Saucy Porka stays delicious! I got my favorite, the ropa beef bowl -- I really do need to branch out but I'm not in the neighborhood often so I wanted to stick with something I know I love. The beef brisket is so tender and delicious. The kimchi is the perfect tangy addition to the bowl, and the coconut jasmine rice marries the two perfect. I ordered online and it was hot and ready when I arrived. The staff member working was very sweet and adorable! read more

Saucy Porka - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I have been eating away this wekend lol. I had a taste for Gumbo and this place popped up on Ubereats. I ordered a large shrimp Gumbo. Though shrimp, it does include pork sausages. It also comes with a cartoon of rice. The savory taste of goodness in a bowl. I imagine it taste like a true down south Louisiana southern cuisine. It's more a soup than the traditional Gumbo, It's not pasty. The rice was a little over cooked gummy like. Other than that i have no complaints. Service was standard for a weekend Ubereats order. I received my food within 40-60 minutes. The price is very reasonable for the container you receive. I will defintelty order again. read more

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I was underwhelmed by saucy and had been wanting to try it for a while. We ordered take out and I ordered one of the bowls. It was not that flavorful and honestly it was a little dry. The best part of the meal was the egg roll and the sauce with that was yummy. I would to back for egg rolls but that's about it. read more

I had plans to go to Definition Theatre to watch a play and had time to spend so I decided to go check out Saucy Porka. I was hesitant to go there based on the name because I assumed that all they would have on the menu is pork lol I was wrong. I unfortunately didn't get a picture of the vegan Baco (bao taco) but it was definitely the winner of my meal. I love the texture of the bao taco and the crunchiness of the tofu and the sauce...the sauce I could've eaten by itself! I also got a salad with shrimp that was ok. The place was pretty empty so I hope that it was just because the college students were packing up for the end of the year. But I will definitely go back for the vibes (R&B music playing) and the vegan baco yum! read more

Saucy Porka - Zen Salad with shrimp - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came in for lunch yesterday. Very good meal. I got the Puerto Rico Rice with pork and egg on top. Meal was scrumptious+ savory. I thought that the rice could benefit from some more garlic. Definitely added the green hot sauce to spice it up some. Food was very filling. I wanted to nap instead of going back to work after finishing this meal. read more

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We came here when my party won a gift card at a fundraiser. IT's good to see a restaurant involved in the community. There was a problem for a while with getting the certificate open, but we worked it out eventually with the owner. We came on a Wednesday evening for dine in outside. Despite having dining facilities outside, they do not offer table service for outside. They share the space with other restaurants in the area, so we were fine to wait inside for our food. The tables could have been cleaner and wiped down, but the umbrella to block out the sun was awesome to have. The baco was a nice fusion of a bao and a taco. Not too much bread, not too much protein, but still messy! In a good way though. The duck protein and salad was a nice change from tuna and chicken salad. It was seasoned and moist, with a nice dressing! I'd like to go back later, when I'm back eating pork! read more

Saucy Porka - Shrimp baco² - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I got the duck Banh mi and it was so delicious. I was nervous the duck would be dry but it was not dry at all and it so soft and easy to eat. The plum sauce on it made this delicious contrast. I loved the sandwich. I got the pineapple water to go with and it was very refreshing and yummy. The staff was super prompt and friendly. Food came out super fast. Cute restaurant. A little small so probably couldn't fit a huge group if it was busy. read more

Saucy Porka - Menu - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

What a cute restaurant with trendy decor!! You either order at the counter, or you can sit down, scan the QR code, and they'll bring you your food! This is an Asian-Latin fusion restaurant! We got the picadillo rice bowl (ground beef with potatos and peppers) and it was so so so delicious!! The coconut rice was subtle but flavorful, sautéed black beans with cabbage were crunchy and added a nice texture, and the beef was simmered in the most delicious sauce. I devoured the whole bowl! The large funky monkey fries were your standard loaded crinkle cut fries with an Asian-Latin twist! So yum and crispy!! Enough to share :) read more

