Customers are not friends to this place! We just ate dinner here, and after we placed orders the cashier lady told us , that we can't seat inside without explaining why. My daughter was hungry so we decided to give their outside patio a try on this freezing cold night without heater. BTW, there were plenty of open seats inside at that moment. Later I asked the waitress who brought food to us why we can't seat inside. She replied, because there is a catering order at 7 pm, so they ask customers to dine outside. It was around 6:30pm at the time. About half way through our meal, there was a family of four who clearly came in after us. To my surprise they were allowed to seat inside. It seemed odd, and I went on to ask the waitress. She said they are Sam's friends so they are allowed to seat inside. I questioned the lady :" It seams like you are treating your customers with two standards. We have little kid, and she is freezing cold too." She then reply:" They are chef's friends, if you don't believe, you can ask Sam." This is absolutely the most absurd excuse I have ever heard. Customers are NOT FRIENDS to this business. I don't see how can a decent business owner could think this way. Good luck Sam. Btw, the star is for the warm Dolma. read more

My friend surprised me with a mixed shawarma sandwich from Sam's. I had heard so many great things about the place. Unfortunately I had to ask what were the chicken pieces, as I could not tell by either the look or the taste. There was a lot of meat on the pita bread, but the flavor for me was nothing to write home about. There was a very runny sauce still not to sure what it is and then a thicker white sauce which was is more what I am used to. Overall, it was good but nothing I need to have again. A response to the owner: You must be confused. I am not the person you are saying that talked to your daughter when ordering. Your response tried to paint me like a disgruntled/unreasonable costumer. For the 5 years I have been doing Yelp I have a 75% four or five star ratings for businesses. I give my opinion fairly. Again it is only my opinion. I have never had a owner ever reply with such a tone. For the yelpers, the above review is the original review with the original stars, I have only updated by adding the section "A response to the owner." read more

Sam's Cuisine - Mixed shawarma sandwich to go - Mediterranean Near Me - Davis, California

Sam's has a special place in my heart brings back memories from being a UCD student. The schwarma (aka sandwich) has changed over time but still tastes the same. I miss the days when we ordered the chicken and would get the minced chicken kabob not the schwarma meat. Price point to food hits the mark. Excellent service (super friendly) love the ambiance for retaining the homely feeling. read more

Sam's Cuisine - Menu 1/2023 - Mediterranean Near Me - Davis, California

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I love Sam's falafel wrap, & they have the BEST friesanywhere! Dip them in hummus. The service is fast, & Sam & his family are so sweet. Walk into this warm & inviting restaurant & enjoy a wonderful meal. You will not be disappointed. read more

Sam's is one of our favorite spots to eat in Davis. The shawarma over rice plate is enough for 2 (especially if you're trying to save room for baklava - and you should) and you can add a side of fries if you need a little extra. Sam and his family are incredibly kind, generous, and great at what they do. This is truly a family run restaurant and we love supporting this Davis institution. One of these days I'll stop to take a picture instead of just devouring my plate. read more

Best lamb shawarmas I've ever had, plus Sam and staff are super-friendly. They have a primo spot, just steps away from their old digs. Even Farmers Market food vendors go eat there. read more

Great food, helpful and nice service! Good seating outside to bring along our dog. Will be sure to order takeout from here again soon. read more

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Their chicken platter is amazing. I live in the Bat Area. Whenever I come to Davis I make sure to stop by!

I'm a student that attends UC Davis. Sam's cuisine is always a go to and one of my favorite places to eat. The service is very good and they're all friendly! My favorite is the lamb kabob read more

We both got chicken shawarma over rice. I also got dolmas as a side. We were disappointed that the chicken was not prepared in the shawarma style, but instead appeared to be flavorless processed chicken lunchmeat with some spices. The spices were good but the meat was uninspired, the texture was wrong and there was little chicken flavor. And the rice in the dolmas was soggy. The strange disconnect with other reviews here follows a pattern of disproportionately high Yelp ratings if an establishment has vegan options. Oh well. read more

What's not to love about Sam's? This place has been a Davis staple since before my college days, and as much as things have changed in Davis since then, I'm glad to see Sam's is just as reliable and consistent as ever. I stopped by with some friends on Saturday and grabbed lunch a little after 1:30. The Farmers Market was closing up and downtown was pretty busy, but luckily Sam's wasn't! We ordered almost immediately and I was impressed with how fast our order got out to us. It couldn't have been more than 10 minutes between the time we arrived and the time we began eating our food at the park. I went for the mixed shawarma on a pita - a go-to. It's an affordable offering at under $10 and is the right amount of food for a lunch. Don't expect leftovers but don't expect to be hungry afterwards, either! Hard to say whether I like the beef or chicken more, so it's great to have the option of both. Even better, there's lots of it! Expect to pick a hearty amount of toppings off of your wrapper as you eat; there's no way they're all staying in! Kudos to Sam's for the fast, friendly, and consistent service. There are a lot more Mediterranean options in Davis now than when I started my undergrad experience at UCD, but Sam's will always be #1. read more

