I've had very mixed experiences at Sam's. On the plus side it's a nice casual outdoor setting on the Gulf, often with live music. On the other hand it's a bit spendy and touristy. The food is mostly pretty good but nothing extraordinary. Â The only water you can get is bottled which seems a little greedy. Not really the best place for regulars and locals, but will probably remain a popular spot for visitors and those wanting more of a party atmosphere on the Gulf. They were downright rude when I used a Groupon. Parking is $2 except for the very limited area in front.
Review Source:Unfortunately not a good first visit. Â The view of the water is probably why I'm giving 3 stars instead of 2. Â Only waited about 5-7 min to get a table which was surprising considering the wonderful weather. Â Another 10 minutes to get greeted by our server and that's when my expectations for giving 5 stars went right into the water. Â Ordered drinks and calamari. Â After 20 min (literally) of watching people who sat down after us get drinks and food a different waitress brought our calamari and said "Oh no, where's your drinks?" Â Let her know we were wondering the same thing... Â Just then I saw our server carrying our iced tea and beer while serving another table that also appeared annoyed with the wait. Â At that point we ordered a pitcher so we wouldn't have to rely on our server. Â The calamari was the best thing we ate and the lime cilantro sauce was awesome - just needed a little more. Â Buffalo chicken wrap was good and so were the homemade chips. Â Thought I would try something different but should have passed on the fish tacos. Â By the time we were served, the black beans and rice were all dried out and nothing on my plate was warm, including the fish. Â I won't be going back anytime soon but I will consider giving it a second chance and maybe get there a little later to enjoy the live music.
Review Source:We ate inside since it was cold for Florida! But, well worth the stop! I had the Cuban sandwich and their homemade potato chips. I could only eat half the sandwich! Yes, of course I got it to go.
We also had the fried pickles and their tasty crab cakes. They give you 3 HUGE crab cakes also! My wife had the salad with gigantic shrimp! I love oxy-morons but these were BIG shrimp!
I want to go here when its warmer to sit on their deck overlooking the gulf!
My sister and I had a nice lunch here when in Hudson.
We sat outside in January looking over the water in the sunshine. You can't ask for much more than that!
I had the crab cakes. The dish was listed under appetizers but it was a lot of food. I got 3 crab cakes for $8.95! That price is unheard of in my opinion.
The crab cakes were tasty and hearty but to be honest they didn't seem to have a lot of crab in them. Still good though.
I had one of my sister's shrimp and it was very good.
Prices are reasonable, servers are friendly. You can't beat the setting which is literally on the water. I'd like to come back at night when they have live music!
Just had lunch at Sam's Beech Bar on 1/3/2013.
Been there before and as before the food was very good for bar food and our server was very good, but we didn't get her name. We had to ask if the music could be turned down and they were very quick to respond, but only for about five minutes though. The music came back on just a loud as before. We are old farts and hearing can be a problem. We had to eat up and get the heck out of there so we could visit with our friends. It a very cool place to go if you don't need to talk with your guest.
Another great lunch here at Sam's. The wife and I shared a cuban and nachos, the kids had fish, and chocolate nachos for dessert. Everything was good, the Blue Moon on tap was very cold. I think the only reason I don't give them 5 stars is the plastic cups they serve the beer in. Besides being environmentally unfriendly, I just think beer should be in a frosted mug or beer glass. Plastic was ok for college or high school  parties, but I do not care for plastic cups at a bar/restaurant. It some how cheapens the whole experience for me (I am pathetic, I know).
Review Source:I discovered Sam's 15 years ago when I briefly lived in Port Richey. Â It is a great place to go watch the sunset and have a cocktail. Â Whenever I visit that area, I make a point to stop in.
The service has always been great and their prices are reasonable. Â Have to brag on their stuffed mushrooms. Â The caps are huge and full of crab and are nothing short of delicious. Â Their calamari is also very good. Â I've only had apps here but they do have a full menu. Â
If you are ever in the area, I would recommend stopping in for a specialty cocktail and awesome view of the sunset on the gulf. Â Oh, and try the stuffed mushrooms!
After reading some good and some bad reviews about Sam's I have come to the conclusion that either their competition is writing the bad reviews or they are written by people with no taste.
For me to hand out five stars you have to earn it! While it is quite the drive from Tampa it's well worth it. This is my third time here and it just gets better and better. Don't expect gourmet food but some of the tastiest bar food I have ever had.
Today was some kind of special occasion and they had the parking lot closed off with a live band, as a result they had a special N'Oleans Cajun menu. I wasn't expecting much as I know this isn't a Cajun restaurant and to top it of I had just been disappointed by "The Bayou" restaurant. But I can't help it, if crawfish etoufee is on the menu I have to order it. This has been one of the biggest surprises I have had in years. The crawfish etoufee was downright fantastic! My wife had the chicken jambalaya and she thought it was some of the best she had ever had and we have been to the big easy.
