Amba

Our daughter has been raving about this restaurant for a long time and we finally were able to make it. On a Saturday night, we had to wait about an hour for a table of 4, which is typical for Doug Kats's restaurants. The restaurant itself is Indian-American fusion. Room is dark and a bit loud. We had to wait a long time for our food but the server had apologized because there was some kind of mix up in the kitchen. We tried 6 shareable plates and all 3 desserts - everything we tried was excellent. This is considered one of the top Cleveland restaurants and one of Doug Kats's flagship location and you can see why. Excellent exoerience

We waited at the bar for a table to open up and enjoyed a few of the succulent drinks. Mira met us in the back bar area and went above and beyond, service wise. She went out of her way to find our group of 4 the best table in the restaurant. Not only was the service very accommodating but there is a bite for everyone here. My favorite was the chicken tikka. You could taste The seasoning/crispiness of the chicken through the sauce which was excellent. With so many options you can’t go wrong. Overall worth a shot and if you don’t like it then they’ll at least have a cocktail to make up for it. Yum yum! We ordered several dishes and they all had so many flavors. Great vibe and drinks. So fun with a group but I will say more is not necessarily better. With so many dishes the flavors are fighting each other in my stomach. Need a nap and to lay down but will be back and not order so many dishes. No additional notes!! We got A7, A1, A9, A5.

My wife and I visited Amba for our Valentine’s dinner, knowing it was walk-in only, and expecting a long wait due to Valentine’s Day . We were told the wait could be 3 hours and 45 minutes. We still decided to stay and were seated after about 3 hours and 20 minutes thinking the must be really good due to the popularity. The drinks were disappointing with large chunks of ice. We ordered pilau, spicy sloppy joe keema, lamb kofta with quinoa, and kulfi. The pilau was tasty, while the keema was more tangy than spicy and lacked depth. The lamb kofta had a strong lamb flavor without balance, and the kulfi had mild almond essence with pistachios. As an Indian living in America who have tried many Indian restaurants, this experience felt underwhelming and more like an Indian fusion gimmick than true fusion. Overall, 5.6 out of 10.

Amba continues to be one of my favorite restaurants in Cleveland. The ambiance is effortlessly chic with dim lighting, minimal decoration, and a warm atmosphere that feels both intimate and elevated. It is the kind of space that makes you want to linger over a cocktail and good conversation. The menu is consistently impressive with dishes that showcase depth, creativity, and a clear respect for flavor. I especially appreciate the strong selection of vegetarian and vegan options, which never feel like afterthoughts. Each dish stands confidently on its own. The drinks are equally well executed, and it is clear there is thought behind every pairing. My personal favorites are the A1 and A8, the latter tasting remarkably like Limbu Sherbet, a refreshing Indian homemade lemonade that strikes the perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and nostalgic. Service has been smooth and friendly on each visit. For larger parties, I recommend arriving early, but smaller groups are usually seated promptly. Food Highlights: Warm Spinach Dip (10/10): Recommended by our waitress and easily one of the best versions I have had. Creamy, well-seasoned, and perfectly balanced. Roasted Eggplant (10/10): My standout favorite. Rich, smoky, and deeply flavorful. A must-order. Chickpea Fritters (9/10): Light, crispy, and paired with sauces that elevate the dish beautifully. Spicy Cauliflower (8/10): A great balance of heat and crunch. Paneer Cheese (8/10): Comforting and well-prepared, though it could use a touch more spice to shine. Crispy Puris (6/10): Fun presentation, but I wish the puris were more authentic. The texture was slightly off. Popcorn Chicken (2/10): The only real miss for me. The flavors leaned too American and missed the bold Indian-fusion twist that defines the rest of the menu.

A wonderful series of dishes! My partner and I enjoyed a great meal here :) we grabbed the amba favorites just for a good taste variety! The atmosphere was honestly not my favorite-- it was LOUD in there. Thankfully, the patio had seating and it was lovely out there with the flowers, much quieter too 😀 The darker lighting of the restaurant made me think the vibe would be a lot quieter and more intimate. The dishes: Clay bread: buttery, fluffy, thick. I personally would've preferred a bit more of a toast to it but my partner liked the softness. Raita: super refreshing! The tomatoes burst in my mouth and the slight tartness of the yogurt was wonderful paired with the fried items. I dipped everything in it at least once Puri: my favorite! Slightly spicy, tart from the tamarind, the crunch of the puri mixed with the softer potato salad, all paired with a bit of raita and mango chutney made for an incredible bite! String beans: super duper good! The fermented beans added a wonderful flavor to them, and they were cooked well and smelled incredible! I could probably just eat a whole plate of these on their own. Popcorn chicken: amazing! The crunchy crust was incredible, and the seasoning used on said crust was great. I loved the fried Thai basil on top, it added a nice little bite of herbiness, and the barbecue sauce was tasty but not overpowering of the chicken's flavor. Shrimp: these were insanely well cooked. That crust on them was amazing. The actual flavor was a touch lacking, but the mango chutney made it perfectly delicious. Service was great! Everyone was very friendly.

