This place is a 3-3.5 star. Possibly 4. Definitely not 5. Potatoes are good. They are just like homemade chips. The shawarma is not tasty. Beef and chicken, both meats were very bland. The pita sandwiches fall completely apart! Like right away. Never had such bad pitas. The rice was ok. The salad was tons of lettuce and a couple tomatoes and 1 cucumber. The garlic sauce is good. But not great. And sooooo overpowering with garlic. Granted I love garlic, so I was good with that. But the other 3 did not care for it as much. Hummus is good. Honestly the best things were the hummus, jalapeños hummus, and homemade potato chips. For 4 of us it was $82. This was more of a $50 quality. Maybe even $40. I think it would have been so much better if the beef and chicken shawarma had more taste to it.
Roxy B.
Ohhhh myyyyy gosh, this place is fantastic. Super fresh, yummy full of flavor. Family owned.
Ant S.
We have been here now a handful of times, and happy to say it has never disappointed. Food is amazing and full of flavor, very inviting and they go out of there way to make you feel welcomed. Definitely in our rotation of go to spots.
Sarah A.
If I could rate it 100 stars I would. The service is superb & the food is deliciousness all around! I cannot get enough of Sam's. Tonight I ate the Spicy Mango. Chicken plate and every single bite is packed with flavor and the garlic potatoes-YUM! The husband ate the Chicken/Beef Shawarma plate and he enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed my plate. They are not stingy w the food portions and now I have leftovers for my lunch tomorrow- Score! I highly recommend everyone to dine-in/take-out as you will not be disappointed.
Al H.
We were looking for a good place for a large group lunch. When we got there there was a table seated but otherwise lots of room and tables for large groups. I was worried about how long they would take to serve our party of 20 but food was hot, tasty, and came out relatively quickly. They even have us separate checks! Highly recommend and would def go back! Beef and chicken kebabs were flavorful and tender, hummus was delicious along with homemade pita. The Garlic spread was a must!
Denise F.
This place has become our go-to for Mediterranean fare. Reasonable pricing, large servings, and if you're into hummus, the cilantro jalapeño is HIGHLY recommended!
Adam Khaled
This place feels like home
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Carmel P.
Too bad I have no pictures to share, but that's because we devour the food as soon as I get home. This place does not disappoint. Owner Sam -- she's very nice and her family, I think brothers, are the cook. Gyro wraps are our Go-To for dinner takeout on some days I don't feel like cooking. Spicy Mango Chicken plate is also Bomb!!! The family service us just superb! Bubaganoush is one of my fave! Their beef and Lamb dishes are so tender and full of flavors. Also our Go-To for lunches at work. Bathroom is also very well maintained- used it once while waiting for my order.
Sharon P.
Ordered takeout tried their Kefta and beef chimchuri. Everything was delicious. Their sides are the star, hummus, garlic sauce and tzatziki are to die for. I will definitely keep ordering from them. Pita bread was perfect with their sauces. Great food!
E. B. Infante
Very delicious food, first time going and was not disappointed! Staff was friendly and the place was clean.
A fantastic family favorite! Sam's Pita is the go to when I have family in town. The family platter is SO affordable and the portion is huge, it easily lasts my family 2 meals. Everything tastes delicious (aka handmade and flavorful) and the service is always polite and friendly. Fyi, please try the feta fries.
Lorraine A.
Such a great Mediterranean restaurant in riverside! I was visiting the area and was taken here by a friend. When you first walk in, you see how large and lively the restaurant is. You can tell that the owners receive many orders which is an amazing thing. The staff greets you as soon as you come in and hide you to your table. The menu is pretty big and the portion sizes are huge. I ordered the chicken skewers plate which I had to bring back home with me for later. At one point, my friend ordered food and the staff was nice where they gave my friend extra French fries due to their order. I highly recommend this restaurant for a great Mediterranean restaurant in riverside!
Chris B.
This place is great! We had the shrimp kabobs plate and the chicken kabobs plate. Everything is fresh. The service is friendly and on point. We will be back!
Richard B.
[ENTER:] Upon entering Sam's you will be promptly given a warm and genuine welcome. The Restaurant is clean and has a simple yet inviting decor lending to the Lebanese ambiance. [MENU:] There is a delightful array of foods to select from with sample photos and descriptions. There is little guesswork. [THE FOOD:] Okay, this is the serious part. In a word the food is amazing, stunning. The plates will come to you in surprising short order. The servings are generous. Now, what sets this food apart is the texture and the flavor, The meat is flavorful, well trimmed and not over-cooked. Let me expand on flavor: the sign of a true chef is the ability to create subtle flavors that capture you. But, Sam's takes it further. There is depth to the flavor in each bite. The hummus is the best we have ever had. It is different that what you have had - it is creamy. Even the salad is phenomenal! For dessert we had rice pudding and baklava. It is the best we have ever had. [SERVICE:] The service is prompt and helpful. You are made to feel welcome. They are attentive. [CONCLUSION:] This is the best Middle-Eastern food we have ever had. Highly recommended! Our first time here. We will be back!
Bebe S.
We just dined at this restaurant for lunch and had a fantastic experience. The food was delicious & the service was exceptional. We were in the Riverside area and came by this place based on the reviews and let me tell you they did not disappoint! I recommend this place to anyone looking for delicious food, great service and an overall awesome dining experience.
