Sam Choy’s Breakfast, Lunch & Crab

Had lunch there today and was disappointed. Ordered a $ 13 saimin and was expecting top quality for that price. It was worse than Zippy’s! The soup was extremely salty and the noodles were Top Ramen quality. ok they did throw on top charsiu, a small piece of teri-​beef, and fishcake. It’s been awhile since I’ve been here and the quality sure has degraded substantially since. If you can’t put together a simple saimin, there’s little hope of you doing anything else right.

Been coming here for a while for breakfast. Veggie omlet with brown rice hits the spot every time. It’s usually casual and good service. Always a great way to start the morning when trying to have a meeting with someone.

Had a horrible experience here they not only took an hour for our food, burned my daughters grilled cheese and the fish I had was dry. The service was ver bad our waiter never came around and to top it off we were charged 50 dollars more on our bill, never eat here again.

I had been meaning to stop in and eat here for some time. I recently heard Sam Choy’s was closing and that expedited my visit. Stopped in on a Tues evening and the crowd was moderate to light and the service was pretty good.
We started out with the Crabcakes with Pesto Aioli, which were pretty good. Our main entrée’s were the Steak and Snow Crab combo (8oz Steak and 16 oz of Crab) and my guest had the 16 oz crab meal. For a place that was closing, I expected things to be lacking, but was pleasantly surprised at how good the food was. Steak was tender, hot and was served exactly as ordered and the Snow Crabs were equally, if not better. It took us forever to work on the crab… and we still didn’t finish it all. Overall, it was a meal thoroughly enjoyed. Now it was pricey, (check ended up being a «C» note, plus tip) but well worth it. It’s just a shame the place is closing.
I’d be a return customer if that weren’t the case.

My fiancée & I paid our first and last visit to Sam Choy’s BLC a couple of weeks ago. We had a $ 50 gift card we needed to use before they closed, so we decided on trying out their lunch.
Despite the Breakfast, Lunch & Crab name, there isn’t a whole lot of seafood available at lunch. Determined to get crab in a restaurant that’s supposed to known for crab, my fiancée ordered the crab cake sandwich, while I had Da BLC Sandwich. We both ordered strawberry lemonades and skipped both the appetizers and desserts.
My fiancée’s crab cake sandwich was actually pretty tasty, with it’s ginger pesto, though it was very difficult to eat. The crab cake fell apart very easily, but didn’t seem to have much filler, which is nice. My sandwich, on the other hand, was just your standard BLT with some crab salad on it. Not a lot either, just a dollop. The crab salad, of course, makes me question whether or not it was really crab in there at all, or if it had imitation crab mixed in? Why not put whole crab meat? Or at least be more generous with the crab salad mixture? On the other hand, the strawberry lemonades were pretty good and was made with real strawberry. Service by our waiter was good, though it felt like he had too many tables, and the host staff were just terrible.
Would I go back if they weren’t closing? Probably not. Both of our sandwiches were $ 16, and while my fiancée’s wasn’t bad, it definitely wasn’t worth the price. It total, we spend about $ 50 for lunch for mediocre food… With our experience, I can’t say that I’m surprised that Sam Choy’s BLC is closing. Thankfully, Sam Choy himself isn’t directly related to this establishment, though he probably shouldn’t have let the current owners license his name.

I now come here only (Sunday breakfast /​brunch) when I have meetings with my alumni association. On my previous dinner trips here they were still under Sam Choy himself so dinner was OK until the change of ownership. I noticed the food and service starting to go downhill. And because dinner is not what is used to be I have been avoiding this place. But because my meetings are here I show up and lowered my expectations.
I’m a creature of habit and the only thing I order when I come here is their beef stew omelet w/​fried rice. The portion is HUGE and can yield 2 meals for a grown man like me.
The beef stew is very tender but today it was on the salty side. But I really enjoyed their fried rice as I could see generous pieces of chopped bacon, ham, Portuguese sausage and Chinese lup cheong sausage. Talk about being in HOG HEAVEN!!!
We had a group of over 15 people so service was not up to par but since I’ve been here many times now, I don’t expect good service (we had to ask for menus after sitting down for over 10 mins) and one of my colleagues had to ask for his water TWICE and still wait after the 2^nd request. I used to be in food service and handling a table of 16 pax is not an easy task. But giving your customer water when it was requested is IMPORTANT if you ask me…
I have to give the waiter some slack so this rating gets 3-​stars out of me. Originally our reservation was for 10:00 am but changed to 10:30 am since they were «busy». However, I showed up at 10:00 am sharp not knowing our reservation was set for 10:30am. The restaurant still had MANY tables unoccupied so I didn’t see why Sam Choy’s BLC couldn’t accommodate us. A little on the risky side because imagine if we ended up going somewhere else? I mean, a restaurant would probably welcome our business and regardless the service wasn’t great, we ended up giving the waiter 20% tip.
Perhaps Sam Choy’s BLC Management should read this and reevaluate their reservation system and improve on their service, which is key in the food industry.

