Food was delicious and the service was quick and friendly. The place is small but cozy.

Unbeknown to most people, this is one of the first Sam Woo branches that opened up around 1980 following their original location in Chinatown. So as far as ambience, one can only expect a nostalgic & classic Chinese kitchen. Sam Woo popularized the Chinese BBQ style in LA complete with hanging barbecued chicken, duck & roasted pig. They are also the first to offer Deep Fried Salt & Pepper Shrimp or Squid which were later copied by others. So, yes, I have known & eaten here over the years because their food always tasted flavorful & for a reasonable price but not stingy on volume. Their Yang Chow fried rice is by far the best that I have tasted & its smoked/roasted flavor is unmatched. And paired with BBQ meat it takes you to flavor-heaven. This is an unpretentious place that does not try to lure you in with opulent decor & ambience in the guise of fine dining. But rather a place that delivers fine food for the soul while dining. read more

This was our first time to try Sam Woo in Alhambra. Was surprised located in a Main Street. It was a small restaurant and offered take out also. The place was very casual Chinese place busy and lots of take out order . The food was freshly cooked as you order. We got Deep fried sole, seafood fried rice set and sour soup, sautéed green beans, spicy pork salted . Servings were enough for 6 people. Prices were reasonable. Parking was very limited read more

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There are so many Sam Woo locations that have popped up over the years, I just assume they are interchangeable. Today, not so much. Is it the original? I don't know but it sure feels like an ancient artifact. Hole in the wall with a capital H. This Sam Woo location is very old, very aged. Tiny standalone building. Hand written Chinese shorthand menus taped up the walls, glass displays, peeling on the edges from age and wear. Fried rice was burnt. Chaw siu pork noodles were flavorless. Not much to write home about. I would go to other Sam Woo locations. Will skip this one in the future. read more

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3/26/26 CASH ONLY, found out when we're there, in small writing. ATM available inside the restaurant. Good food, great fast service, good portions, small shop, clean & bright. Met up with long time friends for dinner, ended up here. See our choices of food, pictured-- very quick & piping hot. Our server, Johnson is pleasant funny gentleman, charming & efficient. Dedicated parking, free. Will surely return. read more

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I happened to be in MP picking up some dim sum and I needed to get a soy sauce chicken for my mom. Got a 1/2 Soy Sauce Salty Brown Chicken ($13.50). My mom said it was delicious. SWBBQ also has a section for dining. However, today's review is only for their deli section. There's limited amount of parking directly outside and some additional parking down the alley before you hit the street. read more

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Sam Woo BBQ is our go-to spot, and honestly, this location is the only one our family comes to when we're craving BBQ meats. We've tried others, but nothing hits quite the same. The roast duck is consistently flavorful and juicy, with perfectly tender meat and just the right amount of richness in every bite. The BBQ pork is another solid favorite...its sweet, savory, and cooked just right without being dry. But the real MVP for us? The sausages. Hands down our ultimate favorite. They're packed with flavor, slightly sweet, and ridiculously satisfying. Pair that with their signature sauce, and it's game over. That sauce is everything...its just wo good that the kids love pouring it over their rice and eating every last grain. This place is all about comfort, familiarity, and dependable quality. When it comes to BBQ meats, Sam Woo BBQ has earned our loyalty, and we'll keep coming back for the flavors that never disappoint. read more

Sam Woo BBQ - Didn't get to take photos of all the yummy meats we ordered...but I got the duck - Barbeque Near Me - Alhambra, California

I am glad to have read the reviews here on yelp because this place is cash only. I never been to any sam woo's in san gabriel and finally decided to check this location out. Time stands still here as it looks like the space is from the 90s. It's small but the service is good and we got the beef brisket wonton noodle soup and their golden chicken skin soy sauce chicken. Loved every bite! read more

Sam Woo BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Alhambra, California

Always came to get the delicious roasted duck, crispy pork, chasiu! The staffs are friendly and efficient service! Their fast food catering counter offers a variety of options Only if the store can be renovated, read more

Great for the BBQ meats, but be ready for the crowds and pay by cash only. The bbq pork and duck are solid. It's easy to order them and the line for the bbq items keeps moving. Picking up other items from the kitchen was extremely challenging. I called my order in advance, but it wasn't ready when I arrived. I paid for it and waited over half an hour. It was very uncomfortably crowded. I had to remind them twice for them to get my order for me. In comparison to other Sam Woo locations, this one does not take credit card, only takes payment from the bbq line which creates a crowd, and the stir fried dish like the rice isn't as good. Unfortunately, we need to hollar to get service because it's not as orderly. read more

