right now with no corkage - a great way to dine. 

So grab a cool bottle of Chablis, your sweatshirt, and enjoy a summer's evening on the patio of Knuckle and Claw, eating fresh New England seafood.

Knuckle and Claw (Silverlake location as well)
2715 Main, St, Santa Monica
310.399.9939