Sam's Grill And Seafood Restaurant Reviews

Sam’s Grill is one of the last handful of old-time San Francisco restaurants - a friendly bar, white tablecloths, dark wooden booths with curtains and bells for calling the waiter, and excellent, well-prepared fish and meats from the grill or the fry pan. Sam’s is still there. Try it again!

Old restaurant, welcoming, very good service. Very good fresh fish. Has three sections= some private rooms

We showed up with a party of 10, a revival of old friends. The owners took it in stride and after a short time in the bar, we were seated in a private room. Everyone enjoyed their meals. I had perhaps the finest Cioppino I’ve ever tasted. The portion was so large that I couldn’t finish it. The staff could not have been more gracious. This was a truly remarkable experience.

Went to Sam's with no reservation. We were seated promptly in a booth with a curtain that cold be closed. We could make it as private as we wished. Service was very good, food came quickly and was was very good. I had prawns that were good size and my wife had an excellent grilled sole. It was an experience eating at the fifth oldest restaurant in the country.

Well, from the moment I walked in, and was not greeted until standing there long enough, that was not a great first impression. Then, the waiter, whom was not very pleasant and a pinch grumpy, I finally order. I order two appetizers to start and then informed him I would order my entree; 1/2 dozen oysters and cup of clam chowder, ordered at 5:45 p.m. The waiter came by after about 15 minutes, told me the chef was backed up and it would be soon. At 6:20 p.m. roughly is when the 1/2 dozen oysters come. Prior to that was given a cold loaf of sourdough bread. Oysters were tiny and when asked for some horseradish; I was delivered not fresh yet processed that you find in the grocery store. I was shocked at the reviews of this place to have not fresh for Oysters. My soup arrived after I asked to wait a bit after I finished my oysters. It was fair - not very good to be honest. Waiter never asked what I might want for dinner, so I asked for the bill. He drops it on the table, I pay, never thank you for coming, was there something else you wanted, nothing. Disappointed. Maybe the restaurant had a bad day, yet of all the restaurants I have visited on this trip to the bay, Sam's hands down was terrible - totally not recommending this to any.

.We went in and a very old school atmosphere, brought us into dark closed off table like an old rail car. I was not fond of the darkness. The food was mediocre and overpriced. I would not recommend it. We spent too much for little food we received. I think better seafood restaurants in San Fran.

Our first dinner was at Sam's and it was delightful. I had a dozen of their wonderful oysters, followed by the cioppino which was fabulous. Be sure to ask for one of their private booths. Service was terrific.

Long standing SanFrancisco fish restaurant between Union Square and the financial district with ceiling high dark wood booths. Very traditional with large business traffic. Just excellent if you love fish. Go there every time I am in San Francisco.

AN impromptu dinner turned into super fun with great cuisine, Old school restaurant with a crusty funny (in a good way) server. Food was fabulous, the only thing stopping me from giving it 5 star is a was a little disappointed in the lobster newburg, could have been a little bigger portion. Everything other thing was delicious and at a late notice reservation and choice we did good.

My wife and I had dinner here a few weeks ago and were greeted very warmly by the wait staff. They are mostly older gentlemen dressed in coats and ties and they are attentive and warm. The food was great and the seafood cooked well. The wait staff seem like they have all been there for a long time and become friends with the regulars. Hope this place never closes!

Went with a girlfriend over the summer for lunch dining outside where it was very busy. My Louie salad with crab was great and a Sam's classic. Had not had one in years. She very much liked her fish dish and the service was great! Loved that we could have my small dog with us. Went again during World Cup games at the bar area and it was much fun. Had to wait for seating, but the IPA helped per our college grad son. The food was good having had the clam chowder, calamari, a salad and grilled chicken. As all of these restaurants around the country are working hard to get back after Covid, we realize that many have lost chefs, working to get their service as it was, so over all, were found it fine! And a fun place with many people having a great time!

So disappointing. I had the Rex sole, a long-time standard there. The portions were small, it was flavorless and came in a what can best be described as a warm water sauce. My wife ordered a small seafood salad. It was a small piece of romaine lettuce with a prawn on top. The Louis dressing was mostly mayonnaise. Don't know what happened here. I ate there in January and had a great lunch. Truth told, the place blows hot and cold. It's a shame because it is a classic SF restaurant. I've been going there for at least 25 years.

Went to their tavern to watch football game after recmmendation of executive Hotel Vintage court in the neighborhood also have enjoyed Bar and Grill in the past. Went early to watch a game, but was not being shown! Order appetizer and drink, stayed to watch afternoon game and asked for menu again. Bartender was very impolite! Before I could place my second order check was brought and paid! Was asked buy bartender not to return! Told hotel and hope anybody planning to go there picks a different bar and restaurant

Had a great experience and meal. My tuna steak and shrimp were perfectly prepared. The restaurant was warm and inviting. The staff was professional.

Walking into Sam’s Grill & Seafood Restaurant felt like stepping back in time—in the best way. The old-school vibe, private booths, and classic white-tablecloth setting set the tone for a no-nonsense, quality seafood experience. I started with fresh oysters, which were briny and perfect, followed by a beautifully grilled sole that was simple but packed with flavor. The service was efficient and professional, adding to the timeless feel. No gimmicks here—just great seafood done right. If you love classic San Francisco dining, Sam’s is a must.

We enjoyed Sam's Grill and would definitely go back. I had a seafood salad that was full of fresh crabmeat and shrimp--absolutely delicious. My husband had a seafood pasta that was terrific. The service was prompt and professional, and the paneled walls with photos took you back into a by-gone era.

We stumbled upon Sam's restaurant and grill in Saint Hellier Fish Market on Jersey in the Channel Islands completely by accident. We were passing the fish market and noticed a small LED sign stating restaurant open. Ignore the exterior awning and simply walk in. It's not fine dining but neither is it pretentious, it's a great atmosphere and fun place to dine filled with Portuguese flavours. A warm welcome awaits, we had tried Sea bass and Mussels on our first visit, absolutely delicious as was the Sagres beer and Brandy. Today we called again to try breakfast, a big plate of beautifully cooked food (sausages, eggs, bacon, beans, mushrooms, hash browns, tomato and lashings of hot toast) all served with a smile accompanied by excellent coffee. We'll be back later to try the prawns and a bottle of red wine for supper.

Sam’ Grill opened in 1867, the fifth oldest restaurant in the US. Re-imagined and moved several times, the latest in 1947, it's present location. It hasn’t changed much other than prices and menu tinkering, The only contender in its sphere is Tadich Grill which opened in 1849 (the oldest US restaurant located in SF as well). I have mixed feeling about such places. They seem out of touch with today’s world. However, if you approach this as a Disney Land reality, you will have a good time. That means bear with the disappearing host – that’s the way it was (i.e. not good). Be prepared for nothing fancy in terms of food. Just live the life that people had 75 years ago. I’d stick with the fresh fish mains; that’s the most honest thing here (they source it every day). It also means that fish selections unpredictably sell out. Service is excellent; sometimes annoyingly so. The wine list is not fantastic but reasonably priced. The best wines are in the “other” section at 1.5x markups. The restaurant offers two areas – general seating or private booths. If you want intrigue (even if you have to listen to someone else’s intrigue) go for the booths, they offer the best old world feeling. Booth seating is available for 2 or 4 with an event both for 8 to10. You should request the seating area at the time of reservation. You might think that the restaurant is a tourist trap; it’s hardly so. Three courses plus two glasses of wine should clock in far less that 100 USD, excluding tip (a deal in SF). Come to Sam’s Grill for a unique experience but nothing more.

I was here with a conference so we had certain selections to choose from. I had a wonderful steak and my wife raved about the Salmon. Very nice staff. Not sure what the price was.

It's old school. Waiters in tuxedos. Heavily breaded everything. Tartar and cocktail. To be honest, I didn't know what we were getting in to - as we are not locals. I would have gone with something more modern and creative, as far as flavors and ingredients go (and I'm a very picky/bland eater that doesn't like a bunch of crazy sauces and stuff.) The calamari was sub-par. The sauted prawns were actually the highlight, the accompanying vegetable and potato were also fairly decent. Any of the fried stuff has a heavy breading that just overpowers the food flavor. Overall, it wasn't exceptional - but everything was prepared properly and we did eat quite a bit of it. I don't know a ton about the area, but it seemed busy around this restaurant, but the place was not busy. As much as they tied their history in, it might be time to modernize the menu (or, go dual-sided menu with old school on one side and modern on the other.)

