Rotisserie Ema

Nice location in downtown area of Chicago. Tables are very small for a group of four. Service is reasonably good. Well stocked bar and the menu is Mediterranean cuisine. Food was very good though the portions were a bit small.

LOVE IT. DON'T MISS IT when you are around Navy Pier / Millennium Park or anywhere near State street in the Chicago downtown. Everything about this place is awesome. Finding a table during weekends is almost impossible. Overall: 5/5 Location: 5/5 On Illinois and Clark. Right in the heart of Chicago downtown. One mile from Navy Pier. Ambience: 5/5 - Amazing ambience with great interiors. It has two bar counters too. It has extraordinary outdoor seating on the clark street. A proper fine dining experience. Taste: 5/5 - We tasted two entrees (Chiken Kabak & Shrimp and Polenta) and one dessert (Sticky date cake). The tastes if all the dishes are very pleasing to pallet. The aroma in the rice is so pleasing. As we left the restaurant, we felt so happy for chosing the place. Best refined Mediterranean place. Service: 5/5 - Even with 100 people seated, when we arrived, we were served the food in 15 minutes. Sooooper fast. We booked for the next day again. We loved it so much.

Rotisserie Ema is quick casual, self-serve Mediterranean salad bar located at the back of Ema and only opens for lunch on weekdays. At $10.79/lb, it is a good healthy option for office workers nearby. All orders get a free complimentary pita. I liked the rotisserie chicken, well-seasoned and quite juicy. Warm sumac chicken and lamb & beef kefta were too dry. Today, they had classic and spicy hummus and I preferred the later by not much. However, they were both quite similar or even a bit drier than the prepacked hummus options at grocery stores. Out of all the sauces, the harissa was definitely the tastiest. I didn't like how unusually sweet their zhoug was.

Very crowded, no coat check. In a hotel. Expensive valet, bathrooms in hotel lobby. Slow service. Mediterranean small plates. I was there for fixe price 10 course family style Portiguese wine dinner. Good food, spicy, small plates, seafood, lots of beans. Get the roasted carrots. Happy hour specials at small bar.

Stopped here today (Labor Day) and they had the fro yo with SO many toppings. How do we get this to be a thing? Absolutely delicious and the best toppings like Beatrix chocolate cake, Beatrix cookies, graham cracker dust, potato chips. The best treat ever.

Loved the sweet corn hummus, hot honey halloumi and the salmon Kebab

Food here is amazing! The hummus and pita, and kabbas are a must try! Book the table before you come..it gets very busy.

Ema was beautiful.. the food was delicious. We had the lamb, labneh and salmon. Finished it all off with the honey pie. I highly recommend this restaurant. The food is fresh, filling and Devine. I also had a Rosè spritzer.

Ema nails Mediterranean flavors, and the chicken kebab is proof! Perfectly cooked--juicy and tender--with sauces that steal the show. Even if you order to-go, it's still amazing after making the long journey. If you liked Aba, don't forget Ema. I highly recommend. -AT

Q I visited this restaurant several times over the years. The ambience is wonderful. It's an awesome little restaurant attached to the lobby of in Abraham hotel. The service is always great and the food is pretty good. It isn't traditional Mediterranean, but it definitely stays true to the Mediterranean flare. Portions are not huge, although they are meant for sharing. Overall, a consistently good meal in a pretty local.

Ema has definitely become a new go-to spot for sharing small plates! I visited with a couple of friends for drinks and a few dishes to share. We arrived slightly after our reservation time, but the staff was very accommodating. They saved our table and kindly let us know that we'd need to finish by a certain time, which was completely understandable. The interior is stunning. The vibes were relaxed that blended Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences with dimmed lighting set the mood. Once we were seated, our server immediately attended to us and was ready to offer recommendations when we asked, as this was our first time. We ended up ordering the hummus with lamb ragu and pita bread, lamb and beef kefta, and delicata squash farrotto which were all recommended by our server. For drinks, we ordered the passion fruit G&T. Our server's recommendations were spot on! Everything was absolutely delicious and we were literally scraping the plates by the end of the meal. I'll definitely be back with more friends for drinks and small plates to share in the future!

