Sam’s Gyros
5404 N College Ave, Indianapolis, IN, 46220
Sam’s Gyros Menu
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Address :
5404 N College Ave
Indianapolis, IN, 46220 - Phone (317) 251-8503
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Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Rachael L.
Not necessarily the best service but its good. Not necessarily the cleanest, most inviting atmosphere but its a vast improvement from what it was. Not necessarily the best gyro I have had, but its good enough to keep me coming back. The spicy gyro is where it's at! The degree of spiciness seems to very with each visit. Sometimes it is freaking hot! While other times it is mild. But regardless, its the best item on the menu if you ask me. I heard they have a convenient store attached to the restaurant now. I am excited to stumble in sometime to check it out!
(4)Clare L.
I don't come here nearly as much as I should. I think they have the best falafel in Indy. Fries did not taste homemade but still hit the spot. The decorations are quirky (hello giant camel statue) and the atmosphere feels divey, but I've always had a great experience here.
(5)Elizabeth P.
So I was really craving a gyro and I had to be in BRipp tonight anyways, so I figured tonight was the night I would try Sam's! I love hipster Mediterranean vibe that the restaurant gives, its super chill and uniquely decorated, and my waitress fit right in. She was really great, and she always made sure I was taken care of! My gyro was ok. Just ok. I ordered the lunch special with the half sandwich half salad and the greek salad was...again, just ok. Nothing special. I don't know if it was just because I had high expectations for this place having super authentic food, or maybe my pallet is just not fine tuned to the Mediterranean ways quite yet, but I just was under impressed. I have to say that for the price I paid ($9.80) I was DEFINITELY not happy about my lunch choice. The portions were large, but thats not saying too much when you aren't crazy about the dish in the first place. I'll definitely give this place another go, I'm not one to give up that easily, but next time I will surely be trying something different and not having my expectations as high as my first go at things.
(3)Dave Y.
The spicy gyro is awesome!!! Its one of those foods that I crave every now and then. Service is generally ok and speedy. I mostly order carryout but just ate there today and the service was good and quick. Their hummus is also pretty good. Their lunch specials are a pretty good deal- you can get a half gyro and something else for around $8. The restaurant itself isn't anything special.
(4)Justin M.
Just OK. Ordered a gryro and just meat and tihani sauce. No tomato or lettuce. Ordered Falafel - it was just okay. Hummus and pita was great! The restaurant decor is old and dated. Could use a little update.
(2)Amanda S.
Food was fair. Restaurant was a dump though. Food took a while to come out, when there were very few customers. Air conditioning was not on, it is 95 degrees out today.
(2)Allie D.
They make such a damn good gyro, but right now I'm 5/5 on past orders that were done incorrectly. Why you mess up my order every time... WHY?
(3)Ward M.
Clean. Good service. Delicious hummus, Greek salad, and falafel. Highly recommended.
(5)Bob S.
So the gyros are a bit different than what I'm used to. They use about 3/4 of a pita and stuff the inside, instead of having a large, whole pita that you use to wrap, but I'm ok with that. The cucumber sauce has nice chunks of cucumber in it, which I really enjoy for a contrast in texture. I love the spicy gyros! I haven't ventured out on the menu much beyond the gyros so my review is limited by that. The atmosphere is nothing special, but it's a nice, quick, and unique place to grab a bite.
(4)John s.
Value for price has gone way done. Last visit was today. I asked tha manager about the gyro weight and he said it was a whole. It's about a half. The price is up and the sandwich dropped by half Thanks
(1)Justin O.
Server lady was very odd and confused and wandered off into the sunset. The shwarma is not shwarma. It is chicken chunks mixed with coleslaw. I'm sorry but go to lava and speak with the manger and he will set you straight. Bonus points for knowing how to speak Egyptian. Another alternative might be Al-Baasha up north on Allisonville Road.
(2)Yvonne W.
Totally disappointing! The vegetarian selection was minimal, so we ordered the falafel dish with tahini sauce. The falafel was stuffed in a pita with tahini sauce, there was no lettuce, tomato, onions accompanying it. The tahini sauce was flavorless just like the falafel, which made the meal taste like cardboard. Compared to other Greek restaurants in the Indianapolis area, this one is best left alone.
(1)Emily K.
First time at this place last night..i am a huge fan of Greek cuisine and this place blew my expectations away. A huge added plus was that the service was extremely fast and our server (wish I could remember her name) was a rockstar. Recommended the perfect items for my boyfriend who's never had Greek. The food & service make this place somewhere I will return VERY often :)
(5)Beau A.
food was actually great. .... until the smell of cig smoke from the cook actually smoking inside the reasturant killed it. yes, he was smoking in the kitchen! !! won't b back.
(1)Citizen J.
Positives: The hummus, grilled chicken and gyros are very, very good. Negatives: The greek salad was a major letdown: pale iceberg lettuce, sprinkling of feta, not an olive to be found?? And the baba ghanoush was awful. They should take it off the menu since they clearly don't know how to prepare it. C-
(2)Kimmi M.
I don't know what happened to Sam's, but I don't like it. Had really inattentive service and sub-par food. The restaurant wasn't busy, but it seems like a lot of pressure to put on one waitress to do dining room and carry-out. The Baba Ganoush was a soupy weird mess of eggplant with a smoky flavor. I had a regular gyro, and obviously it was delicious because gyros are an almost perfect food. Seems like things have changed since the renovation.
(2)Beth B.
I love it! Is it the best Gyro in the world? Probably, not but it's certainly good and HUGE! I ordered the spicy whole not knowing how LARGE it would be. So juicy. Or greasy??? I don't know but my spicy Gyro juice was dripping from one half onto the the other half which made the second half even better!!! Yes, I felt like a could have purged after finishing the WHOLE thing but that would be my only complaint. Staff is friendly and it's looks like they're expanding which will hopefully improve the overall atmosphere!
