This is an amazing choice for our last dinner in Chicago! Upon entry, I felt the culture. I love that the vibe and menu offerings were not traditional soul food, but still SOUL food. All staff encountered were professional & welcoming. All selections were literally rating between a 4.5 to 4.7 on a scall of 5 (5 being excellent). Some cocktails could have been better, but did not take away from the overall experience of our party of 6. Juice drinks were unique and presented well. I highly recommend & will definitely return to this establishment. Kudos!! I only wish there was something like this in Lexington, KY. read more

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Rating: 5 out of 5 stars I had an exceptional night at Mahari in Hyde Park--from the ambiance to the last sip of my cocktail, everything felt thoughtfully crafted. I particularly had an amazing Old Fashioned made by Krissy, and that alone deserves a glorious shoutout. The service was AMAZING read more

Mahari - Jon Basil Repo Brown Sugar Old Fashioned - African Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Wonderful restaurant. Good vibes, food, people, and community engagement. The chef and team are very knowledgeable about varied cuisines. I look forward to coming back! read more

I came in there today (08/22) and had a reservation at 8pm. I sat down was greeted and ordered my food and drinks. I did not get my drink till 8:43pm and also they were not busy at all. At the bar area there were two ladies sitting there and the bartender was busy chatting instead of making the drinks. The server was really sweet but the other staff members must stop distracting others and get the customers orders out. It's my first time here and I really wanted to come out and support a Black owned business but it reminded me of a similar experience at the Eko Restaurant in NY. read more

We had the best time here! The food was amazing! The atmosphere, ambiance was amazing! The birthday celebration which included everyone was so thoughtful and unique to this space! I loved the touch of culture and family vibe... it's why I chose to celebrate my sis's birthday here! I'm confident we will have a GOOD time! The service, was amazing! We got free, tasty shots with the birthday girl! We tried appetizers- Naan and Wings Cocktails - Afrodisiac & Birds of Paradise Mains- Prawn & Polenta and Graze N Bayou Annnnddddd Dessert- Pudding & Cheesecake We Loved everything! The chicken had a little kick, so much flavor and juicy! Naan was warm and that butter, omg! The mains were hearty and full of flavor! And the Dessert, I think my favorite was the bread pudding! Chefs Kiss! I can't believe i forgot to take pictures! I was too excited and present! Next time... just go! You will not be disappointed! Good for date night, ladies night or the family! read more

I will be back! Mahari in Hyde Park is feast for all senses. It was all I expected and more. Cuisine: African & Caribbean fusion When my party and I walked in, we were greeted by a beautiful host staff who genuine smiled upon entry -- rare. I felt the warmth immediately. I said to myself we are off to a great start. The smiles were followed by the striking decor which doubled down on the feeling of warmth. I gotta say, I kind of felt transported which made me ready and excited yet relaxed, if that makes sense. Simply put...the space is super inviting, interesting, and beyond beautiful. I need the decorator's number lbs. I promise to get pics next time! I began my night at the bar situated in the back of the restaurant. I ordered a Platano y Pina which was made with toasted coconut, smoked pineapple juice and white rum. This drink is for you if love something a lil smokey and want to avoid the typical sweet pina colada. Being typically a non drinker, I needed the sweet and something else. Bartender Crissy took great care of me recommending something a bit more refreshing -- Good Greetings (made with tequila, cucumber and ginger). This was the winner! I'll be back for this drink lol. Yall like alright quit yapping, tell us about the food. Well! The food is the star of she show especially if you love interesting flavors with depth. While waiting the couple next to my friend and I had their main meal arrive. The scent. Whew! I was tempted to change my order. The couple who were obviously on a date didn't even look up from their gorgeously plated entrees after they began eating. I could tell they were taking it all in and so were we, envious, anxious, and vicarious. When our bites came, we were ready! Salmon Cala Dish: perfectly light. Salmon fritters lightly breaded w/ panko crust and mango chutney were super tasty. The accompanying greens brought out the flavors of the dish. Pineapple Wings: The wings! If wings are on any menu, I'm getting wings and these did not disappoint. Smokey, roasted, flavorful, beautify charred, pineapple, SAVORY...I could keep going LOL. So good. I will order these every damn time. Waiter: shoutout to Grant who knew the menu well and actually answered my questions genuinely so I could make an informed decision. This man KNOWS the menu. He's also a sweetheart. Mahari has great ppl on the team. It's giving: family. Bathrooms: gorgeous and clean. Waitstaff/Service: nice, helpful, timely. Overall Feelings about Mahari in a few words: Familial. Inviting. Tasty. Verdict: Like I said, I'll be back. 9/10. Cheers read more