My boyfriend took me out to dinner here last night. I was so excited to eat here, since we have seen Sam Choy on Food Network, representing Hawaii with his culinary genius and aloha spirit. However, my dining experience was not what I had anticipated…
First thing I do is order a beer. The Kiawe Honey Porter sounded good, so I went and ordered that. When the server came back, he was holding a pint of dark beer, but he told me that the one I ordered was out of stock but I could have that one because it was similar. When I asked him what the name of it was, he said, «Aloha Dark.» So, Im pretty sure it would NOT be the same flavor as Kiawe Honey Porter, besides it being dark and full-​flavored. I was kind of sad about it, but I told him I would drink it. Plus we got comped for it so I cant get too mad at him for taking too much initiative.
We ordered the Fried Poke to share. When it came to our table, it smelt so amazing. It also tasted really good because it was pan-​fried (I was expecting deep-​fry but so glad it wasnt). However, I didnt think it was presented very nicely. Just placed over shredded cabbage, which made me think back to how nicely Sam Choy presented his plates on Food Network. It made me a little sad, but then I guess thats local style!
There were lots of main dishes to choose from: fish, crab (of course), steak, local plates, sandwiches, even vegetarian options. You also get a choice of starch, either white/​brown rice, or mashed potatoes. I ordered white rice, and my boyfriend ordered mashed potatoes. My boyfriend ordered the Seafood Platter, which came with scallops, crab legs, and mahi. My boyfriend said the scallops were too charred and had a burnt taste. He ate everything else and said he really liked his food. In the mashed potatoes, there was a little bit of creamed spinach and sweet corn mixed in. I wish the menu would have stated that, because it is the exact recipe my boyfriend cooked for me on Valentines Day. I would have ordered that instead if I knew that…
I didnt know our entrees came with salad, but I was happy when the little plate was served to me. The house dressing was like a creamy vinaigrette (yum!). I also liked the bread and butter, which had a light honey taste to them.
I ordered the special Chefs Trio, which was three mahi fillets, cooked in different sauces. One was lup cheong and choi sum, another with pico de gallo and grilled veggies, and the last one had a pineapple purée. The only one that actually had flavor was the lup cheong fillet, but it was also the greasiest. The other two pieces of fish had NO seasoning. The pico de gallo didnt even have seasoning, and it didnt go well with the grilled veggies that were drenched in butter. The pineapple purée one had potential but again, there was no seasoning on the fish.
I REFUSE TO BELIEVE that my Chefs Trio was Sam Choys idea!
Now on the other hand, we have been here for breakfast before and it was really great. My boyfriend loves the fried rice!
Parking here is valet only. Woo!

2.3 stars
Don’t let the high end Mercedes and BMW’s valet parked outside fool you, the food here falls waay short.
Ordered the crab stuffed fish, and my wife ordered the macademia crusted chicken, fried Poke, and crab cakes (only 2 come in an order), and water for drinks. Grand total 80 bucks. Fair price should have been closer to 50 – 60.
Here is why:
The mash potatoes I am almost positive are instant. They mix in spinach and corn, but guess what, it didn’t fool me.
The food is just mediocre, as well as the service. The food is a straight forward rip off, plain and simple.

