Great food, generous portions and good atmosphere combine to make this restaurant a mainstay for my family. We, pretty much, ran the gambit on meal choices. Philly cheese steak, fried shrimp (jumbo & baby, fried catfish, and grilled catfish. My personal favorite being the grilled with onions and peppers. Everything had perfect balance of spice and needed nothing extra added. For appetizers we had fried green tomatoes and fried okra. Both were some of the best I've ever eaten. I, very highly, recommend trying out this place. Well worth the time. read more

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Salt. Salt. Salt. The only ingredient is salt. The food is so over salted it's insane. This is not southern food. I couldn't finish 5 wings because I was having a heart attack. Horrible. I've lived in the Deep South. This is NOT southern food. Is heavily salted fried garbage. read more

I was SO excited when I heard Sam's was opening a location in Norman! We've been to the one on 23rd in OKC several times and have always enjoyed their food. This location on Main Street has changed hands several times in the last few years, so I'm really hoping Sam's can keep hold of it for a while! In terms of food, keep in mind that their niche is fried/grilled seafood and chicken, accompanied by typical southern sides. As long as you're in the mood for that, you'll have a great meal! I usually get fried shrimp (which are big!), juicy chicken tenders, or fried catfish. Everything can also be made grilled. For sides, there's fries, hush puppies, green beans, coleslaw, etc. The wait staff has always been attentive and friendly, and the space is pretty big...good for groups and I've never had a wait! read more

Not the same...... When we pulled up at lunch the lot was empty, which isn't usual for Sam. Now we know why. The restaurant seems to have been taken over by the same folks from the Noble location. Red beans and rice were not as flavorful and there was no sausage in it like it used to be. I got some crab cakes and when they came out I was shocked by how big they were? I discovered it was imitation crab, they seemed pre-made, not like the old ones. Not to mention the entire time we were there it was Adele music?! Like stop using the playlist your teenage daughter left behind when she went to college five years ago. read more

Ordered the grilled fish with mashed potatoes and green beans. Fish was seasoned, a little on the salty side. I got it without the onions and peppers because they overtake the fish. The green beans were out of a can, but were seasoned with garlic and lots of salt. The mashed potatoes are clearly from a box or can and not fresh, very watery and absolutely no seasoning. I have tried this place at least five times in Norman, trying various meals in hopes it would meet my seafood fix. It does not. It's too expensive to receive mediocre food. You know they say crazy is to keep doing the same thing and expect different results. I'm done. read more

Had an order that was messed up and was quite unhappy about it seeing how it was my first meal after a busy day, after I left a review it was acknowledged quickly and they even offered to give me a free meal of my choice. read more

Service was really good but the fried catfish was like eating leather or beef jerky. May try again but was not super happy at all

This is a 4.5 star review but not quite 5. That said, Sam's is a fantastic addition to the Norman dining scene, and I hope it lasts. Several of us had lunch at Sam's on a Saturday around 11:45. It was never what I would call crowded, but people were steadily coming in during the 45 or so minutes we were there. We were immediately approached by a server for drink orders and had excellent service during our lunch. For a starter we had the okra and fried pickles. They fry stuff to order, or at least these items, because they were both very hot. The okra was standard fried okra, but that is still good. The pickles were okay but the breading was a little thick. This was the weakest part of the meal and why Sam's did not end up with 5 stars from me. The lunch was great. I tried some of the following: fried shrimp, catfish, crab cakes, red beans and rice, and cole slaw. Everything fried was fried properly: it was crispy and fully cooked but not greasy in the slightest. It also was not overcooked, the catfish was still flaky. The Sam's sauce is their take on tartar sauce, it is good but I didn't find it outstanding or anything. Frankly, the fish I had did not need sauce at all, the breading is crispy and seasoned well, and the fish was cooked well. Very strong catfish. The crabcakes were completely breaded and fried but were also good. There were some lumps of crab in there, but do not expect a huge steakhouse style crabcake. That said I would definitely get them again. The cole slaw was good but nothing to write home about. The red beans and rice were definitely the better dish, I would order them again as well. I found this Sam's to be much better than the OKC version (which, to be fair, I tried 2.5 years ago) and will definitely return. read more

