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Mahari

3.9 (115 reviews)
Open 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Updated 2 months ago

Mahari Photos

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MAHARI ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Dogs allowed
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - Mahari

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Lunch Menu
Jenna B.

First impression are very important and when I arrived there was no greeter at the front and therefore I waited 15 mins for someone to come and seat me. I also call the phone and no one answered. However once seated things ran smoother and more pleasant. The food was very yummy, flavorful & fulfilling. Great vegan options. My favorite was the rice and peas. I could eat an entire bowl by itself. Very relaxing ambiance and I love the Afro beats music playing in the background. If you are in the city and you're visiting, please stop by and enjoy this awesome restaurant hopefully one day they'll move to Dallas Texas.

Hibiscus Sorbet
Jessica M.

I was introduced to Mahari on Tik Tok and it def peaked our interest. We visited on a Sunday night. Surprising parking wasn't hard to find at all. Which is rare for Hyde park. I'd never been to this little cove of businesses. We had a warm greeting at the door. Walking inside I felt like I was at a Rich Aunties house. IYKYK. Super warm decor with hints of culture all around. The food overall was good. We started with the pineapple wings. They had a balanced flavor. The amount of protein was a bit disappointing for the price. We received 5 winglettes for $18. Even with the sauce and fresh fruit.... At least up it to 6 pieces to equate 3 whole wings. The steak from the platter appeared to be a skirt steak or a similar cut. It was seared pieces. The jollof was good and not too spicy AT ALL. I'd get the dish again. The Pollo and beans... beans were great... I want to try and make mine like that. The chicken was charred toooooo much. A large portion of the skin was too burnt to eat. Again, the amount of protein didn't match the cost. Although it was a hearty thigh. It was just one thigh with the meal, I feel a 1/4 chicken would be better received the price point. For dessert we ordered the sorbet snd the key lime pie. The sorbet was good! Not too sweet at all and pinch of kick. The keylime pie was RICH Our waitress Ivory was super kind and very knowledgeable. Overall - Will I visit Mahari again? Yes, most definitely...that Rasta Pasta is next on my list....but so far I'd pass on the chicken dishes.

Brandy S.

Between the food, the vibe, and the energy, Mahari definitely delivers. The Pineapple Wings were crispy with a sweet & tangy heat And the Lamb Burger was.Juicy, flavorful, and unforgettable The stuffed plantains were too spicy for my liking but if you like heat, these are for you Don't skip this one when you're in Chicago!

Tanasha L.

The atmosphere and service were impeccable. I wasn't able to try the jollof rice the day I went and the dish I had was just okay. I'll go back again to see if I can get my hands and taste buds on their jollof to turn my maybe into a yes I'd recommend.

Vandana M.

We tried this place for our wedding anniversary as we wanted to try a cuisine new to us. We made a reservation ahead in time and we were greeted with a warm smile at the entrance and the hostess wished us a happy anniversary. Our server was also very sweet, educated us about the cuisine and helped us choose our order based on our preferences. Looking around, there were a few African couples and families dining there which assured us that the food is liked by the people who know the cuisine well. I did however feel that the food was a bit on the pricier side. All in all it was a good experience and we were happy with the food and the service. I cannot say with high confidence that we will return, primarily because we live quite a distance away.

Honey bere naan
Justin P.

My Mahari experience was unbelievable! Prior to visiting, I had heard nothing about this establishment, but my buddy wanted to try it during Black Restaurant Week. Every employee in that space gave us a smile from the moment we walked in. We were seated quickly upon entry; the place isn't big but the layout is a pleasant vibe. For those who just want adult beverages, they have a small bar area in the back, but we stuck to the dining room for this trip. For restaurant week Mahari offered a 3-course deal for $60. Every dish that touched my mouth was phenomenal. My starter was the naan; I didn't know naan could be savory, but they drizzled it with something (honey?) and it was ridiculously tasty. Next was the mushroom satay (solid) and the main course was the steak jollof (super tasty.) For dessert I had the bread pudding, and I'm still dreaming that tasty moistness. I washed this down with two drinks: the first was the afrodisiac (soooo good) and the next was a edelberry infused beverage (not bad.) As an FYI - my homie tried the okra, and that was the best okra I've ever had (and I didn't usually care for it.) Another thing I tried was this fried salmon ball dish... It was super good Listen when I was done, I was so full that I could barely move. A member of the staff came over and mentioned that when you order a la carte the portions are a tad bigger. At that point I cried tears of joy, because it ensured my return visit. Highly recommend.

Jollof platter with steak
Mia M.

