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    Ema

    4.3 (150 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 11:00 pm

    Order Ema Takeout or Delivery

    Ema Photos

    EMA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Intimate
    Romantic
    Upscale
    Moderate noise

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    Recommended Reviews - Ema

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    Reviews With Photos

    Kia L.

    Ema's is such a great time!! Very beautiful and the sister restaurant to Aba. I arrived early for my reservation and the space was packed! I sat at the bar and ordered a Don higo. THIS DRINK WAS EVERYTHING!!! It was the only one I needed all night. It was so smooth and the perfect fruit forward but balance sophisticated drink. It has rum in it which can sneak up on you. We ordered a lot of shareable--classic hummus, whipped feta, watermelon & tuna yuzu, slow braised short rib, chocolate torte cake, and vegan coconut cremeux! I loved everything! My only feedback is the warm date cake should have been warm when it arrived to the table. I also wasn't a big fan of the polenta. If you order anything make sure it's the spicy whipped feta!!!! It's INCREDIBLE!

    Sweet Corn Hummus - best thing on the menu absolutely delicious
    cassandra a.

    Hands down the best thing we ate all night was the sweet corn hummus. I don't even typically like hummus, and this completely won me over. It was incredible, can't recommend it enough. If you go, order this. We also tried the mushroom escargot, which was good. I love both mushrooms and escargot individually, but this dish didn't hit the way traditional escargot does. Turns out I love snail more than I realized! For entrees, I had the salmon and my friend got the California chopped salad. The salmon was unfortunately dry, and the salad was fine but nothing memorable. We finished with the California olive oil and sea salt frozen Greek yogurt for dessert, which was good, maybe a touch too much olive oil for my taste, but still enjoyable. Despite a couple of misses, the hummus alone has me thinking about going back. Will definitely return to try more of the menu!

    Ancient Grain Bowl - vegan without aioli and I added Green Falafel
    Katie G.

    Enjoyed my first visit to Ema! The decor and feel are similar to its sister restaurant, Aba, which I also love. I was a bit disappointed by the lack of vegan options, since I heard they were able to customize quite a few things. The only hummus or spread that can be made vegan is the standard one- apparently everything else has yogurt or fish oil in it. Our server told me the grain bowl was fully vegan and I added the green falafel but it came out with a non vegan aioli on the side. The server was super nice and removed it when I asked. It was good! I really liked the mocktail, the Mockingbird. Would love to have a few more options able to be made vegan on the menu This was also out first sit down restaurant experience with our baby and we were seated in the perfect back corner spot. Food came out very fast which was appreciated with the little guy and service was very nice.

    Spicy Hummus
    James K.

    Nice appearing place but fair food. Located in The Domain but easy to find parking in the nearby garages. We were seated outside which I would not recommend in the future. There is way too much noise from people going by and the band at the neighboring restaurant. Most of the time we were almost yelling to hear each other and this was outside. We started off with the Classic & Spicy Hummus. There is no question the hummus is quite good here. The bread is fresh and they were quick to refill out basket when we started getting low and we still had quite a bit of hummus left over. Just to keep things simple, we both had the grilled chicken kebab. The chicken is good but the meal is pretty bland. It's made in a yogurt marinade but seriously lacking any flavor. The marinade needs some lime juice, onion, salt, turmeric, and saffron to say the least. The chicken was cooked well, but again, devoid of any real flavor. It's served over basmati rice, but again... add a little saffron. It's an attractive restaurant but again, I would never sit outside again given the noise level. Service was good but got annoying at the end. Our server pointed out some cube on the table we could scan and pay at the table. But when we hadn't done that soon enough for his liking, he returned to the table with paper bill in the traditional binder. What ever happened to the days when you could enjoy a meal and sit for a few minutes to relax. And do you really have to hound us? Can we just pay when we are ready? After that, the server stopped refilling our waters which we ran out of given the extreme heat outside. Overall, the hummus and bread are great; the food, from what we tried, was just satisfactory. The service, started out good but then took a turn for the worse. Maybe next time we will just order hummus to go and avoid the attitude.

    Chicken kabobs
    Elizabeth A.

    I heard that this place was amazing especially the hummus. When we heard it was a Mediterranean restaurant, we jumped to try to fit it in our schedule to have dinner there. This place is a bright, vacation-like escape featuring friendly, quick service, delicious kabobs, refreshing drinks, and a unique sweet corn hummus. I like this place but I still have another one that still tops it. I think this is my second favorite Mediterranean restaurant. I will return if we are in the domain area.

