I highly recommend making a reservation and even if you do confirm via text, make sure you call them. Apparently, our reservation for 8 was cancelled even though it was confirmed. They did make good on the reservation within 20 minutes though. Parking. There's no such thing as free parking. We found a spot in the lot behind Ambar at $6/hr regardless of time or day. Yes, there are conflicting signs of no parking unless you have a permit, but also the Parkmobile sign indicating pay parking. We were here for the Sunday $42.99 pp brunch. Highlights: the kebab and sausage, the beet and yogurt dip, the pork neck slider, the crispy hash brown, the charcuterie boars, them always topping you off with the 25 cent drinks, the speed of food delivery. The meh: the veggie spreads of peas beans and carrots (just looks unappetizing), the shrimp omelet (unless you like rubbery shrimp), bacon (a tad overcooked), scrambled eggs (you don't go there for scrambled eggs). Note: there is a 2 hr time limit, but at the pace food was flying out, you will be done by 2, plus your parking out back is only for 2 hours... read more

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We booked a reservation, but the only available seating was downstairs which I didn't like. Downstairs does not have the same aesthetics as upstairs. It was dark and bar like. We did end up waiting for a few mins to get a seat upstairs. Each reservation is for 2 hours. The food is bottomless tapas for $40. The waitress was good about bringing our orders and times when she dropped the ball other staff were helpful. Food: The food comes out fairly quickly. If you put in an order for 6 plates all of them come out at the same time. The food is Mediterranean / Balkan. Honestly I really liked the food! There's some things that obviously your taste might not be acquired to, but overall it was delicious! My favorites were the potatoes, the burger, the waffle, and the Mac and Cheese. Definitely try everything! Tips: parking garage across the street for $12 for the full day (over 3 hrs) Definitely book a reservation as it does get packed especially upstairs Good for large groups Tables are small so keep that in mind when ordering food They have bottomless drink options It's nice, but deff not fine dining. More hipster and chić read more

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With their delicious unlimited small plates, incredible service, and fantastic vibes, Ambar has everything you could be looking for! I first visited this location with a party of 10, which we had to coordinate with one of their special events managers -- our coordinator, Massala, was an absolute delight, and super helpful in getting everything set up. We had a few special requests (i.e., birthdays, sitting outside in the dead of winter, etc.), but she handled them all wonderfully and made sure we were kept warm and toasty while we enjoyed an incredible meal. The food itself was incredible -- with a large group, we put in a number of our own selections, but our server also gave us a hand and added several Balkan classics that we definitely couldn't miss. They were also great at handling dietary restrictions, providing us with an allergen menu, and coming out to describe the ingredients of each dish. It's hard to pick a favorite, but moving through a menu, a few stand-outs were: - Literally all of their dips, but the Ajvar (roasted pepper & eggplant relish) was definitely my favorite; if you're gluten-free, they can also bring out some fresh veggies to dip instead of the pita - Tomato soup (a classic, but incredibly rich, with a great roasted flavor; also perfect for warming you up on a cold day) - Drunken mussels (rich, decadent, and absolutely delicious) - Rainbow trout (loved the crispy skin and flakey crust, and the light fish paired perfectly with the lentils and house gremolata) read more

My husband and I had a lot of great food on our trip to DC, but this meal was hands down my favorite. You should get the Ambar Experience. It's only $25 for lunch and you get unlimited plates off their menu. The menu is the exact same as the dinner menu, but for dinner it's $45. I thought dinner was a good price, but when I saw the lunch deal I was shocked because it's such a good deal. My husband and I shared: - Meatballs - Pepper Croquette - Cauliflower - Beef Tartare - Lamb Lasagna - Sarma 'Pork Belly Stuffed Cabbage' - Beef Short Rib Goulash - Cheese Pie - Cevapi 'Balkan Kebab' - Ambar Mezze The plates are small and they come out as they're ready. We absolutely loved the meal. The Lamb Lasagna was hands down my favorite. The bechamel sauce was a game changer. After that it's hard to say what I liked next best. I've had Cevapi before and it was kind of dry but this one was so moist and flavorful. The only dishes I wouldn't get again are the cauliflower and the meatballs. Neither were bad, but they were just kind of plain compared to everything else. The one thing I wasn't impressed by was the service. The food came out very quickly, but our waiter was kind of MIA. Since you order plates throughout the meal, this wasn't the ideal experience. We were still able to finish in less than the 2 hour time limit, but we were often just sitting there wondering when our waiter would show up again. I've heard a lot of mediocre reviews of Balkan food in general. I can't say I've had it often, but I was definitely impressed by this spot! read more

