Sam’s Chowder House
4210 North Cabrillo Highway
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
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Contact: Director of Special Events
Phone: 650/712-0245
www.samschowderhouse.com
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Why We Like This Place
Oh, Sam’s Chowder House in glorious Half Moon Bay, how do brides love thee? Let us count the ways! They love thee for your warm, welcoming atmosphere and waterfront setting; they love thee for your fresh, delicious cuisine; they love thee for your savvy, unpretentious service and versatile, oceanview event spaces. (Pssst…if you haven’t met Sam’s yet, be prepared to be swept off your feet!)
Perched on a beachside bluff, this sublime restaurant, with its Cape Cod-style façade and hearty menu that’s more surf than turf, was inspired by the traditional seafood houses of New England. Yet Sam’s also evokes a California-casual sensibility that makes even refined celebrations feel relaxed and cheerful. The interior is decked out with wood and windows that frame scenic snapshots in all directions: seabirds soaring over the blue Pacific…sailboats moored at the neighboring harbor…sweethearts strolling hand in hand along the shore. A ramble of banquet rooms and refreshing sea-scented terraces (all with windbreaks and heaters) provide an array of mix-and-match event options.
The private Harbor View Room boasts a dark hardwood floor and a fireplace, especially cozy during the cooler seasons. It opens onto its own terrace, lined with Adirondack chairs and fire pits, offering a comfortable vantage for sipping cocktails and admiring sunsets. These spaces are often used together with the Terrace Room, a clear-covered patio that retains an open-air feel. The South Beach Bar is a private, two-level patio with an informal, beach-shack vibe and built-in bar. Sporting café tables with colorful umbrellas, it’s also dog-friendly in case you want your pup for your ring bearer. Planning a large bash? Then consider buying out the entire restaurant, including the Main Dining Room with its marble-topped oyster bar and row of picture windows.
Yet another reason brides love Sam’s is for its private Beachfront Lawn, a sand-skimming meadow outfitted with umbrellas, strings of lights, and appropriate event accouterments. The staff will set up your wedding arch for picturesque “I do"s right on the beach, with the gentle whoosh of the waves enhancing the naturally romantic ambiance. Guests then dine at long tables, arranged family-style, on the lawn.
Sam’s super-scrumptious menu focuses on sustainable and locally sourced ingredients. With so many culinary temptations to choose from, we have a hot tip: Treat your guests to Sam’s famous three-course Lobster Clambake, prepared right in front of your guests. Whole Maine lobsters, clams, mussels and fresh ears of corn layered with seaweed are steamed in authentic New England-style wooden boxes, and served along with clam chowder and other tasty accompaniments. Add a raw seafood bar and margaritas to your cocktail hour, and let the flavorful aroma of the cooking feast create mouth-watering anticipation. Mmmmm…
Amazingly, all of this food and fun is value priced—there are no rental fees, just food and beverage minimums. Sam’s Director of Private Dining will help you sort it all out to match your wedding vision. By the way, wedding couples aren’t the only ones that have fallen for Sam’s. Since its opening in 2006, the award-winning restaurant has garnered an impressive string of accolades. Which just goes to prove our point that to know Sam’s is to love Sam’s, for oh so many reasons.
Capacity
Ceremony |
Reception/Special Events |
Meetings |
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Max. Seated Indoors: 60 Max. Seated Outdoors: 200 |
Max. Seated Indoors: 200 Max. Seated Outdoors: 200 Max. Standing Indoors: 200 Max. Standing Outdoors: 200 |
Max. Seated: 200 |
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CEREMONY CAPACITY: The site can accommodate 60 seated indoors and 200 seated outdoors. Indoor ceremonies are not recommended. EVENT/RECEPTION & MEETING CAPACITY: Indoors, the restaurant holds 200 seated or standing guests; outdoors, the Beachfront Lawn area holds 100 seated or 150 standing and Sam’s South Beach Bar holds 60 seated or 80 standing. |
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Fees & Deposits
An event date can be held for 4 days without a deposit. 50% of the estimated event total, a signed contract and credit card authorization are required to reserve your date. The balance is due on the day of the event. There is no room rental fee, but food and beverage minimums apply and vary depending on space rented. Lunch and dinner range $35–75/person. Tax, alcohol and a 20% service charge are additional.
Cancellation charges will be applied if notice is given 30 days or less before the confirmed event date.
Availability
Year-round daily, 11am–10pm, except major holidays.
CateringProvidedAlcoholProvidedLocation UsesCeremoniesWedding Receptions Special Events, Parties Business Functions/Meetings Rehearsal Dinners Services/AmenitiesCatering: provided |
Amplified MusicIndoorsOutdoors Wheelchair AccessWheelchair AccessibleSite ViewsCoastlineOcean/Bay Panoramic Venue TypeBanquet Hall/Events FacilityRestaurant Waterfront/Beach Location RestrictionsAlcohol: provided, full bar, no BYO |
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