Sam's On The Beach in Cornwall, Isles of Scilly

We managed to get a walk-in spot outside on a Saturday lunchtime (it’s October so not summer levels of busy but they still had a steady flow of customers and no tables inside so I would absolutely recommend booking). It was a fairly warm day for October and we were dressed appropriately so we sat outside and it was a great choice for us. The sun made its way round the neighbouring building half way through our food and it’s quite a sun trap. As for the food well we couldn’t fault it, everything was delicious, the flavours clearly thought about. I had the fish stew and my partner had the Thai scallops… we both said we would have those exact dishes again because they were so good! The desserts were also amazing, if you love profiteroles these were probably the best I’ve ever had!!

We walked to the restaurant from Par along the Coastal path, but had pre-booked our table. We'd asked to be by the window as it was my wife's birthday and that was exactly what we had. The view outside is lovely, right on the little cove. We had a lovely meal and a nice bottle of Albarino. For starters we had Crab & Scallops which were yummy. For Mains we had a couple of the daily specials : the Surf (Lobster) & Turf (Sirloin) and the 1/2 Lobster and Crevettes, which both had really nice salad and dressings with them too. We then had Lemon Curd Pavlovas and Limoncello to finish off. Well we had walked quite a way to get there :) Anyway everything was excellent and very tasty, and the service was great and very friendly. There was a very nice vibe to the place, and we'd definitely go again if we're back in the area.

Stunning location, amazing food and awesome friendly efficient staff. So happy we found this gem We had breakfast and after visiting Edenbproject drove back for early dinner!

Gorgeous seafood. Scallops & black pudding starter followed by sardines, what more could a girl want. Parking was a little awkward but worth it in the end.

Arrive here just after 11am and they were still serving breakfast. Bacon rolls from £5. I went for the grilled halloumi, mushrooms and home made pesto roll for £6. It was super tasty! Great views out of the large windows. If you are walking the coast path this is a great place to refuel and rest.

Driving down to the bar led to an almighty row with the Mrs. The narrow country lanes leading to the beach tested my patience a bit too much. Additionally, I had to pay to park, a few hundred yards from the bar. But you know what? My wife was right! Good things come to those who wait! Goodness me! What a fantastic place! We had the Seafood platter. Plenty for both of us and we are good eaters!!! All cooked beautifully with the freshest ingredients. Superb flavours, nothing overcooked and served quickly too! Next time I'll keep my mouth shut for this was a lesson I'll never forget! Lovely, lovely!

Had an absolutely beautiful lunch sat in the sun listening to quiet background chilled music whilst looking out to sea. Service was efficient friendly and pleasant. Our food was delicious - both had specials ( tuna for one / seabass the other ). Being super critical the tuna was maybe slightly over but huge portions - served with fries and a well dressed salad. Throughly recommend.

Friendly welcome & a dog biscuit on our table. Great choice of food. Good seafood. Amazing location. Better to walk from Par beach on coastal path during day rather than navigating the narrow lane to Polkerris.

Thought the menu looked expensive, but the seafood pizza was the best pizza we ever had. It's worth it. Lovely views.

Fab...u...lous.....simple....just beautiful....

Very expensive flies all over table had to be moved but made no difference food not up to standard child’s pizza was terrible would not go back again

Food is very disappointing. Calamari was in 'fish & chip' batter which is too heavy, was very greasy and actual Calamari very thin. Salad was literally swimming in dressing. Sardines were no better. I couldn't finish my meal and both of us felt a bit ill due to fattiness of the food. Service is very good however, very friendly and they discounted our meal as we weren't happy with it. Also too many flies in the restaurant. Difficult to do much about as open door to beach but doesn't help you enjoy your meal.

I recently visited Sam’s on the beach, and while the food was delicious, the experience was unfortunately ruined by a serious fly problem. There were flies everywhere, constantly landing on the food and even on my legs. It made the entire meal uncomfortable and unsanitary. Despite the quality of the food, I ended up leaving early because I started to feel unwell from the constant presence of flies. I hope the restaurant addresses this issue soon, as it really detracted from what could have been an enjoyable dining experience.

