I just walked out of this place after their ineptitude managed to spoil what was supposed to be a nice night out with the family. As we checked our watches long after the chips and salsa were gone, and as we realized every table around us that arrived after us was well into their dinners, we knew something was wrong. Not that the chirpy waitress was going to say anything other than ask if we wanted more to drink. No that was left up to the manager who tried to make a joke about something related to a lost ticket. I pulled out my credit card, paid, and left without eating. Not that we missed anything. I've been eating here for 20 years and the food has always been bad. Would it kill them to go get some fresh ingredients and stop smothering with velveeta ground beef up rolled up in old tortillas with a side of dog food like refrieds and some bulk cooked yellow rice? I get it. It's Cape Cod. Move to California or Texas if you want decent Mexican food. The sister restaurant in Falmouth, Anejo, is not much better. Service there is always in the weeds, food comes out cold and uncooked more often than not, and all that can commend it is a decent tequila list. They will continue to mint money, so have fun giving it to them. read more

Ok. I'll start off this review with one positive. They make a decent margarita. That's it! Perhaps they make a stiff drink so you won't realize that the food they make is absolute garbage. I have never had worse food in my life, and its a crime that they actually claim to be a Mexican restaurant. I went here one day with some school friends to celebrate and they had their all you can eat taco bar. I asked to try some of the meat before I got it, and it was so disgusting (below taco bell level) that it wasn't even worth spending the minimal amount of money the buffet costs. I honestly don't understand why their parking lot is always full. Again, as a Californian who knows Mexican food quite well, I can attest that this is 7th grade home-ec level Tex-Mex at best. Disgusting. Aside from the aforementioned adjective "garbage," there literally is no other word to describe what they serve. Try some real food and head over to El Rodeo; it's like 2 minutes away!! read more

I,ve been a loyal customer for years but aftee last nights treatment i will not return. I ordered a margarita and received it quickly. My wife joined and ordered the same but the bartender was too busy talking to her friends at the other side of bar. The drink sat at the service bar melting. Twelve minutes later she returned to take our order and ny wife said id like my drink first. She said, my bad and served the waters down drink. (She did comp the drink). My wife wanted to ask for it to be remade but feared another long wait. Fast forward to our card sitting on bar for 10 minutes while we had no drinks and had long ago finished our meals before she noticed. Another 10 minutes and i called across bar and said, can we just pay? Managee shows up (5 more minutes) and they are writing down our card info. We complained about all of the above and he says, dont come back...we dont want you back ever. We paid cash (obviousky no tip) and left with several choice words for the manager who was still talking. Weve heard from other locals they have been declining even before the pandemic. Dont go here. read more

Oh my gosh, this was bad in a huge way. Full disclosure? I actually got sick after a few bites of my entree. (I was only one margarita in, so no blaming alcohol!!) We're a pretty easy crowd to please... my sister said to the waitress: keep the margaritas and chips coming and we'll be happy. The only problem is that the margaritas were sickeningly sweet and the chips a bit on the stale side. I tried the special, which was a coconut chicken quesadilla. The cheese had a funky congealed consistency and I didn't get more than a bite or two in. No one was particularly pleased with their meals, but I will say my sister's boyfriend was pretty amped with the fried ice cream. He had ordered and returned the coconut chicken quesadilla too, so at least the dessert didn't disappoint... read more

AWFUL nachos. They gave me like 10 stale chips and a whole lot of bean dip. I should have known by the name that this place is a gringo interpretation of a gringo's interpretation of Mexican food. Disgustingly bad food and fairly bad service. BOO! They put AMERICAN cheese on my burrito. Ha!!! read more

It's true that the food isn't authentic Mexican, but it's still very tasty. Prices are reasonable, service is very good, and the atmosphere is fun. Good place for a get-together/celebration - several large tables. read more

Clean , good service, chain atmosphere TEX MEX. Food is simple certainly not gourmet but fresh and warm. I think the waitstaff is very good and the bar area well run. They have 8.99 specials on Sunday that are well worth it - you can watch the game - but they tend not to turn up the volume read more

