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Ambrosia Cafe & Catering
Categories: Restaurants Sandwiches Food Desserts Event Planning & Services Caterers Sandwiches, Desserts, Caterers [Edit]
1030 K StSacramento, CA 95814
Neighborhood: Downtown
(916) 444-8129
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 6:30 am - 5 pm
Sat-Sun 8 am - 3 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
87 reviews for Ambrosia Cafe & Catering
Review Highlights
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"...reason I LOVE their broccoli crunch salad, which has both." In 3 reviews -
"The Creme Brulee French Toast with real maple syrup = super..." In 3 reviews -
"Great people watching on the patio." In 3 reviews
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87 reviews in English
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Review from Shaun G.
Rocklin, CA
4/3/2012 3 photos
Came into Sac early for my brothers Safe Credit race, at about 7am or so, nothing was open. Walked a couple of block by the capitol and saw this little joint in front of the old church. Walking in it feels like you've just entered a whole different era, the 50's perhaps. Everything looks and seems original, and the food... unbelievable.
It's a small business, but the service is fantastic and friendly, great people, vary calming and relaxing for reading or studying or just enjoying the beauty of the area.
The food tastes fantastic! Although I ordered a breakfast burrito, the chorizo was a little rich for my taste. Highly recommend the avocado turkey sandwich. Also, all the fruit and veggies seem fresh, and the prices are fair and pretty budgetary for what you order.
Great place for an early date! ;D -
Review from crystal c.
Sacramento, CA
Updated - 5/8/2012 4 Check-ins Here
I still love their sandwiches and salads, but I feel like their food has really started to go downhill (and the prices have not).
I tried a breakfast burrito, and another day two scrambled eggs and toast, it was all so horrible I ended up taking 3 bites of each item and throwing it away. That's a pretty expensive inedible breakfast.
I still recommend their lunch, especially their specials, and absolutely their lemonade. But holy cow, steer clear of their breakfast.Listed in: Downtown Office Worker…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/24/2010
What a great lunchtime spot. I've been here many times, but my lunch with a friend today prompted me… Read more »
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Review from Erica R.
Sacramento, CA
2/9/2012
This is one of those places where everyone knows my name...and yet I've been negligent in reviewing Ambrosia. You might be asking if I go so often, why 4 stars instead of 5. Simple, as much as I love them, and truly I do, their soups often leave something to be desired. And I figure for a 5 star, your entire menu should be outstanding. Having said that:
1) I've only tried the breakfast burrito off the breakfast menu, but it's so tasty I have ordered it for lunch.
2) I love a half BLT and half salad (with dressing on the side) for a nice quick lunch.
3) I also like the Caesar Salad (again with dressing on the side) with grilled chicken.
4) It's probably a very good thing that they don't have the German Chocolate cake more often, because while my taste buds are salivating at the thought of having it again, my waistline is already saying I've indulged too much.
5) I arrive around 11:30 usually for lunch, but arrive after that and you are likely standing in a long line.
6) They've catered events on a regular basis during summers for me, and things have always flowed smoothly.
I have always found the service to be incredibly friendly and efficient. And I will continue to go there on a regular basis. -
Review from Samantha M.
Sacramento, CA
5/9/2012
We recently placed a large Catering order with Ambrosia Catering Services. Due to the lack of professionalism, the extreme disrespectful nature and the over tone of the Owner, Pat's conversation with me personally (and my staff), our firm we will no longer be using their services and will be prompting others to do the same.
Might I add also that being "hung up on" is highly unprofessional!...yes, the OWNER of the business hung up on me when trying to explain to her that our order for 20 people (over $400.00 I might add) was incorrect and we didn't received the items needed.
Oh AND when the catering "set up/delivery" guy states to one of my staff "Thank God you are here because if were weren't I would have no idea what to do. I wish Pat would have shown me what to do," maybe it is time for this guy to look elsewhere....you think?!
We utilize Ambrosia's restaurant on K Street a great deal and we are always satisfied with not only their product but they professionalism at well. We would have thought that we would have received the same from the outside catering company. As the owner of the restaurant, one would think that this situation would have been handled differently given we are a paying customer. However, what's done is done and for that we will NEVER use them again.
The owner is soooooo unprofessional! -
Review from Catherine B.
Rocklin, CA
4/27/2012
Great place to cater for lunch. I ordered a sandwich and salad lunch for catering earlier this week and everyone loved it. The bread, meat, cheeses and condiments all looked beautiful and everyone was a big fan.
I'll definitely be ordering lunch from here again! -
Review from Kailey W.