this establishment is worth every penny and deserves all the praise for their exceptional dining experience!! the atmosphere was so perfect for a date night. our server offered suggestions to help us pick a fantastic meal to share and offered such fast and attentive service the entire time. not to mention the meal was hands down the best both my partner and I have ever had - unique, impeccably curated and so delicious!! if you live in the Cleveland area or find yourself visiting, Amba is a must try!! ✨

They never disappoint. One of our favorites in Cleveland. A must try for everyone. LOTS of gluten free and vegetarian options.

Absolutely fantastic. I do not drink bourbon, had a sip of my friends bourbon/ passionfruit cocktail and immediately ordered- DELISH. The cucumber pineapple salad- please do not ever take this off the menu ..honestly my friend and I were blown away at the flavor this was outstanding and so refreshing paired with heavier dishes. Chickpea fritters excellent, and the tikka chicken ..excellent flavor and texture. Very satisfied with the portion sizes as well. This is one of the best restaurants in Cleveland no doubt, cannot wait to go back and try other things!

One of the best restaurants in Cleveland, serving Indian-inspired small plates! We were a group of four and ordered 8 small plates, all of which were amazing. The spinach dip with the clay bread may have been my favorite, but everything we tried was delicious. They also had a great selection of rotating cocktails! They do not take reservations, so be prepared to wait on the weekends. We waited about two hours on a Saturday. But they take your name and number so you can leave while you wait! There are plenty of bars nearby to grab a drink before the meal.

Amba is a great date spot or spot to come with friends. Everything about it is sexy, beautiful, and vibey. The interior decor is easily a 10/10 at Amba. The cocktails are also pretty good, but they like to serve what is on the menu. If you try to order an off-menu cocktail I wish you good luck. However, there are some great options on the menu, none are extremely over the top, but most go quite well with the food. The service does lack luster. Our server was great, and nearly every main server I've had when going to Amba has been as well, but some of the food runners feel lazy and or confused. I've had people spill sauces and drinks on the table, or sauces into drinks. It's as if the food runners don't feel a personal connection to those folks at the table the same way the server does. I wish that would change. The food is really quite good, and very well priced. There are some clear winners and some rooms for opportunity. I really wish they had lamb chops on the menu instead of the lamb kofta, which is fine, but not great. On the opposite end of the spectrum they have amazing shrimp, stellar chicken, really great raita, and some stellar eggplant. None of the desserts hit home for me. But don't leave without getting both the tikka chicken and the popcorn chicken, and the Paneer is definitely a hit. The more things you can try the better it'll be, I truly believe that. I have had everything on this menu at least once. I do wish they added some spicier items and maybe some more large format meats.

We came to Amba for my fiancé's birthday on a Wednesday night, it was pretty empty at 5:30 but was almost filled up by 7pm Drinks: Gypsum and flint: almost too savory and spice heavy Verbena and root: the flavors were good but I wish they were stronger. Food: Cucumber salad: my favorite thing on the menu, but tastes more Chinese than Indian Popcorn chicken: again tastes like a Thai basil and bird eye chili fried chicken, no hint of Indian twist Lamb keema sloppy Joe's: flavors were quite muted, also needs a lot more heat Naan: looks exactly like the Stonefire naan I buy from Costco I would say overall the flavors were muted for cocktails and food, and I would say if you go in with the expectation that you're getting international fusion instead of Indian food, you may be less disappointed than us. Overall 3/5

Ambiance is romantic. The concept needs to be better explained. Can cause confusion. Our group were sat at different tables but everyone was placed on one bill. The food and drinks are amazing. I am planning to give them another chance.

I can't say enough about this restaurant. Each dish is out of this world delicious. The restaurant itself has a cozy sexy atmosphere. The service is outstanding. We will be returning to enjoy often. I highly recommend it here.

It is pitch black in here. No public WiFi. On the plus side, the food is delicious. It mostly comes in shareable plates aka entree size lol. The wok fired green beans are delicious with sesame saltiness and some light acid from the chunks of sunchoke throughout. Nice and greasy and super flavorful with the char from the wok. The chicken tikka masala is super greasy and rich. Oh my god is the chicken super tender and delicious. Wow. It is truly not dry in the tiniest bit and the sauce is extremely flavorful. Tons of spice with a bit of acidity to balance it out. Even lightly sweet. Really wonderful. Nothing here is made particularly healthfully, but if you want a night to treat yourself to super rich Indian fusion food in a dark as night atmosphere over a solid cocktail and a friend or two, this is your place!

