Sam's Kitchen
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Hawaiian garlic shrimp is a iconic local dish, not technically traditional Hawaiian food, featuring shell-on shrimp tossed in a pungent garlic-butter sauce, heavily popularized by North Shore, Oahu food trucks since the mid-1970s. With the recent flood happening at the end of March, and our trip being in early April, going to North Shore wasn't advised. While we have some great Hawaiian garlic shrimp spots in Arizona, we had to at least try to get some garlic shrimp while on Oahu. We gave this place a try just because we were already in the building. It wasn't a choice we made prior because honestly, I would have suggested trying a more well-known spot like two miles away, haha! We shared a $14 Shrimp with Original Garlic sauce on it and made it a combo with rice, a scoop of potato mac salad, and regular salad, $14 + $6. Sam's Kitchen was okay. I would have loved to have the shell-on but this place does not offer shell-on shrimp. Still, they make a decent garlic shrimp.
This has to be one of the best bang for your buck meals EVER. Tofu was delicious, perfect for meatless Monday and this was the best late night find. It's outside next to a hotel pool and super cute at night. Service was speedy and food was most affordable yet since eating in Waikīkī. Highly recommend!
This is a little hidden and off the beaten path but man was it worth it. I was craving a Hawaiian bbq lunch and they delivered the goods. Not shown are the garlic fries that I devoured on my walk back to my resort. The mac salad is a potato mac, my favorite. Bright fresh and big portions. I was full the rest of the day! They also offer a order ahead and pick up option.
A must stop when coming to Hawaii! The bartender makes a great Mai Tai and the spicy shrimp is my favorite. There's a little bit of a wait but that's to be expected with good food. Such a hidden gem! Definitely in my top 3 of food spots in Waikiki.
I've been told this place is really good and I was so excited to try it! I ordered the garlic steak plate with add on garlic shrimp, and a guava iced tea (not pictured) Price was about $35-$40. But I was excited so I thought it would be worth the price STEAK: the best thing about the steak was it was very tender! The garlic was good for a few bites but some of the pieces were so salty it literally burned my throat SHRIMP: nothing to write about this.. just salty, and no where near as good as Giovanni's Weirdly, the best part of the meal was the guava iced tea lol Idk if I came on an off night, but it was super disappointing :( I might give it a try once more though to see if my bad experience was a fluke
Dave is the Bartender/Manager here. Excellent service! Super friendly quick on the pour, and eager to please! They just started opening up for lunch time about a month ago - something they haven't done before, and people have been attending! Sheva (Seven) - was my bartender today - very friendly super engaging and always quick to entertain with fun trivia facts! Beer prices are fairly priced, see the pics I posted to see everything. No price gauging on wine AT ALL!! (Other places charge $15 for a chardonnay, and vary the prices of the wine depending on the type; now granted if they going higher end and longer age in a barrel I can understand - but for a bottle cali wine you can get @ Target for the same brand at $15 - ya know there are some mark ups!) Anyhoooo.... Let's talk the food: belly so happy taking leftovers home! Alright so Step 1: Choice of protein: fish, beef, chicken, tofu, vegetables. I asked for half chicken & half vegetable combo (they were EXTREMELY accomodating on that request)!!!!! Step 2: Pick yer sauce! They have 5 main sauces, pic enclosed. I went with the Spicy Teri Garlic! (trust me foodies it fiiiiiire! Step 3/Final Step: Choose da sides (again on the menu pic) I went for the combo - salad, rice, and potato/mac salad! Now for specialty drinks: Their Bloody Harry (a unique Bloody Mary) is completely worth it! Uses a unique homemade infused vodka that hands down you will NOT find anywhere else on island! Glass is rimmed with salt AND peppercorns, again another unique feature to this beverage! There is also a new beverage called Wonka Lada, which looks very much like something you'd see out of Willy Wonka's factory and/or if you really geeking out making comparisons to Monster's Inc! And others have compared it to something out of Warcraft, I can't say anyone is wrong! Smoothy style especially for those needing a nice cold fix! Li ing mui on the rim. Gives all the piña colada vibes with a strong hit of ube! This is one of those that hits you afterward!!!! Great vibe