My husband found this restaurant and wanted to try the famous dry noodle. It was okay. Portion was decent too. The place was pretty full but there are couple of seats available. They have limited parking spots. They have more "to go" orders. read more

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Everything was great. The workers are polite, friendly, and respectful. They do everything to please their customers. The food is delicious and fast. And they have a restroom read more

The dry noodles are very good and the prices are surprisingly reasonable. Definitely coming back for more.

Sam Sato's has been one of family's favorite hole in the walls for generations. This nostalgic local joint is home to the best dry noodles and turnovers on island. It has a classic menu consisting of delicious comfort foods and there's something for everyone to enjoy. The service is fast especially if you're able to snag a seat at the counter. We have so many heartwarming memories at Sam Sato's and I hope this Maui institution lives on for decades to come! read more

Sam Sato's - Dry Noodles, Teri Beef Stick & French Fries - Bakeries Near Me - Wailuku, Hawaii

Noodles were thick and firm. BBQ sticks were a wee bit salty. BBQ chicken was good and moist. Lima bean manju was soft and flaky. Coconut turnover was a bit too sweet for me. Very crowded and the parking lot is usually full but parking opens up fast. If you're ordering just baked goodies, you must do it at the takeoitf read more

It's become a family tradition to have our welcome home meal at this family owned resto! Our flight arrival was cutting it close this afternoon but the staff was more than accommodating to welcome us in and make sure we enjoyed our fill. Ambience couldn't be any more adorable than it already is, with smells that'll take you back in time. Shout out to Kanoa (apologies if I misspelled/misheard) for taking care of us today! It was my partner's first time trying our face spot out and he LOVED everything we ordered especially the beef sticks which were nice and tender! We'll definitely catch them earlier for bfast before we fly out read more

Sam Sato's - Saimin & POG brunch (w/ my potatoes) - Bakeries Near Me - Wailuku, Hawaii

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Trips to Maui are never complete without a visit to Sam Sato's. This is a family staple! We like to order the saimin, dry min, cheeseburger, fries (love the mayo/mustard combo) and on occasion the banana pancake. Service is always friendly, food comes out pretty fast, and is consistently delicious. What more can you ask for? :) read more

Sam Sato's - Saimin, dry min, cheeseburger, and fries - Bakeries Near Me - Wailuku, Hawaii

Sam Satos is a must stop place when I'm visiting home. I usually like to go there when they first open at 7am since it can get really busy! The staff is very friendly and the food is always on point! I always order the dry noodles with extra soup and lima/azuki manju. read more

Sam Sato's - Dry Noodles - Bakeries Near Me - Wailuku, Hawaii

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Love this place, been going here since I was a kid! Dry mein, with soup.. don't forget a side of fries lol service is quick and I usually get my order to go if I can't get a seat. Cute little mom and pop shop, must go! read more

delicious grab and go snack. Unfortunately, we went early in the morning (~7 am) and were not able to try some of things we had wanted to try. The Dry noodles and char siu were both delicious, though! Would love to come back when more food options were available to us! Great local comfort food spot, no frills, you definitely get great quality for the price. read more

Our first stop off the plane. Perfect comfort food before a day trip in Maui. Came around 8AM and it was a little busy. But as it should be as a OG spot! read more

Sam Sato's - Fried noodles - Bakeries Near Me - Wailuku, Hawaii

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We were visiting family on Maui (visiting from Oahu), we saw an old Oahu freind there as well checking! Service is super friendly. Food is very good and a nice comfort food kind of place. We had the garlic noodles, cheese burgers, Teri beef sticks... yum!!! read more

Sam Sato's - Awesome Garlic Noodles! - Bakeries Near Me - Wailuku, Hawaii

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I was thrilled when on our way back on a flight a sweet kindhearted guest presented us with a box of Lima Bean Manju ! It was delicious! Not too sweet and very comforting. I am grateful for moments like these and making us feel extra special! Manju Love! read more