Sam's Hudson Beach Bar has it all, great food, great service and a unbelievable view of the Gulf Of Mexico, it's the perfect trifecta.
If you love life you'll love this place, however if you're not that bright go ahead and skip it all together.
Enjoy!
Surprisingly busy for a Wednesday night in the small waterside town of Hudson, Sam's was the place to be for a perfect view of the sunset. Â The tiki bar and torches lining the deck created a casual, backyard atmosphere to try a touristy mixed drink. Â I had the Coco Loco, which was missing the souvenir coconut monkey. Â Pricey for a small, mediocre combo of banana and coconut liquors, Â I would have been happier with a cold beer. Â It's located on a small stretch of sand, not exactly a beach, but a nice walk by the water. Â If you're a souvenir t-shirt collector, there's a large collection waiting for you in the bright colors so common to Florida.
Review Source:A friend of ours told us to try this place so we spent the Saturday creeping north from our house in Dunedin, shopping, then ended up here to chill and eat. I was shocked by the Hudson Beach surroundings as it was small, quaint, and a place to just free your mind. Sam's is a dive! It's the perfect beach joint. They're not pretentious about it at all. Â
I gotta tell you, we went to the hostesss stand and they took us right to a table. The crowd was comfy but not overcrowded. I immediately caught the vibe and went with it. I could imagine this place filled as it was one of three places we saw to eat in Hudson Beach,and  the location with THE view was perfect.
We order a waverunner with a mixture of different rums and mixes to go with our gator bites. Nice start! Then we ordered the daily catch of the day, Swai! It tasted like tilapia and was grilled perfectly. All you have to do is squeeze a lil lemon on it and leave the tartar and cocktail sauce for the tourists! :P The hush puppie couldn't be hurt, the mango jalapeno slaw was excellent, the sweet taterfries dipped in an apple mixture was yummo, and the side crab cake was not overdone with filler and just right. We split that meal and there was more than enough food for the two of us.
To make it all just right, I have to shout out to my girl, Sarah, who served us. She made us feel at home, relaxed, and gave us the best service. I will ask for her WHEN we go back. It kicked off a great Memorial Day weekend.
Places like Sam's are all about the vibe. Sure, they have food - and it's a bonus if it's edible - but really, when you come to this kind of waterfront dining place with a laid back vibe and crowds of people enjoying themselves, then it's usually a good experience no matter what.
We showed up here on a seemingly-random Sunday afternoon around 2pm, yet there were mobs of people on the outdoor deck and especially in the bar area. A band was playing, people were dancing, every table was full of casual-diners, plenty of cold beer flowing... everybody having a genuinely good time.
Food-wise, my blackened grouper sandwich was outstanding, but the price reflected that too. A pitcher of cold beer to help wash it down was just fine -- don't expect an expansive selection of microbrews. A cold Bud is fine given the surroundings.
The kids were stoked to get ice cream treats with mom at the separate li'l stand for that, too.
Maybe a bit pricey. Maybe the service wasn't too great (again, due to crowds). But just kick back and relax, man. Gaze up at those tiki thatched roofs. Jam out to the supercheeze of the live "band". Sip on yr drink. It's all about the vibes.
The ONLY reason to go to this place is to sit and enjoy the smell of the water and to look at a sunset.
Our server was great, but other tables around us had a server that was not as attentive. They seemed understaffed.
The margaritas came in plastic cups...not sure if they actually had any tequila in them. Despite that, we had two, and they did not have any punch.
The food was mediocre at best. We ordered calamari which was bland. When served our appetizer calamari, the server was embarrassed to tell us that they were no longer serving plates with their appetizers. No plates? We were generous about it but it was a moment of shame for the server!
My husband ordered a burger which was, as he described, probably made from a frozen Costco meat patty. I ordered the fish taco which was a huge filet of fish on a cold tortilla. Â Extremely uninspiring. Â The side I got with the taco was rice and black beans - probably the best thing I had. Â
I'm sure there are other unique spots along the water that serve better than cafeteria food!
Sam's gets 4 stars rating only because of the gorgeous ocean view, otherwise it would be a solid three star joint.
Decor: casual picnic table eatery with a fine line between outdoor and indoor dining. Eating indoors just means sitting behind thick plastic curtains! Ask to sit outside under one of the palm trees. They have a very tall tiki bar area that was closed on our lunchtime visit. The water literally laps right up to the restaurant on this quiet tip of Hudson Beach.
Service: although not fancy or proper the service was friendly and quick. Our server had a decent knowledge of the menu and directed to the restaurant's specialities. We were seated on the large outdoor deck overlooking the ocean. Although we were there at lunch I could imagine the beautiful sunsets!
Food: Food alone would probably get two stars. Its one of those places you tolerate the food but if the scenery/ambiance wasn't what it was you wouldn't come back. I had the grouper sandwich which had a huge, tasteless piece of fried fish. It tasted like it hadn't any seasoning at all. The calamari was about the same- flavorless (probably why they add the peppers on top). The best item I tasted was the onion rings. They are made in house and are HUGE. The seasoning was nice, they were cooked golden brown and went perfectly with my Ying Ling draft.
