This is a Baltimore staple for a reason. Value, service, and taste are all there. Standouts are the avgolemono, Greek salad with meat, warm pita, delicious dressing, etc. I work right nearby and try to stop in for dinner when I can. read more

Bring cash, they do not accept cards. Bring alcohol as well as they do not have a license to serve. Come early or during the week if you want a seat, this place gets crowded fast and there is nowhere to wait. This place would get 5 stars if not for those inconveniences noted above. The food is awesome. We are boring and always get the Tour of Greece, which has a little of everything. The lamb, gyro meat, tzatziki, warm pita bread, etc will send you home painfully full. They custom make it to the number of people in your party that want to try it which is nice. They don't worry about decor because they don't have to, they focus on the food and they are on point. read more

Samos did not disappoint! Being newcomers to Baltimore, we quickly turned to Yelp to get some recommendations. We arrived around 8pm on a Friday night with a party of 4. I won't sugarcoat it - we waited about 30-40 minutes for our table. However, the wait was worth it! Our waitress was friendly and extremely efficient. Since we were so hungry, she actually let us order before we were seated so our food would come quickly. I had the greek salad with lamb/beef gyros on top of it, and my boyfriend had the greek pizza. We also started with an appetizer of spreads, including tzatziki, tapenade, and hummus. One of the highlights of the evening was the steaming hot pita bread. It's lightly spiced/flavored and is insanely addicting. Great spot and very reasonable prices. Be sure to bring cash, as credit cards are not accepted. I look forward to many return visits. read more

eeeeverthing was fresh, delicious, and friendly! Every time I drive by I want to go again! Food came out promptly and looked so delicious - the pita and tadziki coupled perfectly with the lamb that I got, and the side of roasted veggies were the perfect compliment. Tried my boyfriend's fish and it, too, was really really tasty! Highly recommend this wonderful greek neighborhood spot. Only thing to keep in mind is that it is CASH ONLY, so just plan ahead for that :) read more

I wish this place had parking but I understand its in an old part of town, so its cool. I also wish they would let me pay with a credit card and not cash only. But since that policy doesn't seem to be hurting the business I can't blame them for keeping it intact. My girlfriend arrived 30 minutes before I got there on a Friday night. Typically they NEVER let patrons sit at a table unless every member of the party has arrived but they were kind enough to let here sit down until I got there... even though the place was mobbed. So I have to give brownie points to the service department. For dinner, we ordered the tour of Greece dinner for 2 which included the fabulous pita bread, Greek salads, calamari, grape leaves, kabobs, lamb chops, potatoes, gyro, spanakopita, shrimp and something else I can't recall. This meal was like a heart attack platter. I kid you not. I literally left here feeling like I had just ate a baby that was quickly trying to burst through my intestines. Besides that everything was delicious. However, if I were you, I would order the Greek salad (the house made dressing is awesome), the spanakopita... and probably the stuffed grouper or gyro. The greek tour was waaay too heavy for me. And if its too heavy for me, its too heavy for you. Trust me. Just be sure to NOT go here during weekend dinner time or you'll likely be waiting in a cramped doorway with 20 other hungry patrons who look like they want to bite your face off because there either a) hungry, b) tired of waiting, or C) both. read more

Our favorite Greek restaurant from coast to coast. Their salad dressing is great. We buy a bottle for home when we leave. Pizza fries awesome. Pizza awesome. Grilled octopus awesome. Gyro awesome. Hummus awesome. Lamb chops. Double awesome. The wait is long on the weekend so expect to wait 30-60 minutes. BYOB. There is a liquor store down the street read more

Let me start by qualifying that even though I was roommates with one of the owner's sons in college, I am definitely objective when it comes to reviewing anything with food. Samos is a place with history and you can't talk about Greektown, Baltimore without talking about this quaint restaurant. Originally a bakery and now turned into and expanded Greek restaurant, the only thing more consistent than the quality of food and location is the owner. Entering this place and not seeing the face of the proud and hardest working Greek American working the kitchen as if he's done it for decades(which in fact he has), you notice that something is missing. He has taken some time off to rest at his age, with one of his sons starting to fill in his role nicely. But, as you can tell, family is what makes this place feel like home. I'm a consistent eater, as when I find what I like, I tend to stick with it. Many of my meals didn't get past a Souvlaki or Gyro with a side of rice and Greek salad. Now with such an expanded menu, the Greek sampler platter for two has found its way to my table. BYOB(or W) keeps this fare cheaper than you would at Little Italy and my only criticism wouldn't be the cash-only institution as so many have expressed. My displeasure is very specific as I was such a huge fan to their Saganaki(fried cheese), They changed their practice of serving it piping hot while still on fire as it comes to your table to lighting it behind the scenes and then bringing it out after it has cooled. This does displease me and so I do not find myself ordering this so much anymore. But, I'll just have to live with the best darn Souvlaki in Baltimore, and I personally think at least on the east coast so far from what I have tried. With choice cuts of meat and a well seasoned and nice soft pita bread, my mouth will continue to water for it every time I remember it, The taste is as memorable as the history. read more

