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    Chez Sami - Downtown

    3.9 (18 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 3:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM

    Chez Sami - Downtown Photos

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    LUNCH EXPERIENCE
    Tammy P.

    When I first walk in, for lunch, the ambience is beautiful, romantic, and peaceful. Sofia greeted me the second I walked in and was so friendly, attentive, and really just a delight. I sat down at the bar and this classy, extremely friendly lady visited with me like I was family. Turns out she was the owners Chef John Walter's mom. Chef John was so friendly without being obligated, genuine kindness. I look for "foodie" experiences, but basically what I mean is I look for unique food, simple food that is surprisingly incredible, food that's different from anything else and food that makes me want to come back. The food was amazing. Added it was timely thus can be visited on a lunch hour. It's on the level with Michelin starred restaurants at a fraction of the price. Chef John has worldly experience thus the food reflects refinement and simplicity with amazing flavor yet not pretentious. My new favorite!! I am taking my husband BACK tomorrow night for dinner.

    Creme Brulee was DELICIOUS
    Paul L.

    (This visit was from November 21, 2023) We came in during the soft opening, and it was amazing! The short rib was tender and flavorful, but the mashed potatoes were buttery and truly stole the show. Some complimentary wine from llano estacado and a delicious bread appetizer were deeply appreciated. We were surprised there were not more people at this time, given how good the food was. They even have rarer food options (like their original Wolfforth Location) like Beef Wellington ! Mat was phenomenal!! Make sure to come in to support this place-- Hidden gem

    Onion soup, entrees and ambiance.

    Paul is an excellent steward of service and the food coupled with this elegant ambiance is a wonderful treat in Lubbock Texas. Please keep up the great work, as I look forward to many more dining experiences in the future.

    Avocado toast, omelette and crêpes

    From the moment we walked into Chez Sami we were in love. The atmosphere is great, the food is delicious and the staff is the best!! Highly recommend!!

    Justin C.

    We enjoyed the lunch service! Everything from the charcuterie to the sandwiches tasted great. It offered a refreshing, relaxing, intimate, eclectic atmosphere in an upscale way without even a tinge of pretentiousness. I would highly recommend stopping in and enjoying a thoughtfully prepared lunch. The service was exceptional FYI.

    Beef Wellington - excellent execution on an often butchered dish.
    Jeramey G.

    No frills, all business when it comes to the food. Loved the simplicity of the menu, but was impressed by the execution of the dishes. The portion sizes? Ample. You really will have to go out of your way to have a bad experience here. It's BYOB for now - which I find more charming and communal. The head chef swings by tables frequently, often running out food himself. It's clear they're just getting things up and going but if you want to let go of your obsession with time and enjoy good food (as the French do) then Chez Sami is your place.

    Amy T.

    Same great food at a new beautiful space. We tried the Duck Confit and Lobster special tonight. As always, the food was awesome and did not disappoint. We will come more often now that there is a beautiful larger location in Lubbock. You should come by and try this place if you have not. Wonderful and nice staff.

    Hors D'oeuvre and spreads
    Jason C.

    The restaurant has a fun elegant type feel to it. Lots of cool antique fixtures and art around a mismatch of tables and furniture that was a fun break from tradition. The food was a fun experience as well. We ordered the hors d' oeuvres and the spreads appetizers which was a generous starter for no more than it cost. We followed that with the lobster gnocchi and rack of lamb and ended with two great desserts. It's BYOB so we brought in a bottle of wine and the cork fee was only $10 which is certainly reasonable (let's be honest most places charge at least $60 for a $20 bottle of wine, we enjoyed that bottle for only $30!) We will certainly visit again.