Reminds me of old New York SoHo. The service was good and food excellent. The dessert was a killer. Much too good.

Our friends had eaten before in this restaurant and suggested us to reserve a table for dinner. The place is nice, but quite small. It was totally full. The atmosphere is nice. We had different dishes. I had sword fish and was excellent. My husband had salmon and said that was great. Our friends had oysters and were very satisfied. The white wine was very good. I had some soda though. My husband and I could not manage to eat a dessert and had only some coffee. Our friends share a dessert. Our waiter was very efficient, attentive and a very charming person. He is french. I would like to remember the name. Everything together we all were very satisfied.

A group of us tried Sam's for lunch and it was wonderful. Our waiter Stephanos made us feel like old friends, the menu is very impressive. Most of the dishes are fish, but they do have a handful of meat options. Just ask them to close a window or two as it was chilly!

The dishes and the quality of the fish were great. We have often eaten well in many places around the world, but both the crudo (salmon, tuna, scallops and roasted capers), as well as the grilled octopus, the fish plate and the grilled scallops were second to none. Also the dessert, we had ice cream, cheesecake, chocolate pudding was great. We stayed during our 10-day stay in SF, quite contrary to our usual habits, 3x in Samˋs Grill Many thanks also to our waiter Angelo 👍. We take away very good memories of these 3 evenings 🤗.

Dishes are basic and not good. Pricey for nothing the grilled tuna was over cooked and accompanied by 2 slices of potatoes and some veggies. Appetizers were average: crab cake, calamari etc and Main courses literally underwhelming including the lobster. Deserts are not for any gluten free or low carb diet person: even the pot de crème has flour in it!

Little changed about the "new" Sam's which reopened after a brief 2014 absence with new owners. The petrale and the rex sole were still excellent in a recent visit, tuxedoed waiter still crusty, wood booths still providing an illusion of clubby privacy...and yet. Always a little pricey, this was a $250 lunch for four, the greeter wore an untucked shirt instead of a tux, and the bread was both burned and cold. We won't again incur a San Francisco hotel and parking bill just so we can eat at Sam's.

First of all, I’d like to say that I have been going to Sam’s grill every year for at least the past 25 years. This time I noticed, from the very beginning that something had changed. The menu used to have today’s date printed on it... not anymore and the menu I was given was stained. Ok I usually start with the Fried Calamari. It was half the size it used to be. The bread? Same thing a small piece and it was not fresh. We continued with Halibut and Cioppino. Again much smaller portions than it used to be. Waiter was terrible, we had to ask for iced water three times. The check? The waiter brought it and left it upside down on the table then disappeared and after 10 min we had th ask another waiter to help settling the bill. Overall, it is a shame to see such a change. First of all the owner saves on quantity, I am sure quality will be next. So after 25+ years it is time to say goobye.. adios Sam and good luck to keep your customers.

Sam's has the best grilled fish in San Francisco; I've been there many time and always had gracious service and great food. The negative reviews are bunk IMHO; don't pay attention to whiners.

I've been here a few times. It's the second oldest restaurant in San Fran. I have to say that I really enjoy it. The service is great. The food is excellent. And the ambiance/vibe is classic old San Francisco and top-shelf seafood joint. The prices are on the high side, but that's California in 2024. Sam's is always a must return place for me.

A classic old school restaurant in the heart San Francisco's FiDi area, there's nothing truly unique about Sam's Grill except that it doesn't pretend that it's nothing more than home to well prepared seafood dishes with a sensibility that you can find it only in San Francisco. I had the opportunity to meet up with friends for a weekday lunch and upon arrival at 11:30am there was a small crowd in front as they started serving multiple parties at the front desk. Since we arrived rather early, we had a pick to sit in the salon or patio or in the main dining room. We selected the main dining room and they put us in a table where we wouldn't be too disturbed once the dining room got filled, which as time passed, it most certainly did. I went with the Linguine with Fresh Clams ($22) while my dining companions went with the Boned Rex Sole a la Sam ($20) the Salmon Filet ($26) and cup of Clam Chowder ($6). The rex sole was presented really well with a huge side of tartar sauce to go with it. The salmon was nicely grilled from the charcoal broiler served a nice medley of vegetables but the clam chowder was not was any of us expected and turned out to be a real pass. I liked my Linguine with Fresh Clams, which was super garlicky and served piping hot with fresh clams that were perfectly attached to the shell that needed to be pried open, which is exactly the way I love my clams. The service at Sam's Grill is solid if somewhat lacking, once business picks up. My friend ordered a diet coke and it came in a chilled glass bottle and poured over ice at our table. At the same time, we did receive the requested lemon on the side with our ice water, but our glasses were never refilled once despite being served in short glasses, and our group dining there for a full ninety minutes. Sam's is the perfect place for a business meeting or casual get together with it's no frills ambiance and traditional San Francisco food. The price point on the food is a wee bit high for the amount of food you get, but then again for the neighborhood it's in, it is to be expected. I'd come back for an weekday afternoon lunch, if just to mingle with the financial power brokers chatting it up.

Went here last night because the review's were good. I must admit the building was nice and the service was superb, it's a pity I didn't get the waiters name because he was by far the best part of the evening, polite, attentive and very helpful but that's where the enjoyment finished. I ordered a crab leg cocktail what arrived was 5 pieces of thawed out crab legs (the reason I knew they had been frozen was the freezer burn on them) in a tomato sauce, not much of a cocktail Next I ordered the calamari in a caper sauce, the squid it's self was cooked perfectly but the sauce was made with pickled capers and as you could imagine the taste of vinegar overpowered the whole plate I decided to tempt fate and ordered a summer fruit strudel,surely they couldn't get that wrong. What arrived was stewed mush covered with a crumble topping Need I say more $20 tip left for the waiter and if I had had Ma Broons cook book I would have sent that through to the kitchen

Had dinner at this restaurant. A good American vibe inside and friendly staff. The fish stew was a huge portion and packed full of squid, cockles, mussels, prawns and white fish, I would thoroughly recommend this. The half roast chicken however was a little disappointing, the chicken was quite dry and served with just two potatoes and a very small portion of veg.

Food was nothing spectacular but good and we enjoyed it. Portion was good. We had excellent service. It has the old restaurant ambiance which was cool. Very pricey.

Took friend here fo a birthday lunch. Food and service were great! This is one of my favorite places in San Francisco. We were lucky to get a private booth for lunch. Dont pass this place up!

We had a business dinner here and I thought the restaurant was perfect for it. They do have some private booths in one area that I would try to reserve if going again! They had a large wine lost and the sea bass was very good.

This was probably one of the best places we ate in SF. It's small and old school. The servers are in tuxes and the attention to serving you is fabulous. They close at 9 and we walked in at 835. The host didn't hesitate to seat us. We weren't rushed and enjoyed our dinner. The scallops are a must as are the oysters. There is great history with this place back to 1942. I found the prices very fair for the quality of food served and the service. Next time we would go earlier and make a reservation. Wonderful experience.

Living in the Bay Area affords me the benefit of trying a new restaurant everyday, if I wanted. Now, not wanting to gain 100 pounds, I am more selective in where I go. On my list is Sam's because it is an icon . Met a friend for lunch at 1145 and had no problem being seated. The waiters are all career gentleman who at very nice. Tables are set with line and a quarter of a loaf of deliciously chewy sourdough bread. Wooden paneled walls with coat hooks in the main dining room and both type rooms off to the left. This is a traditional men's power business place. We both opted for the cioppinno having had this at Stinking Rose 3 weeks prior. The dish here is vastly different in that the broth is a broth. At Stinking Rose, it is much more think and zesty. The cioppinno had a couple mussels, clams, crab parts, white fish, shrimp and salmon. The salmon was perfectly cooked. White fish a little overdone. I'd like to come back for the sand dabs since that seems to be the item to eat.

My family was in San Francisco for a couple of days with two small children. We made reservations at Sam's and were very pleased when they seated us in a private dining booth so we could enjoy the time without worrying about our curious girls disturbing anyone. We had very old world, attentive service, and delicious food in a historic atmosphere. We all had seafood dishes, with an appetizer of crab cakes. They fixed our two girls pasta with butter and cheese which was not on the menu. The tiramisu dessert was delicious. I appreciate how accommodating the waiter and the maitre d were in making sure we had an enjoyable experience.

