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    Sam Woo BBQ Restaurant

    3.5 (1k reviews)
    ModerateChinese, Barbeque
    Open 9:00 am - 9:30 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    SAM WOO BBQ RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Sam Woo BBQ Restaurant

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    Boba milk tea!!! $2.50 :)
    Kitty C.

    Came for lunch and so worth it for the price. The lunch menu I think it's about $16 a dish and we ordered a bunch and ate family style. It was so good I forgot to take photos except for my rice in the to go container. We ordered chicken fried rice, bbq pork, chow fun, porridge, fried pork chops, seafood noodles, fish, and a few more I can't remember. It came out fast and fresh and all delicious! Inside 99 ranch, still cash only, servers were great. If you don't want to dine-in, their quick service provides large portions to go. Highly recommend coming here!

    Chow Fun with Chicken
    Amanda J.

    Came here for dinner and was immediately seated. I ordered the Chow Fun with chicken. It was cooked perfectly, tasted good and it was a large portion. I also enjoyed the bbq pork. Took a while to get the bill but very much enjoyed the food.

    Eleana S.

    This was our grocery run at one of my favorite Asian supermarkets in San Diego, so of course I was so happy we finally got to try San Wo Chinese Restaurant first. My husband ordered the roast duck lo mein, and I was craving something warm and comforting, so I got the preserved egg with pork porridge and beef stew. We loved everything! I've missed Chinese restaurants so much, and this stop was 100% worth it before grocery shopping. The food was absolutely delicious, it is bigger enough for me and have a to-go (well... my husband finished it) and the servers were super nice. Such a good spot, definitely worth it!

    Michael G.

    Been here many times already , this Chinese restaurant located inside the 99 Ranch in Clairemont . The Staff here is surprisingly still the same since 2011 we have been visiting this place, and surprisingly the staff here seems to not aged, they all look the same as before :D Their food here is always freshly made and comes in big portion, everything here is tasty, there's no Bad food here that we had. The food we mostly get here is their Three Flavor Chow Mein noodles, Salt/Pepper Crunchy Squid , Turnipand Beef Stew Hot Pot, Fried Rice, and sometimes their Salt/Pepper Fried Chicken. They also have a section of Food to go only if you don't have the time to dine in. Also, they accept cash-only payment here. This is located inside the 99 Ranch market . Parking is always busy here, but they have parking on the front lot and back lot too.

    Salt fish and chicken fried rice
    Jerry X.

    One of my favorite Chinese food in San Diego. It's hard finding good Cantonese food in San Diego, so if you're trying to find Cantonese food this is the place to be. It's located inside the 99 Ranch so you can get some grocery shopping done afterwards. We got the mapo tofu, beef chow fun, salt fish and chicken fried rice and wonton soup. My favorite is the salt fish and chicken fried rice because they give a good amount of salt fish in it. We enjoyed all of the dishes. Note, this place is cash, Zelle or Venmo only. No credit cards.

    Fried Rock Cod Fillet with Spicy Salt
    Elisa L.

    Used to come here every week with my family but haven't been back since COVID. I'm happy to say the delicious food, great prices and friendly staff are the same! It was pretty busy when we came for an early Sunday lunch. I also like that they still have lunch specials even on the weekend which come with rice and soup of the day. My favs are still the fried rock cod fillet with spicy salt and pork chop with spicy salt which were crispy, nicely seasoned and not too salty! They were part of the lunch special along with the beef with string beans which were flavorful and the string beans were nicely crunchy. The crispy seafood chow mein was more soggy and a bit bland than I remember. Big portions and good prices, we all were stuffed and had leftovers. Service was pretty quick and nice. Solid Cantonese food, one of my favs in SD, I'll be coming back!

    Beef with String Beans
    Allison L.

