Pretty good Thai food here but...it's on the expensive side, plus this place is also on the warmer side. No AC. A family of four, 5 plates with two drinks is $85.

Welcoming, fresh and delicious food. Worth a stop during your travels. I was welcomed by multiple people when I entered and the suggestions for what to order were on point! The photo of the spring rolls was taken after I enjoyed the first one, so know it is an order of 4, not 3.

Honestly my wife and I rarely leave reviews no matter how good the food is, but we said we would and we believe it deserves a review after all the owners were very kind and polite, with much help my wife really enjoyed her food as did I. My wife is the pickiest of picky eaters and she loved every bite. She ordered the wrong drink of iced Thai coffee actually wanting Thai tea. We will tell you for my wife as a daily coffee drinker she loved this one. Warning it is a little strong but it definitely had flavor and was not watered down, as well as being sweet enough to balance it out. For me I rarely drink coffee and it hit the spot for me. We will definitely be ordering again with family and seeing what else to try new.

Delicious food and warm welcoming service!
- Both the "pad kee mau" and the "papaya salad" were full of flavor with great portion sizes. Medium spicy felt a little too much so go with lower if you have low tolerance for spice
- The dishes paired beautifully with the Thai beer.
- Definitely recommend the refreshing coconut water on a hot afternoon! Instantly cools and relaxes you
- Also don't forget to get a tasting of their homemade chilli oil which is world apart from any store bought chilli oil you may have had.
Highly recommend this little hidden gem of a place.
P.S Not a biggie but I wish they had some air conditioning

Completely worth it! Go here when you get the chance!
Such friendly owners and the vibe is homely.
I got the Tom Yum with chicken and my man got the Satay Chicken. We both personally rate 10/10 for the quality and flavor of food. This place is so underrated. I only wish success for this restaurant. Thank you for a delicious meal! <3

We had a pit stop here for having lunch. Good place to have Thai Cousine on the way from Yosemite National park to bay Area. Food taste was really good. Good variety of Vegetarian options are available here, also chef agree to make anything as Vegetarian, that was delightful to hear as we don't get lot of Vegetarian options always

$20 bucks (plus 20% tip) for 7 pieces of shrimp, a few mushrooms and overwhelming amount of carrots (which i paid extra for) to overcompensate for the lack of other ingredients. No jalapenos and was told broccoli was included but didn't get any. The amount of noodles was disappointing and the broth was way too salty. The best part of pho is the broth esp on cold days and when you feel under the weather. Couldn't even drink half of it. Wont be back nor would I recommend.

Best Pad Thai in town! Owner is seriously the best, always so kind and welcoming! The Pad Thai has the best flavor, spice and never misses to hit the spot! 10/10 every single time

Spent $74 last night, fed five adult people and still had leftovers. Excellent food as always.

Food is excellent

Today was my first time going to Sam’s I ordered Pad Thai, it was amazing, best I have ever had.

$20 bucks (plus 20% tip) for 7 pieces of shrimp, a few mushrooms and overwhelming amount of carrots (which i paid extra for) to overcompensate for the lack of other ingredients. No jalapenos and was told broccoli was included but didn't get any. The amount of noodles was disappointing and the broth was way too salty. The best part of pho is the broth esp on cold days and when you feel under the weather. Couldn't even drink half of it. Wont be back nor would I recommend.

Absolutely Delicious! Some of the best Thai food I've had.

First time here and there noodles are great and fast service. Very friendly staff and owner. Will be back soon.

Honestly my wife and I rarely leave reviews no matter how good the food is, but we said we would and we believe it deserves a review after all the owners were very kind and polite, with much help my wife really enjoyed her food as did I. My wife is the pickiest of picky eaters and she loved every bite. She ordered the wrong drink of iced Thai coffee actually wanting Thai tea. We will tell you for my wife as a daily coffee drinker she loved this one. Warning it is a little strong but it definitely had flavor and was not watered down, as well as being sweet enough to balance it out. For me I rarely drink coffee and it hit the spot for me. We will definitely be ordering again with family and seeing what else to try new.

