Tasty food, friendly service, family-oriented. From the outside, the restaurant doesn't look like much. But once you sit down and taste that "carne asada", everything starts to make sense. I usually order the "parrilla Argentina". The menu says it's for two people. The truth is, it is so big that four adults can eat. The parrilla Argentina is good, but that's not what an authentic parrilla Argentina tastes like at all. It is a Pan American adaptation, and its delicious! Samantha's cannot be categorized as a Mexican, Salvadoran, or South American restaurant. It offers a mix of flavors, dishes, and ingredients from across the Americas, and I think that's what makes it special. Finally, you will really appreciate the menu's very reasonable pricing. read more

It was 12:15p on a Wednesday. I was in the Silver Spring area for work and decided to try a highly rated restaurant on Yelp. I was happy to see that a local Mexican cuisine restaurant popped up since I love Mexican food. . However, I walked in there and had to wait 4 mins to be seated when there were only 3 other tables occupied. As I was seated, it took another 5 mins to get a glass of water and another 5 mins to get chips and salsa and another 5 mins to get a water. So I'm 20 mins into my meal and haven't even ordered when the restaurant was basically empty. It wasn't your traditional salsa as it tasted like tomato soup wish a little kick. Nothing wrong with it, but not what I was used to. Finally got my menu and ordered as quick as I could so I could get out of there. The food maybe took 15 minutes. I got the vegetable fajitas so to minimize cook time. The fixings were less than substantial(lettuce, pico, sour cream, didn't have. Guacamole), but the food was decent. 7 out of 10. I asked for the check after the waiter came to check on my meal. Again, so I could get out of there. It took another 20 mins for my check to arrive after I was finished eating. I spent nearly 1hr 15mins there and felt like I wasted time and money because the service was so bad. Will not recommend this restaurant to anyone. I hope I was an exception to the experience because I don't see how others rated this establishment so high. read more

This place is A-OK. Was it the best latin food I've had? No. Was it decent? Yea. Would I come back? Perhaps. I came here with my bro and mom. It's a mom and pop place right next to the laundromat on University Blvd before you reach Piney Branch Road. There is a little parking lot to the left. I was lucky to find parking, however, when we were leaving the restaurant it was starting to get packed and some people were trying to do the double parking thing. Good thing we left before it got too crazy. The walls are painted a rich red, there is some remnant wood paneling from the other tex-mex places that used to be here. Then there are vintage wine, coffee, pasta posters all over. I happen to love those vintage type posters so that was cool in my book. Then towards the back/bar there was a wall with the restaurant name in what looked like graffiti lettering which I found to be a harsh contrast to the look they were going for. The food: Mondongo (mom ordered) - she gave it 2 stars and I would have to agree with her. This is a hearty tripe soup that you make with platanos, yucca, veggies. The broth was on the salty side, the tripe was tender but it too was a bit salty. Our biggest disappointment was that they put a piece of platano in the soup without removing the peel. WTH? That's just gross in our book, you're supposed to peel it. The yucca is also supposed to be very tender, this was a little harder than al dente. To drink she had a margarita, it was a little too sweet but strong enough. Chicken chimichanga (bro ordered) - 2 stars, typical tex-mex fare, it did not impress and was pretty bland, from the chicken to the rice to the beans. Ceviche en tostada (my order)- 4 stars, I thoroughly enjoyed my dish and too bad I was the only one. My ceviche had a right amount of citrus and saltiness. It came atop a crispy tostada, smeared in guacamole, ceviche on top, then topped with a tomato/onion/jalapeno/cilantro salad. Yum! I gobbled it all up. It was also the cheapest dish at 7.95. My brother and I had the horchata to drink. It was good, sweet, cinnamon'y, creamy, like a good horchata should be. I agree with what other Yelpers have said, stick to the appetizers here, I think you get more bang for your buck there. The meal totaled about $50, which would be a steal if everything was pleasing, but it wasn't :-\ read more

