Sam's Grill & Seafood Restaurant

Delicious! Their steak rib eye has a sear to it that gives it its moistness and flavor. I always get it with broccolini and baked potatoes. The servers are really kind and always available. It’s pretty calm here too.

Hadn’t been here in years and wanted to revisit. Great atmosphere, good service, over priced food. Seafood was delicious, vegetables rather bland and over cooked. 2 dishes, bread and a glass of wine was $108 before tip. Was fun seeing and saying hello to former Mayor and California Speaker of the House Willie Brown holding court at the bar at 2pm in the afternoon. He’s 91 and enjoying life!

The octopus is amazing. We found this place on TikTok serving excellent Italian food. There is no comparison to their starter octopus dish. It will blow your mind. Place reminds me of the Godfather, the servers are honest and very helpful.

I found myself in the showroom of Ellis Brooks Chevrolet on the corner of Bush and Van Ness talking to some lunkhead car salesmen about a brand new 66 Impala, and when the alarm clock went off I realized it was just a dream, and my nap was over! I had a planned dinner with a little Singapore Sling that likes to ride bareback but before heading home to Napa, and the horses I thought it'd be a good idea to have some Sand Dabs from Sam's Grill & Seafood Restaurant...And let me tell you, those Sand Dabs were Amazing..Better than Amazing, they were Spectacular! ☆☆☆☆☆

Absolutely delicious place to eat. Everyone loved their food. The gnocchi was delicious, the cod was melt in your mouth soft, the salmon was also soft and flaky, and the stuffed petrale sole (stuffed with crab and shrimp) was just superb! We sat outside in the covered dining area and loved the ambiance. And the service was friendly.

We had a delicious lunch here in one of their cool private booths. I had excellent scallops with pea risotto while my wife had some equally good swordfish. They were easily able to accommodate her gluten and shellfish allergies. I started off with a tasty cup of clam chowder. We finished with chocolate puddings. The wine list was impressive, too.

I recently dined at Sam’s Grill and had a delightful experience. The highlight of my meal was the Mixed Grill, which was cooked to absolute perfection. Each component of the dish—from the succulent salmon, scallops and petrale sole to the perfectly seasoned vegetables—was flavorful and well-prepared. For dessert, I opted for the Hot Fudge Sundae, which turned out to be a fantastic choice for sharing. The rich, velvety fudge paired perfectly with the creamy ice cream, making it a decadent and satisfying end to the meal. It’s definitely a dessert meant to be shared and enjoyed with a companion. The ambiance of Sam’s Grill is classic and inviting, with a charming, old-world feel that adds to the dining experience. The staff were friendly and attentive, ensuring we had everything we needed throughout our meal. However, the only downside was the noticeable abundance of waitstaff who didn’t appear to be busy. This was somewhat surprising, especially on a Wednesday evening, and it gave the restaurant a slightly overstaffed feel. Despite this minor issue, the overall experience at Sam’s Grill was wonderful. The quality of the food and the pleasant atmosphere make it a great choice for anyone looking to enjoy a fine meal in San Francisco.

We found this restaurant on Google while looking for something close to our hotel. From the outside, the restaurant didn’t stand out, but inside, it’s so comfortable, and the food is incredibly delicious! The fish is outstanding! Thank you for your love of cooking.

Typically love Sam's but I was just seated for a late lunch and then no one came to my table for over 15 mins so I just left. No one even stopped me on the way out or batted an eye. There was all of two tables full also so no excuse. Oh well.

I love everything about this classic SF restaurant and patronize it weekly (sometimes daily!). The staff are professional and welcoming, the seafood is fresh and prepared well, and the old-school classic ambiance is nicely intact. Looking for a place for a special meeting or date? A business lunch with colleagues or clients? A one-martini (or 3?) lunch - this would be the place. Adjacent to the Grill is the Tavern, open 7 days for a more casual menu and ambiance. I love them both.

Service was fantastic. Everything just as we ordered it. If you sit inside, there are a number of the old style booths with curtains for privacy. Classic touch of old San Francisco. However, we elected to sit outside on Belden Lane. Beautiful day and, as we do get a bit loud sometimes, a more appropriate setting. I ordered the whole branzino. Just exquisite, flaky fish falling from the bone. A nice picante as condiment added zest. The cucumber salad provided a complementary side. My associate had the cioppino. I'd order either dish again. Plus we started with the grilled octopus. Just perfect. Fun wine list. Not too expensive. Check it out. -- workingman's gourmand.

