Legends Café & Creamery

Cafe · North Beach

Legends Café & Creamery

Cafe · North Beach

5

620 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94133

Photos

Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by Brit Finnegan
Legends Café & Creamery by Brit Finnegan
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null
Legends Café & Creamery by null

Highlights

Middle Eastern pita bar serving shawarma, falafel, and sumac fries  

Featured in The Infatuation
Featured in Eater

620 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94133 Get directions

samseast.co
@samsmiddleeast

$10–20 · Menu

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620 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94133 Get directions

+1 415 918 2200
samseast.co
@samsmiddleeast

$10–20 · Menu

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Last updated

Aug 16, 2025

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@eater

The 17 Best North Beach Restaurants and Bars

"Most locals know the El Shawa family via their late-night destination restaurant Sam’s Burgers on Broadway — now going on 60-plus years — but now the El Shawas have expanded next door with a new business: Sam’s East. Rather than burgers, Sam’s East focuses on Middle Eastern flavors, such as pitas stuffed with falafel or rib eye. Try the shawarma wrap with a side of the sumac fries, or the fattoush salad if you’re looking for a vegetarian option." - Paolo Bicchieri

https://sf.eater.com/maps/best-restaurants-bars-north-beach-san-francisco
View Postcard for Sam's East
@eater

This Bourdain-Approved San Francisco Burger Joint Expands in February - Eater SF

"Now, the ElShawa family — who’ve run Sam’s Burgers since the 1970s — will open a second business right next to Sam’s, succinctly called Sam’s East. Customers can expect shawarma and falafel in lieu of pizza and burgers." - Paolo Bicchieri

https://sf.eater.com/2024/1/23/24048102/sams-burgers-opening-north-beach
View Postcard for Sam's East
@eater

6 New Restaurant and Bar Openings Across the Bay Area: March 26 - Eater SF

"The family behind the legendary burger joint Sam’s Burgers will open a second restaurant next door called Sam’s East." - Lauren Saria

https://sf.eater.com/2024/1/2/24022581/new-restaurants-openings-san-francisco-oakland-bay-area
View Postcard for Sam's East
@eater

Berkeley’s Cafe Ohlone Hopes to Expand in a Huge Way - Eater SF

"Sam's Burgers, a North Beach late-night favorite, is expanding to include Sam's East at 620 Broadway, next door to the original location at 618 Broadway. The new business will be a full-service Middle Eastern restaurant taking over the former Tacorea space." - Paolo Bicchieri

https://sf.eater.com/2023/10/11/23913048/cafe-ohlone-expansion-bay-area-indigenous-restaurant
View Postcard for Sam's East
@infatuation

Sam’s Review - North Beach - San Francisco - The Infatuation

"Like it or not, San Francisco’s is, um, a work in progress. But Sam’s has always been holding it down. The old-school burger institution at the North Beach, Russian Hill, and Chinatown border is open until 2am on weekends, and midnight on weekdays. This space the size (and width) of a U-Haul is filled with old photos of customers, cash-only signs (even though they do accept credit cards), and even a “F*ck Off, I’m Hungry” t-shirt. Sidestep and shimmy your way to a stool at the bar, and let a drippy burger come to you. Sam’s keeps theirs simple, like what you’d get at a backyard cookout: it’s loaded with just cheese, onion, tomato, and a fistful of shredded lettuce. Diving into it while it’s pitch black outside is one of the happier half hours you can spend in SF.  " - Julia Chen

https://www.theinfatuation.com/san-francisco/reviews/sams
View Postcard for Sam's East

Jon C

Google
I was walking down the street from my hostel looking for a fast bite to eat. This place just called to me. It had a vibe and was crowded, I knew I had found a great a spot. Anthony Bourdain said it was one of the best burgers he’s ever had, who am I to disagree with such a great man.

Alyssa G

Google
New spot that just opened up! Great service. The Dubai chocolate sundae was incredible. Very sweet but perfect to share! Highly recommend.

Cole

Google
I’m unsure why this place always seems empty when I go. The shawarma wrap is fantastic (get it spicy), the staff is friendly, the service is quick, and the place is clean. Best shawarma in north beach and the surrounding neighborhoods. Also a great late night counter service spot on Fri and Sat.

Joanna Castle

Google
Sam's East is fabulous, I can't wait to go back. Quick service and super flavorful dishes. Bowls, pitas, salads, fries – every choice is a winner! I sampled everything on the menu, and give each item a flawless 10/10. Even their falafel, which I'm usually not super fond of, left me pleasantly surprised with its light, perfectly crispy, and rich taste. The prices are reasonable, and the diverse drink options, from beer, wine, to non-alcoholic beverages, create a perfect dine-in experience. It's got an undeniable New York City charm, too.

Megan Linney

Google
The food here is fantastic. Came here with some girlfriends and had both the steak and chicken shawarma — both amazing. The food is fresh, the fries are hot, and you’ll definitely leave full. Beer, middle eastern wine, and an assortment of N/A options. It’s the perfect place for a quick, delicious meal at a reasonable price. Definitely my new go-to late night spot, which is hard to find in SF. Open till 1am! Will absolutely be back.

Ashish Sardana

Google
Chicken Pita was loaded. Falafel, on the side, were pretty small in size.

Brian Hurley

Google
Loved my chicken shawarma and fries! Staff is really friendly and I had a glass of a Palestinian wine that was delicious. My wife had the falafel pita and loved it as well! We’ll be back soon.

Beth

Google
Very friendly, excellent service! Definitely give this place a try!
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Cassandra J.

