Spotted Monkey

Fabulous service and food! Not sure we could have gone wrong, but Ty was very helpful, she helped us pick some really wonderful flavors!!! We stopped in after seeing the Skydeck and shared some buns and the loaded money fries — perfect!

OMG their service is super amazing and considerate. Besides just bringing over the order to our table, they offer plates/​spoons when they see you may be sharing food, and come over to fill our waters. The owner and staff keep checking to make sure everyone is having a good time. I feel spoiled and fat.
Bro and I shared the ropa vieja bahn mi… we didn’t care too much for this. the bahn mi only describes the French baguette that all their sandwiches come on. otherwise it’s not the herbaceous variety usually found in Vietnamese shops. The flavors were okay for the sandwich with kimchi adding something extra. it’s good to try. We really liked the Puerto Rican rice with the paneng chicken curry. the chicken is tender and flavorful. you just cant go wrong with chicken and (crack) rice.

I came in for a late lunch around 2:15ish and there were still a few tables occupied by other hungry guests. I was immediately greeted and taken care of from one of the friendly workers who seemed really personable and someone who enjoys her job.
I ordered the Ropa Vieja with fried egg and a picadillo egg roll for $ 16 even, which is an expensive lunch for the portion size. First, the egg roll is exactly what I thought it would taste like from the pictures; super meaty, flavorful and the chipotle aioli was perfect for it. The Ropa Vieja had pretty tender beef and the rice was made well. I was more surprised at how well the kimchi was as it was better than some of the ones I’ve had in Korean restaurants. I wish the Ropa Vieja would automatically come with an egg like their Picadillo rice bowl, but you have to pay $ 1.50 more for something that definitely belongs on there and makes it taste so much better. Overall, I was impressed with the flavors and the service, but the pricing is just too high for me to really go out and eat what I want. Especially the baos. While I’m sure they’re delicious, I’m also pretty sure that I would need at least 4 of them to do anything to curb my hunger which could easily add up in price. I am really curious though about their breakfast sandwiches (opens at 8am M-​F): picadillo with egg or the egg with chihuahua cheese banh mi for $ 5.
I just like saying the word, «Picadillo.» PI-​CA-​DI-​YO!

More great food brought to you by the culinary genius who gave us Saucy Porka and Duck N Roll. Try the new bacos, tasty banh mi options and some fantastic rice dishes blending Latin and Asian influences in your mouth. It’s good. You will leave delighted and full. Don’t forget the Guatemalan donuts.

Spotted Monkey is my personal favorite lunch spot in the loop. I visit about once per week and am never disappointed. The Latin-​Asian fusion combo provides so many interesting flavors and there is something on the menu for everyone. My go-​to order is the Guajillo Pork Bahn Mi and Picadillo Egg Rolls. The only tiny complaint I have is the lack of seating inside, but this can be mitigated by going during non-​peak lunchtime hours or ordering take-​out and eating at the office. Not a huge deal.

What a darn tasty, flavorful lunch with great customer service — (he was very friendly, outgoing, answered our questions without hesitation, and the food is brought out to you at the table). Overall, I could almost give it 5 stars, I just think maybe the toppings could be a bit more robust so I’m giving them 4. I’ll go back and will append as appropriate.
Picadillo Egg Rolls — insanely moist and flavorful beef inside of of those «thicker» egg roll casings. The beef *almost-​but-​not-​quite* tastes like old-​school Old El Paso beef, but I swear in a good way. Chipotle dipping sauce is decadent — (I mean, it’s mayo) and not too chipotle-​y
Guajillo Pork Banh Mi — got it topped with the asian slaw instead of kimchi. Could have used more slaw, but the bread is PERFECT, the pork is decadently soft and flavorful.
Guajillo Pork Baco — Liked the pineapple topping — wish they would put that on the Bahn Mi Pork as well
Panang Curry Chicken — good, but could have been a little more curry-​y in my opinion, or maybe just add a little sauce?
Five Spice Duck — tender and not fatty duck, well cooked, but lacked some flavor — a bit gamey. You can’t help that with duck, so the duck flavor makes sense but maybe add more of the aioli?