Very classic and decent typical SF seafood restaurant. Everything we ordered taste really good. The service was nice, just the room is a bit small for five people.

Classic old San Francisco restaurant where the locals go. They make some of the best grilled seafood, vegetables and more. The staff are professional with black ties but it's not a pretentious restaurant. Tried the delicious clam chowder, grilled branzino, halibut from the daily specialties. Definitely put this place on your list for visiting the city. Everything went well with a nice glass of wine.

Fast service, did takeout and it took under 10 minutes on the spot! The oysters were amazing to try! Personally wasn't a fan of it because I love sweeter oysters but I think for the price was worth it :). There's indoor seating and some sort of outdoor in a sealed off tent kind of setting!

The SF Chronicle recently published a review of Sam's rating it highly, and praising it in contrast with the similarly old-line seafood place Tadich. Tadich is a favorite of mine, so somewhere better must be really great. So I tried Sam's. And I have to report: the service is fine, the food is OK, but not anywhere near as good as Tadich. I had the petrale sole, the same dish I usually have at Tadich. It had the same sauce on it, but it wasn't a similar fish. The fillet was smaller, it was breaded in some egg coating that didn't work well, and it was insufficiently deboned, to a pretty dramatic extent. The clam chowder had a nice broth, but was quite deficient in the clam department: small dry pieces of clam. This is a passable restaurant, especially for the attentive, rather formal service, but the food is better elsewhere.

Hangtown Fry late breakfast/brunch (opens 11am) w/Golden dome hash browns if you talk them into subbing it or just add eggs to a side dish. Classy "old-fashioned eating house" service since '78, few affordable SF classics if you look & stay focused ha ha. Tavern's next door, patio seating in Belden Alley, private booths.

Plan a special holiday dinner with family. Reserved a special round table where we could all talk versus a long table where there is two groups talking. Round table was confirmed, twice, but when we showed up, an half an hour before our reservation, they had just seated someone else at our reserved table. Peter, the owner, told us that they could not guarantee a table and we told him we can guarantee that we will ever return. Support them all thru the Covid but this is what you get in return. Will never go back for a special Christmas Reunion!!!!!!!!!!! and we will bad mouth this restaurant all over North Beach including G & C, the Saloon, Italian Athletic Club, etc. Thanks a lot Peter for making this Christmas a rememberable one.

Extremely disappointed about this place. This place used to be good. The waiter was extremely rude. The food was disgusting. It was actually awful. The food was past it's due date, and that is dangerous. I got so sick after eating. This place will have a recall very soon for sure. They are selling food that is past their expiration date.

I forgot to post a review when I went with friends a few weeks ago, but man... I can't stop thinking of the celery victor! For one, I had never heard of it before so I was delighted to discover something new. Two, it was so good our table of 4 was basically fighting over who'd get the last bite. If you love anchovies, this is a must. Our server was a fun guy too, and portions are great here. We ordered chowder, a wedge salad to share, grilled octopus and steaks and had no complaints. Definitely adding to our SF dining rotation.

Simply the best stellar service, classic ambiance and food was spectacular. The owner and sommelier went out of their way to create a friendly and welcoming environment. Will be back!

When you walk in, Sam's has old decor and a really warm feel to the place. I recommend sitting in the private booths if you have several people in your party. The service felt like we were the only ones in the place. Everyone was super friendly. We had several appetizers including smoked trout, bread, grilled octopus, and caesar salad. For my main course, I had stuffed sole. You could tell everything was fresh. So delicious!