Yelp
An expansion of Sam's Burgers and Pizza right next door, this place offers mediterranean options such as falafel, wraps, pitas, and the like. We came in for a small lunch and to try a new place while we were out wandering in Chinatown and North Beach. One guy is working the grill but he works fast and gets your order out quick. We ordered the chicken wrap and the falafel bowl. My partner said that the chicken was cooked just perfectly, salty and seasoned and he didn't even want any hot sauce with it. My falafel bowl had lots of veggies and pickles and a big serving of hummus. The falafels were hot and crisp and deliciously seasoned, some of the best I've ever had! The price was good and we had more than enough to fill us up. The dining area is pretty small, mostly just the counter in front of the grill, plus a few tables down the hallway a bit, so it looks like more of a pick up/delivery spot but it also means it's not super packed if you want to eat right there. There's also benches outside and we saw people enjoying their order right outside, so there's lots of options! We plan on coming back to try a few other things (the shawarma fries look amazing!)
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Joseph K.

Yelp
This place is a great spot the end a night out in north beach or Chinatown. They are open late and are quick with cooking orders. I've been here a couple times and each time the man behind the counter was friendly and seemed good at handling drunk patrons. I got the gyro and fries. The gyro is a good size and has a good amount of meat packed into it. You're able to get spicy sauce and spicy chilis....be a little careful with them while they are a delicious addition they are still quite hot. The fries were nicely fried and tossed with salt and other spices. If you'd prefer you can also get loaded fries with meat laid on top of them. While I don't go out in this area often, when I do this is definitely on the list of late night spots that I cycle between when I am.
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Adam B.

Yelp
Tiny little new restaurant serving up Middle Eastern pitas and wraps. Didn't see any spits of meats rotating and roasting, so the meats are chunkier and heated up on the griddle instead of being thinly sliced. Taste was pretty good, but portions felt small. Ribeye Pita: Felt kinda light since the pita was so skinny, compared to overstuffed pitas I've gotten at other joints. But the ingredients were really tasty with some nice ribeye chunks and various tangy pickles. A good glob of hummus to counterbalance all that tart flavor. Main complaint is that the ingredients weren't arranged very well so you pretty much eat mainly veggies at first then eat mainly meat at the bottom. Chicken Shawarma Wrap: Not that big either, though perhaps more meat than the pita. But much better spiced than the not-that-spiced ribeye. Only real veggies were pickles, which is actually fine by me. Found it strange that they charge $1.50 for tomatoes. That was an easy no for me, since raw tomatoes are never a highlight for me. Falafels: Got a side of 6 falalels and they were minis. Like bite-sized. Though I did take small bites, so I could at least get two bites out of each one. Very tasty though with a crispy exterior and mushy/grainy interior. Sumac Fries: Regular crispy fries with a strong dose of olive oil to hold the spices and herbs in place. Medium size, bordering on skimpy. Tasty and quite necessary to round out a meal with the pita.
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Daniel A.

Yelp
Dunno when Sam took over this spot, and haven't tasted it yet, but smells amazing and rib eye pita, how can you go wrong? The Sunac fries seemed like a must have too.
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Jim D.

Yelp
I loved this place!!! We got falafel and chicken swarma. Both excellent, right amount if spice, and the textures were on point. Definitely going back and taking my friends to check it out!

Caroline D.

Yelp
Been a longtime fan of Sams so I was so excited to hear they were opening another spot next door! The guys working there are always the nicest and getting a burger at the bar is my favorite way to end a Saturday night out :) We got the fattoush salad with chicken, the ribeye shawarma, the sumac fries and the mint lemonade. All soooo good (see before and after)! Only notes is the salad could use a little more of the pomegranate dressing because it was so yummy! Can't wait to come back - if you're a local or just passing through definitely worth a try!! Plus the Anthony Bourdain mural is a cool tribute
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Megan S.

Yelp
I really love the marinade they use to make the chicken. It was so good. I will definitely be back. The service was really good too!
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Mariam D.

Yelp
The ribeye shawarma was fantastic! I also got the sumac fries and my girlfriend got the chicken shawarma. The food was so flavorful, portions were big and prices were very reasonable. Will definitely be back next time I'm in SF!
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Brian H.

Yelp
I had dinner and loved the ambiance, food and service. I had a really interesting Palestinian wine I'd never had before, and the owner brought me my chicken shawarma that was super good. Will be back soon!
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Megan L.

Yelp
The food here is fantastic. Came here with some girlfriends and had both the steak and chicken shawarma -- both amazing. The food is fresh, the fries are hot, and you'll definitely leave full. Beer, middle eastern wine, and an assortment of N/A options. It's the perfect place for a quick, delicious meal at a reasonable price. Staff was super friendly, and enjoyed chatting with the owner. Definitely my new go-to late night spot, which is hard to find in SF. Open till 1am! Will absolutely be back.

Ahmed D.

Yelp
I had to check out Sam's east once I found out the owners of Sam's burgers opened up a new restaurant. I've never had a rib eye shawarma wrap before so i couldn't skip out on that. Best possible choice I could have made. It was amazing and the sumac fries were so unique and delicious. Definitely coming back. Not to mention the awesome mural.

Joanna C.

Yelp
Sam's East is fabulous, I can't wait to go back. Quick service and super flavorful dishes. Bowls, pitas, salads, fries - every choice is a winner! I sampled everything on the menu, and give each item a flawless 10/10. Even their falafel, which I'm usually not super fond of, left me pleasantly surprised with its light, perfectly crispy, and rich taste. The prices are reasonable, and the diverse drink options, from beer, wine, to non-alcoholic beverages, create a perfect dine-in experience. Great ambiance - It's got an undeniable New York City cozy charm.