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Ambar Capitol Hill, Washington, DC
This restaurant now offers Takeout

This restaurant now offers Takeout

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Award-winning

Ambar Capitol Hill

4.8
4.8
4574 Reviews
$31 to $50
Balkan style
Top Tags:
Welcome to Ambar, the gem of Capitol Hill, where you are invited to explore the dynamic flavors of Balkan cuisine. What distinguishes us, is our well-curated, exclusive 'Dining Without Limits' experience, which brings you the soul of Balkan dining traditions. Our extensive menu boasts a variety of shareable small plates, perfectly paired with a vast selection of premium Balkan wines.

Whether joining us for a leisurely lunch, celebratory weekend brunch, or an evening of indulgence, our unlimited dining menu promises to deliver an unparalleled culinary journey. We excel in serving individual guests, as well as larger groups, and private events. At Ambar, our custom catering services add that extra sparkle to your events.

At Ambar, we are revolutionizing dining with inventive Balkan cuisine that blends tradition and innovation, seamlessly. We ensure an unforgettable gastronomic experience with award-winning, extraordinary hospitality. Step into Ambar, the pinnacle of Balkan dining.

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2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 76 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Private dining

Private dining

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Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Cuisines
    Balkan style, Modern European, Eastern European
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 10:00 am–3:30 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 12:00 pm–3:30 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri 4:00 pm–11:00 pm Sat 4:30 pm–11:00 pm Sun 4:30 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (202) 813-3039
  • Website
    http://www.ambarrestaurant.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Nenad Petrovic
  • Private party facilities
    Ambar is a modern Balkan tapas-style restaurant. With a desire to introduce Washington, D.C. to cutting edge Balkan cuisine, proprietor Ivan Iricanin has created a dining space that will delight and indulge the senses.
  • Private party contact
    Tamara Jovanovic: (202) 813-3039
  • Location
    523 8th Street SE, Washington, DC 20003
  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
  • Neighborhood
    Capitol Hill
  • Cross street
    E Street
  • Parking details
    Public metered parking via parking station is available along 8th Street, SE from E Street to our north to I street to our south. 2 hour residential parking located nearby in the surrounding neighborhood at E Street, G Street, 7th Street, and 9th StreetOrange, Blue and Silver Lines exiting at the Eastern Market metro station are next to Ambar.
  • Public transit
    We are metro accessible via the Orange, Blue and Silver Lines exiting at the Eastern Market metro station. Walk east to 8th Street and then proceed south 1 and a half blocks to our location at 523 8th Street (west side of the block).<br />
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

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What 4,574 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.6Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • District of Columbia

    Best Value

4,574 Reviews

  1. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    A fun menu with unique flavors. Always amazing!!!

    Is this helpful?

  2. TammyL

    Washington DC

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined 3 days ago

    overall1food2service1ambience2
    Went there 9/30 for my sisters birthday. Sat outside which was cool. Waiter did not do a good job explaining how tapas menu works. I had been there before but my sisters were new. They didn’t bring out enough food to try for 3 people. For example they would bring out brussel sprouts which only had 3 in the bowl which means we could only eat 1. The waiter kept forgetting what we asked for. Multiple waiters came to our table making it confusing and they also weren’t keeping track of what we wanted. Long wait times between plates. Waiter was being sarcastic about the food not being ready. Food was cold. Some items we never tried. Then they forgot it was my sisters bday so we had to remind them to get her a free dessert. Poor experience overall considering we paid $49/person.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Anilk

    Poconos

    8 reviews

    3.0

    8 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    overall3food3service3ambience4
    Food was cold. Otherwise good food and good value for money

    Is this helpful?

  4. ashleyh

    Indiana

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    overall5food5service4ambience5
    Always amazing! Absolutely love it everytime. Left super full!!

    Is this helpful?

  5. KellyM

    Washington DC

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 4 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great food!! I hadn’t realized it was fixed price - but then it was all you could eat so we just ordered a little of everything. Tried some Balkan wine as well, which we enjoyed. Will definitely go back.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Vern

    Columbus

    10 reviews

    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Excellent food and interesting concept of all inclusive tapas. Slightly expensive, but worth it.

    Is this helpful?

  7. DaveM

    Jacksonville

    8 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    What a pleasant surprise! Ambar provided the opportunity to sample lots of different foods in small plates at a fixed price. Almost everything we tried was excellent, and there was enough variety to satisfy our diverse tastes. In fact, our lunch choices were so satisfying that even later in the day there was no room for dinner. We've already recommended it to friends who'll be visiting D.C next week.

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  8. BillySam

    Washington DC

    10 reviews

    4.0

    10 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    overall4food5service4ambience3
    We enjoyed it very much — excellent food and service. We would likely return soon and bring a friend or two. Keep up the good work!

