Great spot! I'd make a reservation though - seems popular and in order to not wait, we sat at the bar. Drinks were delicious and refreshing. I got the Out of Office - it was bubbly, light, and fresh. The food was delicious as well. Hummus was nice and comes with all the extra pita bread of your desires. The chicken kebab was tasty as well. The Brussels sprouts took the cake - they were sweet and tangy. Staff was friendly. The bathrooms are shared with the lobby of another place so often there's a wait (not enough stalls). I'd come back! read more

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When asked what restaurant I would recommend for folks to try when in Chicago, Ema has made my list! We stumbled upon Ema while figuring out what to have for dinner on a Saturday night. It was not on our "must try" list of restaurants for our trip but boy are we glad we had it. It was definitely busy but we were able to find seats at the bar for us 4, which allows you to order from the full menu. Literally EVERYTHING was absolutely delicious! From the cauliflower, eggplant, the labneh, Brussels sprouts, and the chicken kefta; outstanding! It was my favorite meal on my weekend trip to the city. The restaurant itself is beautiful and great staff. Don't miss this restaurant when in town. My only regret is not taking any pictures! I'll definitely be back next time I visit Chicago! read more

We checked out Ema on Sep 4 for lunch after discovering it the previous night while walking around the area. Food was delicious and had a lot of options for my parents who are vegetarian. I'd come back here again and would like to check out some of the other dishes as well. The decor and ambience of the restaurant made us feel like we were in the Mediterranean. read more

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We made a last-minute decision to eat here on a Monday night and I am so glad we did! Ema is a mediterranean restaurant with some fusion foods/flavors that are well executed! There were three of us that went and we don't generally eat very large portion sizes - we ordered 2 starters (spreads) and 3 hot plates which ended up being the perfect amount of food for us. This was a little less than their recommendations (2-3 dishes/person). From the spreads, we ordered the Bhel Hummus and Charred Eggplant. The charred eggplant has a flavor reminiscent of Baba Ganoush and other eggplant dishes that you may have tried. The Bhel Hummus however, was a great unique blend of flavors between Hummus (the base) and the toppings of Bhel (an Indian dish with puffed rice, coriander, tamarind, etc). I think this was the best dish we had here! From the hot plates, we ordered the Green Falafel, Farro Risotto with Asparagus and Spicy Tomato Campanelle. The Falafel were fantastic - they had a great crispy exterior with a soft inside and were served with a well spiced tahini and beet blend. The Spicy Tomato Campanelle was also good. The Farro Risotto was not our favorite - but we did still finish it so really cannot complain too much! As far as service, the staff and our waiter were very kind, provided recommendations, etc. However, our waiter did seem to be stretched a little thin between many tables and did not seem to be as attentive as I may have hoped. I truly think this is more a reflection of the night we were there over the quality of service and am hopeful others have different experiences. Finally, the ambience is lovely - the seating is cozy and comfortable and there is outdoor seating available as well! Overall, great restaurant and we will be back! read more

Was very excited to try this place, however, we received some less than stellar service. We were celebrating a special occasion, and our server forgot to put in a cocktail, and never came out with an order that we inquired about multiple times. There was very minimal check in, and we would only hear about "updates" on the order whenever we would flag him down. Needless to say, the order never came out. The food that did come out was good, but needless to say, for the prices that were charged, the service was less than excellent, especially for a special occasion. read more

This restaurant combines my favorite dining style of group-friendly/share-style meals with my go-to cuisine: Mediterranean. The interior is dimly lit with a variety of seating options: couches, high tables, booths, and low round tables to accommodate any size group. We enjoyed our brussels sprouts appetizer and our two meat skewers: salmon and lamb/beef. For the cost of the dishes, I was expecting more meat to even out the rice:meat ratio but overall it was a great meal with delicious dips and strong flavors. read more

Ema - Faroe Islands Salmon Kebab, Lamb & Beef Kefta Kebabs, Crispy Brussels Sprouts - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've been to this restaurant twice now and had a great experience each time. The spicy hummus is my favorite! All plates are meant to be shareable so going with a small group is ideal if you want to try multiple food items. The service is nice and helpful as well. read more

