If you're looking for the perfect date night, friends get together, or family reunion, look no further because Ema will check off all the boxes! From delicious drinks, unbelievable food, impeccable service, and incredible vibes, you are set to have the most amazing experience ever! The interior decor is GORGEOUS! The greenery, the lighting, the music, the color palette - it's all so intimate and beautiful. The service is exemplary! From the moment you check in to the moment you leave, you are taken care of 1000%. We got 2 of their cocktails - do not disturb and the slow cheetah. Both were so crisp and refreshing! For food, they're known for their shareable portions so we tried a few different things. To start, we got the hummus with lamb ragu with their famous pita. This was a 10/10. The hummus was creamy and so flavorful! The pita was INSANE! It was so herby and soft and fresh and we could keep eating it! Next up, we got the green falafal which came with a garlic yogurt sauce and a beet salad. This was such a surprise! The falafal was so so delicious and authentic but the beet salad that it came up was so unique but ended up being the most perfect side for the falafel! Lastly, the main courses! We got the chicken kebabs and the salmon kebabs, both of which came with basmati rice and a side sauce. Both meats were so tender, so smoky, so flavorful, and so filling! The rice was cooked to perfection! It was the perfect meal! This was the perfect experience, and I cannot wait to go again, take my friends and my family, and try more items from their menu! It's rare to find a spot with exceptional food, drinks, atmosphere, and service and Ema checks off all the boxes! 1000/1000 recommend! read more

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Hotta say I was so hyped for this one but it did nottt meet the mark for me. Brussels sprouts and potatos were good but the cauli and dip spread weren't anything great. I did like the flavors of the $1 olive oil sea salt froyo (summer friday deal woo) but it melted like instantly on a hot day. read more

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I had a dinner date here and this is my date's favorite place. We had late reservation but we walked in early. It was quite busy inside. We waited for a bit but we got our table at nice spot. I generally like Mediterranean and food at this place was delicious. The cocktail drink with mezcal - slow cheetah was great. I really enjoyed their crispy Brussels sprouts with bhel hummus. A good date spot! read more

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Great appetizers! Ambience is fun! A bit loud in the restaurant! Food and and service was good!

We had high hopes for Ema but overall it was a mixed experience. The ambiance was neat and cozy, great for a casual night out. We sat by the bar which was a nice spot. To start, we had the sweet onion dip which was solid with great textures and flavors. The spicy hummus, on the other hand, was barely spicy and didn't live up to the name. The falafel was crunchy but felt overly deep fried, with a taste that made us wonder if the oil had been reused. Definitely wouldn't order again. The chicken skewers with basmati rice were disappointing, bland and severely lacking in flavor. We had to add quite a bit of salt just to make it work. For drinks we tried the espresso martinis and a margarita. Both were very plain and unmemorable. Desserts were the low point. The soft serve Greek yogurt with olive oil and salt was honestly one of the worst things I've tasted. It just didn't work. The honey peach pie was also a letdown. We were expecting a peach forward dessert, maybe jammy or syrupy, but it was just plain diced peaches on the side. Not what was advertised. That said, the service was great, friendly and attentive throughout. Unfortunately the food just didn't deliver so we probably wouldn't return. read more

It was hot and humid outside, but the shade and occasional breeze made it bearable. We were expecting the restaurant to be cool or even cold temp, but it turned out to warm. They had a swamp cooler and a fan running. We were hoping for a quick meal. But the service was slow--took about 10 minutes just to get menus and another 10 to place our order. On the upside, the food came out quickly once we ordered. If you get the cracked farro, be careful not to chomp into cherry pits. read more

Ema - 07.12.25 You can't go wrong with grilled chicken kebab. - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Wonderful food and ambiance. The girl with the pink hair was our hostess - fantastic service. Will be back next time!

Love the food here and at Ema Rotisserie. Definitely try the frozen yogurt with the pistachio topping! read more

Ema - Frozen Greek Yogurt - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Nice Ambiance but the food wasn't worth the price. A couple similar restaurants in Chicago with amazing food and ambiance, pricy but will go back there considering the flavors. read more

Lovely space attached to a hotel. Loved the raw truffled salmon, crispy potatoes, farrotto, and cocktails. They also have a small happy hour menu from 4-6 during the week. The octopus entree was good not a huge portion. Our server was super friendly as well as the bar staff. read more

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Food was absolutely delicious! We had the hummus to start off with. Salads, salmon kebabs, etc. We booked a last minute reservation on OpenTable and were able to get in within a few minutes of arriving . Fast service with friendly smiles. We sat outside which was a little loud and busy but nice weather ! Definitely will be back for the food read more