Samantha's was hard to spot at first, especially since the restaurant is hidden behind a huge tree! But we parked in the private lot (1 pt. for Maryland suburbs), made our way in and gasped as we saw elegant white table cloths, deep red walls, and smelled heaven. I downed the light and crispy tortilla chips with the killer salsa as we waited for the rest of our party, then I kicked myself multiple times for eating dinner before I came here when I looked at the menu. I decided on he ceviche mixto ($13 with scallops, shrimp, flounder & calamari), which was just light and tasty enough to eat on a full stomach. It was also pretty huge and I brought about 1/3 of it home. Someone else at the table ordered the trout which was seasoned really well, and I can't remember the other dish that was at the table. Aside from the really good food and value, there were two more things that really made an impression: the loyalty of the customers and the service. I tried counting how many groups came in and sounded like they'd been here a million times before, and I see why! I'll definitely be back! And our server was patient with us when we took forever to order, made suggestions, and was just the right balance of there/not there. A solid four stars for Samantha's! read more

This is a cozy, moderately upscale restaurant in an area full of cheap eats. My experience here is limited to a single dish so my review is solely based on it. For takeout, I ordered the Tiger Shrimp and scallop burrito. It was a pleasant surprise to see such quality ingredients being offered in a burrito. How could I refuse? Portion size was great and they were extremely generous with the amount of shrimp and scallop. I'd have to say that about 1/2 the burrito was filled with them and the other 1/2 with rice. For those who like buttery and creamy seafood this burrito is a blessing. However, for myself, I found that the burrito was too heavy. Everything inside of the burrito was smothered in the cream sauce which killed the taste of the scallops and the shrimp. 3* until I find better dishes in the restaurant. read more

The service, the food, and the ambiance - EXCELLENT, PERFECTION, PHENOMENAL. I started off with the steak quesadillas which were cooked perfectly - melted cheese and onions paired with sour cream and fresh salsa. Then, I moved on to the shrimp stuffed with crab meat with a side of white rice and black beans. WHAT?!!!!?! Ah-maze-ing!!! I caugh myself licking the plate - the garlic sauce was JUST that good. For dessert, flan, of course, which was creamy and the perfect temperature. I can't wait to return for more. read more

Blown away. For those of you that have never eaten here, Do. This is one of the best experiences I have had in a restaurante of this caliber, and not only was service amazing, The food was incredible. The Management Nice, and professional. The place, PACKED. This is always a good indication. The ceviche as tender, and the combination of lime and onion amazing. These folks know what they are doing. Smallest parking lot in the world, so you may have to park in the surrounding neighborhoods. Yet worth it. I absolutely recommend this eatery for some of the best latino-inspired cooking around. read more

This restaurant should easily have five stars! I have been coming here since I was a student at University of Maryland. My friends and I have always come here for the best margs, guacamole, enchiladas, and carne asada. Even years after graduating, anytime we are all together a trip to Samantha's is a must. The carne asada is truly one of my favorite meals in the entire world, the staff are always incredibly friendly, and it is always consistent. Definitely make a trip here and you will not be disappointed! read more

Great place. Very good food and huge portions. We stop by when we are in the area. Lunch specials are impossible to beat.

You know it's good here in this Salvadoran venue before you even sit down, because: -if you've won one of several parking lot wars outside vying for precious little parking with aggressive laundromat and liquor store patrons, you've earned dinner and will see how PACKED the place is. (immutable truth: packed restaurants are packed because they are good!) - if you look at the crowd, you'll see it's among the most diverse crowds you could possibly see. Old, young, rich poor, brown yellow and white people abound. This is no accident. I ate the quite salty Lengua Portuguesa, the portion of which was huge and the sauce was tasty tasty tasty. For a "rush" hour dinner on this busy Friday night, our waiter - for a table of 7 - was marvelous; and all the appetizers were timed perfectly with the entrees, which seems to be an dying art. read more

