Luke’s Oyster Bar & Chop House

Luke’s was good, with a rating of 3 stars for average in it’s price range. To be fair, I had a cheeseburger at a place that bills itself as an «oyster bar and chop house,» so I was probably not hitting their signature dish. But I’d been dying for a good cheeseburger and I was cautiously optimistic that this might finally be the place in Singapore that could deliver. With all the add ons (house-​cured bacon, egg, and cheese) the price crept up to $ 42++, so I was hoping to be blown away. It was pretty good. My wife has more refined tastes, so I got to try the lobster pot pie and the lobster corn soup, with kale salad and creamed potatoes on the side. These dishes were all more well-​suited for their wheelhouse. They were generous with the lobster, so they earned the price point. ($ 115 for the pie.) I’d say the winning dish was the kale. Fresh, crispy, well-​tossed, and nicely seasoned. And they had some conservative but respectable draft beer (Hitachino lager).

My 200^th review! Boy, I’ve been on Unilocal for a while now!
I was taken here for a dinner on a Saturday night and being there reminded me of being in a chop house in the States. The waitstaff here are dressed as they would be in the US, and the place itself is clean-​looking, small, and bright. It gets quite busy and crowded here on a Saturday night so be sure to make a booking. There weren’t many empty tables in sight. They proclaim on their menu that all their seafood is procured from sustainable sources, so if that is a concern to you, eat re-​assuredly here!
We started with a tuna tartare (⁴⁄₅), and portions run big here, so I am glad my companion suggested we share the prime rib-​eye with garlic. The garlic is actually a whole head of garlic oven-​roasted. This would probably be the only grouse I have with this meal, with that being that the garlic could have been cut in half and roasted with oil to a darkened goodness to elevate it further.
I think the real star of the meal were the sides. I cannot forget the hash brown! The hash brown is a giant plate-​sized of very crispy and finely-​julienned potato, with some herb cheese stuffed within. This is a winner! I think they should have a breakfast menu and sell this as a rosti.
The other sides were equally good, with the bacon, which is actually a slab of pork with maple and a slightly heavy-​handed touch of liquid smoke, and crunchy green apple salad on top. Somehow in my head, after my first bite I assigned this dish to an Angmoh «char siew» of sorts, so I got a bit confused every time my companion asked if I wanted some bacon. We also got the creamed spinach (3.5÷5)
In true ‘Murican fashion, we washed it all down with cocktails. I was glad that their Moscow Mules are served in copper mugs here, because it doesn’t seem all that common in Singapore for some reason.
Dessert! Banana and coconut pie with avocado ice cream, and some really nice crumble on top. Just the right amount of sweet, not overbearing, and very nicely warmed. Oh I do like this place! I would I like this place because of how it makes me feel, also perhaps maybe I do miss America.
P. S. I love the musik here. And the service.

Steak was darn good. I prefer american-​style aged steaks, so this hit the spot. Oysters were pretty rad too. Wine selection was top notch. 4* because of price to value. Dinner for 2 with wine was over $ 350.

Food was great, good place for a date, not for 3 dudes to hang out. I would go back in the future. Service was good and the seafood was fresh.

Oysters are great — nice selection and served correctly. Wine list is expansive. Meat is high quality and prepared and served well. Great special event place to spend with best friends and a bottle of wine! Superb.

Perfect oysters, crab cakes, tartars and very friendly personnel. Even child was happy.

Review is from a dinner I had last year, but it is still with me, and I just remembered I forgot to review it here!
Very small place and kina hard to find. Its off of Club Street to give you an idea of where it is. The street is a dead end street to there is no way you can pass it. décor reminds me of a few seafood restaurants back in the US. Has that Great Gatsby style. Food is excellent prepared in Boston Style, fresh and clean and delicious! However it is expensive and rightfully so, he imports all of his seafood from the New England area. But if you are looking for a good Boston Clam Chowder or good US NE raw Oysters, this is the place to go. Defiantly a date night/​anniversary/​birthday place. I will be back again… sometime in 2014.

Great service. Value for money food. Came
here to celebrate a special occasion. When I made my reservations I informed them that this is a birthday and they said they will give a complimentary cake. Didn’t have to follow up during dinner. The cake was served when we asked for the bill. I am not so blown away by the oysters. Its not bad but I was expecting something more. I would still recommend this place thou. The steak was surprisingly good. Ambiance was nice and cozy and service was great.

