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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I like it! Quick service and easy on the pocket! The flavors are unique and delicious. I like the pairing of the sweet veggie and fruits (corn and pineapple) with the savory taste of the meats. My favorite is the shrimp bao that was topped with corn and light mayo sauce. The bao cover is light, slightly sweet, and moist-perfect! The small pork ramen was good. The broth flavor reminded me of Vietnamese bo kho and pho. The meat was savory and delicious. You can't beat the $5ish price. The service was excellent! Attentive, pleasant, and helpful. Clean and cute establishment. Try it out y'all! Support small and local! read more

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My girlfriend and I came here after seeing Saucy Porka featured on Check Please. We knew it was something we'd both love and gave us an excuse to visit Hyde Park. We're so glad we live 10 minutes away because we will definitely keep coming back! The food here is so good at such reasonable prices. The staff is beyond friendly and welcoming. They were very helpful with the menu by giving us their recommendations. We ordered lots to share starting with the bao tacos (pork, shrimp & chicken), Da Funky Monkey Fries, and Picadillo Egg Rolls. I had the Asian Paella rice and my girlfriend had the Puerto Rican rice. Everything was beyond amazing. Their fusion works out perfectly and I can't wait to come back! read more

The flavors were great and the prices are low. I really recommend this place. The Funky Monkey fries in particular are amazing!

Saw this restaurant on Check Please so we decided to try it since we were in the area. The staff were so friendly and polite , they deserve five stars. We tried the pork ramen soup, half order. The portion was large and well worth the price point. The soup was very spicy as a result of the jalapenos. I would have preferred less jalapenos. We tried all of the egg rolls. The cabbage in the vegetarian was too overpowering and I could not taste the onion or carrots. The picadillo egg roll was the best of all. The egg rolls were deep fried and a bit too crunchy. The price was good but not sure I would return. read more

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Bao buns 9.5/10!!! Very filling & delicious - Super cute vibez would come back again! read more

Saucy Porka - a bar counter with cans of beer - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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It taste great! but is a little bit salty for me. The atmosphere is friendly and nice. As an Asian born , I will surly recommend it to my friends! read more

This is a great place! We've been wanting to try this for a while and I came in with the boys. We ordered the picadillo beef egg roll and the chorizo egg roll as well as guajillo shrimp baco, pork carnitas and beef barbaca baco. ALL of the food was good. The egg rolls and shrimp were great, the pork was good and the beef was okay. Mihn was outstanding, not sure if he owns the place but he carries himself as if he does and pays attention to details; love it. He offered great suggestions for my young boys (very much appreciated!). So, with the service, the food and proximity to campus makes this an easy add to the normal rotation. If you haven't tried this place out, I think you should, you won't be disappointed. We'll be back soon. read more

Saucy Porka - Delicious Chorizo Egg Roll and Miso Braised Beef Short Rib Baco...or what's left by the time I remembered to take a photo!!! - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place has a nice outside patio; spacious, clean and trendy. The ramen broth was nice and spicy but I didn't care much for the pork. The pieces were too chunky. The shrimp baco is better than the pork baco. Again, the pork wasn't great. The tostones were great but don't need the sauce. read more

I have a had a lot of disappointing Cuban sandwiches in my life, and for some reason I keep ordering them. But this one was not disappointing! Granted that might be because my expectations have fallen so low, but this one had some reasonably interesting chunks of meat in a plausible roll with some pickled onions to garnish it. (Actually, I'm not sure what made it a Cuban sandwich, but sometimes the only way to succeed is to play a totally different game, I guess.) If that sounds like faint praise, you don't know the troubles I've seen. They have a big menu with lots of different kinds of things on it, including bao-tacos (of which I am rather wary) and a pork ramen soup that I might try next time. If I were hanging around Nichols Park or the HPNC, looking for lunch, and didn't feel like going to Nella or BBQ Supply Co, I might well be back. read more