Orangevale, CA
5/9/2012
HORRIBLE Experience with this catering company. VERY small portions, way overpriced and very unhelpful. When we called to address all the problems with our order, PAT, THE OWNER, purposely hung up on us and REFUSED TO CALL US BACK. The "caterer" that brought the food asked me how to set up the food/decor because he had no idea what to do. So unprofessional. Dont use this company! Our business meeting was a disaster because of them. YOU HAVE BEEN FOREWARNED!
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Review from Katie H.
I tend to visit Ambrosia 2-3 times per month on my lunch break. I used to work on the other side of the Capitol, where I frequented the La Bou on 11th and O...Ambrosia is a welcome change. I love the vibe inside when it's not too crowded, and they have interesting menu items: your choice of half or full sandwiches and salads, and I think their half soup/sandwich/salad combo is around $8.
Most things I've tried are good here, with the exception of a cannellini bean salad I had today, which I *think* had fish in it, which was not advertised. However, having just jogged around the Capitol a few times, I was hungry enough to just pick around it, and I survived. (Had I written this yesterday, there might be a 4th star!)
Even with that being said, now that I'm on the L Street side of the Capitol, and I have the choice, I would gladly pass up the La Bou next door to go to Ambrosia 9 times out of 10. -
Review from Jen S.
Sacramento, CA
1/27/2012
Plain and simple: Ambrosia is overpriced (as most places are!), yet delicious. Not to mention, it's kiddie corner to tha J-O-B. Coffee runs!
Definitely beats La Bou, 10 times out of 10. -
Review from Bhanie C.
Cute little cafe in the financial district of Downtown Sacramento. Pretty wide open spaces, and also has a dinning area outside to enjoy the fresh air. I ordered their tuna melt panini with the soup of the day which was minestrone. The panini was pretty tasty, I think i would have loved it more if it came out kind of warm, it seemed like it was sitting there for a while until they brought it out to me because the bread was cold. =( The soup was ok, nothing special. Overall, its a nice little cafe, a bit over price, but good for the area.
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Review from Jennie T.
Arcadia, CA
10/5/2011
There were ten of us so we tried quite a bit of items on the menu.
Coffee - cappuccino foam was thick but cold?! Espresso very acidic. Not smooth at all.
Panini and bfast burrito. Below average burrito. Do not try the salsa. Panini ok.
Baked goods. Very average. Blueberry lemon loaf a bit too soggy.
Ambiance - good.
Outdoor dining - would hv been nice but there's a smoking section which, with the wafting smoke, means the entire patio is smoking.
Overall - not worth your time. Go somewhere else. -
Review from Jennifer D.
Tracy, CA
8/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Consistently good lunch place and consistently friendly staff. Why no four stars then? Im not sure its that great of a value. I usually get the trio of salad and then am disappointed in the amount of salad I am getting. Since I get my orders to go, I never get the opportunity to inquire (I only eat here every other month and by the time I go back Ive forgotten).
Dont get me wrong, its all good stuff, its just kind of pricey stuff. -
Review from Alex G.
3/24/2011
Ambrosia is a pretty popular spot in the area. The lunch rush between 12 and 12:45 is pretty hectic, and when it's sunny out it's very difficult to find patio seating. If you can fight the hunger an extra half hour and go after the rush, it's fairly quiet there and you can easily find patio seating.
Even when it is crowded, the service is still fairly quick. They generally have two registers during the lunch rush, and I've never had to wait more than about 10 minutes for my food.
I find the pricing to be very reasonable. You can get a sandwich for about $7-$9, yes a bit more than Subway but the quality of their meats and produce is noticeably better. I've tried just about all their sandwiches. I love the roasted trip-tip, the grilled chicken, and tuna melt. Their BLT is nothing special, nor is the veggie sandwich.
A quick note on their salads: I don't particularly care for broccoli, and I generally despise bleu cheese...yet for some reason I LOVE their broccoli crunch salad, which has both. -
Review from Emily S.
Sacramento, CA
3/23/2011
Dear Ambrosia, you are an epic fail at customer service.
My relationship with Ambrosia started about 8 months ago when I got a job one block away. Excellent! I came here a couple of times to get their veggie sandwich with the herbed cream cheese/mayo spread that I so adore. Unfortunately, a month later Ambrosia severely messed up an important business event I planned in their private dining room- they let other people come sit in the private room we had reserved, didn't give enough food, and the cafe staff told us it wasn't their job to assist us because we fell under "catering". A letter to the owner (who had arranged the event) went ignored.
Fast forward to today, when my unsuspecting co-worker ordered catering from them for an off-site meeting. She needed additional sandwiches and I was sent to pick them up...only to wait for 25 minutes...for four sandwiches...and then be told they forgot to make them.
You had your chance, Ambrosia. You even had a second one. Never again. Soooo many better options for catering and food in the area. The Chicory and Cafe Roma staff are so polite!! -
Review from Steven M.
