A friend invited my husband and I to try out a new Vietnamese restaurant just opened in the heart of Chinatown. We were debating whether to go out for dinner on a weeknight as we had to go to work early the next morning. We were sooo glad we had accepted that invitation! Here's my experience: when we arrived at the restaurant, we were greeted by a beautifully remodeled space filled with uniquely designed 3-D artworks made from natural materials and very upscale furnishings that added a nice touch to the warm ambiance of the dining space. We didn't want to go to our table at all because we were too busy walking around the restaurant to see the beautiful art works up close and taking pictures! After at least 10 minutes, we finally found our seats. The wait staff was very nice and patiently waited for us to finally settle down before getting us our orders. As appetizers, we tried the dragon shrimps and the chicken wings - they were crispy and quite tasty, especially the wings! They were THE BESTEST wings I have ever had! And I have had a lot of wings from different places before this one. For the main course, we had their chicken Pho. Let me tell you - I was already kinda full by the time the pho came out and I didn't think I could eat but a few bites at most; but I surprised myself as I started to eat the pho, I kept on eating and before I knew it, I was slurping down the broth as well ( which I never had done before when eating out!). The reason? Well, the chicken was so juicy, sweet and fresh! The same with their pho noodles - just a right amount of bounce and chewiness! I learned later that the owners actually go out to the farm themselves to pickup fresh free range chickens and the meat has never been previously frozen! The fresh pho noodles are hand made on site! As full as I was, there's always room for desserts! We split a mangochada as it was huge and so refreshing! We also tried their special straight from Japan matcha ice cream with clam shells. So delicious! Overall, the staff was attentive , friendly and helpful. The food was impressive and deliciously fresh! The ambience was warm, bright and inviting! read more

I stumbled into Ambrosia during its soft opening on accident while looking for Tony Cheng's, formerly in this space and now closed. I believe this space used to be their Mongolian restaurant before the pandemic? Either way it has been extensively renovated, with a bright interior and tons of dine-in seating, as well as a long counter on the right for takeout and boba tea. The entrees and spring rolls we had were excellent and on par with other Vietnamese options in this part of town, but the interior is something to see and a welcome addition to the neighborhood, where some of its competitors have designs still stuck in the eighties and nineties. The decor wouldn't matter much if the food wasn't on point, but what we had was very good. My pho came with cuts of beef already selected, unlike some pho places where you might pick from 20+ cuts, but that's honestly an area where I trust the chef to pick for me, so the consolidated dish options were a perk and not a detraction. I'm looking forward to stopping in again soon to try the full menus, which were displayed on large LEDs near the entrance. No sign of a cocktail menu yet. I thought I recognized our server from the building's Tony Cheng's days, and I hope I'm right because the friendly service was something that kept me going back to Tony Cheng's right up until its demise. This could be a really special place once they are officially open and I hope to see some lunch rush crowds in the future. read more

We were in DC Chinatown and came across this newly opened Vietnamese restaurant, Ambrosia. We were told they had just opened Monday. They are still in their soft opening and had a special limited soft opening menu. Our waitrer showed us the grand opening menu with its full list of dishes, many of which i wish we could have tried. The staff and the family that run the restaurant are so nice. Dao, in particular, was wonderful, describing all the dishes. We started with nice Vietnamese coffee over condensed milk (ca phe sua da). Slow dripped through a traditional phin, then mixed and poured over ice. Delicious. Good start. We ordered the chicken wings, one person was allergic to fish sauce. The restaurant was incredibly accommodating of dietary restrictions, making one order with no fish sauce, but perfectly fried and delicious. The other order were the wings in the restaurants great sauce. At the table, there were two orders of the beef pho, several varied cuts of high quality beef, good broth and very high quality noodles. Also ordered were the house special fried rice with chicken, very good. Vegetable spring rolls, fried pork and shrimp egg rolls. All very tasty, served at right temperature, and sauces quite delicious. The waiter kept saying their were even more sauces on the full menu. Just an unexpectedly wonderful late afternoon Vietnamese meal served by friendly, welcoming staff. read more

Our family had an absolutely amazing experience at Ambrosia in downtown DC! From the moment we arrived, everything was fantastic. We started with their Mangonada, Avocado, and Piña Colada drinks, and wow!!! each one was incredibly delicious, refreshing, and beautifully prepared. The Mangonada was especially amazing and a perfect way to start the meal. But the real star of the evening was the customer service and warmth of the staff and owner. The star of our visit was the Oxtail Pho. Simply put, it was out of this world! The broth was rich, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned, and the oxtail was incredibly tender. Every bite was packed with flavor. We've had Pho at many places, but this was easily some of the best Pho we've ever had -- and honestly, the best we've found in DC. What made the experience even better was enjoying it together as a family. Great food, refreshing drinks, a wonderful atmosphere, and an experience we'll definitely remember. If you're in downtown DC and love Vietnamese food, Ambrosia is a must-try. The Oxtail Pho alone is worth the visit! We can't wait to come back. read more

Absolutely wonderful dining experience! The food was excellent, fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared, and the service was outstanding from start to finish. What made the experience especially memorable was Mr. Gene Binh Nguyen, the owner's incredible knowledge of Vietnamese food, traditions, and culture. They were happy to share the stories and traditions behind the dishes, which made the meal feel much more meaningful and authentic. The restaurant itself is spotlessly clean, beautifully decorated, and has a warm, welcoming atmosphere. The elegant decorations and attention to detail truly made the dining experience even more enjoyable. If you appreciate delicious Vietnamese cuisine, excellent service, and an authentic cultural experience, I highly recommend this restaurant. A beautiful place with wonderful food, great hospitality, and a genuine appreciation for Vietnamese culture. We will definitely be back! read more

