Ambar Restaurant, Clarendon

What a great time! Ana is such a great server! She was attentive and offered us menu options which were all delicious. Highly recommend their unlimited lunch. We will be back from Brunch and dinner as well.

Reserved high top for Christmas eve last minute. Upon arrival, I asked host for cancellations for regular dining and they offered to see if the current time rez would make it on time. But my guests opted to just take our high top seating immediately instead of waiting. Most of the food was spectacular as usual. Not sure I would pay for the Christmas menu next time, the hanger steak, part of special menu, was tough. Branzino alone might make it worth it though. Mussels were PERFECTLY cooked, not tough or rubbery at all. Almost felt like little clouds in my mouth. Natasha offered phenomenal and attentive service. She made sure all our questions were fully addressed and didnt rush us AT ALL. She made appropriate suggestions and was super pleasant with any repeated requests. The kitchen and runners got the food out QUICK. My candied pecans were missing in my first order of beet salad but made it on there for the second dish. The other important ingredients were there though didnt take away from the main flavors. I love having the choice to taste a bit of everything. All those plates add up though. Do not go if youre not lavishly hungry. Probably the most potent espresso martini Ive had but the flavors were well mixed. I thoroughly enjoyed the carrot ginger spritzer. Im probably going to try to duplicate at home.

Overall, we had a great first time experience at Ambar. We've talked about going forever and really happy we finally did. For 42.99 it's an all you can eat tapas style which works out well for larger parties. Most of these places are iffy when it comes to service as they tell you you only have 2hrs but then take forever to come back and even ask if you want more. Here though, someone was always asking us if we wanted more (we even had the manager telling us an empty table wasn't acceptable to him as we were breathing between dishes lol). Plates were cleared just as fast as they were delivered. We ordered quite a few dishes and There were only a few complaints in regards to the food: - Salmon Benedict was cold and it was pretty clear the poached eggs were bulk made and stored making it not super enjoyable served Luke warm - The flatbread we got was over seasoned with the oregano so much that it ruined the taste of the rest - Caramel Apple waffle was fantastic! However, really wish they would heat up the Apple pie mixture; it's just weird to have a cold filling on top of a warm waffle (maybe personal preference) - Strawberry Waffles could really do without the Nutella! Just make a strawberry filling or chopped strawberries and a maple syrup. - The shakahuka (no pic) was probably the most disappointing; it was really watery, more sauce than anything and oddly nothing served with it. Most of the time you have bread or some potato, but here, nothing so once you break the egg it was a literal soup which was sad - The potato hash (fried potatoes) were bottom of the bin. I think we got the last of what was bulk fried as they were super crunchy and mostly not edible. I'm sure if you get fresh ones they are probably great, but honestly they need a sauce (creme/sour cream/spicy tomato). We actually soaked them in the shakshuka juice which was decent Highlights and Recommended: Mediterranean omelet (no pic), Balkan Salad (I ate 2!), Fried Chicken Sandwich and Caramel Apple Waffle All of the sweet dishes we got were great! Waffles weren't over fried, mini donuts were perfect! Would only decrease the Nutella as they were all swimming in it. We did order the $0.99 mimosa which were better mixed than most bottomless places (you can see the bubbles in the pitchers and glasses) We did order a Mango Lemonade which was basically juice, very limited vodka. As mentioned, overall we had a great experience and majority of the food was good, including the scrambled eggs and bacon which are not pictured (we all know what they look like ). There was only one thing that was confusing to us once we got the bill. We were charged for a food experience and a drink experience (ultimately coming to $42.99/pp). We had no idea what the "drink experience" was since we were still charged 0.99/mimosa or $2.99 for elevated alcoholic drink. It appears that you can order bottomless non-alcoholic drinks (espresso, coffee, soda, tea, etc...) for the drink experience, but this was never communicated to us when we got there (we also said we had never been there). This also seems extreme for people who don't want or don't partake in that option. It was an added $12pp that we didn't even use (and didn't even know about) Had we known we might have had coffee or a latte-- these types of drinks aren't even listed on the menu as an option which feels very undermining when you're being charged for them without a choice. At the bare minimum list your non-alcoholic drinks choices.

The all-you-can-eat tapas style dishes were really good. This is probably most worth it with a larger group, so that you can try more menu items. I highly recommend trying the Halloumi and Beef Short Rib Goulash

I celebrated my birthday at Ambar with a group of 15 people, and everything was absolutely perfect. The atmosphere is warm, elegant, and beautifully designed. I brought my own table decorations, and they blended seamlessly with the restaurant’s aesthetic — it looked stunning. The manager was attentive the entire time, consistently checking on us and making sure everything ran smoothly. The staff handled our large group effortlessly. The food was delicious, the small plates are perfect for sharing, and the birthday dessert with “Happy Birthday” written on the plate was such a thoughtful touch. Highly recommend for celebrations and special occasions. I’ll definitely be back

My husband and I had an AMAZING experience at Ambar in Clarendon for a private event to celebrate our marriage with family and friends. The service, food, drinks, and decorations were absolutely impeccable! I want to extend a special thanks to Marina, our event planner. She worked tirelessly with us to answer all our questions throughout the set-up process. She was also very informative, knowledgeable, and her staff was EXTREMELY pleasant to work with. I HIGHLY recommend Ambar Clarendon for any private party needs. You will not be disappointed!

The food there was absolutely amazing! Guys, you absolutely must try it out. I was celebrating my birthday, and they brought me a very sweet and delicious donut with Nutella and strawberry(delicious). It was $55 per person, and that included one drink that unfortunately I didn’t like. However, the raspberry cake was incredibly good (you have to try it, guys!). I loved it. The food was sweet, and the atmosphere was great, like it was in a book or a movie. It was rush hour at 6:30, so we had to wait a little longer for our server than we would have liked, but that’s just to let you know that it’s best to come earlier or later. Definitely worth it!

This is definitely one of my favorite brunch places. The food is delicious at such a great price. I find that the parking is easier at the Arlington location. They get crowded but still have top notch service.