I’m gonna keep this one short:
Sam Choy’s Breakfast Lunch and Crab is a solid four stars in my book. I have been there for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, My Birthday, other people’s Birthday’s, Christmas parties, work parties and going away parties. Have probably averaged going once or twice a year since they opened. We have had the Buffet Brunches and Dinners. Have had the Magician perform at our table and sent the kid to the Kid’s night play room. We have had the photographer take our photo. Sometimes we’ve had reservations and sometimes they have squeezed us in after a short wait. Even tried breakfast, lunch and dinner and Sam Choy’s micro brew beer. Have never been disappointed here.
I’m a fan:
Latest trip was with a group of co-​workers. Happy to see some healthy vegetarian options. I got the Vegetarian Moco consisting of sauteed tofu, spinach, mushrooms and garlic with an egg on top for $ 9.95. You can choose white or brown rice. Have never had a vegetarian loco moco, but, this was really good.(
) My friend sitting next to me got the regular real loco moco. He cleaned the plate. I also tried the crab cake benedict. That was really good too.(
)
I don’t know:
I’m not sure why some people give low ratings on their reviews. I have always had good experiences here. I know I’ll be coming back for more in the future. I do know that the place gets crowded. For certain people this is the «go to» special occasion restaurant. It is local style/​island style/​home style. Look at the photos. The food is great !
Did I mention: Four Big Stars from me with no hesitation no excuses.

Went for Happy Hour. All appetizers were half off 5p-6:30p. The only thing is that the Bar tables were high and small. The squeezed Kalua pig quesadilla, crab dip, 2 plates of fried rice, and tempura mushrooms on a small rectangular table. The plates were over lapping each other so one small plate fell and broke.
The food was decent nothing special. The mushrooms were hard and the food got cold fast because we were under an AC. The Kalua Pig Quesadilla was the best and the dip would have been good if they used soft bread and it didn’t get cold.
I got a bloody mary, was okay also. A little strong, but at least I got my money’s worth of a buzz.
The bar area was in an awkard place on the side of the restaraunt totally closed off from the main area. The tvs were also old school huge block tv’s but hey it was $ 23 for our 2 person bill!
The employees are really nice though. I wish they stepped up the food a little. Jimmy the waiter was cool and the bartender was cool at promptly picking up the plate that fell on the ground.

Heading into town on Nimitz, the big crab always catches my attention and it wasn’t until recently that I’ve eaten there!
The entrance /​waiting area was okay. The flooring was interesting with another crab… art piece? The party I was with reserved a lunch reservation. It wasn’t as busy as I thought it would be, but that’s okay no wait for us and we got a table, ON THE BOAT! Well not really, but close enough.
Before looking at the menu, I had no idea what to expect besides breakfast foods and crab. After looking throughout the menu I ended up getting Sam’s Favorite Burger with bacon and cheese, no pickle.
It really surprised me at how big the burger was! This time instead of just stuffing the burger in my mouth I used the knife to cut it in half which was a good idea! It was difficult when I had to go through the onions and patty. Might I add 8lbs! (If I remember correctly) It took a while just to finish the first half and there were yummy fries on the side. Once done with my first half of my burger and munching on all the fries I was full! Of course it didn’t go to waste, took it to my dad!
You know what? Lunch wasn’t enough! Since it was somewhat a celebration, we had to get some dessert. I didn’t think I would be able to finish anything huge so I just got chocolate ice cream. A bit melted but still yummy! Also if you like brownies and want some for dessert, order from here! it’s moist. Hey!
I plan on coming here again!

