But for breakfast. I've eaten lunch there a few time and it had been hit and miss. But breakfast is top notch.

I was a Knoxville resident for 25 years before I ever even heard of this place! We absolutely love it. From the servers who will learn your name to the food--everything is fantastic! I definitely recommend trying this place out, it will become a quick favorite. read more

This is a great place to enjoy breakfast or lunch. You will find many local folks there and we come often. The service is very friendly. You will notice that they always score 100 on health department inspections. I have never been there when Sami is not preparing the food. If you like a Reuben sandwich, try it at Sami's. read more

Really great food - made fresh, hot, and fast. Service was quick and friendly. Busy Tuesday morning but got right in. Would recommend! read more

See all

Sami's is the best place for breakfast in Knoxville, bar none. The food is always excellent and you don't have to wait forever. The eggs over medium come out perfect every time. And a special shout out to the ladies who clean and set the tables. There are never any dirty tables at Sami's. As soon as someone leaves they are there cleaning up. That is so important. If I see dirty tables all over, that's a sign of bad management. Kudos to Sami for running a very clean restaurant with excellent food. You won't be disappointed! read more

I've been to Sami's Café a couple times. The service is always wonderful with very friendly staff. Food is delivered promptly. It's always fresh and warm. Great environment for breakfast. read more

A very nice, friendly breakfast place. I think that we were the only ones seated in our area that weren't personally connected with our server. Clearly a breakfast place with a great following. Though I couldn't eat here often, the food was simply delicious (though well beyond my diet). Service was very attentive and very friendly. This is not an area that we ourselves in often, but we'll keep this place in mind. read more

Sami's Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

Stopped in for lunch while in the area after seeing the reviews. The place was really crowded as we walked in and there was a sign that said to please seat yourself. No problem as we found a clean table in the middle right away. While the Daily Special for today (Monday) looked intriguing, the vegetables we wanted were the same in a dish I had already prepared for our dinner. Instead we both chose the Soup and 1/2 Sandwich. I ordered the vegetable soup and pimento cheese on wheat. My husband ordered the Chicken Salad on Wheat with chili. The portions were plentiful. I can't say that the soup was the best that I've ever had but it was good. What I can rave about though is the homemade pimento cheese and the wheat bread, which came toasted. The pimento cheese had a perfect ratio of cheese to pimento plus the perfect amount of mayo too. Two thumbs up!! (Only two because, well I only have two). The homemade chicken salad was just as delicious. It was made with dill pickles and the chicken was finely shredded. Unlike a lot of places it wasn't made with too much mayo. Great ratio of all of the ingredients. The chili, like the soup, was just good. Nothing to write home about, but not bad and definitely edible. We'd probably choose different options for that next time. There will definitely be a next time! We ordered iced tea and it was fresh brewed and delicious! Our server-I don't remember her name- put exactly the right amount of ice for me! I said I liked a lot of ice and she did it just right! The restaurant had nice decor that included some pics of Knoxville way back in time- maybe 1st half of the 20th century. They were really cool to look at. We highly recommend this restaurant!! read more

Sami's Cafe - Chili and Chicken Salad - Cafes Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

See all

Great! Loved it. The food and environment was very nice. Recommended to friends and family read more

Sami's Cafe - Sami's Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

It was packed when we got here but it was worth the wait. Breakfast was really good. pancakes were yummy.

We needed a place to meet for a late breakfast or early lunch due to our travel plans. Sami's was located close to out meeting point and had good reviews, so we gave it a shot. Located in one corner of a larger strip mall, there is a lot of parking. Almost all is across a traffic lane from the restaurant entrance, but traffic is easy to navigate. Walking in, there is a small waiting area with a sign we should seat ourselves. It was pretty crowded and there were a couple parties in front of us. Still, the turnover was pretty quick and there are a lot of tables. We found one opening up in the rear as we got to the front of the line, so our wait was no more than five minutes or so. Our waitress took our drink orders quickly, and then took our food order when she brought the drinks. Our food took no more than ten minutes to come out. The eggs were cooked perfectly, as were the hash browns. The sausage patty was a bit overdone, but not burnt. My dining partner's burger was cooked to perfection. The toppings were fresh and crisp. Should my travels take me this way again, I will definitely keep Sami's in mind. read more