    Derek M.

    It's a cute spot, with the interior just looking very pleasant. The food is solid and well done. I'd say that while everything was very good, not one dish really just hooked me in an exceptional way that made any specific lasting impression to crave or come back for. I can't help but compare it a bit to Aba, where it felt like the dishes here were overall somewhat slight downgrades from ones I know and love from their sister restaurant. The lamb ragu hummus just made me crave Aba's crispy short rib hummus, and the spicy hummus just made me want the muhammara. They were great with accommodating dietary restrictions and allergies, though it felt like the menu was inherently more limiting than Aba as well, with dishes not really being able to be adjusted as well. Overall still a pleasant new spot, and I always appreciate somewhere that will cater towards people with food allergies including gluten.

    SPICY BRISKET KEFTA
    Jana C.

    This is the hot, new Mediterranean place in The Domain. It definitely has Domain vibes/prices. Nonetheless, we had a nice time. A group of us shared appetizers. I got the spicy whipped feta, but my favorite appetizer was the mushroom escargot, which is buttery, garlic mushrooms served like snails. For my main, I got the spicy beef kefta. I got it because I haven't seen brisket on a Mediterranean menu before. These kebabs were just ok, in my opinion. It was a consensus that the appetizers were better than the mains, so I would suggest sharing a bunch of small plates when you come here. I do prefer its sister restaurant, Aba, over this place.

    Blistered Green Beans
    Marsha C.

    Easy to find parking in the garages by grimaldi's or by frost gelato. Friendly staff and great food and it was so beautifully decorated inside We had the short rib hummus, grilled chicken, shrimp kebabs, blistered green beans, and the honey cake. My favorites were the hummus and the shrimp kebabs. They do not disturb drink was also very refreshing.

    Sweet potato latkes
    Priya S.

    We stopped by Ema after a hike and enjoyed drinks and appetizers on their outdoor patio. The waiter was fantastic, and we definitely connected when it came to our views on food. The sweet potato latkes were delicious, and everyone loved their drinks they were refreshing and well balanced. The pita bread was also excellent. We tried the roasted eggplant as well. I liked it, but didn't love it, although I'm not a huge eggplant fan to begin with. My mother-in-law, on the other hand, absolutely loved it. The only reason I'm knocking off a star is that the restaurant is on the pricier side and the portions are fairly small for what you pay. Other than that, the atmosphere was great, the patio was beautiful, and we had a very good experience overall.

    LYCHEE MARGARITA
    Megan C.

    Sad to say I have mixed reviews! The area 10/10, vibes are so good. Super cute interior tropical Mediterranean oasis, with a big patio deck and bar that's all first come first serve. Only sad part is it's not covered. They offer the full menu outside which is amaze! We sat on the covered outdoor portion of the restaurant which was hoppin on a Friday night. We ordered cocktails to start. I had the lychee margarita which was out of this world but felt like nyc pricing for a cocktail. They have a full bar, beer, wine etc. for apps we did the hummus, whipped burrata, Brussels, and falafel. The bread for the dips was incredible, we kept asking for more. And the Brussels were yummy too. Falafel was a bit of a disappointment, not sure what they were going for but didn't taste super traditional. We tried the spicy brisket kebab as well which was tasty but had a kick! And the shrimp kebab which was also good. My main disappointment was price per dish and quantity of food. Pretty pricey for small portions that didn't blow my mind. Everything was good, but not something you crave to come back for, minus maybe the margarita. Our server was great, and I like that they have QR codes for check out where you can split the bill or pay in full (nice for groups). Overall not bad but not somewhere I'd come back to for the cost.

    Outside
    Brittany B.

    IN MY TOP 5 RESTAURANTS IN AUSTIN! The food was so fresh and flavorful! Everything was seasoned to perfection! The menu selection and decor of the restaurant send you right to the Mediterranean. This will definitely be a restaurant that I recommend to anyone that comes to Austin! Our server was incredibly sweet and accommodating.

    Spicy Whipped Feta
    Lauren M.

    Located next to Culinary Dropout, Ema is a can't miss restaurant at the Domain. We stopped in and sat at the bar for appetizers and cocktails. All were delicious but the standouts were the spicy feta, watermelon and tuna salad, the "do not disturb" and "Rosa's spritz"cocktails. I wanted to try the "Flora's Cora" but they couldn't substitute vodka for gin- not sure why though. We ordered it anyway and it was just okay but I am not a gin lover. The decor is beautiful and creates a great vibe with all the greenery and Mediterranean decor. We'll definitely be back for dinner.