Sam Sato's - Bakeries Near Me - Wailuku, Hawaii

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Been coming over 25 years (old location too) and today was the worst. Started with lotsa empty tables, and waiting... ask cashier said, he said server. Mean grouch server said you're all here? and I said yes. I stupidly added 'he's in the washroom' Two more booths leaving. She said wait. ?. When he came 2 minutes later, sat ourselves. I joked he'd have to leave table as I used restroom. More tables leaving. No new guests, only take-out. Grouch server comes over all fake smile friendly. Too late-she mean. Then noodles came in 4 minutes. Barely warm. NOT hot, as they've always been. No complain, we eat and get out. Both of us saying, WOW. What happened to our favorite server gals? Why the food more expensive and not as good? Tepid noodles and broth too. Why? This was the larger of the two servers. Be skipping Sam Sato's going into future. Bogus meal. read more

Very casual, yummy local place to grab a cheeseburger deluxe, fries and dry mein combo. My kids love the pancakes too. Service can be slow during lunch hour because they are typically very busy! I would also recommend the bbq beef sticks with a won ton mein or saimin. read more

For how busy it was, this is a WELL run business! All of the staff wore a big smile on their face during a busy service. The take out line was long, but moved quickly. (I recommend ordering out, seeing how long folks were waiting for a table. As this is a small joint) The place is tucked away from the hustle and bustle. & we loved how quaint it was. The special part is the history you see in this establishment. It was a simple + straight forward menu, just how I like it. We got a large dry noodle, 2 teri beef sandwiches , and a couple of pineapple & coconut turnovers for $25ish. Be sure to know exactly what you want before you get to the window, it makes the line move faster. We'll be returning for more teri beef sandwiches this week! -they were simple and SO GOOD!! It was so good we forgot to take a picture! Haha & as always, be respectful and considerate. read more

Sam Sato's - Turnovers - Bakeries Near Me - Wailuku, Hawaii

The ramen is outstanding!!! Very authentic, took me back to the one I had in Japan. Also need to try the manju. I ordered the Lima bean and coconut manju to take back to Oahu. Wish I had more. Now I'll need to fly back just to get my fix. Best place EVER!!! read more

I ate here many years ago. It seemed more local than the pancake place nearby. I remember the waitress, busboy and waiter were all friendly in a neighbor kind of way and didn't intrude and kept to themselves, and the lady behind the counter had lots of questions and made sure we enjoyed our meal. The ambiance was very casual conversational level and yet not too noisy. Bulletin board outside had a request asking if anyone wanted to go in on a butchered hog by paying for half. The food I remember the most was the bomb banana pancakes, the saimin which hit just right (someone at our table had a side of dry spam mein which I added to my soup and I shared it. And of course we grabbed some manju and turnovers to go which were excellent as we drove our rental around the island. Full disclosure these are long term memories and I wanted to post them here so I could revisit next time I visit. read more

Hits and Misses...I was born and raised on Maui and grew up with Sam Satos first in Puunene, then through its many incarnations in Wailuku. I have to admit, I am nostalgic for the original Won Ton Mein Special with vegetables as the item on the menu today bears little resemblance. The bowl is 2+ inches in diameter smaller and the vegetables sparse. The noodles are still al dente in a mellow broth. The most shocking change are the won tons. A delicious pork ball shrouded in a terribly thick wrapper. Thick as in almost quadruple the thickness of the original delicate wrappers. Pasty enough, that after three different visits in the last two years, I realize it is not longer just a bad batch. Note that the dry mein others ordered were still delicious - although smaller portioned - and the mahi mahi special was delicious. Service was very good and attentive. The manju and turnovers are still great family favorites. It's a solid casual and local hangout that draws crowds. read more

Go early Good food Good service Friendly staff Good feel Everyone is there! Thank you for the experience Enjoyed our meal read more

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We really enjoyed our lunch. The BBQ beef sticks are excellent, meat so tender and perfectly sweet and seasoned. We had chow fun and a teriyaki plate lunch, as well as some of the pastries. Our server Tiffany was really nice and took the time to explain to us the differences within the dishes offered, as it was our first time. It was busy but we were seated within 2 min. We will definitely come back! read more