    Classic Chinese food my family has loved since I was a child. We used to come every week but haven't been back much since COVID. Was pretty bustling when we came for lunch on a Sunday. I'm happy that the food and friendly staff are still the same, reminds me of good memories! My favorites are still the salt and pepper pork chop and squid, and fried cod fish fillet. The crispy noodles were soggy and less flavorful than I remember. The beef and string beans were also flavorful and the string beans have a nice crunch. Big portions for a good price and they have lunch combos which also includes rice and soup. We'll keep coming back, and their takeout section is great too! Cash/Venmo/Zelle only

    Three combo bbq
    David Z.

    This place sadly changed ownership and the prices of the food has gone straight up. The inside is small, but there are plenty of tables to sit at. Service was quick and friendly. However, the prices of the food was definitely not worth it compared to the other options in the area. Would still get there to go box lunches though.

    Chinese Broccoli w/Oyster Sauce
    Anthony D.

    Located inside 99 Ranch Market, San Wo (formerly known as Sam Woo) is your no frills Chinese spot for every dish you can imagine. While the menu is really big, you definitely should get some of their roast meats (duck, pork). Our server was friendly and food came out quickly. The Chinese Broccoli w/Oyster Sauce was nice and tender with the sauce adding a punch of flavor. You definitely need to eat this together with some rice or other dishes to balance out the saltiness of the oyster sauce. The BBQ Pork on Rice was our favorite dish! I love the flavor and the texture of the lean meat+fatty skin. With the excess sauce to enjoy on the rice, this is a must get. I also really liked the Roast Duck Lo Mein. The duck is much more fatty and oily of a meat and the flavor was great. Overall you won't be disappointed coming to San Wo!

    Chicken and Salted Fish Fried Rice
    Da Kat A.

    This place has authentic Chinese food. Food is delicious. We ordered two dishes: - Wonton noodle soup: Delicious. Wontons are made well and noodles are cooked properly. - Chicken with Salted Fish Fried Rice: Decent portion of fried rice. We can smell the fragrant of the salted fish and there are quite a bit of chicken in it Price is reasonable. The decor is very basic, nothing fancy. Service is so-so though. Don't expect much. We had to wait quite awhile for the waitress to pay attention to us from ordering, getting to-go boxes and even pay the bill. Removing one star for service.

    Roast duck by Sam Woo. Veggies by me!!!
    Mary W.

    Sam Woo is always busy, so the place can feel a bit messy at times. I usually go for takeout because of that. Their roast duck is really good and always hits. The wonton noodle soup wasn't my favorite since I'm used to a different Hong Kong style flavor, but the rest of the menu has been on point.

    tung kong chicken
    Trinh T.

    new items i tried: Pork Chop with Spicy Salt (10/10) it was crispy and good. i loved the flavor and taste of this dish. Mongolian Beef (10/10) i loved the veggies with it. the sauce and beef together was yummy. service: they seated our party on father's day and were nice! ambiance: wasn't too busy when we went but customers do come in. it's located in the 99 ranch store.

    Linda L.

    My family & I love this place! The staff are quick & friendly. The food is so good! We get the chow fan plate & crispy chow mein noodles with vegetables. There are plenty of tables & booths. I totally recommend this place, delicious & affordable. We have been coming here for 15+ years.

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    1 month ago

    Great food very busy. They don't take cc or debit tho.i know cash is king there as well as Zelle and Venmo.

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    3 months ago

    Place has been remodeled. Food was awesome! The orange chicken was on point along with the. Bbq pork

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    Food is always good! Tasty and delicious. Service is not so bad itself. Recommended for

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    Page 1 of 26

    Ask the Community - Sam Woo BBQ Restaurant

    Anyone have a menu pricing for their party trays?

    Yes. In order party platters every year from them for about 50 persons. Cash or Venmo only. I have a photo. Will send to you on messages. Can't figure how to upload here.

    Do they still have their breakfast special?

    Yes they do.

    How much for a togo whole roasted duck ? I wonder if you guys have it on the menu during COVID 19

    It is about 25 Dollars and they do sell it now

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Sam Woo BBQ Restaurant - chinese - Updated June 2026

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