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I recently visited the Glenview location of Ema to celebrate a birthday, and it was a wonderful experience overall. From the moment we walked in, I was impressed. The restaurant is absolutely beautiful with a warm, cozy atmosphere. It feels upscale without being pretentious, which made it a great place for a special occasion. Our server was friendly and helpful, so we asked for recommendations and ended up ordering a variety of dishes to share. We started with the Sweet Corn Hummus, which came with their complimentary pita bread. The pita was phenomenal! It isn't your typical plain pita you find at most Mediterranean restaurants. It has a delicious seasoning that makes it incredibly flavorful, and paired perfectly with the sweet corn hummus. We also tried the Moroccan Onion Dip. It has a slightly sweet flavor with noticeable cardamom notes. While it wasn't bad, it wasn't quite what I was expecting. Next time, I'll probably order the popular spicy whipped feta instead. One of our favorite dishes of the night was the Hamachi & Charred Avocado. It was light, fresh, and packed with flavor. Every bite was delicious. We also shared the Brussels Sprouts & Honeycrisp Apple Salad. The dressing was fresh and flavorful, but I realized I'm just not a fan of raw Brussels sprouts. The texture was a little too tough for my liking. That's on me--I should have asked beforehand if they were served raw. I think I'd enjoy it much more if the sprouts were roasted, so I probably wouldn't order this one again. For our hot mezze, we chose the Sweet Potato Latkes. They were very tasty with great flavor, although they were just a little on the greasy side. For our entrées, we ordered the Faroe Islands Salmon and the Shawarma-Spiced Skirt Steak Frites. The salmon kebabs over rice were my favorite dish of the evening. They were perfectly cooked, incredibly flavorful, and something I'd absolutely order again. The skirt steak had great flavor as well. Although we requested medium, it came out closer to medium-rare. Thankfully, I'd rather have it slightly under than overcooked. The only disappointment on the plate was the fries--they tasted dry, almost like they had been refried instead of served fresh. The highlight of the meal, however, was dessert. The Triple Chocolate Torte was absolutely incredible. It wasn't overly sweet, the chocolate mousse was smooth and creamy, and the cake itself was rich, velvety, and decadent without being heavy. It was the perfect ending to the meal. And as part of the birthday celebration they served us frozen yogurt with sumac strawberry sauce which was so delicious. Overall, we had a fantastic birthday dinner. While there were a couple of dishes I probably wouldn't order again, the excellent service, inviting atmosphere, and several standout dishes made for a memorable experience. I would definitely come back to try more of the menu.
Delicious! The hummus both were so yummy. The pita bread that comes with is soooo good! It is warm and garlic/buttery taste. Both entree were very flavorful. Okay and the dessert! I recommend the date cake. Service was very good. Diana was our server and she was attentive and knew the menu well. Had good recs as well. Such a cute place! Also family friendly. Has a family bathroom and women's bathroom has a changing table. Not sure about men's bathroom.
Great cocktails and dishes. Highly recommend giving the honey cake a try; it is delicious. Almost reminds me of flan and crème brulee. I'll be dreaming about it! Also tried the feta dip, corn hummus and chicken kefta kabob which was delicious.