Sam's Cuisine - Mixed Shawarma Pita - Mediterranean Near Me - Davis, California

Coming back to Sam's after 15 years was such a pleasure. When I went to school here, it was my favorite restaurant. Although he has since moved to a much nicer and well decorated location (next door) the food is still how I remember it, amazing. I am from Los Angeles, and I have been eating shawarmas for years, I have to say Sam makes the best I have ever had. Fresh vegetables, delicious sauce, loaded with savory meat, everything you want in a shawarma. The fries, as always, were remarkable. He recognized me after all these years and greeted me like an old friend. Was a really great experience and I will be back next time I am in Davis. If you want to support a family owned business with the best food and service around, make sure you come here. Thanks Guys! William read more

Fast and delicious! I really enjoyed my mixed shawarma plate with rice. The meats were really flavorful and a good quantity, though it was noticeably a bit salty. I did eat it all, though! It came with a small tomato and cucumber side as well as a ton of that delectable white sauce. Ready in a jiffy. Love the homey vibe and outdoor seating available. read more

Delicious food, and lots of it! Served quickly. Great place to chill, eat, and watch the humans of Davis roll by.

Sam's is consistently excellent. Family owned, good ambiance, high quality ingredients, excellent service. The only thing I would change is replacing the generic ketchup with a brand name or thicker, tastier ketchup. My teenager also loves this place. I'm so glad this business is here. read more

So bomb! Chicken and steak together wrapped up is amazing. Beef Shawarma nom nom nom read more

Incredible hospitality, Sam came out to say hello and show me on of his favorite dishes. Thank you! The mixed shawarma on pita is the go to. -Anthonyxibarrax read more

Sam's Cuisine - Mediterranean Near Me - Davis, California

MY ALL TIME FAVORITE RESTAURANT IN DAVIS!!!! 11/10 and 6 stars out of 5. This is a long review but I promise you it is worth it! This review is long overdue but I have to say that Sam's Mediterranean made a huge impact on my time in undergrad at UC Davis. From the first time i went as a first year even now it still blows my mind! Whenever I am in the area this is the first place I will stop by for a meal. Here are a few reasons why Sam's has and will always captivate my heart/stomach/tastebuds. 1) The exceptional kind people -Davis has several mom and pop shops and Sam's happens to be one of them! Sam the owner is a very sweet man and thought he is the owner of a very successful restaurant when he is there will personally will take the time say his and ask how the food is. His daughters Rhem and Jenny are rockstars and have amazing customer service skills. They always are prompt in checking in with you and are so personal. Additionally they make a huge effort to remember things about me. After a few visits I asked them if they could remember my order and they really tried to get it down! (ask for the Spencer special and you won't be disappointed) It really goes a long way and it makes you feel valued as a customer and as a person! It is to the point where I look forward to seeing them! 2) Food made with love I am not kidding when I say that the food is made with love. You can literally taste the heart and soul that this family pours into it. Every single time I get the Spencer Special which is basically the beef over rice with a few minor adjustments and I have not been disappointed. The tomato's are super juicy and flavorful providing nice texture. The rice is plentiful and not to salty. Then the beef is thinly sliced and goes so well with the rice. Lastly the yogurt is literally a blessing from heaven. It's creamy, full of garlic, and it's so fresh. I could eat that stuff alone. I am not kidding when I say that this would be in the top 3-5 for my last meal on earth. 3) Family owned and family built -I already mentioned the family that owns this restaurant but you really got to give them props. 25+years that this restaurant has been nestled in the city of Davis and they are still going strong. In this day and age there are seemingly more chains and less mom and pops. Knowing that buying a meal from Sam's is supporting this family is truly a win/win. I told Sam that I have been dying to have a restaurant in the Bay Area and he said we shall see but maybe a food truck first. Thank you Sam's and the family! You will always be a bright and special gift to the City of Davis. I am already planning my next visit back! :,) read more

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Lovely waitstaff. Fast service even though there were lots of people. Fresh and delicious falafel on pita sandwich. Ate every bite! Sat outside under umbrella read more

