New Fast-Casual Wok Restaurant in Mueller Is Chronically Upbeat

Woko Loco, a new fast-casual restaurant centered around wok cooking which started in Mexico, now open Mueller area. Located at 1201 Barbara Jordan Boulevard, the restaurant shares sparse details on the food but has several pages dedicated to its philosophy.

Woko Loco serves a flexible Asian-inspired menu of bowls and salads. On a base of rice noodles, rice, zoodles, or mixed greens, customers can choose a sauce (like hoisin, oyster sauce, or honey), a variety of veggies, and a protein (shrimp, tofu, steak, chicken, or a fried egg) to top things off.

The restaurant itself has a seven-point philosophy, though none of the points mention food. It’s all aided by two cartoon “brand ambassadors”: Woko the raccoon and Loco the monkey. This carries over to the job descriptions, which include Flavor Sensei and Portion Samurai. The accompanying “Woko Wisdom” blog runs the gamut from why the restaurant uses induction heat, bans straws, to an introduction to journaling.

The restaurant comes courtesy of founder Manuel Rodriguez. It’s unclear if “Woko” is a play on “woke.” The original Woko Loco opened in 2013 in Chihuahua, Mexico.

Austin’s Woko Loco is open from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Update, 4:07 p.m. - This article has been changed to reflect that Woko Loco is now open.

• Woko Loco [Official]
• Woko Loco [Instagram]