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

RATING: 9/10 THERE IS ONE REASON YOU SHOULD EAT AT EMA AND IT IS THIS,,,listen carefully....The Delicata Squash Farro. When I tell you this dish has singlehandedly become my favorite dish in Chicago...I have never tasted something so perfectly balanced by all its elements. The sweetness of the Delicata squash is perfectly countered by the acidity of the vinaigrette and the richness of the brown butter. AND THE CRISPY SAGE LEAVES OH LORD actually heavenly. If you come to Ema you MUST order this dish if nothing else. As for the other food: -Hummus with Lamb Ragu - delicious! I love how the lamb melts into the hummus. However, the one piece of pita they're include with the hummus tastes infinitely better than the pita they serve for the table which is a bit less fluffier. -Charred eggplant - love the char and the pomegranates. -Ora King Salmon - Not sure if I liked the flavors of this one but the fish was fresh. -Hamachi - loved the vinaigrette and the simplicity of this one. -Ahi Tuna and Pomegranate - the textures were so interesting! -Lamb and Beef Kefta - delicious and hearty. They also gave us greek yogurt ice cream with olive oil and salt for my friend's birthday! Fantastic and attentive service as well. read more

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Delicious food and very nice atmosphere, our waitress was very courteous and beautiful!

Grabbed dinner here last night - we enjoyed dining outside, as the whole block along Clark was closed to allow for more outside dining for the restaurants along the street. Ema specializes in small plates - we ended up ordering 4 to share, and it was plenty. We got the Hummus w/ Lamb Ragu, Beets and Berries, Green Falafel, and Lamb & Beef Kefta. We also ordered the Strawberry Rose Paloma and Slow Cheetah cocktails. Everything was delicious and fresh - the flatbread that came out with the plates was also a great accompaniment. We were pretty full from the meal, so for dessert we split the Wake Up Call, their take on an espresso martini. Great food - would definitely love to come back! read more

Ema - Green Falafel, Beets and Berries, Hummus w/ Lamb Ragu, and flatbread - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Definitely a must try.. unique and delicious menu with a beautifully designed modern sophisticated dining room. This place has a great vibe and energy. Definitely try the toasted almond and garlic hummus spread. It's unbelievable.. the kefta and egg is delicious and the pita bread they serve with the spreads is so good! So many more interesting menu items here I want to try. But I will definitely be getting the toasted almond and garlic spread every time.. had the do not disturb for a drink and it was very good as well. The ahi tuna and pomegranate was a refreshing appetizer as well. Will be back soon. I plan on being a regular here. read more

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As cheesy as it sounds I picked this place as I was walking bc of aesthetics, but the food matched the looks LOL. I sat at the bar so no wait time. Service was on point as I was able to pick the bartender's brain and he was very accommodating in finding out if a dish was dairy free. I ordered a mocktail or zero proof cocktail called the pineapple ginger soda. It was refreshing and what I needed after a warm day. I also ordered the toasted almond and garlic spread along with the salmon kebab. The toasted almond garlic spread could have had more garlic, but I love garlic so I am being extra on this. It did have a light garlic taste, but I was hoping it would be more on the garlic tasting side. Spread was light almost like a mousse type spread. The salmon kebab was so good. The sauce it came with was so good and definitely added to the already seasoned fish. Portion is a decent size that I would have been fine without the spread, but I wanted to try something else. If I visit Chicago again I'm definitely coming back to try other dishes. read more

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This could simply not have been better!! All food items of this Mediterranean restaurant were just super delicious. Even as a Uber Eats takeout order to the hotel. Under better circumstances would certainly have preferred to do in-dinging ... As to the food: My reference benchmark is the grilled octopus and a restaurant has to compare with Jose Andres or Bavel: Ema was absolutely par. Such a soft and flavorful presentation! Also second to none was the humus, so soft and smooth. Parenthetically, everything else - the charred eggplant, the grilled chicken kebab, or the roasted Brussels sprouts - were superb too!!! Definitely, the next time, I will need to dine in!! read more

