Food was ok and it is very pricy for what you get. Best part was the best dishes. The waitress was hanging out free chocolates which was very nice. Atmosphere is pretty relaxed as well. Maybe with a corporate card I'll go again. read more

Love Ambar... Def do all you can eat. It is the best deal. Brussel sprouts, meats are all good the spreads also. Was not a big fan of seafood items. They didn't have many but preferred the meats and spreads. read more

Wow oh wow! From the kind hostess, to the always at your side server, to the delicious little plates, this place can do no wrong. Our server was able to give us great descriptions of each dish we asked about, she laid out the à la carte versus $35 all-in option and was well versed with the entire wine list. I don't know whether she was a gift from God, or just a phenomenal waitress but dinner here couldn't have been more delicious!!. My only regret is not eating outside because the dining room itself got a little loud on a Saturday night. read more

Absolutely loved the brunch we had here. Being vegetarian, we weren't sure of what we may get but very pleasantly surprised with the range of choices, quality of food, and overall service and ambience. read more

By far the BEST Almond Chicken I've ever had! It's somehow always cooked and seasoned perfectly. So juicy and yummy, paired with a perfect slaw/tzatziki sauce read more

This is a great restaurant, and things cannot really go wrong if you try 3-4 dishes. My favorites: grilled pork neck, so much flavor. Brussel sprout with bacon bits--super tasty. Meat pies are great, but not too consistent. The meat pies we got (2 per order) look different, one is nice and fluffy, the other just looked like it wasn't done right. Smoked pork neck is delicious! read more

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Amazing food and service. The Balkan experience is the best!!

The food is good, I have to say. I went here twice, both for brunch. The first time I tried the all-you-can- eat. The food was really good and they also include a almost free cocktail. But since I don't drink, I ordered drip coffee instead, which was quite a big mug, good coffee. Second time I just ordered a regular dish, still pretty good food, but the coffee is AWFUL. It's in a small lattee cup, which I further asked the waitress whether it's regular coffee. She said it was, but it definitely tasted much bitter and was only warm-which became completely cold at the end of the meal. Really unpleasant experience of brunch with the bad coffee. read more

Went there on Thanksgiving Day as many places were closed, this one was open and served not only Thanksgiving Specials but also the full menu. Food was absolutely delicious and our server/bartender was exceptional. Great food, good prices and excellent service. Will definitely go back there in the near future. read more

I heard dinner at the Clarendon Ambar was awesome so we decided to try brunch also. It was terrible, the food was not very creative, bland flavor, and half the time it was cold. But I could get over the food being nothing special but I couldn't handle the terrible service. We sat down at the table and waited 10 min for service before we lost out patience and grabbed a random server. ( it was 10min because as a joke we put a timer on). The server we did get came to the table 3 times total. And with all you can eat tapas that is not a good deal at all. Def avoid this place for brunch and try cava or bracket room. read more

Wife took me here in her quest for "new and interesting" food. The small plates were awesome and I highly recommend the "Balkan Experience" - all you can eat for $35 a head. This allowed us to share a lot of different plates and all but one was awesome. The one we didn't like was a matter of personal taste, so I won't mention it. Go for the wine as well - again unique, different and good. read more

Went there yesterday with a group of 10 for a bday party. Crowded place but you can still move between the tables. The seating itself is ok, the tables however are tiny so if you sit next to someone you'll be bumping elbows quite a bit. The AC was set to "Winter is coming" setting, the music was too loud making people have to scream when 2 seats away, and the general sound insulation was poor, so it felt like it was a 1000 people hall instead of a relatively small restaurant. Our waitress was very polite, but basically didn't even ask what we wanted, she decided that we were doing the 34 dollar "Balcan Experience" and proceeded with that. The food itself is quite boring but not bad. Just take any tapas menu and add a sunny side-up egg on top of it: Flatbread with an egg on it, burger with an egg, sausage with egg, bread with egg, etc... Also, while our server (an efficient and courteous blonde girl) did a good job coming to check in on us, the guys helping her were not very great: water (warm as I guess they ran out of ice) was often spilled on the table while refilling glasses, and because of all the small plates they bring you, often the server would place a dish in front of my face and just hover, waiting for me to grab it and figure out where to put it, and he did so with his thumb in the food... Yukkk... There has to be a better way to present and "land" the food on the table. So if you have high EGGspectations I'd look elsewhere as this looks and feels exactly like many other places in the area: it's made to last a couple of years and ride the wave of the novelty, but when it comes down to it, it's nothing to remember. The redeeming qualities are the main server and the value for money. I would not return on my own account. read more

