Ok..... it wasn't great.... maybe it's good... .but that's just because the local competition is........ who? The portions were good, but that only goes to match with the prices, which I thought were on the high side. I ordered chicken fried steak, and found that my "steak" was likely nothing more than a frozen, battered, hockey puck of some type of grey mass before. It resembled a "steak" as much as a McD's chicken McNugget resembles "chicken." The gravy was bland and uneventful. The eggs were fine. My wife's food was good... the pancake she ordered was huge and tasty.... and her food looked like it was to order as well(crispy on both sides) The service as far as her coffee goes was quite good.... I think she was offered refills no fewer than 4 times when we were there..... but my water went dry and stayed dry. It's not a bad place, but it's not without major room for improvement either.... and it certainly isn't anywhere that I'd either go out of my way for, or be closed to trying other places because this was "it". read more

Our family has eaten here 20 times at least. This is a basic coffee shop that has exact look of 1965 coffee shop. It has very traditional fare. No exotic flavors. It is not gourmet but turns out good pancake and egg dishes. On the weekend the waitstaff can get rushed because it is busy. Food is served quickly. I would really like to see option of organic eggs. I think a lot of customers would pay a surcharge to make sure chickens treated humanely. Up the road at Princeton Harbor is even better breakfast st Ketch Joanne's. read more

No frills atmosphere and service with great homemade, generously portioned, kitchen cooking. Love the mid century and likely original booths, table, and counter stools.my growing boys gobbled up the country breakfast spread...ham, sausage, eggs, pancakes and wanted to return even though we were only driving through half moon bay (San Francisco to Santa Cruz). I had a sourdough grilled cheese and clam chowder..both good. Left full though would've tried their milkshakes if not! Ha read more

I hate to admit it, but I'm getting older. This means that if I spend the a night on the town, I can reliably expect a hangover and a bit of that post Bootie fog til midday the next afternoon. I've only found one cure for this affliction, and it's Eggs Benedict with a corned beef hash substitution and an unlimited cup of coffee. In steps Sam's Coffee Shop, the archetypal diner. You know what you are getting into when you walk in, and Sam's does it perfectly. Want pancakes half a foot high and larger than your head? You know they not only nail it, but the waitress will suggest some chocolate chips because "You deserve it, honey." Every dish had that perfect balance of fat, grease and salt. If you know what you want, Sam's will try their best to make it happen. This is where you go to kill you diet, and you'll enjoy it. A great spot to stop on the way to some hiking in the area, but be careful what you eat. Pick the wrong dish and you may find your motivation vanish on a full stomach. read more

We've been coming to Sam's for a couple years, and from the first time, we've never been disappointed. It is a classic diner, with consistent food and a broad California diner menu. I have tried a substantial selection of the menu and have yet to find anything, breakfast or lunch, that wasn't good! Plus, the service is always good, and has been since the first day we walked in. Of course, we're regulars here, and we have actually made friends with some of the other regulars. Oh, and one of my reviews wouldn't be complete if I didn't praise them for their real iced tea! Sam's Coffee Shop is in a strip mall, which has three Twice as Nice stores, so parking can sometimes be a bit of a challenge, especially on the weekends, but we've never had to wait more than 5-10 minutes for a space to open up, but YMMV. read more

This place is exactly what you would imagine and hope it would be... no more, no less. Generous portions of your breakfast staples along with piping hot coffee. When it comes to diner fare, this is right down the middle, entirely accomplishes what it sets out to achieve... which is adequate to the task, and just fine by me. If you are looking for a playful menu or something more unique, look around town a bit more... if you are looking for the basics, good portions, and a solid price, you could do far worse than Sam's. read more

Standard diner fare with really generous portions. Coffee was good enough to kick us off on a long journey but food wasn't anything out of the ordinary. Crowd was refreshing from all the overly posh retirees of Half Moon Bay. read more

not a bad place for breakfast, service was a bit slow, and so were the coffee refills. This place gets really busy, so it will benefit you to come early rather than later. The food was typical diner food, which is perfect, because it is a diner. Give the place a try, just go early read more

Felt like a trip back in time. It was a true diner with vinyl brown booths. Food was good. I ordered the ham, avocado, and cheese omelet with cheddar cheese. Even though the waitress said the cheese was not American, it looked like American to me. However, it tasted quite good. The avocado was very fresh. Hash browns and toast were standard. read more

Yummy!! in my Tummy! Sam's Coffee Shop is a diner in HMB. The wait staff is really friendly. The coffee is tasty. The food is good. Just keep in mind it's a local coffee shop. And the decor can use some help. My husband ordered the omelet and it came out a little flat. The flavor was fine, but I'm just used to fluffier eggs. Definitely a 3.5 star and will return if I'm craving breakfast/diner type foods when I'm in HMB next. read more

This was like the only breaksfast place we could find. There's probably not many since this place was packed!!! I had the corned beef hash, which was good and my husband had some sort of omollette that he created. Definitely filled our tummies after waking up from a wedding hang over. read more

Had this huge breakfast with eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, and pancakes for 10 bucks.