    Sweet Potato Latkes
    Samyukta S.

    The Domain desperately needed an upscale, beautiful spot like Ema! I was thrilled to finally be able to visit. Reservations are impossible but we walked in for an early dinner on a weekday and had no issues snagging an outdoor table in their gorgeous courtyard. The whole dining experience is a vibe. Kicked it off with some top notch cocktails - highly recommended the Don Higo! Our server was super friendly and helpful in guiding us through their extensive menu. Everything is shareable/family style. We decided to try: 1. Whipped feta spread served with hot fresh pita bread (made in house). So epic. Definitely worth a try! I wish they offered a spread sampler so we could try more! 2. Sweet Potato latkes - these were delicious! 10/10 recommend. 3. Mushroom Escargot - this was okay, I could've skipped it honestly. My least favorite item. 4. Shrimp kabobs - I liked these (great quality shrimp, grilled to perfection!). I will be trying either the chicken or salmon kabob next time. We got the panna cotta for dessert which was light and refreshing. I can't wait to come back to Ema, experience indoor dining in their main dining room, and try more of their incredible drinks and food!

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    26 days ago

    Amazing Mediterranean food! Love the service, quick and easy. Beautiful inside dining; love the atmosphere.

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    4 months ago

    Delicious as expected !! Must try their dips and braised beef. Service was great , went during lunch time and the wait wasn't too long!

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    Ask the Community - Ema

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    Nice wine selection
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    Fresh and crisp Caesar salad!!
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    The current duck special is incredible!!
    Gràcia Mediterranean

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    I met some friends for an early dinner at Gracia Mediterranean this past weekend. Since we were…read morethere early, the place was pretty empty so we were seated at a nice booth/table near the bar. Our server gave us great suggestions and helped us make yummy choices. My friends had mocktails and I had the beet cocktail with alcohol. My friends forgot I like to take photos for my reviews so some of the photos of the items we ordered we started eating before I took them so they show as half eaten in the photos I shared (haha)...must have been good! I was also happy to discover they are on the InKind app so I was able to use some credits I had available to help pay the bill. I look forward to going back again to try more items!

    This is a tapas restaurant so the plates are smaller and meant to be shared. It is on the pricier…read moreend but the food is really good. They have happy hour 5-6 pm and we got the hummus half off! The hummus was so good. I love the pepper oil on top that gives it a little kick. It comes with pita bread but if you order more, it's an extra $3. We also got croquetas (ham and cheese fritters). There are four of them and they are sooo delicious!! This is a must get especially if you love warm and creamy stuff. The outside is nicely fried and if you never had it, it's similar to Japanese takoyaki. Although I love it a lot, the portion was just right for sharing because it really fills you up. We also got the potatoes (nice, but nothing that blew my mind) and chicken empanadas that I thought had a strange, sour taste. I wouldn't get that again. I highly recommend getting different tapas instead of the main courses so you can try different things. We were completely satisfied with the meal after getting these but still made room for the orange almond cake!! This was extraordinarily good!! Not too sweet and the cake has a nice moist texture-not dry. It took a while for food to arrive so service was a bit slow. You can also sit outside if you want but we sat indoors since it was chilly. It's a smaller restaurant so it's nice for an intimate meal or date. They have a bar. There's parking in the back, which is where the entrance is. Btw, this is also on inKind so I got to claim $25 off $50.