Every time I visit Amba is better than the last visit. This was no exception. Every dish was absolutely phenomenal. It was a nice day, so my friend and I decided to sit outside although the near pitch black interior was tempting. I started with the lentil donuts. They were warm and perfectly cooked. These were probably the freshest I've ever had them and it definitely made a difference. I thought about those donuts for days. I also shared the warm spinach dip, paneer, and venison and goat sloppy joe keens with clay bread. The warm spinach dip is always tasty. It's not served super hot, but it's good and the small kettle holds alot of dip. I'd never tried the paneer but absolutely loved it. The cheese was toasted on the outside and soft on the inside. I especially loved the curry leaf and mustard seed spread that was underneath. I initially thought it was a lentil spread. Very flavorful and really could have been its own dish. My favorite item this visit was definitely the spicy sloppy Joe keema. It really was just a big bowl of venison and goat meat with curry spices, Serrano chili and green onions in a tomato sauce. I loved the spice amidst the tomato sauce. All of the Mediterranean and Indian spices mixed so well together, I kept going back for more. There was so much in the bowl, I felt like my friend and I didn't make a dent in it. Luckily, I was able to take some home and ate it for breakfast the next morning with eggs. The perfect Shakshuka.

I am still dreaming of this meal. I've heard nothing but good things about Amba, and finally got the chance to dine here. The menu features a wide variety of shareable plates and is described as a modern twist on traditional Indian food. We decided to get one of the chef curated menus, the Amba Favorites to be specific. It features six of their most popular dishes: crispy puris (basically a fried potato ball), wok fired string beans, ghee basted shrimp, popcorn chicken, clay bread (naan), and herbed raita (very similar to tzatziki). We also ordered the smashed pea samosas. Everything was incredible. It was hard to choose a favorite dish, but if I absolutely had to, it would be the crispy puris and the herbed raita on the clay bread. Just thinking about this meal now has got me craving it again. Not only was the meal great, but so was the service and atmosphere. Our server was very helpful in explaining the concept and what each dish consisted of. The dining room is beautiful and sleek. The lighting was dim and cozy but just the right amount. The music was a vibe for sure (it sounded like deep house music to me- love). I would absolutely recommend coming here.

AMBA must be short for ambiance because this spot was New York City sexiness! ambiance 5/5: dimly lit, modern aesthetic that would be perfect for an evening date. Unfortunately, there were a lot of fruit flies and several landed in our wines food and drinks 3/5: average at best... The modern take on Indian is cool but not as flavourful or authentic as you would hope. Would not come back for the food alone. Got a bottle of wine to share for 55$, average service 5/5: Sara was a great server, super friendly, knowledgeable and attentive. Definitely made it a much better experience for us! Tips: - bring a fly swatted - if you're looking to get lucky, go to the back room as it offers a much more intimate, date space - shareable menu so best you are comfortable with the people you are eating with

I absolutely loved Amba. We chose to visit on our anniversary and it did not disappoint. They have a small patio to the side and a large dining room. It is dimly lit and feels very cozy. We arrived earlier on a Monday evening and were seated right away. As we ate the dining room started to fill. I imagine on the weekends it is a long wait for a table. They do not take reservations. They are also located near City Goods, so there is somewhere to walk around while you wait. The menu has many vegan options. We ordered the curated vegan tasting menu and it was perfect. Everything was delicious but the stand out for us was the pineapple cucumber salad. There were six small plates included and we ended up with some to take home. The cocktails were amazing as well. I have never had lemon cumin soda and will be ordering it again. My partner ordered the Gypsum and Flint. His cocktail was not for the faint of heart, but was delicious. It was strong and spicy just as described. We finished the meal with the vegan blackberry icebox cake. We shared the dessert and it was the perfect end to the meal. The icebox cake was slightly sweet and had a soft texture. You could very much taste the cashews and the coconut. We are already planning a return trip!

From the outside you really wouldn't know what's in store for you inside. There's no windows, which gives it the dark/moody and intimate inside. The staff was so incredibly nice, there to answer questions and provide suggestions. I would definitely recommend going with a group of 4, no more than 6. You will literally want to try one of everything on the menu - it was very hard to choose which plates we wanted. All of the dishes were absolutely incredible. The flavors were just amazing. The naan was some of the best I've ever had. I will definitely be coming back!

My experience here was great. Delicious cocktails, low light atmosphere, and great plates. We ordered several plates, and it was great that they stagger bringing them out only 2 or 3 at a time. My favorite was definitely the roasted eggplant. The amba sauce is also tasty on just about everything! We were lucky enough to not have to wait for a table, but I've heard that wait times can get long since they do not accept reservations.