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Love Ema!! Bring you friends and a good appetite! The brunch menu has a lot do variety. I highly recommend the Kefta and eggs. The eggplant dip is rich and creamy and the pomegranate seeds as a nice burst of sweetness. Make sure to get extra pita! The grilled haloumi is wonderful, charred and covered in sauce. Finally; the crispy potatoes are amazing! You will want to lick the bowl! The staff is great, and the atmosphere very fun. The sidewalk outdoor dining is nicely covered and relatively quiet, especially given that you are on Clark. Couldn't recommend Ema more. read more

Goodness gracious -- why haven't I tried this place sooner! Ema has great tasting tapas that everyone at the table will surely love! Our server was amazing and the outdoor seating emulated a secret garden... so cute! We shared a light meal before hitting the town... we opted for the brussel sprouts and the toasted garlic hummus. Wowza! Those brussel sprouts are something special... they were savory, crunchy and delightful! And the toasted garlic hummus is everything you want in a spread. I can't even describe how delicious it was... we licked the bowl clean! The house made pita is something out of a dream -- you'll want to order some to-go! read more

Ema - Brussels Sprouts Toasted Almond & Garlic - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I have had Ema bookmarked for some time and decided that now was the time to visit since it was Restaurant Week. They were completely out of reservations for weekend brunch so we came 10 minutes before they opened on a Saturday morning. We were luckily able to snag a table but with the condition that we had to be done eating within an hour and 15 minutes. Brunch felt rushed but we made it work. Hubby and I both ordered from the $25 Restaurant Week menu. I started off with the brussels sprouts (crispy shallots, pumpkin seeds, sherry glaze) and hubby had the green falafels (beet tzatziki, garlic tahini, dhania spice). I had the chicken kefta and eggs (fried eggs, tzatziki, cucumber & tomato salad, lemon dill rice) for my main course. Hubby chose the lamb shakshuka (beet tzatziki, garlic tahini, dhania spice). It also came with a drink and I chose the pomegranate backsplash (pomegranate, orange, lemon, soda) and hubby had the do not disturb (basic. vodka, st-germain, mint, cucumber, lemon). We weren't sure if it would be enough food so we decided to order the blueberry clafoutis (almond pancake, sweetened yogurt, lemon, pistachios) and lamb and beef kefta (lemon, olive oil, tzatziki). Everything we had was great. The falafels were cooked well and were beautifully plated. The brussels sprouts were pretty standard but didn't stand out compared to the other dishes we had. The chicken kefta and eggs were good (I ate the chicken kefta with a lot of tzatziki sauce) but the chicken was pretty dry. The lamb shakshuka was flavorful and slightly spicy but was also the smallest dish that we received. My favorite dish of the ones we tried was the lamb and beef kefta. The meat was juicier compared to the chicken kefta. My toddler preferred the blueberry clafoutis and stopped eating her meal since she wanted to eat this instead. Service was good and our waiter frequently checked on us. Whenever we had an empty plate someone would swoop in and take it away for us. Overall, we had a good experience and can't wait to come back to try other dishes. read more

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Visited from out of town and loved this spot! Super cozy vibe and they had the garage doors up since it was so nice out. All of the staff were overly kind and helpful throughout our whole lunch. The bread that comes with the hummus sampler was to die for! Great options for vegetarians including the falafel which is AMAZING. the falafel sandwich was a pretty good sized portion. I did not leave hungry!! read more

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Mediterranean food of my dreams!! Everything was lovely. Service at the bar is a little slow but still a great experience. The hummus is the creamiest I have ever had. The vegetable crudite is a little lacking but the pita was very tasty. I gobbled up the cauliflower so fast, I did not want to share that! Perfectly cooked, the yogurt sauce was a perfect paring. Chicken and salmon kabobs are perfect to share for 2 people when you have apps as well. The sauce pairings and side rice are perfect. I will definitely be recommending this place to my Chicago travelers! read more

Food was amazing. The squash farrotto was one of my favorite dishes of all time. I wanted to order two more. The short rib and shrimp were also perfect. The labneh was good, but I just prefer a savory Labneh or at least more toppings. Service and ambiance were also great. Highly recommend it here! read more

