Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza

After watching a movie next door, we came here on a whim. Upon walking in, I was very impressed with the interior which was very modern looking and hip feeling. I was a little skeptical as I worried that it was going to be like California Pizza Kitchen, which I am not a fan of. I was surprised by their menu which went well beyond pizza and went into all kinds of dishes including duck tacos. We played it safe and tried a pepperoni pizza with a mac and cheese appetizer. The food was excellent and the service was stellar. The pizza had a unique flavor that I’ll be craving again.
They also have a nice outdoor patio area. Next time I come back, I’ll have to give the patio a try.

Sammy’s takes pizza up a notch. The restaurant looks really nice and clean inside. Outside they have a large garden like patio with a cool gas fire. The center is nice with lots of different shops and a movie theater for after dinner entertainment.
Wood-​fire pizza is more upscale than traditional pizza which is Sammy’s specialty. We had a Chinese chicken salad with a BBQ Chicken pizza. The Chinese chicken salad had lots of great stuff in it without an over powering dressing. The BBQ Chicken pizza is one of the best I have ever had.
I would also highly recommend the mini Kobe burgers which a tried on another occasion.

I was expecting a semi gourmet style pizza for the prices on the menu. We ordered the Garlic Toast as an Appetizer. I ordered the «new» Shrimp and Corn Chowder Soup and Balsamic Grilled Chicken Salad. My son ordered the Pepperoni Pizza and My brother the Italian Italian Sausage.
The only dish everyone was happy with at our table was the Garlic Bread. And that was simply the pizza crust brushed with garlic infused Olive Oil.
The Soup was inedible. I sent it back and I never do this. The Salad was drenched in a dressing that was not pleasing. The chicken was over cooked. Both Pizza were tasteless. My son only ate one slice and was done. Imagine that. A Kid turning down pizza. Then I received the 70 plus dollar bill and gladly said I am never returning again.

My boyfriend was craving some wood-​fire pizza, so we decided to try this place for the first time and make a date night out of it, since AMC is right near by. In short: the food was delicious, and the service made this night spectacular.
We started off the meal right with a Sierra Nevada and a glass of red wine (Elsa blanchi 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon — I liked it so much I walked across the street after the meal and purchased a bottle from Bev Mo).
Right from the start our server, Jenna, was upbeat and provided awesome service. She brought us bread fresh from the oven. We shared a house salad (the small size, $ 9, is just the right size for two to share as a starter). We shared a spicy sicilian sausage pizza (we went for the regular crust, but I’m eager to come back and try the wheat crust. They also have gluten free crust). The pizza was absolutely delicious. Neither of us even like mushrooms and we gobbled up the mushrooms on this pizza because the flavors mingled so well together. We couldn’t decide if it was the crust, sauce, or sausage that made the pizza so delicious, so we settled on agreeing that all of it together just created one extremely tasty meal! I actually said, «My mouth is dancing.»
The pizza was $ 12 and with the salad and dessert it was enough to fill the two of us up. If you’re hungry and don’t have the salad and dessert, though, I would suggest getting a pizza all to yourself!
Which leads me to the best part… the dessert!!! We told Jenna that it was our first time there and at the end of the meal she approached us and told us that because it was our first time there, they would like to treat us to dessert. This made my night! It was such a great gesture, and a smart move on their part, because I’m telling everyone in the world how much I love this place.
We ordered The nutty brownie sundae (can’t remember the exact name). It’s a huge goblet with vanilla ice cream, brownies, chocolate syrup, whipped cream piled high, and toasted coconut. Again, I don’t even like coconut, but this place knows how to mix their flavors!
The bread, salad, pizza, wine/​beer, dessert and service were all fantastic. I will be coming back!
(they are also opening one up in the new El Segundo center, so I’ll have to try that one, too!)
Thanks Jenna!

I used to go to Sammy’s #1, and as a resident of 10 years, I still like to support San Diego-​based restaurants.
But this place is overpriced for a «pizza dinner.» Small pizzas and enormous salads, if you go for the large. Decent setting, but not what I’d call a «good» atmosphere. Basically a somewhat upscale CPK. I don’t get the appeal. Another «mid-​priced» place that creeps up into the bill range of a nice dinner. No thanks. We don’t go anymore.
If you want ambiance, go to Kincaid’s, H.T. Grill, the Yard House or the patio on the Riviera. If you just want pizza, Pavich’s blows this place to oblivion.

Pass on the Mini Duck Tacos – bland taco shells, lots of duck meat but it was unseasoned, seems like the sour cream was the only thing that stood out.
Organic Arugala and Pear pizza is tasty! Salty feta paired with sweet carmelized pears. Yum. I just wish there were more pears per slice of pizza.
And hooray for happy hour here! 50% off their tapas and drinks is a legit deal.

