Great vibe, interesting and effortful cocktails, and very thoughtful menu items. This is, of course, not an authentic Indian restaurant but the flavors were phenomenal and respect the Indian cuisine. We ordered the tasting menu for 6-8 people which was a good amount of food for snacking and just trying new things. Every cocktail we ordered was delicious. We enjoyed our visit and would definitely go back and take visiting friends and family! read more

Was excited to try Amba for the first time, given that it recently opened and I was impressed by Zhug. As for the decor, the restaurant was extremely dark, to the point where people were using their phone flashlights to read the menu. The music was super loud and it was difficult to have a conversation without feeling like you were shouting. The restaurant has a cool, hip vibe, but not exactly practical for dining. We were extremely underwhelmed by the food. A common theme among all the dishes we tried was a lack of flavor. The chili sauce, although it was labeled as vegan, tasted like fish oil. The chickpea fritters were very dry and bland. The pilau was also very dry and lacked seasoning. The blackberry cashew cake was tasty, and was probably the highlight of the meal. Menu items were overpriced, given their quality. Also, they don't take reservations and the wait estimate they gave us was not accurate. Didn't feel like our time was respected. Overall, I would not recommend Amba. read more

amba gives me nyc vibes, sister restaurant to zhug, so you know it's already a good pick. the food is so so so elegant and made delicately, but i absolutely love the menu as well. price is pretty decent and the place is sooo good to go for a special occasion or date night! service is great as well, i came with a friend and we got seated at the bar. great interior, amba is a top choice of mine in cleveland! read more

Great ambiance and overall a great experience. We ordered the chef's tasting menu and got to try a variety of dishes. My favorite was the crispy puri and my husband's favorite was the mango chutney. If you are going on the weekend, plan to get there early as it gets booked fast. We will be visiting again for sure read more

The food. The ambiance. I loved my whole experience. The fried zucchini was a star. We sat in the back room by the bar, a little quieter, and happy with the choice. We also had the spicy cauliflower and the yogurt and bread. Everything paired well together. Will definitely return. read more

We love Indian food but get tired of the typical dishes served at most places. Amba does not disappoint. The dishes have familiar Indian flavors, done differently. Everything was delicious. I wouldn't say this is going to be in our regular rotation since the prices are so high, but we enjoyed the food. Service was pretty good, but there was only 1 person handling the patio, so she was very busy. The inside has a wonderful dark ambiance - no annoying bright lights here! read more

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Choolah is better, and I hate to say that. Ambiance is AWESOME! Only come for that. I've had twice and wanted to love given I do love zhug. The dip tasted like plain yogurt, not as flavorful as the color might suggest. Bread was average at best. Zucchini lacked flavor and anytime I've roasted zucchini at home it's been better. Sadly disappointing and the service was also just fine. Given the rave reviews, long waitlist, and price I expect it. Much more :( read more

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ambiance was great! dim lights set a nice calm mood. older crowd may have a hard time reading the menu but the small lights on the center of the table provide enough light if you bring the menu in. seating is perfectly spaced even alongside the walls i hate getting into the booth side and feeling like my behind is intruding into someone else's face and space during their meal but amba leaves plenty of room in between. although amba doesn't take reservations we arrived and were seated quickly. appetizer like shareable plates came out very quickly while more hearty platters took a bit longer but overall fine timing. server came around plenty of times during meal. prices were very reasonable and i enjoyed the shareable meal experience! although food was fairly average (my top picks were the bread, chickpea fritters, and spinach dip). the chili oil was lacking any spice. drinks were tasty! overall if i had a group of friends visiting and we wanted to have an exciting dining experience or in the mood to try a little of everything i would come back read more

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The food was delicious, drinks were creative and fun, and the service was great! The food is definitely Indian inspired and not true authentic Indian food, if that is what you are looking for. They have a very creative take on Indian food, and the ingredients are exceptional. Vegetarian friendly! The only qualm with this restaurant is that it is very dark in the restaurant and so it is extremely hard to see the menus and the people you are there with. They don't take reservations so be prepared to wait for a little while, especially on busier days! read more

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BEST INDIAN RESTAURANT experience in the CLE. Very attentive staff & great atmosphere. Food is amazing & served on small shareable plates. Go check out. Parking is a bit of a challenge. Enjoy! read more

