One thing I have missed most about my home state, Maryland, is the seafood. When crab season rolled in, eating the famous Maryland blue crabs at the dinner table was one of the few bonding activities my family and I enjoyed doing together. This week, it wasn’t crab that rolled into this Cuisine Corner review, but lobster!
If you walk towards Uptown Hoboken on Washington, you might see, or even walk right past this seemingly small restaurant. Stingray Lounge, although very low-key and hidden, has a professional and classy interior. Having come directly after class with a backpack and dressed in a hoodie, I did feel the waiter judge me a bit from the corner of his eye. There was quite a big bar seating area where raw seafood was ready to be served. Similar to Baja, the restaurant wrapped around, so that on the other side of the restaurant, there was more table seating. When I entered, I was the only customer, and it remained that way until I left. I decided to take a seat at the table, feeling even more isolated.
Because it was a Wednesday, Stingray Lounge offered lobster rolls for a special price of $15. Each day of the week has a different special, with their specials listed on their website. Before that day, I had actually never had a lobster roll, despite it had been on my food bucket list for a while now. So, I, of course, had to order one. When the dish came, the roll was cut in half and served with a side of fries. The lobster sat on top of a hotdog bun that had been toasted with butter. Excited, I took my first bite of the sandwich. It was definitely different than what I had imagined it would be. I had expected the sandwich to be sweeter, but what I tasted was salty, though the lobster was quite good. There was a strong, meaty flavor, and the texture was chewy but with that unique, crunchy seafood texture. Perhaps some lemon, or another element of flavor, could have brought this lobster dish to the next level. Overall, I was happy with my first lobster roll experience — but not the fries. The potatoes were cooked and seasoned with a very… rustic flavor, almost to the point of seeming burnt, rather than just well-done for that grill flavor.
To end the meal, I decided to order the cheesecake for dessert. Honestly, my expectations weren’t too high, but when the waiter came with the dessert, I was already impressed by the presentation. It was decorated cutely, with fruits and powdered sugar. I had no complaints about the freshness of the fruit. Each forkful of cheesecake was smooth enough to glide easily into my mouth and down my throat. The flavor was good, but nothing that deviated from your average good cheesecake. However, it was the texture that made the cheesecake special. Although it was very smooth, it was not runny or unable to fill me up. It was a great conclusion to my seafood meal.
Stingray Lounge was a unique experience for sure. There aren’t too many restaurants in Hoboken that have a raw bar, and it’s a shame that I didn’t get to try it. I am, however, glad that I was able to try my first lobster roll and discover a yummy dessert at this spot. Although I’m not sure if I can really say whether or not I can replace or compare my hometown seafood experience to my meal at Stingray Lounge, I’m glad I was able to review the closest thing to a taste of home this week!
Pro Tip: If you want to have a quiet, desolate, and private dinner in a classier setting, I suggest going early to Stingray Lounge!
Cost- $$/$$$$
It definitely felt like I paid a lot at first, but taking a step back, $15 for a lobster roll is pretty reasonable and actually better than average prices. I probably wouldn’t pay the normal price or order dessert every time, but I won’t complain about the bill!
Location- 1210 Washington St, Hoboken, NJ 07030
Not far at all from my apartment and not too bad of a walk from campus.
Convenience rating: 4/5
Service/ Speed-
The service was fine and the speed was fast… but I was also the only one at the restaurant.
Service Rating: 4/5
Food Rating: 4/5
Overall, I enjoyed the food! But is it a spot I’d see myself returning to frequently? Probably not. But I’d definitely be interested in trying their raw bar on Sunday-Tuesday for half off oysters or Thursday for $0.50 littleneck clams!
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