Sam's Chowder HouseWe love Sam's!My wife and I discovered Sam's about 3 months ago when we spent a few nights at the neighboring Beach House for our anniversary and the hotel staff recommended Sam's. We actually had reservations somewhere else the next night, and canceled them to visit Sam's a second time, it was so good. The live music on Friday and Saturday nights really adds a nice touch. The food is really yummy - these folks know how to cook seafood. I highly recommend the cobbler as well - back in March it was apple, and then this past week it was strawberry, and both were delicious.6/13/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food!We went for dinner, and ended up coming back the next day for lunch. Great service and great views, but the food brought us back. Get the lobster roll - it lives up to its hype. The fish tacos and grilled fish sandwich we also very good. And the chowder was fresh.6/13/2013 12:00:00 AMBday excursionOur server was timely, checked in on us often. Our food was hit and miss. The bread that was brought to our table was hot and toasty on the outside but unfortunately was still frozen in the center. My lobster roll was tasty but wasn't quite as hot and fresh as previous occasions but I had no problem polishing it off anyway. The seafood spaghetti was delicious and had an ample amount of seafood. The crab cakes were definitely the winner of the night if I had to choose. Overall a nice experience. If I could change anything I would have liked my lobster roll fresh out of the oven/ off the griddle. It seemed a tad soft from possibly sitting under the warmers too long.6/10/2013 12:00:00 AMAll four of us enjoyed theAll four of us enjoyed the food - get the lobster roll, it was excellent.6/9/2013 12:00:00 AMFoodLobster roll was the best......... just like everyone told me about it............ will go back again for sure.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat placeWe've been to half moon bay 3 times and finally decided to try it. It was amazing and we should have went the other 2 times. Great place, service, and food. Going back tomorrow for the amazing lobster rolls!6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMAn awesome stop along the coastWe picked this restaurant based on its open table reviews and pictures of the coast and it did not disappoint. The panoramic views were breath taking and you can see them from pretty much everywhere in this little restaurant. The food was great and the atmosphere was very relaxing. When you are done with your meal, be sure to take the steps down to the water!6/3/2013 12:00:00 AMSam's is a MUST!While in San Francisco, we made a special trip to Half Moon Bay so that we could dine at Sam's Chowder House. Sam's is rustic on the outside, but lovely on the inside. We were given a window table so that we could enjoy a picture perfect view of the Bay. The staff was very friendly and helpful. I ordered a cup of their homemade New England Clam Chowder which was seasoned perfectly and presented at a proper temperature. My husband ordered the Steamed Clams. He was given a deep bowl of sweet manila clams in a savory butter sauce... he absolutely loved each and every one! As a main course we ordered the Lobster Roll, which arrived on an hot-dog-style toasted bun and loaded with tasty lobster claw meat. It was a wonderful lunch!6/3/2013 12:00:00 AMgreat place love the foodgreat place love the food and sevice always good and great views a real gem6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMA Beautiful Day at Sam'sWe wanted to take our friend Doug some place special to celebrate his 80th birthday. We could think of no better place than Sam's. We made our reservation on line, which was quite simple. A nice table with a beautiful view was reserved for us. Doug and his late wife were from Maine, so he was really looking forward to the Lobster Roll. He was not disappointed!! I had forgotten how delicious it was myself.
Sam's has such a great menu--something for everyone, all ages. Our waitress outdid herself making us all comfortable. Great service! Thanks for helping us make this a special birthday celebration!6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMKids friendlyThis place is kids friendly and foods were awesome.5/27/2013 12:00:00 AMOur reservation went withoutOur reservation went without a hitch. The food was excellent, the server was exceptional...friendly, efficient, got a table with a great view. It was a nice birthday outing.5/27/2013 12:00:00 AMFan of Sam'sWe had never been to Sam's before but read about their lobster roll being one of the top 5 sandwiches in the United States. We arrived for our 3:00 reservation and cars were everywhere and people were standing in the lobby and outside.
I heard the hostess tell people the wait time was one and a half hours.
I walked up to the hostess and said we were there for our 3:00 reservation.
I was immediately guided to a great table with a spectacular view of the bay.
Despite the fact that my husband was parking the car and not yet in the restaurant, I was seated immediately.
We enjoyed our food and the wait staff was very friendly and accommodating.
