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Categories: Chinese, Asian Fusion [Edit]
Neighborhood: The LoopState/Lake (Orange, Brown, Purple Express, Green, Pink)
Lake (Red)
Clark/Lake (Pink, Brown, Green, Blue, Purple Express, Orange)
Mon-Fri. 6:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
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They put the yum-yum into my heart
They send my soul sky high when the munchin' starts
Yummy taste into my brain
Goes a bang-bang-bang 'til my feet do the same
But something's bugging me
Something ain't right
I know you went downtown last night
Left me sleepin' in my bed
I was dreaming, but I should have been with you instead.
Pick me up a yummy wow bao
When you know that you'll be downtown
Pick me up a yummy wow bao
Forget this time, and get punched in the eye
Pick me up a yummy wow bao
I'm not playin' don't act brand new, now.
Pick me up like 4 wow baos
And some pork postickerrrrrrrrrrrrs
I want some desserrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrt (yeah, yeah)
I struggled a bit on how many stars to give Wow Bao. Its not particularly special, but they do serve food that I could eat until I died.
I love that they offer a decent variety baos. I usually get the whole wheat edamame one, but the other baos are pretty good too. The only complaint I have is that sometimes they can be a bit salty. I've recently tried their banana bao and I've been having a daily craving for it ever since.
I love their light brothy soups. It makes me feel healthier with every bite.
I also love that nobody uses the kiosks to order their food, allowing me to bypass the line and slip in and out during my lunch break. Suckers.
This is the chic Asian fast food place these days. For whatever reason this place is always crowded, but it has a nice atmosphere although its usually super crowded during lunch.
Their main cuisine- the bow (hot asian buns) are nothing great but I did enjoy the peanut noodle salad. The pot stickers are pretty good as well. Its a nice place to go if you are in the area and want some different fast food to go.
Great place to pop in and grab a quick, little snack while you're on the go.
They have more than just bao. There are rice bowls, soups, potstickers. But we only had a chance to try the bao.
The boa were very tasty. All the ones we had were very good (mongolian beef, thai curry, kung pao chicken, bbq pork). The coconut custard was perfect as a dessert bun.
We went there for breakfast and liked it so much we stopped by before we went to the airport so we could have some snacks on the plane.
Hot Asian Buns. Very clever. Wow Bao!
I want me some HOT ASIAN BUNS!!!
This place is cool-they serve "bao" or in Philippines they call it "siopao" its basically a white bun with assorted meat inside. Wow Bao differs by having all sorts of options from: Terriyaki chicken, spicy kung pao chicken, whole wheat edamame, thai curry chicken, spicy mongolian beef and bbq pork. They also have potstickers (steamed dumplings), salads, soups!
I loved the bbq pork and spicy kung pao chicken the best!
Hot Asian Buns. Ok, so the slogan's pretty awesome. I'm surprised they haven't set up a permanent picture taking spot for the Asians (cough the boyfriend and I cough) who are so inclined to take pictures in front of the sign.
Anyhow, we were both very skeptical about this place, as we're both pretty traditional when it comes to our food. He's Chinese and I'm Viet, so we've both grown up with lots of baos. We were both surprised about how tasty the actual bao was...our only problem was with the filling. It wasn't really bbq pork, in any way at all. I also ordered the rice bowl with chicken teriyaki. Seriously, that wasn't chicken teryiaki either. It tasted weird. The potstickers, however, were pretty tasty.
Overall, it was just ok...but not somewhere I'd likely go again.
I love steam buns (bao) and potstickers. I just wish they had more kinds, especially more veg kinds. I also would prefer that they didn't have edamame in the bao and potstickers, as they create a jarring change in texture for me. Other than that, they were tasty and cheap and the service was top rate. I also like how you can order from online or with a kiosk outside.
I'll eat here again when i'm around in the area, but eagerly await an expanded menu.
For cheap, fast food of the Asian persuasion, I can't complain. Plus, any restaurant that proclaims, "Hot Asian Buns" in giant letters on its wall is a winner in my eyes. The buns: tender, chewy and filled with all kinds of delciousness. I got a six pack of different flavors (among them: kung pao chicken, edamame and curry) and experienced the East!
