Saucy Porka

I’ve been twice now as it is right by work; had the Saucy Porka sandwich last time and it was good but I’m always cautious before diving in.
Today, went for lunch around 2 pm as I had a noon meeting: many times eating out during this timeframe, you’re left with the scraps. So I thought this would be a great test for this place. To start out my experience, I was uncertain about a particular menu item and the friendly cash registrar person offered to let me «sample» (in a small cup) the cutup miso short rib in sauce. I did so and proceeded to then order a Miso Short Rib taco and a ½ serving of the Ramen Soup. Smart business! Both were fantastic, tasty and filling. The rib meat is already carved off the bone, had no gristle, just nice solid chunks. It’s cooked in a kind of tangy BBQ sauce that is then balanced nicely with a pineapple topping and fresh-​cut green onions. Very yummy.
The Ramen for under $ 5 was a sizeable portion; again the meat was solid meat, not leftover scraps of fat, the noodles cooked perfectly (only negative, they are just regular spaghetti noodles… I like the real Asian noodles), had alot of fresh bean sprouts and jalapeño in it. It really hit the spot.
All in all, for around $ 10 to get a great tasting lunch where the staff are super friendly, that isn’t a chain, very much filled me up and is pretty healthy, for what it is (lunch out): it’s as good as it gets for 5 stars. Author note: I am pretty picky eating out: usually the sizes are too small, the quality of ingredients is not consistent, the staff aren’t kind and I could prepare something better myself; not the case here.

Nice place tucked away in loop. Different bowls and bao’s are very good. They have continued to add to their menu and the food is very good. The owners and staff are very friendly.

Overpriced and difficult to find parking ($ 6.50/hour around this area). The baos were small and I would need at least three to be full. I orderd two baos and the large sweet potato fries and the total came close to $ 12.
The pork carnitas was bomb but the thai chicken tasted off to my taste buds. Fries were decent, meh, I’ve had better. But the thing that stood out was the sauce that it came with. That made things much more flavorful.
One thing I didn’t like about this store was one of the name of the sandwiches, dubbed «Ho Chi Minh». I don’t want to make things political but it irks me since Ho Chi Minh was the leader of the communist party in North Vietnam and I don’t support the store naming one of the sandwiches after him.
Service was fast and friendly. If you get a sandwich or just two baos, they bring it out on this food basket and it makes things look very empty. It’s probably not a big deal but if you’re one of those social media people, just a heads up, it won’t be Instagram worthy.

Amazing Asian fusion place! Must must try!!!
This neat little place is tucked away. We tried their Bao tacos in chicken, pork carnitas and shrimp — AND THEY BLEW OUR MIND!!! The flavors just burst in your mouth. The service was awesome and one of the servers actually shared her story — some of the pictures on the walls are of her and her mom! A definite repeat place!

I was conflicted because two of the bacos (short rib and shrimp) were 4 stars but two of them (curry chicken and carnitas) were 3 stars. All in all, it was an A-​OK experience but has nothing on Momofuku’s (NY) pork buns or Mistral Kitchen’s (WA) pork buns. The short rib was the only baco flavorful enough for its bun. I liked the shrimp but the sofrito marinade needed a little something extra. For me, the curry chicken and carnitas were on the bland side. I think maybe if you invest in one of the $ 0.50 sauces, you might have a better experience. Service was quick and my husband and I were in and out in about ten-​fifteen minutes on a Friday afternoon. Definitely a nice to try if you’ve never had a pork bun taco but I agree with Sherry Y — a little overhyped.

Saucy Porka is serving up some phenomenal Latin and Asian fusion food and I am so happy to have stumbled upon this gem on my way to Willis/​Sears Tower. My boyfriend and I ordered a small sweet potato fries, one Thai chicken curry baco, one miso short rib baco, two sofrito shrimp bacos, and the Saucy Porka banh mi.
Everything was SO good! Super well seasoned and flavored. The meat was incredibly juicy and tender. I don’t normally like sweet potato fries, but I freaking loved these! They were so crispy and the mayo dipping sauce was delicious. Highly recommend the fries and just about everything else. I would eat basically everything Saucy Porka serves on their menu.

