Chef Jacob Dela Cruz is a chef and owner known for his work in the Chicago culinary scene. He is the chef/owner of A Bar Called Bobo, Muhajir Chicago, and Sarima Cafe, and is also associated with Lilac Tiger and The...
Insights
Highlights
Insights are still being generated for this restaurant. In the meantime, check the latest reviews below.
Wow! Wow! Wow!!!!!!! The chef, beverage director, and the rest of their team of dreamers made a beautiful thoughtful space. Filled with some of the best food I’ve had in a long time. It felt like sitting in someone’s home, eating food that someone’s grandmother had made with love. We tried the dip combo (thaali), salabat salad, grilled fish on the half shell, escargot (nathai varuval), & beef cheek nihari. Every single dish has the perfect play of texture, acid, depth of flavor. Can’t wait to come back and try the rest of the menu! Ps. Silk Road cocktail was the perfectly paired cocktail to the heartier fare!
Also got a sneak peek of their pop up bar, Bobo’s. Great concept, style & cocktails!
Muhajir was absolutely amazing! The food was delicious, and our server, Steve, was wonderful—friendly, attentive, and made the experience even better. They also have excellent vegetarian options. We will definitely be coming back. Highly recommended!
Amazing food and ambiance! Chef Zubair and his team are gems. Steve was a great host. Highly recommend the fish, the beef cheek nihari, and the Rose, a dessert shaped as a rose made of semifredo (whipped cream) and a strawberry essence sauce. Quite possibly the best dessert I’ve had.
This is the type of restaurant that stretch of Lincoln Park needed. I’ve followed chef Zubair to eat at all his new spaces and the food always sings. In its first week, things were off to a good start. Ambiance, wonderful lead server, and some exciting dishes on a tight dinner menu.
The must try:
The tomato and achar dish. Immediately delicious.
The mussels in that fantastic curry broth with the herbed and oiled focaccia. Stunning.
The off-menu milk cake dessert with a saffron sauce. WOW.
Minor quibbles:
The goat biryani shared the chef’s vision for biryani from Coach House to Mirra to here. However *very* little meat was in the actual rice and for $42, I was expecting meat. I doubt there was even 0.5 oz of meat in it. What I got was a lot of bone that I had to pull out of my mouth and pile on my plate. I won’t be ordering that again, not for that price.
Service felt rushed. We were pressured to clear our plates because the kitchen had the next dishes ready. Pacing front and back of house needs to slow down. Six dishes including dessert and a cocktail and we’re already paying in barely an hour. That’s way too quick to properly enjoy each dish. I’m sure that’ll adjust as the team gets used to the flow.
There’s a lot of promise here. Zubair clearly knows how to make great food and run a smart team. Excited to see how Muhajir shapes up and if the menu evolves.
Consistent with the experiences we have had at Chef Zubair’s other restaurants, Muhajir is an amazing experience. The food and cocktails are outstanding (we are already planning our next trip back to try more of the menu), and of course the duck Numidian that Chef Zubair is known for remains unmatched (we recommend getting a side of focaccia so you can enjoy all of the juices on the plate). From the atmosphere to the drinks to the desserts (which were all perfectly balanced) Muhajir is worth the visit.
