I finally checked out Ámbar inside the Plaza Hotel downtown and honestly... that burger alone already earned them a return visit. I had just come down from a Tom Lea gallery event upstairs and the restaurant was packed. I figured it was a long shot, but they still found a way to seat me. Service stayed friendly even with the rush, which I always notice. The burger was easily one of the best I've had in El Paso. Clearly handcrafted, cooked right, super juicy, really flavorful. What impressed me most was the bun actually held everything together instead of falling apart halfway through like most gourmet burgers do. At about $20, it felt justified. One thing worth noting, especially if you're into spirits: they have one of the largest tequila and mezcal collections around. Definitely a destination spot if that's your thing. I tried their carajillo but found out they add Baileys, which made it sweeter than I usually prefer. Not bad at all, just more dessert-leaning than my taste. Live music from Jordan Taylor was happening that night too, which made the whole atmosphere feel elevated without being stuffy. Because that first visit stuck with me, I went back recently to try their lunch special with a friend. For $26 you get an appetizer, entrée, sides, guacamole, tostadas, and dessert. It's honestly a great way to try a range of dishes without committing to just one plate. Funny enough, it doesn't look like a huge amount of food at first... but we were completely stuffed by the end, so kudos to them for balancing portions well while still giving variety. Standouts: * The octopus cocktail appetizer was excellent. Bright, fresh, good texture. * Carne asada was cooked exactly right. Tender but still had bite like a proper steak. * Mushroom components in several dishes were surprisingly flavorful. * Desserts were a highlight. The arroz con leche arancini especially. Crispy outside, creamy inside, not overly sweet. Very well done. Some things were more middle-of-the-road: * Salmon dish leaned bland, lots of texture but not much flavor. * Guacamole tasted a bit acidic. * Goat cheese in the enchiladas was subtle to the point of disappearing. * Corn and mashed potatoes were fine but nothing memorable. Timing was reasonable. Food came out in about 20 minutes, but with a full meal you'll want to plan roughly an hour to an hour and a half total if you're not rushing. One practical perk: they validate parking at the Plaza garage next door, which downtown absolutely needs more of. Overall, beautiful space, solid service, some really strong dishes, and a few that could use more punch. Still very much worth checking out, especially if you're downtown already or want a nicer but still relaxed lunch or dinner spot. Definitely recommend giving it a try. 106 W Mills Ave, El Paso, TX 79901 read more

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We made reservations through Resy and visited this restaurant while in town over the holidays to celebrate one of our child's birthdays. The restaurant itself is beautiful, clean, modern, and very inviting. The food was good overall. We ordered a variety of tacos, a torta, and several sides, all of which we enjoyed. Since we were celebrating a birthday, the staff kindly brought out a complimentary dessert, which was beautifully plated and a nice touch that we appreciated. Unfortunately, the service fell a bit short. Our server wasn't very friendly and rarely checked on our table. We waited quite some time for drinks and water refills. We were seated near the kitchen and main walkway, which is hard to believe that we were overlook, and at times it felt like we were forgotten. We had high hopes for a great family dining experience, and while there were some positives, it didn't quite meet our expectations. That said, we did enjoy walking around the area afterward and taking photos. It's a lovely spot overall. read more

Not my cup of tea. Restaurant is in the hotel we were staying at. Apparently they received a Michelin in 2024 so I was definitely expecting really good flavors. My hubby wanted the tenderloin en mole something but they did not have it. So he settled for a chicken enchilada which he says it was fine but could've gotten it for $6 back home. I got the bass dish. It had nice flavors but again nothing worthy of a Michelin. I asked if there was spice and waitress assured me there's no spice but there was some lingering spice that I did not care for. The fish was actually bland and could've been better with some salt and flavoring but I think they tried to make up for it with the puréed sauce and black rice but unfortunately missed the mark. I wouldn't order it again for $54! What was tasty was their $14 corn bisque. Only thing is that it was lukewarm, otherwise the flavors were great. Service was slow for a Monday night. It was odd. Our waitress kept disappearing and didn't seem too hospitable. Just enough waitressing for her to do her job. Btw..we also tried ordering a dessert on their menu and again was not available. In fact, our waitress said "I'm sorry that's in there. We got rid of that dessert a long time ago." Someone needs to review the menu. Ambiance was fine. Again a hotel restaurant so scenery is not a thing. Probably wouldn't go again. read more

