Sam's

'steaks' and 'chops' a reference to the 2 denim-clad rumps walking by?

I love Sam's. Mario makes the best pizza. Make sure Mario makes your pizza or the dough might be too thick - not that nice crispy chewy thin almost/slightly burnt in places crust that I know and love. The sauce is perfect. And the pizza isn't greasy. The eggplant parm is pretty great, too.

Louie (Mario's son) is one of the waiters. Yes, they can be a bit cranky, but it's a family run place, scratch the surface and you'll find a big heart, the food is yummy, and the price is always right!

I really wish they would expand it back to it's 'heyday' - when the back and upstairs were open and they had parties there. But really, I think they just keep it going for Mario.

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p.s. I think the other waiter/guy is Louie's brother but I'm not positive.

Secret to Sams: just get a pizza. You'll be pleased. I've ordered other stuff and was not impressed. A nice alternative to Lucali's and a more realistic alternative to Di Fara, as in you can arrive, eat and leave in under an hour.

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finally, a joint that is as real as it gets. love the $15 slices ;)

The Pizza's really good but sorry I simply can not take Louie - if I want to hear kvetching (at least at this level) I'll go to my Moms house - and if I want to smell BO (yes Lou - you smell) I'd eat on the subway.

Sorry to say as much as I love the Pizza and the throw-back quality - I only go to Sams when I am with some tourist from out of town who thinks (and loves) Brooklyn is what they saw in Welcome Back Kotter.

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I had the most disgusting food I've ever eaten in my life at Sam's. It made Chef Boyardee look like a real chef. The hype is mystifying.

Overheard at Sam's ... from a regular talking on his cell phone: "Her? Fuck her. I hope she gets cancer and dies! She's my sister and I love her to death, but fuck her."

Pizza's really good. Wouldn't order anything else off the menu. You'd be hard pressed to find the chicken in the chicken parm, it's been pounded so flat. Service varies between Soup Nazi and stand-offish. But it's old-school and they'll give you guff (and some interesting takes on the demographics of the neighborhood) if you're into that sort of thing.

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Love everything about Sam's: focus on one item, pizza and pizza alone (do not order salad); the erratic oddball of a waiter/owner/barkeep; closes when it feels like it; the misleading sign (simply not a steak place); the off-limits back room (try having a birthday/pizza party there--not an option). Also love as everything it's not: showy, fancy, predictable, pandering.

The crust is doughy, thick, crispy, and bubbly. The cheese isn't too thick, and it's super-stretchy like in commercials. The sauce is simple, sweet, and garlicky. The toppings don't overstretch: pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, garlic if you want. A Peroni to wash it down.

I can't believe this building hasn't been sold every time I walk by. And I talk about loving Sam's more than I go there. But you should go once before it's history.

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RaginCajun, I LOVE that quote!!!!

Brooklyn Chicken... Chef Boyardee's not a real chef?

Great video on the neighborhood including segment on Sam's:

http://www.mediastorm.org/workshops_0002.htm

stand-offish? Louie doesn't shut up when he starts talking and don't have chance to enjoy the old-school food.

You have to watch this video about Carroll Gardens/gentrification where he is interviewed...priceless

http://mediastorm.org/workshops_0002.htm

(if that link doesn't work -do google search carroll gardens gentrification LA Times cole video)

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Actually, my favorite part of that video is Vincent Raccuglia. I had a great classic conversation with him when I mentioned that I had seen it. I adore Vincent Raccuglia - they do not make men like him anymore!

Louie seemed to dismiss the whole thing when I spoke to him about it - I don't think he liked it that much.

I second Cobblehiller's post...I love everything about this place. I think it's more than a restaurant, it's a moment in time. As CHer said, Louie is a big softie underneath the gruff. Sure, if you don't enjoy a little dose of real Brooklyn with your food, this isn't your place. But I think it's the best pizza in the borough...it puts Grimaldi's to shame! And there are many delicious entrees. In our group, some of the favorites are shrimps oreganata, veal parmigana piccata, fried calamari, baked ziti (to die for) and the veggies among us think the eggplant parm is the best they've ever had. And I've gotta disagree with the chicken parm review...I've always found it to be a huge portion of tender chicken, definitely breaded with enough cheese to make Weight Watcher points incalculable.