We had high expectations for this place and this place let us down. First the good - the service was great! We were greeted when we walked in and seated promptly. Our server ( was polite and attentive. Our order came out quickly and was hot and fresh. We liked the atmosphere. Second the average - I fried pickles and mushrooms as an appetizer and ordered the fish, shrimp, and oyster combo with fries and red beans and rice for my entree. The temperature of the food was great. The taste of the food was average to below average. The breading used on the pickles and mushrooms made them hard. Not a fan. The fish used cornmeal breading, the shrimp used a batter type breading, and the oysters used cornmeal breading. The oysters were good. They were tender and meaty and cooked very well. The fish and shrimp and beans and rice were average and I've had better at other nearby restaurants. The way they fry the french fries makes them hard as well. Below average for the fries. Lastly, the bad - The hush puppies were terrible. Hard, dry, and not my kind of flavor. I doubt we'll be back. read more

Went to Sams for our wedding anniversary dinner and they didn't disappoint. We ordered fried green tomatoes and fried pickles for an appetizer. Just wonderful! My wife had a grilled shrimp salad and it came with a handful of sliced pickles. I had a plate of fried oysters, hush puppies and red beans & rice. Soooo good! Try this place out. You'll be back. read more

Sam's Southern Eatery - Fried oysters (almost gone...whew!), hush puppies, red beans & rice, fried pickles and fried green tomatoes, shrimp salad. - Seafood Near Me - Norman, Oklahoma

Everything about this place was good: food, waitress, atmosphere. Would definitely recommend. I had a fish po boy and fried green tomatoes. Yum! read more

This is a funny kind of place that is rather out of place. Seems that the owners can't decide if it's a fast food joint or a restaurant. The fried shrimp were pretty good. Hushpuppies are very good. The grilled catfish was ok but hopefully the fried catfish is much better. The house sauce is very good. read more

For affordable seafood, this place is awesome! Most menu options are available grilled or fried. Portions are generous IMO. The crab cakes were surprisingly good, but grilled shrimp is my favorite thing on the menu. Great service too read more

Sam's Southern Eatery - Grilled shrimp & catfish - Seafood Near Me - Norman, Oklahoma

Great food...truly. Was looking for yummy seafood and found it in Norman. We'll be back. Large, bright dining room, friendly service.

Fried chicken-dry/overcooked and tasteless Fried shrimp overcooked/chewy and odd flavored Salad...iceberg was fresh, onions bland, tomato okay and cucumbers were good Hushpuppies chewy and not much flavor Macaroni and cheese watery/soupy and not much cheese flavor Grilled chicken and onions okay. One of the worst meals I have ever had...I could not eat it...except a little salad and the grilled chicken I put on it. I shudder to think how nasty their fried oysters must be. read more

I need everyone in Norman to go eat then keep going to eat at Sam's Southern Eatery on Main in downtown. It's damn good, but in a cursed location and I'd really like this one to stick. Food is hot, portions are big but not overwhelming, and it's very reasonably priced. I would have paid 13.50 for my Po'boy anywhere else and I think it was 8 something. And if you know anything about Po'Boys then you know the most important ingredient is the bread, and they nailed it. read more

The fish, crab cakes, and shrimp were fantastic. Light and crispy. I wasn't a fan of the red beans and rice and coke slaw, but I just don't care for super creamy coke slaw. Overall, it was great and our service was top notch. read more

Really great food! I've lived in Norman for about a year and a half and always wanted to try it. We finally decided to eat there and I'm mad at myself for waiting this long! It's hot and fresh and really good flavor! Will definitely be eating here again! read more

Almost all fried menu the catfish is the beat in Oklahoma but limited menu is disappointing The atmosphere was ok staff was very attentive read more

Super clean with excellent service. The food was decently priced but not very flavorful. Had the grilled shrimp which were nice sized but breading on the shrimp and the fried pickles just didn't match the food and was not well seasoned. Mashed potatoes were instant and not good. Coleslaw was creamy and good flavor. read more

This Sam's in Norman was extremely good. I've been to two other Sam's. I thought my service was excellent, I felt well taken care of. My food was delicious and I got exactly what I wanted. read more

I get the fried fish, shrimp, and hushpuppies. I love it! The fish flakes perfectly and the portions are big (I can usually make two meals out of it.) The staff is super friendly as well. read more

Everything was super clean when we went in. The portions are huge and everything was hot and crispy. We ended up taking so much to go we ate dinner off of our lunch leftovers too. Prices aren't too high and the kids loved their fried shrimp. I'd recommend. We have been back a few times for Togo orders. The gumbo is a must get! read more

If I could only use one word to describe Sam's Southern Eatery it would be delicious. I always crave the cornmeal fried catfish. I've eaten fried catfish lots and lots of places but this is my absolute favorite. The fries are delish, the mac and cheese is cheesy creaminess and the hushpuppies have just the right kick. You absolutely cannot go wrong when choosing Sam's Southern Eatery. read more

