Ambassador Dining Room

This is a hidden gem! Excellent food, awesome space. And so close to the Homewood campus! As someone that just moved into the neighborhood, my wife and I are definitely gonna walk over here again soon.

Their lunch buffet is insanely good. Service are amazing too. Highly recommend! Amazing spot to have a decent and fulfilling lunch!

We absolutely love the Ambassador Dining Room! The paneer is some of the best I have had, and the view is just beautiful. The service is lovely as well. Additionally, there brunch is one of the best in the city. A wonderful place in Baltimore!

I had Christmas dinner here with my family and everything was absolutely wonderful. The food was superb, the service was warm and attentive, and the restaurant was decorated beautifully. They really made us feel at home. I cannot wait to come back here! A hidden gem in Charles Village 🤍 thank you so much for making us feel like royalty! Also, this restaurant is located inside of a historical hotel, I believe they are now apartments. If you appreciate 1920s architecture, you will really love this place!

Wonderful and historic setting. Extremely professional staff. The appetizers (the sample platter) was absolutely delicious. Maybe the best I've had. When the entrees arrived, the dishes were beautiful and the portions were great, but they were very under seasoned. The spice levels were milder than expected as well. A tad bit disappointing, seeing as how the appetizers were soooo great. Knowing that a chef isn't always performing at their best, I will definitely give them another try.

This is a beautiful gem in a lovely area. The food and service were everything. My husband and I have found our new romantic hideaway!

Our family really had a great time when we were there for dinner. Food is absolutely amazing. Environment is so relaxing and the service is excellent! Specially for family gatherings. I highly recommend this place for family occasions. Would love to visit again!

Authentic and amazing traditional Indian / Nepali cuisine. Three generations of my family have enjoyed The Ambassador! The current owner worked here before purchasing. They have maintained an exceptionally high quality and atmosphere. They catered many parties for my parents and hosted my daughter's wedding rehearsal dinner.

Food: good quality, but a bit overpriced for what you get. As with most Indian restaurants, I think their appetizers are the stars of the show! Don't miss out on the samosa chaat, and try the palak chaat if you're a spinach lover! They have innovative cocktails, a few Indian beers, and an extensive wine list. Service: excellent. I have never seen the restaurant crowded but that just means the food comes out fast and the servers are very attentive and helpful. Ambiance: the vibes are my favorite thing about the Ambassador. They have instrumental Bollywood music playing overhead which gives the experience a romantic and pleasant feel. There are huge windows looking out into a sprawling courtyard, and they open these when the weather allows. During one of my visits it was snowing and my meal felt so magical!

Had the most wonderful night here, the holiday decor was beautiful and service was great from Lactor. Our food was fantastic- we got the tikka Marsala and mashli Tarka They were so helpful despite us not having a reservation, they went out of their way to make sure we got seated. Cannot wait to come back!

Winter wonderland in the cozy Ambassador Dining Room. Delicious food and impeccable service!

Came for a goodbye dinner for daughter departing to college. What a wonderful meal! The atmosphere is so stunning and the service is impeccable. We tried many dishes to share. Love that each dish comes with a side so you can have multiple flavors, this is unique among Indian restaurants. Every dish we had was delicious and we tried all of the sides. We got lucky to come on a cool quiet night and ate outside, so beautiful. Will definitely be back soon. Note that they season more traditionally, so expect heat if you order medium or hotter. (In a good way)

Their brunch is a solid, low key option for day drinking if you are into mimosas and bloodies. The buffet has sufficient variety, doesn't change, and the food is fresh and flavorful. I think the only thing I'd wish for is that the chai was served at a hotter temperature.

Haven't been there in a decade. Tried the buffet on a Sunday. Very expensive. The flavors were good. But the meat dishes were dried out. Wished for more diverse options for the money. Was no different than I could get for half the price at any other area Indian buffet.