We visited during restaurant so it was quite crowded. The tables are relatively close to each other making it pretty warm in the restaurant. Everything was delicious, fresh and flavorful. The serving sizes were large enough to share and bring left overs home.

Ema is just freaking so gooood!!! Came here years ago and I knew when I came back to Chicago I had to come back. I came to Chicago for a business trip and everyone else wanted to go to this burger joint but I knew I wanted to come here and I'm so glad I did. 1. I love that they have a happy hour menu! 2. I love their ambience 3. I love their food You cannot go wrong with the hummus, brussel sprouts and their chicken rice kabob plate. Their meat is so tender and so juicy. The hummus and bRussell sprouts are so flavorful by far the best brussel sprouts I ever had. I still can't believe I ordered all 3 and was able to finish these items all by myself. I definitely recommend sitting at the bar for the happy hour menu prices. I think it's only at the bar but I could be wrong. Anyways I had a lovely time I chatted it up with random people and I just had a blast!! I even had a man insist on me trying the ice cream and he bought it for me which was really sweet and kind. My tummy couldn't handle it but it was nice to have a bite. I love the chicken kefta and the hummus my ooh my sooo creamy. One of my top spots when visiting Chicago. I highly recommend. 5 stars in my book!!

If you're looking for a CHI spot with great food and a comfy ambiance, this is it! Ema is connected to River North's Hyatt hotel. We made reservations for a group of 3 on a 6pm Sat evening and were seated right away. Our server was lovely and gave solid recs. MUST HAVES are the Green Falafel and Brussel Sprouts! The tahini with the Falafels paired perfectly + the Agricola's sauce with the Brussel Sprouts and pumpkin seeds was delicious! The Crispy Potatoes are good, but nothing special. I enjoyed the Lamb & Beef Kefta Kebabs more than the Chicken, imo. Overall, will keep this spot bookmarked for solid, reliable, and yummy Mediterranean food in the city!

This place is super cute to say the least. Seems like a great place to go for a date night or girls night. The service was ok, nothing to write home about. The food was decent. I had the brussel sprouts and crispy potatoes. The crispy potatoes were my favorite of the two. I also enjoyed their house made hot sauce. It was very flavorful and was great on the potatoes. If you're looking for a cute place to go for a night out this place fits the bill, but I've had better Mediterranean food.

Another incredible meal from Ema! I was so excited to be back in the city and at this restaurant. We made reservations, which I would recommend on a Friday night, but some people were able to get in without them. We started off with the Garlic Almond dip which was once again incredible. Their pita is better than any other pita I've ever had. For side dishes, we got the crispy potatoes and Brussels sprouts. Both are so incredible, especially the Brussels sprouts. By the time we got to main dishes, I was barely hungry, but still enjoyed the lamb & beef Kafta. Make sure to save room for dessert because their honey pie is incredible. Overall an incredible atmosphere, very friendly workers, and amazing food. Will be back here plenty when living in the city this summer.

Celebrated my birthday early with family and shared delicious tapas & appetizers like spicy eggplant, short rib hummus & nicely warmed pita bread. My faves were the kebobs: juicy beef, awesome halibut & chicken (a bit dry but still tasty). The Sauvignon blanc was a crisp, cool & fresh accompaniment. Atmosphere is bright, well designed, cheerful, festive. Our fantastic waiter, José, was very polite, professional, prompt & attentive. So much that I remembered him as my exemplary waiter at last year's bday dinner on the quaint outdoor patio. Parking is tight as area is usually hopping. Good luck finding a meter & recommend Spot Hero which is a good cheaper option than valet. Easy 5 min walk from garage.

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

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

Ambiance is great. Very classy and modern but still feels natural/rustic. I ordered the "unbothered" mocktail and that was very good! Don't think it could be made any better so that was a 10/10. I ordered the pan-roasted cauliflower for my main dish, and it was delicious. It came with some yogurt cheese on the side and the flavors and crispiness were just right. The only reason I took off a star is because it was quite hard to eat it. Since it was a giant cauliflower, I had to use a steak knife, and even then I had to carefully cut it and was time-consuming. It was just kind of an hassle that I think could be fixed by serving multiple, smaller cauliflowers. Our waiter was very nice and checked up on us just enough times, filled up our waters frequently, and let us talk. I made an online reservation for 7:15pm at 6:15pm for the same night, and was seated right away when I checked in.

