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CHIKO

4.4 (748 reviews)

Order CHIKO Takeout or Delivery

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CHIKO ATMOSPHERE

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Moderate noise
Hipster
Casual
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Recommended Reviews - CHIKO

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Dry spiced wings with sauce on side
Vanessa C.

The view of the sunset from outside tables was beautiful. We sat inside and the aroma of garlic and spices was intoxicating. We ordered through the QR code (had a $2 service charge) which had different items than what was online. We started with beef skewers which set the tone of the meal nicely. Tender and seasoned to perfection. Whatever the orange sauce served with it was, it had good flavor. We ordered dry spiced wings with sauce on side which were piping hot and perfectly crisp. I didn't like the sauce on the side but I prefer dry wings in general. My friend enjoyed the sauce. They were very big and cooked nicely. My friend got pork fried rice and it was a little spicy for me and very smoky. Not bad just not my preference. She liked it very much. It has some fat chunks of pork in it too. When the orange-ish chicken came we thought it was our 2 orders combined! The picture does not do it justice. It was a pile of delicious chicken with a side of white rice and sauce to pair it with. The scallions, peppers, and seasoning all went great with the crisp outside and moist insides. We had an insane amount of leftovers! Servers were very friendly and the cooks know how to get down in the kitchen! Definitely need to come back and try the brisket! Thanks CHIKO!

Kimchi  dumplings
Valerie M.

Some friends of mine wanted to take me here. We got a pluthera of stuff off the menu. The orange chicken hands down was the best. Wasn't a huge fan of the kimchi dumplings although I thought I was going to love. The rice was good, the hot pot or bimipap? not sure what it was called, I wasn't the biggest fan. I really only like the orange chicken. Outside patio was too breezy for my friend, but inside is a weird, feels kinda dirty vibe. We were right next to a big freezer. The staff was super nice and friendly. Maybe just not my type of food. I gave it a try.

Pork & Kimchi Potstickers
Andrea R.

Chiko is SO yummy, it now bothers me that I don't live closer! But it is also THAT good that I am so willing to drive from Esco back to Encinitas for this delectable food. The orange-ish chicken is an absolute must have! Perfectly juicy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. The flavor is out of this world. While I didn't taste any kimchi in the pork kimchi potstickers, I loved the sauce they were paired with and my partner couldn't have enough of them! Lastly, I'd skip the pork fried rice next time, didn't feel like it was too flavorful. But no hard feelings, just means I can explore more on the menu! Our service experience was a bit odd though. I feel like they were having a very off night, the cashier was trying to resolve a takeout order issue for the customer in front of us. We were never told we could sit down at a table and order from the QR code so we could've saved a few minutes awkwardly waiting in line (as there's not much space to form a line/wait). It sounded like they were experiencing WiFi issues. We brought our dog along so we had to sit on the patio which is totally fine, but it was a freezing evening and they didn't have any of the heaters turned on nor offered to turn them on (none of them had gas tanks in them so we couldn't switch it on ourselves). Although they did offer our pup water twice. Will definitely be back, just hoping the service will be less chaotic next time.

Barb D.

We are so disappointed that Chiko closed. It was our Favorite restaurant. The food and staff here were Amazing. Chef's Hunter and Ryan please respond here where you are working now as we would like to support you.

Lychee soju cocktail
George Y.

Had an awesome meal at CHIKO! I ordered the orange chicken and the shrimp lo mein--both were packed with flavor and cooked perfectly. The orange chicken had that perfect balance of crispy, tangy, and just the right amount of sweetness. The lo mein was super fresh and loaded with shrimp. What really made the experience next level was the manager/chef. Super friendly, welcoming, and made sure we had an amazing time. You can really tell they care about the food and the people. Will definitely be back--great food and great vibes all around.

Rakhi B.

Ambiance..cute.placr with a nice outside area to sit Service..fast Food..loved the sides.mgood portion sice..got chicken egg rolls..butter noodles..rice 2ith butter..spiced ginger lemonade..delicious and simple

Pork & Kimchi Potstickers (3)
Valerie G.

