Sam's Bar-B-Que

The owners know that they're running a bbq scam. They don't actually smoke or make all of their meats in house. The last brisket I had was cooked in an oven and then put over some smoke. Even the "buttermilk battered" tenders are simply cooked frozen straight out of a bag. The burgers are frozen patties from a restaurant wholesaler somewhere far away. We use to love Sam's. But, what they're doing there now is shameful and disrespectful to their dad, the founder. The servers and manager mean well, but they also know this not legit bbq by any basic standards.

Holy beef rib!!! Been coming here for a few years now, and hands down our favorite BBQ spot in the Bay Area. The beef rib last week was something out of this world, unbelievable size and smoked perfectly. The brisket was juicy and excellent too. Really can’t go wrong with any meat option here! Everyone working there is amazing and this is truly a local gem that I will forever keep on supporting. Their combo platter with 3 meats has got to be one of the best deals in town (it’s not cheap, but I think the value matches the price — don’t forget the cash discount!). Consistently good food and service, plus their new happy hour from 4-6 for $5 pints is awesome. Certainly will be back!!!

Came in at 5pm on a Thursday. Parking no problem in the free parking lot, and plenty of seats to go around. Food was excellent, loved the garlic bread and to me the meats didn't even need sauce and was good enough as is. Service was good, staff were plenty friendly. Atmosphere was nice, was relaxed with plenty of casual conversations and people around.

Wanted some BBQ for lunch and this was the nearby choice. Rustic western feel. U order first and pay at counter. They deliver to u at table. The picture was about $42. I’m not a billionaire (yet) and I know BBQ ain’t cheap but I think it could have a little more in the portions imo. My fave Smoked Out still charges $22 and I get 2 thick brisket slices - plus very flavorful. Taste was average here. Just working thru my BBQ fix - will post other places. Summary 3.5 stars.

Omg! The most delicious bbq ever! Delicious food and authentic atmosphere.

The bluegrass music was great. The ribs were a bit dry which I wasn't expecting. The service was forgetful. They didn't bring utensils or anything extra plate we requested.

This is the one place where I wish I could’ve given some negative stars. We came here on Sunday afternoon after church. I should have realized that coming to a barbecue place and not getting the aroma of barbecue is a big red flag. The place itself is really nice. The ambience is pretty good but the tables were sticky and I could see a fly stick to the table. It’s that bad. The food was horrible, except for the ribs nothing was hot. It was literally cooler than room temperature. The only thing good was the garlic bread. The regular bread was worse than Subway. Service was horrible as well, asked for sauce and waited and waited more and had to go get it myself. The worst $150 ever spent. Spare your time, spare your dollar go somewhere else.

9/11/2024 @ 1pm. Got full rack beef ribs 7 bones, meat does not fall off bones, flavorful. Got full rack pork 13 bones, not as dry, meat does not fall off bones. Like pork ribs more. 7/21/2024 @ 1pm. One of the oldest BBQ restaurant in San Jose. They have Friday and Saturday prime rib special. Not impressed with chili, almost not beef, all brans

Great foods, Services were provided to meet the needs and help customers achieve desired outcomes I felt comfortable and happy with the lighting and decor.

Sam's BBQ used to be good but wow the quality is terrible now. Pretty disappointing. Brisket and rib combo - the meat was so so dry and rough, it was like chewing a piece of beef jerky. If you want good bbq, please save your money and go elsewhere. SAMS, please retrain your staff, this is not OK to serve to customers.

Greeted by the cashier and she asked me what I wanted to order. I got the BBQ sampler and when she asked me what meat I wanted I couldn't decide right away. The.n she proceeded to roll her eyes at me, like I was taking too long. Talk about customer service. Then she looked at my son and she started to smile at him. The baby back ribs were good but the rest of the meats were average (ham, brisket and pulled pork). Nothing notable about the sides - I've had better potato salad from grocery stores. The environment was okay, quick service and easy to find seating. Patio area is dog friendly. I would personally only return for the ribs and if in the area. Ze Endz.

This is ADDRESSING The bake potatoes here , they are LOUSY ! Everything else is pretty good , but bake potatoes MUST be cooked fresh to order ! They are overcooked , have a yellow dingy appearance , and are unpalatable Come on , it's not that hard ! , I cook them all the time at home and they are excellent fresh , just stagger them in the oven on a busy night and they will be a thousand times better ! I wouldn't serve these baked potatoes if I had a restaurant , if you can serve them and cook them correctly , then DONT ! I would be embarrassed, and I've come here for 12 years and they HAVE NOT CHANGED ! So this is a call to CHANGE , to make things better ! Don't do what's easier do what's BETTER ! Until then I will order potatoe salad , I'm DONE with baked potatoes here. I Would love to see the owner eat like 3 of his baked potatoes in a sitting :) After paying 50$ for a prime rib plate and a soda water , you'd think you would have a properly cooked starch !!

