Sam Kendall’s

Can’t believe I haven’t reviewed Sam Kendall’s, as we’ve been here four or five times in the past three years. We drove out to Camden last Friday to go to Salud’s Mexican but the wait was over an hour long, so we decided to walk down to Sam Kendall’s. Were seated in about ten minutes after we ordered drinks at the bar.
Atmosphere is nice, with booths and tables in the center. Our neighbor’s ordered the grilled Halibut with vegetables and he ordered the Cabernet braised ribs. My wife ordered a seafood pasta (shrimp, scallops and lobster) and I also ordered the Cabernet Braised Ribs (with mash potatoes and veggies — zucchini and squash.). My neighbor and I both really liked the braised ribs. The sauce was real good with a lot of flavor and went well with the mashed potatoes. One of the best braised ribs I’ve had in a while. My wife’s seafood pasta was voted the winner of the evening. Very good taste and a lot of food. She ate about ¼ of it and brought the rest home, which we had for lunch the next day.
The wait staff was courteous and prompt. My wife thought it was a little pricey but I think it’s comparable to most of the other nice restaurants in Cola. My braised ribs was $ 25.95 and her seafood dish was $ 22 or somewhere around there.
They have a good wine selection also. Our neighbor’s ordered the calamari for an appetizer and it was delicious, especially the dipping sauce that came with it. It was more like an aioli sauce and really went well with the calamari.
Definitely would recommend Sam Kendall’s!

a real surprise in Camden. Nice bar but the food is where it’s at. Fresh wild caught gulf shrimp (appetizer only) are very nice along with some of the best calamari I’ve had. Pork Tenderloin is banging.

The atmosphere is nice but is a bit loud. The server was nice but very slow. Perhaps it’s her first day. We (8 of us) ordered steak, pork chops, crab cakes and mussels with pasta. The paste came out 7 mins after everyone else got their entrée. The food was average.

Really great food and atmosphere! My husband and I dined here for the first time since moving to Camden earlier this year as a last date before our babies are born, and it was the perfect spot to go to. Romantic and grown up, with great food to boot. I would give it give stars, but there were a few things we did not enjoy. We ordered an appetizer of crab and shrimp stuffed mushrooms, which were good, but the shrimp on top were like rubber and made the whole bite hard to eat as the two textures were battling it out in your mouth. You are served a basket of cibatta rolls and a oil/​balsamic vinegar pool to dip them in. The balsamic was a bit strange as it was vinegar, and not something I would normally associate with dipping bread in, but it was good. We ended up using the leftover broth from the mushrooms to dip our bread in because it was so good! We ordered a chicken pasta dish (my husband) and a ribeye with salad and loaded baked potato. The only complaint my husband had was his chicken was a bit dry, but he loves his meal. My steak was phenomenal, cooked perfectly! I ended up eating about two bites of my potato because it wasn’t done, and still very hard. Overall, we really loved it though. Our waiter was fantastic, very friendly and attentive, and even packed me a pickle in my to go box.

Had great service and food. One had New York Strip with asparagus. House salads for us both. I had an add-​on to his steak. The lobster pot which looked small, but by the last bite, I was full. Very rich, very good. In town over night for one evening meal. Will pick lunch someplace else but not because this wasn’t wonderful.

* atmosphere was very professional and comfortable, though a little on the dark side. Nice furniture, sleek looking bar
* hostess was very nice and helpful! She was actually the one who read the specials to us
* our waiter was also nice, but kind of dull, never cracked a smile. We didn’t have to wait too long for food or check, but would have enjoyed the personality of the hostess a lot more!
* got the ahi tuna as an appetizer and it was AMAZING. really the star of the night! You could definitely tell they use fresh tuna.
* my date and I both got chicken entrées — I ordered the pasta salad and the other Caribbean marinated. The pasta of mine was tasty, lots of cheese and spiced well, though the chicken was disappointingly bland. The marinated chicken, however, was flavorful, nice seasoning. Mashed potatoes were bland, Caesar salad good.
All in all it was a nice experience and we’ll definitely come back by for appetizers and to try out the bar.

Great service, good food and great beers. First visit a few days ago was good enough for a future return visit. Walked right in on a Tuesday evening. Ambiance is quiet, classy and dark. We had fish tacos and grouper after a great appetizer of shrimp and crab stuffed mushrooms smothered in cheese. It’s a bit pricey, tab for two w 1 app, 2 entrees and three drinks was $ 96.

Staying in town on vacation from Baltimore. Came here in the evening around 10 pm for a light dinner and drinks. The drinks were very good and fairly priced, 5 dollar cocktails are always a good deal! This may be common in SC but in MD you would probably pay 8 – 10 dollars for that size drink! We came in about 40 minutes before the kitchen closed and they were still happy to serve us food, we ordered from the bartender who was very friendly. I got the tomato basil crab bisque which was very good! My friends ordered the spinach and artichoke dip and broccoli bites those got good reviews too. For drinks all together we got the melon cocktail on the summer specials menu, strawberry margarita and a mint julep all very good! Next time we are in camden we will definitely stop by again :)

The atmosphere and interior is very nice. The food was good but service was slow and marginal.

