Sam’s Chowder House opened in October of 2006 and has since won numerous awards including “Top Three Outdoor Dining Spots in the Bay Area” by San Francisco Magazine, and Sante Magazine’s Service Hospitality Award. It was also featured on NBC-TV’s The TODAY Show for Sam’s famous Lobster Rolls, selected by the Food Editor as one of the five “Best Sandwiches in America”.
Nestled on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Sam’s offers stunning sunsets, true oceanfront outdoor dining, and a casual and authentic seafood experience reminiscent of an East Coast style seafood house. Watch the crashing surf inside by the fireplace, dine outside under a cozy heat lamp, or settle into an Adirondack chair near a toasty fire pit on Sam’s dog-friendly patio and enjoy the crisp, salty ocean air.
The outdoor spirited “South Beach Bar” offers beach shack décor and eclectic palm tree heaters—grab a beer or enjoy a casual meal at the bar while watching the windsurfers below. You’ll get a great view from every seat in the house, inside or out.
Wondering about the weather? Check the live SamCams mounted on our rooftop for sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean and Pillar Point Harbor, and Half Moon Bay’s latest weather report.
Sam’s eco-friendly menus prepared by award-winning Executive Chef/Partner Lewis Rossman offer daily fresh fish—grilled or sautéed, live Maine lobster, fresh local crab, fried calamari, Ahi Tuna Poke, oysters or clams on the half shell, fish and chips, Sam’s famous Clam Chowder, and other local specialties.
Enjoy Sam’s Takeout for food to enjoy at home, as a beach picnic, or on the outdoor patio. Open from lunch through dinner daily. Private events, corporate offsites, authentic Lobster Clambakes, and oceanfront weddings available. To stay on top of the news and events at Sam’s, sign up for our newsletter.
To contact Sam’s, please call 650 712-0245 or use our feedback email link.
Sam's Chowder House Gift Cards make wonderful gifts, and can be given in the denomination of your choice. They can be purchased easily online, by phone, or through the host or hostess at the restaurant.
If you would like to order a Sam's Gift Card and have it mailed directly to you or the recipient, please fill out the following and click the "Buy Now" button below to proceed to checkout. Your gift card will be mailed within 1-2 business days of our receipt of your order. If you need a gift card sooner, please call the restaurant or stop by to purchase it.
Sam's is Eco-Friendly
At Sam’s, we’re committed to the environment and ecological systems from where our food is sourced and grown – and we’re working hard to meet today’s needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
Rooftop Solar Electricity
Our newest addition is a solar electric system, which covers our rooftop. It adds about 13.8 mega watt hours of electricity annually for the restaurant, saving lots of energy!
Biodegradable Packaging
For to-go items, we use 100% biodegradable and compostable boxes made from sugarcane. After the sugarcane stems are crushed and the juice is removed, the dry fibrous material leftover is called bagasse – and that’s used to create the durable, disposable to-go boxes.
Oil Recycling
We recycle all of our rice-based, trans fat-free vegetable oil from our fryers. Given that we are an East Coast-style seafood house with many fried seafood items on the menu, this represents about 300 gallons a week. The oil is picked up weekly by Dave Eck of Half Moon Bay Auto Repair. He filters and heats the oil, to produce “diesel” fuel for up to 10 of his vehicles.
Eco-Friendly Lighting
We have replaced all of our incandescent lights with fluorescent, which are known to outlast up to 13 incandescent bulbs, consuming far less energy.
Sustainable Seafood Practices
At Sam’s, we choose seafood to eat or sell that is caught or farmed in an environmentally sensitive manner, which protects the long-term health of individual fisheries and our ocean ecosystems as a whole.
Whenever possible and practical, we source fish using the Seafood Watch recommendations published by the Monterey Bay Aquarium (http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/seafoodwatch.asp).
We also use 100% biodegradable and compostable packaging and utensils, as well as trans fat-free vegetable oil in our fryers, so it’s all recyclable.
Incorporated in 1959, Half Moon Bay offers a wide variety of public and private attractions. The City rests on the Pacific Coast between forested hills and some of the most beautiful coastlines that California has to offer. It is located approximately 28 miles south of San Francisco and lies within the westernmost portion of San Mateo County.
The historic downtown is home to numerous shops, art galleries, restaurants, bed and breakfasts, and other businesses. Local beaches and parks can be accessed by pedestrians, bicyclists and equestrians. Golf can be enjoyed at two of California's finest courses. The City and coastside are home to numerous nurseries and farms. The Pumpkin Festival held in October draws hundreds of thousands of people to the coast to enjoy its panoramic vistas, fine cuisine, arts, crafts and genuine hospitality.
Temperatures are mild and the valleys are rich. Half Moon Bay and the coastside are proud of their agriculture & floriculture center where roadside stands sell locally grown fruit, artichokes, greens, root vegetables, beans and herbs. You cannot top the fresh seafood available everywhere in restaurants or to take home and prepare yourself.
Residents of this charming community live a lifestyle that many think no longer exists in California. Neighbors care about each other, schools are important, and there is a sense of real community.
