Sam Diego's Mexican Cookery & Bar

Food was really good. We had the Dos Burros, Chimichanga and Quesadilla. Fun and lively atmosphere on a Saturday night. Staff were all friendly.

The food is solid. I'm a Plymouth native who lived in Texas for ten years, so it's not the best Tex-mex in the world but it's good compared to what's around here. The atmosphere inside is always fun, relaxing and spread out. Lots of different areas to sit. My family goes here often, especially during the summer.

Hear me out. Before you assume I have no taste in restaurants or something like that you need to read this review. After a certain night of bar-hopping, sampling many cocktails and craft beers the eclectic neighborhood has to offer, me and my party needed a place to soak up our varied libations to make the stumble walk back to the hotel a bit more stable. Enter Sam Diego's. The restaurant is a nostalgic, kitschy wonderland with knicknacks on the wall and littered in neon signage. The kind of place you might have come across as a child on a road trip as a child in the nineties. After pouring over the menu, I stumble across The Chili con Queso Enchilada plate, and proceed to order with low expectations. Then the plate arrives, steaming hot. Hot seasoned beef and melted cheese are covered in a bland, sort of red sauce and more steaming hot melted cheese. Not authentic by any means, more like a taco lasagna. I take one bite. Absolutely divine. Sam Diego's doesn't pretend to be anything it isn't. It isn't an authentic Mexican experience. It is something a white grandmother might bring to a church potluck and call "Mexican", and sometimes, for what it is, that's okay. It was gooey and cheesy, the beans and rice soaked up all the cheesy goodness and for what it was, it was delicious. Something akin to a meal you might concoct after scavenging your freezer for microwave burritos in a drunken stupor and concocting a smorgasbord of meat and cheese. A love letter to the nostalgia and tacky neon texmex institutions of the 90's. This place is a Plymouth staple. Long may it reign because it might not be authentic, but it is there for us when we need it.

We came here for a quick drink around 5pm on a Saturday. There were a good number of people, but it wasn't packed. We sat at the bar. They have an extensive cocktail menu with margaritas and tropical-inspired drinks. I had the Tantalizing Teaser cocktail. It tasted like a beach vacation in a glass. Very fruity with lots of coconut flavor. It was quite large and served in a tall glass. I enjoyed it. The servers were friendly. The food looked good so I will have to come back to give it a try.

We were early by about 20 minutes on a Sunday in late October. We figured we'd wait in a sunny spot in their lovely outdoor patio. At one point a server came out to set things up and saw us. She brought us chips and salsa for our wait! (Thanks, Stephanie!) When they opened she brought us inside. The inside was amazing! It's a large place but designed to be cozy, with wood paneling throughout, a long wooden bar, a beautiful carved staircase to an upper level. I ordered a beef and bean burrito. It was nicely spicy snd delicious. It was all bean and beef, no rice filler as is sometimes the deal and it was covered in cheese. Don ordered the beef enchiladas which he said were the best he's ever had! With the attentiveness showered on us by all the staff and the delicious food, we'll look forward to returning next time we're in the area!