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    Wow Bao

    3.3 (716 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Wow Bao Takeout or Delivery

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    Business Info

    WOW BAO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Wow Bao

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    Reviews With Photos

    6-Pack Bao, Crispy Chicken Egg Roll, and Dumplings
    Christopher C.

    Solid bao! It was a little hectic to grab food on a Saturday evening and they seemingly closed much earlier than advertised! The baos are satisfying and the dumplings are solid, but the service and ambiance was a bit of a letdown here unfortunately. They ran out of rice around 6:30pm as well, and the rush of deliveries made it tough to order here. Cheers!

    Menu
    Joneice B.

    After walking around on State, we opted to get a snack. Wow Bao was empty so it was a good choice. We got the 4 pack for 10.99 and ate right in the store. My favorite was Mongolian beef and my husband enjoyed the cheeseburger.

    Kevin N.

    ATMOSPHERE/ARCHITECTURE: N/A Ordered for delivery. SERVICE: 8/10 Delivery was quick and they included utensils and napkins. Yes! FOOD: 6/10 I got 2 pork buns (bao) and some fried rice. The buns were just okay and the fried rice was the same. This is not a place that blew me away at all but it was decent. It was definitely not an authentic recipe and more Americanized but it hit the spot when you wanted it. Granted, there is a lot of competition in the city so this downgrades it a bit. VALUE: 8/10 Prices are quite good in a comparable market. PROBABILITY OF RETURN: 7/10 TO EAT OR NOT TO EAT: It's good enough to be worth a visit. OVERALL: 7/10

    Savanna B.

    I had an early dinner here with my family the other night before taking my son on a boat trip. The location was convenient and we were able to get our food quickly. The restaurant was very clean and pretty dead. As you can see from my pictures, the presentation was very unappetizing but it didn't taste horrible. But it wasn't especially good either. I don't know if my experience was a fluke but I probably wouldn't eat there again.

    Lauren G.

    The Basics: Wow Bao is a fast-food style bao restaurant. The menu features many different kinds of bao (including dessert bao) and some other dishes as well. Things I like: The bao was certainly not perfect, but overall I like the concept and enjoyed the bao. I tried a bunch of different kinds, but my favorites were the Spicy Mongolian Beef and the Coconut Custard. I also really enjoyed a seasonal Apple Pie flavor that I tried. The potstickers are also worth a try. Things I didn't like: At times the bao were not fully cooked. The dough was raw and not solidified on some bao I tried. Also, some of the bao flavors were pretty bland. I tended to enjoy the spicy flavors more due to the added flavor. Additionally, I did not enjoy the fried rice. Overall, this is a place to go to for convenience. I wouldn't go out of my way for it, but for a quick meal, on the go-- I really enjoy it!

    Chicken fried rice
    Blue M.

    Ordered chicken fried rice chicken was so hard it couldn't be eaten rice was mushy and gross and had mushrooms not listed on menu to which I'm allergic

    Chloe R.

    Really good customer service but very low quality of food. I ordered the soup dumplings and received very obviously frozen packaged dumplings that I could get for $3 at a store but they charge $13 and overheat it so it's mushy. The homemade ginger ale was not good.

    Fried rice.

    Ordered fried rice, baos, and soup dumplings. The Famous Fried Rice was soggy and lacked flavor. The soup dumpling had no soup. It wasn't hot and it was mushy like it either wasn't fully cooked or had been sitting out so long it soaked up all the soup. The baos were ok.

    Chicken potstickers

    It was fine. Got the chicken potstickers. Quick service and friendly staff. I don't think I'd go out of my way to go back but it worked in the moment.

    Sesame Chicken Bowl with Fried Rice

    I got a sesame chicken bowl with fried rice. The rice was mushy and had no real texture. The chicken seemed like it was over cooked and had a weird aftertaste. The only reason I gave 2 stars was because the workers were fast and nice.

    Fried Chicken Fried Rice

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    11 months ago

    Wonderful soup dumplings! I grabbed a quick lunch on the way to another meeting and they hit the spot!

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    2 months ago

    No words. We had chicken fried rice (cold and chewy). Awful service and food was worse. Hoping I don't get sick.

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    Was a little overpriced for size.. quality.. it was a little weird, the food, energy- although the staff was nice!

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    3 years ago

    Our food was ready in literally 30 seconds. Our boa was delicious and the potstickers were awesome!!

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    Page 1 of 18

    Wow Bao Reviews in Other Languages

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    4.3(788 reviews)
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    Wow! My friends took us to this restaurant while we were visiting Chicago, and it was amazing. We…read morehad a reservation and did show up about 15 minutes late. The hostess said we could still be seated but another reservation was coming an hour later. I had never had okonomiyaki before, but I got to try three different kinds plus some yakisoba. We ordered four dishes and shared them among the four of us. We got the pork belly yakisoba, pork osaka style okonomiyaki, shrimp osaka style okonomiyaki, and the mushroom and yuba Hiroshima style okonomiyaki. My favorite dishes were probably the pork ones, but I really liked trying all of them! When our waiter asked if we wanted dessert, we said how the hostess told us we would need to leave by a certain time for the next reservation. However, he said we could order dessert anyway. I thought it was weird the hostess was being so finicky about the time, since usually 15 min late is within reason. We did get the red panda. It's mostly ice and a little ice cream, but it was very good and so cute! I would definitely come here again! It is a bit loud if you have anyone in your party who has trouble hearing. You are also quite close to other people in the restaurant.