Amba has become one of my favorite restaurants! The food is fantastic and the small plates are so fun to share. You get the chance to try a bunch of different plates and drinks which I love. Our server was so helpful and kind. We've always had the same experience coming in! They don't take reservations but we didn't have to wait at all. The overall atmosphere is also great and romantic. I think there is truly something for everyone at Amba.

Came here around 7:30 on a Friday and it was busyyyy so get there early. There were 3 seats at the bar and four of us and they allowed us to squeeze in which was nice. We ordered the pineapple salad, beet root raita, zucchini, string beans, eggplant, cauliflower and chicken. Out of everything there were only two things we didn't finish: cauliflower (too spicy) and the zucchini (just a little heavy and nothing special). For the drinks, the best one we liked was a9 - good balance but you need to like cardamom a little bit

This place was unique and we enjoyed our visit while visiting Cleveland. The lentil donuts were our first order replaced, we did not like the flavor of those but mentioned to the waitress and she took it off the bill which was nice. We enjoyed the paneer and eggplant dish the best and the bread was good. I had a really good cocktail here. Not your average at Indian restaurant. It's very dark in here.

Wow! This is the second time we've gone here - really really great variety of small plates. We love both Amba and Zhug for the atmosphere, variety, and absolutely amazing food. Both restaurants don't take reservations so be prepared to wait if you're arriving during dinner hours. Amba is a dark, romantic experience with Indian inspired dishes that are so unique and delicious. They also have a great variety of gluten free options! To share between two of us, we got the chickpea fritters, popcorn chicken, Turkish fried eggs, and lamb kofta with a lovely Pinot noir off the wine list. We got the Chocolate torte to go! Everything was surprisingly gluten free and absolutely delicious! An absolute must try!

After moving to CLE from chicago this was the first place I ate where I throughly enjoyed my meal. Seriously the food scene in CLE isn't all that compared to Chicago but Amba is totally on par with what i was used to. Each dish was so delicious and full of flavor all while being affordable. We sat at the bar and the service was phenomenal, super attentive and kind. The restaurant has a romantic and more upscale vibe but still casual. Can't wait to go back and try even more!

My friend had been here once before and loves the chef! It's a modern taken on Indian food. It's not traditional but it sure does taste good! We walked in to get seated and there was an hour wait. The hostess told us we could go to the bar and wait there or even find a table on that side. We did find a table by the bar shortly after that. The staff was super nice and aware of us. They told us when customers were about to leave so we could grab the table and the hostess even checked up on us to make sure we were doing okay. Outstanding staff!! For starters, we got drinks. The A7 and grain and sugarcane. I can't remember what they were exactly but they were good! We shared a handful of things: spinach dip, naan, puris, paneer with lentils, pickled vegetables, and a chocolate torte for dessert. I was very full! Some of the food has dairy and it was heavy so it's food that you kinda need to walk off afterwards. Overall, a great time! It's dark in here like mood lighting type vibes but it was cozy!

Beautiful atmosphere and delicious small plates perfect for sharing! Their pineapple salad was delicious as well as their pilaf rice and lentil donuts! Perfect to go with a group so that you can try all the variety of plates and possibilities that they offer. Also tried the hibiscus cheesecake but it was a bit too intense flavor wise, didn't like it too much but that was just a personal preference. All the rest was delicious and the service was definitely on point!

Amba is a beautiful spot with immaculate vibes and a delicious selection of small plates. The service was attentive and informative, but not over the top. They serve the small plates in courses and it's pretty well timed, bringing out the lighter stuff first and the heavier protein-oriented stuff last. The spicy cauliflower is second to none! Also don't sleep on the spinach dip and wok fired green beans -- delicious!

Amba is such a great restaurant! I've been twice and the food/drinks were great both times. I would recommend ordering two tapas per person; that would be adequate. During my most recent visit, there were three of us and we each ordered three tapas and although we loved everything we ordered, it was a LOT of food! The service was exceptional during both visits and the servers were knowledgeable and provided top notch recommendations. One of the things I love the most about Amba is the ambiance. There's a nice balance between casual and romantic; great spot for a date or a group of friends.

Visiting Cleveland for the first time and we drove straight to Amba. We found it on Google reviews and confirmed it on Yelp. Spot on my fellow reviewers. What an epicurean experience!! The cocktails, wine list and menu took time to review. Thank goodness for Sarah, our bartender, who guided us. We ordered 6 items off the menu but you only need 4 to share. We could not decide so we ordered 3 for each. The vibe is luxurious intimacy. Not only in the ambiance but also the service and food. If you're in Cleveland, eat here. You're welcome.