We had a party of 6 for dinner. Every fish was served piping hot and our server was nothing less than charming!! Prices are excellent. BYOB is an added treat. Saves so much money. I highly recommend. read more

I don't know anything about greek food so take this with a grain of salt.... it's pretty good, big fan of the fresh hummus.

THE BEST GREEK FOOD. I cannot emphasize this enough. A Must-Try restaurant. -First, the gyros. Oh man, the gyros - FRESH tomatoes and onions, creamy but not overwhelming tzatziki sauce over some well seasoned, perfectly roasted beef and lamb wrapped in fluffy pita bread. And $6 for all that! This gives you the opportunity to try out side dishes! -The octopus side dish was char-grilled to perfection and well marinated with olive oil, lemon, capers, tomatoes (although it was only one leg for $11). Comes with pita bread. -The spanakopita (spinach and feta cheese pie) was flaky, not too greasy. -Baklava was unique - not too sweet, packed with a lot of nuts, and a touch of cinnamon. Fantastic. After all this, my friend and I rolled out of the restaurant to the car . We had to finish every last bite. It was THAT good. Notes: - 4.5 Stars, only for the two points right below: - Cash Only (there is an ATM with $1.50 fee) - Service was a tad slow, although very courteous and kind - Parking is plenty - Very homy and brings you the heart of Greece with the employees, artwork, food, and feel. - I will DEFINITELY come back here. YUM. read more

3.5 stars. I want to like Samos, but my experience wasn't good from the get-go. We walked into the place, and we were told to sign up on the waiting list. 2 groups of people were ahead of us, and some people were getting ready to leave. Ok, shouldn't be a long wait. WRONG! After 3 tables of diners left and with empty tables, my friend and I (along with the 2 groups ahead of us) had to wait for additional 30 minutes. The servers took their time, cleaning, chatting with other customers, serving others (which is fine) before finally deciding to call people on the list. It's one thing to wait if the place was packed, but to wait to get seated on an already-emptied and cleaned table is absurd. Comes off as pretentious to me. The food was fine. We got Greek salad with anchovies, dolmades (stuffed grape leaves), and the gyro platter. Nothing was bad, but I think the whole wait experience just made me not think highly of this place. read more

I love this place. Been here multiple times for dine in as well as take out. I am never able to get through on the phone to place an order, but the wait to go is not too bad maybe 10 minutes last time I was there. I tend to get the same thing here because it is crazy delicious. I start with the olive tapenade served with their amazing pita, feta cheese and tomato. I then get the chicken souvlaki without raw onions. It has fresh tomatoes and the best tzatziki sauce ever! Great price on the souvlakis and one is always more than enough to fill you up! Others have gotten the greek salad which is large and excellent with great olives, feta cheese and amazing dressing. Others have said the lamb souvlakis are great but lamb is not for me! Definitely worth checking out, you may just become a regular! read more

I'm no greek food expert but their pork souvlaki was the best souvlaki that I tasted in my life bar none. For around $5.50, I wish I lived closer to this place! We also got greek salad and calamari to share and both were excellent. Their home made dressing for the greek salad is to die for too. My fiancee got the chicken souvlaki and yes it was good but the meat doesn't have the flavor like that of the pork version. We both agreed the pork version was better. read more

Besides the length of time it took to eat dinner, this place is amazing. All of the food is amazing, but I highly recommend the trio of tapinade. Try the hummus, eggplant and olive tapinades - they're so amazing, I took another one home for the next day! The housemade dressing is awesome as well Just be sure to get there early because the wait can literally go around the corner. read more

Had dinner here last night and it was super tasty as usual. The Greek salad and pita wedges are great. And I bought a bottle of the awesome dressing for only $5!! The service is always friendly and fast. Be prepared to wait Thursday and they are closed on Sundays. They also close for two weeks in August for a vacation to Greece. The trio of spreads is so good and the grilled octopus is delicious!! It is a BYOB place and if you're not drinking that night, get the sweet tea, it rocks! I can't say enough good things about Samos. It is one of my top 10 favorite places to eat!! read more

