Search “lobster tail delivery” and you mostly get two kinds of results. National seafood shippers that send a foam cooler by courier, and restaurant apps that bring a single plated tail tonight. Neither is what a lot of Southern California households actually want: a few lobster tails already sitting in the freezer for the anniversary, the holiday table, or the Saturday you decide to make surf and turf at home.
Lobster tail delivery, as Personal Gourmet runs it, means restaurant-quality lobster tails hand-delivered into your freezer across seven Southern California counties. We are a family-owned company (Personal Gourmet, Inc., since 2001). No order minimums. No contracts. Pricing is personal, because a couple planning one special dinner and a family stocking up for the holidays do not buy the same way.
Note: We are not the Philadelphia “Personal Gourmet” brand you may see in national search results. This page is about Personal Gourmet’s SoCal in-person freezer service.
Why lobster is the one seafood people hate to gamble on
Lobster is usually the most special item on the plate, which makes a bad delivery feel worse. The common worries are real:
- The porch box. A courier cooler that sits outside in Temecula or Thousand Oaks in late summer is not the start you want for shellfish. The FDA’s seafood guidance warns that frozen seafood can spoil if it thaws during transport and sits warm too long before cooking.
- The surprise size. Online listings blur tail weights, and a “lobster dinner” that turns out to be two tiny tails is a letdown.
- The last-minute scramble. Holiday weeks are exactly when seafood counters sell out and delivery windows fill up.
Hand-into-freezer delivery solves the first and third problems. A person arrives, walks the order into your kitchen, and loads the freezer. You talk through sizes with a specialist before anything is packed, which solves the second.
Lobster tails on the current lineup
Lobster sits in the seafood section of our products page, alongside almost 100 gourmet items across beef, poultry, pork, lamb, and seafood. Recent listings include two styles:
- Lobster Tails in Shell, Split (7/8 oz) — already split down the back, which makes broiling or grilling fast and easy to present.
- Lobster Tails in Shell (16/20 oz) — large, centerpiece tails for the dinner where lobster is the main event.
Listings and sizes can change with supply. Confirm what is available, how it is packed, and your personal pricing with a specialist before you plan a menu around it.
Split tails vs whole in-shell tails
Split tails: weeknight-easy
Split tails are the low-stress option. The shell is already opened, so you brush the meat with butter or olive oil, season, and broil or grill. They plate beautifully next to a filet mignon for surf and turf, and they are forgiving for anyone cooking lobster for the first time.
Large in-shell tails: the centerpiece
The bigger tails are for the night lobster is the whole point: a milestone birthday, a holiday Eve dinner, or guests you want to impress. They take a little more attention. Butterfly them with kitchen shears, or bake or steam them whole, and watch the clock because large tails go from perfect to rubbery fast.
From freezer to plate: the basics
- Thaw in the refrigerator, typically overnight. Keep tails on a plate so drips stay contained. Avoid thawing on the counter.
- Pat dry and season simply. Butter, garlic, lemon, paprika. Good lobster does not need much.
- Cook until the meat is firm, pearly, and opaque, with the shell bright red. FoodSafety.gov’s safe minimum internal temperature chart uses that pearly, opaque test for lobster, and the FDA cites 145°F for most seafood; an instant-read thermometer takes the guessing out of it.
- Rest briefly, then serve. Lobster keeps cooking for a minute off the heat, so pull it just as it hits doneness.
Want more prep help across the whole freezer? Our meat preparation chart covers the beef and poultry side of a surf-and-turf night.
How ordering works
- 1. Free consultation. Tell us how many people you cook for, the occasion, and how you like to cook seafood. A specialist walks you through current lobster listings and anything that pairs with it.
- 2. Custom order. Lobster alone, or mixed with steaks, shrimp, scallops, chicken, and anything else on the lineup. See how it works for the full flow.
- 3. Free freezer delivery. Hand-delivered in person across Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Diego counties. Check your area on our service area page.
No minimums. No maximums. No contracts. Order a few tails for one dinner, or fill the chest freezer before the holidays. Prefer the phone? Call 1-888-870-FOOD (1-888-870-3663).
Who this is for
Stay on a restaurant app if you want a cooked lobster dinner in an hour. Call us if any of this sounds like you:
- You want lobster tails on hand for special occasions without hunting for them the week of.
- You would rather not trust a courier box on the porch with your most expensive seafood.
- You like to plan surf and turf at home and want the lobster and the steak from one trusted stop.
- You host holiday dinners and want the centerpiece handled weeks ahead.
Get My Personal Pricing · Call 1-888-870-FOOD
Lobster tail delivery FAQ
Do you currently carry lobster tails?
Recent listings include split 7/8 oz tails and large 16/20 oz in-shell tails. Supply can change, so confirm current availability, sizes, and personal pricing with a specialist.
Is this mail-order lobster shipped in a box?
Not on the seven-county Southern California route. We hand-deliver into your freezer in person. Shipping outside SoCal is a separate conversation.
Is there a minimum order or a contract?
No minimums, no maximums, no contracts. Order lobster on its own or mix it with steaks and other seafood.
How do I thaw frozen lobster tails?
Thaw them in the refrigerator, usually overnight, then cook until the meat is firm, pearly, and opaque. The FDA cites 145°F internal for most seafood.
How do I get pricing?
Pricing is personal. Request it on our homepage or call 1-888-870-FOOD. A specialist follows up, usually within one business day. Zero obligation.
More seafood into your freezer: salmon delivery · halibut delivery · shrimp delivery · scallops delivery · ahi tuna delivery — same in-person SoCal freezer route.
Personal Gourmet is a family-owned Southern California gourmet food delivery company (Personal Gourmet, Inc.), in business since 2001. This page is about lobster tails on our in-person freezer route across seven SoCal counties. Confirm live seafood listings with a specialist. Always follow safe handling for frozen seafood: keep frozen foods frozen, thaw in the refrigerator, and cook to a safe internal temperature.