As a product of Asian/Hispanic fusion myself, I came across this place and had to try it out. I was happily surprised at how good the food was! I tried the Cubana and the shrimp and beef bao tacos. The shrimp bao taco was by far my favorite item. The shrimp was so soft and flavorful and the corn salsa and chipotle aioli sauce were heavenly. The beef bao taco wasn't as good but still had decent flavors. The Cubana was good as well, although not as good as a traditional Cuban sandwich. The roasted garlic pork was incredibly well cooked and was so tasty. The rest of the sandwich felt a little underwhelming as it wasn't very filling and lacked the pickles or mustard you might normally see in a Cuban sandwich. I still enjoyed everything overall and would definitely try some other items when I am in the area again. read more

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A fine desperation meal in Hyde Park's banh mi desert, but don't get your hopes up! I was excited to see a place with banh mi open up down the street from me in Hyde Park, a neighborhood with a sea of mediocre Asian restaurants. Unfortunately, this is a "fusion" place where nothing resembles its original form - the banh mi is just a few meat options slapped onto a squished roll, the ramen is served in a pho broth (???), and the rice bowl is something I'd resort to making on a lazy weeknight of scrounging the fridge for leftovers to cobble together. The ambience is nice though. Vaguely tropical, with a colorful and extensive patio where you can spend a breezy afternoon imagining you're not doomed to the Chicago winter in a few short months. read more

Saucy Porka - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Had to give a nod to the Saucy Porka that opened up right next door to my workplace! With much, much better hours! Woo hoo!! I have been a fan of Saucy Porka for years. Despite having a regular daytime job, I somehow found the time to go the downtown location multiple times in the time that I have lived in Chicago (basically, every time I had a random weekday off I went to downtown Saucy Porka). They have a great take on Asian fusion. The best thing they have here is the bacos (Asian tacos) - the pork one is my favorite. The chorizo egg roll is really good too. This Saucy Porka is better than the one downtown because it is open on nights and weekends! Other than that it is pretty much the same restaurant. I am so excited! read more

This is a long overdue review, but I'm doing it none the less. I went to Saucy Porka back in May and was satisfied, not mind blown but satisfied. The Monkey Fries were very good and the most enjoyed dish we ordered. We additionally ordered the Shrimp Po' Mi which wasn't exciting, and the Ropa Vieja which by no means was bad, but the Kimchi was (In my own words with no offense intended) fishier than I like it and I should have gotten my egg done more it was really runny.But out of the three dishes the one that I think was the best was definitely the Monkey Fries especially if you want to play it safe flavors wise. If you want something different the Ropa Vieja is a good option. The meat and Jasmine rice are good together and with some fresher kimchi it probably would have been a hit (pour moi).Don't waste you time with the Po Boy though. read more

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Best Asian fusion I ever had.... great service as well...I had the Picadillo and Guajillo Shrimp taco!! Delicious af!! read more

Saucy Porka - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Saucy Porka is a relatively new and worthwhile addition to Hyde Park. I have enjoyed individual meals from SP in the past but this review is to simply highlight their incredible customer service and warm and welcoming staff. I was placing a large order for a group of coworkers and each order had to be bagged separately and grouped and labeled accordingly. I know this is a particular hassle with larger orders but the staff at Saucy Porka had my back the WHOLE time, were so patient and accomodated all of my requests. The owner also offered extra big bags to help me carry everything. Please support Saucy Porka, University affiliates and HP community members, they have good food and good people! read more

Automatically greeted at the door by Natalie explaining the menu which was great. Baos were awesome we got the chicken and the barbacoa small but pack a punch. Beet salad was so damn good idk what kinda magic they put in that white vinaigrette but it sets off the whole salad. Sweet potato fries were just the right crispyness. Last but not least we decided that all above wasn't enough food for the both of us so split the tempura fried shrimp sandwich..not pictured bc we were ready to devour it. It was sssoooo damn gooooood the sauce on there just makes the shrimp melt I can probably eat this sandwich on the daily! read more

