The restaurant\u2019s name held meaning in their family long before they opened in January. It can be translated as \u201cgift\u201d in the Swahili language, Rahim Muhammad said, and it\u2019s also his oldest daughter\u2019s middle name.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe wanted to find one word that encompasses the beauty behind it,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd it was Mahari.\u201d<\/p>\n
The restaurant has become an escape from the everyday, where \u201cpeople feel like they\u2019re on a retreat somewhere,\u201d Muhammad said.<\/p>\n
A woven grass ceiling over the main dining room with warm-hued tiled tables enhances that feeling.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a very homey place,\u201d said the chef, who was raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. \u201cBecause a lot of us have a strong representation in Southern hospitality.\u201d<\/p>\n
It feels very exotic, he added, and communal too.<\/p>\n
I felt the power of community during my two visits. I can\u2019t tell you how many times I witnessed friends surprised to find one another, from younger groups standing at the back bar at brunch to older diners seated for dinner.<\/p>\n
A beautiful Caribbean lamb burger at Mahari has earned a reputation by rightful word of mouth<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the Caribbean, lamb and goat are more prevalent than beef,\u201d said Muhammad. \u201cWe use lamb, but there\u2019s layers to it.\u201d<\/p>\n They start with a toasted brioche bun baked at La Boulangerie across the courtyard, he said, spread with a hidden layer of mango chutney. A spiced lamb patty, cooked to your preferred doneness, is then topped with smoked Gouda cheese, grilled pineapple and spicy pikliz, the pickled and peppered Haitian condiment.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of our chefs, she\u2019s from Haiti,\u201d he said. \u201cSo she makes a Haitian pikliz that has lots of complex flavors, sweet and sour and spicy.\u201d<\/p>\n That pikliz may be my favorite component, adding a distinctive kick and crunch. But it\u2019s not just one chef dedicated to making it.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone can make it in the kitchen,\u201d said Muhammad.<\/p>\n A side of golden yuca fries is done perfectly in the style of pommes Pont Neuf, the thick-cut frites arranged in a crosshatch stack. I haven\u2019t seen the old-school French fries since culinary school in Paris, which makes sense since Muhammad graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in Chicago<\/a>, before beginning his career under chef Art Smith<\/a> at Table Fifty-Two<\/a>.<\/p>\n A spectacular prawn and polenta, offered at dinner only, is his interpretation of shrimp and grits.<\/p>\n Giant river prawns come piled high on an exquisite pan-seared crisp yet creamy polenta cake, set against a canvas of aromatic Jamaican yellow curry, garnished with caramelized cipollini onion petals. <\/p>\n \u201cThe polenta cake, I learned that in Louisiana,\u201d said Muhammad. \u201cIt\u2019s just a way that my aunt made it.\u201d<\/p>\n That was his mother\u2019s sister who taught him how to make those glorious fried grits, an ingenious cousin to fried rice.<\/p>\n Pineapple wings rival the lamb burger as their bestseller, said the chef, and both dishes are halal. Crackly charred chicken skin gives way to flesh that\u2019s tender and deeply seasoned to the bone.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can get wings everywhere in Chicago,\u201d said the chef. \u201cBut I wanted these to stand out, so we have a four-step process.\u201d<\/p>\n They start with a pineapple brine marination, a Creole Cajun seasoning, then roast and finally grill. And it\u2019s the final grilling, and a pan sauce made by deglazing with pineapple juice, that makes all the difference.<\/p>\n Stunning salmon calas, batter-dipped and deep-fried fritters, are formed with coveted heirloom Carolina Gold rice.<\/p>\n \u201cThose were inspired by New Orleans,\u201d said Muhammad. \u201cAnd that\u2019s true to my roots.\u201d<\/p>\n But the chef reimagined historic calas, created in this country by enslaved people.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the 1800s, women were making a living by selling calas, sweet rice fritters served with a caf\u00e9 au lait,\u201d he said. \u201cBut we turned it into something savory, because people love a good salmon croquette.\u201d<\/p>\n His batter dip and deep fry create something more substantial, with a final flourish of roasted salmon skin and a lovely green salad dressed in mandarin segments and vinaigrette.<\/p>\n A French toast flamb\u00e9 transforms pillowy slices of brioche bread into nearly a custard, while maintaining its character through a tableside rum-fueled flame, with caramelized plantains and hot honey too.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have something we call Habesha honey that\u2019s made with berbere spice, which we get from Demera Ethiopian restaurant<\/a>, one of our friends,\u201d said Muhammad. \u201cIt\u2019s straight from their homeland. Their farmland.\u201d<\/p>\n An intoxicating ruby red nonalcoholic sobolo drink also infuses spice with intention.<\/p>\n Beverage director Lisa Brown was previously at The Promontory. She steeps floral red sorrel leaves with pungent Grains of Paradise, star anise, whole cloves, cinnamon, ginger, orange and clover honey. The resulting delicious cold drink is available with and without alcohol.