1 /5 Ariel Pierce: I rarely leave negative reviews. If I do not enjoy a place, I usually just move on and hope for a better experience the next time. This was my second visit to Sam’s Steakhouse and I am honestly flabbergasted by both experiences.
The restaurant is marketed and priced like a steakhouse, but the atmosphere does not match. The décor feels more like a family diner, and the cooking setup in the middle of the dining room gives off Hibachi-style vibes even though it is not Hibachi. The man at the grill, who appeared to be the owner, spent much of the time loudly barking orders at the staff in a way that came across as distasteful. The servers seemed intimidated by him and overly apologetic, which was uncomfortable to watch.
Both times I visited, I came alone and ordered a steak. Each time I waited over an hour. On this visit, my steak was mistakenly delivered to another table. I overheard the owner instruct the server to retrieve it. Thankfully, someone had already touched the plate so they did not try to bring it back to me. No one informed me that a new steak would be started from scratch, although I could see and hear everything because of the open setup.
While waiting, I ate the included salad. After sitting for so long I told my server I did not have time to wait any longer and asked to only be charged for the salad. The bill was seventeen dollars for the salad alone. The server, who seemed to understand my frustration, gave me the impression that this was not the first time she had been in this situation.
The overall experience was frustrating, the atmosphere did not feel polished, and the service did not match the price point. My steak alone would have been about forty dollars, and nothing about the environment, the food, or the management made it feel worth it.
