Saucy Porka

02/22/2026

Thanks and for hosting an amazing Lunar New Year night market. Great food from , , , .an.choi + great entertainment from .x + .xxndigo

01/07/2026

Top 16 restaurants in Chicago featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Thanks Mashed.com for naming Saucy Porka on this list. It’s an honor to be among such delicious company.

https://www.mashed.com/2069220/best-diners-drive-ins-and-dives-restaurants-chicago/

Guy Fieri has featured several restaurants in Chicago on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives." Some of the best include Nick & Vito's, Kuma's Corner, and bopNgrill.

01/01/2026

For over a decade, Saucy Porka has been serving the hungry Chicago downtown lunch crowd of office workers, bike messengers, construction workers, train conductors and everyone in between. On December 15, 2025 we served our last lunch from 335 S. Franklin St. The week leading up to our closure, you all showed up in droves (apologies for the long lines and wait time) to express your appreciation and share your memories with us. While our Chicago Hyde Park location (1164 E. 55th St.) will continue delivering & catering to the downtown loop, we’ll miss seeing so many familiar faces who dined with us regularly.

Sitting down and writing this post was an emotional journey for me. It is hard to put into words what it felt to paint the walls, install the ceiling tiles, fix frozen pipes during subzero winters, and then to take it all apart and pack it away after 13 years. Each restaurant we’ve launched, is an extension of who we are. Saucy Porka loop, with all its beautiful imperfections, was the launch pad for it all. Our Chicago Hyde Park, St. Louis Midtown & Energizer Park stadium locations don’t exist without that first seed planted.

The 2020 Pandemic brought new challenges and like many other small businesses, we found a way to pivot and preserver. Restaurant owners are scrappy & we know how to put our heads down and grind away. But just as we began to come up for air, 2025 brought waves of new challenges & unexpected external events that lead to our decision to close our Chicago loop location (follow link in our bio).

This was a deeply personal decision that weighed on us heavily. As a business owner, my actions don’t just affect me. We have staff, vendors, and customers that are all impacted. But at the end of the day, we’re human and that means allowing ourselves time to catch our breath & focus on our physical and mental health. This is not the end of the story. There are still many more chapters left to write. The last 13 years downtown was one heck of an adventure, filled with so many amazing memories with our staff and customers. Thank you for letting our family feed you for so many years.

Cheers to 2026!

Amy, John, Phil, Chef M & the Saucy Team

12/16/2025

Some of you may know, my drear friend and long time chef was injured in a vilolent attack outside his home in October. He survied and is now on the road to recovery. The Saucy Porka family has started a Go Fund Me page to help Chef M pay for his medical and personal expenses as he will be unable to work for the next year. Chef M is family to me and he has been by my side from the begining as we built Saucy Porka from the ground up.

His hands have fed many, and now we are asking for your helping hand in his road to recovery. Please consider donating to his recovery fund. And if you’re unable to give, sharing this page means more than you know. We are grateful for every prayer, share, and message of support. Please read the article below and it will direct you to the go fund me page.

An October attack outside his Southwest Side home left the restaurant's beloved "Chef M" hospitalized. He sold his car to cover medical costs and Saucy Porka just shuttered its Loop location in his absence.

10/05/2025

Cheers to Julie & Alex on a beautiful wedding this weekend. Thank you for letting be part of your special day. Thank you to on a gorgeous venue, team and event planner on your exceptional service.

08/10/2025

It’s wedding season and we are grateful for the opportunity to cater not one, but two weddings this weekend. We are truly honored to be part of Stephanie & Henry + Alex & Aaron’s nuptials. The event spaces + were so beautiful and intimate. Special thank you to my small, but mighty team for seamlessly executing our menu. Our dishes aren’t fancy, but they are prepared and served with so much love and gratitude. Thank you to all the wedding planners, event coordinators, entertainment and service crews. It truly takes a village to create memorable moments.

07/22/2025

Thanks to for letting us share our experience at this year’s . Online deliveries helped keep many restaurants like ours stay afloat during the pandemic.

07/20/2025

Thank you to all who came out last night to Red Lantern Night Market to celebrate community + Asian culture and support the STL tornado relief efforts. The vibes were 🔥 So much love and support from the organizers, fellow vendors and attendees. you are the OG of . Congrats to you and for organizing such a wonderful event!

