1,715 reviews
#7 of 2,559 Restaurants in Washington DC₹₹ - ₹₹₹, Eastern European, Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options+1 202-813-3039+ Add websiteImprove this listing
Hours
Sun
10:00 am - 4:00 pm5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Mon
12:00 pm - 3:30 pm4:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Tue
12:00 pm - 3:30 pm4:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Wed
12:00 pm - 3:30 pm4:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Thu
12:00 pm - 3:30 pm4:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Fri
12:00 pm - 3:30 pm4:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Sat
10:00 am - 4:00 pm5:00 pm - 11:00 pm
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What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Ratings and reviews
Travellers' Choice 2024
RATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Details
Someone from this business manages this listing.
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CUISINES
Eastern European
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, After-hours, Drinks
features
Does this restaurant offer free wifi?
Details
About
We proudly invite our guests at Ambar to enjoy the first Dining without Limits Experience in the United States. This unique concept allows diners to savour over 40 dishes and to reorder their favorites without limitations. Ambar embraces everyone with a warm, friendly atmosphere replicating the at home experience. While we may be thousands of miles from the Balkans, with Ambar our fabled, ENDLESS hospitality is ever present. Our new dining approach transforms the traditional experience of ordering an appetizer and entree per person, to gathering around the table for a feast. Our guests enjoy authentic dishes within different categories, like grilled meats and seafood, slow-cooked fare, authentic spreads, baked flatbreads, and pies. Everyone who visits us is welcome to explore 40 unique dishes and the indigenous Balkan premium wines, as well as an expansive collection of traditional brandy called rakia. ZIVELI & WELCOME TO A NEW WAY OF DINING WHERE QUALITY MEETS EXPERIENCE AND VALUE
CUISINES
Eastern European
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, Brunch, After-hours, Drinks
FEATURES
Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service
Contribute
4.5
1,715 reviews
Excellent
1,340
Very good
274
Average
66
Poor
23
Terrible
12
Andhul4
Washington DC5 contributions
Feb 2020 • none
I love love loooove this restaurant! The food is always delicious and the customer service terrific. Meals are served tapas style- small plates- so you get to eat an impressive variety of dishes. This is especially important to the newcomers to Balkan cuisine as you can sample diverse food than in an average restaurant. Waiters are very efficient and attentive to bring another round of plates in timely manner. Definitely a must visit place for both tourists and residents.
Written 24 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jenny C
Broome48 contributions
Jan 2020 • couples
Excellent meal at Ambar Capitol Hill, we had the Ambar Experience at $49 per head you choose from a extensive unlimited menu which also includes some great cocktails. We came away full to the brim definitely value for money as well as being delicious. Wait staff were great and helped us to pick out some great food.
Written 5 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anamyself2902
Washington DC29 contributions
May 2019 • none
Truly great Balkan cuisine, traditional dishes, sometimes with a twist, tasting great and accompanied with variety of drinks from the region, all that at very reasonable prices. Service is excellent and ambiance is good, too. Fully recommend for date nights, friends and family gatherings, etc.
Written 8 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dmitri T
13 contributions
Oct 2020 • none
I'm baffled by the high ratings of the restaurant and disappointed by the complete lack of authenticity and mediocre food offerings.
First off, the service is terrible. Given the two-hour limit on the seating, sitting there for 20 minutes waiting to order just feels wrong. The food came in any order, so we got the appetizers after several hot dishes.
Second, all hot food was lukewarm at best. I particularly did not enjoy congealed lamb fat.
Finally, the food - perhaps on par with a good college cafeteria. Some highlights:
1. The pickled veggies could have been the calling card of the restaurant, setting the mood for the real Balkan experience. Instead, it included a few pieces of cauliflower, a lonely slice of carrot, one slice (!) of a cornichon, and a few olives that obviously came from a jar that I could buy at Costco. Where are the pickled grapes, grape leaves, pickled watermelon, pickled apples, or even some decent pickles or cabbage? If you don't know how to make it, any Eastern European grocery store probably sells some.
2. Sprinkling chili flakes on meatballs does not make them exotic
3. When you serve pita bread it's so much better if it's warm
4. Steak tartar was actually pretty good
Giving one star for the fact that it's all you can eat, so the price/value ratio is pretty good if you just want to eat something. However if you care anything about the quality of the food or the experience of going to a restaurant, stay away!