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This review is for dinner: I'll start with the good. The space is cute and cozy. A lot smaller than we thought, based on photos, though. Bathroom is also cute. Our waitress Kiara was really sweet and accomodating for our party of 7. It would have been nice if we could have eaten together at the same time. All meals came out at different times. The table was half finished with their food by the time my friend and I's dishes came out. I think the flavor of most of our dishes was ok. But for a restaurant that boasts about the African diaspora, I was expecting more. The crispy okra could have used ANY seasoning. It was bland. The Cazuela dish that I had should be AT LEAST $15 CHEAPER. It had 1 overcooked scallop, 2 shrimp, 4 tiny mussels. It was NOT in a tumeric stew as the menu states. It was tasty but it was a thin broth. For $38 dollars?? Absurd. I tried the Maharita drink. It was ok. Not spicy enough. I tried the silk route next which is supposed to be a bourbon based drink with chai spices and chocolate bitters. They sent an old fashioned which I wouldn't mind had I ordered an old fashioned but I didn't. Most of us had to send 2nd round of drinks back because they were terrible. They blamed it on a change of bartender. But aren't they using a drink recipe? Why am I paying $20 for a poorly executed cocktail? Get better bartenders. It didn't make sense. They resent the old fashioned with vanilla syrup and that was supposed to be the silk route cocktail. Overall, I think this establishment is a bit in over it's head and needs to make a lot of tweaks to make a visit here worth the exorbitant prices and the hype. I won't be running back anytime soon. read more

Food, music & drinks were very good! Reservations suggested for weekends. Free save parking.

the vibe is authentically welcoming. while visiting the second time, i learned the tables and chairs are handmade & the walld consist of clay. (see pics) there were multiple birthdays that we celebrated collectively with drumming and a toast ... "we are not above you. we are not below you. we are right here with you." read more

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We came around 8pm and didn't have reservations. It took them about 8 minutes to seat us, about 6-7 minutes for someone else to acknowledge us once we sat and about 5 more minutes to get water. We ordered the wings, Cajun pasta and the salmon/steak combo with plaintain and rice peas. The wing were pretty good. I couldn't put my hand on the ingredients in the sauce but it was different. The music was a little too loud for my liking. We were yelling across the table to talk to each other. The food took probably 35 minutes to come out and came out warm to the touch. It was quite disappointing seeing how long we waited. The pasta was smoking but not hot. Idk the science behind that. The rice for the rice and peas was not cooked well and was crunchy. He took that off the bill. The flavor in the pasta was really nice. The plantain were just ripe enough but the sauce on them was really good. The salmon was a bit over cooked and not far away from being dry. The waiter was busy - you literally could see him running back and forth- so it took some effort to get his attention but he was nice and helpful. read more

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Took my friend here for her birthday we got here pretty much right when they open and it wasn't full in there until we left so that was great cause I hate pool restaurants so I was able to chat it up without a whole bunch of murmur from other tables. I thought the drink was OK not worth $20 in my opinion, but it was nice I had the only vegan option I can really have. The stuffed plantains it wasn't what I thought it would be, but it was actually really good. I did wish they gave me more rice and peas but overall, it was really great. The plating was fantastic. My friend had the chicken in frijole's she said it was really good and spicy, but she said it was really really good. She definitely finished it all. It was a really cute on the inside. It was a nice vibe. Definitely a place that I feel like a lot of people go to on dates. I did make a reservation because every time I walk past, they're always packed, but it was pretty easy getting a reservation. I would say also I love that. They're on the inkind app I love paying through that so kudos on that but definitely come again. I'm a try their brunch next time. read more

