Ambar Shaw

Nemanja provided exceptional service and made our first visit memorable. We will visit again when we are back in town.

Ambar is a very very very good restaurant. I typically reserve my "great" reviews for the best of the best in my opinion. In my opinion, the very good versus great distinction I tend to apply to restaurants whose menu items are uniformly and universally excellent. So if and when you're a restaurant with 4 great menu items and 3-4 just okay menu items, I'd typically call describe that as a good restaurant. Having said that, this is another review where I desperately wish Yelp offered a half star option. I'd give Ambar Shaw a 4.5 rating, and I'd say that it leans way closer to a 5 star review than toward a 4 star review. In fact I'm changing my rating as I'm writing this.Onto the food. Ambar is excellent. Maybe not uniformly excellent, but excellent. Now - given the sheer and vast number of menu items on Ambar's menu, it would be almost impossible to be uniformly appealing to all diners with every single one of your dishes. People's tastes are just too diverse for you to be considered the best version of every single menu item you offer when you offer somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 different menu items.Having said all of that here's my experience of the restaurant. First - our server (whose name I sadly cannot remember off the top of my head) was EXCELLENT. One of the best service experiences I've had outside of a five star Michelin type restaurant. Not that Ambar doesn't rival some of those restaurants for a purely food experience, but it's a much more casual and comfortable dining experience than many of those types of places. Our server was hard to forget though as he has an epic beard and movie star leading man good looks (with a great accent) to match.Our party was seven people, and our tastes are all over the map. We ordered a lot of food altogether. I'd definitely suggest the following two things for larger parties at Ambar; be aware of what your table mates are ordering and communicate about that (so that you don't over or under order any of the best or least favorite menu items for your table), and pace yourselves.I felt like we ordered so much for at the beginning of our meal, because we were all so enthusiastic about the food that I was a little worried that we were eating "too fast." The food will come pretty fast in my experience of the Ambar restaurants (this was my second time dining at one after having dined at the Capitol Hill location previously), so you don't want to feel too "pressured" if/when 12 different dishes hit your table at one time.We started with; the veal soup, the beet salad, the steak tartare, and the lamb lasagna. The veal soup was good, and the other three items were all excellent. Very well balanced and not too heavy. Most of us raved about the steak tartare, which I rarely order or try these days in restaurants but this was an exception as it was during my birthday weekend. And I was well rewarded.The roasted baby carrots were a revelation. They were extraordinary and so surprisingly flavored (including the plate sauces). These were a really amazing highlight of the visit to Ambar. The Brussels Sprouts and the cauliflower were also very very good. The asparagus, baked beans, and mushroom pilaf were solid but not "I need to write home about it" dishes compared to the others.All of the wood fire grill items are worth a try, but the smoked sausage and the lamb medallions in particular were both standouts. The pork belly stuffed cabbage was also amazing and one of our table's favorites of the night. It was amazing. The beef short rib goulash was good but not great.All of the seafood dishes were very good with the shrimp being exceptionally good. The salmon was probably the least interesting of the seafood dishes.It's hard to find an "off" dish at Ambar, but some will lift you higher than others. Try everything though. It's a fantastic menu with something for everyone.On a seemingly unrelated (but borderline related) note, the carrot ginger drink on offer was one of the best I had during my last trip through Washington, DC (5 days). It was so good and so refreshing and such a lift that someone in your party has to try it the next time you go to Ambar's Shaw location. Have a great meal, which is a virtual guarantee.

Taste:We heard great things about Ambar and were excited to try it. The menu had a little something for everyone, and everything we tried was delicious! The pizzas, cheese pie, and meats were definite standouts. The mimosas kept coming, and while they weren't very strong, they were enjoyable and complemented the meal well.Service:Our experience started off great--we arrived on time and were quickly seated. The waiter explained the menu thoroughly and gave great recommendations to get us started. The service was smooth throughout, making the experience even better.Ambiance:The restaurant had a lively but comfortable vibe, perfect for brunch. It's a great place to come with a group, as you can try multiple dishes without wasting food.Recommendation:If you're looking for a good brunch deal with plenty of tasty options, Ambar is definitely worth it. We'll be back with another group to try even more dishes!