Cute diner-ish place clearly popular with a lengthy line out the door. Our party of 4 waited about 45 min but it went by quickly. Fast efficient service, plentiful offerings for noodles and burgers/ fries if anyone in your party prefers that instead (our kids like fries, they're nothing special). Appreciate the smaller size possibilities. Dry noodles were good, perhaps not craveable (slightly salty for our taste) but solid. Could use more veggies - again, just a preference. The pastries didn't look that enticing but I can see the appeal at the uniqueness. May not return since it didn't seem worth the wait for us but if you want comfort Hawaiian style noodles, I can see how this would satisfy well. read more

Just an update to say my original review stands! Still delicious, service still friendly and efficient, and will still continue to come back when I can. I hope they stick around forever! These old school saimin stands are gold! read more

Sam Sato's - Dry mein, French fries, and beef stick - Bakeries Near Me - Wailuku, Hawaii

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Sam Sato's is true local comfort food. Noodles, loco moco, beef sticks to pancakes... everything is ono! A must if you are local or visiting. Don't forget the manju too!! read more

Best local noodles! Best value cheeseburger deluxe! Perfect crinkle fries with mayo/mustard sauce! I love the beef sticks! I get one of everything every time I go!!! Just like going to the fair! Eat plenty! Eat it all! Yummy!!! read more

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I tried this place for the first time last year when visiting Maui. It's a small mom & pop type restaurant. Ever since I tried it last year. I make it a point to eat here whenever I'm in Maui. My favorite is the beef sticks! I liked their hot cakes also. Their loco moco was show ad a "popular" dish but I wasn't a big fan. They alsohave a small display showcase of their manju and turnovers. I enjoyed the Lima bean manju. The apple turnover was just Ok for me. It is recommended to order ahead of you want the manju as it sells out quickly. read more

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Good hearty breakfast near the airport. Convenient location and hit the spot before heading out to iao valley read more

Sam Sato's - Fried rice - Bakeries Near Me - Wailuku, Hawaii

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I like this place and the food. The only crappy part is they're still doing the Covid-19 social distancing. I mean Linea are long because every other booth is closed off. The other tables are closed off. I don't get how they're doing this and yet still we wear no mask. They seriously need to get their things together. read more

Sam Sato's - Long lines even towards the parking lot - Bakeries Near Me - Wailuku, Hawaii

Disappointed. Noodles overcooked and tasted starchy. Not al dente like it used to be. Need to change the water it's cooked in more often. Service was good. ambiance diner style. Used to eat lunch every week by now go once or twice a year since other noodle places opened. read more

If you find yourself in Maui and in search of comfort food, then look no further! Sam Sato's is always on our itinerary when we visit island paradise. It's a popular spot and I find that both locals and tourists dine here. Their prices are reasonable, especially during these inflationary times. Their menu consists primarily of noodles and plate lunches which are satisfying and comforting. Judging from other reviews, Sam Sato's is also well-known for its manju (Japanese steamed cake) which we have yet to try. If you make it out to Wailuku, you should definitely stop in to Sam Sato's but expect a wait! read more

