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NAIA

3.9 (153 reviews)
Closed • 11:30 am - 10:00 pm
Updated 1 month ago

NAIA Photos

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NAIA ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Happy hour specials
Outdoor seating
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - NAIA

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Reviews With Photos

Rupali K.

My rating is 3.5 Huge space inside and on patio. Dogs are allowed on pario with menu. On opentable only option is dining then call them to make sure if u want patio. Service was not great. My server did not have much knowledge about menu. Second drink never shown up so had to cancel. Main came right I m eating appetizer. And the sauce that we have requested came way after main. So its hard to eat things warm with the seasoning I prefer. At the and I was not sure if I had dinner or lunch menu, she was so confusing. Veg food review out of 5. Hummus plate - 3.5 - good additions on it but I had better hummus and pita. Cacio pepe dumplings - 4 - good taste unique take Potato side - 4 Up in smoke cocktail - 5 Peach mocktail - 5

Incredible view
Katie E.

Came here for an early dinner with two of my girlfriends, and we had a great time! We arrived a bit early for our reservation and got lucky enough to snag bar seats for happy hour (you can't participate in happy hour when sat at a table!). We got a two martinis and four oysters for only around $40 with tip, not bad for such a great view! When we were sat we asked if we could sit outside, and even though there were tons of tables, they almost didn't sit us out there. So glad they did though, the view is the reason you come to Naia! To eat, we ordered a bunch of things to share including the spicy tuna crispy rice, truffle honey labneh, saganaki, crab falafel, turkish dumplings and the side of crispy potatoes. We loved all the dishes! One of our favorites hands down was the truffle honey labneh, however it comes with only one pita for all that dip (not even two?) and the pita came served to us in a bag. Didn't love the bag since it's not ideal for sharing- do you take it out and lay it on the outside of the package that has been touched with bare hands? We ended up just ripping the bag open, which didn't really match with the ambiance of the other dishes. However this dip was INCREDIBLE. We also loved the turkish dumplings- super unique and delectable dish. Really rich and great flavors, a must order. To drink we had dirty martinis and a cosmo, for all our drinks we added the $4 'side car' which in my opinion is very much worth it. It's almost an additional half drink for that four dollars. We also LOVED our waitress Jasmine- she made our experience so much better. What an enjoyable human! We decided if we come back we will be requesting her service again. Overall, I'm not sure where all the negative reviews came from. Our expectations were low, and they were blown away. Not as expensive as you would imagine for such a high ticket location. Can't wait to go back.

Mayuri A.

I have been trying hard to get a reservation at NAIA at a reasonable hour. My out of town friends found a way, you could just get one of the one standing tables and order food there. Pretty cool hack, right? We did just that and got some bakeries hummus. The views were amazing and the ambience and the vibes are u unparalleled. I would like to be back for a proper lunch or dinner reservation, but overall, really liked naia. On a crisp summer evening, it did feel like I was in the Mediterranean.

NAIA on the river
Kellie D.

There is nothing else to say... Great food, great ambiance, great service... these guys have knocked it out of the park. Whether it is a weeknight gathering or a weekend celebration, this is the place you want to be. If I could give 10 stars, I would.

Sheetal K.

Came here with a friend during a random weekday with a reservation. The restaurant was beautiful inside! We were able to get an outdoor seat by the river and it was amazing! The food was good and service was excellent. Highly recommend to try the bazaar board and saganki. Really enjoyed the Santorini limone pasta. I really loved there was more than one option for vegetarian and options to make other dishes vegetarian or vegan. We can't wait to come back!

Vibe/ menu
Melya O.

Naia delivered an exceptional dining experience. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, the service was attentive and welcoming, and every detail felt thoughtfully executed. The food was beautifully presented and packed with flavor, with an extensive Mediterranean menu that offered plenty of options for different dietary needs. I especially appreciated how accommodating they were with allergies, making it easy to enjoy the meal with confidence. Overall, a fantastic restaurant that exceeded expectations. I'd highly recommend Naia to anyone looking for a special meal in Chicago.

