Great local greasy spoon. Service is quick. Food is delicious. Wait staff is extremely nice. Highly recommended.

One of the greatest hidden gems at U of I. Love the food and service. Gives you a true feel of Champaign.

Oh my word the food looked so good I forgot to take a photo... And it was that amazing. It's cash only beware of that... The service is great the bacon on point so yummy and the prices are excellent. read more

Sam's Cafe - That good - Diners Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Greasy diner food as you expect - quaint and retro, a bit worn at the edges, makes you put on your rose colored glasses. There's no turkey sausage, muesli, oatmeal or egg white omelets here. Heck there's nothing green - want fruit? There's ketchup on the table! What you get is exactly what what you want if you're going to a place like this - all-American comfort food - no frills - just carbs, eggs, and pig meat in various combinations. Service is friendly and quick, prices are cheap. The food is satisfying; but enjoy the feeling while you can because there's no way to rationalize this stuff later. For those on a "diet," some items are offered in 1/2 portions - LOL. Pancakes are more flat and crispy than light and fluffy which is great in my book. The French toast is like the illegitimate love child of Aunt Jemima and Anthony Bourdain ... it's good but you're not quite sure where it came from! Biscuits and gravy were good enough and the pork sausage patties were nicely caramelized on the flat top. read more

We are from San Francisco recently relocated to Chicago and have eaten out at many places. From the Westside to the midWest this is one of the best places we have ever eaten at. Quality Meals. Quick and kind service. Had the French toast and the wife had eggs and pancakes. Thanks Sam read more

I should have taken a photo, but all of the reviews are accurate. Hot, made to order, delicious food. I had the french toast with eggs and bacon, and everything came out as requested. Sam's is a winner! Treat yo' self!! read more

Went into Sams this morning looking for a good breakfast after a night out with my friends. I have had many great breakfasts with my family, but unfortunately today we didn't even get to eat. We sat down at a table and as the waitress came to get us menus I asked for a rag to wipe down the table. She rolled her eyes and walked away without saying anything else. She brought the rag back, wiped off half the table then started to walk away, I asked her for the rag back because half the table was covered in syrup. I wiped down the rest of the table and gave it back. She was again angry and then when she came back with our waters she threw our straws at the table. My friends and I are all bartenders, we work in customer service, and we mutually have all never had a server be so rude to us without saying any words at all. We decided to leave because we did not feel like the experience was going to be worth it. I am disappointed because I was really looking forward to some pancakes :/ read more

I went to grab some breakfest. There is a menu online stating there prices for double burgers are $4.40. they were charging me more. When I asked to speak with a manager or owner there were non present and I was told " get you a** out". All I did was ask to for an owner or manager. read more

I'm such a huge fan of hole-in-the-walls. As my friend Andrew W. once said, they have nothing else going for them but their food. Therefore, the ones that stay open are successful by the sole virtue of their food. And that's exactly why I'm giving 5 stars to Mr. Sam and his cafe of dive heaven. I have many regrets from my college career. One of these is that I didn't discover Sam's until late in the game. I get to experience two of my favorite words here: CHEAP BRUNCH. Breakfast platter special for $3.75??? Fluffy french toast for under $5???? Pancakes? Omelettes!!!?? OH YES PLEASE GIMME NAO I WANT IT I WANT IT SO BAD. Footnotes: DO NOT eat here if: - you are on a diet. I don't think the cooks know what that word means. No Lite Butter or Diet Fat Free Bacon to be found here. - you are a snob. The "decor" consists of plastic furniture and faded ads in lieu of actual ceiling tiles. - you are a germaphobe.... but really, why would you be? Snap out of it, take a class in immunology. Germs ain't got nothin' on you. (Sorry, bio nerd leaking through.) DO eat here if: - you are a broke-ass college kid. Full meals for under $5 ... how could you resist? - you love breakfast foods. The french toast is particularly noteworthy. Advice: CASH ONLY; FOR BFAST, CLOSES AT 2 PM (I think - it's been a long time since I was there. It's either 2 or 1...) read more

