First off, Balkan food is accessible, so don't let that scare you. It's not just beets served atop an unexploded land mine. Second, the service is unique. You have a menu of maybe 30 dishes. You can order as many as you want for a set price (50 bucks or so per person). The dishes are served in very small portions which facilitates everyone having a bite or two then moving on to the next dish. Finally, everything was good. We had a party of three and we shared maybe 13 or 14 dishes. It would be VERY difficult to pick the top 3 favorite dishes because all of them were contenders. read more

AMBAR Restaurant, Shaw - Modern European Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My son and I enjoyed a lovely Sunday brunch at Ambar Shaw the last weekend of March 2026. I was sad to learn that 6 days after we dined here, a city bus crashed into the restaurant rendering it temporarily closed. I'm thankful it happened early in the morning and no one was seriously injured. I hope that the owners can repair the damage allowing them to reopen this location! My understanding is that they have two other locations in the DC area. During our visit, our service was friendly, quick and efficient. We had the all-you-can eat brunch for about $37/person. We didn't elect the bottomless mimosas though I was seriously tempted! We ate inside since I was worried about the chilly morning, but the enclosed patio looked delightful. I kinda wish we'd eaten out there! Noise levels inside were manageable. The food was wonderful and some dishes like the flatbread pizza were larger than I expected. I'll say I think bottomless brunches are best enjoyed by a group of 3 minimum, ideally 4-6. For two of us, it was hard to sample as much as we'd like, especially if we want to try different things. One gets full faster than you'd expect and I hate to waste food! A couple dishes that stood out to me: the little donut holes were a treat as was the white flatbread. The beet tzatziki served with pita bread tasted amazing! I'm less of a poached egg person, so I can't comment on those options. I didn't take pics of each dish, too busy enjoying them! Definitely worth working AMBAR into your brunch rotation! read more

AMBAR Restaurant, Shaw - Donuts from the brunch menu - Modern European Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Best food, service, and prices for happy hour! Delicious variety from the cauliflower to the bread, spreads, fried chicken, and ćevapi Favorite place! read more

It is unbelievable that you can get 2 hours of unlimited drinks and brunch for $50. The bloody mary was STRONG, might I add. We ordered a host of dishes (hangar steak, mac and cheese, shakshuka, flatbreads, the dips, etc...) and everything tasted good (not necessarily a revolutionary culinary experience but REALLY solid good quality food. The restaurant is also beautiful and our server was so kind and attentive. Loved this brunch. read more

AMBAR Restaurant, Shaw - Dips - Modern European Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I would come back to try their buffet, but this is a happy hour (food) review only. My friend and I walked in pretty much right at 5 pm and it was fairly empty so we got to enjoy the quiet atmosphere. Service was good and food was overall mediocre with a couple of gems. We didn't get any drinks. Cauliflower ($5): A little too salty, but well crisped. Would order again. Balkan salad ($5): The amount of pepper and onion in this was too high. It didn't taste bad, but the ratios of the ingredients were off. Nice enough veggie option. Lamb sliders ($9): Fine, dry, didn't taste the yogurt sauce. Veal soup ($5): Delicious. Honestly tasted a bit like chicken pot pie with more cream (adding a lemon made it even better). I would come back just to order this if I was ever craving cozy soup. Drunken mussels ($6): These had a strangely strong olive taste, so were a little on the more bitter and briny end. read more

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Well this was my first time at Ambar and it was an amazing experience. They offered an all you can eat experience which for the low price was great! As well as all you can drink unlimited beverages. It is a Balkan restaurant so I was able to try different foods and known foods just prepared a different way. All the food came out hot and had a delightful flavor. The service was impeccable as expected. Our waiter was very attentive and catered to our every need and want. He made sure our glasses were never empty. The ambiance was nice. The aesthetic was comfortable but also classy. I would 100% recommend. I will be back soon. read more

AMBAR Restaurant, Shaw - Modern European Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This is my first time dining at this location. I have walked by it and walked in and tried a drink, but sitting down as a party of five for my father's birthday. Dinner was a special treat. Upon entering, the gentleman that was at the host stand was very accommodating to our table change. Our waitress Maria was amazing! She was very attentive, kind, knowledgeable, and very helpful! She really brought the good energy that helped my dad's day feel very special. We sat downstairs and it is cute, but upstairs definitely is beautifully decorated as well. Next time, I hope to sit upstairs! They still have a winter restaurant week menu that has everything you would want. I recommend here for you, friends, anyone visiting you it will always be a hit! read more