Crispy potato
Nikhita T.

This was my first time at Naia, and we had a great experience! We had a reservation, and luckily my friend, who is a Gold member on OpenTable, had set a priority notification and we finally managed to get a table. We got a booth right by the river, and OMG, the views were stunning! We went for brunch, and the beautiful weather made it even better. Our server was great and the service throughout was really good. For drinks, we ordered Nomia, Dirty Martini, Smoke on Water, and Strawberry Spritz. I absolutely loved the Smoke on Water! For food, we tried the chicken kefta, Lebanese salad, spreads, and Santorini Lemoni. The labneh was definitely our favorite spread, and the pita was sooo good! The salad was equally good. I couldn't imagine pasta with lemon, but my friend tried the Santorini Lemoni and loved it. Overall, a really nice brunch spot with good food, great service, and amazing river views. Definitely worth visiting, especially when the weather is nice!

Denyce M.

I had my reservations about coming to Naia based on the fact so many Tiktok folks were gushing over it, but Latrice A suggested we meet there to try their Happy Hour. I am just going to say that the one thing that made me happy was Seeing Latrice A. Overall experience was not one to make me come back for a second visit. Let me start out with the pros: aesthetically , the space is beautiful, inside and out. The booths on the river as well as the view from the bar is gorgeous. The pita bread was very good, nice and soft, but at a cost of $4 when you ask for an extra piece. The Spicy Feta was absolutely great and that red color was on point. The Crispy Potato Fritters were lovely with that french onion dip and sumac. Latrice A ordered both dishes and they were so good, I decided to get myself an order as well as an order of Saganaki. After the food, the rest was downhill for me. Service was not good at all. It took a while to get the bartender's attention to get a drink (Jessica and another gentleman). As we are on the clock for Happy Hour, I expected quicker service so patrons get get their money's worth but the service was not there. The removal of empty glasses and plates was not done until I asked for them to be removed. There was a busser behind the bar who was extremely helpful, so I tipped him well as he cleared out our space at the bar for us. There was a couple sitting next to me who were also talking about how slow the service was as well. They were there before I arrived, so not sure how long they had been sitting there. I placed an order for an additional Spicy Feta with extra pita, Crispy Potato Fritters and Saganaki. The Spicy Feta never showed up but an order of pita bread showed up as well as the potatoes and Saganaki. I discovered after the fact that I was charged $4 for the pita bread and was charged for a regular order of Saganaki at $17 instead of the Happy Hour price at $9. Latrice A ordered the Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice for $5 and that was so small! I was going to order it but once I saw hers, I passed. I noticed that on the regular menu, this dish goes for $11 because you are getting two bites. Looking at the piece on the plate, definitely not good value for money. The only reason I could come back here would be for riverside seat, drinks and that Spicy Feta and Crispy Potatoes, but I am sure that would be enough to get me seat on the river.

Brian H.

This was a double treat for me. First of all, I had no idea this place even existed, so I'm glad a friend recommended it. But they didn't just recommend the restaurant. They suggested we take a trip along the lake and river and arrive at the restaurant by boat rather than simply walking through the front door. I have to say, if you ever have the opportunity to pull up to a restaurant waterside and be served delicious food while sitting on a boat, please do yourself a favor and do it. It feels luxurious. It feels pampered. And somehow, it feels just a little bit forbidden. Now, on to the food. It was DELICIOUS! I decided to splurge and ordered the steak, and it was excellent. We also had the crispy rice, which had just the right flavor and texture to start the meal. Honestly, I don't have anything bad to say about the food or the experience. Even the servers were patient and wonderful while serving us on the boat, which only added to the feeling that we were doing something a little special. All I can say is, if you get the chance, take a nice trip down the Chicago River, enjoy the city from the water, and make this restaurant part of the experience. It's definitely a Chicago moment worth having.