Our party of 6 had our Mother's Day Lunch yesterday and I have never been more disappointed with the food quality than any other Indian restaurant I have eaten in the past 40 years in Maryland, Virginia, New York and California. The Nan was leathery, the Chicken Tikka Masala was dry, the fish fry was passable, the Chana chat was ok. The pakora even had a hair in it - for no extra charge. Not one dish was good. Only the price was impressive at $49.99 per person which included cheap sparkling wine. Even the rice pudding and gulab jamun (only choice) was mediocre. The service was minimal as it was a buffet lunch but the manager was very warm friendly. In hindsight I can see why - he was thinking of his profit margin. Ambiance was ok in a large dining hall overlooking greenery.

My darling and I come here frequently for birthdays and anniversaries. It's a lovely romantic ambience. Excellent choice for a date if you like Indian food. We always get an order of samosas and my honey gets lamb or salmon, and I order aloo gobi. The samosas are delicious and my aloo gobi is always flavorful and hearty. My honey enjoyed the lamb vindaloo extra extra spicy during our last visit.

I have heard a lot of good about Ambassador Dining room and was expectantly looking forward to dinner on Friday March 30,'24. Walked in and the place has a great ambiance and looks out into a lovely garden area. Ordered appetizers and an entree and the dining experience was very mediocre. The appetizer platter had two lumps of burnt pakoras, one small piece of papadam and one small bhajji and a samosa. I ordered the lamb vindaloo and this was even more underwhelming. It was a lot of tomato sauce with red peppers tossed in and most disappointing. I will not be going back to the Ambassador Dining Room anytime soon.

I left Baltimore 15 years ago, came back for a work trip. For a city that sometimes suffers under inadequate leadership, it's places like ADR that do the real work of keeping the cultural reputation of the area intact. ADR has been open since 1997, operating in the first floor of the Ambassador apartment building on Canterbury. It's a block from University Ave in the Hopkins Lacrosse corridor. Having not seen my father since before the pandemic, he picked me up and suggested the meal, one of his regular haunts. First off, the building is really beautiful. I think we're talking depression-era tudor revival? IDK, I'm not an architect. So there's lots of dark wood trim, intricate plasterwork, large fireplaces. Very stately. Now the food. We ordered (1) the calamari, which was pleasantly sautéed in some kind of chili oil. No deep fried rubber here! (2) The lamb samosas, which were surprisingly light on the inside, not super heavy like the lentil ones can be. (3) The medium-spice special biryani, with chicken, lamb (awesome) and shrimp (awesomer). I need to emphasize that the shrimp in my biryani were absolutely huge. I mean those things were gigantic and succulent. Great experience with those shrimp! We both ordered the key lime ice cream for dessert. Dad told me there's a local place that makes the ice cream on spec for them. More of a rumor, but it is great ice cream. Key lime (and citrus in general) is a favorite of mine, and this ice cream holds its own very well against some other competition. When reading for this review, I found out that ADR was awarded best Indian restaurant for a second year by Baltimore Magazine. No surprises there, these folks absolutely know what they're doing.

It is pricey but it's definitely a nice restaurant for big events or special occasions so I understand where the price is coming from! The food itself was alright. I had the Bengan Bhartha which had an excellent spice level at the medium level. I couldn't imagine getting the highest level! I also liked the appetizers too! The naan was a bit weird - it kind of reminded me of frozen naan I've had from grocery store but everything else was good!

The buffet was plentiful and service outstanding. Love the atmosphere. Stop into the Thai pastry shop next door. Will blow your mind with French pastries you would see in Paris.

I dined here with family the day after Christmas. It was lovely - decorated for the season and we were seated next to a working fireplace. We had samosas and a variety of dishes. The food was delicious and the service just right. Will definitely return.

