Sam's Place

Sam’s Place is a hidden gem, being going there for over 25 years. You are made to feel like family. The food is excellent, you will not be disappointed. Had the lemon chicken with vegetables, along with mushroom salad. If you are looking for a good meal @ reasonable prices Sam’s is the place!

We had my mom's 96th birthday celebration for 14 people (upstairs.) The ambience is perfect (warm and homey) , the food is sumptuous (old style NY Italian at its best, esp love the baked clams), and Sam is the consummate host. People attended from all over the country. This was a well-healed , well traveled, up scale group. Long story short , everyone LOVED it. Huge success, the place is a gem. Value is also off the charts, especially for NYC. Getting hungry writing about it. Thanks Sam!

Wow! So happy to start my New Year dining experience at such a great establishment. All around a fantastic experience.

I made a reservation on Google Assistant and they prepared a four seat table for us. The seating was comfortable. The napkin art was a nice touch. We couldn’t be under the tent but they moved two heaters near our table to accommodate so we weren’t cold. They treated us very nicely.

The bread for the table was fresh and crunchy. We started with the calamari which had a fantastic sauce - more on the sauces later. I ordered the special clam stuffed with crab meat and shrimp. It was the large size because the small comes with two. It was toasted to perfection on top and I could see the real lumps of shrimp and crab! The clams sat on top of a LOVELY lemon sauce that put the dish on top. All of the people at the table live together and tried each other’s dishes. The mussels were tender. The risotto wasn’t overpowered with too much pesto. And the chicken portobello sauce was tangy and rich. Every plate was delicious and you wouldn’t go wrong getting any of these. We also drank some nice wines and finished with the ricotta cheesecake and cappuccinos.

I can’t wait to visit again for the cute indoor dining one day.

This place is so cozy and lovely. Looks so much more beautiful on the inside than what it seems. It is pretty expensive for what it is, but a lovely option for an Italian date night. Been here a few times and seem to always gravitate to the chicken parm because it’s so good! We got a lovely house pinot grigio too. Can’t wait for my next time back!

A cozy gem! We were lucky to get a last minute table due to bad weather. We were greeted warmly by the owner, and our waiter was kind enough to make a special plate when one of us couldn’t decide on what to get. Everyone enjoyed their delicious meals. I was hoping to show off NY red sauce Italian to out of state guests, and this place did the trick. Cannot recommend it enough!

Cozy, friendly, a place that feels like and tastes like family. Very quick and attentive service, immediately made me feel like home. The food was tasty and comforting - fantastic calamari. My only “complaint” was that the food felt a bit too much on the salty side for my taste - but it didn’t take away from the flavor at all. Makes for great leftovers too!

Absolute gem of a restaurant in midtown Manhattan. Atmosphere was comfortable and fun loving. The food specials and menu choices were top notch. The staff awareness and attention was the best I've experienced in NYC. Hands down. An absolute gem!

A joy! Just across the road from our hotel, but sadly, slightly obscured by scaffolding!
We received a warm welcome on arrival and were shown to a table in the corner, very cosy.
The staff were very friendly.
We ordered a bottle of Chianti, excellent, and were given bread and butter to enjoy while we awaited our starters. Soup and Portobello mushrooms on seasonal greens.
Our mains were Veal Marsala and Veal Forestiere, which came with fresh vegetables. Both dishes were delicious.
Desserts were Lemon cake and Canoli, which we accompanied with Limoncello!
An excellent evening in a charming Italian, much can be recommended and we hope to return next time we're in NYC!

A great neighborhood, traditional Italian restaurant. The food is delicious. The calamari in red sauce was delicious, perfectly cooked, seasoned and complex. I had the veal marsala with linguini which I also thought was perfect. The meat was tenderized, subtly coated and bursting with that delicious marsala sauce. The portions are large so definitely expect to take leftovers home. Their homemade, traditional cheesecake was the perfect way to finish the night.

Needed a quiet meal by myself on a business trip. I found this super cosy Italian restaurant. It was a lovely spot to enjoy some great homely pasta, I had penne bolognese, and Italian wine. The service was good and it was a nice homely atmosphere.

We actually walked pass by this restaurant. Checked google review, pretty good scores so came in. They didn't disappoint us! Great food, fantastic services and the best Espresso Martini we have ever had. What a nice surprise!

I rarely leave a review. This gem had to be acknowledged. The owner Massimo greets every single person at every table. He is genuinely kind and truly cares about your dining experience. The service is impeccable. The waiters are funny and also oh so kind. The atmosphere is on point. Cozy spot. Great vibe. The wine is the most generous pour in NYC. Now let's move on to the food... glorious food. I ordered my absolute fave dish to not only order out, but make at home as well. Im a pretty savvy home cook. The chicken picatta was delicious and as I have a dairy restriction, they made mine without butter. Dishes are made to order. My dear family member ordered the tortellini. She was in heaven with each bite. It had a Heavenly Alfredo sauce on the delicate lil tortellini. Now let me tell you the kicker... the entrees are @ $20 a plate. Sans the veal chop of course. You cannot get this level of food or this dining experience anywhere ive been in NYC. The scrumptious desserts are just $10. I love Italian food and have been to many delicious spots but not at this price point. Do yourself a favor and head on over to this fantastic hidden gem. Massimo has owned this place for 36 years with the same 5 waiters. That speaks volumes to me. They are a family by choice.

For our last night in NYC, we wanted something with a "Moonstruck" vibe. This place was walkable from our hotel and we had the best time. It was the exact experience we wanted. The food was amazing, and the vibes were even better. I can't explain it, it was just great!

This gem is tucked away a few minutes walk away from Grand Central. I have been going here since 2009. Quality, service, value and an overall great experience awaits. Brought some coworkers from Chicago and Spokane and they raved about the experience and the food.

Put Sam's on your bucket list.

Absolutely the best Italian food we've ever had.
The owner and staff were spectacular!
We had mussels, veal marsala, shrimp alfredo and had to try the marinara.
Atmosphere was impeccably cozy and warm.

What a cool place! Great food and great service! Highly recommended for delicious Italian food.

Just ate a great lunch special that was hot and delicious.

The owner said it was the first dish he made for his wife 30+ years ago.

White wine, lemon, garlic, chicken...I had it with the vegetables instead of pasta. The vegetables were fresh and delicious, green beans and carrots.

The service was wonderful. You are paying city prices but so worth it, delicious.

A very nice place with good food, it is what you would call cosy, the staff are very nice. You should bring a stroller if you're coming with an infant. They do like their cheese:)

This was one of the best Italian meals our family has ever had! I had the Veal Marsala, my wife had one of the specials, Chicken, artichokes, capers, in a white wine, lemon butter sauce. The kids had Pesto Shrimp Risotto and Beef Raviolis marinara. All very different and each one perfectly cooked with outstanding flavor. The service was great. The bread, breadsticks with butter and olive oil was brought to the table promptly. Sam's Place is a smaller restaurant with great character. I strongly recommend giving Sam's Place a try.

Loved the food and the place! The owner is one of the most respectful guys I have met!