Sam I Am

2.3 Not Recommended

Food  2      Ambience  5      Service  1      Value  1     

The window was great and we had been wanting to come here for awhile.

The servers were disengaged, the food sold is self as spicy without any spice, the chicken wings were full wings of a chicken (not jointed as per normal practice), the burrito had hot guacamole in it and was not spicy as per the menu and the tequila was so cheap it tasted like smoke. Will never go back.

May 04, 2012 

4.8 Average

Food  8      Ambience  5      Service  1      Value  5     

Been really looking forward to trying this place out, scouting out somewhere for a birthday get together.

I have to say we left very disappointed, walked in to an arrogant guy behind the counter, didn't even look up when we were asking about drinks and food or even smile (or anything!) while we were ordering and paying! He made us a jug of sangria which was $25 and not particularly nice.

We ordered the 'Jimmychangas', which were really, really tasty, but when he took our order to the kitchen we heard him say, 'no hurry on this'! We hadn't even been rude or anything! It was very strange, the outside area is pretty average. I would rather go a few doors up where the staff are fantastic and the drinks are reasonable (and you get free pop corn!).

Mar 30, 2012 

7.5 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  9      Service  7      Value  7     

Very nice place for a late night cocktail. I love this place.

Sep 21, 2011 

7.5 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  8      Service  8      Value  7     

It’s a good place for a late night drink with a few friends. Great atmosphere.

Mar 26, 2011 

8.8 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  7     

I was just reading the previous reviews and am really surprised. I have been to Sam I Am three times and it's always been really great, both for food and for service.

I've been to three weekend brunches, twice with my boyfriend and once with a friend. Each time, we have all *loved* our meals, and agreed that this is the best brunch place in Glebe (we live in Glebe, and have gone to most). The staff have always been great, really attentive and polite, immediately bringing us whatever we ask for (sauce, additional coffee).

Feb 06, 2011 

5 Average

Food  5      Ambience  5      Service  5      Value  5     

Well I've only ever brought a coffee from Sam I Am and it wasn't so good but the place looked amazing! I didn't like the fact that they weren't in uniform because you couldn't really tell which ones were the staff. Amazing place though!

Nov 07, 2010 

5.5 Average

Food  5      Ambience  8      Service  1      Value  8     

I went here for a drink on a Friday night we did not eat. The venue has been cleverly furnished to create a really good wine bar ambience. We were the only people there and the ambience still felt good. Then disaster! To our amazement the front of house girl brought a young 4 ish year old boy out from the kitchen and started chasing him in and out of the bar. He was screaming with excitement.

The noise was so disruptive it completely destroyed the ambience and made it difficult to talk. After 10 minutes we could stand no more and what is a 4 year old doing in a wine bar? The staff member just watched us leave without comment. What a disappointment for a venue that seemed to have so much potential. Goodbye. Sam I Was!

Oct 16, 2010 

6.5 Recommended

Food  6      Ambience  9      Service  5      Value  6     

Went for lunch today, I must say the ambience in this place is absolutely fabulous. Decor is totally different from normal cafe. However, the service is so so. Great place to enjoy a quite afternoon.

Sep 28, 2010 

9.5 Highly Recommended

Food  10      Ambience  10      Service  9      Value  9     

Food was absolutely fantastic, great atmosphere. Has a really cool patio out the back but like the mezzanine floor really warm and cozy, will definitely go back.

Aug 23, 2010 

3.8 Below Average

Food  5      Ambience  4      Service  1      Value  5     

Based on other reviews found on this page I suspect the food here is good and the staff here can be friendly, however, on our visit to Sam I Am we did not find either.
This cafe is in a great spot and has plenty of potential. From our visit (late July 2010) though, we would not return based on the following reasons:

We through the restaurant scouting the place for the right seat (the place was mostly empty) and it was only when we were seated we both commented on the lack of eye contact and "hellos" with staff as we wandered their establishment. It felt kinda gross.

We had our menus taken off of us because "they were the wrong ones coz' the kitchen's closed". We did not get another menu (drinks or otherwise) to choose from.

We walked to the counter and placed our order for a muffin off of the counter and some drinks, and waited 15 minutes for it to arrive at our table without anything to spread our lump of butter except our fingers. Half an hour after being told we couldn't have menu food, we took delivery of someone else's meal (ordered from the menu). We discussed the ethics of keeping it, we notified our disgruntled attendants (one of, perhaps, 5 that 'graced' our table through the ordeal) that it wasn't ours.

Music was either not being played, it was too loud or it just inappropriate for a cafe.
Our impression was that the staff were unskilled and unfriendly and the systems used to coordinate food delivery were sub-par. We never got to experience the menu food, which from what others are saying may have been a highlight (our muffin was ok).

There's plenty of other cafes on Glebe Point Road. There's no reason to go back.

Aug 23, 2010