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Discover this newly black owned restaurant on instagram! I was walking around enjoying the sights of the restaurant. It bumped into staff. They stated that the restaurant hasn't even been open a month! Im truly impressed ! It definitely giving intimate dining vibe. If I had to describe it, I would say it's an african/ caribbean infusion. They have a lot of dishes with some heat and spice to it.If that's your thing! For appetizers, we went with the chicken wings. For main courses, we both had the dish with the filet Mignon and salmon with a creole. My husband and I do have some dietary restrictions, and they were able to tell us what we were able to eat and tailored additions to our liking, and even bring some extra sauces . Our weight staff me was named, Love and she was absolutely amazing. Love was very patient with us. She went inside to ask the kitchen questions for us. She checked on how everything was prepared and let them know about our restrictions and gave us amazing recommendations. She kept checking with us to make sure everything was to our liking! Amazing experience we left smile happy and satisfied! I was informed that the menu does change.And I can't wait to come back and try something different! read more

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I cannot choose zero stars but I would. I had a 7:30 reservation, arrived around 7:25, was sat immediately, order a drink that I had to place twice before receiving. I ordered my food around 7:45. It is now 9:09 and I still haven't received my food. The reason given was a printing issue. What? If you actually want to eat, don't come here. read more

Even though I haven't experienced the full Journey of exploring the foods of the African diaspora which Mahari promises, I experienced a few very tasty light bites that have me yearning to return STAT! After leaving local Southside dive bar, a couple of friends and I were a little hungry. Since I had berm dying to go to Mahari since they opened in January, I suggested this Hyde Park eatery. They were super down so we made our way. As we entered Mahari, I was immediately enveloped in the warm, inviting vibe and stylish decor. For a Monday night, it was pretty busy and luckily we were seated right away. Our server was extremely accommodating and made us feel welcome. He went over the menu and we opted for the Maharitas, a tantalizing take on a classic margarita with mezcal, blanco tequila mango, scotch bonnet agave, ginger and lime juice. We also ordered the Haitian wings, salmon cala and the fennel and apple salad. The salmon fritters had the perfect amount of seasoning and crunch, the salad was thoroughly refreshing and the wings were to die for! There was enough for all of us to share and we were happy. Mahari took over the space that was once home to French bistro, La Petite Folie and what an amazing replacement it is. I'll be back sooner rather than later! read more

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We were really looking forward to trying Mahari. The place looks great and you can tell a lot of thought and care went into the decor. The food was good. Service was very slow. It was an hour between when we were seated and when our food arrived. Parties seated later than us were on their entrees before our appetizers arrived. Our server seemed not to be aware of this at all. About 45 minutes in we finally asked when our food would be ready. It came out shortly afterwards. The portions were small. I wish the place well but we are not in a hurry to go back. read more

I was taken here for my birthday weekend for brunch and it was delicious from beginning to end! No notes! My breakfast platter was sooo good, hands down best scrambled egg whites I've ever had at a restaurant. The chicken sausage had the perfect snap to them. I hate fennel but the taste was so mild it tasted good. The French toast flambé looked charred in not a good way but baybeeee tasted like mwah! The adult bevs were sooo delicious we had 4 lol. I'm really excited to come back and try their dinner menu. The service was great, everyone was friendly including the owner. A must try in Hyde park! read more

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I've been to Mahari twice so far and both times, I really enjoyed the food and the friendly service. The stuffed Plantains were a hit with both the beef and mushroom toppings. The salad, wings, lamb burger, and chicken entree were tasty as well. I would definitely recommend a visit. read more

