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Ema - Ema - River North, Chicago, IL

Ema - River North

4.7
4.7
4632 Reviews
$31 to $50
Mediterranean
74 West Illinois Street, Chicago, IL 60654

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2 people
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
7:00 pm
Booked 122 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 4,632 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

    Mediterranean

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Ema in River North offers a vibrant dining experience with "delicious food" and "great service." Guests rave about the creative mezze dishes, including standout items like the "hot honey halloumi" and "bhel hummus." The relaxed yet lively ambiance makes it perfect for both special occasions and casual meals.
4,632 Reviews
  1. Gina

    Chicago7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I met up with friends for the second time at this lovely restaurant. Great location and ambience with lots of natural light. Healthy food options that we ate tapas style. We welcomed the recommendation of the server for some items and chose chicken and lamb kebabs which were delicious and so tender along with the cauliflower cheese and hummus dish. Staff was very attentive and friendly. We would recommend, and we will be back. When the weather is warmer, there is outdoor seating which we look forward to trying.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Howard VIP

    Chicago27 reviews

    3.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    The food was good as always. The service was spotty…waiter seemed stressed and often missing. The cost of food is as expected but the cocktails and especially the wine, has became too expense. It’s much higher than we find in other cities across the country. Not even a good pour for the money.

    Is this helpful?

  3. OpenTable Diner

    Chicago2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    They were very understanding with my young kids. Fast service. Excellent food

    Is this helpful?

  4. Sam

    Austin1 review

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Jeremiah was amazing. Attentive and kind. Suggested great dishes and never left us waiting too long

    Is this helpful?

  5. Mark VIP

    Chicago47 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 5
    Service was terrible sadly, because the food and drink were excellent. No one checked in with us for over 15 minutes after seating. Had to flag server down for everything. Not the service we are used to from a Lettuce Entertain You product.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Melissa

    Chicago5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food, great service, would highly recommend

    Is this helpful?

  7. Nick

    Chicago7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 3 April 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A real highlight of River North, and a great combo of delicious food that's hard to produce at home with a relaxed ambience that isn't bending over backwards to intimidate or impress. I was reuniting with a friend I only see every couple years, and this was a perfect place to do that: special occasion without breaking the bank. The waiter was terrific, as was the hosting staff. I totally recommend the hot honey halloumi, the vegetable dishes, and the margaritas.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Stacey VIP

    Minneapolis20 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 3 April 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Ema was an amazing restaurant. The food was delicious and service was exceptional. I really appreciated that they take food allergies very seriously as so no one gets hurt from consuming something they shouldn’t. I will definitely be back next time I’m in Chicago.

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  9. Yash

    Chicago1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 1 April 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Loved the bhel hummus. Just too good. Rest everything was really good as well.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Mike

    Charlotte5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 30 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food and service with great ambiance. We will be back.

    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 4632 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 122 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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