I remember Sam Choy in his glory days. It saddens me greatly to rate Sam Choy’s BLC with two stars. I have three of his cookbooks, autographed even. Much of my early learning in Hawaiian Regional Cuisine, I learned from him. I used to treasure going to Sam Choy’s restaurants because I knew I would always have great food (and lots of it) while having a great experience. Not so anymore. Like the rise and fall of great empires and dynasties who sit atop a throne only to rest on their laurels of fame; a restaurant that stops trying and loses sight of doing things right for the sake of doing it right will eventually crumble and fail. Sam Choy’s BLC has reached that sad point.
In recent years, the quality of Sam Choy’s BLC has been declining steadily. Over the years, I have been here no less than 20 times. I can no longer recommend anyone try this restaurant. And that breaks my heart.
Here’s what you need to know about Sam Choy’s Breakfast Lunch & Crab:
FOOD:
Mediocre. It used to be SO good, with huge portions. Now, the food is barely edible. It’s rare that I have to choke down and force myself to swallow food. That was the case today. It used to be that you could order ANYTHING from the menu, and you could be guaranteed that you would like it. Now, even the basics… even the fundamentals, they can no longer get right.
Fish and Chips is one of my benchmark test dishes. I’ve had it over the years here. Today, it was terrible. Overly bitter, overcooked, soggy with oil. Not crisp at all, with very skimpy portions of fish wrapped in thick batter. Fries, undercooked. Cole Slaw, like wet milky slop. Tartar Sauce that was more liquid than anything. All the rest of the dishes my dining partners and I had today were the same. Mediocre at best, inedible at worst. The only thing half-​decent was the Clam Chowder, which I would rate a 3/​5, and the Pineapple Cheesecake, also ³⁄₅. Everything else 0−2÷5 (see attached photos).
PARKING:
This is one of the things that has always annoyed me about Sam Choy’s BLC. You are FORCED to Valet. There is no reason to force anyone to Valet here, there is plenty of parking available, especially during daytime hours. Instead, I have to let some valet monkey drive my car and do who-​knows-​what with it (I have never trusted valets). Then I have to tip the valet with my hard earned money so he can walk about 20 feet and pull my car out of a parking space for me.
ORDERING/​SEATING:
Host will greet you and seat you. Server takes your order. Restaurant is large, with a large side room for events that seats about 100. Main restaurant seats about 200, with tables of 4 and rounds of 8 throughout.
SERVICE:
Shoddy and understaffed. 1 server working about 10 tables, seating about 30 people. Water was slow. Service was slow. Orders were taken and competently delivered in a reasonable amount of time; but anytime I needed anything, it was near impossible to find anyone. When I have to get up and hunt around the restaurant for my server, that’s an automatic fail.
ATMOSPHERE:
Like a restaurant at a Pier. Metal tabletops. Lots of maritime décor, including a full size boat in the restaurant for some reason. Brewery on the left side, big tanks. Open kitchen for you to see. Reasonable volume level. Overall, it just feels very dead, compared to what it used to be like. Also, the lighting is terrible.
COST/​VALUE:
Poor. $ 18 for my Fish and Chips, and not only did it not make me full, it made me sick because it was so greasy. I probably ate about a pint of frying oil in the batter. Overall, we ended up spending about $ 30 per head for a very unsatisfying meal.
VERDICT:
²⁄₅ — It makes me sad to have to rate Sam Choy’s BLC so low, as this used to be one of my favorite restaurants to come to when I was younger. The fact is, Sam Choy’s decided to rest on their laurels and their name, and they let their quality suffer throughout. In years past, I’ve tried to dismiss it as being an «off day»; but at this point I can no longer make that excuse for them. I will not return, nor will I recommend this restaurant to anyone I know.

Lived in Hawaii almost all my life, I used to work in town and passed by this place four, sometimes five times a week and have NEVER visited, until now.
I went to have a «last dinner» with a friend leaving town. Our group had about 15. We were seated even though some people in our party were not yet there. This was awesome because some places dont allow you to sit until your whole party arrives.
The inside reminds me of a local diner. They even have a boat in the middle of the restaurant! See the pictures on Unilocal,I took some but there were already some added.
As we entered, the host stand is on the left. On the counter were visual samples of their specials for the night.
Our party was seated on the right side of the restaurant by the boat. On the left is the bar, as well as the bathrooms. I believe there are also two private rooms for more formal or private functions.
Right away, our server asked us if we wanted to start ordering even though some people were not there yet, so we did. We started with drinks and she came back in a reasonable time with our drinks.
After a while of sitting, we decided to order food, I ordered the tempura mushrooms and crabcakes as a starter (to share. not all for me!). The mushrooms came out HUGE! I thought they were button mushrooms that were bite sized, but they were giant! The crab cakes were good, they were more lumpy and not so «grounded». The crab was good and not too «fishy».
For my meal, I ordered the fish and chips and my wife ordered the Lobster Alfredo. BOTH plates were BIG! My fish came out nice and crispy, with cole slaw, and some fries. My wifes plate came with a nice size portion of pasta and the lobster head. It looked awesome!
Everyone seemed to enjoy their food. I heard no complaints and the food was reasonably priced!
What we liked was that we were never rushed. We never felt like they were trying to kick us out. This was a Saturday night and I was wondering why the place seemed slow, but when I asked one of the servers, he said that it was actually busy for them! Man… I wonder if the place was ever packed!
The inside of the restaurant actually looks like it would be an awesome live entertainment place! Maybe they can pack the house with a band in there!

