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Closed Jan 5-9 for annual maintenance. Reopens Jan 10, 2026. Outdoor oceanfront dining and takeout. Lobster, daily fresh catch, fish and chips, fried calamari, lobster roll, cioppino, ahi tuna poke, popcorn shrimp, farm fresh salads, great hamburger, and more. Reservations weekdays for inside dining – outside is on a first come, first-served basis. Voted BEST SEAFOOD by Open Table users, and BEST OUTDOOR DINING by SF Magazine. Outdoor patio dining, heaters, and stunning sunsets. Gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options available (ask your server). Kids menu. Music on Friday nights, and Saturday/Sunday afternoons in the summer. Full bar. We look forward to serving you!
Classic seafood house known for clam chowder, lobster rolls & patio dining overlooking the Pacific.
Hours
| Thursday | 11:30 AM–8:30 PM |
| Friday | 11:30 AM–9 PM |
| Saturday | 11 AM–9 PM |
| Sunday | 11 AM–8:30 PM |
| Monday | 11:30 AM–8:30 PM |
| Tuesday | 11:30 AM–8:30 PM |
| Wednesday | 11:30 AM–8:30 PM |
Address and Contact Information
Address: 4210 CA-1, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
Phone: (650) 712-0245
Website: http://www.samschowderhouse.com/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Reservations: samschowderhouse.comopentable.comtripleseat.com
Photo Gallery
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Indoor and outdoor dining daily. Clam chowder, fresh fish, lobster rolls, fried calamari, fish & chips, salads, & ocean view!
Reviews
Kay de la Cruz
Weekday line, but it moves—operational efficiency on point. The space is large with indoor and outdoor seating, and they accommodated our window request for that ocean-view upgrade. Nice touch: cold bread and butter while waiting.
New England chowder and New Orleans gumbo were fine, nothing headline-worthy; chowder edged out the gumbo. Appetizers, though? Baked Rockefeller oysters and calamares absolutely delivered.
Seafood paella didn’t align with traditional expectations, so that was a miss. Service was attentive, parking was easy.
… moreNew England chowder and New Orleans gumbo were fine, nothing headline-worthy; chowder edged out the gumbo. Appetizers, though? Baked Rockefeller oysters and calamares absolutely delivered.
Seafood paella didn’t align with traditional expectations, so that was a miss. Service was attentive, parking was easy.
Lydia
Food: the food tastes great! Definitely one of the best chowder I’ve had in Bay Area. Shrimp scampi is also good but the shrimp shells are not removed well.
Service: staff is nice and attentive. It’s a pity that the tableware chipped, and it’s dangerous when dining with that.
Ambiance: cozy and chill. A good place to enjoy warm food near Halfmoon Bay.
… moreService: staff is nice and attentive. It’s a pity that the tableware chipped, and it’s dangerous when dining with that.
Ambiance: cozy and chill. A good place to enjoy warm food near Halfmoon Bay.
Marisol Arnold
We visited Sam’s Chowder House on a Tuesday at 12 PM and it was the perfect time to go. On weekends, this place can be difficult to walk into without a wait, so I highly recommend coming during the week if you can. If you do visit on a weekend, just expect there may be a long wait.
We came specifically for their famous Naked Lobster Roll, but we started with oysters and a bowl of clam chowder. Everything was delicious and exactly what you want from a classic seafood spot.
The service was truly on point. The staff was friendly, attentive, and didn’t skip a beat. It was a great example of how to run a high energy restaurant smoothly while still making guests feel taken care of.
If the weather permits, I definitely recommend sitting on the patio for a gorgeous ocean view. Overall, it’s an excellent lunch stop if you are craving great, all American seafood dishes.
… moreWe came specifically for their famous Naked Lobster Roll, but we started with oysters and a bowl of clam chowder. Everything was delicious and exactly what you want from a classic seafood spot.
The service was truly on point. The staff was friendly, attentive, and didn’t skip a beat. It was a great example of how to run a high energy restaurant smoothly while still making guests feel taken care of.
If the weather permits, I definitely recommend sitting on the patio for a gorgeous ocean view. Overall, it’s an excellent lunch stop if you are craving great, all American seafood dishes.
Christina Muirhead-Zamora
August 16, 2025: About 45 minute wait, but once seated, great service, salmon was amazing!! The chowder was delicious! The shrimp sandwich could’ve been split by two people especially if you get chowder. Cute little gift shop in the side. We went during rainy day, but I could only imagine how beautiful it would’ve been on a sunny day! We would definitely go back! They also had a live band which was cool!