Der Besitzer ist ein superfreundlicher und sympathischer Typ. Er hilft Ihnen gerne bei allem, was Sie brauchen. Er passt die Gerichte an Ihre Ernährungsbedürfnisse oder Vorlieben an. Das Essen ist köstlich und es gibt eine große Auswahl für jeden Geschmack. Das Restaurant ist der perfekte Ort für einen Zwischenstopp auf dem Weg von San Francisco und der Bay Area nach Yosemite. Zu allem Überfluss sind die Preise sehr konkurrenzfähig. Ich kann das Sam Cafe wärmstens empfehlen, es ist eines meiner Lieblingsrestaurants in Kalifornien.

I love Sam Cafe. The food is always delicious. Best chicken wings in town.

Best Pad Thai in town! Owner is seriously the best, always so kind and welcoming! The Pad Thai has the best flavor, spice and never misses to hit the spot! 10/10 every single time

We had a pit stop here for having lunch. Good place to have Thai Cousine on the way from Yosemite National park to bay Area. Food taste was really good. Good variety of Vegetarian options are available here, also chef agree to make anything as Vegetarian, that was delightful to hear as we don't get lot of Vegetarian options always

I found Sam’s Cafe on Google while in town for business. The Pad Thai was recommend it so I ordered it with fried rice. Absolutely delicious!!! I called back to the restaurant and had to let them know. The customer service was great and I will return again.

Pretty good Thai food here but...it's on the expensive side, plus this place is also on the warmer side. No AC. A family of four, 5 plates with two drinks is $85.

Stopped by on our way to Yosemite. Delicious food and good service. We were a group of 8 and the place was large. All the dishes were great. We came in the evening for dinner and there was no AC running but the fans were comfortable on the summer evening. Price is reasonable for the large quantity of food. Rice does not come with curry and it’s additional which was a bit weird. The service was quick and very good. Recommend this place for anyone.

Best pad thai, please try the chicken sautéed with peanut sauce so good. Thank me later.

Best authentic food around, you can tell they put love in their food

Love the food! One of the best Thai food restaurants in the valley! Great service to :)

Delicious food and warm welcoming service!
- Both the "pad kee mau" and the "papaya salad" were full of flavor with great portion sizes. Medium spicy felt a little too much so go with lower if you have low tolerance for spice
- The dishes paired beautifully with the Thai beer.
- Definitely recommend the refreshing coconut water on a hot afternoon! Instantly cools and relaxes you
- Also don't forget to get a tasting of their homemade chilli oil which is world apart from any store bought chilli oil you may have had.
Highly recommend this little hidden gem of a place.
P.S Not a biggie but I wish they had some air conditioning

Welcoming, fresh and delicious food. Worth a stop during your travels. I was welcomed by multiple people when I entered and the suggestions for what to order were on point! The photo of the spring rolls was taken after I enjoyed the first one, so know it is an order of 4, not 3.

My physical therapist recommended this restaurant and I really liked it alot the servings were perfect

Well, the ambience is average. The hospitality is exceptional. Everything that we ordered was tasty and we would surely visit again and again.

I have been coming here for years and I need to share and express how amazing Sam and his team are! The food is always fresh and flavorful! They listen to your restrictions if you want any and give huge portions! This place is a little hidden gem that's for sure! If you haven't tried it then you are missing out!

Outstanding service, great food!

Good and fast

We decided to have a dinner after our trip from Yosemite to SF. We found Sam Cafe in google map and wanted to try.
It turned out great! We ordered Mongolian Beef and Tom Yum.

It’s a best combination to have after a long drive. Anyone who is passing Merced, can give a try have a lunch / dinner here.

The food here is the best tasting Thai food in Merced. It's the best I've had anywhere. My wife and I came here two months ago on a recommendation. We've been back every week for four weeks trying new dishes each of them have been fresh, yummy flavors. Sam, the owner, often comes out of the kitchen and talks with costumers. The place isn't fancy, but the food and service will have you coming back repeatedly.

Delicious food and really fast service!

Food was great. Usually don't love too many onions in my food because they overpower a lot of other flavors and this place had the perfect amount of flavor in their food. Loved it and will definitely come back

Everything was perfect.

Best Thai food in the Merced Area. The staff is friendly and the food is excellent. It's always a good meal whether I take-out or dine-in.
Running on a tight schedule? You can call ahead with your order so they can have the food ready by the time you arrive.

A friend recommended this place to me. She was absolutely right! Food is delicious, and service is so great! Friendly family atmosphere. We will definitely be back! Awesome Pho, great flavor Pad Thai and the best customer service!