I found a try this restaurant last night. We used to come here years ago and although the food wasnt stellar, it was ok and we had a good time. After last night I would never go to this restaurant again. The food was mediocre at best. I ordered a fajita and it came out fairly cold on top of a bed of rice. No sizzling pan, no veggies included.. I asked from our veggies well done and they told me that they weren't any on the plate. Whoever heard of a fajita with no veggies? I was supplied with a book one container of caramelized onions that was likely meant for a burger or something. I truly understand why my friend across this place canned Diegos. Don't waste your money here there's lots of good Mexican on the Cape. read more

The new sheriff came into town that evening looking for a good Mexican meal. The previous sheriff's luck ran out and Wild Willy shot him in a fiery duel. "South of the Border cooking but nothing like Taco Bell please." He walked into Sam Diego's, the bar was full, so he got a booth in the back. Cute waitress comes by and asks what I want to drink. I will have your original margarita , actually make that the especial margarita. I mind as well get the good stuff while I am here. Oh yes, pretty tasty. Get me an order of your crispy beef tacos and your chicken fajita quesadillas. I am hungry tonight! The food was good, wish I had order condiments for my tacos, they came bare, no salsa or sour cream. What! Hmm, dessert? I look around and everyone has had this fried ice cream sundae. I'll have what they are having. Wow, ice cream fried in a crispy cinnamon tortilla ,crispy coconut flakes on top, whipped cream, cherry, big enough to share or if you are in the mood, you can devour this alone. Hmm, if the food here is this good, this town should be easy to look over. read more

So I did this to myself, needed a change from the barrage of lobster, clams and other ocean related friends and thought, hmm, Mexican, that's different, okay. Boy was I wrong. This is what is categorized as Yankee Mexican food or Gringo Mex, whatever you want to call it, it is not Mexican at any degree besides the concept. I'll start by saying the drink was good, margarita gets it a star. The restaurant was clean, kept up, there's your second star. So the food... Think of the salsa as a soupy ketchup with green chiles. Cilantro? No. Jalapeños? Nope. These are what we would consider core concepts of salsa. I got fajitas. You have to try hard to mess up fajitas. They messed up the delivery of fajitas. I think they forgot seasoning on the meat, it wasn't bad meat, but I'd say you need to use like salt or garlic or cumin or anything. This was delivered on quite possibly the blandest Mexican rice I have ever eaten. Maybe I made a mistake by assuming it'd be the sizzling hot plate variety, I paid for said assumption. They put black olives on my plate. You do not put black olives on a fajita plate. Ever. I also got half a pound of grated cheese. Girlfriend got a deep fried burrito with what I'm going to guess was thousand island dressing on it. She's from Connecticut. She said "wtf." You must think, what makes this guy validated in berating this northern Mexican chain? Well, I was the only Mexican in the restaurant, and I'm only half. This is quite the feat considering. I highly recommend Sam Diego's if you are 70 and can't digest things like spice or tolerate savory flavors. I also recommend that you don't deviate from the seafood standard of the Cape, you'll be punishing yourself, like I did. Sam Diego's, I humbly request/demand you change your name to Sam's I heard-of-this-place-called-Mexico-and-there-are-enough-people-who-don't-know-the-difference-around-here Cookery and Okay Bar. read more

I met a coworker here reluctantly because I remembered how terrible the service was the last time I was here... There was a reason why I have not returned for the past 8 months... Today again I experienced absolutely terrible wait staff service ... They spend so much money on advertising but what they need to do is find waitstaff that isn't lazy I always had to ask for a water refill and the waitress was always in the little cubby hold chatting it up with fellow co workers.. I told my coworker that Next time were going somewhere else next time... As far as the food goes... The salsa has no flavor and it's very watery.. There is no "hot" version of their salsa... They give you a cart full of tobasco sauce to add flavor.. The ribs looked like they had been sitting out for hours and the burrito had some sort of gelatinous green goop on it that was suppose to be a chile verde sauce but tastes like it had been watered down.... The filling of the burrito was bland as well and lacked any kind of passion... Stay away from this place unless you enjoy empty water cups and flavorless food... read more

