The food, drinks, and service were all great! Many vegetarian friendly options- falafel, veg, salads, and most-notably: mushroom "escargot!" The whole table was surprised by the mushroom escargot dish and would come back for it! The only note is that the crispy potatoes were not crispy, so I would skip on that next time! read more

A beautiful restaurant, like being in an oasis. Unfortunately our waiter did not explain the different menu items.. I was thoroughly confused. Fortunately the birthday girl, my daughter in law ,was comfortable and ordered the side dishes for us. Because the food is prepared to order, we waited a very long time before anything appeared. I had a difficult time understanding our server. I skipped the side dishes , but thoroughly enjoyed my half sandwich( which I split with the birthday girl) . It was enormous, and very tasty! A lovely place for the younger crowd. I am glad for the experience , even more glad that my son paid the high bill, not Dad. Mrs B J F read more

Stopped here for a quick lunch on a weekday. There was a short wait but service moved quickly. Beautiful dining room with a California feel. We only had a couple dishes but everything was well seasoned and tasty. Drinks were nicely prepared as well. Would definitely go back! read more

Ema - Hummus w/ Lamb Ragu - Mediterranean Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

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Beautiful space! Cocktails and apps were great. The housemate pita was excellent and the hummus was too. Had the brussel sprout salad as well and it was delicious. Service was top notch. I want to try the egg plant next time. read more

The food was tasty. The California salad was great. The lemonade was good but a bit too sugary. The service was good but I felt a bit rushed. The ambiance was amazing. read more

So glad Ema opened in glenview...beautiful location and the food and service were both fantastic. Will definitely be back again and again. Hope more restaurants from the city continue to branch out into the suburbs. read more

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Ema recently opened and people are excited. We came around 1pm and the joint was jumping. The space is large, open, sleek, modern and EXTREMELY LOUD. There was a 30+ minute wait so we went to the bar, which is subtly bright in a sophisticated way. I'm not sure I can better explain what that last sentence means but it was and is my impression. The menu was varied; salads, appetizers, small plates. Tapas. There did not appear to be anything unique or especially enticing, which was a bit disappointing. In the end, we got hummus and thoroughly agree with the earlier Yelper. It was nothing special. Nothing more to say except, perhaps, we should have chosen something else. If you want a beautiful space and are fine with good but nothing special food, come here. We remain a bit confused because Yelp says it is a breakfast and lunch place but their hours are 11 AM to 11 PM. We would come back to try breakfast, if there is a breakfast menu. read more

Dined here for the first time last night Tuesday, 3-25-2025, with my cousin and her husband! Overall, it was a GREAT experience! The food, ambience and service (thanks to our awesome server, Ashley), were EXCELLENT! We started out with drinks: I had the Thirst Trap, my cousin had a glass of white whine, and her husband had the Slow Cheetah -- all were fantastic! For our dinner, we had the Hot Blistered Green Beans, California Chopped Salad, Hot Honey Halloumi, Spicy Brisket Kefta, and Octopus Carpaccio-- EVERYTHING was incredibly fresh, flavorful and delicious! For dessert, we had/ shared the Honey Cake, Sticky Date Cake and Vanilla Panna Cotta-- those were all really good tasting as well! We would definitely come back for more! This place reminded me of a brighter lit, white interior version of another favorite restaurant I dined at last month in Chicago-- Aba! Both places were amazing, but I'd probably return to Ema sooner, since Aba is in the city, and I'm not into schlepping such a long distance for similar cuisine I can get at Ema in Glenview! (Interestingly enough, both restaurants have the same owners!) Our total bill came out to $208 (including tax). We were happy we could get and use our Lettuce Entertain You points if we wanted to! Again, great experience with Ema! Highly recommend! read more

Ema - Desserts! Left: Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta; Center: Honey Cake; Right: Warm Sticky Date Cake! - Mediterranean Near Me - Glenview, Illinois