Came here for a work dinner in El Paso! Conveniently located right in downtown just walking distance from our hotel. We were able to be seated right away for a group of 5 which was convenient. The waitress came to take our orders and checked in frequently with us which was nice. She also gave us recommendations for dessert too! The chicken was delicious and the mashed potatoes that came with it were rich and yummy! read more

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Yes, yes , yes and yes- do have additive free tequila cascades extra anejo. Yes it was 56 bucks for a shot but it was great. I got the nopales salad and it delicious, overpriced , yes definitely but the ambience is beautiful, very elegant and great art. read more

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Stopped here after checking into the hotel, ended up having the Ribeye and a few margaritas. Fantastic experience. Great service! read more

Ambar - Spicy Marg - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

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If you've been looking for an excuse to get a little dressed up and have an elevated night out in downtown El Paso, AMBAR is that excuse wrapped in gold lighting and Latin rhythm. This place oozes modern sophistication -- think sleek amber tones, warm lighting, and a menu that feels equal parts art and indulgence. They have an entirely separate vegan menu (bless them for that), which instantly won me over. I had a vegan beet tamale that was this unexpected harmony of earthy and elegant -- like a culinary poem about balance. My husband went for the chicken tinga, which he said was "perfection on a plate." I'll also go on record saying their guacamole might just be the best in El Paso -- perfectly seasoned, bright, and unapologetically fresh. Our waitress was phenomenal -- the kind of server who feels like a new friend by the end of the night. She sat with us, chatted about everything from local food culture to the downtown revival, and made the whole evening feel personal. They also have mocktails that are actually crafted -- not just juice in a fancy glass. Every sip, every bite, every moment at AMBAR felt curated with intention. In short, this is the kind of place that gives you a reason to wear something nice, order something new, and remember why dining out can still feel like an experience. read more

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New Year's Eve here was good due to the company. The food was goo. Service on the other hand was a bit slow since there were hardly any people at 5 PM and we struggled to get straws, a purse holder, and basic services. We did love that it was quiet enough to have nice conversations, and the kitchen was beautifully arranged. We left the waitress and 30% tip, even though the service was not very good. read more

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Great experience at Ambar El Paso. We dropped in and took advantage of the lunch specials. We tried the ceviche appetizer. I enjoyed all of it. My lunch specials came with my choices of crema de green Chile (soup), corn, carnitas, guacamole, and a bunuelo tart of chocolate mousse. Their guacamole is super fresh. The chile verde had a little kick to it. Daniel was a superb server and he put up with my shenanigans and tons of questions He got us anything we needed and checked on us regularly. He was great. The place is beautiful. The bar is as reached to the glass backing and is naturally lit. I'd return here to try more of what their menu has to offer. This visit went well. read more

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Tired after a flight from the East, we were delighted to relax and have a mid-afternoon dinner at Ambar. The atmosphere was warm and inviting. the staff especially friendly, and the food good. The bowl of guacamole was a bargain. read more

Cool spot. Pricey for what you get. Burger was 7/10. Good bartenders and tequila selection

10000/10 went for my bf birthday and food was amazing, we got porterhouse 40oz and it was perfect for us two. server was amazing. the whole experience was nice. FOOD WAS ONE OF THE TOP MEALS IVE HAD EVER. so so good, would definitely keep visiting. ambiance is nice and upscale it gives u that luxury vibe, it feels very intimate. read more

Ambar - porterhouse 40oz steak, asparagus, chipotle potatoes. - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

This is my second time visiting Ambar. I strongly believe that everyone deserves a second chance because everyone could be having an "off day". However, in this case I think the first impression is very indicative of what to expect at Ambar... slow to no service and "mid" to delicious when it comes to taste. The ambience is comforting and welcoming. I love the open kitchen area and oversized seating in the booths. Both visits were made during slow service hours, maybe 2-3 tables with fewer than 8 diners total. And yet, both times we had extremely slow service. I would have expected more attentive staff for it not being so busy. First visit my wife ordered a cocktail, which eventually came out after sitting at the bar for 4 minutes. Yes, I could see the bar from table and was looking at my watch. Her second drink was much like the first, sitting at the bar with melting ice before being delivered. The guacamole tasted boring and I felt like the avocados were wasted, being used as garnish on a taco would have been a better option. We had five different tacos, all of which tasted delicious. I felt like my tastebuds were finally alive after the guacamole. Glad to know I don't have to make an appointment with my doctor to check me for underlying health issues. For the second visit we came specifically for Sunday brunch. This time we brought our daughter and everyone had the buffet. Nice variety of traditional American and Mexican dishes. The Pazole Rojo was delicious, maybe a little heavy on the hominy, but I can forgive that considering it's a buffet and people probably fished out the good stuff. The omelette station was not manned, if we wanted an omelette we had to ask the waiter to get "name of cook withheld". Well... that is if we could find the waiter. Again as our first visit the service was slow. My wife got her Coke... eventually. She didn't receive her requested refill... but that goes back to the slow to no service I mentioned at the beginning. Our waters and black coffees were eventually refilled. The coffee did taste burnt, but was hot so that's a plus. The buffet was well stocked and tasted delicious. The dessert bar was stocked but honestly was hit and miss with flavor. The Mexican pastries were definitely homemade, but some of the other items tasted like they came out of the food service catalog. Overall impressions: don't come if you are in a rush and don't expect too much from the menu. In my opinion Ambar is very much a place you come to when staying downtown for a convention or wedding. Nothing spectacular to set it apart from any other restaurant in the downtown area. read more

