Sammy's was part of a small chain of restaurants in Dallas. Two brothers, Bennie and Carlo Messina, bought the original Sammy's on Greenville Avenue from its founder, Sam Lobello, in 1932. By 1945 there were two more restaurants - Sammy's Highland Park, and Sammy's Drive-In. Bennie, Carlo, and another brother, Victor, would eventually increase their holdings to five restaurants.
This Sammy's, as the name implies, was situated at Westcliff Mall, which was the "only air-conditioned mall in Oak Cliff" when it was built in 1963-64. (Big Town was still the biggest air conditioned mall in North Texas.) It opened in 1965 with a dining room serving steaks and Italian food, a coffee shop and a private club. I heard someone recall they particularly enjoyed lemon sherbet for dessert there. The restaurant's prime time of operation was probably about 1965-1970.
The information above is actually incorrect, and I'd like to remedy that. The Sammy's chain was actually owned by the Messina Family, not the Lobello Family. Sammy Lobello owned one restaurant named Sammy's, on Greenville. In 1932, Carlo and Bennie Messina bought Sammy's on Greenville from Sammy Lobello. They eventually, with their brother, Victor (my Grandfather), built it up to a small chain of 5 locations.
ReplyDeleteIn 1965, my Grandfather, Victor Messina, opened Sammy's Westcliff. It had a dining room serving steaks and Italian food, a coffee shop and a private club.
Marlo Messina Rees
Thank you, Margo. I've updated the post to reflect your information, and my apologies for not getting right the first time.
DeleteMy family loved to go out to dinner at Sammy's, I would always order the Catfish. They were really friendly people and the food, decor and service were all top notch. Would love to go back.
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