Pros - fabulous ambience and attentive, friendly service. Brussels sprouts veggie side was amazing! Cons - small portions at overly high price points. 5 small pieces of Falafel which were dry and flavorless $14. The spoonful of hummus was exceptionally tiny for $17. Chicken kabob had 4 pieces of chicken with a thimble size cup of tzatziki sauce for $19. The added 3% surcharge was just another "gotcha" from an already overpriced menu. It only hurts the waitstaff - much rather give them that extra 3 percent on their tip instead of putting it in Rich Melman's pocket. read more

I received the email on a Wednesday, and I immediately went to OpenTable to see if I could snag a reservation. Unfortunately, all the reservations were booked, except for late evening timeslots--it's a very popular restaurant. I called the restaurant and was able to secure a reservation around 6:30 PM. My wife had just gotten home from work, so we headed over to Ema to see what all the hype was about. As soon as we arrived, I noticed the building was modern and cute. The setting was very comfortable, with lots of natural light. The place was absolutely packed with people--all North Shore types. Although my reservation was at 6:30, they were able to seat us about 20 minutes earlier. People just kept pouring into the restaurant. It was like a revolving door--there was never a moment when the place seemed to slow down. Our server greeted us warmly and was very friendly. She explained that their concept is small plates, and that they don't take orders separately--everything must be ordered at once, including appetizers, small plates, and entrées. She left to give us a few minutes to look over the menu. I decided to share the tahini salad with my wife. We also ordered the halloumi cheese with hot honey and the roasted potatoes with feta cheese. Both my wife and I ordered the chicken kebabs over basmati rice. I would have preferred if all the dishes came out at once, as some of them I would have liked to enjoy alongside the chicken kebab. The dishes did come with warm pita bread, though. The first dish to arrive was the tahini salad, which was tasty and refreshing--something I'd definitely order again. Next came the hot honey halloumi. Unfortunately, the flavors weren't really there, and the texture was extremely hard. I don't think I would order that again. The potatoes were tasty but nothing special. Flavor-wise, they were very average. The chicken kebabs were tender and juicy, but the rice didn't have much flavor. I've definitely had more flavorful meals at other Mediterranean restaurants for half the price. The entire meal took about an hour for all the dishes to arrive. Our server mentioned that dishes usually fly out of the kitchen, but that wasn't the case for us--though they were clearly very busy. By the end of the meal, I was full. The overall food was pretty good, but nothing I'd rush back for, and definitely not worth the $130 price tag. It seemed more like a North Shore hangout for locals to schmooze with each other. I think I'll stick to my local Mediterranean restaurants over this one. I give Ema in Glenview a 6.5 out of 10. read more

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Great food and service, highly recommend hummus with lamb ragu, lamb and beef keftka. Brussels sprout was too sour for me

Is it normal to write five paragraph reviews now? These Gen Z'ers man, I just can't keep up. Anyway, this place is Midwest fine - food is consistently good, the service is hit or miss (we've been three times now) and the prices are hilarious even for the North Shore. Little bit of attitude at the front with the host/hostesses, but they may be defensive with all the Important People who come in wanting to be seated immediately. Great vibe and design, which is part of what you're paying for I guess? 50-60% of tables were either tables of six+ girls nights or birthdays, do with that info what you will. More like a 3.8 but rounding up to 4. Not rushing back but kinda fun if you just exhale and ignore the cc bill you sign. read more

My husband and I came here for a little date night and we were so impressed! The Mediterranean small plates were fresh and flavorful. The atmosphere was beautiful but still relaxed, and the staff was attentive without hovering. Everything came out quickly, and the portions were just right for sharing. This location has such a nice energy -- feels upscale without being stuffy. Definitely coming back, maybe next time with the whole family! I would recommend for a larger group honestly as shareables are nice. read more

I love the ambiance and food. I would want to go there over other aesthetic restaurants in the northern suburbs since there aren't many. Lunches are less busy than dinner. I would recommend. read more