The drinks are very good. The service is friendly. The food is less than desirable. I have been to Sam's many times over the years. With each year that passes, the portions get smaller and the quality of the food keeps getting worse. I decided to take the family while on vacation on The Cape to give it another shot. As usual, very good drinks and service. Food not so good. I wish they would do things the way they did years ago. I think they got too big for themselves. Quality had to be sacrificed to keep up with high vacation demand. I so wanted the food to be good because there was I time I would have had three meals there in a one week . In all, if you want good drinks and a few snacks it is a good place to go. If you want a quality meal, i would say you have to pass. read more

Sam Diego's serves up typical mexican. You can tell they try and make it a little bit original by adding different ingredients to traditional dishes (i.e. pineapple in a quesadilla). Yet, Im never truly impressed with what I get. Ive tried the quesadilla with chicken and pineapple. It as a bit bland for my liking. More recently I tried a coconut chicken dish. The chicken was cooked well but the sides were not very tasty. My rice was luke warm and flavorless. I felt like I was eating leftovers. The plus side of this experience is their drinks. Sam Diego's makes a mean margarita. They don't skimp on tequila. If you have more than one, you probably want to have a designated driver. They also make delicious Sangria. The wine base they use is yummy, but it would be even better if they added fruit to the wine before hand. I recommend this place over Taco Bell. Its probably the best Mexican you'll get on the Cape. Its also a fun and laid back atmosphere, making it a good place to meet up with friends. read more

It could be that we went for lunch. It could be that we ordered the "taco bar." But. No. no. no. no. Even for a $6.95 "buffet" it was just not pleasant. I scooped up some chili, a taco shell, and made a taco salad out of what was available on the bar. The ground beef mix in the warmer was a funny grainy texture, and very bland. The choices of toppings were limited, but strangely enough, you could have pasta salad on your taco, or some orzo-type salad as well. The best part about this "taco bar" -- was the tiny bowl of chili on the side that I dumped forty pounds of shredded cheese on. My kids found the best part to be the "fresh muffins," and bypassed the tacos. We won't go again. I remember Sam's being much, much better. read more

I thought this place was much better than the reviews telling us! This place is huge, plenty of seating inside and outside. My margarita was really good, I had the cape cod margarita! My food arrived quickly, the food was hot, and there was plenty! I wish I had a bigger appetite when I got here because my meal was so yummy! read more

The good parts: cold beer and good drinks. The bad parts: bland pseudo Mexican food. Stick with local fare, this place isn't deserving of the title Mexican. The salsa was really really bad and more like tomato soup with an ocra taste. The beer was nice and cold but we won't go back. read more

It is what it is..cheap American Mex..good chips, decent salsa and basic fare...great waitresses and good parking and cheap eats make it our twice a year stop..not more... read more

There are two things Sam's excels at: fried ice cream and keeping your glass full. If you have taste buds, you do not need to look at the menu. There are so many better places to eat on the Cape. Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of Mexican restaurants. If you are absolutely craving Mexican, there is a new place on Main Street (Beach Tree Cantina) and there is always Acapulco's in West Yarmouth. On the bright side of things, you'll get some free salty chips and mild salsa even if you're just drinking. Also, I have never had a problem with service at Sam's and it is generally pretty clean. I am slightly ashamed of myself for calling their food "mediocre" in my review a couple years ago. It is definitely a level or two below "mediocre". I can't believe how much they are charging for what is essentially very bland Tex-Mex. read more

I had the steak fajita and got a good amount of food for about $13. A good amount of steak, rice, lettuce, fajita wraps and sour cream came with the meal. I ordered an additional side of refried beans which in my opinion needed a little more flavor. my boyfriend had the bbq dish sqecial, i forget the name but for $13, he was very pleased with his meal. He had bean and corn salad, ribs, chicken kabob - all were delicious and plenty of food. My watermelon margarita was also yummy. service was quick and very good. Thanks! read more

Portions are generous and the food is tastey if you don't set yourself up to have authentic Mexican- get real people, it's the Cape, we do the bomb Brazillian eats!! I have never had a negative expirence here, besides feeling like a cow walking out. Sunday night specials are a steal and the desserts are great! Hit up the bathrooms and you really will feel like you're in Mexico!! read more

Third visit in 12 months. Trying hard to find anything positive about these. Sorry Sam Diego. The smell coming through the front door, gross. The hostess, disinterested and unwelcoming. The food,, barely passable. In answer to my wait persons, "how's it going", when I was finished eating, I replied it filled the void. He said, "perfect". Three times not a charm at this dining establishment. read more