(4)Eric B.
When I was younger, and first exploring Indianapolis, Sam's gyros was a tradition. Once we discovered it, we thought we found the secret of Broad Ripple. Years later, after developing broader taste buds and more experience with the genre, I am mostly underwhelmed. First of all, there isn't a lot on the menu I can eat being meat-free. I pretty much get the same thing every time I am forced to settle. I get the falafel sandwich. Falafel is one of those things that is hard to screw up. And, if you are a fan of falafel, it is actually pretty darn easy to make it taste amazing. Somehow, Sam's just tried extra hard for mediocrity. The hummus is of that whipped variety that lacks texture and authenticity. The pocket is void of the kind of vegetable accents that give falafel that full flavor I fell in love with so many years ago. Lettuce and tomato upon request, but not generously packed. And where is the onion or sauerkraut that is offered by default by almost any street vendor? The lentil soup is probably the best tasting thing on the menu. Even then, I would stroke it at just above average. The tabouli, which is a food I believe I could eat nothing but for the rest of my life and be satisfied, tastes like it has sat in the refrigerator for a week and is not-quite-fresh-not-quite-spoiled. The foul is decent if you aren't very hungry and just need quick sustenance. And, the tried and true french fries also hang out around the Sam's staple of mediocre. Look, its not a bad option if you are in SoBro and looking to mix it up. You won't hate it. But if you are jonesing for some kickass falafel, tabouli, lentils, etc. - you will be disappointed. You will enjoy it, but you will leave feeling like you didn't quite get what you needed. I guess it is all in the expectation.
(3)Matt B.
Live about 20 minutes from Sam's. After getting home with a take-out order, we realized that they included the fries for a kid's gyro but forgot the gyro. When I called to see about getting a refund for the kid's meal, instead of quickly doing so, I could hear him discussing with the cook about if he included the gyro (as if I was trying to get away with something). After being on the phone for about 15 minutes and hearing the employees continue to bicker over what to do, they hung up. When I tried to call back a while later, they would not answer the phone. I have enjoyed their food over the years, but will not be eating there anytime soon after this experience.
(1)Daniel M.
Great inexpensive food. Friendly and attentive staff, which a vairety of options for gluten free or veterinarians. Very calm and laid back atmosphere especially if you use the floor seating.
(4)T. J.
This place had Awesome pita pocket Gyros!! They cannot be beat! They also have excellent hummus! Great service and Great food... if you like Gyro's you wont be disappointed!
(5)Scot C.
Local. Traditional. Greek. It doesn't get better than that! The gyros are done to perfection with awesome cucumber sauce to boot. The pita is just right and their hummus is very good. The kebab meal is also a good choice when you're looking to share an entree dish or when just going for the hunger-destroyer meal. The place could use some music for ambiance, but other than that: cheap, fast, and really good quality/value. Next time I've got that hankering, I'll be headed to Sam's.
(4)Kinsey C.
I came here on a random Wednesday night for dinner expecting a run of the mill greek place. I was really surprised at how good the food and service was. To start off, I asked for a diet coke with lime and the waitress said they didn't have limes. No biggie really, but she ran next door and got limes from Twenty Tap for my drink which I thought was really great. My party started with the hummus and pita, and I thought the hummus was excellent. I'm picky when it comes to hummus, and I really enjoyed Sam's Gyros'. I ordered the chicken shish and thought the chicken was cooked perfectly. All in all I really liked the food, but felt it was a little pricey. I think I paid around $15 for my entree and felt like it was worth $9 or $10. A note: they have hookahs in the window but don't serve hookah here. The waitress said they may begin in the summer. That was disappointing, because I thought for sure if they displayed hookahs in the window they would serve it. I'd recommend for them to play some music or something. It was pretty quiet in here, and I was worried that other patrons were hearing my conversation.
(4)Chris I.
Went there for the first time last night. I had never tried Greek food before so I was a little nervous. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful picking me out something good to try for the first time. I was blown away by how good it was. The prices were very reasonable and I will def be coming back again thank you to the woman who served me last night!!!! You are awesome!
(5)Amanda P.
I've been to Sam's once before and thought it was okay then but wanted to give it another go because I live down the street, so it's convenient and I love Mediterranean food. First, our waiter was very nice and very helpful, so this is good. As for the food, this it is definitely lacking. I ordered the Veggie Dolmathes, which was recommended by our waiter since I asked for a vegetarian suggestion. This is a vegetarian entrée, so I believed for nearly $15 (14.95), it would be an entrée. What I received was about 6 or so small stuffed grape leaves (as they generally are) and a small iceberg (ugh) lettuce dinner salad. Though the grape leaves were good (nothing spectacular but I like stuffed grape leaves pretty much regardless), it was not worth $15. There is no justification for this compared to other Mediterranean restaurants that are far better and far more reasonably priced. We're not in Manhattan. My partner had the falafel sandwich. Falafels tend to be dry but serving them on very dry pita pocket makes them less enjoyable. Yes, it comes with a side of the Tzatziki sauce, which is good, but with a mouthful of desert sand, it needs more. With a broad selection of delightful, creative and even whimsical restaurants in and around Broad Ripple, I don't think I'll be going back to Sam's. Not for that price, especially.
(3)Amy H.
I knew it would likely be either really good or really bad ... it was a drive-by decision with no data to guide it but we opted to be adventureous. Sam's is this tiny little hole-in-the-wall looking place from the outside, pretty darn small inside - about 10 tables total. The late afternoon crowd was definitely people from the neighborhood who stopped in regularly to get stuff to go. We tried the gyros and they were great! My spicy gyro with sour cream was amazing, just a bit heavy on the cream so maybe next time I'll ask for it on the side. The regular gyro with cucumber sauce was awesome as well - what a great surprise! It's a find - try it!
