This place has been different names I like it because it is close to the path. Perfect for meeting people at the 9th street path The decor is beautiful there is a Buddha statue right in the center kind of like Sea in Brooklyn It's fusion nothing special but good happy hour mon thru sat Bartender friendly and attentive. This place main problem is that NO one knows its here ..people walk past it and its very easy to do so. but its a good place to take a date ..i do recall coming here for valentines day and arguing with my date..the buddah statute calmed me down.
(4)
Jando S.
Asian Fusion has always been a hard sell for me, not because I don't believe it can executed well, but because so few establishments have done it consistently. The circle is probably filled with more subpar ones than truly excellent choices. Amber Village is definitely among the former. On a food front, there is a lot to choose from. There are interesting options like tangerine chicken or pad thai spaghetti, both of which are as unappealing as they sound. The pork buns and pan fried pork dumplings were also disappointing, more so in taste than presentation for sure. But it may be unfair to base any opinion on these considering a large portion of the menu is dedicated to sushi. Sadly, these have been by far the biggest let down. For the most part, the sushi is overpriced and mediocre. From the simple nigiri yellow tail and king salmon to the countless special rolls, the sushi seems hastily put together which affects the presentation. AV tries very hard on the presentation front, but looks don't supercede taste. This is especially true when one decides to shoot for the coveted toro, which hasn't gotten high marks thus far. More lackluster than the food was the service. Not a lot of friendly faces sans the bartenders, most of whom were a bit stone cold during my last meal. When the food isn't much to begin with, service becomes a crucial part of the experience. It's just too bad they don't deliver on this account either. But like many Asian Fusion spots, the ambiance is intimate and trendy enough to warrant decent people watching. Throw in any of their mixed cocktail drinks and now you've got a party. Skip the food, stay for the drinks.
(2)
Ray W.
I ordered a 2 roll combo. The yellowtail was not whole pieces of fish and instead was the left over pieces, it did not taste that fresh and I hope I don't get food poisoning. The other is the spicy tuna which was ok. The food is relatively cheap however, sushi is maybe not something you want to eat that is cheap. We also tried to do the yelp checkin deal, this is deceptive since they have an entire menu with higher prices that corresponds to this deal.
(1)
Juan T.
yep, decor is asian, yep they sell sushi and all its derivatives, yep they got a fish tank with tons of fish.. Walked in here after a few rounds at bars around the area. It looked like a decent clean place to have a drink or two or 3. The decor is modern Asian, the typical decor with slate floors and walls with bamboo divisions... Did not tried the food, the kitchen was closed at that moment. They had salsa night upstairs.. so walked up and they changed 6 for the entrance and 2 for a coat check, so i said whatever lets learn salsa. well, like 10 people there, no instructor, the salsa they know its like square dancing style... you know its all memorized, but no feeling.. some like 2, 1 Asian dude and 1 European woman knew what they were doing but thats about it. the end.
(3)
Louis R.
Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. - Hamlet Do you know what fresh fish smells like? Yup, nothing. Do you know what Amber smelled like? Not fresh fish. $3 Kirin beer killed the smell for me though. Thank god for happy hour.
I did a delivery order from here for the lunch pad thai platter. It came on time. The pad thai was fine. It came with soup and salad. They were also fine. The food was reasonably priced - $9 for the lunch platter. It shall go along with the ranks of the countless other faceless asian fusion restaurants in the city.
(3)
Lauren L.
Woah. Save yourself and go somewhere else for happy hour. The minute you walk in the door you are slapped in the face by the smell of fish. I'm sorry are we at the wharf and the fish just got cleaned off the boat? This is why they may or may not have a grade pending rating ... fish caaaaaannot be fresh here. I will say though, they pour a nice Jameson. It's a big one. ... thats what she said.
(2)
Kal M.
I really enjoyed myself- the spicy scallop hand roll was amazing, the green curry tofu- Really Good!!!! Even had savingon blanc which I don't really have because I'm not a white wine fan but liked it nevertheless. There was basketball showcased in the two of their TVs at the bar so that is good entertainment. So I had great food- service was ok at the bAr but expected. I would come again. :)
(4)
Athena C.
Came here for a friend's birthday party and they let us have a whole 2nd floor with 3 hour open bar and food for $30 per person. It is a good deal and they play decent dance music. The food here is affordable at $8 to $10 per cocktail. I didn't get to try the food so I can't comment on that. But it surely is a good venue for private parties.
(4)
Heather L.
The ambiance is similar to Tao in Midtown East - there's a big Buddha in the back, with colored lights flashing onto it. Dance slash trance music plays in the background, just like how the monks did it in the land of Asian Fusion. My friend ordered the salmon/salad martini, which came in a martini glass. Everything's better when it comes in a martini glass. I got the black pepper salmon appetizer, highly recommended. What's cool is that they have both kitchen apps and actual sushi appetizers. The rolls were somewhat disappointing. They're not very creative; most involve tempura and taste the same. The fish layered on top of specials rolls is thin, and the fish inside is all ground up. But it is filling. They auto-added 20% tip with only 2 people - probably to avoid people under-tipping with the Groupon deal. The staff there is nice though, and patient with our indecisiveness while ordering.
(3)
Alice V.
Nothing too spectacular about this place. Ordered various sushi platters and drinks and honestly, I'm not too crazy about it. The decor of the place is great, location is phenomenal (the clash of West Village and Chelsea area) but the food, ehh...I had better! The shrimp shumai was delicious. This is probably the shortest review I've done...but honestly the fact that this place didn't have anything memorable, I wouldn't make a second trip.
(3)
J S.
This place has really gone down hill in recent months. The quality of the sushi, the service, the cleanliness of the place - all sub par to TERRIBLE. After reading the reviews we tried it on a Saturday night and were disappointed beyond description. I spent half the night in the loo - was it from the poor quality of the sushi? There's really no way of knowing. Stay away!
(1)
Franny A.
Former Aja space...... New chef........ Super friendly service........... Food is still a lunch bargain with lots of under $10 bentos....... Food is not as good as the former Aja........ Still a relaxing environment with big beautiful budda and calm New York space for an under $10 Asian fusion lunch...........
(3)
K D.
I'm borderline 4-star on this. I came here for the first time on a Groupon (excellent deal!) and really liked the food overall. The regular rolls are, as you can imagine, nothing to write home about. The special rolls were very enjoyable (pretty good variety in the selection). The manager was super nice and friendly- came over to our table to ask how everything was. The servers were also pleasant to deal with. Would definitely come back here even without the discount. Glad I tried this place out!
(3)
Randy S.
Hmmm...really wanted to like this restaurant more, but... For starters, really liked the atmosphere...great decor, albeit I was facing the wall and my partner, who was facing the bar, was distracted by the multiple TVs playing (food network and football during our New Year's Eve meal). The service? Mostly: YIKES. At least during our visit. The maître d' who seated us and took our drink order was nice/personable, but our drinks never arrived. The waitress came 10 minutes or so after we closed our menus and we had to flag down the maître d' to get and pay the check post-meal. Other than that, water was always on the table and, once our orders were placed, the food arrived pretty quickly and sequentially. We really enjoyed the spicy lettuce wraps, but the classic and special rolls were just okay. The salmon avocado rolls were good, but the crunch spicy tuna rolls weren't really crunchy or spicy, the golden buddha roll wasn't spicy, and the triple toro roll wasn't spicy. Don't get me wrong, everything was good, just not great, given that the menu descriptions (e.g. re: spicy, crunchy, etc.) didn't really match the food we received. The price? Yeah, we had a Groupon deal too, so the price was good to go (and factored into the 3-star rating). We'd probably have been more disappointed had we paid full price. BOTTOM LINE: When paying full price there are definitely better Asian/Japanese restaurant options (based on our first experience). We may give it another try armed with another deal, but otherwise will likely go elsewhere.
(3)
Tom L.
Third-rate pan-Asian fusion cuisine, of which there are thousands in New York city. There is nothing special about this one in terms of food or service, although its hostility toward gay patrons does make is special, especially given its location in the West Village. I've walked past it any number of times on my way to work, and gave it a try. I won't be back.
(1)
Nafeesha P.
I really dug this restaurant. I went there on a Groupon deal. I actually ended up buying two deals. I went for the first time on a Saturday & ended up right back there on a Monday. The sushi martini is phenomonal! I will be going back here again. I'm deducting a point for the loud noise. It's sort of like sports bar meets asian fusion.
(4)
Julie T.
"Meh. I've experienced better," is the most appropriate summary (for those who don't feel like reading this review). Positive: I loved the decor. The Zen filled environment was great escape from a stressful day. There was a giant Buddha statue/fountain in the back. I was very tempted to sit on his lap and take photos. There was also a pretty koi fish tank at the entrance, and the waiter was pleasant. Negative: The food was overpriced and the quality wasn't the best. Even the edamame didn't taste that good. How can anyone mess up edamame? However, the worst part was the music. I wanted something relaxing, not something cheesy like Kei$ha or Drake.
(2)
Megan F.
Went by the other day, The decor is good, but the food is poor. Sushi rice is not really sushi rice, it ruins everything. No much respect to the art of sushi if they go cheap to get regular rice.
(2)
Taryn C.
There's something for everyone here. I like their sushi, husband likes their bird's nest (a noodle "nest" with veggies and chicken in it). I had one of their dragon rolls (my friend and I split them, one with salmon and one with tuna) and they were very good. Their eel sushi, is OMG delicious! Unfortunately, I discovered that I can no longer eat it because I am ALLERGIC! BOO!! Their cocktails are very good too, I think they have a green tea margarita that wasn't as good as you'd expect it to be, but their martinis were pretty outrageous. I like the ambiance at Amber, there is one in my neighborhood that I'll frequent (but this one gets the slight edge for the drinks!).
(3)
Tarah T.