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First time here. The menu is super excited, the idea is amazing; however, the execution is done poorly and disappointed. We have ordered the beef egg roll, pork carnitas baco, beef barbaoa, and a pork Raman soup. The baco was sauggy, we couldn't even pick it up and eat it. The beef barbaoa was dry and sad, it says coconut rice with beef braised with tomato sauce. Honestly, rice tasted like rice with no coconut, and the beef tasted like al the pork dishes we have ordered. There was no sauce or no tomato element in it. We even asked the employee if they are serving brisket, and she said yes, it's beef and many other people has asked her about it too. Ranking of what we have ordered from high to low: pho soup, beef egg roll, baco, then the beef barbaoa (which is sad, because beef barbaoa was the most expensive). read more

Saucy Porka - Beef barbaoa. "Brisket" was super dry, no tomato sauce, no coconut rice. The brisket tasted like pork! - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is a hidden gem during these covid times. We were in the area and looking for brunch on a patio, their patio is huge, super nice, and was mostly empty. You order inside, but they bring the food and drinks out and came out to check on us like three times! My favorite was the the Chorizo Egg Roll ($1.92 each) we split it and it was a delicious 4 bites, came with a creamy spicy avocado aoli. I also loved both of the boa's we got, a lot of meat in both! Panang Curry Chicken, topped with pickled Asian slaw served on a steamed bao bun $2.90. Five Spice Duck, with pickled Asian slaw and plum sauce aioli served on a steamed bao bun $3.90 The Tostones were good, I loved the sauce that came with them, coconut milk lover here!! $4.50 for 5 There was nothing technically wrong with my Ropa Vieja Banh (Mi Beef brisket and mayo topped with kimchi, served on French baguette $10.85) but I think I was expecting more tradional banh mi flavor and so it was my least favorite, but everything was fresh an plentiful! I wish I lived closer, this would be a great go to for take out or patio dining! read more

I've only had their food as takeout for During catering orders, but it has been delicious every single time! I especially love the shrimp bao OMG! The prices can be a little bit high considering the portions you get when doing takeout though, but a lot of that is due to delivery fees and other extras. I look forward to trying the food in person as well! read more

I have never eaten vegan fries, but I know that these could not have been vegan fries. They put chopped up green onions on these frozen crinkle cut fries. Please don't waste your hard earned money on this place. I ordered grilled shrimp and fried shrimp on a bun. What a waste. read more

Always heard good things about Saucy Porka, and let me tell you, they are all true. I ordered the pork carnita baco, and it tasted as good as it looked. The bao was fluffy and moist, the carnita wonderfully marinated, and the fresh pineapple topping was the perfect compliment. Very chill casual lunch spot with great service. The food came out fast and the staff went above and beyond and got me water (even though it was self serve) and took my trash for me when I was finished. read more

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The star is really just for the staff, who are the nicest. The manager was really accomodating when I explained my problem (I'll come to that in a minute) but the food, sigh. I got the Puerto Rican rice and it was so clearly made of such stale ingredients that I couldn't even think of resurrecting it as, say, breakfast with an egg thrown on top. It was pricey for a place that doesn't have sit-down service, and that's one of the weird aspects of this place. It's also, I guess, fairly typical of the kind of half-and-half spot that's so popular these days: neither fast food nor a formal restaurant. I don't get why this place is popular -- I think it's because it's really designed for a well-off university crowd that's looking for something quick-ish and greasy? Some of the prices are fine and I also know that ingredients like duck are not the cheapest to source. But. More on that. The manager was great about saying I could just come back for substitutes for the rice, and I went back and got two soups instead. I had the gumbo there since I was super hungry, but, omg, I've never been so...um, well, gassy is putting it politely. It was fine while in the restaurant (and I praised it to them) but, hmmm, afterwards. It also struck me that SP isn't really a *good* fusion place in that it doesn't really do much more than put disparate elements together. So, with the gumbo, you get the rice, the red beans, the duck, and sausage and other elements of two cuisines, but there's not really that much flavour, not much thought beyond, oh, look, here are two completely different kinds of cuisines, let's throw together some stuff from both. I could do something more interesting and more intentional at home if I had different cuisines' ingredients and wanted to combine them, and I frequently do. But the waitstaff was great, a really lovely person, and, again, I commend the manager for being so accomodating and polite. I forgot and left behind my second soup and ended up just calling and asking her to refund my ENTIRE FIVE DOLLARS, yes, back because by then, having lost about a pound or more in body weight and with a crap knee, I was just in no mood to return. I very much doubt I'll return there except maybe for the occasional egg roll or a quick bao (I think the curried tofu is the best) if it's on my way and I need a snack. The meat feels and tastes a bit overripe and tired, and the food's much too salty and greasy, waaaay too greasy, and not particularly exceptional. There are better fusion places -- Seoul Taco near Boystown (NOT THE HYDE PARK LOCATION, which sucks) is great. This one, eh. Again, though: great staff. read more