My gripe: This place was dirty. Yes, it had an intriguing modern design and airiness to it, yet there was trash all over the floor, dirty tables everywhere and a big mess of a condiment bar. I guess I can't complain for good eats on a budget.
having bao here is:
cheap
quick
friendly service
now when you eat the steamed buns, it is like seeing a beautiful home and going inside only to find out the interior is just bad taste. the same is true for the bao, just delicious outer shell but the ingredients inside leave much to be desired, and even with such a low price it is all a bit underwhelming.
I haven't had bao before, and after some stressful shopping overload at H&M with some friends, we needed something, anything, before our dinner rez later that evening. I have no idea where to eat when I am downtown, so I had zero suggestions. But the cute sign and sweet slogan made us stop by - plus, it wasn't potbelly's or McDonald's or any other place that wasn't worth eating at....
Bao - I like the buns themselves, but wasn't too keen on the fillings. To me, they tasted like a delicious bun surrounding a scoop of old Chinese food. The cold pad thai salad was actually pretty wonderful - I would definitely order that again. Really fresh, clean flavors, tons of cabbage, lime, and veggies, and a really great sauce. Honestly, I wouldn't have expected something so great from a fast food joint.
The cashier was the friendliest woman in the world (probably). If I am stuck downtown, I would totally consider stopping by again.
Laden with several Lettuce Entertain You gift cards and certificates, I opted to spend a few donated bucks at Wow Bao. I was pleasantly surprised, I must say. The yellow curry chicken bowl was decent, the bao was a little doughy, but the innards were tasty. The house-made ginger ale was divine and the counter help really friendly. It made me wish for one closer to me, for I would probably stop in more often than just the few times I did. Wow Bao has made the radar!
I was staying at the Renaissance and decided to try lunch here. It was really good.
I got the Curry Chicken rice bowl and two Baos (coconut and chocolate). The rice was great it had just the right amount of spicey for me, and I loved the coconut cream bao! The chocolate one was so-so, but the coconut cream is fantastic!
Very affordable, nice atmosphere, and really convenient to the big hotels along the river.
Ok so, basically, I just love that their slogan is "Hot Asian Buns".
Also, the bbq pork bao is delish.
But mostly I love the slogan.
Saw this place when we were walking to the Chicago Theater. I was interesting in what it was because of the sign that said "Hot Asian Buns". I didnt really think about it until we were exhausted and didnt want to go out. I called my boyfriend in CA to see what time they closed and he said 7pm... we put on our shoes and hauled butt down there from Hotel 71 because it was 6:45pm!!!
For around $8, I was able to get a combo with 5 potstickers, Peanut Noodles, and a Kung Pao Bao Bun. It was surprisingly delicious and I was entertained by the idea of this fast food, tasty Asian cuisine. My friend got a 3 for $5 combo that included 2 potstickers, rice bowl, and spicy peanut noodles.
Definatley a good choice for those who want to get some tasty food for a good price! I wish they had one of these in California!
I'm mildly obsessed.
I love the little baos, they are super cheap and you can get 2 or 3 as a great base for a night of drinking.
Get the ginger drink. GET IT, DAMMIT!!!!
I'm not a fan of the green tea one, but all the others I've tried have been awesome. I think the whole wheat edemame or the kung pao chicken are my favorite.
And HOLY CRAP YOU GUYS- BREAKFAST BAOS!!!! BACON AND EGG IN A BAO?!?!?!?!?! A.MAZ.ING.
Wow Bao wows! After overloading on Chipotle for the last several weeks, I was ready for a change. Thanks, KrisB, for suggesting Wow Bao as our meeting place today.
If you are looking for large, yeasty, steamy and authentic bao, then head south to Chinatown, but if what you want is a healthy, fresh, and tasty alternative to processed fast foods in the city, then Wow Bao is your place.
My recommendation? Mix and match, baby! That's right, try a little of this and a little of that. I love the BBQ pork and Mongolian beef bao accompanied by the cold noodle or pad Thai salads. Trying to cool off? Order the yummy ginger ale or the Thai iced coffee.
Service is courteous, friendly and efficient. Sometimes, just a tad too efficient. When the lunch rush died down, my date and I were still sitting at the counter choking on ammonia fumes. It seems one of WB's staff got a little impatient and busted out the cleaner. It didn't matter if a table was half occupied or not. It received a dusting of cleaner and a clean washcloth buffing. Now, normally, I would appreciate this attention to cleanliness. But, the smell of the ammonia was overpowering. Similar to one of Colleen's recent reviews, I'm going to mark this WB down a star for this interference with my olfactory experience of the resto.
