Sam Kendall's — Restaurant in Hartsville

To begin, allow me to disclose that the meal I did receive from this establishment was free. However, that would make no difference to my rating, as this place was simply phenomenal. I came into this restaurant after hearing and reading that this establishment was the best place to dine in Hartsville, and I felt like having a fancy dinner for a birthday. Upon entering, the staff was especially kind to me and seated me at a nice booth, underneath moody lighting. I was then provided bread, a lovely, crusty loaf of ciabatta (that unfortunately was not housemade, as disclosed by my waiter) that was the prelude for what's to come. After a decent moment of deliberation, I ended up ordering the New York Strip cooked to medium, with garlic mashed potatoes. The steak was cooked perfectly, and was tender, flavorful, and quite juicy.... I may, in fact, call it one of the best steaks I've ever had. The potatoes, as well, were delightful, buttery and perfectly seasoned. All the while, my waiter, Jose, was nothing but kind and courteous to me. My meal concluded with desert, which unfortunately was not the creme brulee I requested at first. However, upon Jose's recommendation, I had the seasonal desert, a Reese's pie. The pie was lovely and sweet, with the saltiness of the main peanut butter mousse complemented perfectly by the sweetness of the graham cracker crust, the whipped cream, chocolate sauce, chunks of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and chocolate base. To conclude, needless to say, I give this place an immensely high recommendation. I believe, personally, that this establishment is the best place to eat if you're in Hartsville or simply passing through on the way to Myrtle Beach. I will be back in the future, and I fully intend to come hungry for another...

Pros: Sam Kendalls is a very beautiful restaurant. It is the nicest place to eat in Hartsville. The atmosphere is very comfortable with the options of sitting in a booth or table. I went with my husband a two kids and we ate at a table. It was very spacious an the chairs were fully padded which made them very comfortable. The tables have small lamps on them and it is not too bright in there which is good for a more intimate environment. The staff were very friendly and very professional. I ordered spinach artichoke dip with tortilla chips and crab bites as my appetizers. The artichoke dip comes was accompanied with a good size serving of pico de gallo. My son had a fried chicken sandwich with fries.The sandwich was huge and juicy. My husband ordered chicken pasta which was a very hefty serving with garlic bread. My daughter had grilled cheese sandwich and fries. I had fried shrimp which included fries and coleslaw. The shrimp were huge and presented beautifully. The prices are a little high but I found them to be fair. Overall we enjoyed our meals and the overall quality of the food. The managers and owner were great as well. He constantly checked on all his guests and even helped turning tables and cleaning. Staff was dressed appropriately and professionally. I will be coming back to this restaurant and I recommend it to others as well.

Cons: The only flaws I exhibited were that my crab bites could have been hotter and more crisp on the outside. And the coleslaw...

I order takeout from Sam Kendall’s all of the time, but tonight was the last time I’ll ever order from there. I called in an order for the ribeye steak with a loaded baked potato & a side salad & didn’t like the way my salad was prepared so I informed the hostess & she took it to the back & the chef made it even worse by taking the 2 tomatoes that were sliced in wedges in the corner & dicing them up into big chunks. I didn’t want the salad or the food at all anymore after that so I requested a refund. The hostess went to the back as if she was going to give me a refund, but instead of her coming back to ask for my card, or hand me a receipt showing where my $ was refunded, she was talking to the chef about me not wanting the food anymore. I know this because he waltzed around the corner & asked, “you want a full refund over diced tomatoes?” Which in my professional opinion, was unprofessional. If an unsatisfied customer requests a refund, apologize for the inconvenience, & provide them with the refund, no questions asked. I’ve never had a chef or any team member from any place of business question me wanting a refund. Just make the food right, no matter how close it is to closing time. They will just throw your food together & expect for you to want to pay for it, & eat it....