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  9. SharonM

    Washington DC

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 5 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Our gardening club loved the luncheon Ambar served. It was a bountiful feast of Balkan foods and enough that we took home some leftovers. The setting in your upstairs balcony was lovely. We were very pleased to work with Sean in setting up arrangements ahead of time. We will most certainly return to Ambar again. Thank You! Sharon Metcalf

    Is this helpful?

  10. OlgaD

    Columbus

    3 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Unbelievable good service- food phenomenal! Highly recommends.

    Is this helpful?

  11. Globug

    Jacksonville

    22 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    22 reviews

    Dined on September 25, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Unique experience with numerous small plates - Alexi chose for us and they were all good

    Is this helpful?

  12. ALIU

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 24, 2023

    overall3food4service3ambience4
    The food was good and the experience was ok. Issue we had was how slow the food came out. We will order 3 things and they will bring them out one at a time. The portions are really small so we were sitting there with no food sometimes. We were let to know that we had 15 mins and we reminded our waitress tat we were waiting on our orders. We left without getting it.

    1 person found this helpful

  13. Hawaiicouple

    Alabama

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on September 24, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We were pleasantly surprised with the all you can eat brunch and endless drink menu on a Sunday morning! The food was delicious and there was a nice variety of mimosas.

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  14. TiaraW

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 23, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Took us on time for reservations and food / drinks came out very fast. It was well worth the price, I fell in love with the strawberry waffles, truffle dough , and a few other items on the menu.

    Is this helpful?

  15. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    7 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on September 23, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience5
    Different type of food. Really good food. Small plates; drinks are ok

    Is this helpful?

  16. okhisparks

    Oklahoma City

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on September 22, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Ambar was a great dining experience! My husband and I decided it was like a food tour on steroids (without the walk). The service was excellent as was the variety of tasty dishes! We highly recommend and will return!

    Is this helpful?

  17. OpenTable Diner

    Sacramento

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 21, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience2
    Genuinely enjoyed the dishes. Tasted like legitimate home cooking. Very gracious service. Loved it

    Is this helpful?

  18. Chris

    Washington DC

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on September 19, 2023

    overall5food5service4ambience5
    Excellent all-you-can-eat option with fantastic dishes and an array of unique wines.

    Is this helpful?

  19. Beechclub

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 18, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience3
    Diverse menu- favorites included lamb lasagna and pork belly cabbage rolls; excellent service by Daniel; finished off the meal with an interesting and fun Rakia tasting.

    Is this helpful?

  20. FamilyPleasing

    Washington DC

    44 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    44 reviews

    Dined on September 17, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Another wonderful dinner at Ambar. Brought family here this time - options to please everyone. Especially valued that we sat in a booth that made our conversation possible - not too noisy. Our server was great even though he'd suffered an injury, we were glad to have him. I always love the lamb lasagna, the spreads, the veggies, lamb sausage, cauliflower (at least two), and they accommodated special requests easily. I always recommend Ambar to friends.

    Is this helpful?

  21. Zobrown75

    Washington DC

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on September 17, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The Unlimited brunch with bottomless drinks is a really great deal. You can order as many small plates as you can consume. Everything is made to order, so it's hot and fresh. Our favorites were the meat pies, shrimp omelets and the blueberry waffles. The drinks were strong and plentiful. I will definitely come back.

    Is this helpful?

  22. Raquel

    Portland

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on September 16, 2023

    overall5food3service4ambience4
    Lovely place to grab brunch with friends. The bottomless drinks were a huge plus for me and the small plates are good but not mind blowing.

    Is this helpful?

  23. OpenTable Diner

    Greater Boston

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 16, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Loved it! Great service, great food, great drinks!

    Is this helpful?

  24. JILLE

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 15, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Incredible food, service and atmosphere. Our server was awesome and even made our drinks.

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  25. CFT36

    Denver

    18 reviews

    4.0

    18 reviews

    Dined on September 15, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience3
    Ambar has downsized their portions and has, for example, stopped including bread with the mussels which besides the missing bread were just not warm enough. It's still a great value and much of the food is still noteworthy, but somewhere along the way they've dropped a notch or two..

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  26. CynthiaF

    Washington DC

    3 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on September 14, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Loved this all you can eat experience! Come hungry!

    Is this helpful?

  27. LevonP

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 11, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    I genuinely thought this place was incredible. Have already told friends.

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  28. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 10, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Every aspect of this dining experience was excellent. We tried many things on the menu, and all the food was outstanding!  the service was great, and the bloody Mary’s were good and spicy. It was quite crowded, but the food came out pretty quick. 

    Is this helpful?

  29. SusanneS

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 9, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Can’t go to DC without having a meal here. Great food, service and experience.

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  30. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 9, 2023

    overall3food4service3ambience5
    I was unaware that the unlimited food option wasn’t available when me and my girlfriend went. If I had known, I would have booked for a time that they did. Our waitress also didn’t acknowledge us as much as they should have.