I have always wanted to try Sam's. Finally having a dentist appointment at 7 am (ICK!) meant that I was done and hungry by 7:45 this morning, so I went. Sam's is a cute greasy spoon hilariously sandwiched between two slightly snobby upscale restaurants. I like that about the place. The service is fast, the food is super-quick and quite cheap (I got a breakfast special: bacon, 2 eggs and toast--for $3.50. I know.) I definitely got the feeling that this was a local place for a lot of the people and I was a 'new face,' but I didn't mind. The food was fast and good. I wish I'd tried a pancake, but I didn't this time. I'd go back again. Basically, it's no-frills, straight up fast and cheap service. And that's refreshing. :) Oh, and they don't take cards. Bring cash. It's not like you'll need a lot of it! read more

So I am from Phoenix, AZ, but recently visited Champaign with the boyfriend for the holidays. I have been hearing about Sam's breakfast, in particular the french toast, for months now. I love french toast, it is my favorite breakfast food. I wasn't expecting much, thinking that it was sure to be less fantastic than my boyfriend claimed it to be. Sam's is the epitome of a greasy spoon. No frills decor, you walk through the kitchen to get to the bathroom and your table is likely to be wobbly. The server took care of us but was busy with other tables so the service was polite and attentive but short and sweet. We each ordered a breakfast special and then split an order of french toast. The breakfast special items (eggs, meat, toast, hashbrowns) were basic but good. The french toast? Ridiculous. Seriously, the best french toast I've ever had. The cook dips the bread in thinned out pancake batter and then fries it up. It is rich, crispy and seasoned with powdered sugar and cinnamon. It was a tasty breakfast on a cold, rainy day. When the Illini basketball team walked in the door, my boyfriend was in heaven. At the end of the meal we realized that we didn't have any cash and Sam's doesn't take cards. Because my boyfriend was a regular in his college days, Gus, the owner, was nice enough to let us leave, get some cash and come back to pay. Our total was about as pleasing as the french toast. 12 bucks and change for two coffees, two specials and french toast. Crazy cheap. Sam's is far away from home, but we'll visit everytime we're in Champaign. read more

I ate here regularly as a grad student and 20 years later I still come back. Food is great, prices are good and the servers are very personable. A wonderful place in the middle of downtown Champaign. read more

Best value in town. The breakfast and lunches are just "ok", greasy spoon standard, but their low, low prices bring them into the 3-4 stars territory. I would not say the place is dirty (because it's not), but I hope they wash their hands after touching that cash register. The Lebanese dinners are really special, as when we went, Sam's wife was there and talked to us about the food and culture of Lebanon, really making us feel welcome. She explained every item on the menu for the noobs and really seemed to care about us and our experience. The food was great. I cant justify 5 stars for this, as it is not high cuisine, and the decor, even for a greasy spoon, is pretty poor. But when your meal is less than $5 (with a drink, and fries), who's complaining? read more

Disclaimer: This is a review of Sam's Cafe's new evening menu. In recent months, Sam's, which appears to be a typical greasy-spoon coffee-and-eggs place during the day, has begun serving delicious Lebanese food on Thursday and Friday evenings. My husband and I came with two other friends, with whom we seldom agree on where to eat. I was curious about this place, but wasn't holding out extremely high hopes, since one of my dining companions is from the Middle East and has sky-high standards for Middle Eastern cuisine. All these problems melted away, however, when we tried Sam's. Even my Middle Eastern friend was impressed. Service is quite friendly and lightning fast, and although the menu is limited, everything is delicious! All the entrees are very reasonably priced and include such classics as falafel, kafte, hummus, and tabbouleh (which was especially delicious!). All the dinners come with a choice of two side dishes (hummus, Greek salad, or tabbouleh). The baklava is the best I've ever had. One caveat: They do not accept credit cards, so make sure you have cash on hand. Not knowing this caused my husband to make an emergency ATM run, but the baklava was waiting for him when he returned, so all was well. I'm thrilled that we found this place; it is a treasure! My friends and I will now never have to argue about where to go out to eat, and that is amazing in and of itself. read more