Sam Sato's - Entrance - Bakeries Near Me - Wailuku, Hawaii

I remember when I first visited Sam Sato's back in 2016, I was super excited from reading all the reviews, we stopped here after shopping at the mall, with my other half and 2 big kids. At that time, the family didn't like the dry mein but loved the beef sticks. I have to admit that the dry mein is not for everyone's taste. My kids didn't like it and I thought it was ok. I wasn't too crazy about the dry mein so I've never been back since my very first visit. My family are more of a saimin fan. I remember we waited close to an hour to get a table. I wanted to get the famous manju but they were all out. My most recent visit to Maui this past weekend, I wanted to give the noodles another try, we placed an order at Geste shrimp and the wait was 45 minutes so I asked my other half if we could make a stop at Sam Sato's, It was 4 minute drive. When we arrived, the parking lot was full and luckily a car just pulled out. I see the lines and the crowd. Luckily I did take out which only took 10 minutes. I wanted to try it again, to get a 2nd opinion. I got a large order of dry mein and happy to see they have the lima manju available and I got a few of those. My order was ready real quick. My other half and I shared both the shrimp plate and dry mein. I have to say that it was ok and I realized we are not fans of dry mein. The noodles are really thick and chewy and it is too much work to eat them, having to dip the noodles in the soup. My other half just poured the entire soup in to the noodles but it was still too dry and bland. Next time on Maui, I will give it another try again for the 3rd time. I really enjoyed the lima bean manju, so good! Overall, I am happy I had the chance to check out Sam Sato's twice, either you will like it or you don't, a must to check out this Nostalgic business when on Maui. read more

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Love the Lima bean Manju...always order when traveling, great for on plane snack and treat for family on neighbor island.

I'm torn. There are times I want to be selfish and not tell the world about an incredible find such as Sam Sato's, one that is primarily frequented by locals, or share it with the world. But we're getting old now, so it's time to share. Our friends told us about Sam Sato's more than a decade ago, and we've been coming here ever since. The saimin noodles or dry noodles are our go to meals. And the manju! read more

Coming back to the area where our great great grandfather lived, we had to eat local style. This popular restaurant for noodles drew a large crowd for dining in and takeout. We had the dry noodles, won ton saimin and a side of beef stick. All the pastries looked delicious too. The service was excellent, and we felt the Ohana spirit. read more

Sam Sato's - Dry noodles, won ton and beef stick - Bakeries Near Me - Wailuku, Hawaii

So happy we got to try this place before it closed for the afternoon. The wait was definitely worth it and their system is a well oiled machine. As you're waiting outside, the server will ask for your order so that once you're seated your wait for deliciousness is not too long. Make sure to sign in when you arrive! We did a sampler of multiple noodle dishes but unfortunately they had run out of wontons by the time we got there. All of the noodle dishes were yummy. But it was the beef sticks that were the star of the show. So wonderfully grilled and whatever they marinate in was spot on. Unfortunately you have to be careful with the bamboo skewers because they too get charred in the grilling process. So when I tried to take a bite, my skewer broke causing that amazing bbq to land on the floor. One of the saddest food moments I've ever had. My husband didn't want that stick of gold to go to waste so he doused some soy/vinegar on it and ate it anyway. So proud of him for not letting that beef stick life's purpose go unfulfilled. Oh, and definitely snag their pastries if you get a chance!! Flaky delicious with so many filling options!! Such a fantastic place with great ambiance and service with super comforting food! read more

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Home cook food.....plus drymein is the best. The white bean manju is absolutely the best offered on Maui. read more

The perfect mouth feel on the saimin: chewy noodles, clean broth, perfect pork and green onions. Best approximation of Hawaiian comfort food. My highest recommendation. A true locals place. read more

This is my new favorite restaurant on Maui. Sam Sato's is a historic restaurant for Maui. It opened in 1933 and is still family owned and operated. This joint has a small menu and small prices to match considering the incredible value you get out of the food. It's an eclectic menu considering it's the same place you can get BBQ Beef Stick but also a Denver Omelete and even Dr. Pepper Strawberries & Cream. If I could put it into a category, it would be "local Hawaiian comfort food". I loved the Banana Hot Cake and BBQ Beef Stick but would pass on the Chicken Yakitori. Service was casual and speedy. They're only open for breakfast and lunch and I recommend people make a pit stop before going to their resort, especially if they have a rental car. read more

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What can I say that hasn't been said about this eatery? Comfort food at its best! Friendly local style atmosphere Since I'm from O'ahu, they got me missing the dry noodles already!! If you're in Maui this is a must try! read more

Sam Sato's - Dry Noodles and fries - Bakeries Near Me - Wailuku, Hawaii

Great service. Great food. I poured my soup into my noodles while my friends preferred to dip there's. The restaurant is decent in size. Very homey. Get there early since there seems to be a line. read more

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