Sammy's Restaurant — Restaurant in Castroville

TL;DR: Terrible service, spoiled food, poor management. The "jumbo" shrimp are also standard size, don't waste your money ordering.

Detailed version:

We sat around for almost half an hour before our waiter came to take our drink orders (meanwhile staff kept dropping by to let us know he'd get there eventually, he was with a big party -- although none of them could step in and at least bring water or something).

We eventually asked for a pitcher of tea because we couldn't get any refills when we did finally get drinks. I had to ask a staff member, who went to a second, who said we needed manager approval; said manager approved it but made us wait for our server to bring it for us (even though he was right next to the wait station and could've done it himself right then).

They forgot to bring a drink for one of the kids, so we had to repeat that process, go through 3 people again, before eventually being again forced to wait for our server to deliver the missing drink.

It was ANOTHER 20-30 minutes before we could order appetizers & food.

We didn't get our food until 1.5 hours AFTER we arrived. Dozens of staff milling around, but our server couldn't seem to get assistance from ANYONE and was running tables in multiple rooms.

I had to send my plate back because they gave me SPOILED SHRIMP. Shrimp so spoiled, my parents could smell them from across the table (I couldn't due to congestion). I took a bite, realized my grave error, and bolted for the bathroom. When I came back I asked the server to take the plate because now, sinuses unpleasantly & unwillingly cleared, I could smell the shrimp and was about to have to run to the bathroom again to be sick. I hadn't even eaten half my meal.

Our server promised to take them off the ticket, but when he brought the tab the meal was still there.

I had asked for the manager when I saw the error on the ticket & to discuss our terrible wait and service.The manager initially refused to remove that meal because it said salmon (the shrimp were an addon). I had to threaten to bring the shrimp remains I had spit into my napkin to get him to remove my meal. He also tried to argue how long we were waiting before we got our food. My dad's onion rings were bad also (spoiled onions were used) and even though they remained on the table as evidence, uneaten, the manager flat refused to remove them from our tab or further discount it in any way.

Many in our group got sick shortly after leaving.

We will NEVER be going back, and I strongly recommend you think twice before going...

My husband and I tried this restaurant because of a band clinic and then three other times because the experience was fantastic. We were excited to discover the salad bar, which is not skimpy like earlier referred to, the home made soups are always delicious, no matter what the type. Yesterday night, a Fiday, we ordered mixed drinks for the first time and they were excellent. My husband's was a Blue Hawaiian $5 and mine was a top shelf Margarita with extra tacked on for patron on the rocks with salt $8. We both ordered another round and a woman named Brittany was behind the bar. Any specials they are featuring on the menu are always delicious! My husband got their jumbo shrimp...yum..and I have gotten chicken fried chicken and last night steak. The steak is not super thick and a little pricey, but was cooked excellently with a nice smoky flavor. The green beans are phenomenal and the tempura battered onion rings are...well prepared. They even have a Sammy's salad dressing that is quite tasty. We have also had Coors on draft which was great, but draft is not something very dynamic at this location/ beer has more options if you order it bottled. The tea is tasty and we HAVE ALWAYS BEEN MEET WITH FANTASTIC AND FRIENDLY SERVICE! We do not even live in the area and have made multiple visits. There has even been a manager asking us about how everything is going on two separate visits. The waiters/waitresses know their menu and are very helpful. At the front, sometimes you wait to be seated or seat yourself (there is a sign), which is representative of small town dining. The person to your left is just a final cashier not a focused greeter. The air conditioning has always been great and we have sat to the right, next to the bar, and to the left, where the salad bar is,...both experiences were nice with attentive service. I just had to post a more current review because often people complain and not compliment. When you view these comments and have never been there, it is often not accurate and if you don't live there it will prevent you from making the attempt to try restaurants. We tried it by driving by after a region clinic. I would love it if they could come up with a pepper corn ranch sauce, or a sauce that incorporates soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, and pepper flakes to put with their onion rings because they are awesome...some of the best prepared I...

As someone who has waited tables before, I consider myself very easy going when it comes to eating out...however tonight was not the case. My family and I a party of 9, 6 adults and 3 children arrived at 730pm, as per our reservation. When we arrived we were sat right away, and there were only 2 other small tables in the section we were sat in. One looked to have already placed their order and the other was taken just after we sat down. 10 minutes go by and we still have not been greeted by the server herself. No one has offered to get our drink order. Nothing...when she finally does come get our drink order she brings it back and is missing 2 drinks. We inform her of what we are missing she brought them over no big deal. However that's when everything went down hill. She took our order for food. It was 3 separate tickets, and nothing complicated. 30 minutes go by and we have not received our appetizer nor our salads. We ask about them and it takes another server and the manager to get them to us. At this time the waitress brings out my husband's dish, the side is incorrect and no other plates...we thought it odd but was willing to give the benefit of the doubt to her because we were informed that she was new. But 20 more minutes go by and 2 more plates were brought out. When I finally asked where the rest of our plates were as my children had been waiting an hour and a half at this point we were informed that she had sent our food on 2 separate tickets...so my children's food were just being made. I informed your manager to take them off. However I get to the table and the food magically appears. An hour and a half later....that is completely unacceptable. When we got up to leave there was no compensation for anything, just oh she's new. Sammy's used to be a very reputable place to eat...now it just seems like a rundown diner where things like this get swept to the side and forgotten about. I used to love the food and the atmosphere now, I will...