Sammy's Roumanian Steakhouse

This steakhouse truly didn't disappoint. It's got quite a reputation, so we had pretty high expectations going in. Girlfriend got the Single Romanian Tenderloin, and went with the Rib Steak. Such delicious cuts of meat. Absolutely unreal. There Stuffed Cabbage was also incredible. This is definitely one our favorite steakhouses in NYC.

Photo was taken 1/2/21. RIP Sammy's. At least you could've left us a note. So many customers now arguing that you couldn't be closed. We feel like we've been left at the alter!

I'm happy I went when I did. RIP Sammy's. You will be missed. There will never be another like you.

This place is something else. Coming from the PNW where were known for our polite friendliness, I'd never find a place like this back at home. The staff have the stereotypical New Yorker hospitality, a little gruff, not afraid to poke fun at you but all in a nice way (I think). The night we went they had live music. A older man who played the piano and sung. Somehow he got everyone in the restaurant on their feet and dancing around for at least one of the songs. He also acted as our stand up comedian for the night.
The food was excellent. Nothing special was done with the lamb chops - in terms of presentation or fancy sauces - because nothing was needed. It was perfectly seasoned and delicious.

Visited 01/25/2020
If you are looking for a loud, crazy place to party, this is it, but it's going to cost you, a lot. We came here for my brother in law's birthday party with 3 other couples and we all had a great time. Dani Luv leads the crowd with loud music and schmaltzy humor and comments and does a great job of it along with his music choices.
They start you off with a bowl of half sours pickles (I would have preferred kosher dills) some Jewish rye and schmaltz (chicken fat). Love the rye bread, schmaltz... not so much.
Between the eight of us, we had only 2 different entrees. 4 of us had veal chops ($42.00 with no sides), while 2 couples shared the mixed grill for 2 ($87.00 with no sides). We also had latkes and applesauce ($12.00 I think) for the table as well as their chicken liver with onions ($13.95). I have to say, the food was good, if overpriced.  Maybe it's the NYC overhead, I don't know. What I do know is that I couldn't stop eating the chicken liver/onions with the rye bread. That could have been my meal. As for my veal chop... after seeing massive steaks/chops flying around to other tables, the chops my wife and I were served seemed a bit meager , but they were served medium rare (as ordered) and were nice and tender. But I was kinda hoping to bring much of it home in a doggie bag to have with a couple of eggs in the morning. Sadly we went home 'empty'. lol.
I took off one star because of the price of their frozen vodka. The cheapest bottle is $125, (750mL Titos) which to me is ridiculously overpriced. A 20-25 $$ bottle of booze for $125 is crazy, yet they were everywhere you looked around the place and Sammy's was packed, upstairs and down. You can get different (better??) vodkas and I saw some bottles of frozen Patron tequila coming out too at $150 a pop! Just stupid prices in my book.
So if you have a couple of extra bucks burning a hole in your pocket and you want to spend it on a good time, this could be the place. But make reservations, then bring your friends, or find some new ones here.

Went with a big group, there were 8 of us.  Went primarily because a couple from out of town had Sammy's on their bucket list and we were all anxious to get together.  There's a family style at $60 a person which gave us much portions of pretty much everything on the menu.  Most everything, chopped liver, stuffed cabbage, kreplach, and more appetizers plus steak, chicken, salmon, veal cutlet - I'm not sure I'm listing everything.  Most were pretty good, some meh.  The rugelach at the end (dessert) was meh. I think this deal$60 a person, was better than ordering ala carte because you got to try lots of dishes and most were good. If you just drink beer or wine or don't drink alcohol, it's pricey but not outrageous- it is Manhattan.  If you want the total experience, a bottle of frozen vodka, it becomes over the top pricey in my opinion.

There's a show with a singer who tells jokes.  He had a good voice and was quick with the humor but it seemed too loud for the smallish room.  The service was very good, very friendly.  They pack you in and the chairs are not too comfortable but it is a fun night with the right people

The owner has announced that he intends to reopen, post pandemic. But will not be reopening at the same location.

Sammy's Roumanian feels like you're going to a Bar Mitzvah. You walk into a cramped basement, and a crude yet entertaining man named Dani Luv engages the restaurant's patrons throughout the night. Fire code be damned! I imagine only thirty or so people are allowed here by law, but the place easily had over triple that.

Your choices for food include stuffed cabbage, chopped liver, potato latkes, and more. Don't forget to ask for schmaltz! We Jews like our food, and portions here are pretty big, depending on the dish. This is definitely a helluva unique experience that you will only find in a place like New York.

Last of the Jewish Romanian Steakhouses.  I ate my first Karnatzala,  a garlic beef sausage. I don't recommend it. Tasted more like a garlic meatloaf than a sausage. The Romanian tenderloin and onions on the other hand were delicious.  Danny Luv is hysterical.  Get the Romanian tenderloin and fried onions and skip the karnatzala which based on the photos I've seen isn't authentic. Did not look like a sausage one bit.

Can't believe I hadn't been here before!!!
While passing this place once with a couple friends, one of them casually mentioned it and explained the food and atmosphere.  She had us with "old school Jewish food" and "schmaltz".
(This place is not Kosher, and there were both Jewish and non-Jewish and mixed groups of people having dinner there that Tuesday night, and every table was full when we left.)

I mentioned the place to my Eastern European Jewish father and it turns out he had been here a LONG time ago, he thinks he was just a kid back when he went.

5 of us went for dinner - all 5 either Jewish or part-Jewish, and therefore all appreciated the singer's Jewish-ish jokes, the pickles brought to the table, and the giant portion of chopped liver "Sammy's Style" that was fully loaded and mixed at the table.

We REALLY wanted to try the stuffed cabbage, but with the pickles, chopped liver, latkes, kreplach, and our entree, we knew we wouldn't have room.  

We each ordered the Romanian Tenderloin (skirt steak) - 2 of us ordered medium size and the rest ordered a small.  Either way it's a huge portion, we all had leftovers, but only a $2 difference in price between small and medium... so for $2 you can have even more leftovers LOL.

Everything was delicious.  Would've loved to try more from the menu.  
The large party at the table next to us ordered the chilled vodka bottle and I was kinda jealous.  
The atmosphere is casual - it's an old style with old furniture and the walls are covered with pictures.  But this was part of its charm.  It was like being in a family event in the party room of a Jewish temple in the early 80's.  
By the time we left, every table was full and most people we saw had the Romanian Tenderloin steak as an entree.  
For example, there was a table of about 6, non-Jewish 20-something aged men (I know non-Jewish because the singer asked everyone who was Jewish in order to know the audience/victims for his jokes), and each of them had the Romanian Tenderloin.  So Jewish and non-Jewish alike seem to really enjoy this place!