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    AMBAR Restaurant, Chicago

    4.3 (168 reviews)
    PriceyDesserts, Seafood
    Open 12:00 pm - 10:00 PM

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    AMBAR RESTAURANT, CHICAGO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - AMBAR Restaurant, Chicago

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    Steak tartare
    Sally L.

    This is our first time here. We had a reservation for Wednesday night. It was busy. The ambiance of the restaurant was pretty. It also have outdoor dining. We wanted to try this place because for $55 it is all ayce. We ordered the steak tartare, veal soup, balkan kebab, croquettes, corn ribs, almond fried chicken, brussel sprouts, pork belly stuffed cabbage, roasted lamb, lamb medallions, flatbreads, cheese pie, mushroom pilaf, branzino,grilled shrimp, drunken mussels, and lamb flatbread. I like the veal soup, corn ribs, branzino, grilled shrimps, mushroom pilaf, and the kebab. The rest was ok and some food like the flatbread it was a little too salty for me. The fried chicken was a little too dry. The dessert is not included in the $55 ayce. We didn't get any since we were super full. The service was good. The server came back a few times to check on us and see if we needed to order more food. The other staff would come and collect the empty plates. I wouldn't go back again but the $55 is a pretty good deal to try everything on the menu.

    Erika W.

    I recently visited Ambar to celebrate my birthday, and it had been on my list ever since I came across the menu. Since we were already doing happy hour nearby, it was the perfect restaurant within walking distance to continue the celebration. The moment I saw the menu, I was sold. Before we even arrived, I was impressed by the level of customer service. Because I had booked a larger party, the event coordinator reached out to explain the menu and introduce me to the Ambar Experience--their all-you-can-enjoy tasting menu for just $55 per person. After looking through the selections, I knew this was the right choice because honestly, everything sounded amazing. We had several last-minute cancellations, so our group ended up being much smaller than expected. Even so, the team was incredibly accommodating and gracious, which I really appreciated. The Ambar Experience absolutely lived up to the hype. Every dish we ordered was beautifully prepared, flavorful, and perfect for sharing. I'll definitely be bringing my family back so they can experience it, too. We started with the spicy feta, white bean hummus, roasted pepper spread, marinated olives with pickled vegetables, and beet tzatziki. It was a fantastic way to begin the meal. We had also been looking forward to trying the clotted cream, but it never made it to the table. We assumed it may have been unavailable since it wasn't mentioned. From the vegetable selections, we ordered the Brussels sprouts, baby carrots, crispy corn ribs, and wild mushrooms. Everything was delicious, but the baby carrots completely surprised me--they were easily my favorite vegetable of the evening. The meat, poultry, and seafood selections were where Ambar truly shined. We enjoyed the Balkan kebab, NY strip, lamb medallions, beef goulash, roasted lamb, wood-fired branzino, drunken mussels, grilled shrimp, and the beef tartare from the Chef's Signature menu. While every dish was outstanding, the clear standouts were the lamb medallions, the branzino, and the drunken mussels. They were so good that we kept ordering additional plates long after we were already full! We also added the unlimited beverage package for just $27 per person, which was an incredible value. The house Old Fashioned, white sangria, and strawberry lemonade were all excellent and paired perfectly with the meal. Unfortunately, the service put a significant damper on what was supposed to be a special evening. Throughout dinner, we constantly felt rushed. Every time our server approached the table, we felt like we had to be completely ready with our next order because if we weren't, he would immediately turn and walk away. When bringing drinks, he would place them at the edge of the table and slide them across instead of setting them in front of the person who ordered them. While that may seem like a small detail, it contributed to an overall feeling that the service lacked care and hospitality. His demeanor throughout the evening also wasn't warm or welcoming. To add to that, as our group gathered near the front of the restaurant to take a birthday photo before leaving, another server brushed past my sister, bumping into her without saying "excuse me" or acknowledging what had happened. Had the food not been as exceptional as it was, I'm not sure I would have considered returning based solely on the service we received. That said, the quality of the food easily ranks among the best I've had in Chicago, and it's the reason I'll be back. If the service matched the caliber of the kitchen, this would be an easy five-star experience. Even with the hiccups, I'm looking forward to returning because the Ambar Experience truly is one of the best dining values in the city. #ImNotAFoodie #ImJustAGirlWhoLovesFood #YelpEliteSquad

    Sauvignon blanc
    Haley S.

    A must visit. Balkan small plates in an all you can eat format there is no better bang for your buck. I came for lunch which is $30 but I upgraded to premium dishes for an extra $10. Worth every cent do yourself a favor and come here. Also the wines from the balkan region were a nice trest I dont see on too many menus!

