Luke L.

Sam Woo Cafe is a dim sum restaurant in Cerritos and this cafe should not be confused with Sam Woo Seafood & BBQ located just across the street. [Parking]: Sam Woo Cafe is located in a popular plaza where Gerry's Grill is also located so finding an available parking spot can be difficult; however, our party got lucky and found a spot immediately at 7 PM on Sunday. [Atmosphere]: Casual dining atmosphere and our party was able to get a table immediately at 7 PM on a Sunday. The cafe was approximately half full. [Menu]: Each pot of hot tea = $3.95, but our party only got iced water. The dim sum menu is still available during dinner hours. There are no push carts here and customers need to write their orders on the colored paper menu (similar to Lunasia). Top Yelp highlighted items are Chicken Feet, Shrimp Har Gow, Steamed Rice Noodle Roll w/ Shrimp, and Siu Mai. Special dishes are available to order after 11 AM and the dinner menu is served from 5 PM to 9 PM. *** Recommended dim sum items: Pan Fried Turnip w/ Sausage Rice Cake ($6.50), Spareribs w/ Black Bean Sauce ($6.50), Chicken Feet w/ Black Bean Sauce ($6.50), Hong Kong Style Egg Waffle ($6.50) Mediocre dim sum items: Steamed Rice Noodle Roll w/ Shrimp ($8.50), Shrimp Har Gow ($7.50), Pork & Shrimp Shiu Mai ($7.50) Beef Chow Fun w/ Soy Sauce (dry style - $18.95): Passable, but not super impressed. *** Overall I still like the dim sum at Lunasia much better than dim sum from Sam Woo Cafe, but Pan Fried Turnip w/ Sausage Rice Cake and Spareribs w/ Black Bean Sauce really stood out so the overall experience averages out to a 4-star for dim sum. Plus for not having to wait for a table.

Michelle K.

I had a great meal at Sam Woo Cafe (not to the confused with the nearby Sam Woo BBQ). It is seldom that I get to enjoy Asian style dishes due to my gluten allergy, but there were several menu items that I could enjoy! It was very helpful to go with a friend who speaks the language and is familiar with the food items, because she was able to point me in the right direction. I'm not certain how I would have fared on my own, but with some Google Translate and a little bit of research, I think most with food allergies would be able to find at least a few new items to select from.

Eric K.

The service staff seriously need better training. While clearing dishes, several plates were dropped on the floor and shattered, sending pieces flying near customers, and nobody even apologized. Food was also brought out carelessly -- instead of placing it properly in the center of the table, it was almost tossed onto the side like they were in a hurry and didn't care. I really don't like spending money to be treated this way. Definitely not a place I would come back to. We had to call several times before anyone finally came over. I understand restaurants get busy, but customers are the reason employees get paid and receive tips too. No matter what kind of work it is, I think people should do it with a little more care and sincerity. The whole experience just felt disappointing.

Tessa H.

We took my aunt here for her birthday since she loves dim sum. First time here and even though the place was packed our wait was not that long. My aunt's friend ordered a lot of food since this is also their first time. The food was good compared to the other dim sum places around the area.

Karen N.

as a certified dim sum lover, every dish from here really hit the spot! my friends and i came here pretty hungry on a saturday afternoon, so we ordered a lot from the menu and left super stuffed! the restaurant gets pretty crowded fast, so beware of at least 30 mins - 1 hr of waiting during peak times. favorite dishes: - baked sweet custard bun: i loved how flakey the exterior was and how warm and sweet the custard filling was! one of my favorite bites from my meal! - steamed rice noodle roll w/ shrimp: this is my all time favorite dim sum dish, and sam woo does it really well! we ordered like 2 of these since they're a crowd favorite hehe - baked BBQ pork buns: i'm usually not the biggest fan of these because they tend to be too sweet, but i really enjoyed how these ones were more savory and not overly sweet! also the meat to bun ratio was really good! - pan fried turnip w/ sausage rice cakes: also one of my favorite dim sum dishes, and they executed it well! i liked pairing this with the fried rice too - salted fish & chicken fried rice: a really solid fried rice! i liked how the salted fish wasn't too salty or fishy, and it was a great protein to have with the fried rice. other dishes ordered, all classic ones and nothing bad to say about any of them! - chinese broccoli w/ oyster sauce - baked egg custards - shrimp harrow - hong kong style sausage buns - pork & shrimp shiu mai we also got the sea salt cream green tea and it was alright, nothing special and the sea salt cream wasn't as salty as i would have liked. pretty refreshing still to have with the meal. overall, i really enjoyed my meal here! the food came out really fast after ordering. the servers were constantly running around but were still able to flag down easily. parking can get really busy since it is a super busy plaza, so you may need to park a little further and walk over. i think sam woo is definitely worth the crowd tho!

Maruko X.

