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    Recommended Reviews - Ema

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    Reviews With Photos

    Nolan F.

    Review of Frozen Greek Yogurt w/ California olive oil & sea salt only. Tastes exactly as advertised. The whole combination is very new to me and even though it won't be a craving, I enjoyed it. I think that even if it's not for you, it should be acknowledged it was executed well. Memorial weekend deal of $1 is not something most restaurants are willing to do and and honestly deserves points. No issues with service.

    Grilled Chicken Kebab
    Shelah S.

    So, my family and I decided to give a Ema another try despite my previous experience... My! My! My! What a change regarding customer service! This time around, we decided to head down there for dinner with our 7:15pm reservations. First off, it was super busy but we were promptly and warmly greeted by Ms. Ava who told us that they were clearing some tables for us. The interior decor remained absolutely stunning and I love the sounds of hustle and bustle alongside ambient lighting. When we got seated, our waiter, Taha, introduced himself and immediately put in my request for two Strawberry Rose Palomas, Lemonade, Moroccan Onion Dip in addition to the Hot Honey Holumi. Taha was kind and our drinks and small plates and hot mezze were delivered at the speed of light. I also want to note that we were constantly being checked up on, our empty drinks were filled up again, empty plates were taken away without us having to say anything. This alone deserved a gold star from me!! But I digress. The Strawberry Rose Palomas were strong but sweet at the same time. They weren't so watered down and were light and refreshing. My mom loved her lemonade although the caveat here would be to be a little lighter on the ice. Mmm.....the Moroccan Onion Dip was fantastic per usual. Tangy, succulent, all the same. The pita bread was so good as well. It was fresh and warm and we couldn't get enough. The Hot Honey Holumi was alright but I wasn't big of a fan. Besides the topping, it didn't really taste of anything and I think I could have done without it. When it came to the main meals, my dad and i ordered the grilled chicken kabob plate and my mom got the grilled branzino. When we received our food, my dad could not stop raving about how good the chicken kabob was. The rice was plentiful and the chicken was juicy, well portioned and big. Seeing as though I'm definitely a spicy girl, I ordered some extra harissa and it was delicious. Spicy and added a great kick to the chicken kabob plate. To continue on this savory journey, my mom absolutely loved her grilled branzino. It was so flaky and flavorful. It had been deboned and with the additional squeeze of lemon, it was absolutely delicious. It made my heart huge to see how satisfied my parents were with their meals. I, of course, loved my grilled chicken kabob. The chicken was cooked well with it being juicy, succulent and tender. It paired well with the rice which again was plentiful. The harissa was the perfect compliment. **Chef's Kiss** We finished the night off with the warm sticky date cake which was not too sweet but sweet enough. It was soft and gooey all at the same time. It paired nicely with the whipped cream on the side. I, as well as my parents, enjoyed it. With my overall experience this time around compared to my previous one was night and day. Honestly, the customer service this time around was light years different from my first experience which was not great and very unfortunate. Because of tonight, I could tell right away that this was an establishment who actually cared about the dining experience of its patrons. To me, a place could have the best food in the world but if the customer service lacks, your whole dining experience is lost. Although my initial experience here was not the best, this experience showed me that errors can be rectified and experiences can be turned around. Our overall experience tonight was great and I will definitely be back, bringing along others with me. The price here is pretty up there but like I always say; you get what you pay for and this experience is definitely A1 and well worth it. Shoutout to Jordan, Taha, Ava and the rest of the crew! Thanks for turning our dining experience around and we hope to see yaall again soon! Highly recommend coming here if you're into a modern, classy and high end dining experience with a fun little Mediterranean flair!

    Classic Hummus
    Annette M.

    This time we visited on a Saturday afternoon when they serve the brunch menu. Jose was a most excellent and attentive server. I enjoyed the food that I ordered. My husband's short rib sandwich looked terrible and he couldn't even eat it but brought the meat home for the dogs. Management called and reviewed this with him. The restaurant has such a beautiful ambiance that I really love.