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I came here based off some recommendation on my Maps app. By far the most random way to get a restaurant recommendation but I am so so glad I listened. Turns out Ámbar is a former Michelin rated restaurant, and while I have no clue what the expectation should be for one of those... I do know that at my time of review for less than $30 I had an all you can eat lunch of absolutely devine foods with no reservation needed on Thursday. Nearly each small (tapas style) meal was fantastic! Gorgeously plated. This close to DC I spent a lot more for a lot less. Great service and cute ambience this is an easy recommendation for anyone looking for a slightly elevated lunch experiences read more

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Really fun spot to try, seems to be incredibly popular so a rez is prob a good idea. However, we were early and found a free spot at the bar. Fun Balkan brandies to sample, and plenty of other choices on the drink menu. I liked the small plates, they were very small, but you can try a lot of things that way and just re-order faves. The lamb lasagna was excellent. This is a great spot for a group. Pretty loud, of course, with the amount of people. Food came out pretty fast and the server was easy to snag when we needed anything. read more

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3. stars. I had bookmarked this place for the longest time. Now I wished I didn't. This place is VERY OVER RATED! Service is ok. However the Brunch for $39.99 is not worth it!! Your food are small plates and everyone at your table must get buffet. They have eggs but it's scrambled no flavor. Bacon is ok, but only if it's hot and crispy. Most times bacon was rubbery. The Mac n cheese was my favorite. However everything else was meh. The eggs Benedict. The pastrami one yuck. The chicken slider smh. Think of thinly sliced chicken tender on a mini bun. The soup I had too greasy and the cheese ruined it. Cornbread meh. It was missing some soul and seasoning. The grits ...men!! Sorry. The waffles are ok. I got only 1/4 of a waffle. And it wasn't hot. I'm guessing food is cooked in bunches instead of to order. Service, there were a lot of wait times, and getting orders mixed up. Drinks . We're ok. Not strong enough too watery. Ambiance is loud, I was sat next to a party whose friend sounded like that woman from The Nanny. On Sundays parking is free. Plenty of street parking. Being it was my birthday the waitress surprised me with a dessert tray. It was a kind gesture. The bathrooms tiny!! For a big restaurant and two stalls? I really wanted to like this place but it's overpriced and overhyped read more

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Our lunch here during restaurant week was fantastic. The food was great and the Balkan style tapas dishes added a unique flair to our dining experience. I've been to Ambar before and what sets this place apart is the option for AYCE not just during restaurant week. It's a rarity to find a place around DC offering bottomless options for both lunch and dinner, and this was a major highlight for us. That being said, they had a completely different menu for restaurant week. The ingredients were fresh as always and there were plenty of different proteins and veggies to sample. The service was overall kind of slow but the food and good vibes made up for it. We tried a little bit of everything food wise. My favs were the beef tartare, drunken mussels, grilled shrimp, and flatbreads. I also had a couple of pineapple mojitos to wash it all down which were super refreshing. read more

AMBAR Restaurant, Clarendon - Modern European Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

We had dinner last night at Ambar for restaurant week and it lived up to the HYPE! Everything was absolutely delicious. For the price of $55 you get all you can eat small plates for 2 hours. The time limit didn't really matter because staff was so attentive to our experience (we ordered A LOT). Some of our favorites were the lamb lasagna, white flatbread, mussels, and my husband especially liked the fried chicken & pepper croquettes! The only thing we probably wouldn't order next time is the cheese pie. It was a bit over done and could use more flavor. The orange sauce was also a bit over powering with how mild the cheese was. We can't wait to be back! read more