(4)John Z.
So, we were jonesing for something Mediterranean or Middle Eastern - maybe Greek, maybe Iranian... and landed on Sam's Gyros because it was conveniently located on our route to a movie later in the evening. This place is located right next door to the new bar Twenty Tap and sits across from Moe & Johnny's. Upon entering, there was no hostess stand, and no sign that said 'Seat Yourself', so we stood there awkwardly wondering what they wanted us to do. Meanwhile, the other 6 diners looked at us - equally awkwardly - and offered no suggestions. Finally, we decided to help ourselves to a booth by the window, and wondered if the wait staff were out to lunch themselves. Finally, we saw them reappear and go to wait on another party that had arrived after us, and then they came to take our drink order. We had an uneventful 15 minutes from that point, sipping drinks, and waiting for our food to arrive, during which, all we had to do was wonder why a restaurant with hookahs and camels in the windows, that serves shawarma, kibbeh, and gyros was playing American classic rock for background music. Now for the food... First saganaki appetizer. Normally, you might expect an appetizer to arrive prior to your meal. Not here, friends. That's not how Sam's Gyros rolls. Appetizers apparently are like side dishes. The saganaki itself - big in size, so-so in flavor. I squeezed lemon juice on top of it to liven it up. I had the chicken shawarma. I was excited when this first came out, because I was hungry... and this was a big plate of rice with a bountiful helping of chicken. Unfortunately, the flavor was kind of bland... although the rice had an interesting flavor that I later determined to be clove. I decided to use the pita bread - which appeared to be store bought - to make a sort of chicken, rice, and saganaki fajita. My friend had the kibbeh... overall, the flavor was right, but the texture was a bit dry. We were also both more familiar with kibbeh that was like a 'meat-pie' - sealed up like an empanada. Kibbeh here is put together more like lasagna. Midway through the meal, our waitress came to refill my drink... Ten minutes later, she came by and dropped the off the check. "Um, excuse me, could I have my drink back?" Finally the drink arrives, and I was able to wash the good, but dry, kibbeh out of my mouth before finding my credit card to pay the bill. We were then out of there to make it to the movies, but I do understand that they also have dessert at Sam's. It's just that we were never asked if we needed or wanted anything else before that check arrived. So, overall, I give this joint points for portion sizes, a pretty neutral score on food, and an epic fail for service.
(2)Chris S.
It is really hard to give Sam's an average rating but a combination of inconsistent food and uninviting atmosphere give me no choice. I honestly liked it better before the expansion. The space seemed more authentic and for some reason the food tasted fresher. Recent visits with poor service and average food have reduced my appetite Sam's.
(3)Christoper M.
The food is really good. Really like the music they play. Really like sitting in the both by the window and watching the foot traffic.
(5)Mickey R.
I've had pretty much all their appetizers, their spicy gyros, and their chicken salad, which is like a Greek salad with the shawarma chicken on it. All of it excellent, and consistently so. The baba ghanoush is smoky and garlicky, and wonderful, served with plenty of pita.
(4)Mike F.
I never imagined that I would write a five-star review of the restaurant that took over the space of my favorite Army and Navy surplus store. I also imagined that their food would be slightly above mediocre. So much for my imagination. I am a huge fan of gyros, and have sampled various offerings throughout Indianapolis (and other cities across the country). I was blown away by the spicy gyro at Sam's. When I saw the option on the menu, I imagined that spice would not be adequate enough to satisfy my discerning tongue. Again, so much for my imagination. I found the spiciness to be perfect - 100% perfect. Together with a Greek salad, tzatziki , pita, and fries, I was absolutely stuffed-to-the-gills after eating this meal. In all, I spent around $20, but certainly could have had a meal there for less than $10. I'll be back to Sam's Gyros...promptly.
(5)Brad G.
Came in during lunch for carry out. Half the tables were filled with 1 woman waiting on the tables. You could feel the frustration in the room as people were waiting a long time for basic service which I later found out she was a new person waiting tables. I grabbed my food and left only to find out they missed about 3 things and overcharged us on 1 item. Remember I'm on my lunch break...so I call them up and they say come back and we will give free dessert. So I go back and the guy hands me back the bag. Still missing items...so again ask him to correct the items he missed. Now we finally have our order correct and the guy now needs to give me my money back for the over charge. So now the people who were frustrated by their lack of service for lunch are now waiting in line to pay at the register. About 6 to 8 people all frustrated. The guy who was helping me knows he owes me a refund to complete our transaction but decides he's going to clear the line of waiting patrons prior to getting me out of there. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The complete lack of customer service. Finally after about 4 people I'm like sir I only have a limited am out of time due to my break and I need my refund. He refused and I left pissed off... A couple weeks later after leaving my real name several times and not getting a return call from Sam to explain my frustration (again taking my time to help him). So on the final attempt I left a fictitious name to see if Sam would call me. Sure enough 5 minutes later I get a call from Sam and to boil down a very frustrating conversation into a quick summary here are his excuses for the bad service. 1. New waitperson. I told him he set her and his customers up for failure. 2. Said he has been running the business for 15 years and these things happen. He proceeded to tell me that he would take care of me if I came in. All good except after I told him I used a fake name the last time I called (didn't return my other calls with my real name). He freaks out that I used a fake name and goes on and on about using a fake name...blah blah blah..won't let me explain that every time I used my real name I wasn't getting a call back...honestly I don't think he even heard anything over his non stop ranting about using a fake name... I opened up my yelp account so I could tell you there are better places to eat middle eastern food....and those places appreciate your business. Unfortunately as much as I wanted to like Sams Gyros I cannot support the horrible service and guy who owns it.
(1)Jon C.