Picked up a Big Shrimp Fried Rice yesterday. Big Shrimp (lots of it), Big Flavor, Small Price ($16) This is probably my single most favorite menu item from this Sam Woo, apart from their BBQ meats. Don't get the regular shrimp fried rice. Get the BIG shrimp fried rice :-P read more

Sam Woo BBQ - Big Shrimp Fried Rice $16 (8-26-2025) - Barbeque Near Me - Alhambra, California

A classic. Anyone who knows quality Cantonese food knows Sam Woo. It's a shame the franchise has lessened of late especially post pandemic. But this place is still the classical no nonsense traditional authentic Cantonese cuisine. Outsiders will always lament about abrupt no frills service and simple dining room but that's a staple of authentic Chinese restaurants and how you know the food'll be good. And it's good over here. The portions are ample, classically flavored, and scrumptious. This is the food of my childhood. I just wish the parking was better (had to circle around 3x til a spot opened up) and that they aren't cash only. read more

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I stopped by this OG spot after a recommendation from someone I met a while back. He told me this was the BEST Cantonese food in SGV. Upon arriving, this small unassuming building offers the beautiful sight of roast duck hanging for customers to see. One of the more unique aspects to Sam Woo is that carry-out is carry-out and dining in is dining in. If you prefer carry out, you can NOT eat in the dining room. I was here to try one thing. The Char Siu (BBQ pork). I ended up ordering a two meat combo on rice, I'm addition to the char siu I ordered roast pork. Ordering was easy and there are so many different protein options. The total for this packed plate was only $15. Starting with the roast pork, it was SOOO flavorful and tender with the perfect amount of crispy skin. Despite coming in the evening the pork was still very juicy. The char siu was tender, savory and sweet. The perfect balance of flavor! I can't wait to come back and bring others to try the dining side. The menu is huge. HIGHLY RECOMMEND! read more

Sam Woo BBQ - Exterior - Barbeque Near Me - Alhambra, California

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The facility is outdated and services was not good. Roasted duck was so so and not flavorful. I was craving for a wonton egg noodle soup and I was so disappointed. The noodles was overcooked, the broth was bland and oily. I will not return to this facility or recommend anyone to try their food read more

Amazing dishes! Sam Woo is nostalgic for me. The wok hay is still strong. The char on the beef chow fun is still immaculate. They have a lot of lunch special deals. Don't expect top of the line service. It's a casual Chinese restaurant. Would recommend! read more

Sam Woo BBQ - Barbeque Near Me - Alhambra, California

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Place is cash only - but this is not the reason for the bad review. I was purchasing food here at the deli, and the person who provided change short changed me a large amount of money. I bought 1 soy sauce chicken for $30.80 handed over a 50 dollar bill and only got 15.xx in change back. I was in a hurry and did not count. This is the 2nd time it has happened since I've ordered from there. Sam woo has had some legal dealings in the past, I'm sad, it wasn't a huge amount not to give back, but it's still about 25% of my change read more

THEIR SHRIMPS ARE SO SWEET!!! The duck is so juicy and plump. All the bbq here is just mhmmmmmmm. 100% recommend!!!!

We came in for an early dinner. There was a slight wait for their largest table. Dinning in is actually tight squeeze as this space is on the smaller side. They were pretty busy but that didn't impact the great service we received. We ordered all of our faves. Garlic green beans, Beef chow fun dry, Spicy wings, Crispy noodles with shrimp, steamed rice, Walnut shrimp and BBQ pork. Bottomless hot tea is a must. We love the oil chile and nearly emptied it with our meal. We were a party of five and brought home several to go boxes. read more

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It's been decades since I've eaten here that I forgot that it even existed. My son wanted noodles for dinner and I had thought perhaps go to the one in San Gabriel, but the GPS said there's one in Alhambra. So, we went there instead cuz it was just a few blocks away from where we were driving. Place was empty. We sat down and the servers were pretty much hovering over us to make a decision on what we want to order. It was a bit uncomfortable. They stood at the next table while hands rested on a chair waiting. We finally decided and placed our order. My sons meal came out first while mine took perhaps 15-20 minutes longer. I told my son to start eating so that his food doesn't get cold, but he was a gentleman and waited. My wonton noodle soup finally came. It was delicious. The broth was just as I remembered. I drank a lot of it and it was so satisfying. Throughout the evening, the servers still hovered over us and other patrons who arrived. It's like a creepy person just standing there, not moving or doing anything except watching you. I probably could've had a couple more wontons, not because I was hungry, but because they were yummy. I will be back... maybe at the other locations. read more