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The all you can eat experience at Ambar is totally worth it! Not only is this place super cute inside but the food is absolutely amazing and incredibly flavorful. It was a fun experience being able to try a little bit of everything from Balkan cuisine. For $49 (no dessert option) we tried so many different things, from dips to cheese, meat & cheese pies, fried chicken, kebabs, vegetables (carrots and Brussels) and so much more. It was all so delicious, so much so that we were too full to have dessert unfortunately. Next time I want to try the desserts, they looked so good. Overall really great experience and our waitress was very nice! Looking forward to trying more and wearing stretchier pants! read more

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The "unlimited" (aka AYCE for 2 hours) Ambar dinner experience for $44.95 is worth it to try as much tapas as you possibly can if you are one, hungry and ready to feast, and two, if you come with a decently sized group. I came with a group of 6 for dinner this past Friday and it was a chaotic yet worthy experience. By the end, we had to mentally prepare our minds and stomachs to take another bite since we had eagerly ordered many tapas in the beginning. We got to try at least 20 different tapas, but I'll mention a few that personally stood out to me. STEAK TARTAR I absolutely loved this. If you are a raw beef kind of person, order this. The steak wasn't chewy whatsoever and I love the capers that Ambar added on top. Super flavorful and would highly recommend. I consumed about two of these on my own. The bread along with the spread was also delicious, but I really focused on the steak tartar. CAULIFLOWER Cauliflower is pretty basic but I love the tahini spread and the pine nut crumbles. That's really it. Delicious vegetable option. PORK NECK So, so tender, yet crispy. The miso-mustard sauce enhanced the flavor of the pork and the chopped peanuts added a delicious nutty flavor. I would highly recommend this. SARMA 'PORK BELLY STUFFED CABBAGE' I didn't love this, but found it to be really unique with its interesting flavors. Some people in my group thought it reminded them of kimchi a bit. It was definitely a hit-or-miss amongst the group, but definitely one of the most unique tapas here. SLOW ROASTED LAMB Damn, this was our first tapa and we were so impressed that our table went through like five of these. You can taste the "slow-cooked" flavor in the lamb and it's super tender. The sauce was fantastic, too. Absolutely delicious. DRUNKEN MUSSELS I just want to say, the garlic cream sauce went perfectly with these mussels. I probably ate at least 10 mussels since we ordered a couple of these. The mussels were pretty fresh and good quality. You can get mussels anywhere, but the sauce is a rare find (since most places do some sort of garlic butter). An expensive experience nonetheless, but if you're looking for a place to splurge, Ambar is a great choice for its delicious and unique take on modern European tapas. Come hungry and be open to try as much tapas as you can! The total (after tax and "big party" tip) was $59.39 per person (without drinks or other extras). However, if this is too expensive, you can enjoy the same experience for $25 if you come during weekday lunch hours! Be sure to make a reservation in advance! read more

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Such fun! A great way to introduce a new cuisine to the family. AYCA menu is great for feed the bottomless-pit teen. The cheese pie and cabbage roll are especially delicious. Heads-up: soda/tea are not refillable. read more