    Steak tartare
    Nick P.

    I admit I only heard about this place from social media but I had Balkan food many times in the suburbs. I've been to Balkan cafes and restaurants. The "hype" that most of these gen z say in their comments are probably because they don't even know where the Balkans are or where they come from. This is good publicity for the restaurant though. The restaurant is located in River North, across the street from Hotel Felix. I highly recommend making a reservation for any day that you come in, especially at night. We did the $55 ayce dinner. If you don't like something, just put it off to the side. This isn't one of those places that will charge you for wasting food. There is also a restaurant surcharge that you can remove. The surcharge is not a tip. The food is like a 3.5. The service is a 5. Our server was Frances. She was very attentive and nice. The staff in general were all great. They were fast and efficient when clearing off the empty plates and refilling our water. The restrooms are two floors up. Just a short walk upstairs. Not sure if I would return. I could find better quality food closer to home. -steak tartare 5 - ample amount of tartare to share with 3-4 people. It was creamy and savory. -piquillo croquettes 5 - crispy and I like the kajmak and aged sheep milk cheese just oozes out. The cranberry chutney on top was great with it. -veal soup 3 - this tasted like a chicken noodle type of soup without the noodles. Not bad. It was hot and you got big pieces of meat. -Balkan kebab 5 - these were great. Tender, juicy, and flavorful. -crispy corn ribs 5 - these were good. The chimichurri and feta cheese really helped amplify the taste. -almond fried chicken 2 - crunchy but too bland. It was also too dry. They forgot to marinate it. -brussel sprouts 5 - just taste like brussel sprouts. Healthy. -pork belly stuffed cabbage 5 - this reminds me of eating stuffed cabbage at those German/Polish restaurants. The skin was soft to cut, not mushy, and had a hearty taste. -lamb medallions 5 - these were cooked perfectly. Tender, make sure you eat them with the sauce and pickles. -roasted lamb 3 - the veggies were good but most of the lamb was too salty. It was like they poured too much into it. -sujuk flatbread 2 - I love these flatbreads but I don't know why they're too salty. There's a difference between too salty and well seasoned. -cheese pie 4 - the cheese taste is an acquired taste. It's a typical Bosnian cheese pie. It's kind of rich with a slight tart, salty taste. I had this before when I went to one of the Balkan restaurants in the burbs. -wood fire branzino 5 -branzino was crispy and moist. It went well with that potato salad and salsa. -mushroom pilaf 5 - not salty at all. Good balance. Risotto was soft with a little chew. I liked the addition of mushrooms. -drunken mussels 4.5 - I liked the garlic cream sauce with the sourdough bread. It has an acquired smell from the rakija. -grilled shrimp 3.5 - shrimp was perfectly cooked. I didn't really taste much of the Hungarian rub or the smoked aioli. -lamb flatbread 2 - this was the same thing as the sujuk, it was too salty.

    Suhani A.

    I really enjoyed the all you can eat the last time I was here, but now the menu has changed and the quality has really dropped. All the portions are much smaller which I thought was good, but the vegetarian options are terrible now. A lot of the vegetable plates are equivalent to something you could quickly make at home and aren't worth a $55 all you can eat meal at all. They even removed dessert from being included in the all you can eat. The dips they give in the beginning are honestly not good. The cauliflower, croquettes, and halloumi were the only sides that seemed good.

    Mac and cheese
    Ariana G.

    THIS REVIEW IS ONLY FOR AYCE BRUNCH I'm disappointed in my experience here. Overall beautiful restaurant. Faux florals everywhere which makes it IG-worthy to post but the food and service were very mediocre. I like the idea of ayce for a set price. It's fun and allows you to try a bunch of things. They should set a minimum of items ordered depending on your party size so servers don't have to keep scrambling around taking multiple orders at once. Or just a better ordering system cause service was very slow and we barely saw our waiter. He seemed stressed and not very enthusiastic about being there. The food at brunch was nothing special. The only dish I really enjoyed was the shrimp and grits. Skip the mushroom pilav! It was so flavorless I couldn't even finish it. I heard dinner service is better but this was just my experience.

    Bill
    Angela B.

    We did the all you can eat option and we were pleased with all the tapas! Our server Frances was lovely and attentive. My only complaint was the cost, we ended up with a much larger bill than expected. So I would recommend coming for the food but not necessarily for a night out of drinking.

    Vishal J.