I would like to update this review to include, I received an apology from the manager for this incident. She is also no longer working there... I've been back several times and the atmosphere is much better!!!! The food is still and has always remained amazing!!!! It just seems so much more inviting and relaxed under new management. read more

Recommended by a friend, Sams was a pleasant surprise. Fresh, hot, tasty food at reasonable prices. The portions are generous to say the least, and the waitstaff friendly and attentive. Why not 5 stars? Limited adult beverages, kinda odd interior, and foam cups and food containers are never gonna get a five! In summary , go for the food, don't expect a nice napkin! read more

Shrimp was very fishy smelling, ate one piece and threw the rest away. My husband did the same. Won't be back.

Ordered the Catfish and it was served piping hot, excellent seasoning, and plenty of it--big portion. Will definitely go back.

As always the best food in town. Great people also. Love the place. Super tasty fried catfish and shrimp. read more

Great food! Good southern fried catfish with the perfect batter. My husband ordered the shrimp po boy and was very impressed. Serving sizes are very generous. Service was a little slow but it was a young teenager. The food all but made up for that part! Definitely did not disappoint! Way to go! read more

Delightfully surprised to find delicious seafood in Ok. Best fried shrimp I've ever had! We ordered an 8 pc and a 10 pc basket and ended up with 25 shrimp! Our attentive and very personable server, Jamal told us that if the pieces didn't weigh enough they gave you extra. We ended up with enough for another meal. We also tried the hush puppies as an appetizer because we didn't know we would receive some in our basket. Again, some of the best I've had. Warning though, they are on the spicy side so wouldn't recommend them for children or those who aren't fond of spicy. We loved them! Back to Jamal, even if the food wasn't the best seafood we've had in a very long time, we'd come back for his exceptional service and infectious smile. We ate outside which was a perfect setting. We do recommend they get some little pails on the table outside to put trash in as it is windy most days here and hard to hold on to your trash. Everything is served in disposable containers read more

Food was mediocre. The lady behind the counter was terrible. She forgot to add an item to my order, so she had to ring me up twice and doubled my wait time. While I was waiting for my carry-out order, another customer had their order messed up as well. She also treated two other customers very poorly, condescending and ignoring their concerns. Will not be going back to this establishment. read more

Average. We came here because of the great reviews. Not sure why this place got such great reviews because crab cakes, fried shrimp, hush puppies, and French fries were Long John Silver worthy. Cole slaw was below average. Good, friendly wait staff. Maybe it was just a bad day, but doubt I will be back to give them a second try. read more

I am giving Sam's a 5 star because the overall experience is great. The catflish is good, the chicken is really good, the sauces (made in house) are yummy, and the red beans & rice is outstanding. The fish fillets are a bit on the skinny side, and need a little more flavor. I have not tried the shrimp yet but will next visit. The portion size overall is good, at good prices. They have off street parking which is great for Main St. in Norman. This spot has potential to be a favorite stop, and is definitely worth a visit. read more

Very large portions. Only place I ever order to go food from and it's just as hot and fresh as eating in the restaurant. Always got a ready to go when I arrive. Have never had to wait or had an order wrong. Best chicken livers in tow. read more

I enjoy this place every time I go there. For a chain restaurant they are consistent with the food quality. Since my son's favorite fried fish place closed, he has been getting his fix here. Hope the service doesn't decline. read more

Got the catfish po' boy and hushpuppies to go. Generous amount of food. Came with cocktail and tartar sauce, both above average. The sandwich was large and cut in half, with an extra piece of fish on the side. The fish was fried to perfection, the best I've had in Norman in many years. The sandwich was wrapped in foil, and a bit soggy by the time I got it home, but still very tasty. Probably better enjoyed onsite. I will go back soon to try the other tempting items on their menu. The service was very good and friendly, and the atmosphere is clean and cozy. read more

This place is amazing. The food was fresh and came out quickly. And the gumbo had such a rich flavor. Our server Michael was great he was prompt and extremely courteous. Their catfish and shrimp was great. We. Will definitely be going back. read more

Food was hot and tasty. Our server was awesome also. Only minus was drinks and sides were served in styrofoam containers. As styrofoam does not degrade that was not a good choice. read more

The wait staff was friendly and the prices are good, however the food was so bland it was sad. No seasoning at all. My mashed potatoes were cardboard. read more