Just got back from a 2 wk trip in Israel and decided to give this place another shot since I last tried it in 2018 as I rly wanted middle eastern food. Rly disgusted by the food here if I'm being honest I got kinda hyped walking in seeing the paintings of Jerusalem and ornaments on the side. Went up to the counter and ordered a falafel over rice plate. so disappointed to see it come out in a Styrofoam container.. also this is low-key illegal in Davis... So definitely some dishonest owners. The food: Rice was borderline inedible. Super super soggy and clumpy. Falafel also super soggy and flavor profile completely off Hummus was absolutely disgusting actually idk if it is even safe to eat because it tastes putrid and has a sour/rotten taste The only plus was the waitress was rly friendly but otherwise please do not support this business... read more

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I was craving for mediterranean food and found it on yelp. I have ordered 2 chicken kebab platter and hummus togo for me and my wife. The food portion was good but lots and lots of tomatoes. The chicken was supposed to be kebab but it looks like they grilled the chicken. Overall the food was bland and i do-not get that much taste. But The hummus was great. We enjoyed pita bread with hummus. read more

Sam's Cuisine - Tomatoes. - Mediterranean Near Me - Davis, California

The staff here is super friendly and the food was good! We ordered grabbed a seat outside and within a few min our food was ready. It was awesome! Great service, the whole vibe of this place was pretty cool so if you're in the Davis area and want Mediterranean food give this place a try! read more

Sam's Cuisine - Mix shawarma plate - Mediterranean Near Me - Davis, California

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This place is definitely worth the hype! Definitely one of the better eats in Davis. P A R K I N G Lots of street parking but also kind of busy. Parked like half a block down. 4/5 S E R V I C E She was probably one of the nicest cashiers I've ever had. Literally. She was cheery, nice, and efficient. When me and my boyfriend were chatting about the menu while we were waiting and looking at the Greek salad she overheard and said ours already included it :) the food also came out super quick, probably like 5-7 minutes? 5/5 F O O D When we finally got our bag of food it was SO HEAVY I was shook. I got the chicken shawarma and my boyfriend got the mixed shawarma with spice. (I wish I got mine spicy it just added nice extra flavors) The rice and meat were great as expected but I REALLLY loved the salad which I definitely want to grab next time!! Can't wait to come back! 5/5 read more

Sam's Cuisine - Mixed shawarma + spicy - Mediterranean Near Me - Davis, California

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Cute spot with nice decor. We got mix platters. Yummy & generous portions. Lovely & kind customer service. Indoor & outdoor seating. Street parking. Free baklawas. Thank you! read more

Sam's Cuisine - Mediterranean Near Me - Davis, California

My friend and here came and the food was pretty solid! Honesty the food was a bittt on the blander side compared to what I usually prefer but it was still good. The cashier might be one of the nicest people I've ever met!! I would come again just to see her. The restaurant was nice and I love the outdoor seating area, that's where my friend and I were. read more

Sam's Cuisine - Mediterranean Near Me - Davis, California

I felt like I was fooled by other reviews. Maybe college students are so hungry that anything tastes good??? I ordered takeout and tried the mixed shawarma salad plate, hummus with pita, and sadly ordered a second Greek salad without putting much thought. The cashier was not too friendly and was not warm or welcoming. The meat is chopped into bits and pieces unlike other Mediterranean places. It kind of tasted like a bunch of random lunch meats cut together and stirred in some oil and spices. I did not taste any lamb or beef. The meat was lighter in color like chicken or something. The salad consisted of ice berg lettuce, which was also a shock as that is not typical. It's like one of those salads from a fast food restaurant, but with olives. The hummus was runny and had a bitter aftertaste, and was gross to me. I was also not given any utensils and did not realize until I came back to my hotel. They also charge .35 for all card transactions. I will definitely not return. read more

I am a sucker for Mediterranean food, especially from establishments that have earned its trust and respect from the local community. My friend put me on this Davis favorite, and I was excited to hear they were back in business after learning the unfortunate family circumstances during the pandemic. Very nice outdoor seating patio, right across the farmers market! The chicken shwarma on pita and fries were $12, which is insane. The pita was stuffed with meat and super light, didn't feel too oily. The crinkle fries were good too. Young lady working the cashier was also very kind and vocal. read more

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THE KING IS BACK. I have been craving Sam's Mediterranean throughout Covid-19 only to find out the unfortunate circumstances that befell the family. Today (07/22/21), I checked Yelp in hopes I could satisfy my Mediterranean cravings. And... they had reopened! -screams internally- After so long Sam's food has not disappointed and, i dare say, it never will. I ordered the Mix Shwarma Rice Plate. The cool creamy yogurt complemented the juicy shredded meats and rice. I'll be coming back to support my favorite local restaurant! Welcome back Sam's. The total was $13 with tip and tax. read more

Sam's Cuisine - Mix Shawarma with rice - Mediterranean Near Me - Davis, California

