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    Amba

    4.4 (278 reviews)
    PriceyIndian
    Closed Closed
    Updated a few days ago

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    AMBA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Trendy
    Intimate
    Romantic

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    Recommended Reviews - Amba

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    Outside Amba restaurant -- on Saturday, 14 March 2026
    Agnes I.

    INDIAN FUSHION!! I finally visited Amba for an early dinner on Saturday, 14 March 2026. My friends (Christina and Katie) and I walked in and placed our name on the reservation list. We had to wait 30 mins for a table so we went next door to a bookstore to browse books before our reservation was ready. We didn't mind waiting for a table at all. FOOD (Shareable Plates) -- the dishes are small like tapas, some of the prices are high for such a small quantity of food, and the food is a fushion of American and Indian. The food is not supposed to be 100% Indian food so the Yelp reviews that are angry about the food not tasting like authentic Indian food must have failed to realize that this restaurant isn't labeled as an Indian restaurant because it's a fushion. It's Indian fushion so it is a mix between Indian and American food. My 2 friends and I ordered the following from the shareable plates menu: GLUTEN FREE FLATBREAD ($7) - 3/5 rating. This was good but I have had better flat breads from restaurants that are made in-house from scratch. This flatbread tasted more store bought. LENTIL DONUTS ($13) - 4/5 rating. For 4 pieces, these savoury donuts are good and unique. The flavour is hard to describe and it didn't taste that delicious when I first bit into it. The chili jam that I dipped it into made it taste better. They are very rich and thick in texture. They are most likely made from lentil beans as the name suggests. Also, they come with a side of spicy serrano chili jam and coconut chutney. Great option for vegans and vegetarians. BEET ROOT RAITA ($11) - 3/5 - This is fine and it is also sweet. It is a yogurt dish made from beets that can be eat with bread. I dipped some of the flatbread into it. POPCORN CHICKEN ($17) - 4/5 rating. A good protein option. It could use more flavour but it was crunchy. As an individual item, $17 is expensive so I recommend sharing with friends. LAMB KOFTA ($19) - 5/5 rating. The lamb was my favourite protein dish. It had lots of flavour and it was cooked well. WOK FIRED STRING BEANS ($14) - 5/5 rating. This was another favourite dish of mine. The string beans were well seasoned and a perfect, healthy option. KULFI ($9) -- 5/5 rating. This 2-piece vanilla based ice-cream on a stick was absolutely delicious. It is super creamy and not overly sweet. The flavour is great. The menu lists saffron and mango as ingredients and it is topped with pistachio nuts and candied turmeric. LIGHT INSIDE -- To the restaurant, please provide better light on the tables because it's hard to read the menu and see the food on the plates. Only the center, bigger tables, have better lights. TIP (limited reservations)-- WALK-IN restaurant only so you cannot make a reservation. Plan to wait for a table as they always seem busy. If you are coming with a party of 8 or more, then you can call to make a reservation; but otherwise, they don't accept reservations. PRICE -- My 2 friends and I split the bill and we each ended up paying around $34, per person. Overall, I liked my experience at Amba and I'll probably come back. **** GOAL of 250 reviews in 2026 - 18/250 total reviews in 2026 - 859 total Yelp reviews - Reviewed on 13 April 2026

    Michelle C.

    The best part of traveling for work is finding great food! This place is at top of my list of must try's. Indian cuisine is my favorite and add in a modern take...yes please! As soon as you as walk in you are welcomed by a dark modern ambiance, which got me even more excited for finding this spot. There were 2 of us and we knew we ordered too much food but didn't care, we wanted to try as much as possible. We ordered the crispy puris, spicy cauliflower, lentil donuts, spinach dip, and paneer (best paneer I've ever had, it just melts in your mouth). Each bite excited us for the next. We knew we'd come back the following week...and we did, but this time with more people! More people = more food for the table!

    Beet raita topped with pistachios and pomegranate seeds, clay bread and smashed pea samosas.
    Laurie W.

    From the outside you would not assume you were going to have some of the best fusion Indian food in Cleveland. The quality and portions were excellent. The shareable truly are enough for 4 people to enjoy. The servers were there when you needed something right away. We ordered appetizers at the bar and there was no problem having them sent to our table as it was ready. Loved not having to cash out at the bar first. Definitely looking forward to going back again!

    Debra V.

    A foodie recommended. Delicious Indian food. Cat was our waitress. She was knowledgeable of the dishes. She recommended nine tapas style dishes for five people, plus Nan. We all agreed that we really liked the lamb sloppy joes. We had the advantage of having an Indian gentleman with us who explained the dishes and ordered for us. Tikki masala was not on the menu. This is the real deal, according to our friend. The room has black walls, and is very dark so use your flash light. Noisy, too, when we sat down at 7:30 p.m. The noise level got better as people were leaving. We would have liked more light to see our food. In Ohio City. Small sign. Big place. Go early or late. No reservations. On weekends we heard the wait is out the door. On street parking. Handicapped accessible.