Ambar - Brunch buffet selection. - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

Nice upscale restaurant that's attached to the Plaza Hotel. All the wait staff were very friendly and the food was delicious. I had the pork tomahawk and it was surprised at how juicy and thick the cut was. read more

Ambar - Pork Tomahawk - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

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Every thing I have tried here has been so good. I arrived after a long drive yesterday. I was tired and hungry- not inclined to venture very far. Came in for the pulpo aguachile and tortilla soup. The pulpo was delicious, but the soup was different from any I have had before-thick and rich. Great balance of flavors. Excellent. So, I stopped for a light breakfast this morning. I had fruit and the mushroom breakfast taco. Also amazing. I'm leaving soon, so I had dinner tonight. The entire menu sounds amazing. I went with the caeser salad and striped bass. So darned good! The restaurant is somewhat formal looking. Lots of dark wood. Casual dress is fine. It's just very comfortable. Service is prompt and attentive, but not hovering. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming. I need to come back when I can try the rest of the menu! read more

OMG, this restaurant is amazing words are not enough. The food is amazing for first impressions. We had the pleasure of having Chef Andy cooking for us not 1 day but 2 days WOW the food is incredible and and another shout out to Octavia and Alieen the service was excellent. It's a must try read more

Ambar - Chicken Tinga and Duck - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

Breakfast is absolutely delightful. It's quiet, the food is delicious and the waitstaff is so friendly. The food is outstanding and I recommend the chilaquiles with steak. read more

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We were returning back from the New Mexico Bowl and decided to stop off in El Paso for the night. Both my wife and I like history and good food, so we checked out the two biggest and oldest hotels downtown. We walked by Ambar and stopped in for some drinks during the late afternoon and I got some salmon ceviche at the bar. Watched some more football on TV and we found out that it as Jazz night for dinner. We came back later for dinner and the atmosphere and food were wonderful. Service was excellent and quick. One of the best things about the evening was listening to Jordan Taylor, the lounge singer. Her voice was captivating. We ordered a couple of extra glasses of wine and walked over and sat down to finish her set. Great ambiance! read more

To start, the atmosphere and ambience is absolutely gorgeous. No complaints here. Upscale, with lots of warmth and cozy places to sit through out, with a beautiful bar. Gorgeous. Service was very good, although a bit slow. Our waiter was attentive, helpful, and polite. We enjoyed his suggestions. It was a two hour long dinner which was fine for us as it was an anniversary dinner, but just know you may there for some time. Price is VERY expensive. The food was decent (would order the guacamole and brussels again, they're huge servings). Would pass on the salmon and the cake we ordered, as the cake although beautiful wasn't particularly good at all. Very dry, old tasting. Drinks were decent, although priced very high at 16. Overall the lower rating is because of the food. I don't mind paying for great food, but to pay for subpar food is a huge bummer especially when it's this expensive. We've been wanting to check this place out for a while, and perhaps ours was a one off experience but I believe this was a one time stop in for us. read more

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Came here for a birthday dinner and brunch, the food was delicious, their tequila options impressive, and drinks were so so good. They had a vegetarian dinner option, and I can't stop thinking about their breakfast oatmeal it was SO GOOD. I enjoyed the quiet spacious area with their dim lighting, and didn't have to wait either time. It's always a good vibe here read more

We were in town for 1 day for a concert. Wow don't have transportation so this was walking distance from our hotel. The food was ok, but the prices are insanely high. We went for lunch. I had 2 shrimp tacos, and my son had 2 steak tacos. We also order two sides of French fries. We had been flying since 3 am and just needed to eat. $70 (with tip). For 4 tacos and French fries. Food tastes good though. The server was extremely nice and professional and took care of us. We did find another place a little further out that was a full meal for both of us with chips/salsa for less than $20 and was super delicious. read more

