Ambra

I am so glad a high end steakhouse, that’s truly worth it, has come to McAllen. I’ve been to some wonderful steakhouse all over the US. I’ve been to the few upscale steakhouse here in the RGV but was not impressed. Bobs Chophouse was the best when it was here but Ambra is the one now. The atmosphere is what you expect. A top shelf bar fully equipped to make your cocktail of choice. Friendly and courteous staff always. They have a private dinning area for any special events with a minimum purchasing requirement. Wanting to impress your date? Looking for a nice place for your next office party or meeting? Maybe you just want to pull up to the bar and sip on a good scotch and just people watch and strike up good conversation with a stranger? Ambra is your place.

My husband surprised me with a night out here and this place did not disappoint! The ambiance, service, food, and the drinks were excellent. Our server was Emmanuel and he was phenomenal! We never had to wonder where he was because he was always checking on us, making sure we were enjoying our food, making sure our drinks were topped off. To add to how great our service was, every recommendation that we asked for, Emmanuel delivered! Excellent food, excellent service, and we will definitely be back!

I recently visited Ambra in McAllen with friends, and overall, we had a wonderful evening. The ambiance was beautiful, the food was excellent, and the service at the bar was outstanding. The waitstaff were friendly, professional, and made us feel welcomed and comfortable throughout our visit. However, I would like to offer a small piece of constructive feedback regarding the front-of-house experience. Upon entering, we were greeted by two young women at the entrance who unfortunately did not offer a warm or courteous welcome. Instead of a simple “Good evening” or “Welcome, how many in your party?”, we were met with silence and blank stares, which created a noticeably uncomfortable moment. I also noticed one of them whispering to the other while glancing in my direction, which came across as unprofessional. All guest deserves kindness and respect. I chose to politely address the situation with them directly, hoping they would receive it as constructive feedback. This comment is not to criticize harshly but to encourage better customer service at the entrance, which is the first impression of any establishment. A welcoming attitude from the host or hostess goes a long way and sets the tone for the entire experience. That being said, I truly enjoyed the rest of our time at Ambra, and I hope to return soon. 07.31.25 10pm

Place looks new. It’s a bit pretentious. The food was good but not excellent. Their wine list wasn’t updated. 3 wines that we chose to order were not available. The staff that came to offer us a couple of bottles that they have didn’t even have any idea about the wines. That’s why I call it pretentious. They have a big book of wine menu but nobody can talk to you about the wine. One thing also that confuses me about this restaurant is the music- a little bit louder than the ambiance needs and the type of music it was being played- it was club music. Club music during a romantic dinner? No, no. I’ll give it a try again but not in the near future.

It was our first time here and food was amazing, our server Sergio did a wonderful job and was extremely attentive.

Ambra’s atmosphere is beautiful! Sergio provided impeccable service. Our steaks and lamb chops were cooked to perfection! You cannot go wrong with any of their side dishes to pair with your steak. Lobster Mac & Cheese was one of the best I have ever had! The outdoor patio provides a relaxing vibe. You can dine or enjoy hookah at your table or around a fire pit. We also had the pleasure of enjoying the patio for a nightcap and service outside with Jordan was also great! Ambra we will be back very soon!

Our dinner at Ambra in McAllen was incredible, but what truly made the night unforgettable was our waiter, Marco. From start to finish, Marco went above and beyond — he was attentive without being overbearing, incredibly knowledgeable about the menu, and made us feel like VIPs the entire time. His energy, professionalism, and genuine warmth set the tone for a perfect night. Every recommendation he made — from cocktails to entrées to dessert — was spot on. You could tell he truly cared about our experience. The food and drinks were amazing, and the agave cheesecake? Next level. But honestly, Marco made the entire night feel special. If you go to Ambra, ask for him — you won’t regret it. Ambra, you’ve got a gem in Marco!

Food was great my favorite was their octopus and the butterscotch purée , recommend 10/10, Alejandro was amazing and had great recommendations.

Amazing food especially the lamb chop appetizer. It is pricey though. For you duck lovers, they have a delicious duck entree. Good desserts too.

Food was delicious and really great service. They had really good music and the best staff. Italia and Cesar were very attentive!