Luke and Naked Finn are my two most favorite angmo restaurants this year.
I have heard about Luke for ages but have just never made it there till recently. If you are like me, just go there now now now!
Restaurant is not big so it does get booked up fast. I could be wrong, but I think if you are not a big group, you can do a walkin and sit at the bar.
Yes, they are famous for their oysters as the name indicate, but apart from that, they do have a good menu. Good quality food done properly, none of the fancy sauces and foams.
Between 4 of us, we shared:
— tuna tatare (love. One of the better ones I’ve had in Sg. Perfectly seasoned with lots of flavors)
— crab cakes (so full of the sweetest chunky crab meat. None of those crap fake crab cakes)
— kurobuta pork chop (yummy and succulent)
— prime ribeye (my least favorite but still a good piece of meat and a very large slice!)
Special mention: OLD STYLE HASHBROWN. Whatever you do, order it. This is like nothing that you’ve ever tried. A perfect side dish, more like a rosti than a hashbrown. Crispy on the outside, and they filled it with Boursin cheese and spring onion. Pure genius and perfectly done.
All the portions are really large. And when they heard that we are sharing, they actually served the dishes with 4 proper portions. No judgement for sharing dishes here. So we were all perfectly stuffed even though we did not order one main course each.
Service was also great by Singapore standard. Our server heard that we are celebrating a birthday and they served up an awesome dessert that is full of candied ginger flavor. So so good.
While it is not a cheap meal, we felt that it was well worth the money. Looking forward to returning for brunch as they serve up a brunch menu that has lobster roll… and yes, please also throw in the hashbrown.

When Luke’s first opened, I was there three nights in the same week. The food here is incredibly good. I can safely say that I’ve had everything on the menu by now. It’s true, the food is not cheap, but it’s worth it.
What I love about Luke’s is that it’s a 5 star restaurant that’s totally unpretentious. Small enough to be cozy, extremely attentive service, perfect place to impress a first date or client.
Now, the food. The clam chowder and prawn cocktail are my favourite appetizers. The lobster roll is excellent too (I think that’s only lunch), and the prime steak is melt in your mouth.
They used to have this avocado banana coconut tart that was magical, but have sadly replaced it since. Maybe if enough people ask about it, they’ll bring it back! Until then, definitely have the choc chip cookies with the stout milkshake for dessert.

This place is great on nearly every level. The food and service were both outstanding. We sat at one of the three small tables by the front door and it felt like having dinner in the lobby. (My view was facing a plain white tile wall and a fire hose reel. With all of the commotion behind me, I felt like my chair was in the way) The prices say fine dining, but the overall ambiance does not. Because of this, I would say that the food (and dining experience) is waaay overpriced. Our table for 2 was almost too small for everything to fit. It was like an ice cream shop table and chairs. On the other hand, the mammoth bar runs almost the length of dining room and takes up too much of the small shop house space. The bar could be downsized by half. What they really need is a larger space.
For dinner, I had the tuna tartar and the «Luau» ribeye. My companion had a selection of a half dozen oysters and the prime rib au poivre (+foie gras). The shared sides were the hashbrowns (with boursin cheese) and creamed spinach. The tuna, the ribeye and the hashbrowns were amazing. The prime rib had a (very peppery) peppercorn crust/​sauce. The foie gras was nothing special. The tuna chunks were served on a layer of avocado chunks (tossed in a vinaigrette) and accompanied by grilled buttered bread. Really memorable. It could have been a meal by itself. The luau flavours on the huge ribeye were a caramelized pineapple glaze (?) and I wish the flavours had been less burnt tasting. The tender meat was cooked perfectly. The crispy hashbrowns were delicious. The oysters and spinach were just what they should have been, though we wouldn’t order either on a second visit.
With ½ dozen oysters, tuna tartar, ribeye, prime rib (+foie gras), 2 sides, 3 martinis, a glass of red wine and 2 coffees, the total was $ 478 for 2 of us. As good as the food was, I still can’t bridge the gap between the high prices and the crappy small table too close to the front door. A little overpriced for my book, but we look forward to returning for another special occasion. Maybe with a larger group, we’ll be treated to a grown up table further from the front door.

Excellent oyster, fresh and crisp. Also try the tuna tartar and lobster slider. Clam chowder is also good and the naked rib eye charred on the outside is amazing. I highly recommended this place. Place is kinda small, so better make reservation.

I wouldn’t describe Luke’s as a family place.
Nor would I describe it as a place most people would be able to go to regularly.
The food though, is almost always top notch, though there are certain things I’d give a miss because they’re so much more mediocre than everything else on the menu.
The lobster roll, available during lunch, is delicious. Marinated lobster meat in a buttery roll, it feels sinfully indulgent and is absolutely yummy. The burger, with bacon of course, is also very good.
During dinner, I’d recommend the Lobster Pot Pie to anyone who likes lobster, or pot pies. BUT. At $ 99++ a pop (or pot for that matter), it’s painfully expensive.
And that’s really my biggest dissatisfaction with Luke’s. The place is prohibitively expensive! Sure the list of must-​orders goes on with the clam chowder, the oysters, the clams, the shrimp cocktail, the cold lobster, the lobster sliders, the veal, the pork chops (I find that their steaks, whether at lunch or dinner, are spectacularly mediocre and not worth the money), but the prices!
As someone who thinks that $ 450 a head at Shinji is worth it if you go every 6 – 9 months, and that $ 300 for dinner at Andre is, by comparison, a steal, it should say a lot that I think Luke’s is prohibitively expensive. It’s not an 8 course set menu, or a sushi omakase experience. It’s an a la carte experience that can come out to more than $ 100 a head, depending on what you order, and while the portions aren’t stingy, they aren’t overwhelming.
I’m regularly bewildered then, that Luke’s is always so full that can’t take reservations even when I’m calling a week in advance. Maybe they don’t like me. Maybe they really are that busy. I don’t know. All I do know is that damn some people earn a lot of money, and that the food at Luke’s is undeniably delicious.
And also (to me, at least) excruciatingly expensive.

