Lobster enthusiasts line up for $24 roll in Madison (2024)

A lobster truck set up outside Working Draft Beer Company on East Wilson Street Tuesday and Wednesday, drawing long lines of lobster roll fans willing to fork over $24 for a sandwich.

Cousins Maine Lobstergot its big break in 2012 on the TV show "Shark Tank" and has food trucks in 46 cities across the United States, according to its website.

There's no Wisconsin truck. The one in Madison was just passing through and will go to Stillmank Brewing Company in Green Bay on Thursday and The Brewing Projekt in Eau Claire on Friday.

The truck will be back in the Madison area on Aug. 21 when it makes a stop at Lake Louie Brewing and Wisconsin Brewing Company in Verona. Serving hours will be noon to 9 p.m., according to a company spokesperson.

Cousins has restaurants in Neptune Beach, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Asbury Park, New Jersey; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Columbus, Ohio.

The founders, cousins Sabin Lomac and Jim Tselikis, had been in business for two months when they went on "Shark Tank," according to the website.

The trucks sell what the company says are wild-caught Maine lobster rolls, plus New England clam chowder, lobster bisque, lobster tacos, lobster tots, lobster grilled cheese, lobster quesadillas and whoopie pies.

Mitch Bultman, Working Draft's event coordinator and taproom leader, said Wednesday that people waited at least an hour Tuesday to get food. Wednesday was even busier.

Bultman said the truck began serving at 3 p.m., and people started lining up at 2:30. The event was promoted on social media, he said.

He said the truck was busy until it stopped serving at 8 p.m., and from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., the line snaked through the length of the taproom with people taking advantage of the air conditioning inside.

Bultman, who is originally from Milwaukee, said he tried the hot and cold lobster rolls. "I've been to St. Paul Fish Company at the Milwaukee Public Market, and have had their lobster roll, which I think is excellent. And I think this is very comparable, if not a little bit better."

The truck's Maine roll is served chilled with a touch of mayo, while the Connecticut roll is served warm with butter and lemon. Both come on a New England roll, according to the menu.

The truck that was in Madison is owned by an Atlanta franchisee, according to a company spokesperson. Bultman said the franchisee told him that the Madison stop was great for the business.

"I don't know where this truck specifically has all been, but they said that last night was one of their best nights," he said Wednesday. "So the Madison foodie community really showed up and represented. And they all needed a beer after they were done last night."

Bultman said Working Draft brewed a barrel of special lobster roll New England hazy IPA for the event and went through almost all of it on Tuesday.

"My guess is we will blow through the rest of that in the first hour or two of service tonight," he said.

He said Working Draft brewed one barrel, which is about 42 gallons of beer, and went through about 36 gallons of it Tuesday.

Kim Ramirez and a friend were first in line on Wednesday and got there at 2:15 p.m. She said she goes to Florida every year where lobster rolls are one of her favorite things.

Ramirez said she's never seen lobster rolls in Madison, but goes to Tempest Oyster Bar for regular lobster.

"They're just so delicious and soft," Ramirez said about lobster rolls. "I can just eat more and more and more. I don't get full ever."