Restaurants near Lagoon Park

The restaurant was exceptionally busy but we were taken to our table shortly after arrival for our reservation. The waitstaff were friendly and service was good. Food was above expectation, except for the chocolate dresser which tasted like lumps of sugar. Definitely will go back.

This is a very nice, upscale, chain restaurant. Had a very relaxed and enjoyable lunch with a carafe of the vinters' reserve blend. The short ribs were melt-in-the-mouth fabulous.

This was a girls night out to celebrate a birthday and the holidays. My favorite thing about Ema - aside from how delicious and creative the food is - is that the portion sizes are big enough to share, but not so huge that you feel guilty ordering multiple dishes. There were six of us and we ordered a variety of cocktails (which were beautifully presented) followed by several dishes from all sections of the menu. We started with the classic hummus and the toasted almond & garlic spread. The hummus was predictably delicious, but the real standout was the toasted almond garlic spread. It was crunchy and nutty and had lots of flavor. We next had the chopped salad and the big eye tuna with Honeycrisp apple and pomegranate seeds. The chopped salad had a pleasantly surprising bit of spice to it, which we all enjoyed but….the tuna preparation was stellar and is a relatively new add to the menu. Ema’s previous tuna dish – from October – included watermelon, but this dish was truly spectacular! The bright pop of color and tartness in the pomegranate, paired with the tuna and diced apple, along with the mint… Made it look like Christmas on a plate. SK SO good!! We then had falafel, brussels sprouts and brown butter dates. The falafel is crunchy and flavorful, and served with a beet-laced tzatziki. The brussels sprouts were prepared with shallots and pumpkin seeds and a subtle hint of sticky sweetness. The dates were fine, but nobody was raving about them like we did the other dishes. We finished our meal with the harissa crusted halibut, and the cauliflower kebab. Both were excellent, although my personal favorite was the halibut. It is served on a bed of mushrooms, in a Dashi broth with a spicy crust on top. The fish was tender and flaky and full of flavor. Service (Morgan) was attentive but not annoying; ambience is chic and classy but comfortable. You would never know you are in a parking lot in Glenview as opposed to a terrace in the Mediterranean.

Once again, Jane and I had a marvelous evening at this venue. Our server was superb despite the restaurant operating with minimum labor (not the owners fault). The salmon special was quite tasty and the asparagus was delicious. Jane’s escargot was so tasty I had a few (first time in 40 years!). A lovely dinner.

Cute place in the heart of Wauconda! Other locations in Vernon Hills& Rosemont per our server. Great choice of appetizers to share: ( we had stuffed mushrooms & Nonni’s meatballs) Italian salad, & 2 pizzas: one tomato based the other with white sauce base: both were delicious! They offer sandwiches as well, & gelato in the front of Slyce! We enjoyed our meal, & will be back