I had a groupon for Amber and decided it was time to use it. We started with the Salmon Carpaccio, which was simple, and delicious. The cuts of fish were perfect and the Thai chili sauce was light and complimented the salmon wonderfully. I had the Sangria Crispy Duck. It was in a lighter sweet and sour sauce which was addicting. My only gripe was that the duck was cut into 2" slices, but half of them were not cut all the way through, making it quite difficult to eat with chopsticks. My partner had the Chilean Sea Bass, which was exquisite. It just melted in your mouth. For dessert we had the Green Tea/Red Bean ice cream - the Green tea was overpowering while the Red Bean didn't quite taste like red bean... I couldn't quite put my finger on the flavor. And we had the Chocolate pyramid, which tasted like it had been refrigerated for a while. It had a strange pudding/gelatin consistency and the center (molten? as it was described on the menu) was cold and kind of tasted like caramel? Maybe? Would I come back? Perhaps, but I wouldn't pay full price. It was definitely a nice night out and the service was fantastic.
(3)
Ro N.
I love how all the Yelpers on here talked about the SPACE and friendly service....HELLOS, what about the damn food? Please rank by food not by how cheap it is...because this place is DISGUSTING. Miso Soup -sucked. Didn't even taste like Miso soup more like Chicken soup. Salad - eh, the ginger dressing is not even gingerly. Crunchy Spicy Salmon Roll - Not into this weird texture...mushy with a bit of sand like bits. Yellowtail with Jalapenos - Okay you know their freaking idiots when they put pickled jalapenos with Yellowtail. Took a bite and that was the end of this roll. DISGUSTING!!!!! I don't care about the decor of this place...the freaking food is gross. Should have went with my regular place!
(1)
Yvonne K.
The duck hirata buns are out of this world! I have been trying all the little restaurants in this neighborhood slowly but surely. I took my friend from out of town here and as he would say 'gangsta sushi' that means it was amazing! The pieces were generous and creative mixed with classics. I would recommend the rock tempura shrimp - those are to die for! The decor is beautiful and the staff and friendly and fast. There is enough of a mix of Asian fusion food that you can bring a variety of friends and they would all find something they love.
(4)
Alexander W.
Startlingly uninspired food (you'll swear you've seen this menu a hundred times before, even if you've never been to Amber) and a somewhat distracted staff the couple of times I've been here. Not an awful choice if you need to get out of the rain but just not a place I would make a habit of going to with so many other superior options in the area. I think I heard some sort of screeching live cover band upstairs (?) last time I was here--have no idea what that was about and didn't try to find out, so I can't report on any "live entertainment" they may or may not have.
(2)
Claire C.
Got here before going on a spooky tour of Greenwich Village, I always walk past this place going to the 9th Street path when I'm downtown so I figured I'd try it with my friend. Happy hour greeted me with $6 cosmos! I made a reservation the day before and its a good idea to do so around the 7PM rush. We were seated and the waiter was a bit frazzled so we shrugged our shoulders and sat down. Apparently we missed the boat on the Groupon deal, but our meal wasn't too crazy priced. We ordered some wine and edamame. This was the best edamame I've had in a while. Piping hot and super salty. Although at the bottom of the bowl it wasn't so much salt and a bit of sog. We ordered two rolls each (no specialty rolls as we're on a budget...) I had the Spicy Tuna Crunch roll and the Avocado, Asparagus, and Cucumber roll. The Spicy Tuna was decent, although (as some reviews have stated already) its more "crunch" than tuna, not the best I've ever had but decent. I really enjoyed the Veggie roll I got. crisp, crunchy, and GREAT with wasabi. The soy sauce seemed a bit off... if you know what I mean. It tasted a little funny. The pickled ginger was probably the best I've had. Very delicious. All and all, not too bad.
(3)
Yvonne W.
Cheap lunch specials can be found here. I personally think that the best deal is to get two special rolls. It's only $7, and it comes with a miso soup and salad. I had the eel/avocado and the shrimp tempura, and both were pretty fresh tasting and filled me up. I came here for lunch with a coworker this week, and I had the Thai crispy chicken entree. NEVER GET THIS! It's like chicken katsu with this nasty spicy/sweet/sour sauce over it. It's hardly anything that is Thai. Stick with the sushi/special rolls, and you'll be good to go.
(3)
Roberto A.
We ordered from Seamless web. I got three different rolls: Tuna avocado - basic, but the avocado was delicious. Spicy Salmon - the kick was good. Salmon skin - it was supposed to be crispy, but the skin in this was a bit chewy, so it was probably sitting around fro a while. The calamari appetizer was not got. There was too much breading, too much oil, and the calamari was chewy. There are cheaper and tastier places.
(3)
Ryan M.
Greed dictated the Groupon-hog in me to buy 3 Groupons for this place. . . baaaad idea! On all three occasions, it was a less than mediocre experience. Ambiance was weird with the combination of the Asian flare and the bar with two flat screen TVs. Service was rushed and the overpriced food was nothing special. I appreciate the big slices of sushi/sashimi but they were too big to a point that the rice broke apart when picked up. The Sushi platter (with substitute of Kamikaze Roll) left me not wanting sushi for a while, and I freaking love sushi! The baby ribs, ehh. The best dish I tried was the Lemongrass Seafood Soup. Their restrooms were cute, hehe. I wouldn't come back.
(1)
Shirley H.
My friend took me here for dinner when I visited her this weekend. I was pretty excited because I hadn't been able to pin down a Japanese place that seemed both reasonably priced and delicious before coming to ny. This place... is not what I was hoping for. It's actually rather pricey for what you get, and very Asian fusion in a cliche, overly Americanized way. Not to say that I didn't have a great time with my friend, but we each spent over $20 for two things, a plate of sushi (Triple Toro roll) and salmon teriyaki, and green tea. The triple toro roll was pretty good, though I thought it could have been spicier. The salmon teriyaki, on the other hand, was mediocre. They overcooked the salmon, and the sauce could have been straight from a can. They also added raisins on top... kind of a strange touch. Definitely a one-time only place.
(3)
Lorie Mae D.
Went here the other night with a Groupon special. Walked in with no reservation, the place was well busy, but they seated us (2person party) right away. Staff was friendly, ambience was soothing. We ordered the rock tempura shrimp & fried calamari to start. Both were delicious. Then got a lobster tempura roll, spicy crab (real crab!) roll, and eel & avocado roll. It was handed to us on this huge glass rectangular plate. I absolutely loved the lobster roll & spicy crab roll. The fish & seafood were very fresh. Was very impressed, especially since i'm used to eating delicious fresh fish, coming from Hawaii. I recommend this spot to everyone. A gem in the West Village :)
(4)
Chad C.
Great happy hour, ok food, friends had sushi which they all liked. Service was horrible! 10 people working with 2 other tables and it took 30 minutes just to get drinks! Sit at the bar if you come here. I don't think I will be back.
(2)
Lucia P.
What a great first experience for myself and my fiance when trying real, non-Chinese buffet sushi. Our waitress was so incredibly helpful throughout our meal in helping us choose food. Miso soup was very good, our appetizer was great, and our sushi entree was even better. We had the 2 tunas, 2 yellowtails, and 2 salmons. Decor is really intimate and lovely. Music was modern. We would definitely come again, and for lunch because in the words of our waitress "it's cheaper!"
(5)
Noah F.
Great decor mediocre food.
(1)
Steve W.
yeah fuck amber. came here to meet some friends on a saturday night. people were still sitting about eating and they were rushing them to get up so they could turn it into a "club". the space is limited, noone dances, the drinks are pricey and the people are obnoxious. there was a group of guys who felt the need to scream at everything even tho they're standing in a circle. one of those groups who think they're so funny that everyone has to hear them. then there was a fat chick in tight leather black pants. i wanted to tear a tiny little hole in the back of it so the rest of the pants would split open. upstairs was reserved for the precious owner's bday party. the king needs his space and can't have us lowly people near him. my friend got there late, around 1230 and they wouldn't let him in. they kept a line outside. then my friend who was already inside went out to smoke and they wouldn't let her back in. told her to get back in line. i never heard of anything like this. even in all the pretentious clubs in the city, once you get in, you're allowed to go back in. but NOOOOOOOOOO, amber and their high class clientele has different rules. so we had to relocate. fuck you amber, 1 star, the dj was whack also.
(1)
Lindsay S.
I had a groupon for Amber and I was surprised to really like the sushi here as the Murray Hill location in my opinion is just okay. They offer a variety of special roles which are really tasty... we got the Chelsea Roll and Double Crunchy Roll. I was a little disappointed with the pineapple fried rice- it was bland, had very little to no pineapple and wasn't served IN a pineapple like the other locations. Although I'm pretty sure our waiter screwed the order and served us generic fried rice even though he insisted it was the pineapple fried rice. Service was excellent and very attentive. Overall, I definitely recommend the sushi here and much prefer this location to the Murray Hill one.
(4)
Jess S.
Had a really unfortunate encounter with the bar manager. We were collaborating with him for an event but he proved himself to be kind of an extremely shady, unprofessional, money-hungry dude. Will not be bringing friends here again. A shame.
(1)
Talia R.
New West Village delivery highlight! I ordered in twice last week, as there was a 20% off special on seamless web & given that every time I order delivery sushi to my apartment am basically disappointed, so I have absolutely no loyalty. Man, not having a go-to sushi take out option is the pits, but I digress. I know better than to go to the actual restaurant. Having had a few negative experiences at the Amber on the UES, I knew to stick with delivery. Food got here lightening fast, like beyond Charlie Mom's quick! I had a few standard rolls & the most overdressed spicy tuna avocado salad. A shame because there was a ton of fresh fish & avocado was top-notch, but it was smothered in dressing. Now I know to order on the side, no biggie. Delivery thumbs up. Not anywhere near good enough to take the coveted go-to spot, but it can definitely enter into delivery rotation.
(3)
Nari L.