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Great spot for modern Mediterranean in River North. The spreads and pita are excellent, and the lamb kefta was a standout. Service is friendly and the atmosphere is lively, though it can get a bit noisy and portions run small for the price. read more

Had a recommendation to try this place - amazingly delicious. My pics aren't the best, the lighting was tough but a beautiful ambiance. Went on a limb and didn't have reservations, but there were just enough seats in the very back bar, so if you go, make sure you take a look back there it's a full service bar. The drinks all around or done to perfection, although you can't tell from my pictures of food was extremely tasty. Highly recommend if your travels takes you to Chicago. read more

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During my visit to Austin, I was eager to dine at Aba, but I missed my opportunity. Thus, I jumped at the chance to bring my colleagues to Ema when we were in Chicago. We all thoroughly enjoyed our dinner at this bright, airy, location where small plates are designed to be shared. We started with the charred eggplant with pomegranate molasses - delicious scooped atop their house pita bread. Next, we devoured several vegetable plates, including the sweet, sherry glazed, perfectly cooked brussel sprouts, the light and lovely beets and berries plate, and the romanesque cauliflower. The asparagus farro was a flavor bomb akin to a lighter version of a rich risotto. While my colleagues enjoyed their kebabs, I couldn't pass on a chance to try the grilled octopus, and I'm so glad I did. This dish was amazing. The octopus had the thinnest, lightest crispy char on the exterior, while the interior was perfectly tender and moist. The fava beans and bursts of citrus paired so well with the mild octopus and spicy chili sauce. 10 out of 10. I want to try everything on the menu, but not sure how I could pass up ordering the octopus again. read more

Food is decent but the portions don't make sense. Not enough vegetables and everything costs extra.

Great service, great food, conveniently located in Downtown Chicago! I highly recommend getting a reservation as they were completely booked and not taking walk-ins. We were fortunate that they had some bar seatings and one high top table available! The staff was very friendly and offered great recommendations. I also really appreciated their choices for mocktails and really enjoyed my pomegranate splash (I believe that's what it was called!). The crispy potatoes were VERY crispy and I wish they were in bite size pieces instead. The chicken kefta was very juicy and heavily seasoned. The cumin lamb was also amazing especially with the sauce. The food wasn't super amazing though but it was a nice experience! read more

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Absolutely delicious food. I highly recommend the hummus. The service is great and I have no complaints. Very nice ambiance and environment. read more

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

Very good chicken kafta I've ordered at home and at the restaurant. It's got really great service I like the outdoor seating. It's very pretty and good atmosphere. read more

Another great Mediterranean spot in Chicago! Food is served tapas style, and 2-3 small plates was the recommended amount per person! Our waitress was amazing - so knowledgeable about each item on the menu and gave the most honest suggestions. Definitely a highlight to our experience! What we ordered: (2 people!) - DRINKS: - CACTUS QUEEN: just as bold and fun as the name suggests! Made with nosotros blanco tequila, brovo pink, guava, honey, and soda - SAUVIGNON BLANC, GILGAL, ISRAEL, 2021: tasty, classy, and a great pairing wine for the seafood - COLD MEZZE: - House-Made Stracciatella: This was a yummy, light app with stracciatella cheese (essentially stretchy mozzarella cheese with heavy whipping cream), mighty vine tomatoes, sherry shallot vinaigrette, and topped with basil. - Potato Latke from the Passover menu: I loved these! The perfect crunch of potato topped with sour cream and apple sauce. -RAW: - Hamachi: Served with 5 pieces of yellowtail topped with nigella, calamansi vinaigrette, kiwi, and sunflower sprout. So light and falls apart in your mouth! - ENTREE: Ema is known for their seafood so we opened for the Grilled Octopus. Definitely a fan favorite served with fingerlings and lemon vinaigrette. Finished up the night with a celebratory "MILK & COOKIES" dessert. A generous amount of frozen greek yogurt, whiskey caramel, two chocolate chip halva cookies with black sesame! The perfect ending to our lovely ema date. read more