My SF clients picked Sam's Grill for our annual "lunch", which includes many drinks, many appetizers, and then entries all around. Their menu is extensive and all is prepared to perfection! Dungeness crab cocktails, oysters, and then dungeness main dishes (or the fish of your choice). An old traditional restaurant in the financial district. Go there!

Very enjoyable evening in downtown San Francisco near Union Square. Started with the happy hour in the outside terrace bar - very friendly server and great selection of wines and beers at 50% discount. Then a very classic dining experience in the restaurant- one of the oldest in San Francisco. Awesome food served by a highly experienced team. If you like tradition this place is a must.

Thanks, Sam's! You made me look good on our last trip to San Francisco for VMworld. I got to pick our dinner destination, and everyone in the group raved about how it was their favorite meal while we were in town. The oysters were exceptional, and I had the scallops for dinner -- huge and tender and perfectly cooked. Our waiter (I believe Thomas?) was fantastic... friendly, engaging, and very helpful with the menu. The entire meal was a treat from drinks to dessert. Can't wait to come back again and dine in one of the curtained booths!

One can come to be seen or hide in a booth or a private room. I haven't tried the patio, but I bet it is lovely on weekends. Thank heavens no loud obnoxious music. Food is good, of course. Woody is a fine manager.

This is a refreshing change from the usual offerings, tucked away in a side street, Sam's offers diners a nice ambience and good menu choices at reasonable prices. The waiters wear tuxedos which adds a nice touch.

Good food, perhaps a little overpriced? They work hard to maintain an old-timey atmosphere with their unique layout and setup.

Great meal had by table of 4 - starters, mains, dessert, wine and cocktails - not cheap but not hugely expensive - portions huge - Staff amazing really friendly

It's happy hour from 3 to 6. Great value and service. Deviled eggs were enough but we also got an accidental extra order of calamari. I had a Paloma - yummy. Ordered food to go, expect that will be great too.

An American restaurant that calls itself a grill, but cannot make a steak correctly? I had ribeye and wedge salad. The salad was quite tired, but tasted ok. The ribeye was well done, although I had requested medium-rare. Why didn’t I complain? Well, sometimes you are just not up to it, and I was in a hurry. Absolutely not good enough, and I cannot recommend this place.

Just walking around like an out of towner and stumbled upon Sam's Grill. Food was amazing. Staff was perfect. Oldest restaurant in the country. If you like great food you this place is a must.

I don't know if this restaurant is resting on its historical laurels, I was so shocked at the food, service and interior. Our food arrived cold, one of our party (who has been a regular customer for 40 years) had their order forgotten and received their food 15 minutes after the rest of us. The shrimp that my husband had had obviously previously been frozen. Our fish and chips were sub par, under seasoned and I have had better from far less ostensibly salubrious places and it wasn't fresh, the batter tasted old and the chips as if they had been sat around a long time. I thought that it was someone else's order they hadn't wanted! As we were guests of someone, none of us wanted to/or did complain, but we were also disappointed with the service, the gentleman who served us was rude, put out by every request and made us feel as if we were troubling him by being there. The youngest member of the group wasn't very hungry and I asked the waiter how big the portions were as I thought she and I could share, he was so rude about it and annoyed that I was potentially not going to order two full meals. It was also freezing cold where we were sitting inside which was harder for older diners.

The meal was enjoyable and the service good. Unfortunately the evening was spoilt when the waiter asked us to increase the tip amount. This has literally never happened to me in over 35 years of visiting San Francisco. It was a birthday celebration which was unnecessarily spoilt.

Snapper and brussel sprouts that came with it were very good. Tiramisu also good. Did not like totally enclosed booth we were in. Service okay

We were looking for lunch and thought Sam’s Tavern would be a great option. When we walked in and were greeted by a maître d’ with an army of French style waiters and white table cloths, we were a bit taken aback. As it happens, we’d walked into the seafood grill, while the tavern was next door, which was a huge relief! The drinks selection at the Tavern was comprehensive and the beers we chose very tasty. Our lunch was their corned beef sandwich along with a burger, both of which were excellent. The barman was a large, affable man who was incredibly attentive and very helpful in directing us to the Montgomery Street station for our afternoon activity. I will certainly recommend the Tavern for those looking for a less high-brow lunch in town.

I don't give out a lot of 5 ratings but Sam's was excellent. The chowder and the linguine in clam sauce were wonderful. The staff and the restaurant have a lot of character. Really great place - highly recommended.

Had dinner with a couple of friends in this iconic old San Francisco restaurant. We were shown to a real private booth, along a hallway of real private booths - and I thought this was a read "Barbary Coast" experience. The booth was completely walled in with a curtain that could be pulled across the entrance. Our waiter was a seasoned and delightful Breton who before coming to California had worked for years at some of the famous (Breton founded) French restaurants in New York. He guided us through the extensive menu and wine list. The victuals were delicious, very well prepared, and the wine was good. If the idea of a private booth does not appeal to you, it appeared that the other side of the restaurant features a stand-up bar (with stools), tables, and the usual low booths that you can find anywhere. I thought this was a great place and I would be delighted to come back again.

If you are in SF and looking for a great restaurant with great food, Sam's is the place. The restaurant is the oldest restaurant in the city. The ambience is so authentic SF. Located in the heart of the Financial District, you get a wonderful local experience. Love the food. They have a great menu, and their fish dishes are always great. Wonderful salads too. They just opened up a bar/lounge next door. It is a must to stop by for a drink or a comfy place to relax with a drink if you are waiting for a table.

We've been to Sam's a few times and always enjoyed it. The ambience with its dark woods and white tablecloths combined with the mature wait staff make you feel as if you're back in the 30s or 40s. The lunch clientele consists largely of businessmen, which lets you know you're in a downtown. The service is attentive but not obtrusive, and the food is very good. this time we had a crudo (essentially Italian sashimi) of tuna, king salmon, and dayboat scallops in an anchovy lemon aioli. I would much rather have a crudo in a seafood-oriented place like Sam's than sashimi in a Japanese restaurant. It was absolutely fresh. We also had a superb Celery Victor, which was more common in SF years ago but is now very hard to find. The last selection was a grilled octopus, which was crispy on the outside and meltingly tender on the inside, with beans - a great dish. The one criticism I have is that they used to serve liver as well as sweetbreads, which are also hard to find, but discontinued them. I miss these organ meats but still enjoy the seafood dishes in which Sam's specializes.

Sam's is a good dinner spot in the financial district if you're looking for seafood. I'd recommend if it's just a couple of you looking for a casual experience. The decor and furniture leave something to be desired, but that probably adds to the charm of the place. Really liked the ceviche appetizer.

Amazing! Steak,brussel sprouts, potatoes, wedge salad and bread. Classic dinner,vintage vibe, tables close to each other

Sam's reminds me of the Tadich Grill minus the bar. Menu is similar - get some seafood! I had a blackened swordfish entree and it was very good. Service was reasonable as were the prices. Easy to find and get a table.

My fried clams were almost burned to a crisp. Sent them back, the replacement was only slightly better. Vegetables over cooked and bland. One of the worst meals I've had in SF lately.

A friend treated us to lunch at Sam's Grill last week. The Sea Bass and Swordfish was prepared to perfection. My husband really enjoyed his Veal Piccata. However, the $10 mixed green salad was very lack luster. The wait staff seemed to be a bit bored, but the good food made up for their attitude.

My partner and I payed a visit to this restaurant in downtown San Francisco a couple of weeks ago. Our experience turned out to be utterly disappointing. As soon as we got there, we were warned that we had to place our orders immediately because their kitchen was about to be closed. (Why do they take bookings for 8:30pm if they close their kitchen at 8:50pm?). Being a tourist, I wasn't aware of this early shutting time. Choosing our dishes from the menu was also stressful. Most of the dishes were not available and the waiter was clearly pushing our decisions accordingly to what their chefs had already made in the kitchen. Probably in order to save their time as they were about to close. When our dishes were served, the waiter would come to our table every two minutes to poor wine in our glasses and to check if we were about to finish eating and if he could bring the bill. Besides being rushed and badly served, we ate by ourselves as all the other tables were empty. So the place had no atmosphere at all. Summing up, our experience in this place was dreadful. We wouldn't go back there.