I took my parents out last night. and the service was average. I mean the waitress was nice, but not as enthusiastic as I could have liked. but it was alright. Here's our bill, i'll review later in detail. Carne Asada - $13.95 Zarzuela Andaluza - $17.95 Pollo Saltado - $13.95Modelo Especial - $3.95 Ceviche Mixto - $12.95 Sangria 1/2 pitcher - $15.95 Side Guacamole - $4.95 Fresas a la Romana - $4.95 Tres Leches - $4.50 Yeah, we eat alot. Lets start with the sangria: From yelp, readers were raving about how there were so much fruit in the sangria. I would have to disagree. There isnt so much fruit but it had just the right amount of apples. It was strong!!!! not those sugary sangrias I had from Olive Garden and such. If u like sugary drinks..maybe the sangria isnt for you. I thought it was really good nevertheless. Even without the fruit salad in my alkeehol. The ceviche was superb. It was just the right amount of salt. The jalapeno gave it a nice kick. The seafood was not fishy AT ALL. YUM. It was nicely seasoned and tasted really fresh. *drroooollll I got the pollo saltado, which was chicken with veggies and french fries. I've never liked french fries, but they mixed the french fries with the chicken and it soaked up all the juices...it..was..soo...delicious. NO KETCUP NEEDED =D The chicken wasnt as "juicy", but it was very well seasoned. My mum got the Zarzuela Andaluza, which was basically a huge platter of mixed clams, shrimp, and other sea foods in a tomatoey creamy sauce. it was REALLY good. It wasnt really creamy tasting and the tomato taste was SHARP. yum. My dad got the Carne Asada, U cant go wrong with that. The rice was reallly good there. I never liked mexican rice, but there it wasnt really salty, or buttery. It was just good eat alone rice. I didn't enjoy teh beans, but i dont usually like beans neway. My dad loved it. so its prolly good. For dessert... u HAVE to get the tres leches..it was sooooooooooo good. I've had alot of tres leches in my days. and all of them ends up being SUPER sweet and BLECH. This one was not super sweet. it was just milky...and...yummy. you HAVE to get it. I also got the fres a la romana..which is just strawberries and cream. i think its caramel cream. That was alright. If u r gonna spend the money on that, you mite as well get another order of tres leches. I think i've written enough. but I have to say this is the best mexican/latin american food I've ever had. and i've been to alot of them restaurants!!! its a must try! and mymum being really picky of the environment, she felt really comfortable and was like i lvoe how its quiet but not awkward to talk comfortably. p.s the chips they give you is just AMAZING. its not the thick hearty type u get from doritos. They are sooo thin and cripsy. YUMMM. oh yeah, the guacamole. I got it cuz a fellow yelper said it was worth it. yeah..its def not worth the 4.95. It was good guacamole, dont get me wrong. But it was maybe half a avocado...and..not worth 4.95. read more

I promised my boyfriend I would give it 5 stars. I am giving it 5 stars based on the food. The service was something to be desired. They were nice enough, but they are very slow. So if you're hungry be prepared to wait. Since we moved from California we have been very disappointed by Mexican food around here. This place is Mexican and El Salvadorian food, and it is wonderful. The parking lot is a disaster. Unless you are with someone who can't walk very far or if you see spots open from the street I wouldn't bother. Park on the street and you'll save yourself some stress. The place was respectably full for 8pm on a Wednesday evening. The chips were warm, and the salsa tasty. As my boyfriend pointed out it was the first time that we had salsa that reminded us of places in downtown LA and didn't seem like it was from a jar. We demolished them in no time flat and they didn't offer a refill. We decided not to ask because we didn't want to completely ruin our appetites for dinner. I kept it simple and ordered carne asada tacos with rice and beans. I'm not generally a big fan of rice and beans but they were so good I didn't want to put down my fork. My boyfriend had a beef burrito and his meal was great as well. He must have really liked it because when I woke up this morning his take out container was on the coffee table, empty. We loved this place. As far as we could tell it seems to be in the middle of nowhere (we don't know the neighborhood well at all), and it was a bit of a haul, but well worth it. It's unpretentious, clean, and inviting. We have decided we want to regulars. Maybe then the servers will be friendlier, but honestly with food that good I really don't care. I can't wait till we go back. read more

I'll admit, Samantha's doesn't totally fall into my cheap eats category (dinner for 2 for under $25), but it comes very close (we spent $31, without drinks) and we have enough food left over for dinner tomorrow (and possibly even lunch the next day). As other reviewers have noted, don't be fooled by the less-than-exciting (perhaps even shabby) exterior or the bright flashing neon sign, and don't be frustrated by the insanely small parking lot (you can do what we did and park across the street- you'll take your life into your own hands crossing University Blvd, but hey, it's your pre-dinner exercise). The food is plentiful and well worth the trip, and the delights start with the warm chunky salsa and perfectly salty chips. The tacos al carbon platter ($13) is two enormous soft tacos (I ordered chicken) served with pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole, rice, and refried beans - the tacos were flavorful (sometimes I find chicken tacos dry unless you cover them in guacamole and sour cream) and the rice and beans were other-worldly. The pollo saltado ($14) was like nothing I have ever seen before - I can best describe it as a massive stir fry of chicken, onions, peas, peppers, and french fries, yes, french fries. The french fries weren't a side dish or an accompaniment, but all mixed in with the chicken and onions and peppers - and it was a tasty, mushy, deliciously salty mix. I'll admit, this place is a bit out of the way for me, and about $2-3 more than I usually spend on cheap eats, but with food this good, I suspect I'll be back. read more