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Oh man Ema is so good. I made a reservation to go and opted for outdoor seating. The service was a bit spotty however the food made up for that lack. I shared several plates with my friends but I want to highlight a few items that I'm familiar with. Charred eggplant - delicious and flavorful. Comes with six pieces of pita Brussel sprouts - this dish was my absolute favorite. Typically I don't like brussel sprouts but man Ema seasons them super well and thoroughly. The flavor penetrates deep into the sprouts. The flavor is slightly sweet with an Asian hint to them. Crispy potatoes - it seems like you got a whole potato that's cut up and fried. The exterior is super crispy and light while the interior is light and fluffy. The seasoning is very light though. I had imagined them being covered with rosemary oil or something but it's just sprinkled on and not much of that flavor. Chicken kefta - comes with rice as a side. Lots of flavor and has some scallions mixed in. If your considering this or the grilled chicken, our server said the kefta is more flavorful as it's ground chicken whereas the other is marinated. Overall, Ema is a super delicious place. Highly highly recommend the Brussel sprouts as they were my most favorite dish. read more

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I was so looking forward to this reservation and eating here. The food was really disappointing, it didn't taste very good. The plates are shareable, so we did get to try quite a bit of variety which is probably the only saving grace. I wish they had some more unique food and flavors. The ambience was really pretty, and that does make up for the food a little bit,. The service was as expected, nothing out of the ordinary. read more

This restaurant has a beautiful interior! Very pretty and calming, feels like you're on vacation. The food was unique, lots of interesting dishes to try and a large menu of options read more

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Wanted to try Ema after trying Aba and hearing that they had similar menu items! Ema is such a great Mediterranean spot! I absolutely loved my 2 experiences here so far and would love to come back to try more of their menu items. I recommend trying the Salmon Kebab! I came with a group of 5 before and we all LOVED the salmon! The Charred Eggplant wIth Pita was also a hit. The first time I came here, we ordered drinks with our entrees. Our entrees came out, yet we still didn't get our drinks. We were already almost done eating and still no one came to check on us or hand us our drinks until we called our waiter over. Our waiter was so apologetic about us not receiving our drinks. She later returned with the drinks and mentioned they were on them. That was a very sweet gesture and I really appreciate her taking accountability! The restaurant is actually connected to the lobby of the Hyatt Place. You'd have to go through the hotel lobby to use the bathroom which is a little weird. Also not the nicest looking bathroom either. Overall love the vibes of Ema and their food is great! Be sure to make a reservation on busier days though. 100% recommend trying Ema out! read more

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With a bright, comforting interior, Ema serves delicious food in an attractive environment. The selection of the menu is well stocked with vegetarian options and some nice vegan options as well (it looks like they are expanding these selections too, as I noticed even more vegan dishes while dining there earlier today than I had noticed when viewing a picture of the menu posted online some time ago). The presentation of the food was spectacular and their bread was DELICIOUS. Our server, Stevie, was so pleasant and patient. She added to our enjoyment of the dining experience here. Thank you!! read more

Ema - The brunch menu- toast and lamb and eggplant. SO GOOD and impressive preparation - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Good Mediterranean place with a full bar! We went to Ema to get out of the cold and luckily we're able to sit at the bar without reservations. We were hungry after a day of tourist activity and were really grateful we found a good place without any notice. Ema is clean and beautifully decorated; it's well lit and quiet, so perfect for a dinner with friends catching up or a group (just make reservations for bigger groups!) The bartender was our server because we sat at the bar. He was really friendly and made sure to ask of any serious allergies or dietary restrictions before taking our orders. I was a little underwhelmed with the vegetarian options. I didn't want a salad - it was freezing outside- but the only kebab that didn't have meat was roasted cheese. I can't eat too much dairy, so I got a side of rice and some farro. The menu is set up so a table gets several dishes and shares. The waiter recommended two dishes per person. The dishes are not cheap and this adds up. If you're paying $50+ a person, I expect there to be some pretty awesome veggie options, especially since this restaurant is in the city center and is not authentic. read more