    Saturday Lunch/ Brunch
    John M.

    Updated review. Went on a Saturday afternoon for lunch since we had a few gift cards that were expiring. This is our second time at this location and luckily we had a reservation since it was very crowded. They serve their brunch menu till 3pm on weekends but we stayed with a few of their classic entrees as well as a few new menu items Our server Jose was fantastic. I received an email from Ema for a complimentary Classic Hummus for joining their email club. It was amazing. They even had GF crackers for my wife We also had their Sweet Potato Latkes (GF) since we enjoyed them so much the last time . For our main entrees we tried something new..my wife had the Grilled Halloumi which is Greek Cheese with dates and red onion covered in a spicey Red Zhoug sauce served with basmati rice.They only give you 1 kebab tho for 19.95. I had the Braised Short Rib sandwich with hummus and purple cabbage. I would not recommend this at all! The meat was not short rib. Basically overcooked pot roast with no flavor. I didn't taste or see any hummus and the purple cabbage was just thrown on top of the pita. The za'atar fries tho were amazing. If you are looking for small plates with an emphasis on Hummus and Spreads in a beautiful setting,give Ema a try.

    Ema dinner energy!
    Joseph L.

    Exceptional Mediterranean in River North While on a Chicago college tour, my daughter made the executive decision for dinner--and it turned out to be a great call at Ema. The Food The kitchen is doing some truly creative work. We started with the Honey Crisp apple dish with Urfa pepper oil; it's a really interesting mix of flavors that worked surprisingly well. The pan-roasted cauliflower was excellent, and the grilled octopus was cooked just right--I really love octopus! The lamb and beef kefta was flavorful and satisfying, easily one of the standouts of the night. Also worth mentioning--the bread was fantastic. The Vibe & Service It was a busy Thursday night and the place was packed, which gave it a lively, energetic feel. Even with a reservation, we waited about 5 minutes for our table, but it wasn't a big deal given the crowd. Service was friendly and welcoming throughout. Drinks took a little longer than expected, but the staff stayed positive and attentive, which made a total difference. The Verdict Overall, a really solid dinner and a great atmosphere. Apologies for the lack of food photos--we were too busy enjoying the meal!. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area.

    Kesha B.

    We came by for lunch during restaurant month but shockingly enough didn't hear anything about it. But we got a few dishes to share and enjoy. To start we got the Moroccan onion dip, it was much sweeter than we anticipated but on the alternative we got the lamb ragu hummus. The onion dip was delicious, as was the hummus. The pita had pistachios and various spices on it so a fair warning for anyone with allergies. We got a side of the Brussels sprouts and the vegetables to share along with the spicy halumi and the short rib sandwich. The Brussels were delicious, the potatoes came with a small container of sauce but we weren't sure what it was. It was rather dry as well. The halloumi was delightful, we devoured that dish quickly. The short rib sandwich was also really dry, and a bit salty to our taste. But we brought it him to give it a second try and still thought the same. Overall the restaurant was stunning, and most of the dishes we tried were delicious. For the prices I would say we'd probably come back to try other dishes.

    Jesse M.

    I had such a great experience at Ema! The food was really good. We ordered the chicken kefta kabobs and the chicken kabobs, and both were packed with flavor, perfectly cooked, and honestly some of the best I've had. On top of the food, the restaurant itself is beautiful inside. The atmosphere is warm, modern, and just a really nice place to sit and enjoy a meal. You can tell a lot of thought went into the design. Definitely a spot I'll be coming back to. Highly recommend if you're in the area!

    Marina B.