First time having I believe Balkan food and will definitely come back if in the area. Me and my friend stopped here before going to an event which was right across the street. I see that have an all you can eat selection, but I knew I wasn't going to be able to eat all that so I decided to try the lamb lasagna, Greek salad for some greenery, and an assortment of dips. I was disappointed that they didn't have babaganosh which I absolutely love. But tried the I believe beet hummus and couple others that slips mind. The complimentary breads/pitas were really fresh and had to control myself so I wouldn't be too full to complete my meal. The waitress was really nice to explain the menu and offered suggestions of drinks as this was our first time here. The drink I believe was a kiwi and mint, but whichever it was really good. Nice interior decor that is airy and full of light which opens up the restaurant and makes the are seem bigger that it actually is. 3.75 stars! read more

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I thought Ambar's restaurant week deal was amazing - $55 for unlimited plates plus a drink and dessert! I didn't even grab pictures of most of our plates because they were coming out so often. We split as many as we could - the spread sampler plus another feta urnebes spread (our fave!), halloumi, croquettes, lamb lasagna (melt in your mouth), Brussels sprouts, short rib goulash, lamb medallions, chicken skewers (would skip next time), and the white flatbread. Needless to say we were stuffed but still had room for a few bites of baklava and raspberry cake! We also tried the NA mango mule which was really delicious. Our server was wonderful and the dining room was beautiful and cozy. Will definitely be back here! read more

AMBAR Restaurant, Shaw - TG- Short Rib Goulash - Modern European Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I had a very mid brunch experience at Ambar. The service was just ok. Had to flag our server down serval times. She walked past my empty drink glass and even saw her look at it and keep going. The food was also just ok. I usually go to the capitol hill location and absolutely love it every single time so I'm not sure why the food was different and not as good. You can't ever beat a bottomless brunch with or without drinks. It's always a good time. I was just disappointed in my overall experience. The potato hash had random pickles and carrots that weren't supposed to be in there. The flat bread and apple waffles (not pictured) were the best item we had. The creamy grits are not creamy at all. The mimosas were strong and just a hint of juice how I like it read more

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What a fun and unique experience. Everything here is all you can eat and the pricing is so reasonable, especially given the variety of options you have! I came here for brunch and it was lovely. Bottomless was $15 and premium bottomless was $23. The brunch experience (no drinks) was $39. In terms of the food, share everything so you can try more! I loved the kebab, tri tip, and Mediterranean salad. I would recommend ordering one flatbread and slider at a time cause those were very filling and I didn't think it was as delicious as everything else. This was also perfect for groups. I saw someone setting up for a baby shower with custom decorations and it was adorable. I can't wait to come back again for dinner! read more

Ambar is one of the best values in D.C.'s dining scene. The Balkan-inspired small plates are bursting with flavor, and the unlimited dining experience encourages you to explore dishes you may not have tried otherwise. Every plate, from the grilled meats to the traditional spreads and pastries, is expertly prepared and beautifully presented. Combined with attentive service and a vibrant atmosphere, Ambar delivers a memorable meal that keeps you planning your next visit before you've even left. read more