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This place is similar to Aba. I really wanted to give this spot at least another star but I'm only giving a 3 star instead of 2 is because the drinks and food were good. My friend took me here for an early birthday dinner. The drinks we ordered were pretty good. We ordered quite a few things to share. From the spreads I really liked the house-made labneh. I could probably eat that for days!! The falafel was ok, a little on the dry side. The crispy potatoes were good when they first came out. Although I wish some of the pieces weren't so big. The grilled octopus had good flavors too it, but I wish some parts of the octopus wasn't so burnt. My friend and I really liked the lamb & beef kefta dish. We definitely got full after a few bites of that main course. Dessert we decided to try the sticky date cake and it was meh. It was something that I could say I don't have to have. Aside from the food, I wish service was just as good than the food but they were far from it. My friend and I noticed how the servers would stop by the tables they were serving to check up on them often except for ours. By the time we finished eating, my friend wanted to tell the server it was my birthday......but we sat there for over 30 minutes....with servers, restaurant workers all kept walking past our table without saying anything. We decided to stack the plates because we were done anyways....it took another 15 min or so before someone came by. By that point we were just really tired and wanted to leave but was convinced we should get dessert. Of course, we tried to get a staff or server to our table but they walked right past and was busy accommodating the other tables around us. It turned out to be a long dinner. If I come back, I might just do take out. read more

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We came here for 3pm late lunch and we're seated immediately and the staff were so friendly! The inside is literally adorable, so many plants and such a natural vibe. I would come here for any meal of the day. We got the eggplant spread, which was phenomenal, I was a little nervous to get it, but the texture was great. Then we had the Brussel sprouts. I liked this, but too many flakes - I wished there were more whole Brussels. Finally, we finished with the Lamb entrée which came with some very nicely seasoned rice. This was a huge portion, everything that we got was easily split between two people. We even took some home. Our server was great, he even gave us some extra bread to take with us. I can't wait to come back! Five stars. read more

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Great service and great ambiance but I think it's too expensive for what you actually get. I was really excited to try the halloumi and was very disappointed that I couldn't finish it. I really wanted to love this place but still on the lookout for a great Mediterranean spot. read more

amazing food, we were a group of 5 and ordered 7 dishes - we shared most and it was actually extremely filling! great service from eric!

Food: 9.5/10 Service: 10/10 Cuteness/TikTok Worthy: 10/10 Food: The food is designed to be shared/family style. Some of the dishes are naturally vegan and most others can be made vegan. Dishes that have hit it out the park repeatedly are as follows: Brussel Sprouts, Tomato bisque, Pan roasted cauliflower, Garlic hummus. The Green Falafel and Crispy Potatoes are both good but could use some more seasoning. I wasn't a fan of the Grilled mushroom kabobs but the rice and pesto it comes with is good. Definitely one of my favorite upscale, vegan friendly spots in Chicago! Oh, and the drinks are delicious as well! read more

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Great portions and amazing food! The charred eggplant spread was the best app with the Brussel sprouts coming in a close second. Eggplant isn't typically something i go for but it was really delicious and didn't taste like eggplant more just refreshing especially with the pomegranate seeds on top and the fluffy pita bread complemented it perfectly. I would recommend getting at least 2-3 dishes to share and ordering individual entrees as the chicken isn't huge and is more for one person. great atmosphere good bar and will be coming here again! read more

Ema - CRISPY POTATOES BRUSSELS SPROUTS Charred Eggplant Spread FETA & OLIVES - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ema is allegedly one of the restaurants in Chicago that earned the title of "hardest to make reservation for". I was able to make a reservation for a large party a month in advance for a group of 5, which wasn't too bad in my opinion. Ema is located in a hotel lobby, and is a modern Mediterranean restaurant that has a slight European feel. We ended up having 7 people, and the Ema team was nice enough to accommodate us last minute. Plates here are meant to be shared, averaging about 2 plates per person. Our party of 7 people definitely ordered more than that. To name a few highlights, we absolutely loved the hummus with lamb ragu, grilled octopus, and chicken kefta kebab. We had also ordered the hamachi crudo, and didn't think that was too special. There were also plenty of signature cocktails to choose from, I got the cactus queen and thought that was very refreshing. I'm not a food expert, but overall the experience and the dishes I had mentioned was of high quality. The ambiance would have been perfect for a date night or a nice business dinner. read more