For those of you that have never been, go!  Picture your grandmother’s basement, wood paneled walls covered with pictures of past guests, some recognizable, some risque, other photos older than most of the guests there tonight, add to that a jewish musician wailing away on a casio keyboard to the tune of Hava Nagila, anything Jimmy Buffett and anything oldies.  Throw into the mix bottles of Kettle One vodka served in frozen blocks of ice, chicken livers prepared table-side, bottles of liquified chicken fat on every table, old school seltzer bottles and some of the best company you could ever ask for.   When you go to Sammy's, you visit family.  David, the owner likes to refer to himself as “Son of Sam”, it’s that kind of place.  I think his dad won the place in a card game.  When you go, order what is best, the Roumanian steak, in either small, medium or large, make your decision based on how many bottles of frozen vodka you have consumed and how many times you have gotten up to dance around the basement dining room.  By the time my party of 10 had ordered last night, we were on bottle number 3, had been there for 2 hours, I personally had on a Sammy's t-shirt and a pair of Sammy’s boxer shorts, over my clothes mind you and we had danced for about an hour.  I ordered a medium sized steak, and it was done perfect.  Broiled to perfection, juicy and with the perfect amount of garlic and Yiddish love!  Todd English did an episode of one of his shows at Sammy’s and while speaking to David, the “Son of Sam”, I was so excited to hear that stardom hadn’t changed this neighborhood gem.  David still marched out front with his clipboard and wore his faded Sammy’s t-shirt.  It was good to be home I thought, then we did a few shots and the rest is history!

1. •The food, atmosphere, service and experience are top notch,
   

2. •The prices are very reasonable, roughly $15 - $35 per entree,
   

3. •The vodka, Kettle One, frozen in a block of ice at $10 a shot or a steal at $100.00 a bottle,
   

4. •The t-shirts, $10.
   

Get a group of friends, clear your schedule and go to Sammy’s, be sure to have a few drinks with David and tell him I said hi!

Sammy's Roumanian

157 Chrystie Street, New York, NY 10002

212-673-0330

Like they say in Yiddish, L’Chaim!