Did you know the specials are here at the top? Because the greasily myopic server will remind you of this no matter how frequently you visit. You could get the best damned French toast in the world at Sam's every weekend, and I'm pretty sure he'd still point out the special. Did you read what I wrote there? Best. Damned. French. Toast. In. The. World. How is it so good? That's a good question. Somehow the combination of totally ordinary white bread and totally ordinary pancake batter transcends the potential of both parts to result in something truly drool-worthy: a giant slab of golden brown toast in a pool of butter and syrup. If you like French toast, there's no reason to consider anything else on the menu. BUT if you do, you'll find that they also have grits - a rarity above the Mason-Dixon line - swimming in butter, crispy bacon, truly over-medium eggs, and delicious pancakes. The coffee is, well, blackish, but it's really not fair to judge a diner on the quality of their coffee. Your mug will always be full, for better or for worse. My husband and I moved away from Champaign in 2007 but make a point of having breakfast at Sam's whenever we're back. There are better-for-us breakfasts in Champaign. There are fancier breakfasts in Champaign. But there's only one Sam's, and we'll keep coming back as long as it sticks around. read more

Sam's Cafe, is a diner our host choose to take us and if you like a good breakfast diner this is your spot! All I had was coffee cause I'm not a huge breakfast kinda guy... But the Coffee was awesome! Way better then your normal bottomless pot type diner coffee. The rest of the gang ordered Omelettes, and French toast and both looked superb.. They were excited by the amount of food you can get for not much moola! Everyone was super stoked about our Sam's stop, and the staff was great and kept my coffee full! read more

The perfect inexpensive diner experience - even though it's a small place, we have been there several times and have never had to wait to sit (including a weekend morning). Don't get me wrong, there's always people there, just always seems to be a table ready! We are not big eaters so we get a half order of French toast, breakfast special, and a side of grits - and split that all between us and our 1 year old daughter. French toast is unique and excellent, and the breakfast special is exactly what it is supposed to be - eggs, sausage (or bacon), toast, American potatoes, and coffee, and prepared how you like it. Everything including a milk for the daughter is $20 with tip. Service is awesome - everyone is super-friendly. 1/2 star reserved for the inconvenience of not accepting credit/debit cards - that would make this place 5 stars! For now, make sure you keep an Andrew Jackson on ya! read more

As good as a cheap and greasy breakfast gets. Very friendly staff, and it really feels like a neighborhood restaurant. The breakfast special with coffee is a fantastic deal, and the refills keep coming. Better food than Merry Ann's in some ways, since it is the same type of food, but Sam's is only open during the day. I'll hopefully get a chance to go back for dinner. Overall, this is one of the best of breed for greasy delicious breakfast food at low low prices. read more

After seeing the reviews of this place a friend and I decided to try it. We were completely disappointed and frustrated afterwards. When we first walked in I totally thought of turning around to leave, but I tried not to 'judge a book by its cover'. So we sat down and the service was just terrible. He talked way too fast and barely gave us time to respond. Didn't like him at all. As for the food, we ordered their special - eggs, sausage, American fries, and pancakes. EHHHHH! It was edible, sure, but delicious? Yeahhhh, no. I only ate it because I was really hungry and we had to pay for it anyway. The only positive thing I could say is it is cheap, so if you don't want to spend a lot on breakfast then I GUESS you should visit this place. By the way, CASH ONLY!* Another problem we had here. read more

The best french toast you will ever eat!!! I don't even like french toast, and I went to this place and ordered it based on reviews and I am so glad I did. I'm a believer. It has this crispy outer area and is drenched in cinnamon sugar, and perfect with syrup or without. A half order is plenty one, but go all out and get the full order! You'll be glad you did. Prices are great, I think a burger is under $3.00! I have never ordered anything other than french toast and hash browns. The hash browns are darn good too. The place is a little dumpy- poster boards on the ceiling, really uncomfortable chairs, broken equipment sitting out in the open, tables go uncleaned for awhile. But none of this matters, it's clean enough and the food is soooo good! Side-note: they only take cash. So go to the ATM right now, get some cash (you won't need more than $15 for two) and head over to Sam's cafe and order the french toast! read more

Sam's has the best pancakes I've had in quite a while. The coffee was really good too and my bacon and eggs were delicious. Sam is a charming man with a big smile, and the other staff is great too. This is so different from the bland franchise food that dominates modern American life - authentic diner food and really cheap :)) For a while, Sam's served Lebanese food on Thursday/Friday nights, but not at the moment. Wish it would make a comeback, because I've heard the food was fantastic! read more