I'll start by saying I'm eager to go back Mahari on a Saturday once I heard that they'll be featuring some cuisines from the diaspora that I really like. We got to Mahari roughly a week after they opened. We heard about it right before opening and booked a reservation that same day. If this is how they're doing after a week, good things are on the way. The team - The servers and staff were all great. It was a little odd the host told us our table wasn't ready (we were less than 5 mins late for the reservation), when they had three 2-tops open. After an odd minute, we were seated at our table. No worries. Just odd. Server team Our server was very friendly and helpful as we thought about our orders. Again, for a new spot, it'll get better but taking our order on a electronic device with one hand (awkwardly) while holding dishes she cleared the table next to us wasn't a good look. Just take your time and do it right - go put your dishes away and come back (I'll come back to this). Plus, I don't want to stare at dirty plates while I'm thinking about ordering. They were also not super attentive on the water refills (usually, places that are humming don't let your glass go below 1/2). Mine got empty and stayed that way fro a while. Food: Sambusas - Excellent. I'd go back just for these. They were quite taste and the sauce on the plate had the perfect amount of heat Salmon Cala - Also really great. The rice inside was good and added an interesting texture to it. They also had the right heat and the chutney was a nice touch to add some sweetness to the overall flavor. The clementine didn't make any sense and this dish could do without it. It's an odd add. Yucca Fries - They were fine, but needed to come with some kind of dipping sauce. They were just plain, which means dry and starchy. (plus I had no water!) Stuffed plantain - my partner said it was really good (veggie version, no cheese). Bread pudding - Also really good. I'm not a huge fan of it, in general, but this was great. the table next to our said it was the best bread pudding ever! The issue (which they made "right" as best they could: The Whole snapper - This was the big issue. The food generally came fast so it was odd when my fish didn't come out with the plantain entree. After a few minutes, we asked about it and were told it was coming. 15 mins later? Nothing. My partner finished before my fish came. When it did come, the flavor on the broth was great, but the fish was undercooked and had to go back (raw in the center - which is hard for a thin fish). Another 15-20 later, a new order came out (a much smaller fish, but that was fine). The broth tasted a little different, but was fine. I feel like they rushed the first one because it was missed in the order. Our server apologized and said "it was ALL my fault", so I'm left thinking she didn't enter it correctly (see the juggling the device above). Either way, it was all good and they actually cared, and were very VERY apologetic. All good. The fish was good, but came with NOTHING. No rice. No veggies. Just fish on a plate. everything else came as a meal. My advice? Throw a few yucca fries on the plate because that broth needed to be consumed! Two other notes: * They had a birthday in the house, and the community feel was dope. They are really building a "community center" there. * The sound system could use a bit of an upgrade. We were right below a speaker in the ceiling. Th music selection was fine, but the speaker was distractingly "tinny' (like a loudspeaker) and had no bass. Given the focus of the restaurant, you don't need "concert bass" (like a club) , but you gotta have a little bit more warmth to the sound. This was a miss they should fix. As I said. I'm looking forward to going back! I like what they got going over there! read more

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In a word, AMAZING! Fantastic flavors. The vibe, the service, the food! Had a girls evening and sat at the bar. The dishes we ordered were the stuffed Plantains, Lamb Burger, Cazuela de Mariscos, Salmon Cala and Kalop Scallops. My favorite was the Stuffed Plantains with mushrooms and Beef. Each dish was perfectly prepared. I will definitely be back with more friends. read more

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My fiance and I went to Mahari for their Chicago Restaurant Week dinner and it was outstanding!! Everything was delicious, unique, and the service was incredible. We also learned that it is family owned - another bonus in our book. Will recommend to everyone and can't wait to go back! read more

Mahari - Seafood pasta and steak platter - African Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

If you care about service or your time, please avoid this place. Really it took an hour and 15 minutes to get our drinks and they werent good, watery, and tasted the same! Food came out about 20 minutes after that. Portions were small, but the price was high! 20% mandatory gratitude on tables over 2! No offer to comp anything after waiting so long. They also do a really loud birthday drumming and speech thing!actually offensive dining experience. Also the menu was confusing. For the money it was robbery. $125 for half a bad meal. read more