We just had a great time at this new place closer to home. Had great food, great service, great ambiance... read more

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Great upscale place using light and plants to create a socal environment. Great service and owner very accommodating and engaging and friendly. Drinks awesome and food Mediterranean inspired, fresh and delicious! I'll definitely be back. read more

Ema had a beautiful ambiance, and the drinks were thoughtfully crafted and perfectly strong while being well balanced. The food was good, but the standout was the mushroom hummus, which was absolutely phenomenal. I also ordered a salad, and while I know the restaurant specializes in small plates, I finished it in just four bites..so keep in mind that the portions are very small. read more

We visited Ema in Glenview for the first time after loving the downtown location, and while the space absolutely impressed--beautiful decor, great ambiance, and excellent service--the food was a bit hit-or-miss for us. The corn hummus and honey cake were both delicious, but the rest of our dishes lacked the flavor we were hoping for. It might have just been an off night or not the best choices, so we're definitely planning to go back and give it another try. It's such a fun and inviting place that we're hopeful our next visit will be more in line with the great experience we had downtown. read more

Ambiance is great and so is the friendly staff. Food was also good. I def will be back.

Ambiance is beautiful I love the aesthetics but the food is sub par at best. Dry chicken, potatoes were huge with no taste to them, shrimp was overcooked. Would definitely not be dining here again. I'd come here for a drink and hummus at most. read more

Disappointing at best. Went with coworkers for my birthday. Walked in just after they opened, asked repeatedly if we had a reservation, which was comical because no one else was really there. The server explained the menu to us as if we were toddlers and had never been to a restaurant before. We ordered, food was mediocre, bland, overpriced and frankly some dishes were just laughable. The spinach and feta was served in an absurdly large bowl for 1/2 a cup of food, the Tahini Cesar was flavorless, roasted broccoli was essentially burned broccoli, the potatoes were overcooked/overly crispy and dry, beef kabob sort of lettuce wrap was awkward (lettuce was ripped etc) and poorly executed, the chicken kabob was so dry I could barely choke it down, I just gave up and left it on my plate, even though I was still hungry. The ONLY decent item we had was the halloumi cheese, and I suspect the only thing on the entire menu worth ordering. The most infuriating part of the meal was we asked for things to be brought together and it was almost like our preference didn't exist, every dish came out separately. It took over 2 hours to serve 4 people maybe 1.5 pounds of food in giant serving dishes, in the slowest possible manner. Also, they insisted on changing out our individual plates each course too, which normally I appreciate but after the 3rd time it felt just absurd, annoying and intrusive. The aesthetic is really really, nice, very Insta type of place, and felt clean, but that and the cheese are really the only positives I can say about the experience. Go for the cheese and the vibes I guess? Go elsewhere if you want good food and good service. read more

I loved celebrating my birthday here over brunch. I loved everything we got and we had the best service. It's a beautiful ambiance, a perfect ladies night out. I'll be back! read more

I'm sad to say ... portions are small. Prices are big. Seems like there are a lot of servers but when you need one, they can be hard to find. We ordered five plates to share. Asked that we not be rushed. They did not rush us, but a few of our things came out lukewarm or cooler. I like my hot things to be hot. The salmon skewer with rice was so lukewarm it was unappetizing. Our crispy potatoes also lukewarm, and SO crispy that they were scratching the inside of my mouth. On another visit, the sweet potato latkes were the size of quarters, literally. The green falafel was very dry. The hummus with corn was delicious as was the pita. I enjoy the Mediterranean spices. As everyone has mentioned the space IS beautiful and the parking is free. I'm going back tomorrow for lunch and hoping for better results. As a regular customer of LEYE, I expect better. read more

We all liked the food. Very pricey for the type of food served. The interior of the restaurant is beautiful. Willing to eat at Ema again.