Sacramento, CA
8/4/2011
Ambrosia has been my go-to, "you can always count on a solid lunch" place for years now since it replace the dumpy coffee shop with its plastic wrapped white bread sandwiches that had been there for years.
When the Legislature is in session, it's difficult to find a place to sit (even with the expansion) and the service suffers some, but the food is consistent. They use Niman ranch meats, offer twists on standard fare (butternut squash and proscuitto sandwich, watermelon/cucumber soup), and have a case full of yummy desserts I do my best to resist. I have to admit that I had a bad there the other day (overcooked cardboard burger from their new outside grill with a lump of burrata cheese).
Anyway, it's a great place to have a salad or sandwich, grab lobbyists and legislators walking buy, and soak up the K Street scene -
Review from Allison H.
Sacramento, CA
5/23/2011 11 Check-ins Here
Hm... I'm conflicted here.
On the one hand, the one holding the fork or sandwich, I love their salads (I always get the salad trio sampler with two-thirds spinachs and one-third whatever their special for the day is), and their sandwiches are pretty darn good (the BLT is awesome!!!!).
On the other hand, the one holding the bill, I'm constantly surprised by how unfulfilled I am and how much I just spent to walk back to my office and eat something else. Maybe that's my bad for ordering the salads, but if I'm going to pay $9 for salad, I feel like it should fill me up. Also, their "fresh squeezed lemonade" is more like "fresh-stirred" lemonade from a juice they make it with that is assumed to be from lemons someone else squeezed then sold the juice.
The desserts are always delicious, the spinach salad is one of my favorites, and they have only messed up my order twice in the year I have been frequenting this place.
Definitely avoid the lunch crowd (go before 11:45am or after 12:45pm) to sample some of their better soups and sandwiches, bring at least $15 if you want to be full from lunch, and, be forewarned dessert is definitely their strong suit. -
Review from Megan-Bria B.
Roseville, CA
Updated - 3/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
My 2nd time here was no bueno. Ordered the black bean and chorizo soup, and I was served what looked like a cup of refried black beans (the texture was like that as well). Tasted ok....decent spice, but I didnt like feeling like I was eating baby food.
M'EH.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/23/2011
Went here for lunch earlier this week. I've heard mixed reviews about Ambrosia, and I thought I'd… Read more »
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Review from Lindsey Y.
Sacramento, CA
Updated - 2/27/2011
Ambrosia, please stop disappointing me.
I love the atmosphere, I love the location, I love the outdoor and indoor seating... I used to like the food but now I've been here more than twice and the food has been horrible and the cappuccino less than adequate! And don't get me started on the horrible chai tea latte that you've started serving, take a little time and make it rather than pour it out of the carton would-ya? Also, I expect my "for here" cappuccinos to be in "for here" cups because there's simply no need to waste paper cups when I'm planning to sit here for hours. But since my cappuccino actually tasted like crap and burned my tongue like 5 times (due to stupid paper cup) I finished it and left my uncooked quiche for the birds or bums.
Dearest Ambrosia please start cooking your dishes better... Last time my minestrone was not hot and this time my quiche was runny.
I haven't given up yet because your location is one of my favorites but you're not a park bench, you're a business and in this day and age businesses need customers...1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/1/2010
I love the food here. The quiche is good...fluffy and heavenly. Chai tea lattes are delicious.… Read more »
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Review from Milena K.
Sacramento, CA
11/18/2010
I came here on lunch as recommended by a co-worker a few weeks ago, as it's several blocks from our office. It's a nice place to go but too pricey to frequent.
The turkey breast and chicken sandwiches are quite good and large; the tiramisu is not great. The ladyfingers are completely soaked in the coffee liqueur, making them difficult to eat without a ridiculously overpowered coffee flavour. The amount of cocoa on the top is so large, the bitterness permeates throughout every bite; paired with the coffee liqueur, the mascapone is hardly identifiable, making for an unpleasant sensation and flavour composition.
The line is usually quite long, some of the clientele are older and generally bitchy. I've not had much trouble with service, since I always take out; however, there is quite the lengthy wait, especially if you are unfortunate enough to have come during lunch. -
Review from Diana C.
Updated - 8/13/2010
Never again am I coming here for lunch. Spending over 18 bucks on an Eggplant Sandwich, a Turkey Sandwich and Chicken Noodle Soup combo, and a half order of Thai Noodle Salad that were all mediocre at best is not cool.
I cannot speak for my friend who had the Eggplant Sandwich, but my Turkey Sandwich was dull and lukewarm. The soup was bland. I suspect they probably put no seasoning in it when cooking this up. And the Thai Noodle Salad that we shared was way too vinegary. It tasted like they put in Chinese red vinegar which I find yucky.
