Ambassadors Clubhouse

Time Out

23-06-2025

A party place! A jangly, sparkly, mirrored monument to maximalism. This ain't your daddy's high-end Indian JKS Restaurants restaurant. Ambassadors Clubhouse (the lack of an apostrophe will never not be annoying) is the latest from the group that brought you (among others) Trishna in Marylebone and Gymkhana in Mayfair. So you get very very nice food (in this case from the Punjab region), an opulent and tasteful colour palette, super-attentive staff and a knuckle-whitening bill at the end. All part of the magical JKS formula.
This place is designed for ostentatious blowouts
And the AC has a USP: this is a fun palace. The desi rap music is slightly loud, which means diners have to slightly raise their voices which, in turn, means the place has a slightly raucous atmosphere. The dining room is built around a studiously fabulous circular bar which sits beneath an eye-catching domed, scaled recess. And the patterned carpets leading to the toilets are pretty damn bold! As I say: fun.
This place is designed for ostentatious blowouts. Dying to lose a few hundred quid (or more) across an evening spent on a heated veranda, pouring your friends champagne, while dish after dish of richly sauced and elegantly plated food slowly submerges you into a curry coma? This is the restaurant for you. Our meal included a cheeky trio of BBQ butter-chicken chops, three charred and chutney-fied spiced mega prawns and a lusciously creamy chicken patiala. Nothing wrong with any of it! Well balanced, expertly cooked and spiced judiciously (if a bit on the cautious side.)
The lamb matka was a standout dish. Served in the titular clay pot, the large chunks of tender lamb bathe in a deep and groovy gravy. If the Ambassadors Clubhouse does have one shortcoming, it's that it's all a bit one note. Yes, the note is posh. But it's still a note. Like being waterboarded with Champagne; it's overpowering. People who don't like their food on the rich or sweet side might struggle (there ain't much heat or spice to cut through the creaminess) but what it does, it does well. And, as ever, price is a serious consideration. For £65 the three lamb chops should be mind-shatteringly transcendent, not just 'good'.
Still, Ambassadors Clubhouse is a highly enjoyable, lip-smacking feast (for those that can afford it). If only the cooking packed as much pizzas as the decor.
The vibe A busy, buzzy hangout for big spenders. I don't want to say 'it looks like a powerful drug lord's favourite restaurant' but… it does. The downstairs features a lot of tiger print.
The food Generously portioned dishes from across the Punjab region (so both Indian and Pakistani), featuring items cooked on the tandoor, three types of biriyani and slow-cooked karahi dishes.
The drink A huge number of fancy beverages, including not one but three types of Punjabi margaritas. We had the tandoori one, featuring pineapple and Mezcal. It was great.
Time Out tip Intimidated by the cost? Things are slightly cheaper on the three course lunch and pre-theatre set menu, which is available Monday to Sunday from 12-3pm and Monday to Wednesday from 5.30-6pm for £36 per person.