I was so grateful that I lived less than 1 mile from Samantha's when I lived in Silver Spring!! So fabulously convenient and delicious! True, parking can get quite tight -- you can park across the street in the shopping center (just be careful when you cross University Blvd -- people are crazy drivers around there!). You must try the Yucca con Chicharron -- wow!! (Well, I love pork everything, and this is one of the best things ever!) The carne asada is very good. My favorite is the steak saltado. (One time it was kinda salty, and the waiter kindly replaced it with the carne asada.) My friend got a Mexican dish once...well, let's just say I think you should stick with the Salvadoran dishes -- be adventurous! And yes, the tres leches is to die for! Make sure to save some room for dessert and coffee... The service is pretty good -- I miss my cutie pie waiter! Even though the ambiance is pretty elegant inside (don't be fooled by the plain exterior), it's a casual atmosphere. Very busy on the weekend -- I'm pretty sure they take reservations. read more

3.5 stars The first thing you will notice when eating at Samantha's is the abundance of gringos in the restaurant. I don't know how that became the predominant clientele, but they/we obviously got love for Sam's and anyone who supports local business is fine by me. There are generally alot of families in attendance as well. I always stick with the same order - the spinach enchiladas with extra pico de gallo and I find them very good. I have not had their pupusas as it doesn't strike me as a pupusa spot, but who knows, maybe they hit. I had some type of cheesecake in filo type dough once, and that was pretty disgusting and very obviously out of a box. The service is excellent both here, and at their sister restaurant Azucar in Aspen Hill, though I tend to prefer Sam's. Azucar also has a much larger bar area than Sam's. read more

Disclaimer* I am by far NO Mexican food expect... BUT I'm from South Florida and we love Taco Bell. #dontJudgeMe The food was fresh and the chicken was well marinated and flavorful. I got the chicken burrito and chicken enchiladas. It was a little dry for my liking. The chicken burrito only had chicken inside of it (What!? Who does that?). The rice, beans, pico, lettuce, etc are put on the side. This may be normal in Mexican restaurants, but I am used to it all being inside the burrito so I was a little disappointed. The food seems authentic... of course my only comparison is Taco Bell so you can take that how you want to. This restaurant ALWAYS has people inside of all different cultures so I'm guessing people love it. The service was pleasant. I'd probably give it another try. read more

By no means it's the finest of Mexican treats but it delivers on the quality and value pretty nicely.

We visited this place because it was listed in the February 2010 issue of Washingtonian Magazine in an article called "Best of Silver Spring" [MD]. They got this one right! Here's the interesting part. There were clues this place was great before we had a bite to eat. The first clue ... the place has a small parking lot. It shares the parking lot with a liquor store that's next door. We arrived at 6:30 on a Friday. The parking was full and everyone is going into the restaurant, not the liquor store! Then came the smells! Wonderful smells! As soon as you open the door, you want to take a deep breath for the smell of great cooking. The smells stay with you the whole time you're in the place. Last clue ... families! You know you've found a gem when the place is full and there are families everywhere. I'm not just talking about couples with kids. I'm talking couples with kids and grandparents. Grandparents know good cooking! You can read many of the other reviews here to get the details about the food. The bottom line is this place passed all the tests. The server was friendly and attentive. The menu had a large and interesting selection of dishes. They even had a special weekend menu. The food was delivered quickly and it was very good. Give this place a try!!! read more

Less than 9 hours ago, my husband and I mutually agreed to try the Samantha's Restaurant in Silver Spring, Maryland. We both shared a queso fundido appetizer and my husband had the Samantha's Combo #2 which was a fajita trio with skirt steak shrimp and chicken with a coke drink while I had the chile relleno meal with sprite. We both liked our food, the employees interacting with us were friendly and I feel lucky to have easily been able to pay for our meal(however I keep an open mind to both paid and amateur writers/reviewers/critics). read more