Maybe on an afternoon break sometime, I'll come by for a lemon bar. At least they looked promising.Listed in: Lunch Eats in Downtown…, For the Love of Sandwiches!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/9/2009
I usually get the Tuna Melt with cheddar when I go to Ambrosia for lunch. It's delicious. But… Read more »
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Review from Eduardo C.
Sacramento, CA
6/15/2010
I sought a spot for some falafels, but I ended up lunching on an eggplant and feta cheese sandwich at Ambrosia Cafe. I was joined at Ambrosia Cafe with the lively Mandie J. who sought to satisfy her hunger.
I ordered the eggplant sandwich and Mandie J. went for the vegetarian sandwich. The staff was overwhelmed and a backlog developed at the sandwich distribution table. Fortunately I was able to trade my order marker for my sandwich at the distribution table. Since both sandwiches were cut in half, we switched halves.
The eggplant sandwich was delicious to me. Mandie J. thought it tasted like the smell of a fat greasy man. What does that say about me? The eggplant was cooked with cumin and had several hunks of feta cheese sparkling throughout the eggplant. The bursts of feta-flavor was fun. Meanwhile, the vegetarian sandwich was a little boring. It didn't have any strong flavors; it was the highly chlorinated water of sandwiches. If a sandwich could make me yawn, the vegetarian sandwich would have made me yawn. Perhaps I only like food that tastes like fat old men. I suspect the daddy issues of a few of my past girlfriends are now starting to haunt me. Where I would remind them of their fathers, I now eat food that is reminiscent of their fathers.Listed in: Veg-eh-ma-tarian
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Review from Amber S.
Sacramento, CA
6/3/2008
As soon as we walked into the cafe and spoke to Kim Anderson (General Manager who holds a Cordon Bleu Chef certificate and is a California Culinary Academy graduate--information we found later online), we knew this was going to be a good experience. We told her we were in search of cupcakes. She pointed to the happy treats in her display case, adding that the case was refrigerated. "These really are supposed to be eaten at room temperature," she warned. Thank you! This is exactly what we needed to know.
She then went on to describe the little cakes, without us even having to ask. She pointed to the Black Out and described the types of chocolate and glaze used. She used words like valverona and manjari. Whatever that means; it sounds fancy! She explained that their strawberry cupcake had real pieces of fruit, and the coconut was filled with flakes. Very informative!
We then told her about our Great '08 Cupcake Escape (http://www.yelp.com/li...). So, she offered up all this information without even knowing our quest. I thought that was a good sign of customer service.
The Black Out cupcake proved to be top-rate. It is rich and gourmet with moist chocolate cake and a soft, real chocolate center. It is topped with a luscious chocolate mousse, and then more chocolate glaze, similar to the inner core. Of all the cupcakes we encountered on this adventure, this was by far the most gourmet--a fancy, rich treat that you'll want to share with friends.
I also appreciated that their cupcakes were not wrapped in paper. I thought this was just a personal preference of mine, but my friends agreed. I wonder why so many others use the paper liners? Anyway, I digress...
The coconut cupcake (the one featured in Sactown Mag) was actually not my favorite. Sadly, the butter cream frosting had completely melted by the time we got it home, and it tasted too much like butter. The coconut inside made the cake dense, but this is the nature of coconut cupcakes in general. The cake flavor was good.
The strawberry cupcake was pretty with a pale pink, berry-speckled, flowery-looking top. The cake itself was white-ish in color--no artificial colors there. The frosting tasted like something from childhood with its berry sweetness, and the cake was pretty moist. The two blended nicely. This was the best strawberry cupcake of the tasting!
If the gourmet Black Out cupcake hails from Paris, the strawberry would be her cousin from Iowa who lives on Grandma's farm (where she picks those fresh strawberries). The two were wonderful in their own way--one gourmet, one traditional. An overall lovely cupcake encounter.
(If the coconut cupcake would have been as marvelous, I would have given them five stars.) Oh, FYI--they don't validate parking here.Listed in: Great '08 Cupcake Escape
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Review from Jess C.
10/30/2008
I was so excited when I heard about their Creme Brulee French Toast, I made a bee-line for Ambrosia. The words "French Toast" went in one ear and out the other; I probably would've done the same if they had Creme Brulee Steak. Mmm...
It was kind of a let down. That's expected, considering how overly pumped I was for it. It tasted like a Cinnamon Roll; except square shaped, dense and maple-syrup-y. I got a similarly unimpressed impression from the sandwiches and salads.
All in all, everything was ok, but I think Ambrosia is more a place you'd come to for the atmosphere than the food. -
Review from Kristy M.