San Francisco has changed quite a bit. But the food at Sam’s Grill and Seafood Restaurant has not. This unique eatery knows how to satisfy your palette. Our party of 4 totally enjoyed the private booth concept. We all choose from the seafood menu. All of us were very happy with the tasty meals that were served.

We eat in the tavern next to the restaurant every time we come to San Francisco. The food and ambiance are outstanding. The restaurant is also excellent. It’s a throwback to another era that serves excellent food.

Three of us went to Sam's Grill for a mid-week dinner before hustling off to a basketball game. I had never been there before. I admit I am no expert on what old, traditional San Francisco establishments should look like, but this place looked like it was right out of central casting - tiny mahogany bar crammed with Financial District types winding down their day, couples enjoying quiet dinners in enclosed wooden booths, a slew of waiters in tuxes moving about the place. Just like it was in movies of yore. The place does have history in its makeup. It dates, in one form or another, from 1867. And the food, you ask? Petrale sole to die for (no sand dabs that night), creamed spinach, steamed veggies, fried zucchini strips to share, crusty sourdough bread of their own making. All excellent. One great meal. Our waiter saw to it that our dinners came out pronto, and we made the tip-off with time to spare. Next time I'm in The City, would I go back? In a heartbeat.

Here with my children and mother in law, kids ordered the pancakes and I the Dirty Harry omelette. All very good and tasty. Kids devoured the pancakes. Only our waitress, Katherine disappeared after so I had to flag down someone else. Probably a shift change, so no big deal.

Staff very thoughtful and found a nice corner table where we could park a stroller whilst we enjoyed a great meal. Anchor Steam beer on draft to top it off. Great friendly service made it very enjoyable.

I was here on a business trip and was fortunate to fall into Sam's with a party of 6. The menu and wine list were excellent, and there was definitely a seasoned, old-school vibe to the establishment. This was a lucky find - I'll be back on future trips to SF. Mostly but not exclusively Italian cuisine.

Sam’s Grill is such a wonderful and authentic place. Unfortunately the food is very average as a service. The swordfish at $32 was just not worth it. Even the famous local sourdough bread was three dollars a basket. They serve half a swordfish steak and a Choice of a side dish. The swordfish steak itself was not of a particularly high-quality and it was quite undercooked. For service, which is always hard to evaluate because it depends on who your waiter or waitress is but in our case our waiter never came back to fill up the water glass or pour more coffee and we waited at least 20 minutes for dessert to be brought. I have been going to Sam’s for at least 40 years and I love so many things about it but it just isn’t well run right now.

Walked into this restaurant without a reservation and was promptly seated. The waiter was very good. Food was just OK. Reasonable prices on their bottles of wine.

This restaurant was fabulous on so many levels we loved the character as well as the atmosphere and service. The history being the fifth oldest restaurant in the United States is also fabulous. We started with the shrimp scampi and had the special halibut both of which were superb perfectly presented and hot Highly recommended

The place is an institution and we found it up to its reputation. The service was good, even if is was slow a the beginning due to the mass of clients. The food was excellent. The prices were on the high side.

Somewhat typical sports bar, with tv screens lining the walls, but with exceptional customer service. Nice breakfast, with an order of chilli fries - great start to the day. Glad we stumbled across this venue - located close to the iconic entrance to China Town.

The concierge at the Taj recommended this restaurant on our last night with our family and it did not disappoint. Excellent seafood. Be sure to ask for one of the booths that are not visible from the entrance to the restaurant. Our waiter was great, food fabulous and we felt like we were in the 1940-1950's with our private booth. Better than the Tadich grill.

My wife and I had a lovely lunch - oysters on the half shell, crab cakes and sand dabs. Each was very tasty. Wonderful table service in a traditional early SF setting. Give it a go - you won’t be disappointed!

Beautiful spot and nice set-up. I was frankly unimpressed by the oysters, the crab cake was good, the chowder was quite bad.

There are times when you just need a dark paneled booth with a simple grilled salmon or swordfish, or Mahi Mahi without the flourishes. And, oh yeah, creamed spinach. At 150 years old, Sam's still holds it own as the recent decades filled Belden Place with French restaurants. Lunch is packed during the week with local bankers. Dinners are more accessible. Service continues old school is the best meaning of that term.

Sam's is a comfortable spot for an uncomplicated dinner. The staff is welcoming and attentive. Service is quick and the food is fresh and simple.

We used to dine at the old Sams a long time ago and since the pandemic, they have done a nice job of remodeling the restaurants. It is located outside of Chinatown has three places to dine – One is a Pub/Bar, Main restaurant and an outdoor patio. We ate in the outside restaurant because HH is served between M-F 3-6 pm. and wanted a casual place to have a drink before heading home. We ordered during two visits: - French fries which were hot and crispy - Oysters on half shelf HH special - Meatballs- were a bit tough but still tasted good - Caesar salad with anchovies on top – great with anchovies - Shrimp on the HH menu - large portion and delicious Great location for people getting off work and enjoying some snacks before heading home. You can get a full private meal at the restaurant and more casual meal at the Grill or outside on the patio. Definitely will return - loved the casual atmosphere!

My native SF self loves Sam's Grill on Bush Street - it's got the old San Francisco ambience (established is 1867), great wooden walls, white table cloths and yummy real sourdough bread on the table. We lunched there this week and had amazing grilled salmon and grilled swordfish - both moist and cooked to perfection. We locals will be back soon! Thanks to the great Maitre'D, another native San Franciscan who exerted warm welcomes to us

We ate there before going to the theater, food was awesome and the service was great. We all had the Korean tacos and loved them. Drinks priced good, a glass of wine was 5.00. Highly recommend this place too bad its not in a better part of town.

Sam's is old school. The setting is quite unique as you feel like you are in a rail car. You get taken down a long corridor for your table, which is curtained off from the tables around you. So everyone gets their own "private" room to dine in. However, the walls are paper thin, so if you are unfortunate enough to have loud neighbors, your own meal will not be as private as you would expect in a fine dining establishment. Our neighbors were very loud, and their language was foul, which made our meal uncomfortable. I'm not sure management could have done something, but this was one reason we gave this place only 3 stars. In addition, the meal was good, but nothing really special at this price point. The stuffed sole was good, and the seafood salads were fine. The salads were large so we had leftovers. Overall, I would try another place.

We've been to Sam's a half-dozen times in the recent past, with a gap in visits when they were renovating and put in the outside patio section. We will continue to go, based on the history and tradition. Last time we were there, something hit me wrong and had to stop at several BART stations, on the way home. Not sure what it was (I think it was a sauce on the asparagus). We finally went back this week. We continue to appreciate the obvious respect for the Old World Tradition of San Francisco displayed in the decor of the restaurant and the "dress" of the servers, in black tux garb, with bow ties. My ancestors lived in SF 150 years ago, so I can imagine them going there. That's the part of Sam's we enjoy so much, with the booths. This visit (lunch -- inside), we had a nice glass of house white ($8) and several other dishes. Caesar salad had anchovies, but was otherwise unmemorable. $14. Half-order of fried calamari was disappointing, So much heavy breading, it was difficult to find the actual seafood. $10. Having had fried calamari other places recently, this one seemed to be all-breading. Small cup of red clam chowder. $6. Soup was tasty, and did have a taste of clam broth but I never saw a clam. Carrots, but no clam. One of our favorites at Sam's is the sourdough bread. Ours was burnt and dry. That had never happened in our previous visits. This was a birthday visit for my husband, as he likes Sams. I did mention it to the waiter, who seemed oblivious. I didn't expect anything special (dessert or anything) but he could have at least said Happy Birthday. Overall --- we'll come back if it's convenient, but it was a disappointment. We were greeted nicely by two other staff members (complete with bow ties) but our waiter didn't pay much attention to us, the food was not as good as in the past or not as good as other seafood restaurants we patronize (no clams in clam chowder and can't find the calamari with all the breading?). The burnt bread was a big downer. The long esteemed history of Sam's Grill deserves better.

Alwaysloved Sam's! In these days you have to eat outside! Sam's has done it well with covered outside dining. They came through with wonderful clam chowder and fish & Chips. A true oasis in todays world.

