Good food, good service, the communal dining experience is rare these days... Though my last time there was shortly before they closed down for the remodel, so I need to go back when they reopen to get the new experience. read more

This is a place filled with memories. I first visited when my mom found it on a trip to visit Humboldt college. This place holds a special place in my heart now that she is gone. Love the family style dining, and remember sitting with strangers during that first visit. Last time we sat with just our family. It was still nice, memorable, and the food was wonderful. Hoping it reopens for our 2026 adventure. read more

Samoa Cookhouse - American Near Me - Samoa, California

My husband (RIP) and I discovered this glorious restaurant in 1971! And every single time when in Humboldt returned for at least one meal, sometimes again the next day! It's changed a little over those decades but we'd still go and stuff ourselves again and again! The homemade bread is to die for with fresh local butter...meals are all you can eat family style! The service always top notch with a bit of 'entertainment' mixed in. The 1800's loggers museum is a treat too! Decorations and historical photos line the walls of loggers moving those giant Redwoods! Breakfast lunch and dinner are set each day, huge portions and seconds IF you still have room! Everything is served FRESH, HOT and deeelicious! Call ahead to see what they're serving! And when you're seated at a loggers table, be sure to order a loaf of their famous bread to take home! They are closed for re-modeling until 2026, so I'm so excited to see! The website doesn't seem to be working yet...maybe it's under construction too! See you there very soon now! read more

Can't wait for it to reopen (May12, 2026) according to the info I have from Facebook. Fun place to take guests.

Have stopped here many times on trips to N CA, always a great experience. Delicious food served family style, check menu at the door as it is logging camp service, meaning what the cook (chef) made that day is what is on the menu! Fun relaxed place to step back in time. read more

Glad that I took my kids there in June 2022. While I understand that they're currently closed, I certainly hope that my wife and I can return summer 2026 (website says planned 2026 reopen)! Good food, but great atmosphere! read more

The only cookhouse left on the West! I didn't know what to expect when I arrived but learned all about the fascinating history with this cookhouse from our server. This cookhouse used to feed 500 men 3x a day who worked as loggers in the area. The waitresses who served them lived upstairs. The cooks wanted to save this place from closing turned it into a cookhouse to serve the public. To this day, they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner cookhouse style! Everyone gets the same meals and they rotate meals weekly. For breakfast, we had french toast, scrambled eggs, and sausages. Drinks was extra but its all you can eat. They will keep bringing the breakfast out as long as you're hungry. We shared the 3 plates and it was plenty already. Delicious, comfort breakfast. This place isn't fancy. It's like they say "Come and get it!" When the whistle blows, you come and eat. Come with an appetite, eat as much as you can! One price all you can eat. After you're stuffed, check out the museum attached to the cookhouse which has so many artifacts from over 100 years ago back in the days of the loggers. Everything from chainsaws, hand held equipment's, working boots, and the original kitchen stove, pots and pans they used at this cookhouse. Way cool! And if you want some more museum which we did! Check out the Humboldt Bay Maritime Museum once you exit the cookhouse. Excellent history just in this little corner of Samoa! read more