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    The Funky Door Bistro & Wine Room

    The Funky Door Bistro & Wine Room

    3.9
    (827 reviews)
    7.5 mi
    $$

    After having an amazing brunch yesterday at The Ivory Brunch House in Roswell, NM, I woke up…read morecraving something just as good--or better. While sitting in the Walmart parking lot researching places near where I'm staying for work in Lubbock, I came across The Funky Door Bistro Wine Room. I'm so glad I did. When I pulled up, I appreciated the ample parking and immediately noticed the unique wine‑glass door handles--such a fun touch. Inside, the décor is warm and inviting with wood accents, dim lighting, and a beautiful display of wines. The upstairs seating overlooking the main floor adds to the charm. The service was excellent from start to finish. I ordered a grapefruit mimosa and an egg‑white omelet with avocado, feta, spinach, and breakfast potatoes with caramelized onions and peppers. I was charged extra for egg whites, but it was absolutely worth it. Everything was flavorful and cooked perfectly. From the hostess to the server, the service and timing were spot‑on. I truly enjoyed my brunch at The Funky Door. Thank you for a great experience.

    We were in town for move-in of our daughter and I've heard great things about this spot- so we…read moredecided to try it for Saturday brunch. It was pretty crowded which is a good sign, and they seated us fast- and the staff was super friendly- Then we ordered coffee. We didn't want alcohol in our coffee (granted they have an impressive drink menu) but we just wanted COFFEE. The coffee was weak, and not hot- and then as each pour came, it clearly got colder. I think the coffee was an afterthought and really irritated us. My daughter had the avocado toast- subpar at best. A trace amount of salmon and minimal avocado - and for $25? disappointing. Don't do an Avocado "mousse" - just do Avocado. My "breakfast platter" was satisfactory and actually reasonable at $15. My wife's French toast was listed as "croissant" ....but was NOT croissant. Maybe we hit it on a bad day. Who knows. But we left underwhelmed . The waiter did remove the coffee from our bill because we had to tell him about the cold temp- much appreciated for that . I'll try for dinner in the future - but not for breakfast/brunch.

    Photos
    Inside 2nd floor
    Inside 2nd floor
    Fish and chips
    Fish and chips
    Lobster Mac and cheese

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    Lobster Mac and cheese
    The Reserve Culinary Tavern

    The Reserve Culinary Tavern

    3.8
    (82 reviews)
    6.8 mi

    The food is always great along with the drinks. It is hit or miss with the service except if you…read moresit at the bar and they are very attentive.

    This is a decent enough place if you're in the area and out of better ideas, but it's nothing…read morespectacular. I will give major props to the server, Mollie, and her manager for doing a phenomenal job resolving a minor issue with the order quickly, politely, and effectively. The atmosphere was fair with good music and humorous decor in the bathroom. The lights weren't for me, but others may like the statement. Where The Reserve was lacking was the food. The pepperoni pizza was pretty good, but again there are better options around town. It did taste like it had been prepared in a genuine brick oven. The tortellini was bland. The queso was good enough, but nothing to get excited about. The salsa was downright terrible. The chips were actually phenomenal. The margarita made no attempt to cover up the strong taste of tequila. The Chilton tasted like club soda and not much else. Lastly, some of the surprise fees made me feel like I was booking air travel or paying a wireless bill rather than getting a nice meal. The final charge was a few dollars more than what was shown on the ticket. I assumed this was probably due to a service charge for paying with a card, although I didn't see it with a quick glance at the receipt. In all fairness, I'm sure this was disclosed somewhere and I overlooked it. I have come to accept this as the way of the world now. Also, when we ordered the chips and queso, we were asked if we wanted salsa with it. We accepted the salsa with the assumption that it was complimentary. Granted, since we were asked, I should have assumed that there was a charge for it. The charge was reasonable, although wasted because the salsa was so terrible. I did receive approximately a 5% discount for the order mix-up, and I actually ended up with a free pizza as well. The service and attentiveness were truly exemplary. I would give this place a second chance if I were in the area, but I certainly will not go out of my way for it.

    Photos
    Interior with TVs
    Interior with TVs
    Smashburger with fries
    Smashburger with fries
    Time to dine

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    Time to dine

    Chez Sami - Downtown - french - Updated August 2026

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