We learned that on the weekend they have live bands perform. Since we heard the Crab Shack no longer has lives bands we'll probably be back to check out Sam's entertainment.
Sam's has a little bit of everything. Â Pretty good food, great atmosphere and a great view and location right on the water. Â Nice place to take the family or even a date and on the weekends they have live music and this place really gets busy. Â Parking is a little difficult, try to use the beach parking as you come in and walk over as their private lot is very small. Â Fun place to go year round with our great weather. Â Very busy at sunset.
Review Source:I've been here when it's packed and when it's not. It's really a fun place to go out for a casual meal that happens to have a great location. It's not expensive and it can be great fun with friends and also a romantic place.
Food is very simple and good. Waiters are attentive. Parking is easy and it's also a good place to bring kids.
I visit this area often and recently I contacted Sam's through their website to ask about doing a birthday celebration there and they came back to me promptly with a name and contact number.
Sam's is what it is, a beach-casual place to enjoy a meal in the outdoors.
I give Sam's five stars because of the fact it is the best place to watch the sunset and unwind in Hudson, FL!!! You will not get a better sunset anywhere. The food is pretty good. I only tried the nachos supreme but it was pretty good. On par with any other bar. The crowd is mixed. The night I went they had a live reggae band that was really rockin!!!! Gotta love Sam's!!!!
Review Source:This was just what I needed. Â After a long road trip I needed to have some real Florida fun. Â I could feel my stress melt away at this casual beachfront spot. Â The gorgeous view immediately lifted my spirits and put me in the party mood. Â Add some incredibly great service and delicious food- and what more does a girl need? Â We had Calamari and Steak Egg roll appetizers. Â For entrees we had to go with the Florida Grouper and it was fresh and fantastic. Â I have to say that this is one of my favorite spots when I visit the Tampa area.
Review Source:My wife and I gave Sam's a try on a Friday night - 30 minutes before sunset.
The place was packed, and we were told there was a 30 minute wait for a table.
We went to the tiki bar and had 4 margaritas - taking them back to the waiting area, so we wouldn't miss our name...
Two hours passed, and we were never seated - the staff and manager were unsympathetic/unapologetic.
Of course, I have no review of the food, but the (lack of) service was poor - and we weren't the only people leaving out of frustration.
With a babysitter deadline, we resorted to Greek take-out on the way home...
Parking in Hudson Beach is pretty bad - two lots are typically full, and the third is for vehicles with boat trailers only...
This is the kind of place to come and spend an entire day drinking beer and looking at the ocean. Â This is not the kind of place you come to hang with cool people as customers, eat decent food, listen to good music, or feel like you fit in.
So my first attempt at writing a review for this place sounded pretentious and elitist - and lord knows when it comes to my yelp record, I am not a snob; i LOVE the dives, I hate martini bars, etc etc. Â but this place kinda scares me, and I am not sure this second attempt I will sound any less of a prick. Â but here goes...
and as a disclaimer - I grew up here (paroled from Florida in the 90s) - so I am not fully an outsider
first, take in the pickup trucks parked on lawns on your drive in (and notice that they have driveways that are empty). Â then take in the amount of skin you will see at this beach bar, and realize there really isn't a beach here (or anywhere this side of Clearwater) - and the skin is not due to skantily clad hard bodies of your typical Spring Break movie - but of random pieces of skin that fall out of ill-fitting clothes. Â at one point I needed my glasses to play the Florida game of "Is it a belly ring or is she carrying a hub cap?"
and the food....look it's a beach bar, so the "food quality" bar is set pretty low. Â but the grilled fish was oilier than a Papa John's pizza - and left me wondering if it's deep-fried version wasn't slightly better for the ticker.
but I am giving it 3 stars, because frankly it was a place that allowed me to hang out with family, outside, smelling the sea air, watching the sunset - and in a solid state of nothing but strip malls, chain restaurants, and Jesus billboards, you just have to rate a place based on its alternatives.
This might have been a fun place if we were slurping hurricane drinks or ordering "buckets" of longnecks like half the crowd on this enclosed-deck, picnic-table style beach place. Jet lag left us looking a lot more like the other half of the patronage - namely the geritol generation.
Mostly, you're looking at deep fried stuff, burgers, etc. But they do have a fresh fish special. Tonight's was grilled mahi-mahi with a mango chutney, served with your choice of sides: rice and beans (yum), spiced apples, sweet potato fries, slaw, or many other options. We rather enjoyed the mahi-mahi, and there was a nice view, but not nice enough to justify a $50 tab (after tip) for 2 adults, 1 kid, plasticware, paper plates, no appetizers, no alcohol, and no dessert.
Acceptable, but not great.
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