I've enjoyed going to Sam's for more than 45 years. I love the ambience, the drinks, the lovely hostess, and normally, the friendly servers in suits. However, our lunch with my wife and two friends yesterday was a train wreck. It started off fine. We were seated in a great booth and started off with drinks and very good crab cakes. It was after that where we started feeling a bit rushed. Our server started pushing for our order, so we went ahead. My wife and I each ordered a cup of chowder and a Louie salad. Our friends ordered cioppino and scallops. Our server brought my chowder immediately but not my wife's. It was lukewarm. The rest of the dishes started coming out. My wife's salad and her soup. Hammered scallops and pretty good looking cioppino. Oh I forgot to tell you that they deliver great sourdough bread when you sit down. It is then a line item on the bill. Tadich doesn't do that. We ate our meals. My wife found a long strand of hair in her salad. She didn't mention it until the end. We all finished our meals at different times. As we did our server would come in and reach over us to remove the plates before everyone was finished. I was still eating when all other plates were gone. As a matter of, I was eating a piece of bread and he took my plate away. What was even stranger, during our lunch, he started to change clothes. He took off his jacket, then his tie. Then he took off his shirt and was serving us in his undershirt! We asked him if he wanted us to tab out with him and he said no. We ordered an after lunch drink (really good espresso martini) and he brought them and finally asked if we could tab out. We weren't even there very long. The whole day was very weird. And to top it off, a mouse ran by our booth on the way out. Gonna give Sam's a break for a while.

I always like going to Sam's. The service is very old fashion. Most might not like this, but you have to understand where it comes from to appreciate it. It's more east coast like. I'm not from there. I love Sam's Food. It's made the old way with lots of flavor. The Oysters Rockefeller are made right, but I'd like more cheese on top. The fish is cooked right too. I do not like the SF Mandate on the bill, and the price is a bit high, but the food is fresh.

Inexpensive for what you get. We had the crab cakes, penne pasta, zucchini, garlic bread and the stew. The stew broth had wonderful flavor. My favorites were the crab cakes and garlic bread. Penne pasta with pesto lacked flavor. Had to add quite a bit of pepper and salt. Service was great!

Had a work lunch there. Very historic, loved the back booths. The bread and butter to start with was great. The salad to start was a bit wilted. My halibut was awesome.

Great food, excellent service. The dining room was closed the day we went (the Saturday after Thanksgiving), so we had lunch on the side with the bar. Very friendly. Felt like a neighborhood pub.

Portion sizes are substantive and quality is consistent. Smoked trout crostinis are great appetizers and also work well for catering to bring to parties. Cioppino is very large, hearty, flavorful, and has lots of variety. The covered outdoor seating is great to either meet colleagues for business or to seclude oneself away for a quiet restful lunch. Very solid seafood place with lots of variety.

Came here for the first time. The restaurant is very historic and has been here a long time. The atmosphere was very warming and there were not a lot of tables but they had ample wait service. We came for lunch and had the fresh fish special, 2 orders of clams and linguine and the scallops special. The food was exceptional but a little expensive. Highly recommend

Excellent seafood in an old style SF dinner. Great service reasonable prices. Crave quiet? Try one of the booths separated from the main dining by floor length curtains. Legend has it that long ago bosses took their secretaries here for intimate lunches.

Had octopus starter. A++. Cioppino for main. A++. Might try something different from the Chablis. Bread is freaky good. Service very solid with Angelo. Others had veal and scallops. Both got very high marks. Super nice folks working there. Servers in tuxedos. Nice touch. Had a beer at the bar beforehand. Great place.

I have a sentimental place in my heart for old San Francisco restaurants....shit any place that could survive the Government's shutdown should get a medal or free loan. Sam's is a throw back to grander days. Waiters wear tuxes, drinks are stiff, the booths are comfy and private. Seafood is on point although it is pricier and less abundant. If you come to SF visit to get an old skool vibe meal.

Along with Tadich and Scoma's, the last of the great old school SF seafood restaurants. A sadly dying but much needed breed amid the multitude of mundane, so-called 'California Cuisine' carbon copy restaurants. Long live Sam's!

First time here since now I work close by and I loved it. Service and food are awesome. Love our bartender. He is really cool. My favorite is the crudo- sashimi salmon scallops and tuna. Overall a wonderful late lunch/early dinner. Definitely recommend this place plus I'll be back.

Pricy and healthy lol ppl here are classy Pricy and healthy lol ppl here are classy Pricy and healthy lol ppl here are classy

A great San Francisco classic seafood restaurant that has survived the lockdowns. I am happy to report not much has changed. The manhattans and old fashions are still good and strong. The fish dishes are fresh and tasty. The cioppino is one of the meatiest in the city ... so much big chunks of seafood in that tasty broth. What's not to like?