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I was finally able to check off Ambar from my list and man have I been missing out! Food, drinks, and service were all great from start to finish. If you haven't been yet, what are you waiting for?! Came for a later dinner and easily decided to do the Ambar Experience. Since this was all our first time at the restaurant, we wanted to try a little bit of everything ($44.99pp). We made it easy for our waitress and started at the top left of the menu (spreads) and ended up at the bottom right (seafood). Some of my favorites from the various categories: Spreads: ajvar- hands down the favorite spread of the group; the roasted pepper and eggplant relish went well with the pita and sourdough bread; so good we asked for a second round of this spread Charcuterie: pretty standard, but you can never go wrong with salami! Chef delicacies: can't just pick one from here as I enjoyed the steak tartar, pepper croquettes, and fried chicken; I'd skip the braised steak and frites (steak was super dry) Vegetables: brussel sprouts were good, but my preference would be for them to be crispier; really enjoyed the lemon-garlic yogurt it came with From "Charcoal" Grill: pork neck was packed with tons of flavor and was very tender; luckily I wasn't able to taste the mustard, which I'm usually not a fan of; I'd skip the chicken skewers (juicy, but nothing to write home about) Baked: surprisingly liked the white flatbread over the cheese pie (thought this one was a little hard); I enjoyed the tartness the sheep's cheese brought to the flatbread Slow Cooked: beef short rib goulash was super tender; definitely could have done without the pasta and just ate all the meat Seafood: the grilled shrimp went well with the corn puree; reminded me of shrimp and grits We also tried the nougat cake ($9). Sounded interested, but don't think I'd order this one again. It was crunchy, but a little on the tough side. The vanilla cream helped a little with that, though. We washed down our meal with two carafes (4-5 servings/carafe)- pineapple mojito and strawberry lemonade. Both were refreshing and good, but I preferred the strawberry lemonade more. I think it was the fresh strawberry puree that did it for me! Service was on point the entire evening. Our waitress checked back on us constantly even though the restaurant was super busy, and food just kept coming out a good pace. Great experience at Ambar. I can't wait to try brunch! read more

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I don't think I have ever stumbled upon Balkan cuisine in my life, so this was quite the treat on my work trip. Came here on a weekday for dinner and this place was packed. I was fortunate enough to be able to squeeze in a table without a reservation, although the host told me that I would only have an hour before I'd have to give the table up for an upcoming reservation. Well that never happened and overstayed my welcome. Oops. There are two ways to order food here. There is the Ambar Experience which is $45 per person and you can order however many various tapas items you want. The other way was to pay A La Carte where each item is $15. It's an unorthodox way of service, but it seems very successful here. I ordered the following items: Beet Tzatziki - served with a basket of various bread, this is a great starter. Chicken Skewers - Pretty good. I could order three more of these, but then I wouldn't have room for the other food. Drunken Mussels - If you love mussels, this is for you. Although they're a bit on the small side. Grilled Vegetable - Seems like just a greasy plate of cooked veggies, but the garlic beans spread made it a bit more interesting. Personally don't think it's worth it. Sarma 'Pork Belly Stuffed Cabbage' - This was the most interesting item, in a good way. Was expecting some sort of pork in the stuffed cabbage, but it's rice and smoked peppers. Very delicious if I may add. Good to note, you get two of these. I only took a photo of one before they came out with another one apologizing for the error. Service is pretty good for the most part. They offer pretty good recommendations. A bit fast pace, so you'll feel rushed at times. They did forget one of our dishes unfortunately. Besides that, it is worth finding out what Balkan cuisine is like here. read more

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Street parking and some garages around. We made a reservation for a Sunday brunch. It's $42.99 for the Ambat experience where you can order unlimited food and .25 foe the brunch cocktails. They were a little busy so service was just a tad slow. Not that it mattered but there were some items that we got that we didn't order and definitely fidnt get some of the things we did order so we put in multiple orders. They are small portions so there are some we ordered multiples of. The mixed berry mimosa and Peach bellini were a favorite. For our food, the potato hash was probably my favorite and the Fried chicken slider. The veal broth was pretty good. The Ajvar and Beet Tzatziki were great with bread and prosciutto. Also recommend the Mac & Cheese. The other food was alright but nothing else really jumped out at me. The Bacon & Grits was a little disappointing. It's a fun atmosphere and the cocktails were good but food is just alright. read more