Ambar - Baja shrimp tacos - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

Reservations were quick, seated immediately. Ashley was delightful and kept my coffee topped off. She also had delightful insight into current local events. Thomas made the perfect omelette, I could have stuffed myself ... great meal!!! read more

Ambar - Sample of almost everything loved it - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

I had a wonderful dining experience with great ambiance. The waitress recommended the grilled chicken tinga. I don't normally order chicken breast because it's normally dry without flavor, but I was wrong. This was amazingly juicy and full of flavor. Definitely a great date night place or if you simply want a relaxing night with amazing food. read more

Awesome restaurant & would highly recommend it. Great customer service given & even though we were a party of 5 w/ no reservation, they were able to seat us right away on 06/06/2023. Lots of seating inside w/ great ambiance. Till next time, Rebecca read more

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We had dinner here on our last night in El Paso to celebrate our daughters birthday. It has a cool vibe and looks high upscale. The service was great - shout out to Nathan, our server! And the food! Everything was delicious and cooked perfectly. The cocktails weren't too shabby either! Great place for a date night or special occasion. read more

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Lovely setting and friendly, professional service, but unfortunately the food did not live up to the setting. Nothing stood out as good, and some was affirmatively bad (eg the Caesar salad and the tacos). We left a good bit uneaten, which is saying something. Park Tavern, which is a couple blocks away, is not as beautiful a setting, but we enjoyed the meal there much more. read more

Stopped by for lunch and enjoyed our meals. Had the Baja shrimp tacos and the chicken tacos. Both were excellent. Started with guacamole, the smashed potatoes and the charro beans. All delicious. The chicken tacos was my favorite! They have great service and I loved the ambience too. read more

Ambar - Had to eat tacos with a fork and knife! - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

The first thing I noticed was the smell of the wood burning kitchen as it filled the restaurant with a warm and relaxing ambiance. We reserved a table for three at 6:30, yet arrived 20 minutes early and were effortlessly accommodated. There is an extensive list of tequilas to taste, and our server provided excellent pairing options and suggestions from the food and cocktail menus. The service was extremely friendly and welcoming, making this venue a perfect choice for both a mellow night out with friends, or a romantic date. I will be coming back soon to explore other menu options. read more

Ambar - Their tenderloin topped with herbed bone marrow butter, crispy ancho-lime brussel sprouts and roasted plantains. - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

One of my favorite places to visit when I'm in El Paso. Excellent food, especially the lamb, and great drinks. Nice atmosphere with quick service. read more

Ambar - Rack of lamb serve the way I like it! - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

Great drinks! Janelle provided excellent service and high quality cocktails! She made drink recommendations that were spot on! The other gentleman bartender was great also, but I didn't get his name! read more

Husband and I trully love this place for all of our special occasions! The food is amazing and the ambience is the best. The service never disappoints at all. read more

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We walked in at 9:00 an hour before closing and no one batted an eye. We were seated quickly. We got the tortilla soup and burger and they were really tasty. I highly recommend this place. read more

Ambar - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

Beautiful ambience. A bit upscale on the first floor of the Plaza Hotel. Since we are staying in this hotel for the weekend, we came down for dinner and felt a bit underdressed. Our server Gabriel was awesome. Super attentive, friendly, and efficient. The food was just ok for the price. The guacamole was pretty plain and needed some spice. The babacoa and shrimp tacos were good, but again, nothing too spectacular. The mash potatoes were great. My absolute fave dish we had was the bone marrow. It was fantastic. I wasn't a huge fan of the bread it came with but with the mash potatoes and bone marrow together was unreal. Highly recommend that dish. Over all, this place is decent for a nicer place in a hotel. I probably won't be back but I can see that the ambience and music and bar would def make it for a fun night out with friends. read more

Ambar - Baba shrimp taco - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

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Came here for Valentine's Day no reservations and the wait wasn't bad, service was excellent ,the price for the food was great for the taste ,portions look small but I didn't leave hungry , and the place looks beautiful on the inside. read more

Birthday dinner was disappointing and expensive. Skip the food and have a cocktail instead to enjoy the cool ambiance. Very mediocre guacamole to start. Refried black beans that came with my meal were tasteless yet salty. Also mediocre were the cheesy potatoes and tortilla soup. The only decent food item was the enchilada Suiza. Also, the selection of beers was tiny and only 2 terrible IPAs - I ended up drinking water. Our waiter was attentive but food took forever. read more

