Deals
share
(312) 642-5888
835 N. Michigan Ave Lobby Level
Chicago,
IL
60611
41.8979
-87.624
Neighborhoods: Near North Side, Central
Price:
$
Last updated 12.27.10
Category:
Payment Methods:
American Express, Visa, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Family-Friendly Dining, Outdoor Dining, Lunch Spot, Cheap Eats, Notable Wine List
General Info:
Open 7 Days
Cuisine:
Smoking Permitted:
No
What People Are Saying About Wow Bao
Featured Review
Contributor
Contributor
In Short – Long a staple of Asian fast food, steamed bao (buns) draw shoppers to this takeout spot, which serves them hot, fresh and on the cheap just inside Water Tower's front doors. Each puffy, doughy delight is stuffed with a filling like kung pao chicken, spicy Mongolian beef or green vegetables. Among other offerings, pad thai chicken salad is served with chilled glass noodles, peanuts, greens and tangy sesame dressing.
Editor's Tips
- Where to Sit:
- There's no dining room; customers can eat at a few tables on an outside patio. There's a small seating section located up two escalators and to the right.
- Save Money:
- Combos offer a choice of two bao plus eight-vegetable salad, pad thai chicken salad, or hot and sour Thai broth for less than $6.
- What to Drink:
- Beverages include fresh-ginger ginger ale, frozen or iced Thai coffee and hibiscus iced tea.
06/08/10
Yummy shopping fuel
by Amber Gibson at Citysearch
If you're shopping at Water Tower Place and need a pick-me-up, Wow Bao is a great choice. You can get sweet or savory snack baos - steamed Chinese buns - or pick up a more filling meal with soups, salads, potstickers and rice bowls. The peanut noodles with chicken are especially scrumptious.
Definitely try the ginger ale while you're here - it's so refreshing and homemade with fresh ginger! Shopping is hard work, and Wow Bao is the perfect fuel to keep you going.
- Pros: Convenient Location, Quick Service, Yummy food
- Cons: Breakfast is not served
11/11/06
Baos are small, but you've gotta try the soup!
by berryberrysweet at Citysearch
It's nice to have something fast and different from your normal food court (or in this case, Food Life) fare. The baos are definitely small for the price, but boy are they tasty. I've tried every kind, from the spicy mongolian beef to the yummy veggie, and they're all good. But the most amazing thing is the soup -- the hot and sour soup, served in a coffee cup, will literally cure the common cold for at least a few hours after you drink it!
10/10/05
User review by crazycherie
by crazycherie at Citysearch
If you really want to try baos, go to Chinatown. Wow Baos baos are really small for the price you pay. However, they are branched out into unusual fillings for a bao, which makes it kind of unique. Great for fast food and if you're shopping; not good if you're going to say that it was an Asian experience.
- Pros: tasty, lots of variety, good for shoppers
- Cons: commercialized
12/01/03
Good, cheap, different!
by epicurious91 at Citysearch
We ate at 11 places during our vacation in Chicago, from breakfast at the Ritz to Chicago style hot dogs to Morton's Steakhouse. I've got to admit, this place was one of the highlights! The bill for a filling (but not huge) lunch for two was under 15 bucks with drinks and tax. I had seen Asian people eat steamed bread when I was in the service, and just thought it was strange. I didn't realize there was stuff inside the buns! I'm more open minded about food these days, and was glad to be able to try something different but good!
- Pros: Something different, tasty, cheap
- Cons: A fast food "stand", but very well done!
10/16/03
Semi Wow Bao
by jkhirsh at Citysearch
The broccoli in the first Eight Vegetable Salad with Chopped Chicken was yellow and spoiled. They made me wait several minutes until they replaced it, and the second one was delicious.
The Vietnamese mocha frappe is delicious but there are chunks of whole coffee beans in it, and I think they should have mentioned this on the menu.
Prices are pretty good for being downtown.
You have to go up the escalator and turn around the corner if you want to sit down and eat there. It was clean and uncrowded though when I visited.
- Pros: p
@BaoMouth | Facebook |