Shokran Moroccan Restaurant

We walked in about 5:00 on a Saturday evening no reservation I figured it was early enough.
The place was already busy .the nice host found us a table in another room on the back …place is decorated .very cool. everything we ordered .so tasty. dessert too. the staff very nice .I really liked this place .met the owner .very welcoming. Thanks for the great meal

This place was pretty amazing for the food. In a weird location but well worth the visit

I was here last night with my son, but Iwas a little disappointed. I think my son liked it a The owner and the staff were very friendly and sincere about it; very refreshing. The owner was sitting with another table, and over heard it was our first visit, so he got up and welcomed us as if we were in his home for dinner. For this reason alone, I want to give this place 4+ stars, but…
We brought a bottle of wine, as we had learned its BYOB. Very disappointed to learn, after the meal, that they charge a $ 5 cork fee! Really, for this area? I don’t think so, big turn off. Also, cash only.
As for the food, it was pretty solid, but all the dishes we ordered were very sweet! We had the chicken pastry, sorry forgot the name, to start with. We also had the lamb meatball appetizer, which was small, but tasty. The only no-​sweet item served. I had the Lamb Rez for my entrée, which was slow braised with prunes, tasty, but not much meat on the lamb shank, all bone. My son had the lamb shank with cous cous, which was also very sweet.
With a top, we spent about $ 80 for two with no drinks, which was fair, but wished there was a little more meat on the bones!

We went here on a Friday night and I must say this place is extremely overrated. The service was very slow and the food was well below average across a variety of dishes that included lamb, beet root salad, lamb, chicken and tilapia. The entrees were priced at an average of $ 18 so definitely not cheap and overall the place missed the mark on the two most foundational aspects of any restaurant — service and food quality. To top it all, they had the audacity to add a 18% gratuity for a party of four which confirmed our belief that we were never coming back here or recommending this place to anyone.

I’ve not had much moroccan food but this was delicious! Very quiet and pretty inside, too. I had couscous with lamb I believe!

Stumbled on this place by accident. Wonderful food that was very authentic to Morocco. Ordered multiple dishes to share and left feeling full (and not too expensive). We ordered mint tea for the group, and it’s the first place that I’ve had real Moroccan tea in a while. Will definitely be back.

I had a big group dinner here and the staff was so accommodating. We had such a blast! The food is excellent. They even had the Moroccan Pigeon Pie. I had to order that ahead as I don’t think it’s on their regular menu. Service was attentive but not annoying. The check process was easy. Everyone had a really great time. Can’t wait to go back!

The best Moroccan restaurant I’ve been to in Chicago. The food and service were both great. I visited this restaurant with my friend who was in town from Morocco.

Times have changed here. A recent visit showed that the food has declined tremendously.
Appetizers were very good: cold spinach had nice spice, hummus was solid, and kefta was flavorful. Bu the entrees were uniformly disappointing. Beef kabob was burned, and pieces were small and oddly shaped. Lamb shank was fatty and probably had been cooked a long time ago. Chicken fez was just OK.
Service was very attentive and friendly. Overall, though, a bad experience.

Flavorful experience that exceeded expectations! Lamb fell off the bone! Delicious delicious!

Khalid runs an amazing place. Service is top notch, and the food is impeccable.
We bring our 3 year old girls here at least once a month for the last 3 years.

I’d never had Moroccan food, so was excited to try it. A friend had traveled to Morocco and had been craving it, and I was eager to see if it held up to his expectations.
I was warmly greeted when I entered. I had to wait for my companion, and the staff and owner (?) were very hospitable and nice. The bench I sat on was nicely decorated with beautiful fabric and pillows. I had a chance to admire some of the décor while I waited.
We had complimentary pita and spreads (one spicy) to start. Admittedly it was very dry — I had to choke it down with water. We didn’t finish it, but looking back, I should have asked if we could keep it at the table to help soak up the juicy goodness of our entress.
I had the Lamb Marrakech: delicious leg of lamb with fall-​off-​the bone meat, peas, artichokes, and olives. Unfortunately it didn’t come with any starch, so we ordered quinoa. The latter was a small portion to share, but the entrees were hearty: enough for leftovers!
My companion had the Lamb Tagine, which I skipped because it sounded too sweet, being it’s dressed with honey, almonds, and prunes. He had loved it in Morocco, but said it was indeed much sweeter than he had had.
We skipped on desert, but had mint tea, which apparently is also customary in Morocco. I’m not a big fan of any minty flavor in foods/​drink (save for breath mints!), but it actually was pretty pleasant.
There were a few tables of «regulars» while we were there, which is always awesome to see! (= Authenticity!)
I’d definitely go back — great ambiance, friendly staff, and, one of my favorite meats, delicious lamb!

Started off with the hummus, which was delicious especially with the spicy sauce and the fresh pita –yummy.
Had the lamb Marrakech it was very tender and flavorful on the bone. The peas were a nice compliment to meat.
Everyone else in our party had wonderful meals too.
Finished it off with nice mint tea and cookies.

