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

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

@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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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

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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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Really good service for the place to be new and to have a different style of food I think it will last but there are a few tweaks needed the salmon rice ball needed more flavor and the Haitian wings needed more spice. 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

I was looking forward to a decent experience and unfortunately Mahari missed the mark for me. The waitress was unprofessional honestly. She was nice, but she seemed to have forgotten about my husband and I mid meal. A different waitress started to serve us and we didn't see our original waiter again until it was time to pay. She then told us to consider her having children as a way to gain more tip money. Let's also talk about the surprise gratuity! We were told at the end of our dinner that we were getting charged $30 extra for 2 people and the service and food were not worth it at all. The food was okay but the entire experience was a little bit of a let down honestly. read more

Mahari is a true gem. The prawn and polenta were absolutely delicious--flavorful, tender, and beautifully plated. The seared okra with creole sauce, rice and beans, and sweet plantains were all delicious as well and they all complemented one another perfectly. Others in my group had the lamb burger, Cazuela de Mariscos pasta special and spoke highly of those too. The Maharita was also very tasty. Great service, beautiful restaurant, and incredible food--I'll definitely be back! read more

Mahari - Rice n peas, Seared Okra in Creole Sauce, Prawn & Polenta, Maharita - African Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food was absolutely terrible this place is totally overrated. I liked the décor, and the service was okay, but man, the food was very disappointing. 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 delicious, the service was very good, the ambience was some of the best that I've experience. So much so, but I was at this restaurant twice in one month. Once with my daughter, and returned a few weeks later with my girlfriends. read more

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I can't wait to return here and try them again for a special occasion. It is an African-Caribbean fusion restaurant, which is a new type of cuisine for me and I was eager to try the dishes. It definitely shows the history of migration and influence from a variety of areas of the world. (Caribbean, Latin American, African.) For the uninitiated it seemed like it also had some Asian (Indian and Thai) flavors and inspirations too, but I understand these flavors and spices are also common in the Caribbean. Luckily I went with a friend who loves to sample and share, so I tried 2 appetizers (salmon and rice balls and the naan) and two mains (the prawns & polenta and the stuffed plantains with beef (not sure how they were named on the menu.) The dishes are interesting and had complex flavors. I had to make myself stop eating so I wouldn't overstuff myself and also so I would have a second meal the following day. The cocktails were also very nice (although pricey at $20 each) and the bartender made good suggestions based on both my and my friend's preferences. The ambiance was very lively but also intimate. There is a small bar at the back that I'd like to sit at next time. There are a lot of small and big details that make the experience unique. (There were two birthday parties when I was there and the whole restaurant birthday ritual was a very nice "gift.") They have specially developed hand lotion from Suuri designs in the washrooms, which smelled nice and was a great touch. The service is the only component that needs to be improved a bit to bring my review up to 5 stars-we just need a little more attentiveness such as checking in more frequently and keeping water glasses filled. I don't mind a "tip included" policy because I know that it is done to provide a living wage to restaurant workers, but I do like it when I know beforehand due to the host telling us as we're seated. I didn't see the message on the menu, but I didn't necessarily look for it. I do wish them luck and hope that they do well. It is nice to have another higher end restaurant in Hyde Park to join Erick Williams's Virtue and Cantina Rossa. read more

I had the pleasure of visiting this restaurant. The food is in impeccable. Everything I have from the salad to the Cajun seafood pasta dish, and the smoky margarita was very high-quality. I was server was amazing with her recommendations. When we walk through the door we were greeted in a very warm manner. They really made you feel at home. This is my new favorite restaurant in this area. It will not disappoint you. read more

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Food was great! Atmosphere is really nice. Staff was extremely hospitable. Gave us a lot of great information about the layout of the restaurant. A birthday well celebrated. read more

Mahari - Stuffed Plantains with a Side Car - African Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food was great zI had the lamb burger and it was cooked to perfection. And the Jorja Peach cocktail was just right and full of flavor. Love the decor and the staff was really nice and a great help. I will be back and bring others with me. Overall everything was Excellent. read more

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

In short, not worth it! Walked in, no reservation. In order to seat us, they wanted first and last name: A bit big brother'ish, but did not want to ruin the experience. Drinks $18 overpriced for HP Appetizer: Scallops: $24, 3 small scallops with just ok flavors Main: Marisco: $38 for 2 medium size shrimp, 3 mussels, and dried up crawfish. Sauce is mild, and needed lime to spice it up. Lamb burger, in general better, but fries over done. No desert. Kicker: They have a policy for 2 people with mandatory 20% tip! I don't know any restaurant that does that. Not even ALINEA or NEXT do that. WTF! Judge for yourself, but not again for me. read more