We dined in this past Sunday. Patrons can either use a QR code or request a paper menu to order . Personally, I'm not a fan of using QR codes to order my food when dining in. Their food was palatable. A very good intersection of Asian flavors. Yet, pricey. Friendly staff. Unfortunately, the tastiness of the food and the welcoming of the staff were unfairly underscored by the atmosphere of the restaurant. The tables were sticky and the floor of the restaurant was dirty . I get it. How do you keep cement clean ? Since it's a place where people eat, you just have to be vigilant about it . Grease lined the walls. The lighting above the area where they prepared the food had spider webs (long strands ) hanging down. And , the staff prepping and cooking the food did not have their long hair in hair nets . I watched a server wipe down a table and not wash his hands afterwards. He went straight back to the table behind where I was sitting. He put on gloves and resumed placing noodles into plastic bags/weighing them on a scale . Needless to say, their flavorful food and kind staff is not enough for me to return.

Steamed Rice w/ Furikake Butter
Janet N.

This is a surprisingly good fast casual spot in Encinitas! I'm not from around the area but had Chiko starred on my list of places to check out if I ever did venture there. I'm extremely glad we went and understand how it ended up on my list in the first place! The space is small but there is outdoor seating. The service is done electronically through their QR code at the table but you can also order up front. The portion sizes were a LOT bigger than we expected so the prices were comparable! Every dish we had was bursting with flavor! We enjoyed everything we ordered and even considered ordering extra to take with us. We ordered crispy shrimp, steamed rice with furikake butter, and spicy cumin lamb stir-fry. If we come back, we will DEFINITELY try to order the orange chicken.

Phil B.

Excellent food that is varied and freshly prepared mostly for takeout. Fried chicken is superb and noodle dishes are delicious. A few tables inside but it seems much of their customers are piking up to go.

Lillian W.

Fun concept and a lot of fun options! Came by at a weird hour (3pm on a Friday), so parking was easy and food came pretty quickly. After a difficult few rounds of choices btwn us, we narrowed it down to cumin lamb noodles and the brussel sprouts. Growing up w Chinese food, I thought this was a fun reminiscent dish! Loved the clingy ragu style lamb and familiar flavors. Only con was a little greasy for my taste. That being said, the brussel sprouts were not a great flavor match w the noodles since both were heavy dishes. Would've opted for the noodles and a salad in retrospect. You order through the toast tab and servers bring things out to you. We did have to wipe our table outside down before we ate... Got a little scared by a train partway through our meal, so be aware if you're outside! Overall, I'm glad I came to try! More of a casual pickup/quick meal spot for me

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I have loved every single thing I've tried here! You must get all of the sides. Love this place!

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CHIKO Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - CHIKO

Is your lamb halal?

I believe that it is but don't take my word for it. Best to contact Chiko.

Are there dumplings on the menu?

Yes! They do have Pork & Kimchi potstickers (dumplings). I'm not sure how it taste, I never try it before.

Do they have an NYE takeout dinner? If so, what's on the menu?

Check their website - it looks fabulous and we're thinking of maybe ordering it.

Is Chicko dog friendly?

Yes, they're welcome on the patio and staff love them :)

Do you have dairy-free opts (with meat or seafood)?

Almost our entire menu is dairy free. Only our dessert cannot be made dairy free. Thanks for reaching out.

Do you have vegan options?

We do have options. Just ask our cashier when you come in. Thank you

Is there gluten free options?

We have plenty of gluten free options and even have a separate menu for easy ordering. Our menu online also has this info. Visit chikoca.com. Thanks for reaching out.