I’ve been craving Moroccan food ever since my visit to Morocco in May, and was overjoyed to find Shokran! I went with a party of three and we were immediately seated on a Sunday evening. The service was great; our waiter, who was actually from Morocco, was very kind and accommodating.
We had the harira soup, vegetable tagine, chicken fez tagine with a side of couscous, and the sweet lamb couscous. Everything was very flavorful, it was authentic and lived up to my expectations. If you’re familiar with Moroccan food and the spices they use, then you’ll enjoy Shokran.

Went here for date night based on the Unilocal review, took the Metra to get to, easy walk from the train. First impression nothing to look at from the street. Once in the door, most of the place looks like it could use some décor. There is one room (the party room?) That is done up ‘Moroccan’ style and would seem like the go to room. But all in all, the place has three spaces — front, back, and party room. I checked in at the stand and mentioned my reservation. The gentleman looked at a notepad that had a bunch of scribbles on it and said he did not see my reservation. Bear in mind that hardly anyone was in the place at 7:30pm on a Friday. After further review, he claims he found my reservation and asks where I would like to sit. I choose the back room and he shows me to my table. My rear is barely in the seat when he returns and informs me that they have a large party and this is the only place they can seat them, would I mind moving. So into the party room I go. I find a nice cozy little table for my date and I. There is a decent sized group celebrating a birthday in the same room and all is well. As other reviews mentioned, the place is cash only and byob. They will charge you a bottling fee regardless, even if your wine bottle is a screw cap ;)
The service was not bad, but there were spells of lingering that could have been done without. The birthday party seemed to be fawned over and I have to admit, felt a little like chopped liver after awhile, not that I need to be fawned over ;) The birthday party had two table top candles that were lit; our little table had one that was not. I kept pushing my little candle further and further out to the table’s edge to hint that it was not lit until finally I had to ask that they light the darn thing. We picked our food selections mostly based on suggestions from Unilocal.So we started with the Chicken Bastilla, my wife enjoyed it; I found it to be OK. I was not quite sure what to expect and the cinnamon threw me. We did not finish it and had it boxed to go. I would not get it again. I opted for the mixed grill so that I could try all the different meats, my wife opted for the chicken fez. She enjoyed her chicken fez, once again on the sweet side like the bastilla. The mixed grill was OK, but I have to be honest, nothing special that anyone at home could not have thrown on the grill and done the same. Areas for improvement? The grilling would fill the entire place with grill smoke smell that was a bit overwhelming in such a small space. The host, while gracious, grew thin before too long as the sole source of all things Moroccan. I never made it to the mint tea. I have done Moroccan before at Marrakesh in DC, it has been quite some time and I think that place has since closed; but I recall enjoying the experience and food in DC more, it had the décor, you got a 7 course meal, you ate everything with your hands AND they had a belly dancing show. My advice — Step it up Shokran, take a page from Marrakesh, swank the rest of the place out like the ‘party’ room, go to multiple courses for a flat fee, introduce some community table areas where folks sit around together and add a belly show.

I get hostess anxiety. Even if I’m not really the hostess. When it’s my turn to pick a dinner for my GNO group, I always want the group to enjoy the visit and worry if they don’t. Well, with the attentive service and great food, I had nothing to worry about. Stress free and relaxing dinner mid week; couldn’t ask for more.
Shokran takes reservations – gotta love it! I made the resos a week out and the day of the dinner, they called me to confirm we were still dining and to remind me they were BYOB – gotta love that too!
We opted for a few appetizers to share and each ordered a main. The chicken bastilla was the winner at the table. It’s chicken and eggs wrapped in phyllo dough. It’s tender and flavorful, savory and a little sweet. I wanted to come back the next day and order just that. I didn’t though because I was eating my leftovers the next day – Kefta – lamb meatballs simmered in a tomato based sauce. Get it WITH the eggs, unless you’re allergic, trust me on this. Garlic and other spices make this dish rich with flavor. The meat seemed a bit dry and crumbly, nothing like Italian meatballs, but I’m a sucker for lamb and the meaty flavor shown through.
I got to try other items and my other favorite would be the Chicken Fez, which I would definitely order myself next time. I’m not a fan of sweet in food that is typically savory, but it totally works here. The sweetness from the honey complements the cinnamon and the almonds coming together for a flavorful dish.
I ended the meal with the mint tea, which was super warming and a great way to wind down a lovely dinner. Our server brought out dome cookies for us to try and they were also very good… nutty and not overly sweet.
Being BYO made the night super affordable and we left well fed and with leftovers.