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Stopped in for a quick dinner bite and really enjoyed my experience! Order at the counter from the friendly staff and they bring the food out to you. I had the guajillo chicken PR rice bowl and pork Baco/ Bao bun. Yum on both! The only knock is that the rice bowl could have used more of the tasty sauce as it lost some flavor and got a bit dry after a few bites. The slow cooked, savory chicken was excellent! read more

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Latin take on steam buns like duck is amazing! That semi sweet aioli with the pickled veggies is amazing. The ropa vieja with kimchi is definitely fusion and it works. read more

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Came here to get some good food at this technologically advanced cafe. It has QR codes all over you use when ordering and paying. Saucy Porka has a kind of Asian and Mexican fusion type of theme. Has a lot to satisfy any taste and the prices are pretty good for around here. The menu features meats such as pork of course, brisket, and vegetarians also have options. After reading good things about it we came here. It's in the middle of lots of other trendy Hyde Park restaurants. The parking isn't that bad if you drive, as there looked to be plenty it seems. Inside it's like a small cafe. You can order with the QR codes or at the counter, whichever. It's about $10 for the cheapest entrees. We got some of the vegetarian friendly ones. I got the Tofu Banh Mi. This has a choice of panang or soy ginger sauce. Simple but good. The Rice Bowl is the other good vegetarian entree and has a protein choice such as tofu. Fun atmosphere and fast service mostly. It's pretty easy to make an order, and when using the QR codes you can modify it so you can make sure it won't get messed up. There's lots here for meat eaters and vegetarians. read more

Saucy Porka - Tofu Banh Mi - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Love love their Baco's. They are so filling and delicious to eat. I just wish they prices were not so expensive for a 2 bite item. read more

Saucy Porka - Rope Vieja Beef Bowl - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I decided to try Saucy Porka because I'm a huge Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives viewer, so I want to experience all of the Triple D locations in Chicago. I love their concept of Asian-Latin fusion. I've become a big fan of their bacos - essentially a taco, but instead of a corn or flour tortilla, everything is served on a bao bun. The duck baco and the shrimp baco are my favorites. This time, I ordered delivery and opted for the Fried Shrimp Baco and the Guajillo Pork Puerto Rican Rice Bowl. This is the 1st/only time that I haven't enjoyed my shrimp baco. This time, the fried shrimp tasted greasy (they'll lose a start for this), and as you can see, the baco didn't travel well. There was more sauce in the container than on the baco, which made for a pretty dry dish.   The rice bowl was flavorful though. The rice is seasoned well with Sazon. I wish there was more pork on the bowl, but the dish gave about 3-4 servings, so no complaints there.   I won't allow the delivery issue to impact my rating though. All in all, I enjoy their food and will continue to be a repeat customer. #ImNotAFoodie #ImJustAGirlWhoLovesFood read more

Saucy Porka - Fried Shrimp Baco - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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$15 each per person, a total of $30 for two small sandwiches and 2 bag of chips that made my girlfriend and i sick. The service was good though. Shout out to the person who took my order, thank you again and im sorry read more

Just tried this place. An absolute gem! Clean inviting environment, fantastic staff, and food that was affordable and off the hook great. Cannot recommend this place enough. Love it! read more

The food is really unique. I would recommend this spot for a light lunch or dinner if you are looking for something different.

Came all the way to Hyde Park from Wicker for an early dinner with a friend. There are QR codes at the table, you order and pay via phone and they bring your food to you. There's a patio, but we sat inside. We ordered the Tostones, Monkey Fries, tofu bang mi, veggie roll and a fountain drink. Everything was super tasty and definitely a lot of its size/ price. The tostones were a bit soggy, but could be because of the pineapple. Overall, yummy! read more

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Discovering Saucy Porka was a happy accident. This is now my go to restaurant in Hyde Park! If you're looking for an authentic & comforting dining experience, you definitely need to check them out! I tried their guajillo shrimp, soy ginger and curry tofu bacos. Wow! The flavors were outstanding. And I was surprised that I was full after only eating 3 (although I could I eat more) and their veggie egg rolls were delicious. The service was amazing and they're definitely my new take-out spot! read more