We then spent some time sitting outside in the adirondack chairs, enjoying the wonderful view.5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst Time at Sam'sI planned my father's 60th birthday at Sam's Chowder House after getting severeal recommendations from colleagues. Due to the busy holiday weekend, they ran out of lobster but the manager totally made up for it! The food was AMAZING and the environment and service was great. We will definitely be returning to Sam's Chowder House for other special occasions in the future and even for lunch after a day at the beach!5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMgood seafood & viewFood was very good as usual, we come here all the time. The lobster spaghetti for two had less heat than last time we had it, but it was still quite good. Only downside was our server who was more interested in getting out of there than anything else - he didn't even bother introducing himself. Oh well, we enjoyed our food:-)5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMAWESOME!!We love Sam's - our favorite seafood restaurant in the Bay Area! And return often, with friends and family from out-of-town, who ALL enjoy it like we do! And most importantly, on this anniversary, Sam's went out of its way, on a hectic day for them, to make our day seem extra special. Our server, Casey, could not have been more generous and sincere - her warmth added to the ambiance and the delicious food. One problem, with an oyster error, was quickly corrected, and a treat was the dessert special! We will return often, and thank all of the staff who made the night special!5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMA Favorite Place for seafoodOur entire family loves to come here when we need a good seafood meal. The steamed clams, calamarri, and lobster rol are our favorites.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMLobster RollI got the Lobster Roll. I didn't know what I was expecting, but I got a ton of lobster stuffed into a roll. It was a great presentation and the taste was very good.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMthe famous lobster roll wasthe famous lobster roll was okay. the clam chowder? AMAZING.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMFresh oysters, fresh fish,Fresh oysters, fresh fish, great view of the Pacific ocean.5/23/2013 12:00:00 AMNice, Nice, NiceEverything was the stuff pleasant memories are born from keep up the wonderful chowder and main courses that tickle our palate5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMDeliciousLoved our experience at Sam's and will certainly make a trip back soon. The food was delicious and the view of the ocean was beautiful.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst Time - Not the Last TimeI liked that this place had an amazing view. I appreciated the fact that if my friend and I had not made a reservation, the wait did not seem very long. If you don't have a reservation - the wait time is approximately 40 minute but you can cut that in half with a visit to the bar and a walk down to the beach.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMgreat restaurant, rushed serviceLove the view, and the food is great too
Service is very rushed, mains appear less than a minute after appetizers cleared. Slow food anyone?5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding service!From our initial greeting, all the way through dinner, and presenting the final bill . . . friendly and attentive.5/6/2013 12:00:00 AMAwesome Waterfront Fish HouseWe had a full dinner from appetizers to dessert, and all of it was outstanding. Most of the portions were generous, and the seafood all tasted like it was caught the same day. For those who like ceviche, their lobster ceviche is a must! It is medium priced, with appetizers in the $6-15 range, and entrees running from $16-30. Waitstaff is attentive without hovering, and it offers spectacular views of Half Moon Bay. All-in-all a great value for the price, and we will definitely be back.5/6/2013 12:00:00 AMgreat food in the best spotIf you love seafood, you want to go to Sam's Chowder House. You sit by the window and look out at Half Moon Bay. The restarant is roomy, and has outdoor seating. First you go for a walk along the beach, then you have your clam chowder and lobster roll, and key lime pie, then you go for another stroll along the beach. You're happy.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMLove ItThis restaurant never disappoints. Even in a hectic fast paced environment, the staff gives excellent service all the time. If you go to Half Moon Bay and don't eat at Sams you're out of your mind. :-) Get there.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMA must experienceAn all time favorite for seafood. Great ocean views and comfortable dining ambiance. Highly recommend.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMI have been to Sam's manyI have been to Sam's many times and on this occasion I brought 4 friends. We were out for the day to Pescadero and Half Moon Bay. We all enjoyed it and thanked me for getting reservations and thinking of it. They and I will be back!4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMIt was so good that I am bringingIt was so good that I am bringing my guest from VT there for lunch today. It takes me almost an hour to get there but it will be worth it, I'm sure. I'm going to order my lobster roll again without the roll, but everything else. I'm not eating bread lately and I've lost some weight. I had leftovers and I had lobster at home for supper. What a day it was on the 24th!4/24/2013 12:00:00 AMWe always get reservationsWe always get reservations before going to Sam's. There was almost a 2 hour wait when we arrived BUT we were taken right to our table thanks to Open Table and our reservations! Thanks!!! We even got a window seat and enjoyed the ocean views4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMAs always a wonderful diningAs always a wonderful dining experience. How the Sam's Lobster Roll isnt the #1 Sandwich in America is beyond me.