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    Sam's Cafe

    4.1 (235 reviews)
    InexpensiveChinese, American
    Closed 8:00 am - 3:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Sam's Cafe Photos

    SAM'S CAFE ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Sam's Cafe

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    BLT
    Jocelyn E.

    A hometown staple for me honestly. Can't beat coming in here for breakfast and my most usual a BLT. Love supporting local family owned business. It's very family friendly everyone's welcome.

    Chicken Fried Steak & Eggs, with Hashbrowns and a  Waffle

    The food here was good, and so was the service. I felt that this was an average experience. I would say the prices were decent for the amount of food you get.

    Corned beef...
    Lydia T.

    Good for a quick breakfast. Servers were nice. Service: 9/10 Food: 5/10 Their corned beef was very salty, i would not order it again. My husband said their iced tea didnt taste good too.

    Tanya T.

    Love the nostalgic feel and friendly, efficient service. I also love the rice option. The food was decent with veggies and I added my own seasoning and salt. I did not however enjoy the biscuits and gravy. I did not enjoy the serving plate used to serve my salad nor was I too fond of the price. I wont be coming back anytime soon but so happy to see the community flock to it in droves to support and enjoy.

    David L.

    Sam's Cafe has been a fixture at the North end of the Miracle Mile (Pacific Ave) for as long as I remember. If we are in town, we make it our Sunday morning go to for an early breakfast. There are a lot of regulars who come weekly as well. The decor is pretty simple, there are three booths, counter seating and six to seven tables down the side. The owners/staff are friendly and will stop to talk, if they are not running their backsides off serving folks. The food is your simple breakfast fare (I've not been here for lunch), I usually order a omelette and my wife gets the veggie scramble. Comes with potatoes, hashed browns or country style and toast. Coffee, water, iced tea, hot tea and orange juice are some of the standard drinks offered. One day I have to take a picture. Meals for two run in the $35-$45 including tip. Can be a little noisy when full.

    Store front
    Jonnita W.

    This was a great choice to have breakfast this morning. We were able to sit outside and have the scenery amongst us. All of the ladies working here were great! Our food was tasty and cooked to our requests. You can tell the food is good here based on the customers that showed up. Some seem to be regulars Located in the east of Stockton on Miracle Mile

    Menu
    VJ M.

    This cafe has outdoor seating. Family owned and operated by the owner. As soon as you walk in they seat you right away. The food comes out right away. This is the best place to get a waffle it's delicious.

    Pam K.

    What a friendly, little cafe. The owners are so sweet and old but full of energy. I ordered a simple plate of corned beef hash with rice and eggs over easy and that came with biscuits and gravy. This place is super mom n pop, I loved it. It's pretty small inside so it probably gets very busy. They even had a sign up saying to come in twos when it's busy.

    Menu December 2022
    Kyle B.

    I thought this "Sam's Cafe" was similar to the one in Ceres CA which is a staple of my hometown but unfortunately it was not. Portion sizes were very small but the food was decent. The Asian American boasted restaurant feels extremely plain and the service feels "forced" versus "welcoming"

    So good

    Sam's coffee was incredible! Very friendly people, good food, fine service. Of course there are people who would bring fault in Buddha, or anybody...but it was a real good meal.

    Wendy B.

    Sam's has been around for quite some time, and is not as American a cuisine as the name implies. More like Chinese-American. Mr. B grew up in South Stockton, and this little dive of a place was where he wanted to go and drum up some sweet memories from better than 50 years ago. I no longer recall the name of where he is from, but the chef is the real deal; he comes from a region of China known for their really good cuisine. We decided it would be breakfast on a Sunday. Surprisingly, it was not busy, but the majority of dishes flying out of the kitchen were typical American fare. We needed good, old fashioned, 1960's vintage, Cantonese food for breakfast, so we asked if we could order off the dinner menu. Of course, she said. So there it was...Black Bean Spare Ribs and a plate of Chinese fried chicken. And one salad, consisting of iceberg lettuce and some tomato chunks (lousy salad dressing choices). Oh yes, and a serving of rice for the Filipino guy. Not your typical breakfast, and not your typical Chinese meal. But it suited us quite well, and both entrees were great. The black bean spareribs tasted as good as the day he remembered so long ago. Delicious. The chicken, not greasy and still moist, with just a touch of a Chinese-flavored marinade, reminded us this was not a KFC wannabe. Better. The leftovers the next day were still sensational. This tiny cafe consists of 3 booths, 6 tables. There is seating for 5 at the counter and 3 small tables outside on the Pacific Ave. sidewalk. We were happy with our two dishes and will mark that down as a place to revisit and reminisce.

