They were finally in San Jose- so excited! They're start time was 11:30am, I got there about 12:15pm and thank god there was NO line to my surprise. I ordered the lobster roll, fried calamari and clam chowder. The calamari was lightly battered and fried- it came with 2 dipping sauces: cocktail and aioli. The lobster roll was good but honestly a little disappointing because the lobster was a little dry! I wish there was a tad bit of a light dressing of some kind. The break was toasted nicely tho. The clam chowder was my favorite! It was delicious and had plenty of clams and not heavy with cream. I would eat it all again! Haha read more

Sam's Chowdermobile - Clam chowder not pictured - Food Trucks Near Me

The first time I had Sam's Chowdermobile, it was like lobster heaven! The buttery toasted bread was lavishly smothered with lobster. Every time that I came back (probably 3 times) the lobster roll got smaller and smaller, so I just no longer wanted it. Why spend the same amount of money when you're getting less?? I love the lobster roll but I will be on the hunt to find the next great Lobster Roll! You can see the difference in the before and after pictures I uploaded... I'd rather have a bigger roll than cole slaw that I don't even like, in my personal opinion! It is good though, you have to try it at least once because it was featured on NBC's The Today Show's "Top 5 Best Sandwiches in America". Even though lines are CRAZY crazy long, I still think that it's worth it if you're waiting with a group of people or if you come for the CLAM CHOWDER! I love clam chowder!! The reason why I am in love with Sam's Chowder is because the clam pieces are huge! It feels like you can spoon up a whole piece of clam... while at other places, I am searching for the clam in my chowder! Sam's chowder broth isn't thickened by tons of flours which makes the natural ingredients mesh better. Another plus, they add smoked bacon!! Other noticeable things: -The calamari is GOOD too! -The PO BOY sauce is amazing! delish! -They take credit card so you don't have to make a trip to the ATM/bank to get cash before you hit up the food truck! read more

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I rarely give out three stars, but I feel disappointed with the food I ordered tonight. I've heard good things about Sam's Chowder mobile so I was expecting so much more from them. I ordered the clam chowder and the lobster roll. I've been wanting to order from them for the longest time but I was always a little hesitant because of the priciness of their food. However, tonight we had family from New Orleans and they don't usually get the food truck experience so I wanted them to try everything. The clam chowder was good, but nothing out of the ordinary. It tasted like any other clam chowder and for its price, I don't think it's worth it. The lobster was most disappointing. Looking at the lobster roll, it appeared delicious and well worth the price because the lobster meat was huge. However, when I bit into the lobster roll, I thought the lobster was overcooked. The lobster meat was more tough, not juicy. It was also very chewy. I felt that it didn't have much flavor to it either. I just didn't think that what I received tonight was worth the $16.50. I expected a lot more than that from an expensive roll. Overall, I feel disappointed with the food I ordered from Sam's Chowder Mobile. I expected a lot more from them from what I have heard before. Maybe it's because I had high expectations that I was disappointed with what I had tonight. I'm not sure if I'll come back and order more from here because the food is kind of pricy. read more

I was browsing around some of my foodie feeds and found that this place was near my work, so I stopped by to check it out. I grabbed the Lobster roll after hearing much of the acclaim. And I can definitely say that it is a great sandwich. Loving the crisp bread, the awesome lobster itself. And the cole slaw plays as a great compliment to the roll. With that said, it is definitely not worth the money, I don't care how rare or special it is for lobster to be, but I just don't understand it. And if I am paying that price, it better be something bigger than the 6" of food. Just get something else next time, like the Clam Chowder or something. read more

Sam's Chowdermobile - The Lobster roll is apparently one of the top 5 sandwiches in America? I'll be the judge of that. - Food Trucks Near Me

Clam chowder is better at the restaurant in HMB but the calamari is fresh and delicious with a huge portion. read more

Sam's Chowdermobile - Clamari is good portion. And delicous. Fresh - Food Trucks Near Me

The food was really good! I got the fish n chips meal and the fish was nice and crispy. Fast service, the fries were amazing and they give you a nice portion! Would try again forsure! read more