Servers are good. The bartender did not listen to the drink requests that were given. She made them how she wanted too. Food is delicious and I will be back read more

The service was awful ! we had to wait 30 minutes for each drink . We weren't even ordering food which was crazy. The waitress would disappear and charged my friend twice on her Amex . The food critics on social media definitely were getting their food and drinks for half off to give good reviews because this restaurant is slow and inattentive . Will not be back! read more

By far one of the best experiences I've had this far in 2025... The environment and ambiance, and most importantly the "STAFF." From the moment we walked through their doors we were greeted and welcomed with open arms. Therefore, it was truly a blessing to experience top notch, high quality customer service throughout our visit. EVERYONE WAS GREAT!!! The food!!! The flavor!! read more

I really wanted to love this place but it's a hard pass for me. It took 30mins to get water even though we were asked if we wanted water by at least three different people. I was brought straws for said water prior to getting the water so I was just holding straws for at least 10mins. We were there for almost two hours before getting our food- at which point I just asked them to box it up before they even brought it out. which they didn't. We were told the food was being plated and it would be out in a few mins- we asked again thirty mins later. When the food do finally come my moms food was cold which doesn't make sense. also everything was saltier than necessary. it's a cute place, to may tables for such a small place. read more

@valjohn1: EXCELLENT!!! Went with two friends and had a wonderful time!! The hospitality and the food are great!! They make you feel like you're at home!!! read more

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i traveled from San Francisco to visit my sister for her birthday, she really wanted to try this spot and to this day i have yet to taste what everyone on social media is talking abt. For a restaurant that will charge $25 per person if you reserve and don't show up, i feel like i need to be paid for the time i wasted waiting for my food that never came. my party and i arrived to the restaurant a few minutes before our reservation and they still seemed confused as to where they'd fit us for the night. we got drinks and ordered the salmon balls as an appetizer which had little to no salmon- it was mostly rice. we then ordered and never got our food. while everyone, including people who arrived after us, got their food my table and the table next to us (they were there before we arrived) waited TWO hours before we decided to let the waiter know we wanted to close the tab. although i appreciate the waitress for apologizing and helping us get our drinks and appetizers free we never received a formal apology from management. idk i think that speaks highly of them tbh. good to mention we ended up leaving around 9:30 pm so by the time we left everything around us was closed. from all the food coming out the kitchen none had sizzle or smoke coming from it so i can only imagine the food was cold too... read more

Every thing is great on the menu don't hesitate to try all the drinks as well! Start with the appetizers then work your way

All staff should be aware of reservation policy, this would have been a better experience. The food and service was great!

This a beautiful restaurant. The aesthetics of the decor makes you think you are somewhere else. The staff are very personable and attentive. Our waiter was knowledgeable about the menu and made several suggestions. We were there celebrating a friend's birthday and they made it special with acknowledging it with music/drums. We all sampled different items from the menu and overall the food was okay- some items better than others. read more

This place is absolute perfection. Beautiful ambiance and atmosphere. Excellent service. Quite literally everything we ordered was 20 out of 10. The drinks, the food, and the dessert. Soooooooo good. So much flavor in every bite and sip. We can't wait to come back. And if you haven't been here you need to make your way over. Highly recommend! read more

Mahari - Bread pudding. Best I've ever had! - African Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My first experience at Mahari for brunch was quite delightful! From start to finish, the entire staff was so friendly, accommodating and professional. The food and drinks were amazing. There are food options for everyone and the decor was beautiful. Now it can be kinda loud but I didn't mind the energetic atmosphere. I look forward to returning for dinner soon. read more