6/1/2009 6 photos
My sister took me here while I was in town last weekend in an attempt to wean me off my Subway diet (what? It's fast, cheap and for the most part healthy).
I had the roasted turkey sando on wheat (instead of the ciabatta) with spicy mustard and provolone cheese accompanied with a long, thick and juicy pickle slice (I love me a good pickle). The turkey was freshly cut and tender and though I really enjoyed this sandwich I wish I had opted for the avocado add-on.
http://www.yelp.com/us...
My sister ordered her standard Grilled Chicken Breast with spinach pesto, feta cheese, lettuce, tomato on sweet Ciabbatta bread. I think I'll opt for that next time, the chicken was perfectly grilled and the spinach pesto was the perfect combination with the ciabbatta.
http://www.yelp.com/us...
I love the outdoor seating under the big oak trees, it's charming and quiet for being in the heart of downtown:
http://www.yelp.com/us...
Though their sandwiches are pretty average I was taken with the ambiance of this place and I could see, if I lived in Sac, this being one of my favorite sandwich shops downtown on a Sunday afternoon with a glass of wine and a good book. -
Review from mary b.
Sacramento, CA
3/27/2010
Inconsistent service and food. The first time I ordered the quiche, I was overwhelmed. It was a huge portion, enough for two. It was tall and fluffy and creamy in texture; almost like a cheesecake in richness, with a classic quiche Lorraine flavor. It did not come with salad or bread. The second and third time, it was small in portion, watery, not rich at all (obviously made with low or nonfat milk, not cream) and filled with ingredients that didn't belong there, such as a bacon quiche loaded with cubed ham, no bacon. The excess liquid made the crust a soggy mess. Second time, it came with salad, same price. No bread, though I noticed the lady next to me had bread with the same order. The third time, still watery and soggy, wrong ingredients, with salad and bread.
Service is over the top nice, or rude as heck. Last visit, the latter. I ordered a cup of soup to go WITH BREAD and BUTTER. "We're out of butter." Okay, fine. About to miss light rail, 15 min later "Excuse me, I think you forgot my order" "No, they have to heat it" "For 15 min?" A gal checked in back and yes, they'd forgotten completely. As she took the soup from the frig to reheat, she said through the window thingie, "we're out of bread" lol I said "you are completely out of bread?" "Well the bread we give with soup" "Can you substitute another piece of bread?" "Grunt". I got a wedge of foccocia, which I believe is the bread I've gotten with soup in the past. She practically threw my bag at me. The other gal couldn't even ID the desserts. Lame way to lose a sale.
Steering clear of this place until they at least get rid of the rude little bitches working there. BTW, this happened 3/24/10 at about 5:45 pm -
Review from K F.
Sacramento, CA
3/27/2010
After reading Mary B's review, I was about to send her a note saying "Yeah, me too..." and then decided it should be a review.
Same thing happened to me with the quiche. Fluffy custard one weekend, sodden mess the next. Same with the salads. Piquant crispness one week, old and vinegary the next. They use a spongy pre-formed egg-lette for breakfast sandwiches, not fresh eggs.
Finally, I had to write off Ambrosia 2 months ago when my BF and I stopped in for a latte and a muffin before an early movie on a Sunday and nearly missed the start time for the movie. FOR A COFFEE ORDER.
We kept watching the time nervously -- we'd given ourselves 35 min for a cup of coffee and a muffin before we had to go buy the movie tickets at the Crest.
Granted it was Sunday and they had nearly a full house for sandwich folks, but, a half hour for coffee is plenty, right? Not so. I got a window table and kept craning my head to see the BF in line and see what the hell the delay was. He'd been gone so long I'd begun to miss him.
You know the look you exchange: "Are YOU STILL IN LINE?!" and the rolled eyes you both exchange with frustrated shrugs. You both hold up your hands in a WTF gesture and then shake your head to continue to display your disgust.
He finally comes to the table with one muffin, no coffee and a number for the table. WTF? A NUMBER?! He said "They only had one muffin left because the rest are for a to-go order phoned in and they're out of milk at the counter so I think they are out there milking a goat. You're NOT getting a latte. Don't even argue with me. You'll drink it black and you'll like it."
Eventually the coffees come, mine IS a latte (I guess they returned from a hike Into Thin Air to find some milk), but it was served by an insolent rude girl who just dropped the mugs down on the table with a clatter and didn't so much as look at us. As she turned to walk off, my BF said "Thanks you saucy little minx" but she just got an expression like she smelled feces on her upper lip and walked away.
(She probably didn't know what "minx" meant because she's never seen it on a tat)
Anyway, we drown them down and run out to catch the movie, thinking again ... WTF?