Not the worst lobster roll I've ever had, but not the best either. It was a perfect example of a middle of the road lobster roll. It gets points for having an abundance of claw and tail meat, but it loses points for the bland flavor. I don't remember the chowder, so it was neither terrible nor remarkable. Some kind of aioli, a garnish, or sauce on the lobster roll would give it a significant boost. read more

Sam's Chowdermobile - Lobster roll and chowder. - Food Trucks Near Me

For a mobile catering truck, I have to say it was pretty good. I have never had a lobster roll prior to eating here, and as a portion size I would say they definitely do not under provide. The Lobster on my roll was over flowing with huge chunks of meat from the tail and claws. The flavor of my lobster I would have to say was at some bites a little fishy and did not taste well cleaned, but then again there are people may love the rawness of the sea. The clam chowder was chocked full of large pieces of clam and vegetables. I highly recommend this choice. read more

I've had Sam's chowder and lobster roll before at the Oakland Eat Real Festival, so I didn't bother trying either of those again. I remember really loving the rich chowder, but not being super impressed by the lobster roll - it was much too bland for my taste. This time around, I tried the fish taco and the calamari, as well as my friend's shrimp po'boy. The fish taco didn't impress - the battered fish was dry and flavorless. I would have preferred a well-seasoned and/or grilled alternative instead. The only redeeming factor was the pineapple salsa/garnish. With the po'boys, you get the biggest bang for your buck. My friend's shrimp po'boy was HUGE and also came with a side of Sam's Old Bay fries. The battered shrimp tasted fine solo, but was much better sandwiched between a huge dollop of the 'special sauce', some lettuce, and a piece of the heavily buttered bun. Of the three things that I tried this time, the calamari was my favorite. My only piece of constructive criticism is that the batter to calamari ratio could be significantly lower. Honestly, the calamari pieces were small enough to be comedic. Overall, a solid three stars. read more

The lobster roll was overflowing with lobster and the brioche bun sets it apart from hot dog rolls. The clam chowder is the best I have ever tasted. The cole slaw was fresh and tasty. The food from the chowder mobile is considerably less expensive. And as there was a considerable wait for patio dining, it was a great option. Have to visit the San Jose location. read more

I should've known that anything from a food truck is expensive, but I wanted a quick snack from walking around the Golden Gate Park last Saturday and the weather was good for a cup of clam chowder. Worst decision I ever made to order clam chowder from Sam's Chowder mobile! For almost 6 bucks for a cup of chowder, it's so not worth it!! It was also watered down and flavorless. Even clam chowder from Sweet Tomatoes is better than this! I would save your stomach and money and eat elsewhere! There's plenty of good food around Irving Street if you walk a littler further out the park. read more

Pretty tasty lobster tacos! Was surprised how much I liked my order. I like the special sauce that they use and appreciate the fact that they don't oversaturate the tacos so they don't get too soggy. They use actual lobster AND you can actually see the lobster pieces which I think justifies the steep price tag- $11.75 for 2 soft lobster tacos. Actually wanted it to be crispy taco shells rather than soft taco but I enjoyed it nonetheless. My only complaints are there's not much room for customization. The menu is pretty limited & honestly, 2 soft tacos wouldn't really fill me on a hungry day. My friends who got the lobster roll REALLY enjoyed their sandwich. Apparently the bread tasted mildly sweet and resembled that of brioche. Definitely going to try that next time :) Worth a try & worth even a second try. read more

Sam's Chowdermobile - Lobster tacos - Food Trucks Near Me

I only had their lobster sandwich (because I heard their chowder wasn't very good). It was delicious, albeit pricey. Huge beautiful chunks of lobster on a roll that was buttered and toasted --- yum. I like the mix of celery - great texture and a light refreshing flavor. Comes with a side of slaw which was ok. read more