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We used to come here fairly often back in the days. Now, we've mostly been coming to grab their BBQ to go. This time around, we stopped by for dinner. Kind of busy but just had a short wait before being seated. A pot of tea was provided while we reviewed the menu. We ordered the Yeung Chow Fried Rice and the Pan Fried Yee Mein. The Fried Rice was delicious and tasted just like how it always did when we used to come here (definitely brought back those childhood feels lol). The Yee Mein... I was not a fan. A bit too saucy for me, but not horrible; it just wasn't what I was hoping for. Cash only. read more

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It's been a while since we were here! The food is fantastic and the menu is so big you can never get through it all. The service is great especially since this is a very small place and in the same place for over 50 years! Nothing special about the deco. But remember it's all about the food! What really neat are the Ducks hanging in the smoker by the front door as you enter! The restaurant to your left and the take out to your right! read more

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This OG location is exceptional and so much better than the Van Nuys location. It's been awhile since I've been here, but the quality of the food hasn't changed. The combination platter which includes a sampling of the various meats like roast duck, BBQ pork, soy sauce chicken, roast pork, and sausage was outstanding along with the BBQ pork fried rice, fish congee, and sweet and sour fish filet. This place is popular and busy with people constantly coming in and people calling in phone orders. I've never had issues with service. I recognize the same lady who has been there for years and she is always nice and pleasant. read more

Simply delicious. We went to the original Sam Woo. For $40.00/ duck, I was able to eat three or four times. After second meal, I made spicy duck with Thai chilies kafir and sweet basil leaves. read more

I usually do take out from this place. I don't like to dine in at this restaurant because it's small and I feel cramped when dining in. I like the barbecue pork (char siu), soy sauce chicken, salted baked chicken and roast pork here. Don't expect too much for service. But you will get your food in an efficient manner on take outs. read more

Sam Woo BBQ - Roast pork - Barbeque Near Me - Alhambra, California

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The best BBQ duck in town! 三十年已開始幫襯三和，那時周邊好幾間分店，連賭城也曾經開過一間，生意十分火紅！今早點咗細蓉、雙拼飯、及弟粥。味道啱啱好，價格親民，有機會再來！ read more

Sam Woo BBQ - Menu - Barbeque Near Me - Alhambra, California

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I'm only rating it a four stars, the servers were great but is tiny and I feel congested, they seated us by the restroom/kitchen, is was only 5 people. I never really liked Sam Woo BBQ, many years ago before Covid, my mom and I went to the one on Valley Blvd and Walnut Grove and the food was horrible, everything we ordered was super salty besides the roast duck. That was like maybe 7 years ago. Now that some of my colleagues and boss wants us to join him for dinner, we can't really declined his offer so we came to this original location between 6 th street and Valley Blvd. they have a tiny parking lot on the side too. Better to park on the street unless you're a good driver that can park in tight spaces lol I was surprised that we didn't order much, only 5 dishes and I thought one of my colleagues was treating, that's the only reason I went lol but at the end when the bill came, we all split the bill into 5 equal parts $20 each. It was about $87 plus tips, $100 even. The food was good but it wasn't fulfilling, we ordered the roast pork with the roast duck leg, we didn't get the good part of the roast pork, I tasted the lard, it was gross to me but they loved it, I didn't get the crispy skin either, just the 3 rib bones with the lard and a little meat, but the roast duck was good even without the sweet sauce. The appetizer play was so small. Then I ordered the beef chow fun, it was good and well seasoned, everyone loved it too. My colleague ordered the long life noodles or the hand pulled noodles, the wet version with button mushrooms, he loves it. To me, it tastes like the cup of instant noodles. It wasn't anything special, it doesn't even have meat lol then the watercress was flavorless, it was so bland, maybe they forgot to add salt or fish sauce to it. It wax just garlic and watercress and some was old, I had to pull the old hard stems out my mouth. My boss knows I like honey walnut shrimp and he ordered that too. Is good, the walnut was crispy and the shrimp was cooked to perfection, mixed with a little mayonnaise, not too much, it was just perfect. Sam Woo BBQ is known for the roast bbq other than that, the other food is ok but I won't be back unless I'm buying the roast duck. Then again, I can get roast duck in any city lol read more

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There is a reason this franchise has been around for years, simple entry level chinese cuisine. This location is consistant to the other locations. I recommend the full roast duck w/ extra sauce. Garlic sautes string beans and house special pan fried noodle with chicken and pork. CASH ONLY!!! If you forgot, they have an ATM machine inside. There is some tables for sit down. But i recommend take out. read more