There is nothing nouveau or even continental about Sam's...they don't offer a healthy green salad, the olives are from a can, but you have to know why you'd want to come here...they could care less about any Smith St. competition. Louie is Mario's son and Joey is Louie's brother-in-law. (He's the one that's very "European" about his deodorant usage...)

They do host parties in the backroom, but not impromptu walk-ins...you have to schedule in advance. I'd also love to see the place expand to full capacity; and I'd LOVE to see them deliver. But they are the definition of old-school and aren't comfortable expanding beyond the family. They had bad experiences back 20+ years ago with delivery boys getting mugged and can't quite believe the neighborhood ain't what it used to be.

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When I first moved to Carroll Gardens in 1994 I went to Sam's for dinner on a very hot summer night. One other couple was there and they sat us at two tables right next to the pizza oven where the air temperature was about 120 degrees. This despite the fact that there was an entire row of empty tables on he other side of the room where it was noticeably cooler. When we asked, politely, if we could move to a table where it was cooler, we were told "no". There was only one waitress and the owner didn't want her working "two stations". I was flabbergasted. The waitress working all of two tables! We canceled our order, walked out and never went back. While Sam's owner was a jerk that night he did us a favor as we ended up having dinner at Cristardi's on President Street that night. Cristardi's became our favorite Carroll Garden's pizza place until it closed in the late 90s.

The backroom has been closed forever, BH. And I can't recall ever seeing a waitress (vs. Louie) in there, ever. Are you sure that was Sam's??

Can't really remember whether it was a wiater or waitress, but it was definately Sam's. Dining options on Court Street were pretty skinny back then.

True enough. Hmm, well, it is odd nonetheless. Sounds like Louie was in a crabby mood that night. (I'm not sure I've ever seen Mario out of the kitchen other than seeing him walking to or from the restaurant.)

great atmosphere but the absolute worst veal parm i've ever had

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Ate there recently and it does transport you back to when life was simple as a kid growing up in Brooklyn and thats comforting for some.yes the aroma of pizza and B.O. was present in abundance. Ordered veal parm & thick cut steak fries. This was a classic meal we have ordered many times dining in and as take out. Both orders were Chicken Parm and after two bites explained it politely accentuating "it tasted fine but we ordered and paid for veal". He looked at the order pad and mentioned oh they probably made a mistake.
So we ate the Chicken Parm and Fries and were charged the veal price, so we deducted the tip for the overprice.
The only changes have been the prices over the past twenty year and the passing of Tomasina the cat. Inside it could be 1973 or 2008, so to sum it up you either love it or fugetaboutit

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I agree with the comments about pizza only.

Here is a little anecdote about the "old school ambiance:" We were regulars and ate there many weekends with kids and another family and frequently ordered pizza to go. One afternoon, my wife was with our toddler daughter on Court St. and asked if she (the toddler) could use the bathroom - she was refused. We never went back.

"Authentic" atmosphere is one thing, and Louie is a character, but there is something to be said about treating customers well.

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It's cute, but I went there once and agree the food is disgusting. It was so long ago, though, I can't remember if I ordered the pizza, but I am pretty sure I did and I remember the sauce and cheese not being that great. There are about 600 pizzas places in this area, and the not-at-all-cute one around the corner on Court and 1st Place is much better.

You gotta love the old neighborhood feel to this time portal. The food is fan-friggin-tastic and the service serves as both service and entertainment. We love Sams. A great place to bring a date or a party. It's been the location of some popular TV commercials and movies.

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Great pizza, love the authenticity of the place, the problem is the waiter is a total Dbag. We use to go as a group on sundays, they were always cool. We stopped going after a while, some of the group moved out, etc. I went back on two occasions with the wife, they litereally let us sit there for 20 minutes without as much as an 'I will be right with you'. On both occasions we got up and walked out.

It is too bad as the pizza is really outstanding. There are enough good options in the area that I do not really miss the place. I can find comprable pizza elsewhere.