This place had been on my radar for a while now so when a friend mentioned they we're interested too I booked us a lunch! Great ambiance right away walking in. The look of this place is definitely part of the draw, you couldn't ask for a nicer backdrop. We we're seated right away at a nice table. We went over the menu and got a rundown from our servers about dish sizes and what was good to share or more of an entree, which was helpful. Really nice service here, mimicking high end city restaurants. We landed on some hummus with pita, falafel, kefta kabob, and chicken with rice and salad. All very well executed. The pita and hummus were probably my favorite of the things we tried, really tasty and the pita was actually seasoned too. Perfect pita. Kabob was super tender and had good flavor. I also tried one of their cocktails, the cactus queen. Pretty decent, a little plain. I liked this spot a lot! I need to come back and try some more stuff. I wasn't as blow away with the flavors as I hoped I'd be, everything was good but at the price point here I had hoped to leave more satisfied. I think the play here might be lots of small plates and maybe wine over cocktails if your in that mood. Will definitely return for the service and ambiance!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
I met my friends at Ema one early evening and it was like we were at some coastal California or Mediterranean getaway far from suburban Glenview. The ambience is chill and relaxed and the foliage and bright and beach decor -- it felt like an episode of The White Lotus. We had a fun experience sampling the small plates. We tried: mushroom escargot, Moroccan onion dip, chicken Kefta, Brussels sprouts, hot honey halloumi. Our favorites were the Brussels sprouts and the halloumi. My friend, who originally thought the restaurant palate was not in her wheelhouse, ended up guarding the halloumi plate (from the staff who were trying to be helpful by bussing the plate) because she was enjoying the sauce so much. We enjoyed all of the dishes and the guidelines were 2-3 plates per person but we had plenty to share. My passionfruit G&T was a little more tart than I preferred and my friend didn't love her Do Not Disturb with cucumber and mint. I think if we'd have switched drinks we would have been pleased. Great service, nice staff. I'll be back to this charming and chill getaway tucked into this suburban slice if Glenview. read more
OMG! This was the best thing ever. The pita was so soft, hummus was amazing! The falafel was great and drinks fantastic. The onion dip also five star! Highly highly recommend. The service was quick and the place was packed but not noisy. read more
Beautiful dining room. Great! Food service was a little slow but overall it was a good experience. The hummus was really delicious as was the bread. I think that was the highlight. The broccoli was good too and they were responsive to our food allergy so it was a very nice experience and will return. read more
9 months ago
Finally got to try this stunning restaurant! It's been on my radar for awhile since moving to Glenview. It's gorgeous in there and feels so airy, reminds me of something you would see in Chicago. Our server was the sweetest! She recommend a special that everyone was raving about and helped us picked out a drink. The chicken kebab were very juicy and just enough food without being too much. I heard they just launched a happy hour so looking forward to dropping in again soon! read more
7 months ago
This place was beautiful outside and inside. It fell so welcoming and fresh and clean ( until I opened my napkin and it was stained ) However despite that it's a place I would recommend based on the service, the food and the vibes. Cocktail Do Not Disturb was SO good read more
My husband and I went for a late brunch on a Saturday and got right in when we made a reservation. The place was very aesthetically pleasing, and it reminded us of the sister restaurant Aba in the city. Our server was able to tell us how many plates to order between two of us and it was just enough food. The food that we did order was very good and I love the family style concept because you get to try a bunch of things and you don't have to commit to one . The drinks were good, but I think they're a little inconsistent when it came to different bartenders making the same drink . I know this place was really cute and the food was really good and I will definitely come back to try all the other things they have on the menu . read more
18 days ago
3 months ago
I was here for a business lunch. Service is always good. Food was great. Mocktails were nice and fruity. read more
Came here with my girl friends and we all loved the food and vibe at this restaurant. The interior design gives a calm boho modern vibe with plenty of natural sunlight. The waiter was so kind and sweet toward us; making sure everything was delicious and perfect. The food was absolutely a hit especially the panna cotta. Definitely order the panna cotta when you come here, you will not regret it. Definitely coming back. Make sure to make a reservation couple days ahead. read more