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Very cute little Mediterranean/small plates restaurant in Chicago. We had a reservation for 745pm on a Monday and the restaurant was still packed to the brim. I definitely recommend reserving a table if you can. Everything on the menu looked excellent and it was very hard to choose. Every dish is able to be gluten free which was really surprising and exciting. They also had tons of vegetarian options which I always love to see. Every single dish was strange and delicious and kind of threw my tastebuds for a loop in the best way. It was so fun to experiment with so many good options on this menu. Service was good for how busy it was and the restaurant had a trendy upscale feel to it. I would definitely return to Ema to sample some more of their interesting and tasty dishes. read more

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I recall the service being fantastic. My girlfriend and I went for a girl dinner. We are both vegetarian so we asked our server if he had any recommendations from the cold mezzes. We were between two different mezzes and ultimately chose the bhel hummus, but he was so sweet, he comped us the almond garlic dip, both of which are amazing by the way! We sat outdoors and it was the perfect dinner spot. The pita bread is seasoned well and they give you a decent amount with the apps. The cracked farro which is creamy yet light and the grilled halloumi's flavors are fresh and bold. I highly recommend Ema! read more

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My husband and I have now been here twice and both times we had a great time! This past visit, we tried the tuna carpaccio which was delicious. We also tried the spicy hummus which my husband really enjoyed. I preferred the regular one. The pita bread it comes with is very good, fresh, and flavorful. The Brussel sprouts are delicious and flavored well. The cocktails are expensive but good! Overall great restaurant! The food is flavorful and tasty and the service was kind when we had our baby with us. It's also a fairly loud restaurant so our baby wasn't out of place. Would definitely come here again! read more

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Service 10/10 and ambiance was 10/10. Everything was sooo yummy and the vibes were immaculate. I've never had pineapple, avocado, or even pomegranate in my hummus before. The bhel hummus had all these interesting textures and it just worked. Yes would recommend with the warm pita bread. Salmon kebab was a salmon kebab. Tasted like salmon. I think the rice was the star of the salmon kebab dish. It was rich and refreshing at the same time you'll know what I mean when you get it. We also got these crispy potatoes which were okay, probably wouldn't get again. Brussels sprouts were also mediocre, could've used more seasoning, either saltier or sweeter. But overall , nice experience! read more

Ema - "Bhel" Hummus - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Ema is a masterclass in vibrant, shareable Mediterranean fare. The lamb kefta and hummus with crispy lamb are standouts--layered with spices and textures that pop. Even the roasted carrots feel revelatory. Service is attentive without hovering, and the airy, plant-filled space makes every meal feel special. read more

Ema - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This restaurant is tucked into a hotel and you wouldn't know it. great ambiance. luke our server was knowledgeable and attentive. the labneh is as good as they say. the stratiella was so great. we added falafels. i would say the lamb beef Kafka was solid but not memorable. read more

Some of the best hummus I've ever had! Nice busy spot, but not too loud. For our starter we got calamari and hummus. The calamari was not fried and actually had nice flavor. The Hummus was legitimately some of the best I've had and the pita was hot and fresh! For entree we got the lamb beef kebabs which were a healthy portion and well flavored. read more

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loved the food and ambience. Service becomes slow during peak hours. I go there assuming their menu is pork and alcohol free. Management-could you please confirm if you use pork based ingredients in any dishes or alcohol is used during cooking? read more

Overall the food is great and delicious. I have tried other Mediterranean restaurant in the city, but this is the best one I had so far. The 2 spreads: The mushroom hummus was awesome, not salty at all. The mushroom and radish add a nice crunch to the spread. And the charred eggplant was definitely the best of the night. This is definitely a must ordered dish. The pomegranate adds a bit sweetness to the spread, and it's amazing and unique. The pita bread is great and well-paired with the spread. Salmon Kebabs: The lemon match well with the salmon, adds a bit juiciness and souring taste to salmon. The vegetables in between salmon chunks adds a touch of crunch to the dish. Brussels Sprouts: Must order vegetable dish. The vinaigrette adds a touch sour taste to the dish. And the pumpkin seeds adds a crunch. Crispy Potatoes: My friend ordered this dish and she said it was great. Unfortunately, I didn't have any because I am lactose intolerant. The smell was great and the portion is large enough to share. The service was great and our server was super friendly and happy to talk to. He was super careful about my food allergies and mindful with that. The environment was cozy and comfortable. read more

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Amazing brunch experience at Ema with my family. Lively Saturday vibe but not drowning in noise. Sun light dining area that was both airy and full, with soft warm woods and a green ceiling. Very easy on the eyes. Food was excellent. Hummus, eggplant, and falafel were all delicious, crispy, and flavorful. The pomegranates with eggplant gave it a textural twist and sweet balance. Main courses were salad, shashuka, lamb-beef kebab and salmon kebab. All were well prepared, moist, and tasty. Interesting and delicious honey cake. My family is picky and they loved this. The double chocolate was also fantastic, rich, without being overwhelmed with sweetness. So good! Service was on point, definitely a winner for us. read more