Oh my. That is the best pancake I've had in ages. Crispy at the edges, fluffy in the middle. Wow. Perfection. I loved one of the previous reviewers wining about the lack of gluten free avocado toast made with free range avocados. This is not that kind of place. The food is simple and straightforward, the kind your grandma (or hers, if you're the college age crowd) would have served. Eggs, a pile of bacon, a fantastic pancake, a good cup of Joe. Now finish your plate. The garden needs weeding and those chickens won't gather their own eggs. In short, old school hole in the wall with friendly staff dishing out comfort food. And I mean "hole in the wall" in the most gloriously comfortable way. If you're the type of person who just can't even, skip it. If you are literally anyone else, just go. And have a pancake. read more

This is, by far, the BEST place to eat breakfast anywhere in the world. Do not leave Sam's without trying the pancakes. Even if you don't care for pancakes, you will explode in flavorful bliss when you try them. Sounds a little creepy, but it's true. read more

My favorite breakfast place in the area! So much food for such a great price. Their pancakes are the best I've ever had! I normally get the $8 deal where you get pancakes, eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, and coffee. Soo good and very fast service. read more

I went here for breakfast and I was quite happy. I had a bacon and cheese omelette and hash browns. It was inexpensive and very tasty. It is a no frills greasy spoon type of place but I kind of like that. read more

Environment is very shabby with some old chairs and tables. But the price and the taste is amazing. We two ppl ordered 4 things. Huge pancakes, very good omelette and waffle too. Even the oj tastes different. Strongly recommend. Parking is kinda difficult sometimes and only takes cash. read more

Good, cheap breakfast. After seeing all the excellent reviews here--many of which mention the fantastic french toast--how could I order anything BUT french toast? It was definitely pretty amazing. Delicious, and a perfect serving. I got a half order of American Fries on the side and it was plenty. The only reason you'd need a full order is if you intend to split it with someone! Basically hash browns, they were delicious. Crispy bits mixed with soft buttery masses of potato that leave a little bit of grease on the plate. Sounds disgusting? Trust me, it's awesome. Considering the simplicity of our order, it seemed like it took a while to get our food. The wait wasn't ridiculous by any means, just a little longer than I expected. Still, we were in and out within an hour. The atmosphere is probably going to take a few visits to grow on me. It felt cramped. Once we settled into our little nook I felt more comfortable. Clearly, if you're coming here, you're coming for the food...not the ambiance. And the food is indeed good. GREAT, even. I'll be back...for more decadent french toast...and scrumptious hash browns... read more

This is a true landmark in our town. I had no idea that Sam's Cafe, located in the heart of downtown Champaign, has been here over 30 years. The owner herself was behind the counter cooking breakfast for me and the other patrons. It was a great experience! The staff was friendly and patient, yet buisey taking and filling orders. They serve delicious breakfast favorites like bacon and eggs, french toast, and pancakes. They also serve sandwiches and other nonbreakfast foods. I had the biscuts and gravy. Best biscuts and gravy in Champaign! They were incredibly! I also liked that their hashbrowns were not mushy like certain other places have been. But besides the excellent food, its the fact that I was treated with respect by this establishment! They listened to what I wanted and made my food how I wanted. It was such a great meal and more than a meal an experience! This buisiness took a little time and effort to make something ordinary extordinary! They did this simply by showing respect and listening. Thankyou Sam's! read more

As far as I know, this is the only place to get good Levantine food in town! I am reviewing the Cafe's Thursday-night transformation into a Lebanese restaurant, as it never seems to be open when I have thought about trying their regular stuff. But who cares about that? The food is phenomenal! I get the garlic chicken almost every time because it's so good, but seriously everything is wonderful. It's so cute because they serve it on the same crappy styrofoam plates that you'd expect a crumby diner to serve you a greasy burger on, but the Lebanese cuisine is of a quality that could (and IMHO should!) be served at a way fancier place for way more money. What a cool place. Seriously. It's one of C-U's little gems. read more