This place is gorgeous! So beautifully decorated with a lot of seating and brightness to it. Our server was friendly and attentive during our dining. The food was great. I went with two friends and we ended up getting way more food than needed but truly wanted to try so many things. Upset I didn't take more pictures as they're nicely plated but we were ready to dig in. I absolutely loved the Moroccan onion dip spread with pita - divine. We also got the smoky avocado hummus - yum! Blistered green beans were okay - I'm not a huge mushroom fan but my friends really liked it. Hot honey halloumi was fantastic. We got the chicken kefta which was good but I preferred the spicy brisket kefta, lots of flavor! Also tried the olive oil Greek yogurt which sounds weird but works so well - it almost tasted like a lemon yogurt and was delicious. Will definitely be back to try out some other items. read more
10 months ago
I love the food at both Ema and Aba. Love their restaurants so much!! I've been to the downtown Ema location but this was my first time at the Glenview location! First, its beautiful inside and I loved the ceiling window with all the natural light. The crowd favorites were the Moroccan dip and sweet corn hummus for starters! The flavor profile was incredible. I chose the halibut as my entree cause I usually dont eat that at home. The halibut comes on a bed of mushrooms and broth. Very delicious!! I would recommend this place to everyone! read more
4 months ago
5 months ago
I was able to find delicious vegan options including an amazing dessert! The service was top notch our server Gio was very helpful helping me figure out what I could order and was attentive despite the busy lunch hour. I ordered the Brussel sprouts, hummus with the gluten free crisps because the pita isn't vegan, and for dessert I enjoyed the vegan coconut crémeux. read more
I was really impressed by the decor, so elegant and beautiful, it was giving west coast vibes. Definitely make reservations if you plan on dining here as it was pretty packed during dinner time. Drinks: I had the Do Not Disturb and the Passion Fruit G&T. Both were light, refreshing, and not overly sweet. One thing to note though is that this location doesn't offer happy hour, but the Chicago one does. Food: -Classic hummus: smooth and flavorful with crunchy chickpeas on top. Pita bread was soo fluffy, warm, and seasoned well. P.s. you can ask for more pita, it's free! -Green falafel: crispy outside, soft inside, however ours was slightly burnt. What saved the dish was the sauce on the bottom, so yummy! -Spicy brisket kefta: meat was cooked perfectly and lots of flavor on the plate. FYI we requested the bbq on the side. Our server was nice, but he disappeared after collecting our orders and we didn't see him again until we were ready for the check. Not a big deal because there was lots of staff walking around. Overall a luxurious experience and I loved coming here for girls night. I would love to try Ema again but the Chicago location for their happy hour. read more
YOU HAVE TO COME! food is INSANELY good, ambiance is perfection, service is so attentive. 10/10! the g&t was really refreshing, brussels sprouts were roasted perfectly, king salmon with the curry was a nice touch, and cauliflower kababs which were insanely delicious! read more
5 months ago
An amazing experience at the glenview location great ambiance and awsome service. The food was really good small plates but you will feel full really quickly. We ordered 4 dishes ans all were amazing. Great spot just to hang out or for a date. Will definitely be back. read more
Great experience, they were running 30min Behind on reservations, the mgr was really nice and comped two appetizers spreads. We did the restaurant week menu and the food was delicious. They have what they call a free or open flow kitchen so food came out as soon as it was done, which was fine although it did take awhile to get through appetizers as they came out one at a time, so we got our main course roughly and an hr and 15 minutes into our dinner service. Other than that - everything was delicious and the restaurant is beautiful inside. Wonderful light and airy decor, modern with plants all around. Would definitely recommend and go back. Friendly staff. They were just super busy! Favorites: Labneh spread Chicken kabob Brussels salad Date cake! read more
1 year ago
My friend was visiting me from Seattle and I wanted to take him to a nice restaurant. I thought of Ema in Glenview which is closer to me and easy to access. I been to downtown location so I had an idea about the menu. This place is nicely located - very spacious and great interior decor. We ordered few drinks and couple of dips. Everything was delicious and our service to table was also excellent. I have already told my friends to visit this soon. read more
2 months ago
1 year ago