Stopped in for a large Christmas party with about 16 people in a private room. We had multiple servers taking care of us and it was a 3-4 hour meal. We started with a variety of appetizers and I wish I even knew what half of them were. We had some bread/smoked butter, oysters, hummus, and more. We all loved everything we started with and it was a great portion to share with everyone. For dinner, I had a steak and they brought a variety of sides for the whole table, which was perfect to try other things. The steak was delicious and I didn't hear a single person complain about their meal. The Wagyu is fantastic as always and well worth the price. For dessert, we had probably 4-5 different options and they were all incredible. The raspberry cake was probably my favorite with the cheesecake a close second. Overall, I'm surprised by the poor reviews because we had a great time. The restaurant is modern and high end with a great menu and friendly staff.

Gotta take a minute to appreciate the absolutely gorgeous architecture. Never thought I'd be so mesmerized by a roof! The food was great though from what my other friends agreed with they can be a little heavy on the salt. My friend actually ordered her steak to be done without salt and it was honestly pretty good! My favorite thing in the menu so far was the Korean shrimp pasta. It looks small in the picture but there is a lot more pasta than meets the eye :) the shrimp was juicy and the squid ink was a cool touch. Service in general was quick and attentive. It was quite expensive for the region but a beautiful place for special occasions. If you want a big city vibe in the RGV this is definitely the place!

Great atmosphere. Been there several times and loved it. But we were so disappointed with our Bone-in Cowboy Ribeye last week. Ordered it medium rare but this steak was absolutely flavorless. However, our friends ordered the skirt steak and it was good. Bottom line...no consistency in food quality.

Way over priced and food wasn't even mid. I had the Denver steak, it looked like a strip of beef jerky. I paid more here than I did in California at Cielo steakhouse 27 floors above the casino with an immaculate view of the mountain range.

We were really excited to try Ambra after looking at their menu. They have food options from various cuisines so we thought everyone could be pleased. The ambiance is superb, with unique and wonderful interior design. The service was spot on, all our questions answered, and an element of grace while handling our food and beverage refills. That being said, the consensus at our table was the food was no better than a 3/5. Portion, price, and flavor were factored in and unfortunately, Ambra left much to be desired. The two meat eaters were heavily disappointed in their wagyu picanha. It was pretty ridiculous in size and they gave it 2/5. We had ordered the cauliflower appetizer and Mollejas, with the later being the more flavorful but still not great. The salmon entree was under seasoned and our guava cake dessert seemed like a cumbersome recipe without the payoff. The guava seemed very diluted by the color and so you could hardly taste it. No one was really wowed by anything but the carbon activated tortilla ash butter stole the show...which again pretty disappointing if all you really liked was butter. I would say it's a great place to enjoy some drinks and gnosh on some sides, but do not commit to the heavier food options as the portions and flavor come no where near warranting the price.

Exquisite cuisine, exceptional service. Thank you, Sergio, for all your attention and for making our visit a wonderful experience!

Had an evening reservation of 2 - they were incredibly busy but super accommodating. There are low lights to help create a romantic atmosphere. I was a big fan of the octopus appetizer - it was crunchy on the outside and perfect on the inside! The sea bass had this overpowering sauce that kind of ruined everything but you can kind of wipe it off as there was sooo much of it. The cacao chocolate dessert was delicious and the passionfruit really balanced the richness of the chocolate! They also gave us complimentary champagne on the house which paired well with the dessert. We did get cocktails and when asked for another round, my date said yes but I said no but they prepared drinks for both of us lol?

Ask for Arturo at the bat!! He makes the best drinks!!! Carajillo!!! Leeche!!! Best service ever! Best food ever! Anything you try!!!

Food was delicious, our waiter Mason was so attentive and had the most exceptional service I've had in a while. Thank you for an amazing experience Mason. Would definitely come back again and ask for Mason!

I will start off by saying that the Ambiance and Service here was excellent. This is my 4th time coming to eat here. Starting off...the appetizers were probably our favorite dishes. The Roasted Mollejas with the homemade corn tortillas and Salsa were amazing. That was by far my favorite of everything we got. Second place was the Crispy rice with spicy salmon. It was delicious and paired well with the sauce that it was plated on. Now the main dish was the Cowgirl Bone-in ribeye. We ordered it Med and what we got by the time we made our way to the center part of the steak was very rare. I did post a picture where you can see how rare it was on the inside. I even looked up pictures of what we should have gotten and what we got and I'm 100% that we got a rare steak. The taste of the outermost pieces were great and I wish the whole steak was like it. The two sides we got were the truffle French fries which was tasty especially with the sauce they bring it out with. The Lobster Mac & cheese we were to impressed with. We did not like the taste of the cheese that was used to make it but that could just very well be a "us" thing and other people maybe love it. Overall it was a wonderful experience and will go back again. The 4 rating is because of the steak. We made reservations in Open Table and were seated promptly when we arrived.