Being new to the Knoxville area we pulled up a few breakfast options via yelp to be sure and hit during our stay, Sami's was one. Tucked into a strip mall this spot was easy to ID on arrival but I must warn you that at peak eat times parking can be daunting. We were fortunate to hit the place at 10:45 so getting seated quickly worked out well, you seat yourself here. Our waitstaff was a 10, she was attentive, timely and had a great sense of humor .. clearly a vet at her craft. We both opted for breakfast (lots of choices and options). I dove in and picked the Sami's Sampler, 1 patty sausage, 3 strips of bacon, crispy spuds (like these), eggs done right, grits and rye toast = Winner, winner chicken dinner ! Great food, hot, seasoned well and lots of it. Coffee was hot and kept coming without fail. You pay at the front so exiting is quick and seamless. Clean place, wide menu, reasonable pricing, great staff .. no complaints at this end, we will be back !! FYI - breakfast stops serving at 11 sadly so - do not be late ! read more

See all

This was my first time visiting Sammy's cafe. The service was excellent and the food was pretty good. Both my wife and I enjoyed the quaint atmosphere and the prices were reasonable. It's a little obscure but that adds to its charm. The only discrepancy is the hours of operation are so short. As a whole, I recommend this establishment. read more

We had a great breakfast this morning. My wife enjoyed her chocolate chip pancakes and I had the cheese omelet and biscuit. Great service and nice ambiance! read more

Sami's Cafe - the front of the restaurant - Cafes Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

This places looked good on the reviews and it's an awesome little location. The staff was really nice but maybe needed a little more training. The service was Mediocre because the 2 waitresses that were working were also sitting at a table eating and on their phones while customers were sitting at their tables. We got there around 1245 for brunch. Brunch was not brunch it's just lunch because they stop serving the breakfast side at 11am. it's a brunch place? I don't know why you would have a brunch place and close at 2 if you don't just keep serving breakfast all day. I asked for coffee for my drink and was told since they close in an about an hour and there's not fresh coffee that they would not make more coffee. So we ordered Two salads, Philly cheesesteak, onion rings, And vegetable soup. Salads- Mediocre at best. not too much thought put into them lettuce cheese who can get that wrong. Philly cheesesteak- know if you like Philly cheesesteaks I would not recommend this place at all. It was just roast beef with sliced cheese some lettuce little bit onions tomato nothing special I wouldn't recommend. it was one of the worst Philly cheesesteaks I've ever had... No peppers, The taste was very bland, The sliced cheese didn't taste that good. Overall I had two bites of it and had them take it away. Onion rings- good onion rings weren't bad at all I ate those but I don't think it's too hard to mess up onion rings. Vegetable soup- The vegetable soup tasted like it was Campbell's straight out of a can didn't feel like it was fresh. Overall for this place I wouldn't recommend to anyone Because the food and the service was so mediocre. Awesome location though. read more

See all

Best of the best super Service super food daily specials. Can't beat this. Trust me you will love it!

You can't beat Sami's for a delicious southern breakfast! It's typically crowded, but I've never had trouble getting a table within a few minutes of arriving. My daughter loves their pancakes, and I am a huge fan of their biscuits and gravy. Service is consistently good, and it seems most of their staff has been there for quite awhile, which I always feel is a good sign. read more

While checking out at a few of the shops in the area, I was excited to see a new brunch spot. We stopped in to check the place out. It's in a great location! Super cute, quaint diner tucked away in the Franklin Square shopping center. We walked in and immediately noticed thee restaurant protocol is uncleared. I noticed half of the seating was roped off and we did not see a hostess to be seated. A 'Seat Yourself" sign would have been helpful. We walked to the back of the restaurant to order and were told we could sit anywhere. The restaurant was uncomfortably cold and not a welcoming atmosphere. The food is inexpensive and you definitely get what you pay for. My fries had a strange after taste. My sandwich was decent and the bread was pretty good. read more

See all

Awesome place! Food was terrific. Ultimate omelet and blueberry pancakes were perfect read more

Always good food and service Special orders no problem Good selection and variety A regular spot for my father and I read more

I give Sami's a 5! Today is my Tuesday adventure day. I try to go to a new place I've never been to before to eat and go to a business I've never been as well. Sami's was a great find. The atmosphere was welcoming and very much a nice comfortable home style restaurant. It's not very big but not to small. It's nice and clean. Service was good. I had the daily lunch special which was country steak, with REAL mashed potatoes and fried okra. Food was great! So Tuesday's find was a place I will definitely return too. Go grab a bite of real home style food at a reasonable price! read more

See all

Sometimes you find a good place, and it becomes a place that you know that you're going to be coming back. This is one of those spots, especially for when my parents are in town. In my looks for good omelettes this place definitely gives you the vibe of a local diner where you can just ask for some additions or customize your order and the response you get is: "No problem." That's exactly what happened when I came here with my parents. Instead of getting a normal 3 egg omelette, I added an egg and blam! It was just that much better. I got the beast omelette with bacon inside as well as an extra egg added to it. It filled me up and it was just overall great. I mean, it's not like you really need much more. The service was semi attentive, as she was actually eating as well when we got done. When you're done you pretty much go to the counter and pay for your meal rather than waiting for the waiter to come back and pick up the check. If you're free on a Saturday morning, or any other day than Sunday, this place should be on your mind if you want a type of light (or heavy if you choose) brunch. read more

Sami's Cafe - The beast omelette with bacon inside and an extra egg - Cafes Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

See all

The diner you wanted to find just missing the silver outside siding. Coffee is hot and food is satisfying.