The hubby, myself, and our 3 yr old visited Samantha's on Sunday night. Since there are already so many reviews, I won't make this too lengthy. I only have a few points to touch on. - No free drink refills. I know this is silly, but seriously, we both ordered sodas and got 1 refill each and so we spent $7 on sodas. I can't stand that! - Everyone says its kid friendly. I agree, to an extent. No, its not the kind of place where you feel uncomfortable bringing kids. However, they don't have "normal" kids menus where they give them activities with crayons, etc. Also, with a potty-training kid, walking to the bathroom you pass the bar, the doors to the kitchen, and the waiters register. Its a crowded area to rush to the bathroom when you hear "mommy, I gotta go potty!" :) - I just don't see the point in having a Mexican restaurant with linen tablecloths. I mean, most Mexican restaurants are so laid back. This place just seemed stuffy to me. Great food! Not thrilled with the chips & salsa though. I don't think we'll go back. read more

Okay, so Yum! Really enjoyed dinner tonight. I had the salmon that was topped with shrimp and one scallop. Very tasty. I also had a margarita...I will be back. This will be my Mexican spot in the area. read more

I had been wanting to visit here for quite some time now, so we stopped on our way home from work. The parking situation wasn't too bad at this point, so we were able to get a spot in the back, near the laundromat. I will agree that the salsa was excellent, but we were never offered a refill on it and other tables around us were (pet peeve #1). Our order didn't take too long to arrive but the meal itself was pretty mediocre. It wasn't anything that blew us away. Our server wasn't the best either (waited awhile to be greeted, getting drinks, clearing our plates and waiting for the check). The best service that we received was from the person walking around with the water pitcher...man was she on top of that! A return visit is possible, but not guaranteed. There is another Mexican place we like better nearby, so they will probably win our business next time the craving strikes. read more

I gave this a shot due to the excellent reviews. I agree the Carne Asada is really excellent. I also agree with a previous review that commented that the rice kind of sucked. The side salad that came with the carne asada had an excellent dressing that I often get at these type of Sal-Mex restaurants, but tasted much better than others. Might be home-made? The Tres Leches was great as well. The Pupusas were not as good as others had said. Yes the curtido is really, really good, but the pupusas are GIANT-sized (larger portions for the Gringos?) and filled with too much cheese, they tasted more like a Baleada than a Pupusa. I guess if you think of it as a Baleada with curtido then you'll be fine. The interior is surprisingly nice, white table cloth nice ambiance type of deal. The service was very good, and the prices very fair. This is a great place for those that are too intimidated by more spanish-speaking type places. This one clearly caters to the english-speaking crowd. And to be clear, the food is not Mexican, nor are the people there Mexican. They are mostly Salvadorean and this type of food is Sal-Mex, a Salvadorean Mexican fusion. read more

Samantha's is a good Latin American restaurant that distinguishes itself from the pack There are few outstanding, high quality Latin American restaurants in the DC Metro area. I have tried many, but none seems to catch the freshness, flavor and food cooked in Latin American, or US cities close to our southern border. Samantha's comes close but doesn't rise to the occasion. My sense is that the concept of the dishes comes from a chef that knows great El Salvadorian food. Yet, today the execution was lacking. I think the opening chips & salsa say a lot about a restaurant. The salsa was mild to medium. It had a smoked undertone, nice. The chips, a little stale. The Yuca con Chicharrón caught my attention. The meat was flavored brightly. The yuca were soft and covered with tomatos. A nice way to start a meal. The portion was huge. WOW. The Camerones Entomados was good in concept, but cooked poorly. The shrimp were over cooked, but the vegetables were a little undercooked. The Pollo Enchilada Carribean was tasty, but too much oil was used in preparation, making the dish needlessly fatty, while taking away from the flavor. There were bones and skin in the enchilada, which some may find inappropriate and I think brings down the value of the dish. Even though the dishes we had tonight were a bit unbalanced, I found the space, and the service charming, and inviting. I will be back with high hopes. Perhaps it was just an off night. read more

Outstanding Mexican food!! This was a fabulous little restaurant, wonderful wait staff, outstanding food, and very reasonable prices. I will eat here again, again, and again! read more

I came here with a party of 12 after my graduation commencement in College Park. My experience here is one of the many reason why I love Yelp. Samantha's Restaurant is small and so is its parking lot. It looks kind of crappy from the outside and it is definitely not a place I would have actively gone to on my own. I was scared I had made a wrong decision. But my fellow yelpers had my back. They sat us almost immediately. Chips and salsa were yummy. Everyone enjoyed their food. Margaritas were tasty (not watered down). The waitress did a good job with all of us. Overall, it was a great experience! read more