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I don't think I'd be ruffling too many feathers by asserting that Eureka is not a major gourmet destination. I mean you don't come to the Lost Coast for hidden culinary treasures unless you really like clam chowder...like a lot. This place didn't serve clam chowder when we showed up, and it wasn't even in Eureka but on the more desolate Samoa Peninsula across Arcata Bay. The cookhouse is a historic shingled building, and for a long time. it was devoted strictly to the meals eaten by the employees of the local lumber mill. So if you're really hungry, this is the place to go for no-frills comfort food served family-style even when you're not with your family. Jamie W. and I simply entered the building at around 5PM and was told to take any available seat at one of the long communal tables with the traditional red checkered tablecloth. There was no menu per se, just a price grid that stated adults will be charged $18.25 for dinner. OK then. The gregarious server was very helpful in guiding us through our meal. First, we got several slices of bread in a basket with a lot of butter. It was good bread, soft and warm. No artisan stuff (photo: https://bit.ly/3Na5pB9). Then we were given a choice between soup and salad. Not both. Pure 'Sophie's Choice' moment. Jamie went for the soup, a tomato vegetable and rice creation that was comforting (photo: https://bit.ly/3m6Zwc4). I arbitrarily went for the salad which was a bowl of iceberg lettuce with ranch dressing on the side. It came with toasted croutons and a three-bean salad heavy in pickling juice (photo: https://bit.ly/3apBHJG). Then came our surprise entree, a large uncut slab of BBQ Beef Ribs for each of us (photo: https://bit.ly/3x6YUJG). Before we divvied up the meat, the server came back with corn (photo: https://bit.ly/3NdwumH) and potato salad thick in mayo (photo; https://bit.ly/3akFS9O). Yep, we were on our way to being stuffed but not before getting their apple crisp with whipped cream for dessert (photo: https://bit.ly/3m4IgUv). On your way to the restroom, trust me, an inevitable journey, I took note of their historic maritime and lumber museum. And that's all I know about Samoa.At least this Samoa. FOOD - 4 stars...no-frills comfort food made for an army of lumberjacks AMBIANCE - 4 stars...also no-frills, no gypsy violinists here...definitely crowds up on Sundays SERVICE - 4.5 stars...she was great TOTAL - 4 stars..,if you're really hungry...and you don't have to be Samoan RELATED - Exploring the Lost Coast? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2A1YVjy read more

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Boy has this place come along way! Now owned by Danco Construction they have a new chef and shes awesome! I'm assuming that obviously she's from the south as she put Gumbo on the special menu during lunch and to be honest I have not had it's equal in the west coast. Her biscuits and gravy same way. Perfectly fluffy and seasoned scrambled eggs and great French toast. I Came here as a kid and was amazed. Came here as an adult 8 yrs ago and was less than impressed. Came here last month and have been back twice. Huge turnaround with the new management! And I heard they are gonna be doing picnic style southern here soon... thing family style crawfish boil.. ect. Can't wait! read more

Samoa Cookhouse - Best scrambled eggs in town! - American Near Me - Samoa, California

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Food is excellent, historic significance, we always visit when we visit Humboldt county

Samoa Cookhouse was the best restaurant we tried out while on our trip to Eureka recently! A few things... this restaurant doesn't make Samoan food. It's the name of the area that it's in. And don't come here thinking there is a broad menu of items to browse from. Pretty much whatever they are making at the time is what you get. It's living up to the name and concept that cookhouses for lumber workers and other places like ranches for instance that had cookhouses did the same thing. You eat whatever they are making and if you don't like it then your on your own for your meal or don't have one. You also don't get your own table. You get seated at very long tables and then they seat other diners a chair ot two down from you. You can get a smaller amount of the portions coming your way and just get soup and salad but it's really worth going for a full meal. You can ask the waitress to stop if you have had enough to eat. The day we went we had fish and chips, hushpuppies, salad, soup and fresh bread and a spiced cake for dessert. Everything was fantastic with the food. The beef and vegetable soup still really sticks out in my mind. It was so good! There are some old stoves, pictures and other artifacts in another room of the area and back when cookhouses were more common place. In fact going off of a sign this is the last functioning cookhouse in the country. My parent's ranch also has a cookhouse for when there was a large ranch work force but it was much, much smaller than Samoan Cookhouse and has become more of a residence for sever decades now. Definitely check the Samoan Cookhouse out if you want a different dining experience only don't come here picky and the food allergic or sensitive may want to avoid because what they serving at the time is the menu! read more

Samoa Cookhouse - Eating at the Samoan Cookhouse... a very unique and enjoyable dining experience for us! - American Near Me - Samoa, California

The Samoa Cookhouse is a historic restaurant, It is the last lumber camp-style cookhouse in the American Pacific Northwest. We have been here before and enjoyed this place pre-COVID, but things seemed to have changed a bit post COVID. They only offered three items for breakfast: French toast, scrambled eggs, and sausages. Biscuits and gravy was provided at an extra charge, as was orange juice. It seems like they used to offer a wider menu. The French toast was amazing as they bake the bread in house daily. The service was efficient and friendly. read more

Samoa Cookhouse - American Near Me - Samoa, California

Great place with excellent and plentiful amount of food. It was affordable when I last went.