Otherwise, head on down. This place is great for an eat-in or take-out lunch. Congestion in line has been considerably improved by the addition of touchscreens that allow patrons to order their meals themselves and pay using their credit cards. This way, you bypass the line inside and just wait for your number to be called before heading off...
I'll be back. WB is too tasty of an alternative to my current sloppy burrito obsession to be scared away by an overzealous cleaner.
Dear LEYE Friends (specifically those who are putting the Wow into Bao)
Please give me back the veggies you used to use in your Veggie Rice Bowls. I am an omnivore but I just loved my veggies. You remember don't you? Corn? Green Beans? Where did they go? I ordered my rice bowl last night and was accosted by warm beats and an overload of spinach. I like these veggies, but I miss my old rice bowl.
Don't worry I still love you. My friend hates (but tells people she's allergic to) mushrooms and your friendly staff actually called the chef on his cell phone to see if the entree she ordered had any mushrooms! That is SO above and beyond! My other friend, who had never tasted a deliciously fluffy bao before, deemed it heavenly and she loved your perfectlysized combo portion. She especially liked the peanut sauce on the side that allows diners to pour on their desired amount of peanuty goodness.
Don't worry I'll continue to sing your praises, drink my dark Intelligentsia coffee and accrue my LEYE frequent diner points, but I'm just a little saddened about the veggie bowl situation.
You know how to contact me.
Your Wow-loving friend,
Robyn
In the past year or so I've been frequenting Wow Bao at least once a week...ok I admit sometimes I… Read more »
Without head to Chinatown for dim sum, it's difficult to get a good pork bun in Chicago. Yummm, pork buns. All I need to say. It's not really a substitute for real dim sum, but it's a nice alternative when you are downtown. I always stop by for a quick snack when I'm in the area.
I just love the kung pao noodle bowl. Nice portion and great flavor! I treated myself to a chocolate coconut bao today. I kept thinking of "hot Asian buns" while I ate it. I didn't care for the texture of the bao. I do want to try out that pot sticker combo next.
Wow Bao is not a bad option for lunch. I noticed online from their nutrition information that if you get your bowl with noodles instead of rice, your calories are reduced by at least 200. Yikes! I will be sticking to noodle bowls but skipping the bao.
Yes! Found another new lunch spot to hit up. My lunch pal and I wanted Corner Bakery but the line… Read more »
We carried out our baos. Our doughy baos. Hot Asian Baos. It's so explicit, I can't stop saying it. Tourette's. Bao, bao, bao.
Do yourself a favor and just go here. Keep your expectations far away from high-end and know they will be warm and doughy and spicy when you want them to be. Don't ask too much of the bao, but embrace the experience. We had a box of six and split between the two of us it was perfection.
And top it off with a dessert bao. We especially loved the chocolate coconut. Yum-o. (Ew, sorry. . . me no likey Ray Ray.)
Bao out.
Am I obligated to make some stupid joke about hot asian buns or can I just review the place?
I could eat here everyday. And I sorta do. All I've ever had is the buns - specifically the 8 veggie green tea, the veggie edamame and the BBQ Pork bao. I love the BBQ but there's this odd flavor in it that I *think* I don't like but then I eat it every time so I must like it. Maybe I'm just nuts. They're always really fast but I do go at a slow time. I've never been there for lunch. I love that they are sold frozen and one day I will try some just to see if they taste the same at home.
We have had this catered a few times here at work. This is a very unique and delicous place. Pot stickers arent bad, the baos are very yummy and the curry flavored stuff is amazing!!
I am a serious lover of dim sum foods, especially the pork bao. I have been known to go on missions in whatever city I'm in to find said bao if I realize I haven't had any in a while. So imagine my joy when I discovered this restaurant, which I don't think we have on the east coast, is cleverly attached to my weekly hotel in Chicago! Oh there IS a God!
But, now, a few weeks later... meh. They are not my favorite pork buns. Don't get me wrong, the noodle dishes and pot stickers are tasty.
And there are many kinds of interesting bao to try, which are all decent. Best of all, it's open pretty late for those long days in the office when I'm getting back late and just need something quick. But, for the price, I feel like I will now continue my search for excellent pork bao in Chicago.