When I booked I wrote a note that it was my daughtrrs 16 birthday and there is also a question about if its a special occation. Nothing happend! The food was allright (small portions exept the desserts). Restaurant really boring. Sad that we choose this place for an important evening.

Great mussels and oysters. Huge selection of seafood. One of my friends had the cioppino, and it also was excellent. The Chardonnay was excellent as well as the service.

Great professional servers. Well established seafood restaurant. Nice private tables. Food is very good and reasonably priced.

We like to visit classic restaurants in the cities we visit and Sam's, opened in 1867, fit the bill. Friendly attentive service, well-prepared fresh seafood and meat dishes and traditional sides made for an enjoyable dinner.

We went to Sam's many years ago and although we had been to San Francisco, we hadn't been back. We made a point of doing so this time. The charm is still there. The food and service was very good. We will go back again.

Up until our last five minutes at Sam's we were having a very good time. The restaurant is historical and we found the food solidly ok - not great, but above average. Then came the check. Our server who had been friendly up to this point seemed to misinterpret my partner's request for change and (1) opted to return the change to our table with the suggested tip amount on the bill circled and (2) did not return the small change we were owed from the money we paid against the bill! Incredibly rude and we were left with a really bad proverbial taste in our mouths. While we understand wait staff live on tips, the actions of our waiter were so presumptuous, to the point of really being rude. The seafood fettucini was good. As was the signature seafood soup, though it needed salt. Don't order the ceviche if you've ever had the real thing. We won't be back.

We both had fish dishes, the whole Branzino was grilled to perfection, the Petrale Sole delicious as well. Service provided by Alejandro was superb, making for a very enjoyable dining experience.

We have been there with friends. This was a nice surprise. The style is old school and waiters are nice and stylish. Food is great. Desserts also. So, go there, you won't be unhappy

When we arrived in San Francisco, I wanted to eat nothing more (and nothing else!) than a good bowl of clam chowder with sourdough bread. We stumbled upon Sam's Grill by chance on a chilly evening - and decided to pop in to see if there were seats. The decor and setup of the place is old world, classic - all in a good way, which appealed to the nostalgic, sentimental side of me. As we found out, it's SF's 5th oldest restaurant, and we're glad they've preserved the historical elements in the dining experience. It was about 6, 7PM at night, and the other diners in the restaurant seemed to be regulars, from the way our server Nicola was chatting happily with them; even cutting up food into small-sized pieces on a patron's behalf. Fried Calamari was out of this world delicious; clam chowder was hearty; sourdough bread and butter - yummy! We had the sea bass and swordfish - and everything was so fresh, and not overly-seasoned. A marvellous start to our trip in SF!

Totally biased review alert!: Went here with some patrons who are regulars. Staff was super friendly and attentive. This group of men have known each other from 50 years to 25 years, depending. It made all the food and wine taste better. I recommend you come here with some old friends. It's the best seasoning on what seems to be a very good restaurant in its own right. p.s. great Bloody Mary's

The concierge at the hotel recommended this place for dinner on our arrival in San Francisco. It was a great choice. The seafood is magnificent, with local fish and old style recipes harking back to when the restaurant was first opened. The local sole was suburb on the recommendation of our waiter Clayton. The waiters all wore suits and bow ties, the private dining booths were an old style delight, service was excellent and the wine and drinks menu comprehensive. The first visit was so good we returned a few nights later. The staff recognised us and we ended up with the same waiter, a real nice touch. The prices were comparable to other restaurants in the city and not outrageous. The place is so old style it doesn't open on Saturdays or Sundays, as it never has done! I would dine here on every visit to San Francisco. Really worth a visit if you like seafood.

One of the best seafood restaurants. It is the 6th oldest restaurant in America, dating back to 1867. I had wonderful oysters and a lobster tail. Excellent. My wife had steamer clams and I wanted to put a straw in delicious broth and drink it! The tuxedoed waiters are very professional and helpful. We highly recommend this landmark restaurant. Warning: It is not opened on Saturday or Sunday.

Great place....old school San Francisco.... I was here for a work dinner and had the Cioppino.... hands down the best I have had. Great selection of local Beer and Wine, great bread and salad offerings to start the meal! The ambiance is cozy, comfortable and private. Be careful! The Cioppino is scalding hot!

like the little room to sit in for dinner, offer quietness and privacy. the service and food are all good.

Had been too many years to count since last I ate at Sam's. As we arrived late after the Financial District luncheon crowd had left, we were immediately seated. We skipped on the appetizers and went directly to the lunch entrees, our choices were - Smoked Salmon Caesar Salad, Calamari Dore, and the Grilled Ahi Tuna Fillet. My dish was the Smoked Salmon Caesar Salad and it was excellent. I had a bite of the Calamari Dore and it was superb with its light taste of lemon that did not take away from the calamari. My taste of the fresh Ahí tuna was excellent too and seared perfectly. From the picture you'll see that it almost looks like a steak!

I had dinner at Sam's with several colleagues. We were looking for seafood in the downtown area and it come up on OpenTable. It's a very old, historic restaurant that maintains a traditional decor and service. The menu was mostly seafood, which was expected. I had a very good bowl of Cioppino with sourdough bread. My colleagues all enjoyed their meals as well. Our server was very good....efficient but not overbearing. My only complaint is that they won't do separate checks. Unfortunately, this makes things difficult on business travel. We were able to use separate cards but they divided the bill evenly.

Entered the place where the welcoming act was short and rather cold. The place looked rather boring and some color here and there wouldn’t have hurt. We were a group of 5 and we got our own “train cabin”. From there it went the right way. The starters were excellent, the main dish (King Salmon) perfectly prepared. The waiter kept repeating that the kitchen would close at 21h, so picking the dish needed to be done in a no-nonsense way. They way he approached the definition of service was non American. Straight forward, but with a good sense of dry humor. Would I go again? Yes. But you do not go for a romantic dinner. With friends? Excellent choice, but maybe not everybody’s taste.

We found Sam’s on OpenTable, it had great reviews there and we fancied some food seafood. It’s a very traditional style restaurant from the decor to the service - walls are wood panelled, the tables are perfectly laid, it has a small but perfectly kept bar as you enter. The waiters here are all dressed in Tuxedos and offer genuine service. All of this could easily give the expectation of high menu prices but thankfully that isn’t the case. Ask your waiter for menu advice and, unlike some of the other places we have visited on our US tour, the waiter wont just pick the most expensive items and will instead will ask some questions before directing you to a food choice you will most probably enjoy. I also liked the fact the waiter didn’t seem offended if we didn’t follow his recommendation (for the wine), which is another trait of other restaurants. We had Chowder and shrimp cocktail to start, both were good but (and this is the only let down) the shrimp was clearly frozen. Followed were Ahi tuna and fried oysters. The ahi tuna was incredible, it had just kissed the grill and was like a tender steak. The fried oysters were quality good, a huge portion and a nice creamy texture. We were too well fed to have dessert but thoroughly enjoyed everything we ate and the service was one of few places we have felt it worth paying for. I would highly recommend a visit - request a private booth for a nostalgic date.

Old school restaurant, very historical and you can feel that. Servers have worked there for years and the place just has that look and smell! It’s a bit pricey, we were £140 for two and didn’t have huge amounts, but what we did have was great. I have to shout out the grilled octopus was 10/10, taste and texture was amazing.

Seafood lovers should not miss out on dining at Sam’s. The menu is proudly old school in the best way; if you’ve never tried things like Oysters Rockefeller or Clams Casino, this is the place to do it! The staff are welcoming and extremely knowledgeable, the martinis are cold, and the food is incredibly delicious. It’s worth every penny, and a must-do when visiting San Francisco. I can’t wait to come back!

For over 25 years, Sam's Grill has been my go-to choice for seafood (and occasionally sweetbreads) when in San Francisco (with Tadich my fall back on weekends when Sam's is closed). It's become my favorite restaurant in a city that has an unbelievable range of wonderful dining options. Sam's always hits the mark for me. I love simple seafood, and I love the tradition at Sam's. This is old school dining in many ways, the type of dining Doris Muscatine talks about in her book A Cook's Tour of San Francisco written in 1963 (and she talks about Sam's in that book). Dining may have changed a lot since then, but there is still nothing wrong with that classic style. There are few places I go these days that would feature things like Celery Victor on the salad menu or offer "French pancakes" (crepes) with lemon for dessert, or sweetbreads prepared several ways on every menu. If I lived in San Francisco, I suspect I'd be one of the Sam's regulars I seem to see every time I do visit (on one business trip recently, I ate at Sam's every day). Others may not find Sam's the quality of restaurant that I do, but my experiences over many, many visits give no support to the complaints I've occasionally seen.