Breakfast is my favorite meal and this is the perfect place to start the day. The food is very tasty, the portions are big and it is cheap. If you like mushrooms, make sure you order an omelet and add them, they are super tasty! If you have a hard time choosing between sweet and savory, you will love the menu. You can order 1 pancake with eggs and bacon so both cravings are satisfied. read more

I had a mini holiday in HMB and Yelp'd the surrounding area for places to eat, Sam's popped up. The restaurant was pretty busy for a Friday morning (11AM). I can't imagine how packed it gets during the weekend?? Anyway, the diner is nothin' fancy but the food makes up for what the decor lacks. I was happily pleased with my breakfast entree and was even more tickled that the food wasn't overly greasy and/or seasoned. The portions are decently generous and the prices are average. If I was in the area, I'd return. Breakfast for three adults and one child -- roughly under $32 (without tip) read more

Small joint close to Main Street. Breakfast was the usual. Fresh ingredients. Friendly staff and reasonable prices. read more

Sams Cafe - Banana French toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

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I like this place. Came by for a Saturday breakfast and it was busy but not too much of wait. The place is comfortable and staff friendly. We had eggs, over easy and scrambled and they were prepared just fine. I also had a waffle and it was very good, no complaints. They are very generous on refilling the coffee and it was in my view very reasonable. Much more reasonable then 3-zero cafe up by the airport. I will be making this my go to breakfast place in the future. read more

Always crowded. Locals come here, which is great at times unless you don't want to see someone. Clean restaurant, bathroom could use better lighting and toilet seat covers. Food is ok. I have ordered pancakes, dice ham and eggs, Sam #1. Not expensive. read more

Will not go back. My sandwich tasted old... corned beef and sauerkraut. I only took 2 bites....instead of getting an apology from the owner I was given half off!! Zero stars.... read more

Wonderful diner. This is it, now that Original Johnny's mutated into the latest incarnation of HMB's Main Street Grill (yuck). Fantastic service, great breakfasts. If you don't tip well, i will come looking for you and hurt you. Parking in this "L" shaped strip mall is tight. The place is not large, but 've never had a problem getting seated immediately. This is really a local's hang-out. It's not on the stretch of Main Street where the tourists wander around wondering why they bothered to come to HMB to our pathetic 3 blocks of shops. And there's no espresso machine, so the kiddees gather at the Starbucks or Peets at the "plazas" . read more

Hey when in need of some good food stop in to eat at Sams, theirs not many places in Half Moon Bay or near that offers good food at a reasonable price Sams plates pretty decent grubbage. They have a good selection of lunch & breakfast items. We were in town to buy some fresh crab at Pillar Point Harbor, the places near the harbor aren't all that great and the foods not anything to scream about. Well we drove to down town and didn't find anything we liked, a bar, a sushi joint and that's about it. Also these are needless mark-up places. Sams did not disappoint. I had the two eggs with bacon 4 strips!, she a order of waffles all was real good. Now this was a Sat and the mix was locals and Turiods. The food was hot, fast and the staff on the spot! The bathrooms were clean, which is a plus. When in need of some good hole sum food I say check them out! read more

As you know, the area can be a bit pricy but Sam's Coffee Shop is perfect for a quick, inexpensive and great tasting breakfast. I had breakfast by myself and ordered the French toast plate that came with 2 eggs, bacon, 4 slices of french toast and it was $9. Food was great and service was awesome. I did not have any coffee so cant speak for that but the food was great and like I said super affordable! Highly recommend this little local spot! read more

When it comes to something inexpensive this coffee shop is dynamite visiting from Palm Harbor Florida looking for a place to get a quick bite using Yelp I found Sam's. Service was fantastic lady was so nice wish I was a local so I could eat here everyday. My omelet was huge and full of what I wanted. If you like avocado get this sam special number 2. Please see the pics. read more

Sams Cafe - Sam's Special 2 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

I decided to try this place out and I'm glad I did. I ordered the waffle with eggs & sausages. It was delicious. I love how their waffle is flat and crispy. I'm not a huge fan of the Belgium waffle because it doesn't stay crispy and tends to be doughy for my liking so when I got my waffle and saw how perfectly cooked and crispy it was, I was happy. The waitress was very pleasant and loved how they constantly refilled my coffee without me having to flag someone down. I will definitely be back. read more

Sams Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

This place never disappoints the coffee is hot fresh and free flowing the food is done with care the staff and locals are friendly we have been coming here for years to get away from San Jose for the day or a weekend and we love HMB read more

Sams Cafe - Always delicious hits d fresh!!:)) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

The food was just okay. Service was good and fast, good value as well. There were line on Saturday, but the line moved pretty quick. read more

Came in for breakfast and was told to sit where ever I would like. I sat at a table and was then scolded for my seat selection :-( Did not get to try the food as I just left after being embarrassed by the wait staff in front of other customers read more