Perhaps it's because I've had way better Mediterranean food, I felt that these dishes were just average or slightly above average. However, the octopus was overcooked, too charred, bitter and chewy. While they took the charge off our check, it overshadowed the rest of my experience. We started off with eggplant spread and pita. It's above average, pita bread was very good, but the spread was ordinary to me. We also ordered the watermelon tuna crudo which was very light and refreshing, and we fully enjoyed. The octopus as mentioned above was very disappointing. The lamb and beef kebab was above average good but nothing out of the world. Overall, the food was okay, service was great, and the place does have pretty nice and relatively quiet ambience for a date night. I would come back again to give it a second try but this first visit I was certainly a bit disappointing.

Cute lil sister restaurant to Aba. Very busy on a Saturday night We had Rebecca as our server & she was sooo sweet !! I was shocked how the food tastes exactly the same as Aba!! 8/10 lamb hummus Okay I usually hateeee lamb but I was shocked by this. It doesn't taste gamey to me and was pretty good! Only giving it an 8 because the portion was realllllyyy small. Even the hummus seemed like half the portion size we normally get at Aba 10/10 crispy potatoes Wow I love how crispy they are but not greasy!! Also love the Parmesan on them. Definitely get these!! 9/10 Brussel sprouts Cooked well, nice sweet flavor 7/10 chicken kabob I had to check my chicken about 12 times because it was pink and seemed undercooked. Other than that the flavor was really good and as always LOVE the rice ! Hubs had the old fashioned and loved it I had the slow cheetah which was fantastic but I found it to be overly sweet. Rebecca was happy to have them remake it for me not as sweet. Definitely recommend this cocktail if you like spicy! My only complaint was we spent $160 and I felt that was a lil high for the smaller portions and the ambiance here.

The ambiance is awesome when we first entered the restaurant. Very cute if you're looking for a nice dinner. We ordered hummus, falafel, and lamb and beef kefta. I can say this is one of the best Mediterranean food I have ever tried! We got the hummus and pita bread, and the pita breads were really fresh and hot. It was also very well-seasoned. I highly recommend getting hummus for appetizer because it immediately hooked my palate! The falafel was also spot on with the freshly made flavors and the seasoning. It was not too dry but packed with flavors of freshness. Lastly, the lamb and beef kefta was definitely stronger, so it doesn't suit my taste as much. But I was still satisfied with the portion it came with.

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

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

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

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

We did a walk-in around 3pm on a weekday and were seated without a wait. The restaurant is beautiful - bright, warm, and airy. The staff were all friendly. We really appreciated our server, who gave us great recommendations on what to order based on our preferences. Now for food, they have a decent menu with 4-5 items in each category (spreads, vegetables, raw, cold mezze, hot mezze, seafood, and kebabs). They recommend ordering 2-3 dishes per person and sharing. We ordered 4 dishes for two, and had leftovers to take home. Based on our server's recommendations we ordered the spread sampler, lamb and beef kefta, farro risotto, and chicken sandwich. * spread sampler: we ordered spicy hummus, labneh, and toasted almond & garlic. This was 10 out of 10 - some of the best hummus I've had. The favorite of the three was the toasted almond and garlic, which had great flavor and texture. I also appreciated that it was served with lots of different veggies and house bread. * fried chicken sandwich: the chicken was perfectly fried with beet tzatziki, arugula, pickles and challah. 9 out of 10. The beet tzatziki was soooo good!! * farro risotto: this was my least favorite dish. I'm not sure if it was the asparagus or the flavors, I didn't enjoy it. 4 out of 10 * lamb and beef kefta: this was also a 10 out of 10. The meat was tender, juicy, and flavorful. I really liked the basmati rice that was served with it. Overall, the food was amazing and I'll definitely be back!