I have been living in San Francisco and eating at Sam's Grill for over 50 years. Even when we were living on a tight budget -we would find the money to eat at Sam's for a splurge. The food is good-try the sand dabs and the atmosphere is wonderful as is the service. This is the true old San Francisco and every visitor who really wants to know the old San Francisco should come here. This type of atmospheric old place is fast disappearing under the techie invasion, but I hope Sam's stays on for many years. The last time we were there for lunch we had one of the private booths and it was just so nice to relax, eat great food and have great service. Sam's has something that none of the new places has-which is a soul.

This restaurant has old school charm and an atmosphere that makes you feel like you are back in the 60s. Our server was amazing and the food was incredible. I had the fish and chips and the cod was so fresh. Our party ordered one of every dessert and they were so decadent. It is a bit pricey, but you are paying for the nice atmosphere and high-quality food. I would absolutely go back.

I arrived at 20:30, happy from cocktails at the Mac and was greeted by a sullen man who told me we had to place our full order by 21:50. 30% of the menu choice was not available. The waiter badgered us to order rubbish, kept trying to force us to dink more wine, we ended up with a mediocor meal. The cost was £156 for two courses (starter & main) for 2 people. I refused to leave a tip (the things americans survive on) and was pleased to leave. Unfortunately I am still stuck in s..t hole of San Francisco - hell on earth.

We liked Angelo, attentive, engaged, knowledgeable, we had oysters out of Drakes Bay and my wife asked for clams and Angelo looked up the secret menu and made sure we had clams, I liked that they were all dressed in tie/ black tie, touch of class, like SF in years gone by, where the client is held in esteem

Returned after 12 months. Nothing has really changed except this year they had runout of oysters! Curiously, we approve of this! It means that fresh product is being served. Service, friendly and efficient. Quite adequate wine list. Not sensational but v good

Sam’s is authentic, very accommodating and one of the oldest restaurants in the United States (since 1867). No piped in music - the diners’ conversations create a wonderful atmosphere. Not open Saturday or Sunday (good for them and employees), so reserve in advance! On corner of Beldin which has additional excellent restaurant offerings!

Busy historic downtown restaurant; you feel like you are rubbing elbows (literally) with the city's powerful families! Good seafood (important that a seafood place be busy so fresh fish arrives frequently). Prawn salad was excellent; very fresh lettuce, tangy dressing, and, of course, several tasty good-sized prawns atop. Good service. Not inexpensive, but a wonderful downtown experience.

Sam's Grill has been around in one form or another since 1867. Wow. The specialty here is seafood, and they serve up a wide array of choices. For starters, we had the crab cocktail, which was Dungeness crab claw meat (whole pieces) served like shrimp cocktail. There was a lot of crab meat, and Dungeness is in season at the moment - delicious! We also had the fried calamari, which was FRESH - you will never be satisfied with frozen calamari again! Our entrees included the Crab Louis, the fried seafood platter and the sand dabs. The fish is mainly served with a boiled potato and a healthy sized serving of fresh vegetables. The Crab Louis was delicious, with a ton of Dungeness crab on a bed of greens. The fried seafood platter was so-so; the scallops and clams were great, but the fried fish was just average and bland. The sand dabs were plentiful and delicious. I typically order sand dabs when they are available - think flounder, filleted and about 4-5" long. They have a very mild taste, and Sam's serves up a very generous helping, probably 8-9 sand dabs. Overall that night's experience was OK (we've had better); the tables were very close together and it was quite loud. We were there at 7 PM on a Friday night; it is more mundane during weeknights. The service was very slow; sometimes we had to grab a manager to get things like bread and water; our entrees took 30 minutes to arrive. So four stars on the food and ambience, but 2-3 stars on the service. We have been there many times and I guess they were short staffed; the service is usually much better. The crowd really thins out after 8:15-8:30 PM, even on weekends. HINT #1: They offer old-style "private" booths, with curtains...but even though we reserved one (a request), there was not one available when we arrived. It's really first come, first served, so get there early if you want one. Try and get one; they are great and are really a throwback to old San Francisco. HINT #2: There is no parking, so plan on parking near Union Square (5-6 blocks away) and walking...or take a cab/Uber. HINT #3: A wheelchair may have problems fitting into the lack of table space and will definitely not fit in the microscopic restroom.

In San Fran on vacation with my wife and 3 adult children. We travel and dine out a lot and this was by far the worst restaurant experience we ever had. Here's the list of issues: FOOD - scallops were oily and tasteless - clams were burnt to a crisp - clam chowder was ok but very few clams - vegetables were bland and tasteless - pesto pene was not al dente, floating in oil, and too much pine nuts....it was really hard to eat it. SERVICE - waiter checked on us twice during the entire dinner -waiter was informed it was my wife's birthday but did nothing - not even an acknowledgment - for the second time in my life I did not tip and to my surprise, the waiter came running outside after us saying "you're taking away my money". Really? I seriously can't believe I was threatened by a waiter after I dropped a couple hundred bucks on a horrible meal. I've never seen anything so bold. He told me I should have told him what concerns I had. Maybe he's right. He can read this review over a few times and maybe it will help him in the future. One other thing......the restaurant has a musty//dirty smell. We should have turned around before we got to our table. Please do yourself a favour and don't eat here. It is, bar none, the worst experience our family has ever had. Definitely NOT a San Francisco Treat.

We went to Sam’s for lunch earlier this week and it was outstanding. This restaurant has a long history in San Francisco and was originally established in 1867. It has a very comfortable feel and somewhat similar to Tadich Grill down the street. Our party of 6 tried a nice variety of different items on the menu including fried oysters, gilled swordfish, seafood sauté, cioppino, seafood salad entre’ and filet of sole. Everyone at the table was very happy with their food. We had an enjoyable meal and out server was very attentive to our needs. Prices are a little on the high side for lunch, but it was well worth it. We were all too full from our meals so no one ordered desert or coffee. We liked this place and would go back there again.

One of my favorite restaurants in San Francisco. Went here for a birthday lunch with an old college classmate. As usual food and service were great. If you want to try an piece of old San Francisco try this place.

We had no plans for dinner last Wednesday night at openworld and canes across sams grill on bush. This unassuming place was efffortlessly run, from our servers to the bartender to the quality of the fish we were served. Top marks for one of the oldest restaurants in the country.

Good solid food at an extremely reasonable price. Would go again! On a small alley called Belden Place.

When I got to the restaurant, they made me sit and gave me warm water. I observed how nicely they accommodated other guests. Once they were seated, they gave them cold water and complimentary bread. I ordered, and then they Served me two slices of bread twice—not once, but twice.

Sam's claims status as the fifth-oldest restaurant in San Francisco, though it's been at the present location only(!) since the 1940s. The atmosphere is classic Thirties and Forties: you feel like Humphrey Bogart and Mary Astor might waltz in the door any minute. Something like a third of the space is taken up with wood-walled, curtained private booths - another great feature for nostalgia freaks. Ambience is quiet by today's noisy standards, another plus. Waiting staff is polished, seasoned, and (another nod to nostalgia) white-shirted and black-suited. Some of the waiters are "characters" who might rub some customers the wrong way; we've usually noticed the wink behind the gruffness and found them amusing. Tables can be rather close together. The menu likewise maintains an old-fashioned feel, though everything is no longer a la carte - main courses are now accompanied by an assortment of undistinguished steamed vegetables in addition to a couple of good roasted potatoes as before. The main emphasis is seafood, and the charcoal grilled fish is always extremely reliable: impeccably fresh, expertly done, and sustainable. There is a long list of other seafood dishes. A couple of steaks and a few other meat dishes are also on offer. Fans of sweetbreads will find them available two ways. The french-fried eggplant and zucchini are a must. Salads used to rely too heavily on iceberg lettuce and watery tomatoes; we haven't tried them lately. The creamed spinach, formerly another traditional highlight, has now acquired an unattractive overtone of garlic. There is a very reasonable assortment of wines by the glass in addition to the wine menu. This is not fine dining by San Francisco standards, but the seafood is very good indeed, so is the service, and the atmosphere can't be beat. Good fish is never cheap at downtown restaurants, so don't expect an economy meal.