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

Was excited about trying this new place out near me. Went there last night about 8:30 and the doors were locked. Someone cracked the door and said "sorry we are closed," even though the door said they closed at 10 and people were inside eating. I walked right next door and had THE BEST MEAL and Mikki was THE BEST server!! When we walked in and asked what time they closed they said 9PM because they were closing early but they would still seat us. Talk about hospitality. So the moral to the story is eat next door @AscioneBistro. Mahari gets a thumbs down for me read more

Mahari - Lobster bisquei - 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

The food is delicious and the customer service is amazing!!! The decor is all imported from different countries in Africa! The owner encourages feedback and is always attentive to the needs of the patron. I'm visiting from out of town but this will be my go to restaurant whenever I'm in town. I had the lamb burger, the cabbage and a party of 4, we shared the small plate of chicken wings and the salmon fritters. All the food we tasted is seasoned to perfection. I definitely recommend this restaurant! read more

Mahari - Sitting area - African Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Delighted to have Mahari as one of my restaurant favorites! Interesting, well-seasoned options from the African diaspora: I especially loved the salmon/rice balls, scallops, and mushroom skewers. Each of these options has a great, flavorful sauce without being heavy. Lovely, lovely staff. They are well-trained and work together to ensure a great customer experience. Our server, "Love," was attentive, kind, and "familiar like family" while maintaining professionalism. Colorful, cozy decor. Beautiful handmade tables and chairs. I love the beautiful ceiling artwork of fabric behind the light fixtures. I occasionally moved to the African and Ampiano beats that played in the background. The music was loud enough to enjoy, and while being able to have conversations with your dining party. Check out Mahari! You will not be disappointed. read more

Great food and Ambiance...Customer service was on point and friendly. The owner is visibly involved in the operation . read more

The food was amazing! Flavorful and beautifully presented . The service was very personable. The dining room is quaint and intimate! Can't wait to go back! read more

My family selected this place for my 60th dinner celebration; one of my pet peeves is customer service whether i am spending a 1.00 or more, and though it doesn't matter to me what race owns the place i will admit when black own business don't give good service. i normally check out the reviews but since i was my bday i didn't i just went with the flow, so now i am wondering if we picked the wrong day after looking at the reviews when i got home. maybe its not a place to celebrate special events. The music was great, the place is a cool vibe, but the customer service on this day was 0-1 and i want put all that transpired because this review would be a book i will say it definitely put a black cloud on my birthday . how do you run out of happy hour menus? i felt like sofia sofia sofia yes i said i wasnt going to forget her name kept avoiding us until happy hour expired. i asked her about the wings and if they were spicy after she gave us a few of the items she could remember from the happy hour menu. She told me no its like a barbeque sauce, so i ordered them and then i was sick . The wings for me were extremely spicy having my mouth burning, my sinus flaring and me trying not to cry i have always have good birthday dinner places and this was a fail. i had someone ask me if i would go back and give it another try, and honestly i really don't know ,but everyones experience is different, but for my family and myself this was not a good selection. i know my kids felt bad because they wanted me to have an awesome day because you only turn 60 once. read more

I went for a large birthday celebration. There were about 20 of us, but the way the tables are set up, the guest of honor could jump between tables & be present with all of her guests. They also allow individual checks, even with a party this large (they bring the checkout right to the table). They also do a walking drum circle to celebrate birthdays & get the entire restaurant involved. I ordered the Pollo N Frijoles, which was included large portions & amazing flavor. I also got the Spice Route Sidecar, which had great presentation. I truly enjoyed the experience & service & look forward to trying more of the menu. read more

Mahari - Large Bites: Pollo N Frijoles Libations: Spice Route Sidecar - African Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The ambience was beautiful. We really enjoyed the experience. We were given an explanation on the decor such as the table tops being handmade and the walls being made of African Clay. Our server Lov was wonderful. Attentive, kind, fun, and knowledgeable. Only note I would give would be to use a single ice cube in the old fashioned, regular ice watered it down. Other than that bestie and I will return for brunch. read more

MAHARI Is an exceptional restaurant with scrumptious food prepared to perfection! The service is impeccable and the beautiful interior and atmosphere is unmatched! Don't miss the opportunity to experience an amazing dining experience ! read more

They have some great choices on the menu. Everything was very tasty.would definitely recommend.

Honestly, I really want this place to be good. Took 20 minutes to take our order on Friday night at 8:30pn. Food temperature was highly inconsistent and chicken was underdone. We left it on the plate so that we wouldn't get sick. The ideas behind the food are interesting and some of the flavors are quite good. But for the price point, the inconsistency is shocking. The vibe of the place is honestly quite wonderful but the food and the service do not match. Also, the drinks were problematic. Their take on a Manhattan was average and the Margarita smelled and tasted like a barn. Unfortunately, I could not recommend. Really hope that they'll continue to improve. It is clearly loved by the community and could be an amazing place. At this point, it is overpriced and a waste of an evening. read more