Since we don't have many Balkan cuisine options on the west coast, my husband thought it'd be fun to celebrate Valentine's Day with a dinner at Ambar. It was easy to get to the Shaw location, as it's only a few minutes walk from the Howard university/shaw street metro exit. Once we arrived, we realized we accidentally booked our reservation at another location, at Capitol Hill! Thankfully the staff were very understanding and told us they could honor our reservation at this location. After everything got figured out, they handed me a long stem rose as part of the Valentine's Day special. At Ambar, the Valentine's Day dinner included a starter bread and spread with an unlimited amount of small plates, unlimited drinks, and a shared dessert within a 2 hour timeframe. The Valentine's Day menu also included special items and was a total of $99 a person. The menu was quite expansive and everything came in small portions. It was a great way to sample a bunch of dishes, as long as you have the stomach to try everything. After 1.5 hours, 16 small plates and 4 drinks, I'm happy to report that everything was quite delicious! Out of all the dishes, our favorites were the Oxtail Wagyu Gnocchi, the YAGA Roasted Lamb, the Lamb Lasagna, the roasted Cauliflower, the Drunken Mussels, and the Grilled Shrimp. To drink we tried a Balkan-style old fashioned made with a Serbian liqueur instead of whiskey, a kiwi smash mock tail, the sangria, and a mango lemonade. I liked the mango lemonade the most as the old fashioned was a little strong. Our server was very attentive and soft spoken, he also made some excellent recommendations and we felt well taken care of. It was a pricey dinner after adding the tax, restaurant surcharge, and the included gratuity, but it was worth it for the experience. Next time we hit DC, we will come back for the less expensive brunch option.

Ambar Shaw was an absolute 10/10 experience! The food, drinks, and overall vibes were top-tier. My girls and I did the Valentine's Day special, and while we didn't get seated at our original reservation time (which had me a little nervous), everything turned around once we were placed with Chris, the bartender/server. Chris had such an amazing personality, took great care of us, and truly elevated our experience--so personable and attentive!Now, let's talk about the food--phenomenal! The lamb lasagna, carrots, grilled shrimp, chicken skewers, and fries were all chef's kiss! My friend couldn't stop raving about this place for days after we left. Ambar Shaw is definitely a must-visit, and I cannot wait to come back and try their brunch!

We came with a group of 8 for dinner and opted for the all-you-can-eat experience, while only 3 of us went for the all-you-can-drink option. Unfortunately, our experience was not as smooth as we had hoped. It took a while for our server to come over initially, and once she did, it was hard to hear her, especially from the other end of the table. The noise level in the dining room was just too high, making it difficult to communicate.It became clear that they were short-staffed, with servers also having to make drinks. As a result, the drinks took longer to arrive than expected. It almost felt like they were trying to limit the number of drinks you could have with the all-you-can-drink option. I had to ask twice for my last drink, and it seemed like either she was overworked or intentionally limiting drinks for some reason. On top of that, the drinks they mixed were very sweet! I would recommend not overdoing it with the sugary cocktails if you care about calories -- after a couple, we switched to wine.In terms of the food, I would recommend starting with the main dishes at the bottom of the menu and working your way up to the salads to get the most bang for your buck. Personally, I liked the appetizers and spreads far more than the main course dishes.Overall, the poor service was a major letdown, and because of that, I don't think I'd return.

I got a gift card to try Ambar Shaw after dining at Ambar Capital Hill and it did not disappoint! I stopped in for happy hour and they have an extensive menu of small plates and drinks to choose from. I opted for the mussels and sliders. Both were great but the highlight for me were the sliders. The cream sauce that the mussels were in was not my favorite, they were a tad bland in my opinion. I'll be back again!

Definitely a must try place for relaxed yet deliciously seasoned dining. For $28 it's all you can eat Balkan cuisine with tapas like servings from salads to proteins ranging fromChicken, shrimp, beef, pork, etc. and for $4 more you can have all you can eat dessert as well! Service was friendly. Ambiance is simple, inviting (warm) atmosphere. Highly recommended are: ground beef kabob, grilled shrimp on corn mash, goulash, lamb lasagna. The lamb medallions weren't medallions, were too famey and chewy and accompanying potatoes and carrots were too salty. The mushroom crepe looked appealing but the taste of leeks was overpowering. Still with these misses, rating food for value a solid 5 stars.

Andreas was an amazing server! The food was fantastic as was the service. Strongly recommend having a reservation.Thank you!

Amazing experience!!! Nemanja was one of the best servers I've come a crossed in quite some time and the food was delicious.