What a great find! Read the reviews and they are all correct! Very busy. Delicious food. Large portions. Quick service. Affordable. I had the southern breakfast and haven't had one in years since we moved. Delicious. Soup and salad good too! Definitely a great start to our vacation adventure. And I love the shirts and ambiance read more

See all

I'm giving the full 5 because for what this place is- a simple, basic diner-- the food is excellent. I went late in the afternoon so they were out of some choices-- I ended up with veggies I don't really care for, but they were excellent! I would like to have a copy of their menu so I could know the days I most want to go, now! They offer basic sandwiches, salads, etc....and also have a limited "meat and three" menu with daily offerings.They also offer breakfast, and I wish I was nearer to be able to try that easily, some day. Based on what I ate for lunch, the breakfast is probably excellent and well-priced. Can't believe I had never heard of this place. So good! read more

A beautiful , super clean, polite breakfast cafe! A must while visiting Knoxville! Polite service! Quick breakfast! Faster than Mcd! Lol Hubby order 2 eggs over easy with hash-browns , I had the spinach omelette. Very delicious! Huge biscuit on the side. Sadly we were in a hurry and inhaled our breakfast. But it was very good. All the servers were so happy and nice. They gave me a to go cup of coffee. Very thoughtful. read more

Sami's Cafe - The menu - Cafes Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

See all

Sami's Cafe is a great local family dinner. Solid food choices and decent prices. It has everything from turkey dinners to sandwiches and soups. My favorite thing I tried was the fried okra. It was very clean and the servers were all very friendly. My only suggestion is more desert choices and perhaps make homemade fries instead of frozen crinkle cut. read more

Open breakfast and lunch. Good food! Offer a variety of both meals. Reasonably priced. It is always busy so plan on waiting and it is the honor system. All of the servers have been there forever! It is very similar to Rami's (north Knoxville), Pete's (downtown) and Nick and Jay's (Hardin Valley). They are brother's (I think). read more

We went in today for the first time and won't be going back. The bacon was old and hard, the biscuits were hard and they upcharged us on something that should not have been an up charge. The waitress never asked how everything was so we didn't even have a chance to tell her about the old food. We had high expectations for this place due to the reviews but it didn't meet even lower expectations of mediocre food. read more

The food and service was excellent! Had biscuits and gravy with home fries and country ham. Will be going back.

Fantastic service! Great Food!! The cafe is perfect ambiance. Our waitress was friendly. read more

Sami's Cafe - Sammi's Breakfast with two huge Pancakes!! - Cafes Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

Good example of those places where you wish you could put down 3.5 stars. It's not quite 4 stars but it's certainly worth a visit. They have good daily specials. And a huge menu for both breakfast and lunch. You want vegan healthy fresh food? Don't come here. But if you want a comfort meal full of carbs and lard then this is the place for you. The pancakes are fluffy, the toast comes already buttered with delightful butter sickness. My arteries just clogged up thinking about it. And the eggs were very very good. They tasted farm fresh actually. Thumbs up for that. Services was fine. Sami's is the perfect spot to throw your diet to the wind and just dig into your dish like a breakfast beast. Um. Yeah. Also the perfect place to wait 10-15 minutes for a table behind 10 other people huddled near the small entrance. And also the perfect place for paper bacon that looks really awful but tastes weirdly a-okay. And it''s also the perfect place for some awful watered-down coffee. read more

See all

My wife and I recently went here on a Saturday morning. We arrived about 10:45 AM. Expect a bit of a wait. A lady in front of us told us "it's the honor system" so no waiting list at this local restaurant. This is not a corporate chain restaurant and that's a nice change of pace. I ordered the sausage and cheese omelette which came with a choice of sides I choose the gravy and biscuit. The omelette was savory and delicious, one of the better omelettes' I've had in Knoxville. The biscuit and gravy was filling. My wife ordered two Blueberry pancakes which were fluffy and seriously good. She had a side of bacon which was thick and also very good. The food was excellent and we had large enough portions that we had to leave some uneaten. Good service and all the above for less than $15. So great value for significantly better food, and its all local to boot. My wife is already planning on trying out the lunch menu so we will be back. read more