We have not returned, although it seems petty to write off a restaurant because they couldn't get the coffee order done efficiently, but then again, maybe that's a perfect reason. -
Review from Karen B.
Sacramento, CA
5/25/2007
Working downtown, I rub shoulders with "Capitol people" all the time. Other than the Building, I haven't rubbed more Capitol shoulders anywhere than this place. Maybe that's just because I've eaten here more than anywhere else. EVER.
There are a lot of things to complain about with Ambrosia, but you have to give the place some credit. The lunch rush for a place that is pretty much in the center of everything is bound to clog up the general flow of things, and they have done a lot to make things run a little more smoothly.
During the main rush hours (12-2pm) they have a take-out order line - that way, you can call in an order, arrive 15 minutes later, and you'll be in and out in one minute. Also, they started selling premade versions of their sandwiches for those that wish to grab and go. They also have a system where you take a letter sign to your table so the waitstaff can identify you when your food is ready. This way, they aren't walking around with a tuna melt, yelling, "Sandra! Sandra! Tuna melt? SANDRA, TUNA MELT!"
In general, the food is pretty kickass. Yeah, it's pricey, but anyone who has ever eaten downtown knows EVERYTHING is pricey. A sandwich is around six bucks here, but is costs the same at Cafe Dolce, La Bou, Pennisi's, Cafe Soleil, La Bonne Soupe (love it to death, but I CANNOT eat there everyday), and I swear to God if you say "Quizno's is cheaper" I will slap you through your monitor somehow.
Anyways, this place is fresh and wonderful. I usually get my coffee and HC at "Sacramento's Best Coffee House" a block away, but Ambrosia isn't so bad in the caffeine department.
Here is my shameful list of everything I have had here and enjoyed: chicken tarragon salad, fruit salad, broccoli crunch salad, pasta salad (with and without grilled chicken, sometimes hit or miss), turkey breast sandwich (with and without avocado), tuna melt, roast beef sandwich, BLT, chicken noodle soup, white bean soup, butternut squash soup, thai chicken soup, clam chowder, corn chowder, ham and bean soup, plain croissant, chocolate croissant, plain bagel, raisin bagel, deviled eggs (soooo good!), mocha, hot chocolate, white mocha, iced mocha, latte, tiramisu, berry shortcake, fresh fruit tart, strawberry pie, and Izze soda.
I don't really like the chicken breast sandwich.
I have had many a power lunch here and it's generally well-liked with the downtown crowd. Should you decide to brave the stampede (they show up just before noon and don't die down until 1:30ish), don't expect to be back at the office within an hour. -
Review from Tori Ann S.
Sacramento, CA
9/23/2010
Well i been going to Ambrosia since 2005 when i first came here to Sacramento,Ca
it has changed my life.
great service
great staff
friendly people.
and good food.
yummo-tori
i will keep coming back again soon
oh i'm going tomorrow
silly me-tori -
Review from Lisa W.
11/21/2006
My husband and I ate lunch here yesterday, and it was a waste of 17 perfectly good dollars. Here's what we got for that:
1. A grilled chicken sandwich (dry - no sauce, with lettuce, tomato, and disgusting feta cheese that they did NOT tell me was going to be on it when I asked, "What do they put on it?")
2. A ham and swiss panini that literally looked like ham and a slightly melted piece of cheese on toast.
3. Two fountain sodas
That's it for $17. It took about 15 minutes to get our food (this was at 11:25am, before the lunch rush), and we could have injured ourselves on the chairs cuz the legs were so wobbly. I definitely won't eat here again; we should have eaten at Pyramid, which was directly across from this cafe. -
Review from Len A.
Sherman Oaks, CA
10/14/2011
The downtown Sac area within walking distance of the Capitol is, somewhat surprisingly, a lunchtime desert. There are only a handful of decent places to grab a quick bit during the workday. Actually, I exaggerate - there's only one good place that I've found, and that's Ambrosia Cafe. Been there twice now, got the soup/half sandwich combo both times. Quality ingredients, put together in a creative way, and damn tasty. Plus a drink or a (very good) oatmeal raisin cookie and you're talking 10-11 bucks. Perfect! Just what most folks are looking for in a workday lunch. Seem to have good daily specials too, though I haven't tried any, and some fine veggie options.
Why there aren't more places like this in the area I do not know. I guess the state employees who work around here are a captive audience and willing to eat anything nearby in order to get back quick to running the state. This is the place to go for downtown Sac lunch during the workweek - now you know. Don't forget to tip your servers, folks, they're sweet. -
Review from Rafael H.
Castro Valley, CA
3/15/2008
Let's start off with 5 stars for the creme brulee french toast. Absolutely a killer breakfast item that will seriously leave you wanting to head to confession at the church across the street (assuming they still do that there).