Took us in last minute well worth it perfect setting good food attentive staff

Just perfect. Atmosphere ✅️ Staff ✅️ Food ✅️ Setting ✅️ Service ✅️

Good sea food but expensive. I don't think that their oven is the best way to cook sardines, they were dried out and flavourless.

Gorgeous beach restaurant, a very friendly welcome and vibe the whole time we stayed. Staff were attentive and polite, and we were really pleased when they replaced my wife’s drink after it spilled with a free fresh one. Food was amazing with great attention to detail. Cannot wait to revisit one day because we’re not local. Thank you guys ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Disappointing on all counts. Over priced and poor service. More leaves than actual food with starters, incorrect main and when queried waitress she was rude and dismissive. Waited 10 minutes for correct order with no apology. Food was average with inflated prices. Will not be returning or recommending.

Had the fish stew for 2. Out of this world. Portion huge was enough for at least 3 people not 2. Fish cooked beautifully and the sauce exceptionally good. Yes a little pricey but for a treat worth every penny. Don’t hesitate just book you won’t regret it. Service exceptional.

There are very few places I review where I would say "you have to go there" but this is one. Found by chance on Google so we drove over on a whim. We didn't have a booking but the lovely staff squeezed us in before the evening reservations. What a fabulous experience for our parent's wedding anniversary. Beautiful location, perfect sun setting through the window and that was before we ate! I love the concept of the place, the great surroundings and the brilliant staff. What is very American is that feeling that you are a special guest, not just another customer. The food was excellent, really excellent. We had a sharing fish tro to start and sardines. All was lovely. Mains were plaice, sardines, sea bass and a lobster surf and turf. Again, all excellent and very much enjoyed. Our lobster fan and resident carribean chef was particularly impressed and very happy. Finished off with a sunset walk on the beach. Perfect. If we lived in this area we would be regulars. If we are back in Cornwall this will be a definite return trip. Thank you.

AMAZING food... can't compliment this place enough also in a beautiful location

Just had the most amazing meatballs and spaghetti, followed by a delicious waffle and ice cream, with raspberry coulis and chocolate flakes. The staff are very friendly and efficient, a joy to be around, and the atmosphere and feel of this repurposed life boat station is so very lovely. I highly recommended this wonderful little gem of a place 😄

It was good but not exceptional, everything we ate left a strong taste of butter in your mouth

Converted lifeboat station which is dog-friendly and offering a great menu including the Seafood feast that we shared on our visit.

What. A. Spot Perfect for a sunset dinner after a day on a lovely beach

Absolutely love this place, always a must when on holiday in Cornwall. The food is amazing and the service is very friendly. See you again next year!

Enjoyable lunch with friends on a nice summer day sat outside. Service was excellent and the food was good. Only comment would be that the sauce in the moules mariniere was very salty.

Excellent location, with a great view of the sea. I can recommend the seafood sharing platter.

We booked well ahead as didn't wanted to be disappointed when we finally trekked to Cornwall, as we'd visited last year and it was outstanding then. Well the reception was as welcoming as last time and we'd requested seating at the front of the restaurant to make the most of the beach view and later the sunset. The menu options are so so fresh and on top of that, the specials are a huge bonus. You know that if you just close your eyes and point to whatever it lands on and you would be a delight. You can see from the pictures taken the food was very special indeed. For I must say a very fair price. Don't hesitate and good luck with bring one of the lucky ones to enjoy it.

Great food and place impressed at how good food was served in such a confined space!!

A stunning place. Great service and fantastic food. Sam's On The Beach was really busy but the staff were welcoming and friendly. The Seafood Pizza was incredible as were the cocktails!

Absolutely delicious Cornish Plaice (fish of the day) and Mussels. The best meal of our holiday so far. Lovely serving staff and really considerate kitchen staff who went out of their way to cater for one of children who has coeliac disease and can't eat gluten. Lovely setting on a gorgeous beach. Highly recommended.

Great location right on the beach, with tables inside and outside. Good list of pizzas and other options, nice but quite pricey.

Having eaten at Sam’s in Fowey many times over the past 5 or so years, we booked at Sam’s on the beach for a change. Atmosphere was top hole and our booked table was in the front, giving us a good view of the beach and sea. However, from there on it went downhill: Three tiny sardines as a starter for £12 and eight rings of squid for the same price was not a good beginning. These were followed by 2 small bowls of mussels which had at least 30% of them unopened and therefore not edible. Surely they should not have been served, but were left there to bulk out the otherwise meagre portions. The young staff were all welcoming and friendly, but they did not make up for the risible portion/price ratio. We shall not return.