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    10.2 mi
    $$$

    This was one of the BEST meal experiences I have had in Austin from start to finish! Emmer & Rye…read morehas been on my list to try for 5 years now aid it exceeded my expectations... fantastic service, phenomenal flavors, and beautiful presentation. This is the perfect spot for a special occasion and I highly recommend the chef's counter if you can get a reservation for it! NOTES: - Reservations: Use OpenTable - Parking: Valet is available for $12 (best option because Rainey St is crowded so street parking is hard to find and the garages nearby are expensive) - Menu changes based on what's available THE HIGHS: - Sitting at the chef's counter: If you have the option to reserve these seats, DO IT! Sitting directly in front of the open kitchen adds to the overall experience (and it helps you decide what to order as you see different dishes coming out) - Fantastic service: We were celebrating my husband's birthday and there was a signed birthday card at our seats. Multiple workers wished him a happy birthday and we were even brought non-alcoholic drinks to celebrate Shea gave us personalized attention and even asked what my husband's favorite color was for the candle next to the dessert. All of the interactions felt genuine and their overall hospitality is next level. - Flavors: There are so many unique ingredients and methods used in the dishes like fried egg foam, smoked peach honey, and persimmon gravy. It all works and every dish is incredibly balanced. - Meal pacing; You order everything at once but the kitchen does a great job of pacing the different dishes throughout the meal. - Presentation: Every dish was plated beautifully and garnished well but you still get a great portion size. THE LOWS: - The end of the meal... seriously, I have no complaints other than being sad when it was over! - It can be hard to get a reservation if you don't plan ahead. THE PRICE: The total was $159.14 after tax ($12.14) but before tip for: - Sourdough Bread ($15) - Johnny Cakes ($16) - Cacio e Pepe ($20) - Caramelle ($23) - Pappardelle ($24) - Lamb & Pork Carnitas ($36) - PB & J ($14) It's obviously a pricier restaurant but I was pleasantly surprised by the portion size... I was so impressed by the flavors in everything we ordered that I didn't even think twice abut the price. BEST BITES: - Johnny Cakes: The fried egg foam is INSANE and the shishito pepper relish at the bottom adds so much flavor (the order comes with 6 but you can do a half order of 3) - Caramelle: This was a new addition to the menu and they hit it out of the park! The pasta is so thin and the smoked house ricotta inside is incredibly soft so it feels like you're biting into a little pillow. - Lamb & Pork Carnitas: You definitely taste the pork more than the lamb but the textures are fantastic because the outside is crispy but it's so moist and tender inside. The sauerkraut adds the perfect acidity, the persimmon gravy is rich and flavorful, and the spaetzle on the side is delicious! THE VERDICT: Emmer & Rye is a must-try for locals or anyone visiting who wants a gourmet dinning experience without breaking the bank. Plan ahead and make a reservation because it's definitely a popular place. I've also dined at their sister restaurant Hestia and loved my meal there as well but I think I personally enjoyed the menu offerings at Emmer & Rye a little more. I recommend sharing the dishes so you can try more things and definitely save room for dessert because the PB & J is delicious!

    Absolutely wonderful experience at Emmer & Rye with the fam tonight! This is one to try for sure!…read moreFirst off, beautiful restaurant with great people and great ambiance - service is attentive, kind, and genuine. Second - they have Michelin Green Star and are ZERO waste - and they explain throughout the meal how they make this happen. So very cool. And the food - 5/5 for sure! So good to know - we learned that the best way to order is sharing. The restaurant makes items as they're ready, and that means if you order a pasta, and someone else orders the chicken; you might be eating your dishes at different times. Good news! We love to try everyone so don't have to ask me twice! Standouts - Johnny Cakes with toasted egg foam. Delicious and decadent - not to be missed. The bread - everyone loved it. The butters and honey made on site using leftover cheese, yogurt and fruits (aka zero waste). All the pasta, but specifically the Cacio e Pepe - perfection. I could say something about everything but to suffice to say it was all wonderful!! Thanks for a great night!

    Photos
    Try to sit here if you can!
    Try to sit here if you can!
    Dry Aged Beef Tartare
    Dry Aged Beef Tartare
    Corn Johnny Cake

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    Corn Johnny Cake
    Space Cowboy

    Space Cowboy

    4.0
    (291 reviews)
    9.8 mi
    $$$

    I love Space Cowboy! Whenever I come to Austin, I always make a stop here for dinner. They're…read morealways able to accommodate small or large parties, but I tend to make a reservation every time. There's a pretty big lot in the front for parking as well! This time our experience wasn't the same as past times I've been because it seemed like only 2 robots were working. Nonetheless, the food came out quickly. They offer lots of mocktails here which is nice! My favorites to always get are the stardust fries, the corn ribs with hummus, and the short ribs! The fries are perfectly seasoned and crispy. The corn ribs with the chili oil crunch are phenomenal! They only come with 2~ per dish so plan accordingly when ordering! The sliders are always surprisingly good! I think the crudo and the baba ghanoush can be a skip -- a lot of our table felt the crudo was a bit too fishy and the flatbread was almost crumbly! For dessert, we tried their new pear tart and it is phenomenal! It is flaky and has a nice smoky caramel flavor to it! We also always get the chocolate ganache and banana ice cream. They also gave us a free cotton candy for the table!

