Sambo's Restaurant

[Juliet Shohreh]

During the 1970s, my grandfather (my mother's stepfather) had a Sambo's Dollar Bill which he saved for many years until he lost it (for me). I used to buy things with those Sambo's Dollar Bills. I bought a stuff tiger and a kite. That is all I remember! I remember one room with colored striped wallpaper too. I remember the bar and the lights above the bar which told the story of Sambo and the tiger. I think how the tiger chased Sambo around the tree and that how they made butter or is it tiger butter. I loved going to Sambo's with my grandparents (on my mother's side) especially with my grandfather (my mother's stepfather), because we used to go together alone to Sambo's Restaurant.

[NenaE]

There was one by Hobby Airport, on Broadway Blvd.., after Bellfort.

Edited August 11, 2012 by NenaE

[Juliet Shohreh]

Thank you Nena E.! Maybe that is the one that I went with my family (especially my mother's mother and my mother's stepfather)! I just remember there was a room with stripped colored wallpaper (the main color was a light blue). But there was a lot of rooms beside the main dinning room. I believe both of my aunts (my mother's youngest sisters) worked there as waitresses (I mean Sambo's Restaurant). My mother has 1 brother and 3 sisters. 1 sister who is older than my mother and the brother is 3rd. to the oldest. My mother is the second to the oldest! I wondering if anyone remember me as a child going to Sambo's Restaurant with my family? I was born on June 13, 1972 and I was born and raised in Houston Texas. Not too many people are like me, I mean not too many of us are still around that was born and raised in Houston Texas. I do not live in Gulfgate/Hobby Area anymore, I live in the Downtown Houston Area now. I live with my father. The house that I grew up in is now torn down. My grandparents adopted me when I was a little girl, but they raised me from pretty much day one. I now reconnected with my biological father in 2010. Both of my grandparents has now passed away. My grandfather died on Friday October 02, 2009 and my grandmother died on November 15, 2011 (I am not sure if that is right date). I like the Downtown Area alright, but lately I have missed the Gulfgate/Hobby Area. I would love to chat more about Sambo's Restaurant with anyone who would like to chat about Sambo's Restaurant.

[billyf]

There used to be one at the corner of W Gulf Bank Rd and the North Freeway by the house I grew up in. The building became Yummy Chow Chinese restaurant after it closed in the early 80s and then it became Moments Cabaret in the early 90s. It may have been something else before it became a Chinese restaurant, but I don't remember. We ate at both places quite a bit and I visited the cabaret a few times when I became of age.

My dad still has a few wooden coins from Sambo's with his coin collection. I was really young when we went to Sambo's so I don't remember much about it.

There was a lot of controversy in the late 70s and early 80s with the name and the racial association. They tried to change the name to The Jolly Tiger and No Place Like Sam's, but in 1982 they closed their stores. Several of the stores became Denny's and Season's Friendly Eating. Sambo was an Indian boy and not black and the theme was based on a old book. I think the whole controversy was stupid.

Edited August 21, 2012 by billyf

[Juliet Shohreh]

I agree it was a stupid controversy.

[msteele6]

I believe that there was also a Sambo's at the intersection of 610 and Wayside. Near where the later Auchans was located, and on the same corner, that would be only a few blocks from Gulfgate.

Edited August 31, 2012 by msteele6

[scrubba]

I used to walk up to the one up on the North Freeway feeder road , uh North of Little York road . That was in 1977........ Hey, still have a wooden Nickel from a Sambo's I got in a San Louis Obisbo California resturant when I still driving professionally too. I sure do miss the place . I would also visit a location that was in Arlington on West Division too.......... scrubba

[billyf]

I used to walk up to the one up on the North Freeway feeder road , uh North of Little York road . That was in 1977........ Hey, still have a wooden Nickel from a Sambo's I got in a San Louis Obisbo California resturant when I still driving professionally too. I sure do miss the place . I would also visit a location that was in Arlington on West Division too.......... scrubba

I asked my parents about the Sambo's on the North Freeway and Gulf Bank and they didn't even remember us going there at first. I did some research on that location. That Sambo's opened in 1977 and closed in 1981. Some place called Barry's opened there in 1983, but it didn't last long. The Chinese restaurant opened in 1985.

My parents claim there was a Sambo's on Mangum Rd neat US 290 they used to go to in the 1970s. I found a couple of buildings that could have defiantly been one.

Edited September 24, 2012 by billyf

[fry77011]

Sambos was my favorite restaurant to eat at when I was a kid.  We used to go to the one that was on the intersection of 610 and Wayside.  We would eat there then go to the toy store across the freeway.  Do you remember the name of that toy store? I keep thinking it was called Lion’s World or Lionel toy store?

 

I believe that there was also a Sambo's at the intersection of 610 and Wayside. Near where the later Auchans was located, and on the same corner, that would be only a few blocks from Gulfgate.

 

 

[IronTiger]

They tore down a restaurant in College Station, that many years ago was a Sambo's.

[headrush77]

The Sambo’s on Broadway St. about one mile and a half north of Hobby Airport was opened in June, 1975. I worked seven months there to January, 1976.

Edited January 2, 2020 by headrush77

[Mr.rpm]

There was a Sambos on Gessner near Hammerly across from Spring Woods HS

[plumber2]

Kelly's in LaMarque on the Gulf Freeway was originally a Sambo's