Went here with a party of 7 for a birthday dinner on a Wednesday night. We had the Balkan Experience and loved it! The food was wonderful and the service even better. We made reservations a week in advance and they had our table ready as soon as we arrived. The small plates kept coming and we tried almost every item on the menu. Our server Ivona was helpful and personable and gets high marks for her attentiveness! At the end of the evening, she brought out a happy birthday desert to top off the celebration. Thanks for the great night out, Ambar! read more

AMBAR Restaurant, Clarendon - Modern European Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

$35 for endless tapas is the way to go. Lamb lasagna was the best plate. Charcuterie, Brussels sprouts, and flat breads were also very good. Great draft beer selection and an atypical wine list with great values. read more

So good. Had the veal soup. Service was quick for happy hour and everyone was so nice. Will definitely be back.

The gorgeous white decor and planters would be enough to transport you to a Baltic isle... but the food makes the journey a sure thing. Every dish is flavorful and delicious, and the prices are absolutely reasonable. Honestly though, I'd be happy just drinking a few of their gin and tonics, which are arguably the best in Arlington, if not the entire D.C. area. read more

The food is good, not great. The menu is fun to chose off of but the restaurant was really noise.

Ambar was very delicious, super stylish, and had great staff. The food was very good for the price, especially considering that it's in Arlington. The ingredients seemed very fresh and the atmosphere was so cozy. The service was fantastic too: the host and the server were very attentive, and also very kind to my service dog who ate with me. Overall, I was very happy, 10/10 would recommend! read more

Love it! Would recommend the Balkan Zucchini or the Drunken Mussels, everything is pretty tasty here and lots of great options to choose from. Drinks and dessert were exceptional, too! read more

As an Eastern European myself, I was curious to see if this place serves authentic Balkan cuisine. We arrived, ready and excited to enjoy the Balkan Experience. From the beginning to the end, everything exceeded our expectations. We tried many of the dishes on the tapas menu, with my favorites being the meat pie, stuffed cabbage, stuffed pepper, the charcuterie board, the lamb pate, beet spread, the squash salad, and the almond chicken. The best surprise was on the desert menu, Krempita, as good as my grandma used to make and brought back wonderful childhood memories. Wonderful establishment, great service and wonderful managers. I will definitely return. read more

Such a great place to bring friends and family. The experience menu is amazing. You can try sooo many different dishes of amazing food. When you go ask for Paris!!! She is such a great server. I've been many times and she was without a doubt the best!!! She knows her menu and the food. Made the night even better. Hope you enjoy Ambar as much as I did. Go enjoy tastes of Croatia by way of Paris! read more

Service is always excellent, food is amazing (I mean like really amazing) the vibe is great. Oh and the drinks were fantastic. I do hope that they lower their prices a bit. Honestly, I would recommend this place to everyone because they have dishes that will fit any tastebuds and dietary restrictions. read more

Amazing food! Ivan kept all the amazing dishes coming with great recommendations. Excellent service!

Great place! Happy hour cocktails were fantastic. I had the tequila sort of margarita. I don't know if they have a rooftop though. Had some of the food it was good but during happy hour they need a buffet that is cheap. The service was very good. read more

After I posted this, I got a very nice message from the manager apologizing and offering a dinner on him to make up for it. I'm watching my waistline right now so I haven't taken advantage, but I wanted to update my review to reflect Ambar's conscientiousness. If I do go back and have a better experience, I'll update again. read more

Ambar is a great place for food and fun. There is so much variety in the delicious small plates that you'll always leave very full and happy. The service is also excellent. Paris was very friendly and attentive. She made it her priority to make sure that we enjoyed our time there. I definitely plan on returning again. read more