The Ambassador Dining Room is such an interesting restaurant, and I'm glad I finally checked it out! It's the the dining room off the lobby of the Ambassador Apartments (a Tudor-Gothic high rise built in 1930). The building is gorgeous; I don't always take photographs of the lobby of a building before brunch! The restaurant is also beautiful (the fireplaces, the beams, the windows, the patio), but it was dark. The Ambassador Dining Room is an Indian restaurant that offers a brunch buffet on weekends. We had a reservation (but it wasn't necessary) for outside dining, but the outside dining turned out to be inside (the garage doors that open the patio to the courtyard were closed). It was great to go at 11am. The food wasn't quite ready when we arrived, but then at 11:10, the food was ready and hot and fresh. The buffet had quite a few options, everything from vegetarian dishes to fish, chicken, and lamb. They also had coffee, chai, and an alcoholic beverage bar (make your own brunch cocktails), as well as desserts (gulab jamun, rice kheer, fruit, and a cake). I enjoyed the ambiance of this restaurant, but the food was so-so. I liked some dishes more than others I tried. Although I enjoy a buffet, the food didn't hit the spot quite like other Indian restaurants in Baltimore. But Ambassador Dining Room is a great place for a boozy brunch with friends or family since they have that beverage bar, and I can imagine returning sometime soon for that reason!

First time here today and was pleased great assortment of Indian food traditional staple like lamb and chicken vindaloo and various curry dishes . The staff was courteous and my overall experience will return for lunch buffet. Another plus no piped in satellite music you can actually have a pleasant conversation. Also parking can be a bit of a challenge as it's in a residential area

Ambassador Dining Room was once the Indian restaurant we went to celebrate special occasions. Indian food is one of my favorite cuisines, which as an amateur cook I prepare myself on occasion. We went the Ambassador for dinner on Thursday, January 25 with friends who are also fond of Indian food and we were all stunned. The traditional Indian dishes we ordered were bland and tasteless. not a hint of traditional Indian flavors. Even the Naan was limp and tasteless. What has happened to the once fine restaurant?

Does not honor reservations. Assume that if you book for a specific table size, location (indoor/outdoor) that it WILL NOT be honored, regardless of how far in advance it is booked.

I get carry out frequently and it's consistently delicious. The flavors are great and generous portions too. Highlights: Tika masala, vindaloo, naan, butternut squash soup, and Alu chaat.

The worst food I've ever tried in my life! I am serious. One visit to this restaurant and you will lose your appetite for days. I have no clue what you can do to the chicken or lamb for it to taste that awful! We paid $27 per person for their buffet, tried many dishes, and every single one was either as bad or worse than the previous one. After the long and exhausting flight, I was very hungry, but I left this restaurant with an empty stomach. I love Indian food, but this restaurant is a parody of Indian cuisine. Even the Chai Tea was awful; there is barely any chai in it, only water and milk. The coffee is a total joke; there is scarcely any coffee in it! Never again!

Went out to dinner with a friend. We ordered garlic naan, chicken Tikka Masala, Sheesh Kebab, gulab Jamun, and a chai tea (forgive me if I misspelled some of these names). What we loved: -the outdoor area is beautifully located on the backyard of the building. The area is covered in case it rains, and they can add more tables to the outdoor area. They have two beautiful fireplaces which keep the place very warm and inviting. -The food was really good (well seasoned, of course) and good portion sizes. It is just enough to feel satisfied and not too much that you have to take food back home. -Excellent customer service. They got busy later in the night, but great service overall. The owner stopped by and checked on us multiple times. -if you are with a friend and splitting dishes, they will bring your own dish with all the split food; you don't have to do the splitting work when it comes to all the side dishes (not many places do this) What could be improved: -our chicken Tikka Masala was a bit overcooked, it could just be cooked a little less. And the sauce is so decadent that I want a lot more of it (this is not a negative haha, I was just left wanting more sauce) -the sheesh kebab is delicious but should be accompanied by some sort of yogurt sauce; it needs something to go with it -some of the table decor is a bit outdated; they could update it, but it doesn't really affect how we felt about the place overall. I cannot wait to return!

I'll keep this short and simple. I was invited out to this establishment by an older adult for Galentine's Day. Food: Extremely bland. However, the lamb vindaloo w/the rice was edible. Service: Mediocre. Parking: Hit or Miss between "Pay To Park", "Free Street Parking", and "Permit" Parking. I will not be returning.