You may end up talking like Borat at the end of your meal, because «tagine» rhymes with «vagine,» and trying to convince your single girl friend that the waiter wants a piece and will dub her «my sweet little lamb,» is just damn funny. Well… you had to be there.
Everything at Shokran is worth 5 stars.
Our server was patient, polite, and friendly. He took the time to explain the cuisine (hummus isn’t Moroccan, by the way) and make suggestions. He did well with our wild group of girls, laughing at an ear-​splitting level, and was more than willing to take a group picture for us. When my friend inquired about the music that was playing, he even knew the artist. He was quite knowledgeable and made our visit enjoyable.
The location is perfect for city slickers or suburban dwellers. Shokran is on Irving Park Road, footsteps away from I-​90/​94. Although the street parking is pay to park, I’m sure the more frugal could find free street parking on Keystone or Pulaski. This isn’t the most bumpin’ neighborhood for trendy clubs or gastropubs, but there are some bars and shopping nearby.
The atmosphere is inviting. Decorated in dark red and gold tones, with plush booths along the wall, Shokran sets the tone for an adventurous, Moroccan meal.
Shokran is BYOB, and the food transcended any expectations I had. The complimentary pita and spicy sauce are a tasty start. The Chicken Bastilla is THE appetizer to try. It is a savory and sweet dish, and easily shareable.
I had the Chicken Fez, which I would order again, again, and again! The chicken was tender, in a thick stew with cinnamon, honey, almonds, and prunes. This sweet and semi-​savory dish is a winner. Others in my group tried the Lamb Fez and liked that one also.
Other things to try are the Kefta (meatballs), but mama mia! These are not Italian meatballs. The Merguez (lamb sausage) is also very good.
Shokran is a great restaurant to try something new. The ingredients are familiar and complement each other.
We ended our meal with mint tea. Trust me when I say this is no ordinary tea. The tea was like a dessert in itself, and our awesome server also brought us a plate of cookies and baklava-​like pastry to share.
I had a wonderful night at Shokran and am already thinking about when I can go back!

Insanely excellent authentic home style Moroccan cuisine. Probably the best I’ve eaten. And eat we did. Sunday night is quiet so we took our time and consumed way more than we should have because we couldn’t get enough of it.
Moroccan cuisine is heavily influenced by Arabic culture and the global spice trade, particularly between Spain, Portugual, the Middle East and North Africa (berber cuisine). Thus you will find a rich complex mélange of flavors combining, cumin, cinnamon, tumeric, ginger, paprika, pepper, coriander, aniseed, saffron, mint, cilantro, majoran, and on and on. In the hands of talented chefs like the ones at SHOKRAN, these ingredients are carefully blended to bring us ever so close to gustatory nirvana (buddhist definition, not rock band!)
Our Harita soup starter, traditional Moroccan tomato soup with lentils, chickpeas, rice, parsley, cilantro and spices was fabulous. Our Tartouka, roasted green peppers and tomatoes with olive oil and Moroccan spices and our Bakola, spinach with red olives, lemon and spices were both so good we ordered seconds of each. Also, thankfully, they came quickly as did our crushed chili spiced shrimp in fresh tomatoes sauce reduction.
The Lamb (shank) Fez Tangine with stewed prunes, cinnamon, almonds and honey was outstanding. The lamb literally melted off the bone. The Kefta Tangine with spiced Moroccan meatballs in red sauce with eggs was equally delicious.
Don’t even get me started on the Moroccan Mint Tea. If you don’t understand how its traditionasly prepared check it out before you try it so you can appreciate it.
Reasonably priced, excellent friendly service. If you are lucky enough to be able to chat with Ahmed, you will be enriched by his knowledge, intelligence and the passion he has for his country, cuisine and people but also for the many ways diversity enriches us all.
BYOB. Cash only. ATM inside.
Can’t wait to go back!

I very much enjoyed my meal at Shokran. I loved the environment — the cushy tables, the quiet ambiance, and the very attentive (but not overly) waiters who were were knowledgeable about the food.
I highly, highly recommend the chicken bastilla. It’s sort of like shredded/​crumbled sweet and savory chicken wrapped in phyllo dough but it’s OH so much better.
After eating out in Chicago so much, this is one of the standout foods I’ve eaten in this city! I also loved the lamb fez, which is one of their more popular dishes. It’s served with prunes, honey, almond, and cinnamon so I think you’d like it if you like sweet + savory dishes.

This was my first time ever trying Moroccan food and to my surprise it was awesome! I was there with a group of about 10 co-​workers with one of them being Moroccan. So here are some key points that I liked about the place:
1) The ambiance was awesome
2) Food was phenomenal. Had some sort of sweet/​cinnamon powdered pie stuffed with chicken. As a main dish I tried the «Royal» which was a little bit of everything (recommended by my Moroccan friend to try more items).
3) This place is BYOB!
The cons:
1) The place was super hot … like everyone there was sweating just sitting there.
2) Service was not great… had to ask to get our water glass refilled and the waiter had to double check our order at least 2 times.
This restaurant is cash only so please make sure you bring your cash OR you remember your pin to withdraw cash from the ATM they have there. Will def come back to try the tangine (popular dish) and some lamb kabobs (they looked good).