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Ema - Ema - River North, Chicago, IL

Ema - River North

4.7
4.7
4603 Reviews
$31 to $50
Mediterranean

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2 people
19:00
Booked 130 times today
  • Charming
  • Good for special occasions
  • Vegetarian-friendly
A Mediterranean & California-inspired restaurant featuring small plates & Chef CJ Jacobson's lighter style cooking in Chicago's River North.

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Mediterranean, Californian
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Mon–Fri 11:00–16:00 Brunch Sat, Sun 11:00–15:00 Dinner Mon–Thu 16:00–22:00 Fri, Sat 15:00–23:00 Sun 15:00–21:00
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Valet parking is located just east of Ema on Illinois Street at the Hyatt Place/Fairfield Inn valet. Valet costs $25 for 3 hours, no validation needed. Regular rates apply after 3 hours.
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    CJ Jacobson
  • Delivery & takeout
Gift card

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What 4,603 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.4Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Chicago / Illinois

    Mediterranean

  • Chicago

    Mediterranean

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Ema in River North offers a delightful modern Mediterranean dining experience, celebrated for its "absolutely delicious" food and "impeccable" service. The warm, welcoming ambiance enhances the enjoyment of standout dishes like salmon kebabs and hummus. The venue caters well to dietary needs, making it a versatile choice for varied dining occasions.

4,603 Reviews
  1. Rebeca

    Houston22 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This restaurant was a wonderful discovery! The food was outstanding! Our waitress was super helpful and we had a great experience.

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  2. OpenTable Diner

    Raleigh5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Delicious! Gluten-free and perfect! The chicken keffa and halloumi kebabs were terrific, and the hummus, falafel and Brussels sprouts were fabulous too, all presented with incredibly fresh vegetable garnishes. Wonderful relaxing atmosphere. Great service—they brought me scrumptious gluten free crackers without me having to ask. I’ll definitely go again and enthusiastically recommend to friends.

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  3. Mathew VIP

    St. Louis18 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    One of the best. Food is so creative and tasty.

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  4. OpenTable Diner

    Chicago1 review

    4.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was great, but it felt very crowded, with many tables crammed in. We had a 5:30pm reservation and we're seated immediately. The wait staff were very attentive and refilled our water several times during our meal which was appreciated.

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  5. Elizabeth VIP

    Chicago6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food, as always, was delicious and the service great.

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  6. Janice

    Chicago12 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    All good, had a nice lunch! Will be back soon. Love the decor!

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  7. ginam

    Chicago4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We were seated immediately, the food was absolutely delectable and our server was a delight.

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  8. OpenTable Diner

    Chicago1 review

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Went with a group of five last night and everything was fantastic. Jocelyn took really great care of us and her recommendations were perfect. Food was delicious and the lamb ragu, brussel sprouts and the lamb kebab were my personal favorites. The 2013 Tempranillo Reserva was worth every penny and paired nicely with our heavier fishes. 10/10 highly recommend Ema!

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  9. Joanne VIP

    Chicago34 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 1 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Delicious food & Jose was an excellent server! Thank you for taking extra care to make sure my food was gluten free!

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  10. Amy

    Chicago1 review

    3.0

    Dined on 25 February 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    The food was great. Decor was pretty. But we felt really rushed. Our plates weren't nearly empty and waitstaff tried removing them several times.

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FAQs

Ema - River North offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (312) 527-5586.

Ema - River North is rated 4.7 stars by 4603 OpenTable diners.

Ema - River North does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 130 times today
Google Map for Ema - River North

74 West Illinois Street, Chicago, IL 60654

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Mediterranean, Californian
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Mon–Fri 11:00–16:00 Brunch Sat, Sun 11:00–15:00 Dinner Mon–Thu 16:00–22:00 Fri, Sat 15:00–23:00 Sun 15:00–21:00
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Valet parking is located just east of Ema on Illinois Street at the Hyatt Place/Fairfield Inn valet. Valet costs $25 for 3 hours, no validation needed. Regular rates apply after 3 hours.
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    CJ Jacobson
  • Delivery & takeout
Gift card

Gift card

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

Send a gift card
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