I would say if you are skeptical to try this place, go for lunch first. It's a great deal! $8 for bento box including miso soup, salad w/ ginger dressing, veggie mini rolls (2), your choice of entree, and rice. Sushi quality is pretty decent, and there is a lunch special for that as well. They also have a happy hour special of 20% off your whole bill from 4-6:30. The drinks are yummy (lychee martini, pom mojito!) and they have a great tapas menu for the bar! (I would recommend the rock shrimp tempura, spicy tuna salad, and filet mignon wraps) Great ambiance, saturdays they usually have a live band or some sort of party on the second floor which is great to check out. Really great staff with quick and comfortable service!
Just had a horrible ordering ordeal with this place. I'd politely suggest that the girl that is taking the orders find a new line of work because she isn't doing this place any favors. My simple order of 1 app, 1 roll and 5 pieces of sushi took about 5 minutes to place. She kept getting interrupted and kept putting my hold. This literally happened FOUR times! I pleaded with her toward the end of my call to just please finish taking my simple order because I was almost done. When the food arrived lo and behold the order was screwed up. No shrimp tempura roll which I was really looking forward to, but some very mediocre tasting and looking fried shrimp. And my sushi is slightly cooked. NOT appetizing. Oh and the delivery guy dropped somebody elses order on the floor of the hallway in my building while he was handing mine over, hope that wasn't yours. I'm still hungry.
(1)
Dave A.
Beautiful decor. Good prices. Truly horrific sashimi. This restaurant is on Groupon a lot. Even without the Groupon discount, lunch is cheap. Like $10 or less for sashimi, miso soup, salad and rice. The fish was dry and tasteless. It was also thin. It didn't settle well. I won't be back.
(2)
D C.
After canvassing the area for a late night buzzed food craving, a friend of mine and myself came up empty handed. Most sit down places had already or were currently closing their kitchens for the night. We then stumbled upon Amber which I have passed before but never quite took notice to. With the only other option appearing to be French Roast, we chose to give Amber a try. I was happy we made the choice. Despite being 11 PM our food was really good, cooked well, and served with a smile. I have been to other local Asian/Thai places late at night and the quality of the food is usually sub-par compared to what you'd get early in the day. That was not the case here. Amber is your typical Asian Fusion restaurant. Don't expect anything magically new and exciting on the menu. Make the right choice and enjoy some good food. I started with a Lemongrass Seafood Tom Yum Soup which was delicious! The soup was HUGE and filled with a generous portion of delicious shrimp, scallops, and calamari. It was slightly spicy and the seafood quality was better than I expected. The soup was almost a meal in itself. For my entree I enjoyed the Pad Thai which was also was a nice size dish. I know this isn't a full blown Thai place but compared to other local Thai joints, this was one of the better ones I have had. Pad Thai at other local places is so greasy (ahem Room Service) you can see your reflection in the plate (no trip to the bathroom required). Not at Amber. The Pad Thai here was much lighter and didn't give me the stomach ache I'm used to at other local Thai restaurants. They had a large selection of sushi and specialty rolls, but looking at some of the recent reviews here I think we made a wise choice of steering clear! Service was good and the food was brought out quick. Their prices are pretty reasonable for what you get. The atmosphere had that trendy feel most Asian Fusion places try for. Music was quite random but overall it was a nice experience. While not at the top of my Asian fare list, I likely will come back for some cheap eats in the future.
(4)
Peggy C.
This is your typical Asian Fusion Restaurant. A month ago, my girlfriend had her bridal shower here. The decor was nice and the price was decent. The Asian Fusion food is very typical, owned by Chinese people. You get your appetizers, sushi and sashimi and some main courses. We had the whole 2nd floor to ourselves. They has a happy hour special. Wines were $3 a glass. Good service and spacious.
(4)
Lucien D.
The seating arrangements in the back room, decor, and lighting is perhaps one of the best in the Upper West Side. The music they played matched the decor (pop/techno). The staff there are courteous, attentive and friendly. The food is prepared quickly and it's really well done. I recommend the coconut soup as an appetizer. Average cost dinner for two (no drinks) @$60 not including tip..
(4)
Melissa M.
I ordered the 2 roll lunch that comes with soup or salad. The salad was sad--one of the Dole mixes, and some pieces were browning. The prices are a great deal though. Unfortunately the chefs at Amber aren't very good at composing rolls with brown rice. My shrimp tempura and Eel/Avocado, both with brown rice, were literally falling apart. Of course it didn't help that they crammed (again, literally) two rolls into a tiny takeout container. Toyama, Sushi D, Gen and Kiku are much better.
(2)
Debbie W.
My fave joint for lunch and dinner! Haven't been disappointed EVER! Can't wait karaoke...
(5)
Eric J.
I went on a weekend with friends and was disappointed. The food was below average, especially for New York. There was food on the floor near our table and the waiter actually walk over it at one point and never thought to clean it up. Good thing there's a lot of other restaurants in NY because I won't go back to this place.
(2)
Cassy S.
I was asked to hunt for an Asian restaurant that would easily hold 20 people for a 30th birthday celebration. The key was good food without breaking the bank (times are hard nah mean?!). I gave my friend a number of options ranging from quaint (my preference) to big restaurants. After days of narrowing the list down, he chose this place. Amber took over Aja Bistro and made a number of improvements on the space. Main floor is more open and upstairs more intimate. We were seated at a curtained area which made it seem more like a private party. The service was extremely accommodating and friendly. There was no attitude when a number of people were late and they tolerated the plea (more like yell) for shots. The menu had a fair amount of raw and cooked food. We had 2 orders each of calamari, sushi rolls, tempura and salmon tataki to start then ordered entrees. Now this definitely isn't the best food I've had but it was decent and everyone seemed to enjoyed their meal. They even allowed us to bring a cake. Sweet! A fun, stress-free dinner celebration with appetizers, entrees and drinks all for $45 each = SUCCESS!!!
(3)
Cat M.
I got delivery from here so I cannot comment about the ambiance of the restaurant. I ordered the eel on rice lunch special (I am a huge eel lover!!) and I was very satisfied. They gave me 5 long pieces of toasted eel on top of sticky rice. It had a few more bones than what I am normally used to, but I just chewed my food more and I was fine. Also delivery was insanely fast. I got an order confirmation at 2:09pm and the deliveryman walked through my office doors at 2:26pm! I was shocked! Based on my experience I would definitely seek this place out for dinner.
(4)
Jennifer G.
Try their chilean sea bass and rock shrimp... But their sushi can be much IMPROVED.... friendly waitress and tells you the truth about what to order...
(3)
Yan P.
Usually, when I dine using a Groupon, I set my expectations pretty low, and hope that the place exceeds it. Amber exceeded it on multiple levels. We walked in and were seated right away. The decor was nice an inviting. The staff was very attentive and were great with their recommendations. The drinks were creative. The food was excellent. We had a few ore drinks after dinner and lingered and no one rushed us out. I would come back here again.
(4)
Jon H.
Not horrible but not that good either. How can the appetizers be better than the main dish? :(
(2)
Johnny K.
Perfectly good, reasonably-priced, pan-asian cuisine. Service was attentive, food was decent, and the ambience is very trendy and nice so it feels like a "night out" rather than just any mid-week dinner. Good drinks as well and their edamame portion was the largest I've seen in the city (massive eda-monster-mame). I like this space as Aja and still like it as Amber (honestly doesn't seem like much has changed, it's still a good spot).
(3)
B J.
Very good. The fish was fresh. The oyster tempura was excellent. It maintained its true oyster flavor and was not overwhelmed by tempura which happens a lot. The service was excellent and the drinks were also really good. The Pandora playlist was spot on. I liked the atmosphere. At times, however, I got a wave of cigarette smoke and I couldn't figure out where it was coming from considering we were seated deep within the restaurant. Overall, great experience.
(4)
kashif s.
Great drinks, great food. Used to frequent here very often, but haven't been in a few months though (with regards to the bad reviews I just noticed).
(4)
Zoë V.
I came here with a few friends a couple of weeks ago for lunch and we loved it. The decor on the inside of the restaurant is awesome and makes the restaurant look a lot more upscale and expensive, even though its very reasonably priced! I got a chicken teriyaki bento box for only $8.50, which is a great deal in this part of the city. I didn't order any sushi, but I'm definitely going to come back here again and I'll probably get some sushi then. This seems like a great restaurant for a hot date, or a big group of friends!
(4)
Danielle S.
I love this place! Decor is nice. Food comes quick. It's not cheap, but definitely affordable. They do have great lunch/sushi specials at an incredible price. The sushi is fresh and amazing. Good eel here. If you like green curry, this is my favorite green curry in the city. I prefer the green curry with vegetables. And they use good vegetables, not just basic broccoli and carrot.
(5)
Nemo N.
Hello All. Great Review for Amber (West Village) !!! Be sure to join us this Saturday Feb 6th 2010for a one night only then starting Feb 27, Saturday 2010 and Every Saturday After. Tryst Saturdays @ Amber The Great thing about this Saturday Weekly Party will be the Free Comedy Stand up from 10-11pm, Mixed Diverse Trendy Grown & Sexy crowd, music from Top NYC DJ's, and no hassle at the door. If you are tired of Clubs & Lounges keeping you in the cold, making you pay a arm & leg, or Making you and yours purchase a bottle to enter. Well this isn't that kind of party, come correct, Mention "NEMO" for guestlist and you and your guest will be taken care of! Enjoy the food! Fresh Sushi & Exotic Drinks. Reservation, Guestlist, Bottle Specials. Email- Nemo@lastnightent.com
(4)
Jeffrey Y.
Only tried this place because we had a Groupon that was about to expire. The ambiance and decor are nice. Service was prompt but they deceptively charged us for our soup and salad. Food was well presented but lacked seasoning and flavor. Do yourself a favor and head down to chinatown for some real asian food.
(2)
Courtney B.
Definitely a new fan. Love the decor, the, mood, setting--and the food. Scrumptious. I also enjoyed the prompt and polite service. The lunch was incredibly priced. I will make this a new regular spot...