How do explain this place. Unique. Family style dining. No menu to speak of. They post it on their Facebook page. This is not a Samoan restaurant. It's a true cookhouse in the town of Samoa, CA. They serve a family style meal which for this Friday was fried chicken. It came with delicious mashed potatoes, a light gravy, bread they bake fresh every morning, and at lunch time you get soup or salad. (Dinner you get both.) Todays dessert was chocolate pudding. The food looks like homemade. Because it is. They do their meals right and you can taste it. The chicken had a nice crispy skin and was moist and flavorful inside. Are they peeling the potatoes on site for their potatoes? I don't know for sure but my money is on yes. Oh first you get your soup or salad. We got one of each. Her salad was simple but good. The soup was a pork and lentil. Aside from the lentils, which are simply lentils, the pork was flavorful chunks well seasoned and a bit black peppery. Carrots, celery and whole garlic. This was not creamy like a lot of bean styled soups. The broth was delicious. When we were ready for the main course, they served it family style, but for you and your group only. One group or family per table. ( pre-Covid it was multiple groups at the tables.) I'm not a fan of brown gravy which I assumed came with the potatoes but this was a different type of gravy, maybe a chicken gravy? But it was the best I've ever had, I love good sausage gravy but this stuff was amazing. I'm glad I tasted it. The bread is, as I said, fresh and delicious! Yummy coleslaw. Possibly pineapple in it for a touch of sw Now let me entice you more... it's all you can eat! The food is not fancy. This is a true cookhouse experience. There's a plaque on the outside that explains that the cookhouse has been here since 1893. Lumber camp style cookhouse still in operation in the US. Lots of history here and there's a small logging company museum to browse after your meal. This place is a no brainer. Look on their FB page for current weekly menu. read more

Fantastic atmosphere and museum. Great food for the Family. Every time we come up to Eureka, we have to come here . read more

1893!? How many places have you eaten at that have been running for over a 125 years!!?? Served family style - this mornings offerings included pancakes, eggs, & sausage. Coffee, juice, and even biscuits and gravy can be added on. The photos and relics from the logging days can be seen throughout and in their mini museum of sorts! It wasn't busy as it was mid-week when we visited. Portions were so good we opted to skip lunch. We were so full! I'd love to see it on the weekends when the busy atmosphere would add to the feel like when it was packed with turn of the century loggers. read more

Samoa Cookhouse - Wednesday morning offerings! - American Near Me - Samoa, California

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God bless family-style eating. A return visit to the historic Samoa Cookhouse many years later with friends and family left everyone with full bellies and smiling faces. It was absolutely what we'd hoped for and a testament to why they've survived and thrived for so many decades. We came in on a Wednesday morning with no idea what was even on the menu. It's a big old room with picnic tables and a neighboring museum inside a giant old logging warehouse. We found many of the old logging artifacts quite interesting as we perused and waited a short ten minutes for a table. The feast included sausages, eggs, biscuits and gravy (for an extra cost) and pancakes. The menu changes daily but this was exactly what we'd hoped for. I found the food basic but hearty and filling. The sausage in particular was really delicious and the biscuits and gravy are definitely worth the extra bucks! It's a it of a drive to get here, but I say make the time. This is one of many historic places that make this area wonderful! read more

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I've been eating at the Samoa cook house since I was a kid my parents were very happy with it and uus kids too ! I've brought my son and other people there through the years the bread is the best and the service is great, the place is so homey ! read more