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TLDR: I've been to this location once and the Capital Hill location once. I don't think I can recommend this location, at least on a weekend, unless you do a brunch experience. If you choose to do a la carte, you'll be met with worse service. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Here's the long story: We weren't able to make a reservation for 7 the day before, so I made a reservation for Saturday at 12:15 PM for 4 and had my friend make a reservation for 12 PM for 3. We messaged them via OpenTable asking if we could combine the two high top tables and they said yes. We arrive at 11:50 AM and the hostess (didn't catch her name/I don't think she wore a name tag, but she had very short hair) was very rude to us, telling us we should've made a reservation for 7 - I tried to tell her that we weren't able to make a reservation for 7 online but we had two reservations and contacted them through the app, but she kept interrupting me and said "next time, call us" which, fair, but 1, they responded in the app and 2, I find that many restaurants don't take reservations over the phone and prefer it done online. Honestly I understand the frustration, but what I really disliked was that I kept getting talked over and wasn't listened to. Our server waited until our entire party was there (we had a girl cancel last minute so we were 6 total, which was fine) to take our order. He placed the Brunch Experience menu in front of us and when I asked if we could get the Lunch Experience menu, he said we couldn't do that without explaining (I assume for the weekend, it's either the Brunch Experience or a la carte, which I might've missed on the website). But, he never mentioned the a la carte option when in the past my table was at least asked if we wanted to do the Experience or a la carte. We opted for ordering a la carte and he took a while to come back to us, but we were a bigger group so that's fair. However, when he started to take our orders, we knew what we wanted but he muttered "you have to order SOMETHING" right as the first girl was about to put in an order. Wow. Even if he was kidding, that really wasn't appreciated. He kept pushing the Experience, too, saying it was basically the same thing - but the thing is, the Brunch Experience is $42.99 per person, so with 6 people it would be $257.94. Sure, if everyone is hungry and wants the 99 cent drinks, it can be worth it - but many girls weren't that hungry and one had a workout after and didn't want to eat too much. With the Experience you can't take anything home since it's unlimited small plates, but with a la carte you can take things to go. Our total was $110.50 with an automatic large party gratuity of 20% for a grand total of $145.86 - we saved $112.08 by not doing the Experience and every single person was full. All that to say, if you don't do the Brunch Experience, you'll be met with a worse experience. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ We ordered: - Cheese Pie, 3/5 - Meat Pie, 4/5 - Beef Prosciutto Benedict, 4/5 - Smoked Salmon Benedict, 5/5 - Mini Burger Sliders, 2/5 (burnt, took a long time to come out) - Cevapi 'Balkan Kebab', 3/5 - Cinnamon Sweet Truffle Sourdough, 4/5 (came with 6 pieces, imagine cinnamon sugar donut holes with nutella) - Mac & Cheese, 4/5 - Kale Caesar Salad* -- ordered but it never came out, though at least we weren't charged for it. - Urnebes* -- we asked about this but apparently it wasn't showing up on his device; he said he'd check on it, never did. We didn't push it since we had enough food anyways. - ** Two drinks were ordered but I cannot for the life of me find them on any of the menus online; I can't even find the a la carte menu online! EDIT: I found them on the receipt, they were the red wine punch and mixed berry mimosa read more

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I've been here twice. It's all you can eat for a fixed price. I honestly loved this concept and the ambiance is great

Ambar has such fun ambiance and is a romantic spot for a dinner. My husband and I visited the Clarendon location and everything was delicious, except we didn't care for the mushroom crepe. It lacked dimension of flavor. We had the Urbenes dip and it was fantastic as was the bread to dip in it. I have never had a dip as multidimensional as this one. We did two rounds of the Croquette, which had similarities to a Spanish croquette, but more, because the addition of pepper added a different and wonderful tartness to off set the creaminess of the rest of the dish. We also had the brussel sprouts and two of the meat pies. The Balkan kebab, sausage and short rib goulash were the shining stars of the meal. We finished up the meal with a sorbet for me and a chocolate cake for my husband. The service was impeccable and I can't wait to come back with friends or family. read more

Been living in Clarendon for 26 years and they are the best restaurant in the area. Food and service is excellent!