Amba - Dinning room - Indian Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

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The vibe is cool, it's dark and they have modern mushroom lamps on the tables. I like the fried zucchini, rice, and tiki chicken. The service was good. My drink was okay but it didn't come with a pretty garnish which I would expect for a place like this. We ordered all 3 desserts. Everyone loved the mango one on a stick. This is good for a girls night or date night. read more

Amazing space and fantastic food!!! Everything was so flavorful and they were super accommodating to allergies! read more

Amba - Indian Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

The interior The staff The food The drinks EVERYTHING!!! This is absolutely the best dining experience I've ever had in Cleveland. I highly suggest trying this place out, you won't regret it. read more

Everything about this restaurant is amazing. We recommend it to all the out of town visitors we have. The cocktails have unique flavors that blend perfectly on the palate. Every plate was delicious! Can't wait to return! read more

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Delicious flavors, but I'd rather support a restaurant run by Indian owners and or staff. The place had thumping club music, and I got sick - probably from the yogurt cocktail that wasn't that great. It was an interesting experience that I don't need to repeat. read more

Beyond cool atmosphere, one of the best dining experiences I've had in Cleveland. They have a number of small plates, all were pretty delicious. Highlights were lamb kofta, puris, spinach dip, samosas. But really everything was delicious. Our server was friendly and attentive. Overall, a wonderful experience, would highly recommend. Of note, they open at 4p, they were packed with a wait by 5p, so come as early as you can, no reservations. read more

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This place is CRAZY good! It's one of the best dining experiences I've ever had in any city. I'm not thinking just James Beard, I'm thinking Michelin. I know that is bold but I stand behind it. It's a sensory overload experience. When the sun is shining outside and you walk in, it feels so dark that you can barely see what is happening around you...then you hear the music pumping...and then when you get the food -- holy harmony of flavors! Absolutely superb! Cannot wait to go back. Couldn't think of a negative remark to say, everything top to bottom was excellent. read more

Amazing all around! The ambiance is great, we sat outside on the patio which was wonderful. Mattie (sp?) our server guided us in our choices, answered all of our questions and shared with us what her favorite dishes are. The A1 cocktail was fantastic. But my favorite part was the small, sharable plates; I was so pleased that we were able to try so many different items. By far, the Turkish Eggs were our favorite! I don't know when I will be back to Cleveland, but I will never forget Amba! read more

Really wanted to like it, but wasn't really a fan on many of our dishes. The presentation, service, and ambiance were absolutely wonderful but the taste wasn't good enough for the price tag, in my opinion. A few notes - We LOVED the spinach dip and the clay bread and the warmed cashews - the samosas lacked flavor - the keema was favor spicy yet not a lot of flavor - the tikka chicken was cooked well but again we felt the sauce lacked flavor - the eggplant was our least favorite - the flavors of the sauce and the eggplant did not go well. read more

Amba is the perfect concept for 2020, and the food is tasty enough to remind you of the good ol' days of sit-down restaurants! We ordered eggplant bharta, pickles, chickpea fritters, chicken kofta, and brassica poriyal. Each dish was complexly flavored and delicious. I especially loved the bharta and the pickles. Who knew pickled mango would be so nice! My one complaint, which I've emailed to the chef / owner because he followed up to the order with a note welcoming feedback, was not knowing the portion sizes of each dish ahead of time. Not knowing made ordering for three people a little bit tricky, but we managed just fine and were full in the best possible way! Since then, I received a response from the chef / owner stating that his team will look into this update! read more

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7pm on a Friday night and only a 45 min wait to be seated. Might be the best food I've ever eaten - portion sizes are way bigger than I expected for small plates but worth overeating read more

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Food, service and ambiance were 10/10. Loved everything we ordered. We tried the pineapple salad, samosas, popcorn chicken, flat bread and spinach dip, and the lentil donuts. Everything was amazing, the spinach dip was SO good (and that's not something I'd typically order). It's really dark when you get inside but you get used to it, and you quickly appreciate how much effort they put into the decor and vibe. Can't wait to come back the next time I'm in Cleveland! read more

