There's a particular kind of confidence required to open a restaurant that announces itself through Tiffany chandeliers, black anaglypta wallpaper, and enough paisley carpet to upholster a maharaja's court. Ambassadors Clubhouse, which debuted in Manhattan's NoMad neighborhood on February 11th, doesn't whisper. It enters the room in a three-piece suit, demanding attention.
This is the first American outpost of JKS Restaurants, the London group that has built a reputation on theatrical excess and impeccable technique. The timing feels almost too perfect—the London original just earned its first Michelin star, and now Chef Karan Mittal's vision for Northern Indian cuisine arrives stateside at a moment when New York diners seem increasingly hungry for restaurants that refuse to apologize for ambition. The bi-level space in NoMad functions as both clubhouse and theater: upstairs holds the bar, downstairs the main dining room, both designed as if you've been invited into someone's extravagantly decorated private estate.
Mittal's menu treats Punjabi cooking as an operatic production, aiming to please through both flavor and spectacle. The Original BBQ Butter Chicken Chops arrive as a masterclass in caramelization and butter emulsification, while the Beetroot Raj Kachoori Chaat—a sharp, earthy riff on a street food staple—proves that maximalism works best when it serves the food, not the other way around. The Lamb Biryani and Prawn Curry demonstrate a kitchen comfortable working at multiple intensities, whether building aromatic depth or delivering straightforward heat. Even the Chicken Pakode with ranch suggests a chef confident enough to play with expectations.
Making a reservation remains advisable, though we're told persistence pays dividends later in the evening. For a restaurant this committed to spectacle and sharing plates designed for groups, that's precisely the right posture—Ambassadors Clubhouse isn't a place you slip into quietly. It's a place you plan for, dress up for, and remember afterward.