(4)
Chrissie S.
Had a party here for my sister's bridal shower and the restaurant was really accommodating. We were able to make 2 site visits and also got to rent the entire 2nd floor for 3 hours on a Saturday afternoon. I loved that the space upstairs was private and away from the regular restaurant downstairs with it's own bar and bathroom. They also had a projector and screen that we can use during the party. We were able to fit 34 guests comfortably and can probably accomodate more. They also allowed us to get in there 1.5 hr early to set up. The food was served sit down family style and included appetizers, entrees and dessert. The food was pretty decent and I esp. loved the mango chicken and shrimp. Ask for Kevin if you're looking to have an event here. He was really nice and easy to work with. I would come back to try the food at the restaurant next time as opposed to an event.
(4)
Lovet O.
It's definitely an average sushi place. I liked the decor but the sushi was "ok". I would come back again only if I was starving and this was the only restaurant open. The prices were reasonable and I enjoyed the Lychee martini I had but the sushi was just "ok".
(3)
Olga G.
It's pretty hard to screw up Thai food, am I right? But it's also hard to block my socks off. This place came fairly close. Came here for Valentine's last night with my significant other with a Groupon -- nothing says romance like saving a buck! The decor is pretty cool and unique (well, if you haven't seen the massive Buddha at Tao, I guess). It's serene and trendy at once. The waiter came for our drink order but we weren't yet ready to order food... fast forward 15+ minutes later, we were still waiting for the waiter to come back! This was a consistent theme throughout the night -- there were tons of busboys... but 1-2 waiters. On Valentine's Day?!?! Anyway... luckily, the food more than made up for the poor service. I had the lemongrass soup (AMAAAAZING!) and we shared the calamari. FYI, folks -- I prefer my calamari with some spicy sauce... this place serves it with peanut sauce. And the calamari was really untraditional -- tasted like chicken tenders to me! But that was probably the low point of the night. For the main course, I ordered the plum-sauce ribs. These were cooked to perfection -- meat practically falling off the boat, so tender and juicy. The sauce was delicious -- not too sweet, not too bland. Just right. I was a little confused by the steamed, plain broccoli florets that served as a side on the dish, but ok, I'll take it. The portion were so large that I didn't mind sharing a rib or four with my date. Usually, that would be a deal-breaker. My date had the sweet peanut chicken, which was pretty standard Thai fare but Amber's had a particularly crunchy texture (the peanuts, not the chicken) and was very flavorful. He was quite pleased... we also had the coconut rice, which has a very subtle yet satisfying coconut taste. I thought it was excellent... will definitely be back if there's another Groupon. But life's too short (and this city's too big) to eat at the same place more than once...
(4)
Amber H.
Very cozy. And the food is great. Ask a waiter/tress for their recommendation.
(4)
May H.
Just went there for a dinner b/c I had a groupon for it. Well, I like the environment there. The bar area and dinning area are separated by boom decorations, which makes me feel conformable to have a quiet dinner. The price there is fair even without a groupon. I order my favorite Green papaya salad(Only 5 bucks!) , and share with my friend with Pad Thai, sushi rolls and Duck spring rolls . The salad is great and really a lot.... Pad Thai is good too, not so greasy. I do not like the duck springs rolls. I thought it as Duck spring rolls I had in Beijing. But definitely, they are not the same thing. Sushi is so so, not too good , but not bad. I even noticed that they have Green Tea margarita. I will try that next time! And what I need to mention at last is that people there are nice and friendly, they do not push you to make your decision. So I have a lot of time looking at the menu. I think it's worth to try a second time!
(4)
Heather P.
This place is cheeseville, the decor is so over the top and tacky. The service was horrible and so was the sushi. I am giving this place 2 stars only b/c before my stomach ache started, the tangerine chicken was pretty damn tasty. Won't be going back.
(2)
Lorelei D.
Friendly service. Fun sushi platter. Really liked them at Taste of the Village, hence why I visited. Will be back.
(3)
Nick W.
Super mediocre sushi and probably the worst edamame I've ever come across.
(2)
Allan X.
Good and reasonably priced cuisine although the Noodle and Rice selections are a bit lacking.
(3)
Abe G.
This place was disgustingly average. It was painfully convenient too, though. Seeing as how I lived around the corner of this place, it was our go to for reasonably priced sushi. I usually got the lunch special, which included miso soup, salad, and an entree. Prices ranged from $9-15 for the special, which is amazing considering it is in a pricey part of town. I have been here maybe 8 times, and 4 of them have been very positive, 4...not so much. The non alcoholic drinks are ridiculous, seeing as how each one will set you back 3 dollars, sans refills. I learned this the hard way. I am usually not too adventurous with the menu here, but the one time I did get the sangria duck special, it was spectacular, albeit a minuscule portion (served in a bento box!). The decor here is really top notch though. Very modern, chic Manhattan sushi feel to it. There is a koi fish fountain, with a giant stone buddah overlooking it...sexy. It is more of a local place, so you usually don't have to fight tourists from the midwest. Also, although during the day time, it is one of the chillest spots in The Village, where dressing in shorts, a tee, and sandals is completely fine, at night, the wait gets longer, the dresses get shorter, and it becomes a lot flashier. So keep that in mind and avoid awkwardness. When they turn on the lights at night time, it really changes the mood of the place, and it gets very sex and the city-esque, if that is what you are looking for, with out Sex and the City (read:Buddakan) prices.
(3)
Zachary M.
this place is great for lunch! through seamless they deliver very quickly to SOHO and their prices are great. i order once a week and have never been disappointed.
(5)
Bing S.
Been here a couple of times and I can say that "sashimi is always fresh"! If you like appetizer try the Chilean sea bass.
(4)
Caitlin S.
I like the decor and the service was good but the food wasn't anything special. I had the yellowtail jalapeno roll and the fish in one of the little rolls looked a little suspect...I steered clear of that one. My friend had the chicken teriyaki (adventurous I know) and it just looked like they globbed on terriyaki sauce all over the plate. It still had that gelatin-like look.
(3)
Rashida H.
I was there last night for a birthday party. Wasn't there for dinner, late night party. Cool atmosphere, cool people. Fun time.
(3)
Pepper B.
I visited Amber by myself and felt very comfortable. The staff was courteous and witty. The service was timely and the food was great. I enjoyed the ceviche, the salad with ginger dressing and the Filet Mignon, I even ate the edible flower that came with the ceviche. The ambiance was well balanced (nice music) and I enjoyed the decor. I have had many firsts and lasts in the same day, this spot is not one, I would definately visit again.
(5)
R K.
I had the best bridal shower a bride could ever ask for at Amber Village! The service was absolutely outstanding and the food was amazing! All my girlfriends were amazed at how attentive the waitresses were to our needs and how excellent the food was in preparation and in presentation. They even noticed that one of my bridesmaids is 8 months pregnant and asked her if she needed anything special. They accommodated my vegan and vegetarian friends instantly that day with different dishes from our pre-decided menu as well. The price is outstanding and the guy even went out of his way to purchase a mike for a video presentation that my maid of honor created for me! Kevin allowed my bridesmaids to come earlier to decorate and provided excellent service throughout the shower. Since the shower was so much fun, Kevin allowed us to extend our 3 hour reserved time to the entire evening-we were there until after midnight just having a great time! I will definitely be coming back here for future dinners and to hold future parties~!! And all my girlfriends will be back too since they all had such an amazing time too!
(5)
Carol B.
I'm surprised at some of the negative food reviews. I went last night and had the salmon skin salad (a lot of salmon skin for a $6 salad) and the sashimi entree ($22 for 14 pcs., which seems reasonable). I thought the fish was fresh and pretty good. Not as good as Japonica, but much less expensive. I consider Amber a good neighborhood addition.
(4)
maya s.
i like this place,i tasted probably half of the things on the menu, delicious,the customer service though can use some improvement..sometimes the wait stuff is just downright rude ..
(3)
Nadia Q.
fresh sushi...and nice decor. i would definitely go back!
The popularity of Chinese food in America can be adjudicated by the appearance of China Town in many major cities in the United State of America. The popular trend of ordering or opting for Chinese take away food isn't unknown in America. Chinese take away food comes to rescue when you're too tired from work or too exhausted to cook. No one can resist the temptation of eating spicy noodles, shrimp, chicken, beef or pork cooked in the sweet and spicy sauce. The cooking method of authentic Chinese food is a lot different compared to what is served in America.
Generally, Chinese use dark meat small bones and organs to cook dishes but this changes when you are eating American-Chinese fusion food prepared using white boneless meat cooked with broccoli, carrots and onions. Back in China, the food is less spicy and oily as they favor steaming and braising method for cooking the most popular dishes. So, if you have a taste for authentic Chinese food, then try finding a real Chinese restaurant in the city. You can also try the most popular fusion Chinese food like Pecking Duck, Chicken Feet, Hot Pot, Shrimp Dumpling Soup, Mapo Tofu, Wontons, Chop Suey, Egg Rolls and not to forget Fortune Cookies.
There are not many restaurants in America serving authentic Chinese food. A little research on Restaurant Listings directory can help you locate the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Chinese cuisine is continuously evolving, and you can find a variety of dishes categorized as the food for lactose intolerant, gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, and diabetic friendly. So, if you have a group of friends with different taste patterns, save the hassle and visit the nearest Chinese restaurant in your city.
Andre N.
This place has been different names I like it because it is close to the path. Perfect for meeting people at the 9th street path The decor is beautiful there is a Buddha statue right in the center kind of like Sea in Brooklyn It's fusion nothing special but good happy hour mon thru sat Bartender friendly and attentive. This place main problem is that NO one knows its here ..people walk past it and its very easy to do so. but its a good place to take a date ..i do recall coming here for valentines day and arguing with my date..the buddah statute calmed me down.
(4)Jando S.