View All 9 Questions

You might also consider

Dumpling Bar

Dumpling Bar

(305 reviews)

$$

Writing this after my second time eating here. My husband has been here a total of 5 times (3 weeks…read morein a row, a short break, and now 2 weeks in a row). That should tell you how much he likes the food. My mom, a picky eater liked it after one time that she practically twisted my arm to bring my cousins here the following week. You can either choose to eat AYCE or order entrees a la carte. If you aren't sure what to choose, the AYCE option is best because you get to try a little of everything and pay less than if you order items a la carte. In order to reduce food waste, the servers wait until you're mostly done with your current order before taking more orders. Everything is made fresh to order, so when the restaurant is full, the kitchen takes longer to fulfill orders. We were able to try everything except for the vegan dumplings. The braised beef noodles is very flavorful. We asked for smaller bowls so that everyone could taste it--a great way to try it without filling up. The fried rice and egg drop soup were good, but for me, was more like a filler if you want to be able to taste everything. Order the appetizer trio to also taste a little of everything. All of the meat dumplings were so fresh, no weird meat aftertaste. The pork shumai is dense and meaty, so they take longer cook. The steamed buns also take longer to cook. For dessert, in addition to the custard and chocolate buns, there is ice cream--all unlimited and included with the AYCE price. The wait staff is friendly and knowledgeable. They are very hard working, especially when the restaurant is full and busy. The dishes and drinks come out, and then they swoop by and grab the empty plates and steamer baskets. Aiden recognized my husband since he's there so frequently. If you have a party that is larger than 4, I suggest calling ahead to let them know you are coming. The staff can combine tables together for your party. They have a couple of highchairs with little kids, but space is limited, so strollers would need to be set aside. The single stall restroom has no changing station. Accessibility note: The restaurant is small, and the tables are closely spaced. When it is busy, and every chair is occupied, the pathways are tight. I use a cane and had to side step between tables. If I had to use my walker, I would not be able to navigate. I suggest calling ahead and requesting a table near the entrance so you could have a bit more room, but that won't help if you need to get to the back where the single stall restroom is. Speaking of rest room, there is plenty of space inside for someone who uses a mobility aid to enter, and a wheelchair user can transfer to the toilet with or without a helper companion. The entrance is wheelchair accessible without any steps. There are 3 handicap parking spaces located near the restaurant. Dumpling Bar will definitely be added to our rotation, and we've been recommending it to all of our family and friends.

Food was good for the price. The restaurant is small and loud but we didn't mind. Service was ok…read more Server wasn't really there to SERVE just felt like he wanted our money (lol shocker) when we were ordering for our last round, the server repeated back the order but forgot to mention the 3 small boba tea. No biggie so I corrected him and he gave me a long weird stare like he already knew and said "...yeah" and walked off lol Best part he walked back a few minutes later and asked what drinks we ordered haha.

Tasty Noodle House

Tasty Noodle House

(306 reviews)

$$

Came here with a big group of 11 people including 5 kids and had a great experience. The staff was…read morevery accommodating and quickly moved tables around so we could all sit together, which we really appreciated. Service was efficient and the food came out quickly even with our large party. Everything we ordered was delicious. The XLB soup dumplings were juicy and flavorful, the pan fried buns had a perfectly crispy bottom, and the green onion chicken noodles were fresh and comforting. The spicy mixed chicken had great flavor with just the right amount of heat. Overall the food tasted fresh, authentic, and well executed. It is not always easy for restaurants to handle a large group with kids, but they made it seamless. Great food and great service. We will definitely be back.

Honestly, I didn't expect to find this good of Chinese food in Carlsbad, so this was a really nice…read moresurprise. We started with the spicy pot, which came out bubbling hot and packed with ingredients. It had a nice kick without being overwhelming, and the flavors were rich and savory. It had a strong cumin flavor, which makes this dish pretty authentic. Get this dish with rice, the sauces goes well with it. The soup noodles with fried pork were super comforting. The broth was light but flavorful, and the fried pork added a really nice crispy texture that balanced well with the noodles. My nephew likes noodles but without alot of flavor so this dish was perfect for him. The fried dumplings were crispy on the bottom with juicy filling inside--exactly what you want. We also got the steamed chicken with chili oil, which was tender and coated in that classic fragrant, slightly spicy chili oil that adds so much flavor without being too heavy. The green onion pancake was another favorite--crispy, flaky, and airy. It tasted freshly made.

CHIKO - asianfusion - Updated May 2026

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