I have been to Amba countless times and I am never disappointed. Hands down my favorite menu items are the clay bread and herb raita. Chefs kiss every time. I also love the Blue Bergamot drink. I don't enjoy the Amba sauce (kind of like a mango Habenaro) but most other people I have attended with quite like it, especially if you enjoy spice. The ambiance is very modern and trendy. When it opened, all I heard were reviews about how dark it is inside. And yes, it's dark as heck. But your eyes will adjust and come to appreciate the candlelight. Careful in the summertime though when you go from very dark to very bright - open your eyes slowlyyyyyy. I have never had issues with the service sitting in the bar or in the main restaurant. The bar has a bit of a more intimate vibe making it perfect for date night. On a couple occasions, Doug Katz has come by my table to check in or clear dishes. Love that. There are no reservations so I recommend getting there early (between 4-5). You could be looking at a pretty lengthy wait time otherwise, but know that it's worth it. Heads up that parking can be somewhat of a drag but that's common for the area. Glad to have Amba in Cleveland and couldn't recommend it more.

Was in tow for graduation. Brought my LA foodie parents here after much searching in Cleveland for the great restaurants. This place did not disappoint. We sat outside, an ambiance that we MUCH preferred to the dark, moody, loud interior that greeted us when we first came in. Loved the summer patio vibes. My dad is not the biggest fan of indian food, but loved all the things on the menu. Love a small plates, family style moment. My mom thought the cauliflower was a little spicy, which is completely understandable. Would come back here, was delicious.

Delicious! We always choose amba for an overall superior experience. The restaurant is beautiful first of all, and the food is incredibly flavorful! Must gets include the crispy puris, the beet root raita, and the grilled chicken tikka.

Flavorful food and drinks, with great ambiance. A perfect date night option in my opinion, but keep in mind that they do not take reservations.

CANNOT EMPHASIZE ENOUGH HOW GOOD THIS PLACE IS. Between the ambiance, the beyond flavorful food and refreshing drinks.. I was blown away. We asked our server for recommendations and every one was amazing. She was also very accommodating to my nut allergy and took it very seriously (provided me a menu of safe food options). Can't go wrong with any of the food but would very strongly recommend you try the lentil donuts. I am literally still thinking about them to this day. I also highly highly recommend the a9 drink (tequila blanco, ginger, green cardamom, lychee, mint) it was extremely refreshing and tasty. (2 went down very easy). Wish i could give this place a 6/5. We didn't have to wait too long for a table on a Friday night (~30 mins) and we grabbed a drink at the lounge at city goods while waiting.

Amba is somewhere that was on my list as I love Chef Katz' food, including eating at Zhug and Provenance. Ambiance here is very dark, mysterious vibe. It is super dark and if you go later in the evening, very loud with blaring music. A bit too loud for me. I've been twice, eating once outdoors and once in the backroom. Because there are no reservations, I like to go closer to their opening time at 4 pm. This also helps avoid the super loud music. In terms of the food, everything was delicious, as expected. I've tried the chili crisp, clay bread, chickpea fritters, popcorn chicken, ghee shrimp, roasted eggplant, and chocolate torte. Everything is so delicious and I love how since they are small shareable plates, I get to try a little bit of everything!

Food is unbelievably delicious. We got seated right away. And food started to trickle in quickly. The place was packed. Nice decoration. This ordering multiple dishes to share at the table seems to be a trend in this part of the country. Actually it is nice because you get to taste multiple dishes. And when the check came: very reasonable Could not believe such good food would cost so little.

Indian restaurant in Hinge town. They do not take reservations so expect a wait during peak times. The vibe is meant to be upscale/trendy with its dark interior. Though doesn't seem like everyone dresses up to dine here as we saw men in baseball hats, shorts, & T-shirts. The restaurant is extremely dark inside requiring a flashlight just to see the menu and the food we ordered. This can be quite annoying especially when others don't have proper etiquette in this regard. There was a woman seated at the bar holding a menu up flashing her phone light into people's eyes obnoxiously looking at a menu. Staff never said anything. It would be helpful to have small menu lamps at each table alleviating this concern. On to the food... we got the beetroot raita, chickpea fritters, pilau rice, chili crisp (as a dipping sauce), a d paneer as main dish. Then kulfi for dessert. This was paired with chai bourbon cocktails. Overall, the food was mediocre. The best items were the cocktails & kulfi. The beetroot raita looks pretty, but is a basic sweet yogurt topped with pomegranate and pistachio (similar to Indian Shrikhand). Chickpea fritters were so-so. Crispy deep fried with a dipping sauce & pickled carrot on the side. The pilau rice was bland despite all the ingredients added. Planner is usually a winner, but here it was spicy and topped with some lentils? It would have been better crispy and well seasoned in a marinade minus the lentils. You have to order naan or rice separately to eat with it. The Kulfi ice cream was outstanding. Comes with a sprinkle of candied ginger with strong taste of Tumeric & saffron. They bring it out with lit candles for a birthday celebration. Finally the chai bourbon cocktail was good with a spiced cinnamon chai taste. There are two areas for seating. The back area bar is more intimate and extremely dark, but first come seating. It is meant for max seating of 4-5 people at tables or the bar. So if you want to avoid waiting 1-2 hours on a busy night, try your luck here. The main area is good for large groups and can fit a wheelchair. You will need to find street parking in the area, which can be a challenge on a weekend. Overall, I'd come back for just a drink and the kulfi, but not necessarily for the food or ambiance. The food is definitely more 'Americanized Indian' trying to give it a modernized feel and not the traditional authentic food you would get at other Indian places.