Mahari - Bayou Strata - perfect pescatarian option - African Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Mahari is a restaurant that is good and can become great for the community with a little tweak. We started our afro inspired culinary experience with a hiccup with our reservation. Despite being a long time Opentable user, they lost our reservation and it took them a minute to find us in the system. But once found we were seated in a two top near the bar, things started to improve. At 6:00pm the place was crowded and many coming in right behind us. We ordered cocktails and the berebere naan as starters. The naan was sweet and savory at the same time and we wished there was more. Next as the veggie, I had the Jollof Platter with trumpet mushrooms. The mushrooms were cooked perfectly but the jollof rice was a little dry so I only ate half. My hubby had the Creole Seafood Pasta, which he thoroughly enjoyed. We ended the evening with the bread pudding. As the menu evolves, we look forward to visiting again. Amusez votre bouche! read more

Mahari has amazing flavors of African and Caribbean fusion. The service was amazing, shout out to my waitress Love, she was amazing and very informative about the menu. The vibe of the restaurant is lively and almost feels like you're at a family members house. I highly recommend the Haitian Hot wings, the Kutkoota Sambusa, and Suya Mushrooms read more

Wen waited for 30 minutes. Nobody has come to take our order, we are talking about just drinks. And The server went to other table which arrived later than us. We left the restaurant, because it looked like it might take more than 1 our to even get drinks. We really wished to eat their food, but we can not be waiting 2 to 3 hours to get food... read more

The food was OK. It wasn't something that I would need to go back for again. It has a nice ambience in the restaurant, but the service was very fast and professional. read more

Mahari - Wings - African Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Well let's see where to begin. The waitress said she would be back for our drink order in a couple of minutes which turned into 20mins and someone else came to take the order. Then it took another 20mins to get the drink. More than 1 person kept coming to our table to reconfirm what we ordered, the fact that the food was coming, the ticket machine wasn't working and we got hit with "you haven't gotten your food yet?" They then proceeded to tell us they were going to give us a discount. A discount on what? The drinks that should have been comp'd due to the lack of food or a discount on non-existent food. We waited for 2hrs almost for food that never came before going next door to Ascione Bistro for dinner that was served to us within 15mins of sitting down. I explained what we had endured at Mahari and they sat us immediately and served us one of the best short rib meals ever. No manager even came over to our table and addressed the long food wait or provided any kind of compensation. The manager should also be held accountable for the disaster of a night that they were having. The drink I had was good, the food that was being prepared smelled good, but that's all I can say. This restaurant needs to be restructured from management to the kitchen. It shouldn't be open for business if it's functioning like this. Do not come here if you're hungry! read more

Mahari is a beautiful restaurant;everything is handcrafted. The tables, the seats, even the tiles create such a warm and stunning atmosphere. The food is vibrant, full of thoughtfully balanced flavors, and every dish feels intentional. The service is excellent; the host is incredibly welcoming and makes me feel like family the moment I walk in. I have absolutely no complaints about this place. I'll definitely be back. read more

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After receiving a recommendation to check out this restaurant, my friends and I decided to meet at Mahari for dinner. The small restaurant is beautifully decorated with hand crafted artifacts from various parts of the world such as Africa, Australia and other indigenous cultures. The entire staff takes the time to speak to each table regardless of the assigned server ensuring that each customer is satisfied. I ordered the lamb burger that was served on a brioche roll with a slice of grilled pineapple, a pikliz slaw and yucca fries. There are no words to describe how delicious the whole meal was. Burger perfectly seasoned, grilled pineapple and fries were just right. The pikliz slaw has a different taste but one that is worth acquiring. I will definitely return and bring more people with me. Make your reservations and have a great time. Your taste buds will thank you for it. read more

Mahari - Lamb burger with grilled pineapple - African Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Mahari is a true southside gem. Great food, the owners are very friendly and the service was good. we tried the lamb burge, apple and fennel salad and the chicken entree with the beans and rice. All were delicious and would order again. One of the owners was nice enough to let us have a sample of the bread pudding since we were too full to order it. Absolutely amazing! Will definitely save room for it next time. read more