Ema - River North

Name: Ema - River North
Address: 74 West Illinois Street, Chicago, IL, United States, 60654
Telephone: (312) 527-5586
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.7

4.7

4463 Reviews

$31 to $50

Mediterranean

Good for special occasions
Healthy
Vegetarian-friendly

A Mediterranean & California-inspired restaurant featuring small plates & Chef CJ Jacobson's lighter style cooking in Chicago's River North.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Sep 18, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 161 times today

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 am–4:00 pm Brunch Sat, Sun 11:00 am–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 3:00 pm–11:00 pm Sun 3:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(312) 527-5586
Website
http://www.emachicago.com/
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.

Location
74 West Illinois Street, Chicago, IL 60654
Neighborhood
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, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

Gift card

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

Send a gift card

Popular dishes

Hummus$13.95
za'atar, vegetable crudité
Spicy Hummus$14.95
piquillo, lemon, basil
"Bhel" Hummus$15.95
pineapple, avocado, pomegranate, tamarind, crispy rice, mint chutney
Hummus w/ Lamb Ragu*$18.95
braised lamb, spicy harissa
Charred Eggplant$14.95
aleppo, mint, olive oil
Toasted Almond & Garlic$14.95
castelvetrano olive, fresh herbs
House-Made Labneh$14.95
peach, aleppo, honey, basil
Spread Sampler$19.95
select 3: hummus • spicy hummus • labneh • toasted almond & garlic • charred eggplant

Raw

Big Eye Tuna & Watermelon*$19.95
radish, yuzu nigella vinaigrette
Hamachi*$19.95
stone fruit, lime, fresno, crispy shallot
Tiger Prawns*$19.95
basil, arbequina olive oil, citron vinaigrette

Cold Mezze

Chilled Cucumbers$13.95
sesame & nigella crunch, garlic, barberry, calamansi vinaigrette
Feta & Olives$14.95
marcona almonds, lemon zest, middle east spice
Tomato & Avocado$14.95
ricotta salata, sumac onion, cilantro
Roasted Beets & Berries$15.95
avocado, crispy lentil, serrano-basil vinaigrette
House-Made Stracciatella$18.95
mighty vine tomato, crouton, sherry shallot vinaigrette, basil

Hot Mezze

Crispy Potatoes$12.95
mizithra, rosemary, scallion crema
Green Falafel$13.95
beet tzatziki, garlic tahini, dhania spice
Brussels Sprouts$14.95
crispy shallot, pumpkin seed, sherry glaze
Pan-Roasted Romanesque Cauliflower$15.95
house yogurt, local honey
Sweet Corn Farro$17.95
black lime, mizithra, aleppo

Salads & Sandwiches

Greek Salad$14.95
romaine, tomato, cucumber, kalamata olives, feta, red pepper, dijon vinaigrette
Mediterranean Chopped$15.95
arugula, romaine, cauliflower, caper, date, parmesan, olive, red pepper
Green Falafel Pita$14.95
hummus, tzatziki, tomato, red onion, house dressing
Fried Chicken Sandwich$16.95
beet tzatziki, arugula, pickle, challah
Grilled Chicken Pita$16.95
hummus, tzatziki, tomato, red onion, market vinaigrette

Kebabs

served with basmati rice

Grilled Halloumi$17.95
greek cheese, red onion, date, red zhoug
Chicken Kefta*$18.95
lemon, olive oil, tzatziki
Grilled Chicken*$19.95
yogurt marinade, sweet pepper, zhoug
Lamb & Beef Kefta*$19.95
lemon, olive oil, tzatziki
Faroe Islands Salmon*$24.95
sweet pepper, red onion, lemon, olive oil, zhoug

Surcharge

As a way to offset rising costs, we have added a 3.5% surcharge to all checks. You may request to have this taken off your check should you choose.