We took a corporate group here for a client dinner and cultural/historical experience, with plans for regular dinner events over the next several months. Quite honestly, this place was awful on multiple levels and not prepared or capable of efficiently serving a group our size let alone provide any measure of good service or food quality. The food was terrible, not so much as in flavor rather it was either way over cooked or undercooked and simply not cooked appropriately. It felt like this was the first time the staff had cooked for a large group and did not practice ahead of time.. They were way understaffed for a group our size. We had to help serve and bus our own tables with clients to keep things moving along. The restaurant management really should have turned down the contract for this meal service and told our organization that they were not setup to provide this kind of service. Nothing about this experience went well and our clients left with a feeling of "what the hell was that all about..." It may be functional if you're an individual or small group looking for some bad food to experience what the loggers lived in a small way but I don't know why anyone would actually want or need this kind of experience. This was like an involuntary throwback to bad summer camp food. read more

There's quite a long history behind this restaurant and that a lone is a good enough reason to go to this unique place. For years and years they have served loggers and their families. Photos from the past and relics everywhere. It's a large restaurant with family dining tables and benches. No menu, whatever is being cooked up that evening is brought to you in platters all tasty and delicious, all you can eat and everyone sits together. The food is wonderful and includes salad, dessert and beverages and homemade bread. The servers and staff are friendly and enjoy sharing stories about the restaurant We always stop here when we go to Eureka, California read more

I really wanted to love dining at this historic dining hall, but as so many others have noted, the food is sub-par, despite generous all-you-can eat family service. As an example, our dinner meal was tasteless bread, a very thin vegetable soup, chopped iceberg lettuce w/ pickled beans for a salad, rice with white gravy, mixed veggies and chicken fried pork. If the chef had made any attempt to season the food, or add something creative to any one of those dishes, it might have given an impression that they cared about what was set on the table. Frankly, eating at Denny's would have been an improvement. read more

Samoa Cookhouse - One of the dining rooms in the Samoa Cookhouse. Now I see why it was deserted. - American Near Me - Samoa, California

Come STARVING, and I mean it! The Samoa Cookhouse is an unbeatable deal and the food is delicious! The meals are hearty and meaty, so definitely pay the Cookhouse a visit if those two qualities appeal to you. Note that there is a fixed menu and they only serve what they have cooked for the day. What is consistent, however, is the endless bread and butter, salad (green as well as bean), and soup. There is also dessert (what is served varies by the day). My favorite is the peach cake! The Cookhouse posts their daily menu and hours on their Facebook page. The wait staff here are incredible and energetic - they keep the food coming! The restaurant is clean, and there's plenty of bench seating for larger groups (plenty of parking too, for that matter). Take a look around the little museum inside the restaurant when you get a chance - lots of historical artifacts from the early logging period in Humboldt County. Eating and visiting here isn't an experience you'll want to miss! You'll be hard-pressed to find a better value than the Samoa Cookhouse for miles and miles around. read more

Samoa Cookhouse - Meatloaf, fried chicken, corn, and mashed potatoes with gravy. - American Near Me - Samoa, California

This is not just a breakfast place, but a museum. The prices significantly increase from what's shown on the photos. For breakfast and coffee, the tab was about $40 for two and that's for breakfast. It included a very large slice of french toast, about six sausage links, scrabbled eggs and biscuits with gravy, which THEY NEVER BROUGHT TO US. By the time I realized this, I was already full. The french toast was soft, yet crispy, eggs were dry, but the sausage was juicy. If it were just breakfast, I would not go here again because of the prices. But the fact that it's also a museum, it's a must if you're a tourist in Eureka. We arrived at a perfect time, right when two huge tourist busses left. There is also another smaller building beside it, which is a maritime museum, also free entry, with a friendly man behind the counter who gives good suggestions on places to see around Eureka. read more

Since two different friends recommended this place we took a chance. We tried calling to ask questions about food and phone was off hook. Facebook post said roast beef, mashed potatoes, vegetables, bread, soup or salad. We waited for a table and sat down and they said we have soup and roast beef and rice and peas. No salad, apparently no one eats salad so they don't do it anymore the host said even though the menus clearly said salad included. It was 6:00 so I don't think they ran out, just didn't have it that night. That was inconvenient for us as we had a vegetarian with us and salad would have been their only meal. The soup was canned peas, rice and chicken. They also decided no mashed potatoes that night so the meal was white rice which seemed convenient since soup was the same starch and vegetable as the meal. Our server was very friendly and apologetic about lack of salad and lack of potatoes. She was the highlight of the meal. At 18.25 a person and 7 of us eating it was crazy expensive for the quality of the food. read more