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  31. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    5 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on September 9, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Always an amazing dining experience at Ambar! Thee best customer service EVER!!❤️❤️

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  32. PriyaP

    Washington DC

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on September 8, 2023

    overall5food5service4ambience4
    The food was excellent and extremely flavourful. Loved the diversity of diners as well.

    Is this helpful?

  33. OpenTable Diner

    Little Rock

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on September 8, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Excellent wait staff and all the tasty things you can desire. Memorable and delicious as always.

    Is this helpful?

  34. PamelaW

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 8, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We were there for Restaurant Week and very much appreciated the opportunity to sample many delicious dishes. The food was fabulous! Ambar is vegetarian friendly, which is a huge plus, while having plenty for meat-eaters. Definitely going back for more!

    Is this helpful?

  35. jumbler

    Washington DC

    7 reviews

    4.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on September 4, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience3
    The food is delicious and the staff is friendly. Previously I was there at a time that wasn't busy and the noise level was okay. But this time the restaurant was crowded and we had to really lean in to hear each other.

    Is this helpful?

  36. Lehcar

    Washington DC

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on September 3, 2023

    overall4food5service4ambience1
    I made a reservation for "patio" dining and we were seating on a sidewalk. They didn't really have a "patio," but there was a cute little sectioned off area, just off the sidewalk, that had floral decorations and lights. But that was not where we were. We were on the sidewalk, right next to a patch of dirt, with trash littered in it. We did ask if there was something inside, but nothing was available. So, the vibe was very disappointing...felt almost like we were eating take out on a street corner. Service was fine. Waitstaff wasn't overly friendly or attentive but did their job. But, the food was incredible. Literally everything we ordered (Beet Tzatziki, Pickled Vegetables, Balkan Salad, Cheese Pie, Pepper Croquette, Kebab) was delicious. I can't recommend the food enough. But, I don't recommend it for eating outside.

    Is this helpful?

  37. HBPL

    Baltimore

    116 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    116 reviews

    Dined on September 3, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The restaurant week menu was super pleasing. The small plates style made it very possible to get a little bit of everything. The sarma and lamb lasagna are the standouts: comfort food without being deep-fried. Service was hospitable and patient with us as first time diners at Ambar.

    Is this helpful?

  38. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 2, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    We tried this place during Restaurant Week. Great date place to share food. Everything was delicious. Superb drinks. Great location in DC.

    Is this helpful?

  39. CloudiB

    Atlanta Metro

    18 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    18 reviews

    Dined on September 1, 2023

    overall5food5service3ambience5
    Great food and drinks!!! Service was slower than usual.

    Is this helpful?

  40. Mary

    Washington DC

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 1, 2023

    overall5food5service4ambience4
    It was restaurant week, so you were very busy. The staff was swamped, so service was slow and one dish was forgotten. Previously service and wait times were fine.

    Is this helpful?

Safety precautions

  • Cleaning & sanitizing

    • Surfaces sanitized between seatings
    • Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
    • Common areas deep-cleaned daily
    • Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers
    • Contactless payment available

  • Physical distancing

    • Limited number of seated diners
    • Distancing maintained in common areas
    • Extra space between tables

  • Screening

    • Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

You can order delivery directly from Ambar Capitol Hill using the Order Online button. Ambar Capitol Hill also offers delivery in partnership with Postmates and Uber Eats. Ambar Capitol Hill also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (202) 813-3039.

Ambar Capitol Hill is rated 4.8 stars by 4574 OpenTable diners.

Ambar Capitol Hill does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 76 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Ambar Capitol Hill

523 8th Street SE, Washington, DC 20003

Additional information

  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
  • Cross street
    E Street
  • Neighborhood
    Capitol Hill
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 10:00 am–3:30 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 12:00 pm–3:30 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri 4:00 pm–11:00 pm Sat 4:30 pm–11:00 pm Sun 4:30 pm–10:00 pm
  • Cuisines
    Balkan style, Modern European, Eastern European
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Public metered parking via parking station is available along 8th Street, SE from E Street to our north to I street to our south. 2 hour residential parking located nearby in the surrounding neighborhood at E Street, G Street, 7th Street, and 9th StreetOrange, Blue and Silver Lines exiting at the Eastern Market metro station are next to Ambar.
  • Public transit
    We are metro accessible via the Orange, Blue and Silver Lines exiting at the Eastern Market metro station. Walk east to 8th Street and then proceed south 1 and a half blocks to our location at 523 8th Street (west side of the block).
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Nenad Petrovic
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Dog Friendly, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Website
    http://www.ambarrestaurant.com/
  • Phone number
    (202) 813-3039
  • Private party facilities
    Ambar is a modern Balkan tapas-style restaurant. With a desire to introduce Washington, D.C. to cutting edge Balkan cuisine, proprietor Ivan Iricanin has created a dining space that will delight and indulge the senses.
  • Private party contact
    Tamara Jovanovic: (202) 813-3039

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