Now, subtract 1 star for the sublimely half-assed breakfast burrito. I don't really care that it was pre-made and in the refrigerated case beneath the register. What I care about is the fact that it had giant new potato chunks in it (mixed with egg and ham). I'd bite into the burrito and like a big chunk of ice falling into the sea as often seen in global warming porn, these potatoes would fall from my burrito. Also, when I asked the guy behind the register what was in the burrito, he handed me a menu (it wasn't on the chalkboard behind him).
Wait - you work here and you don't know the menu? Surely the owners of Ambrosia care enough to hire workers who weren't card carrying members of Lackadaisical Local 630?
Subtract another star for not taking the letter card from my table when my awesome french toast (actually my wife's) and my good-n-turrible burrito came out. Also, just because it is has 'toast' in its name doesn't mean it will be eaten by hand! I shouldn't have to ask for a damn fork!
What sucks is that easily you can see the potential from Ambrosia to be a killer place to eat, grab coffee, and chill. Hopefully the owners/management will take a look at their product and tweak it to produce better customer service. -
Review from M. F.
Sacramento, CA
9/7/2011
i like ambrosia. first of all, it's really convenient. second, the selection is wide (tons of appetizers, pastries, sandwiches, soups, salads, drinks). third, the staff are really nice.
the cons... the food options are stagnant. there are maybe 10 lunch items and another 2-3 specials, but little variety outside that. the lines can be long around lunch, but seating is almost always available. you can't really have a lot of privacy so it always surprises me to see top government officials doing business in this place at noon. it's a tight fit! finally, i've never gotten the sense that any of their food is really "healthy." there is an illusion of healthiness, but even the salads are drenched in dressings. the healthy sandwiches come on grilled bread.. grilled in oil.
anyway, food i like: tri tip sandwich (i ask for it to be heated), veggy breakfast burrito, cafe panini. go forth and conquer. -
Review from Carly Velez H.
Sacramento, CA
8/1/2008
1. The best Roasted Turkey Sandwich I've ever eaten. Maybe I haven't eaten enough but damn that sandwich was delicious. The pickle spear that it came with was nice and crunchy too.
2. Great location for people who work downtown, especially at the Capitol.
3. Great outdoor seating w/ lots of shade. Good for people watching and a beautiful view of the Cathedral across the street.
4. Customer service was decent. My friend asked for an extra plate and it was dirty. That wasn't cool.
5. I know I'll go back because there are other things on the menu that I want to try. -
Review from Kara B.
10/15/2009
I keep trying. I give up... maybe.
There are still a couple of items that may have me give it another go, such as the french toast thingy (obviously, even that didn't leave much of an impression).
The soups and sandwiches sound like heaven, but taste more like a ho-hum purgatory - making me wish I had given that $10 (for only half a sandwich, and side soup) to a K St. panhandler, instead. -
Review from JC C.
Sacramento, CA
7/12/2011
Ambrosia Cafe & Catering is a great place to stop for a quick bite. The breakfast Burrito is my favorite dish. The staff is always in a great mood and the customer services is great. Recently they began servicing wine and desert for the people who visit k street at night. Bonus! A little Ambrosia morning, noon, and night is a good thing in my book.
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Review from Andrew-Brian N.
Midtown, Sacramento, CA
5/27/2010
YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!
I'm so disappointed that folks have had bad experiences here :-/ I don't go here consistently enough to experience long waits or anything, but I do remember having a bit of a wait for my drinks on one occasion.
Regardless, I come here for their sandwiches! Their turkey w/ herb mayo is BOMBBBBB =D This is coming from a red meat eater ha ha Their tri tip is decent, but I very much prefer the turkey. It's not deli sliced turkey either, it's delicious meaty roasted turkey ^_^
I ordered to go once with a friend, and though my sandwich was fine, her veggie sandwich was slightly soggy. I guess that one should only be eaten in-house?
Regardless, I think they do a good job at keeping their sandwiches in a reasonable price range. And did you hear?? They're opening another location right around the corner from Morton's n the capitol mall ^_^ -
Review from Elizabeth H.
Sacramento, CA
3/11/2008
This is an update to my previous post (below). When I first wrote my review I deleted a few sentences about the service. I should have left them in. The service is inconsistent at best. I have a host of colorful examples, but let me tell you the story about how I came to finally decide that enough was enough and it was time to boycott Ambrosia ...
It was a cold and blustery day. Like many people who work downtown, I don't have a lot of spare time to kill during the day. This was a particularly busy day. I'll spare you the gory details, but I particularly did not have a lot of spare time to kill on this particularly busy day.