I must say, this place is amazing!!! We went here to celebrate a birthday with the fam. I really love tapas style restaurants so I was very excited to eat here, especially since Mediterranean cuisine is a fav of mine. Reservations were made from their web site. We listed specific allergies for one person attending through the online reservation. As we arrived, we were seated immediately and the place was pretty busy. We were greeted by our server and she was great as she was aware of the allergens and wanted to know who had them. She said she would work closely with the staff on any of the dishes and whether they can substitute or remove ingredients. The manager came to our table and reassured us that he would be looking at the ingredients as well before it goes out. As I sat at the table, the decorations and dining area was very nice. Had enough balance between light and dark. We sat at a table that had a tree next to it. It was really cool. We ordered a ton of mini plates, it was hard to choose from but landed on a few dishes: Spicy Hummus with Pita, Truffled Salmon, Spinach and Feta Spread, Falafels, Hot Honey Halloumi, Crispy Potatoes, Broccoli Florets, Sweet Potato Latke, Brisket Kabobs, Chicken and Rice, Steak Frites and for desserts: Honey Cake, Chocolate Torte, Frozen Greek Yogurt and Vanilla Pannacotta. The Spicy Hummus was delicious and had a nice but not too much spice to it. The pita was soft, fluffy and tasty. The spinach feta spread was creamy. I found my self asking for more pita so I can continue switching between the hummus and spinach spread. The falafels were crisp on the outside and was soft on the inside. The Hot Honey Halloumi was had The nice balance of sweetness and spice, I really loved the crispy potatoes, however some pieces were too hard, my favorite was the broccoli florets, it melted in your mouth - it was so good. The sweet potato Latke was tasty and had right amount of crisp to it. I was informed that the brisket kabob was good but not his favorite, the chicken was devoured so I think that speaks for itself. The steak frites had a nice sear on it and was cooked to the right temp, It was cashed a repeat dish for the future. The truffled salmon did but have over bearing truffle. All the desserts were tasty but my fav was the Honey cake. Overall, it was a great birthday celebration. We had good food, good service and awesome conversations and laughs. We def will be back again. read more
3 months ago
I had a birthday dinner. The wine was awesome and food was good. The server was kind enough to get me a complimentary frozen yogurt. You gotta try their yogurt!!! read more
2 months ago
Ema will be added to my go to list when I'm craving for Mediterranean food! Restaurant was easy to find and there is plenty of parking in their parking lot. Ambiance is amazing at the restaurant! Trendy and upscale feel with a hint of modern vibe. Perfect for client lunch/ dinner, and date night! They also have a private dining room area in the back if you want to host a big party. Our party ordered mimosas to start. We each picked 2 dishes to share and that was more than enough for the 3 of us. Hummas with lamb ragu, Moroccan onion dip, Broccoli Florets, Crispy Potatoes , Chicken Kefta Kebabs and Faroe Islands Salmon Kebab were all very delicious! The Hummas with lamb was very tender. Onion dip is a bit on the heavy and sweet side. Broccoli was very crispy and flavorful. Crispy potatoes are exactly what it sounds like. Just, crispy potatoes. Between the two kebabs, the salmon was my favorite. Very tender and perfectly seared. Paired very well with basmati rice! They do add a 3% surcharge to the bill. You can have that surcharge taken off prior to paying. read more
2 years ago
Love that Ema has opened a second location in Northshore! Driving up to the restaurant, I had my hesitancies on how this location could compete with downtown but walking inside, you are immediately transported. The design is impeccable having a light and bright palette, accent lighting and trees, and mixture of patterns & textures. The central atrium skylight added great natural light to the space that was needed. The group I came with decided to share a variety of dishes as the waiter recommended. We ordered the Moroccan Onion Dip, Tahini Caesar, Brown Butter Dates, Green Falafel, and Chicken Kefta Kabob. My personal favorites were the Moroccan Onion Dip that came across more sweet than expected paired with the seasoned pita as well as the Green Falafel which paired great with the Beet Tzatziki. We finished with the Triple Chocolate Torte which was perfect to split. I also ordered the Do Not Disturb cocktails. It was described as "boozy spa water" which was spot on to taste. I left feeling full, happy I got to try so many dishes, and feeling like it was a great value for quality of food. read more
