Shokran — Restaurant in Jefferson Township

As a Moroccan living in Chicago, it's a bit disheartening that our rich culinary tradition is represented by only two restaurants in such a large city. Nonetheless, I'm grateful for what we have. My first visit to Marrakech Restaurant set high expectations, so I anticipated great things from Shokran Restaurant. We Moroccans are quite particular about our traditional cuisine, allowing little room for error. Shokran Restaurant exceeded my expectations in every way.

From the moment I walked in, I was impressed by the spacious interior. The decor, with its traditional Moroccan furniture and seating, immerses you in Moroccan culture even before the food arrives. Our server's warm hospitality made me feel right at home. The experience was further enhanced by the popular Moroccan songs playing, which had me singing along as I enjoyed my meal.

Now, about the food: it was not only 100% authentic in flavor and presentation but also wonderfully aromatic. What sets this place apart is the impressive speed of service. Despite Moroccan food being time-consuming to prepare, everything was fresh. I enjoyed the Chicken Bastila, Royal Couscous, Beet Salad, Zaalouk, and, of course, the must-have Moroccan tea, which was absolutely delicious.

Shokran is perfect for families, couples (if you want to surprise your date), solo diners, and especially large groups. This restaurant deserves more than five stars. No flaws. Just...

This place doesnt look like much on the outside but inside is a different story. We were seated immediately with our reservation. They have a BYOB and cash only policy at the time of this visit.

We were given a carafe of water with lemon with our menus a long with some pita bread pieces and sides if black olive slices and a red sauce.

We ordered 3 appetizers to share and 3 entrees. One was beets & tomatoes, one shrimp in red sauce and finally shredded chicken in Philly. Entrees were a lamb Casablanca, chicken Casablanca and a salmon with vegetables.

The starters were prepared appropriately and had good taste. Each of us enjoyed our entrees. The lamb was especially tender. Since none of our 3 tangines were got and the lamb was a shank which was larger than the tagine, I believe the food was cooked in something different then placed in the tagine. For my own taste, the spices were very underutilized and lacked robust flavoring.

We were treated to some desserts and mint tea, which was delicious. The service is very good, attentive without being troubling. I would certainly return and...

I have been walking past this restaurant for months now as I make my way to the "El". This Saturday my girlfriend and I decided to pull the trigger and try it out. After a quick glance at the menu and all the positive reviews online I knew we would be alright. The atmosphere was very cozy and casual. It would be a good spot for both a romantic evening with a loved one or hosting a large get together. The food is fantastic and portion sizes are extremely generous (I will be eating some of my GF's Lamb for lunch today) and you definitely get a lot for your money. I think our eyes were bigger than our stomachs. Next time we may just get one entree to share (we both filled up with Pita/Hummus and Bastilla as appetizers). Make sure you have cash as their is no ATM on site (Walgreen's next door has an ATM) and they are "cash only". They are BYOB so we also enjoyed some wine we brought with us. No corking fee. So happy to have a "spot" in my neighborhood. I will definitely continue to bring my friends and...