Ema's ambience embodies a luminous and airy aesthetic, imbued with a touch of Californian nonchalance. This bright and breezy atmosphere sets the stage for a delightful exploration of the Mediterranean. My initial foray was the "spicy toothpick lamb" ($19). This dish featured tender morsels of lamb redolent with cumin, artfully presented alongside a house yogurt. The lamb itself was commendably supple, boasting a subtle yet piquant kick that awakened the palate. Next, I ventured towards the house-made labneh ($15). This creation showcased spring peas in their verdant glory, complemented by diminutive thumbelina carrots and a bed of lentils. The labneh, a delightful yogurt cheese, served as the foundation for this symphony of textures and flavors. A lemon vinaigrette added a touch of refreshing acidity, further elevating the dish. The accompanying fresh-baked pita bread deserves its own accolades - it was demonstrably some of the most delectable bread I have ever encountered, boasting a perfect balance of texture and flavor. My final course was the grilled chicken ($20). Succulent segments of chicken, marinated in a yogurt concoction, emerged from the grill imbued with a smoky essence. A vibrant condiment of sweet peppers and zhoug, a Yemeni hot sauce, provided a delightful counterpoint. The basmati rice, infused with a pronounced lemon essence, served as an excellent textural and flavorful accompaniment. Overall, Ema offers a vibrant and flavorful exploration of Mediterranean cuisine presented in a stylish and contemporary setting. The quality of the ingredients and the culinary finesse are undeniable. While some may find the portion sizes a touch wanting given the price, the overall experience remains highly commendable.

Good service. Pretty good food. Not the bet value. Cute atmosphere. I liked the crispy potatoes and lamb and beef kabobs. Everything else was disappointing.

My recent visit to Ema was an absolute delight! The soft aesthetic of the restaurant created a wonderful ambiance, perfect for a relaxing Sunday brunch. Our waiter was incredibly friendly and attentive, ensuring we had everything we needed throughout our meal and provided helpful recommendations. We started with the Big Eye Tuna and Hamachi for our raw appetizers. Both were very light and refreshing, with the fish tasting fresh. A perfect start to our dining experience. The Lamb Shakshuka was a highlight! It was bursting with flavor, and the lamb was incredibly tender. The dish paired wonderfully with the house bread. We also had the Blueberry Clafoutis. It was airy, not too sweet, and filled with fresh blueberries, making it a delicious sweet dish. The grilled chicken kebab was decent but didn't quite stand out compared to the other dishes. Overall, I highly recommend Ema for brunch!

Ema is a great place to go with people to enjoy many different dishes. Their pita and hummus is some of the best I've tried at a trendy spot. The restaurant itself is lovely with plenty of seating. Their drinks are just okay I thought. Food, overall, is really good! If I had to nitpick, I would say that the crispy potatoes need a little more flavor and the cauliflower tasted like brussel sprouts except the charred pieces were so good! I will definitely go again for the hummus and pita but as far as the other dishes go, not much to offer to vegetarians. We had people at the table who tried the lamb and they really enjoyed the cook and flavor on it. Service was also good! We had a birthday at the table so they gave the dessert on the house :) it was delish!

after eating here my whole table felt gaslit by ema's good reviews and reputation. everything we had was just okay. the only really good dish was the eggplant dip with pita bread. all the meats were dry and needed sauce to make up for a lack of flavor. service was nice if unmemorable. food was also slow coming out, which we would have been fine with if the food itself wasn't so disappointing

Wish I lived closer cuz I'd be eating those green falafels every week. Soooooo good. Cool interior. Nice staff. Delicious oh, so delishous! I get nervous when a restaurant tells us it's sharing plate style. That usually means small. Yes, the mini plates were small but the salmon kabob, other meat kabobs were plenty of food for 1 person. We got the pomegranate humas, the tuna carpaccio, and the green falafels as a pre game. All were slap your hand save some for me too. Those falafels, not sure if it was Cardamom or what was in there but every single one of us wanted more they were so good! The salmon kabob, so moist and plenty of rice. I felt full after. A little more $ than the norm but worth it. GO!