I was really excited to try this place. A lot of people had told me that I should. However I wasn't super impressed. The girlfriend and I went on a Sunday and there was one waiter seating and serving people. He had a decent crowd there, but nothing too crazy. It took a while to get our drinks and even longer to get our order placed. We both have served before, so we took that in stride. Once we got the gyros though, that was another story. The Tzatziki was overwhelmingly cucumber and huge chunks of it. I enjoy cucumber just as much as the next guy, but this was way overborad. I wanted a nice, refreshing sauce to compliment my gyro meat. What I got was cucumber with a side of gyro meat. I would like to give it another shot, and I don't think people should shy away from here if they haven't had it. Just be sure to ask for the tzatziki on the side!
(3)Richard H.
The salad is really sub-par -- huge chunks of iceberg, pale tomato, dressing not even barely incorporated into the greens. The pita with the hummus is oddly doughy, but the pita enclosing the shawarma and gyro is much better. Would probably return only if -- as this time -- the wait at Twenty Tap and Fat Dan's is too long.
(3)William C.
Well, s'fine. There's the meat stuff which tastes pretty good ("pretty good" being an average of "gee, that's rather tasty" [gyro meat] and "well...all right" [shawarma]), there's vegetable stuff which tastes pretty good, there's tsatziki stuff which tastes pretty good, and there's a pita which tastes pretty good. A half and half gyro/shawarma combo cost me 'round about $10. And I bet there are things on the menu which would be better/more distinct than the filled-pita fare. So yeah, pretty good. And right next to Twenty Tap, for when your post-beer blood sugar depression demands something unburgerlike. Pretty good! But then, there's that joint up the road on Broad Ripple Ave. which categorically outclasses Sam's in every gyro-related facet. It's delightful off-the-cuff street food (Gyro Joint) vs. a reserved, measured approximation of same (Sam's), which approximation directly evokes same, which makes ME at least think "Whyn't I just go on and get me some of same for just $7?"). This is, I think, what I will in fact do from this point. But it's nice, Sam's is nice, if you're craving the style of food and the comfort of a nice sit-down restaurant and/or you're in a big happy family-style group. Really, don't mind gyrolitist me - you'll probably like it.
(3)Corrine P.
Delicious gyros!!! Fairly inexpensive. Definitely try it out.
(4)Diane E.
It has been a while since I've been to Sam's...what was I thinking?! After stomping through 6 inches of snow on the towpath for 10 miles, I had worked up quite an appetite. What to have that was filling, inexpensive, fast, and tasty? Of course, a Sam's Gyro Sandwich! I split the tasty treat with my daughter and despite my appetite, half a sandwich did the trick. I'd love to try their lamb kabobs sometime when I feel like dining in. Not the most elegant place to eat, but this being Broad Ripple, totally forgivable.
(5)Kara F.
I hadn't been here in yeeeaaars before I went there a few weeks ago. Then, it was a tiny, narrow, cozy gem. The new place is more spacious and has some cool decorations on the wall - overall a pleasant place. The menu is annoying - for lots of Greek dishes we were wondering "What's that?" and discovered the answers are buried in previous sections. The waitress was either overwhelmed by the large group I was with, or made way more beginners' mistakes than usual. She was very sweet and tried her darndest, but got so many things mixed up, like taking our glasses for refills then forgetting whose was whose. I think she might have been waiting on the entire restaurant though - which is just cruel scheduling for the new girl. My lentil soup was the blandest stuff ever, while the hummus appetizer was delicious (we ran out of pita though - about 20 minutes after we asked, the waitress finally tossed some more into the basket). My gyro was fine but I think I've had better at the Greecey spoon (see what I did there?) on the Broad Ripple strip. My Turkish coffee had a lot of grounds. They say you can use leftover Turkish coffee grounds for fortune-telling, but I don't really want to know what a mound means for my future. To top it off, paying our bills was ridiculous. The counter is centrally located, but the credit card machine is in the back for some reason. The poor waitress was running back and forth for all of us in the group. Maybe the trip used to be a few feet, and Sam's is just experiencing growing pains.
(3)Elizabeth H.
Am going to settle on 3-star "A-OK" for the moment, hoping that there will be improvements as Sam's adjusts to its new expanded space. Food - Lentil soup is a win, so is the hummus. Honestly, if I could lay in a cloud of the satin smoothness that is Sam's hummus I would die happy. Falafel hits the spot even though is sometimes dry. Though I've not eaten it, have been told the spicy gyro really has some kick. Service - ugh. Not there yet. Is either average or below average. I don't want to feel like I am annoying you with my presence by eating in the restaurant you work in. Don't even try to ask for recommendations - just go in with your order soup nazi style. Ambiance - none to really speak of. Tables are kind of awkwardly placed, though if you can grab the booth by the window it's good for people watching on College Ave. Price - Very good value for what you get. So there ya go. Hoping that maybe some amazing server will get hired on there and change up the vibe to get some friendly customer service going!
(3)Joseph D.
Get the Gyro or just buy the meat to take home.
(5)zach b.
Heaven in a pita. I was first exposed to Sam's on Christmas eve of last year, and Ive been coming back for more ever since. I absolutely adore the beef shwarma with feta. Also the fries here are in the top 5 of fries here in Indy. The decor is pleasant if not old, and the restrooms are rather small but please don't let that stop you. If you did then you will be missing out.
(4)Tara M.