    Lisa N.

    Amazing food. So flavorful. Ambiance was beautiful. We got several small bites and loved everything. The cocktails were very good and service was amazing.

    Chickpea fritters Lentil donuts Roasted Eggplant
    Jillian S.

    Amba is a fancy Indian-inspired cuisine establishment with rather fancy vibes. Felt a tad underdressed, but it didn't matter--cause this place is very dark. Our waitress was attentive and double-checked if we had any allergies to avoid any cross-contamination. The food was delicious - I especially liked the chickpea fitters and warm cashews. Will pin this place in my mind for future "date nights" or "special occasions." Whether you are just visiting or a Cleveland-er-- this place is definitely one to check out!

    Samosas
    Tejaswini L.

    Amazing experience! Think high-end Indian Tapas with a fine dine-ish atmosphere. What an incredible find in Cleveland! Our hosts raved about this spot, and while we were initially apprehensive, the beautiful (yes really dark) ambiance immediately put us at ease. It's essentially an Indian shareable small plates place which perfect for groups. We were a party of 5, which allowed us to sample a wide variety of the menu. By the way, don't let the crowd fool you... the food is a total flavor bomb. I expected the heat to be toned down, but the spice levels were authentic and impressive! The Chili Oil ( I ate with flatbread) and roasted Cashews, Smashed Samosaa are must-tries. Their gluten-free flatbreads are excellent too. Very creative fusion cocktail menu. Made us very happy! Special shoutout to Wally, who was incredibly helpful with allergy information and gave us spot-on recommendations. We'll definitely be back next time we're in town

    lamb kofta kohlrabi, pickled shallot, quinoa-carrot pilau, parsley (GF)
    Eugene T.

    Our daughter has been raving about this restaurant for a long time and we finally were able to make it. On a Saturday night, we had to wait about an hour for a table of 4, which is typical for Doug Kats's restaurants. The restaurant itself is Indian-American fusion. Room is dark and a bit loud. We had to wait a long time for our food but the server had apologized because there was some kind of mix up in the kitchen. We tried 6 shareable plates and all 3 desserts - everything we tried was excellent. This is considered one of the top Cleveland restaurants and one of Doug Kats's flagship location and you can see why. Excellent exoerience

    The amba
    Aria J.

    9.999999/10 This is my favorite spot in Cleveland. It's always on my list of recommendations. The vibe is sleek and sexy. It feels like you're in NYC not cleveland. The wait is going to be long if you go on the weekend, but I promise it's worth it. Drinks are delicious and strong. The food is Indian inspired tapas. Meaning it's meant to be shared and adored. My recommendation, start with the clay bread and spinach dip. If you don't, did you really go?

    Jacqueline T.

    We came here with my family for my dad's retirement dinner. It was great to come with a group because we got to try a lot of the menu. We all shared: - Crispy Puris - Spicy Cauliflower - Paneer - Pilau - Turkish Fried Eggs - Chickpea Fritters - Beet Root Raita - Popcorn Chicken - Spicy Sloppy Joe Keema - Clay Bread - Ghee Basted Shrimps - Lentil Donuts Every single dish was fantastic. My favorite was the Beet Root Raita, but you really can't go wrong with anything you get. The flavors are fantastic and they're putting a great spin on traditional Indian flavors. If you're used to Indian dishes, the menu is a little different to navigate because they try to Americanize some of the names. Our service was great. This is one of my favorite restaurants in the Cleveland area.

    Christina P.

    There's a reason this place is popular. I finally stopped by with a friend midweek for dinner and thankfully there was no waiting. If you come on a weekend or during peak dinner you may have to wait. The ambiance is legit. I will say it's quite dark and sound does carry but I'd say thats part of the experience. Their menu does change but when we were their we ordered their amba pickles (very tarte and tangy which paired well with our other dishes as it cut through them), fritters, ghee based shrimp and a mango ice cream dessert. The food is curated, the tastes are interesting and the atmosphere is different for Cleveland. But don't let me inspire you to come here, you just have to give a skim of the reviews and see that they're saying the same thing.

    Inside
    Nirmal R.

    Gotta love a gem you find last minute right before closing! (Some pictures are missing as we had to get it to go as it was closing time) The place is the definition of don't judge a book by its cover! The inside is so cozy and a vibe for sure! Nothing like the outside ! They were kind enough to let us dine in last minute right before closing and we felt bad that they would have to wait till we were done and our waitress assured us that it's not a problem but we didn't want to be those ppl so we had our appetizers and took the rest to go. The food was delicious! (Being Indian the menu was kind of funny to me cause they had each ingredient at a high level spelled out which is kinda cool tbh) Their modern twist to Indian dishes was definitely rad! I wanted to try every dish on the menu cause !!! My wife wasn't too excited about my over excitement lol. But the food was amazing and each dish has its own vibe! We will definitely be back here for sure! If you like Indian food you HAVE to try this place and it's not spicy so don't worry about it and even if you don't know any of the dishes it's fine as long as you are fine with the ingredients on the menu go for it ! It will not disappoint!