    My experience at AMBAR was truly outstanding. Everything including the food, service, and atmosphere was amazing. I came with my family to get the unlimited dinner option, and this far exceeded our expectations. At $55 a person, the unlimited menu is certainly worth it. The food at AMBAR is spectacular. With the unlimited dinner menu, this was great value for high quality food. We ordered a large variety of appetizers and entrees, and every dish we ordered was delicious. The cheese pie, meat pie, and lamb flatbread are nice appetizer options. The pies were flaky and crispy while having a flavorful filling. For entrees, the shrimp, mussels, steak, Balkan kebabs, and beef goulash were outstanding. We thought the meats were cooked to perfection. Moreover, the flavor of the sauce for the mussels was rich and creamy. This place is awesome because you can try everything on the menu and order more of your favorite dishes. However, some of the dishes were served in very small quantities, but this isn't a huge problem since you can just order more. The unlimited option truly is unlimited, and the staff had no problem when we ordered multiple portions of the same dish. Our waitress Francis was incredible as well. She came by frequently to take our orders so we didn't have to wait too long. After we ordered, the food came out fairly quickly, allowing us to try many things throughout the meal. The other staff members also cleaned our table often. Other reviews said the food orders took a long time, but this was the opposite of what I experienced. Overall, the unlimited AMBAR dining experience is amazing. The extensive menu options allow everyone to find dishes they like and try a variety of unique flavors. The atmosphere is Ambar is great, and I look forward to coming back again!

    Roman D.

    This place never disappoints. This is the fourth time coming here and will definitely make it a routine stop. The Sarma was my favorite of all the dishes.

    Kebab pita
    Ina L.

    Went for Brunch on Sunday and do A La Carte brunch instead of the AYCE. We got seated and no one came to our table with water until 10 minutes later. Once our order was taken one of our plates came and the other one didn't come until 25 minutes later. By the time the other plate came, the initial plate was cold and the second dish that came out wasn't even hot. Felt like they forgot about it. Our waiter barely came by our table to check on anything. Food was just okay. Kind of disappointed since I had seen good things about it.

    Dessert selection
    Steven H.

    The concept is good for the unlimited food and drinks for 2 hours at $77 ($55 if not drinking). Food is good overall and there's no harm in trying it all since it's included. Timing can be a bit awkward with nothing coming out or everything at once. I think that's just the nature of the beast, but if you pace the ordering better it probably works smoothly. You'll have to get a reservation or have dinner at a very non-peak time and it's quite busy. Our server wasn't particularly friendly but did the job. We stayed under the 2 hour window but somehow ended up with a much more expensive bill, so watch out/ask specifically when the dessert menu comes.

    Starter Breads
    Paula W.

    Tried today for Birthday brunch. We were sat immediately in a small area just outside the main dining room. The room was not as decorated or lively as the main area but it was OK. Our server explained how to order and we ordered quite a few dishes. To start the spreads, olives, veggies and bread are bought out. You order as much as you want of any brunch items. The steak was really good as well as the chicken sandwich and the flatbread. The grits fell short as they were unseasoned and very gritty in texture, also the Ambar slider could have used a sauce or seasoning. Overall it was a good time with lots of options. It is definitely a must try!

    Brussel Sprouts, pita

    Tyler, our server, was amazing. We did the all you can eat food + drinks. We went for my birthday and he was very engaging and we felt like he timed his check ins perfectly. He even surprised me with a dessert (and didn't sing) which was very appreciated :) The food was great and the portions were perfect for trying many dishes. We will be back! I couldn't find this on their website, but the whole table does not have to participate in the all you can drink portion. Everyone at the table must participate in the all you can eat, which is labeled on their website. We went with a sober friend and were worried that they may be forced to order the all you can drink, but they were not!

    Cevapi

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    AMBAR Restaurant, Chicago Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - AMBAR Restaurant, Chicago

    You might also consider

    Matcha En

    Matcha En

    4.2
    (294 reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $$

    Wanted something tasty for dessert and came upon this place from IG…read more I ordered the cream soufflé and the matcha float. Both came out in pretty quick time even though it was a busy Saturday evening. Loved the cream soufflé! It was something different that I wanted to try and it wasn't too sweet which was amazing. The soufflé was so fluffy and hot and fresh. The cream inside was sooo good! Everything was well balanced together and the float was also great. Only downside is that it's a really small place. So inside felt very cramped and crowded.