I keep coming back to this place and this time, I was determined that I would NOT order the chicken, that I would get something else for my main course at least once. While there are many tempting options, I narrowed it down, but I just couldn't stop thinking about the chicken - how perfectly it is cooked and how amazing the sauce is, so yes, I had the chicken for the third time in three visits. I was glad that I did; hard to believe that this dish could be any better, but wow it was - so so special... The other thing that I can't do without is the appetizer of Lamb Lollipops. Confession: I don't eat read meat, but this dish makes me swoon..... the flavors are intense and savory, unlike anything I've ever eaten. Amazing food, professional and efficient service and such a nice ambiance overall. This place is simply a winner and I love it!

Ambiance was perfect for a date night or a girls night, definitely a place to dress up for. The drinks were potent and the service was okay. The food was good although not sure if I would pay the price to have it again.

What a lovely dining experience! Starting off with my only gripe - I ordered the Filet medium rare and it came out blue .. when I asked for it to be cooked more my waitress made a comment about me wanting it medium then?? I'm not sure when a cold center was changed to medium rare but.. Unfortunately when it came back they decided to cook a whole new one and somehow it was still completely raw. Again I got a comment about "okay so you want it medium". Medium is a hot pink center, medium rare is a hot red center, what I got was blue and cold. Asides from that our waitress was very nice and attentive and we had a wonderful experience. The cheesecake was the best part for sure!! The fries we got were very very heavy on the garlic, and my fiancé loved his duck! I would definitely come back but not for a steak. I've already recommended this restaurant to my friends! *Attached is a photo of my cut steak- AFTER it was cooked more so i'm sure you can imagine what it was like before it was back on the grill

The service was superb! The food was excellent with one small exception. We had the lamb lollipops for appetizer, wagyu picanha and wagyu skirt steak, asparagus, mushrooms, and lobster mac-n-cheese for dinner. For dessert we had the almond/raspberry cake. Everything but the mac-n-cheese was delicious. The mac-n-cheese was lacking flavour, a bit of salt and pepper would have gone a long way there! But the rest more than made up for it!! The beef melted in our mouths and the dessert, OMG!! My husband is upper picky and he said that was the best dessert he has ever had!! Lastly the drinks were good too! Anyhow, we will definitely be back!!

The decor is awesome. Beautiful place. That is all that is good about it. The staff is up tight and going out of their way to exaggerate their service and pretend to be servers from a truly elegant fine dining establishment. Food was mediocre at best. Not worth the money. I would not recommend for those seeking good food.

First time at Ambra & Celebrated a milestone birthday! Sergio was our server and he was AMAZING! He was very attentive and made some of the best recommendations for food and drinks. All the food and drinks were exquisite. Cannot wait till our next visit!

We appreciated the Date night ambiance. No loud music is a plus for us. Beautiful setting and attentive service. Enjoyed the complimentary bread with charcoal and tortilla ash honey butter. We had the smoked tortellini dish and squid ink spaghetti with shrimp - both delicious. We also ordered a couple of drinks which were delightful. Definitely recommend.

We celebrate all our birthdays and anniversary here. We have always had a great experience with the food and service. Will be back soon.

This place was perfect for my 21st birthday dinner! The environment, service, drinks, and food were all above and beyond. Would definitely recommend and would come again. Great place if you're looking for a nice, refined place for dinner.

First time going to Ambra. When I arrived , the staff was very friendly and guided me to my table. I had put a note that i was celebrating my new job, and they right away congratulated me. The atmosphere is extremely nice and the place is beautiful. Also perfect for couples , If celebrating anniversary like the couple next to us. I already had in mind choosing the Korean Spicy Shrimp, and it was delicious!! My friend had the salmon and she loved it too. Overall , I was very happy of the food, service and ambient . The only annoyance were Teenagers taking selfies in the bathroom and impeding me to go and wash my hands after dinner , but I guess every restaurant has annoying people. I will definitely go again ,

Second time in McAllan and enjoyed a great night with friends at Ambra. The food was delicious, especially the steak, and service, Sergio was excellent. He helped me order white wine and brought the food at a perfect time. Would strongly recommend.