Asian Fusion has always been a hard sell for me, not because I don't believe it can executed well, but because so few establishments have done it consistently. The circle is probably filled with more subpar ones than truly excellent choices. Amber Village is definitely among the former. On a food front, there is a lot to choose from. There are interesting options like tangerine chicken or pad thai spaghetti, both of which are as unappealing as they sound. The pork buns and pan fried pork dumplings were also disappointing, more so in taste than presentation for sure. But it may be unfair to base any opinion on these considering a large portion of the menu is dedicated to sushi. Sadly, these have been by far the biggest let down. For the most part, the sushi is overpriced and mediocre. From the simple nigiri yellow tail and king salmon to the countless special rolls, the sushi seems hastily put together which affects the presentation. AV tries very hard on the presentation front, but looks don't supercede taste. This is especially true when one decides to shoot for the coveted toro, which hasn't gotten high marks thus far. More lackluster than the food was the service. Not a lot of friendly faces sans the bartenders, most of whom were a bit stone cold during my last meal. When the food isn't much to begin with, service becomes a crucial part of the experience. It's just too bad they don't deliver on this account either. But like many Asian Fusion spots, the ambiance is intimate and trendy enough to warrant decent people watching. Throw in any of their mixed cocktail drinks and now you've got a party. Skip the food, stay for the drinks.
(2)Ray W.
I ordered a 2 roll combo. The yellowtail was not whole pieces of fish and instead was the left over pieces, it did not taste that fresh and I hope I don't get food poisoning. The other is the spicy tuna which was ok. The food is relatively cheap however, sushi is maybe not something you want to eat that is cheap. We also tried to do the yelp checkin deal, this is deceptive since they have an entire menu with higher prices that corresponds to this deal.
(1)Juan T.
yep, decor is asian, yep they sell sushi and all its derivatives, yep they got a fish tank with tons of fish.. Walked in here after a few rounds at bars around the area. It looked like a decent clean place to have a drink or two or 3. The decor is modern Asian, the typical decor with slate floors and walls with bamboo divisions... Did not tried the food, the kitchen was closed at that moment. They had salsa night upstairs.. so walked up and they changed 6 for the entrance and 2 for a coat check, so i said whatever lets learn salsa. well, like 10 people there, no instructor, the salsa they know its like square dancing style... you know its all memorized, but no feeling.. some like 2, 1 Asian dude and 1 European woman knew what they were doing but thats about it. the end.
(3)Louis R.
Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. - Hamlet Do you know what fresh fish smells like? Yup, nothing. Do you know what Amber smelled like? Not fresh fish. $3 Kirin beer killed the smell for me though. Thank god for happy hour.
(2)P C.
My girlfriend took me out to dinner a few weeks ago at Amber. She had purchased a groupon which took 50% off our entire meal. I always knew she was smart =) We were seated shortly upon arrival on their quieter second floor level; this was good because the main level was packed and loud. We were instructed that with our groupon, the deal was that we could each order an appetizer, a regular sushi roll, and a special roll. For our appetizers we ordered the Spiced Filet Mignon Mini Burgers and the Tuna Lover Tasting. The mini burger did not come out quite how I was expecting them to look. They were wrapped in the type of buns you would find in the Peking duck sandwiches. They were delicious! The sauce in them was perfect. The Tuna Lover came with four different types of tuna sushi pieces. I'm not sure what each type was called but I remember I liked 2 of them and my girlfriend actually liked the other 2. Our orders for regular and special rolls all came plated together. We ordered a Crunchy Spicy Salmon (our "safe" choice), a King Crab Avocado, a Golden Dragon and a Triple Toro. The spicy salmon roll was just as expected, nothing different about this type of roll anywhere you go. The king crab avocado roll was interesting. I liked it because I like the stringy texture of the meat in crab legs. My girlfriend, not so much. The golden dragon was my girlfriend's special roll choice. It wasn't really anything special to me as it's just salmon avocado roll with slices of mango on the outside. I have slight allergies to mangos so you can see why I didn't really appreciate this roll. My special roll choice, the Triple Toro, was good! An avocado cucumber roll topped with tuna, salmon and yellowtail! That's like three superfish in one! I took a look at the prices of everything on the menu and came to the conclusion that eating at Amber normally (without a groupon deal) would cost about 3 times the price I'm used to paying for sushi in Brooklyn. Although the food was good, I'd probably not come back again. The décor was really nice though. In the back of the main level sits the iconic giant Buddha statue seem in all the Amber restaurants.
(4)Chris L.
I did a delivery order from here for the lunch pad thai platter. It came on time. The pad thai was fine. It came with soup and salad. They were also fine. The food was reasonably priced - $9 for the lunch platter. It shall go along with the ranks of the countless other faceless asian fusion restaurants in the city.
(3)Lauren L.
Woah. Save yourself and go somewhere else for happy hour. The minute you walk in the door you are slapped in the face by the smell of fish. I'm sorry are we at the wharf and the fish just got cleaned off the boat? This is why they may or may not have a grade pending rating ... fish caaaaaannot be fresh here. I will say though, they pour a nice Jameson. It's a big one. ... thats what she said.
(2)Kal M.
I really enjoyed myself- the spicy scallop hand roll was amazing, the green curry tofu- Really Good!!!! Even had savingon blanc which I don't really have because I'm not a white wine fan but liked it nevertheless. There was basketball showcased in the two of their TVs at the bar so that is good entertainment. So I had great food- service was ok at the bAr but expected. I would come again. :)
(4)Athena C.
Came here for a friend's birthday party and they let us have a whole 2nd floor with 3 hour open bar and food for $30 per person. It is a good deal and they play decent dance music. The food here is affordable at $8 to $10 per cocktail. I didn't get to try the food so I can't comment on that. But it surely is a good venue for private parties.
(4)Heather L.
The ambiance is similar to Tao in Midtown East - there's a big Buddha in the back, with colored lights flashing onto it. Dance slash trance music plays in the background, just like how the monks did it in the land of Asian Fusion. My friend ordered the salmon/salad martini, which came in a martini glass. Everything's better when it comes in a martini glass. I got the black pepper salmon appetizer, highly recommended. What's cool is that they have both kitchen apps and actual sushi appetizers. The rolls were somewhat disappointing. They're not very creative; most involve tempura and taste the same. The fish layered on top of specials rolls is thin, and the fish inside is all ground up. But it is filling. They auto-added 20% tip with only 2 people - probably to avoid people under-tipping with the Groupon deal. The staff there is nice though, and patient with our indecisiveness while ordering.
(3)Alice V.
Nothing too spectacular about this place. Ordered various sushi platters and drinks and honestly, I'm not too crazy about it. The decor of the place is great, location is phenomenal (the clash of West Village and Chelsea area) but the food, ehh...I had better! The shrimp shumai was delicious. This is probably the shortest review I've done...but honestly the fact that this place didn't have anything memorable, I wouldn't make a second trip.
(3)J S.
This place has really gone down hill in recent months. The quality of the sushi, the service, the cleanliness of the place - all sub par to TERRIBLE. After reading the reviews we tried it on a Saturday night and were disappointed beyond description. I spent half the night in the loo - was it from the poor quality of the sushi? There's really no way of knowing. Stay away!
(1)Franny A.
Former Aja space...... New chef........ Super friendly service........... Food is still a lunch bargain with lots of under $10 bentos....... Food is not as good as the former Aja........ Still a relaxing environment with big beautiful budda and calm New York space for an under $10 Asian fusion lunch...........
(3)K D.
I'm borderline 4-star on this. I came here for the first time on a Groupon (excellent deal!) and really liked the food overall. The regular rolls are, as you can imagine, nothing to write home about. The special rolls were very enjoyable (pretty good variety in the selection). The manager was super nice and friendly- came over to our table to ask how everything was. The servers were also pleasant to deal with. Would definitely come back here even without the discount. Glad I tried this place out!
(3)Randy S.
Hmmm...really wanted to like this restaurant more, but... For starters, really liked the atmosphere...great decor, albeit I was facing the wall and my partner, who was facing the bar, was distracted by the multiple TVs playing (food network and football during our New Year's Eve meal). The service? Mostly: YIKES. At least during our visit. The maître d' who seated us and took our drink order was nice/personable, but our drinks never arrived. The waitress came 10 minutes or so after we closed our menus and we had to flag down the maître d' to get and pay the check post-meal. Other than that, water was always on the table and, once our orders were placed, the food arrived pretty quickly and sequentially. We really enjoyed the spicy lettuce wraps, but the classic and special rolls were just okay. The salmon avocado rolls were good, but the crunch spicy tuna rolls weren't really crunchy or spicy, the golden buddha roll wasn't spicy, and the triple toro roll wasn't spicy. Don't get me wrong, everything was good, just not great, given that the menu descriptions (e.g. re: spicy, crunchy, etc.) didn't really match the food we received. The price? Yeah, we had a Groupon deal too, so the price was good to go (and factored into the 3-star rating). We'd probably have been more disappointed had we paid full price. BOTTOM LINE: When paying full price there are definitely better Asian/Japanese restaurant options (based on our first experience). We may give it another try armed with another deal, but otherwise will likely go elsewhere.
(3)Tom L.
Third-rate pan-Asian fusion cuisine, of which there are thousands in New York city. There is nothing special about this one in terms of food or service, although its hostility toward gay patrons does make is special, especially given its location in the West Village. I've walked past it any number of times on my way to work, and gave it a try. I won't be back.
(1)Nafeesha P.
I really dug this restaurant. I went there on a Groupon deal. I actually ended up buying two deals. I went for the first time on a Saturday & ended up right back there on a Monday. The sushi martini is phenomonal! I will be going back here again. I'm deducting a point for the loud noise. It's sort of like sports bar meets asian fusion.
(4)Julie T.
