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Ema - Ema - River North, Chicago, IL

Ema - River North

4.7
4.7
4617 Reviews
$31 to $50
Mediterranean

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2 people
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
7:00 pm
Booked 87 times today

About this restaurant

  • 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.

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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 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
  • 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.
  • Delivery & takeout
  • 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 4,617 people are saying

Ema - River North reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

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.
4,617 Reviews
  1. OpenTable Diner

    Philadelphia1 review

    4.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was outstanding and reasonably priced. The ambiance was very enjoyable, but a little on the loud side. The service was terrible unfortunately, and really detracted from our dining experience. Our waiter was distracted and absent for extended periods of time and initially forgot to put our order in. Our plates and silverware were cleared , inexplicably, half way through our meal and not replaced when our next course arrived.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Amy VIP

    Chicago97 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    we had a birthday lunch for 6 women; some individuals had food allergies Ema staff was extremely responsive and helpful when we made our food choices A birthday cake brought in from the outside was beautifully served I highly recommend Ema to groups smaller parties- it was extremely interesting to sample many food items Last, I want to mention that the staff kept us supplied with plates, napkins and cutlery throughout our meal. . .and we did not have to make requests Thank you!

    Is this helpful?

  3. Meeta VIP

    Chicago10 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We love to come to Ema routinely. Their food is amazing and awesome service. Great place for all types of celebrations.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Lisa

    Chicago3 reviews

    3.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Very disappointed in the service and meal at Ema, one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. The servers seemed under staffed & not interested in bringing our drinks or taking our order. Additionally I’ve been dining here since they opened and was shocked by how much some items have greatly increased in the past year. I think that $32 for a gin martini is overpriced. I brought a group of friends from NYC (manhattan) here for a nice reunion and to show them one of our top Chicago restaurants. I won’t make that mistake again.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Victor VIP

    Chicago7 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Have been wanting to try this place forever. Food and service were terrific. Thank you!

    Is this helpful?

  6. wafaa VIP

    San Francisco2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was delicious. Our server was very nice . We sat outside which was less noise .

    Is this helpful?

  7. Christina

    San Francisco1 review

    4.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Great food and cocktails. Attentive service. Reasonable pricing.

    Is this helpful?

  8. OpenTable Diner

    Houston1 review

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food and service were excellent. We were looking for something that had a bit healthier menu and Emma’s didn’t disappoint. Very nice atmosphere.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Jorge

    Chicago14 reviews

    1.0

    Dined on 14 March 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 1
    Very poor service. Did not explain entree options and quantity of food for the price was just a bad deal. Waitress had a poor attitude to our questions.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Lindsey

    Kansas City2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 14 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Had a great experience with Ema. Staff was friendly and flexible with me adjusting our reservation. Our waitress was patient with us ordering a few different courses. She took the time to explain the menu to us as well. Would definitely come back here!

    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 4617 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


Booked 87 times today
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 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, Takeaway, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Phone number
  • 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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