UPDATE - Well, the summer crowds are gone, so we tried Sam's one last time. Unfortunately, this will be our last. While the waitstaff was great, the food continues to be underwhelming. The chili was serviceable at best. It packed heat, but was hot for the sake of being hot and not hot with flavor. There's a difference. There was no detection of any layered flavors. It's as if someone went heavy handed with the cayenne pepper and called it a day. The entree is the reason, that after 25-years of faithfully patronizing this restaurant, I'm done. I got a chicken and black bean burrito that was horrible. The pulled chicken that filled the burrito was tasteless. Absolutely tasteless. The black beans were equally uninspired. There wasn't so much as a hint of even the most basic kitchen spices. It was just soggy mess of boiled, pulled chicken and black beans. The burrito was to be topped with a red salsa verde. But apparently, "topped" means about half a dozen pieces of diced tomato sprinkled randomly across the plate. And the white cheese sauce? Awful. Just awful. They obviously crack open a can of Sysco cheese sauce and call it done. And while I realize a garnish isn't supposed to highlight the meal, I thought it should at least be visually appealing. My iceberg lettuce stalk and pale red tomato slice would've been better off left out back. I'm disappointed having to write a review like this for such a longstanding favorite, but something has happened over there. Something that just doesn't make it worth the time or the money any longer. ORIGINAL - Sam Diego's - what happened? I'm forty-four years old. My first time to Sam Diego's is when I was nineteen. And for a long time, Sam's couldn't be beat. Now? Well, now they're being beat like a rented mule. Then they're serving him ... The once flavorful, bountiful, reasonably priced entrées have now been replaced by bland, skimpy, overpriced plates of Sysco fare. I honestly don't think there's anything really "fresh" in the building. I mean really - how hard is it to make fresh, flavorful salsa? Apparently, it is a monumental task not worth attempting. My old standby has always been the Bear & Bean Burrito Grande. Once a big fat beef and bean behemoth full of flavor and topped with a blanket of white cheeses loveliness, it has now been relegated to poorly put together wrap of ground beef mix from a bag, canned retried bean and a dribble of cheese sauce that could very well be Velveeta. Tragic really. And the fajitas? Please bow your heads and observe a moment of silence, for the fajita platter or lore is dead. The once majestic plate of fajitas fixings, the meats seared with lime juice and perfectly seasoned has now been replaced with utterly tasteless, chewy, uninspired fajita fixing wannabes. And the fixings? Lacking at best. And it's not in the least bit appealing or appetizing when the condiments come to the table watery and lacking any authentic Mexican flavor. It almost seems as if the fajita plates are made ahead of time and refrigerated, only to be uncovered in enough time to have the meat tossed on before it comes to the table. It's really sad. This restaurant used to be a staple in our dining out rotation. But the quality and quantity of the food as of late, combined with the an extremely unbalanced price to value ratio, has made Sam Diego's a place we'll now drive right on by on our way to Chipotles. Chipotles doesn't have near the menu variety, but what they do offer, is hot, flavorful, fresh AND a great value. read more

Do not get the chicken fajitas. Cold unseasoned boiled chicken on a plate, no sautéed veggies, terrible!.

Amazing spot! Food was outstanding and staff was friendly! Wait time was limited and the atmosphere was great!

I'm a huge fan. I've been eating here for years and never had a bad meal. The food and drinks are fabulous and prices are amazing. Ribs are delicious, enchiladas and salads are very good. There really isn't anything that I don't like here. The portions are huge, so I always have a lunch for the next day. The menu is also huge - everyone in the family will find something they like, even if they don't care for spicy food. Fun atmosphere - they do everything right. When I bring people here, they always want to go back. I see that some reviewers have issues with the service. I have not experienced these problems. We often sit in the bar area and that has worked out very well. If I lived closer to Hyannis, I would be coming here every week. read more