Saucy Porka - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My bud and I stumbled upon Saucy Porka in Hyde Park. I have enjoyed Saucy Porka's fusion of Asian and Latin food flavors at its downtown location as it was near my old office, but this was the first time that I have been to this newer location that opened nearly three years ago. The folks at Saucy Porka were enforcing stringent measures regarding Covid-19, so that is a good thing. They will take the temperature of anyone dining in, and there was limited and scattered indoor seating. They also mentioned a 45-minute time limit for dining in, and we may have gone to the brink of that time limit if not slightly over. They do provide a pitcher of water to your table if you are dining in, so that was an unexpected pleasure. I believe the washrooms were restricted to dine-in customers only. The sandwiches are banh mi style, on crusty French baguettes. I like the Saucy Porka banh mi a lot, with braised pork topped with not-too-spicy kimchi. There is a small cup of sauce that is rather spicy, so if you like it like that then go for it. With a sandwich, you get to also select a fountain soft drink or a bag of chips. I went with the rather sizeable bag of BBQ kettle chips, bold and crunchy. My bud enjoyed the Cheesy Buddha banh mi, with poblano peppers, mushrooms, onions and Chihuahua cheese. read more

My colleague and I ordered the ropa vieja with fried egg for lunch today. The brisket was tender and tasty. I'm not to sure what jasmine coconut rice is supposed to taste like, but I did not taste any coconut or coconut flavor in the rice. They also gave a packet of sriracha sauce, but we didn't use it because the kimchi added the right amount of spice; not too overpowering. read more

Saucy Porka - Ropa Vieja Rice Bowl with Fried Egg - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ordered through yelp, but ended up eating in the patio area. The chairs and tables are colorful and super cute. They're all spaced out enough so even though other people were there we still felt comfortable. We ordered the tostones, guajillo pork baco, ropa vieja beef baco, guajillo shrimp baco, panang curry chicken banh mi, along with the asian style paella rice bowl. The bacos were absolutely delicious. 10/10 would return to get them again. The tostones were delicious when they were fresh, but I kept some and warmed them up later and they weren't as good. The texture of the banh mi was great, however it was lacking in flavor. We had thought it would have been cook and immersed in the curry, but it tasted like they just dipped a brush and put some over the chicken before serving it. The paella was just meh to me. While it had flavor it wasn't flavorful. read more

Saucy Porka - Tostones - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Kind of a hidden gem location in Hyde park. With endless food options around the area I'd definitely check this place out. Very interesting take on a Hispanic-Asian fusion and everything tasted incredible, no complaints. The sweet potato curry fries are a must get when you go. read more

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I spent $60+ here yesterday (my elevated state influenced the volume of my order), but I felt as though the service couldn't make recommendations for its relatively high costs. However, a more mature employee did provide help with my rewards program, which afforded me free doughnuts. So the service here was just ok, not good for the cost. The food was also just ok.. IMO, the roba beef and duck tacos were bland but the shrimp taco was good. I somehow got a ropa (beef) sandwich, that was also bland and needed the sauce to make it ok. Lots of bread, little ingredients and low taste isn't worth the cost of the experience. My wife enjoyed her pho though. I thought the doughnuts we good but relatively pricey. So I give 1 star for my wife's experience and one star for the doughnuts. Management should train for better service and adjust its price. You've been warned... read more

Went here because I had a gift card & the picture shows $50 worth of food (not pictured hibiscus lemonade & iced Vietnamese coffee). The dessert was actually the best part of the meal. The brown sugar coating, soft donut exterior & nutella nicely tucked inside was heaven. The banh mi & rice bowl were a bit to fusion for me where the flavor got lost. The baos were soggy because we waited an hour before eating. It was interesting having sweet flavored meat on baos especially with the pineapple added. Maybe would try again in the restaurant to see if that would make a difference but overall just decent. read more

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One of the best qualities a restaurant can have is consistency. I remember a McDonald's case study from college. McDonald's has never served the best burgers. What originally set them apart decades ago, was consistency. Their goal was to provide a consistent product and experience at every location. While there isn't much debate that McDonald's varies from location to location (and even shift to shift at the same location) this was a revolutionary concept in the fast food industry. Saucy Porka no longer has two locations, but the consistency is outstanding. Each order I've had over the years has been remarkably consistent. I find that comforting. When it comes to food I like being able to trust my meal will be as good as the previous time. Check them out and let me know what you think. read more