TLDR: this place is pretty good overall. Fairly quick service, great food, and a good ambiance. Now for the people who like to read a little more, this place is worth the time and money. You're definitely going to need a reservation for brunch on the weekend. Each reservation is for 2 hours. See the individual categories below for more info. Parking: You'll want to park in the garage across the street. It's $8 for 2 hours so not that bad there. Service: It took a little bit of time for a table to get ready. They tried to put us downstairs at first but magically had a table upstairs after the manager overheard my girlfriend say "don't forget to check in to Yelp". Not sure if her comment had anything to do with it but thought it was worth mentioning. Our server was prompt in getting our orders. And the food came out just as quick. I was shocked at the speed. The only downside is that dessert took a while and so did the check. Food: The food was great overall. The potato hash is a must order! The spices they use on the potatoes is to die for. The cheeseburger slider is also a must order. Easily the favorite "entree" ordered. Wasn't a huge fan of the salmon Benedict but it could just be me. Ambiance: The ambiance of the upstairs is awesome. It's super bright and the plants make it feel modern. It's lively and makes it feel like you're at an upscale brunch spot. The ambiance of downstairs is totally different. It's like an old style restaurant and has a cool vibe. Just wasn't what we were looking for for a brunch setting. Overall it was a great experience. I'd say that the few snafus weren't enough to ruin the experience. The manager definitely made amends for any slow service at the end. read more

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Ambar is always a reliable choice for tasty Balkan fare in a trendy atmosphere. Although items are available a la carte, the best option is to partake in the set price unlimited brunch, lunch, or dinner menus. Dinner, for example, is approximately 50 dollars (there are additional options for an add on dessert platter or select unlimited beverages) and allows you to choose from a variety of categories and dishes, probably around 30-40 options. Although some of the portions are on the smaller side or tapas like, the ability to order more servings or other options makes it nonetheless worthwhile. There are a variety of good options and proteins available including some choices that would be suitable for vegetarians amidst the spreads, salads, and baked selections. I would recommend making a reservation, but service is consistent and attentive. Overall, I would recommend Ambar, which I also should add has other comparable locations in the DMV, that may be better suited to your preference/convenience. read more

Someone at my table had an allergy, and they went above and beyond. Amazing service, delicious food, great atmosphere!

Great Hungarian restaurant I fully recommend going here to eat. The atmosphere was nice however the food was great. Everything tasted authentic and the customer service was on point. I would recommend making a reservation since they get booked up very quickly. The lamb and salmon were my 2 favorite things on the menu. The pasta was very good too and they tasted homemade. Will be coming back here. read more

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What a great experience! I spent a random evening in Arlington and decided to check out this spot. The decor here was absolutely beautiful and well lit. I did the "Ambar Experience" with the dinner menu and left full and satisfied! I had dips, skewers, chicken, salmon, and anything else I could dream of! I had a pineapple mojito that I also really enjoyed. They have a long list of drinks to choose from that includes wine, beer, and cocktails. I'm dairy free, but I was still able to enjoy most of this menu. Most items on the menu can be modified to fit your needs! The only thing that might be hard to navigate would be a fully vegan diet. My favorite dishes were the salmon and the fried chicken. There wasn't a dish I didn't like here. My waiter was also super friendly and I really enjoyed having him. I would definitely come from out of town to visit here again! read more

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I went to Ambar for bottomless brunch this past Saturday, and unfortunately, the experience was disappointing. Our server took our drink orders and then disappeared for about 30 minutes. When she finally came back, she told us we needed to order everything we wanted immediately because the kitchen was closing -- something that definitely should've been communicated upfront. When I asked if I could place one last order, her response was, "If it comes, it comes. If it doesn't, it doesn't." That response didn't sit right with me. Her attitude was rude and unprofessional. To top it off, I found a fly in my drink and had to send it back. The food was just okay. Nothing special. Ultimately, I thought the experience was unpleasant and I wouldn't return. read more

I was visiting DC this weekend and this restaurant has to be one of the most unique and memorable restaurant experiences I have had yet. The price and amount of unlimited food you get is unbelievable, you can't beat it! Although the size of the dishes may seem laughable at first once you get rolling you'll get full pretty fast. Everything was so delicious and fresh. The food was most definitely made to order and if it wasn't it sure tasted like it did! Loved the little sneak peak into the kitchen you get depending on where you sit. It's an incredibly elegant kitchen. I especially loved this restaurant because it allows you try a little bit of everything so if you're just as indecisive as me then this place is perfect! And of course service was above excellent! Thank you to our kind server! read more