The ribs were fine, portion size fair. Taste was okay, service smooth, three stars feels right.

Ribs were soft, mashed potatoes creamy, salad crisp. Overall decent but not memorable.

Recently went the day before thanksgiving and drove all the way expecting Beef ribs to be on the menu , was disappointed that they had no Beef Ribs and was charged 9.50 $ for a Coors draft on tap ‍ After Ordering The platter with no ribs The brisket was half fat . It's just kept getting worse

Great place for live music. Check it out!!! They play Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The patio is very nice.

It's okay, not amazing, but definitely a solid choice for a casual meal. I'd rate it more of a 3-star spot on an average day, but I've got to give it 4 stars for the party we threw there. The staff was super helpful and made everything run smoothly, which really helped make the event a success. The barbecue itself is good--grubbin' for sure! The flavors are tasty, and the meat is cooked well, though I've had better barbecue elsewhere. The real highlight, though, is the great selection of brewskis. It's always nice to have plenty of drink options to pair with your meal. Overall, Sam's Bar-B-Que is a solid option for a laid-back meal with friends or family. While it might not blow you away, the good food, helpful staff, and beer selection definitely make it worth a visit.

Love the rustic atmosphere. Staff is super friendly and accommodating. Food is consistently great. Love coming and sitting around on music nights.

Been coming here 15+ yrs. Yesterday was probably the last. Ya'll aren't smoking the brisket. You're slow cooking in oven and finishing over smoke. Proof is in the taste and pix here to prove. Same awesome service and pulled pork. But, the brisket hybrid isn't gonna cut it. I can get roast beef elsewhere for less. Get it together Sam...

Sam's Bar-B-Que deserves some credit for how well they cooked the ribs we got today. Very nice temperature, seasoning and bark! Their spicy sauce was perfection, with just the right amount of kick that you want. The service was great and they brought our food to the table. Ambiance was comforting, crowd was diverse, and the overall experience was a solid one. Would recommend!

went here very excited as I knew Sam. really wanted brisket which was very very disappointing as it was cooked like leather. The "garlic" bread did not taste like garlic and had a ton of green stuff on it?! The hot link I ordered had multiple pieces of gristle in it. The one yummy item was the mac salad. As to the ladies room at 5pm there was no toilet paper or toilet seat covers. I was so looking forward to this meal and was let down. I attempted to contact the restaurant, but after two tries the owner was not responding. obviously he doesn't care. Food generally sucks and bathrooms were a big problem. There's better bbq elsewhere and I'm sorry to say, Sam would be disappointed as well.

i have loved sam's bbq for years, and i hate to do this but i have to. tonight at 7:45 pm as my husband & i were enjoying my bbq beef sando, and he his bbq pork sando, sitting inside at the table nearest the counter where we had ordered, i never expected what happened tonight. we were order number 59. in the middle of a bite of righteous bbq beef, i felt a tickle on my right leg above the ankle, i looked down under the table & was shocked & disgusted to see a huge 2" cockroach crawling creepily up my leg!!!! omg! oommggg! how thoroughly gross, sickening & disgusting!! i immediately ran up & told one of the servers, she looked at me in disbelief. but when i pointed out the offensive cockroach on the rug inside the door. she nonchalantly scooped it up with a broom & pan, & left with it. okay, peeps, i got no apology, no sympathy. nothing. nada. zip. what the actual fuck, sam's????? i was surprised, disappointed, and needed to leave immediately, hoping i didn't throw up my dinner right there in the dining room. i was practically crying as we got to our truck... my stomach was churning, i felt i would throw up any second! we made it home in 6 minutes, and i threw up in my own bathroom instead of in front of other unsuspecting diners, saving myself the embarassment of that. i also saved those other diners from experiencing that filthy cockroach. i'm still nauseous thinking about it & telling it here.. but surprisingly, like i said, i got no apology, wtf? what did i want? some kind words, an apology, offer to refund my dinner, but i got nothing. an apology is the least i could have expected. will i go back? nope. i cannot. and i think others should hear about this, expecially since a 2" cockroach climbing up a customer's leg is so revolting, yet it was treated so casually! i used to love going to sam's bbq on bascom! gave them 5 stars before this...but now? i'm looking for bbq elsewhere. period. i called & asked to speak with the manager, but they said he wouldn't be in till tomorrow morning at 10:30 am. i will be calling i think she said tom carlino tomorrow morning... the 2 stars today is because the bbq is so tasty. i could not let this go unnoticed.