I highly recommend trying their crab dip, poke, and fried calamari for appetizers. Sam Choy’s has by far the best crap dip! Other than the appetizers, my favorite entrees would be the Seared Shrimp and their Macadamia Nut Chicken. The Seared Shrimp is basically udon noodles fried with shrimp served with a delicious sauce and their Mac Nut Chicken is just to die for! They also have a brunch buffet on Saturdays and Sundays with an omelette station. I would come every weekend if I could!
One thing that stands out at Sam Choy’s is their Aloha Beer. They brew their own beer! A great way to sample the beers is to order the beer sampler.
My experience at Sam Choy’s has always been amazing. They have really good service. I overheard a family on the table next to us who was from New York. They said that the service at Sam Choy’s was so good, they were coming back for dinner.
**Use your ID card for 20% off breakfast (mon-​fri) & 10% off dinner (sun-​thurs).

I’ve been to Sam Choy’s on different occasions but this review is is primarily for my experience for the Keiki Night. KIDS EAT FREE with each paying adult and there is a magician (Alan Arita) doing table side magic, a balloon artist, and caricature.
Balloon Artist
You could suggest something for the balloon artist to make or you could ask for a balloon that she had made.
Caricature
There are tip jars next to the balloon artist and the caricature table. A picture of my oldest son:
Magician
The biggest bummer of the night was the magician not performing at our table. I made sure I made the reservation when everything began. I reserved using the open table reservation through the Unilocal application. I called to confirm our reservation and told the host that we were celebrating my youngest sons birthday. We ordered appetizers, entrees and desserts to ensure that we would stay a good duration and put money into the business. We were there from when kids night began and when it ended but he didn’t stop by our table :(
My family and I along with my youngest son’s God parents decided to celebrate his 1^st birthday at Sam Choy’s. We threw a party with extended family and friends. But as you know your running around like a chickens head caught off ensuring that everything goes right with the party. So we wanted to celebrate it in an atmosphere were we could actually enjoy one each others company and allow my children to have some fun.
SERVICE:
The service started off strong but dwindled as the night progressed. I noticed that they had a party going on in the other room, so I’m not sure if that had anything to do with it.
FOOD:
–appetizers
Hukilau Pupu Platter
A sampling of fried poke, island coconut shrimp and fried calamari
Everything that we ate from this platter was great. The portion size was perfect for our group of 3 adults and 2 children (one 8 year old and a baby who just turned a toddler). If I happen to go to Sam Choy’s again I might order this as my main course. My favorite item from everything that I ate that night. Yes, it beat out the desserts I tried that night.
Soybeans
It’s seasoned edaname with with spicy shoyu. It was okay
Clam Chowder Soup
I still prefer it from Sizzler.
8 oz. New York Steak and 1 lb. Alaskan King Crab (MARKET PRICE) That night $ 60!
It tasted good but not worth $ 60! The bottom of my plate was doused in melted butter. I may be petite but when I go to seafood buffet I head straight for the crab legs. I usually can eat platefuls of them with ease.
Crab meat stuffed island fish
My husband had this dish. He told me it was okay.
Kids Meals (Free on Kids Night with every adult entrée purchase)
The kids meal come with a drink of your choice.
Kids spaghetti w/​meatballs (sauce on the side). It came with 2 slices of garlic bread. 4 decent sized meatballs. My sons enjoyed it.
We also ordered a kids cheeseburger. It arrived with a nice crisp lettuce, tomato, and onions.
Free Birthday Dessert: Banana Bread Pudding
When I had made the reservation through open table I had put that we were celebrating my sons birthday. When I called to make a follow up on our reservation I had mention it again. But no one relayed it to our server. Even though I told it to the server he just plopped the plate in front of me and ran away! I noticed that our server sang to other tables along with other workers, «Happy Birthday.» My family and his God parents sang it to him anyway. The server told me that it was one of the more popular desserts. It’s a warm bread pudding drizzled with coconut syrup. I along with the other people on the table did not care for it.
The Boat
There is a actual boat near the side wall near the banquet room. My 2 sons had fun pretending to drive the boat.
In the end my sons did enjoy their free meals and they had fun. So we will probably return to enjoy Kids night. Hopefully, I’ll be able to get the magicians attention the next time around.