    This place randomly popped up on Google Maps while I was looking for somewhere to meet my friends. The photos were so beautiful that I saved the location and went there at the first opportunity to see what it's like in person. The place is truly beautifully decorated. It reminds me of some other spots I've visited that have a tree in the middle of the restaurant. The service is excellent--the staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. And now the most important part--the food! I have no complaints at all. We ordered a few appetizers just to try things out, and I can say they were amazing! I especially loved the mushroom escargot--it was absolutely delicious. For my main course, I had the Faroe Islands salmon, and it was excellent. The flavor was a bit unusual, but truly phenomenal. All in all, a very lovely place, and I would highly recommend it to everyone.

    Crispy potatoes
    Seth K.

    Beautiful restaurant! I was there with 10 office mates for a retirement dinner. I enjoyed a Double Clutch Brewing Company Hefeweizen. Then came the food including charred eggplant, crispy potatoes, blistered green beans, and chicken kefte. Charred eggplant delicious. Crispy potatoes were entire quarters of baking potatoes beautifully crisped and salted. Blistered green beans very tasty. Chicken kefte is ground chicken on skewers with herbs and spices, succulent.

    Monic L.

    I've heard great things about Ema and finally checked it out during restuarant week. A group of friends and I had reservations and our table was ready around the reservation time. Parking is easy as they have their own lot. Once you step inside you are transported to a classy, lowkey Mediterranean vibe. Our server was very attentive. I ordered their mocktail, spinach and feta dip and the spicy brisket kefta. The pita that comes with the dip had me from the go, it was so delicious. I tried a few of the hummus because they have small plates which are meant to be shared. From start to finish service was great and food was well done

    Winnie C.

    I came here with my parents and ordered from their restaurant week lunch menu ($30) which came with one appetizer and one plate. Ema is the sister restaurant of Aba so everything resembles the restaurant in Fulton Market. We ordered a bunch and honestly the food is fine but all lack wow factor. My parents thought the chick shawma was a little dry. I personally liked the spicy corn hummus and pita bread as always but could use a larger portion. The servicer was a little slow, and no body checked on us for the first 10 minutes until I grabbed someone. But once we got our server, it was all good. There's a parking lot in front of the restaurant given it's in suburb.

    Nikhita T.

    I've been to the downtown Ema location, but this one is even bigger and the ambience is beautiful. We were a party of 25 people, and it was great because they have a private area that easily fit our large group. The service handled us perfectly. Everything was delicious. We started with the spicy hummus and the housemade labneh (which was so good!). I'm usually not a fan of eggplant or Brussels sprouts, but Ema's versions were actually really tasty. The sweet potato latkes and green falafel were also highlights. Since I only eat chicken, I tried the chicken kefta kebab, and it was definitely my favorite! The grilled halloumi kebab was also excellent. My coworkers loved the shawarma-spiced skirt steak, too. We ended with the honey cake and warm sticky date cake, both were amazing. They have a lot of Greek wines that paired perfectly with the Mediterranean food. I absolutely recommend this place for a group dinner or just a nice night out!

    Matea P.

    We headed to Ema for my birthday. After our first visit last summer, a return trip was long overdue. The drinks here are amazing. I love their cocktails. The food is good, some dishes were better than others, but the food is very expensive for such a small portion. This is not the place to go to if you want a full meal. The ambiance and service is wonderful, but I'm thinking Ema is more of a place to have drinks, and maybe one or two appetizers if you're wanting to snack a little.

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    8 days ago

    Greek frozen yogurt is amazing they have walk up window inside and it's a quick in and out it opens at 3pm

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    Great space, total vibe. Food was excellent as was the service. Will be back to explore the menu further soon!

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    Ask the Community - Ema

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    Tapas del Lago

    Tapas del Lago

    4.4
    (78 reviews)
    8.4 mi

    Wow, this place was absolutely delicious! We were seated outside and were helped right away, which…read moremade for a great start to the experience. I ordered the Tinto de Verano, and it was really good. It was a bit strong and reminded me of a sangria. For tapas, we got the #21 shrimp dish, which was packed with flavor. The combination of sauces and spices paired perfectly with the shrimp. We also ordered the #35 calamari, which was equally delicious. The calamari was light and airy, and the accompanying sauces added even more flavor. We also shared the patatas bravas, which were crispy and had a nice little kick to them. Overall, the food was excellent, the service was attentive, and the atmosphere was really enjoyable. I'd definitely come back to try more dishes!

