I’ve been wanting to go to this restaurant ever since a couple of friends told me how good the drinks/food were back in 2020. I finally made it to the Capitol hill area and had dinner here. My first impression from the staff was completely negative. The first thing they told me was that there was “a two hour limit per table.” I really hate this rule, and I really hate it when restaurant workers say this to customers. I’m not saying that I need more than two hours for a meal, I really don’t, but it’s not a comforting feeling going into a restaurant knowing that you are being timed and they are only serving your food to kick you out and let the next person in.
Anyway, we sit upstairs and the atmosphere is bland and it seems like I am in some European grandmother’s kitchen. You cannot order anything à la carte, it is all a set menu for a set price (3 plates per person). There is also an unlimited food and drink option for a higher price. We chose to get 3 plates each and it was plenty of food. The food was good. I’ve had all of the ingredients but the flavors were a bit different from what I am used to. I particularly liked:
The fried dough that came in the bread basket
Slow Roasted Lamb
Cevapi
There are plenty of options and I am sure they are all decent. I was not completely blown away by any of the dishes. Balkan food is (obviously) similar to Mediterranean food and I’ve had better Mediterranean food options. But generally speaking, Ambar offers good food and is for sure one of your better options of eating in DC if you have no idea where to go. The location is close to a metro stop and is on busy street in a great neighborhood.