Gorgeous space, beautiful plants everywhere, good service, good food. Love the hamachi and onion dip, and eggplant dip and short rib, good salmon, but would skip the chicken (a bit dry). Good sizable salad options. Liked that they had non alcoholic drink options too. The date cake (not something I would normally order for dessert but recommended by our server) was excellent! read more

We were at Ema's River North restaurant. The food was excellent, delicious. Presentation was beautiful. The service was great. The staff was very attentive. I heard there is another Ema in Glenview which I will eventually try. read more

We went in January on a recommendation from someone who went to the Chicago location. This location (Glenview) is always busy, so a reservation is recommended. The ambiance is nice, albeit on the nosier side, and the setup is photo/social media-worthy. We went for dinner. Portions are tapas-sized, and the dishes are on the pricier side. The food is decent and might warrant a return visit if we want to take a chance with the unpleasant service (see below). We had the wild mushroom hummus, toasted almond and garlic, and various kebabs entrees. My daughter thought the grilled chicken kebab was too dry, though. The reason for the three stars (I'd give it two and a half stars if I could) is that our waiter was totally disengaged. He didn't say anything mean or do anything that stood out; he was just unwelcoming. After we left, my kids asked why he hated us. Perhaps we weren't his preferred type of customer, and I wondered who that might be. I read the reviews after we went to Ema and saw some people had similar issues with their servers. It now seemed like our experience may not have been an isolated incident. read more

Easily a top 5 meal I have ever had. We went on a Thursday night and the place was packed. Always a good sign. The service was on point and there is really nothing they could have done better. Maybe it bordered on a bit over the top like they are shooting for a Michelin star but that's not a bad thing. The food was excellent. My wife and I shared 5 small and all but 1 was over the top great. The other was "just" good. We first had the Tuna Panisse. The texture of the chickpea cake was lovely and played a perfect complement to the tuna. The onion dip was extremely flavorful with lots of delicious crunchies on top providing a contrast in texture. The pita was fresh and the rice crackers for gluten free were very different from what I have seen and also very good. The brussel sprout and honey crisp salad was fresh and well balanced. The salmon had an amazing char and was a proper mid-rare. The rice was my wife's favorite rice she has ever had and the herb sauce was a fitting complement. The sweet potato latkes were good but not at the level of everything else. Overall I am excited to go back though we are going to Aba this weekend first. The only issue I can nitpick is that since food comes out as it is ready, the table did start to get cluttered. Cluttered with AMAZING food.... I guess I am ok with that. read more

I work very hard for my money, so the biggest compliment I could give a restaurant is to go back. I went to Ema Restaurant In Glenview about a week after it opened in September. I went back twice in the next month----to take my brother while he was in from California, and I took my wife a second time. From the moment you walk in, it is a relaxing atmosphere. You are immediately greeted by the host staff. Fortunately all three times we had reservations-----which I HIGHLY recommend. Our first visit and reservation was for 1130 on a Tuesday or Wednesday. When we were greeted by the host staff, I heard another guest being told it was a 90 minute wait (at 1130AM!!!). The host did tell the other guest that the bar was first come, first served. All three times the waitstaff were incredibly attentive, and supremely knowledgeable about the menu. The website and menu said the food concept was something like a cross between Mediterranean and California's lighter cooking... I didn't know what that meant, but since I have eaten there three times I know the short end of it means "AMAZING" or "DELICIOUS". There are a few entrees, but everything else is "small plate" service. This means shareable, and I would recommend going with a few friends so you can experience more..... On the second and third visits, Partner/Celebrity Chef CJ Jacobson was actually running his own delicious creations to the hungry guests. I think it is a nice touch when the Chef/Partner runs out his own food. I think it sets a tone, and it is a good tone! Rarely does a restaurant EXCEED my expectations, but EMA went above and beyond any expectations I had. On our first visit I treated my Mother, my Aunt Sandy, our Cousin Maddie and my beautiful wife Linette. Without me saying anything or trying to influence anyone's opinion, my wife, my Mother, my Aunt and Cousin all told me after our meal that they thought Ema was the BEST experience they had ever had at a restaurant. We all spoke very fondly of our visit and the SUPER attentive staff, and we will all be back!!!! read more

