Ema
Dinner: Monday - Thursday: 4:00pm - 10:00pm, Friday - Saturday: 4:00pm - 11:00pm, Sunday: 4:00pm - 9:00pm
Menu
What Insiders Are Saying
_ma is a small plates Mediterranean restaurant in River North, and it's good for a lot of occasions.
Very pleasant place, serving tapas, mezze and other Mediterranean-inspired small plates. We particularly liked the smoked eggplant dip, but, truthfully, everything we ordered, hot and cold, vegetable and meat or fish dishes, sweet and savory, was very tasty. Restaurant might be a bit pricy, but you certainly get very well-cooked food for your money.
I do not understand how this restaurant stays open. It is a joke. Nothing tasted right. I could easily cook better than any of this. Romanesque Cauliflower was burnt and tasteless. Kafta also tasteless. Falafel was hard and dry. Scallops were decent alone but the sauce did not compliment them at all. Please save your night and go somewhere else.
Amazing meal! Great flavors! Can’t wait fo return!
I have been to Ema twice before and all three for different occasions. The atmosphere is light and the noise level once seated was not a problem! The food is delicious! Typical for me, I will read the menu but have some difficulty imagining the dish. So I have come to take chances and have never be disappointed!
Aside from the variety of dishes, try the hummus and homemade pita bread. The fried chickpeas are a wonderful touch!
Creative, delicious dishes that can fit all dietary restrictions. Amazing service and great value.
Ema was a fun environment with good food , but nothing spectacular
Really enjoyed the food at Ema. Best choices were the octopus (most tender ever) and the charred eggplant spread. Had to ask for extra bread, but it came no problem. Hummus with mushrooms not so exciting. Toothpick lamb was way too spicy, despite server saying it wasn't.
Awesome option for a lighter dinner in river north at a great value. Delicious flavors always.
We came for my sister’s birthday and it was great! Food was great and service was great as well!
Fantastic service and delicious Mediterranean-inspired eats at Ema. Plates were small but unique and delicious. Service was kind and attentive. Would strongly recommend.
Had a great time at Ema. Really good for vegetarians and lots of choices. Highly recommend the fennel and the soft serve frozen greek yogurt! Yummy! Will definitely return.
Little dissaponted in the portion size and overall brunch menu choices
A lot of these dishes combined sweet + salty tastes, which I found cool and interesting but my boyfriend disliked. Really enjoyed the halloumi and spread, but my cauliflower dish was actually a broccoli and the octopus tapas fell a bit flat-- those two were not as imaginative as other dishes, and were more or less exactly as described. It seems like the food experience is largely dependent on ordering the right things.
The food was really good. I would visit this restaurant again.
How can a restaurant continue to surpass one's last experience which you believe would be the best!!!! This is one of my favorite spots here in Chicago and each and every guest I have taken there has marveled at how wonderful the food is. What also is amazing is that seldom do you see even one guest texting or on their cell phone which says that they too are enjoying the experience they are sharing with their family or friends and welcome no outside interruption. Ema is the best!!!!
Waited 30 minutes from being seated to order drinks/be acknowledged by a waiter, even though the restaurant was not busy at all. The table next to us was also forgotten about and gave up and left out of frustration. Eventually the hostess realized and the manager apologized to us, but still did not offer to comp a part of the meal or give a discount to make up for the inconvenience. We were very gracious and did not make a fuss when we had every right to, but I have never experienced service that inattentive, especially for what ended up being a fairly expensive meal.
One of my favorite restaurants! Thank you! Will be back soon!
Sorry, I didn’t find enough Israeli cuisine to choose from ( my main reason for the trip) . Location, ambience and food are ok, but my Israeli expectation is absent.
Very wonderful waitress. Food is going down a bit. Soup was too salty, the toasted almond dip had too much olive oil and the short rib was too fatty. However, the place has a good vibe and a unique and enjoyable wine list.
Great spot, bright, light, fun, great food, service and ambiance
Anniversary
The food and environment were great. Probably 5 stars in many people's opinion, but I am a tough grade. I really appreciated our server's attention to our needs. It was a family luncheon that had been put off too long. The server let us proceed at our own pace. Giving us the time to reconnect. This sensitivity made the lunch a great experience. Will definitely be back for the food and service.
Delicious lamb ragu and hummus on grilled pita. Wonderful flavors in every course. The roasted cauliflower seasoned with honey was wonderful. The sticky date cake with warn whiskey and caramel sauce was memorable. A great birthday treat!
Outstanding food. As a vegetarian, I could easily find many sides and entrees on the menu. I enjoyed the size of the dishes as well as the uniqueness of flavors. The brown butter pumpkin hummus and pita bread was to die for. The sticky date cake. . . amazing.
Nice Anniversary dinner for my parents. They even brought a special dessert for my parents. I wish however I could have used my lettuce entertain points for the dinner on Saturday. I had no idea that Saturday nights were not eligible for points.
Fresh and delicious dinner, full of small plates meant to be shared. Service was prompt, per our request, since we were headed to a show later. Lovely space that will impress.
Excellent food and service
Our party had a couple dietary restrictions - no diary for one, and no mixing of meat and dairy for another. Our server knew the menu inside and out and was able to tell us exactly what we could and couldn't order from over 25 dishes on the menu. Everything was spectacular, I don't think there was a dull dish out of the 8 or so we tried. This says a lot, as diary or other ingredients had to be omitted from several dishes yet the they still shined. Vegetarians rejoice - you can enjoy a fine dining meal at Ema with without feeling like your dietary restrictions have relegated you to an afterthought. Omnivores rejoice as well - the salmon was spectacular.
We selected Ema based on a recommendation from a local Chicagoan. We weren't disappointed. There were four of us and we all selected two or three plates to share. I highly recommend the hummus, brussel sprouts and the black lime shrimp. The service was friendly, prompt but not over bearing. We had a delightful meal.
Exceptional service and wonderful food. Had a wonderful experience.
The food was terrific. I love small plates as you can try more dishes. I would definitely return!
More food than anticipated
Very small portions for the money. They should be embarrassed
Went with a group of friends and tasted a bunch of things, all delicious! Nice atmosphere, perfect for group dining.
Excellent food!! Loved everything we ordered.
This is the second time I have been to Ema in the past two weeks and I have experienced lackluster service each time. It seems like they are short staffed as dishes are not cleared in a timely way, water glasses are not consistently refilled, and the wait staff doesn’t ask how things are tasting. Given the price point, I expect better service. It really detracts from the overall experience despite the lively room. It is also not up to the service standard at other LEYE restaurants. Some of the dishes are very good (the crispy potatoes, spreads, kefta and breakfast eggs your way), others are just ok (the octopus dish was so lemony it was almost inedible).
Small portions. Food was cold. Tasty but nothing to write home about. Wine was delicious but expensive.
Great for gluten free eaters!
always such delicious food and great atmosphere! the pumpkin hummus was divine!
The food here is excellent!! The service was great! I'll be back for sure.