If you get takeout, make sure you get the sauces you want because there must still be a siracha shortage.

Completely worth it! Go here when you get the chance!
Such friendly owners and the vibe is homely.
I got the Tom Yum with chicken and my man got the Satay Chicken. We both personally rate 10/10 for the quality and flavor of food. This place is so underrated. I only wish success for this restaurant. Thank you for a delicious meal! <3

Shows extra price in the receipt which is much higher than in the menu. Avoid this scam restaurant! The menu is 11 for all items, they also charge for rice for curry?

Stopped by on our way back from Yosemite. The food was very delicious. We had juicy chicken satay, padtai, and pineapples fried rice. Everything was very good!

Sam Cafe is the best Thai Food you will ever eat!!! Ask for the secret menu Fried rice i started many years ago!: my favorite you see in the picture is Yellow Curry Fried Rice! It is the best Curry Fried Rice you will ever eat! Assuming you have a fantastic taste like we do? But you can also order red Curry Fried Rice! Or if you like green Curry that too, but yellow Curry Fried Rice with a spice of lever 7 Is the best combo of flavor and spice. Sam Cafe has a very friendly atmosphere and everyone I bring, always state that Sam is an amazing guy and his restaurant is the BEST! I have been going for over 10 years! It is really worth the drive no matter where you come from!!!!! Trust me unless CoVid killed your taste buds Sam Cafe is the best Thai restaurant in the United States of America!

Food was so delicious, we got the Chow Mein and Chicken Pho. Highly recommend! Service was fantastic and we loved the staff. They were fast and friendly, everything we could’ve asked for.

Delicious plates with attentive customer service. We had the green curry, basil chicken, and the Pad see ew.

Food is amazing, love everyone here but the portions on the curry have become laughable... We went from a full 32oz cup to a 16oz that's only filled half way (Still same price) please lower the price on it or go back to old size please.

I've tried pad thai in many different cities and various restaurants. Nothing has surpassed Sam's. I am now living in Fresno and will happily drive the hour just to have pad thai.

Walked in it was a nice friendly place ! Quite ! Ordered the pineapple rice and it was good! But felt like for the amount you guys charge they could have had more flavor or at least a bigger portion. The chow main was okay my girlfriend liked it more but again just felt like they could have added more into the portions

Friendly service, makes you feel like you are one of the family. I'm having a party there soon.

I only had the pad thai and only had it takeout. I'd say the pad thai was a 4- noodles were not overdone, good amount, but the flavor just didn't have any punch. I had to take away a star for all the eggshells I found in it. I crunched down on a few and then still found a few more when I dug through.

✌️😍👍

I was here 3 years ago. I till remember how delicious the food was. I love all the food we ordered. The great memory brings me here to leave a comment. I miss you, SAM CAFE.

This is our favorite restaurant in town. The service is friendly and the food is amazing.

Sam Cafe is located in the heart of the city of Merced. It has been in business since 1990 and it is family owned and operated.
As I entered the establishment I was quickly greeted by a host. After selecting a table my party were served drinks and given a menu. The menu is full of delicious foods and drinks from Asia. I noticed there was a flat screen TV to the left of the entrance and to the right was a small bar. Further down was a hallway that led to the restrooms. I had expected it to be dirty and smelly. But it was far from that. Instantly I could smell the soft scent of a fragrance. Walls, doors, floor, sinks, basically everything was super clean. I was truly surprised and pleased. While we waited for our food to be served I noticed the spices on our tables were either missing or low. I had hoped to be able to add most if not all to my noodles. Unfortunately it never got replenish. Our server comes with two large bowls they smell delicious. She leaves, then quickly returns and adds meatballs to both our noodles. The cook forgot to add them. The also didn’t give us any veggies. I had to ask for that too. And still they forgot the lettuce. Oh wait I almost forgot to mention when the server brought us the meatballs she drops the spoon ito one of the bowls. She was about to reach for it, but we quickly told her it was ok we would get it. The noodles itself was delicious. Broth had the perfect amount of spices and herbs. Meat was nice and tender. Everything else from here on out was on point

ALWAYS so friendly and GREAT food

Very welcoming, staff make you feel like family. Excellent customer service! Food is amazing! New favorite place!

Called in ahead and they had my entire order ready within 15 minutes. Super tasty and fresh.

