11/08/08

Bad Service, Rude Host, Very Expensive with OK Food.

by sternbss

I went out to eat with 10 friends for my best friends birthday, Saturday night November 1, 2008. He called in advance to make a reservation, and they took his credit card to charge a $25 cancellation fee if anyone less than 10 didn't show up. They would not seat us until all 10 people showed up, which meant that he had to wait 35 minutes to sit down. After that they then told him there would be a $50 minimum for dinner, and were trying to push a "prefixed menu" on us. Finally, fed up we pushed to get an a la carte order, but they still placed a minimum $50 dollars per person. The host was very rude, and incredibly unhelpful. Additionally, he had a very slimy appearance. The bill ended up being horrendous, which was probably the hosts plan. The food itself was ok, but I have eaten far superior sushi, with MUCH better service for literally a third of the price. Unless you are very desperate, I would not recommend Sushi Samba to my worst enemy.

• Pros: Food OK
• Cons: Terrible Service, Rude Host and Waiter, Very inattentive, Horrendous Value.

10/27/08

avoid at all costs!

by anynomous1982

I made a reservation for 8:00 Friday night and arrived early and jumped to the bar to wait for our table. my boyfriend was running a little late and the hostess said it was alright and sat us without him as he was on his way. after we ordered a few appetizers and a round of drinks the waitress kept eyeing us rudely. Around 8:20 the hostess came back to inform us that we had better order dinner because they need us to finish up so they can seat the next table for the 9:00 reservation. she was nasty and rude and i could not believe that a hostess of this type restaurant ($$$$) would be so ridiculous after she sat us knowing we were an incomplete table. We had ordered drinks and within 15 minutes already had a $40 tab. I have never been treated so poorly and in such classless taste. i understand that is was a friday night and the restaurant was busy, however i have NEVER been given a time limit on my meal. never again. the hype is just that hype for miserable service, overpriced food and watered down drinks. save your money.

• Cons: rude inconsistent service,

10/18/08

Food ok. Service...

by sofiaburkman

The food is good but kind of expensive for what it is. The server was a sweetheart and did a good job even with the busy floor. We have to sit almost on top of each other and, to get even more claustrophobic, the manager could not leave me and my girlfriends alone. Invited us to the bar, asked to buy us drinks, in a very annoying and awkward way. Even started to look quite mad when we didn't understand his accent - maybe Russian? And kept walking around our table staring and trying to look busy. The specialty drinks are very good, but I'm afraid I'll have to go to the other location to get them!!!

09/14/08

The best hospitality

by JenniferSandreas

Had lunch this weekend at Sushi Samba and never thought I could be better treated in New York City. Ordered th Eltopo and calamaris. The food was great and I got them quite quickly. But what blew my mind was the hospitality. The hostess, young and so beautiful smiling Brazilian, don't remember her name. I had my broken leg and she took good care of me even better than my friends at work. Got me the booth, a chair to put my leg on, checked on me once in a while. You could clearly see how she genuinely cares. The manager, Dina, came over and asked if everything was ok. Definitely coming back, Dina, definitely!

09/07/08

Asian Fusion

by ginainnyc

Came here with a few friends. The drinks were okay. The food was also okay, nothing so special, except for the calamari. I always come back here for that. The service was good, the servers and busboys kept staring at us for unknown reasons, so it was kinda weird.

08/18/08

Not the freshest

by nybapfood

For a restaurant with the very word "Sushi" in its name, I was extremely surprised. While I understand it is a fusion restaurant that my father has frequented many times in the past, my first occasion here was a disappointment. The sushi was not fresh, the seaweed was soggy and chewy, the rice was flavorless. The more exciting dishes were mediocre, such as the random chili additives to typical sushi. One thing, however, was very memorable: the mochi ice cream desert. It was probably the best mochi ice cream I've ever had, with very different flavors--the day I went there was Mango, Vanilla/Chocolate Coconut, and Lychee. Quite delicious.

• Pros: easy to get a reservation
• Cons: food quality

08/01/08

Great Experience!

by harlemhoney

The service here is great and so is the food! I had been to the one in Miami many times and wanted to try the NY one out. The hostess (i think her name is Dana) was sooooo nice! We had to wait awhile for our reservation, which was ok b/ we had great mango mojitos at the bar, and when we sat for dinner she sent us over Tuna Tar Tar as well as beef skewers to apoligize for the wait. Our waiter was great and helped us order the best things off of the menu incld the crab cakes!! Overall it was a great time and i will def be coming back again!!!!

• Pros: GREAT GREAT GREAT SERVICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

07/28/08

BEST Brunch in the city

by David119

Took my sister who was visiting here for Brunch yesterday and it was the best I've had in the city. Even better than places like Balthazar and Pastis. We ordered the 4 course family style brunch special they had. The eggs benedict was a cool twist from the usual with smoked salmon instead of canadian bacon. The smoked fish plate was delicious, the sauce was one of a kind. And the steak and eggs was the best I've ever had. In addition to the food, we indulged in some mid afternoon drinks. I had the Nina Fresa while my sister had a Mimosa.

• Pros: Atmosphere, Food, Drinks

07/16/08

Worth it for the drinks and atmosphere

by toasterbunny4

The service at Sushi Samba is fantastic; the servers have a relaxed, hip, and friendly demeanor when they interact with you, but the service style is professional and formal. They even have bathroom attendants that help you wash your hands. The decor is also very "cool" and trendy, and the drinks are out of this world (try the signature Brazilian drinks with cachaca!). But while the cuisine is innovative and the menu is fairly diverse, nothing I tried was so great that I'd order it again. The calamari appetizer with cornmeal breading was interesting and fairly good, the tuna seviche with jalapeno and almond was fiery but somewhat one-dimensional, and the pork tenderloin entree was well-prepared but un-adventurous.

The problem is, the portions are rather small, and everything is pretty expensive (four dollars for a tiny bowl of rice? $15 for seviche with a portion size of a golf ball?). The food is good -- but not good enough to warrant that high price tag. I'd gladly pay $15 for a golf-ball portion of seviche that was worth it, or for rice that was really unique in some way. But I just didn't feel the quality of the food was really deserving of its expense.

05/11/08

Something NEW

by TheSherpa

This place is a great divergence from the same old sushi menu you can find anywhere. I wasn't sure about the idea of mixing South American elements and ingredients with Japanese cuisine until i tasted it. The result is a spicy, natural mix of two cultures that have perfected the art of raw seafood. There was something on the menu for everyone in our group, including great steak, seafood and vegetarian options. The atmosphere is relaxed but the food is fine-dining quality. Check it out.

• Pros: Ambiance, Food, Menu