Tried the buddha grilled cheese since I’m a vegetarian. It was decent but nothing fantastic. Looking forward to going back and trying something different like the tofu with rice.

It’s a good blend of American n Thai food. The fusion is really not just any crazy idea but a creative one which leaves your mouth watering for more. The quantity is just right for you not more nor less and customer service is fast and good. The only thing is that they have a space crunch in there other than that everything is good.

I’m loving spotted monkey right now. Everyone who works there is super pleasant and the food is mostly delicious.
Recently I’ve had the picadillo and veggie egg rolls: Both are great but I slightly prefer the veggie egg rolls. I’ve also had the guajillo pork banh mi. Yum! The bread manages to be soft but not soggy and the pork is well seasoned. And last but not least is the Puerto Rican rice bowl with pork. It’s a sizeable portion and it tastes great.
I knocked off a star because I find the flavors of the curry chicken rice bowl to be confusing (I’ve had it twice, just to be sure) and I’m not a fan of their chips. But the good here is really good!

I was really looking forward to eating here as I am a big fan of Saucy Porka. Don’t let the 4 stars fool ya, their fries, bacos, and hisbiscus iced tea are amazing. I ordered the fully loaded funky monkey fries and shared them amongst 2 friends, we all enjoyed every bite immensely, ORDER THE FULLY LOADED FRIES. My shrimp guajillo baco was also magnificent!
What didn’t impress me was the ropa vieja rice bowl. The rice was not warm at all and was slightly on the dry side. I was disappointed since I try to stay away from white rice, but given this was my cheat day, I thought I was making the most of it by ordering the rice bowl. The beef was lackluster and I didn’t taste any coconut in the «coconut» rice.
Another negative is that they do not have a restroom here. Maybe this is normal for some «fast food» places located in the Loop, but come on! You serve soups here, ya gotta provide customers with a bathroom :)
I would definitely return and try one of their soups and sandwhiches, order the fries again if I’m feeling skinny that week. I just have to make sure I use the bathroom right before I go. And maybe not drink too much during my next meal.

My coworker has been raving about Spotted Monkey for months, and we finally made the trek for lunch today. Even though this casual eatery is located pretty southwest in the loop, it was already crazy busy before noon. Larger groups are probably better off doing takeout because it’s a pretty small place and therefore tables are a hot commodity! Luckily, timing was in our favor and we were able to grab a table for two.
They actually ended up bringing out our food pretty quickly — I ordered the Puerto Rican rice with guajillo pork and the veggie egg roll. Incredible! The rice was flavorful, with just enough spice and the perfect combination to the tender, saucy pork. The veggie egg roll was super tasty too!
I loved that they came around to check if you needed anything else, and refilled your water. Overall great customer service and pleasant experience. Even though Spotted Monkey is a little bit of a hike from our office, it was worth the trip. I’ll be back to try the bacos next!

This place was conveniently placed near walking distance of my hotel and the Wilis towers (a big tourist spot). I’m from the NJ/​NYC area, and I’ve never heard is such an interesting fusion of food. Because of all the great reviews, I was definitely intrigued to try stuff from this cozy spot.
My initial reaction upon entering was that the place was not very decorated or fancy, but it was enough. The furniture is standard and the atmosphere is casual. I loved their giant monkey sign on the wall, as well as the big board with the menu handwritten. All the workers are very nice and accommodating; they even bring your food to the table after you order.
They have a variety of beverages (non-​alcoholic) to choose from if you are looking for something different to try. I ordered the horchata, I’m usually not a big horchata fan, but this one was hot and delicious.
I liked the menu because it was simple and explained what was in each dish. I ended up ordered the shrimp, 5 spice duck, and Panang chicken Bacos. I really enjoyed the duck and shrimp! Super yummy! I wasn’t a fan of the chicken because it was a little dry in some bites (maybe bc some of the chicken was in bigger clumps, so the sauce wasn’t soaked in as well).
I ordered more of the shrimp and duck to go and I managed to snag the last guava & red bean donut! Both very good! When I come back to visit Chicago, I will definitely come back here. It’s not expensive and they’re pretty quick with their orders.