Since we don't have many Balkan cuisine options on the west coast, my husband thought it'd be fun to celebrate Valentine's Day with a dinner at Ambar. It was easy to get to the Shaw location, as it's only a few minutes walk from the Howard university/shaw street metro exit. Once we arrived, we realized we accidentally booked our reservation at another location, at Capitol Hill! Thankfully the staff were very understanding and told us they could honor our reservation at this location. After everything got figured out, they handed me a long stem rose as part of the Valentine's Day special. At Ambar, the Valentine's Day dinner included a starter bread and spread with an unlimited amount of small plates, unlimited drinks, and a shared dessert within a 2 hour timeframe. The Valentine's Day menu also included special items and was a total of $99 a person. The menu was quite expansive and everything came in small portions. It was a great way to sample a bunch of dishes, as long as you have the stomach to try everything. After 1.5 hours, 16 small plates and 4 drinks, I'm happy to report that everything was quite delicious! Out of all the dishes, our favorites were the Oxtail Wagyu Gnocchi, the YAGA Roasted Lamb, the Lamb Lasagna, the roasted Cauliflower, the Drunken Mussels, and the Grilled Shrimp. To drink we tried a Balkan-style old fashioned made with a Serbian liqueur instead of whiskey, a kiwi smash mock tail, the sangria, and a mango lemonade. I liked the mango lemonade the most as the old fashioned was a little strong. Our server was very attentive and soft spoken, he also made some excellent recommendations and we felt well taken care of. It was a pricey dinner after adding the tax, restaurant surcharge, and the included gratuity, but it was worth it for the experience. Next time we hit DC, we will come back for the less expensive brunch option. read more

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Ambar is pretty much always my first choice whenever someone asks for a good bottomless brunch option. I like that they have so many different options for drinks as well as a lot of variety on their food menu as well. They can accommodate many different dietary restrictions and nearly every time I've come we've had very good service. With the time limit on brunch it's important to have servers who deliver food and drinks promptly to feel like you're getting your moneys worth and I've never had any issues. I've also been for dinner, which is a much more relaxed, but still extremely pleasant experience read more

AMBAR Restaurant, Shaw - Modern European Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This location is great - I've been for happy hour and now for dinner. They have bottomless brunch, but also bottomless dinner, which is really fun for a special location ($49 without dessert, $54 with dessert). We enjoyed everything that came out yesterday - particular favorites were the lamb lasagna, the cheese and meat pies, the Brussels sprouts, and the halloumi with honey. The only thing I might skip next time was the salmon (it was a little rare for my taste, and the puree under it was a bit flavorless). And don't fill up on the dips - they're good, but not as good as the other items. The chocolate cake was good and very rich, and while I'm not into fruity desserts, the raspberry cake was very interesting, if not my particular thing. read more

This has to be the best bottomless food and beverage brunch in DC. The food all arrived in a timely fashion, as did the drinks. I loved the sangria but the mimosas were also great. Our server was attentive and funny. The upstairs bar has some of the most beautiful faux flowers hanging up around the ceiling. My friend has been many times and I can see why! No pictures unfortunately because I was hangry and everything went directly into my mouth without a second thought. Yum! read more

Ambar was an awesome experience. Ambiance was cozy and the menu selection was unique and refreshing. For all you can eat, pricing is extremely reasonable. Having the small plates gave our group the ability to order a bunch of different things, which was so fun. The lamb lasagna was our favorite, we ordered it 3 times. Definitely recommend making a reservation ahead of time if possible for quick seating. read more

This was a vibey spot that was not too busy for a weekday lunch. The waitress that was helping us was so friendly and great at providing us with recommendations. There's quick service, lovely ambiance, and delicious food for a great lunchtime price. I think this is also a great option for people less familiar with Balkan cuisine (like my gf and I) as you get to try a large variety of options. Some standouts from our order included Steak Tartare (which we ordered twice because of how much we liked it) and the beet salad which is a must try! read more

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Definitely a must try place for relaxed yet deliciously seasoned dining. For $28 it's all you can eat Balkan cuisine with tapas like servings from salads to proteins ranging from Chicken, shrimp, beef, pork, etc. and for $4 more you can have all you can eat dessert as well! Service was friendly. Ambiance is simple, inviting (warm) atmosphere. Highly recommended are: ground beef kabob, grilled shrimp on corn mash, goulash, lamb lasagna. The lamb medallions weren't medallions, were too famey and chewy and accompanying potatoes and carrots were too salty. The mushroom crepe looked appealing but the taste of leeks was overpowering. Still with these misses, rating food for value a solid 5 stars. read more

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Quite possibly my new favorite spot! You cannot leave without trying the lamb lasagna, creamy mussels, beet dip, and beet salad! They have a lovely outdoor covered patio and the bar upstairs is decorated nicely. read more