My birthday dinner with daughter, son in law and boyfriend. Delish. Had calamari steak. Been ages since I saw it in a menu. Others had chioppini. Great. So much history

Generations of my family have been coming here. Get a booth. Excellent all the way round. Veal piccata is tops. Crab Louie salad to start.

Founded in 1867 (though not the original location), this place is very old school. Feels like the type of rich food Sinatra would have eaten with dishes like Oysters Rockefeller and Clams Casino. Especially pleasant outdoor dining in that quaint alley. Fun experience, though the main dishes seemed a bit overpriced for what they were. Oysters Rockefeller: I normally prefer raw oysters, because they're so fresh and yummy, but sometimes you need to break out of your habits. These were fresh out of the oven, so even the shell was a little hot. The creamy spinach and cheesy breadcrumbs were great pairing to the warm moist cooked oyster. Clams Casino: Actually liked this more than the Oysters Rockefeller since the meat-to-topping ratio was close to even (whereas the oysters were more meaty). Chewy clam against crispy bacon and crunchy breadcrumbs hit all the right notes. Plus, I mean, bacon and clams are just great together. Only issue was that they were kinda small and only 5 came in an order. Cioppino: There's a lot of cioppino around town, so higher expectations. Full disclosure, Sotto Mare in North Beach makes my favorite cioppino. I think the most glaring issue here was that there was no crab, but rather a bunch of tiny bay shrimp on top. I get that there are seasonal issues with local Dungeness crab, but there's also not-so-local crab and frozen crab and chunk crab meat from a can. Somehow all the other joints in town manage to find crab for their cioppino. The rest of the seafood was pretty standard with 3 mussels, 3 clams, some big shrimp, loads of calamari pieces and some white fish. But $40 seemed pricey for just those less expensive seafood bits, without the crab. The broth was a bit chunky with large cubes of carrots and celery. The garlic bread, made with like a crusty sourdough, tasted quite hearty soaked in the broth. It's no Sotto Mare, but still a satisfying seafood stew. Rex Sole a la Sam's: They didn't have their famous Sand Dabs, but this was the same preparation. Extremely thin filets on a hot plate covered in a yummy salty buttery sauce. So delicate. The vegetable sides were kinda plain, but the focus here is the fish. Bananas Foster: Caramelized saucy bananas with a huge mound of vanilla ice cream on top. I kinda wish they served the bananas and ice cream separately so I could appreciate them separately. Since the ice cream melted so quickly and the crunchy bits of the bananas got soft quickly.

The grilled octopus was very delicious with a fantastic combination with arugula. It was especially delicious with the large yellow beans.All the staff were very friendly, especially the bartender. I go to that restaurant from time to time and they recognize me and treat me very kindly. I am very satisfied A restaurant as wonderful as the old tradition!

Sam's is a classic San Francisco joint. When I walked in I ordered a Bloody Mary. A man said "Good Choice." Turned out he was having the same. Former mayor Willie Brown came in to meet with the guy. In the past I've seen financial heavy hitters unwinding. There are both booths- which are great for meetings or when you want to keep a low profile, and tables. It's pretty spendy. Food is good, although last time I was there there were out of my first two choice. This is not a place to go for cutting-edge food. But if you want a place that exudes old-school, this is for you.

Sam's is consistently good. You think that's easy? I've been eating at Sam's since the 1980s, and it's only gotten better. Someone else will have to tell you about their steaks, because like most regulars, I come for the fish. I almost always get the petrale sole meunière, but the swordfish is equally worthy. However, there's more butter with the sole. I said that Sam's has only gotten better. Now there are wonderfully seasoned fresh vegetables. And if you are feeling virtuous about your fish and vegetables, split an order of zucchini fries. They are delicious. (So is the bread and butter.) Now to the bar. The bar at Sam's is first rate. I usually get a vodka tonic before the meal and a glass of wine with. They have a nice selection of wines by the glass. Service is excellent. From the moment you walk into Sam's you feel well taken care of. The staff could not be more cordial or professional. Sam's is a welcoming and happy environment. Friends meet up, enjoy each other's company and linger over coffee. If you've never been to Sam's, I highly recommend it. If you're a single diner, you can make friends sitting at the bar or you can opt to have a nice table to yourself. Get the petrale sole.

I wanted to like this restaurant and had high hopes, but the food was underwhelming and overcooked. The seating was decent, and the place had a nice ambiance. The staff members were ok, but not great. I ordered their NY Steak and asked for medium and got well done. I told the waiter, who argued about it. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this place or return in the future.