Stopped here for lunch as was recommended .. great array of breakfast and lunch items and prices were great!! Service was good and we enjoyed our lunch .. a homemade touch to everything we got... corn bread muffins were gone so I know they must be a hit too! We will be back for sure read more

We were excited to find this place. He have to be wheat free so we were able to get omeletes... And man what an omelet! We never expected them to be as big as they were. We both got the Ultimate and they were huge. We also got the bar fries..... Not a fan. They are more like fried mashed potatoes with potato chucks mixed in. They really had no flavor. The coffee was good and they kept our cups full. It is a nice little place... Not a chain. The decor is nice. As for COVID... they have reduced seating and servers wear masks but otherwise, no one was wearing masks except us and another couple with a child. read more

I love this place. It's a local breakfast and lunch restaurant that is consistently good. Let's break it down: Atmosphere 3 stars - it is what it is. They have expanded so there tables are tight. Additionally, not hostess driven so you get your own tables. That makes it alittle inconvenient but it works. It's a nice local spot, no frills. But that is not the reason you come. Service 4 Stars - the waitresses know how to handle this place. They are pleasant and no nonsense. I've been coming here for years and many have been here. Service is above average but again, that is not the reason you come. Food 4 stars - this is the reason you come. I've been here for both breakfast and lunch. I consider breakfast to be their strongest but lunch ain't bad. My fav is bacon and cheese omelet. They prepare it to perfection. The toast is great. Lunch is good. Their daily specials are worth it. And hamburgers decent. Value 4 Stars - you pay for what you get. Breakfast will run you $10 and lunch $12. Not bad for the quality and serving size. Overall this is a go to spot. When you get tired of the same chain restaurants, go local. Go here. read more

Sami's Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name! I walked in to find an EXPANDED Sami's Cafe! Haven't been here for two years because it was always a crowded/rushed experience. It's a whole new Sami's! Plenty of space on a Thursday morning even though the parking lot is full and the restaurant is also full. The expansion suits Sami's for sure. Atmosphere is interesting. It's definitely home town/small town which is not an easy find anymore. I just watched a server auto-bring a patron a Coke and he just walked in the door. He's clearly a regular. And another guy came in, sat down and the same server bring a sweet tea with loaded ice. Then returned with his "blackberry jelly". He didn't even ask for it. She just knew. Another regular. If I were single, I'd come here to find a man! Or I would work the breakfast shift here!There are FIVE men eating solo right now. I'm enjoying the numbers of old guys and old couples in this place. I wish their conversions were louder so I could eavesdrop! Lines of the day: "You combed your hair different today" - said to a bald man. "What is the most popular way you cook the eggs? I've never been here before." - 30ish year old male seated with a friend. same guy, "Oh wow! It's already ready. Clearly there are Ninjas working in the kitchen." Now to the food which is likely why you are reading this review. I ordered: 1 egg over medium, one pancake, bacon, and grits. I brought my own coffee. The egg was cooked perfectly. The pancake was a standard Bisquick pancake. The grits were cooked thoroughly. The bacon, well, one piece clearly sat somewhere for a good length of time. The other was fresh. Concern: The default response by the servers is, "no problem". Was there a problem in the first place? I would like to see Sami's covert to a "my pleasure" response. Concern: Servers in the front of the house shall not talk about cooks/prep in the back of the house, within earshot of customers. Especially YELP reviewers. It's rude and disrespectful. (Can't call out names because servers don't have name tags) Concern: Servers should check on non-regular customers at least once while they are dining like they check on the regulars while they are dining. I recommend Sami's for breakfast on a stressful day. I recommend Sami's if you are dining solo. It's great for couples and families alike. read more

Sami's Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

See all

Walk in, and seat yourself! Don't wait there like I did for 10 min. And I didn't read the sign that clearly states be seated! I went on a Thursday morning and it was packed! That's always a good sign. Service was fast keeping in mind that it was busy. I ordered blueberry waffle and eggs and bacon. We had the Sammie's special which is potato fries bacon or sausage and biscuit and gravy or toast. It was filling and delicious. They don't have apple juice but they have tomato juice on the menu lol. read more

Sami's Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

See all

I ordered ahead and popped in for the first time to pick up my order. The counter was towards the back and wow what a crowded place. This is clearly a popular spot. My Sami Supreme sandwich was excellent. The fries were very crispy but I do like them that way. Stop in but be prepared that it might be crowded. read more

A good breakfast joint, mid food, solid service even when It's busy, and the ambiance is alright .