    Came here on a Sunday evening with family (4 of us total) and we were seated right away. I loved…read morethe ambiance and decor inside including the sparkly flooring in the bathroom without being tacky. There is a track along each table where a robot will drop off dishes directly to the table. Our server recommended that each person order at least 2-3 dishes (1-2 small dishes and 1 main dish). Our table shared the following: -Space balls (salmon tartare, goat cheese, tangerine, capers, puri; tuna tartare, lemongrass, cilantro, ponzu, puri) -Hamachi (coconut leche de tigre, lemongrass, ginger, serrano, lime zest) -Torched crispy rice trio (salmon tataki-coffee gravlax, avocado, morita aioli; seared tuna-citrus crust, serrano aioli; seared beef filet-brown butter béarnaise sauce) -Burrata and speck (seasonal fruit, tomatoes, balsamic vinaigrette and caramelized pepitas) -Roasted octopus (spicy chorizo, house adobo, taro purée) -Corn ribs (citrus chili oil, serrano aioli) -Ube foam panna cotta (vanilla & thyme infused panna cotta with ube foam & torched seasonal fruit) All the small plates/appetizers were good but my personal favorite was the torched crispy rice trio (especially the seared beef filet surprisingly since I'm not a big meat eater). Our server recommended the space balls which we weren't going to initially order but we were glad we did. They were so flavorful but bite sized that I almost wanted to order another one. The roasted octopus was decent but I couldn't taste the taro puree. The burrata and corn ribs were both good but not standout dishes. I think we overordered on the small plates section since we weren't hungry enough to eat our main dishes and each of the dishes are not cheap either. We each ordered our own main dishes. I had the inked seafood risotto (shrimp, scallops, mussels, baby clams, speck, squid ink, fennel) while hubby had the braised short rib (port demi-glace, fresh herbs, truffle oil, vanilla mashed potatoes). We both enjoyed our dishes but I was already pretty stuffed from all our appetizers. We shared the ube foam panna cotta for dessert which was enough for us to take a bite but it was probably the most underwhelming dish of the night. It looked like it was the most popular dish on the menu per Yelp but it tasted like the fridge and wasn't freshly prepared. Overall, food was good (but expensive) and came out in a timely manner.

    Photos
    View from our table
    View from our table
    Brocolini
    Brocolini
    Front of restaurant

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    Front of restaurant
    Botero Tapas + Wine Bar

    Botero Tapas + Wine Bar

    4.0
    (120 reviews)
    73.6 mi
    $$

    We went wandering around Boerne and always park in the lot next to Botero. We always say, "we…read moreshould go there." Well, we finally decided to try it out, and we're glad we did! I love the industrial vibe of the place. It was a rainy Saturday and the place wasn't particularly busy, so the service was good! Our server was friendly and knowledgable about the menu, and the food, while small in portion size (they are tapas, after all) was delicious. We started with the tostadas de chorizo and the house sangria. Both were super tasty. Then we ordered the chistorra (Spanish sausage) and pan con tomate, and finally we shared the albondiga...a giant meatball that was perfection. Can't wait to go back to Boerne and have some more Spanish goodness!

    Decided to stop by & have a beer & tapas last Saturday. We were the only ones here until we were…read morealmost finished eating. Our friendly young male server suggested a new Portuguese beer that just came out. It comes in a 4-pack, 6.8 oz bottles with convenient pull-tabs & on a bucket of ice. We went for it! Not bitter, light bodied & easy to drink. We savored the ambiance in the outdoor patio as it FINALLY cooled down to the low 70s! We were given water in a carafe and 2 glasses. I'm sensitive to the taste of municipal tap water so I should've asked if it was filtered water? You'll have to ask for ice cubes if you want ice. Our tapas were the scallops ceviche tostadas(2 tortillas holding them) & a flatbread with Serrano jamon, sliced pears, melted brie, onions & drizzled balsamic glaze. Hubs liked it but I thought it was lukewarm & skimpy on the ham. The cheese wasn't gooey & cooled off. Was slightly gamey to me. He loved his scallop ceviche tostada. The restaurant wasn't very occupied but our server said it gets pretty packed in the evening esp. when there's live music. More people came in when we were almost finished eating. We ate outside because they must have just disinfected & mopped the floors because the inside had a super strong chemical smell. Lots of metal tables and chairs in the patio.

    Photos
    Bar, drinks, dinner
    Bar, drinks, dinner
    Chistorra and pan con tomate
    Chistorra and pan con tomate
    Tostadas de pescado

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    Tostadas de pescado

    Ema - mediterranean - Updated August 2026

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