The Hometown Restaurant In Northern California That Will Take You Back In Time

The only still operating cookhouse in North America is located right here in Northern California. The Samoa Cookhouse, near Eureka, is a historic relic leftover from the days of logging the state's North Coast. Family style breakfasts, lunches and dinners are still served here like they were when the building began feeding hungry lumberjacks in 1890.

The building looks much the same as it did almost 130 years ago.

Located just north of Eureka, the historic lumber town of Samoa had 258 people living there at the time of the 2010 census.

You can pull up a chair and share a meal family-style with all who come to dine on the comfort food that was once served to the loggers.

Breakfast includes eggs, french toast, pancakes, sausages, biscuits & gravy, hash browns, coffee and orange juice. Lunch and dinner include an entrée, soup, salad, bread, vegetable, potato, coffee, tea and dessert.

Don't be shy!

Folks gather from all sorts of backgrounds at the same table here, but you can bet that in a place like the Samoa Cookhouse, you are bound to see some friendly faces.

There's also a museum located onsite.

The Historic Logging Museum and gift shop are chock full of relics and photographs from the old logging and Cookhouse days.

The most quintessential logging item from the days of yore is a chainsaw, of course!

People were logging in this area until 1980, so there are quite a few photos and items that have made their way into the museum over the years.

Stepping into the cookhouse and the museum is like opening a window into another time.

At one point in time, there were dozens of cookhouses just like this one in Humboldt County. Every major logging operation had one.

Old photos adorn the walls and proof of the building's age is in the pipes.

Manners usually were an afterthought here at the cookhouse. Everyone dove in and ate until they were full.

The Samoa Cookhouse is a popular tourist destination compared to the rest of this sleepy peninsula.

It's located on the Northern end of Humboldt Bay about a mile and a half north of Eureka. It's a great stop if you are exploring the coast.

While the food was once only served to employees of the nearby mill, the public has enjoyed the food here since the 1960s.

Lumberjacks who ate here typically worked six days a week, 12 hours a day. Think of the appetite they must have worked up! Today the cookhouse can serve up to Samoa Cookhouse can serve up to 15,000 people in a single day.

You can also rent out the cookhouse for private events.

Visitors and locals alike love having a bite to eat here, although it can be quite busy on popular occasions like Mother's Day.

Whether you visit because you are a history buff or you're just hungry, the Samoa Cookhouse is sure to delight you.

Take a look around the place with this interesting video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEcmN7-dEws

To find the cookhouse, take the Samoa Bridge (Hwy. 255) from Eureka, turn left at the end of the bridge on Samoa Road and look for signs. If you have questions, call. (707) 442-1659. The hours are 7am-9pm Monday- Saturday and 7am-8pm on Sundays. Learn more at samoacookhouse.net.