Everything was sooooo good and properly seasoned. Highly recommend

Sam's is the best Thai food in Merced. Sam himself is the most kind man I have ever met. His food is made with love and old family recipes. There is a spice that I can't pinpoint, but it is amazing! I learned about Sam from my boyfriend, and I'm so glad!

Love Sam and his wife they skates greet us like long list friends. Our favorite Thai place in merced

Sam and the rest of the staff are amazing! The food is delicious!!

Sam's is always wonderful to go to eat. He treats you like family and the food is always amazing. Large portions they will fix to your tastes and friendliest staff.

Pad Thai is the best in the valley, hands down!!!

Authentic and always fresh. Sam goes to great lengths, Thailand, to come up on new dishes, spices, and ingredients to introduce and further share his culture and wonderful ideas. His chili paste never changes and cannot be matched. You can eat until you get tired as his foods aren't heavily weighted in oils. The fresh selection of ingredients has has me coming back for his authentic Thai food dating all the way back to when he called it The Star Garden.

Their food was OK they kind of move slow even though there’s not a lot of customers their spring rolls were disappointing all you taste is the lettuce and nothing else

Food was good, but there was a little bit of egg shell in the pad thai. Their three out of ten star spicy was quite spicy. Heavy on the bamboo in the panang curry. Great service though.

It looks dark inside, they need more lights. The food tastes amazing and the servers are nice. Plenty of parking spots.

Tasty food, super fast service, and friendly owner. A gem in Merced. Will be our go-to stopover to/from Yosemite.

We chose to dine in at Sam's while passing through Merced. Both the service and the dishes we ordered were excellent! The service was personable, and attentive without being pushy, very genuine. The food we ordered was some of the more authentic tasting Thai we've had in a while and was very much enjoyed. Lots of flavor in the dishes and good spice but not overwhelming. I will acknowledge the building is older but we aren't there for architecture. Simple, quick, easy, satisfying! I wouldn't ask for more.

Saturday night at 630, and able to get a table even though google told me busier than usual. Food was amazing, servers were very nice and they appeared to have a a lot of take out going out the door too. Spice was just how I liked it. Will definitely be back.

Awesome Thai food. Love the Thai tea and Laht Nar! However this visit I asked for extra daily and my Laht Nar had zero spice. I could and did add spice to it but I prefer it to be cooked like that for a more robust spicy, not superficial on top of my food. I'll give them a pass this time because most other visits no problem.

The BEST SERVICE ever! Food was 5 stars as well. But I can't get over how sweet Sam is. Today was our first time but this will be a regular spot for our family.

The food was very flavorful, but you might want to pick a spice level a few numbers below what you'd pick elsewhere...either that or there was some miscommunication. Staff was friendly. Restaurant could use some repair. Ceiling and floor tile looked like they needed replaced. We didn't ask, but the heater wasn't working or was turned off, so the restaurant was very cold. I'd been here once before and things were different. I'd say it is worth visiting if you're into HOT Thai food or are fine with eating things like Scorpion and Ghost Peppers...or pick something very low on the Ten Scale. Most of us went with 3...just because it seemed like a safe start. We're used to eating Jalapeños and other medium peppers and it was uncomfortably hot.

Always a great visit !

Overall ok. I think they didn't try to make it authentic but make it more suitable to local taste. I didn't put high expectation. The interior though need a lot of work. It looks old and ceilings have water mark.

If you want something to try here and dont know what to get i suggest trying the tom kha soup it is the best soup u never knew you needed in life also try the thai tea its amazing Great service good atmosphere

You got to love Sam. He's quite the character and the food is awesome

THE STAFF IS VERY NICE..THE FOOD WAS GREAT..MY NEW PLACE TO EAT ..YUMMIE..

Best Thai in Merced

I’m not the one to ever dislike people cooking but this was not acceptable I took out and this is what I get I spent 47 dollars and I expect the trays to be more full that this is all I got and there Mogolian is so watery and I waited for almost 30 for this no

I love there food and there service is great

Creo que. Es. La. Mejor comida china que. Ay. En un circulo desde. Fresno y Modesto les. Recomiendo. Patay algo delicioso
Mejor. Que. El chaumey

Give this place a try and be satisfied. The flavors coming out of the food will blast you to Neptune.