Sams is one of about 8 restaurants that have an outdoor covered patio all adjacent to each other in an alley way. You can walk along the alley and view all the menus. I think all of these patio restaurants also have a brick and mortar version. We chose to eat at Sams and weren't disappointed. The environment on the patio is very casual and relaxed. The waitor was very friendly and helpful to us in making our selections. I had the swordfish with fingerling potatoes and it was delicious. Perfectly cooked and seasoned and the potatoes were flavorful and moist. I chose an Anchor Steam beer as a drink which is a staple in many SF restaurants. My colleagues had the scallups and a steak. Both were very pleased with their meals and would recommend Sams to friends. My only complaint was that because we were outside there were times when the waiter had to go into the restaurant to get food, etc. which meant he was not available as much as would be expected in a typical restaurant.

ATTENDED THIS RESTAURANT WITHOUT RESERVATION LAST Friday NITE. No PROBLEMS GETTING A TABLE. very CASUAL. Fish cooked to perfection c home cooked style accompanying veges. A very enjoyable, reasonably priced evening.

How on earth this pathetic restaurant could get high ratings is beyond my wildest imagination. There were 6 of us and we all had different orders. Not one of us could finish the food. It was pathetic! The only way people could rate this place as high as it is rated is one of the following or a combination thereof: (1) they must be drunk, (2) must be friends, family or employees of the company, or (3) a regular at McDonalds and simply does not know any better. Service was outstanding though. Something needed to be for the price we paid!

Sam's Grill is old San Francisco with the classic fish house menu, suited up waiters, starched linen and sourdough. It is known for it's private booths and the local political luminaries making friends, influencing people and making deals. I love their fresh fish but you don't want to miss the Manhattan clam chowder. It is the best where most seafood restaurants will serve the cream style New England chowder, the "Red" chowder is a nice change an Sam's does it very well. The patio seating on the Belden Alley adds an alfresco option. Sam's is The Place to eat in the financial district, among the movers and shakers of the City.

The good, centrally located San Francisco icon. Every dish has met expectations. Not my first choice, but a solid place that won't ultimately disappoint. The service is very good at Sam's. Sam's has been "The Bay Areas Top 100 Restaurants" for longer than anyone may remember. This is a solid place. Their charbroiled seafood dishes are their strongest dishes for my tastes. Their large selection of specialty salads are very, very good. An overall 4.75 stars.

Ok, had a lovely meal, Very pricey & not particularly big, then immediately we finished the waiters attitude changed, we were Dumped the bill, while still drinking our drinks, then he returned 3 times in a matters of 4-5 minutes and then asked to settle the bill with a disgusting glare !! - quite frankly it was all a bit bizzare, I can only imagine he had so many tables and wanted us out and the next people in. Although the place was nowhere near full, It completely ruined our evening. He then presnted us with €23 dollars change asking if I needed change for the €20 with yet another Bizzare attitude - we left a measly €3 tip the very least we've left anywhere and left. The other waiter dragged his coats through our sauce and when we told him his coat was covered we then had to ask for more Tatar sauce, he had no intention of replacing it. This could have been a lovely evening but the staff & price Completely ruined it. Do not bother going there are many many others just as good around the square. Because of where we were sat we were also privy to the awful comments about other customers passed between the staff - the toilets are tiny and disgusting not been cleaned or checked all day - look at my other reviews to judge fairness. Then don't bother with this place.

We came here last min and I was pleasantly surprised by the food. We ordered at the time were the deviled eggs but I could literally smell the goodness wafting through the air from other tables around me. The bartender seems stern I. The beginning but is actually pretty cool and funny. Drinks were everything!. Please no scooters and be vaccinated*

Sam's was on the recommended restaurants list from our hotel, so we had high hopes. The little booths for dining were a novel feature (imagine a dining table in your wardrobe & you get the idea). We both chose the prawns dore & they were tasty, but just like a prawn omelette in flavour. Service was pleasant. Not a bad meal, but another case of a restaurant depending on its history rather than its cuisine.

Apparently the oldest restaurant in SFO, fifth oldest in the country. Old fashioned traditional decoration. The food is great, with a big emphasis on fresh seafood. Wide choices on the menu. We had a large party and everyone's food was very good. Location is convenient in downtown SFO. Service was friendly and efficient. There is an open dining room, as well as private booths. Private booths are quieter, which worked out well for us as a large party.

I've been here a number of times since my last review and fortunately, Sams remains excellent. I strongly recommend Sam's to San Francisco locals or for tourists who want a unique San Francisco restaurant experience. Food and service are first rate.

Love this place for lunch, drinks and dinner. Terrific seafood from cioppino to cod to salmon. Great shellfish and. Awesome desserts. You cannot go wrong at Sam’s. We go here every trip to San Francisco.

Tried this restaurant out after a couple of years. Ihad a special scallop plate and my wife had the stuffed Patrale se. Both were yummy and the service was great. If you are in the area try it out. Aall of the dishes look great!

I contacted this place in anticipation of possibly eating there. Was instructed via phone by the host to send an email. Here was the reply (in part) from the manager: “Celiac isn’t transferable like cross contamination with peanuts or a vegan kitchen where grills must be separate.” Save yourself being glutened and do not go here! If I had other food allergies I probably would not eat here either just to be safe.

Super super super! Would wholly recommend! The service is warm welcoming and very good, the food is delicious and well priced, trySancerre

Some people are just geared perfectly towards hospitality and Chris at Sam's Grill is one these. From the second we arrived nothing was too much trouble and Chris's knowledge of the menu made ordering a fun, but tricky experience as everything sounded good. I have attached a copy of the menu to give you an idea of the type of food available, but this is updated regularly so it may of changed by the time you get there. Belden Street is a small pedestrian alley between Bush Street and Pine Street, close to the financial district of San Francisco. This is not the most touristy bit of SFO, but the food here is great and probably closer to your hotel than Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39. We all started with the clam chowder, which was an amazing blend of both the traditional Boston cream based chowder and the tomato based version, I have had both before, but never considered combining the two, a real 'must try'. To follow I had the sword fish, my wife had the sautéed shell fish and our son had the Salmon special, all were as tasty as they were well presented. One portion of Apple pie to share to follow and we were set for the rest of the day. If you are not driving it is definitely worth trying the Lagunitas IPA obviously served colder than back on the other side of the pond, but none the less a great little local beer. So, 3 courses (albeit a shared pudding) and a round of drinks came to $165.44 including all taxes, plus tip. Great value for a fabulous lunch. Many thanks to Chris and the team.

Great food we will remember and very good service from our hostess Bella and the owner himself. We will recommend this restaurant.

Good drinks. Service prompt an knowledgeable. The menu has some nice touches. I had grilled coho salmon with a Chardonnay sauce with crispy risotto cakes with Dungeness crab. The crab cakes were out standing and could have been an entree on their own, lots of crab and nicely seasoned.

Came here for a business dinner. Service was really friendly and good. They specialise in fish and seafood, though they also have steaks The oyster starter was small. My ahi tuna was pretty good. The steaks look ok Again, the service, wow

Excellent restaurant! We went with a group of 5, service was excellent, food was even better. Generous serves, extremely fresh and tasty. There are some negative reviews here about this being an older atmosphere-that is the whole point of their interior, it represents old school San Francisco and has been around for a long time! It’s great. Highly recommend.

We had a very nice dinner, if you go avoid Angelo as a server, he is arrogant and can't be bothered to serve you.

I thought just walking into Sam's was a magical step backwards in time, but to be seated in the tiny, wood-walled booth with an optional curtain to close for complete privacy was extraordinary. Loved the detailed history of the restaurant printed on the menu, including the historical detail about the local oyster fishery. The Petrale Meuniere was absolutely delicious, the Pot de Creme heavenly, and our server, who had worked there for decades, was absolutely charming.

While on a trip with some friends wandering the streets of San Fran we came across Sam's and noticed it was quite a busy spot, it must be good! We had an amazing spread of seafood, the waiter was so friendly he made me a colossal extra dirty martini to perfection! Highly recommend this spot qhen visiting San Fran!