The food here was amazing. They refer to themselves as a "small plate" restaurant, but the plates aren't so small! We were told to order three to four plates each, but two or three are plenty, especially if you share. The fare is Indian-inspired with a modern twist. My only criticism is that the restaurant is VERY dark. This prompted several people to pull out their phones in order to be able to read the menu, and the lights were distracting. The place should just turn up the lights a bit and solve that issue. One word of caution: Get there early or you'll be waiting in line. They don't take reservations (which is annoying). read more

This Indian inspired small-plate restaurant gets a lot of things right. They put their own spin on Indian dishes and the result is some pretty delicious food. They have several vegan options- my favorites being lentil donuts (a spin on Indian vada) with coconut chutney which is so close to the real thing but they make it their own. What I have mixed feelings about is the vegetarian crispy puri (a spin on Indian pani puri). While it is good, it doesn't come close to be as good as the real thing. Pani Puri is a fully realized dish- it's an explosion of flavor. While I applaud their experimentation I think they could do better by simply recreating pani puri. I liked the naan a lot. I also liked the eggplant dish though it wasn't my favorite. I wish they had a few more vegan options or veg options that could be made vegan. For example, the crushed samosas have eggs and milk in them and aren't really as good as the real thing. Originally samosas are naturally vegan. When it came to drinks, their vodka cumin cocktail was phenomenal- on par with some of the best cocktails I've had in Mumbai. Our server was friendly and had a lovely can-do attitude. While the restaurant doesn't take reservations it was a pleasure to wait at the bar with some of the most charming bartenders. This restaurant has a wonderful vibe and is happening. Definitely a must-try. read more

We were intrigued by Amba's unique descriptions of the food, unlike any other Indian restaurant we have been to, as well as the reviews, unfortunately, our experience differed. The ambiance was 4 stars, as it was a bit dark. The service was excellent, 5 Stars. The FOOD was high quality but the combination of spices was not to our taste, 1 star. We have eaten in a couple of hundred Indian restaurants, having spent 3 months in India, several months in the U.K., and 3 decades in NYC. To our palates, the spices clashed to the detriment of the quality ingredients. We had chickpea fritters & fried zucchini which were just OK without the 2 provided sauces, one being a mango chutney sauce. The sauces detracted from the fried food even further. We also had chicken Tikka Masala, Pilau Basmati rice, & wok-fired string beans. The Carlsberg Pilsners in cans were the best part of the meal. We hope tastings are done by the restaurant to refine the combination of spices used. read more

Excellent food and ambience. They are doing a great job. Loved everything that we had...keema, samosa, lamb kofta, paneer, chicken, bread, pilau rice, good selection of beer, cocktails, wines...great service, strongly recommend. Cheers. read more

Amba - Indian Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

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Ambas biggest advantage is the lack of market competition. The dim environment suggests quality of a big city. The food itself itself seems to taste of cheap ingredients, non traditional indian cooking methods, and amateur chef work. Service is unremarkable and forgetful, no worse and certainly no better. Its a cool vibe with very mediocre food compared to comparable indian restaurants nationwide. read more

The ambiance is stunning, the menu looked amazing. The flavors were off on all but a couple of our choices. Mostly just under seasoning. I asked my server for salt twice but it never came. The server was nice otherwise. I don't have to go here again read more

Every time I come here I am rushed to finish my dinner by the waitstaff. I have come to Amba at two different times, around 6pm and 8pm. I truly don't understand why the waitstaff is so focused on rushing the guests out the door. It creates a negative experience. Everything else is amazing, but the service and for that it's not a pleasant experience. Also the chicken nuggets on the menu look and taste like kfc. Not authentic to the Indian cuisine at all. read more

Food and drinks were out of this world! The space was beautiful and arelaxing to enjoy a meal in. The grilled chicken tikka, beetroot raita, and paneer were standouts that I'd have to order again and again if I came back. Drinks were awesome too. Highly recommend read more