Seems a bit overhyped, I’m afraid.
I was so looking forward to some quality fusion in the financial district.
Unfortunately, upon ordering the miso braised beef short rib bowl, I was met by a saucy, salty entity trying quite hard to masquerarde as «miso.» Dry, salty, with not much texture differentiation. I would say, this entrée was «miso-​inspired» at best. My friends and I managed to beat a truly insane lunch rush line, but I wouldn’t say the quality of the miso bowl was worth it. Granted, my portion was far larger than my friends who ordered the other «baco» items or appetizers. Did I mention the bowl was $ 11? This is not for those trying to scrimp on a budget.
On top of all of this disappointment, patrons kept eyeing one of the seats at our table. One of my friends was 2 – 3 minutes late, and we were trying to keep the seat until she arrived. Even while she was ordering, people kept trying to move the seat. It’s a dog eat dog world out there, I’m telling you. Especially, it seems, when it comes to Saucy Porka.
I’ll give this place another shot on a less busy day, but until then, there are plenty of other options to try.

Laid-​back atmosphere and excellent food made this quaint little restaurant was a fantastic find. The Curry Sweet Potato Fries were outrageous and the bacos were amazingly tasty. The proprietress, Amy, is a very friendly lady with a ready smile a willingness to share the secrets to her success! We’ll be back!

5-​star lunch spot in the loop! The Bao tacos are little, filling bundles of deliciousness. The carnitas were sooo tender and flavorful. Can’t go wrong with the curry sweet potato fries either. We went a little before noon and found a seat within a few minutes. The line started to grow after 12 but it moves quickly.

Went around 1pm on a Wednesday. Smaller space with 8 – 9 tables that were all taken. But didn’t have to wait too long for one to open up. I wouldn’t expect a seat during lunch hour if you have more than 2 in your party. But the hostess/​cashier was super helpful and helped us put a couple of tables together, and even waited until we had a seat before preparing our food so it wasn’t cold.
Got the sweet potato fries and Tostones to start. The red curry coconut aioli really makes both of these apps worth it. I got the Pork Carnitas and Short Rib «Bacos». Both were simple and tasty. Wifey was happy with the Pork Ramen soup, especially on 40 degree «Spring» Chicago day.
Parents got the Short Rib rice bowl and Arroz con Edemame with pork, which they both enjoyed. Both were substantial portions as well, so no worry about leaving hungry.
Not in that area that often, but I’d go back.

1: Great Tasting
2: Expeditious (~5min)
3: Fulfilling
4: Great Service
Recommendations:
Chorizo Egg Rolls (amazing)
Short Rib Baco
Thai Baco

Never been disappointed
This place is a must have for anyone coming to visit the Sears Tower/​loop area! Even though they’re always packing a crowd, you always get your food quick and it’s never short on quality. Not only is their food delicious, but their staff is so friendly and charming!
My recommendations — tofu bacos with a side of sweet potato fries or tostones! But you honestly can’t go wrong with anything on the menu

I came in here starving after getting off of a flight, and waited for them to open their doors so I could eat! lol but I came out with disappointment. sigh…
I got what was recommended the most here on Unilocal: the short ribs tacos and the saucy porka banh mi sandwich. The tacos were not good to me at all, i dont know why everyone here is praising the mango slices that tops these because it did not compliment it at all! Moreover, it added a sour taste to the tacos and killed the savory goodness of it altogether. The sandwich was decent, not the best ive ever had (and ive had a lot of banh mi’s in my life lol) I would get it again but not if I wasnt craving it. The meat was kind of dry, I thought the whole thing could have used some more sauce. But the saucy porka sandwich was the only thing I could finish.
I’ve tried plenty of korean/​asian infused mexican restaurants in the past. And saucy porka did not meet my expectations. Im giving the place 3 stars because the customer service was very sincere and the ladies working the back was super nice and friendly to me! Otherwise, I would not give it such a «high» rating.

A great lunch spot, I always get their Basil Chicken Salad, which is a very generous serving for $ 7.

Saucy Porka has a unique fusion approach that simply works. Combining Hispanic and Asian foods in an elegant and creative way.
This spot is a must.
Highlights:
Chorizo egg rolls (amazing)
Pineapple topped tostones
Cubana Sandwich
Saucy Porka sandwich
But everything on the menu is tip top

We were looking for a brunch place near the Willis Tower and found Spicy Porka as one of the top places rated around the area. Not your usual sit down brunch restaurant, as this place looks packed with regulars working on the financial district and seating is a FCFS basis.
I went for the Asian Style Paella, which was nothing special, but it was good. Service here is awesome — we went during peak time and a staff member came around 5 times and asked if everything was alright.