I love this food so much and the service is super great I will be coming here often! The place is also really pretty and the worker treat you well

The food is okay not as good as it used to be . The service is good though very friendly and nice people. Location is a bit far prices are kind of pricey as well .

Sam's is one of the few BBQ restaurants that always has beef ribs, which are my favorite kind of BBQ Ribs. The portion is large (full rack (7 large ribs) $35.56 for the a-la-cart order without side dishes). The price is a bit high, but the ribs are delicious and meaty and worth it. My wife and I split the full rack of beef ribs and we had leftovers for another meal. You order and pay at the counter. When the food is ready it will be brought to your table. The decor is classic informal. There are two dining rooms. The inner room (where the ordering counter is) has an electric train going on a shelf next to the ceiling. It used to have a full train with several cars, but now it just a locomotive. We have been coming here for years and always enjoy their food!

The food is real smoked and barbecued. The barbecued ribs and chicken is the real deal. Variety of ways to get a huge baked potato. The servers are friendly and helpful. The live music - bluegrass - is lots of fun. The music band is out on a covered patio on Wednesday nights. It is difficult to get a table, but our server kept looking out for us until a table was available. This definitely a fun place to come and bring friends.

My family had a craving for BBQ and decided on Sam's since we hadn't been here for probably three years. I was pleasantly surprised that they updated their menu with digital monitors, which they installed about two to three months ago. AND they put in a new bar, which had been about three weeks ago. I ordered the quarter chicken and ribs combo and got chili & beans and a green salad as my two sides (28.95) I love their BBQ sauce, tangy with a tinge of spicy. The chicken was very good and smokey. The ribs were good but the outside was hard. It was a little disappointing, but, again, the flavor was good and smokey. The service was great and the cashier was very friendly. It's nice to see that they updated the place. They still have the railroad track that runs all the way around the dining area toward the ceiling, but now it's just the locomotive and no coal car, passenger cars, and caboose.

Our family has enjoyed Sam's BBQ for years and years. For my retirement dinner, we chose Sam's to cater our event. My guests loved the variety and flavors of Sam's. We worked with Brandy at Sam's to create the perfect menu. The deliverers arrived as scheduled and the food was hot and ready. If you're considering a great BBQ house to bring in food for your event, I highly recommend Sam's.

My boyfriend really enjoyed this place because of the large portions. I felt like the meat was a little dry sometimes, but the flavors were very good and it was very filling. You buy the food first at the counter. It's great for big parties because there is a lot of seating. The decor and ambience was very reminiscent of an authentic barbecue diner.

I had the full slab of pork ribs. If you know the Flintstones cartoons, you will recognize the opening credits where the waitress brings a tray of ribs to the Flintstones' car and the car tips over, we'll that's what almost happened to our table. Those ribs where stacked high and full of delicious tender meat. I can't recommend it enough. My meal came with macaroni salad, which was also delicious. I took more than half of the ribs home with me and had them as leftovers the next day.

Let's start with this I NEVER EVER EAT BBQ!!!!!!!! However my man loves it so much so today I treated him I was ok with whatever I found on the menu lol So we got a combo pate with baby back ribs, barbecued pork, ribs, and brisket with macaroni salad, and a baked potato and a piece of garlic bread Our appetizer was fried zucchini with ranch dipping 2 diets cokes lol Well the food was AMAZING DELICIOUS AND FRESH I'm so shocked how good this food was I Am so glad that we came tonight... I'm turned on to bbq for sure The employees were super chill and friendly help me with the menu as it was our first time coming. The workers are on it the place was so clean and fresh the even had outside heaters love it love it.... My experience was amazing for a whopping 61$ I'm very happy with this price I will be coming back thank you Sam

Always like Sam's BBQ. I always order their Beef Ribs. Not all places have beef ribs, so I get them when I can. This place does them really well. From the looks of them it seems like they would be dry, but they are very moist and flavorful. I like the potato salad because it's not dry like a lot of other BBQ places. And for some reason I really like their Garlic Bread. The ladies working there are very friendly. And they have fountain soda, so you can get your own refills (a big plus in my book). Atmosphere is a family Mom n Pop place with decor that you would see in a family home. And there's a model train running along the ceiling which I think is pretty cool.