    Our little fam had such a great, cozy weekend lunch here. The restaurant wasn't busy or packed, and…read morethe host and staff were so friendly. We really enjoyed the Beef Osaka and the pork belly soba noodle stir-fry - both were yummy and satisfying. The red panda shaved ice with ice cream was also a huge win for our toddler. Overall, we had a really nice experience and will definitely be back.

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    Duck Duck Goat

    Duck Duck Goat

    4.1(2.2k reviews)
    1.1 miFulton Market, West Loop, Near West Side
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    This was my favorite stop at my visit to Chicago earlier this month! Duck Duck Goat checks all the…read moreboxes from gorgeous interior and sultry ambiance offering different looks for each room, to mouth-watering dishes and stunning cocktails. We had the Dan Dan Slap Noodles, Crab Rangoon and Xiao Long Bao that had us wishing we came hungrier to try more dishes. The chef offers a new, fun twist to Chinese favorites; the pineapple and mascarpone-almond filling in the Crab Rangoon was excellent! Our wonderful server recommended the Dan Dan Slap Noodles, it being his favorite dish, and it did not disappoint! The Chai'd and True cocktail had me rethinking my opinions on bourbon it was so delightful. Come hungry!

    We made reservations for brunch on a Sunday. This place was packed when we arrived and we were…read morestill able to get seated right away. It's crazy it's completely died down by the time we were finished with our meal. The service was great, the interior decor was beautiful and the staff was friendly. The dim sum offered for brunch was good as well but pricey. Especially since some dishes were only offered with two pieces. If you have a party of three then you're kind of forced into buying two of the same dishes. Which is strange. Traditionally most dim sum dishes have three pieces. Rarely see 2 pieces being offered especially for double the price. We ordered their Jiaozi, Char Sui Bao, crab Rangoon, chilly chilli noodles, and their Xiang long Bao. All were great. The chilly chilli noodles is served cold and was very flavorful. The Xiang Kong Bao was amazing. The potstickers was probably my favorite dish and it's mess up char Sui Bao. We were going to order wings but they had ran out I guess by 12pm on a Sunday. I was also going to order fried rice but it wasn't offered for brunch. Overall despite the priciness of the menu, we still enjoyed our food and the service. I obviously knew what I was getting myself into by visiting this place, and can definitely see myself returning in the future.

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    Duck Duck Goat - Join us for Dim Sum every Saturday from 12pm to 3pm.

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    Duck Duck Goat - Join us for Dim Sum every Saturday from 12pm to 3pm.

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    Sunda New Asian - River North - Red Dragon Sushi Roll

    Sunda New Asian - River North

    4.0(3.5k reviews)
    0.4 miRiver North, Near North Side
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    We had a good experience at Sunda during our visit to Chicago. The food was flavorful, and the…read moredrinks were well made and enjoyable. Everything we ordered came out promptly, and the overall atmosphere had a fun, energetic vibe. The only drawback was that the restaurant was extremely warm inside. Our group was seated in a small corner, which made it feel even more cramped and uncomfortable at times. A little more airflow or a different seating arrangement would have made the experience much more enjoyable. That said, the quality of the food and drinks made up for it, and I would still return to try more items on the menu.

    Sunda is extremely popular. It was very crowded on a Saturday night. I was literally elbow to elbow…read morewith the table next to me. It is a moderately upscale place, but it is not somewhere I would go for an intimate experience. I eat a lot of sushi but didn't find their menu appeal for a true sushi eater. I decided to lean more into their cooked dishes as this side of the menu was extensive. The boa buns were huge and the buns themselves were good, but the pork inside was cooked. My friends really enjoyed their sushi rolls, but I've had a lot better. I also didn't too much care for my cocktail. Our waitress was good. She was attentive and accommodating and kind. I am glad I tried it as it is popular, but doubt I return.