"Meh. I've experienced better," is the most appropriate summary (for those who don't feel like reading this review). Positive: I loved the decor. The Zen filled environment was great escape from a stressful day. There was a giant Buddha statue/fountain in the back. I was very tempted to sit on his lap and take photos. There was also a pretty koi fish tank at the entrance, and the waiter was pleasant. Negative: The food was overpriced and the quality wasn't the best. Even the edamame didn't taste that good. How can anyone mess up edamame? However, the worst part was the music. I wanted something relaxing, not something cheesy like Kei$ha or Drake.
(2)Megan F.
Went by the other day, The decor is good, but the food is poor. Sushi rice is not really sushi rice, it ruins everything. No much respect to the art of sushi if they go cheap to get regular rice.
(2)Taryn C.
There's something for everyone here. I like their sushi, husband likes their bird's nest (a noodle "nest" with veggies and chicken in it). I had one of their dragon rolls (my friend and I split them, one with salmon and one with tuna) and they were very good. Their eel sushi, is OMG delicious! Unfortunately, I discovered that I can no longer eat it because I am ALLERGIC! BOO!! Their cocktails are very good too, I think they have a green tea margarita that wasn't as good as you'd expect it to be, but their martinis were pretty outrageous. I like the ambiance at Amber, there is one in my neighborhood that I'll frequent (but this one gets the slight edge for the drinks!).
(3)Tarah T.
I had a groupon for Amber and decided it was time to use it. We started with the Salmon Carpaccio, which was simple, and delicious. The cuts of fish were perfect and the Thai chili sauce was light and complimented the salmon wonderfully. I had the Sangria Crispy Duck. It was in a lighter sweet and sour sauce which was addicting. My only gripe was that the duck was cut into 2" slices, but half of them were not cut all the way through, making it quite difficult to eat with chopsticks. My partner had the Chilean Sea Bass, which was exquisite. It just melted in your mouth. For dessert we had the Green Tea/Red Bean ice cream - the Green tea was overpowering while the Red Bean didn't quite taste like red bean... I couldn't quite put my finger on the flavor. And we had the Chocolate pyramid, which tasted like it had been refrigerated for a while. It had a strange pudding/gelatin consistency and the center (molten? as it was described on the menu) was cold and kind of tasted like caramel? Maybe? Would I come back? Perhaps, but I wouldn't pay full price. It was definitely a nice night out and the service was fantastic.
(3)Ro N.
I love how all the Yelpers on here talked about the SPACE and friendly service....HELLOS, what about the damn food? Please rank by food not by how cheap it is...because this place is DISGUSTING. Miso Soup -sucked. Didn't even taste like Miso soup more like Chicken soup. Salad - eh, the ginger dressing is not even gingerly. Crunchy Spicy Salmon Roll - Not into this weird texture...mushy with a bit of sand like bits. Yellowtail with Jalapenos - Okay you know their freaking idiots when they put pickled jalapenos with Yellowtail. Took a bite and that was the end of this roll. DISGUSTING!!!!! I don't care about the decor of this place...the freaking food is gross. Should have went with my regular place!
(1)Yvonne K.
The duck hirata buns are out of this world! I have been trying all the little restaurants in this neighborhood slowly but surely. I took my friend from out of town here and as he would say 'gangsta sushi' that means it was amazing! The pieces were generous and creative mixed with classics. I would recommend the rock tempura shrimp - those are to die for! The decor is beautiful and the staff and friendly and fast. There is enough of a mix of Asian fusion food that you can bring a variety of friends and they would all find something they love.
(4)Alexander W.
Startlingly uninspired food (you'll swear you've seen this menu a hundred times before, even if you've never been to Amber) and a somewhat distracted staff the couple of times I've been here. Not an awful choice if you need to get out of the rain but just not a place I would make a habit of going to with so many other superior options in the area. I think I heard some sort of screeching live cover band upstairs (?) last time I was here--have no idea what that was about and didn't try to find out, so I can't report on any "live entertainment" they may or may not have.
(2)Claire C.
Got here before going on a spooky tour of Greenwich Village, I always walk past this place going to the 9th Street path when I'm downtown so I figured I'd try it with my friend. Happy hour greeted me with $6 cosmos! I made a reservation the day before and its a good idea to do so around the 7PM rush. We were seated and the waiter was a bit frazzled so we shrugged our shoulders and sat down. Apparently we missed the boat on the Groupon deal, but our meal wasn't too crazy priced. We ordered some wine and edamame. This was the best edamame I've had in a while. Piping hot and super salty. Although at the bottom of the bowl it wasn't so much salt and a bit of sog. We ordered two rolls each (no specialty rolls as we're on a budget...) I had the Spicy Tuna Crunch roll and the Avocado, Asparagus, and Cucumber roll. The Spicy Tuna was decent, although (as some reviews have stated already) its more "crunch" than tuna, not the best I've ever had but decent. I really enjoyed the Veggie roll I got. crisp, crunchy, and GREAT with wasabi. The soy sauce seemed a bit off... if you know what I mean. It tasted a little funny. The pickled ginger was probably the best I've had. Very delicious. All and all, not too bad.
(3)Yvonne W.
Cheap lunch specials can be found here. I personally think that the best deal is to get two special rolls. It's only $7, and it comes with a miso soup and salad. I had the eel/avocado and the shrimp tempura, and both were pretty fresh tasting and filled me up. I came here for lunch with a coworker this week, and I had the Thai crispy chicken entree. NEVER GET THIS! It's like chicken katsu with this nasty spicy/sweet/sour sauce over it. It's hardly anything that is Thai. Stick with the sushi/special rolls, and you'll be good to go.
(3)Roberto A.
We ordered from Seamless web. I got three different rolls: Tuna avocado - basic, but the avocado was delicious. Spicy Salmon - the kick was good. Salmon skin - it was supposed to be crispy, but the skin in this was a bit chewy, so it was probably sitting around fro a while. The calamari appetizer was not got. There was too much breading, too much oil, and the calamari was chewy. There are cheaper and tastier places.
(3)Ryan M.
Greed dictated the Groupon-hog in me to buy 3 Groupons for this place. . . baaaad idea! On all three occasions, it was a less than mediocre experience. Ambiance was weird with the combination of the Asian flare and the bar with two flat screen TVs. Service was rushed and the overpriced food was nothing special. I appreciate the big slices of sushi/sashimi but they were too big to a point that the rice broke apart when picked up. The Sushi platter (with substitute of Kamikaze Roll) left me not wanting sushi for a while, and I freaking love sushi! The baby ribs, ehh. The best dish I tried was the Lemongrass Seafood Soup. Their restrooms were cute, hehe. I wouldn't come back.
(1)Shirley H.
My friend took me here for dinner when I visited her this weekend. I was pretty excited because I hadn't been able to pin down a Japanese place that seemed both reasonably priced and delicious before coming to ny. This place... is not what I was hoping for. It's actually rather pricey for what you get, and very Asian fusion in a cliche, overly Americanized way. Not to say that I didn't have a great time with my friend, but we each spent over $20 for two things, a plate of sushi (Triple Toro roll) and salmon teriyaki, and green tea. The triple toro roll was pretty good, though I thought it could have been spicier. The salmon teriyaki, on the other hand, was mediocre. They overcooked the salmon, and the sauce could have been straight from a can. They also added raisins on top... kind of a strange touch. Definitely a one-time only place.
(3)Lorie Mae D.
Went here the other night with a Groupon special. Walked in with no reservation, the place was well busy, but they seated us (2person party) right away. Staff was friendly, ambience was soothing. We ordered the rock tempura shrimp & fried calamari to start. Both were delicious. Then got a lobster tempura roll, spicy crab (real crab!) roll, and eel & avocado roll. It was handed to us on this huge glass rectangular plate. I absolutely loved the lobster roll & spicy crab roll. The fish & seafood were very fresh. Was very impressed, especially since i'm used to eating delicious fresh fish, coming from Hawaii. I recommend this spot to everyone. A gem in the West Village :)
(4)Chad C.
Great happy hour, ok food, friends had sushi which they all liked. Service was horrible! 10 people working with 2 other tables and it took 30 minutes just to get drinks! Sit at the bar if you come here. I don't think I will be back.
(2)Lucia P.
What a great first experience for myself and my fiance when trying real, non-Chinese buffet sushi. Our waitress was so incredibly helpful throughout our meal in helping us choose food. Miso soup was very good, our appetizer was great, and our sushi entree was even better. We had the 2 tunas, 2 yellowtails, and 2 salmons. Decor is really intimate and lovely. Music was modern. We would definitely come again, and for lunch because in the words of our waitress "it's cheaper!"
(5)Noah F.
Great decor mediocre food.
(1)Steve W.
yeah fuck amber. came here to meet some friends on a saturday night. people were still sitting about eating and they were rushing them to get up so they could turn it into a "club". the space is limited, noone dances, the drinks are pricey and the people are obnoxious. there was a group of guys who felt the need to scream at everything even tho they're standing in a circle. one of those groups who think they're so funny that everyone has to hear them. then there was a fat chick in tight leather black pants. i wanted to tear a tiny little hole in the back of it so the rest of the pants would split open. upstairs was reserved for the precious owner's bday party. the king needs his space and can't have us lowly people near him. my friend got there late, around 1230 and they wouldn't let him in. they kept a line outside. then my friend who was already inside went out to smoke and they wouldn't let her back in. told her to get back in line. i never heard of anything like this. even in all the pretentious clubs in the city, once you get in, you're allowed to go back in. but NOOOOOOOOOO, amber and their high class clientele has different rules. so we had to relocate. fuck you amber, 1 star, the dj was whack also.
(1)Lindsay S.
I had a groupon for Amber and I was surprised to really like the sushi here as the Murray Hill location in my opinion is just okay. They offer a variety of special roles which are really tasty... we got the Chelsea Roll and Double Crunchy Roll. I was a little disappointed with the pineapple fried rice- it was bland, had very little to no pineapple and wasn't served IN a pineapple like the other locations. Although I'm pretty sure our waiter screwed the order and served us generic fried rice even though he insisted it was the pineapple fried rice. Service was excellent and very attentive. Overall, I definitely recommend the sushi here and much prefer this location to the Murray Hill one.
