Bottomless Brunch at Ambar in Eastern Market
We found Ambar in Eastern Market on the Going Out Guide’s 5 Bottomless Brunch Spots that Actually Have Great Menus. This list spoke to us because sometimes bottomless brunches are hit or miss when it comes to value. If it’s a buffet, I can try a little bit of everything. However, I never have the self-control to grab small portions and I get full too fast. If it’s a small plates brunch with a time limit, I never know if the waiter will check in often enough to order everything. But if our friends at WaPo like the restaurants on this list, we figured it was worth a shot.
The Going Out Guide suggested front loading our order at Ambar. This is generally good advice for any small plates experience since the dishes all come out at different times. If you order a bunch of plates up front, you’ll have a good sampling of food in a shorter time. We started with four dishes each (8 total) plus Bloody Marys and mimosas. Ambar offers four – four! – different kids of mimosas. Our favorite was the cherry mimosa since it wasn’t as sweet as the traditional OJ mimosa but the Bloody Mary was a little spicy for our taste.
Endless Bottomless Bites
While the drinks are good and regularly topped off, the food stole the show. Most of the plates are variations on standard brunch fare but the accompanying sauces and spreads made them stand out. The mild and creamy sauces will please most palates but pack enough flavor to jazz up each dish. The waiters returned regularly to refill drinks and place new food orders so we thought we definitely each ate $39 worth of food and drink in the 2-hour time limit.
Ambar offers bottomless brunch both Saturday and Sunday. Reservations for groups over 2 are strongly encouraged.