The best thing about this restaurant was the decor and the company I brought with me because the food here was just alright. I asked the waitress to recommend something and when she did I asked her why she was recommending it and she didn't seem too well versed on the menu so I ordered what she told me was the most popular item. Sorrel juice was lovely. I had the jollof platter with steak. The jollof rice was a bit too firm/overcooked for me (coming from a person who ate jollof rice for 7 years straight from actual West African recipes). The steak was nice and the sauce that came with it was also quite nice. The salad that came with it was so generic it tasted like lettuce out of a bag with store-bought bottled salad dressing sprinkled on top. Nothing fancy about that salad at all, which was okay, but could have been less generic. Plantains were nice, though. My food came out significantly later than the rest of my party of 4 and one of them had the same thing I did. My experience here was just okay. The thing that put a bad taste in my mouth is after we walked in and sat down, someone immediately took our water requests, then we had a new waitress come shortly after and she began to take our drink orders. But that wasn't the issue; the problem for me is that after the woman who took our water orders first tried to inform her coworker that she had already taken our orders. Then the waitress brushed her off and said to us "I don't know what she was talking about". I had to tell her that she was probably trying to communicate that she already took our requests. But why dismiss your coworker and not try to hear what she was saying to you when it most likely had to do with the guests you are serving? I'm a guest and we already told them we had visitors from out of the country and I hadn't explored the Chicago dinner scene in Hyde Park for over a decade-- why she tampered with my experience with coworker drama, I don't know. It was unprofessional to me. I don't think I'll be back for anything other than the Sorrell juice and plantains and maybe if I could have it at the bar so I don't have to deal with staff drama, lol.

Myia S.

So happy that we tried Mehari in the Hyde Park neighborhood. We were looking for one place to have lunch for Chicago restaurant week to end our restaurant week event events. And we picked this place. It's so nice that they have a parking lot so that you don't have to worry about looking for parking or paying for parking. The creole, African Latin soul food Fusion Vibe was really nice. You can tell they were super intentional about a lot of things in the restaurant. My favorite dish was the honey naan bread and the pineapple wings were delicious. We ordered a side of the jollof rice it had a good flavor, but the temperature was not as warm as some of the other food that we had. We also tried the lamb burger, and the salmon cala. The salmon collar was more rice than salmon. It had nice flavors, but wasn't really all that to me. The lamb burger was flavorful and delicious. We ordered cocktails, but they missed the mark for me. I like a well balanced cocktail. It just seemed like it was missing something. We ordered that Keylime pie. You can tell it was made with love. It was extremely delicious. Overall, I definitely recommend trying, and I will go back. they overall have really good customer service. They just need to work on the food consistency and drinks.

Ebony M.

This is a really cool spot to go to the vibes are great and it is in Hyde Park so a really cute neighborhood spot to go to if you want to get the same downtown field but stay local. They do have a lot of food that is spicy so be aware of that as well as if you have a coconut allergy, I have a coconut allergy but they do offer modifications. It can get really packed so I definitely recommend making a reservation and yeah, I think overall the great experience I wish the bar was a tiny bit bigger but only just because that's how great the atmosphere is and the ambience is.

Menu
Tobin J.

Mahari - Hyde Park, Chicago (4/10/26) 3.5/5 (7.1/10) The food at Mahari was the highlight--bold, layered flavors that kept building with each dish. You can tell there's real creativity coming out of the kitchen. Unfortunately, the service didn't match the quality of the food. On a busy Friday night, it felt like the staff was overwhelmed. Long waits for both food and drinks, little to no communication, and basic things like water refills were completely missed. One of the waitresses, Ashley, did try to step in and improve the experience, which was appreciated--but by then, the overall experience had already taken a hit. Hoping this was just an off night, because the food alone makes this place worth another shot.

Menu
NiNi F.

My first impression walking in was cute decor and quaint. I suggest reservations due to no waiting area if you walk in. The music selection was spot on but very loud so it made everyone else talk louder. My friend and I shared plates one of us ordered the seafood etouffee with chicken sausage and the other ordered the platter with steak. The presentation of the food was perfect. The etouffee had good flavor but it was more of a gumbo/soup. I'm used to etouffee being in a thicker sauce similar to jambalaya. The platter with medium well steak came out cooked to perfection and tender, unfortunately it was lacking flavor. There was also salmon on my dish about 2oz. I ate a small piece and when I went to cut into the middle I noticed it was not cooked all the way. I informed the owner Lisa and showed her, no type of compensation. They also add a 20% gratuity to parties of 2+.

Banana pudding cake
Rebecca W.

Mahari is a Kenyan restaurant serving African fusion items. I came in with a group of friends and were seated quickly. The menu has items inspired from foods all around the continent and you could tell the chef was well versed in all the different flavors. Everything we had was amazing. 10/10 for everything we had. The food took a little while to come out but overall the vibes were good and the music was good. The chef ended up coming to our table and introduced himself and asked our opinions of everything we had. He listened to everything we had to say and even brought out dessert for us on the house. Needless to say, we will definitely be back!

Jollof platter
David M.

I highly recommend mahari one of the newer restaurants in Hyde park. Bringing a fusion of African flavors under one menu. It is a wonderful and we got excellent service from when we walked in, to the wait staff, and when we left. It's a great blend of soul food, creole, Caribbean, while blending fine dining techniques. Joloff platter was delicious it comes with your choice of protein, rice, Mann bread, and plantains. A great dish with excellent flavor I really loved the plantains. I also tried the rah-Sta pasta. It had some unique flavors to it in the coconut cream sauce. This was a great culinary experience and they also make great and unique drinks. This is a wonderful neighborhood spot in the Hyde park area featuring an overall great menu with a great dining experience.

Key lime pie

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Ask the Community - Mahari

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