Beautiful dining experience and tasty buffet. We dined on Sunday during brunch. Great service.

A Baltimore lunch staple! Such a cool spot (you almost feel like you're in a Wes Anderson film) with authentic Indian food. Always love the buffet!

Beautiful view outdoor seating. Masks up inside and waitstaff has masks on. Food was gluten free friendly!

Food was cold at buffet and don't have taste.service is poor, staff watching clock upon arrival, lack of interest in service, Fairly clean place, good Ambiance Overall, I heard good things for this place but was highly disappointed with food and service, will not recommend for food and flavor lovers.

Ambassador Dining Room is our favorite restaurant in Baltimore, dining there regularly for many years. We have been to over a dozen Indian restaurants in Maryland and DC, but Ambassador Dining Room meets the challenge well. It is the combination of solid food, professional service, and the setting. The location is just North of Hopkins' Homewood campus on the ground floor of a 1920s apartment building. Wood paneling gives way to an enclosed patio that overlooks a large colorful garden. Weather permitting, they open the windowed overhead garage type doors to invite nature into the restaurant. Fireplaces roaring (given the season) add more ambience. We most enjoy the large selection of dishes on Sunday's buffet offering. Whether ordering off the menu or going to the Sunday afternoon buffet, the total package provides a top experience.

Husband and I came here for dinner with my in-laws when we were in town. MIL had made reservations, so we were seated right away and given a spot in the back near the fireplace. My in-laws and husband ordered chai tea, and those were delivered right away. Unlike most Indian places I've been to, the tea came sweetened, which was a drawback for my FIL, who has diabetes. I ordered the Vegetable Jalfrezi, which came with rice. We also ordered some naan to share. Overall, the food was good and tasty, portions were generous and we were all full at the end of the meal. However, the prices are a bit higher, and service was slow, hence the 3 stars.

Ordered Chicken Tikka masala, Tandoor chicken and chicken vindaloo. All 3 dishes lacked flavor and pricey for what it's worth. 1st and last trip. Made a 1 hour trip and returning disappointed. Mango lassi was the only nice thing.

The food for decades has always been delicious here. Think higher end Indian food in a classical old dining room from a bygone era

I have always loved the Ambassador and eat there at least twice a year. Eating in the garden or by the fireplace in winter gives you a truly wonderful dining experience. I was hesitant to take my family there for my birthday as they are under new management, but I was thrilled to find it the same. The service was impeccable and the food was excellent. The manager came over and made us feel very welcomed and appreciated. Eight of us had a variety of appetizers and entrees and everyone liked their food. At the end of the meal, the waiter brought a cake out and a gift for me. Such a classy thing to do. I had a wonderful birthday and look forward to another great meal and experience here.

Food was dry! Way to expensive for the product. It tasted like they just poured the sauce over the food. In addition the portions were small. We were sat at a table for 2 with an added chair for our party of 3 despite making reservations days in advance. Staff isn't great either, no refills on water or other drinks ( had to drink some of my husbands water) Our waiter checked on us twice to get our order and that was it. I will not be coming back.

5 stars for the pleasant friendly waiter and the excellent service! 3 stars for the food and prices. The restaurant has a nice ambiance and it is a fancy one. The prices felt a bit too expensive even for a fancy place like this one. Most of their meat curries were $27. And for a $20 biryani, it doesn't come with a gravy or raita on the side. Raita is an extra $4.95. I started with a mango lassi, mulligatawny soup and had chicken biryani with chicken cheera curry. Soup was not very impressive, tasted a bit stale. Biryani was mild and close to bland. It had broccoli which is not a very common vegetable in India and I don't understand why the restaurants in the US feel compelled to add it to their rice dishes! That too, to a biryani, especially a chicken biryani. It does not add any special flavor to the dish, moreover spoils the authenticity of the dish. It always has been one of my pet peeves. Chicken cheera curry was a spinach based chicken curry which again was very mild. Mango lassi with a hint of elaichi was my favorite part of the meal. I felt that it was served with too much ice, but by the time I was done with my food, the ice melted perfectly without watering down the lassi.