Tasty place with interesting flavor combinations. Lots of options. Some hits, some misses but definitely worth going back and finding those favorites. read more

this place is awesome !! It has the cutest design and the food is really great ! Try the sweet potato fries with curry sauce , it is so good ! even the small order is perfect for two people . The egg rolls are great too ! The sticky buns are small and good to try but I recommend the sandwiches . Also the lemonade is so good and refreshing ! Also the sandwiches and really good , I have been addicted to the chicken curry with the Asian slaw . I love the Asian slaw !! I have been to the restaurant and ordered delivery and both times my food has been hot and delicious !! The delivery is super fast and they legit read the extra things to add or remove . So glad they opened in hyde park ! read more

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Not much too say about this one. This is fusion, but for me the flavors just didn't mesh. I always say I'll give a place a second try, but there are so many other restaurants in Chicago..... read more

I've already written a review in years prior but I'm presently sitting in Saucy Porka. My partner is eating the duck gumbo and I have the Penang salad. I don't know who the cook is but that person is a GENIUS. PURE GENIUS. I literally want to cry both dishes are so amazing. Thank you. read more

First time to this restaurant. It was so cute not only that but they have amazing customer service!!! Super sweet staff very very accommodating ahhh honest would recommend good food, amazing staff and amazing management, cleanliness 100% . Ahhh come on in to see for yourself you won't be disappointed. read more

Saucy Porka - Puerto Rican Rice Bowl beef and shrimp - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I had to send back my dish twice. The first time it came to me it was just cold. The second tasted slightly like soap. I had my friends try it and they agreed. In the end they gave me another new serving but I would have rather just gotten my money back. The food itself was also not that great - pork in the rice was pretty hard. Would not come back EDIT: owner was nice enough to reach out to me and refund the dish so I appreciate that. Seems like they care about the quality of their food and are constantly trying to address complaints. read more

All sandwiches & baos were great, but even better when you add the curry aioli sauce! I'll gladly pay another 50 cents/ ounce of sauce. I PUT THAT $&"!?/ ON EVERYTHING! read more

Crossing another one off of the lost! I've wanted to visit Saucy Porka for a while. Ended up being nearby after going to MSI. Decided to stop in and try some things off the menu. I ordered the Ropa Vieja Banh Mi sandwich and one Picadillo egg roll. My partner got the full curry sweet potato fries. At first I thought the sandwich was a bit small, but it ended up being very filling. The beef was juicy and flavorful. The kimchi had the perfect amount of spice. The egg roll was absolutely delicious! I only wish it was a bit bigger than the size I got. But it was definitely packed with meat, so I can't complain too much. The sweet potato fries were done nicely-they came out hot and crispy. I only wish these crinkle fries came dusted with curry seasoning instead of just having a little in the mayo dipping sauce. I think it would be much more flavorful to have the cheese, scallions, and curry seasoning all mixed together on top of the fries. There are cups for water, so we just did that instead of ordering any drinks. The restaurant itself is very clean and there's enough tables for a decent amount of people. I also saw a sign for a patio out back, although we had already sat near the front of the restaurant before realizing there was a patio option. Everyone that worked there was very courteous and helpful. Saucy Porka Hyde Park edition is a great place to stop in. If I'm ever around there again, I definitely want to try one of the soups or rice platters! read more