Ambiance: it's a trendy Cantonese restaurant located in a strip mall with ample parking, although you might need to parking far and walk a bit Service: upon arrival, you'll need to sign up at their kiosk to get in line, wait for the text message, and then see the host and get seated. They are very busy during weekend peak hours, every server is walking fast and helping multiple tables, you'll have to be patient placing the order and receiving food, and I think overall they're fairly efficient Food: classic dim sum menu and Cantonese style food Pork and Shrimp Shiu Mai - ***** 5pcs, tasty with pork, mushroom, and shrimp fillings, highly recommend Scallop with Shrimp Dumpling - *** 3pcs, broken sticky skins, average taste Steamed Sticky Rice with Sausage Balls - *** 3pcs, fillings of mostly rice, rare dry shrimps and shredded sausage Bean Curd Rolls - **** creamy sauce on top, and chewy texture of bean curd wrap with black fungus bamboo shoot and pork fillings, recommend Sesame Balls - **** crispy outside and sweet red bean filling inside, recommend Price: moderate portions and reasonable prices, expect $20+ for a decent dim sum meal

Jeff Y.

In the mood for dimsum, we headed to Sam Woo Cafe. During a prior weekend visit the wait was super long so this time we went on a weekday at 2PM and there was no wait. The interior is clean and sleek. You order off of a paper menu with checkboxes; there is no cart service. The waiters were cordial but not particularly friendly. Prices were fair with generous portions. Since all the dimsum was made-to-order, some dishes took some time to come out but they all were served piping hot. We ordered a lot of my favorites. The chicken porridge was a bit undersalted for me. All in all, a solid dimsum establishment, and they have other non-dimsum dishes on the menu as well.

Aimee A.

I recently went to Sam Woo Cafe, and took my mom there. When I looked it up, I realized there were two Sam Woo locations very close to each other. She loves the Sam Woo BBQ in Cerritos, and would go often. So, we decided to go check out the one she hadn't been to. Evidently, it is a relatively new location that's opened up, and my mom was ecstatic as she loves to try new locations and make friends with everyone there. She is the original Yelp Elite lol. We went in, and it was still early enough that we were able to order dim sum. And of course, my mom made friends with the server, and everyone around us. The food was good - hot and fresh. You have to sign up on a wait list, and they call your name, and even though it was the middle of the day, on a weekday, we probably waited at least 30 minutes for a table. I would definitely go back.

Andrea A.

Late afternoon (around 3pm) on a Saturday, I was craving dim sum, which can be hard to find at that time of day. Thankfully this spot serves dim sum all day. The parking lot was fairly easy at that hour, and I was a little surprised to see how busy it still was. Despite the large dining room with plenty of tables, many of them were occupied. After a short couple of minute wait, we were seated and quickly ordered by checking off the items we wanted on the menu. It's not a traditional dim sum setup with carts circulating the dining room, but more of a casual quick dining. We stuck with some of our usual dim sum favorites: siu mai, beef rice noodle rolls, beef tripe, and steamed BBQ pork buns. The siu mai were large and packed with a juicy, flavorful shrimp filling. The beef rice noodle rolls were soft and chewy without being soggy or falling apart. The beef tripe was also a pleasant surprise. At first glance it looked pretty plain, but it actually had a lot of flavor from the sauce. The only downside was that the pieces were quite large and could have been sliced a bit smaller for easier bites. The BBQ pork buns were classic with tender and sauced pork inside. Our only minor complaint was that it wasn't always easy to flag down a server to refill water or bring soy sauce. Luckily, the dishes themselves were flavorful enough that we didn't end up needing the soy sauce. Overall, it was a solid meal and I'd definitely come back for dim sum again. Everything we ordered was tasty and well prepared. It's easy to see why people are still dining here well into the afternoon.

Timothy Spencer T.

TLDR: It's probably the best dimsum you can have in OC, at the cost of having to pay more. I'd go here for special occasions. Pork and Shrimp Shiu Mai: It's one of the better shui mai's in OC and it's the only one I know that jacks up the price to have an excuse to give you 5 pcs. It's meaty, they didn't skimp on the shrimp, and the extenders are few and far between. I wouldn't call this a luxury, but coming here every day would break the bank. Shrimp Har Gow: A har gow's quality is based on the skin's thickness and how much shrimp is in the dumpling. This place's skin is around the right thickness, and you can see how they went about balling these during prep. The shrimp flavors were there and it's a good dimsum staple. Hot and Sour Soup: Not too hot, and not too sour. Chinese food is generally oily, fatty, and salty, so having something cut through the fat and oil is good. Scallop w/ Shrimp Dumpling: You're getting this because you think the scallop is gonna be very good and the dumpling looks cool. It's fine, okay to try, but not good enough to enter a rotation. Spareribs w/ Black Bean Sauce: Fatty, salty, and goes amazing with white rice. It doesn't stray too far from other spareribs, which is a good thing. Shrimp Rice Noodle Roll: I notice they always serve this first. It's a good way to start the meal because it's not too heavy. The rice roll isn't too thick, and the sweet soy sauce adds an extra layer of flavor that I enjoyed. Hot Prawn Salad: It's deep friend shirmp with mayonnaise. What's not to like? Beef Chow Fun: Surprisingly weak. The cook on the noodles and beef were fine, but the flavor profile was kinda flat. Shrimp Fried Rice: It's good. They didn't skimp on the shrimp size, and it goes well with a lot of their dishes. Ambiance: Imagine a standard Chinese restaurant where some people might complain about the cleanliness. Now, remove the cleanliness issue. This place gives a vibe of a 2nd generation owner who took the flavors of the 1st, but understands the ambience needs of American diners. Service: You get the same stereotypical Chinese restaurant service but scaled down a bit.