Wonderful location with wonderful views, fantastic sea food, with great service.

Kayak on the sea day and saw the pub so decided for a pit stop and a pint. Great little pub shame beach wasn't dog friendly so made it tricky picking up the dog and carrying her across the beach

Crevettes, scallops and sardines were fantastic

Very slow service. Good was Soso but over priced.

Lovely place to eat but difficult to park near Sam's

Lovely beach and views, ate here couple of times quality varied but was always at least OK, best place at Polkerris Beach though and better drinks than the pub next door. Seating a little cramped

Lovely visit here during our time in Cornwall. Our air bnb recommended we visited here and we weren’t disappointed. A great spot over looking the beach and managed to get a table outside. Great selection of food and it was delicious. Friendly staff and great vibe. Will visit again, thank you!

Had a pint or 2 here and sat out admiring the view althiugh the food smelled and looked great

Portions tiny...starter of modules marinere £12, and only 10 mussels served in a dessert dish. Sardines usually lovely, always get 6, but portions now cut back to 5 very small sardines at £20.00 was not value for money. Staff however, as usual extremely polite , attentive and friendly. A great shame as we have always enjoyed coming to this establishment .

Definitely one to go out of your way for. Beautiful evening spent here with spectacular food. We had the Hot Meat Pizza and Bouillabaisse, which were both delicious. Would have definitely had one of the desserts if we could have fitted it in! Definitely recommend trying the cocktails too. The Apple Mojito was perfectly refreshing whilst watching the sun go down out of the floor to ceiling windows. Service was friendly and helpful. Nothing was too much for the staff. I would recommend parking just up the hill- it's on the right on your way down. Reasonably priced or free after 6pm. Just a short walk away. Definitely recommend!

Amazing place, food was delicious- staff are amazing- setting perfect.

Three of our party had the calamari. Definitely not recommended, very tough and almost inedible. The staff member didn’t seem interested when we told her. Very disappointing. The scallops with black pudding and the grilled king prawns were outstanding.

Great location, great food especially the local fish specialties

Squeezed me in just before midday, I was looking to grab a late breakfast/sausage batch, before a rainy walk along the coastal path to Fowey, however I had just missed the breakfast menu. So had the sea bass, and a local white wine. Great service from nice people, and the sea bass was lovely. Incredible view, even on a cloudy, rainy day.

Fantastic food and service overlooking the beach and bay.

10/10 I definitely recommend people to visit. Loved their food!

Space is at a premium but the food was very nice would recommend the lobster 🦞 to anyone but it is more expensive than other places

Once a life boat house this lovely restaurant is in a stunning location. They make full use of the beautiful view with floor to ceiling windows. We had a delightful seafood platter to share with a side of olives. Definitely book beforehand as it is very popular. We hadn’t booked. The waitress was really lovely and let us have a window table which was already reserved but we could have it until then. It was a wonderful dining experience. We had walked here from Penhale campsite. Sam’s is dog friendly restaurant but the beach has a no dog sign.

Nice food, great staff, good views

Dreadful experience with shocking food! Service good but the food was appalling. The chef Adam needs to think more about what he is doing before it’s too late Read poor reviews but still went hoping they were wrong? Not true as wasted a Friday night to explore this place

Amazing food and little restaurant! We sat at the window table and the view were spectacular as was the food. Very fresh and service was great too!

Very tasty food, beautiful place and fantastic service.

Throughly enjoyed the food, and very good service

Absolutely amazing place to eat. Not only was it a great location watching the sun go down but the food was amazing. We had 3 courses and they were all 10/10. The fish was extremely fresh and well cooked. The staff were freindly and polite, We couldn't fault it. The building is an old RNLI building which I think is great and adds to the atmosphere. We were recommended here by a freind as we were staying local and we will be back! Thank you!