    Cocktails delight
    Jacqueline P.

    Where do people go who go everywhere? AMBA I mean...it's cool Hingetown in Ohio City. They take No reservations, have no Happy Hour or parking. You will be okay. It's the dimmest lit place in Cleveland... Definitely not for the visually impared or unsteady on you feet...but you will survive on the quaint outside, side patio. Wally is a sweet server who gives great recommendations! Service was personable, friendly and sincere. I would happily sit with him again! The food was bursting with fresh and layered flavors. The lil puris balls are handheld with a crispy 1st bite and then a creamy cool potato filling. Pair them with the house chutney and spicy chili paste! The string beans are a bit salty for my taste but tender, not soft with a few black beans and chopped choy braised and tossed in for textures. Lastly, the chicken tikka was tender and moist with lovely crispy ends. The marsala sauce was perfect with a cool yogurt and chive topping. They tell you to order 2 or 3 plates to share... not even necessary. The 3 of us shared these 3 and were very satisfied.

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    There is nothing Indian about this place the food was bland and un edible such a waste of money and time

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    4 months ago

    This is the most unsuspecting place from the outside but hipster ambiance inside. Amazing Indian food. Can't wait to go back.

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    Amba Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Amba

    Hi, I have a nut allergy I know there are a decent amount of dishes containing nuts. Do you hold…

    We are trained by the Allison Rose foundation, an allergen related nonprofit that gives us intense training on all allergens. We are very careful with cross-contamination and can definitely offer suggestions. Please email… Read more

    Hello, I'm allergic to MSG(monosodium glutamate) a preservative usually found in prepackaged seasonings. Do you use that in your food?

    We don’t add MSG to our cooking. That said, glutamates occur naturally in many foods like tomatoes, mushrooms, aged cheeses, and fermented ingredients, which naturally create the savory umami flavors in our dishes. We do use some of these… Read more

    Traveling for work- is this a good place to go by yourself?

    Yes!

    Is there parking nearby?

    Yes! mostly street taking, but there is a garage on church (between 28th and 29th) and a parking lot at the Transformer Station.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Dar Alyemen Restaurant

    Dar Alyemen Restaurant

    4.9
    (20 reviews)
    4.2 mi

    I dined in with a college friend during a weeknight in early May 2026. It was an impromptu dinner…read morebut I'm glad that I was able to finally visit this Yemen-based restaurant. My friend and I were the only ones in the big restaurant upon arrival. I noticed about 2 different people during the night come in to pick up their to-go order. AMBIANCE -- Cultural music plays in the background. I love all the colourful photos on the wall and the unique light fixtures. FOOD -- I ordered the Mixed Grill ($24.99) - 1 Kafta (beef), 1 Tawook (chicken), and 1 Kabob (lamb) which was served over white rice with 1 tomato, 1 green pepper, and 1 big onion. I don't like onions so I set that aside. The Mixed Grill was a good meal for dinner. It comes in a large plate so it definitely was too much food for me. I gladly took a to-go box home with my leftovers. All the meats were cooked well and tasted good. The lamb was my favourite. The rice served appeared to be a rice pilaf. The complimentary lamb soup was served lukewarm (almost cold) and I didn't like the taste. It's an acquired taste for sure. My friend and I commented that maybe if the lamb soup was warmer that it would have tasted better. I also ordered the Maloog bread as a side dish which is similar to Indian naan bread. The Maloog bread would have tasted better with some butter on it. I asked for butter but the server said she didn't have any. SERVICE -- Complimentary lamb soup was offered and complimentary tea is provided which is nice. The tea is up at the front counter so you serve yourself the tea. The service was good but could be better. The young woman from Afghanistan greeted us at the table with a toothpick in her mouth which was kind of funny but still slightly unprofessional. She laughed and apologized but I said it was fine. I asked for a glass or cup of water and they don't offer that service which was odd. I had to buy a bottled water for $1. Buying the water didn't bother me as it was just $1 but I'm used to most restaurants just offering water on the house. The young hostesses did check on my table a few times which was good. I can see myself ordering food from Dar Alyemen again but I'll get takeout instead of dining in. The neighbourhood where this restaurant is located is a bit secluded. I do love that this is an ethic restaurant that showcases an immigrant business. **** GOAL of 250 reviews in 2026 - 85/250 total reviews in 2026 - 926 total Yelp reviews - Reviewed on 15 May 2026

    Recommended to this place by a friend…read more There was complimentary tea and lamb soup--both quite flavorful. Got the yogurt drink, lamb, side salad, and the malooog bread. The yogurt drink wasn't for me as I'm not used to yogurt that's salty and not sweet at all. I liked everything else. The lamb was so tender and fell off the bone. There was quite a bit of rice that came with it, that we ended up taking it back. A small sized side salad was bigger than I had expected, and it was a crunchy refreshing side to the fatty lamb. Loved how fluffy and big the maloog bread was--definitely worth the price, and perhaps my favorite. Service was decent. Parking available as it has its own parking lot. Overall great food, would consider coming back!