there are tables all around and even a small hot tub/pool area to give more to the atmosphere look! So don't complain if plastic cups are used because hotel has a no glass policy around the pool. This establishment has been here since last November. And don't think yer gonna get bored sitting here! Bar top is really solid hard wood!! There are all sorts of decor that each time you come here it almost a game of find this item! Tribal masks from Africa, Traditional tiki faces, bonsai trees, Hula instruments, saddles, tapa style roofing, beware the lobsters running amuck! Hmmm maybe a promotion needs to be done where what item is new hiding amongst all the decor for a special prize or something? And yes for you folks who are die hard sports fans - there are 2 televisions - everything comes from streaming services - so treat them nicely with yer tips and maybe they can get more power to more of what u wanna see! (hint hint hint) Overall this place is a huuuge 100/10! So bring tyler gang here! Oh in case u asked the bar is inside the Bamboo resort (fun fact this building been here for 100 years!)! And don't worry super close to the bus lines so for those who need an extra lift yer covered! (unless you ubered or lyfted or drove, rode yer own bike/scooter/skateboard or did yer own two feet here! Yes your mouths and eyes are watering to get over here! So easy way to know yer in the right spot is to see the vintage Yellow Woody sitting out front! Just please don't climb in it for photo ops - that would really make everyone sad. Yes Yelpers I "will be back"! Enjoy and help support these local folks running the place!
Well we didn't know what to expect at first but lemme tell you. This food was so delicious, fast, great service. I got the spicy teriyaki tofu salad plate and that was so good. My husband got spicy ahi with a half order of matsuri style shrimp with rice and Mr. loved it. This place upheld and exceeded its standards. The ambiance was very relaxed.
Sam's is tucked away in the back, but has enough decor near the street to find it. The first time I went, was a bit off hours afternoon time frame. I walked to the back and there was no one there, I was unsure of what to do, so I went to the bar and asked if it was Sam's. Sure enough the bartender gave me a menu and I ordered to go. Note that the menu is a little confusing. You need to order things as a plate to get the rice, salad, and potato/mac salad, or else I guess its considered a la carte? I enjoyed it so much that I went twice and seriously considered going a third time in the span of a few days. They are also open late! They do have plenty of seating there but I opted to eat back at my hotel. Online ordering is not available for this location, despite what te menu says. On the first visit, the potato salad was such a sad small scoop, the second time I went, I asked for an additional a la carte side of it for 2.50 and the scoop I got with the plate was also much bigger this time. (See pictures) Overall, really enjoyed the food and would definitely return.
We really enjoyed our lunch here. The seating area was so relaxing and quiet. Food was great and service was kind and attentive. I would absolutely return.
Quaint place and if you blink, you'd miss it. It's a bar situated at the hotel pool. It's a very divey feel but the bartender was super cool while we made a pit stop for drinks and a shrimp plate. I'd come here again.
I came here for garlic shrimp after finding this place on someone's blog. The entrance was quite hard to find--at first, I thought it was just a food truck. When they asked if I was dining in or taking out and I said dining in, they guided us inside to a stylish open-terrace space surrounding a pool. While we were there, we found out from the staff that a famous Japanese idol group had actually filmed a music video here. Apparently, fans used to visit for that reason, but when we came, although there were other customers, nobody seemed to be there specifically for that spot. There were two of us, and since it was around 5 PM and not crowded, we were seated at the big table used in that MV. As for the garlic shrimp--I ordered the spicy version because I love spicy food, but that was a huge mistake. It was so incredibly hot that my mouth was burning, and I couldn't really taste the actual garlic shrimp flavor. I tried my friend's regular one, and it was truly delicious--actually better than at other places I've tried. I definitely recommend going with the regular! I'm not sure about the takeout prices, but dining in with drinks came to about $26 per person. Service depends on the staff, but overall, the atmosphere was great and we left very satisfied.
