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About
Samoa Cookhouse
Welcome to Samoa Cookhouse, a cherished gem nestled in the heart of Samoa, California. This American diner is not just a restaurant; it's a celebration of culinary history, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner in a heartfelt, communal atmosphere. With its rich legacy as the last functional cookhouse in the country, Samoa Cookhouse honors its roots by serving hearty, home-style meals reminiscent of the days when it catered to the needs of the lumber workforce.
Located at 908 Vance Ave, Samoa Cookhouse offers a unique dining experience. Picture a rustic eatery with long communal tables, where diners gather to enjoy satisfying, rotating meals served with a side of history. The vibe here is cozy and friendly, perfect for families, groups, and those simply seeking comfort food. The diner's moderate noise level and casual ambiance make it an ideal spot for all ages, including kids. Whether you're indulging in a delightful breakfast spread of French toast, scrambled eggs, and sausages, or savoring a comforting dinner of fried chicken with all the fixings, the focus here is on quality and community.
- Signature Dishes: The fried chicken dinner is a standout, complemented by their famous homemade bread, fresh salad, and seasonal vegetable side. For breakfast, guests rave about the unlimited portions, where you can enjoy as much as you like, and the same goes for their rotating lunch and dinner options.
- Historic Significance: Each dish served here carries with it the fascinating history of a dining tradition that originally fed 500 men. The diner's walls showcase artifacts and memorabilia, providing a glimpse into the cooking history of the era.
- A Unique Dining Format: Customers experience a communal style of dining, seated with fellow patrons at long tables, creating a sense of togetherness reminiscent of family gatherings. Here, everyone comes to share stories and the love of good food.
With numerous vegetarian options, delivery, takeout, and a dog-friendly policy, Samoa Cookhouse accommodates diverse needs, making it a welcoming spot for everyone. The service mirrors the charm of the setting—friendly and attentive, with waitstaff always eager to ensure your dining experience is memorable. Don't forget to snag a slice of their acclaimed bread before you leave; it's a fan favorite!
Prepare to be reminded of the beauty of cozy meals with family and friends, laughter shared across the table, and a history that feeds not just your appetite but your soul. By choosing Samoa Cookhouse, you're not just dining out; you're stepping into a living piece of culinary history that will leave you feeling satisfied and connected to the rich heritage of this remarkable place.
Join us at Samoa Cookhouse, where every meal is a delicious reminder of the past, served with a side of love and community!
People talk
Our Guestbook
“ Food is excellent, historic significance, we always visit when we visit Humboldt county ”
“ I've been eating at the Samoa cook house since I was a kid my parents were very happy with it and uus kids too ! I've brought my son and other people there through the years the bread is the best and the service is great, the place is so homey ! ”
“ Fantastic atmosphere and museum. Great food for the Family. Every time we come up to Eureka, we have to come here . ”
“ The only cookhouse left on the West! I didn't know what to expect when I arrived but learned all about the fascinating history with this cookhouse from our server. This cookhouse used to feed 500 men 3x a day who worked as loggers in the area. The waitresses who served them lived upstairs. The cooks wanted to save this place from closing turned it into a cookhouse to serve the public. To this day, they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner cookhouse style! Everyone gets the same meals and they rotate meals weekly. For breakfast, we had french toast, scrambled eggs, and sausages. Drinks was extra but its all you can eat. They will keep bringing the breakfast out as long as you're hungry. We shared the 3 plates and it was plenty already. Delicious, comfort breakfast. This place isn't fancy. It's like they say "Come and get it!" When the whistle blows, you come and eat. Come with an appetite, eat as much as you can! One price all you can eat. After you're stuffed, check out the museum attached to the cookhouse which has so many artifacts from over 100 years ago back in the days of the loggers. Everything from chainsaws, hand held equipment's, working boots, and the original kitchen stove, pots and pans they used at this cookhouse. Way cool! And if you want some more museum which we did! Check out the Humboldt Bay Maritime Museum once you exit the cookhouse. Excellent history just in this little corner of Samoa! ”
“ Samoa Cookhouse was the best restaurant we tried out while on our trip to Eureka recently! A few things... this restaurant doesn't make Samoan food. It's the name of the area that it's in. And don't come here thinking there is a broad menu of items to browse from. Pretty much whatever they are making at the time is what you get. It's living up to the name and concept that cookhouses for lumber workers and other places like ranches for instance that had cookhouses did the same thing. You eat whatever they are making and if you don't like it then your on your own for your meal or don't have one. You also don't get your own table. You get seated at very long tables and then they seat other diners a chair ot two down from you. You can get a smaller amount of the portions coming your way and just get soup and salad but it's really worth going for a full meal. You can ask the waitress to stop if you have had enough to eat. The day we went we had fish and chips, hushpuppies, salad, soup and fresh bread and a spiced cake for dessert. Everything was fantastic with the food. The beef and vegetable soup still really sticks out in my mind. It was so good! There are some old stoves, pictures and other artifacts in another room of the area and back when cookhouses were more common place. In fact going off of a sign this is the last functioning cookhouse in the country. My parent's ranch also has a cookhouse for when there was a large ranch work force but it was much, much smaller than Samoan Cookhouse and has become more of a residence for sever decades now. Definitely check the Samoan Cookhouse out if you want a different dining experience only don't come here picky and the food allergic or sensitive may want to avoid because what they serving at the time is the menu! ”