The moment you step into this joint, you feel as if you’re in a 1920s swing bar (without the swinging and live music. There is hardly enough room for that.). Nonetheless a cool east-​coast joint filled with swanky jazz music. The food is overpriced for the portion sizes and location of the restaurant.
The food
1. Lobster sliders — Ok. Loved the mini toasted buns (tasted like fried mini man tous @Jumbo) but they were way to small even for me (a 5’2, 110lbs, petite, Asian lady). The lobster bits were ok.
2. Jumbo shrimp cocktail — BAD. The waitress marveled at their house made sauce which was pretty awful. I can’t quite put a finger to it. It felt like someone went crazy in the kitchen and mixed all types of flavors together — sweet, salty, sour etc… Sometimes less is more.
3. Clam chowder — Love! Thick & rich with generous sized clams in them.
4. Jumbo lump crab cakes — Love! Filled with real crab meat not those cheap mixed stuff some restaurants give you.
5. Tenderloin pepper crust $ 69, grilled foie gas +25 lobster tail +25 — Sadly, Overcooked. The meat was tough and dry. However, the sauce was good. The foie gas — I passed on. The lobster tail was sweet and good but for $ 25, the size was measly. I could finish it in 2 bites.
6. Oysters & clams — Ok.
7. Cornbread — LOVE!!! My favorite dish actually. Simple yet amazing. This was served as an starter instead of the staple, bread. It was a small, bite size muffin shape :)
Service — Ok
Ambiance — Interior deco Good. Simple yet classic. Mostly expat crowd.

Oh Luke’s… Sigh! Where to begin?
Best burger in Singapore, for sure!
And must order the bacon on the side, topped with green apple juliennes… YUMZ!
The lobster and corn chowder is another must.
Thanks, Luke!

The good: Luke, the owner, knows his East coast style/​influenced seafood. Excellent lobster rolls, oysters (which are hard to find in Singapore) and sides (unsung heroes). I’m also a fan of their beer and wine selection, and the bartender/​server will give you interesting nuggets of info on each. Location and music is good; once you walk in the place you feel transported to Boston (for those of you who have been, it’s like a mini Eastern Standard — one of my all-​time favs). They also run a promo for oysters but the timing is such that because of work I can never take advantage.
The bad: I get what they are trying to accomplish, but it could be more friendly to a wider array of patrons. What I mean is that sometimes when I go dressed casually I get looks, and sometimes I don’t. The staff is… stiff…and there isn’t a need to maintain such snobbery.
The ugly: It really comes down to pricing for me. When I’m craving some fresh seafood, I head down. But it’s not cheap, so I keep my cravings to a minimum. Tone down the fine dining schtick a bit, as well as the prices, and I’d be a regular in a second. That seems to be a common theme with places in Singapore: good food and atmosphere + expensive = people don’t return often

Very decent steaks and oysters. All in all, worth returning to and very enjoyable experience.
Expensive. I didnt see the bill, but with wine, oysters steak, you’ll be paying upwards of 150+ per person.

excellent oysters indeed. good clam chowder soup as well.
lobster sliders were so-​so.
bone-​in tenderloin was waaay too peppery.
this place is not kid friendly.
i walked in with my kid in tow. the chef, mr travis himself, was sitting on the bar. he looked at us. and he looked away. no smile. no greetings. no ‘welcome to luke’s. good evening’.
pffth.
they gave the kids no utensils. until the very end.
they should put a big sign on their website and on their door. no kids.
people have told me this place has really good lobster rolls. and the lobsters are really fresh… but i dont think i’ll come back.

Excellent food, but pricey stuff. Oysters the best I’ve had in Singapore. Other stuff is also very good, but again, perhaps the price to quality ratio can be better.

This place is awesome. We made reservations a few days ahead of time, and when we arrived we were shown three crappy two seater tables right next to the front door. I was very bothered and we almost left. however, we were dressed up and my wife was in heels so there was no way we were going to wander around looking for a replacement option at 830 at night… so we stayed and we were glad we did.
The food was the best we had eaten in Singapore and the music was equally as wonderful. We tried the ribeye, the lobster Mac and the asparagus. All equally wonderful and perfect. service was exceptional and if I closed my eyes, I would swear I was in NYC or San Francisco… this place is an ex-​pats delight…
The seafood served at the other tables all looked wonderful and we can’t wait to return for another experience.
This place is amazing… except for those stupid two tops next to the door!