our story
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And Wow Bao still operates in Water Tower Place to this day!
It all started in 2003, on
Michigan Ave in Chicago’s
historic Water Tower Place.
What’s a bao?
Soft, fluffy dough filled with savory or sweet flavors and steamed to perfection. Otherwise known as “hot Asian buns.”
Wow Bao offers fast Asian street food—bao, pan-seared potstickers, steamed dumplings, rice & noodle bowls, hearty soups, fresh salads, and specialty drinks such as our fresh ginger ale.
We believe that life’s too short for uninspired food. We’re here to transform the fast casual experience from everyday and expected to extraordinary and inventive.
We promise to put a “wow” in our guests’ day with an incomparable food experience that engages, excites, and exceeds expectations.
We’re fanatical about the food.
We’re not shy about telling people that our bao are amazing. So are our potstickers. And our noodle bowls. You get the idea. We’re passionate about the taste, freshness, and quality of every item on our menu, and we enjoy educating and inviting our guests to share that love.
We foster a culture of caring.
Whether it’s our guests or our employees, we put people first. We strive to inspire, to motivate, and to appreciate one another every day. We live by the golden rule and treat everyone with kindness, empathy, respect, and a healthy dose of humor. We take our work, not ourselves, seriously.
We have a duty to delight.
It’s a promise we make in our name. Stepping into a Wow Bao should be a highlight in our guests’ day, so we strive to deliver an experience and level of hospitality that excites, engages, and delights our guests, keeping them constantly coming back for more. After all, we’re here to make the whole experience fun.
We sweat the small stuff.
Details matter and we’re proudly maniacal about them. From how we greet our guests to the cleanliness of our stores, and the presentation of our food, it ALL matters. Yes, even the ice in your drinks.
Life’s too short for bland, boring, and expected.
At Wow Bao, we believe that every day deserves a big, bold serving of WOW. So we’ve made it our mission to shake up the sea of sameness and bring a fresh, exciting new spin to the fast-casual experience.
Cookie cutter and conventional are not served here.
Our trailblazing tastemakers fuse centuries of tradition with the latest culinary trends and inventive ingredients to provide an exciting escape from the ordinary. Our signature steamed buns pack big, bold flavors and unexpected fillings into an irresistibly craveable little package, while our potstickers and rice and noodle bowls raise the bar on delicious. And don’t even get us started on our fresh house-made ginger ale.
We put the surprise and delight in service.
Wondering what’s inside? Cutting-edge technology, a little imagination, and an expert human touch make the dining experience seamless, efficient, and fun.
We create a welcoming environment where familiar favorites meet the future of food. So, step on up and open the door to wow and wonder.