Finally tried the new location at Bamboo Hotel. Sad to say the orig flavors of my beloved Sam's Kitchen is now gone. The garlic shrimp was drowned with too much butter, the previous version was more dry with better seasoning & popped in the mouth. The garlic steak was good but again no longer the same. The potato salad was descent, but the previous legendary version is also no more. New location is at the back of Bamboo Hotel next to the pool, ambiance was nice. But i miss the orig Sam's Kitchen at the alley
I saw all the great reviews and took my son for lunch. The steak was very chewy and no good. The shrimp had good flavoring, but it was oily and soggy. We had to throw it away after a couple of bites. Luckily this was a food hall and we found him good ramen at Baikohken.
3 years ago
5 years ago
If you're in Waikiki you have to stop by this location or their other location called Ko'Tiki Terrace. This is the freshest fish I've ever eaten at a restaurant, literally just came out of the ocean 2 hours before it reached the kitchen. Even the rice is prepared special. They have an industrial rice washing machine from Japan that cleans every grain of rice. My family & I enjoyed the food and the atmosphere so much. There's plenty of places to eat in Waikiki but if you want fresh, never frozen like all those food chains, then go check this place out. read more
8 years ago
Went to Oahu last weekend from Cali, and this was the first place we hit up. I looked up "garlic shrimp" on yelp, and since it was close to where we were staying and one of the only places with garlic shrimp with high ratings, this was a must go. We ended up ordering garlic steak, garlic shrimp, and the ahi poke. Damn, I just love me a homestyle meal, and this place serves just that. It really just feels like a nice simple dish my mom would make. I loved it! On top of that, I loooove garlic. Simple meal - meat + rice. The best kind of meal for me actually. The shrimp and steak was juicy and not dry, and VERY flavorful. I loved this place so much, I stopped by twice! Cons: parking sucks! I parked at the international marketplace a few blocks down. Also, it tends to get packed on certain times of the day. read more
After reading a lot about this place thought of trying it in the afternoon for lunch. I ordered the garlic shrimp plate which is served with rice, vegetable salad and potato salad. The shrimp was cooked perfectly and tasted . The potato salad was yum yum and I didn't see any other restaurants serving the same. It enjoyed my meal and loved it. I would definitely recommend this place a must to visit when in Waikiki! read more
7 years ago
THTR (Too Hungry To Read): - Nothing fancy just damn good Hawaiian food - Host was super funny and friendly - Shrimp plate with rice and mac ~$14 - Well shaded in patio seating area - Food stand in alleyway middle of town THE DEETS: FOOD: - What more can I say? Amazing Hawaiian food that is simple but just good. Shrimp, rice and mac and I was very happy. They also service chicken, beef, and fish if that's your thing. They also don't serve alcohol but it's BYOB so head next door and grab a cold one to wash down the fire shrimp (it's encouraged!) SERVICE: - Host was super funny and chill! Also the one who encouraged byob so you could enjoy your meal even more! PRICE: - $14 food plate with Shrimp, rice and mac. Double meat for $9 more so worth it if extra hungry or sharing! ATMOSPHERE: - Very casual and laid back. Metal tables in a alleyway patio made it perfect for a quick bite. Look! LOCATION: - This little gem is tucked away in the heart of Waikiki and if the perfect spot to get away from the crowds to relax and eat. YELP SCORE: 4.2 read more
4 years ago
3 years ago
Professional, friendly staff. Delicious food for a good price. I highly recommend eating at this establishment. read more
Great for a quick bite! It wasn't busy when we went, so our order only took 10 minutes to fill. My dining partner got the garlic shrimp with rice and I got the poke with salad and a limeade. Shrimp was large and succulent (peeled), poke was solid and while I don't usually like salad, the salad greens were the first non potato vegetable I've seen thus far this trip. Love the surfboard and graffiti decor and the staff were super nice. After tax and tip, came out to about $35 so a little on the pricier side for a casual eatery. read more
7 years ago