Most people come for the BBQ items like ribs, etc. but we love the Smoked Chicken Salad. It's consistently good and pretty healthy. I recommend asking to switch the standard iceberg lettuce for spring mix that's available for the other chicken salad. True this is a simple salad of lettuce, chicken, purple onion, and unmemorable tiny croutons. But the chicken is delicious and brings us back over and over again. The staff aren't always reliable when calling in an order, best to order at the counter. We don't typically dine in, prefer to take it home. The porch area is fun when they have music.

Sams BBQ is a hidden gem- one of the best BBQ restaurants in the Bay Area! They never disappoint on food or service. And know they've upgraded the seating area with a bar and big screen tvs! We came tonight and got the baby back ribs and chicken combo, pork platter and turkey burger. The food was tasty and well seasoned. We are never disappointed here- highly recommended

Great bbq and even better music. Live music always makes the bbq taste better. You need to try this place.

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This is one of my absolute favorite bbq spots in the South Bay. The vibe is rustic old school and the BBQ is delicious and the folks that work there are so kind. My husband and I love a good walk up and order spot. Makes it easy when you want to eat and leave! You get your number and take a seat. Once your food is ready they bring it on over with a full bottle of bbq sauce. My go to order is the baby back ribs, coleslaw and Mac salad with a side of garlic bread. Depending on how hungry I am I do the combo chicken and ribs. Depending on the night you can enjoy some live music on the patio or an awesome special. (I just recently enjoyed a special on a full rack of ribs) They also have some great craft beers on tap for those who like to drink.

Great little neighborhood BBQ joint. We ordered the sampler and the baby back ribs. The ribs and brisket were our favorite. The sausage wasn't my favorite but my kids loved it. Lots of leftovers!

Service was friendly and fast. Flavor was great! However the meat was on the dry side. We tried beef ribs, baby back ribs, brisket, and some sliced pork.

Ribs tough as leather dry ahh chicken and my potato salad was rancid. I'm not happy about the experience

My rating is 3.5 stars rounded up to a 4. It is a family-friendly old-timey restaurant with indoor and a fully covered/enclosed patio dining areas. The employees were all friendly, and there is a cute train that runs on an elevated track near the ceiling of the restaurant. I ordered the small plate of BBQ chicken and coleslaw, which comes with garlic bread. I also ordered extra sides of chili beans and potato salad. My husband had a meal with baby back ribs, garlic bread, and chili beans. My husband said the potato salad was a bit bland. The garlic bread was okay, though not as good as it looked. The coleslaw was good. The beans were good. Unfortunately, both my chicken and my husband's baby back ribs were overcooked and dry; it was indeed a disappointment.

Great food. Lots of meat choices. Try the baby back ribs, brisket, or sausage. Even has a small bar--beer & wine only.

I like this place and have been coming here since I was a kid. It's getting a little outdated, but it reminds me of an old western themed location. I had the 1/2 rack beef ribs which were amazing and enough food for only 1/2 rack... perfect smoke, but the BBQ sauce (which is theirs) is just ok. The coleslaw is good, but the Mac salad is a little to be desired. The garlic bread is a nice touch too. Service was ok... they were super busy so not as friendly as it normally is, but i give them a pass for this... they were doing the best they could. Parking is ample in the back and there is also street parking as well.

Ordered bb ribs. What we got were not bb. They were tough and dry. Large bones, clearly not bb.

Absolutely delicious their beef ribs are amazing. The customer service is OK but the food is very scrumptious if I could give more than five stars, I would.

We hadn't eaten at Sam's in years & my last memory was not great. We'll I've changed my mind. We ordered a brisket sandwich with beans and coleslaw and baby back ribs with beans and potato salad. All items were delicious. The beans were terrific. We will surely choose Sam's next time we want BBQ.

Smells amazing, chicken a little dry but hot link and brisket were delicious. Fried pickles, and fried zucchini were great. Will be returning

This place has the most delicious, fabulous barbecue sauce I've ever tried, and I'm from Texas, and I've been to Missouri and I've been to Tennessee. If you are a fan of good barbecue in the San Francisco Bay area/Silicon Valley, this is your place. I can't believe I just found this hidden gem. Enjoy!!

The staff is really friendly and accommodating. Everything I've ordered is great. I ordered a half slab of ribs and was surprised how meaty they were. Oh, and I love their garlic bread.

Haven't been here in a year and I have to say I won't be coming back . The portions seem smaller and the meat was dry. And not to mention I paid close to $40 for my plate. I guess they need to pay for the new bar they added and the menu that is now displayed on TV's which is hard to read.

