Sam's Place

A good, old fashioned, family-friendly diner. Let's get something straight right off the bat. if your looking for an exquisite super high end bay area dining experience this is not your review. However if you grew up in the pre-smartphone era and are used to places where the folks are personable and everyone used manners then you might have found a gem in Sam's Place. I've lived in Novato for 7-8 years now and I just recently walked through the doors. Why have I waited so long? I was craving a hearty breakfast at 9AM on a Wednesday and this was the only place open in Novato. Finnegans and Toast doesn't open until 10 and Bacon was shut down due to renovations so I stumbled across Sam's. When I walked in I was greeted by the sights of old pictures of Novato, a smiling waitress and a cool train on the top of the room! (Super fun!). You could tell that a lot of hot rodders either hang out here or the owner is a hot rodder. I sat at the bar and asked a couple questions about the restaurant and menu. Our waitress is a long time Novato resident and we had a nice little chat. She pointed me to the Corned Beef Hash which is made fresh on site. I'm glad I picked that because it was DELICIOUS!!! The taste & textures were spot on and I enjoyed every bite. A lot of people don't like the greasy spoon, diner type of establishment. Hey, all good. However if you like a little bit of old fashioned in your life then give this place a shot.