I. love. Samos. Went there with a few friends on a Wednesday night. There was a short wait but we were unaware you had to sign in until we saw someone else do it. However, the server was nice enough to notice we were waiting and put our name on the list for us (lesson here: put your own name on the list). Okay, so we sat down, with our own alcohol (BONUS!!) and the server brought us wine glasses and waters. It's $2 to drink, but it's still much cheaper than buying drinks in a restaurant. We ordered the appetizer sampler (can't remember what it's called), anyway we got the hummus, olive spread and eggplant spread and the eggplant was fantastic! The pita bread is, by far, the best I ever had. The BEST. I got the shrimp wrap for my entree and it was excellent. I cannot stress enough how good the pita bread is. So, the service is friendly and efficient, the food is excellent and the atmosphere is pleasant. I will be going back. read more

We have visited this restaurant 3 times so far, and from the last visit I can say we are not planning to eat at Samos again. The first two visits were great- although crowded, the waitress was attentive and friendly. Being vegetarians, we ordered the appetizer dip trio, the greek salad for me and the veggie wrap for my companions (which is not listed on the menu). A plus is that the ingredients always are fresh and the food is of good quality- with an honorable mention for the feta cheese. However, being vegetarians I cannot vouch for the majority of the dishes on the menu. Their vegetarian options are limited to mainly appetizers and salads. Our last visit was for lunch, and one thing I find disappointing is the lack of lunch specials. For our most recent visit, we noticed a small sign posted near the kitchen mentioning a dollar increase in the prices of salad due to "produce shortage." While we noticed the sign, the waitress made no mention of this increase in price from the menu when we ordered. Also, we asked for two baskets of pita bread, (which we received free of charge on our last visit), that appeared this time on the bill. However, the increase in cost was only part of the problem! My major problem with our last visit was the service, or more fitting, the lack thereof! Although the restaurant was hardly as crowded as when we came for dinner, the waitress was extremely slow. She also forgot several to bring the coffee I had ordered, until I just told her to forget bringing it. Our extra pita bread also required several requests before they appeared on the table. My salad was brought out, but my companions did not get their food until 20 minutes later. I was extremely disappointed for our previous visits featured better service despite being more crowded. Maybe dinner is just a better time to go to Samos, but for sure- I'm not planning on heading there again. read more

Who needs to go to Astoria, NY for great Greek food? My friend and I dined here last night - at the last minute. After a business meeting in Baltimore, we thought we were going out for your average local fare so typical in the "Greek Town" area. When I made the reservation on the phone I was asked (in advance) if I had any dietary restrictions or food allergies. I have NEVER had anyone ask that over the phone. We were totally unprepared for such a gastronomic delight. From the great wine, to the delicious appetizers and entrees this could be considered way more than a 5 star meal. And everything came out hot - which I love. Constantine, Panayiotus and Petros were the best host and staff we could hope for. The dessert on the house made this even more memorable. That to me is a true sign of a class restaurant and a team that cares about their patrons. My friend loved the fact that after the appetizers we were given new utensils. I can't wait to return and they can definitely count me as a regular when I'm up in Charm City. It's so nice to have found such a great Greek restaurant! read more

The food was not at all traditionally Greek and were NOT worth the price. However, the sandwiches we ordered were excellent.

Samos food is absolutely incredible. Their handmade food really speaks for it self. Anything here is delicious and reasonably priced. I don't care if I have to wait long, or pay with only cash, it's worth it. Go here! read more

Mixed feelings on the whole. Food chunks and wrappers on floor. The cook is barking orders out of the cramped kitchen. The server walks up with a gruff: "What ya having to drink?" Think Marge Simpson's sisters. The decor is perfunctory and routine, heavy wood, plants and cheap Greek pottery / sculpture replicas. Arrived at 230 weekday and lucky to find tables. It was filled when we left. Perfectly charred Golden octopus swims in oil, tomato and cucumber, plenty of thyme, and bitterness from the capers. Noticeably chewy texture not as overwhelmingly onion heavy as ouzo bay but not as delicately charred and certainly heavier. Earthy dolmades, the meat masks the leaves and reduces the desired bitterness. Go with the vegetarian instead for more texture from the rice crunch, more pronounced lemon contrast, and that wonderful bitterness. Ouzo Bay's is synthetic by comparison. Chicken souvlaki is expressive, well seasoned, bursting with flavor and balance. Slightly dry but as to be expected with that much char. A creamier broth in the avgolemeno, lighter lemon than most and better spicing, especially the use of thyme. Balanced dark and white meat chicken is a nice detour from the usual, but also not nearly enough. The rice is well cooked to preserve the creamy texture. The overly doughy phyllo still can't hide the buttery, delicious spinach center, which is creamy without overdoing it. read more