(4)Jess S.
Had a really unfortunate encounter with the bar manager. We were collaborating with him for an event but he proved himself to be kind of an extremely shady, unprofessional, money-hungry dude. Will not be bringing friends here again. A shame.
(1)Talia R.
New West Village delivery highlight! I ordered in twice last week, as there was a 20% off special on seamless web & given that every time I order delivery sushi to my apartment am basically disappointed, so I have absolutely no loyalty. Man, not having a go-to sushi take out option is the pits, but I digress. I know better than to go to the actual restaurant. Having had a few negative experiences at the Amber on the UES, I knew to stick with delivery. Food got here lightening fast, like beyond Charlie Mom's quick! I had a few standard rolls & the most overdressed spicy tuna avocado salad. A shame because there was a ton of fresh fish & avocado was top-notch, but it was smothered in dressing. Now I know to order on the side, no biggie. Delivery thumbs up. Not anywhere near good enough to take the coveted go-to spot, but it can definitely enter into delivery rotation.
(3)Nari L.
I would say if you are skeptical to try this place, go for lunch first. It's a great deal! $8 for bento box including miso soup, salad w/ ginger dressing, veggie mini rolls (2), your choice of entree, and rice. Sushi quality is pretty decent, and there is a lunch special for that as well. They also have a happy hour special of 20% off your whole bill from 4-6:30. The drinks are yummy (lychee martini, pom mojito!) and they have a great tapas menu for the bar! (I would recommend the rock shrimp tempura, spicy tuna salad, and filet mignon wraps) Great ambiance, saturdays they usually have a live band or some sort of party on the second floor which is great to check out. Really great staff with quick and comfortable service!
(4)Jernelle A.
I went here during the week of my up coming birhtday. It is a sexy but relaxed atmosphere. I didn't make it in time for any meals but only for the lounge portion of the night. I am just blown away with the décor; the natural wood mixed with modern Asian touches allows spectators like me to enjoy the tranquil feeling environment, even if it is(was) just for the night! There are two floors from the lounge time setting, the upstairs was more for relaxing, personal conversations - basically the chill room! Downstairs the main floor is where the party took place. The music the night I went was more urban, with tunes from the 90's and up, a little R&B, Caribbean Soca, and a touch of Modern Pop. The drinks were "cost-doable" as well as enjoyable, plus it didn't hurt that the bar tender was handsome with great manners, he..he..he..! I did tell myself that I will try Amber Village during lunch or dinner so; I will have an update relating to the food plus more another time!
(4)I H.
Just had a horrible ordering ordeal with this place. I'd politely suggest that the girl that is taking the orders find a new line of work because she isn't doing this place any favors. My simple order of 1 app, 1 roll and 5 pieces of sushi took about 5 minutes to place. She kept getting interrupted and kept putting my hold. This literally happened FOUR times! I pleaded with her toward the end of my call to just please finish taking my simple order because I was almost done. When the food arrived lo and behold the order was screwed up. No shrimp tempura roll which I was really looking forward to, but some very mediocre tasting and looking fried shrimp. And my sushi is slightly cooked. NOT appetizing. Oh and the delivery guy dropped somebody elses order on the floor of the hallway in my building while he was handing mine over, hope that wasn't yours. I'm still hungry.
(1)Dave A.
Beautiful decor. Good prices. Truly horrific sashimi. This restaurant is on Groupon a lot. Even without the Groupon discount, lunch is cheap. Like $10 or less for sashimi, miso soup, salad and rice. The fish was dry and tasteless. It was also thin. It didn't settle well. I won't be back.
(2)D C.
After canvassing the area for a late night buzzed food craving, a friend of mine and myself came up empty handed. Most sit down places had already or were currently closing their kitchens for the night. We then stumbled upon Amber which I have passed before but never quite took notice to. With the only other option appearing to be French Roast, we chose to give Amber a try. I was happy we made the choice. Despite being 11 PM our food was really good, cooked well, and served with a smile. I have been to other local Asian/Thai places late at night and the quality of the food is usually sub-par compared to what you'd get early in the day. That was not the case here. Amber is your typical Asian Fusion restaurant. Don't expect anything magically new and exciting on the menu. Make the right choice and enjoy some good food. I started with a Lemongrass Seafood Tom Yum Soup which was delicious! The soup was HUGE and filled with a generous portion of delicious shrimp, scallops, and calamari. It was slightly spicy and the seafood quality was better than I expected. The soup was almost a meal in itself. For my entree I enjoyed the Pad Thai which was also was a nice size dish. I know this isn't a full blown Thai place but compared to other local Thai joints, this was one of the better ones I have had. Pad Thai at other local places is so greasy (ahem Room Service) you can see your reflection in the plate (no trip to the bathroom required). Not at Amber. The Pad Thai here was much lighter and didn't give me the stomach ache I'm used to at other local Thai restaurants. They had a large selection of sushi and specialty rolls, but looking at some of the recent reviews here I think we made a wise choice of steering clear! Service was good and the food was brought out quick. Their prices are pretty reasonable for what you get. The atmosphere had that trendy feel most Asian Fusion places try for. Music was quite random but overall it was a nice experience. While not at the top of my Asian fare list, I likely will come back for some cheap eats in the future.
(4)Peggy C.
This is your typical Asian Fusion Restaurant. A month ago, my girlfriend had her bridal shower here. The decor was nice and the price was decent. The Asian Fusion food is very typical, owned by Chinese people. You get your appetizers, sushi and sashimi and some main courses. We had the whole 2nd floor to ourselves. They has a happy hour special. Wines were $3 a glass. Good service and spacious.
(4)Lucien D.
The seating arrangements in the back room, decor, and lighting is perhaps one of the best in the Upper West Side. The music they played matched the decor (pop/techno). The staff there are courteous, attentive and friendly. The food is prepared quickly and it's really well done. I recommend the coconut soup as an appetizer. Average cost dinner for two (no drinks) @$60 not including tip..
(4)Melissa M.
I ordered the 2 roll lunch that comes with soup or salad. The salad was sad--one of the Dole mixes, and some pieces were browning. The prices are a great deal though. Unfortunately the chefs at Amber aren't very good at composing rolls with brown rice. My shrimp tempura and Eel/Avocado, both with brown rice, were literally falling apart. Of course it didn't help that they crammed (again, literally) two rolls into a tiny takeout container. Toyama, Sushi D, Gen and Kiku are much better.
(2)Debbie W.
My fave joint for lunch and dinner! Haven't been disappointed EVER! Can't wait karaoke...
(5)Eric J.
I went on a weekend with friends and was disappointed. The food was below average, especially for New York. There was food on the floor near our table and the waiter actually walk over it at one point and never thought to clean it up. Good thing there's a lot of other restaurants in NY because I won't go back to this place.
(2)Cassy S.
I was asked to hunt for an Asian restaurant that would easily hold 20 people for a 30th birthday celebration. The key was good food without breaking the bank (times are hard nah mean?!). I gave my friend a number of options ranging from quaint (my preference) to big restaurants. After days of narrowing the list down, he chose this place. Amber took over Aja Bistro and made a number of improvements on the space. Main floor is more open and upstairs more intimate. We were seated at a curtained area which made it seem more like a private party. The service was extremely accommodating and friendly. There was no attitude when a number of people were late and they tolerated the plea (more like yell) for shots. The menu had a fair amount of raw and cooked food. We had 2 orders each of calamari, sushi rolls, tempura and salmon tataki to start then ordered entrees. Now this definitely isn't the best food I've had but it was decent and everyone seemed to enjoyed their meal. They even allowed us to bring a cake. Sweet! A fun, stress-free dinner celebration with appetizers, entrees and drinks all for $45 each = SUCCESS!!!
(3)Cat M.
I got delivery from here so I cannot comment about the ambiance of the restaurant. I ordered the eel on rice lunch special (I am a huge eel lover!!) and I was very satisfied. They gave me 5 long pieces of toasted eel on top of sticky rice. It had a few more bones than what I am normally used to, but I just chewed my food more and I was fine. Also delivery was insanely fast. I got an order confirmation at 2:09pm and the deliveryman walked through my office doors at 2:26pm! I was shocked! Based on my experience I would definitely seek this place out for dinner.
(4)Jennifer G.
Try their chilean sea bass and rock shrimp... But their sushi can be much IMPROVED.... friendly waitress and tells you the truth about what to order...
(3)Yan P.
Usually, when I dine using a Groupon, I set my expectations pretty low, and hope that the place exceeds it. Amber exceeded it on multiple levels. We walked in and were seated right away. The decor was nice an inviting. The staff was very attentive and were great with their recommendations. The drinks were creative. The food was excellent. We had a few ore drinks after dinner and lingered and no one rushed us out. I would come back here again.
(4)Jon H.
Not horrible but not that good either. How can the appetizers be better than the main dish? :(
(2)Johnny K.
Perfectly good, reasonably-priced, pan-asian cuisine. Service was attentive, food was decent, and the ambience is very trendy and nice so it feels like a "night out" rather than just any mid-week dinner. Good drinks as well and their edamame portion was the largest I've seen in the city (massive eda-monster-mame). I like this space as Aja and still like it as Amber (honestly doesn't seem like much has changed, it's still a good spot).
(3)B J.
Very good. The fish was fresh. The oyster tempura was excellent. It maintained its true oyster flavor and was not overwhelmed by tempura which happens a lot. The service was excellent and the drinks were also really good. The Pandora playlist was spot on. I liked the atmosphere. At times, however, I got a wave of cigarette smoke and I couldn't figure out where it was coming from considering we were seated deep within the restaurant. Overall, great experience.
(4)kashif s.
Great drinks, great food. Used to frequent here very often, but haven't been in a few months though (with regards to the bad reviews I just noticed).
(4)Zoë V.
