Stopped in here coming back from a road trip! It was open early on a Sunday when so many other places were closed! I had the fried shrimp & fish basket, fries, red beans & rice and my mom had the gumbo. The cashier was really nice, and came around to chat with us. The fried stuff was better than the gumbo, but overall it hit the spot. The dining area felt cold, and needs some music or something to liven it up. read more

On our way home from Denton to San Antonio,looked to find a good meal in Waco.Yelp gave us this as one of our choices under best Waco restaurants. The appearance of the place was offputtng but after driving 4 miles off the freeway decided to try it out.Fried OYSTERS and Shrimp were huge ,red beans and rice awesome. As good as anything you can find in Louisiana. I have ordered the Sam thing at Landrys,Pappadeaux, and Bourbon street seafood and this was by far the best at a more reasonable price. read more

At first, I was a little worried. The place isn't the cleanest. High chair strap was broken and the lady who took our order answered the phone twice in the middle of us ordering so one of our orders wasn't taken and we had to get back in line after she brought us our food. Other than that, food was good and we left satisfied! The place could use a lot of upgrades and cleaning! Next time we're getting it "to go" for sure! read more

Sam's Southern Eatery - Fried okra and corn for our sides - Seafood Near Me - Waco, Texas

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Fish was crispy and flaky! Cooked perfectly!! I will definitely come back! The service was fast and friendly read more

Sam's Southern Eatery - 4 Piece Fish with Fried Okra and Green Beans! Fish was crispy and flaky!!! Yum! - Seafood Near Me - Waco, Texas

The food was so good and the portions were huge! Nice and friendly people. The appearance of the place isn't up to par but once you take a bite into the food you'll feel like you're in food paradise! read more

Sam's Southern Eatery - Fried fish and shrimps! - Seafood Near Me - Waco, Texas

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Probably the best of Waco's limited seafood options. The building is actually a bit of a dive, but the food makes up for it. The fried jumbo shrimp were big, crispy and golden brown. My husband had a combo that included the jumbo shrimp, plus fried catfish and fried chicken tenders, all of which were good. Both meals came with a choice of two sides and hushpuppies. We had the fries and mac & cheese, which were average. My husband loved the hushpuppies, but I thought they were just OK. The portions were huge, and each of us took home leftovers. This will definitely be our go-to place in Waco when we're craving seafood. read more

Sam's Southern Eatery - Fried Jumbo Shrimp Combo (fries, mac & cheese and hushpuppies) - Seafood Near Me - Waco, Texas

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I only had a few nights in Waco and ended up at Sam's. The reviews looked good so I felt I had to try it. I liked how this place was a true hole in the wall. The people that were working were also very nice which was another big +. the food was just ok. i went with the fried fish (haddock i think) and the fried oysters. the fried fish was good, the mac and cheese and coleslaw were also real good. the oysters were just ok. overall, I thought it was fine, but maybe i was expecting something else based on the reviews. read more

Visited this joint on a Sunday afternoon looking to recover from a long night of uber driving. Judging by the atmosphere, I could tell this food was aboutta be hella dank. And man, my gut feeling couldn't have been more correct! I got the fish/shrimp/oyster combo, then picked up a Miller High Life on the way home. As I write this review in a cajun-comatose state, my body is numb with sweet bliss. Great food, and special kudos to the fried shrimp. read more

Such an amazing bang for your buck! Sam's Southern Eatery is so good! Granted, I have only had the pleasure to order online and eat from the comfort of my own home... I do hope to, one day, check out the place in person. The food is great! Fried Shrimp Po' Boy is so good - definitely give it a shot. The fried green tomatoes are so good, too! Great appetizer! Fries are well-seasoned! read more

This place has great food! It may look a little rain b down but the food the produce is amazing and as close as I've come in a long time to getting an authentic oyster po boy. I will definitely be back and I recommend for everyone to give them a try because it's so worth it. read more

Sam's Southern Eatery - Seafood Near Me - Waco, Texas

We decided to try lunch at Sam's today. I had the shrimp po boy. It was delicious. Just the right amount of sauce and onions. We also tried the fried fish and shrimp. Both were great. The lady working was super sweet and helpful. Greeting guests by name and passing out boxes. read more

Best fried fish in Waco seasoned perfectly the tartar sauce is just amazing. You won't regret stopping there