I tried it for the first time and I don't eat a lot of Greek food. It was so good! Great portion size too for a chicken wrap for $8. I'll be back. Don't forget you need cash. read more

Most of the menu is off limits to a vegetarian, but you can make a filling, tasty, meal out of all of the small dishes. While I didn't try the large meat dishes, they looked amazing... The restaurant is fairly simple, with a relatively cheap price to go along. read more

Fantastic food. Lived in Baltimore for 4 years. Visited Samos plenty with friends. Always ordered hummus with pita bread to share, and lamb gyro with everything. Never got tired of it. Always left happy. It's a very small place and they dont take reservations. So be ready to wait a bit. But it'll be worth it. Bring cash. Its worth the price (its fairly cheap) and the wait. read more

The best Greek food I ever had! not that I'm an expert on Greek cuisine, but I felt the food is very authentic. How can they make humus taste so great! Minus one star for utter lack of any ambiance or decor. read more

Best greek food I have ever had. We've been going here for years and I love almost everything I tried. In recent years, prices went a bit higher but food is still as good as it gets. Grilled Octopodi is always so good and tender, Kalamari is always meaty and plenty, comes with really good marinara sauce.Gyro Wrap is always always good. I often order Lamb chop here. They are perfectly marinated and seasoned. I do order red snapper here some times, but recently whenever I ask for red snapper, they don't have it. Is everyone ordering the dish?? Anyhow. For dessert, I usually get rice pudding with cinnamon. Best around the town. Galaktoboureko is really good, too. They changed the shape of it and since then I have not tried, but I heard recipe stayed the same. The only thing I don't like about here is the wait. It is really packed. Oh, and cash only. I don't mind that, though. Go there hungry. You will be satisfied after long wait. read more

Taste of Samos was an awesome choice (the menu item that gives you a little taste of maybe 8-10 different things). Everything was so, so delicious. Ditto to the other comments left for this place. Will definitely go back next time I'm Baltimore. read more

I recently went for an early dinner around 5pm. Apparently this must be the only time this place isn't packed because by the time we were finishing up every table was in use and at least 3 parties were waiting. I'm not used to eating so early, every table around us were people in their late 60s, and it was totally endearing and hilarious to listen to Greek women next to us complaining about being sleepy. We BYOB'd some wine ($2 charge for each drinker), and ordered a veggie kabob appetizer. As you know, HUGE plate, half of that could have genuinely been my usual dinner. I refrained from finishing my salad and app to hold off for my entree, the lamb. I'm lucky I did. The lamb stole the show. I'm not much of a meat eater in the first place, and haven't really had lamb before, regardless, what a great first experience! Soft roasted potatoes, surrounded by a medley of cooked and dill seasoned vegetables. My brain couldn't wrap it's self around what exactly my tastebuds were tasting. I kept asking my companion, whom I shared my lamb with (don't worry, I got a gyro in trade), "what is in this?!". I felt like I was tasting delicious alien food and was so jealous of every person that's been able to have it before me! And I mean, isn't that what you want out of a good meal? To taste something you're impressed with, and don't feel like you could have cooked yourself, or even better- at a restaurant, have no idea how they could have cooked it so well. I'm getting carried away, the lamb was wonderful. Gyro platter entree was good, yet not as mind blowing as the lamb. The rice we had with the app was disappointingly greasy, but I'll take the great with the "just alright" and give Samos a solid four stars. I will be returning. read more

Lives up to the hype! After living in Baltimore for 6 years I never made it over to Greektown, but finally I made it. Even late on a Thursday night there was a wait - there are only a few tables in the whole place. Once seated, however, the service was excellent. We ordered the Melitzanosalata (eggplant with garlic, olive oil, lemon), which was excellent, very flavorful, and even better on warm, fried-up pita bread. We also ordered the saganaki (pan-fried cheese flambeed with brandy), which was also quite flavorful (and also served on delicious pita) but I think it could have used a few more minutes on the stovetop to let some more of the booze burn off. We ordered the Combination (Pekilia) platter, which included souvlaki stick (we got chicken), gyro, spanakopita, dolmades, oven roasted potatoes, roasted veggies, and tzatziki. Everything was great but the gyro, potatos, tzatziki, and spanikopita were my favorites. You also get a nice Greek salad with the Combination. Great, family-run joint and I'm so happy they're opening another location in Canton! read more