OMG, this place rocks and or rolls. I ordered the shrimp chowder with a new york pizza with a wheat crust. The wheat crust was so good it took me back to dough my mom used to make. So damn clean and tasty, perfect combination if I do say so. Plenty of good cheap pizza places out there, but this place just takes first place in my book.
Good clean food, portions are the right amount. Not too much to take it home, but not too light to not be hungry after. Fresh ingredients, just plain good quality and the friendliest staff ever. These people know about service, and are worth a few extra bucks.
Another Unilocaler was right, you have to request bread and they will give you plenty. My hats off to Sammy and his wonderful pizza place. Get off your bum and go get some delicious pie.
I will be coming back to this place. =)

In my opinion, Sammy’s is far better than California Pizza Kitchen. Whenever my family and I come here, we always start our meal with a Caesar Salad. They give a very generous portion of salad loaded with dressing that you can taste in every bite. It looks like any other Caesar Salad, but the dressing they use makes it taste much better. I can’t put my finger on exactly what it is, so try it for yourself and if you can figure it out let me know. After the salad, I anxiously await my New York Style Pizza. It comes with pepperoni, sausage, ham, and mushroom. I love meat (no homo) on my pizza, so this is an easy choice for me. The toppings are fresh and their dough/​crust is always super chewy and tasty. I think they make my favorite crust.
They do offer a wide selection of pizzas, most of which are unique and not ones you would typically order at a Pizza Hut or Domino’s. In addition to pizzas, there are plenty of other entrees (pasta, tacos, entrée size salads, etc.) you can order if you aren’t in the mood for pizza.
They also offer complimentary bread, but you have to ask your waiter for it as they will not bring it out as a courtesy. I thought this was a little strange, but not that big of a deal. They are more than willing to give you some if you ask.

Been here several times. The food is really good and the service can be hit or miss.
Absolutely some of the best lobster bisque around. Wonderfully creamy and full of flavor.
And the BEST thin crust pizza we’ve had. Fresh ingredients and cooked just right.
We’ve been here several times and have had really good service 1 time. The other times the service was a little slow and the servers seem like they would rather be anywhere but here serving you.
Oh, and they DO serve complimentary flatbread and bread but you’ll probably have to ask for it.
Go for the soup and pizza — FANTASTIC!

Pizza, salad and some apps.
My favorite are the duck tacos. Yummy!
Kind of a day place for me. There is a movie theaters next to this location so you can get some pizza and salad and catch a flick.

It’s been about 6 years since I last chowed down here. We were running out of options so we decided with our frequent dining companions, D & C, to come to Sammy’s. Now last time, I recall ending the dinner with a large fudgy sundae which we all shared. My last recollection was a cozy flaming fireside and a bustling crowd. However, when we arrived, it was noticeably empty with many open seats. Now this could be due to the season, economy or just that fact that it was a weekday. Never fear, we were quickly seated. We ordered the half price appetizer since we arrived before 6 pm. The arthichoke dip was good. The salads were large even for the individual serving. Prices seemed just a little steep but the sizes kinda made up for it. We ordered our usual pizza choice, Thai chicken and it was decent. Upon arrival, it did appear a bit burnt on the edges but the flavors and toppings were delicious. A plus is that a whole wheat dough option is available which is not usually available in most restaurants.
I would give this place 4 stars had the firepit been lit. It adds to the casual cozy ambiance.

A full moon and a blazing fire. The alternative CPK. Which is better, Sammy’s or Cali’s?
Whereas CPK’s are abundant in the city, only a handful of Sammy’s exist in the area, this one in Torrance and a few in the OC.
Lured in by the Entertainment Book BOGO coupon, this monday evening found a dark, cavernous and empty Sammy’s. Shadows cast by the blazing open fire pit outside flickered across the wall as a full moon lit up the chill evening.
The dining area is very large as is the outdoor seating, which is accompanied by the fire pit. It’s casual, but could be considered upscale in the range of CPK, Olive Garden, etc. The dark interior décor is inviting and comfortable.
Refillable soft drinks are $ 2.50. Prices are decent and comparable to CPK. Variety of pizzas is far less than CPK, but there’s still a nice selection of interesting choices, including pastas, tacos, and mini burgers.
New York Pizza came with pepperoni, italian sausage, mushrooms, salami over mozzarella cheese and pizza sauce. This was a really tasty pizza, thin crust, delicious toppings. Personally, I would’ve liked extra sauce, but still no complaints.
Mini Burgers are three Kobe beef sliders with a side of either fries or coleslaw. We had the coleslaw. Coleslaw was fresh and crunchy, but could’ve used with more dressing treatment. Realm of blandness. The burgers were simple and tasty. You could really taste the beef, unburdened by any condiments other than the tomatoes, lettuce, pickle and onions that came on the side and you add on yourself according to your preferences. Really good sliders.
This evening, a few days after Halloween, the place was empty, abandoned like some cursed mausoleum. A tasty, cheesy, delicious mausoleum.
Unlike CPK which is always noisy, crowded and sometimes requiring a wait, Sammy’s is a quick seater. AMC multiplex is in the complex, and if you don’t feel like burgers from Islands, another noisy, crowded spot, stop by here for a mini pizza or mini burger.