Amba certainly commits to their ~Manhattan hipster~ ambiance, with lighting somewhat resembling a cave, absolutely no parking space, and a no-reservations policy. The place was busy on a random Monday at 6 pm, so I can only imagine what it's like on weekends. If you crave natural light, they do have some cute patio seating! I really enjoyed the crispy puris, which were essentially dahi puris, filled with yogurt/tamarind and cilantro chutneys and a lovely potato filling. I also loved the "smashed pea samosas," which were just excellent samosas with a melt-in-your-mouth crust. I was quite disappointed, however, with the spicy cauliflower. The spices weren't cooked well and just coated the cauliflower, leading to a grainy, unappetizing texture and taste. Definitely would return to explore their menu--2/3 isn't bad! As two people, we were quite filled by 2 plates (we really only picked at the cauliflower).

Walking in left like I was walking into a very poorly lit room. But it's a vibe. The food was surprisingly good, it's not typical Indian food so I was skeptical if the flavors were going to hold but they did. Also they have an extensive range of vegan and vegetarian options which is awesome and appreciated. The way things were named on the menu gave us some laughs. It's slightly overpriced in my opinion. No one should be paying $3 for some chili oil or $6 for 2 pieces of undercooked "clay bread" or if we call it what it is -- naan. The service was good. Our server was very nice and understanding.

Our new favorite restaurant in Cleveland! Delicious modern Indian food with an incredible cocktail menu. The chicken tikka was amazing, the rice and naan amazing, cocktails were all perfect. Must visit in Ohio City!

Great menu with a lot of variety. We chose to go with four rounds of food and probably should stuck with three. Everything that we had was excellent as was the service. Only complaint is the noise level inside. We sat outside and it was very comfortable.

This might be one of the best dining services I have ever had!! I have heard about this place quite a bit and have been dying to go! As soon as you walk in, you notice the atmosphere is a mysterious, dark...almost intimate vibe! (you'll be shocked how dark it is coming in from outside - not in a bad way though!) Our server came right to the table with water, explained how to order, showed us her favorites, and the best way to navigate ALL of the things on the menu! We ended up getting SO many things as we were very excited to be here...plus all of Amba's food is made to share with everyone at the table!! We ordered Crispy puris, which were little bite size potato salad balls that were packed with so much flavor! This was the first bite of food I had and it made me so excited to try the rest! Samosas are one of my favorites so we of course had to order the smashed pea samosas! These were EXCELLENT!!! I wish there was more to go around because I could've eaten them all. One thing I was kind of scared to try was the beet root raita! It comes bright pink and looks like something you aren't supposed to put in your mouth. Surprisingly... I LOVED IT! It doesn't taste like beets and the pistachios on top really tied the flavor together for me and added a little crunch!! One safe option for me and something I knew I was going to enjoy was the fried zucchini! It was so crispy with lots of flavor!! and bonus: it wasn't blazing hot to where it burns your mouth!! You can dip it in either the Amba sauce they give you or I even tried it with the beet root raita! - both good combos! The pineapple cucumber salad was such a refreshing bite and had more flavor than I was expecting! I wish I paid more attention to this originally, but I thought "oh just another salad"... I WAS WRONG! definitely give it a try! We also ordered naan bread and pilau - both were options we ordered so they we could incorporate them into try our other dishes!! I even took some of the Amba sauce and ate it with just the pilau and it was delicious!! After all of this food we decided we needed to save room for dessert!! We went with the Kulfi. This is almost a popsicle looking dessert but it is made with saffron, pistachio, mango, and candied turmeric!! The pistachios and candied turmeric added the most delicious crunch in a dessert ever!! I seriously can't rave about this place enough...I love it so much and I cannot wait to go back and try even more delicious plates!!

Everything we tried was great! We loved the small plates so we got to try a lot. Make sure to come early as it gets busy and the wait is long!