Samoa Cookhouse - American Near Me - Samoa, California

This place is soaked in family history for our gang. My mom's mom, my mommy and myself have made so many memories over some delicious food here. The drive to this spot is beautiful, the faces friendly and the family style meals never disappoint. You get SO MUCH food for such a good price. When you want true home cooked, farm style deliciousness roll on over to Samoa Cookhouse read more

This is a destination you don't want to miss. This was a memerable experience fun informative an outstanding home cooked food. You eat what they serve you just like the lumber jacks back in 1893. Breakfast $12 Lunch $14 Dinner $18 Very friendly staff, a great museum of history and wonderfull food. We had: Vegtable soup Cold crisp salad Kernael Corn Red potatoes Pork ribbs Home made bread. You can have seconds on anything you want. We were very full on the first round of food. read more

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This is a place that is about the experience. This historic cookhouse is the remnant of a former time when the place was the cook house for a lumber camp. It is on a little island in Humboldt bay right across the bridge from eureka. This would be a nice family experience. They have a little logging museum. Keep the kids busy. Staff very friendly. 4+ experience Food is simple commissary style. . read more

Samoa Cookhouse - American Near Me - Samoa, California

The first time I came here I was 20 years old then last week at 45 years old. I will never ever miss an opportunity when in the Eureka area to stop off at the Samoa Cookhouse. I've only been here half a dozen times, but it is is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. And I've only been for breakfast which I think is simply the Best. They serve the food logger style which in today's terms we would call it family style. Within a minute of sitting down you are served with swarms of bowls and plates of food. At breakfast that starts with a pitcher of orange juice, coffee and Ice-T and water. Then immediately a bowl of biscuits and gravy, a plate of scrambled eggs, a plate of sausage, a plate of the best French toast made from homemade bread. Once you are done with until you cannot move...they will serve you more. The staff is extremely welcoming and friendly. And to walk off your morning food coma, they have a great museum you can walk through. read more

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Originated since 1893, serving the local logging industry; it's the last cookhouse of the West still in operation. Great value, homestyle cooking, all you can eat. It's amazing that it survived Covid! If you're in the area, make sure to stop here & support this historical treasure!! read more

This is a tricky review given what's great about Samoa Cookhouse (the history) and what's awful (the food). History - Original Cookhouse for lumberjacks still extant from 1895. Long shared tables, single price menu, friendly staff, interesting collection of old saws, stoves, artifacts. Yay! Food - terrible. Not easy to screw up breakfast but a bowl of rubbery scrambled eggs and some sort of dried toast/French toast was unappetizing. My son suggested that this was part of the historic experience and since the eggs tasted like they came from 1895, maybe he's right. Guys - please try a bit harder to make the food tastier - ok? Nice bonus - the Maritime Museum next door is well worth checking out. read more

This is an especially great place if you have a large group of people since the tables are long and they serve everything family style. The menu changes weekly and you can check it out every Thursday on their Facebook page. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner and bring everything out on big plates and each person has their own plate to eat on. (Think Buca di Beppo minus the Italian cuisine). It was built in the 1890's and run by single women who would serve the men coming in to eat. A lot of history there. They also have antiques inside you can walk by and look at. Despite the name, they do not serve Samoan food. The original owner wanted people to think they were coming to an "island feel" getaway so he named it after the island but they have no affiliation to anything Samoan. read more

Tradition history family'! food kitchen is a commissary style but I still enjoy every time I go there. The staff has worked there forever, the location is stunning and a museum next door! It's a treasure to be discovered and a treasure to keep. Their loaves of pillow air are perfect and yum. You can buy to take home this place should be packed every night! So much history inside! So original...Go there and frequent often or it would be a loss for the community- Use it or lose it!! And it's all you can eat...so go won't cha!?! read more

Not open even though their website and FB page states they are We drive all the way here today 6/15/22 to find this so do call first so you don't experience the disappointment we did read more