This place is a 3-3.5 star. Possibly 4. Definitely not 5. Potatoes are good. They are just like homemade chips. The shawarma is not tasty. Beef and chicken, both meats were very bland. The pita sandwiches fall completely apart! Like right away. Never had such bad pitas. The rice was ok. The salad was tons of lettuce and a couple tomatoes and 1 cucumber. The garlic sauce is good. But not great. And sooooo overpowering with garlic. Granted I love garlic, so I was good with that. But the other 3 did not care for it as much. Hummus is good. Honestly the best things were the hummus, jalapeños hummus, and homemade potato chips. For 4 of us it was $82. This was more of a $50 quality. Maybe even $40. I think it would have been so much better if the beef and chicken shawarma had more taste to it.
Ohhhh myyyyy gosh, this place is fantastic. Super fresh, yummy full of flavor. Family owned.
We have been here now a handful of times, and happy to say it has never disappointed. Food is amazing and full of flavor, very inviting and they go out of there way to make you feel welcomed. Definitely in our rotation of go to spots.
If I could rate it 100 stars I would. The service is superb & the food is deliciousness all around! I cannot get enough of Sam's. Tonight I ate the Spicy Mango. Chicken plate and every single bite is packed with flavor and the garlic potatoes-YUM! The husband ate the Chicken/Beef Shawarma plate and he enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed my plate. They are not stingy w the food portions and now I have leftovers for my lunch tomorrow- Score! I highly recommend everyone to dine-in/take-out as you will not be disappointed.
We were looking for a good place for a large group lunch. When we got there there was a table seated but otherwise lots of room and tables for large groups. I was worried about how long they would take to serve our party of 20 but food was hot, tasty, and came out relatively quickly. They even have us separate checks! Highly recommend and would def go back! Beef and chicken kebabs were flavorful and tender, hummus was delicious along with homemade pita. The Garlic spread was a must!
This place has become our go-to for Mediterranean fare. Reasonable pricing, large servings, and if you're into hummus, the cilantro jalapeño is HIGHLY recommended!
This place feels like home
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Too bad I have no pictures to share, but that's because we devour the food as soon as I get home. This place does not disappoint. Owner Sam -- she's very nice and her family, I think brothers, are the cook. Gyro wraps are our Go-To for dinner takeout on some days I don't feel like cooking. Spicy Mango Chicken plate is also Bomb!!! The family service us just superb! Bubaganoush is one of my fave! Their beef and Lamb dishes are so tender and full of flavors. Also our Go-To for lunches at work. Bathroom is also very well maintained- used it once while waiting for my order.
Ordered takeout tried their Kefta and beef chimchuri. Everything was delicious. Their sides are the star, hummus, garlic sauce and tzatziki are to die for. I will definitely keep ordering from them. Pita bread was perfect with their sauces. Great food!
Very delicious food, first time going and was not disappointed! Staff was friendly and the place was clean.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicken Shawarma, Falafel
Restaurantji Recommends
A fantastic family favorite! Sam's Pita is the go to when I have family in town. The family platter is SO affordable and the portion is huge, it easily lasts my family 2 meals. Everything tastes delicious (aka handmade and flavorful) and the service is always polite and friendly. Fyi, please try the feta fries.
Such a great Mediterranean restaurant in riverside! I was visiting the area and was taken here by a friend. When you first walk in, you see how large and lively the restaurant is. You can tell that the owners receive many orders which is an amazing thing. The staff greets you as soon as you come in and hide you to your table. The menu is pretty big and the portion sizes are huge. I ordered the chicken skewers plate which I had to bring back home with me for later. At one point, my friend ordered food and the staff was nice where they gave my friend extra French fries due to their order. I highly recommend this restaurant for a great Mediterranean restaurant in riverside!
This place is great! We had the shrimp kabobs plate and the chicken kabobs plate. Everything is fresh. The service is friendly and on point. We will be back!
[ENTER:] Upon entering Sam's you will be promptly given a warm and genuine welcome. The Restaurant is clean and has a simple yet inviting decor lending to the Lebanese ambiance. [MENU:] There is a delightful array of foods to select from with sample photos and descriptions. There is little guesswork. [THE FOOD:] Okay, this is the serious part. In a word the food is amazing, stunning. The plates will come to you in surprising short order. The servings are generous. Now, what sets this food apart is the texture and the flavor, The meat is flavorful, well trimmed and not over-cooked. Let me expand on flavor: the sign of a true chef is the ability to create subtle flavors that capture you. But, Sam's takes it further. There is depth to the flavor in each bite. The hummus is the best we have ever had. It is different that what you have had - it is creamy. Even the salad is phenomenal! For dessert we had rice pudding and baklava. It is the best we have ever had. [SERVICE:] The service is prompt and helpful. You are made to feel welcome. They are attentive. [CONCLUSION:] This is the best Middle-Eastern food we have ever had. Highly recommended! Our first time here. We will be back!
We just dined at this restaurant for lunch and had a fantastic experience. The food was delicious & the service was exceptional. We were in the Riverside area and came by this place based on the reviews and let me tell you they did not disappoint! I recommend this place to anyone looking for delicious food, great service and an overall awesome dining experience.