Foods pricey but great, location great, I'm sure it's been said in other reviews. It's way too cramped. Also I'm sure it helps the restaurant bottom line but allowing and accepting delivery orders up to 20 miles away is insane. Stepped outside and overheard a delivery driver having to go to up north to Waukegan? Kind of insane to shoot in house paying customers as well as delivery drivers in the foot with additional wait times for that. read more

Had a great server. Super knowledgeable. Loved the corn hummus. The best hummus I've ever eaten. To prove it, I had two orders. I would go there for this hummus, alone. Lovely restaurant, too. read more

Great ambiance, fun environment. Best. Pita. Ever. Very nice server. Yes, pricey and portions were small- BUT I loved everything we ordered.

Perfect room for the girls that do lunch. Light and airy reminds me of Fig & Olive cosmetics. Food was excellent, except for temperature on the Wagyu Kefta. Maybe because of lunch rush ? Would recommend with wife or girlfriend . read more

I drove here 30 minutes from Vernon hills just to pick up frozen yogurt but 1 is pretty expensive $10. And I called before to ask if I can buy 1 but split into 2 cups and 1 plain and 1 with olive oil and salt and the manager of carry out specifically told me yes to come right in that he can do that. But when I arrive they were being rude with me saying they don't care I drove far and didn't end up giving me 2 split cups so I walked right out. Change your attitude towards customers!!! read more

Went for a birthday dinner with family this week, and was told great things about the downtown location. The interior was beautiful and felt very upscale. Our server was very attentive and checked in on us often, and brought a birthday dessert for me (frozen Greek yogurt topped with strawberry). We ordered one item from each section of the menu, and I would say my favorites were the pumpkin hummus, the hot honey halloumi, and the braised green beans. Plenty of vegetarian options which was important to me, though the small plate-style restaurant might make it difficult to share a meal with people who might have different dietary restrictions/preferences from your own. Overall, a great dining experience for a special event - I'd love to come back! read more

Great food and drinks! Just right cocktails for myself (like sweeter items) and my husband (who likes more boozy options). Highlights were the various hummus options, spreads, and raw options. Get extra pita for the hummus, or try the gluten free crackers! We weren't inspired by the entrees so mostly ate like it was a tapas bar. Success! read more

Great ambiance. But unfortunately you pay for it on the food and drink prices. Is the food good? Yes Is it as good as our local Mediterranean, Israeli, Middle Eastern eateries? Call me a homer, but I'll stick to my Mizrahi grill, Noon o Kabob, and Tabuon small mom and pop places. Service was good but not great. Most of the menu is street food, which has a sense of irony being in a higher end restaurant read more

You are greeted upon entry by a well lit and softly furnished interior. The vibe is immediately family friendly with off white and beige chairs and booths and a high ceiling which simultaneously gives a sense of open space and absorbs sound. Lots of room between tables so while cavernous, it's not overwhelming. Not an intimate date night setting but great for a gathering of friends and family. The menu items were mildly eclectic, but the mid east spices added gentle flavor without challenging my palate. Have the brussel sprouts with apple, eggplant dip and pita. Pass on the adequate but bland fried potatoes and Greek village salad. Get the superb Moroccan chicken and sop up the sauce with pita. Yum!! read more

Food, ambience, service outstanding. Understandably hard to make a rezy. Well worth it.

We waited three weeks for our reservation and were excited to eat there as we had eaten at the Ema in the city. We waited 20 minutes beyond our reservation time. The food was fair. We had to return one of the orders because it was ice cold (but they credited our bill). The other three of us had Chicken Shawarma and those were room temperature at best (but we didn't complain). Overall I would give the food a 6, the service a 9 and the circuses a 10. read more