After being here five or six times, I finally know what's good here. Order the pork, shrimp, or beef bacos. Order the vegetarian egg roll and the sweet potato fries. Absolutely avoid all the rice bowls. The chicken and duck baco are also to avoid. The ramen bowl has good flavor but has pretty much nothing in it but noodles and a few slices of meat. Follow the above tips and you'll feel better about eating here. read more

Ugh... people, teach your staff never to argue with or lecture customers. I've been a patron for years and have spent a fortune since you opened in HP (more than $180 worth of ordered food in last two months alone) and you've just lost me to save $1.50 on a $50 order. The reason I ended up having to listen to all the things I've gotten wrong is that the food has lately been tasting like... nothing, on good days. read more

Turned on to this place by Regena Kelley, who's an outstanding FOODIE, Chorizo EggRolls are the Bomb

Saucy Porka is their name, Asian fusion is their game. I stopped in on a Saturday afternoon for lunch with three other people. Surprisingly, we were some of the only people there. (Where you at, Hyde Park?!) We were greeted promptly, offered menus at the counter, and offered friendly suggestions on what to order. The four of us ordered a variety of items, including the cuban sandwich, taco baos of different flavors (chicken, tofu, beef, shrimp...), the loaded fries, and the sweet potato fries. Everything was made fresh-to-order, which was nice. Both types of fries were large portions (even though we ordered the smaller of the two sizes) and came with tasty dipping sauces. I especially liked the sweet potato fries with the curry aioli, great combo. My favorite taco bao was the shrimp, but I also enjoyed the tofu a lot. One hiccup was their accuracy: we ordered 9 taco baos and only got 7. When we asked where the last two were, they claimed that everything had been delivered. We had to pull out the receipt, after which they apologized and brought us the last 2. No harm, no foul, but prevents me from giving them the full 5 stars. read more

The customer service is outstanding at this place not only is the food delicious I cannot say enough about the customer service. Even though I usually order through GrubHub the one time that my app was not working I actually started going into the establishment which I was glad I did but because what's going on with the coronavirus I decided to order using GrubHub again happy that they were open and I received a handwritten note saying thank you for still supporting their business I was blown away. read more

Saucy Porka - Asian Fusion Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Awesome food! Innovative and fresh ingredients! I wish there was one closer to me! Open one around Naperville, please!!

I do not recommend getting the rice bowls here. I've made this mistake twice. Egg rolls are okay. Bacos are excellent -- these are what you want to order here. read more

This is new place we tried. My son is looking for a place to have brunch that is cheap and with good rating. Everything we had was excellent. The lady who took care of our orders helped us so we can try everything. She served our food in a family sampler setting so everyone in my family could take a bite of the food. Everyone enjoyed. We had the curry sweet potato fries, chorizo eggs, Picadillo beef egg rolls and the tostanes for appetizer. We had pork ramen,a good small size for $5 that filled us up. Can't beat that! My son is very happy with the asian paella rice bowl. We also enjoyed the Guajillo pork and panang curry chicken bao buns.what else is left to say? My family approves this place. Price check: very affordable for a family of 6 and all the orders mentioned above for $85. Taste: very tasty, savory Location: DOWNTOWN LOCATION expensive parking in the area ( but this wont affect my rating) Service: very friendly atmosphere, staff is very nice, willing to explain and elaborate if you have questions. They keep an eye to serve us water when we need refills. They have 2 locations. I will probably be ordering from their Hyde Park location as they are close to my work. read more

Was actually on my way to a different kitchen for a meal. The inviting appearance and great music had my attention, but the menu and great service hooked my interest. I cannot wait to see what heights this establishment can achieve. read more