Lifestyle
Updated 2026-08-02 5 min
In short
- ●Sambo pairs Khmer and Thai cooking in Wat Damnak, with more than 2,500 Google reviews at 4.8/5.
- ●Strengths: fresh seafood, traditional curries, low prices, and a kitchen that also runs cooking classes.
- ●Good to know: it sits behind the Art Centre Night Market, quieter than Pub Street but still central.
- ●Verdict: the best value-for-quality ratio among the city's high-volume tables.
4.8/5
Google rating
2,500+
Google reviews
$
Price range
12 PM – 11 PM, daily
Open
At a Glance
- Type: Khmer and Thai restaurant, lunch and dinner.
- Location: Wat Damnak, behind the Art Centre Night Market.
- Kitchen: Fish amok, pad thai, red curry with seafood, fried local fish with a sweet-sour-spicy sauce.
- Google rating: 4.8/5 across more than 2,500 reviews.
- Extras: Cooking classes are now offered alongside the restaurant.
Strengths
- Two kitchens, one bill. Khmer and Thai cooking side by side lets a table order amok and pad thai together — rarer than it sounds, and useful with mixed groups.
- Seafood is the standout. Red curry with seafood and whole fried local fish are the dishes reviewers name most, served with the sweet, sour and spicy sauce that defines Khmer fish cookery.
- Prices stay low. The $ range holds even as the review count climbs, which is the clearest sign an address serves residents and not just passing tourists.
- Service is the other half of the score. Friendliness and attentiveness come up as often as the food in reviews.
- Vegetarians are covered. The kitchen caters across the range rather than offering a single meat-free plate.
Good to Know Before You Go
- Last orders at 10:40 PM. The kitchen closes before the Pub Street crowd starts looking for a late dinner.
- Simple room, serious plates. Come for the cooking rather than the setting — this is a neighbourhood restaurant, not a designed space.
- Behind the night market. Quieter than the Pub Street strip, which most diners count as a plus.
Who It's For
Sambo suits anyone who wants volume, freshness and a small bill rather than a designed dining room.
- Budget-conscious travellers: full Khmer and Thai meals at $ prices.
- Seafood eaters: the curries and whole fish are what the kitchen is known for.
- Mixed groups: two cuisines settle most arguments.
- Anyone wanting to learn: the cooking classes take the meal one step further.
Practical Info
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Address | Wat Damnak, behind the Art Centre Night Market, Krong Siem Reap |
| Phone | +855 97 638 0587 |
| Website | sambosiemreap.com |
| Hours | 12 PM – 11 PM daily, last orders 10:40 PM |
| Google rating | 4.8/5 — 2,500+ reviews |
| Price range | $ |
Verdict
Sambo is the address to send someone who asks where the food is good and cheap. Two cuisines, fresh seafood, low prices and a 4.8/5 average over thousands of reviews — the arithmetic is hard to argue with.
It will not impress anyone with its decor. That is rather the point.
Frequently asked questions
What should I order at Sambo?
Fish amok, red curry with seafood and the whole fried local fish are the three dishes reviewers name most often.
What time does Sambo close?
The restaurant serves from 12 PM to 11 PM every day, with last orders at 10:40 PM.
Does Sambo run cooking classes?
Yes, the restaurant now offers cooking classes alongside the regular service.
Is Sambo suitable for vegetarians?
Yes — the kitchen caters from meat eaters to vegetarians rather than offering a single token dish.
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Published by
Siem Reap Hub
The community guide for expats and travelers in Siem Reap, Cambodia