Nice warm family atmosphere. Great customer service. The waitress and server were very attentive throughout our dinner. The food was delicious. I'll definitely be going back in the near future. read more

The first thing you will realize about this place is that it is surrounded by an abandoned gas station, a laundry mat, cash checking place, and pawn shop. Plus, parking is very limited outside the restaurant. To say that this place is an oasis in the midst of sketchy is a bit of an understatement. That being said, once you actually get into Samantha's, you are greeted with a tastefully decored restaurant, with very a pleasant staff. Everyone - including the busboys - treat you with kindness. It is very family friendly. But that is all superficial. The food is what keeps bringing me and my family back to this place. It is South American fare, but they do dishes from multiple Latin countries so well that it is hard to pinpoint the owner's nationality and specialty. I love South American food, but too often the dishes have too many ingredients and they are usually over-cooked. The result is usually a bowl of generic mush. Not here though. All of Samantha's dishes (yes I think I have tried them all) are cooked perfectly so all the flavors really stand out. Everything tastes uniquely different and everything tastes equally great. I would highly recommend Samantha's for a special night. Just get there early and enjoy some sangria at the bar. read more

Love this place! We brought our extended family to Samantha's and the food was wonderful. We started with the taquitos and quesadillas - Yummy! The lemonade is fresh squeezed and we all enjoyed their wonderful seafood soup. They had the tres leche cake for desert and I had the flan. All of us, including our kids ages 18, 13 and 10 loved it. We visited on a weekday around 2:00. It was perfect timing! Thank you Samanatha's..we will definitely be back! read more

Very cool independent latin restaurant in Silver Spring. From the outside it doesn't look like a very nice place, but more of a divey or fast food place. Once inside you realize quickly its a pretty nice sit down restaurant. The service was spectacular and they were happy to explain all the dishes and what was in them. They serve both Latin American and Mexican dishes. I found the Mexican dishes to be average at best. The Latin American dishes are much better. My favorite is the Masitas de Puerco. The pork is cooked perfectly and the sauce is very flavorful although not spicy. The portion is very large and more than I need. The only disappointing thing is the fact the rice is so bland. It tastes like something straight from a package. The black beans are good but nothing special. They also have a limited alcohol menu with some wine, beers and basic drinks. None of the selections were anything of note. read more

This place had been so hyped up for me and I finally got around to trying it and it was resounding "meh". I'm a pescatarian, but usually prefer vegetarian meals. They had almost no vegetarian items listed, even in the Mexican menu, so I went with seafood dishes. I split an order of fish ceviche because I was told it was "huge" but it really wasn't, perhaps about a cup. It was alright, but not amazing. I can make better ceviche and would hardly call it my forte. Also I don't think it had been marinating long enough because some of the pieces were still raw inside. I had the Mariscos Saltado. The waitress told me they were out of scallops, so it would be only shrimp. I'm glad she told me in advance, but that's a disappointment. Not as much of a disappointment as the dish itself! The shrimp were very tasty, but that was it. The vegetables were awful. There was about 1/2 of a red onion practically raw and in big wedges, three or four wedges of tomato, also practically raw, some tiny slimy roasted red peppers which had the consistency of coming from a can, and a few scattered peas. I was expecting the peas to be in-shell, and the tiny peas compared with the large vegetables and shrimp was unpleasant and hard to eat. The raw onion was the worst though. Who want's an overwhelming amount of raw onion in a hot dish? The "Spanish Rice" that came with the meals was just white rice with butter, and the black beans seemed like they probably came from a can. The margarita was strong (plus), but made with a mix (minus). I rarely have a meal at a restaurant that I actually DISLIKE. Unimpressed, maybe, but I didn't even finish my dinner because I was so unhappy with it. Some other tables ordered pupusas and those actually looked quite good. Too bad, that was my second choice, but I likely won't go back. read more