My favorite place for upscale Indian cuisine. Has an outdoor patio that is open in the summer and enclosed in the winter with two fireplaces. I like to go on a Sunday evening as it is typically not busy and feels like private dining. Service was attentive and food came out timely and hot. Everything we had was very good. Recommend the butternut squash soap, vegetable samosa, and any of the lamb dishes.

Holy moly - talk about delicious Indian cuisine! The question I keep asking myself is why did it take so long for me to dine at the Ambassador?? We had a lovely dinner with friends, and the 4 of us enjoyed our scrumptious dinner in a gorgeous setting. The service was stellar. Everything was just top-notch. Keep in mind that is not a quick meal - this restaurant allows and encourages you to savor their savory offerings and basque in the breathtaking surroundings (esp if sitting in the patio). Go there - you'll thank me!

Food is very tasteful but there is not enough of it for the price. Please make your portions larger!

I had been going to the Ambassador regularly over the past 15-20 years or so but not much at all recently. We used it as a staple for a long time and always enjoyed the food, service and the beautiful space. I was surprised at the recent changes. The food was good, but served differently than before. Servings were not very large,and there was not enough silver on the table. When dessert was brought,no one produced any extra silver or plates. No one asked if we wanted any. My serious complaint is that the waitress hovered over us,extremely closely,the entire time. She brought her masked face very close to each of us, and to the table in general, seemingly unaware that there was a reason for the mask she was wearing. We were not masked during the meal,of course. This made me extremely uncomfortable. I wish that the waitstaff was more carefully trained.

We went on very high recommendation from a friend. The ambience is perfect with beautiful view to outside, fire place in winter added charm to the place, seating is comfortable and staff very friendly. It was the food that disappoints a bit! It was all cold & gave feeling of leftover party food (it could be that we entered around 2.00 pm, may be late for buffet lunch). Salad bar was empty, food was cold and un-inviting. Saviour was khadi ( yogurt sauce dish) and cauliflower manchurian, two of my all time favourite. Other two vegetarian dishes I.e Chana, paneer saag was just ok. My son eats meat and he liked his food. Beverages do add great deal of charm to meal. It was dessert that disappointed the most. The saddest Gilian jamun I have ever had! Not sure if it was gajar or lauki halwa but then it was not even worth figuring out! All I can say is that this place has so much more potential than explored and management shouldn't just let it go!

Brunch at the Ambassador is one of the most fun things to do in Baltimore. Come here, eat a lot, walk about a mile down the road through Hopkins to the free Baltimore Art Museum. A+ day. The food is good - a generous selection of naan, three or four vegetable curries, (usually) one lamb or goat curry, a butter chicken or tikka masala, and once in a while there's a fish curry. They usually don't have samosas, but will inundate you with pakoras and fried dough. The gulab jamun is served cold, which coagulates the honey water a little bit and is only OK. For some reason they always have a giant, decadent chocolate cake. On occasion it's a buck or two more for brunch and includes unlimited orange juice and mango lasse. Beware their coffee. I've paid everywhere between $18.99 to $24.99 depending on the day and what's being offered, it's variable. If you come hungry and ready to polish several plates, you're looking at the best quality to ratio of food in the city.

We went here for dinner with family visiting from out of town. I'd never been but several colleagues recommended it and they were right! The food is delicious and the outdoor dining setup is great. It got a little chilly toward the end of the evening and the staff brought out blankets for us to keep warm. Highly recommend, especially for folks looking for comfortable outdoor dining during the pandemic.

