AMBAR Restaurant, Chicago

  4.8 – 1,597 reviews   • Restaurant

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Ambar blends the rich traditions of Balkan cuisine with innovative creativity and modern design, creating an experience as vibrant and dynamic as the city of Chicago. Here, you’ll indulge in bold, unforgettable flavors, sip on expertly crafted drinks, and immerse yourself in an atmosphere that perfectly balances Chicago’s energy with comfort and high style. Every detail is carefully designed to offer a truly unique experience, leaving you captivated and wanting more. Welcome to Ambar, where Chicago’s spirit meets the best of the Balkans.

Small plates menu of traditional Balkan dishes, plus regional spirits, offered in rustic-chic digs.

✔️Breakfast ✔️Brunch ✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in ✔️Take out AMBAR Restaurant, Chicago 60654

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Reservations: restaurent.comopentable.com

ambarrestaurant.com

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Chicago Menus – AMBAR

Parties with a signed contract: A 22% service charge applies. • Surcharge: To help offset rising restaurant costs, a 3.5% surcharge is added to all checks.

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Reviews

Zlata Masya
Good place! We decided to go with the $55 per person unlimited option, and the concept is actually very interesting. You can order anything from the menu in unlimited quantities, served in smaller portions — which makes it perfect for trying a lot of different dishes.

We visited on a Sunday evening. It was quite busy, but the food came out fairly quickly.

I really enjoyed the spreads, the tartare was excellent, and the shrimp and mussels were very good. The lamb flatbread and the mini burger were also great. And the bread — AMAZING. The bakery selection is truly top-level.

The branzino and the NY steak were a bit 50/50 for me. For some reason, they completely cover the dishes with a spicy sauce, which overpowers the natural flavor of the fish and the meat.

We were served by Matija — he was great, attentive, and patiently answered all of our questions
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Shea Coghlan-Peppard
This is THE stop. Such a wide array of foods. The atmosphere is delightful and the service is absolutely outstanding. Just is so nice and welcoming. All you can eat $55, all you can drink $22. Shout out to Marko!!! He’s the best. Thank you for the encouragement on trying stuff we normally would not have.
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Snehal (thefoodblogie)
Bang for your buck! The food was delicious! We did the unlimited $55 small plates and unlimited drinks and it was fantastic! I ate sooo much lol. Service is great, food is even better and reservations are much much needed! Will be dinning here again in 2 weeks.
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Riley Phoebus
My wife and I celebrated Valentine’s Day here with the unlimited dinner and drinks specials. We were able to try over 2 dozen dishes and wish we had bigger stomachs!! What a beautiful way to experience the Balkan cuisine.

We were blown away by the quality of the food and attention to detail. I recommend the intricate house sangria and tender beef goulash – non-negotiables for us!!

Service was great and we felt very well cared for. Also felt safe as a lesbian couple. We will definitely be back with friends and family!
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Lillian L
First time at Ambar and it was great.
I studied the menu carefully and decided on the weekday lunch experience – great choice.

It started with a variety of hummus and dips served with fresh pita. Everything was flavorful and well done.

The $10 premium add-on is absolutely worth it. It includes steak tartare, New York strip, shrimp, and other upgraded dishes that really elevate the experience.

The best thing was the steak tartare: super fresh with a great texture.

Other highlights:
– New York strip with chimichurri: well cooked and satisfying
– Branzino: tender inside with perfectly crispy skin
– Beef kebab: great quality meat with a perfect lean-to-fat balance, though slightly on the salty side
– Corn ribs: not actually ribs (I misunderstood ), but still tasty.

Overall, a very solid lunch and great value for what you get.
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Dan
This was probably the best brunch we had during this visit In Chicago. All of the food was phenomenal and the fact that it is unlimited small plates made it even better because you were able to try everything. The food came out fast, was hot, and everything was consistent. When I say that I was thoroughly impressed that is an understatement. I highly highly recommend this restaurant. Not only is the food phenomenal, but the drinks were also Perfectly crafted and balanced. I cannot think of a negative about our experience!
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Cricket Y
I visited Ambar Restaurant Chicago and overall had a very pleasant experience. The atmosphere was cozy, the service was excellent, and our server was incredibly kind and attentive.
We ordered the Unlimited Ambar Experience, which is a great way to try many dishes in smaller portions. While waiting for the food, we started with Turkish coffee, and the first bites — Kajmak with homemade bread, sirnica, and meat pie — were fantastic. I have to say, this was the best kajmak I’ve had since moving to the U.S.
The rest of the dishes came out quickly. The beef soup was flavorful, although a bit heavy on the black pepper. The ćevapi had great taste but could’ve used an extra minute or two on the grill, as they were slightly undercooked in the middle. They were also served with a spicy feta spread, which is creative but not the traditional pairing. The meat pie was a bit dry. We also tried the Krempita for dessert. As a baker with a refined palate for desserts, I tend to notice these details, and while it was pleasant, our server shared that it is not house-made and comes from a local store. I was a bit disappointed, as I expected a homemade dessert to better reflect the restaurant’s otherwise strong and authentic culinary concept.
Overall, I enjoyed my visit, and the quality ingredients and concept stand out. My only suggestion is to keep traditional dishes closer to their original form — Balkan food shines the most when it stays authentic.
Still, I would definitely come back and try more dishes!
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Dhifana Intan
First time here! Coming here for the restaurant week and no regrets.

This is all you can eat but with a presentation. Taste was there, the vibe was great. Our server was Nikolas and he was really helpful. We were a group of 7 and asked a thousand things yet he got us what we wanted.

Halloumi was my fav!!!! the seared halloumi cheese with honey omg I finished 2 plates of this

Recommended!
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Lori Howard
We did the unlimited tasting and drink menu. Drinks were great and the bartender was really accommodating while we were waiting for our table. Food came out very quickly and cooked very well. Tyler was our waiter and he was great. Always on time with food and drink refills. Would recommend
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Sy W
Amazing brunch experience! There was a very kind and friendly female server at the bar. I forgot to ask for her name but just wanna give her a big shout out for the friendly service she provided! Overall food was amazing, served in small plates. Easy for sharing. Pita bread was super fresh, came out hot and delicious. Christmas decorations were absolutely stunning and pretty. Got popular very soon for brunch on a Sunday and servers DO need to check in more. It took us a while to order food every time just because how busy it got. We also upgraded to premium unlimited drinking menu which was more like meh. All drinks were premade. Nothing special. My favorite was the kiwi smash. Street parking was easy to find.
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