Not too good. Drove from Columbia to have dinner. Best thing was the cocktails. Had to ask for.specials. Server did not volunteer the information. Dinner salad was frozen. Steak was much smaller than usual and VERY tough. Salmon was awful. So salty you could feel the salty crunch when chewing.

This is a beautiful restaurant right downtown in Camden. The interior is elegant yet absolutely charming.
I thought the menu was excellent. My blackened Mahi was delicious. My companions ordered cheesecake and enjoyed it.
I highly recommend SKs!

I am actually an ex employee of Sam Kendall’s and I can personally vouch for Johnathan’s (the owner) acute attention to detail and borderline OCD maintenance of his establishment. You could walk into his kitchen or cold food storage any day of the week and find his items meticulously labeled and maintained to the utmost. Charles, the chef, has been there since day 1 and runs a tight ship in the back. Sam, the bartender and owner’s son, is always quick with a joke and is always pleasant to converse with.
Now to the food, it is literally the best spot in Camden. Camden is my hometown and I always make it a point to go here with friends and family when I’m home. Always start with the Broccoli Bites! Hot gooey cheeses complimented with flavorful bacon and crunchy broccoli bits, it’s amazing. Or try the tuna sashimi. The tuna steaks are always fresh and hand sliced by the salad prep. Next, try a cup of the potato leek soup. It is made fresh in house and has a mild comforting flavor that’s perfect on a crisp evening or opt for a crunchy house salad. Tip: ask for the Mandarin dressing, it’s unique and boldly flavorful.
Charles likes to rotate the specials out regularly with fresh seafood and new twists on menu items. If you see the swordfish piccata, get it! If you just want to stick to the standard menu items, I have two absolute go-to’s every time.
If I want something a little light, I go with the Salmon paired with asparagus and the garlic mash. The salmon is always simply succulent and cooked to perfection with complimentary seasonings that’s are accommodating to any palate. My second, and this is my entire family’s go-​to that they get every time, the Kingston Cut. Charles chooses perfectly aged USDA beef that he marinates in a light citrus marinade with hints of pineapple (its made in house) daily and grills each tender cut to your preference. It is just to die for, we never need to go boxes because we all clean our plates!
If you fancy a smooth drink, pull up a chair at the bar and let Sam shake up a cocktail for you. The wine list is fantastic (I’m a bit of a wino) and the liquor selection is quite extensive, there’s really something for everyone.
The staff, the ambience, the cleanliness, and the amazing food makes Sam Kendall’s a must-​visit when you pass through our little town.

Good atmosphere and friendly, efficient staff. The shrimp are very large and probably imported or farmed; they don’t have much flavor. They would do well to switch to large SC shrimp. The rib eye was cooked properly and well flavored. The lobster pot was, well… just poor. I’d go back but I wouldn’t get the shrimp. I’m giving them four stars because of the staff… I give the chef three stars because he could do so much better with what he has. It’s a little pricy for what you get.

Well, the staff was great, which is why I gave it 2 stars. The food tasted cheap and overdone… I expected more from this place considering the reviews but was let down

This needs more than 3 stars… I travel all over the country, and for the size of this town, and lack of good places to eat… It has a nice wine list, clean, in an older building which is cool… Good service, good food. Made to order. No frozen diner food in this place. Our table custom ordered everything and it came out exactly as we asked them to… Good place.

Food is always great, atmosphere is awesome and the service is usually great as well. Had issues with cork in wine but that was over a year ago and they seem to fixed that by having wine specials. The owner is there most nights and is attentive to customer service. I didn’t want to review because it may make my favorite place to eat too busy, but they deserve 6 stars.

I’ve been to Sam Kendall’s before, a couple of times, and found their food exceptional, for the area. So, when I had the opportunity to take a detour by there tonight for a drink and dessert, I jumped at the chance. My experience at the bar was exceptional, but not in a good way. I was offered, and served, a drink. But other than that, I have never been ignored so completely by bartenders. Yes, they were busy, but not that busy. Nobody asked how I liked my drink, although I opted for something I’d never had before. If they had asked, I would have told them that that which they were calling an IPA had so much chocolate that I really needed the dessert menu, but they didn’t ask. Neither did they offer me a dessert menu, or any other menu. I really don’t understand it. They even ignored the twenty dollar bill I put at their edge of the bar, until I aggressively asked to be allowed to pay. I’ll go back, but I plan to sit at the bar, I’ll take someone with me for company.

One Good Rib-​Eye!
This is a Camden Gem! Very nice atmosphere, very good service, and very good food! The Rib Eye steaks are as good as they get, perfectly seasoned and perfectly cooked– medium rare, nice and juicy!
This is worth the trip from Columbia, or the surrounding suburbia USA, to enjoy a great meal, in a nice casual environment.
The building is a converted old bank– rustic exposed brick, tin ceiling, dim the lights and have a nice cocktail type of building… A nice place for a quiet, romantic dinner.
PS: Take a big wad of cash with you, because the «good stuff» will cost you– it is a little on the pricey side. But, it is well worth it!
PSS: The desserts are to die for!!! They have a chocolate cake that is one of the best I’ve ever had!