    Photos
    Inside the restaurant - on 6 May 2026
    Inside the restaurant - on 6 May 2026
    Maloog Bread ($2.99) - side dish
    Maloog Bread ($2.99) - side dish
    Side salad

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    Side salad
    Cafe Everest

    Cafe Everest

    4.7
    (77 reviews)
    5.9 mi

    The exterior of the place is unassuming, but the decor inside is lovely, and the tables are covered…read morewith white tablecloths. And most importantly, the food is DELICIOUS. For lunch, my friend and I split a pani poori appetizer, thali with goat, and chicken jhol momo. Before our appetizer arrived, the server presented us with complimentary bowls of lentil soup. The soup was warm, flavorful, and comforting, perfect for January weather. Next came the pani poori. The little crispy balls were served cold and made for refreshing & tasty treats. They were great on their own and even better when dipped into the accompanying "sour water," which was a bit spicy and equally refreshing (FYI - the sour water is heavy on the cilantro, so if you don't like cilantro, just be aware!). The thali came with an abundance of food, and we enjoyed almost everything on it. The platter came with a few different curries that were all delicious and well-spiced. One of them had a good portion of tender goat, and another had fried cauliflower and potatoes I couldn't get enough of. The thali also came with a scoop of rice. When we were done with the scoop of rice but only halfway done with the curries, the staff was sweet enough to bring us an extra plate of rice to soak up the rest of the curries. The platter also came with a piece of gulab jamun, which was sweet and rich. In addition, the thali came with a small serving of mango achar. I took a bite, and the pickled mango took my tongue on a journey, LOL. First, I got hit with the super saltiness, then the super sourness, and finally the lingering, intense spiciness. I can't say the mango achar was to my liking, but I don't regret trying it! The chicken jhol momo was fantastic as well, and I couldn't get enough of the tender steamed dumplings and that excellent broth!

    We ordered a chicken steamed momo, chicken jhol momo and vegetarian chilli momo. The chilli momo…read morewas the best flavor. The chicken momos themselves were good, but I wish the momo achaar (dipping sauce) and the soup were better spiced. Service was really good - they gave us complimentary daal on the house. The atmosphere was also very nice. Food: 3.5/5 Service: 5/5 Atmosphere: 4.5/5

    Photos
    Inside -- Sunday, 22 September 2024
    Inside -- Sunday, 22 September 2024
    Goat Sekuwa ($12.99) -- Marinated goat meat grilled with everest herbs and spices. Served with salad
    Goat Sekuwa ($12.99) -- Marinated goat meat grilled with everest herbs and spices. Served with salad
    Cafe Everest

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    Akshaya Patra

    Akshaya Patra

    4.3
    (171 reviews)
    14.0 mi
    $$

    As an American, medium spice means something different to me than it does to an Indian…read morerestaurant...but that's a failing on my taste buds and capsaicin receptors. A bright, cheery setting with an Al fresco offering and a beautiful table spread makes you feel like royalty. We each ordered something different and there were positives and negatives for each. The tandoori chicken was good but the texture was a little off-putting. The goat fry biryani tasted incredibly unctuous and meaty, but was surprisingly light. The issue, however, is that it was cooked on the bone and said bones were left in the dish (same with the chicken biryani). Having to fight getting the meat off the bone was a chore, but the occasional bone sliver in a rice dish made for a less than pleasant eating experience (and a dangerous one at that). Finally, the cashew chicken was delightful, but even ordered mild, it was painfully spicy. The food came out at different times, like 5-7 minute intervals for each diner and the pacing was....hmm....let's say it was not concerned with speed...at all...even a little bit. For the money, it was worth the price as the portions were gigantic. The real question...would I go again? If I'm out that way and want Indian cuisine...sure. Would I go out of my way...not so much.

    Absolutely amazing experience here. Had the chicken biryani and as usual, the food was flavorful…read morewith the right amount of heat. You get a ton of food for the price. Service is friendly and prompt! I highly recommend the garlic naan!

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    Akshaya Patra
    Opening soon
    Opening soon
    Akshaya Patra

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    Amba - indpak - Updated June 2026

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