Best broth for liquid diet people

We've been on a crazy long road trip, eating almost nothing but fast food. Sam's was absolutely amazing. You can taste the love.. Best pad thai and chicken sauté we've come across from here, past Sac, to the northern foothills.

My favorite restaurant in town. Go here once a week

Im on hold being ignored by this restaurant. Cannot place a order its already 10 mins on hold and i hear her checking people out but ignoring the fact im on hold saiting to order.

Delicious and ready in 15 minutes! Good price, great food.

I got the pad se ew with tofu. Staff was very friendly and helpful as well :)

This is amazing food, and the service is excellent. Highly recommend coming in and trying this restaurant you will not be disappointed. We walked in an immediately felt welcome. Thank you so much.

Food & services 👍👍
Pho & Kasoy always makes me feel like home.
So much memory of my dad at this place ❤

So I'm from Orange County. Driving 45 for the right Thai for is very normal. Sam's is 100% up to par with anything out there. Thanks for the great service the great stories and the great food. I will 100% be back.

Had thier Pad Thai for the first time it is excellent so delicious. And very friendly service. I'll definitely be coming back. :)

Amazing pad Thai, bbq pork and Thai tea. They were friendly and provided great service. Would recommend

Ordered the pineapple, cashew rice. Delicious. Friendly staff. I can't believe I just barely discovered this gem. Worth the try!

I don’t usually like to try new Thai places because I’m very picky when it comes to my pad Thai but these people had the pad Thai on point! Very delicious pad Thai you will not regret!

Love the food here very very very good and super spicy and great customer service

Fantastic food and friendly people! Always leave with a smile. Truly one of merced's hidden gems.

Best hot and spicy chicken wings in town and service is great...Sam always makes his costumers feel welcomed....

Open for takeout, always delicious

Fried rice was perfect, not dry at all, full of good flavor. I had BBQ pork, yesss! Looked good and tasted good! Also ordered orange chicken, it is good but I didn't get too much of it only downside, wish they added a little more orange chicken, overall great great food. Thank you Sam Cafe your food delicious!

Very slow and wrong order! Been waiting over 40 minutes for 5 item order.

Always great service and amazing food!

The food is so good. U can't get better food anywhere near here. A must have when I'm in town.

Very Great customer service, but for $40 I expected a good size portion. Not that I would eat all in one sitting but for that price I have had leftovers for at least 2 days. It was not worth $40 for what i got. One tray was not even half full. It was about a serving. Very disappointed. I really do feel like they ripped me off.

Pad Thai and spicy shrimp dish hot 10 is the way to go...

Best Thai place in the area! Sam is a conscientious, super-friendly, fun, caring guy who cares about his customers and treats them all as personal friends. He is also very creative and a master with his food. Worth many return trips. This is the small town, genuine, friendly, and tasty place that Hollywood makes movies about!

Never had better flavored chicken fried rice

The Chicken Pad Thai is so yummy! All the food is delicious and tasty! Great friendly employees and Sam is awesome too! Love going here!

It's has very delicious food from abroad

Still our favorite Tai food in Merced. Have been coming here for 20 years.

Great food and amazing people. They treat you like family, this was my first time here but it didn't feel like it.

Great Pad Thai! Excellent service!

Fantastic pork fried rice and fantastic guest service

Great food, great service and just a great place to eat.

I don't like that place.

Excellent service and Great food!!

Owner is very nice and friendly. Food is very good.

Food taste good

This place is the best place I have ate in a long time, it's a drive for me but worth it.

So good!!! Pad see we was incredible

Really authentic red curry! Highly recommend!

Sam's is one of our go to places for the best thai food around. You can really taste the difference in flavors from all there dishes.

When ever I'm in Merced I try and eat here

Spring rolls got smaller :(

Great place, delicious food, service is somewhat on point. Wish they had a better, bigger, beer selection.

Sam is so funny.. he trys to greet everyone... cool spot a little expensive

Food was delicious and they were accomodating about my dietery restrictions (as far as I can tell)

I come here often and the staff is awesome. They treat me like family and always strike up friendly conversation. They never disappoint here. Love it! Friends I've brought here from out of town come back to Merced just for the Pad Thai they serve here.

I drive twice a week from Dos Palos just to eat beef ball pho and it never disappoints. My kids love the food as well. The employees are always nice to us. ❤️🙏❤️🙏❤️

Good food!

Jenial

Best Pad Thai you will eat in your life!