I had a falafel shaped hole in my heart. It was a Sunday evening and I had a hunger that only deep-fried balls of chick peas could fill. (Ok, it might also have been fillable by a sandwich from Twenty Tap, but they were closed). There was a white piece of paper taped to the door to Sam's. "Enter" it said in black magic marker scrawl. I walked in and up to the cash register, and ordered a falafel to go. "What kind of sauce do you want?" the girl behind the counter asked me gruffly. "What are my options?" She listed a few. "What's your favorite?" I asked. "I don't eat falafel," she said. Okay... well. I ordered a whole falafel sandwich with tahini sauce and tzadiki (counter girl indicated that the sauces balanced the dryness of the falafel). First, the good: It's a generous portion. A whole sandwich (about $8) consists of two half pitas. There were lots of cucumbers inside, which I liked. Also, the bread was soft. Overall, it was edible. Of course, there is room for improvement. The tzadiki tasted of sour cream (shouldn't tzadiki be made of yogurt?). The falafel was very, very dry. The decor kind of matches the food and service; everything seems haphazard. Sam! You have a killer location. People love falafel. This could be a five star spot.
(2)Yvonne M.
The lamb + beef gyros is really good. The cool cucumber sauce that comes with it is phenomenal. However I'd strongly encourage to order it to go, you wouldn't want a whole bunch (about 7, I did count!) flies distracting you from the lovely gyros!
(4)Sanchez H.
Went for lunch with a group of friends--actually we go here fairly often (mostly for dinner) so I thought I would finally review it. Overall the food is good and reasonably priced and the service is good too. As with any restaurant some things on the menu are better than others. They have a nice selection of traditional Greek appetizers: Hummus, Baba Ghanouj, Tabouli, Saganaki (they don't flame this up tableside anymore b/c apparently one of the waitresses caught her hair on fire so now all the flaming is done back in the kitchen before it's brought out) -all these apps are good, but the pita bread is marginal. I prefer a pita that is thin and chewy and Sam's is thicker-it is more like a slice of bread. We typically get their Lamb Gyros which are tasty and don't disappoint, although I will say that the cucumber sauce does seem a little bland as of late. Today, I thought I would try something different, so I ordered the Lentil soup, Greek salad and Chicken Shawarma. The Lentil soup was AMAZING! The salad was very boring--not a flavorful choice. The Chicken Shawarma is served in a pita and you get a choice of sauce, I chose the cucumber sauce and I would say the whole thing was just average. The Chicken Shawarma just didn't have much flavor and it was kind of dry, aside from the amazing soup I was a bit bummed out that I just didn't stick to my usual. We will return and we will stick with the usual--Sam's Plate appetizer and Lamb Gyro, although now I will add Lentil soup to the list!
(3)Siobhan H.
The location of Sam's in the heart of Meridian-Kessler is hard to beat and the food is pretty good - some of the best gyros in the city. We've been picking up carry-out for quite awhile and now with their expanded restaurant, we have been a few times to dine-in. My husband loves the chicken shwarma and I love the gyros. The cucumber sauce on both is a must-do. We have been less than impressed with the fries - they seem to have come from a frozen bag. We usually order the saganaki which is fairly good, although they don't light it at the table which seems to take a little bit away from the general saganaki experience. The biggest issue has been the service! They only have one waitress that handles all of the carry-out orders and the dinner service. About a week ago, we walked out and went somewhere else because we sat for nearly ten minutes without so much as someone greeting us, giving us menus, or taking our drink order. The worst part was that there was only one other table of 6 that was nearly done with their meal. Overall - stick to carry-out unless you have plenty of time to sit and wait to be served by the inattentive staff.
(3)Jolanda B.
I love the food. One of my favorite places in Indy.
(5)Stacy J.
Have gone twice in the last month and we are pretty happy with each thing we have ordered!! The platter is pretty good but based on previous places I have gone before, I expected a little more for the price. Thought the Greek salad is very good but in my personal taste, it could use a tad bit less dressing. Also had just the gyro and was surprised by how much neat was packed in there, SWEET! Very good! Quick and friendly, and good eats! We will be back!!
(4)Kyle B.
I ate here around lunch time on a COLD Saturday. Why is this relevant? Because they don't have a breezeway and as folks trickled in we kept getting blasted with cold. They seriously had to have barely had the heat on at all because as I sat there my toes went numb. As for the food it was C at best, looked good but was quite bland. Definitely not of the quality I'm used to especially for the price. The waitress was nice but the niceness of her couldn't really compensate for everything else, she's really the only thing that kept this from being a 1 star.
(2)Liz C.
I like to take my 2 & 1/2 year old here. It is never crowded (I think most people get their orders to go). It is small, cozy,and quiet. The service is fast too. The gyro and hummus are pretty good. I usually stick with the classics.
(4)Ryan H.
Sam's delicious gyros used to be served up further south in 'SoBro,' at the flavorful corner of 49th and College. Now, after movin' on up to 54th and College, Sam has a tight little spot, nestled in between the Newsstand and Brooke's Army Surplus. This block has developed quite nicely in the past 10 years, adding Yat's, and now a Fresh Market, along the way. Sam's has the best gyros in town. The menu is simple, offering relatively standard middle eastern fare. Simple as the menu may be, the food is delicious, and the gyros to go are as fast as any fast food, and much better. The hommous is also excellent, so be sure to grab that as an appetizer, especially if you're dining in. The coziness of the small restaurant makes the dining in experience a real treat, though, there is outdoor seating for our few nice months of the year.
(4)Julie D.
Do you love Baba Ganoush? How about having it with big chunks of eggplant too? Their ganoush is out of this world! I loved having the fresh meaty chunks of eggplant instead of the normal mushy ganoush. It was a great start to lunch in this little, soon to be bigger, restaurant. They've held out when everyone around them had gone out of business. My visit was way overdue and I'm a little ashamed I hadn't eaten there earlier. I've been living in SoBro for 6 years! Now onto the food, again... I had the basic gyro with their "special cucumber sauce". OMG! Fresh, fresh, fresh! The firm crunchy chunks of cucumber confirmed my suspicion that I was eating fresh food. The sauce wasn't too thick or too thin. Just right and rightly so named "special". The gyro meat was good too. Not dry and not greasy. Seasoned lightly so you could really taste the flavor of the meat. Yum! There food here is great, fresh and unlike your typical gyro joint. Although we did notice a microwave in the open view kitchen (for shame!) it wasn't used for our meal. And you could see the kitchen was clean as the dining area. The decor is a little greek/arab cheesy but somehow it felt right. What do expect in a tiny hole-in-a-strip mall gyro joint? It felt authentic like only a small independently owned restaurant can.