Love this place!!!! Great food at a great price! Been here several times and they never disappoint. Our food is always made to order and is served hot. The prices for the amount of food you get is great! We always leave there stuffed and have left overs to take home. If you like seafood, you definitely have to try Sam's!!! read more

Do not let the exterior of the building put you off. This is a fabulous restaurant. Good varied seafood menu. We had grilled fish and fried fish platters with sides. SO much food. So good. Service is prompt. Good was too hot to touch. Can't wait to get back to Waco read more

Generous portions and super friendly staff at this serves-all-statuses family business. Fried oysters were huge and had great breading on them as well as on the fish and shrimp. I recommend this place for authentic southern fried seafood and be sure to try the friend pickles too. I didn't find any of the fried food we ordered to be too greasy as did other yelps, it was perfectly crisp without dripping oil. We'll be back to try their burgers next, they looked artery-clogging phenomenal. read more

Sam's is a one-stop-shop for southern-fried goodness. The menu includes po' boys & burgers, salads, seafood, chicken, and sides. So there's evidence of Louisiana but also much more, with the emphasis on more. The portions are generous. They have salads and a grilled option on at least some of the seafood, but that's clearly not the reason to come. I enjoyed my fried fish and shrimp with green beans and fries. The atmosphere is divey. The building is a converted KFC and a very antique one at that. The air is of course grease-laden. But that doesn't keep the locals away. They had a sizable crowd for a Friday lunch that led to relatively long wait times and a run on their fish. read more

My family had a visit in Waco, Texas during this weekend, and we tried to find a place to eat. We decided to go this place after reading others reviews on Yelp. This restaurant doesn't look like a food chain restaurant, and it is more likely as the family owned style. We ordered the meal #32 ( 3 shrimps + 3 fishes + 2sides), and #33 ( 3 oysters + 3 fishes + 2 sides), and the food is AMAZING! It is much over than what we expected. The fried jumbo shrimp tasted SO GOOD, and they fried the shrimp after customers put the order. So, be carful to have your first bite because the shrimp is so hot and fresh. We loved the fried oysters too and they tasted so creamy that we definitely will order it again on our next visit. Fried fish is quite good too, and the breading is nice. Totally we got four sides, and each of them are pretty good too. We visited this place around 3 pm on Saturday, and half of the seats were still full. As everybody on Yelp said, this place had awesome food although their restaurant appearance is not fancy and quite old. If you love seafood, you should try it when visiting Waco, Texas. read more

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Now I have an option to go elsewhere if Im not in the mood to go where I always went, Im so happy to have found this. They do give you lot for good price. I couldnt finish my plate of 3 catfish, 3 jumbo shrimp (yes they were nice jumbo sized!) and 3 oysters (I got 4!), so leftover became my next day meal. I really liked their beans/rice. I had mac and cheese which was nothing special but I'll go back to try their fried okra and green tomatoes. Cant wait to go back. They were not heavily breaded, but lightly breaded, and lightly seasoned as well. It was real good! Oh yeah, they make their own tartar sauce and it is GOOD! LONG wait BUT worth it! Call ahead to cut down on waiting for take out unless you plan to eat there. read more

Ordered the 6 piece shrimp meal with red beans & rice and mac & cheese. The shrimp was large and fried perfectly. It was very tasty and would recommend. The mac & cheese was a little thick/dry. Would have preferred for it to be a slightly less thick. The beans in the red beans & rice were good, not too spicy, but the rice was a little undercooked. I would assume this is not the norm. Staff was friendly. Neighborhood questionable, but I didn't feel unsafe. Would try it again. read more

We're foodies and this place rocks!!! The fried whole catfish, fried oyster po boy and red beans and rice are an absolute must!

LOVE LOVE LOVEEEEEEE! This place!! More people need to know about Sams!! Best seafood in Waco hands down! Thank y'all so much!! read more

Excellent fried shrimp. BIG ol shrimp. Nothing fancy, but a quality meal. Had the red beans and rice as a side. Very good as well. Will definitely be back, want to try the fish. read more

Sam's was definitely a solid experience. Had the shrimp po'boy with fries and a drink. The po'boy itself was pretty standard. Shrimp in the po'boy looked frozen but breading was flavorful. Fries were standard crinkle cut frozen fries with seasoning and were good. Overall a great place to go if you're looking for a quick lunch or some decent seafood at a reasonable price. read more

