AMBAR Restaurant, Chicago

Reviews

• ED

  Em Daut

  4 days ago
  5.0
  AMBAR is the kind of Balkan restaurant that makes you want to call your friends before you’ve even finished your meal to tell them all about it. The location is great, the atmosphere is warm and inviting, and the food is the real draw. We ordered extensively from the menu, which leans traditional Balkan. Every dish landed: fresh vegetables, pillowy pita bread, tender lamb roast, sirnica (a flakycheese pie), and a veal soup that was deeply satisfying. If you’re new to Balkan cuisine, this is exactly the right place to start. If you grew up eating this food, it will feel like home. Our server Teodora was exceptional. Warm, attentive, and genuinely hospitable in the way that’s hard to teach. She made the whole experience feel personal. AMBAR Chicago earns five stars across the board. Food, service, atmosphere. We’ll be back.
• TT

  Tray

  May 10, 2026
  4.0
  The restaurant has dim lighting, flower aesthetic, and Balkan music playing that gives the whole place a fun energetic vibe without being too loud to hold a conversation. Service from Frances was also amazing throughout the meal. She always came by at the perfect time to take more orders, switched out our plates, and made the whole dinner feel really smooth. The small plates were definitely hit or miss depending on what we ordered, but honestly that’s what makes the experience fun since you can just keep trying new dishes all night. For the price, I still think it’s worth it because you get unlimited Balkan food and there’s a huge variety of dishes to test out. Some plates felt super comforting and homemade while others didn’t really stand out, but overall the experience, vibes, and variety made it a really fun dinner spot. Drinks personally weren’t really for me besides the espresso martini, but if you like stronger alcohol forward drinks you’d probably enjoy the rakia tasting more. My favorites were the stuffed peppers, piquillo croquettes, pork shoulder, roasted lamb, steak tartare, cherry rakia
• AR

  Anika Riar

  May 10, 2026
  5.0
  Had an incredible experience at Ambar in downtown Chicago! The Balkan-inspired menu was absolutely outstanding — every dish was packed with flavor, beautifully presented, and perfect for sharing. From the grilled meats to the rich spreads and fresh breads, everything tasted authentic and thoughtfully prepared. The unlimited tasting concept made it even more fun because we got to try so many different dishes without feeling rushed. What truly made the night exceptional was our server, Anthony. He was attentive, knowledgeable, friendly, and genuinely passionate about the food and experience. His recommendations were spot on, and he made us feel welcome from the moment we sat down. Anthony struck the perfect balance of professionalism and personality, making the entire evening memorable. If you’re looking for amazing Balkan food, great atmosphere, and top-tier service in downtown Chicago, Ambar is a must-visit. Can’t wait to come back!
• LX

  LAUREN X

  May 9, 2026
  3.0
  Visited Ambar for the $55 unlimited dining experience with a 10 PM reservation. I drove about 1.5 hours to try this restaurant, so I was genuinely looking forward to the experience. Since the restaurant advertises this as a two hour dining experience, I expected to have enough time to actually enjoy the concept, pace the meal, and order additional rounds of dishes we liked. Instead, shortly after being seated around 9:50 PM, we were told the kitchen would be closing in about 20 minutes and that we needed to place essentially all of our orders immediately. This was our first visit, so we had never seen the menu before and did not realize the portions were small tapas style plates. We barely had time to read through the menu before being rushed to order everything at once. The food started arriving EXTREMELY fast, and because the table was very small, it quickly became overcrowded with plates. Rather than enjoying the experience, we felt like we were rushing through the meal to make room for more dishes. The most disappointing part was never really getting the opportunity to use the “all you can eat” aspect the way it is intended. Since we had to place all our orders upfront before even tasting most of the dishes, we never got the chance to go back and order seconds of the items we actually enjoyed. Some dishes were good, some needed more seasoning, some food was cold as if it had been sitting out for a while or pre made. But if late reservations are still being accepted for the unlimited dining experience, guests should be clearly informed on the website or in Open Table when making the reservation that last call for food is almost immediate after seating. That would set more realistic expectations for first time guests.
• MS

  Maida Skys

  May 1, 2026
  5.0
  If you’re craving authentic Balkan flavors with a modern twist, AMBAR Restaurant is an absolute must-visit. Their concept of unlimited Balkan dining truly lives up to the hype—one flat price for endless small plates, and every single dish feels thoughtfully crafted and full of flavor. We started with a variety of appetizers, and honestly, each one was better than the last. The clotted cream (kajmak) was rich and creamy, the spicy feta was my daughter’s favorite, and the white bean hummus was mine—so smooth and flavorful. The roasted red pepper spread (ajvar), marinated olives with pickled vegetables, and beet tzatziki added the perfect balance of bold, tangy, and fresh flavors. And I have to say—the bread and cornbread? Absolutely incredible. For mains, I had the baked beans, and if you’re Bosnian, just know this is grah done right—the flavor was authentic and comforting. My daughter ordered the beef goulash and hasn’t stopped talking about it since. We also tried the Balkan kebabs (ćevapi), and I have to admit—these are the best I’ve had in Chicago, the closest I’ve tasted to the ones back home in Bosnia. We paired everything with their white flatbread, which tied it all together perfectly. For dessert, I went with traditional Turkish coffee (100/10) and baklava—both were the perfect ending to an already amazing meal. Their mocktails were just as impressive—the carrot ginger spritz was so refreshing, and my daughter loved her mango mule. Beyond the food, the atmosphere was warm, lively, and beautifully designed. The service was exceptional—special shoutout to Tamara (I believe she’s a manager), one of the kindest people I’ve met. She truly made the experience even more memorable. I’ll definitely be back very soon ❤️