AMBAR Restaurant, Shaw - Creamy mussels and lamb lasagna - Modern European Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Went to Ambar for bottomless brunch. It started out from the moment we got there. We were waiting for a table to become available and were offered mimosas amongst other drinks while we waited. Once seated, Carlos was our waiter and he is wonderful. What a sweetheart. He asked me if I liked espresso martini's and had made for me on him. Great food options, 100% recommend for weekend brunch. The place is decorated now for cherry blossom season so you can take great pictures read more

AMBAR Restaurant, Shaw - Espresso Martini - Modern European Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We came here for a bottomless brunch. The mimosa flavors were awesome. Usually most establishments just give an OJ or something but they had all of these tropical flavors. Now the food...Mehhh. The best thing I had was the waffle. I tried nearly everything on the brunch menu, but it just wasn't appetizing. Food was just not the main attraction for me. If I ever returned it would only be for a mimosa. The food wasn't really tasty of memorable. The ambiance is beautiful though, I just wish the food matched!! This is the perfect ambiance for a brunch date or girls day out. read more

Great spot. My favorite dishes were the shrimp and mussels. Wife loved the goulash. There wasn't a single dish we didn't enjoy. I would pass on the margarita though. That was definitely not one of their strengths. The Cabernet Sauvignon was also just meh worthy. The sparkling wine and old fashioned were solid though. Overall a great spot to have a meal and drinks. read more

It's clear why Ambar is a DC favorite. My wife and I had Easter brunch here. There's a good mix of familiar and unfamiliar items on the tasting menu, which makes for a great dining experience. Everything on the unlimited menu comes in small portions, allowing you to try a lot of different things. The House Pickled Vegetables were my favorite! read more

AMBAR Restaurant, Shaw - Modern European Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I've never been to an "All You Can Eat" tapas place before. Happy to say that I enjoyed my experience of it here! I practically ordered everything off the menu haha I really like how everything came out in small portions. That way, I was able to taste more stuff without stuffing myself on just one dish. Note - even though the dishes are in smaller portions, you can still share! For example, no need to order 2 of the same dish - you can share the same one, and if you really like it, order another one b/c it's all you can eat! One of the "must orders" is the lamb lasagna. I didn't taste much lamb, but it was a good (American style) lasagna nonetheless. I really liked the veal soup and tomato soup. The cauliflower was roasted perfectly. The White Flatbread was divine - really tasted the truffle oil! I was not a fan of the fried chicken. I was expecting more...chicken wing style. Unfortunately, it was just a square piece of fried chicken. The drunken mussels were delicious - the garlic cream sauce it came in is sooo good! Keep it to dip. With the all you can eat menu, it comes with an alcoholic drink, at least at this location it does. I was able to get a mocktail instead. It was a fun experience. I think think place is perfect for groups. The service was fine. The place is very pretty. It had a nice girly brunch vibe to it. read more

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Amazing, fast and fresh food and service with Rebeca Also the drinks really good Very close from the metro read more

AMBAR Restaurant, Shaw - Modern European Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Nice place for drinks (and I heard brunch too!). I went for dinner and ordered the sausage flatbread which was just okay. Others ordered something more traditional and they enjoyed the food. I recommend it for couple and large group and they have both big and small tables. I ordered a Kiwi based drink! The staff was accommodating and polite. read more

I got a gift card to try Ambar Shaw after dining at Ambar Capital Hill and it did not disappoint! I stopped in for happy hour and they have an extensive menu of small plates and drinks to choose from. I opted for the mussels and sliders. Both were great but the highlight for me were the sliders. The cream sauce that the mussels were in was not my favorite, they were a tad bland in my opinion. I'll be back again! read more

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We came with a group of 8 for dinner and opted for the all-you-can-eat experience, while only 3 of us went for the all-you-can-drink option. Unfortunately, our experience was not as smooth as we had hoped. It took a while for our server to come over initially, and once she did, it was hard to hear her, especially from the other end of the table. The noise level in the dining room was just too high, making it difficult to communicate. It became clear that they were short-staffed, with servers also having to make drinks. As a result, the drinks took longer to arrive than expected. It almost felt like they were trying to limit the number of drinks you could have with the all-you-can-drink option. I had to ask twice for my last drink, and it seemed like either she was overworked or intentionally limiting drinks for some reason. On top of that, the drinks they mixed were very sweet! I would recommend not overdoing it with the sugary cocktails if you care about calories -- after a couple, we switched to wine. In terms of the food, I would recommend starting with the main dishes at the bottom of the menu and working your way up to the salads to get the most bang for your buck. Personally, I liked the appetizers and spreads far more than the main course dishes. Overall, the poor service was a major letdown, and because of that, I don't think I'd return. read more