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This restaurant went above and beyond my expectations! Been staying at the Hyatt hotel the past couple years and I always see this place so busy all the time. I finally got to try it after waiting a couple hours. (don't worry it is worth the wait) We started off with the Charred Eggplant spread which was so yummy and I loved the sweetness of the pomegranate on top with it. We also got the chilled cucumbers which were so refreshing and crunchy! The Cauliflower was probably my favorite dish of all! I loved the roasted cauliflower with tzatziki sauce on the side; wished we ordered another one. For our entree, we ordered the the Chicken Keft and Salmon. The chicken was good but nothing mind blowing. The salmon was really yummy and I love the sauce that it was drenched in. So glad we were able to try this place and will definitely try this place everytime I visit Chicago. It is quite amazing! read more

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Came here for Sunday brunch! Their brunch menu is interesting - not a ton of brunch specific things and a bit confusing on the portion sizes with the rest of their menu. Our server recommended 2-3 dishes per person from the whole menu which was totally not accurate at all. The brunch dishes were definitely substantial for individual meals, and some honestly would be hard to split with a group (like a chicken sandwich). We split a few spreads, which are always my favorite part. The best part of the meal was the eggplant dip! The pomegranate on it was incredible. I also really loved the mushroom hummus. The pita here is the same as at Aba (sister restaurant) and I am obsessed with the seasoning! It's very flavorful and not your plain, standard bread. We each got our own mains and split the Brussel sprouts and potatoes from the mezze categories. The potatoes were good but nothing super special. I loved the Brussel sprouts! Flavorful but not too heavy, and the pumpkin seeds were a nice touch. I got the halloumi as my main. It was fine. The sauce kind of overpowered the cheese flavor, and the kebab was about half halloumi half vegetables, so it wasn't super substantial. I think I would have rather gotten one of the meat kebabs. Out of the brunch options, the shakshukas seemed to look the most unique and popular; the option options seemed to be pretty standard. The service wasn't super great; we had to wait a while for the check and had a tough time getting recommendations or additional water. I'd like to think they do a better dinner service. Having been to Aba which has a similar menu, I definitely prefer the ambiance and the options at Aba to Ema, but Ema is for sure easier to get into. Overall good food, just nothing super impressive about the experience. read more

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Went to Ema for a work lunch today and had a good experience overall. I've gone there a few times over the past year and something that is consistent is the freshness of the food every time we go. Our server was super friendly and checked in the perfect amount of times and got us our check quickly after we requested it. For appetizers we ordered the Hummus and Charred Eggplant spreads as well as the tuna carpaccio. The Charred eggplant is amazing, super flavorful and textured. The hummus was just OK. They need to do a spicy hummus to make it less basic. The tuna carpaccio was also quite good and fresh. For my main I had the grilled chicken kebab which is my go to here. Super tender and flavorful chicken with a good accompaniment of rice and green sauce. The restaurant itself is nice and clean but feels a bit sterile. It's not something I've noticed while at lunch, but at dinner it feels like the inside of a corporate dining room. Their sister restaurant Aba has a more compelling atmosphere, but very similar food. read more

Ema - Menu - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here fora birthday. Everything was delicious. The cocktails were yummy as well as pretty. The food was delicious. The crispy potatoes were so good. The chicken sandwich tasty. Brussel sprouts had so much flavor. Who can resist fries. We shared a honey pie that was out of this world. read more

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This is definitely not going to be a thorough review as you are probs used to with me... but i wanted to get it on the books. Maybe, just maybe it would have been better if it wasn't like a sauna... I don't know if they don't have AC, maybe it's the open doors but I was sweating. Food- kinda mid, had some good flavors, but the prices are high, they definitely have the aesthetic but it's kinda wild for what you get... 3 of us caused a triple digit check. Surcharged 3% for something, I have no clue on. I will say it's decent but not great... I want to give it 3 but I think I'm just cranky today also, so I'll give them the benefit of a doubt and make it 4 read more

Food was so good! Definitely recommend getting a lot of appetizers & then each person gets a main dish. Everything was cooked so well. Chicken was not dry or tough & very flavorful. We loved the pita & hummus too. Pretty packed so get a reservation but service & food was fast. read more