I expected more from this place. The pepperoni pizza had a cardboard crust, the sauce seasoning was way off and the cheese was rubbery like it had been broiled instead of melted. I’ve had better pizza from the high school cafeteria.
I didn’t care for their steak skewers either. The flavor seemed a bit off and the meat wasn’t as tender as it could have been.
The only reason to come here is to sit out by the fire pit and sip a cocktail on a nice evening.

I am 99% off of dairy but… sometimes I have just a bit as a treat.
I came to Sammy’s and I looked at the menu and noticed the Goat Cheese pizza with spinach, onion, mushroom and garlic and decided that would be my choice. It was sooo tasty… I LOVE GOAT CHEESE!
I highly recommend this pizza
Service was good too!

I’ve only been to this place TWICE and I came to the conclusion that this place SUCKS because I was expecting it to have this really really great pizza, but man… you get this decent looking pizza, but when you eat it, it tastes like CARDBOARD! The crust tastes like Dunder Mifflin Paper or something… I mean, I’m not a hippie, but I feel sorry for all the trees that they raped to make this crappy «Woodfired» pizza.
The cost is pretty expensive and not worth it… you’re pretty much paying for the cool looking fire pit that you see outside, where you can take pictures in front of!
If you’re around this plaza, you’re better off eating over at Island’s for some great food!
Seriously, take your butts down to Rizzo’s or Rosario’s for some great pizza!

1^st and only time I went was a few years ago. Every time I want to go there, one (sometimes 2) of my friends would complain that they don’t feel like eating pizza because the have been eating it for lunch and dinner last 2 days. Geesh!
I remember my 1^st time I went there, I wanted to order my own pizza and drink, but my friend whined that it would be too big for 1 person to eat a whole…
10 inches invidual pizza…
Bitch really meant «I ain’t spending 15 — 20 bucks for myself, I rather to split the menu to make it cheaper for me and you will help me, wheater you like it or not»
Little she knows that I added the little things to bring the menu a total of 34 bucks and some change plus tips. Boo-​ya.
I remember we had the pepperoni pizza, 2 cokes, and some other things I forgot.
1^st time wasn’t that much of a great experience, I only agreed to my friend to keep her mouth shut: we sat at the outdoor patio near a firepit with the fire burning on a hot evening, and the table wasn’t that clean to me. It only got a 5 stars because I’m basing the rating on how I thought it would have been if I went there alone without my friend.

To start with, the coconut curry or tomato basil soup is delicious — comfort food. Other tapas that are good are the Thai chicken satay, hummus, and garlic cheese bread.
My favorite pizza is the pear & arugula — my boyfriend and I usually share one, but if I’m hungry, I can eat the whole thing myself — YUM! The pastas are a little bland for my taste (I’d rather go to CPK or Olive Garden for pasta).
To end the meal, if you still have room… oh heck, who doesn’t have room for ice cream?! It just melts and fills in the cracks between the food you’ve just shoved down your pie hole, right? :) We love the Messy Sundae… and it is messy but oh so good!

Did not like.
Ordered–
Garlic Chicken Pizza= not good
Greek Salad= can make a better one at home
Mac N Cheese= Not good
Garlic Bread= the only thing I liked
Chicken Satay= blah

This place is like a better CPK. Besides their pizzas being generally better, I really like their selection of food other than pizza. A couple years back we had a lobster bisque and one of those cheesy artichoke dip things. Both were pretty good. From what I remember though we did have slow service. I need to come back here and see what has since changed!

The ooey-​gooey, sloppy sundae beckoned me. The wine glass that attempted to contain it was completely coated in dripping hot fudge, caramel and nuts. Pure decadence. Pure evil. I thought of all the things I could do with such a sundae…
I finally gave in and helped myself to a bite. And then another.
I couldn’t help myself! Finally I was eating something that was as tasty as I hoped the rest of our meal was going to be.
That’s not to say our Gorgonzola prosciutto pizza and balsamic chicken salad weren’t good. They just weren’t great. Once again, I found myself disappointed with the food at Sammy’s.
Too bad, because the meal I had when I ventured into this place a couple of weeks before this outing was really good. I was also impressed by the menu change-​up since the last time I had been there a couple of years ago. They now had a tapas menu with some seriously yummy sounding dishes.
There was also an advertisement for «Dinner and a Movie.» For each entrée purchased, a movie ticket for the neighboring AMC Theatres is offered for $ 6. Always the bargain hunter, I made a mental note of this and planned my return.
I will return, but I will keep in mind that the food is inconsistent. I will also remember to order that ooey-​gooey sloppy sundae to eat with my special someone. A little bit of naughtiness goes a long way…