“ An unforgettable tasting menu experience! The nine items ( including two desserts) were a fantastic combination of brilliantly combined ingredients, flavored to perfection and beautifully plated. Special favorites were the mirza ghasemi and sabzi khordan (eggplant with herbs and a fabulous olive based appetizer (zeytoon parvadeh)); ozonboron (sturgeon in saffron brown butter); duck with pomegranate (nardooni ordak); and lamb koofteh in an amazing tomato sauce. This place is a real treasure! ”

“ Despite its overwhelming abundance of good reviews, I was skeptical of Maman Zari. I thought the pictures of the food looked lackluster and dry in pictures, and I was convinced that all the good reviews were from people who were unfamiliar with Persian food, as well as the great Persian food options in the neighborhood. Well I was proven wrong! This was definitely a wonderful experience. The decor and settings were beautiful and the ambiance is both upscale and somehow very relaxed and comfortable. The food was delicious and refined and had unique, elevated details and yet was somehow accessible. The wine list was reasonable priced and well paired with the food. I can't wait to come back with my family and share this experience. ”

“ Went for their tasting menu, which is the only Persian tasting menu in Chicago! Overall it was a great experience-- many dishes were delicious, though some were a little lacking. The service was excellent, with a unique level of thoughtfulness and attention to detail. The price is on the lower-mid end for tasting menu experiences in the city-- $90 for the standard omnivore menu and $85 for vegetarian menu. I think they could've been a bit more creative with the vegetarian options-- the dishes were almost identical to the omnivore except without the meat and more of the non-meat ingredients). Favorite dishes on the omnivore menu were the following: - Mirza Ghasemi & Sabzi Khordan: a smoky eggplant dish that was absolutely delicious - Albaloo Polo Ba Morgh: chicken was perfectly tender and flavor, loved the smokiness and crispiness of the rice as well - Shishlik: lamb chop was tender and flavorful ”

“ When I heard about a Persian fine dining restaurant with a tasting menu, I knew I had to try it. I love trying different cuisines, especially through tasting menus. The ambiance is simple, bright and clean. The service was very good. My husband and I both had the omnivore menu. We definitely enjoyed all the different dishes, I'm familiar with the flavors and textures, but I don't eat it often. I recommend this place if you are looking for a fun tasting menu that's different from the rest. ”

“ This was my first time doing a tasting menu, so I don't have anything to use as a baseline but Maman Zari knocked it out of the park. Albany Park is a trek for me, but I don't regret making the trip. From the flavors to the presentation, each course was well executed. For each dish, my friend and I had to take a moment to admire the plating and absorb the overview presented by our server. My favorite dish was the cherry wine dessert! I was skeptical based on the simple and straightforward description, but the texture of the ice compliments the sweet wine so well!! An affordable menu with a broad choice of menus (omnivore, pescatarian, and vegetarian), I highly recommend checking out Maman Zari for anyone interested in trying out a tasting menu for the first time. ”

“ We had a thoroughly enjoyable meal at Maman Zari last night. We tried the Omnivorous tasting menu and the Pescatarian tasting menu. Both menus were very good with inventive takes on familiar dishes, all beautifully plated. We enjoyed every course, our only complaint is that we both felt that the Pescatarian menu was a bit stingy when it came to the actual fish courses. Both the octopus and the cobia were tiny portions, especially the minuscule serving of octopus. They were sized as if part of a 12-15 course menu, rather than a 9 course one. With only 2 fish courses on the Pescatarian menu, we were expecting more fish. The wine pairings were excellent, we enjoyed every wine that we were served. The service was excellent, friendly and efficient. The room was pleasant and comfortable. All in all a lovely evening, we will return. Recommended. ”

“ Such a special and lovely place to celebrate with friends! This was a wonderful meal start to finish and service was so attentive and well timed. I wasn't sure what to expect from a Persian tasting menu, but we loved the veg forward dishes and the fact that there were vegetarian and pescatarian options. Presentation was fabulous and the food was delicious. The wine and cocktail menus were interesting and we enjoyed everything we had. I feel like this is a hidden gem that won't be hidden much longer. Go! ”

“ The place: honestly, just lovely. Service was ON POINT. I don't think my water glass was ever empty, they were informative and helpful when answering our questions about our wine selection. It's small - maybe seats 30? But seems like a great place for an intimate dinner or small dinner with great friends. The taste: so I very much enjoyed the menu, but if you're not into beets or pomegranate, this might not be the place for you. I think portions were sized well. I personally loved the pomegranate arils (seeds) hidden in several dishes - the lentil soup amuse Bouche and the lamb meatball. My face: a big, contented smile. $85pp for the tasting menu is V reasonable in this day and age. I think we got 3 drinks total (2 glasses of wine and a cocktail). Total was $287 for two people. Enjoy! ”

“ I'm a true "Foodie"! No brag, just fact! I love and eat anything you put in front of me; from a $5.00 Double Double at In & Out to a $150 Tomahawk Steak at Gibson's Steakhouse, I am always "All In". The only cuisine I was having trouble liking was Persian; and I didn't know why, until tonight. Sure, living in Los Angeles for over thirty years, I've had my fair share of this cooking. Friends, weddings, my wife (who loves this food) or any given holiday I would tolerate it - barely. Well, this week it's my wife's birthday (whose age now ends with zero). She really wanted a Persian dinner for this special occasion. Of course I said "Yes", and went about finding the best restaurant for this occasion. Maman Zari, looked like the best of the best here in Chicago; and Oh Man, was it ever. The food being prepared in this kitchen was SO elevated, it made a Persian food skeptic like me, a true believer! So, how did this transformation happen? Well, of course this chef / owner at Maman was a master at his craft. But, the real reason I fell in love with this cuisine tonight, was our dinner was at 7:00. All of my prior Persian dinners started at 10:00 or 11:00 at night and I'm usually in bed at these hours. Persian food is so rich and flagrant, eating this cuisine at these hours was throwing my body clock into a tizzy-fit! The tasting menu here at Mama Zari covered every food group: poultry-duck, red meat-lamb, fish-sturgeon and a host of other completely foreign foods that were so good it spun me. The service was fantastic, the ambience was quiet and reserved and (we chose) the wine pairing with each of the eight courses was perfect. Was it expensive - Yes! Was it worth the price - Yes! You don't get this kind of wonderful food at a cut rate price. Each dish was not only elegant, it was delicious. Maman Zari was the only place that could "Flip" me into liking Persian food. ”