“ The Samoa Cookhouse is a historic restaurant, It is the last lumber camp-style cookhouse in the American Pacific Northwest. We have been here before and enjoyed this place pre-COVID, but things seemed to have changed a bit post COVID. They only offered three items for breakfast: French toast, scrambled eggs, and sausages. Biscuits and gravy was provided at an extra charge, as was orange juice. It seems like they used to offer a wider menu. The French toast was amazing as they bake the bread in house daily. The service was efficient and friendly. ”
“ How do explain this place. Unique. Family style dining. No menu to speak of. They post it on their Facebook page. This is not a Samoan restaurant. It's a true cookhouse in the town of Samoa, CA. They serve a family style meal which for this Friday was fried chicken. It came with delicious mashed potatoes, a light gravy, bread they bake fresh every morning, and at lunch time you get soup or salad. (Dinner you get both.) Todays dessert was chocolate pudding. The food looks like homemade. Because it is. They do their meals right and you can taste it. The chicken had a nice crispy skin and was moist and flavorful inside. Are they peeling the potatoes on site for their potatoes? I don't know for sure but my money is on yes. Oh first you get your soup or salad. We got one of each. Her salad was simple but good. The soup was a pork and lentil. Aside from the lentils, which are simply lentils, the pork was flavorful chunks well seasoned and a bit black peppery. Carrots, celery and whole garlic. This was not creamy like a lot of bean styled soups. The broth was delicious. When we were ready for the main course, they served it family style, but for you and your group only. One group or family per table. ( pre-Covid it was multiple groups at the tables.) I'm not a fan of brown gravy which I assumed came with the potatoes but this was a different type of gravy, maybe a chicken gravy? But it was the best I've ever had, I love good sausage gravy but this stuff was amazing. I'm glad I tasted it. The bread is, as I said, fresh and delicious! Yummy coleslaw. Possibly pineapple in it for a touch of sw Now let me entice you more... it's all you can eat! The food is not fancy. This is a true cookhouse experience. There's a plaque on the outside that explains that the cookhouse has been here since 1893. Lumber camp style cookhouse still in operation in the US. Lots of history here and there's a small logging company museum to browse after your meal. This place is a no brainer. Look on their FB page for current weekly menu. ”
“ I don't think I'd be ruffling too many feathers by asserting that Eureka is not a major gourmet destination. I mean you don't come to the Lost Coast for hidden culinary treasures unless you really like clam chowder...like a lot. This place didn't serve clam chowder when we showed up, and it wasn't even in Eureka but on the more desolate Samoa Peninsula across Arcata Bay. The cookhouse is a historic shingled building, and for a long time. it was devoted strictly to the meals eaten by the employees of the local lumber mill. So if you're really hungry, this is the place to go for no-frills comfort food served family-style even when you're not with your family. Jamie W. and I simply entered the building at around 5PM and was told to take any available seat at one of the long communal tables with the traditional red checkered tablecloth. There was no menu per se, just a price grid that stated adults will be charged $18.25 for dinner. OK then. The gregarious server was very helpful in guiding us through our meal. First, we got several slices of bread in a basket with a lot of butter. It was good bread, soft and warm. No artisan stuff (photo: https://bit.ly/3Na5pB9). Then we were given a choice between soup and salad. Not both. Pure 'Sophie's Choice' moment. Jamie went for the soup, a tomato vegetable and rice creation that was comforting (photo: https://bit.ly/3m6Zwc4). I arbitrarily went for the salad which was a bowl of iceberg lettuce with ranch dressing on the side. It came with toasted croutons and a three-bean salad heavy in pickling juice (photo: https://bit.ly/3apBHJG). Then came our surprise entree, a large uncut slab of BBQ Beef Ribs for each of us (photo: https://bit.ly/3x6YUJG). Before we divvied up the meat, the server came back with corn (photo: https://bit.ly/3NdwumH) and potato salad thick in mayo (photo; https://bit.ly/3akFS9O). Yep, we were on our way to being stuffed but not before getting their apple crisp with whipped cream for dessert (photo: https://bit.ly/3m4IgUv). On your way to the restroom, trust me, an inevitable journey, I took note of their historic maritime and lumber museum. And that's all I know about Samoa.At least this Samoa. FOOD - 4 stars...no-frills comfort food made for an army of lumberjacks AMBIANCE - 4 stars...also no-frills, no gypsy violinists here...definitely crowds up on Sundays SERVICE - 4.5 stars...she was great TOTAL - 4 stars..,if you're really hungry...and you don't have to be Samoan RELATED - Exploring the Lost Coast? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2A1YVjy ”
“ Boy has this place come along way! Now owned by Danco Construction they have a new chef and shes awesome! I'm assuming that obviously she's from the south as she put Gumbo on the special menu during lunch and to be honest I have not had it's equal in the west coast. Her biscuits and gravy same way. Perfectly fluffy and seasoned scrambled eggs and great French toast. I Came here as a kid and was amazed. Came here as an adult 8 yrs ago and was less than impressed. Came here last month and have been back twice. Huge turnaround with the new management! And I heard they are gonna be doing picnic style southern here soon... thing family style crawfish boil.. ect. Can't wait! ”