I stopped in for a quick lunch, and was pleased. The staff were all very friendly and welcoming and I did not have to wait long at all for my food. The tofu baco was AWESOME, between the flavorful curry sauce, an extra soft bun, and the crispiest tofu I have had in my entire life, I'd highly recommend it - might even stop in before I leave town to grab a few to go! The duck bahn mi was rather expensive for the amount of meat and vegetables (just pickled daikon and carrots) that should have come in the bun, and the bun was toasted to the point of being dried out, way too hard. Have your own review tho and give it a try! read more

Saucy Porka - Duck bahn mi - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Very close to U of Chicago campus and convenient. It's a small, but clean restaurant. Order at the counter or at your table. We ordered 3 items. Monkey fries which were crispy and delicious. Two bacos - Penang chicken and Guajillo shrimp, which were both good. The last item was the Asian paella. The meat was tender and flavorful but it was a little dry and needed more vegetables. read more

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I came here to enjoy my food, because honestly it's great. Today though I couldn't because there was a crazy guy there yelling at the workers and he smelled pretty foul. They need to learn how to handle this to create a better environment. He was yelling at other customers and myself and the workers there tried to do their best to give good service despite all this going on. read more

LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS PLACE!! The food is so good and I always get the Puerto Rican Rice bowl which is such a comfort food for me at this point! I get the one with tofu and all three flavors are insanely good but I highly recommend trying soy ginger! Also their Nutella donuts are SO GOOD! read more

I ordered catering from this location for an event, and they were so helpful with figuring out the best menu for our needs and budget. Everything worked out wonderfully, and everyone at the event enjoyed the food! read more

I recently had dinner with a group of friends and we ordered a takeout feast. I enjoyed the food very much. It's a unique restaurant that is a fusion of Vietnamese, Mexican, Thai, and Puerto Rican. Just check out some of their menu items. Shrimp po' boy banh mi. Five spice duck bao taco. Chorizo egg rolls. Sign me up. Food: The guajillo shrimp tacos are an absolute must. The ropa vieja is extremely tasty as well. Da Funky Monkey Fries made for a glorious side dish. The duck gumbo was also quite good, but it just paled in comparison to the other dishes. Ambience: It's a small space with minimal decor, dark wood, and hand-written menus. The emphasis is definitely on the food. Parking: There's street parking outside, and around the corner along the park. I would definitely come here again. read more

Amazing food Innovative menu Sauces were so yummy Met the owner and her passion for food is evident in the various new food items we had for first time. As vegetarians- we loved it immensely And are going to be back very soon They also help non profit groups! So check it out soon read more

Go to spot for a quick lunch! Highly recommend ordering online and picking up if you don't plan on dining in. I love their baos!

I saw an episode of "Chicago's Best," featuring "Saucy Porka" a while back. Their original location is in the Loop near the Financial District. In other words, it's a M-F breakfast/lunch establishment that I wouldn't be able to visit due to work. When I found out a second location opening in Hyde Park, I was looking forward to trying it out and seeing what it was all about. Ummm...I really, really wish I could render a better rating because the place was cute and thoughtfully-decorated; the staff was energetic, friendly, and helpful. Nevertheless, I couldn't honestly say I was, at all, digging the taste and prices of the food. For $23.81 (tax included), we had the following (all prices were effective as of 08/18/2018): 1) Ho Chi Minh banh mi ($8.60): it was listed as Panang curry chicken on the erasable menu. The portion was terribly tiny. One could easily get a bigger banh mi in Argyle Uptown neighborhood. Hubby said it wasn't any wow factor on this humble-looking sandwich. The young lady behind the register said this came with either a bag of chips or a fountain drink. Well, I would certainly trade the money spent on this entree with a latte and a scone in a nearby coffee shop. 2) Full-order pork pozole ($9.65): it was spicy and I liked this level of spiciness, yet it lacked depth. Although the pork was tender and veggies in there were fresh and crispy, I was disappointed with how this was put together. 3) Small-order sweet potato fries ($3.35): they were good, but they were nowhere fantastic. The dipping sauce was alright. I hated to compare these fries with the known grocery-store brand, "Al*xia's." I felt that I could almost replicate this dish on my own. Sorry, I had to write what was on my mind. I do hope that someone can challenge on what I expressed in this review. I'm a fan of small businesses and want to give their owners lots of encouragement and appreciation so that they can keep going strong. "Saucy Porka" failed to impress me today. I may go there again if I'm the area, though I will consider patronizing other establishments that kindle my interest first. read more

