Sam's — Restaurant in New York

I love Sam’s. It’s super classic old school Italian. The place hasn’t been redone since it opened. I love it. There is even an old phone booth in there. It’s so warm, cozy and charming. It’s one person manning the house, he’s done this all his life. This is a homey restaraunt and you feel like you are treated like family when you dine here.

The food is good portions and affordable. Really tasty. Their pizza is my favorite but of course the day we come they didn’t have pizza! Something to have to do with the dough machines. That was okay though. We got meatballs, ravioli, a side of meatballs, chicken parm and spaghetti and veal cutlet and escarole, two bottles of wine and two pieces of cheesecake. A lot of food for 4 people but I was hungry!

We got there at 6:30 on a Saturday and didn’t leave until 9:30. It reminded me of having dinner in Europe where the waiters don’t care and you can sit there all night. It was so nice to relax and eat and catch up.

The chicken and veal is pounded very thin. Everyone loved their food. I really liked the meatballs, super light and not heavy at all and great flavor. The sauce is very sweet and vibrant. The pasta is cooked perfectly Al dente. The ravioli were big and delicious. Loved the bottle Chianti we got. The cheesecake here is my favorite, it’s real Italian ricotta cheesecake. Def try it. All this food under 200 with tax and tip. They give you complimentary bread for the table and plenty of it. The French fries were also very good, more like potato wedges but they really hit the spot.

We moved from Brooklyn and the one place I miss is this place. So glad we were able to visit and eat here. This is my favorite pizza place in Brooklyn so I hope next time we visit they have pizza. But no matter what they have it’s...

Doesn’t get anymore classic Brooklyn than this place. No frills, no bullshit accepted.

I’m sad and ashamed that after being in this neighborhood on and off for five years, we only just came here recently. My partner and I came in for an early Sunday dinner and I was surprised by how quiet it was, but folks started trickling in for a birthday dinner. The wood paneling and old newspaper clippings with photos of the Italian coast and momentos such as trophies adorn the space. Nostalgia overcame me as I was instantly transported to the basement of my Italian American grandparents. I felt at home.

The gentleman running the place (perhaps the owner?) was both the bartender and waiter. He treated us like family - playfully teased us and joked around. Incredibly kind!

After a lot of mulling over the menu, we decided to go for a calzone with sausage, garlic, and peppers. Our guy warned us about how big it was and… he was right. It was ENORMOUS. The birthday party even took notice and asked him what it was. He shared with us that’s he gets one calzone with 2 of his buddies about once a month and they barely finish it.

After giving it our best try, we still had about half left. He did say he was impressed and didn’t think we’d eat as much as we did. It was well worth the belly ache later on!

When my partner asked for a piece of cheesecake to go, he ended up leaving it off the check. We brought it to his attention to which he replied with a smirk: “I knew what I was doing.”

Sam’s is now a neighborhood favorite. Thanks for an incredible...

I stopped by Sam’s for lunch with friends sunday afternoon, and had a decent meal. Unfortunately, that same day, after mentioning I stopped by there to my cousin, she told she was never going back there again due to some racial slurs made by Sams owner towards her mothe— an elderly Muslim women in a hijab. A woman who, like all New Yorkers, moved to new York as an immigrant, and with our generations other immigrants of Yemen who are American, helped shape and build New York into what it is today. My sweet elderly is New York.

She, and the people Sams look down at, also happen to own much of the real estate in Brooklyn, including many of the buildings that surround Sam’s little diner.

I was eager to support Sams, as a local small business, but after learning about this offense, there is nothing more un-American and more shameful to Brooklyn and New Yorkers than a bigot. And there aren't enough American flags and tacky white tee shirts decorated in eagles and “god bless America”, that can save this diner and their staff from their own self hate.

I was born and raised in this neighborhood, as was my entire family. I watched our home and community change, and grow. There is no room for hate and ignorance in our neighborhoods.

For those looking for good food, there are plenty of similar delicious Italian pizzerias around, run by real New Yorkers who are good people and Dont bully old women. So keep your children and family safe, and...