Sam's Deli & Grill — Restaurant in Homewood

Update 2024. Decide to give it one last try as I kept hearing the burgers were amazing. First concern was when the cook pulled pre-cooked burgers out the frig and threw it on the grill. Nothing appears to be made fresh here. Cooking a burger to order would seem so simple and make all the difference. Also they used turkey bacon on my burger instead of regular bacon and I'm ok with that but I wish maybe they had communicated that they were out of regular bacon.

Shockingly the precooked burger wasn't terrible it just wasn't good. Just very basic.

Fries were slightly undercooked and soft.

Overall 5 out of 10 for the burger.

What was once a neighborhood staple has now become a stale joke.

I've been pushing my review of this place off because I remember how great this place was and how fresh everything tasted. I wanted to give it a few tries before a did an official review to make sure I was not experiencing a one off moment.

Today I ordered the Gyro Special plate which is now $2 more expensive than it used to be a few years ago. I could justify this price increase if the quality remained the same but I've been here maybe 5 or 6 times over the last 6 months and what's clear is that the quality has gone done.

The star of my dish is supposed to be the gyro and it has lost any sense of pride. It tasted like it's been sitting there for days. It was stale with no flavor at all. I used to love their gyros. The wild rice has experienced a similar declined. It tasted like it was made at least a day before with no real flavor either. That's pretty much sums up my overall experience here in the last 6 months. They gave me quantity. A lot of gyro slices, but I only ate 2 because they were so bad.

A lady right after me ordered the chicken special plate. I saw the cook take a piece of already cooked chicken that looked like it could have been from the day before and just heated it on the grill. So disappointing when it would take a few minutes to sauté chicken and make it fresh.

This place used to have some amazing Kafta but last time I tried it, the kafta was so bland. I hate the flavor of the food and the freshness has left this place. Hopefully they can turn it around.

The burgers are still pretty good because they actually cook the burgers when ordered. Avoid any plates because chances are it will be pre-made and...

I'm a regular here since ~2006. For a 'not fancy' place for dinner or lunch it's hard to beat Sam's Deli in the heart of Edgewood. The quality of food is very consistently good as is the service. One of the reasons this place is consistently good is the owner's presence - Sam is almost always there. He is very friendly and charges fair prices. There are places in town that charge more for a falafel plate but Sam's are the best. Gyro meat nowadays typically comes pre-sliced thin, thin, thin and lacking in flavor. Sam continues to cut gyro meas the way it's supposed to be sliced: with a two handled knife off the big standing cylinder. My kids love the chicken finger plates and the grilled chicken kabob plate usually suits my wife. The hamburgers are huge and very good. Don't miss the baklava. The 'mint' tea is awful and they don't have plain. But he's not going to change it - I've been complaining for years. See...

Wow the reviews weren't kidding, this really is the best restaurant in Homewood, Alabama.

Service: As soon as I walked in, I was greeted by the staff and they were very friendly, welcoming and felt at ease. They bring you your food when it is ready and you are not rushed/pressured on the menu.

Menu: They have LOTS to choose from, the name suggests because it is a deli 👀 salads, sandwiches, burgers, sides, wraps, etc. I got myself a mushroom and swiss burger, it looks so much like Five Guys but maybe that's just me 🤭 the fries are top notch too, with the seasoning being the icing on top.

Atmosphere: They have an outdoor patio, but if you're feeling chilly, they always have an area with a couple heaters, just about what you would expect from a restaurant.

Overall, this is a must-go when it comes to food, definitely going back whenever I have the chance. Also, apologies for the one...