05/21/2025

Let’s come together to support our St. Louis neighbors that were impacted by the tornadoes.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AgfCuxNXB/?mibextid=wwXIfr

💙 ST. LOUIS TORNADO RELIEF — DINE & MAKE A DIFFERENCE

The recent tornado devastated our region, and now’s the time to come together. Some of our amazing AAPI-owned restaurants have stepped up — donating 10% of your check toward relief efforts when you mention “AACC.”

🍽️ Participating Restaurants:
Saucy Porka • Kimchi Guys • Drunken Fish • House Of India
• Corner 17 Noodles & Bubble Tea • Spoonful Dessert • Black Salt • OhLondon • Dohmo • Joyful House Restaurant • Nami Ramen

💥 AACC Foundation will MATCH donations up to $5,000.
We’re also inviting other businesses and organizations to join us by matching funds and expanding the impact.

If you're a restaurant that wants to be added to the list or if you're interested in donating to our 501(c)(3) Foundation to help those affected by the devastation, please contact us at [email protected].

Let’s rally together to support our neighbors and rebuild stronger than ever.

👉 Dine out
👉 Mention “AACC”
👉 Support tornado relief
👉 Please like and share this post to help spread the word!

05/09/2024

“Thanks to the visionary spirit of my sister Amy Le, Saucy Porka burst onto the scene 12 years ago in Chicago. Amy's vision was clear: to fuse the bold, intricate flavors of Asian cuisine with the vibrant, distinct spices of Latin food. It was a celebration of cultural harmony, served up on every plate. The mission was to introduce this extraordinary fusion of Asian and Latin flavors to a new audience, eager for culinary adventure. The inspiration behind Saucy Porka's menu is deeply rooted in our love for both Asian and Latin cuisines – a testament to the power of culinary creativity.

By highlighting successful role models and stories of resilience, determination, and contribution, it empowers young people and encourages them to pursue their dreams and make their mark on the world. Events and activities organized during Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month provide opportunities for people to connect, share experiences and build a sense of community. This fosters friendships and collaborations that extend beyond the month, contributing to a more cohesive and supportive society.” –Phil Le, Saucy Porka Co-owner & Chef

04/09/2024

Three years in the making, created the vision Phil and I conjured in our heads for our St. Louis mural. Khanh is our cousin and an incredible artist who has had his worked displayed and showcased in portrait gallery, DC Facebook office, and art galleries throughout the country. It means the world to us that he took time from his hectic schedule to create a custom portrait to be displayed at our Saucy Porka STL location. The portrait is based on Phil and I’s childhood photo from his 8th birthday party. It also includes imagery and symbols that represent St. Louis and our journey to America. It was at this birthday party we begged our parents to buy White Castle burgers to serve to our friends because we didn’t want them to serve rice and Vietnamese egg rolls. Even at an early age we realized how powerful food could be to express who we wanted to be and how we wanted the world to see us. 30+ years later we have come to appreciate the importance of our Vietnamese heritage and continue to love the country that raised us. These two worlds coexist everyday in our food, family and life. We also need to send a special thanks to for framing and installing the portrait. It was a full circle moment to have and his family part of this process as they have been part of our lives since we were kids.

03/09/2024

March is Women’s history month. As we honor the incredible women who have inspired and led us, it is only fitting that we take a moment to celebrate the Saucy Porka matriarch and OG herself, Mama Loan. If you visit any Saucy Porka location, you can find her picture adorning the walls of our restaurants. Behind my mother’s beautiful, bright, smiling face there is a story of resilience, strength and hardship. Read more about our mother’s story at link below. Cheers to all the women who impact our lives this month and everyday after.

March is Women’s history month. As we honor the incredible women who have inspired and led us, it is only fitting that we take a moment to celebrate the Saucy Porka matriarch and OG herself, Mama …

08/05/2019

Happy BAOday!
Saucy Hyde Park is celebrating our 1st Anniversary!

Free Bacos for our Birthday
Pick 1: Guajillo Pork, Panang Chicken, or Soy Ginger Tofu baco. Free with dine-in purchase.