I am shocked. I live in the neighborhood and want to give this place a try. I made a reservation but had to cancel due to working late and not feeling 100% When I called to cancel, I was questioned as to why I am cancelling. I was a little taken aback (I do not own an explanation) but I was honest and said I do not feel well. The person on the phone snickered a little (like "yeah, right"). 1.) During COVID, if customers don't feel well, you don't want them in your place. 2.) Every other time I have had to cancel a reservation (about 5 times in my entire adult life, and I have VIP status on OpenTable) the restaurant thanked me for calling to let them know and that they hoped to see me soon. Take a hint, this is how it should be done.

Went for Saturday brunch buffet, left happy and full and a little drunk. When you turn up at an apartment complex, yes, you are in the right place. There's a big, rather dark central room hosting the buffet and drink tables, but really you want to be seated in the garden room. In the summer, the garage door windows are open and it's really pretty spectacular. The food is excellent quality, even served as a buffet. There aren't a ton of options - on our visit, there were two chicken dishes (including tikka masala, of course), tamarind fish, veggie fritters, and some sides - but Saturdays are relatively quiet so it makes sense. Critically, there are unlimited make-your-own drinks, including wine and champagne, red and white sangria, and top shelf vodka. We arrived at opening (noon) and stayed till end of service (3pm) without feeling like we ought to move along. Fully recommend!

Not actually the best food but fun for an all-you-can-eat AND all-you-can-drink weekend brunch. Call ahead for a reservation since it fills up on the weekends with large groups of college students. Essentially it's $31 per person (including tax) for an Indian buffet. Again, this is not up there on my list for best Indian food, but it's decent enough and there is a lot of it...rice, naan, all types of chicken in sauces, fritters, saag, chickpeas, mango chutney, and so on. Remember to pace yourself... Then there is also a bar where you can make yourself unlimited mimosas and blood marys. It's always fun and a real experience that you should try at least once!

Horrible food, horrible service. Definitely not worth the price point. The food tasted like it was taken out of a freezer, plated, and served to us. Our server was rude, and couldn't care less to take a second to hear what our issue with the food was. The best part - the server stood at one end of a big round table with a stack of plates and slid them over to each person!

Perfect. Mid-week. Spring. Patio. Lunch. Worth penetrating the apartment building lobby to find the restaurant hidden within. The chana masala is without equal. Cold salads and the dessert bar did not disappoint. Fresh naan and courtly service made it that much easier for the exquisite surroundings to impress. A perfectly delightful experience.

I ordered food on Saturday from here as a treat A huge disappointment. The most expensive indian food in the city and probably the worst . Tiny portions . A vindaloo with zero flavor.. none,no spice or heat!! ,a dry lamb samosa and a veggie jalfrezi swimming in a sickly sweet tomato sauce.

How many times we have driven by over the last 20 years and then yesterday we enjoyed an invite to a graduation that was absolutely amazing followed by an afternoon Indian food luncheon that was so delicious along with the beautiful setting outdoors. We will definitely go back as soon as we are ready for some more Tikki Marsala and curry. Those who didn't enjoy should try one more time on a beautiful day.

Baltimore's most pleasant Indian/Nepali restaurant setting, in the spacious club dining room of the old Ambassador apartments building - indoor space, outdoor space in a roomy adjoining garden terrace, and in-between space: a glass-walled sun-room between the main dining room and the garden terrace, replete with walls that roll up like garage doors when weather permits, and fireplaces at either end. The food is very good, but the ambience is unbeatable. Pre-pandemic, they used to serve Sunday prix fixe buffet line brunches with bottomless mimosas and mango spritzes; hopefully, things will clear up soon & they'll resume that very lovely option. The staff is COVID-compliant and attentive. You can not go wrong on any dish here - & I've tried enough of them over the past decades - and the new owners have kept the same high culinary standards.

This place is a joke. Made reservations but still had to wait an hour. Slooooow service and the food isn't the same. I guess there are new owners, don't waste your time with this restaurant.

We took two friends there for dinner. The weather allowed us to sit in the rear patio which is nice (main room is rather gloomy and could use a real make-over. The food was good (most important) and portions pre-served (no metal serving bowls) were just right, so no one left hungry. The three star rating is really for the lack of smiles in greeting and service.