AMBAR Restaurant, Chicago

Featured reviews

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  Neil Larimore

  ·2 months ago

  “Our server was Teodora and she was was great. She was so attentive. We ordered the $80 try everything deal and it was fantastic! The Kiwi Smash is perfect.”

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  Maya Kommineni

  ·2 months ago

  “Excellent experience again at Ambar! Our 2nd visit here and loved it again. Teodora was our waitress and provided great service! Food is excellent…my Serbian husband wanted to come back! Plates are small enough to try many and delicious! Will be back again!”

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  Shruti Daga

  ·2 months ago

  “We went ahead with the unlimited menu and overall experience was good. Theodora was great with her service. Our favourite dishes were the white flat bread & stuffed pepper.”

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  Benita Santillanes

  ·2 months ago

  “Theodora was our server and she was amazing! Suggested food for us to try to start with and all the food was soooooo good! Perfect sizes so you can sample everything. My faves were the shrimp & grits, Balkan burger, Mac & cheese and the waffles! We were here to celebrate my birthday and it was my 1st time. Definitely coming back”

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  Andrew (Fox Cat)

  ·2 months ago

  “The unlimited tasting style dishes at Ambar were such a fun experience, especially for a group. There was so much to try, but the meat dishes were definitely my favorites. the steak and meat pie were the clear standouts. The service was super attentive and friendly the whole time. They really took great care of us, and I loved that they surprised us with a special birthday dessert. Made the day even better!”

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  Issabelle Frial

  ·2 months ago

  “If you’re like me and you’re the type of person who wants to try everything on a menu, then look no further, because Ambar is the place to do just that. One of my girlfriends and I came for the all you can eat and all you can drink mimosa brunch deal and it is 10000% worth it. The portions are the perfect size so you don’t get full off 3 items and you’re actually able to try everything. When I say we ordered everything off the brunch menu, I’m not joking. Our favorites had to be the shakshouka, meat and cheese pies, strawberry waffle, and the fried chicken slider. The restaurant was packed and the decor was full of florals, perfect for spring and summer. I also want to give a huge shoutout to our server Marco, who was such a rockstar and kept our mimosa glasses full and had great recommendations on what we should order. Thank you for a delicious brunch! I can’t wait to come back and enjoy cocktails on the patio and try their dinner menu!”

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  Nicholas P

  ·2 months ago

  “I admit I only heard about this place from social media but I had Balkan food many times in the suburbs. I’ve been to Balkan cafes and restaurants. The “hype” that most of these gen z say in their comments are probably because they don’t even know where the Balkans are or where they come from. This is good publicity for the restaurant though. The restaurant is located in River North, across the street from Hotel Felix. I highly recommend making a reservation for any day that you come in, especially at night. We did the $55 ayce dinner. If you don’t like something, just put it off to the side. This isn’t one of those places that will charge you for wasting food. There is also a restaurant surcharge that you can remove. The surcharge is not a tip. The food is like a 3.5. The service is a 5. Our server was Frances. She was very attentive and nice. The staff in general were all great. They were fast and efficient when clearing off the empty plates and refilling our water. The restrooms are two floors up. Just a short walk upstairs. Not sure if I would return. I could find better quality food closer to home. -steak tartare 5 - ample amount of tartare to share with 3-4 people. It was creamy and savory. -piquillo croquettes 5 - crispy and I like the kajmak and aged sheep milk cheese just oozes out. The cranberry chutney on top was great with it. -veal soup 3 - this tasted like a chicken noodle type of soup without the noodles. Not bad. It was hot and you got big pieces of meat. -Balkan kebab 5 - these were great. Tender, juicy, and flavorful. -crispy corn ribs 5 - these were good. The chimichurri and feta cheese really helped amplify the taste. -almond fried chicken 2 - crunchy but too bland. It was also too dry. They forgot to marinate it. -brussel sprouts 5 - just taste like brussel sprouts. Healthy. -pork belly stuffed cabbage 5 - this reminds me of eating stuffed cabbage at those German/Polish restaurants. The skin was soft to cut, not mushy, and had a hearty taste. -lamb medallions 5 - these were cooked perfectly. Tender, make sure you eat them with the sauce and pickles. -roasted lamb 3 - the veggies were good but most of the lamb was too salty. It was like they poured too much into it. -sujuk flatbread 2 - I love these flatbreads but I don’t know why they’re too salty. There’s a difference between too salty and well seasoned. -cheese pie 4 - the cheese taste is an acquired taste. It’s a typical Bosnian cheese pie. It’s kind of rich with a slight tart, salty taste. I had this before when I went to one of the Balkan restaurants in the burbs. -wood fire branzino 5 -branzino was crispy and moist. It went well with that potato salad and salsa. -mushroom pilaf 5 - not salty at all. Good balance. Risotto was soft with a little chew. I liked the addition of mushrooms. -drunken mussels 4.5 - I liked the garlic cream sauce with the sourdough bread. It has an acquired smell from the rakija. -grilled shrimp 3.5 - shrimp was perfectly cooked. I didn’t really taste much of the Hungarian rub or the smoked aioli. -lamb flatbread 2 - this was the same thing as the sujuk, it was too salty.”