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Ema on the north side on Illinois St is connected to the Hilton. Ema has a corner entrance I missed initially which opens up into a large L shaped bar and two dining areas very warmly decorated. I got a seat at the bar with Jeff the bartender/server friendly and efficient. This joint is modern Mediterranean with cold and hot Mezza's. Normally these small plate, Mediterranean, American New, tapas restaurants are best enjoyed with multiple people, but this solo diner had a fabulous meal. To start, they have a separate Gluten Free menu. Being Celiac now for 25 years you have no idea how grateful I am for this as I don't have to be the diner from Hell asking 100 questions of the poor server who, in the early days after my diagnosis, didn't have a clue most times how the food was prepared or what was in it. The GF menu alone is almost worth 5 stars in my book but the food was worthy of five 's. This is what I had at Ema's: "BHEL" HUMMUS pineapple, avocado, pomegranate, tamarind, crispy rice, mint chutney SPICY TOOTHPICK LAMB * cumin, chili, house yogurt DO NOT DISTURB basic vodka, st-germain elderflower, mint, cucumber, lemon. The cocktail was like a delicious refreshing mojito. The Bhel Hummus was by far the best, most tasty and unusual hummus served with Gluten Free Chips that I've ever tasted. The spicy toothpick lamb with the cool yoghurt had a nice kick and was simply incredible. I eyed the patrons dishes on either side of me and they loved the dishes they ordered. Ema means mother or nurse and once again confirms my maxim that any restaurant named mom, mother, Madre or Ema is going to be good because who would ever besmirch your mother's memory by serving lousy food? Am I right or am I right. Well done, Ema! read more

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This restaurant won't last long. Not in a major metropolis with great international food. Horrible food. Kefta Kabab had no flavor and was dry and also they burned it. Rice was over salted and raw. Food is basically for a certain demographic of people who are afraid to go to a restaurant that says Arab or Iranian food, which will be way better and flavorful. Lady on the patio had her dog on a long leash. Dog started licking and biting my shirt. Told her to curb her dog and she started gaslighting me and got offended that I said something about her dog. Lol Waiter said nothing to patron despite seeing everything. Bad service on seating too. Has to wait for our table because no one to seat us for 10 min despite empty tables and reservation. In sum, bad food, bad service, and bad clientele. read more

We had reservations for a birthday dinner and the staff went above and beyond to make the evening feel special. Our food arrived so fast despite the restaurant being completely packed. read more

The restaurant was beautiful on the inside and the service was great! We got the house made stracciatella, hummus, green falafel, broccoli, and grilled halloumi kebab. My favorite was the grilled halloumi kebab and stracciatella - highly recommend! I was disappointed with the falafel... they were super dry and did not have a lot of flavor and the hummus was okay. read more

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The food was absolutely amazing I've never had anything this good, highly recommend the falafel and the cracked farro salad! The service is top notch and super knowledgeable (asked about allergies right away which is a bonus)! The atmosphere is so nice, so much greenery! Overall 100000/10 new favorite place. read more

It was a pretty little place, and we sat in a cozy booth along the wall. Quiet enough to have a conversation, food was served quickly, and the server was attentive. Had a lovely French 75 but the peel of the lemon had a slight moldy smell which spoiled the scent factor of the drink. Had a few vegan small plates. Forgot to photograph a couple of the others.Oops. read more

Ema - Hummus Hummus - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I've been a few times now, and it's consistently good. Great place for a group that likes to share. Staff is friendly. Lots of veg friendly options on the menu. Charred eggplant, roasted beets, falafel, and cauliflower were all good. I'd also order the halloumi and salmon kababs again. Very busy during dinner time, so make a reservation. read more

so yummy mediterranean tapas! I loved all the food and left not feeling to full and heavy! I would recommend you try their hummus which pairs deliciously with their pita bread! The interior is so so beautiful with war cozy lighting! Went near closing and the staff was super nice and accommodating read more

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Went to this place right as they opened for weekend brunch and loved the food. Everything tasted very fresh, home made and the service was very friendly but not overbearing in any way. We ordered the chicken and lamb kebabs and both were flavorful and tender. The eggplant hummus is also really good! Highly recommend if you're looking for a good brunch spot read more

Perfect sister restaurant of Aba. This place is great for brunch as well as dinner. Spacious and the color pastel shades bring in a lot of light. Located in River North Ema serves the best "BHEL" hummus. Fun fact, the chefs wife is Indian hence the integration of Bhel to hummus brings in a refreshing concoction of flavors. I thoroughly enjoyed the chicken Kefta kebabs and ended with the outstanding whiskey date cake. read more

Ema - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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GET THE BEET SALAD. That's it. That's my review. Not really, but it was the most delicious / most interesting bit of food I've had in months. I found this place based on Yelp. It was hopping and I didn't have a reservation, but they let me eat at the bar. I had three dishes and one cocktail. The dishes were terrific, but the highlights really were the beet salad and the pita bread. (I bake a lot of bread, and their pita was fantastic.) Highly recommend. A little loud, but what isn't these days. read more

Food was disappointing for all 3 of us. One of the appetizers was good, the other not so much. Ambiance was nice as were the servers. Won't go back. read more

The staff knows what they're doing and makes you feel welcome without being in your face. Wine pairings made sense if you go that route. Will definitely be back read more