Every time I walk out of Samantha's I'm smiling. OK, maybe that's the margaritas, but still, it definitely has something to do with the food. My wife and I have a policy of ordering 1 old dish and 1 new one when we go and haven't been let down yet. The spinach burrito is bomb.com and the seafood is off the chain. I'm always impressed by the portions (enough for a solid lunch or even dinner of leftovers) and freshness of the food. The black beans explode with favor and even their white sticky rice stuff is great. The plantains, oh don't get me started on the plantains. Back to the margaritas. They're strong and don't taste fake. You know what I mean ... cough, cough ... Austin Grill. A 1/2 pitcher is enough for 2 ppl unless you plan on cabbing home (which the waitress is nice enough to suggest!) I give it four stars instead of five because there was a missing ingredient in our last dish and the waitress (seemed to be new) wasn't very receptive towards resolving the situation. The parking is the only other problem, but that's because the place is always full. read more

I was very pleased with my first experience at Samantha's. We went on a Friday evening, around 8:45, and the place was just on the downward side of busy, so we got a parking place and a seat pretty quickly. It's a decent-sized place given the small size of the building - I was surprised at the number of tables, but it didn't feel that crowded. (That might be very different when it's totally full; I can see being jostled by other patrons all night.) The food was excellent and the servings were more than generous. I am looking forward to leftovers for lunch - and it's unusual for me to leave so much behind when I like the food, but I simply could not finish it all. Be warned - appetizers are nearly entree-sized. My wife and I split an appetizer of fried yucca with "pork morsels" on top. "Morsels" means whole spare ribs plus 8-10 monster yucca fries. Then my wife had the ceviche and tamale appetizers as her dinner entree - but either would have been enough. The ceviche was tart and spicy, with thin-sliced onions, though it came with an unnecessary and slab-like chunk of yucca. The tamales were likewise huge, the size of small burritos, with corn and chicken. I had lomo saltado, medium, and it was delicious. The meat was very tender and well cooked, with a very flavorful sauce. We simply could not muscle down dessert, so I can't comment on those. Our waiter was attentive, friendly, and helpful. She was a pleasure. Only complaint - it's a lot nicer to take away the extra food and box it up for the customers, rather than just give them a bag and an empty styrofoam box, and have them do it themselves. A nice place with top-notch food. Worth venturing out of town for, most definitely. read more

Wow. So I was looking for a yummy place to eat & saw this place on yelp that was located in Silver Spring & thought "hey why not"..HUGE MISTAKE!!!!! where to start, ok so I ordered a ice tea & of course they brought out chips & salsa, both horrible. Ok so I ordered the mussels that sounded really really good, wasn't. They were dinky & the broth that was barely there was bland with to much garlic, god only knows how long they were sitting in that pot in the kitchen!! Next my bf ordered the lobster sea food soup that the waitress said how amazing it was, again wasn't & I ordered the shrimp & chicken fajitas & it looked good when it came out. The chicken wasn't bad the shrimp looked so flavorful with all the spices on it but yet somehow tasted like cardboard, such a disapointment... So the pico & guacamole were old, I asked for another & we only kept ordering things hoping that it would get better. It DIDN'T, that's when I ordered two Dos XX beers, now those we're amazing!! I asked my bf if he wanted anything else, then he replied " yes, some real food." Hahahhaha I honestly have no clue why the heck that place was Packed??!?? Ummm no thanks. I guess I'll never be visiting that place again. Food was so bad & we were so tired & hungry to even leave & find another place that we couldn't help but laugh hysterically about the " amazing reviews & amazing food"-NOT Never returning ....... read more

I know there are many Central American, South American, and Mexican restaurants in the area but you have not enjoyed the best until you have been here. I have tried so many items on the menu and never once have been disappointed. Their specials are truly special. The whole rockfish is amazing. The stuffed peppers melt in your mouth. Tao, the bar tender, makes an excellent Margarita (of course) but his Mojitos are crazy good...call an Uber. Their staff is always friendly even when the place is packed. The place is small and cozy and parking can be a challenge but who really cares when their food is this good. Hint...park across the street behind 7-11 as long as you are moving your car by 10 pm when towing starts. I honestly love this place and would not change a thing. read more

The atmosphere is great, and the food is always incredibly fresh. The salads and vegetables could have been picked that day. There is a huge variety, so whether you're a lover of authentic super spicey food, or someone who is more mild, there is a meal for you. There is also a bigger vegetarian and fish selections than other Latin restaurants. What you need to try? The ceviche and Tres Leches My main problem is that when the restaurant gets very busy, like on most Saturday nights, the service goes very downhill. read more