First the jackhammer outside the front wall did nothing for the ambience. Once we moved it was better. It’s an old style restaurant with booths. The shrimp cocktail was full of small shrimps but was very good. The blue nosed bass was grilled and good but again nothing special. We didn’t get dessert.

Right next to Sam's is the related "Sam's Seafood Alley" where they have a great happy hour with worthy drink specials and half-price appetizers. Good fun!

I have eaten at Sam's grill many, many times over the years. This year it seemed as though the food and service were a step below years past. We had a reservation for a group of six made weeks ahead but wound up seated at two small round tables pushed together. The group had an array of different dishes, from the grilled Petrale to the Cioppino to the sweet breads. I would say that none of them were quite as good as in previous years; the petrale was underseasoned and the cioppino a liitle bland as well. Our waiter was fantastic, but the funny table threw things off. I will probably eat here again to give it another chance, but it may slide off the 'go to' list for SF.

One of those places where the food is pretty darn good, but the star is really the place itself. One of a few places in town with this simliar feel to it (Tadich). Helpful waiters dressed in nice uniforms. Full bar is a focal point. Nice private tables with full walls around them on one side, and open dining on the other.

Some tables were in an open room, but we sat in an enclosed booth. It was like being on a train. It was fun, funky, and old-fashioned in the best way. Our food was excellent. I had the Brazino and my husband had the swordfish. Our server was fast and attentive.

I was in San Francisco for a conference and this place came highly recommended. We were looking for a good seafood restaurant. This was my first time here. Of course, the place was packed. We had sourdough bread and my main dish was the cioppino. Wonderful meal. The service was great. I will be definitely going back here when I am in town. Priced well too. I would highly recommend reservations.

We had high hopes before dining here as visitors from the UK. We liked the history of the place, fifth oldest retaurant in the USA and the quirky booths to dine in. Sadly we found that this was the best part as our food was very underwhelming. We both had the Alaskan cod and chips which came with slaw as well. Sadly the fish was overcooked and dry. The fries were not appetising either. Food in San Francisco is expensive and we expected it to be cooked well. I'm afraid we left without leaving a tip.

Business lunch...great service and meal in this 150 year old SF restaurant...ahi over risotto handled me until my late dinner...I will return absolutely

We had a reservation for a business lunch for two. When he arrived and I mentioned the reservation to the hostess, he told me he would wait at the entrance until the other person arrived (which could have been a restaurant policy). Only when the other person arrived did they bring us to the table. So long as everything's normal. But my surprise was to see that later someone else arrived, with reservation for two, and him if they made him come to sit at the table while waiting for the other person. What kind of discrimination is this? I don’t want to think I wasn’t let in just because I was Latino. When you have a bad experience, food takes second place.

We hopped off the F line trolley at the 1st and Battery stop and made the short walk over to this amazing restaurant at the recommendation of an article in Time magazine since we weren’t sure where to eat lunch. First, it is so cool inside; there are individual wood paneled compartments (with curtains that close) like on a train on one side of the restaurant. I was told it was the 2nd oldest restaurant in San Francisco. Sure wonder what used to go on in those compartments back in the day :) There is also regular restaurant seating and outside seating. The antique bar is beautiful. We had a fantastic server and everyone was super nice!! I had the sand dabs (never heard of them before) but they were awesome and served with a delicious vegetable dish called caponata. My friend had the petrale sole, which she absolutely loved. The wine we had was super smooth too. I highly recommend this place!! Great fun.

A standard favorite of ours in the city. Solid classic San Francisco fare, they make a classic Caesar with fresh anchovies, yum. Excellent wait staff. A bit loud but not overwhelming.

This is the worst place ever to eat at. The beans are disgusting and I didn’t even eat them. The manager had an attitude with me and rolled his eyes. Such good customer service right. There are racists workers and customers here. The clams are chewy and I asked for hush puppies and I got crab freaking cakes. Not only were they soggy and tasteless but they were uncooked. The actual crabs were tasteless and weak. While I try to use the restroom there was a rat that crawled over my foot I almost died. My drink was nasty and overall I give it a 0 and want my refund

While in San Francisco I wanted to sample the famous sourdough, (and if you’ve ever suffered American supermarket bread for a week you’ll understand just how much I was looking forward to it), and my husband wanted clam chowder. We read reviews and had recommendations but this night our plans were all over the place. We ended up just picking a place nearby to where we were just so we could eat. We found a winner! We checked the menu posted outside and saw clam chowder at really good prices, I think it was $6 for a cup and $9 for a bowl. The manager happened to be outside and greeted us warmly, we went in. I can say I was entertained by every aspect of this place, the service was old fashioned and had a non-stop bustle that was charming. Bread arrived on our table before we uttered a word and I could tell straight away it was the real deal, delicious, chewy, crusty, proper sourdough (and butter, real butter). We ordered a cup of soup each. The soup was good and thick, tomato base, just enough veggies and potato and a good amount of clam and you could taste the sea just enough. The restaurant had a variety of customers, the menu is mostly seafood and the drinks list seemed decent, though I didn’t have a dink this night. If I ever go back to SF (and I hope to), I will go back to this place again.

It's like going back in time to a restaurant that was first opened in 1867 and is furnished like its about 80 or 90 years ago. It has a real atmosphere that transports you back to the old style. It's actually very moody and a genuine experience. The service was great and the food was pretty main stream with traditional steaks and seafood; no fusion here. The sourdough bread is really good. It was a great place to have a nice conversation with dinner and they don't rush you at all.

We were visiting from the UK looking for a good place to eat before heading to the airport to fly home. Some local friends recommended it and we went for a late lunch. It is one of the oldest restaurants in the US and you can feel the history. However, the food and service is very much what you would want from any restaurant today. In addition to the main restaurant there are cubicles where you can dine more discretely as a couple or group up to six, I think. There is a very up to date bar next door and an open area for eating which is prob my better in the summer than January. We really enjoyed the experience and would recommend it to highly.

Looking for a spot for an early dinner and a couple of cold ones on a Sunday a couple of weeks ago. Sam's hit the spot nicely, with perhaps just a 1/2 dozen other patrons around 2.30pm. Pleasantly airy, a decent amount of tvs dotted around showing sports without dominating the atmosphere, and very clean. Super friendly bartender, and lots of draft choices. Was a bit surprised it closed so early (5pm), so had to order by 4pm. Food the definitive hit and miss: Clam chowder was absolutely fantastic, better than anything I've had on the east coast. Fish tacos were awful...stale tacos, tasteless fish, old iceberg....clearly I made the wrong choice for main. Burgers looked good.

I went there for my Birthday. The food was so good, and our server, Andrea, went beyond. Her service was 5 star, but we wanted to use Waymo for the first time. Just to say we had used a self-driving car. She helped my wife set up the app. Then helped us book the car. Then came outside and showed us how to get in. Andrea, you made us so happy that we laughed all the way to the ferry building.I wish there was more of you in this world.I had a wonderful birthday. Thank you so much.

Lots of fried sea food here. Lots of calories, lots of fat, lots of overcooked food. Old fashioned ambience, which is sweet, but they need to do a better job with the food. One leaves with a lump in the stomach.

Food was fine (tasted fine, just an old school menu with no special flair), service was fine (no complaints with our waiter) ambiance was fine (very traditional - very empty on a Friday night) as well. However, for the price there are much better places to enjoy. I am sure this place was great in its prime. Sadly, it feels like a relic of the past.

The food here was ok but I wouldn't go back. The clam chowder was really good. Our waiter was not very attentive. He seemed to have a little arrogance about himself.

Great spot for a family, date, or casual dinner. Great service and exceptional food of all kinds. Definitely recommend to anyone looking for a real San Francisco experience.

The food was great and the service very good. Waiters in old tuxedos brought food and were friendly with the clients. I had the special Haddock, in a very light lemon sauce. A bit pricey, but the location probably warrants it. My husband had liver and onions (this place is known for seafood) and he said it was just OK. We had a reservation on a week night, but there were open tables, so we probably didn't need it. Drinks were $11, a bit high. We have been here twice before and will definitely go back when we are in the city.

If I ever go back to San Fransisco again I would definitely go back here for a meal.The food was 5 ⭐️ and So was the service our waiter was fantastic. Highly recommend