It makes me laugh when I see the "People Love us on Yelp" sticker on the door of Wow Bao, because I remember that my review for this place is mainly about my friend's rump.
I've been back to Wow Bao a few times since I wrote that review and have not had any baos. I have discovered the wonderful Thai herb broth, which is perfect for a cold winter's day. Also, the ginger tea is delicious. The pot-stickers aren't too bad either. I mainly go for the herb broth, but today when I went to Wow Bao I saw a bowl of mongolian beef that the guy in front of me had ordered and I think I might try that next.
Bottom line: I do not like baos, but I will go to Wow Bao and eat the other non-bao options. :)
I just recently found out about Wow Bao. I asked one of my co-workers what Wow Bao was and he said… Read more »
There is a great little restaurant in Little Falls, MN that has a slogan - "Why do I keep coming back here?"
Wow Bao why do I keep coming back to all your goodness wrapped up in a steamed asian bun. Yes its doughy, yes its delicious. I can't stop. I crave.
Its not for every one. If you don't like bread or anything related to dough then the Bao is certainly not going to be to your liking. But I have yet to take someone there who doesn't instantaneously become a fan.
I walked by this place a billion times, always wanting to pop in. I finally did, and it was...a disappointment. The pot stickers were pretty decent, but nothing I couldn't buy frozen for 1/10 of the price and cook at home. The buns were decent, too, but nothing to write home about. In fact, for a better cha siu, try any dimsum restaurant, or even frozen stuff from Chinatown Market (steam at home). Kudos to them for the creativity, though: I think I saw a bacon-and-egg bao (or something similar).
In short: eat here when you're super hungry and in the area. Otherwise, do yourself a favor and eat somewhere else.
Pretty good and cheap. I didn't realize they offered anything but Bao, but was pleasantly surprised by the choices - bowls, salads, pot-stickers and bao. I went in the evening so couldn't follow anyone's direction, and I had a heck of a time figuring out how to order. Also where to find eating utensils (hint: the forks are in the dispenser decorated with a large picture of a fork). Once I found the person taking the orders, she was extremely helpful - I wanted a combo and she recommended the thai chicken and bbq pork bao, along with the peanut noodle salad. They were all very good, but calling the peanut noodle dish a salad is a bit misleading - it's a bowl of cold noodles, with a couple of sprigs of cilantor, and a container of delicious spicy peanut sauce. I picked up a $1 salad at McDonalds, mixed them together, and it was perfect! I think the nutritional information is a bit misleading - they list the dressing separately, and it has lots of calories and fat (maybe more than the noodles). Otherwise, I would go back. Perhaps order something different :-)
I came here on the strength of a name drop in Esquire's recent Best Fast Food in America feature. I was happy I made the trip. For $5.99 you can choose between 2 bao or 5 potstickers plus a side of pad thai salad, asian vegetable salad or spicy peanut noodles. I opted for the spicy Mongolian beef and Thai curry chicken bao(s?) and the spicy peanut noodles. I'd never had this style of Asian buns before and found the soft texture surprising but very tasty. I would definitely order the Mongolian beef again but probably not the Thai curry just because the amount of filling was kinda weak. Overall for a fast food option, Wow Bao is definitely worth stopping by for a quick and delicious meal.
Last night, I had a dream about hot asian buns. Mmmm.
But instead of waking up with morning wood, my stomach was growling. Weird. Then it hit me, I had a serious urge to eat at Wow Bao.
My memories are still vivid of their sweet (but not too sweet) buns with piping hot meat inside as well as their juicy pot stickers. Defuckinglicious (sorry, I refuse to say "YUM-O").
Then I remembered Wow Bao is only in Chicago. Dammit. In consolation, I had myself an extra long shower...and had at myself.
The novelty of eating in a random, well-decorated bao house was not lost on me, and Wow Bao earned themselves style points by emblazoning the text "HOT ASIAN BUNS" in their interior. Besides amusingly camouflaged restrooms - discretely labeled with "M" and "W" - this micro chain's claim-to-fame are their cutetastic baos, administered via friendly servers with a cafeteria-style feel.
My friends and I felt their bun dough was surprisingly good. Not too yielding, and slightly sweet, the few I ordered - filled with Thai curry and Kung Pao beef - were quite tasty and perfect for a late lunch. My only regret was not going there hungrier so I could try more. Compared to their bao, their sides (tried the salad, and noodles) could use a bit of improvement to make them, er, edible.