If I were to use one word to describe Sam's, it would be: "disappointing." From the moment I walked in the door, I knew something was fishy about the place. (and not the fish tacos mind you!) Our hostess who was nice enough, gave us a booth next to the bar, filled with hooting Bruins fans (there was a game on.) A waiter came by my table, and dropped a basket of tasteless chips and salsa; strike one. After waiting a solid 10 minutes, our waitress finally came and took our drink orders. There's no way they can screw up a Ginger Ale. (So I hope) I ordered a plate of chicken quesidillas. When the food arrived, "dissapointing" turned into "disgusted." A suspicious pink substance ran from the inside. I peeled it open, to find barely cooked chicken, and peppers that had a rubbery sheen to them. I closed it up, and hesitantly took a bite. I tasted nothing at all. I proceeded to push my plate away from me, and when the waitress asked if I wanted a box, I said no. Of course, I left a generous tip, because my waitress tried her best. No matter how she or the entire staff could try, nobody will ever be able to fix the washed up "Mexican" restaurant known as Sam Diegos. read more

We went to this restaurant because it was close to our hotel and becuase we knew I couldn't find much to eat at Olive Garden or Panera. But, Sam Diego's was not a good choice for people restricting wheat from their diets. Our server indicated that the kitchen was pretty sure there was wheat in every dish. The only thing they could offer me was plain grilled chicken breast and steamed vegetables. So that's what I had and it was actually pretty good and probably a lot more healthy than what I would have ordered otherwise. Our server noted that they are in the process of trying to develop a menu for people with food allergies/celiac. The other reason for the two stars is that the food my husband ordered was terrible. The salsa was like ketchup, the taco was like a caricature of a taco, and the chicken enchilada tasted to him like it had been bathed in mayonaise. He found the meal almost inedible and had to split my steamed vegetables with me. read more

When on the Cape, the choice of a Mexican restaurant is an interesting one. Those who are looking to switch things up, might be better off preparing Mexican cuisine at your hotel or home. The food is not very good at Sam Deigo`s, sometimes it is decent, but that is about it. Your run-of-the-mill Americanized Mexican food is on hand. Instead of a meal, it is an OK spot to grab a margarita, Negro Modelo or other beverage. Some nights, the scene here can be alright, with a good mix of locals and tourists. read more

Sam Diego's is one of my favorite Mexican restaurants ever! I've been going there for years and never had a bad experience. Most recently, Becky was my waitress & did a phenomenal job. Very friendly & personable, definitely knows the establishment in and out. I had the pollorito & a couple watermelon margaritas. I would definitely recommend both to anyone! The pollorito is HUGE but tastes just as delicious for lunch the next day :) read more

Great Hyannis Mexican restaurant. Endless taco bar for under $8 with two soups, corn bread, tacos, and all the fixings to create your own tacos. The endless warm chips are excellent. Burritos and enchiladas are wonderful and are very large. Guacamole is very good and fresh. A great bargain with nice Mexican feel in the heart of Hyannis. Waitress was friendly and efficient. One of the best Mexican restaurants around. read more

Came here for dinner with my family when we first pulled up I was worried we would have to wait because the parking lot was packed! But to our surprise we walked in to be seated right away! They have a great margarita list and also plenty of other beverages. We ordered chicken chimichanga, veggie burger burrito, and the BBQ pulled pork burrito. All came out of the kitchen quickly. All big portions and extremely delicious! We were all very satisfied with the experience. The downfalls to our visit ... Being that I am a bigger person (not their fault only mine) I had difficulty getting in and out of the booth, and the bathroom stalls are very small so I was cramped and hit my head. Overall very happy with this place and I will return on my next visit to the cape! read more

"I don't expect it to be authentic. Just as advertised" One of my friends qualified his expectations of SD's when I cringed at his suggesting this was a representation of Mexican food. Course, I am from Arizona. So- SD has a few good points. Its large, there is a taco bar, and then have a blender- so frozen margaritas are possible. Downside: the frozen margaritas are less margarita and more snowballs. The salsa is... well, not salsa. I'd guess it's chopped tomatoes and a little salt. Chips were... out of a bag. Everyone at the table enjoyed their food, I skipped and went with a salad which was just fine. Certainly the food looked good enough, there were enchiladas and tacos all around. Service was really great, and there was an outside patio, which was also lovely. It was a little hard to access, considering its proximity to the rotary in Hyannis. It was reasonably priced.. though not cheap. salad and iced tea ran 20$ including tip. read more