Sam's Chowdermobile - Lobster roll - Food Trucks Near Me

Didn't see the truck until I was already on my way to pick up lunch, so when I got back, I decided it was a yolo day and went to take a look. I got a cup of the clam chowder, and when I showed my co-workers, they went to get calamari as well as the fried shrimp. The chowder was soooooo good. It wasn't as heavy as clam chowder typically is, and the soup didn't look as creamy which I really liked. It definitely got more salty as I got to the bottom of the cup, but it is clam chowder so I kind of expected that. I had very generous portions of clams, bacon, and vegetables. Just thinking about it right now makes me want another cup. *drool* I tried some of the calamari and fried shrimp. The portion of the calamari was definitely more than the fried shrimp. Calamari didn't really have anything unique about it. The fried shrimp wasn't what I expected, as they didn't really coat it with flour before frying it. Actually, I don't think they even dipped it into any flour at all. It was just literally fried shrimp, which tasted great! The lack of extra stuff on it made each bite very light, and definitely tasted better with the sauce that came with it. Since they travel around, I'll be pretty bummed until the next time I see them. Please come back to Milpitas soon! read more

Sam's Chowdermobile - Clam chowder - Food Trucks Near Me

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On my way to the California Academy of Science, I saw these food trucks. So I picked Sam's Chowder Mobile to eat something before going to there. There wasn't a long wait. You get your clam chowder immediately after paying for it. But other items you would need to wait bit. I got a clam chowder for $5. It came in a pint portion with some oyster crackers. It tasted pretty good. I think it even taste better than Boudin but usually at Boudin it comes in a sour dough bread. I didn't know what I was suppose to do with the oyster crackers. I didn't know if I just eat it like that or add it into my chowder, so I just added it into my chowder. It took a while for it to becoming soggy. I love how the pieces of potatoes were small and soft. My boyfriend got Calamari for $6. The calamari was pretty good but we felt that the pieces of calamari were rather small pieces. But either way it tasted good. I would definitely come back to this food truck. It was yummy. We plan on coming back to try the Lobster roll ! read more

Sam's Chowdermobile - Clam Chowder ! - Food Trucks Near Me

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The Moveable Feast Food Trucks at Curtner VTA (Willow Glen/San Jose) often feature Sam's Chowder Mobile, and tonight Sam's was one of only three trucks. On better nights there may be a dozen or so trucks to enjoy. With such limited choices we gave Sam's a try. The signature "Lobster Roll" was delicious! The shortie (smaller size) was very filling, and didn't disappoint! The meal came with coleslaw, and the liberal melted butter on the dense roll closed the deal. The "Fish and Chips" held a lot of promise. The white Pollock fish was firm and steaming with nicely browned and crunchy batter. However, it was bundled with American French Fries. Not the thick cut fried potatoes (American Steak Fries?) I was looking for, either. Adding insult to injury, those wimpy fries were dusted in awful brown seasoning. Call them "Old Bay Chips" if you like, Sam, but they were terrible! That has cost this review a couple of points, and not much chance of me returning (or at least not ordering anything with 'Chips' (sic) or 'Old Bay Fries'. Hint: Leave the Lawry's seasoning at home next time you fire up the Chowder Mobile. Anyone can make something called "Fish and Chips"! There's no end of choices out there, but few can make really good fish and chips that remind me of my native London., UK. read more

After all the hype from a friend, I had to try it. Got a Shortie and a cup of their famous chowder. I LOVE THE CHOWDER, but the roll was a little short of my expectation because it was dry. The bread was too greasy for me and I would prefer my lobster a little more dressed. Maybe next time, I'll ask for more dressing. read more

Sam's Chowdermobile - Yummy chowder. - Food Trucks Near Me

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Lobster roll was delicious and generous size. Clam chowder was really good and had lots of clams and not much potato in it which is how I like it. Line was painfully slow but food came almost instantly after you order. My kid ate it up, five stars in my book. read more

Had the lobster shortie, popcorn shrimp, and fries, all amazing. I've had this truck a few times and it never fails with anything I've ordered. The lobster rolls are a bit pricey but that's common for any lobster rolls. The popcorn shrimp have a slight coat of hot sauce and perfect kick of heat. Fries are perfectly seasoned with old bay and the order is huge! Can probably share the fries with someone. Sam's Chowder Mobile does not disappoint. read more

Sam's Chowdermobile - Food Trucks Near Me

Three stars because you do not list a map to your truck locations PS it moves and this is the last know sites none are in the south bay :( http://samschowdermobile.com/ Facebook link is broken twitter was OK read more