We came in for Restaurant Week which included the regular unlimited menu + dessert, plus an additional free drink for RAMW. The decor walking in was gorgeous, a mint green ceiling, floral wallpaper, and matching napkins. Our favorites were the beef short rib goulash and lamb lasagna. We got about 10 dishes to share with 2 people. The mango lemonade was amazing!! Thank you :) read more

This is literally my favorite restaurant, no exaggeration. My favorite place to bring friends and out of towners, and the food is delicious top to bottom. Rosa was an amazing server - we're planning to request her next time we come! read more

Went to Ambar to try something a little different. They serve unlimited small plate Balkan food. You can order as much as you want, but it doesn't come to you in any particular order. I suggest ordering 2 or 3 items at a time. We went for lunch it wasn't very busy, the service was very good. We sampled a lot of dishes some were really good and some I would pass on. This is a great was to try different Balkan dishes. The price wasn't bad. We had a good time as well as good food. I will be returning for the brunch. read more

AMBAR Restaurant, Shaw - Modern European Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Food was great atmosphere was great and waiter was attentive and knowledgeable! The food had a lot of flavor and options i never seen . We started with bread and roasted bell beeper dip and beet dip and pickles veggies . Go with friend fam or on a date! read more

AMBAR Restaurant, Shaw - The outside of restaurant - Modern European Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Not my first time at Ambar but my first time at this location and doing brunch. It's a convenient location near the metro, and it's large enough to seat parties both downstairs and upstairs. There's outdoor seating and the ambience is nice, not as loud as the Arlington location I've been to. We did AYCE brunch with bottomless classic (mimosas and bloody mary's), which was my first time. i've had the AYCE lunch before but never brunch. The selection for brunch was okay. Some shrimp and grits, some eggs, some hash, and some pancakes. I like that they have lunch items on the menu as well, especially since brunch often takes place pretty late. My table didn't order when we arrived but asked for the server to "order whatever" or recommend. Tip for you friend, don't do this. Look at the menu and order whatever you'd like to eat because the portions are small so you can afford to try things. Don't let someone else control your dining experience! I sat down and ordered 3-5 plates of steak. Was it enough? Not really. I personally think the service was sub-par in that only the server could "order" food but she seemed to purposely avoid our table. I didn't think they had enough staff. I also don't think we got refills on our drinks as often as we could've. I prolly would not return to this location or do brunch just because I think their lunch menu is more special (as in baltic). read more

The food consistently delivers quality flavors. The cabbage, kebabs, fries and Brussel sprouts are my favorite. And the price point is fair and generous. Customer service isn't as consistent with the servers and hosts either being good or not good (aloof/annoyed). Brunch is lively and packed. The decor is cute and vibrant. It's a good go to for lunch if you want to experience good food and less noisy atmosphere. read more