I have fond memories of this place serving hearty filling food...WHAT HAPPENED?? Breakfast was HORRIBLE!! Eggs overcooked and lumpy... French toast undercooked and soggy. With coffee and orange juice...it came to nearly $50!! Another restaurant to add to my list of never to go back to... read more

This is all you can eat place. You are given a choice of soup or salad , basket of bread and butter, main course was pork roast, corn and roasted diced potatoes. We had brownies for dessert. We did not ask for seconds as we were stuffed. I don't think I will come back as it is too far to drive from our place. read more

Wow, what a cool place. Come for the unique experience, leave with a great dining story. They really preserved the heritage of an old logging camp meal house. Long checkered cloth tables, family style meals, and lots of historical photos on the wall. The food is whatever they are servingaccommodate. Check the web site for the daily special cuz thats it for that day. If you have some dietary restrictions regarding the days menu, they probably cannot accommadate. It is all-you-can-eat so you won't be hungry. The food was all homemade and delicious. Staff very friendly and doubled as docents for this restaurant/museum experience. We found this place almost by accident. I do hope they market themselves more so they are around for future generations to get the logging camp cookhouse experience read more

Samoa Cookhouse was a nice surprise. It wasn't what I was expecting but I really enjoyed it and the story behind the building. It is a fun experience. Dinner if family style and you get served what's on the menu for the day. We went on St Pattys day. Menu was soup, salad, and homemade bread to start. The bread is awesome and they also use it to make their croutons. The main dish was corned beef, cabbage and roasted red potatoes. Then at the very end you get dessert. It's all you can eat. The food was great. The serves was great and everyone was friendly. I recommend you check it out. read more

Samoa Cookhouse - Outside of restaurant - American Near Me - Samoa, California

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It's a little out of the way, but the historic Samoa Cookhouse is worth a visit. It's a former cookhouse for a logging company, and you can see some of the artifacts around the restaurant, which gives a nice glimpse into the local history. I personally enjoy going here on a foggy Humboldt night and getting some family-style stick to your ribs food that doesn't mess around. The menu is fixed, so you get whatever is on menu. The tables are long and have traditional checkered tableclothes. You get fresh bread with lots of butter to start, and a soup or salad. All the entrees are served family style. The fried chicken is amazing. I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I did. The desserts are pretty good too, but be careful, they will load you down if you ask for seconds. Best fried chicken I've had in a long time, but it is only certain days of the week. Locals recommend it highly, which goes a long way with me. read more

I'm teetering between 3-4 stars for my review of Samoa Cookhouse. I visited for breakfast one morning, upon the recommendation of someone I met during my vacation in the area. I like the idea of cookhouse-style seating, where you never know who you might be eating with - potentially a communal meal! I was seated at the end of a table, and the way the seating rotations worked, I never actually had anyone sitting directly next to me. The food is the same for breakfast for everyone - there is no menu. I was brought a plate with two biscuits and a bowl of what I suspect was supposed to be sausage gravy; and then later a plate of French toast, scrambled eggs, and three sausage links. Butter is available in pre-wrapped pats, maple syrup in a small serving pitcher. I was also served coffee and water (I had to ask for the water). The texture of the biscuits causes me to suspect they were pre-made. Not flaky biscuits - more bread-like. The "gravy" that was served with the biscuits had almost no flavor. The scrambled eggs were also rather bland, The French Toast is exactly what you'd expect, and the sausage links - those were tasty. I added salt, pepper, and Tabasco sauce to the scrambled eggs to make them tastier; and I added butter and syrup to the French Toast. There is nothing wrong with the food. Just do not expect to come in and order off a menu. There are no menus. Service was a bit slow the day I visited. #SamoaCookhouse read more

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Think "family style diner." Breakfast would likely have been better. Just kinda meh. Everything was ok at best. We came on a fried chicken night. Nothing to write home about. All you can eat, but not worth the price in my opinion. Desert was a bit dry (apple spice cake). Family atmosphere was nice though. They didn't mention that salad dressing was an additional charge either, and they were running out of items pretty early. read more