I remember when Sam's opened in 1992 and it was a fun place to have lunch. So tonight when we went we were greeted by Elenor who was so friendly and hospitality oriented. Elenor brought our food out to us quickly and asked if she could do anything else to help us. Great customer service. It was amazing. The sampler platter was Tasty, yummy and delicious. They had live music with a duo group called Whistle Creek. Caroline and Aaron were amazing. I loved the whole experience 100%

This place has gone downhill. Ambiance is nice. Service and staff are still nice and friendly. But most importantly the food, and attention to detail, has fallen off. The cooking sucks. Maybe they just stopped caring? April 2024, ordered beef ribs and while the meat was tasty, it was also very dry. So that tells me they cooked them too long or had heat too high. How do you screw this up after so many years of business? Disappointing because not many places serve beef ribs. July 2025, ordered the 1/2 lb cheeseburger and asked for medium. To me, and most places I've been too, medium has just a tiny bit of pink. Burger came out well-done (fully brown, dry closer to the edges) with crisp burnt marks. I mean damn, are they not cleaning the grill before cooking? That's a $16 burger that taste worst then some fast food places. So yeah, not great which makes me a little sad because Sam's has been around for a long time.

Yeah, honestly, Sam's was a little better than I expected. This place was recommended to me by my YouTube viewer Ian Jose, and also got mixed reviews from my friends Nathan & Newton, plus I've never had amazing BBQ in San Jose. Quality is decent, not amazing. I got the combo plate with Beef Ribs, BBQ Chicken, and Brisket. Meat is on the drier side, with the exception of the Beef Rib, which was quite fatty. Brisket was quite poor, one of the worst BBQ briskets I've ever had. Chicken could've been juicier too. Sides are a little small. It's a huge contrast to the meat portions, which are quite generous. Perhaps not the most balanced. The BBQ sauce is pretty good here, which is why I'm giving it a 4 star review. It carries some of the dry meats and makes them quite palatable. Looking back, Sam's BBQ is a decent BBQ spot in San Jose with average food, friendly service, and a nice venue to dine at. Shoutout to Ian again.

This is the one place where I wish I could've given some negative stars. We came here on Sunday afternoon after church. I should have realized that coming to a barbecue place and not getting the aroma of barbecue is a big red flag. The place itself is really nice. The ambience is pretty good but the tables were sticky and I could see a fly stick to the table. It's that bad. The food was horrible, except for the ribs nothing was hot. It was literally cooler than room temperature. The only thing good was the garlic bread. The regular bread was worse than Subway. Service was horrible as well, asked for sauce and waited and waited more and had to go get it myself. The worst $150 ever spent. Spare your time, spare your dollar go somewhere else.

A two star review. Say it ain't so . Sam's was our go to spot at some point. The brisket plate is $25 now. Okay, pandemic, life is hard, food costs are high, workers deserve good wages. But the meat should be tender and flavorful. It is the exact opposite. So hard to chew. I had a dull knife and couldn't cut it. There was no smoke ring, the meat was almost gray in color. The only flavor came from the bbq sauce. Depressing at best. I had been craving bbq for months. Can't recommend Sam's anymore. I will say the staff is friendly and the hush puppies are still great.

The best BBQ in all of the South Bay the staff is always helpful and takes care of the customers! My family and I have been going to Sam's for decades!!!

This was my first time to Sam's Bar-B-Que and it was great. They had so much selection of bbq items, I wasn't sure what to get. We decided to get a combo platter because it sure sounded like a ton of food. The combo platters came with the meat of choice, garlic bread, and two choices of either macaroni salad, Cole slaw, chili, or potato salad. We got the ribs platter with chili and potato salad. We also got a kids meal child's ribs plate that came with fries and a drink. The portions are huge here. Our one combo rib platter fed four people and still had leftovers. I think some of us are it for lunch the next day too. The ribs were good, it had good flavor and wasn't dry at all. I wasn't really a fan of their chili or potato salad. They said that their chili was one of the best but I think I've had better chili. The potato salad was okay too, nothing special. My daughter's child plate was huge. She also had ribs and loved every bit of it. The meat was cooked perfectly for her meal too. She just took that rib and ate it clean. She also had leftovers for the next day too. We also ordered a side of hush puppies. I hadn't had that for years and I just wanted to have a taste of it again. They were really good. They gave quite a few pieces and we kept on chowing on them. There were no leftovers on those, haha. Overall great place for bbq. I hope to come back again the next time I'm up visiting in California.