I have never been a fan of bacos per se, but then again I may have never had them done right. Have been to Spotted Monkey twice during the lunch rush and have always left satisfied and in a good mood. Have heard through the grapevine that this is by the same masterminds behind Saucy Porka. Not sure if this is fact, but everytime I’ve gotten to Saucy Porka around noonish, it’s a madhouse that I have not been able to permeate – so I can’t compare the two.
However, the line at Spotted Monkey moves insanely quickly and the food is ready just as fast. The small interior is generally packed but there has always been at least one table for two available when I have gone. I have tried the five spice duck baco, the guajillo shrimp baco, the panang curry chicken baco and the picadillo egg rolls. My favorites have been the picadillo egg roll and guajillo shrimp baco. One egg roll is plenty for one person as it is rich and flavorful, and it comes with this awesome smoky aioli sauce on the side! I think the duck baco is tender & juicy, but after trying the chicken I felt like they kind of tasted the same. Order duck over chicken for sure.
Service is attentive and cashiers are quick and very friendly. When you are picking up, they make sure to ask if you’d like hot sauce to go on the side. They also check the inside of your take out bag to make sure you have everything you ordered. When you’re dining in, they come around with extra water and make sure everything is tasting okay.
Next time I go I will explore the menu outside the bacos – a lot of the dishes I’ve seen while inside look scrumptious. 5 stars!

I’m a fan. I will definitely have to come back again though.
I was only able to stop and go but in the 5min I was there, the staff was super helpful and friendly. They know their food well and I can tell they love being there. Every item on the menu sounds very appetizing. I only got a picadillo and egg sandwich with their own chipotle sauce. I wish it had a little more kick but it was fine. Nothing too special so far.

Just like Saucy Porka, I am a big fan. I will even go as far to say that either of these places are the best lunch spots in the loop. While Spotted Monkey is still a bit out of the way from my office, it is a touch closer than Saucy Porka, so I’m happy.
I arrived around 1pm Friday and place was busy, but was able to grab a table. Their staff was awesome. They explained their menus and were patient with my boo and I as we needed a bit of time to decide what we wanted. While both places are Asian-​Latin fusion with similar flavors and dishes, Spotted Monkey is slightly more Latin focused while Saucy Porka leans toward the Asian side.
We ended up getting a small phozole, small duck gumbo, picadillo egg roll, loaded fries, and a picadillo rice. Food came out very quickly in just a few minutes, in which they brought to our table.
Holy moly, the «small» soups are very filling. I’m so used to other places skimping out but here, as the owner even said that their small is like ‘Asian small’, in that it is a lot. I can eat a lot but one of those «small» soups was more than sufficient for one meal, especially since the meat and rest of the ingredients are plentiful. Both were so tasty. I liked the phozole a bit more just on personal preference, but both had so much flavor going on and everything worked well together.
The picadillo egg roll and rice dish were also very good and hearty. I would probably pass on the fries next time. Nothing bad, but I think there are other standouts here.
I’m usually all about authentic food, but they got this Latin-​Asian fusion down. Amazing food, a lot of it for good prices, and the best service! It was so nice that they occasionally came by to check on us. Not only that, but everyone seemed genuinely happy to help.