I'll pause here by noting that were it any other non-particularly busy day the story would end the same way. As you'll see, it's the principle of the matter.
So on this particularly busy day I found a few minutes to run down to Ambrosia to grab a sandwich (because the roast turkey sandwich has the power to make a bad day good) and run back for a meeting which would be followed by the eating of said sandwich. On this particularly busy day I made it through Ambrosia fairly quickly which made me very happy. I made it back in time for my meeting and I was warm and fuzzy with the knowledge that when I escaped from this second to last meeting of the day I would have a delicious roast turkey sandwich waiting for me.
Oh, the horror, when an hour later I emerged from my meeting b-lined for a delicious turkey sandwich opened the box and was instead greeted by a stuffed artichoke.
Artichoke?
{Hindsight. Earlier in the week I had ordered a sandwich and it came on the wrong bread. Which really wouldn't have mattered if I liked rye. Which I don't. I ate it anyway. That was my sign and I ignored it.}
Down I again ran to Ambrosia, artichoke and receipt in hand and hoping that since it was almost 2:00 a swift resolution would help keep me moving on this particularly busy day.
This brings us to the moment I fell out of love with Ambrosia.
Instead of apologizing for the mix up and expediting my correct order, I got a dirty look and had to sit and wait for 20 minutes for my sandwich. That's right kids. Twenty. Minutes. To the end of the line my order went and with it, the end of my patience with slow, bad, rude service.
I am not a mean or overly-picky person. As I've said before, there are a lot of things I love about Ambrosia ... like the food. But like a bad toupee on an otherwise hot guy, bad service is a deal breaker no matter how good the food.
---
I'm an addict. I have a 2-3 day a week Ambrosia Cafe habit that involves some combination of the turkey sandwich, minestrone soup and the salad special. This is a truly wonderful cafe serving truly wonderful food that doesn't completely break the bank. And for the most part I have to believe it's pretty darn fresh and good for you, too. Not to mention they have a lovely selection of wines by the glass. Wine! This little cafe definitely outshines the other bakery/sandwich places surrounding it.
Just a warning. The line can be a little long and the place a little crowded, especially when the legislature is in session. Then again, when I have stayed for lunch I've never had trouble finding a seat ...
So despite the fact that I normally have to order lunch and take it back to my desk, I really dig the vibe. If I ever quit my day job it's the kind of place I could sit for hours reading, writing, eating, and people watching. Yeah, it's that kind of place. -
Review from Nancy Y.
Los Angeles, CA
11/13/2006
I absolutely adore this place!! This is the place to be for those working around the Capitol for those leglistators or lobbyists. (Great place to sit down and have lunch while people-watching) Two summers ago, I interned here and ate here with a friend of mine almost every work-day. It tends to get quite busy during the noon to 1 lunch rush but it's worth the wait.
Most items on the menu may be a bit pricy to some, but since I'm from originally from Orange County, it's actually pretty decent to me relatively speaking. I usually order the 1/2 sandwich and soup combo for $6.50... and let me say, the soup du jour is usually very savory!
5 stars for being able to keep a food wanderer like me coming back repeatedly!Listed in: The Breakfast Nook
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Review from Sean S.
Oakland, CA
3/6/2009
I have been here on like every trip to Sacramento because it is so close to the Capitol. I think I need to start branching out..
The breakfast panini really left something to be desired. I think its the fact that they don't freshly prepare their eggs. Everyone who ordered eggs had some egg sponge textured patty.
The service was okay but not outstanding. -
Review from Eric D.
Sacramento, CA
5/12/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I would be a lot more stoked on Ambrosia if it was either cheaper or you got more when you order. It's kind of expensive for what you get. The food is pretty good though. They always have a special, which is nice. The employees are always pretty nice too. Good location and the patio is always a great place to take a break.
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Review from Nicole L.
2/19/2008
This place has saved me at lunch a few times. I've read other people complaining about poor service, but not only have these guys been awesome - they also took the time to learn my name and their manager, Kim, introduced herself to me.
The Creme Brulee French Toast with real maple syrup = super duper yummy. Excellent. Soft, melt-in-your-mouth french toast.
Their deviled eggs are a fun treat in the afternoon.
I love their salads, especially the spinach salad- with pecans, mandarin oranges, balsamic onions, and a shredding of a fantastic nutty cheese. Yum.
Yes, if you go here between 12 and 2 when the rest of the entire Capital world is headed here for their power lunches, you are going to wait a while. It's a small restaurant that's trying to cater to those policy makers across the street. Call in ahead of time.
I will say this: the soups are hit-and-miss. Sometimes good, sometimes so-so.
But the food is fresh and the staff, I've found, to be quite friendly. Then again, I say hello and ask how they're doing.
