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    Sami's Cafe

    4.4 (137 reviews)
    ModerateCafes, Wraps, American
    Closed 7:00 am - 2:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Sami's Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    SAMI'S CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Sami's Cafe

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    Biscuits and gravy
    Sara S.

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

    John M.

    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.

    Chili and Chicken Salad
    Janet G.

    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!!

    Sami's Cafe
    Eugene M.

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

    The Sampler .. yum !
    Boise P.

    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 !

    the front of the restaurant
    Bear K.

    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!

    vegetable soup
    Kyle J.

    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.

    Outside
    Kelee M.

    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.

    Front of menu
    Catrina B.

    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!

    The beast omelette with bacon inside and an extra egg
    Bruce K.

    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.

    Southern breakfast

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    5 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    7 months ago

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

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

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

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    5 years ago

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    2 years ago

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

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    4 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    2 years ago

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

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    5 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    3 years ago

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

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    Page 1 of 4

    Sami's Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

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    Pokeworks
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    Corner 16
    Corner 16 - Side salad

    Side salad

    Corner 16

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    Token Game Tavern - Buffalo Chicken Tacos
 Great portion and very filling

    Buffalo Chicken Tacos Great portion and very filling

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    Sami's Cafe - cafes - Updated May 2026

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