This place is truly unique and produces inspiring food. We tried the DC one about a year ago but were happy to hear one opened up closer to us. Their unlimited small plates option is a great deal for the amazing, varied options. You must try the sour cabbage - it is authentic and so, so good. The service here is also top notch. I almost never experience great service, the kind that you remark about and remember. The waitress was very accomodating and helpful. The manager walked us out, patted my husband on the back as if we were regulars, thanked us and wished us a good night. It was a wonderful, personal touch that we won't forget. read more

The vibe is nice, the staff is friendly and efficient and the food is delicious! Went for the $35 unlimited brunch that includes bottomless mimosas and Bloody Mary's. It's $14 for kids and my son loved it too. I have since returned for dinner and happy hour at the bar. Always a good time. read more

Amber has the best food best customer service and best atmosphere and a great crowd of people in Arlington

Would get 5 stars - the food was great - but we had service issues. At lunch, we made our selections - and at least 3 of our choices were no longer available. "It's an old menu," the server told us - after we had perused the menu and made our selections. Well, I'm not sure I see a good excuse for using outdated menus, but if it couldn't be helped, she should have told us up front. I chose the balkan burger - well, no longer, now it's sliders. Second choice: the veal stew. Oh wait, no longer available. And the mushroom soup - whoops. That said, my 4th choice - the balkan kabob plate - was superb. My wife had the stuffed pepper and really liked it. Ambiance is fine, if a little generic; the beer was good. All in all, a very good lunch, marred by some easily avoidable menu issues. We'll definitely go back, and hope they've solved the menu issues. read more

We loved Ambar for Sunday brunch!! I came with three friends and had Paris as a waitress; she was amazing - the food all tasted delicious (I especially loved the meat and the cheese pies) and she made the trip - we never had to wait for food or mimosa refills! She was an absolute doll, I'm definitely coming back and asking for Paris again, she was a blast and gave us tons of good recommendations! read more

So it's really disappointing I didn't enjoy this place because I'd been waiting to go for a month. The service was so lousy. I waited a while for drinks and bread. Not to mention the meal was three hours long, the food took so long to get to the table. The ambiance was great but I won't be back and I haven't recommended it to anyone. read more

Went here for drinks one evening and had a great experience. Love their twist on the classic mules. Good service, nice atmosphere.

This place has s great atmosphere with fun drinks and delish shared plates. It's a perfect spot to hang with your girls and if you're really hungry you can order as much as you want for $35. You won't be disappointed read more

Great food.,. Highly recommended. We have been at this place a few times. The service can be improved. We waited for a long time for our food to come out. read more

I recently had dinner there with my family and a guest. Putting aside the reasonable food prices, the food was a culinary treat; I cannot say enough about the service and attention we received. While many of the dishes were new to us, the wait staff carefully explained the details of each dish and eagerly answered all of our questions. They made the bright and lovely atmosphere feel like home. It is my new go-to spot when I visit DC/VA. read more

I have to say that everything was great. From service to drinks and food, it was a great time had by all. We did the Balkan experience for $35 and we got to try everything we wanted and even orders a couple doubles of what we really liked. Our server was friendly and remembered what we ordered without writing it down. The GM swung by to introduce himself and was very friendly. I just felt like he cared about our experience. My husband mentioned that we were celebrating since our friends just told us they were expecting their first baby and he had our sever bring over a couple desserts. I would definitely come back! read more

Excellent food. Great staff who were very knowledgeable about the food, and very friendly. Manager was on site and attentive to patrons. Even the busboy was polite and attentive to removing used dishes. Will bring the kids back next time. And again food was really good! read more

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Don't really see what all of the fuss is about here. Ambiance is really nice and my Lemonade cocktail was delicious. Otherwise, the food was just okay. Lamb skewers tasted like hamburger meat - Whole Foods sells better kebabs. Eggplant spread looked and tasted like, well you get it. They serve three tiny weird-tasting rolls with the spread, leaving 75% of it to eat without anything to dip in it. Beef tartare and fried zucchini with sauce were the only delicious items we had. No desire to go back here and spend $90 on 5 shared plates and 2 drinks. read more

Server Ivona was excellent Gouda sandwich and forest gnocchi were exceptional ! Top class restaurant will definitely come back . read more

AMBAR Restaurant, Clarendon - Modern European Near Me - Arlington, Virginia