Michelle N.

Be careful not to mix this place up with the Sam Woo Restaurant like we did LOL Came on a busy, busy Sunday afternoon and waited 45 mins for a table. We ordered a variety of dishes to do family style. The Pork & Shrimp Shiu Mai was the star of the show! It is the #1 dish I usually get to see if their other dishes will be as delicious and they were. The staple dishes were as expected and there were also items I haven't seen anywhere else. Our total bill was so high because we wanted to try everything! Service was attentive and quick. When we ordered Iced Vietnamese Coffee and they gave us Iced Thai Tea, they brought out the correct item no charge! I'm glad to find another dim sum place aside from my go-to Seafood Cove 2 to try out. Definitely will be coming back!

Winnie L.

Parking was easy, and I was seated right away since I arrived after lunchtime. The restaurant was practically empty, with only a few other diners inside. You order by writing the quantity you want on the order sheet. The dim sum was pretty good overall. I ordered the chicken feet, siu mai, har gow, char siu bao, beef tripe, cheung fun, and a pot of Tie Guan Yin tea. Everything was solid, though they did forget our order of the sweet rice cake. Service was attentive for the most part, but it did take a while to flag someone down to pay the bill. The space itself was clean, cozy, and casual. The music wasn't too loud either, which made for a comfortable dining experience.

Anthony N.

This place would have gotten a 1 Star if it wasn't for the food. I wish I could give them a 0, but I have to give credit when it's due. The recipes for these dim sum dishes are better than most dim sum restaurants I've encountered in the area. So here's where things went wrong. My wife and I went there on a Sunday (12/21) morning, primetime lunch hour at 11 am, and went inside to put our name on their waiting list. We heard great things about this place, and I am usually a sucker for 4-star Yelp restaurants, so, of course, we want to check it out for ourselves. We were waiting for about 45 minutes in front of the entrance where everyone else was waiting, so I went to check in to see the status of our queue with the host. The older gentleman, who could be the manager or owner, asked for our name and said, "I haven't paged you yet; wait until I call you," in an irritable tone, as if I had done something wrong. I thanked him and continued to wait outside. Another 5 minutes passed, and I saw several parties of 2 being seated in front of us. I didn't think much of it because they could have been waiting there longer than we had, but then another 15 minutes passed, and more groups of 2 were being seated. I double-checked my phone and haven't received any notifications other than the first one that told us we had checked in for our queue. So I went inside and asked the same host about the status of our queue. When I asked him the second time, he looked utterly lost, as if my name had never been on the list. He asked me for my name again, and I told him that I was 3rd in line when you had checked about 20 minutes ago. Then he said, " You're next." Not even a single apology or an ounce of remorse for making a mistake, for somehow failing to page my number because it was not on the list anymore. We were seated within the next 10 minutes. When we were seated, we didn't know what to expect or what to do, since it was our first time there. There was a girl server wearing a black mask who tended to our table, but her customer service was 0 to none. We had to ask for water, straws, extra napkins, and a sate container to be refilled, since it was empty when we arrived. The customer service at this dining establishment is horrendous. Luckily, the food came out fairly quickly. 4/5 Shrimp Har Gow: Probably one of the better dishes I've had at any sum restaurants. The skin was neither too thin nor too thick, and there were large chunks of shrimp inside. Came out steaming hot and perfectly made. HIGHLY RECOMMEND 4/5 Pork & Shrimp Shiu Mai: The plump shiu mai were delicious. It had a shrimp-like porkiness, subtle sweetness, and savoriness. 3/5 Chicken Feet: Your typical chicken feet with black bean sauce. Gelatinous and bean-flavored feet. The skin just fell off the bones. 2/5 Crispy Shrimp Dumplings: The filling inside was filled with shrimp, but you can taste the old oil that they used to fry in. Not worth it at all unless you're into the crispy aspect of it since they use a big wonton wrapper for it. Overall, I would NOT go out of my way to return to dine here. But the food is worth trying if you're ever in the area and want to try some authentic dim sum. Just come in here with super low expectations, and you should be fine.