I've been to Sam's Grill many times over the years, but not in a while. We had a lovely booth table for six of us and honestly could not have had a better experience! The food was better than ever-- I had the Louie combo salad (outstanding and so fresh), but everyone absolutely loved what they ate and we all had different orders. Calamari starter was fabulous as well. Martinis were perfection, as was the private ambiance in the booth. Will definitely be back soon!

Nothing but the very BEST here! Wonderful service, warm sourdough bread with soft butter, the French onion soup, grilled octopus, San Francisco cioppino, scallops with wild mushroom risotto... and lastly the bananas foster for dessert! All of it was beyond perfection! I highly recommend coming early around 4:30pm for dinner as we got right in!

After a long day at a deposition, it was perfect to be able to relax at Sam's with shrimp scampi, sourdough bread and a drink served by kind staff. Please don't ever close, Sam's!

It's been years since we have been here (when we still lived in SF). We went to dinner here the other night with friends - six of us in total. We started with two wines a gruner veltliner and a merlot, and a number of appetizers - the grilled octopus, crispy calamari, prawns, and Jane the bakery sourdough bread. All of the appetizers were delicious - the octopus was more of a stand-out with the white cap beans and arugula salad. Entrees - so hard to choose from this wonderful and expansive menu. I went with the grilled Alaskan halibut steak which was cooked perfectly and came with potato and fennel gratin and some greens. The halibut was cooked perfectly - the only negative to the dish was the large bones in one side of it. Bob ordered the scallops which came with mushroom risotto - which was delicious, and the scallops were perfectly cooked. The service was great - and it was nice to see the restaurant completely full (a little bit of normalcy again). Will absolutely come back again!

Sam's Grill is a classic in the best possible way! My wife and I decided to have dinner at this old-timey place (in business since 1867). While I knew the storied history of the restaurant I was a little skeptical of the food quality. I ordered the grilled whole branzino with arugula and feta cheese salad. My wife had the fish and chips with the Alaska cod. My branzino was delicious, really first rate, as was my wife's fish and chips. The fish in both of our dishes was very fresh and flavorful. The arugula salad in my dish was fresh and the feta chunks had the right tangy flavor. The dipping sauce for my fish was delicious. The service is very casual. Possibly a little too casual for a more high end type of restaurant like this, but I liked it. The ambience of the place was the star. Heavy on wood, white table clothes, with a nautical theme accent and coat hooks adorning the walls it also had (best of all) a section of the restaurant with curtained private rooms. It looked like a movie set! A visit here makes a visit to San Francisco truly complete.

Last week, I grabbed a quick lunch with my daughter K who works down the street. Located on the Bush St. end of Belden alley they have indoor and outdoor seating. The restaurant has an old school San Francisco decor. We were seated right away and decided to order a bunch of small dishes instead of large entrees and had the following: Grilled Octopus, tender topped with arugula. Shrimp Scampi, nice buttery garlic sauce perfect for the sour dough bread. Seafood Crudo, Tuna, salmon and scallops. The scallops were exceptional. Toasted Angels, Best item of the meal thick wrapped bacon around large oysters deep fried. I would go back just for this appetizer. French Onion soup, the worst item of the meal. soup was super bland, not a lot of cheese, lots of bread. Do not order. Service was ok. $70 before tip. Ordered extra bread. Quick lunch.