View
Chris M.

Not sure if the rating should be 3 or 4 stars. No question, 4 stars for the food! Absolutely delicious. From the hummus to the burger to the meat skewers. I'd also give 4 stars for location. Right on the river. The 3 stars, possibly 2 go to service and cocktail menu. Our reservation was for 12:30, we were seated at 1:00. They were nice enough to suggest we spend more money and have a drink at the bar. They should have bought our drinks. They did give us a free hummus platter. Would you believe they didn't have the ingredients to make me a Bloody Mary. I'll leave it at that. My second drink I ordered before my meal. The rum and coke arrived after my burger. Pull it together NAIA.

Bazaar Board
Roxy H.

Vibes Vibes Vibes Had dinner here last week. We arrived earlier than our reservation to enjoy the bar scene first. Decided to stay at the bar. Had a margarita and shared a bottle of wine. Munched on the delicious bazaar board that consisted of SPICY FETA , CHARRED EGGPLANT, BEET TZATZIKI and TRUFFLE HONEY LABNEH spreads, pita, crudité, pickled vegetables. SO DARN GOOD!! We were so full that we didn't try other dishes. Definitely coming back.

Kiaya S.

WOW!!!!!! I hosted a business dinner here and was thoroughly impressed!!! The atmosphere is incredible, it feels like Ibiza or Greece and is very fancy! Gorgeous inner decor and beautiful table settings! YAZ was our waitress and she was phenomenal!! So attentive and so quick with the drinks we downed! We ordered quite a lot and I would get everything again, except the pasta ( it was good just not necessary)! I attached a photo of everything we got and this is the way to do it! Some MUST orders below: Honey labneh Charred eggplant dip Lamb chops YELLOWTAIL CRUDO ( this was the dish of the night) Wagyu beef crispy rice Strawberry dessert They even brought out sparklers with our dessert which was the perfect end to a beautiful gorgeous delicious night! I am dying to come back to NAIA to repeat the above items and get some more delicious food! We went out afterwards and I left my leftovers at the bar and am still in mourning as I write this! SOOO GOOD! Sooo worth the hype!

Outside patio
Bella A.

It's all Greek to me!! Fabulous fun new spot on riverfront in Chicago. We came for lunch. Definitely wish we could have gotten a table on riverfront, but the inside is lovely and very vibey. We loved the spicy feta and hummus. Also tried the chicken shawarma which was solid for lunch. We were celebrating a birthday, and staff was so kind to celebrate with dessert with us. Cocktails were also so yummy! Highly recommend!

Hummus

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Ask the Community - NAIA

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I first tried Ema back in 2022 when I visited Chicago for the first time to attend the Northcoast…read morefestival. For some reason, I overlooked reviewing it then, but I never forgot it, so I was ecstatic when I found out my company's annual offsite team dinner would be hosted at Ema. Our group of 35 was pretty large, so we were split up amongst several tables, but it was nice getting to chat in smaller groups. Our drink orders were taken not long after we were seated, and the food and bevvies started to arrive in short order. I got to try way more during my business trip than I did 4 years ago, but regardless, I noted the quality of food that was served remained consistent over the years. Highlights for me included the salmon, Greek village spread, pita bread, chocolate torte, and honey cake. The salmon was so mild and tender, the Greek village spread taster local and refreshing, and the pita bread was seasoned to perfection and hands down the best I've ever had. The desserts were a surprisingly delicious end to the meal. I didn't think I could stomach more food, but somehow I rallied. I don't even like chocolate that well, but the chocolate torte really hit the spot, and the honey cake was a new-to-me decadent dessert. It reminded me of the flavor of honey grahams but in cake form. I've never had anything quite like it and am really glad I got to try it. Coming back to Ema after 4 years was better than I expected. I love Mediterranean food, and after 5 total trips to Chicago, I must say Ema is so far my favorite restaurant here. I'm not easy to please, but Ema serves up some of the best this city has to offer.

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