First off I'm not sure how a table for a 5:45pm dinner reservation is not ready when we arrived to a nearly empty dinning room. The elegant and inviting bar was packed, dinning tables empty and yes we were there early because we were dinning with my mother. Also, they were out of a bunch of stuff but I completely understand as it was the day after Christmas. The hosts were fabulous. Full disclosure I ate at this place years back when it first opened, had a great experience and wanted to give it a second shot. So I started with their version of a Oaxacan old fashioned called frontera old fashioned. It was good but leaned to the sweet side which would likely have been balanced by the smoke component but that was absent as they were out of oak wood chips. Bummer. My brother's mock tail also suffered from the restaurant being out of ginger beer and the bar tender left having to improvise failed to balance sour, tart and sweet flavors proved too much and the blackberry "mule" ended up needing fixing from our booth in the form of requested simple syrup. Mother's Pinot Noir was perfect. First of the food up was the Teutano which was perfectly prepared and had a great flavor. The matcha salsa was not, the pod prep for the salsa left the pieces of chile much too big compared to the amount of marrow and the contrast in consistency and size threw the overall balance of components in this dish way off. But again the flavor was to die for. The tortilla soup was nothing short of amazing, different in texture than your traditional brothy tortilla soups this version had a perfect articulation of the traditional tortilla soup flavor profile while challenging the texture, mouthfeel and consistency of the familiar thus elevating the experience of tortilla soup to a plane much higher than expected. It's so well done I might have to write a sister review just in this soup. Now onto entrees. First, my ribeye was very well cooked as were the broccolini and the mash. Side note, I'm partial to this mash because this is almost identical to how I make it at home. My entree was perfect as were my mother's shrimp tacos. Now, here's where the trouble in paradise comes into play. I've never seen my brother send anything back ever, in my entire time on this planet but he sent his Short ribs back because they were too salty. He said they were perfectly cooked but that they were just too salty. The server actually agreed with him expressing confusion about why the kitchen continues to serve them that salty despite multiple people expressing the fact that they're too salty. So our server obviously understood and brought him his back up request of Barbacoa tacos which were perfect in their replacement. We were too full for deserts and despite the minor challenges I would definitely give it another try. To their credit they actually tell their story with the food they make that's not just some empty platitude. read more

A really delicious meal! I was in town from Los Angeles for a wedding so chose Plaza as my hotel. Stopped into Ambar for dinner and I was very pleasantly surprised. Really nice design inside and the sort of place you would want to stay a bit and have a few cocktails or a good meal. My server was also very polite as well. I started with the bone marrow appetizer (one of my personal favs) and it was delicious. Came with 3 very large bones full of marrow for $20. Def a fair deal esp coming from the city. I finished up with the Alaskan Halibut, which was also delicious. Had some ingredients we don't use for seafood in CA (jalapeño on top) but it honestly worked and I felt it was a good taste of Texas flavors while giving a nod to the great Pacific where I'm from. Overall a very good meal and I would recommend to anyone in town or visiting. If I'm back in El Paso in the future I will most certainly eat here again. read more

Ambar - tuetano - grilled bone marrow, salsa macha, grilled bolillo - Mexican Near Me - El Paso, Texas

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Great food can't say enough about it! Came in for Sunday brunch bar and was amazed by the options they had, so many! Authentic Mexican food!! read more

This will be short: we eat here pretty much every time we're in El Paso because, despite its location, it's not just a hotel restaurant. The food is always some of the best we have on the trip - you know it's something unusual when you find yourself not just remembering but actually daydreaming about a breakfast burrito you had days ago. Prices are a value for what you get. Service in the restaurant is good, but can be slow. The service in the bar section (Jesse! You're the greatest!) is knowledgeable, friendly and amazingly professional. Selection at the bar is noteworthy, and the lounge area is just beautiful: I'm not sure there's a better place to spend an afternoon in El Paso. read more

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I hate to give these kinds of reviews, but this time Ámbar was very disappointing. I made reservations for Mother's Day here specifically because I've had their bone marrow and it's great! To our disappointment they were out of them. Waitress was great but we were surprised the manager didn't bother to come and at least apologize for the inconvenience as we mentioned that this was one of the main reasons why we were there. I thought this was a but disappointing. The food was ok, most everyone liked the food except the price was so high, each taco $10 or $12! I think that's a bit much for barbacoa tacos. I think we could've gone to a finer steakhouse and paid the same. I wouldn't be back. read more

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