Mako *
- Kira Jabri
- Jul 4
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 21
Chicago
There’s something magical about revisiting a Michelin-starred restaurant especially one where you can witness the evolution of your child’s palate. That is Mako for us.
With only 22 seats and a beautifully restrained aesthetic, Mako invites you into a tranquil world where each dish is a meditation on precision and purity. We often say that fine dining is less about extravagance and more about experience.
Mako is an omakase that quietly unfolds in waves each course subtle, balanced, and deeply intentional. It’s the kind of meal that demands attention, rewards curiosity, and reveals itself over time.
When we first brought Emma to Mako, she was a shy novice, intrigued but uncertain, curious about the process but hesitant to engage fully. Fast-forward to this visit, and we saw a completely different side of her. Not only did she appreciate the nuance of flavors from delicate cuts of toro to the variety of nigiri but she also proudly took photos of each dish, capturing them like works of art. (She’s now Jabri Fine Dining’s official photographer, after all.) What was once quiet observation has evolved into confident appreciation and creative expression.
And it wasn’t just Emma who had a moment of growth at the table, Kira did too. Sea urchin has long been a flavor she’s been working on. The texture, the intensity, it can be polarizing.
But this time, one of Mako’s gracious servers offered a simple, thoughtful tip:
‘My mom always told me to take a bite of ginger before eating sea urchin.' It was a game-changer. That small act shifted the experience entirely, opening the door for a newfound appreciation of a dish that once felt challenging.
For our family, putting a Michelin experience on “repeat” isn’t about recreating a meal it’s about revisiting a memory and seeing how we’ve grown alongside it. Mako gave us that gift.
A familiar setting, yes but with new conversation, deeper appreciation, and more shared family moments.
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