What 4,463 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
4.5Service
4.6Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Chicago
Mediterranean

4,463 Reviews

C
Corinne
Charleston
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful evening! Great food and service. You won’t be disappointed!
Is this helpful?
NM
NMar
New York City
5 reviews
vip
4.0
5 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great service. Enjoyed the falafel and bhel hummous apps. Shrimp and polenta was good, nice amount of mild spice.
Is this helpful?
D
David
Miami
15 reviews
5.0
15 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This was our first visit to Ema - River North, and we booked an outdoor table. My husband enjoyed his glass of Sauvignon Blanc, and I very much liked my (non-alcohol) Say Less cocktail. We ordered the spicy toothpick lamb (REALLY good!), the green falafel (delicious!) and the charred eggplant (nice smokey flavor, but lacked a little something). They were out of the cauliflower, which we hopefully will try next time. We found all that to be rather filling, but decided to order a lamb and beef kefta kebab as well; we were glad we did, since it was also very tasty. For dessert we had the double chocolate crisp. Highly recommended! The service was friendly and efficient. We will definitely be back.
Is this helpful?
C
Caitlyn
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great service, food, and drink. Felt welcomed and not rushed.
Is this helpful?
H
Hannah
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Outstanding brunch at Ema. Food, ambiance and service was amazing! Travis was our waiter and he is exceptional :)
Is this helpful?
S
Sana
Chicago
17 reviews
vip
5.0
17 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful reception. Lovely atmosphere. Great service. Delocious food. But, main course, the lamb/ beef kofta and the Salmon Kebob where salty Thank you for the experience
Is this helpful?
C
Cathy
New York City
24 reviews
5.0
24 reviews
Dined on September 10, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Glad we sat outside. The brussel sprouts were sensational. The salmon was perfectly cooked, the kefta was delicious.
Is this helpful?
E
Erika
New York City
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 10, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food was very good and the staff very kind. Will definitely be going back.
Is this helpful?
R
Rahul
San Francisco
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on September 8, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
Service was slow. We order one cocktail and one zero proof mocktail for my teenager. They delivered the cocktail to my teenager, which we had to verify and get correctly placed. Appetizers were good but the chicken kefta and kebab were great.
Is this helpful?
S
Susan
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 8, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent service, and paid close attention to dietary restrictions. 2nd visit and not disappointed.
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 4463 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 reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Sep 18, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 161 times today

Order delivery or takeout

74 West Illinois Street, Chicago, IL 60654

Additional information

Cross street
Clark & Illinois
Neighborhood
River North (Chicago)
Hours of operation
Lunch Mon–Fri 11:00 am–4:00 pm Brunch Sat, Sun 11:00 am–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 3:00 pm–11:00 pm Sun 3:00 pm–9:00 pm
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, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.emachicago.com/
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.

Featured in

Gift card

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

Send a gift card

Ema - River North

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

50 Chicago Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day

The Diner Reviews Are In: 100 Best Restaurants in America

Gift card

Brussels Sprouts

Chicken Kefta

Lamb & Beef Kefta

Spreads

Hummus$13.95

Spicy Hummus$14.95

"Bhel" Hummus$15.95

Hummus w/ Lamb Ragu*$18.95

Charred Eggplant$14.95

Toasted Almond & Garlic$14.95

House-Made Labneh$14.95

Spread Sampler$19.95

Raw

Big Eye Tuna & Watermelon*$19.95

Hamachi*$19.95

Tiger Prawns*$19.95

Cold Mezze

Chilled Cucumbers$13.95

Feta & Olives$14.95

Tomato & Avocado$14.95

Roasted Beets & Berries$15.95

House-Made Stracciatella$18.95

Hot Mezze

Crispy Potatoes$12.95

Green Falafel$13.95

Brussels Sprouts$14.95

Pan-Roasted Romanesque Cauliflower$15.95

Sweet Corn Farro$17.95

Salads & Sandwiches

Greek Salad$14.95

Mediterranean Chopped$15.95

Green Falafel Pita$14.95

Fried Chicken Sandwich$16.95

Grilled Chicken Pita$16.95

Kebabs

Grilled Halloumi$17.95

Chicken Kefta*$18.95

Grilled Chicken*$19.95

Lamb & Beef Kefta*$19.95

Faroe Islands Salmon*$24.95

Surcharge

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

FAQs

Does Ema - River North offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Ema - River North restaurant rated?

Does Ema - River North offer gift cards?

Is Ema - River North currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Featured in

50 Chicago Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day

The Diner Reviews Are In: 100 Best Restaurants in America

Gift card