Ema is a new Mediterranean establishment in Glenview (at the Glen) that one of my girlfriends recommended we try! I would definitely make a reservation! The inside transforms you out of the Northshore suburbs and makes you feel like you're in downtown Chicago or another beautiful city. It has an upscale feel so it's perfect for a date night or mom's night out in our case! The service was wonderful. I ordered a frozen drink and it appeared in less than three minutes like magic. One of the waitresses accidentally broke some glass and we were immediately checked on. The team worked well together and everyone was really kind. The food was yummy! We ordered a bunch of plates to share which I recommend. It's elevated Mediterranean so think fancy hummus and kabobs and rice or traditional dishes with a fun twist like sweet potato pancakes! All in all the food was fantastic. Notes: Plenty of lot parking. They have the best soap in the bathrooms! Make sure to check out the beautiful lighting and decor! read more
Having checked out the Chicago location anout a year ago, we decided to make a last minute reservation for lunch today at the Glenview location and surprisingly they had a lot of availability during the holidays. Juwaan was our server today and was so friendly and informative about the restaurants second location! The ambience and feel throughout the place was amazing. They've been open for about 3 months now and we can't wait to come back to check it out during the spring/summer. It looks like they'll be opening up the windows in the back room during the summer which will give it such a great vibe. We started off with the hummus w/ Lamb ragu, which was so flavorful and tender! For the entree we tried the grilled chicken kebob platter (not pictured), the grilled chicken was so juicy and perfectly seasoned. I was so hungry after hitting the gym, that I didn't realize I hadn't snapped a picture until my very last bite They have a pretty good sized dessert menu- it was so hard to decide which one to get but our Juwaan recommended the Triple Chocolate torte which was to die for!!! It was soft and not too sweet. I will be trying the frozen yogurt next time as I saw multiple people ordering that as well. Over a 4.5/5! read more
Ema is a cute place that totally targets women. Nothing wrong with that at all. When we were there it was a bunch of ladies' night out groups, a few families and several couples. It is a trendy and upscale (see expensive) small plates Mediterranean restaurant. The music is a bit loud and is hard to hear for conversation at the table. Our server was pleasant enough, but seemed like she was interested in larger parties ordering more drinks than us (me a diet soda and my wife had water). She seemed to not visit our table all that often and we had to flag down other servers for help or refills. The way the menu is set up, you should get your plates staggered between dishes. And I think our server didn't see a big tip from us (don't worry, she didn't and I always tip well) so she put in all our dishes and they came out all at the same time even though we were told that they wouldn't come out that way. It looked like we were at a Golden Coral with a million plates on our table. A little embarrassing and there was no room for all the plates so we had to condense the food onto larger plates to make room for everything. My wife and I know we're not the best when ordering small sharable plates as our palates don't match the best. She's more fish and vegetarian, and I'm more red meat (which she doesn't even eat), so sharing was a bit harder for us. Additionally, there isn't a ton of items for me to choose from due to my palate. She was in heaven and wants to go back with her girlfriends (see above). I love Mediterranean food, but Ema was clearly not the place for me. The food was tasty, but pricey for the portions and location (suburbs, not downtown Chicago), so the juice really didn't match the squeeze for me. I understand being trendy and upscale, but let your food be the bar, not the price. I won't be back, but maybe my wife will. Probably not. read more
Stopped in for lunch and fell in love! The wait staff was amazing, the food was quick and delicious, though they were tapas size they were still big, and the inside of this place was so pretty!! I will definitely be going back with friends. The bathrooms were very luxurious as well, and overall the restaurant was clean! read more
1 month ago
2 years ago
Ema River North or Ema Glenview? As a surburanite I am 10000% going to Ema Glenview from now on. Parking is waaaay easier since this location has a designated parking lot and you don't have to pay for it. Design wise this location is a replica (if not, pretty darn similar) to the location at River North. It is bright, beautiful and calming. There are booths, standard tables and a bar area. As soon as you walk in there is a cute waiting area that can also be used as a photo op spot as well. I was here for a weekend brunch and enjoyed my time here. My friend and I were 1 of the first people to arrive since they had just opened for service. Within 30 mins the place was jam packed. Service stayed consistent for the most part. Towards the end it did start to slow down, however, I expected this considering how busy it was. For drinks I tried the passion fruit G&T and it was delicious and presented well. I really like when cocktails have garnishes as it brings in the full experience for me. My friend got the Mockingbird mocktail and that was also super cute! We also had still water which I thought tasted weird. IDK what it was but it was NOT good. For food we shared a total of 5 plates. My favorites were the Moroccan onion dip, chicken kefta kebab and the triple chocolate torte. The 1 plate I'd pass on is the sweet potato latkes. We were told this is 1 of their best sellers but I thought it was just 'fine.' Keep in mind Ema is on the pricey side and they are smaller plates. This is a spot where you definitely feel that you are also paying for the atmosphere and service. In my opinion though, it's worth it. read more
