TO GO====== I can tell you all the reasons you should want to go to Sammy's Kitchen:
- A Hong Kong institution that has been around since 1969.
-To experience the so called soy-sauce western cuisine they are famous for.
-To see the former grounds for that famous 16 foot cow-shaped neon sign that the government made Sammy's take down an now resides in the M+ archives somewhere.
-It's cheap. Dinner for two (including one steak), plus two adult beverages, was $280HKD. They have set menus, are also open for lunch and serve everything from steaks to pasta to sandwiches to noodles to soup.
-To pay homage to Sam Yip and his family who have been the matriarch family running this gig for almost 50 years.
OR NOT TO GO======Now regrettably I can tell you all the reason you should not go to Sammy's Kitchen:
-Upon arrival, the restaurant has a funky smell. Maybe cleaning solution, maybe some bad de-humidifying scent, but it is funky and weird. Also, maybe a one time thing, but I could not get over it. Set a bad tone for the rest of our dinner experience. A restaurant should smell like food, fresh breads, booze and meats.
-It has the look like it needs to be cleaned. Kind of greasy menus, a touch of dust about. Cluttered with nostalgic moments over the years (celebrity photographs line the walls), but also simply cluttered (drink promos on the wall and there was an electrical cord bundle near the register that was the size of a set of golf clubs). Cluttered on the front door before you even walk inside, which again sets a bad tone prior to even sitting down.
-There is no natural light in this place and the ceilings are low. In some places this might seem cozy and romantic, in Sammy's it just feels like I am trapped in a cave.
-My husband ordered a steak and I ordered the mix grill. Both were bad. My husband only ate a part of his steak (too grisly, too covered in sauce, a bad cut). The mix grill was ok. The mix grill is seafood, eggs and a clearish gel something globbing it all together over rice. It was OK. Not as bad as the steak. The meal came with warm rolls and soup. Soup was hot and OK, although spicy.
I was torn on issuing a 1 or 2 Yelp stars on this review. Out of respect they get a 2. read more