The more choices for bahn mi in the Loop, the better it seems.
Spotted Monkey is probably the only place you can get duck and horchata in the same meal, so I took the opportunity, of course. (Actually their coffee machine was broken, so Vietnamese coffee – I don’t know if it was iced or not – wasn’t an option today.)
The duck bahn mi come with a side of Funky Fusion chips (which I love), but man do I love duck more. The duck was tender and rich, not greasy, and the bread was perfectly toasted as well. It’s served with a pickled slaw that played perfectly off the richness of the duck. A subtly spicy mayo completes the bahn mi. My only wish is that it could’ve been 30% bigger. :-D
As for the horchata, it had the right amount of cinnamon flavor and, surprisingly, went well with the sandwich.
I’m hoping next time to try out some of the more latin flavors, but this is a good start for Spotted Monkey.

I’ve been recommending Spotted Monkey to all my coworkers, especially the ones that I know love Saucy Porka. My colleague thinks that the Asian Paella at Saucy Porka and the Puerto Rican rice with braised beef at Spotted Monkey taste exactly the same– while there are some slight differences, I can definitely see why she feels that way. I had the Puerto Rican rice with tofu and black bean sauce — - um definitely DON’T order the tofu. Most places suck at cooking tofu, and this would have to be one of them. It was over fried and didn’t even seem like tofu anymore.
However, the hot horchata here redeems the place. That shit is GOOD. I poured some shots of whskey in it and feel like I was drinking an exotic spiced eggnog-​style drink. I’m going to have to go back and get that again. Excited to try some of the other items on the menu here as well.
Oh, much bigger and cleaner than Saucy Porka, even though I still love Saucy Porka. It’s just nice to have more dining options in the Loop.

I’m afraid to write this review — I don’t want the lunch lines to get long. However, this place is the shit.
For lunch I had the Panang Curry Chicken Salad and a Picadillo Eggroll and both were outstanding. I’m used to eating huge ass salads, this one is not huge ass, but for the size (medium-​ish) it’s very filling. The Eggroll is huge and delicious. I was also able to try a Guajillo Pork Baco — FTW — Bacos are GOOD!
The staff is super friendly. I’ll be back a ton since it’s steps from my office.

As someone who finds comfort in the original Saucy Porka bacos, I was sadly underwhelmed by Chef Amy’s newest culinary adventure.
The atmosphere is very lunch casual as you can expect — I would consider this a pretty crowded place to eat if you have more than 3 – 4 people, so to-​go may be your best bet.
The food:
— Panang chicken baco: a taste profile that was a bland as my ex boyfriend. Wasn’t horrible, but I really felt like I was just eating a plain chicken baco.
— Ropa vieja Beef: again — the kimchi was on the slightly bitter side and the beef could’ve used some more spice but I enjoyed it.
— Vegetarian eggroll: the flavor came through in the vegetarian dish! If meaty was the flavor they were aiming for in veggie land then they did well.
I can’t complain because I do love the service and the staff as they truly are the friendliest in the city, but the food was a let down. I would be willing to try again with different dishes, as my co-​workers all enjoyed theirs.
Also please never let go of the guy who runs around offering everyone hot sauce and smiling because you’re great, never change.

My bud and I ate lunch at Spotted Monkey, a new place with the fun and funky name on Franklin near Van Buren that occupies the former space of Haute Sausage. Spotted Monkey is a Latin-​Asian fusion place, and it comes from the peeps that brought you Saucy Porka, one of my fave lunch joints. In a way it is Saucy Porka 2, as the layout and the menu has a very similar feel to Saucy Porka. As I might have suspected, the lunch crowd was considerable. However the very helpful staff actually guided us to an empty table, and brought us our food orders relatively quickly.
My order was the duck banh mi sandwich, with a bag of tasty kettle chips. The baguette was filled with duck confit, pickled Asian slaw, cilantro and plum sauce aioli. It was good though the duck ensemble tasted a bit too subtle. I was so hoping for a «magic moment» of flavor that I have enjoyed many times from the food at Saucy Porka. My bud had a nice-​looking bowl of ropa vieja chifa, so it’s a rice dish topped with tender beef and kimchi. I definitely will come back to Spotted Monkey as it’s a whole block and a half closer to my office than Saucy Porka, but I will have to work around the menu to find my go-​to dish.