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    Nobu Chicago

    Nobu Chicago

    3.9(489 reviews)
    1.1 miWest Loop, Near West Side
    $$$$

    Celebrated my friend's birthday at the rooftop at Nobu Hotel Chicago Rooftop and overall it was…read moresuch a fun girls' night spot! The vibes were super cute, the rooftop atmosphere was really nice, and the energy definitely felt more like happy hour/girls night than an intimate date night. They had a DJ playing while we were there, which made it fun, but it was honestly a little hard to talk sometimes because of how loud it got. One thing to know they are VERY strict about reservation timing, so definitely make sure you arrive on time. Once we got seated though, the service was honestly incredible. Our server checked in on us multiple times throughout the night and was so friendly and attentive the entire experience. For drinks, I got the "Liar Liar" cocktail because the coconut cream sounded good, but it ended up being a little too bitter for my personal taste. My friend ordered the espresso martini and wasn't really feeling that one either, BUT my other friend got the lychee martini (which I think is one of their popular drinks) and she was absolutely obsessed with it. The real standout for me was the dessert. We ordered this espresso martini-inspired dessert and it was honestly TO DIE FOR. Probably my favorite thing we had all night. So rich and delicious. I also really appreciated that when making the reservation, we mentioned we were celebrating a birthday, and they actually acknowledged it by bringing out a cute little dessert plate with mochi ice cream and strawberries. Small touches like that always make the experience feel more special. Parking was actually pretty doable for the area, which was nice. Overall I'd give it a solid 4/5. Cute rooftop, great service, fun atmosphere, and definitely somewhere I'd come back to for another girls night or happy hour.

    (Kari's Rating 8/10)…read more TLDR -Filling Chef's Selection -Relatively Busy -Nothing crazy special Came in around 7pm on a Sunday and it was relatively packed. We were deciding between the Omakase and the chefs pre-made dinner selection. We ended up going with the chefs selection and gave our preferences to the waitress. We were then greeted with 4 cold dishes and 3 hot dishes. At this point, I was relatively full, but they kept coming! We ended up cutting out the sushi and going straight to espresso and dessert! I really glad they took our preferences because my friends and I had gratefully varying selections.

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    Momotaro

    Momotaro

    4.1(1.4k reviews)
    1.0 miFulton Market, West Loop, Near West Side
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    By far some of the best sushi I've ever had and the way it just melts in your mouth is absolutely…read moreexquisite. The interior is divine and the service was impeccable. I came here to celebrate my anniversary, and they even gifted us champagne for the occasion. Our server was so attentive, always on top of what we needed, and everything came out right on time. One of my favorite dishes on the menu is the Momo Maki. For nigiri, I absolutely loved the hamachi (yellowtail) and the akami (bluefin tuna). I also tried the Yakitori Don, which is a grilled chicken thigh over rice with a soft poached egg and it was so flavorful. Another must-try is the Tsukune Dango: chicken dumpling mochi rice topped with a soft egg and truffle mustard, it was so delicious! I also had the Mishima skirt steak on skewers and it was tender and cooked perfectly, though the flavor was a bit mild for my taste. Overall, an unforgettable dining experience and I cannot wait to come back!

    Came back for another amazing lunch. One of my favorite interiors, wonderful, attentive service…read more Tried the scallop Motoyaki, Omakase nigiri, and the burger. Scallop had such a distinct flavor and texture, I wanted to lick the shell. It was pricey but it was a flavorful experience. The Omakase was also amazing, the fish were mostly new to us. I loved trying new the fish, with varying texture and flavors. So good! Kind of spoiled us for quality. The burger is legit one of the best in the city. Bold claim with how many killer burgers exist, this Momo Royale stands out with Asian flavors and a bao bun, complementing the rest of the theme. The fries were also banging, using a Japanese sweet potato. If you haven't tried them, eat these or buy them and bake them. Like a tastier, less sugary sweet potato. The work so well as fries. Definitely coming back to try more items on the menu. Or order the same things.

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    Mott St - Oyster Mushrooms - pan seared, thyme, miso butter

    Mott St

    4.0(1.2k reviews)
    2.5 miWicker Park, West Town
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    Came back after 5 years to try the brunch here! I loved…read moredinner here the first time, but I've heard great things about their day time menu! They serve the special burger for brunch as well as limited timing at night, so obviously we had to order that. Honestly, there were at least 4 mains that we were interested in, but ended up getting the avocado three layer dip and the kalbi steak & eggs as well. The avocado dip was so interesting, but I liked a new twist on your average avo toast. I appreciated the toasted bread for being crispy enough without being too hard that it cuts up your mouth. The kalbi was so tender and juicy and a pretty decent portion for the price! I wish the kimchi breakfast potatoes had more kimchi flavor! We made the mistake of eating the burger last. It was still delicious, but I know it would've been 10 times better if we ate it while it was hot. Beware of those jalapeños though! The burger had every flavor: sweet, salty, spicy, tangy, creamy. Basically something for everyone. Service was prompt and friendly despite it being totally packed in there! Reservations are definitely a MUST. Free parking all down the street was also a plus!

    Met up with a friend here for brunch. We had a 1:15pm reservation. The place is super cute and…read morethere is city street parking available. They have a cocktail menu and server confirmed all wine/cocktails are gluten free. The server asked if I had celiac and confirmed to avoid cross contamination. She was very knowledgeable and came back with a marked up menu of what I could have. My friend and I shared the GF coconut pancakes, kimchi rice, and kimchi potatoes. We also each had the blood orange spritz. The food was fantastic! Highly recommend.

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    Wow Bao - chinese - Updated June 2026

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