This place is absolutely amazing! One of the best dining experience I have ever had. We have ordered & loved: - cocktail : a9 amba mini (the best alcohol I have ever tried. It's essentially tequila that's infused with herbaceous flavors and ginger) - clay bread - chili crisp (spicy oil for topping food with) - herbed raita (creamy yogurt dip) - fried zucchini (ask for extra sauce lol. literally best vegetable I've ever had) - samosa (good, but wouldn't go out of my way to order again) - popcorn chicken (very good, nice staple to get especially for picky eaters in the group) - rice pilaf (delicious, helps to bulk up the meal for a lower price) - pineapple cucumber salad (banging, underrated. Absolutely would get again) Looking forward to to trying (have been highly recommended) - warm cashews - lentil donuts - crispy puris Tip on seating: the 'bar' is the entire back room (including the tables that aren't near the bar). You have to walk through the restaurant all the way to the back room (just past the bathrooms) and all of that area is seat yourself / first come first serve. It's a great option if you don't wait to join the waitlist and didn't make a reservation ahead of time

Highly recommend Amba! Ambiance: We went here for date night and everything felt so cozy. The dark lighting might be a negative for some but it really set the mood. Service: Our waiter was very attentive, answered our questions well, and had many recommendations we ended up adding to our meal. The staff seems to be knowledgeable and very helpful! Food: We decided not to go for the set menu and ordered the following: - crispy puris: super refreshing! -warm spinach dip + clay bread: good, but frustrated the dip didn't already come with bread -popcorn chicken: one of my favorites, but i think zhug does it better -samosas -grilled chicken tikka + pilau: great addition and fun twist to a takeout classic. Again, frustrated the chicken didn't come with rice already. Overall, Amba is a hit and must-try in Cleveland. If I had to choose between Amba and its sister Zhug, I think I would have to go for Zhug but both are worth experiencing.

TL;DR: Food is outstanding, service seems to always be just a little bit slow, get there early. When you enter Amba, it'll take your eyes a moment to adjust as the low lighting makes the entire space look sexy. The decor in the restaurant is really one of the best in NE Ohio. This is a great date night spot for a reason. I've been twice now and my food favorites would be: clay bread with chili crisp, wok fired string beans, and the crispy puris. Dessert is the real home run though - get the kulfi. All of the dishes are shareable, similar to most other of Katz' restaurants, which means you should go with a group where you'll like similar things so you can share and get the full experience. The cocktail menu is also a standout to me - my husband had the melon & velvet on our last visit and it was memorable. As mentioned by I'm sure other reviews, they don't take reservations and they tend to be busy, so either plan on a wait or plan to have an early dinner.

I've been looking forward to Amba for quite some time and it did not disappoint! Four of us went at 6:30pm on a Wednesday and got the last available table (I so wish they took reservations, I get very stressed out when places don't). Service was really friendly and quick. The lighting definitely falls into the category "mood" and it's fairly loud inside but we were sat in the bar area where it was the perfect noise level for ambiance while still being able to converse. The food was outstanding! I'd say more Indian fusion than true Indian but very tasty. - crispy puris: 5/5 - paneer: 4/5 - popcorn chicken: 4/5 - lentil donuts: 2/5 - pineapple salad: 3/5 - chickpea fritters: 3/5 - chili crisp: 2/5 - bread: 4/5 - string beans: 3/5 - eggplant: 4/5 - samosas: 5/5 The Amba sauce is super addictive as well! I cannot wait to go back and try more.

Food is amazing, one of my favorites restaurants however the acoustics unfortunately are always too loud and distracting. I'd go more often with friends however it makes it difficult to have conversation with one another.

Such a cool, sexy vibe. Great for date nights. I love the decor and how dark it is. I tried five different cocktails and they were all so unique and tasted really good. Our bartender was super cool & informative.

Amba was so delicious! The food really does shine, as well as the dimly lit sleek aesthetics of the place. On a Thursday night without reservatiosn, we waited about 30 min but we're seated promptly after enjoying drinks at the bar. For food: -Chicken Tikka Masala (4.5/5): some pieces have a delicious char from the grill, but I do prefer bone-in chicken from more traditional chicken tikka masala rather than chicken breast -chickpea fritters (4/5): overall good, but didn't like how overcooked they were. I loved the picked veg it came with -crispy puris (5/5): this was such a light sophisticated dish!! The potato salad was delicious and had the perfect crunch