Sam's chowder has visited our community a few times now and we get excited when their bright blue and red truck is parked right on the street! We have tried the clam chowder, lobster roll, fish and chips, calamari among a few other treats and each time the flavors and spices are scrumptious! read more

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So, our work place gets a different food truck each day for lunch, and the Chowder Mobile has come a few times. Many of the trucks are very expensive, try to be trendy but have so-so food despite, and give very little food. This truck, now that I've had it a few times, I feel knowledgeable enough to give it a proper rating... among the various dishes I've tried I remember most: 1. Lobster Roll: cashier asked me what size I wanted... well, alright, guess I'll splurge and get the "large." I forgot the exact price. Somewhere around $16? Something like that. Maybe more. Anyway, when they gave me I was like WTF, it was around the length of my hand (I wear medium gloves), and maybe 1.5" thick. Yeah. Hate to see what a normal/small looks like. Alright, so it tasted really good--the bun was soaked in butter too and toasted. Lobster tasted like it should. BUT, come on, ~$16 for a snack just as filling as a snack-size Cheetos!??? Just on taste maybe 8/10. But given the crazy price and the fact that this was supposed to be a LARGE, lunch portion, can't give more than 4/10 for this. 2. Clam Chowder: portion was more normal on this one. Was decent tasting. But what do you know, the soup was kinda clear looking, like a soup with a corn starch thickener. Something not cream. Very little cream in it. I dunno, what the deal is, cost-cutting? But this is not the rich creamy soup you expect from a truck called CHOWDER MOBILE. seriously? any canned clam chowder from the store is better than this. And then given the price... $6? Something like that. I forgot. Screw that. 2/10. Sorry, this is one of the MUST PASS trucks that come to our campus. I'd give 1.5 / 5. But I can't. Rounding up on this one just cause it tastes alright, but just is the hugest ripoff ever, AND they can't morally name themselves "CHOWDER MOBILE" if their chowder isn't chowder, RIGHT? If they cut prices by 50%, I'd give it a 3.5/5. The price kills it. Will NOT come back. #truck #sandwich read more

Seriously? A lobster roll of this caliber from a roach coach? Well, slap me around & call me Susan! Wow... You won't believe it unless you try it (or see it). Seems a bit pricey but when you see the quality of lobster stuffed into this buttery roll, you'll feel you've 'changed your latitude' (excuse the plagiarized, piss-brew Corona reference). My work has recently been inviting these trucks to the office during lunch hour & this is by far my new fave... read more

Sam's Chowdermobile - Lobster roll... - Food Trucks Near Me

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The stars aligned today. I was able to satiate a lobster craving by getting a lobster roll at Sam's Chowdermobile at the Taylor Street Market. It ain't cheap but it is soooo good. And I saved so much money on gas since the roll came to me instead of me driving to Half Moon Bay. read more

Sam's Chowdermobile - Food Trucks Near Me

WHAAAAAAAAA? You call THAT a lobster roll? Breat needed more butter. It was dry. Lobster was well cooked but skimpy and had NO flavor. Where did they get this lobster from?? The land of no flavor? Side note: Pretty on the outside but all it did was disappoint me. *sigh* read more

Let me say I built this up in my head for about 4 weeks. Seeing them at moveable feast and wanting to try the lobster roll, but 16 and change for a big one and what goes from $10.19 on the menu to $11.50 with tax final price for a "shorty" lobster roll I was finding it hard to pull the trigger. But I did finally and in a word I was bummed. The lobster roll was a "shorty" for sure. Much smaller than I expected but it's lobster it's pricey, I get it. So I'm looking it over and there is lobster but the roll isn't split all the way and it's not packed in like I was hoping. On to the tasting, I grabbed a piece of lobster that had fallen off the roll and it was okay, it wasn't hot at all, more lukewarm if that, which is what the whole sandwich was heat wise. The bread tasted a day or two old and was very greasy, but greasy is okay with me as long as it's hot and delicious but it was lukewarm like the rest of the sandwich. The lobster wasn't uber tender or anything like that. The coke slaw was tasty although I didn't get a fork(probably my fault) so that was a little hard to eat. I think my friend summed it up best when he said that it was a hit and miss item, and tonight it missed. Overall I have to say with so many moveable feast options that are, A. less money and B. more consistent, I won't be going back for a lobster roll anytime soon. But hey there are plenty of other reviews to the contrary, so if you want to roll the dice on this roll I say go for it. I'll try anything once. read more

