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Ema - Ema - River North, Chicago, IL

Ema - River North

4.7
4.7
4553 Reviews
$31 to $50
Mediterranean

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 151 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Lively
  • Charming
A Mediterranean & California-inspired restaurant featuring small plates & Chef CJ Jacobson's lighter style cooking in Chicago's River North.

Order delivery or takeout

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 4,553 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 impresses with its delightful Mediterranean-inspired menu and vibrant atmosphere. Guests rave about the "amazing food," highlighting the salmon kebab and sticky date cake. The restaurant's attentive service often shines, though some mention occasional delays. It's a "great spot" for celebrations, offering a mix of shareable plates and refreshing cocktails.

4,553 Reviews
  1. Christopher

    Hawaii

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined today

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Had a great time food was delicious! We would go back

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  2. Susan

    Chicago

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing service and adaptability to allergy needs. Food was great quality with intriguing flavor combos. Enjoyed the hochar, a red wine from Lebanon. Highly recommend the Bhel hummus and the hamachi.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Matt

    Chicago

    4 reviews

    2.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 2
    Place was half full and we waited 15 minutes before even being asked what we wanted to drink. Then waited another 35 minutes for our grilled chicken kebab. Other people seated after us had their food before we did. Will not be planning on eating here again.

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  4. Andrew

    Chicago

    41 reviews

    5.0

    41 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Love it here! Our first round of pita was cold and they quickly fixed that. The classic hummus is very pricey and there wasn’t much in the bowl but it is so good! The almond and garlic spread is superb. Waiter was awesome.

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  5. Meredith

    VIP

    Raleigh

    20 reviews

    4.0

    20 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a lovely evening at Ema. The food was great, although the serving sizes were modest, given the prices. Our server was extremely attentive and helped to make our experience very enjoyable.

    Is this helpful?

  6. sheetal

    VIP

    Chicago

    9 reviews

    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on 22 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Loved the dishes and experience here! Everything was absolutely perfect! Our kids enjoyed the meals. We had the charred eggplant, avocado toast, crispy potatoes, hot honey halloumi, grilled chicken kefta, and Greek yogurt granola. We finished it all! So good and worth coming back!

    Is this helpful?

  7. Dan

    VIP

    Los Angeles

    31 reviews

    4.0

    31 reviews

    Dined on 22 December 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Really good food and drinks. Service was good as well.

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  8. Amy

    VIP

    Houston

    12 reviews

    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on 22 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Very nice experience. Food was delicious. Service was excellent. Very nice space. Will go again. Worked for our family dinner (all adults) but would be a great date night spot as well.

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  9. Mark

    Chicago

    15 reviews

    5.0

    15 reviews

    Dined on 21 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    An outstanding lunch in every way. Our server was friendly, knowledgeable , and efficient. The food was great. We had delicious hummus, 3 different varieties, a Greek salad and brussels sprout and apple salad were fresh and tasty, crispy potatoes with tzatziki sauce were unique and left us wanting more, and lamb and beef, and salmon kabobs were seasoned in a way that was different than the usual Mediterranean restaurant kabobs and we loved them. We finished with a honey pie and vanilla bean panna cotta deserts. It was a fabulous experience.

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  10. Behrnt

    Chicago

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 20 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great lunch spot - menu is amenable to small individual meals or large family style eating.

    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 4553 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 151 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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