Written 10 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Caprice K
5 contributions
Dec 2019 • none
Ambar has a great unlimited small plate brunch with bottomless mimosas (Balkan Experience). I really enjoyed my time at Ambar as their brunch was just delicious! They have small plate versions of everything on their menu and you can order as much as you'd like at one time for a 2 hour time period and they are consistent with checking on you. The mimosas have the most flavors I've seen for bottomless mimosas and they are strong! 5 stars bro, 5 stars.
Written 8 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bornabrit
Richmond4305 contributions
Jan 2020 • couples
We have eaten at this restaurant many times.
Glad we picked this night as we were informed that it was closing down for renovations for a couple of months.
So check before you ride on over.
We ordered the kale salad, the hummus ( which comes with freshly baked hot bread)
Brussels sprouts, the pear salad and we split an order if chicken skewers
Everything is served tapas style .So potions are small but not that small.
For example we split the kale salad.
You can't go wrong eating here.
Highly recommend
Written 27 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bertrand84
Washington DC39 contributions
May 2021 • family
This place became our pandemic go-to for takeout. Delicious, solid value, food is always ready on time, and if they aren’t able to fully accommodate you for some reason, they find a way to make up for it — without being asked (once they were out of the sandwich I wanted... after I chose another equally delicious sandwich, their unprompted response: free dessert!).
Written 20 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael H
Bethesda120 contributions
Sept 2020 • none
Absolutely delicious small plates are on offer here with probably the best unlimited dining option to be found anywhere!
Each option from a varied and exciting menu was memorable and as , if you opted for the unlimited bargain, you discover your favorites, you can order to your heart’s delight.
Charcuterie, dips, kebabs, lamb lasagna and home baked bread ( delicious) are just a few of our favorites.
In thinking about our perfect evening, I would put the excellent service as another reason to return. We lucked out with the marvelous Tigram. He is affable, fun, and extremely attentive. Looking at the number of tables he was serving and also bar tending ( the unlimited drinks deal is recommended for those who imbibe) , he was always smiling and full of energy- kind of miracle of a waiter. His recommendations were invaluable.
Don’t dine too slowly, there is a two hour maximum for the all you can eat !!! Believe me , the time flies with all the diversity in choices, wonderful wines and champagne, and, of course— the fabulous service thanks to Tigram!!!!!
Written 23 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DoubleGinMN
Rogers313 contributions
Aug 2020 • family
What a fun and delicious restaurant. The food is wonderful. Dont be shy about ordering a bunch of things. The food comes out as it gets done. We made the mistake of just ordering a couple things to start and one plate came out, we ate it and then had to wait for next plate etc. Once we figured that out we started ordering 10 plates at a time, then it was more fun.
Order for the table. The plates are small. We had 3 in our party and each plate provided about a bite or two each. Which was fun being able to try everything. Also it seems that parts if the menu go together, meaning dont just order 1 spread, you order "the spreads" You'll get all 4 on a plate to try. You'll see other things kind of lumped together like that. Our server did not explain that until later in our meal. Wish we knew that earlier. Everything was excellent and tasty. Next time we go out to dc this will be on my list of places to go.
Written 5 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kbtbsbbb
Oklahoma City112 contributions
Oct 2020 • none
Ambar offered a delicious variety of food at a great price.
Son and daughter in law took us here while we were in DC for a visit. Must admit I was a little skeptical it could live up to the hype, but wow did it. I am not an adventurous eater normally; however, from the first bite everything was so incredibly good it made it easy to keep trying new things. Our waiter ( I wish I could recall his name) was friendly, efficient and informative.
The restaurant looked newly remodeled in a casual, modern, upscale motif. It was clean and had good distancing and COVID safeguards. The designer even thought to have numerous speakers so all sections had the opportunity to hear quiet background music as it should be while dining.
I will be back on my next trip to DC.