(4)Luckie D.
Authentic, friendly and tasty. I could have done with more lettuce and a better tasting tomato and a little less cucumber sauce bit all in all. Yes it was good.
(3)Jon A.
Ugh. Kerplunk. Yet again, an emptiness drops in my belly. After a long day of holiday errands... yet again, ready to not cook & grub on something very cheap. For awhile in college, I lived on $4 gyros & falafel. It just makes sense for the fast-paced day: hand held, vibrant and filling. Then, we passed Sam's. Perfect! We walk in, empty. Oh, wait, what's that? That's a portly man lying down in the back booth with a newspaper draped over his gut -- awesome. He pops -- surprisingly sprightly -- and, we think this is Sam. Spicy lamb gyro please & chicken shwarama. We totally could've just got the half orders -- that's what we're use to anyway. But we didn't. We went whole. I felt a 10 - 11 pm hunger rush & left over lamb sounded amazing. Quick, efficient, authentic, that's all I want. But, wait, did I hear a microwave ding when we left? Weird.
(4)Jennifer L.
Sam's is in the neighborhood and I have served, therefor eaten, a lot of mediterranean food. I order their tiropita, which is a cheese pie, and it was pretty good. I do not know the owners, so I do not know if they are Middle Eastern or not but the tiropita was pretty good. In the mediterranean restaurants that I have worked for before, the owners were born and raised there. I love to smother my food in tziki sauce and found that Sam's tziki is AMAZING! It has chucnks of cucumber in it and is just the best sauce I have ever tasted. It has to be homemade because of its unique taste. As for Sam's interior, it's BROAD RIPPLE. Not downtown or Carmel or anywhere else. Part of the charm of Broad Ripple, is the fact that everything is old and has history. Most restaurants around this area are in old homes. Sam's is a good place to come with friends for a quick bite to eat. They have good food and DELICIOUS tziki sauce. If you want a fancier mediterranean place to go, try Canal Bistro or Santorinis.
(4)Kelly K.
Used to love this place and was excited to take a friend there for their first time. Delicious gyros I hadn't been since the expansion. It was about 2:00 on a Saturday, dirty tables, a couple tables with people looking around, a guy waiting at the front desk and no employee in sight. We waited a few minutes and then sat ourselves. Apparently there was one guy running the show. He could have been making the food too for as long as everything took. He was really friendly and really did the best he could under the circumstances. We ordered gyro platters and the meat looked like it had been shaved and sitting for some time. The pita was dry as well. I was a little embarrassed for having recommended it to be honest. It could have just been a bad day as they were obviously very short staffed. I will give it a try a a much later date.
(2)Jessica S.
Tasty gyros but waaay too much tzatziki sauce smeared on mine, and only on the top of the pita. Once I scooped off about half and spread it around, it was much better. I enjoyed the soft pita and velvety hummus.
(3)jacqueline g.
great little greek place for casual cheap food! sweet friendly waitress and the food was good. kind of felt like I was in a little european diner. lots of vegetarian food choices.
(5)Matt B.
This is one of my regular haunts for lunch. I usually get hummus with lamb and a half order of the spicy gyros. The non-spicy gyros is yummy, too, but I tend to get the spicy one. With that being said, I've had the chicken shawarma and wasn't a fan; found it to be bland. So, if you eat here, I suggest the gyros, especially the spicy one. It's not anything I've had elsewhere, and it's really tasty. Service is also good. No complaints.
(4)Neesha M.
Great food, pretty inexpensive, a SoBro (that's South Broad Ripple) staple that deserves a visit. Their gyros are pretty tasty (the spicy one always got my vote), and even the half is gigantic. A whole would definitely be a couple meals. The fries are super tasty (although sometimes I feel like the oil they've been fried in could use a change--I know, a little ick-inducing). I like the felafel, they're good, not great, but they do a nice job of getting the felafel craving met. It's the not the most beautiful place in the world, but, hey, you can't have everything in life. Oh...the cucumber sauce...ask for extra. It's deeelicious. I am teetering between a 3 star and 4 star review, here. It's better than average (3 stars), though, and I have to say that the service has always been impeccable and better so I'm going with 4. Service means a lot in these dreary times!
(4)Judy C.
This is the BEST gyro in town. The cucumber sauce is not runny like all the places I've tried downtown and the meat is seasoned the best also. I was almost giving up on finding a joint with a decent gyro. Thanks, Sam's!
(4)Jennifer L.
I tried Sam's Gyros for the first time today, eager to see how its gyros measured up against others in the city. My heretofore favorite had been the gyros from Canal Bistro, and the gyro meat wrapped in soft steamed pita from Cairo Cafe. I gotta say, my favorites still haven't changed. I tasted Sam's spicy gyro, hoping to be blown away. It was good but not amazing: Its "cucumber" sauce, which I guess is colloquial for tzatsiki, tasted a bit more like thick sour cream than yogurt. Kudos for turning up the heat factor, though: Your lips burn after eating the whole thing. I also had an appetizer plate with hummus, falafel, baba ghanouj and tabouli. The flavors were more subtle than I'm used to for salty, garlicky Middle Eastern food. For some, that would be good. For me, I was left wanting a bit more. Still, this place is good, and CHEAP. Two meals came to about $15. You can't beat that.
(3)Adam L.
I enjoyed the food quite a bit. We had shawarma sandwiches and hummus, and it was quite good. The large portions are big enough for two meals, so don't be afraid to ask for a take out box!