Let me forward this review by saying I’ve recently adopted a plant based diet. So as for the food options — it was great to see a couple things that would fit into this diet. There were two vegetarian options and my hubby and I each got one. The food itself was good — quite tasty even. Decent portion size. My only complaint would be price. I think its a bit much for what one is getting in general. In our case, specifically I thought it was too much money for what we were getting. I could literally have made the same thing for less then 10 dollars at home. That being said — I’m not mad or upset about this because we made the decision to come here, and go out and order those specific dishes despite the price.
Parking is annoying too. You must park valet. Which is dumb because where they parked our car was literally right out front the restaurant (maybe 50 ft away?) — it would have taken us less time to walk to our car then it did to wait in line, give them or ticket, wait for them to get our car. I’m sorry but if that is the case, let me just walk to my car because the valet is not really doing much.
Okay other than that — the food is actually pretty good. We went with another couple and they enjoyed everything they ordered, as we enjoyed everything we did. The service was great too!

My last visit to Sam choi’s it was Saturday morning buffet! Yes they have their buffet again but only on Saturday morning so far. And it’s roughly about $ 20 per a person. Better yet I got to sit in the boat! Lol.
So this buffet is real local style, we have a omelet station, dessert table, salad, waffles etc… To be more descriptive starting the dessert table there’s only a few dishes: banana bread pudding, chocolate haupia pie, muffins, and two more dishes that I’m not to sure what it’s called. At the main buffet table we got, white rice, fried rice, salad, fruits, cold pasta, kalua pig, bacon, portuguese sausage, waffles (you can order them at the table to if you want them extra crispy), French toast, and a few other things. All which you can eat all you want even at the omelet station which has many toppings like, kalua pig, tomatoes, green onion, white onion, portuguese sausage, Ham, cheese, and mushroom.
My visit here was pretty decent, food was good, service was decent, and it’s a local business. So what more could I ask for?

Felt bad, I persuaded my Boyfriend to go here to bring his cousin for Dinner who’s 1^st time on the Islands. Thinking, OK Moderate princing from $ 15 – 20. Misleading on Unilocal, it said Moderate from $ 11-​$ 30 at the most… More like a Moderate-​High Category.
However, first thing he said when he looked at the menu was, «LOVE, this place is a little EXTRA, all entrees are over $ 25. He is far from cheap, in fact, he just had lunch earlier that day at Dixie’s Grill, and even picked up a dozen cuppies from Hokulani Bakeshop, he’s a foodie himself. We’ve been to many Top Knotch Restaurants such as Azul’s in San Diego, or House of Prime Rib in SF, or even Rice @ the W Hotel just to name a few.
Prices were just a bit pricey, for the Sam Choy’s Aura… Almost as if it was a Steak-​House Pricing, but missing the atmosphere. Their Crabcakes were delicious, but small. Parking is also Valet Only, but they did comp that! For their pricing, dining experience, and portions your probably better off going to Roy’s…Yes, I said it! Although, sam Choy is known to be the Emerill of Hawaii, the Food, Pricing & Setting just can’t compete with Roy’s.

Unilocal Challeng 365 # ³⁹⁄₃₆₅
My girlfriend suggested we meet at Sam Choy’s after work for a pau hana and a lobster. She swears the lobster is the best deal in town. I suppose it is considering I’ve never seen or heard of a complete meal with a WHOLE lobster… for under $ 40. You can tell them how you want the lobster prepared, you have a choice of «sides» and a soft drink. Complete meal!
We sat in the bar which was extremely crowded. I am guessing it was their weekly regulars who stopped in. I found this interesting because the restaurant was empty. Only 3 or 4 tables were occupied. One bartender served food and drink with a packed bar. Amazing. And he did it with a smile.
We also ordered soy beans. This was an attempt to nibble on something while we waited for our other friend to come. Yuk! It was overdone, smothered with some sweet sauce, I am guessing diluted teriyaki sauce and chili peppers.
I have mixed feelings of this place. A $ 40 lobster meal may not be enough to get me back there. Or, maybe we just had a bad batch of soy beans and I should not be judgmental. A crowded bar and and empty restaurant tells me something about the dining facility…
Oh, and it’s valet parking only. Poor Guy. One valet for an overpacked lounge…
I give them 3 stars; 1 star belongs to the staff (bartender and valet)