    Kari's Rating 8.5/10…read more TLDR: -Any combination you want is possible -Single bathroom for patrons with Dyson dryer -appreciative of the different drink combinations They had considering I thought it was only Matcha milk tea Came as the first people on a Saturday, although we took 25 minutes to decide what we wanted, the cashier was really good at giving recommendations and she said we were able to do almost any combination mixing match of flavors. We ended up getting the Matcha smoothie with red beans on the bottom, as well as a matcha float with Ube soft serve. My friend got the Matcha smoothie and said the Matcha was a tad bitter, but also a little too much he said that the Matcha and the ice wasn't really well mixed. Therefore it tasted a bit icy, but he agrees the overall flavor was all right, but he probably wouldn't get that if we came back. On the other hand, my Ube and Matcha float was absolutely delicious. I knew I wanted the Ube soft serve over the Matcha soft serve because I'm very picky with my Matcha, but I also didn't want to get Matcha tea as well as the Matcha soft serve as I figured that would be a little bit too much. I would literally come back just for the Uber officer, it was perfectly sweet, but not overly sweet and the texture was extremely creamy and soft, perfect for a hot day. I'll definitely be coming back just to get that and I also appreciate the server, giving us her favorite combinations and suggestions. It was extremely crowded by the time we left the place literally opened at 11:30, so you know the restaurant has a good reputation already in the community! We will definitely come back!

    Photos
    Matcha En
    Chocolate crepe cake
    Chocolate crepe cake
    Super M (left) and Black Sesame Matcha Latte (right)

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    Super M (left) and Black Sesame Matcha Latte (right)
    UFOUU

    UFOUU

    4.3
    (60 reviews)
    2.9 mi

    I recently tried UFOUU, the Chicago-based bakery known for their Japanese-style cheesecakes, and…read moreoverall it was a really a hit for me. I wish I was able to travel with one of their cheesecakes but they require refrigeration. Anyhow the cheesecake itself was delicious super light, fluffy, and honestly felt like biting into a cloud. I had the salted egg but they had several flavor options that I would've loved to try if slices were available. The texture is what really stands out, and the flavor was unique and interesting in a good way. I couldn't quite put my finger on what it taste like, but it was sweet, but not too sweet They only sale but I consider a personal size but it's definitely enough to share with two people, maybe even three depending on how much of a sweet tooth you have. My only downside like others is the price. Paying around $19-$20 for a small cheesecake felt a bit steep, especially since they don't offer slices. I really wish they had smaller portions available so you could try different flavors without committing to a full cake prize. They package it very well and they also serve you a cute little fork set and a knife for cutting which I think is contributes to the price. The shop itself is very cute with chic décor and a lot of Asian-inspired artwork, which adds to the overall vibe. Customer service was friendly. When I visit Chicago again I'd definitely go back the texture and taste alone make it worth it but I do hope they consider offering smaller portions in the future.

    Came here for a hot drink while it's very cold in Chicago and not a lot of lot of places around…read morethat offer hot chocolate, hot coffee, or any hot drinks. We got here when it just was opening. The place was clean and the staff was really nice. We got the sweet roasted milk and it was very good and unique flavor. We were watching them while they were making that and the cheesecake and you can tell they put a lot of care and in time to their products.

    Photos
    Matcha
    Matcha
    UFOUU
    UFOUU

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    Mabu Generation

    Mabu Generation

    4.3
    (58 reviews)
    2.8 mi
    $$

    We came to Mabu Generation on a Sunday evening when the restaurant was not busy and was actually…read moreunusually quiet. One thing I personally did not like was that they require customers to pay first before the food comes out. For a sit-down restaurant, I prefer to eat first and pay after, especially when service is expected. The service was not very proactive during our visit. The food was okay, but nothing really stood out to me. For the price, I felt it was a little pricey compared to Taipei Cafe, and the overall experience did not feel worth it. Overall, the food was just alright, the service could be improved, and the pay-first system was not something I liked. I don't think I would come back.

    Decided to spontaneously eat here on a friday night while walking past and did not regret it…read more The restaurant wasnt overly crowded or loud and, the service was great while the food was even better. The taiwanese style popcorn chicken and pork cutlet were super juicy and tender with nicely crisp breading. The sausage had a pleasant sweetness to it and was served with garlic chips, which added a nice touch. Finally, the broth of the Sichuan noodles was packing with flavor: sweet, tangy, spicy, umami - truly hit all the spots without being too numbing to your mouth, if thats one of your concerns Would definitely return to try the other menu items, especially their hot sizzling plates and their dessert/drink offerings

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Ovaltine Condensed milk French toast
    Ovaltine Condensed milk French toast
    R07. Japanese Style Curry & Garlic Udon With Mashed PotatoTempura Shrimp

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    R07. Japanese Style Curry & Garlic Udon With Mashed PotatoTempura Shrimp

    AMBAR Restaurant, Chicago - desserts - Updated August 2026

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