    Special skillet w/ sourdough and a side of sausage!

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    5 months ago

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    11 days ago

    Sam's Cafe is warm and welcoming. I like the waffles and the pancakes too. Give them a try.

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    2 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Great service very friendly family that owns this place. Food was amazing.! The place was tiny, but perfect! Definitely recommend this place

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    2 years ago

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    8 months ago

    Food is delicious and service is awesome. Ambiance is homey and Sam takes every opportunity to come greet and talk his patrons.

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

    great place. cozy little establishment and May is the sweetest and loves to interact with the customers. Recommend and will return again.

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    7 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Friendly, great customer service and good food. You can tell they have regular customers. We will definitely be back.

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    4 years ago

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    Page 1 of 6

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    Yen Du Restaurant - Veggie fried rice had a great assortment of vegetables!

    Yen Du Restaurant

    4.4(634 reviews)
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    A truly satisfying meal. This used to be a regular spot for us when we visited our daughter in…read morecollege. They always served up a wonderful meal. Turn the clock forward a decade and guess what, the food is still outstanding and the service is still attentive and kind. It was a 2 1/2 hour drive for us so we were good and hungry when we got into town. The owner greeted us warmly and a friendly server (her son), came by to help us. We decided to order: Hot & sour soup - heaven in a big bowl. Savory broth filled with delicious ingredients. It was well flavored, not too spicy or tangy Mu shu chicken - 4 pancakes with hoisin sauce. Our server wrapped our first ones for us. The dish contained the typical scrambled egg, sliced cabbage, protein, etc and it was fresh and tasty Beef with asparagus -noted in the entry that asparagus was in season so we had to order it. Meat was tender and the asparagus was cooked beautifully House chow mein - Fried perfectly and not doused in a bunch of sauce or oil. The protein on this dish was plentiful and it was simple and delicious. I loved how they didn't add chives/green onion to these dishes. The hot & sour soup had a few little green onions for color but this is the first time I've been to a Chinese restaurant that doesn't overfill the dishes with onions (as I don't like onions). Maybe that's the reason I enjoyed everything so much. Portions are very generous! We had lots of yummy leftovers. Our server told us that two of his brothers were the chefs. My kudos to them; they certainly know how to cook!

    I don't even know where to start‼‼‼‼This place is THAT good. Honestly, I refuse to eat at any other…read moreChinese restaurant after coming here. The food is always fresh, flavorful, and made to perfection every single time. You can truly taste the love in every dish, and that's what makes it stand out. It's a family-owned spot, and they put real care into everything they serve. Every visit feels warm and welcoming, like you're getting a home-cooked meal rather than takeout. And let's not ignore the fact... the chef? Yeah, definitely easy on the eyes too! ‼ Oh let's not forget the home made potstickers ! Made by amazing little chefs ‼‼‼ If you come here hungry, just know you're leaving completely satisfied, like full, happy, can't-move type of full. This place is a whole experience, not just a meal! Oh also if you looked at the picture ...I got you

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    Tsing Tao - Sweet & Sour Soup

    Tsing Tao

    4.2(298 reviews)
    4.2 mi
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    This time my review is based on my dine in experience. Came in with my mom on our lunch break. We…read moreboth ordered from the lunch specials menu! We got the same thing.. Kung Pao Chicken 10/10 The chicken was flavorful, hot (temp not spice!), veggies were cooked to perfection came with peanuts, zucchini, green bell peppers and onions. Fried Rice 5/10 it was just rice with eggs and some soy sauce and it was a little on mushy side for my liking. Didn't give me fried rice vibes. Fried wonton chips 10/10 definitely shouldn't be eating these grease filled treats, but the crunch was so satisfying! However, service was nice, everyone was welcoming. Inside was super clean which is appreciated. I'll definitely be back to try something different next time.

