Samtass Seafoods — Local services in Adelaide

First visit to Samtass Seafoods today, and what a great experience - with some caveats!

The store is set up very well - despite how busy it seemed to be, upon entry was a ticketing system to ensure everyone gets served in order with minimal wait time due to the number of staff serving at the counters. The seafood selection is both extensive and exhaustive, with many lines still on offer even if not on show - staff were forthcoming and able to let you know if it's out the back of the store and still available.

Due to the popularity of the store and number of people being cycled through at any one time, the staff themselves seem to have little time for pleasantries - I personally called before driving down to check if they had a specific item in stock, and was assured it was there, and was then hurriedly ushered off the phone. The staff in-store acted similarly; while they were happy to meet any requests and answer questions as necessary, it's all done with a sense of urgency and no time for niceties, for better or worse. I was a little disappointed that (while the item wasn't on show, and had to be grabbed from out back,) I wasn't asked if the size piece was appropriate for my needs, and it was instead wrapped, bagged and rung up on the register ready to pay immediately without double checking - leaving me to find a piece smaller than expected when I was eventually able to check myself (at which point I'd already paid for it).

The fish itself (from what I experienced) was fantastically fresh and delicious, and the staff knew exactly what I was after and hand picked specific appropriate pieces when I explained it was for Sashimi - a touch that was welcomed and not necessarily found at any old seafood shop.

When it comes to quality seafood, I would thoroughly recommend Samtass Seafoods - with an added warning that it's likely to be a quick visit once served, as the staff have no time for niceties, dawdling or time-wasters. Overall, a fantastic visit for some fantastic food - just a little more care for the customer would...

This review is based on my first shopping experience at this store, it is not a review based on the quality and taste of the seafood I purchased today.

The loyalty card machine at the Richmond branch does not work as I found out through a course conversation an hour ago whilst trying to purchase with my gift card. Therefore, to other customers that this may apply to, I wouldnt recommend shopping at this store if you were hoping to add points to your cards on the day or were hoping to use existing points etc.. well not until the card machine has been fixed.

It would've been preferable for the worker serving me to communicate this fact with me and other customers PRIOR to the placement of our order instead of blaming me for not asking if their system was fully operational after walking into the shop in the first instance. It would be akin to anyone walking into Coles and asking if their fly buys card swiping machine was operational before purchasing groceries.

The fact that I, the customer was blamed for not doing so and quite frankly made to feel stupid is the reason why my first experience at this branch can only garner a 3 star...

i was in the area so I decided to try Samtass for Oysters rather than my usual Seafood shop.. BIG MISTAKE! It was NYE so I knew it would be busy and that's fine, but they had some ridiculous ticketing system where only a few people at once could actually enter the store; the rest were to wait outside in the heat like Sheep. (at least let the elderly people in?!) I told the guy that I just wanted a quick look at the Oysters to determine if the wait would be worth it, if so I was happy to wait outside. His response was "I can't let you in, you'll be jumping the queue" He wouldn't have a bar of it. So I waited a half hour just to enter the store. It then took me 8 seconds to determine that the Oysters looked terrible (and from Smokey Bay, not Coffin Bay as I wanted) so I walked out. What a waste of time! Left that debacle of a place and went straight down to my Seafood shop in Norwood for some nice fresh Coffin Bay...