4 months ago
2 months ago
Love love love this place. I have never had anything that I do not like at ēma. I have been to the Chicago location in Fulton Market and today visited the Glenview location (Chicago suburbs). Every little detail is amazing. The ambiance and decor is first class. The space is so bright and upscale. The waiters and staff are al ll very friendly and attentive. Every bite of food is worth the price. I decided to bring my parents here for lunch as we all love Mediterranean food, but they have never tried it like this. Ēma is amazing even for vegetarians as they have SOOO many options. To start off we ordered some drinks. I tried the Mockingbird cocktail and it was very refreshing. It's not sweet which I liked. You can definitely taste the bitters so if you're not a fan of bitters, I recommend different drink. For appetizers we order the Mushroom "Escargot", Hot Honey Halloumi cheese, and Japanese Eggplant. The escargot comes in a very hefty steel bakeware that makes it just the right amount of crispy and they added the best spices on top. I need to get me one of these steel bakeware as it seems to cook mushrooms perfectly. The halloumi hit the spot with the hot honey spices. What I love is they are not cheap and sparse with the spices and the sauces. I hate when restaurants drizzle just a small amount of sauce and you e d up eating flavorless parts. This had you experiencing all the flavors in EVERY bite. The eggplant makes anyone who hates eggplant rethink it. They are thinly sliced and slightly crispy with fresh ingredients and garnished on top like pomegranate, chives, and tahini. We devoured every last bite of the apps. They also have seasoned, warm and fluffy pita bread that has a bunch of spices on it that makes it perfect and was so filling. It took a bit longer to get the meals out after that so we were glad they refilled the bread and he also kept asking if we wanted more. I loved that since usually you have to ask them to refill. For our meals, my parents got the Green Falafel sandwich with a side of fries, my brother got the Romanesco Cauliflower Kebab, and I got the Spicy Brisket Kefta Kebab. The falafel sandwiches come with 2 half sandwiches so you can definitely share depending o how hungry you are. I like that they put tomatoes and cabbage inside and it wasn't just plain. It had a ton of flavor. The fries are also seasoned and cooked crispy and not oily. Ny brother said this was the best cauliflower he has had. The charred flavors with the labneh and Aleppo peppers and honey were the perfect combination of flavors. My kefta kebab was absolutely perfect. Juicy, tender brisket and the perfect mix of sauces and tzatziki. It had some purple cabbage and charred onions with mini lettuce boats to make mini wraps. It was so fresh and light. After the meal, we didn't feel overly full and bloated. Everything seems freshly picked out and well thought it. Kudos to the chef for making such a great menu and playing with so many flavors. Everyone was pleased with the meal and we will definitely be back. I want to come back for dinner as the desserts are also amazing. We didn't get any for lunch but I have tried them at the Chicago location. This restaurant is also part of the Lettuce Eats rewards. We saw they had a large party celebrating something special and I am definitely interested in coming here for a big celebration. I hope they expand and bring them to more locations! (As a Cincinnatian now, I hope they expand there!) read more
Big space inside and great seating area to wait. Table is little tight to each other. Service was really slow. I ordered the drink after wait have been told it is out. New drink came faster than previous wait. I had dine with downtown Ema so familiar with concept. Tapa style but food were not paired great. Non alcoholic mocking bird - 4/5 - great drink but pricey for the size. Spicy hummus - 4/5 - warm pita but lack spice Falafel- 4/5 - good taste Brussel sprout - 4/5 crispy little sweet for my taste Potato - 2/5 - big peieces with lack of seasoning. Large plate Hallomi - 3/5 - little sweet for my taste I have been charged for the drink twice and got corrected after I pointed out. read more
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Ema - mediterranean - Updated August 2026
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