I can't believe I've never tried Sam's after being in Davis for years now. I decided to try it today before I moved out and I'm glad that I did! I got the chicken shawarma on pita which was really flavorful and filling. There was a lot of chicken so the ratio was a bit off but I can't complain about having extra meat. The people that were working were also super nice and helpful on helping us decide what to get. I hope to come back again to try their fries and shawarma over rice. Also, they only accept cash or zelle as of right now so make sure to bring cash! read more

Sam's Cuisine - Chicken on pita - Mediterranean Near Me - Davis, California

Best value around the University of Davis. Was starting to develop hanger and line for nearby burger place did not seem to be moving so gave Sam's a try. No regrets. Cash only but being Chinese, I know some of the best places are cash only. I got beef and hubby got chicken. We split fries. The pita was packed with meaty deliciousness. Additional plus because hubby is very particular and Sam's honored his requests to perfection. He actually ate his whole pita which I rarely see. I only ate 3/4 and had the other 1/4 for breakfast (still yummy). Worried that if we lived in Davis, we would eat or order take out from Sam's at least weekly. We love road trips where we find local gems like Sam's Mediterranean. read more

I somehow have never left. a review for my favorite shawarma in the world, I have been to Dubai, Afghanistan, Turkey, NY, LA and nothing taste quiet like a mixed shawarma over rice at Sams. I have been going here since i was 5 years old and I will go here until I die, my son will go here and his sons and daughters will go here. If you are in Davis and you don't go here you truly missed out. Thank you Sam for all the amazing food memories. read more

Super happy to return to Sam's after more than two years! We stopped for dinner (it has been a faithful lunch spot for us, but this time, we grabbed some takeout for dinner). It did not disappoint! Portions were generous - so much chicken in my chicken shawarma! It was just as I remembered - and provided leftovers for the next day. Ditto with the mixed schawarma that my son and husband had. Fries are still the crispy wavy kind that I remember, with a dusting of spice to give it an edge. Our food was brought to us with a smile. The service was so friendly and warm and I had to stop myself from breaking down and telling the server how much I've missed Sam's and thanking her for being open once again. read more

Sam's Cuisine - Fries - Mediterranean Near Me - Davis, California

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I've been waiting for this place to open after not finding any good Mediterranean food in Davis/Sac....this did not disappoint! The mixed pita: huge and worth sharing! I can't believe this is only $9. The meat is perfectly seasoned and I loved that there were veggies in it. Eggplant dip: comforting, has a little kick and comes with a ton of pita Dolmas: I think the best I've ever had, they had the perfect tang. The service: the gals working the cash register and delivering the food were so sweet and helpful. Only thing I would change is to have hand sanitizer at the counter. Can't wait to bring back my kids - they would love this! read more

Sam's Cuisine - Dolmas, eggplant dip + pitas - soooo good! - Mediterranean Near Me - Davis, California

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The sweetest people!!! While pregnant I had my Dr. appointments in Davis just for Sam's. The food is amazingly good and it's 100% going to be the best shawarma you will find in Davis. read more

Sam is back!! Thank god!! After a sad year...Sam and his 'crew' are back....feeding the community! YAY! This place is just amazing....from the service....with the food!! I love the Falafel with Tahini....they are quick and its just amazing! Please support and get fed by these folks! read more

Sam's Cuisine - Falafel with Tahini Sauce! - Mediterranean Near Me - Davis, California

Generally a solid restaurant. Enjoyable food, absolutely wonderful sauces, and pretty fast service. Since it is a small business it isn't uncommon for certain menu items to run out entirely, and sometimes they do seem overwhelmed in the kitchen. But overall I have had really great experiences here, and keep coming back! read more

Stopped here on my trip to Uc Davis, this place came up on a highly rated Yelp suggestion and nearby to my seminar. I'm glad we stopped, the food was delicious and the service excellent! Prices reasonable for area and food. Parking is difficult but worth it, perhaps the weekend wasn't the best time to go due to a farmers market occurring with lots of traffic. read more

We ordered the Shawarma on Pita. This was by far the most tender and juicy meat in Shawarma. It started off tasting good but after a couple of bites it was so salty that could not eat it any more. Since we had taken to go we had to search for something else to eat. Seems like the meat was overly salty or by mistake they put in extra salt. read more

Sam's Cuisine - the dining room - Mediterranean Near Me - Davis, California

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All I can say is WOW My buddies and I had lunch here the other day. We all ordered this shawarma chicken or beef on a pita bread (a sandwich). The food is absolutely wonderful. Flavorful, not dry, and a very good size portion for a $9 sandwich. We also ordered their special seasoned French fries and humus with pita bread. I make a very good homemade hummus. Theirs is better Service was quick and the place has both indoor and outdoor seating A definite 5 star place read more

This is place is soooooo good! The gyro and chicken are delicious!! This place is family run and the owner is super nice as well!