Really nice hole in the wall along a slightly busy street! We were walking past Sam's kitchen and we were attracted by the smell from the place. I initially wanted the ahi tuna set meal but they didn't have that yet when we arrived so I settled for the spicy garlic shrimp. We also got the shrimp with house special sauce. Overall they're both good - typical fresh shrimp taste with sumptuous flavors. It's what you'd expect. The set meal comes with greens, potato salad, and rice. The portions are pretty generous so you get value for paying around $16 for the set meal. If you're getting drinks, try the signature pineapple iced tea. Super refreshing! The place could get packed though so make sure you have seats before you order or you'll wait in extreme heat! I recommend this place for set meal lovers read more
4 years ago
2 years ago
Pricing was great. Can of soda $1.50, potato salad $1. The garlic shrimp was the best we had during this trip. The garlic sauce is wonderful and nicely coated. The shrimp is already peeled and deveined. You can sit outside or inside. read more
4 years ago
7 years ago
If you're looking for your Garlic Shrimp fix in Waikiki, then head over to Sam's Kitchen. You will not be disappointed! The plate itself came with roughly 10 pieces of juicy large shrimp heavily marinaded with spicy garlic that will make you salivate just looking at it along with mac salad, salad green mix, and a bed of rice that just soaks in all that delicious marinade dripping from the shrimp. It was a solid meal for $13, which is a really competitive price point for a meal in the Waikiki area. Typically, I would be spending an average of $18 - $20 for an ok meal in the area. Also, the customer service I received that day was great. The cashier gave me a 10% discount off my bill for being prepared and knowing my order. I thought that was really nice of him, so shoutout to that guy. Pro-tip: Remember to check-in to claim your free Pineapple Ice Tea! It's a really refreshing drink that pairs well with the spicy garlic shrimp plate. Overall, I would definitely come back to Sam's Kitchen if I ever visit Waikiki! Don't skip out on this little hole in the wall joint!!! read more
So good that we had to come back twice! Sam's offers a handful of shrimp flavors like garlic, spicy garlic, teriyaki, etc. We stuck with the classic garlic shrimp and were so amazed. It was everything you could want in garlic shrimp - huge, flavorful, and not overly salty. Portions are a bit small for the price, but justifiable. Also tried their pineapple iced tea, which was pretty good as well. The place is quite small and can be easily overlooked if you're just passing by. Seating is outdoors and service was friendly. Definitely one of the things I miss most about Oahu. read more
5 years ago
Best food we had on the island!!!! This place was so good we had to come back the next day again. I recommend the shrimp. I had both the garlic flavor and the next day the spicy shrimp. Both tasted amazing! This will be the best food you will have on your vacation. I highly recommend. And shout out to Moe for being the nicest person helping us out on what to order and assisting our table. His level of service is admirable and the reason this place stands out. Loved it!!!! read more
4 years ago
OMG, this place is gonna put the Kahuku Shrimp Trucks out of business. I no longer need to drive out to Kahuku to enjoy a declicious plate of garlic shrimp. I can get it right here in town at Sam's Kitchen. This place which just opened about 5 months ago is operated by Sam Monaghan. He's famous in Japan for the shows he's done, but don't be fooled. He's been all over the world and has perfected his cooking, too. Today, I had a taste of the garlic shrimp, which is FABULOUS and the pesto shrimp, which also is very good. He uses sea asparagus which makes it a very healthy meal. I'm definitely going to come back for more!!! TIP: It is located across from DFS in Waikiki. You can park on the side street and you will not get towed because it's a private street. So pull on up and grab yourself a plate. Parking isn't an issue! Sweet! Writer not responsible for any towing expense if you happen to park on the wrong private street! LoL. read more
5 years ago
We eat here twice during our vacation. They were out of spicy garlic the 1st night so we did original garlic shrimp - plate and local fish Ahi -with salad . We came back for lunch and got the spicy garlic shrimp - plate worth coming back . It has a great kick . The food comes up quick and staff is friendly and welcoming. As must try when in Waikiki! read more
3 years ago
4 years ago
Delicious, fresh garlic shrimp. Rice was good and potato salad was decent. Service was the friendliest you will ever find just about anywhere. read more
7 years ago
Awesome dinner find !! Thanks yelpers Spicy garlic shrimp plate and garlic steak plate Shrimp was large, peeled, plump & juicy and spicy garlicky goodness. And the steak was tender and good as well. Quick & fast great service as well. Will definitely return here on our next trip to Hawaii! read more
