Sammy's Shrimp Box — Restaurant in New York

Extremely disappointed. Came a long way for seafood and what I got was a table full of bread and sides and a steamer full of illegal baby crabs. Legal minimum size for blue crab is 3.5", and almost every single crab in the steamer was less than this. It was difficult to tell, since they had their shells removed before or during cooking, which I've never seen done before. This made the crab extremely difficult to clean, and almost impossible to eat. No meat in the legs, and the mustard in the bodies had been cooked into the meat since the shells had been removed. I wasnt thrilled about eating the mustard since I dont know where these crab came from. Needless to say, out of a half dozen of these things, I probably got enough meat to equal a back leg of a Dungeness crab.

So this was the "catch of the day." Normally I'd save blue crab for visits to Baltimore, but they sounded pretty appetizing on the menu. Needless to say, I've learned my lesson.

Moving on to the service....after being seated, I didnt see a waiter until 10 minutes later. Ordered a coke, and my food. Food came before the coke. I managed 1 refill, and now I'm sitting writing this review after staring for 15 minutes at an empty coke glass. I've watched the manager make his rounds in the dining room twice, and still hasn't come to my table. It's like he knows....

As much as I dont want to pay for this meal, I feel compelled to wait for the check, and see just how long it takes to get a refill. My waiter is nowhere to be found...

Edit: finally found my waiter. I asked the bus boy for a refill, and after 35 minutes of my glass being empty, I got a fresh glass. I have changed my rating from 2 stars to 1, because along with my drink came the check, where my vacant waiter had the nerve to charge me for 3 sodas. Apparently refills are not free, and that is also not freely shared. But shame on me if i didnt read that in the menu...but to charge me for all 3 refills after my drink sat empty almost the entire meal is unacceptable. It's not like the restaurant was even busy, and I had seen other waiters walk through many times, so it's not as if he was running things all himself. I kind of expected the drink to be comped completely, but looks like I'll be paying for the full meal of baby crabs...

Went here to have bite to eat with my two friends I know for years and one them was just visiting the state . What a disgrace the short Mexican lady at the front might be a host maybe in her early 30s or late 30s with long maybe black hair Kind of heavy set.. so as we walk in I remember saying hi my friend said hi and she looked at my black friend squinted her eyes for sec. And In Spanish no sit them outside outside she said that twice with an attitude to her colleague . not knowing two of three of us speak Spanish beacuse we are Puerto Rican . Remind you this is around 7 o clock maybe later it was cold outside already . We told them no and It was weird awkward pause and she said follow her … I know it bothered my friend which I know most of my life and he was just visiting me it’s very sad . We just wanted to get some good food and talk about the past and good times and it was almost ruined by this racist lady at your venue . But it’s all good .the food was not good at all it lacked a lot flavor.i brought some shrimp scampi which is fairly a easy dish to make it lacked flavor and was slightly over cooked 1 out of 10 for sure . The chicken parm tasted like the chicken came out the freezer and hade tons of veins and fat on it . It wasn’t enjoyable I just ate the spaghetti with the cheese from the Parm. So that’s 1 out of 10 as well plus the waiter was no where to be found woah . Even other people sitting down you see them trying wave at them while they sit in the front talking at work . I come from hospitality industry from a restaurant and night club background so I know . How you get peoples money and support even in bad situations. This place is in a great location . Don’t let your workers run this establishment to the mud . All three of us hade our drinks empty for most of the time there not hint of salesmanship, I could have easily spent more money here if they gave more attention to there customers but then agin...

This was not what my family and me came for! Sammy’s Shrimp Box is now Sammy’s Smokehouse. We drove an hour from the city to get delicious twin lobsters that my mother loves so much to find a completely different menu! Menu changed. Service change went from the best service you could ask in a restaurant to awful service. Food menu changed completely. Website should be removed completely and changed to Sammy’s Smokehouse.

Service: My family ordered white wine and it came out hot. Had to ask the server to change it and then server proceeded to take the ice bucket with her afterwards. Pina colada I ordered was watery in less than 2 minutes. Server basically left and never came back to check on us until the bill.

Food: Hot White wine served. Piña Colada was more watery after 2 minutes. Complimentary Bread changed, Cornbread was the best. My mother came with the mind of twin whole lobster they use to have. No longer serve that so she had to order. Seafood Broil Combo. It had the same flavor, but not the same quantity. Quantity is smaller now. I ordered Baby Back Ribs with Fried Shrimp. It was good, but over priced for the quantity served. My father ordered Broiled Red Snapper. It was good taste and quantity. Sides were not good they came out at Room temperature . NO to the Brussel Sprouts cause they are not Roasted they are steamed. Option of soup or salad before entree's No longer a thing. MAJOR CHANGE!

Atmosphere: Super Quite. Very few people there, which is weird considering this place used to be one of the most packed.

Overall: 1/5. Highly disappointed that such an amazing place has become another mediocre BBQ joint. No longer the Sammy’s...