AMBAR Restaurant, Capitol Hill

Reviews

• MO

  Mike Onia

  1 day ago
  5.0
  “I had an amazing experience celebrating my birthday at Ambar, and a huge part of that was because of Melvin Alexander. From the moment we sat down, he was incredibly attentive, friendly, and genuinely made us feel welcomed. He constantly checked in to make sure everything was perfect without ever feeling overbearing, and he went above and beyond with extra service throughout the entire night. Melvin made my birthday celebration feel special and memorable. He had such a positive attitude, great energy, and paid attention to every little detail to make sure our table was having a great time. The food and drinks were already amazing, but his customer service truly elevated the whole experience to another level. It’s rare to come across someone who takes so much pride in making guests feel taken care of, and Melvin absolutely did that. If you’re visiting Ambar, I highly recommend asking for him. Thank you again for making my birthday dinner such a great experience — definitely a well-deserved 5 stars!” Shoutout Melvin
• JC

  Jennifer Covington

  2 days ago
  5.0
  We had an amazing brunch on Saturday and our server, Valentino, was fantastic. He was knowledgeable about the menu items and attentive to us even though it was busy in the restaurant. The quality of the food far exceeded our expectations. We enjoyed trying so many Balkan dishes that were bursting with flavor! Unlimited drink packages added to our experience. The venue is beautiful with cherry blossoms dripping from the ceiling in every room. It was such a treat, we want to visit other locations!
• SS

  Spence

  May 8, 2026
  5.0
  👍🏽Best value for a high end meal in the city and group friendly, but many steep stairs for most tables (we prefer Clarendon location). ✅ Order the AYCE “Ambar Experience” and start with the meats NOT the traditional bread & spreads). 🥕Vegetables = menu highlight (and I don’t say that lightly). 🥃Happy hour drink specials are superb (try the old fashion with rakia). Sean is a great waiter — down to earth, helpful, and friendly. Love the pacing for the AYCE experience. Perfect for a date or group celebration. ♿️ We’ve dined at 3 Ambar locations and this is least wheelchair accessible. The stairs are steep and the ambiance is best on the 2nd floor. 3rd floor is best for large groups but bathroom is on 2nd. Patio is accessible but tight and no ambiance. Recommend calling ahead so they can make space.
• JI

  Johnnie McCraw IV

  May 7, 2026
  5.0
  I forgot to take more photos and I had no idea what we were getting into and I was not disappointed at all! Melvin Alexander was amazing and explained everything very well. Most everything we had (and we had lots and lots!) was amazing! Only a very very small few choices we had we didn’t care for. But we overall were super pleased with everything and it was a fun different take on dinning out we have never experienced. Pretty much all you could possibly eat for what I thought was a very good price for the quality of food and experienc!!! The cherry on top was the surprise was the welcome dessert Melvin had fixed up for us.
• BH

  Brett Hof

  Apr 30, 2026
  5.0
  I had an excellent experience visiting Ambar on Capitol Hill. I was in DC for work and my Airbnb host recommended this place. I wanted to check it out and ordered off the ala carte menu. Got a flatbread and the Balkan kebab. Both delicious. While I was at the restaurant, I decided that on my next free evening that I would return to do the all you can eat deal. So I made another reservation. I came back tonight and it was a fantastic experience. Shawn was my (and everyone else) server in the wine room and he was making drinks and waiting tables, but I never felt like I was waiting on him to take my order. I wanted to try lots of things and everything was perfect size for me as I was a solo diner. Highlights for me were the moussaka, Balkan salad, halloumi and the fried chicken. All in all, what a wonderful experience and I look forward to returning someday in the future. Shoutout to Shawn for being very accommodating and friendly.