AMBAR Restaurant, Clarendon - Modern European Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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Such a cute spot omg I love the decor! The cocktails are also delicious including the carafe of drinks we really enjoyed that, small fingers foods super yummy read more

Ambar never disappoints! Stopped by the Clarendon location. We had the bottomless brunch option. It's probably the best brunch value in town. Food comes out quickly and they have well prepared bottomless mimosas option. You have to love the decor of there locations. The server we had was very attentive and made sure we had everything we needed. If you are ever in town and are looking for a good brunch please stop by!! read more

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Staff is deceptive and trying to save money. Would never come back and do not recommend. Please visit the Capitol Hill location instead, they're better. Servers lack personality. The menu states "Unlimited small plates and dessert" yet the manager tells us it's only 1 desert per person after reading its unlimited. Then he tried to say it says one desert. It literally does not, it says unlimited. The Capitol Hill location is much nicer as they honor what they print on their menu. This one does not. If they wanted to only serve 1 desert then it should say that. This was my thanksgiving dinner to bring my father, I wish I had chose a better place to bring him. Will never come back. The atmosphere is far less upscale than dc, there were cracks in the ceiling and mold. See pictures. read more

AMBAR Restaurant, Clarendon - Literally states unlimited small plates and dessert. - Modern European Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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I visited Ambar with a few co-workers for lunch. It was an amazing experience. The establishment was well-maintained, the staff wore masks, and it was very spacious. We had a party of 11 and they were able to seat us all together. The waitress was extremely attentive, she explained the menu to us, and she gave us great recommendations for dishes to try. Ambar offers Balkan cuisine which is amazing. I do love the fact that they support all dietary restrictions. One of our colleagues is allergic to peanuts. They were able to bring him a menu that gave specifics to all the ingredients within all the dishes. I think that was very thoughtful for patrons. Also, if you are a vegetarian, they offer that same menu to help you identify specific dishes for you as well. The Ambar Express Lunch is $25 per person. You get to order anything from the menu. Our waitress started us out with all the spreads and all the meats from the "spreads" section of the menu. A few of us tried some of the fresh pressed juices which were amazing, and some folks had a few of the cocktails, which were amazing as well. As for food, we literally had everything on the menu. Every thing! Everything was delicious and made to order. It is important to note that the items will come out at random, so there's no specific order to getting the dishes. My favorite items were: Beet Tzatziki, grilled veggies, slow roasted lamb, Lamb lasagna, meatballs, and grilled shrimp. You honestly can't go wrong with any dish. Overall, wonderful spot. I definitely will return. read more

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Recommend the Ambar Experience, a kind of all you can eat for a set price. The food items are tapas size so you will want to order a good number to fill up. This is a great way to have a variety of Balkan cuisine, which was a first for me. We ordered the two Flatbread, the mushroom and the sudzuk (think pepperoni). The mushroom Flatbread was really delicious and NY party enjoyed that over the meat Flatbread. The short rib goulash and the chicken stroganoff were both very hearty and delicious. The chicken skewers were so good that we ordered another one. The drunken mussels tasted slightly of alcohol, like its title, and was tasty. The asparagus and the Brussel sprouts were so so delicious. Skip the cheese pie lol. It was ok. The shrimp in the corn puree was so good. The fried chicken was ok to me. Seemed like a chicken katsu on top of yogurt and chopped veggies. The mushroom gnocchi was good; people who like truffles would like it a lot. And I think that was everything! Definitely would recommend this restaurant. Will be my go to when trying to impress friends/family. read more

We went to try the unlimited dinner and tasted a variety of dishes. Most of them were delicious, but a few needed the unique flavors of Balkan cuisine. The service was decent but slow when we wanted to order more. The restaurant itself was decent, but the tables were placed too close to each other. read more