I was surprised at the extensive menu, albeit on the wall. Fish, shrimp, oysters, chicken, chicken livers & gizzards. Prices are reasonable and the portions gargantuan. Come prepared to leave with a doggie bag. You don't come here for the atmosphere. You come here for the food. Good stuff. All fried, though. Don't come here if you're worried about cholesterol. read more

I have eaten here a couple times on lunch it is good fried food. Do not go expecting to get anything grilled because you wont get it. As far as fried food goes its pretty good. There fried fish is very good and the sides are pretty good to. When im in the mood for some fried fish Ill stop by again. read more

My wife and I both ordered the shrimp and fish combo and found it to be very delicious. The fish was fried crispy and was not greasy. The shrimp were of nice size, battered and nicely seasoned. The place does not have a lot of ambiance but you know that when you drive up. The food was very reasonably priced and the service very attentive and friendly. read more

Sam's Southern Eatery - Fish and Shrimp Combo - Seafood Near Me - Waco, Texas

Love this place. Um from Louisiana and I love seafood I can't always make it to razoos so I settle for this place and they are always good.

We drove here due to our craving for some southern comfort food and the great reviews on here.....omg...the fried oysters are amazing. Light batter and they are huge. My bf had the fish poe boy and he said it was excellent. Thank you to Lucretia who waited on us. We will be back. read more

Sam's Southern Eatery - Fried okra, mac n cheese and fried oysters....deliciousness. - Seafood Near Me - Waco, Texas

the food is good. place bleeds dome fixin up. its iritating when you try to call in your order fo r pick up which they prefer you to do & they dont pick up the phone! irritating.....could be costing ypu bizness!! answer the doggone business phone!!! read more

The food was delicious and the portions plentiful. My buddy and I just found this place out of the blue! I'm so glad that we decided to stop in!!! read more

Sam's Southern Eatery - Two orders of the number 32 platters. - Seafood Near Me - Waco, Texas

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Solid fried seafood. The red beans and rice was off the chain. My order came out quick. I'll go back

The high review is for food quality and portions! If you are looking for a "dining experience" defined as elite servers with a wine list and a desert tray, this is not your place. But if you like large portions and fried seafood, you need to stop by. When we heard there were 3 stuffed shrimp as a meal, I was already trying to decide what else we would get later as I expected to need more food. I was wrong! The stuffed shrimp were large and we ordered the 4 catfish & 4 fried shrimp plater as well. $26! The food was hot and fresh! Portions were significant! The place doesn't look pretty. The neighborhood it's located in, isn't inviting. The decor is not built to keep you there in comfort. A good value! A good local place to support! It was obvious that carry out was a significant part of their business - so if you are local, no excuse to not give it a try. read more

Food was great! Portions were large. Me nor my co worker could finish all of ours. 2 draw backs, getting my food took longer than expected-I even called in 20 mins ahead of time, & they weren't busy. And it was so damn cold inside. I would definitely recommend it though, just maybe 30-40 mins ahead of time. read more

Biggest and best fried shrimp in town. Everything on the menu is made fresh and delicious. The staff here is friendly and fast. I come here at least once a week. read more

Very good. Well worth the wait in line. More food than most can eat, very friendly staff. The building is not much to look at but the food is great. read more

Fantastic food, the beans and rice was outstanding, the fried fish and shrimp delicious, when visiting Waco again we will definitely be eating here again, also the ladies working the register were very friendly, I think the only negative was I think the AC was out but it still didn't stop us from eat here!!!! read more

Not fancy, but the food is plentiful and tasty. Go for the red beans and rice rather than the nothing spectacular fries. Friendly, quick service - lots of folks there taking carryout on Saturday, but plenty of tables for us sit-down visitors. Yes, I'll go back for their crispy fried fish or their perfectly fried shrimp - both available grilled, but I decided to be decadent and go for the fried version. Yum, yum. Great local eatery - worthy of repeat visits. read more

Huge serving portion. Delicious fried shrimp. Reasonable prices. Would definitely become a regular if I lived in Waco. :-)

We stopped in for "Soul Food Sunday" a few weeks ago and had the Oxtails, Cabbage Greens mix, and Mac n Cheese and it was delicious! Some of the best southern soul food we have ever had. We will definitely be back. read more

Good fried foods but not much of a cajun Creole menu as advertised. Sketchy location but the food was decent.