Saucy Porka - Panang curry chicken banh mi, sweet potato fries, and pork pozole - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Yelp did it again! Totally satisfied! Just passing through Chicago and found this gem on yelp. We got take and the woman taking the order was super helpful and patient with us trying to decide. So we got the Puerto Rican rice bowl with pork, an egg on top and a side of kimchi. Guajillo pork bacos and a shrimp baco (and it's just fun to say baco) The picadillo and curry egg rolls, both were yummy but the picadillo was my fav. Everything was freakin delicious. So much flavor and portions were right on. My husband (who's a big guy) and I shared everything and both of us got full. I forgot to take a pic but go check it out for yourself, you won't be disappointed if you love great food! read more

As we walked in the door, we were greeted by Natalie who asked if we had ever been in before. She guided us through the menu, asking about food preferences and making suggestions. They had good choices for our vegetarian in the group, which helped a lot. My husband and I ended up splitting the barbacoa sandwich and a chorizo egg roll. Both excellent--and we especially recommend the egg roll! My husband also had a Cuban baco, and my daughter had the soy-ginger baco with fried tofu. They both enjoyed them. My daughter and I also split an order of tostones--SO GOOD! We were very pleased with the whole experience: the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff, the food selection, and the atmosphere. Check them out! read more

This place had all the imagination but lacked the execution. The Latin-Asian fusion idea is splendid and design of the dishes amazing. However, the reality did not quite live up to the expectations the menu created. The "bacos", tacos made from a bao tortilla, were the highlight of Saucy Porka and while i would still recommend the restaurant I would caution you not to go expecting greatness. read more

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This is a good concept but they are not transparent about the ingredients. They could take a lesson from other bowl offerings that tell you exactly what goes into each bowl and offers opt in or out for ingredients. In this day & age, all food service personnel should know what gluten free means and be able to disclose ingredients that do not comply. At Saucy Porka, an advertised gluten free rice bowl offers a tofu option but does not disclose the breading. A "gluten free" notation on the order is not noticed and not informed of breading on tofu. read more

This is going to be a weird review (but I really want to keep my Elite Yelp Status through the COVID-19 pandemic, so here we are). Although I am lucky enough to work from home during this time, some of my team members at UChicago are not. I wanted to send lunch to them, and have heard great things about Saucy Porka from other people that I've worked with. When I sent a list of local Hyde Park restaurants with a solid history of having a good relationship with UC, Saucy Porka was definitely on this list. I tried to place an order via Postmates and Doordash. For whatever reason, the order wouldn't take. I called the restaurant to confirm (I know sometimes those third part delivery services are a challenge to work with). The woman that answered that phone was so nice! She was super polite and basically said "try to refresh your screen and if that doesn't work, call me back and we'll figure something out - if I have to walk it over myself I will." WOW. What an awesome response! Anyway, I refreshed my screen (I think I tried to place the order before they had officially opened for the day). The driver was dispatched literally within 10 minutes of me placing hitting "submit order". I know this is a weird time for all of us - especially restaurants. This Hyde Park location had probably 80% of their customer base up and leave within 24 hours. The fact that they are still open, still positive and still willing to help is a testimony to their business model. Thank you and be well. read more

Stopped by Saucy Porka for lunch one day and I was not disappointed! I got a ginger tofu bao, a pork bao, and the loaded fried (yes, that's only a half order) and everything was tasty! After trying several of their bacos (bao tacos) by now, I can confidently say the ginger tofu and pork are my favorite! The fries were also a great addition. The order was large and cheap, the fry quality itself was meh, clearly frozen, but the toppings were yummy and plentiful. The fry leftovers also reheated super well the next day in the oven. Everything together was about $11. Overall, a reasonably priced spot nearby campus. Great for lunch, dinner, or a snack! read more

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