Not impressed with the lobster roll. How dare you charge that much for a lobster roll and barely give any lobster!!?? Okay, fine- I understand lobster prices are high, hence, why you guys are skimpy with your lobster, but does it hurt to flavor it at least? Oh, and the bread was dry. It needed some buttah or mayo or some kind of slather on it. Your clam chowder however, never fails. read more

Tried their food at the Treasure Island Fest I had the lobster roll that melted in my mouth with their warm butter bread roll. My sister had their clam chowder that was really good as well! read more

Wow. I have had quite a few lobster rolls in New England, but Sam's lobster roll blew them all away. In fact, I can confidently say this is the best lobster roll in the US. Why? Because frankly the lobster roll I just ate was perfection. There is absolutely no way a lobster roll can be better. There were huge heaps of lobster that were succulent, soft, savory and fresh. They maintained that unique taste of the sea without overwhelming the entire roll. On top of that, the bread was absolutely amazing. Lightly toasted on the outside, the light crunch on the exterior gives way to bread that is as light as air on the inside. I've had few foods that have blown me away. This is one of them. Now I can see why this food truck is charging $18 for the lobster roll. Wow. read more

Sam's Chowdermobile - Food Trucks Near Me

I give Sam's Chowdermobile four stars just for the chowder. It is super flavorful and creamy with a fine texture. I love that it is packed with flavor, but it is not packed with a bunch of different chunks of stuff in the soup. Even though I loved the chowder, I would give the shrimp po boy 3 stars. It is a roll with battered shrimp, tomato slices, shredded lettuce, and onion.. It was not as flavorful as I had hoped it would be and the seasoned fries were ok. It was just ok for the price, but I had expected more. I waited over a half an hour in line to order, but after I ordered the food was waiting in the next window. Overall, the chowder was worth the wait but the po boy was meh. read more

Another overrated food truck? :-( I'm allergic to shellfish (I KNOW... what was I even doing close to this truck?!) but love fish tacos, so seeing those on the menu meant I had to try them. $6 for O-N-E fish taco (when I ordered, I thought it must be 2 to an order). Er... this is California, guys, not freakin' Norway. Around here, this ain't hard-to-procure exotic cuisine...it's available at practically every street corner. Oh, back to how the overpriced taco tasted: completely bland & somewhat oily. Not returning to this truck, sorry. From the rest of the group: the lobster roll: ok, but not great (and for the price?!?!). Andouille po-boy: so-so. read more

The regular lobster roll costs $18 which is comparable to OPLS price but it was nowhere near tasting as good as OPLS. The lobster meat was bland and tasted frozen, the bun was stale and overly toasted to the point that it crumpled on my first bite. The only good thing was the coleslaw that it came with the roll. I don't like coleslaw and their coleslaw probably the best I had in my life. The chowder was lukewarm and watery. Sigh, totally not worth $24 for the roll and soup. Not recommended. read more

hunger... stare at clock. hmm what delivers.... on second thought ..where's a damn food truck when you need one?! peek outside window. YAY food truck! Sam's Chowder Mobile.. let's see what you're all about. 10.95 for a shortie!? okay fine + a clam chowder? ok fine wobble wobble... back to desk with food.. one bite. OH.... MY..... GOD.... dammit. why did i just get a shortie???? I want more. :( It's a sweet bread that was well buttered. (I guess butter makes anything awesome right?) To my surprise, they weren't shady with the deliciously cooked lobster. (I guess that's why it's so pricey) On the side was a small dish of coleslaw. (not a fan of coleslaw so I didnt try it. The clam chowder was okay. I could do without. Lots of clams, potatoes and celery. Maybe if I added tobasco it would have been better. Might have to try some of their other stuff! read more