… moreHana !
took my parents here to decompress after the holidays and sam’s did not disappoint. sign in the front of the store is a bit misleading as reservations aren’t really a thing, but waitlisting is! restaurant is seated by the coast and near a walkable trail, so waiting (during the day) is no issue!
restaurant’s ambiance is excellent—there are many huge windows to watch the sunset. supposedly there is live music on weekends, which wasn’t followed thru with during our visit but it may have been a one time thing. this location was bustling!
service was peak—thank u for running this location alex :)) would tip a million bajillion if we could!
all of the food was excellent; seafood was fresh, bread was tasty and toasted, coleslaw wasn’t sopping, chowder was not flour-y slop, chips were crisp etc etc etc. the olive oil + sea salt soft serve is something to try at least once! price is reasonable for being in the bay area + being in an isolated area + near the ocean :))
… morerestaurant’s ambiance is excellent—there are many huge windows to watch the sunset. supposedly there is live music on weekends, which wasn’t followed thru with during our visit but it may have been a one time thing. this location was bustling!
service was peak—thank u for running this location alex :)) would tip a million bajillion if we could!
all of the food was excellent; seafood was fresh, bread was tasty and toasted, coleslaw wasn’t sopping, chowder was not flour-y slop, chips were crisp etc etc etc. the olive oil + sea salt soft serve is something to try at least once! price is reasonable for being in the bay area + being in an isolated area + near the ocean :))
Y&N
10.25.25 Super busy and full of customers, even at 4pm. Wait time was 20 min. Our meals of Cioppino, Swordfish & Dressed Lobster Roll were excellent. And not overly salty, you can add salt & pepper to adjust to your taste. New England Clam Chowder was good also.
Everything was fresh and cooked just right. Bread, while fresh, was cold due to them not heating it prior to serving as they “don’t have oven capacity to accomodate for bread” we were told very apologetically.
Our server Jesus A., was great, he made us feel very welcome, our first time dining here. Thank you to him!
… moreEverything was fresh and cooked just right. Bread, while fresh, was cold due to them not heating it prior to serving as they “don’t have oven capacity to accomodate for bread” we were told very apologetically.
Our server Jesus A., was great, he made us feel very welcome, our first time dining here. Thank you to him!
Tanya Bee
We had the half and half chowder and gumbo. The gumbo had a good amount of crab in it. Nice and chunky. The chowder could have been thicker. The scallops were amazing. The fennel salad or sauce it comes with is good. You get 3 scallops for $17 which was ki d of expensive but worth is if you love scallops. We also had the fish and chips and we added a crab cake. The crab cake was really good. Packed with crab. The fish and chips were good but lacked seasoning but the malt vinegar helped. Overall a good meal. About $80 for everything. We picked up our order and ate at the patio below. It was dog friendly and had a couple of chair and a nice view of the ocean.
… moreBen Jones
Lobster meat from claws and tails. Chowder done right. Old bay fries. Do it and you’ll thank yourself later. Food was instantaneously presented after ordering at 5pm. My mind was blown. I thought about eating the plate.
… moreEsther Dang
We sat outside and it was the perfect sunny day out with the amazing view of the bay. The service and staff were friendly and helpful.
Food: The clam chowder is what they’re known for and my husband enjoyed the seasonal pumpkin bisque. The scallops were well cooked and the garnish underneath helps add a kick of flavor. The fried seafood combo was really good and even though the seafood was fried, the meat inside was still juicy. The only letdown of the meal was the lobster roll. At first glance we were pleasantly surprised by the amount of lobster meat, but the meat was chewy and dry. Also, the roll was dry and hard to chew through as well. It seemed like an off day, so it may be better for other people on another day.
… moreFood: The clam chowder is what they’re known for and my husband enjoyed the seasonal pumpkin bisque. The scallops were well cooked and the garnish underneath helps add a kick of flavor. The fried seafood combo was really good and even though the seafood was fried, the meat inside was still juicy. The only letdown of the meal was the lobster roll. At first glance we were pleasantly surprised by the amount of lobster meat, but the meat was chewy and dry. Also, the roll was dry and hard to chew through as well. It seemed like an off day, so it may be better for other people on another day.
Elena Skurat
Large parking lot and a beautiful ocean view, service is generally fast, but the restaurant itself is pretty worn out. The food is average: the clam chowder is disappointing – seafood pieces are so tiny that it feels like eating a thick and potato only, bland mass with no real chunks, and the bread isn’t tasty. Fish and chips are just okay, but the oysters are fresh and really good. Next time I’ll probably try another place in the area, or only come back here for the crab sandwich – it was good on my previous visit.
… more