    My family and I absolutely love Tsing Tao and have been coming here for years. The quality of the…read morefood is consistently amazing, and the portions are always generous -- you never leave hungry. We've hosted family gatherings here as well as enjoyed small, casual dinners, and every single time we leave full and happy. The hot and sour soup is to die for and a must-order on every visit. Nancy, the previous owner, was always so warm and welcoming, and that same hospitality continues with the current staff. Their family is so nice! They truly make you feel at home. This place holds so many great memories for our family, and it remains a go-to spot in Stockton. We will always return!

    Photos
    Tsing Tao - 8/18/22 Beautiful decor, looks brand new.  Can you believed its 23 years old!!

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    China Palace - Shumai

    China Palace

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    Been to this place a few times visiting our relatives in Stockton, normally we have dim sums but we…read moredecided to do family style for lunch. I was recommended by my nephew that the Dry Scallops fried rice is amazing. It did not disappoint us at all. It's definitely worth the $24.99 as the portions are huge enough for six and there was a lot of dry Scallops in every bites. The other dishes was huge as well in portions and delicious as well. Although the restaurant is not fancy nut the food is exceptionally good for it's price per portions. Will definitely try again if in Stockton.

    My sister and I went out for a lunch date. We were craving Chinese food so we came to China Palace…read more We ordered from the dim sum menu. This was our first time ordering dim sum. Though, the servers were pushy, the food was delicious. We got the shrimp dumplings, fried shrimp balls, and egg custard tarts. They were all very yummy. You can either order from the dim sum menu or the regular one. But if you want both, you do need to ask for the other menu. We figured this out after we had already ordered from the dim sum menu. We also ordered two lunch specials. They were also tasty. The place is very spacious and has a lot of Chinese decor. My experience was not as enjoyable, because of the staff,though. We both felt very uncomfortable and pushed to order more food and pay tip. It was not professional or polite at all. I hope the next time I go, my visit is much more pleasant.

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    China Palace - Closed for vacation. 10/06/25 - 10/29/25.

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    China Palace - Shumai

    Shumai

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    Dynasty Restaurant - Yesssss

    Dynasty Restaurant

    3.6(539 reviews)
    2.8 mi
    $$

    Best Chinese restaurant in Stockton. Love their house chow mein and bbq pork buns…read more Pretty authentic!

    Friday, January 9th. Approx. 6:50 PM…read more OVERVIEW: Was at Lincoln Village to do some shopping, and wanted to try this restaurant for the first time and get some to-go food. Will probably go back again to give their Dim Sum a try. PROS: - GREAT LOCATION in the middle of Lincoln Village Shopping Center & lots of available parking spaces. - Ordered the Fried Garlic Chicken, Broccoli Beef & House Special Chow Mein. Good flavor & volume for the price. - This may be commonsensical, but while it was quite cold outside on this January evening, management kept the temperature of the dining area at a warm level. I bring this point up since a lot of restaurants in Stockton & Lodi have turned the thermostats of their dining areas down to cut overhead costs, but this place kept their dining area warm & comfy. CONS: - It seems obvious that they only have one chef working in their kitchen, since it took almost 30 minutes to complete my order. Sure, they had to serve other customers dining in, as well as handle a constant flow of pick-up orders, but since it was peak order time on a Friday night, they should have more staff in the kitchen to quickly support the order volume. - While I mentioned in the "PROS" section above, the food has good flavor and volume for the price. The downside is that the overall flavors are not outstanding nor memorable, which doesn't allow for much separation with other mainstream Chinese restaurants, serving the same dishes in Stockton. SUMMARY: If you're in the Lincoln Village area, want to eat Chinese food and are not in a particular hurry, this is a good place to park the car and sit down for a while. If you are in a hurry, better to phone in your order beforehand to cut the waiting time. Don't expect exotic food presentations and flavors, but don't expect massive damage to your wallet either.

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    Dynasty Restaurant
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    Sam's Cafe - chinese - Updated May 2026

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