I was served raw chicken today. Upon noticing the undercooked buffalo tenders, I ran to their bathroom and began vomiting. I informed the staff, that offered to replace it, needless to say I had the buffalo-tinged taste of bile in my mouth, I chose not to eat or drink as to not vomit again outside of the bathroom. Stranger yet, I was still charged for my beverage that I wasn't able to drink because of the vomiting. To Sam Diego's credit, they refunded me the drink after I disputed it... just disappointing that this would have to be addressed. read more

drinks were good and my fish tacos were great although found it odd that it only included two tacos and not tree like most places do. even if its an option. the chimichangos were on the sweet side for some odd reason. overall can't say we'd come back as no one was wearings masks. read more

I always want to eat here when I'm at home visiting my family on the Cape! I love their chips and salsa- my favorite of any Mexican restaurant I've been to, and I've been to a lot! :) The Chicken Fajitas are my go-to meal, and the chicken is always tender with a lime marinade. The burritos are enormous, the portions are all very generous, and I think the prices are reasonable as well. I've never actually had an appetizer as I love the chips and salsa so much but my mother loves the wings and ribs. I have never had a bad meal here, or bad service. It's a great place to go for a meal you know you'll enjoy- definitely try the fried ice cream! read more

First of all this restaurant has always been a favorite of mines on the Cape and have always suggested this to others who are visiting and in need of a suggestions of good eats. I've never had a bad experience until today... The food and drinks here is always great. No complaints there. Our server was very rude and unfriendly. We never got the appetizer we ordered, she only checked on us once, and we sat there for awhile waiting for her to even pay attention to us. She was only nice to us when it came time to paying for the bill. I have never had this horrible experience here ever. I felt very discriminated. Our server would interact well with her other tables whom are American customers. It wasn't even busy for her to not pay any mind to us. I am Asian-American and I would like the same acknowledgement she was giving to her other customers. I felt as if she didn't want to wait on us and we weren't even being rude at all. She just had a horrible attitude and demeanor. Not looking forward to coming back. Word of advice to the manager: learn to hire your future servers with more respect and that knows how to treat others equally. read more

Looking to take a break from our Cape Cod normal meals of seafood, we were desperately seeking Mexican. Without wifi, we picked Sam Diego's from a guidebook which said it had a "fiesta" atmosphere. I sat outside to purposely avoid the fiesta atmosphere. As for food, it was completely and utterly average. I might even give it 2.5 stars, but the server was very perky, so I'll round up to three. I had some decent enchiladas, but they lost me as soon as I figured out there was no house mole. Chips and salsa were fine. The beer was fine. Everything was just okay. But I won't make a point of coming back. Blah! read more

Great Tex-Mex food at a VERY reasonable price. The food was great, the ambiance was kitschy, and the service was prompt. There were 4 of us on a Saturday night at 8pm. There was no wait at the door, but the restaurant was filled. We ordered 4 different meals and 4 GIANT-ASS margaritas. The drinks were potent and very tasty. Food was on point, nothing out of the ballpark, but way above average. Could have been a bit more spicy for my liking, but for your average customer, it was probably fine. This place will be on our list again when visiting the Cape. Total for 4 people, 4 entrees, 4 drinks = $115. read more

I'm not usually impressed with Mexican food. This place was really good our server, MJ was outstanding. Great attitude, great recommendations and fantastic service. My co worker and I were in town and we decided to wing it when it comes to meals. The place looked pretty nice bs the name was a bit interesting. The meal I ordered was mostly Mexican but it did includes a 1/4 rack of ribs. I ordered it based on the Ribs because Mexican restaurants are mostly disappointing. Well, I only ate the ribs because I didn't want them to be left behind. The food was amazing, and tasted like fresh, not the usual processed stuff you usually get. I will only be in Cape Cod for 4 more days and I will visit Sam Diego's at least once more read more

Sam Diego's - Mexican Near Me - Hyannis, Massachusetts

Sam's is way too crowded, with just so so food. It's not really anything more than boatloads of melted cheese on top of second- rate meat. They do have a good cooler with very cold beer. I'll give them that. read more