    First of all, I could not make reservations because apparently they don't take it for less parties…read moreof four people. So we came here on a random Friday night to test our luck to get a table at 7 o'clock for two people. We got lucky and got to sit inside because that's where we wanted to sit although they do have sidewalk or outdoor seating as well. I thought sitting inside would be cooler, but I was wrong as all the doors and windows were open and I don't believe the AC was on at all. Well, the menu is pretty extensive. I will say that a vegetarian could definitely eat here as well as anyone else. This is our first visit here and as you can tell from the photos ordered quite a bit of food. And typical top of style the portions are pretty small, but they are meant to be shared. It was actually too much food for two people who were already hungry. Some of the standouts were definitely the meatballs and the salad salads. The jamon iberico was absolutely incredible. Not pictured was the picture of sangria we ordered. We got the rosé and to be quite honest with all of the heat. It actually watered down way too quickly. And it also came in a plastic picture, which was a bit of a turn off. The shrimp with garlic was good, but the garlic was hard to taste because it was also covered or doused in a lot of tomato base or tomato sauce. I was really looking forward to a very clear buttery or olive oil sauce that was saturated with garlic. The mushrooms were OK as well, but again too much tomato in this dish that I'm not used to. The potatoes were also very tasty and well seasoned, and the sauce on it was just right. I think this is a good option for people who want top us in the suburbs however, I will say that I hope they do some tweaking to the recipes as well so that they have something that truly makes them stand out and unique.

    Photos
    Spanish Wine selection
    Spanish Wine selection
    29. Salmon a la Plancha
    29. Salmon a la Plancha
    32. Albondigas ( Meatballs )

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    32. Albondigas ( Meatballs )
    Le P'tit Fusion Tapas and Bar

    Le P'tit Fusion Tapas and Bar

    4.7
    (158 reviews)
    19.8 mi
    $$

    The dining experience was one to remember! Especially due to the great hospitality and ambiance…read more Sunny and his team were very attentive and welcoming. The food has great variety with every dish leaving a lasting impression. I will definitely be returning as this was my first time here!

    My husband and I are moving to Bartlett and have been looking at the many offerings the area has to…read moreoffer since starting our build. Le P'tit was the first to pop up on my feed and immediately caught my attention due to its unique menu, historic building, and secluded outdoor oasis for the fair weather seasons. When asked where I wanted to have dinner on my birthday, the answer was easy, L'ptit! We were greeted by the Chef Chopra outside, who welcomed us and asked us to choose the seat that suited us best in or outdoors. We chose a seat outside as it seemed most guests were enjoying the nice weather in the garden. Chef Chopra introduced himself and explained the complimentary montadito, and presented the current specials. We loved that he took time to ask what brought us in, and when we said that we were building a new home in Bartlett only minutes away, he shared that although he has been all over the world he always misses good old Bartlett, IL. This is the kind of connection and service you won't find at franchise restaurants! We enjoyed cocktails, myself a dirty tini with bleu cheese stuffed olives, and my husband the traditional old fashioned and the P'tit old fashioned - both of which he enjoyed. We ordered the hummus for an appetizer - my husband never orders humus. Not a drop was left. It was so flavorful, and since I am intolerant to gluten we loved that it was served with cucumber "chips". We will definitely order this again! Our entrees were both specials - mine the steak and shrimp tower and my husband's the Birria. We could t decide whose was better. The shrimp and steak were so flavorful and beautifully cooked, and the beef and consommé of my husband's was out of this world. My takeaways from Le P'tit: We will be there - regularly, before we move into our home, and after! Have a cocktail, they are fabulous. Talk to Chef Chopra any chance you get. He has seen the world and loves to see his guests enjoying his menu and the atmosphere of his establishment. This is what supporting local is about! Enjoy your time at Le P'tit. Savor. Take a moment to slow down, disconnect from the outside and connect with the ones around you and enjoy the wonderfully and thoughtfully prepared dishes on the menu. We can't wait to be back!