Made a dinner reservation via open table for our wedding anniversary. Came and was seated within those few minutes...with a Happy Anniversary greeting from the hostesses (and again when we left) Wait wasn't too long for our server to come by but we were acknowledged and noted us that he would be back to take care of us. Leonardo was our waiter and and very polite and attentive one. He even brought out the chef to explain about a cut I was curious about since he was too sure on how to explain in. From the appetizer all the way to dessert we enjoyed every single bit of it. The roasted bone marrow had a interesting take with the ahi tuna chunks...a first for me and delicious. The crispy rice with tuna tartare...would like it a bit more crispier, but nonetheless flavors were on point. The Cabreria bone in fillet minion...hmmm I liked the steak. It was definitely tender and cooked very well.... If it was charred just a bit longer around the outside of the steak for that extra flavor. The Chilean seabass was an amazing dish. Cooked perfectly and The miso glaze was just the right amount of sweetness to compliment the soft and buttery Seabass. And lastly the mango passion fruit mousse dessert!!!! Perfect ending...refreshing, light, and just beautiful. Probably one of the best dessert at a restaurant I've had in the valley. I've got to say I'm very impressed from the friendliness of all the waitstaff/hostesses from Ambra. Already making plans to come back because I want to try so many more things in the menu.

Good service and great ambiance. My wife really enjoys being here. I love the desserts.

My interactions with the wait staff were unpleasant, as they were consistently rude and unaccommodating. Furthermore, the bar service was extremely slow, which led to me waiting for an unacceptable amount of time to receive a drink. On multiple visits, I noticed that the wait staff seemed unfamiliar with the menu, which resulted in the waiter having to go and ask someone else constantly. Moreover, the item I intended to order was not in stock, which was frustrating. They still have a lot of kinks to work out, and the service should be better for what you are paying. They will also pour you bottled water without asking and add it to your tab.

We arrived at 7 without a reservation and were able to be served at the bar. The bone marrow is fabulous! Steak and rabbit ragu equally delicious. Burnt cheesecake was perfect ending to an excellent dinner. Highly recommend!!

Overrated place. Meat was overcooked after specifically requesting it rare. Menu has been slowly getting worse in the last year, with fewer and more expensive options. Portions are really small, like you owe something to them, lol. I have the feeling they think they are better than what they really have to offer.

Great ambiance. Food was really good. The service was quick. All the staff was friendly and courteous. I highly recommend this place for a date night.

Right off the bat Service was BAD. The amount of attitude the hosts gave us was insane. We made a reservation before hand on their website and was told we could not be seated because they couldn't see our reservation. Mind you we showed them the confirmation on our phone. We waited about 20 minutes and see someone who got there after us get seated. We ask why and their response was "they had a reservation," once again we showed them our reservation our phone!! After finally getting seated we ordered the salmon, Korean shrimp, molleja, oysters, and truffle fries. The food took forever. Let me just say the fries were my favorite. Salmon and shrimp were over cooked, & molleja was very chewy. Save your money, there was nothing special about the food, you can get better quality food else and cheaper too. This place is way too overhyped and a $200 isn't worth it for the food quality.

Beside it being two minutes from our home. Great place to go and relax. Good food. Wine list is great and the prices are surprisingly reasonable. Wait staff are all attentive. Great patio.

Extremely impressive. well decorated and all the staff were very attentive and professional, well informed about the menu as well as what is in store for the future of this company (restaurant). THE FOOD WAS SPECTACULAR. we had the chicken and filet mignon with broccolini and shiitake mushrooms. Every bite was heavenly orgasmic. Drinks are very well prepared and served promptly as well as the food. it's expensive but worth every dime. Go and enjoy. It's on Auburn and North 10th streets

Been here once. This place is overpriced and overhyped. Nothing spectacular about the food quality, too oily dishes. For the amount they charge, you would expect something great. Truly disappointed. I will think twice before coming back. I called today over the phone for their happy hour offerings, I was told to consult their Facebook or Instagram page; apparently the person who answered did not know. This place lacks staff training. Sad.

Apparently what 65$ worth of take out looks like. Not to mention the sauces and aiolis all leaking out of the take out boxes. Restaurant needs to reconsider the take out boxes and presentation

I went for my 23rd birthday, it landed on a Tuesday and to my surprise it seemed pretty busy for a weekday! We had a reservation and got sat immediately. I was welcomed with a free glass of champagne to toast. The waiter was very attentive I don't remember her name but she was amazing! They started us off with some toast & a charcoal looking butter with maybe some honey or something sweet drizzled on top. It was delicious . I ordered the ceaser salad which was delicious! I also ordered the Niku A5 Japanese wagyu nigiri it literally melted in my mouth. It was by far the best tasting thing I've ever had ! I also got the dragonesse cocktail which was spectacular, I'm not a fan of strong drinks and to my surprise it was more on the sweet side kind of like juice which is what I prefer when drinking! For dessert I had the Berry cute which was divine! (A waiter that my boyfriend knew paid for my dessert which was really sweet of him!)I'm not a fan of sweets and this dessert was literally perfect ! Not too sweet but not too tart either. My overall experience was a 10/10 most definitely will continue to have birthday parties/ anniversary's there!! The price for the type of restaurant it is, is not bad at all! My boyfriend got the wagyu skirt steak with a side of fries! (Don't have a picture :() only spent $120 for everything !