Small and friendly with a great food and view

Didnt start great - We had booked 3 days before but when we arrived they hadn't got us down, and blamed 'having a wedding' as the reason they hadn't written it. They did (literally) squeeze us in though. Fantastic food - a seafood platter and antipasto sharer went down very well... All a bit crammed in like sardines though, to the point where the guy behind kept bashing into me! Also wasn't keen to see people seating their dogs next to them on the outside seats - paws on the table! The toilet signage made me laugh.... I was 'swettie' but that was the heat of the day (see picture)

Absolutely love this place! Food is always spot on and the staff are really friendly and helpful. We took our dog this time and they even looked after her with water and biscuits so she didn't feel left out . As for the view, what can I say it's literally on the beach with the most stunning view. what more can you ask for?

Wish we lived here, we'd be back for food weekly!

I really enjoyed my lunch at Sam's. It was a little more expensive than I would usually spend, but it was worth every mouthful. Fish is a speciality but found a vegetarian option. My companions enjoyed a homemade goats cheese pizza and also a GF chicken meal. All portions were very generous and good value for money. The sun was also shining, which meant we could sit outside. The only downside was the lack of onsite parking. The pay and display was full, so I used the overflow car park. £4 to park all day in an honesty box, so remember to carry some cash. The path down to the beach came down beside Sam's. Steep but picturesque

Nice little bar doing a different cider than others

Great decor, great view to the beach. I had the plaice special, which was delicious and my son had a kid pizza (equally as yummy). Service was also good.

We have never been here before. We were recommended to go, and were not disappointed, great food lovely atmosphere and Great service. Will go again when we're next in the area xx

Our dining experience was okay. We love the location of the restaurant, but unfortunately, it is massively let down by the poor customer service. Upon arrival, the waitress seemed confused as to why we even walked in there! We had to keep chasing to be served too. The food is nice, I had the mussels and I must say the sauce was delicious, but the quality of the mussels should’ve been much better for the price of them! I’m not sure we would return.

Such a lovely little restaurant... the views over the beach were amazing the food was delicious and the 2 ladies serving us were both very polite and knowledgeable.

Having been to Sam's Fowey, we thought we would try this "branch" Sam's Fowey was great with excellent service and a good atmosphere. Sadly, Sam's on the beach isn't similar 😢 The service is mediocre (we waited maybe 15 minutes for service after our main course whilst the staff nattered). The atmosphere is OK, but it didn't feel at all welcoming. There is no doubt that this place is all about the beach view, which is, admittedly, splendid, but that doesn't make up for the other shortfalls. We will go to Sam's Fowey in the future.

Amazing location and views! We were a bit unlucky with the food - one of our fish dishes was overcooked - but the server was great and overall a really wonderful spot.

We popped down to the beach from our campsite up the road, for a quick pint. We were made feel very welcome even though we were not eating. The tables are right on the beach and made for a fab Sunday evening.

Who needs Sunday roast when you got Sam’s . I chose Sam’s for my 70th Birthday lunch and it was beyond my wildest expectations .We were a party of 6 plus my Granddaughter ( maybe but a couple more high chairs ! ) we grazed the menu between us . Calamari stater very good and mackerel pate excellent . Moules fritte & monkfish mains excellent too. Pizza was impressive . All in all a splendid experience . Highly recommend and need to book as was so busy on Sunday

lovely place but I thought the food was overpriced

We have just had a lovely lunch….pizza and beer sat right on the beach….brilliant. Lovely staff and great food. Totally recommend. Sorry but because I’m sixty I didn’t take a photo of my food so you’ll have to take my word for it😁. We will definitely return.

Fantastic and was significantly better than Sam's in Fowey.

Amazing location. Great food. Lovely staff. A treat.

A delicious meal after our 5 mile walk along the coastal path. Great service, tasty cocktails and wonderful food. Our group of 7 had every seafood option on the menu and we were very satisfied. Highly recommended.

Wonderful restaurant, great food and staff. A real gem.

The staff was very nice. The food was delicious. I had crab, mackerel pate and truffle fries.

Nice restaurant in an awesome location, we ate here recently & all thoroughly enjoyed our meals, the food was very good (as a non fish eater a few more non seafood dishes would be a bonus though) & the service was good overlooking polkerris beach, we were all really enjoying the experience until when our dessert was served we were asked to move table as the table we were on was needed for another booking, this really marred the experience as I feel this is massive faux pas in the service industry, I would have given 4 stars if this hadn’t happened but I have given 3 due to this incident as it is poor customer service in my opinion.