(4)Catherine W.
I agree with other reviewers - this place is definitely just okay. Good for a casual bite, not for a romantic date. We had the kebabs - nothing memorable but fine for a quick dinner.
(3)Greg S.
I only need 1/2 to fill up
(4)Christopher G.
Stopped in for lunch. For $7.99, the falafel was great but the portion was insulting. Get the gyro instead: no skimping there! Coffee excellent, baklava good but pricey for portion.
(4)Jonathan M.
The good: large portions, tasty gyros, fabulous hummus and the Tzatziki sauce is some of the best I have ever had. LOVE the spicy gyro option. It may not be authentic, but it is tasty. The neutral: "interesting" decor It is up to you to decide if you like it. I tend to like little hole-in-the-wall places with strange decor. The bad: The service is spotty at best. Lately it just seems to be horrible. When I have went there and my server is of ethnic descent, the service is great. I assume that is because it is either owner or family? When I have went and it is a ~20 year old girl (there are several), the service is bad. Horribly bad. So much so, that the next time I walk in the door and it is not someone who looks like they might be Sam or Sam's family, I will probably turn around and go to Moe & Johnny's and have a burger. The last time I went, I ordered take-out and she said it would be ready in about 10 minutes. After almost 30 minutes I asked if my food was ready and she brought a bag out......with the wrong food. They had given my food to someone else 20 minutes ago and had to remake my order. 45 minutes for Gyros and hummus for takeout. Not even an apology. If I had to add anything else to the "bad" list, it would be the lack of onions or tomato on the gyros. I am a carnivore, but I like a little raw onion bite with my gyros. Also, I like the concept of the Gyro being served in a pita pocket, but the sandwich tends to fall apart before you are done.
(2)Akemi I.
We ate here in June 2009 while on a vacation in Indiana. Since we were staying in the Broad Ripple area without a car, one of our friends was volunteered to take us to lunch. This is one of his favorite places to go for lunch, so it didn't take much prodding. We (friend, the hubs and I) quickly found a seat for three. We ordered saganaki as an appetizer since our friend hadn't had it here before. It was surprisingly greasy and not super tasty. I think I wasn't a fan of the batter/coating. I remember other saganakis I've had as being saltier and not as heavy. I ordered half a spicy gyro with the cucumber sauce. At first I didn't think it was too spicy, but it had a nice heat that continued to build with each bite. I was only a couple bites into it when I amended my first statement to the boys. I had to get refills on my water. I ended up eating only half of my half a gyro. Sad. Our friend ate his entire full gyro - I was pretty impressed. The hubs had a plate of some kind of beef on rice. I loved their yellow rice! The hubs says it wasn't the best he's ever had of this style rice, but I only got about 3 bites, so I think it's safe to say that he really enjoyed it. I'd love to have a meal with more of their tasty rice on our next visit. Also on my list to try is the spanikopita. We got a square of baklava to go. It was sweet and gooey and crunchy and yummy. It was much like other baklavas I've had from Greek restaurants - small layer of phyllo sheets, thick layer of honey and nut filling mixture, then a thicker layer of phyllo sheets. It makes we want to get my mom's recipe and make my own. When I was growing up, she made a flaky delicious baklava with many alternating layers of phyllo and nuts and honey. I think the multiple layers give it a better texture. I'm not sure which one is more authentic (I'm not Greek), but I like my mom's version better. I'm looking forward to my next trip to Indy so I can get some more yummy Greek food here!
(4)Leigh S.
The best part of Sam's was that it was within walking distance of my house, and when I needed lunch in a pinch, Sam's was there. Other than that, there's not much to say. I've had the gyro a few times and it's OK, but I hope to the high heavens that there is a better gyro to be had in Indianapolis. The fries were obviously dumped from a bag of frozen fries into a vat of oil that wasn't hot enough and then they weren't cooked long enough. Very greasy, undercooked, unexceptional fries. Yum.
(2)Theodore B.
Really gross gyros. Average prices, but the sauce is like, chunky and gardeny. Personally, I want to forget there are any vegetables at all in my tzatziki.
(1)Laura K.
Get gyros at this place- that's it, nothing else. They are fine for something quick and inexpensive to eat, but not the best gyro you ever had. Do not order the gyro salad. While the dressing was more interesting than I expected, there was entirely too much of it and it was all iceburg lettuce with sickly looking, tasteless, pink tomatoes. No thanks.
(2)Shirley V.
Great neighbor place that just expanded their seating--the chicken shawarna is fabulous and you can choose from 4 sauces--not be to missed!
(4)H T.
The food is consistently good, but the service can be poor.
(4)Byron J.
Sam's is a lovely place, and the food is good. Come in a try a large Sam's Plate for dinner (it's listed as an appetizer, but no worries). The large sampling of Hummus, Baba Ganoush, Tabouli and Falafel is awesome. Individually the parts are varying degrees of good or ok, but together this Medditerranian mess (mess meaning meal) is awesome. They do have the best Tabouli in town, and their falafel is up there too, the hummus is ok and the baba ganoush is kinda meh. Sam himself is Jordanian and he and his whole family run the shop they are friendly folks and make great conversation. The Gyro's are great too, and they have good Lamb Kebab. The space is small and they tease you with Hookah's as decoration but as of the last time I was in there they were still on hiatus on serving shisha to guests. Maybe next time.
(4)Robert B.
As I am in the real estate business and usually frequent the southern Broad Ripple area, I have driven by Sam's a number of times. I love to find little "hole in the wall" places because I usually find the best food in them. Sam's was no exception. First time I had the chicken shawarma. Not knowing any better I ordered the "whole" sandwich not the half and it was enormous and very good! The second time I got the spicy gyro half sandwich lunch combo that came with crispy fries and a drink. OH MY GOD!! It was love at first Bite! This spicy gyro concoction has to be the best gyro and best deal ($7.50 for the combo) in the whole area. I pride myself as being an extreme foodie and I was impressed by this little sleeper. Definately try this one. You won't be dissapointed!
