HotelChatter

Henry's Rooftop is a quiet, twinkling oasis nestled amid the giant, nondescript towers of midtown—the perfect backdrop to a dinner that could literally go on for hours. Take our advice and show up early. You're going to need some extra time to sit and revel in that post-meal stupor.

Five nights a week (Mon–Fri, 5–10pm), chef Daniel Mowles serves up these mega-meals, and the dish takes up about half of the table (even still, we managed to put away an entire helping ourselves). A single lobsterbake goes for $35, though if you're after something smaller, there's always the lobster dog ($7).

The entire steaming platter is brought to you—un-lidded with a flourish by the friendly waiters—fresh off the stovetop. Whole potatoes are soft and creamy. The corn is sweet and juicy. It's almost intimidating—but just pick a good starting point (we honed in on the tiger shrimp, then made our way to the big red claws), and let your hands do the rest of the work. Things will get messy, but of course, that's just part of the fun!

The only thing missing, if we had to find fault, were a set of plastic bibs. With the front of our shirts protected, there would have been no stopping us!

[Photos: HotelChatter]