Dang it! I'm going to join the soon to be hundreds of 5 star reviews. Place is super cool, hip, and service was excellent. I think 3 bartenders alternated asking if we were okay and making sure we were. Food was very good. Do the smoked oysters.

Steak Not even close to chain restaurant like Morton , Capital or Ruth They need more practice and choose their cut carefully , Overpriced for that reason Ambiance is excellent decor super Good to hang out around drink something but I will not eat there probably an appetizer

Everything thing about this place was off the charts. Ambiance,service and the food was amazing. Great wines to choose from.

Delicious food and great atmosphere. Service was fantastic. Make reservations in advance.

I can't tell you if the food or service was any good because they turned us away at the door for wearing dress shorts and sandals (not flip flops). Even though, we drove 45 minutes to get there and were meeting friends for a birthday celebration that were already seated and had ordered appetizers. So we headed down the road to House, Wine & Bistro where we were met with a smile and provided with excellent service and delicious food. A quality high-end meal without the pretentiousness of Ambra.

Service is not so good. The server was very rude and did not help much. Any time we asked for a favor he seemed very bothered and upset by it. Additionally, the Server was rushing us and very impatient. They also allow solicitors which can be bothersome when trying to enjoy a nice dinner. The server took an absurd amount of time to bring back a coke. By the time I received my soda, I had already finished my meal. The server also made comments and remarks about making sure we were to tip. I had already been planning to tip however, his comments were unprofessional and unnecessary. Additionally, the server made comments about helping him stack up the plates in order to make his job easier. We did not mind however, it felt really absurd for the server to be asking the customers to do his job. They also did not have a lot of the items presented on the menu. Considering the prices of the restaurant, you would think the service would be top-notch. Also, our server was smoking outside. For a nice restaurant, very unprofessional. The food was ok. I think the service really ruined the night for me and my overall experience. I do not plan on attending again.

Amazing food, great service, great ambiance. Excellent drinks as well. Special place...will go back!

Went for my first time, with a party of 8, I ordered the Wagyu steak. I asked for it cooked medium well, assuming it was a very busy night. I didn't want my food to be raw, when my meal arrive. My steak was still raw, cutting into with the color being red and with blood. I would have asked for my food to be taken back, however, the waiter didn't return after all the meals were served. I was dissatisfied with my meal, my side were more filling. I paid a total of $200, will I not be returning sadly to say.

A good friend of mine wasn't allowed in the restaurant because he was wearing shorts. When he pointed out they were dress shorts and was also wearing shoes, not tennis shoes, he was told that those were the rules and that if he wanted service he could go get some pants to Ross! I saw another review complaining about their dress code and the way they were treated and the owner's response ended with a "stay classy". it seems that class is something they need to learn about. It's not what people wear that make them classy but the way they treat others. I went there with a friend a few days before this incident and was planning to take my husband but there is no way I'm going back. There are plenty of nice places where customers are treated vwith respect.

Good food and service. Great atmosphere. Was easy to set a reservation and was seated quickly.

This place is amazing, from the food to the ambiance. Tony was a great waiter and had a lot of information about the menu items and all his recommendations were delicious. I had the lobster risotto which is to die for, probably the best one I've ever had.

Service is good.Food is not good. The sea bass was chewy and cold. And my ceasar salad was super soggy. The atmosphere was pretty groovy though.

Buenas tardes mi experiencia en el restaurante es 1/2 las bebidas estan bien pero la comida esta malísima pedi un tomahak en 120 dlls y era algo pesimo super frio y demas adi que pendientes

The welcome staff needs to do better. Reservation was made & we were told our table wasn't ready. We proceeded to wait 30 min. After sitting down. Our server didn't give us much time to look at the menu & was asking if we were ready to order. We said give us a minute & he proceeded to gives us over 40 min. Took it too literal. His service was subpar. Saw him a total of 3 times during our dining experience. Food was good but again the overall service wasn't good.