I rejoined Yelp to post this review! So we moved to Cleveland a couple months ago and have been exploring, and I think Amba is hands-down the prettiest restaurant in town. So sleek and swanky and pleasant and fun. Servers and hosts and everyone else was lovely. Cocktails were excellent (I had the best mocktail I have ever had, the nimbu masala) and the wine list was very nice. I'd come back for a drink at the bar and maybe a snack for sure. The food, though. The beet raita tasted like some kind of goopy raspberry pomegranate yogurt, the eggplant was underdone, the puri were filled with what seemed like a very mayonnaise-heavy potato salad, and the cauliflower was mushy (surely not frozen??) and somehow both too bland and too spicy -- not as in too hot, but as in someone left the lid off the powdered spice container and accidentally dumped in the whole jar. Ok, one more thing: bread. The "clay bread" here is not naan. It's thick and floury and tastes packaged or pre-made. I like the food at Zhug, Doug Katz's other restaurant, ok, but the bread there is really similar, and similarly disappointing. Doug Katz, if you see this, at least please just fix your bread!! read more

One of the best dining experiences I've had and in Cleveland! The atmosphere and ambience is really cool. Cocktails and small plates were all delicious. We were especially surprised with how much we loved the chili oil. Great addition to Ohio City and highly recommend. read more

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Top notch. Great food. Great service. The interior is dark swanky cool. We need more restaurants like this in the area. One of my favorites!

The food is unreal. The kind of spice that builds and warms you throughout your meal but dissipates before it gives you heartburn! The service was attentive and informative, but also gave us space since we were sitting at the bar. Perfection. The ambiance is soothing and mysterious and fits perfectly with the entire package. Cannot recommend this place enough. read more

Food is great, but they really need to address their two-sip cocktails with all that ice. What a joke!

My family and I had a really nice dinner here. The environmental is super cool, very dark, but not pretentious. The food is definitely amazing. Chickpea fritters and lentil donuts cannot be missed! Roasted eggplant was great also. And the price isn't bad either. Four plates, some bread, and a side of chili crisp and the bill was only $65 before tip. Well worth the time and money coming here. read more

The first dish imaged was the purri. A delightful play of texture: crisp and light outer shell with a soft, creamy inside. Notes of cardamom and saffron dance across the tongue. It set the stage for a soiree into the raita and flatbread. Warm ghee seeped through the flatbread as it was eventually extinguished by the soft, cool breeze that was the raita. Mint and other herbaceous notes crescendoed atop the palate. Lastly, the venerate popcorn chicken. Bold, spicy, crispy, luxurious. The spiced zhug sauce attached itself to the morsels like a body suit. Adjectives feel disingenuous when describing the symphony of flavor. read more

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Came here for dinner, and it was awesome! We got there around 6:30pm on a Friday night, and the wait was about an hour which was fine for us- we just got drinks at another bar while we were waiting. The ambiance is really trendy and cool, and it's dark inside. The vibe is great for just hanging with a group or for a date night. Between the 3 of us, we shared the clay bread, crispy puris, lentil donuts, paneer cheese, lamb kofta, popcorn chicken, spicy sloppy joe keema, roasted eggplant, and spicy cauliflower. The standouts were the lentil donuts, paneer, and the lamb. Probably wouldn't get the cauliflower again, I love spicy food, but it was just a little over-spiced for all of us. Some of the food did come out a little faster than we would've liked (especially since we specifically told our server to bring out the dishes slowly), but they did slow down after we brought it up again that we wanted everything to come out more paced so we could enjoy each dish hot and fresh. Overall, we really enjoyed our meal here, and we are excited to go back to try more of the dishes! read more

Amba - Lamb kofta - Indian Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

One of the BEST restaurants in Cleveland. Probably my favorite of the Dave Katz restaurants (Chimi, Zhug). Every dish was remarkable- especially the Chicken Masala, Paneer, and the Brassica. read more

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If you are a Cleveland area native and haven't tried Amba, drop what you are doing and go. I think this is currently my favorite restaurant in Northeast Ohio. They are doing things with Indian food that you cannot experience anywhere else in this region. I've been a few times and tried almost everything on the menu. My best advice: GET THE CRISPY PURIS. The spinach dip, clay bread, and chicken tika are also excellent. Popcorn chicken and friend zucchini are probably the next best items I've tried. The lamb was a little rich for me, but I often feel that way about lamb. Oh, and the A1 cocktail is easily my favorite in Cleveland. (Apologies to Porto and Spotted Owl -- you guys are still great!) read more