    Photos
    The Side of restaurant
    The Side of restaurant
    Grilled octopus, yum!
    Grilled octopus, yum!
    The restaurant

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    The restaurant
    Patina Wine Bar

    Patina Wine Bar

    4.7
    (42 reviews)
    4.9 mi

    A regular spot of mine that never misses; great vibe, a genuinely good wine list, and food that…read morebacks it up. Highly recommend.

    We've heard very good things about Patina and we're excited to try it tonight. As soon as we…read morewalked in the staff was very kind and attentive. We love the ambiance of the restaurant. It's very peaceful, romantic and a calm atmosphere. All of the food was delicious. The plating is so attractive! The dishes have great flavor but are healthier options. The portion sizes were perfect for what we desired. I'm not exaggerating when I say this was the best branzino I've ever had. The skin was crunchy and delicious. But the fish was not dry at all! There's nothing better than a juicy branzino fish and chef Jose nailed it! Matching with the sauce and beans was so much better than any other veggies or starch. The octopus was also cooked to perfection. The flavor and temperature was just right. Not too hot and such a great texture. We don't always order desserts but we had to see every course of the menu. We decided to go with a lava cake and it did not disappoint. It had that perfect contrast of hot and cold but it's served with gelato which gives it a nice touch of texture compared to standard ice cream. Chef Jose came out and introduced himself. We came in because we were enticed by a beef tartare that was on their menu in the past. We're hoping he brings it back on a special sometime soon. He said to give him a call and he'll try to accommodate whenever possible to make his customers happy. What an amazing restaurant. We cannot wait to come back and see what's new. Thank you for an amazing dinner and night!

    Photos
    Nice wine bar with many options
    Nice wine bar with many options
    Beat salad! Great flavor mild sweetness!
    Beat salad! Great flavor mild sweetness!
    Unassuming front of a magical place

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    Unassuming front of a magical place
    Aba

    Aba

    4.4
    (2k reviews)
    15.9 mi
    $$$

    Stylish Fulton Market Brunch with Great Food and Service…read more Booked brunch for two on OpenTable at Aba in Fulton Market, and it's easy to see why this spot is so popular. The space is beautiful--open, bright, full of natural light, and stylish without feeling overdone. We ordered the Short Rib Shakshuka, which was flavorful with just a hint of spice and a generous portion size. The warm, soft pita served alongside was perfect for dipping. The Steak and Eggs was also excellent--the steak and eggs were cooked perfectly, and the fried potatoes were a standout: crispy on the outside while still moist and tender inside. Portion sizes were just right. We also tried both of the recommended brunch cocktails, and they were strong, flavorful, and well balanced. Service from Mike was great--friendly, efficient, and attentive throughout the meal. Overall, Aba delivered a polished and enjoyable brunch experience. Highly recommend, and based on what we tasted, I'd absolutely come back to try dinner.

    It was our first time dining here, stopping in on a Saturday for lunch. We managed to snag seats at…read morethe bar, but if you plan to visit, I'd definitely recommend reserving a table. We ordered the grilled chicken kebab along with the tuna and watermelon. The chicken was moist and well-cooked, but the tuna and watermelon dish was disappointing. There was no watermelon at all, and the seasoning was overwhelmingly salty. The cucumber and mint spritz was refreshing, but the bartender was new and not very attentive. Overall, the experience fell short of expectations.

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Frozen Greek yogurt
    Frozen Greek yogurt
    Braised Braised Beef Short Rib

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    Braised Braised Beef Short Rib

    Ema - mediterranean - Updated July 2026

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