I was just visiting the city and wanted to try something the locals appreciated, this little shop popped up on my search. We stopped by during lunch and the line was out the door (always a good sign)!
This is an adorable little lunch spot with limited seating inside, but this is better for a quick grab and go. You order at the front but if you do decide to dine-​in; waiters will bring your food to your table (very friendly and quick). Each table is stocked with a whole bottle of sriracha, that’s a definite plus automatically gets two stars for that! Latin and Asian fusion is an interesting concept but one that I definitely appreciate since it’s a combination of two of my favorite cuisines. We got the Asian Style Paella and I just couldn’t stop shoveling spoonful of rice into my mouth (I wish the spoons were bigger). They used Mexican style yellow rice cooked with a mixture of meat and veggies and the rice itself was lightly seasoned so not loaded with MSG as is the nature of most Asian dishes. The rice by itself was good but dump sriracha all over that thing and it’s like fireworks in your mouth. Where this place does lose a star is the dryness in the Pork Carnitas Bao Tacos (they call it the Bacos — love it!) where the meat was a little too dry. The sauce wasn’t properly soaked so if you were to just eat the meat it would catch in your throat. The shrimp was delicious and the short ribs were excellent though! Not too big fan of the curry flavor though. Tasted a tad bit watered down, can’t taste the kick of the classic herbs in curry.
But it’s still a great lunch spot and it might’ve been just minor bloop in my order but I would still recommend this place to anyone visiting the city.

Asian/​Latin fusion?! Definitely my thing! The place was packed with people on a Friday afternoon! I guess it was lunch time, it was packed with both tourists and business people. For those not familiar, you order at the counter and then find yourself a seat. Their people will bring out your food by calling your name or asking for your number card.
We ordered the asian pork paella and 4 different buns (pork, beef, shrimp, and curry chicken.) The presentation was great — made it look even more delicious. The paella dish was amazing. Definitely tasted the fusion flavors. I loved every bite! The rice was nice and crunchy and the pork sausage made it taste so much better! They also have sriracha sauce if you want to add some kick to your food. As for the buns, I was a fan of the shrimp (with a green sauce) and the beef one. The pork one was way too dry — we had to drench it with sriracha. The curry chicken tasted weird. The curry wasn’t like any other curry that I’ve ever tasted — it was weird.
Although not a sit in restaurant, their employees would still come around and ask if we’re enjoying our food. The portions aren’t too big though. I should open my own Asian/​Latin fusion place in NY, maybe it’ll be just as successful!

After visiting the Willis Tower (yes, I’m a tourist and I’m not ashamed to admit it! And yes, I did take some selfies out on the ledge), my boyfriend and I needed a place for a quick lunch. A Unilocal search came up with Saucy Porka and everything on the menu sounded pretty good. It was an Asian/​Latin fusion, so it seemed pretty interesting.
You order at the counter, find a table (if you can — the place is really small), and they bring your food to you.
I went with the Saucy Porka (pork carnitas served on French baguette topped with kimchi). I guess I’ve been eating really good banh mi sammies back in NYC, because I was expecting this one to be on par with the ones I’m used to. Unfortunately, it was nowhere near there. The pork was a tad try, and it was missing the pickled carrots and daikon, which are two of my favorite components!
My boyfriend went with the Asian Style Paella (served with Chinese Lop Churng pork sausage, spicy sausage, pork carnitas, edamame, bean sprouts, scallions). He really like it but I thought this was just alright. It had the same pork carnitas from the sandwich that I wasn’t a huge fan of.
The portions here aren’t that big. We weren’t still hungry when we left, but we weren’t really full either. Maybe we just didn’t order the right dishes.

Great little place in the city to stop by for lunch. I tried the saucy porka sandwich and also ordered the chicken curry baos. I was with two other people and they tried some baos and other sandwiches too. We also all shared the chorizo egg rolls.
The flavors of the food were great and the portions definitely fill you up! I didn’t really like the cassava chips that came with the sandwich, though. The sweet potato fries were also a bit undercooked which was kinda disappointing. But the sandwiches, baos, and the egg rolls were fantastic!
The restaurant itself is a bit small, but clean. Service was great. I appreciated them allowing my mother to sample some kimchi, as she had never really eaten it before and was afraid of the spice. Glad she tried it too, as it was too much spice for her. If I was ever in the area again I would totally stop by this little spot again.