Went back again last night. Felt I was dreaming, to have a Mexican restaurant be this good, with white table cloths, and napkins. Tried the Pollo asado, with a queso fundido as a starter. Finished with fried ice cream. Don't do this-- it's simply too much food. The portions here are very large! But, it's so good, you're gonna be tempted, too. Best to plan a strategy before you get there, while looking for parking. Appetizer? Dessert? Hmmm.... The parking can be a bit hard to do; one couple told me they parked across the street, and crossed at the signal. The neighborhood isn't the best, but it's really not that bad. The restaurant is completely unassuming, till you walk in the door, then it's just great. The staff? Wonderful! We had a close friend with us with food allergies (but we put up with him anyway), and gave a careful order to the waitress. The owner came out to confirm it, and we wound up needing to change it. This protected our friend, and still gave him a magnificent meal that he left raving about. SO, you have it all here- delicious food, great prices, especially considering the portion size, great staff. One of the very few restaurants that I can enthusiastically recommend. Just do yourself a favor, OK? Don't be put off by the neigborhood or the small unassuming building. Step inside- come on in- it's a small corner of Latin Paridise. read more

See all

One word...pupusas! They are delicious. I highly recommend you start your meal with these. Ok, since that's out of the way, lets get back to the review. The first thing you notice about Samantha's is the location. You would definitely drive by this place and not even know it. Consequently, it makes parking incredibly difficult on the weekend nights. Last time I was there I had to part 6 blocks away in the residential area and walk. But let me say, it was well worth it. Once you're inside, you notice that the place is neat, but not overly decorated. The hostess promptly seats you, and its time to eat! Once you're seated, yummy chips and salsa are provided. The chips are thin and tasty. Unfortunately they are so thin that sometimes it makes it hard to dip in the salsa. First of all, I highly recommend any of the alcoholic drinks. Everything I've had there was quite tasty. From the margaritas to the sangria to the mojitos. Do yourself a favor and get a pitcher. Secondly, start with the pupusas...just like I said at the start...they are killer! For the mains, I can say I've never had a bad meal at Samantha's. The fajitas are very good. The meat is tender and flavorful. The pork is fall of the bone yummy. The paella is also amazing. All I can say is its worth the trip out there. Quite possibly the best mexican food I've eaten in the area. read more

Mmm. Mexican food. I agree, this place is off the side of the road by a laundromat. Yet, when you walk in, you realize the place is PACKED. I went with a couple of girlfriends, and we waited inside the packed restaurant. It was a cute decor- lots of warm colors and paintings on the walls. We sat at the bar and ordered a pitcher of just classic mojito. It was pretty strong, but it was good. (Later, we saw it was 38 bucks though! EEK! I recommend just ordering it single, if you do get it). Once we sat down, we ordered some chicken pupusas. It reminded me of an overinflated quesadilla. It was pretty good though. It came with some coleslaw with diced up jalapenos in it... which I didn't quite understand. The salsa and chips wasn't that amazing, but it was still good. We then all ordered saltados. I got the mariscos saltado, my friend the beef one, and my other friend, the chicken one. The sauce was good- slightly sweet with something else I couldn't figure out. My scallops were definitely good. The shrimp in it was okay- maybe it could have been a little bigger. I tried some of the beef one, and the meat was really good- just the right amount of tenderness. We also tried the Mexican rice and beans.... I'm not sure how to judge Mexican food, but the rice and beans were good? Iono what qualifies as amazing though. We were too full to get dessert, but they had quite the large range of desserts, from tres leches to fried ice cream. I haven't had tres leches in forever, so next time, I'll get some. But kudos, this is a great place. I definitely liked the sauces in the restaurant. Definitely unique. :) read more

I think Samantha's Restaurant definitely lives up to the hype. After reading about this place for years I finally made it there this year. The moment I stepped inside I just knew I was going to like it. Everything you've heard about the great friendly service is spot on. The interior is 10 steps up from the exterior and is very warm and welcoming. Everything I've ever eaten here has been fantastic. Samantha's even has duck (with sauteed olives) on their menu- I think that is a first for me at a Mexican/Tex-Mex/Salvadoran restaurant outside of Rosa Mexicano - and it's so good . The portions are substantial...make that HUGE, and I always tell myselft that there is no way I could finish my main course (after I inhale my appetizer and half of the chips & salsa), but I do. And I even order dessert once in a while. Oh crap, I take everything above back. Don't go. Stay away! The place is already crowded enough. I'd rather have those few nights when it's not crazy busy instead of never being able to get in the door. read more