Good place for breakfast! Small and had to wait but it was ok. Eggs were great n loads of hash browns. Huge pancakes... didnt like texture ... but big portions ... And coffee and service stood out. !!! read more

Good service and large portions. We went for lunch (although breakfast looks to be the main reason for going). The highlights were the turkey vegetable soup and the California Club sandwich. What impressed me was that everything seems to be home-made and not from a can or frozen. The soup had chunks of real turkey and my daughters chicken strips appeared to be hand-breaded real chicken. My sandwich was huge and loaded with avocado. The service was also very attentive and friendly. The decor is definitely "old diner" and won't win any awards, but the food makes up for it. We definitely want to go back and try the breakfast. read more

Great value for the money! Lily, our server, was very friendly and helpful. Decor was a little outdated, but you can't always judge a book by its cover. My dad ordered the 3 egg omelet with spinach, avocado, and swiss cheese. He said it was the best omelet he has ever eaten. Fresh ingredients were plentiful. I ordered the Eggs Benedict. The eggs were a little runny, but I prefer them that way. The Hollandaise sauce was plentiful and also tasty. Very satisfied and would definitely stop in again if in the area for breakfast. read more

Fast service but a tad impersonal. Price is a little high for a coffee shop. My strawberry French toast was yummy. Hubby had hash and eggs with hash browns and cleaned his plate. read more

Sams Cafe - Strawberry French toast. :) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Half Moon Bay, California

Stopped in again today, still the best and most reasonably priced breakfast in town, same great cooking, same great staff, same great Coffee Shop! Love it, come here every time I'm in town, can't beat it. Don't miss this place for Breakfast or Lunch! read more

There was just two of us and we got seated right away. I ordered a waffle w/ two eggs and two sausage. I pretty much laughed when my waffle came.....it was cold, hard as a rock and flatter than a pancake. I told the waitress when she came back and she seemed irritated, never got an apology! An apology goes a long way!!!!!! The second waffle came back paper thin, but at least it was warm and not a frisbee! I unfortunately will not recommend this place, I've had better food at Denny's. Won't be back! read more

Great place for breakfast. Good food, huge portions. Great value for the money and very attentive servers

This is not an over the top establishment, but more importantly, it's not trying to be. They're just trying to make you a good meal, and I thought they did a fine job of it. My wife and I dropped in for breakfast when we were passing through Half Moon Bay. I ordered a plate with four strips of bacon, two eggs, hash browns, and wheat toast. I also ordered a side of two pancakes and a coke. Yeah...I was in one of those kinds of moods. My wife ordered a spinach, mushroom, onion, bacon, and cheese omelette with the same fixings. I enjoyed my very much and my wife did too. Let's be real. The carpet is nasty, the booths are brown and old, and the tables complete the "old-timer" look (I read on a flyer that they're getting new tables). The place is definitely a dive, but the important thing is that they are not trying to be something they're not. They're not overpriced and the servers were very friendly. I recommend giving this place a shot. read more

Green chili and jack cheese burger with fries and an iced tea, that's my favorite. I've been eating here since 1990. The best burger in HMB. Used to go here weekly when I lived in HMB, now I stop in when I visit family. Owners are friendly so are the servers. Breakfast time can be busy. This is a gem of a Coffee Shop. read more

Every place we go for Breakfast, is compar'ed to Sam's Coffe Shop. There's no other way to put it .... It's our Favorite, and we may even see someone there we know .... E,L,C & C read more

Great place! First time with my family had breakfast. Prompt, friendly, great taste food! Coffee? Delicious! Pancakes? Yummy! Recommended! read more

My husband and I came here for lunch yesterday. I wasn't really expecting to like it, as my neuroses tend to limit my exploration of diner-type establishments....but I was pleasantly surprised. Yeah, the interior of the place could use an update, but I won't hold that against them because at least it's clean -- that's the important thing. It kinda reminds me of all the old restaurants in my home town: it's got an old-fashioned, diner-y atmosphere. Cozy. Our server was really sweet and attentive, and also reminded me of home. Aww! The menu is massive....tons of breakfast and lunch options. And they will gladly substitute fruit for fried sides without a problem -- bonus points for that! In addition to that, they also have egg beaters available to substitute in their egg dishes, and they have a veggie burger on their lunch menu. Awesome. I went with the veggie burger this time and was not disappointed. Very tasty, and served with fresh tomato, lettuce, & pickle. Om nom! Prices are reasonable too. My husband had the steak and eggs and I'm assuming he liked it because he inhaled it in like 5 minutes flat. The only downside is that there are no restrooms available for customers. So if you chug two gigantic cups of Diet Coke like I may or may not have....just keep that in mind. O_o read more

I have breakfast here every Monday , and I have try almost everything on the menu and all is good , love there waffles and the French toast with banana rocks .!! read more

This place is great for breakfast, always has good food. The coffee is good and there's always someone walking by to quickly refil your coffee. The blueberry pancakes are good and the hash browns are good if you request extra crispy. The place is cozy and old school. I always run into at least one person I know there as this is a go-to spot for locals, especially on weekends. read more