Samos is a really nice restaurant in terms of food. Great Greek/Medit stuff. Most of the food is meat, but salads could work well for the veggies. Dont miss on the Baklava in the end. The gyros, lamb chops or salad sampler are nice! They take only cash. No credit/debit cards. It is a small place. Good to take out, but if you get there in peak hours, you will have to wait. But the wait is surely worth it. No booze, but you can carry your own beer (they charge about $3 a person if you do so) read more

Soooo much better than greektown. My new gyro spot. There's alway a wait but now I know why. The food is awesome! read more

Samos Restaurant - Small place but the food is very good. I no longer dine at greektown. The food is worth them not taking credit cards - Greek Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

My fiance and I both got the tour of Samos because we couldn't decide what to get. It was a little bit of everything and literally all of it was delicious. The gyro meat was outstanding and the lamb chop to die for! The place is small but we were seated right away at 7pm on a Saturday. If you have a large group you will likely have to wait. As others have said, it's cash only. Some of the other reviews indicated the staff was not overly friendly but that was not our experience. Our waitress was very friendly and quick to get us drinks. If you are in the mood for Greek, this is your place! read more

If heaven were to exist in a restaurant-form, it would be Samos. I go to school at UMD but I also have some family in Baltimore. There cannot be a time when I see them and I'm not thinking "When is the soonest possible time we can go to Samos." I'm a don't eat most meats but I always get the Neptune Salad (with shrimp) with some Baba Ganoush along with the meatless stuffed grape-leaves. I don't think words can describe how amazing their house dressing and pita bread are. My mouth is like a Niagara Falls right now just writing this. My Uncle and cousin enjoy the Lamb kabobs and always rave about the Lemon-chicken soup. The quality is fantastic here. The people who run it are proud to be serving great food. The service is fine for me, though I'm not picky with service. NOT A PLACE TO BE PASSED UP! read more

Love. Great Greek food, authentic, excellent quality, and great prices. ONLY downside - if you are going for dinner, prepare to wait. And also know that when they get busy, they stop their carryout/to-go service. Other than that, GO! Gyro is great, and their shrimp and feta pie and spanakopita are SOOOO good!!! read more

A friend brought me by for lunch. My initial thought was that it seemed modest and should have something good to offer me. I found it to be delicious! I did not order too much-a soup with chicken and lemon, and hummus on the side. It was home cooking to me. Exactly what I needed. Flavorful, fresh, and appealing to the eye as well. Told it can get jammin in there by around 7:00. I was there around 2;00 and we had no problem being seated. Just in case that matters to you. I intend on stopping by again for sure. read more

The pita bread & dipping sauce platter was AMAZING and the grilled squid appetizer DEFINITELY stood out. The grilled shrimp salad was overpriced and underwhelming. I would not order it again and found the house dressing to be over hyped. I would return for the great service and to try other menu items. read more

Awesome! Awesome! and even more Awesome! LOL ...Super friendly staff serves up mouth watering, traditional Greek favorites and specials. It has the look and feel of a Taverna. Everyone eating there leaves blissfully satisfied with a full stomach and a big smile on their face! Bring cash or use their ATM machine on premises. Consider bringing home some delicious Greek desserts! read more

I went because of the Yelp reviews, and I left impressed. During our 45 minute wait, I walked up to the check cashing / lottery place on the corner and purchased a bottle of wine (like Samos, they only take cash, and also like Samos, have an ATM). Back at Samos, the staff gave us two glasses, uncorked the bottle, and the wife and I drank while we waited along with a dozen other people. Once seated, we had the Calamari (good) and the combo platter (great). Especially like the tzatziki and the gyros. Prices were reasonable, service was good and the everyone in the place seemed to feel that a little wait was worth it for the food. An hour later, I'm back at home with garlic and dill on my breath as I write this review. I'll be back. Soon. read more

Meh the Greek place across the street from me is better. It took FOREVER for what we ordered to come out. We ordered spreads and salad and those ever took wayyy too long! The gyros were good for the price, but not worth the 20 minute drive. read more

Best Greek food in Bmore, hands down. Just remember to bring cash... no plastic excepted.