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Ema - Ema - River North, Chicago, IL

Ema - River North

4.7
4.7
4573 Reviews
$31 to $50
Mediterranean

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Find next available

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Booked 172 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
  • Lively
A Mediterranean & California-inspired restaurant featuring small plates & Chef CJ Jacobson's lighter style cooking in Chicago's River North.

Order delivery or takeout

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Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • 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
  • Phone number
    (312) 527-5586
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive Chef
    CJ Jacobson
  • Catering
    Enjoy Ema Catering for your next event at home, in the office, or for your next celebration! Contact emaparties@leye.com for more information.
  • Private party facilities
    The open and inviting dining room features reclaimed wood, rustic white brick and an indoor ivy terrace with operable windows. The dining room accommodates groups up to 150 guests and may be custom configured for your next family-style dinner, business lunch or cocktail reception event.
  • Area
    River North (Chicago)
  • Cross Street
    Clark & Illinois
  • 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.
  • Public transit
    Red Line Stop at Grand / Blue Line Stop at Clark
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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What 4,573 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
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.4Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Chicago / Illinois

    Mediterranean

  • Chicago

    Mediterranean

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Ema - River North delights with a vibrant menu of "delicious cold and hot mezzes," expertly grilled kebabs, and fresh salads. Guests rave about its "amazing service and adaptability to allergy needs" and "great atmosphere." While some note slow service, the "food is phenomenal" and "consistently excellent," making it a must-visit dining spot.
4,573 Reviews
  1. Jeff

    Chicago

    11 reviews

    4.0

    11 reviews

    Dined today

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was excellent. Service was spot-on. The restaurant has great ambiance but we did have to repeat ourselves a lot because it was so noisy. We went for restaurant week and unfortunately portions were small and meal was not filling. Seems like they skimped on quantity. Lasb kefta was only one stick of meat. Disappointing.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Julia

    VIP

    Little Rock

    7 reviews

    3.0

    7 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    Disappointing restaurant week. Not in line with their normal food - they cheaped out and were lazy.

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  3. chelsea

    Detroit

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Every menu item is thoughtful and tastes incredible! This is our absolute favorite restaurant!

    Is this helpful?

  4. Golda

    Chicago

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Good food. Server is kind of in a hurry and would make decisions for us for the most part.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Brett

    Las Vegas

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Great first stop for restaurant week, loved the salmon crudo and the Lamb Kebab was great although it was a little basic, energetic venue and our waiter was funny

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  6. Natalia

    Chicago

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu, Provided great suggestions, and wa every friendly!

    Is this helpful?

  7. Scott

    Chicago

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    One my entrees was not fired, had to track down my server to request it after 30 minutes. I ordered an ice tea, no one ever came back over to re-fill the glass or at least ask. 2 tops along wall are too small for shared plates.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Caroline

    Chicago

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It is a wonderful place to enjoy some nice food. Every dish is amazing.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Rebecca

    VIP

    Chicago

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on 15 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Ema is one of our favorite team spots for group lunch, or even 1:1s. The food is delicious and service always is able to accommodate our team's dietary restrictions. I feel so positive about the entire experience at Ema. Thank you!

    Is this helpful?

  10. Clark

    VIP

    Chicago

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on 12 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    2nd time here and did not disappoint. Love the ambiance, presentation, delivery, and most of all the food was delicious.

    Is this helpful?

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 4573 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
Find next available

At the moment, there's no online availability within 2.5 hours of your request. Do you have another time in mind?

Booked 172 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Ema - River North

74 West Illinois Street, Chicago, IL 60654

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Clark & Illinois
  • Area
    River North (Chicago)
  • 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
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Mediterranean, Californian
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • 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.
  • Public transit
    Red Line Stop at Grand / Blue Line Stop at Clark
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    CJ Jacobson
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    (312) 527-5586
  • Catering
    Enjoy Ema Catering for your next event at home, in the office, or for your next celebration! Contact emaparties@leye.com for more information.
  • Private party facilities
    The open and inviting dining room features reclaimed wood, rustic white brick and an indoor ivy terrace with operable windows. The dining room accommodates groups up to 150 guests and may be custom configured for your next family-style dinner, business lunch or cocktail reception event.
Gift card

Gift card

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

Send a gift card
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