Lovely restaurant with sea/ beach views. Warm atmosphere and good menu with wide choice and daily specials. We sat inside but they have outside tables on the beach. Scallops and mussels were delicious. Everyone happy. Feedback: website is out of date and when booking online you get limited time on table. We were asked to move table when we were about to start dessert. Restaurant could have let us finish dessert and waited 5mins to reset table for next reservation. Or let us know of 1 hr 45 timeslot on arrival. Good to think about how valued your customers feel. All in all a great place with friendly service and we will be back.

Perfect lunch on the beach. Excellent service.

Lovely spot to have a meal with nice views!

Food is to die for great service great atmosphere and friendly staff would recommend to anyone

Wonderful food at a great restaurant on a wet and windy day. Recommended by a lady in a local art store and lived up to this. The bouillabaisse was fantastic and a great steak too. Thanks to the really friendly young man who served us.

We discovered Sam's in October. Unusual sunshine amazing soft shell crab and utterly delicious fish... back in June and will be making a point of driving over from Newquay

Average tasting and overpriced food. Unfriendly and inattentive server. I’m surprised this place has reviews as good as it does, (unless we were just unfortunate on the night we visited?). Perhaps during the day it is special due to the beach views- but for an evening meal when you can’t see the beach anyway, there are much better options out there.

Fantastic location. Great focaccia. Nice salad leaves. Pretty presentation of food. Food is a big let down - it lacks flavour. Sardines not fresh so we left them - and we weren’t asked about our meal. Pizzas lacked flavour. Disappointingly limited menu, the starters appear on the main courses.

We enjoyed a birthday lunch.Although was awful with torrential rain the restaurant was warm and welcoming. The staff were friendly and despite the weather the views excellent.The service was efficient and the food tasty. An enjoyable birthday lunch celebration . Thank you.

Late lunch, my wife and l ordered bouillabaisse. No fish just prawns and mussels ! Complained and was told they had barely any fish. At the price being charged we refused the food absolute rubbish ! Young lady who turned out to be the manager kept apologising. SAM where are you ! You should be sorting this kind of thing out. It’s happened before with other dishes, been here a few times. Food can be great but when it’s crap it’s crap. If you don’t have the ingredients then don’t offer it.

Lovely food, although our expensive boulliabaise was a bit over cooked. Big portions.

What a wonderful position. Unfortunately, having booked a window table, the fact that the next table was occupied meant that we could not use the seats on both sides of our table due to space issues. Food perfectly tasty, especially seafood, but not over imaginative. A safe bet for a very pleasant meal.

We came here based on TripAdvisor reviews for a quick, early supper with the family. The food was delicious, with an interesting choice of pizzas particularly. The restaurant itself is gorgeous and the staff were friendly and helpful. Parking is a challenge, but at this time of year I was able to drop the family off before taking the car back up the hill to the car park.

Amazing location, amazing food amazing service, what more could you ask for! Love all 3 locations, bit being on the beach is almost Iconic. Thank you xx

We are so used to the struggle to book a table here that it came as a surprise to find it so quiet for a Saturday evening. We were early at 5:30 as this was more suitable for the company we were in but even when we were leaving a couple of hours later it was still very quiet! The service, as always, was exceptional. We all had different starters (Sardines, Mussels, Goats Cheese, Scallops and Black Sausage) and all dishes were very good. We all opted for Slow Roast Belly of Pork for our main course. Unfortunately, the promise on the menu of 'Crispy Crackling' didn't come to fruition which was disappointing. Everything else on the plate was very good. One of the attractions of eating here is the location and I was surprised that on a dark winter evening that there are no lights outside so you can appreciate where you are. I will be inclined to give it a miss in future on an evening until the Spring when the evenings become lighter.

Super spot . Only stopped for a tea and coffee but lovely to sit overlooking the beach and they have a great selection of wines.

Love this place, super good pizzas and really lovely staff.

Gorgeous spot right by the beach

Had a lovely meal, good service, myself and my wife like it, recommended

Lovely little restaurant on the beach. The portion size if I’m honest was too much for me on this occasion but the quality was good and the service was also great. We were also able to have our dog join us for the dinner as well.