Ambar is a very very very good restaurant. I typically reserve my "great" reviews for the best of the best in my opinion. In my opinion, the very good versus great distinction I tend to apply to restaurants whose menu items are uniformly and universally excellent. So if and when you're a restaurant with 4 great menu items and 3-4 just okay menu items, I'd typically call describe that as a good restaurant. Having said that, this is another review where I desperately wish Yelp offered a half star option. I'd give Ambar Shaw a 4.5 rating, and I'd say that it leans way closer to a 5 star review than toward a 4 star review. In fact I'm changing my rating as I'm writing this. Onto the food. Ambar is excellent. Maybe not uniformly excellent, but excellent. Now - given the sheer and vast number of menu items on Ambar's menu, it would be almost impossible to be uniformly appealing to all diners with every single one of your dishes. People's tastes are just too diverse for you to be considered the best version of every single menu item you offer when you offer somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 different menu items. Having said all of that here's my experience of the restaurant. First - our server (whose name I sadly cannot remember off the top of my head) was EXCELLENT. One of the best service experiences I've had outside of a five star Michelin type restaurant. Not that Ambar doesn't rival some of those restaurants for a purely food experience, but it's a much more casual and comfortable dining experience than many of those types of places. Our server was hard to forget though as he has an epic beard and movie star leading man good looks (with a great accent) to match. Our party was seven people, and our tastes are all over the map. We ordered a lot of food altogether. I'd definitely suggest the following two things for larger parties at Ambar; be aware of what your table mates are ordering and communicate about that (so that you don't over or under order any of the best or least favorite menu items for your table), and pace yourselves. I felt like we ordered so much for at the beginning of our meal, because we were all so enthusiastic about the food that I was a little worried that we were eating "too fast." The food will come pretty fast in my experience of the Ambar restaurants (this was my second time dining at one after having dined at the Capitol Hill location previously), so you don't want to feel too "pressured" if/when 12 different dishes hit your table at one time. We started with; the veal soup, the beet salad, the steak tartare, and the lamb lasagna. The veal soup was good, and the other three items were all excellent. Very well balanced and not too heavy. Most of us raved about the steak tartare, which I rarely order or try these days in restaurants but this was an exception as it was during my birthday weekend. And I was well rewarded. The roasted baby carrots were a revelation. They were extraordinary and so surprisingly flavored (including the plate sauces). These were a really amazing highlight of the visit to Ambar. The Brussels Sprouts and the cauliflower were also very very good. The asparagus, baked beans, and mushroom pilaf were solid but not "I need to write home about it" dishes compared to the others. All of the wood fire grill items are worth a try, but the smoked sausage and the lamb medallions in particular were both standouts. The pork belly stuffed cabbage was also amazing and one of our table's favorites of the night. It was amazing. The beef short rib goulash was good but not great. All of the seafood dishes were very good with the shrimp being exceptionally good. The salmon was probably the least interesting of the seafood dishes. It's hard to find an "off" dish at Ambar, but some will lift you higher than others. Try everything though. It's a fantastic menu with something for everyone. On a seemingly unrelated (but borderline related) note, the carrot ginger drink on offer was one of the best I had during my last trip through Washington, DC (5 days). It was so good and so refreshing and such a lift that someone in your party has to try it the next time you go to Ambar's Shaw location. Have a great meal, which is a virtual guarantee. read more

AMBAR Restaurant, Shaw - The carrot ginger fizz drink that I closed on. It's amazing (like so much of this menu). - Modern European Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We've been coming to ambar for a while (typically capital hill location until the one at Shaw opened up). I was disappointed in some of the food items with our most recent visit. The fish based items in particular were either bland or tasted almost rotten. With the mussels everyone at our table that had them almost puked they tasted so bad. Some of the lamb dishes had more of the gamey lamb taste which I don't like. It seems like it's gone downhill a bit. Also most of the drinks in the unlimited package had way too much sour added. Wait staff and timing of the meal in terms of bringing out dishes quickly was good. read more

solid group AYCE dinner experience for corporate dinners. the chef selection has a variety of appetizers and main courses, albeit not the most vegetarian friendly. the small plates were far better than the meat platters in my opinion. the flatbread was hot and the perfect vehicle for all the delicious mezzes. my favorite was the beet hummus the baklava wasn't the best -- i would recommend getting dessert elsewhere. drinks were fairly priced read more

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We have been to Ambar one too many times to count. We have only been to the Shaw location once and decided to try it out again. We were seated upstairs and the vibe is totally different from downstairs. We were seated in a green velvet booth and the ceilings still had cherry blossoms decor. Our server came with water and from there gave us a time to decide on what to order. Once we got our first round in the food came out in a controlled pace and we never felt rushed to get plates off the table. They were also very good about never allowing your glass to go empty doing the bottomless drinks. Definitely recommend Ambar, but now I can safely say the Shaw location is just as amazing. read more

Came here for a friend's birthday where we had the unlimited dinner. The place is beautiful inside and the staff was great! The drinks were generously poured and of all the dishes we ordered, the lamb lasagna was my favorite. Portions could have been larger given our group size but they adapted quickly when they realized we had healthy appetites. Overall great experience and I'll be back for that lamb lasagna. read more

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