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  Julia Matera

  ·3 months ago

  “We had a fantastic lunch at AMBAR! We did the unlimited option which was a great deal for downtown Chicago and the amazing quality of food. The indoor area is full of hanging flowers and decor that make you feel like you’re on a getaway and the patio was beautiful too with plenty of seating. Our server Brayan hooked us up with recommendations for things not to miss on the menu (even we couldn’t try EVERYTHING in one go) and was prompt and friendly. All of the wait staff was friendly and several people checked in to put in additional drink orders or take plates. Everything we had was good, though I particularly liked the croquettes, roasted lamb and the drunken mussels. The kebabs, potato wedges, and brussel sprouts were also a hit for the whole table. Good sized plates for sharing but not so big you can’t try a lot of things. Just FYI on the unlimited drinks- only for brunch and dinner not lunch ☹️ but lunchtime has its own happy hour and the drinks were good! Loved the kiwi smash (even not as a big gin fan), and the white sangria and amber beer were sooo good too. Highly recommend and will have to try the brunch!”

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  Erika Whitehead

  ·3 months ago

  “I recently visited Ambar to celebrate my birthday, and it had been on my list ever since I came across the menu. Since we were already doing happy hour nearby, it was the perfect restaurant within walking distance to continue the celebration. The moment I saw the menu, I was sold. Before we even arrived, I was impressed by the level of customer service. Because I had booked a larger party, the event coordinator reached out to explain the menu and introduce me to the Ambar Experience—their all-you-can-enjoy tasting menu for just $55 per person. After looking through the selections, I knew this was the right choice because honestly, everything sounded amazing. We had several last-minute cancellations, so our group ended up being much smaller than expected. Even so, the team was incredibly accommodating and gracious, which I really appreciated. The Ambar Experience absolutely lived up to the hype. Every dish we ordered was beautifully prepared, flavorful, and perfect for sharing. I'll definitely be bringing my family back so they can experience it, too. We started with the spicy feta, white bean hummus, roasted pepper spread, marinated olives with pickled vegetables, and beet tzatziki. It was a fantastic way to begin the meal. We had also been looking forward to trying the clotted cream, but it never made it to the table. We assumed it may have been unavailable since it wasn't mentioned. From the vegetable selections, we ordered the Brussels sprouts, baby carrots, crispy corn ribs, and wild mushrooms. Everything was delicious, but the baby carrots completely surprised me—they were easily my favorite vegetable of the evening. The meat, poultry, and seafood selections were where Ambar truly shined. We enjoyed the Balkan kebab, NY strip, lamb medallions, beef goulash, roasted lamb, wood-fired branzino, drunken mussels, grilled shrimp, and the beef tartare from the Chef's Signature menu. While every dish was outstanding, the clear standouts were the lamb medallions, the branzino, and the drunken mussels. They were so good that we kept ordering additional plates long after we were already full! We also added the unlimited beverage package for just $27 per person, which was an incredible value. The house Old Fashioned, white sangria, and strawberry lemonade were all excellent and paired perfectly with the meal. Unfortunately, the service put a significant damper on what was supposed to be a special evening. Throughout dinner, we constantly felt rushed. Every time our server approached the table, we felt like we had to be completely ready with our next order because if we weren't, he would immediately turn and walk away. When bringing drinks, he would place them at the edge of the table and slide them across instead of setting them in front of the person who ordered them. While that may seem like a small detail, it contributed to an overall feeling that the service lacked care and hospitality. His demeanor throughout the evening also wasn't warm or welcoming. To add to that, as our group gathered near the front of the restaurant to take a birthday photo before leaving, another server brushed past my sister, bumping into her without saying "excuse me" or acknowledging what had happened. Had the food not been as exceptional as it was, I'm not sure I would have considered returning based solely on the service we received. That said, the quality of the food easily ranks among the best I've had in Chicago, and it's the reason I'll be back. If the service matched the caliber of the kitchen, this would be an easy five-star experience. Even with the hiccups, I'm looking forward to returning because the Ambar Experience truly is one of the best dining values in the city.”

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  Courtney Videchak

  ·3 months ago

  “What an amazing experience! I found this place when searching for Croatian restaurants in Chicago and decided to come when I saw the menu. We started with a sampling of rakija (plum, quince, cherry), but tried so many glasses of Balkan wine! Our waitress Diana was a delight in guiding us through the drink menu and helping us make choices. The food was SO good. Balkan salad, cabbage rolls (just like my Grammy makes!), lamb medallions, Brussels sprouts, and some delicious dessert to end the meal. We spent enough in food that the unlimited would’ve made sense, but alas next time we can try that. I will definitely be returning and visiting other locations as well in DC.”

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