(5)Tracy R.
I was back in our old hood the other day and passed Sam's. BOOM, I want Falafel. My errand was time sensitive so I passed by but promptly stopped in on my way back downtown. You don't walk in to Sam's and say "wow" about the atmosphere and you won't go to Sam's and be drawn back by impressive service. However, I've missed the fast food Greek-ish food they serve so I picked up half a falafel in pita with cucumber sauce for under $5 and thoroughly enjoyed it! Drunk(it borders Broad Ripple), sober, craving, or in a rush? Sam's is good fast food!
(3)CN D.
Not the best but definitely not the worst. The gyros was ok and the price was definitely right with generous portion sizes. Tahini sauce was watery and left me wanting more flavor. I must say I have yet to try the other restaurants in Indianapolis but having heard this is one of the best I am a bit disappointed. Still good just not great. A-OK.
(3)Mike S.
1) Ordered the Lamb Kabob 2) the salad and the entree came out at the same time 3) the salad was 'thrown' onto the table at me 4) the waitress never came back to check on me until I was ready to walk out 5) the oval sticker was still on the green pepper 6) the lamb was full of gristle 7) the lamb was WAY overcooked. ... think grey and dry 8) Sam came out and did try to make things right and professed over and over how he spends so much time making sure the lamb is cooked properly because it is his specialty... ... NOTE: on more than one occasion I have gotten sick after eating at Sam's Gyros. Each time I go back it is because its in the neighborhood. Tonight I only stopped because I really wanted Twenty Tap, but they are closed on Sundays.
(1)Albertro F.
A hard night drinkin' at the Mel (every saturday night is punk rock night!) chased by 3AM Rally's made the excursion to Yat's impossible. Who can stomach crawfish pong wafting through an enclosed space, sunday morning comin' down? Moreover, they stopped taking plastic! Sam's was the best decision we made all weekend, as 4/5 of our orders came out perfectly; sorry Carlos. The gyro was soft, succulent, and served in generous portions. It might be that same Vienna Beef/Kronos/Parthenon bullshit, but it was fresh and tasty. The falafel too was delicious. Scorn and pity to the restauranteur who tries to serve me baked falefel. Deep fry that shit! Sam's was crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, as only hot oil can do. The fries were balls out too. All of our sandwiches were tidily prepared, but you might ask for the tsatsiki on the side. It seemed sour cream based instead of yoghurt, and thus, way too thick. Also, onion and tomato (standard, no?) aren't provided unless you ask for them. Not on the menu, however, a half portion of gyro AND falafel can be had. I thought that'd be a normal request, but our waitress assured me it isn't. Still, the kitchen didn't mind making my sandwich in said manner. Props to them. Our server was fun, professional, and thew back any shit we gave her. I hadn't been in years, but will remember Sam's more often.
(4)Colin G.
Sam's Gyros is a great little spot just south of broadripple that serves up large portions of traditional greek food for cheap prices. Their lunch portion 1/2 gyro and fries is more than enough to satisfy my appetite. I ordered a full gyro once and it was practically 2 full pitas worth of food and it was almost too much to eat. Definitly try the "spicy" gyro if you like some heat. It'll burn your lips but man does it taste good. The ambiance leaves a little to be desired but honestly, who the hell care when the food is as tasty as it is here.
(4)Todd S.
I really feel the need to step in now; after reading reviews on a few restaurants on this site and being disappointed each time (even though the places all received high ratings). While the gyro was OK, the overall experience definitely does not deserve the 4-5 star rating I've been seeing. Let's break things down piece by piece. Ambiance: One word comes to mind; Tiny. I counted 8 booths that could really only hold two people comfortably and then three tables cramped in between (one of which was filled with old newspapers). But it wasn't busy at all when I was there so I suppose I can't complain. Service: Again, it wasn't busy, so the service was immediate and fairly quick. No complaints. Food (sub-divided) Gyro: Pita Bread: Definitely store bought, I noticed it sitting in a retail plastic bag while ordering my food. Sauce: Their tzatziki sauce....well, they call it Cucumber sauce instead of tzatziki for a reason. It was sour cream, dill (LOTS) and huge chunks of cucumber, not a smooth sauce. Meat: The Meat was quite tasty; but without the accompaniments, it could not stand alone. Sandwich as a whole: This is the type of gyro place that puts the meat and toppings inside the pita bread, not between the two folded over halves of bread which makes for both sides to be extremely thin and prone to tearing/breaking. So ultimately I had a gyro that was overflowing with chunks of dill/cucumber that was falling completely apart by my second bite. I ended up eating it similar to a gyro dinner plate with a fork, luckily my greek salad came with a few chunks of the pita bread. I know what I typically expect out of a gyro sandwich includes lettuce, tomato, onion and fetta cheese, this sandwich did not have any of these; just Pita, Cucumber Sauce and Meat...That's it. Greek Salad: It's hard to mess up Lettuce, Fetta Cheese, a slice of Tomato and a slice of cucumber all topped with a vinegarette. Ultimately, and in short; I'm stuck continuing to search for a decent gyro in this town, and will not be heading back to Sam's any time soon.
(2)Mark W.
Not a gyro, not sure what it is
(2)Molly B.
This place is delicious, cheap and across the street from my apt. Doesn't get much better than that. In the summer you can sit outside. Great for carry-out- really quick.
(4)Carolynn N.
My Lebanese best pal introduced me to Sam's. It's a great place to pick up a little Arabic (with a Lebanese accent, of course), and to get a quick, well-priced meal. My only qualm: too much lettuce & not enough goodies on the Greek salad!
(3)