Ema, oh how I wanted to love you. But alas, you ruined it for yourself by serving raw kefta kabobs. And then your manager had the audacity to defend the raw kefta kabobs?!? I came here with a friend for dinner after trying to go to this place all summer (a combination of schedules and no reservations available meant we finally made it in October). And it started strong: our server came in hot with the recommendations so we went with some of his and some of ours. First that came out were the Charred Eggplant and the House-Made Stracciatella. The eggplant was okay, the cheese was phenomenal! So delicious. Round 2 was the crispy potatoes and the green falafel. We were told the falafel was the best the server had ever had. Well, he needs to go out more because they were mid. Pita Inn is better. IYKYK. The potatoes were amazing though - crispy baked potatoes chunks covered in a cheese and with a side of crema. Amazing. It all fell flat with the lamb & beef kefta kabob. 1) It came out super late and in that period, our server was nowhere to be found. 2) 2 of the 4 kefta were raw inside. I would've sent it back but our server didn't come back until much later. When we did ask for the check, we mentioned the meatballs were raw but at that point, we didn't expect anything. Server disappears and out comes the manager defending the meatballs. He said they temperature check them and cook them to medium. Sir, they were fully pink inside. My friend didn't want to make a scene so we just nodded so he would disappear. But I'm sorry, a meatball should not be fully raw in the center. Manager defended the color saying "it's beef and lamb, it's okay to not be fully cooked." I'm sorry, meatballs are not like cuts of steak. I have never heard of someone wanting a bloody meatball. I do not want a raw meatball. Mediocre service from our server and a manager who defends raw meat? Yeah, I won't be back. Which is a shame. I really liked the house-made cheese and the potatoes.

I had a reservation for 5pm and it seemed like just about everyone in the city also had a 5pm reservation. The line was out the door when we arrived so it took a minute to get checked in and once I got to the host stand, I was told it would be another minute before the could seat me. The waiting area is tiny and there was really no place we could wait without being in someone else way. Took about 10 minutes after that to be seated and then almost another 10 minutes for our server to come by. Might need to look at spacing the reservations out better because it did not seem like the staff could handle the rush. Food was nothing crazy. Kind of just came here as a pre-dinner snack so we ordered light. The pita bread that comes with the hummus was 10/10. We asked for more since we still had hummus left and it came out as we were pretty much cashing out and leaving. The olives that came with the feta had pits in them so it was a little obnoxious to be spitting out the pits around the table. Maybe just not my thing but I would be intrigued to try one of their dinner dishes when I'm back in the city.

DELICIOUS MEDITERRANEAN IN CHICAGO Last week, I had the most amazing meal at Ema - a Lettuce Entertain You restaurant! I'm alllll about shared plates (since I can never decide what I want while I'm out), so I absolutely loved their concept! We sat outside on their patio, but the inside decor was STUNNING! I will definitely be back to sit under their vined ceiling someday Here's the breakdown of what we ordered (and our favs! ) Slow Cheetah - $15 Strawberry Rhubarb Negroni - $17 Toasted Almond & Garlic Spread w/ Homemade Pitas - $14.95 Crispy Potatoes - $12.95 (honestly was a little let down by these - they were wayyyy overhyped) Green Falafel - $13.95 Grilled Halloumi Kebab - $17.95 Frozen Greek Yogurt w/ Olive Oil + Sea Salt This was suchhhh an enjoyable meal and the perfect option for anyone who always wants a bite of everything on the menu - we would have ordered even more if we had more people with us! Our server was super amazing and so helpful throughout the meal - but the hosts were not very friendly and left me feeling disappointed in the experience before we even sat down.

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!

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

I love Middle Eastern and had never been here, so it was my choice for a recent business lunch. We had the spead sampler to start, which was your choice of 3 with their delicious pita bread. The 3 we chose were all tasty. We each had the salmon kabobs which came with rice. It was one skewer with grilled tomato and onion. The salmon was fresh, tender, and very moist. Delicious! I was debating between the chicken and beef/lamb skewers, but I'm glad I got the salmon and would definitely order it again. I didn't take any pictures but I will be back.

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

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

Had a great lunch here, really liked the chicken sandwich. The kebab meat is tender. You can't go wrong with hummus and the lamb ragu.

