Tuesday night around 7:30 we were planning to go to Plouf for moules-frites, but it has closed, so went down the block to Sam’s. The new-to-me seating in the alley was full, but there were plenty of tables inside, though I think it was full by a little after 8:00. There’s also Sam’s Tavern next door on Bush St.: has that always been there? I don’t remember having noticed it before. Looks like a sports bar, lots of TVs.
The new (since 2014) management has kept the menu pretty much as it was, though with some modern touches where it doesn’t conflict with the old-school style. Less meat, more seafood, more careful sourcing, e.g. the Flannery steak.
The Coquilles St.-Jacques was the American dish, scallops with a lot of rich sauce gratinéed in big scallop shells, fun if you like that but I’d order the mesquite-grilled scallops instead. The hot fudge sundae was surprisingly good. Service was excellent.
Overall, one of the best values remaining in SF. I’m planning to go back soon and try that steak, there are a couple of interesting beef-friendly reds on the list.
Went back to try the steak. The grilled octopus appetizer special was excellent. The steak was good and cooked precisely though I’m still craving something closer to Alfred’s bone-in rib-eye. Looking forward to going back again soon.
For future reference, street parking now doesn’t open up until 8:00. A couple of blocks away some spaces open up at 7:00.
Sam’s Tavern is a new addition – that space used to be a store for stamp collectors’ supplies.
Excellent report. We went (to the Grill) a couple of months ago, and I felt that overall, it was a marked improvement over the Phil Lyons era (2005–2014), with food quality and execution more like it was back when Gary Seput ran the place. I was a bit disappointed that the (crab, potato) gratins were no longer available, but I imagine that most of the potential customers for that sort of thing have died off – I understand that management felt they needed to update the menu.
I loved my grilled salmon – great as always. SIL really liked his octopus app; I can’t remember what his main was, but he liked it. 6-year-old grandson loved his calamari, and asked that I take him there next time I’m in town. I only wish we had sat out in the main dining room and had Yves as our waiter like you did, as he’s always been competent. We went for a private booth and we all agreed the service was terrible – very slow, and with a couple of missed items.
I do plan to visit again with my grandson, next time I’m in town.
That’s a good point, so in a sense the menu wasn’t really updated, but just changed. I see that they brought in a new executive chef (David Gingrass), and of course (like in any business), with new management comes change, whether appropriate or not.