<\/p>\n Her Afrodisiac Island cocktail sips smooth yet strong with Ten To One rum, the Black-owned brand co-owned by Grammy Award-winning R&B star Ciara. Brown mixes the rum with pomegranate, lime and smoked pineapple juices plus fig honey, finishing with Cavi-art vegan caviar for delightful tiny boba-like pops.<\/p>\n A cazuela de mariscos, however, while abundant with sea scallops and PEI mussels, seemed to substitute prawns for crawfish, which were once served in the shell when the restaurant opened<\/a>. The chef said they were in the delicate pineapple coconut broth, but I sadly couldn\u2019t detect the crustaceans.<\/p>\n The okra \u00e9touff\u00e9e, a wonderful substitution of traditional crawfish with the polarizing pods, had nice flavors, but the basmati rice in the smothered dish was overcooked and broken.<\/p>\n The desserts, including a plantain bread pudding and watermelon cheesecake, were so endearingly homestyle and as soft as an embrace, but not as refined as the rest of the bold menu. If I might say something as a critic that a son might find hard to say to his mother, those desserts can be taken to the next level, as were the fried grits. <\/p>\n The sambusas are an uplifting example. Colorful, hot and crispy, the savory triangular pastries are filled with spicy beef, pulled chicken or fine lentils. As someone who grew up making egg rolls my whole life, I appreciated the many careful folds.<\/p>\n \u201cThose are special,\u201d Muhammad said. \u201cThey\u2019re handmade by a good friend of mine.\u201d<\/p>\n Dalya Aderob\u2019s family is from Eritrea and Ethiopia, added Muhammad, and they wanted to highlight her family recipe.<\/p>\n A brilliant Haitian epis dipping sauce made with tons of peppers, onions, scallions, a lot of spices and herbs, is a heck of a process to create, said the chef, but the flavor stands out.<\/p>\n What also stands out are the many women leading the restaurant. Nia Nunn, the sous chef, and Christina Mighty, the general manager, keep everything in alignment, said Muhammad.<\/p>\n Mahari has chefs from West Africa, including a line cook from Mauritania, from across the Caribbean and from the American South.<\/p>\n But now, they\u2019re all from the neighborhood.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is our town,\u201d said Muhammad. \u201cWe just love being here.\u201d<\/p>\n And they love celebrating, evident with birthday drums and a communal toast by the excellent staff and diners alike.<\/p>\n Their drummer, Kavonn Smith, who\u2019s from the Bahamas, plays a Bahamian carnival-style drum called a tum tum, said Muhammad.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a community engagement director,\u201d said Muhammad. \u201cHis name is actually Magic Johnson, and he typically heralds every time we have a special occasion.\u201d<\/p>\n When you go, the collective energy of those celebrations will linger like vibrations of fiery spice and resonant joy.<\/p>\n Mahari<\/p>\n 1504 E. 55th St. (located in the Hyde Park Shopping Center Courtyard)<\/p>\n 312-907-5274<\/p>\n maharirestaurant.com<\/a><\/p>\n Open:<\/strong> Dinner from 5 p.m.; Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday until 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday until 10 p.m.; brunch weekends from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m; closed Tuesday<\/p>\n Prices:<\/strong> $24 (Caribbean lamb burger), $18 (salmon calas), $17 (Kutkoota sambusa trio), $44 (prawn and polenta), $13 (sobolo nonalcoholic drink)<\/p>\n Sound:<\/strong> OK (75 to 79 dB) to loud (95 to 97 dB) during birthday drum procession<\/p>\n Accessibility:<\/strong> Wheelchair accessible with restrooms on same level<\/p>\n Tribune rating:<\/strong> Excellent, 3 of 4 stars<\/p>\n Ratings key:<\/strong> Four stars, outstanding; three stars, excellent; two stars, very good; one star, good; no stars, unsatisfactory. Meals are paid for by the Tribune.<\/p>\n lchu@chicagotribune.com<\/a><\/p>\n Big screen or home stream, takeout or dine-in, Tribune writers are here to steer you toward your next great experience. Sign up for your free weekly Eat. Watch. Do. newsletter here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n Originally Published: July 14, 2025 at 5:00 AM CDT<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/CTC-L-FOOD-MAHARI-REVIEW-0714012_231274646.jpg\")
The lamb burger at Mahari in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood. (E. Jason Wambsgans\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/CTC-L-FOOD-MAHARI-REVIEW-0714008_231274576.jpg\")
The prawn and polenta dish at Mahari. (E. Jason Wambsgans\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n![\"Salmon](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/CTC-L-FOOD-MAHARI-REVIEW-0714006_231274588.jpg\")
Salmon cala fritters at Mahari. (E. Jason Wambsgans\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n![\"French](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/CTC-L-FOOD-MAHARI-REVIEW-0714010_231274734.jpg\")
Mahari’s French toast flamb\u00e9. (E. Jason Wambsgans\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n![\"Sobolo](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/CTC-L-FOOD-MAHARI-REVIEW-0714013_231274650.jpg\")
Sobolo nonalcoholic drink at Mahari. (E. Jason Wambsgans\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/CTC-L-FOOD-MAHARI-REVIEW-0714007_231274596.jpg\")
The sambusa trio, filled with spicy beef, pulled chicken or fine lentils, at Mahari. (E. Jason Wambsgans\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n