I wanted to absolutely LOVE this experience. And while I enjoyed it overall, there were several areas needing improvement. I have seen Amba all over tiktok and Instagram so I had to go. When I arrived it was difficult to find parking, and the main entrance is on a side street so we had to walk quite a bit to get there from the main street. When we walked in I was very impressed with the warm and moody atmosphere. We decided to sit at the bar which had ample available seating. All other tables were full and seemed to radiate a more intimate setting. We were just looking for something more casual to grab some food and drinks so the bar worked well for us. Unfortunately the service at the bar left a lot to be desired. We were not greeted, despite the bartender seeing us for at least 5 minutes. At this point he just dropped off some waters and walked away for another 5-7 minutes when we already knew what we wanted to eat and drink. It took about 5 minutes to get drinks despite the bar not seeming to be very busy. To my satisfaction, both drinks I got (A1 and A5) were very good. My only complaint is that both drinks were not full, and I felt a little stinged. When ordering food, I was disappointed to hear everything is a La carte. We had to order the naan (clay bread) separate from the dip, separate from the chicken tikka, separate from the rice. It just seemed like any sort of dip should automatically come with bread, and an entree like chicken tikka should come with rice. This left me feeling further ripped off. Everything we had was really good which left me further at a crossroads whether or not I would return. The food and drinks were good, but the service and lack of appropriate portions and accompaniments hindered our visit greatly.

The food was delicious! I would definitely get the crispy puris and the samosas again. The sloppy Joe was good, but nothing special--same for the clay bread. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable and the atmosphere was intriguing. We'll be back to try more items soon!

What a wonderful meal we had at Douglas Katz's new West Side Indian restaurant! We'd heard such good things, so before a recent Cleveland Play House show downtown we popped in for a meal. Although they do not take reservations, we arrived early enough that we had our choice of seating options. The main dining room was hopping, so we opted for a back-corner table in the bar area, which turned out to be perfect. Be forewarned...both the main dining room and bar areas are very dimly lit, like really dim, so be careful moving around and be prepared for some kind of lighted device to help read menus. Okay, on with the show! My wife and I ordered cocktails from their extensive menu and both of them were personally crafted (we watched them being made) and delightful with a hint of Indian spices in each. We decided to share a bunch of shareables as our meal, we chose chickpea fritters, crispy puris, popcorn chicken and ghee basted shrimp. We asked that each dish be brought out in pairs, so that we'd have "courses" for our meal. Everything was on point and absolutely delicious! We lingered a bit too long to order dessert and had to run for our theatre show, but we will most certainly be back so that can can adventure through other parts of that menu. Well done, to Doug Katz and the entire Amba team!

The ambiance is very dark, but it's a vibe. I thought it would be a very intimate setting but you're seated very close to the other guests and the music is loud so everyone is talking loudly. The crispy puri was a like a pani puri without water. It was great and the puris were so fresh! And extra crispy. The beet root raita is so sweet! It's like a dessert. The eggplant was amazing! It was cooked just right. I'm a fan of paneer and the dal with it was so good. The green beans were so spicy and an Unami flavor. My friends and I were a fan of the eggplant - it was amazing. I will def get it again. The pulav rice dish was okay - it had a lot of mustard seeds. We ended the dinner with kulfi - it was amazing. It comes with 2 so it was more than enough! I am completely stuffed - I would probably not get this many dishes maybe start with 6 for 4 people.

I wish Amba had a way to make reservations as having to wait in line for 1+ hour can be a lot on a busy night. Although, I appreciated the link to view where we are in line. The crispy puris was good as was the chickpea fritters, but it could've used a little more flavor. Service was decent. The chicken tikka and lamb kofta took at least a half hour to come out. The chicken tikka was good, but would've been great if it wasn't burned. Unfortunately, I didn't appreciate burned food with the already high prices. The lamb kofta didn't have much flavor and didn't taste fully cooked either. The beet yogurt was good. The waitress didn't come over after we started eating our main meal and took awhile to come by after we got our food so we had to call her over. But it was a busy Saturday night so I understand things can be overwhelming! Overall, decent experience and decent food, but quality of food can improve either in flavor or ensuring the food was properly cooked.

I've been looking forward to trying Amba since they opened and I'm thrilled that I finally went because all the hype was appropriate! Amba is very beautiful inside with minimalistic decor, romantic lighting, and awesome music playing (lo-fi, hip hop, jazz). They have multiple seating areas including two bars, main dining room, and the lounge where we chose to sit. Parking in this area (Hingetown near Ohio City) kinda sucks but it's worth it. Of course we started with drinks and I don't remember the name of my cocktail but it was on point. Their drink list is complex and long ranging from beer, wine, whiskey, and cocktails. As suggested by the server, my partner and I each ordered two shareable plates. We decided on the crispy puris, popcorn chicken, lamb koftas, and smashed pea samosas. The Puris and lamb were my personal favorites. Puris are such a fun eating adventure with different textures and heat levels in every bite. The koftas were soft and flavored perfectly. I enjoyed every bite I had here. I'm looking forward to coming back to try the paneer, string beans, and the kulfi. 10/10