5 starts, hands down! This place was amazing!! The food, the service, the ambiance - everything was amazing! First time here and decided to do the $55 all you can eat menu. The plates are small but the food is delicious and filling. Stay away from too much bread early on to keep your stomach free for the good eats!! They say if you get 5 plates each or more, the $55 option is best. I tell you, between the 2 of us we counted 15 plates... yes 15!!! Do yourself a favor and get the all you can eat and try as much as you can! You won't be disappointed! read more

First off the service was great. Jovial and very punctual, knew how to fire dishes properly and drop them hot, drinks stayed full. Friendly but didn't linger and make bullsh** small talk. We got the AYCE tapas lunch. It was the best AYCE tapas at $35 a head I've ever come near. 10/10 would go back Went with 4 people we literally ate the whole menu. I'll mention below what was a miss and why. Anything not named was an 8 to 10/10' Desserts were just ok but not my thing anyway. Mussels mussels Mussels mussels Mussels mussels read more

The food is just okay. Nothing spectacular. To be honest, the best dishes were the fries and dips. Just because it's plentiful doesn't mean it will be delicious, which I learned the hard way. The decor is nice and the waitstaff are courteous. I went for dinner. Maybe they step it up for brunch. Not sure if I'll be back. read more

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We came here for lunch and went with the option where you pay $25 per person for unlimited plates. For 2 hours, you can order anything on the menu. The food that we tried was pretty good. Each food came out so quickly. Braised Steak & Frites : Steak was so tender. Cevapi 'Balkan Kebab': This one was my favorite. It is not an ordinary sausage. Drunken Mussels: I love a garlic cream sauce. Beef Short Rib Goulash: It was my least favorite, and it was cold. Chicken Skewers: It was so bland. I didn't like it. Grilled Shrimp: I like seasoning, and creamy corn was a very nice touch. Veal Soup: crème fraiche adds a nice flavor. It is so East European food. I recommend this restaurant for the group. That way, you can try so many dishes at the same time. read more

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This was our Balkan stop on our 'Trip Around the World' Staycation. We loved the one price tasting menu. The staff were patient and helpful as this was our first time there. We selected our dishes as the meal progressed but allowing them to just bring things out is an option. Salmon, Rainbow Trout, and quail egg for the asparagus were missing... not sure when market day is but dining closer to the weekend will probably ensure availability of all items. We were there on a Tuesday. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience and the food. The kids said their favorite dish was the pepper croquettes. I would say the spreads and the roasted cauliflower. With the addition of a fried quail egg the roasted asparagus may have been a contender. I'm giving 4 stars only for the missing items , would do 4.5 if I could. Service was great; the server was patient, attentive, and informative. Atmosphere was relaxing and I did not feel like I was served Americanized dishes. We will return. read more

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The ambiance is so nice, I love the layout and all the flowers hanging from the ceiling! The food was really good, the steak tartare and the stuffed pepper were amazing. Don't be fooled by the portions, they fill you up pretty quick. I got the mandarin cocktail which tasted like juice, it was refreshing but if you want something strong I wouldn't get it. I felt like we were a burden to the server, the energy he gave off seemed like he didn't want us there. He was also very slow in attending to us. A lot of the times we kept looking around where he was. then when he came to the table we felt rushed. Would go again, just hope not to get the same server:/ read more

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Ambar is another place I've marked for a few years. From what I've heard, it is a must-try spot, so I was determined to make it happen. We decided to dine at lunch, which was $25 per person for AYCE. We absolutely loved everything. I kept going back to the spreads and we ordered multiple rounds of the mussels and shrimp. The portions are small so I love that you can try a variety of what the menu offers. I think our party of four was an excellent size as we were able to share each dish well. My only issue is that our server stated he was new and it showed. I can't blame him or the restaurant and it did not deter from the delicious food anyway. I've never had Balkan cuisine before and was so delighted by this experience. I hope to find more places like Ambar wherever I go. read more

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BABA downstairs closes soooo early on Saturday nights! Took last call at 10:30 pm and kicked us out promptly at 11. What kind of bar closes so early read more