What a gem, we stumbled on accidentally only because we found at the last minute that the place next door in the alley was closed. And rather than hunt down another place to eat in the city, Sam's was literally next door. I read their menu out front, which looked pretty good and varied, e.g. everything fromFrench onion soup and salmon to fresh whole grilled fish .... What's not to love? I wasn't sure if thy were open (it was an 'off/odd' hour for most restaurants--3:pm,), but voila, yes they were, and very welcoming up front at heir desk. We were seated immediately, and I never having been there, was thoroughly charmed by their ambience and decor, as if stepping back in time, another era of civilized yesteryear, all shiny polished wood, with booths, and a beautiful covered patio with lounging chairs outside/ Old world white table cloths, and servers dressed in bow ties and tuxedo jackets. So so so of another time and place. Loved loved loved. But honestly, I didn't know if the food would be up to snuff ... and I'm picky, so there's that. I should've had zero doubts, because everything that comes out of the kitchen was absolute bomb. I t was tasty and fresh, flavorful, and beautifully executed. Btw., when we left the restaurant, we were told that it's the oldest restaurant in the country. Wait, whaaat? Really, whether or not that's the case, all I need to know is we had a rocking good time, with food that was incredible. We ordered a bunch of stuff to share: Caesar Salad with fresh anchovy and croutons, crisp whole bright young green leaves; ; French onion soup with crispy melty cheese and bread, deep and soulful flavor; Steelhead special with grilled bread and fried crispy capers, dill creme fraiche; Crispy whole branzino, skin on and not deboned, which is part of the experience with grilled lemon half and artichoke. Incredible, everything you'd want in a whole fish, with charred skin and juicy white flesh inside, so simple and spanking fresh ,love love love. A side of sautéed spinach with fleck of garlic and lemon--bright vibrant green leaves bursting with flavor. Hash browns--I have never met a potato I didn't love, but this was next level, I mean love at first bite. Crispy and shaved. The wonder of all the dishes here was: nothing is overly oily or greasy. No stomach upset afterwards. The interior vibe is quiet and civilized, allowing for conversation, with an old world classy joint. The service from everything was top notch, attentive and warm and friendly and sweet and kind and down to earth, and genuinely sincerely solicitous and inquiring. Love love love everyone here. The prices I'd gladly pay more, for the service and quality of ingredients and preparations ... everything is to love here. I'd go back here in a heartbeat. Parking (street) is tough, but lots are your BFF in S.F. I didn't know places like this existed, and it's heartening to know that not only is it a vibe, but the food matches the top notch interior and service to boot. The people are everything, not at all paining it in, but genuinely sincerely doing it not only working hard but with a smile on their faces. Epic!

Vintage San Francisco...elegant, classy, welcoming. Service was perfection (Michael), extremely attentive yet not overbearing, easily the highlight of our evening. The food was very good, nothing particularly memorable, old school menu with lots of options. We'll return for the charm and exquisite service.

BEST ever seafood! Their crab cocktail is amazing, full of big chunks of meat and served with lots of lemons. Best Petrale sole too. And don't forget the sourdough bread....specially made for them. My #1 restaurant choice in the city.

I'm giving them 4 stars because their drinks are INSANELY strong, and not battery-acid nasty. I generally don't love martinis, but I appreciate that I only needed half of this martini to get the job done. Let's just say after having my martini, I looked at the directions to the next restaurant and decided that a 91 minute walk didn't seem so bad. I even...enjoyed the walk despite not bringing a coat to SF in the summer, so that tells you the drink just kept doing its job. The atmosphere of this restaurant is amazing! It really gives off prohibition-era vibes with the individual booths. It felt very classy and like a restaurant politicians would eat at. We only went for drinks because we were craving something different than what they had to offer food-wise.

Absolutely stumbled upon this wonderful place. Good service. The bar was full, so we sat at a long table, and sweet bartender Dave was over within 30 seconds. Wide range of yummy food on the menu.

Just tried this restaurant for the first time tonight! My family and I truly enjoyed it! We sat in one of the private little rooms with the drapery, so that was cool. Started out with the Calamari and the Crab cakes. They were both delicious! The Crab cakes had lump crab meat, not just the little pieces. My husband had the Cioppino, it had a lot of seafood in it and a rich broth! I had the Alaskan Cod Fish and Chips, excellent! My mom had the mixed Seafood plate with Scallops and Shrimp! Everything was great. Service was good. Oh and don't forget Dessert!!! I highly recommend the Bananas Foster!!! It was to die for!

Their food have never disappointed me. Attentive service without being intrusive and the back in the old days feeling of the dining room.

So this place was completely unexpected... thought it was going to be a neighborhood diner type of place. Instead, we were greeted by a waiter dressed in a full tux! Even though we probably were not the most dressed up there, the staff treated us superbly. The freshly baked sourdough was great, Calamari was fantastic (not a rubber band on the plate), and all the dishes from the steak to the seafood were perfectly cooked.

This well established restaurant was delicious! The service was A+ from the hostess to the bartender, the waiter and all others. The sister bar next door was great too! Will definitely visit again during a future trip to San Francisco!