Sam's East

An expansion of Sam's Burgers and Pizza right next door, this place offers mediterranean options such as falafel, wraps, pitas, and the like. We came in for a small lunch and to try a new place while we were out wandering in Chinatown and North Beach.One guy is working the grill but he works fast and gets your order out quick. We ordered the chicken wrap and the falafel bowl. My partner said that the chicken was cooked just perfectly, salty and seasoned and he didn't even want any hot sauce with it. My falafel bowl had lots of veggies and pickles and a big serving of hummus. The falafels were hot and crisp and deliciously seasoned, some of the best I've ever had! The price was good and we had more than enough to fill us up. The dining area is pretty small, mostly just the counter in front of the grill, plus a few tables down the hallway a bit, so it looks like more of a pick up/delivery spot but it also means it's not super packed if you want to eat right there. There's also benches outside and we saw people enjoying their order right outside, so there's lots of options! We plan on coming back to try a few other things (the shawarma fries look amazing!)

This place is a great spot the end a night out in north beach or Chinatown. They are open late and are quick with cooking orders. I've been here a couple times and each time the man behind the counter was friendly and seemed good at handling drunk patrons. I got the gyro and fries. The gyro is a good size and has a good amount of meat packed into it. You're able to get spicy sauce and spicy chilis....be a little careful with them while they are a delicious addition they are still quite hot. The fries were nicely fried and tossed with salt and other spices. If you'd prefer you can also get loaded fries with meat laid on top of them. While I don't go out in this area often, when I do this is definitely on the list of late night spots that I cycle between when I am.

Tiny little new restaurant serving up Middle Eastern pitas and wraps. Didn't see any spits of meats rotating and roasting, so the meats are chunkier and heated up on the griddle instead of being thinly sliced. Taste was pretty good, but portions felt small.Ribeye Pita: Felt kinda light since the pita was so skinny, compared to overstuffed pitas I've gotten at other joints. But the ingredients were really tasty with some nice ribeye chunks and various tangy pickles. A good glob of hummus to counterbalance all that tart flavor. Main complaint is that the ingredients weren't arranged very well so you pretty much eat mainly veggies at first then eat mainly meat at the bottom.Chicken Shawarma Wrap: Not that big either, though perhaps more meat than the pita. But much better spiced than the not-that-spiced ribeye. Only real veggies were pickles, which is actually fine by me. Found it strange that they charge $1.50 for tomatoes. That was an easy no for me, since raw tomatoes are never a highlight for me.Falafels: Got a side of 6 falalels and they were minis. Like bite-sized. Though I did take small bites, so I could at least get two bites out of each one. Very tasty though with a crispy exterior and mushy/grainy interior.Sumac Fries: Regular crispy fries with a strong dose of olive oil to hold the spices and herbs in place. Medium size, bordering on skimpy. Tasty and quite necessary to round out a meal with the pita.

Dunno when Sam took over this spot, and haven't tasted it yet, but smells amazing and rib eye pita, how can you go wrong?The Sunac fries seemed like a must have too.

I loved this place!!! We got falafel and chicken swarma. Both excellent, right amount if spice, and the textures were on point. Definitely going back and taking my friends to check it out!

I really love the marinade they use to make the chicken. It was so good. I will definitely be back. The service was really good too!

The ribeye shawarma was fantastic! I also got the sumac fries and my girlfriend got the chicken shawarma. The food was so flavorful, portions were big and prices were very reasonable. Will definitely be back next time I'm in SF!

I had dinner and loved the ambiance, food and service. I had a really interesting Palestinian wine I'd never had before, and the owner brought me my chicken shawarma that was super good. Will be back soon!

The food here is fantastic. Came here with some girlfriends and had both the steak and chicken shawarma -- both amazing. The food is fresh, the fries are hot, and you'll definitely leave full. Beer, middle eastern wine, and an assortment of N/A options. It's the perfect place for a quick, delicious meal at a reasonable price. Staff was super friendly, and enjoyed chatting with the owner. Definitely my new go-to late night spot, which is hard to find in SF. Open till 1am! Will absolutely be back.

Been a longtime fan of Sams so I was so excited to hear they were opening another spot next door! The guys working there are always the nicest and getting a burger at the bar is my favorite way to end a Saturday night out :)We got the fattoush salad with chicken, the ribeye shawarma, the sumac fries and the mint lemonade. All soooo good (see before and after)! Only notes is the salad could use a little more of the pomegranate dressing because it was so yummy!Can't wait to come back - if you're a local or just passing through definitely worth a try!! Plus the Anthony Bourdain mural is a cool tribute