I was greeted by Dao and extended an extremely warm welcome. The hospitality was amazingly, the setting felt very opulent with gold trim, marble, and an artificial tree in the middle of the restaurant. For food, based on Dao's recommendation, I ordered the fish sauce chicken wings and beef pho. Both were excellent. The wings were crispy and had a slight sweetness that was quite pleasant. The beef pho had beef short rib, ribeye, meatballs, and tendon. All were tender, flavorful, and well seasoned. The pho itself was very good--light with a pleasant balance of faint spice. It was served with sriracha and hoisin sauce, Thai basil, bean sprouts and sliced jalapeño.l on the side. Overall, it was a wonderful dinner, and I hope I can get back to DC to stop in and try more of the menu. read more

Welcome to the Bellagio of ChinaTown!! This place is absolutely stunning you will be amazed as soon as you walk into the door. My colleague and I stopped by after work to try some of the food. Please read my summary below of the items that we tried. ​The Spring Rolls: Crisp, refreshing, and served with a peanut sauce that was completely on point. ​The Dragon Shrimp: An absolute standout! It had an incredible blend of flavors and a wonderful presentation. ​The Beef Pho: The broth was deeply rich and aromatic--you can tell they take their time simmering it--and the beef was tender and high quality. ​Considering they just recently opened, the service was warm and welcoming, and the entire experience was seamless. Gene and his entire team do an excellent job in every aspect. read more

I saw this restaurant on social media. I live three blocks away and coming from San Francisco have always been disappointed with the food in DC Chinatown. Decided to try this place not expecting much and was really surprised how delicious the food was! My husband could not stop talking about how wonderful it was--at least 20 times during the meal! Going to tell my friends and neighbors to give it a try. We ordered fried rice with A5 Wagu, pho, calamari, oxtail pho, crispy chicken wings--everything was fresh and portions were generous. There were four of us but we had to take home plenty for the next day. Can't say enough about it! Nice decor, friendly staff. read more

My brother and I visited and we ordered the fried chicken, calamari, and the house fried rice and everything was so flavorful! The portions were big enough to share and to save for later. We also ordered the Peachy Lychee and the Strawberry Mango Fizz and it was the PERFECT treat for this DC heat. The ambiance made the experience so special; the light jazz music, comfortable lighting, and the cushy seats. We will be coming back. We felt so received and welcome by all the staff, especially Dao, Daniel, and Gene. They were very efficient, kind, and intentional. Thank you all for your sweet service. read more

The food here is delicious, but the best part of my visit was the warm service. The staff made sure I was comfortable, walked me through menu offerings, guided me on how to enjoy the things I chose, and even suggested options for next time! The space itself is so beautiful- every detail is just gorgeous. It looks like it could be a venue for a wedding or a gala! I can't wait for them to be open late; I work evenings and would love to stop by after my late night shifts for pho or dumplings. I'll be back often :) read more

Ambrosia Restaurant Review Ambrosia Restaurant is a wonderful new addition! The atmosphere is absolutely incredible, and the food is amazing. I especially loved the Phở and the chicken wings--the wings are truly excellent! Once you taste their chicken, you'll never want to eat chicken anywhere else. The servers are also very nice, friendly, and welcoming. Everything about the experience was fantastic. I highly recommend giving Ambrosia Restaurant a try--you won't be disappointed! read more

What an incredible new addition to Chinatown! Gene, the owner, is an incredibly gracious host. He told me about the history of pho, the processes they cook with, and the seriousness with which he operates the restaurant. The quality of food is absolutely incredible, from the dragon shrimp to the beef pho, it was the best Vietnamese food I have thus experienced. I cannot wait to return to such a beautifully decorated and carefully run restaurant. read more

We had a wonderful experience at Ambrosia Restaurant in Chinatown Washington DC during their soft opening. The service was absolutely wonderful, and the food was superb--everything was excellent! The staff was attentive, welcoming, and made the experience even more enjoyable. For a soft opening, they truly impressed us. Five stars all the way! I highly recommend giving Ambrosia a try. We can't wait to come back! read more

From the moment we walked in, it felt like we were being welcomed by family. The food? Absolutely delicious! The staff truly went above and beyond, kind, attentive, and so thoughtful. The atmosphere was warm, inviting, and just extraordinary. Honestly, a 10 out of 10 experience. Special thanks to Trẩm (Wi), Juaquin, and Alex for the great experience! read more

The service was excellent and the food was fresh and tasted amazing! The chicken was well seasoned and cooked amazing and our beef pho tasted delicious. I recommend the calamari it was excellent. The I overall vibe of the restaurant is great and all the staff are friendly and welcoming. Would highly recommend if you're in the area. read more

Ambrosia is a fantastic new addition to Chinatown, DC. The vibe is unique, the hospitality is top-tier, and the food speaks for itself. We crushed the beef pho, insanely good fried wings, and the chicken fried rice (which comes in the coolest edible crispy bowl). Do yourself a favor and pull up! read more

This place just opened. It's FANTASTIC. The food was great, fresh and plentiful. Their Special Beef Pho for $20 is a game changer. Delicious and FULL of meat. Beats out any pho in the surrounding area..heck..probably the whole city. Other items were good too. My table mates loved everything. read more

This place has absolutely amazing authentic Vietnamese cuisine. I wish I had pictures to show but they had fantastic calamari, crispy chicken wings and dragon shrimp !! The soups are amazing you must try all of these!!! I went with their pre opening and I'll recommend them to anyone!!! read more

Great foods, awesome ambiance, nice staff, and wonderful service. What else can you expect for a resto like this, worth the visit. Thank you. Yes, their Beef Pho noodles are yummy as well as the calamari. We'll be back there definitely. read more