Wow Bao is classy and hip, and I'd return for their bao (they're open for breakfast!) if I worked in the area.
It's a little absurd for me to realize that I haven't actually Yelp reviewed this place - I've like had lunch here 3 days out of 5 for at least 5 months!
I love their baos!!! I'm vegetarian and don't have much else options besides the edamame baos (I don't like the veggies bao) but i've never felt like their menu was incomplete.
I also really like their home-made gingerale!!!
I've had the 2 veggie options and though they tasted ok they were too bland for me. Not somewhere I'd go out of my way for.
I heart Wow Bao! Ive been stopping in a few times a week for coffee as it is the only decent cup of coffee between the Clark/Lake Station and the Wrigley Building. The accessibility of a large dark roast has seriously made me easier to be around during morning time at the office.
I also love their Oatmeal, with all the yummy fixins...although there is no way any normal sized human could possibly finish it. I feel really bad throwing it out every time.
I love Bao, although havent had any at this location ----
I love you Wow Bao. Love Love Love. I could eat your Baoz all day long.
That said... I'm so glad they added another vegetarian bao to the menu! The whole wheat edamame one is outstanding (affirmed by carnivorous friends who generally fear both wheat and edamame) and the new mixed veggie one was really flavorful too. I love the potstickers, the spicy peanut noodles, and the thai herb soup.
Seriously, the soup, which comes in a coffee-style sippy cup, is nicer to walk around town with on a cold Chicago's winter day than a cup of coffee. I'd never have tried it on my own, but I sipped a friend's and was amazed. It's just the right combination of salty and aromatic.
I also love the coconut custard bao for desert and the homemade ginger ale. In fact, there's really nothing I have tried here that hasn't made me want to dance with glee. It's one of my ultimate comfort-food stops, favorite lunch places, and would be my top choice for lunches during the week if they delivered or were closer to my office.
These are pretty good, although a little small when it comes to pork buns. However, two buns and a side just about does it and it's not too expensive. I've tried the bbq pork of course as well as the kung pao chicken and terriyaki chicken. The pork was the best but the kung pao was pretty good too. The spicy peanut noodles are simple yet good and the thai salad is decent as well...
I love the idea of fancy, fast buns, but the execution yields a resounding meh. The buns are not very good. They are thrice as expensive as the vastly more delicious buns available at any good dim sum restaurant (of which, of course, there are sadly few in Chicago). I suppose it might be a convenient lunch spot for someone working downtown, but I would never recommend going there because of the food.
I came here upon the suggestion of a cousin so I could try the fresh ginger ale. It did not disappoint...after walking in the rain, it was quite refreshing with a yummy bao! The BBQ Pork is my fave of the moment and as a dessert I ate the coconut custard bao. This spot was nice and the service was fast and courteous. We came about 10 minutes to closing and the guy was so still happy to help us. HOT ASIAN BUNS!
This place is in my work building, so it's convenient. But that's about the only thing that appeals to me. And I've stopped raising my eyebrows after my coworkers ask if I want "Hot Asian Buns."
I think I'm over Wow Bao b/c the smell of sesame seed oil permeates the entire first floor of the building, so I have an automatic Pavlovian response of disgust.
The food is okay, but I feel that the portions are tiny and overpriced. The buns taste synthetic, like the frozen ones in a Korean or Chinese grocery store. But they are fast.
Oh, if you're a Chicago news junkie, you can expect to see ABC 7 Chicago anchormen and women waiting in line next to you. Like Ron Magers!
Wow Bao was just ok. We grabbed a bite there because it's right around the corner from the Chicago Theater.
It was fine for "fast food" Chinese. I had the Mongolian Beef bowl. It was a little spicier than I expect, or had a taste for that particular evening, but nothing to lodge a major complaint again.
Would I go back? Most likely, but I wouldn't necessarily be running back there every chance I get. . .
I went straight from O'Hare to Wow Bao. Love the baos! I know many would say they're not "authentic" bu it's still yum-tastic. I think they've been experimenting with new flavors in the last year, but I still recommend the edamame and thai curry chicken bao. Their chocolate and coconut baos, recent additions, are also tasty. Thai salad is also surprisingly filling. Service is fast, and quality of food is consistent. Outdoor seating is also a plus.
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