I came here with a few friends a couple of weeks ago for lunch and we loved it. The decor on the inside of the restaurant is awesome and makes the restaurant look a lot more upscale and expensive, even though its very reasonably priced! I got a chicken teriyaki bento box for only $8.50, which is a great deal in this part of the city. I didn't order any sushi, but I'm definitely going to come back here again and I'll probably get some sushi then. This seems like a great restaurant for a hot date, or a big group of friends!
(4)Danielle S.
I love this place! Decor is nice. Food comes quick. It's not cheap, but definitely affordable. They do have great lunch/sushi specials at an incredible price. The sushi is fresh and amazing. Good eel here. If you like green curry, this is my favorite green curry in the city. I prefer the green curry with vegetables. And they use good vegetables, not just basic broccoli and carrot.
(5)Nemo N.
Hello All. Great Review for Amber (West Village) !!! Be sure to join us this Saturday Feb 6th 2010for a one night only then starting Feb 27, Saturday 2010 and Every Saturday After. Tryst Saturdays @ Amber The Great thing about this Saturday Weekly Party will be the Free Comedy Stand up from 10-11pm, Mixed Diverse Trendy Grown & Sexy crowd, music from Top NYC DJ's, and no hassle at the door. If you are tired of Clubs & Lounges keeping you in the cold, making you pay a arm & leg, or Making you and yours purchase a bottle to enter. Well this isn't that kind of party, come correct, Mention "NEMO" for guestlist and you and your guest will be taken care of! Enjoy the food! Fresh Sushi & Exotic Drinks. Reservation, Guestlist, Bottle Specials. Email- Nemo@lastnightent.com
(4)Jeffrey Y.
Only tried this place because we had a Groupon that was about to expire. The ambiance and decor are nice. Service was prompt but they deceptively charged us for our soup and salad. Food was well presented but lacked seasoning and flavor. Do yourself a favor and head down to chinatown for some real asian food.
(2)Courtney B.
Definitely a new fan. Love the decor, the, mood, setting--and the food. Scrumptious. I also enjoyed the prompt and polite service. The lunch was incredibly priced. I will make this a new regular spot...
(4)Chrissie S.
Had a party here for my sister's bridal shower and the restaurant was really accommodating. We were able to make 2 site visits and also got to rent the entire 2nd floor for 3 hours on a Saturday afternoon. I loved that the space upstairs was private and away from the regular restaurant downstairs with it's own bar and bathroom. They also had a projector and screen that we can use during the party. We were able to fit 34 guests comfortably and can probably accomodate more. They also allowed us to get in there 1.5 hr early to set up. The food was served sit down family style and included appetizers, entrees and dessert. The food was pretty decent and I esp. loved the mango chicken and shrimp. Ask for Kevin if you're looking to have an event here. He was really nice and easy to work with. I would come back to try the food at the restaurant next time as opposed to an event.
(4)Lovet O.
It's definitely an average sushi place. I liked the decor but the sushi was "ok". I would come back again only if I was starving and this was the only restaurant open. The prices were reasonable and I enjoyed the Lychee martini I had but the sushi was just "ok".
(3)Olga G.
It's pretty hard to screw up Thai food, am I right? But it's also hard to block my socks off. This place came fairly close. Came here for Valentine's last night with my significant other with a Groupon -- nothing says romance like saving a buck! The decor is pretty cool and unique (well, if you haven't seen the massive Buddha at Tao, I guess). It's serene and trendy at once. The waiter came for our drink order but we weren't yet ready to order food... fast forward 15+ minutes later, we were still waiting for the waiter to come back! This was a consistent theme throughout the night -- there were tons of busboys... but 1-2 waiters. On Valentine's Day?!?! Anyway... luckily, the food more than made up for the poor service. I had the lemongrass soup (AMAAAAZING!) and we shared the calamari. FYI, folks -- I prefer my calamari with some spicy sauce... this place serves it with peanut sauce. And the calamari was really untraditional -- tasted like chicken tenders to me! But that was probably the low point of the night. For the main course, I ordered the plum-sauce ribs. These were cooked to perfection -- meat practically falling off the boat, so tender and juicy. The sauce was delicious -- not too sweet, not too bland. Just right. I was a little confused by the steamed, plain broccoli florets that served as a side on the dish, but ok, I'll take it. The portion were so large that I didn't mind sharing a rib or four with my date. Usually, that would be a deal-breaker. My date had the sweet peanut chicken, which was pretty standard Thai fare but Amber's had a particularly crunchy texture (the peanuts, not the chicken) and was very flavorful. He was quite pleased... we also had the coconut rice, which has a very subtle yet satisfying coconut taste. I thought it was excellent... will definitely be back if there's another Groupon. But life's too short (and this city's too big) to eat at the same place more than once...
(4)Amber H.
Very cozy. And the food is great. Ask a waiter/tress for their recommendation.
(4)May H.
Just went there for a dinner b/c I had a groupon for it. Well, I like the environment there. The bar area and dinning area are separated by boom decorations, which makes me feel conformable to have a quiet dinner. The price there is fair even without a groupon. I order my favorite Green papaya salad(Only 5 bucks!) , and share with my friend with Pad Thai, sushi rolls and Duck spring rolls . The salad is great and really a lot.... Pad Thai is good too, not so greasy. I do not like the duck springs rolls. I thought it as Duck spring rolls I had in Beijing. But definitely, they are not the same thing. Sushi is so so, not too good , but not bad. I even noticed that they have Green Tea margarita. I will try that next time! And what I need to mention at last is that people there are nice and friendly, they do not push you to make your decision. So I have a lot of time looking at the menu. I think it's worth to try a second time!
(4)Heather P.
This place is cheeseville, the decor is so over the top and tacky. The service was horrible and so was the sushi. I am giving this place 2 stars only b/c before my stomach ache started, the tangerine chicken was pretty damn tasty. Won't be going back.
(2)Lorelei D.
Friendly service. Fun sushi platter. Really liked them at Taste of the Village, hence why I visited. Will be back.
(3)Nick W.
Super mediocre sushi and probably the worst edamame I've ever come across.
(2)Allan X.
Good and reasonably priced cuisine although the Noodle and Rice selections are a bit lacking.
(3)Abe G.
This place was disgustingly average. It was painfully convenient too, though. Seeing as how I lived around the corner of this place, it was our go to for reasonably priced sushi. I usually got the lunch special, which included miso soup, salad, and an entree. Prices ranged from $9-15 for the special, which is amazing considering it is in a pricey part of town. I have been here maybe 8 times, and 4 of them have been very positive, 4...not so much. The non alcoholic drinks are ridiculous, seeing as how each one will set you back 3 dollars, sans refills. I learned this the hard way. I am usually not too adventurous with the menu here, but the one time I did get the sangria duck special, it was spectacular, albeit a minuscule portion (served in a bento box!). The decor here is really top notch though. Very modern, chic Manhattan sushi feel to it. There is a koi fish fountain, with a giant stone buddah overlooking it...sexy. It is more of a local place, so you usually don't have to fight tourists from the midwest. Also, although during the day time, it is one of the chillest spots in The Village, where dressing in shorts, a tee, and sandals is completely fine, at night, the wait gets longer, the dresses get shorter, and it becomes a lot flashier. So keep that in mind and avoid awkwardness. When they turn on the lights at night time, it really changes the mood of the place, and it gets very sex and the city-esque, if that is what you are looking for, with out Sex and the City (read:Buddakan) prices.
(3)Zachary M.
this place is great for lunch! through seamless they deliver very quickly to SOHO and their prices are great. i order once a week and have never been disappointed.
(5)Bing S.
Been here a couple of times and I can say that "sashimi is always fresh"! If you like appetizer try the Chilean sea bass.
(4)Caitlin S.
I like the decor and the service was good but the food wasn't anything special. I had the yellowtail jalapeno roll and the fish in one of the little rolls looked a little suspect...I steered clear of that one. My friend had the chicken teriyaki (adventurous I know) and it just looked like they globbed on terriyaki sauce all over the plate. It still had that gelatin-like look.
(3)Rashida H.
I was there last night for a birthday party. Wasn't there for dinner, late night party. Cool atmosphere, cool people. Fun time.
(3)Pepper B.
I visited Amber by myself and felt very comfortable. The staff was courteous and witty. The service was timely and the food was great. I enjoyed the ceviche, the salad with ginger dressing and the Filet Mignon, I even ate the edible flower that came with the ceviche. The ambiance was well balanced (nice music) and I enjoyed the decor. I have had many firsts and lasts in the same day, this spot is not one, I would definately visit again.
(5)R K.
I had the best bridal shower a bride could ever ask for at Amber Village! The service was absolutely outstanding and the food was amazing! All my girlfriends were amazed at how attentive the waitresses were to our needs and how excellent the food was in preparation and in presentation. They even noticed that one of my bridesmaids is 8 months pregnant and asked her if she needed anything special. They accommodated my vegan and vegetarian friends instantly that day with different dishes from our pre-decided menu as well. The price is outstanding and the guy even went out of his way to purchase a mike for a video presentation that my maid of honor created for me! Kevin allowed my bridesmaids to come earlier to decorate and provided excellent service throughout the shower. Since the shower was so much fun, Kevin allowed us to extend our 3 hour reserved time to the entire evening-we were there until after midnight just having a great time! I will definitely be coming back here for future dinners and to hold future parties~!! And all my girlfriends will be back too since they all had such an amazing time too!
(5)Carol B.
I'm surprised at some of the negative food reviews. I went last night and had the salmon skin salad (a lot of salmon skin for a $6 salad) and the sashimi entree ($22 for 14 pcs., which seems reasonable). I thought the fish was fresh and pretty good. Not as good as Japonica, but much less expensive. I consider Amber a good neighborhood addition.
(4)maya s.
i like this place,i tasted probably half of the things on the menu, delicious,the customer service though can use some improvement..sometimes the wait stuff is just downright rude ..
(3)Nadia Q.
fresh sushi...and nice decor. i would definitely go back!
(4)