Our Story
Originally built in 1930, Sam's Log Cabin has long been a center for gathering in the East Bay. The cabin itself was a mail order pre-fab building, purchased from the historic Sears Roebuck Catalog: the little white log cabin restaurant you could order right out of the catalog. It began as a roadhouse stop on the Lincoln Highway, the first transcontinental road from coast to coast, and it's been a community fixture ever since.
The cabin has been a restaurant since 1930 and has served all kinds of food over the years. It's been a burger joint, several different breakfast spots and even a Chinese restaurant. We strive to carry on that spirit with a passion for bringing people together and celebrating food, friends and the life we all share.
How Sam's Got Its Name
Sam's Log Cabin opened in 1997. The owner at the time, Scott, named it after his son, Sam. When we took over in the late summer of 2010, we kept the name. Sam was a little kid when the restaurant opened, and he was just back from college when we arrived. He worked with us for a while, we became good friends, and he recently held his wedding reception here at the cabin.
Our Food
When we took over, Sam's already had some real gems, like a treasured family scone recipe. Much of the menu's structure is still close to the original. What we changed was the quality. We brought in much higher quality ingredients, and we switched to Acme Organic for our toast and sandwich breads. We also added signature dishes of our own, like our pan-fried lake trout and eggs and our pork braised collard greens.
We work with some of the highest quality purveyors in the Bay Area, who focus on local California produce. They tell us what's best in season, and our specials are built around it. We make our own mayo, ranch, thousand island and salad dressings, and we use lemons from the Meyer lemon tree in our garden as much as we can.
We use only biodegradable materials for packaging and prioritize compost and recycling services as much as possible.
Our Team
Sam's Log Cabin is owned by Mike Daillak and Rhasaan Fernandez, who took over the cabin in 2010.
Many of our team have been with us for a long time. Rogelio and Philimon have been in our kitchen for about 14 years. Rogelio runs the kitchen, and Philimon makes a lot of our soups. Manuela has been on our line for about six years. Out front, Adriana and Maria have both been with us for more than a decade.
“A historic building with some employees working there for over a decade, showing that it is not just a great place to eat but also a great place to work.”
Simon J., Yelp
“A short time later, Mike shows up again with our son's hot chocolate. We love Sam's.”
Jake F., Yelp
In the Press
“Everything on the menu here is delicious, seasoned and prepared with love; the vibe is unassuming but cool enough to attract a broad range of people; and the log cabin setting can't be beat.”
East Bay Express, Best of the East Bay
Recent Awards
- Best of Albany: Best Breakfast/Brunch, 2025 and 2026
- Best of Albany: Best Dog-Friendly Restaurant honoree, 2026
- Best of El Cerrito: Best Breakfast/Brunch, 2025 and 2026
- East Bay Express, Best of the East Bay: Best Breakfast, 2023, 2025 and 2026
- East Bay Express, Best of the East Bay: Best Brunch, 2026
