MAHARI
Justin Proctor · 132 Google reviewsMAHARI — reliable food in Hyde Park. The atmosphere is half the draw here. The bar is worth the visit on its own. "The mushroom flatbread and seared okra was delicious, and the bread pudding was the best I’ve ever tasted" — Joseph Squier [patio]
What 393 diners keep saying
What 393 diners keep saying
verbatim, from Google
“Love the food , great atmosphere, no complaints and also great service”
“THIS was the spot to go to for lunch after checking out the Obama center. Vibey Black owned spot in Hyde Park, afrobeats playing and amazing food.”
“Wonderful experience! Let's put that out there first Wanted to treat hubby to dinner and I recently saw a YouTube video from a food blogger give a positive review about this place so on 6/21/26 we went. We thought it would be empty due to the inclement weather. NOPE! Full house! You walk in and the colors and decor are very inviting to make you feel like you are in Africa. Staff that checked us in were friendly. Our waitress Ivory was a sweetheart, very helpful and kind. Started off by ordering the house lemonade which was good. Hubby had an alcohol drink which he thought was okay, wanted it to be more sweet. We were deciding what to order - many things were sold out. I ordered the Jollof platter with steak - even though they were out of jollof rice, they substituted with rice and beans. I ate everything, it was good - steak I wanted more as it was tender and the sauce on top was yummy. I will admit, it didn't make me entirely full but that maybe because I love healthy portions of food. Hubby got the Rah-Sta Pasta with the addition of shrimp. We waited for our food to come out. Food was flavorful and good. I loved hubby's pasta and wished I had gotten that - the cream sauce is marvelous in that dish. Our waitress Ivory recommended the bread pudding for dessert. I told her I'm picky when it comes to that particular dessert. She assured me it's good and she was right. It was delicious, moist and came out warm with a wonderful creamy sauce on top of it. Practically all the staff came to talk to us to either say hi or wishing us a good experience. That in itself had me because most establishments need to have staff be more guest attentive. We even got to meet the Assistant General Manager who personally came over to talk with us and ask us how our experience was going. Doing that has me giving major cool points, do you hear me? All in all, a great time. There was a famous politician in the house that night also. We were there to luckily get to see their staff entertainment which we loved (see video). Even the Assistant General Manager was a part of it! Definitely will be back. A+++ in our books and highly recommend. Thank you Mahari for a wonderful experience.”
“Mahari is always a wonderful experience! The stuffed plantains with ground beef is bomb. The bread pudding is to die for. They have a wonderful photographer, Uli, who makes your experience extra fun. Don’t miss out! Free parking. Wonderful service.”
“Such a serene space to eat a delicious meal. Everything was great - atmosphere, food, and service. We made reservations for my birthday dinner and was not disappointed. 😋 First, a restaurant that offers Happy Hour until 7p needs to be praised because it's unheard of. We took advantage of this offer for an app & a few drinks. Main courses arrived in a timely manner & everything was delicious! We got stuffed to the point of missing out on dessert. Even experienced a special birthday surprise unlike anything I've ever seen at any other establishment! 🥰 Will surely spread the word and return.”
“Love This Place. food is amazing. Drinks are really good. The staff was great and attentive. Perfect ambience”
“I had the pleasure of dining at Mahari and it exceeded all expectations. From the moment we walked in, the warm, welcoming atmosphere set the tone for an unforgettable meal. Mahari’s celebration of African diaspora cuisine is truly special — each dish was thoughtfully prepared, rich in flavor, and beautifully presented. The menu creatively blends African, Caribbean, Creole, and American South influences, resulting in bold, delicious flavors that delight the palate. I had the Creole Seafood Pasta and my wife had the Suya Jollof Platter…both simply amazing! And the Bread Pudding..OMG!!! Ira Ellis, our server, was attentive and friendly, and he along with the other staff members clearly cared about out dining experience. The cocktails were inventive and perfectly paired with our meal, and the vibrant, culturally inspired ambiance made the whole evening feel like a celebration. Mahari easily lives up to its reputation — no wonder it was recently named Best Neighborhood Restaurant in the Chicago area. Whether you’re planning a date night, dinner with friends, or just looking to explore something new and flavorful, Mahari is absolutely worth a visit — a true gem in Hyde Park!”
“I was told to come and experience a dine session here if I visit Chicago so I did. We did have a reservation for earlier in the day we had to cancel due to time permissions. We still took the chance to do a walk in later that evening which I am glad we did. We were greeted pleasantly! Although we had no reservation we were accommodated in a timely fashion. We sat at the bar in the mean time and had drinks. One thing I am grateful for is the level of hospitality this place has, making sure everyone in that space is having a good time and enjoying their food is a big priority at this establishment . Ok so now for the food , bc our drinks were very good. By the way we ordered a pina colada and margarita which each had their own twist to it. Now for the food we wanted to try a few things so we did that's is how you do it anyway when it is your first time and from out of town lol. We participated in the restaurant week menu, $60 pp which was very reasonable. Hanesha honey naan, mahari house salad, mushroom satay, and pineapple wings to start. All dishes were very flavorful. The mushrooms surprisingly I loved the way they were prepared ,great! The wings had a nice kick to it. Salad wa fresh and the sweet touch on the naan was tasty! For our main dishes we went with the stuffed plantain dish and the pollo n frioles both had a nice kick to it and delish! Lastly for desserts the mon mon bread pudding and sorrel sorbet were so bomb!!! Anything sorrel I love! My friend mentioned to staff that it was my birthday , there was a mini celebration which was so cute the drums and music! I am so happy I was able to experience Mahari it was well worth it !Such a beautiful space!”
“Wow oh wow! Not only is the food amazing but the staff are phenomenal. Magic was a great host, he shared great stories as well as stories of the dishes. I highly recommend this place as they offer foods from different cultures.”
“We came here about a year ago when they 1st opened and had a wonderful time. One of the dishes tasted just like my Mom’s home cooking. A year later we returned to celebrate my wife’s bday they remembered us and we had amazing food and a great experience. The owners are very proud (rightly so) of their resturant and they delivered. Food from the African Diaspora (African, Latin American and Caribbean fusion) ! Well Done!”
“Food is really amazing. And honestly the price range on google map doesn’t really do justice of the affordability of this place. We came in for brunch and paid only around $30 pp. While the food is top notch, better than a lot of popular brunch places in New York. Loving the host too. Amazing and warm people”
“Mahari may be my favorite restaurant. The food was delicious with great portions and impeccable flavors. The staff was lovely, ambience and decor was beautiful. I wanted to order 10 of the pina colada drink - it was soooo good. And the bread budding? I’ve had dreams about it. I can’t wait to go back.”
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