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMBoth Lunch and Dinner alwaysBoth Lunch and Dinner always great.........great ocean view........great heated patio seating...........all a round 5 stars......worth the drive from the bayside........4/15/2013 12:00:00 AMSushi appetizer was excellent...asSushi appetizer was excellent...as was the NE clam chouder. Lobster roll was fabulous...so much lobster! Cod was good, but preparation did not have enough flavor.4/15/2013 12:00:00 AMSam's Rocks!We always have a fantastic time at Sam's! The food is incredible, their staff is friendly and the views are beautiful. I wish it were a little closer to home for us - we'd go all the time!4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMWe enjoyed the delicious seaWe enjoyed the delicious sea food, especially the clam chowder and the lobster roll. It's worth the drive up from San Francisco.4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMSam's is a great destinationSam's is a great destination restaurant and has it all. The food is good, service friendly, and the coastal location is fantastic. I go there often and enjoy it every time.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat dining!Super place with a great view of the Princeton Harbor. Great outdoor dining and most tables inside has super views.4/9/2013 12:00:00 AMClam chowder was great, notClam chowder was great, not too thick. The sample seafood plate was perfect and well presented. the sedge was good as was the bread pudding. Yum.4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMwe visit Sam's regularly, amazingwe visit Sam's regularly,
amazing views foggy or sunny. great with our 3 year old as loves to end of day on beach below. food is most always good, just ask to insure lobster rolls are moist!
fish sandwiches and clam chowders are always great as is the key lime pie!
try to call ahead as line could get long, but moves quickly!
great bar.
a special note....outside fire pits can also be used for Smore's!! buy kit in gift shop...share them with the little kids around (if OK with their parents) as this adds to the fun and makes instant friends...'play it forward'!!4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMOur dinners were excellent!Our dinners were excellent! Clam chowder was great as was our varied entrees. However the dessert menu sounded so wonderful too so we decided to indulge but were very disappointed. Small portions that were not very tasty.4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food and good scenery.Great food and good scenery. Patio was heated, so even though it was a little chilly, we were totally comfortable. Lobster roll was good, but I bet there are even better finds on the menu! Will definitely try something else next time.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMVery good experience. ChowderVery good experience. Chowder (of course) was outstanding. Large portions. The bowl of chowder is 16 oz. Lobster roll was excellent as advertised. Great view.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMWe have been to Sam's manyWe have been to Sam's many times. We love their clams, but they are always a little too salty. On a fine day, the views are wonderful.4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMService was fantastic. FoodService was fantastic. Food was delicious. Beautiful scene. We will definitely be back!3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMHad delicious late lunch &Had delicious late lunch & had an incredible waiter - wish I'd gotten his name....kept pace with our meal -not rushing us. Asked for appetizer from dinner menu for the late lunch & waiter checked with kitchen and it was delicious. have been coming here since it was opened - always love it! Thanks again!3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMWe Love Sam's Chowder house.We Love Sam's Chowder house. Great views of the ocean and the food is always consistent. The service is always excellent.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMI took my family and it wasI took my family and it was our first time there. We started with fresh oysters, ahi poke, and manhattan clam chowder. All the starters were very good. The oysters were incredibly fresh and sweet. For entrees, we had the lobster roll, seafood paella, and my daughter had the kids fish and chips. The lobster roll was ok. The lobster meat was not as fresh and sweet as we had hoped. My daughter's fish and chips were ok also. The seafood paella was very good; seafood was fresh and the flavors were intense but balanced. For dessert, we had the mango upside down cake and soft serve with olive oil and sea salt. The cake was good but the soft serve was amazing! Even though we were not impressed by the lobster roll, we will be coming back.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMTerry & Lu EgglestonLarge restaurant, nice view. Excellent service; engaging staff. Menu selections were beautifully presented & fairly priced. Would definitely go back. Very nice birthday celebration for two. Liked the background music, too!3/27/2013 12:00:00 AM