Written 15 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BlondeGoddess56
District of Columbia20 contributions
Jun 2022 • friends
Eater beware!! Ambar's much ballyhooed try everything menu is really "managed dining" as they clearly work hard to reduce the overall amount of food you receive for $25/person. The waiter takes first orders and then disappears for long periods to slow down your ability to order again or reorder an item you might like. We had to constantly flag down other waiters to try and order new items, ask where our food was, ask why items never showed up, and get our drinks refilled. Our party of 6 had the gratuity added, so our waiter had no incentive to provide even barebones service. We do not recommend eating here due to the incredibly long waits for food to come out, dwindling food amounts, wrong items delivered to our table, and surly waiter attitude throughout. The price is too high for the small amount of food you receive and extremely disappointing service. Go elsewhere.
Written 9 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andy Y
Sunderland19 contributions
Jul 2022 • none
I'd give this a 3.5 but went with 4 to be generous.
Firstly I'd say the food is great and value for money I don't think you can beat in what is an expensive city. The menu has plenty of choices, but each meal is essentially a very small portion (think tapas but half the size again) so you have to try everything on the menu.
The restaurant itself is set across 3 or 4 floors so its big but its also very busy. When we arrived nobody took our details, we had to go to the reception and tell them twice who we were before we finally got seated after 10 minutes of standing around (we had a reservation).
We were right on top floor of the restaurant, and there was a very loud table of young locals near us who'd clearly enjoyed the unlimited drinks option a little too much. The waiter was very friendly and tried their best to keep us fed and watered but I think it was a struggle to manage the sheer number of customers and food that kept arriving upstairs. We ordered nearly everything but some food was missed and some arrived at the wrong table, they could do with being more organised
My recommendation would be to order the meat dishes first as these were the ones missed and we weren't the only table with this issue.
The unlimited drinks option is a great addition and reasonable priced, I had the lager and my wife had the white house wine which was nice.
Written 15 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Caroline C
Camden36 contributions
Sept 2020 • couples
My boyfriend and I have been here a couple times now. We like to do the Ambar Experience, $35/person of unlimited small plates. It is always excellent and I highly recommend it. The food comes quickly and is extremely flavorful. This is a must try restaurant in DC if you enjoy Balkan Cuisine.
Written 18 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lori M
Washington DC2 contributions
Aug 2019 • none
For one price, you get an endless parade of delicious Balkan treats, including my favorite, creamy, cheesy kajmak. AND an endless pour of a selection of Balkan drinks, including a lovely rose. The food is authentic, and so are the servers: Our waitress was from Belgrade. The only downside on our visit was that the rooftop deck was closed. The whole restaurant is now closed for a total renovation.
Written 11 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ElaineAndGreg
Chesterland3088 contributions
Nov 2022 • none
You don't see a whole lot of Balkans restaurants in the United States and Ambar demonstrates that that is a loss for all of us.
We've been going to Ambar for about 5 years, but were unable to visit due to travel restrictions during the pandemic. We returned in November and found it to be every bit as good as we remembered it.
The reference to "Balkan" food is deliberately ambiguous. The description flows roughly from the former Yugoslavia south and east into countries like Romania and Moldava. The food traditions are very flavorful with lots of lamb, sauces, and spices.
Ambar used to have an Ala carte menu, but it's now mostly a $49.99 prix fixe. You pay the flat amount and they will basically get you anything you want on the menu for the next two hours. The arrangement is a lot like Spanish tapas with lots of small plates meant for sharing. The array is pretty large from spreads (yes, you want to try them) to soups and salads, to seafood, pork, and lamb, to prepared vegetables, to various cheese dishes, to slow-cooked entrees, to grilled food. The wait staff is enthusiastic and eager to show you or explain the offerings. Dining here is a lot of fun.
As a tip, you'll probably want to order a few things at a time. They come out hot as soon as they are ready, so be prepared to order in stages, something that is made easy as the menu is divided into different sections. You'll want to try some things you have never had before to experience something new. We ended up writing our orders on some scrap paper we had, which speeded the process, but they ended up giving us some blank receipts toward the end. It might not hurt to bring a pen and some note paper to get everyone's order. The service is very attentive, so you should not experience any major delays.
They have various wines and spirits ala carte, but there is also a drink pairing for something like $25, which is a pretty good bargain. The wines in the pairing are all from the Balkans. I had one from Moldava, which showed that wine from that region had vastly improved from the former Soviet days.
The decor used to be somewhat rustic, but they've redecorated in a different style that is a little more polished but still very comfortable.
This is a consistently excellent and enjoyable restaurant and great for meeting friends.
Written 11 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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