For the past few Father’s Day, the family’s choice is Sam Choy’s Brunch Buffet.
Our reservation was for 11:00. We were seated shortly after in a highly traffic area. The tables were SQUEEZED next to other tables that the traffic from the buffet room had to SQUEEZE their way hitting our chairs as well as the other table chairs.
The buffet choices were as usual… the bomb diggity. Although there were different stations were various items to choose from, I ate the following:
Roast Pork and Gravy (tender and delicious)
Kapakahi Mash Potatos (Very good, however, because I do not care for seafood… I am wondering if they mixed it with utensils that were used for seafood as well because I could have sworn I tasted a hint of seafood in the potatoes)
Fried Rice (YUM!!! *DROOL*)
Belgian Waffles (YUM!!! *DROOL)
Bacon (I HEART BACON)
As you can see, I’m not a seafood person but there was a station that had assorted poki and crab legs. There was an omelet station as well as prime rib station. Also, there was the dessert station… yum
Why three stars?
Well, for the location on where we sat. They need to keep the tables away from the high traffic areas.
Our server, Miki… only came around our table about three times to refill our coffee or soda. THREE times. But, the place was jumping – so I am pretty sure she was busy with other tables.
However, because Brunch Buffet was only $ 29.95 and their selections were great are the reasons why they did not get anything lower than three stars.

Ate at Sam Choy’s with the family and because I had a living social certificate to use. Since the parking lot in front of Sam Choy’s is very small, we had no choice, but to valet. Reservations aren’t taken unless it’s a group of 8 or more, so we decided to go a little earlier than the usual dinner crowd. As we walked in at about 6:00 p.m., the restaurant only had 3 other groups of tables. Only about ½ to ¾ of the place was full by prime dinner time. By coincidence, they have kid’s night Tuesday nights. However, we didn’t know that until Chris the Clown mentioned it to us, and only after we found out they subtracted the kid’s meals on our tab. We first thought he was going around to solicit his service, but then we found out that Chris the Clown and Caricature Artist Jon Isara are hired by Sam Choys every Tuesdays for kid’s night.
Looks like this brewery is a place to go if you have a lot of time and want to relax, eat pupus and drink. We’re always so used to ordering and receiving our food timely, that we noticed too much of a lag of service. After we were poured water, we waited about 15 minutes to order. It seemed like the waiter overlooked us. The nice part was that they have a room for the kids to play in on tuesday nights, and they have chris the clown and Jon Isara to boost their business. However, I wouldn’t go here if I didn’t have the coupon, nor if it’s not kid’s night. The food was ok, but not worth the price:
Buns w/​whipped butter — 3 star — by the time I ate the buns, they were cold. The butter was whipped, and sweet, but there was no butter taste. I wondered if they used margarine (which I hate) instead.
Oyster Rockefeller — 3 star — tasted ok, but I’ve had better. For about $ 14, you get 5 oysters. There were only cheese and spinach on it, and no special other flavor.
Crabmeat stuffed island Fish — 3 star — for $ 29, the taste isn’t worth the price. It’s ok, but Icouldn’t really say it was flavorful. All dinner plates came with a choice of mashed potatoes, rice, french fries or brown rice.
Mashed potatoes — 4 star — I think this was actually the best portion of the dinner. It’s potatoes with bacon, green onion, and some other stuff that made it taste better and different than usual mashed potatoes.
Fresh Catch of the day — 3 star fried mahimahi with some kind of tomato sauce and ogo. For $ 28, my fish was cold. It seems like the food gets cold fast, or it was served cold.
Kids Meal hamburger steak — 3 star — for $ 6.50 the kid’s meal comes with just one small tough, half burnt beef patty with onions and brown sauce, and a choice of starch. My son ate it all, so he liked it, but there are much other hole in the walls that make better and cheaper hamburger steak.
Kids meal teriyaki beef — 3 star — my son usually likes to eat teriyaki beef, but this one was a little too salty and tough for him to chew, so he ended up eating 1 of the 3 pieces that was given.
Banana bread pudding — 3 star — it was different, but cold, it’s ok, but not something I’d order again.
Service — 2 star — The server was oblivious to the fact we were seated, and it took so long to order our food, getting our tab and actually returning the tab so we could leave. Lucky they had a kid’s room and the two entertainers because my kids would have been very antsy. It took about ½ hour for them process and return our tab.
Overall I give it a 3 because although the waiter service isn’t too great, our waters were filled only after we left to go to the kids room while another one of us waited for the tab to return, and the food is mediocre compared to the price, they give a complimentary dessert for birthdays, kids eat free on Tuesday nights, and my kids got a balloon from Chris the Clown and a Caricature drawing trom Jon Isara.
My kids want to go back, because of the kids room, but it’s too expensive. Only if I have another coupon or certificate and they continue the kid’s night, I’d go again.