Mr.Spanky's

FAMOUS FOR
- The Badass BLT Stuffed Bun (10/10)

I ALSO TRIED
- Applewood Smoke Pulled Pork Stuffed Bun (3/10)
- Spicy Sicilian Meatball with Basil Mascarpone Stuffed Bun (1/10)
- Mac & Cheese + Bacon (4/10)
- Rootbeer Baked Beans (6/10)
- Potato Bacon Soup (8/10)

It is actually a miracle I'm talking to you today, because in a span of about 5 hours, I had all the food listed here, several beers and Cards Against Humanity, and then 554! I should've had a heart attack, but hey, I'm still here!

My friend has been raving about this place and their bacon. They dry cure their bacon for like 2 weeks or something, and makes it super special (so they say). Fun fact: you don't have to refrigerate it and it doesn't shrink while cooking! This place is basically known for their meats, bacon especially. As for ordering food, it's their stuffed buns that bring in the dough (didn't even realize that was a pun).

It's a tiny place, more for take out, but they do have a few stools and counters. Think Paradise Pup.

BADASS BLT
It's a slightly sweet and soft Chinese bun (not the white ones, but the tan colored ones) with Mr. Spanky's signature bacon, baby spinach (instead of the L) and tomato aioli. At first the tomato aioli looked like caviar, and was like "huh?!" but then my friend's like, duh! Aoili!

They do NOT skimp on the bacon on this bad boy! There're like 5 strips of thick bacon, and one bite is all it takes to change your life! If you didn't believe in angels, you will suddenly believe. If you did believe, you will suddenly deny their existence! It's not crispy or crunchy. It looks tough, but it's actually nice and chewy and moist! The smoky flavors and salty goodness immediately slam into your taste buds while the sourness from the tomato aioli tickles your sour taste buds, and finally, the tiny bit of sweetness from the bun entertains your sweet taste buds. Not that it's bitter, but even the baby spinach can at least get a smirk out of your bitter taste buds. All in all, the village that is your mouth is happy.

The bun it a little too bread-y for me, and I also wish there was a little more sweetness to really deliver a punch, but even as it is, it's still a 5 star crave!

PULLED PORK BUN
Sigh...Chicago. Why can't you make pulled pork like our friends in Houston or even Nashville? Mr. Spanky's puts this pickled red onion on top, which I don't really care about, because the pulled pork is DRY! It looks moist enough, but as you bite and chew, you know, it's dry. Sauce is very skimpy, and maybe it's supposed to be like that, but the little sauce I did taste in one of the bites made it a little bearable. I took like 1 bite of the sandwich, and then a couple more with a fork (without the moisture sucking bun), and gave up. The taste may have been ok, but the dryness was a dealbreaker.

SPICY MEATBALL BUN
Ugh! Yuck! This must have a TON of basil in it! I thought I liked basil, but it must only be in small amounts. This thing is packed with something super herby, Italian herby. On top of that, it's pretty spicy! Given my spicy tolerance, you'd think I could take this, but this was almost unbearable! See, spice "amplifies" and "enhances" flavors. 554, pho, buffalo wings - the spicier the better. It amplifies the great tastes. Garbage, poo, and Spicy Meatball Bun, (never had the first 2) the spice would only amplify how disgusting these things are. Strangely, though, as much as I hated it, most of my friends not just liked it, but loved it! Go figure! I have no clue!

MAC & CHEESE
Bacon is an extra $1. The bacon is good, the mac is not. The mac & cheese doesn't have much flavor, but it's pretty salty! The bacon doesn't really share its flavors with it either. I'd pass.

ROOT BEER BEANS
They're all right. They're a little bit sweeter than, say, Bush's baked beans, but still not that much better. They're not bad at all, just nothing really special either.

POTATO BACON SOUP
This is hearty! It's salty, but in a good way, like French Onion Soup. Good cheesy smoky bacon flavor throughout, and big chunks of potatoes. Again, generous with the bacon too!

LITTLE RASCAL!
It's not fair. I have to give them 5 stars because of the BLT! It's definitely craveworthy, and by law, that means 5 stars. The problem is, the rest of the joint isn't all that great. Without the law, this place would've only scored 3 stars, and that's rounding up! In any case, it's definitely worth the visit, and definitely get that BLT. One other thing, those buns are like $3-4! The incredible value is reason enough to visit this place!

Quality meat. The only pork you will find here is from certified heritage livestock, ethically raised with meatier/marblier pork!

Just about everything on the menu is $6 or less (yeap, Whole Foods can get away with charging double that). The use of Chinese rolls (think Hawaiian bread) as buns is ingenious - it soaks up the juices of the pulled pork/roast beef without becoming a soggy mess. The salads are also delicious and fresh.

Lots of free parking right outside the shop. Highly welcome gem to the Bridgeport area.

Food; the salads and sandwiches are delicious all under $6! = 5
Service; quick and efficient, in and out in 2 minutes = 5

For the price what you get for the $, this is an awesome stop.