Trying to get breakfast one weekend they doubled the price within a week. The previous weekend I got 2 breakfast specials and it was $16 and some change. With is decent. Tried the next weekend and on the phone when I ask how much my order was, it was $23 and some change, however I get there and a lady saying my order is $30. $30 for some half cooked eggs, 2-3 pieces of bacon and a pancake in Champaign. Sam's is delusional cuz ain't not way, not even worth it especially when I got the same thing the previous weekend for $16 and some change and to had complaints about the food too. Also if you try to call in orders u can't because they leave the phone off the line, and they don't clean the stove in between cooking different items. It's impossible to give you no stars, so I give you one but you don't deserved it. It's the rude staff, price changes when you want and unsanitary cooking habits for me. read more

Great little cafe! No fluff, no fancy decor. Just great food -,breakfast and lunch - every time. Served up by the irrepressible Sam and his friendly and efficient staff. Prices are outstanding. The food is tasty and filling. The French toast is a very special treat. I just had a Denver omelette and it was excellent. Lunch specials are great tasting and great value. It's my "go to" place for breakfast and never fails to please. read more

Looks can be deceiving, and Sams Cafe is a classic example of that. No doubt, there are places that look cuter with nicer decor but they don't have Sams food. Sams is my favorite place for breakfast in Chambana. A big reason for that is the French Toast. It is simply the best I have every had. The rest of the food is good, but I can rarely get myself to order anything but that. Wait staff is friendly and efficient. This is a great place for friends to grab a some food before heading up to a tailgate or after a great night out in Champaign. Sams is definitely a diamond in the rough. read more

I highly recommend Sam's Cafe. The food is 100% delicious. The delivery service is on point! I have had delivery from there twice now and my food has arrived incredibly fresh and still hot as if I ordered and ate in the restaurant. read more

Sam's is a homey breakfast cafe located downtown with hardworking staff and delicious breakfast food. They may have my favorite omelets in the area, even better than the giant ones at Original Pancake House. The cooks clearly take pride in their product; seems like every item is made to perfection. Very high quality breakfast food every time I've been here. read more

There are two reasons to come to Sam's: First, you're too lazy to cook and want to eat a meal of comparable quality at a super reasonable price. I got two eggs, three pieces of bacon, and two pieces of buttered toast for $4.95. Two, you want their breakfast special. Two slabs of French toast lathered in pancake batter and cooked into the most delectable squishy crispness you can imagine. Do your mouth a favor (flavor?), and order it. You'll cry a little once your plate is empty, but oh good god it's worth it. read more

Four stars bc they could clean up the place and yes, utensils are just old.. but what are you expecting from an old place that hasn't been renovated in a while? ok enough of the rant.. I came in because it was rated highly and I did get the French Toast, which is their specialty and recommended by others. It was Amazing, to say the least. I definitely will be back here again Just for the French Toast, but I'm sure the other food has to be good as well as I saw others plates come out. The only stipulation about this place I have, is they only take cash.. so remember to bring Cash with you. read more

It's difficult to describe the magic of Sam's. No, wait, no it's not. It's delicious, basic, cheap food.

I love local joints, and seek them out whenever possible. Unfortunately this one was a miss for us on this day (12/12/2019). The positives: the coffee was good and the waitress was friendly. The negatives: Our food was VERY greasy - way beyond normal:acceptable diner fare. In addition, there was a regular sitting near us that was essentially yelling back and forth with the staff and disturbing diners. Although I have empathy, it made the entire experience less than pleasant. But even without that, we would not return solely based on how greasy the food was. I think it could have been good if f not for it swimming in grease. read more

We probably went to some other "Sams cafe" , otherwise i do not understand all the good reviews about that restaurant.... We had a bad experience .....bad food and bad service. I will not recommend to my friends !!! read more

Sam's Cafe is amazing! One of the best "hole in the walls" I have ever been to! If you like french toast, this is the place to go. The staff is friendly and attentive. Walk in and seat yourself at an open table before they are gone! You can see the man himself working the grill most mornings. The reviews that say Sam's is "run down" are way off the mark. Sam's is not meant to be Baccaro. PS: Stop playing Pokemon and eat some french toast! read more