The chicken was a bit dry...but steak was legit! They pile on the garlic and give you a great bang for your buck! I would def come back. The shrimp was very good as well. I almost like it better than Giovanni's! Make sure you check in to get the free plantation tea! read more
4 years ago
Shrimp was good and well cooked. Steak was ok, but for sirloin steak it was fine. Person taking the order was not very friendly, but the person delivering the food was. read more
2 years ago
5 years ago
Garlic shrimp is simply fresh and tender. Yammy street food. Open at night when other places are closed. read more
2 years ago
5 years ago
This place is fantastic and the lady that took my order was very nice. My first time to the island and it didn't disappoint. read more
3 years ago
2 years ago
I was a bit underwhelmed with the food here. The good thing was that it wasn't bank breaking and I got my order in 5 minutes. I ordered the small beef bowl which was $5 and the teriyaki chicken bento meal that was about $8 and some change. I took the food to go so I can't comment on dining in. The beef bowl reminded me of Yoshinoya. The teriyaki chicken wasn't that great. If you want to save some money in Waikiki, get food here. I really wanted a side of poke but she was charging $7. That was minus $1 without the rice. No thanks. read more
5 years ago
When I first got to Hawaii, everyone that I knew that been there always raves about Giovanni's. I had Sam's shrimp first and I have to say after trying Giovanni's a few days later, Sam's is better. A lot easier to eat too since the shrimp is already peeled. My girlfriend's favorite WAS Giovanni's since she had it before but after we had it a few days later, her favorite is now Sam's. read more
Nothing like coming from a day at the beach and ready to get your grub on! And boy did we grub at Sam's Kitchen! In the many visits I've had to Oahu, unbelievably, I've never made it to the famous shrimp trucks. Boy, I'm not too sure I'll ever need to make that trek out to Kahuku! Aside from the Garlic Shrimp plate which is so sinfully delicious, they have several other shrimp plate options. DH got the Tropical Spice Shrimp plate which also has a hint of garlic but has a banana/coconut sauce and slight kick added to it. We both loved our plates. We barely talked during the meal only to tell each other how good it was and trade a few shrimp. A buttery cob of corn and small side salad completes the plate. I'd highly recommend a plantation iced tea as an accompaniment. Refreshing iced tea with nice sized pineapple spear included. Finish off your meal with the pineapple so sweet and juicy! They have other seafood options like poke, mahi mahi, and abalone. It's reasonably priced and easily accessible across from the DFS. read more
7 years ago
I give 5/5 for my spicy garlic shrimp! Good flavor, cooked well and NO SHELL. I like having no mess and the flavor on the shrimp rather than the shell. The pineapple tea was also excellent. My hubby got the pineapple teriyaki steak he said 4/5 since the beef was on the fatty side but the flavor was good read more
6 years ago
8 years ago
If you're looking for garlic shrimp, this is the place to go in Waikiki. I'm a fan of Giovannis shrimp truck; however, North shore is a far drive from downtown. I ordered the spicy garlic shrimp with half rice half salad (salad is spinach). They offer a free pineapple juice if you check in yelp! Also, you can ask for the spicy garlic sauce on the side (recommended if you wanted your shrimp saucier). My total order was $15. They give you about 7-8 pieces of shrimp. The vibe here is pretty cozy and small. It's like a little shack! read more
4 years ago
3 years ago
Business owner information
Sam M.
And we 10/10 are grateful for your recommendation!! Spicy garlic…
More info about Sam's Kitchen
2425 Kuhio Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815
Waikiki
Directions
(808) 444-3636
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https://sams-royal-kitchen.square.site
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Ask the Community - Sam's Kitchen
Is this place truly open till 1am everday? I am getting back home late next week (11pm) and want to confirm I can grab something here!
Sam's Kitchen is a great place to grab delicious garlic shrimp. Walking distance from the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. The hours of operations change based on local GOV restrictions but they do update the website and Yelp information often. However during…
How is the parking situation around the area? Can someone please recommend where to park? Also, is it walkable from the Hyatt Regency? Thanks so much!
Parking definitely isn't great as it's located in the touristy area, highly recommend Uber and the bus as we didn't see any parking nearby here
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