Sam's Chowdermobile - Lobster roll - Food Trucks Near Me

Heard of Sam's Chowdermobile for awhile but never had the chance to try it so when I saw them at a mobile feast night I was really excited. I ordered their lobster roll and some clam chowder. Lobster roll: ($16.00) - Warning! It's super buttery. The lobster pieces were really big and pretty good. The roll was much smaller than I expected especially for the price. A one time experience, I probably wouldn't get this again in the future. Clam Chowder: ($5.00) - Watered down, and not creamy the way I love my clam chowder to be. read more

Very nice people on the staff and reasonable wait times when I was at the food truck at noon on a Monday. I had been craving a lobster roll all week, and miraculously, this food truck appeared. The bigger lobster roll cost $17-$18, and my husband and I ordered this to share -- thinking that it was big, because it was a few dollars more expensive than the smaller roll. We also got a cup of the clam chowder as well. The wait wasn't bad at all, even though we were there around noon. We waited only about ten minutes or so. I should probably try more items on the menu, but I hear these two items are what they're most popular for, so we tried them first -- they were both disappointing, however. The lobster roll was too bland, and the roll was not toasted/warm enough. I don't need a lot of things in my lobster roll, because lobster is supposed to be the star of the roll, but this roll desperately needed something to add a little crunch, different textures, and flavor. Toasting the bread a little more and adding a little more salt would probably have done it. All I'm saying is that if I'm going to spend $20 on a sandwich, I expect it to be perfect. Maybe next time, it'll be better. Fingers crossed. read more

I experienced Sam's for the first time at a recent Off the Grid evening. I heard many good things from friends and others about the lobster roll. The lobster roll WAS quite good, although I'm by no means an expert. The lobster was tasty and buttered and the bun it came in was toasted but not burnt. Unfortunately, I don't often eat lobster rolls so I leave it to others to decide whether Sam's version is just "good," "very good," "excellent," or "best ever." I do have a reference point for the key lime pie though. Sam's pie was excellent. It tasted like real key limes, which have a distinctive sweet-yet-tart flavor. Most other places just use regular limes, or worse, lemons. Sam's is the real deal. Add a nice topping of whipped cream and a crumbly graham cracker crust and you've got a definite dessert winner! read more

I've always heard great reviews and seen good pictures from this place but when I went and tried their lobster roll and clam chowder, I was a bit disappointed. For a 16 dollar sandwich, I was expecting it to not taste dry, as if the meat was a bit overcooked. The chowder was nothing special, very forgettable. read more

Sam's Chowdermobile - Regular lobster roll - Food Trucks Near Me

Overall the food is OK, they are known for their lobster rolls and clam chowder. The chowder needed more ingredients, I like it chunky, but it was edible. The lobster rolls OK, they put a decent amount of meat on the roll. Don't bother with the shortie, it's just too small. The shrimp po' boy is a great value, but the shrimp need more seasoning. Always check your order before you leave. I ordered two regular lobster rolls and ended up with tacos! I went back to the truck, but when I got there the truck was gone, so I was a little pissy. I use to see them at Off The Grid in Larkspur, but they haven't been there for awhile. Sometimes they're at First Friday in the Uptown area of Oakland. They also show up for lunch sometime at 2100 Powell St. In Emeryville. They don't show the East Bay much love since they're hardly ever over here. read more

every time I have tried to eat from this truck they run out of the damn chowder! WTF? seriously get your shit together and bring more FOOD each time. i've never even tried the chowder yet because they run out. so disappointing. read more

I'm not sure if this was the one that stopped by off of 85 and curtner last night, but it was def the same company. There lobster rolls don't measure up to the ones that I've actually had in Maine, but they certainly beat the crap out of any lobster roll I've tried in California! It was very good and hit the spot last night. I would go back. I also like te ambiance of all the food trucks parked around, buckets as seats, oldies music, and lights. It's a great place to go with a date or your family. And the prices that I noticed on some of the trucks were pretty good. read more

Sam's Chowdermobile - The regular sized lobster roll, packed with lobster, and nice n buttery. Comes with a cup of cole slaw as well - Food Trucks Near Me