Ema has a charming and warm atmosphere, perfect spot for brunch! Took my friends here to try Mediterranean food for the first time and they loved it as well! It was a more delicious and healthier alternative to the usual American brunch food. Started off with the sampler spread - spicy hummus, labneh, charred eggplant that was served with their house bread. The charred eggplant had a smoky flavor that everyone was fighting for the last bite. A favorite of mine was the Hamachi. The stone fruit, lime and crispy shallots paired perfectly with the fish. It was very fresh with a burst of flavor each bite. The crispy potatoes were actually the most crispy potatoes Ive ever had. We also ordered the lamb & beef kefta but wouldn't go back for this dish. It was just ok, a little dry and gamey. Not very memorable. The grilled hamoli kebab was delicious. Our server let us order a side of it instead of the whole dish! Overall I would go back to Ema for a cute brunch with friends.

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

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.

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

I like Mediterranean food, and I've had good Mediterranean food. This is the first place I've had what I'd consider "gourmet" Mediterranean food. I went with a group from work - no reservation, but they were able to get us into two tables outside pretty quickly for lunch. We saw a long line of people waiting to pick up food - definitely a good sign. The menu is like tapas - small plates intended to share with the table. We got the bread and 3 spreads, including spicy hummus, an almond spread, and a spread with peaches in it. The spreads were all good - served with a variety of greens, and tasty with a range from savory to a little sweet. The bread though - they had a lightly toasted season pita bread. This was easily the best pita bread I've ever had. Try this! I had the cool cucumber salad, which was good. I also had the lamb and beef kefta - this was excellent with their tzatziki sauce, and even better on some of the pita served with the spreads. Others had the chicken kefta and said it was very good too. The meat orders that came with pita didn't have the same bread (not toasted or seasoned like the bread that came with the spreads). They had a lot of other options on the menu that looked good - give this place a try if you are in the area and want some good Mediterranean food!

I absolutely love this place. The ambiance is great and the dining room is beautiful. Our server was super nice and gave us a handful of recommendations. The food is also amazing. The falafel, garlic/almond spread, & the hummus is great. I also really love the chicken kabab, it's super tender and light. I would highly recommend people coming by, the prices are very fair and definitely worth the price.

This is a must try place in this area! One of the best meals I have had in a long time. Their menu is wide and had huge variety. Their lamb ragu hummus is something I will dream about for ages. We ordered family style as recommended and tried a number of dishes such as shrimp, crispy potatoes, grilled octopus, and lamb kofta. The food and the atmosphere are amazing. Definitely wanna go back and eat here more for the appetizers and the vibe than the main food. Ema was absolutely excellent Mediterranean food spot! Will definitely be back soon!

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

Mediterranean place in River North! Our server was incredibly nice and the vibes were gorgeous - loved the plant/vine themed decor and the natural lighting. We ordered the grilled chicken kebab, the avocado toast, and the beef/lamb kefta and eggs. The grilled chicken kebab was a tad bit dry, but still very flavorful and paired well with the citrus infused rice. The avocado toast was classic and had a nice touch of pomegranate seeds, and the beef/lamb kefta (spiced ground meat shaped into a ball) had a similar base to the grilled chicken kebab, but with more raw marinated veggies and a runny egg.

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

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

Not a great experience. Waitress was great but manager was extremely rude and rushing our meal as they overbooked the restaurant and had people waiting. Was told our meal would be "paced" but courses was continuously brought out before we were done with what was in front of us. I did not expect nor want my check brought to me 40 minutes into my meal. Would not recommend making a reservation here or going unless you enjoy on being rushed out in 40 minutes.

I spent a wonderful Sunday evening dining here! We made a 5pm reservation, and it was fairly empty when we arrived but fully filled up by the time we left at 7ish so I would recommend having a reservation. The waiter was really nice and we appreciated the great service. We ordered the following: - Classic Hummus - Charred Eggplant - Brussel Sprouts - Braised Short Rib - Cocktail: Sport Mode - Cocktail: Slow Cheetah The hummus and eggplant both came with pita and were delicious. The brussel sprouts salad was delicious and refreshing, the pomegranate seeds were a great touch. I was also a big fan of the braised rib, the bed of polenta felt so warming to my soul. We both like our cocktails! The sport mode had a mix of aperol and grapefruit soda and was basic yet delicious. The slow cheetah was a mezcal based drink that was slightly spicy but had a perfectly balanced flavor. The garnish was a giant cilantro sprig which was odd, yet appreciated. The bathrooms are a little confusing to find because they're in the adjacent hotel lobby, so prepare to navigate an entry level maze if you need to use the facilities.

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