Sam Woo BBQ - June 2025, full menu - Barbeque Near Me - Alhambra, California

Came here to pick up some Peking duck and roasted pig. When we first got there, there was only a few duck left. By the time it was our turns they bought out more ducks and roasted pig. We wanted the hot one but had to wait 10 minutes on our already long wait and we just opt for what they already had and the roasted pig. Communication can be a bit difficult since the workers are limited English so we had a bit of difficulty. The guy behind us was kind enough to help with the translation read more

IYKYK that not all Sam woo locations are the same levels of tastiness. This one is simple but don't let it fool you. The bbq pork and roasted duck IS THE BEST!!! Try it out and you won't be disappointed. Simple interior but fast and friendly services. TASTY FOOD!!! read more

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Sam Woo has always had great food at this location. As much as we think it has some of the best Kung Pao chicken we have tried, the MoPo Tofu is even more special . Always a good bet for your Cantonese favorites! read more

Sam Woo has been around for many, many years, and it remains one of those places that's truly dear to the heart of the original Chinese community in Los Angeles. Their food is authentic, classic Chinese comfort food that never disappoints. The roast duck from Sam Woo remains one of the best in Los Angeles -- perfectly seasoned, tender, and flavorful every time. The service has always been great, with waiters who've been there for over 20 years -- a sign of how much pride they take in what they do. How can you go wrong with that kind of consistency and tradition? read more

Sam Woo BBQ - Outside - Barbeque Near Me - Alhambra, California

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I ordered in and this is so gross there was no single piece I could find that had no features on read more

Sam Woo BBQ - Chicken with allllll features - Barbeque Near Me - Alhambra, California

Good BBQ food. Service so so. Good service if u get a tip driven wait help. Bad service if you get a waithelp who lost money at local casino the night before work. And Cash only. No credit or debit card. This is the type of business that do not report all revenues and remit all sales tax we paid here. read more

Sam Woo BBQ- Alhambra is one of the OG "Sam Woo" restaurants. A classic destination restaurant for Cantonese style BBQ and comfort food. This location is one of the first Sam Woo compared to the newer locations - it's an old-school spot. My family (parents) been coming to SW for decades - family parties/holidays always included roasted BBQ meats strictly from here. During the holidays the lines are insane! The actual restaurant/deli is a grimy hole-in-the-wall and handling of food at the butcher station(deli) may seem questionable; don't be scared, lol. The restaurant is up to code and full of patrons... rant over, food is great!! Cash only, Cash only, CASH! (ATM inside restaurant). Parking: Street parking or their tiny lot. read more

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The roasted pig was horrible! The worst I ever had! It was impossible to chew on the skin that supposed to be the best park

Lots of choices, Cantonese food, very tasty, so hard to pick what I want when I am there. Good service and food came out pretty fast. read more

Sam Woo BBQ - BBQ Pork and Lo-mein noodles. - Barbeque Near Me - Alhambra, California

Affordable place to eat, when my parents want a simple Chinese meal that doesn't break the bank this restaurant comes up. Dishes are of good portions and you can get a deal in the morning on certain items. Of course with BBQ in the name you can't go wrong with their Chinese BBQ items like roast duck or pork. My favorite veggie to order here is the bean sprouts, tender and never overcooked. read more

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Cash only 2 item meat ($12.75)- roast duck has excellent flavor. Nice fatty, skin has good texture. Roast Pork- skin was nice and crispy, but the pork belly meat was a little dry and over cooked. Beef chow fun ($12.00)- it's average. Not much wok Hei. Not as good as LongTen. It's similar flavor as Tams Noodle House. read more

Sam Woo BBQ - 2 dish delicacy with Roast Pork and Roast duck - Barbeque Near Me - Alhambra, California

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This is the OG Sam woo. Been here for more than 20 plus years but more recently was craving their 2 item bbq with rice. Pro tip: char siu is bomb but their duck is no bueno. Get the roast pork! All the other dishes are pretty standard. I had their tofu seafood hotpot and soy sauce noodle. They don't skimp on the quantity either read more

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Only came for a take out order of roasted Peking duck over rice. Forgot to take a photo of my order before it was eaten. Duck was good. Tasted like what I would expect a roasted duck to taste like. They gave a generous amount of rice. Didn't check out their dining section, but seemed small. Probably handful of tables. The place looked run down, a bit dirty, hole in the wall type eatery. Health code rated at a B. I probably wouldn't sit and eat there, but would consider ordering things for take out. They need to get their health code up though. read more

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