Finally got to try this place- it's an order at your table via QR code. Might be difficult for the less tech savvy (i.e. my mom) we got the pork fried rice- beyond delicious- the orange ish chicken- sooo good. And the lamb stir fry noodle dish- good- but unfortunately my husband ate most of it as it was too spicy for me (I'm a wimp) lol everything tasted great. Had good flavors- cons: ordering via QR code- I'm kind of over it- especially when I dont want to be on my phone anymore than I already am, also it's a little pricey- 3 dishes $57- husband loved it and we look forward to coming back and trying other options read more

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Stars are actually 2 to 4. Used to be a 4 but on its way to 2 . Been coming here regularly for a couple of years. The food can be quite tasty! Cumin lamb noodles! Pork belly bao, Wings... But over the past year it's gotten very inconsistent and the flavor of the same dish can vary greatly from day to day, so it's gotten risky. read more

CHIKO has lots of potential for us vegan, gluten free folk. I don't expect a ton of options when I eat out, because I realize I am outside the norm. With that said, it was very difficult to figure out what I could eat here. The main reason is because they use that Toast brand service where you scan the app on your table and place your own order using that. I'm not a fan of that model, but I'm not the business owner...so they can do whatever they like. It would work better and cause less questions for those curious about what's in their food if items that are GF, Vegan, Vegetarian were marked. I almost feel like I need to be a restaurant consultant to help restaurants with this and I have zero background other than being a customer. A simple GF, V for vegan and Vg for vegetarian next to each item would be a huge improvement. For those items that "can" be GF, V or Vg easily, it could show GFO, VO or VgO. Instead, I had to flip back and forth between the Vegetarian and Gluten Free menus and figure out what was on "both" then try to figure out if the "vegetarian" menu items had any animal products like seafood, animal sauces, egg, butter, etc in them. There was a guy who greeted everyone as the came in and guided them through the "find a seat, scan the app on your table process". He was very friendly, but was also multi-tasking like a Boss. He was expediting in house, and to-go app orders. I felt bad bugging him, but he didn't seem to mind. He helped me find the one dish that was both GF and Vegan. And advised me that my other picks also fit the bill. We got the Half-a-Cado salad (dressing on the side), wok blistered broccoli, turmeric pickled daikon, sichuan spicy cucumbers and the new GF garden noodles made with sweet potatoes that he advised as the main dish. Almost everything was delicious and super flavorful. The daikon and cucumbers were not on the GF or Vegetarian menus, but he assured me they were both. That's were definite "markings" would help outside of just a "menu" that may not have everything listed. The garden noodles were the exception to being delicious and super flavorful. It might be because we ate that last and everything before it was super flavorful and spicy and it was just "meh". I'm not a salt person but it could have used a ton of salt. Just me though, YMMV. Now that I've eaten here once, I'd come back, since I know what's available and how it all tastes. But if you're not adventurous or willing to ask 20 questions, you might want to hold off until and if you can identify vegan from the menu. We ordered two alcoholic drinks that were very yummy, too. Might be a good place to come with a mixture of eating-type people where everyone can find something that works for them, ultimately. read more

Excellent tasty perfectly spiced food in a kicked back environment, would highly recommend it read more

CHIKO - Tasty dish! - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

This ain't the standalone Chiko over on Coast Highway. This is the Chiko at the Brewery (the Lost Abbey in San Elijo Hills, to be specific). The menu is much different here than at the standalone restaurant but don't worry about that at all. This food is absolutely terrific. The workers were friendly and the food was cooked to order. They are doing great things under the little pop-up tent. This is gourmet grub. We tried the shrimp skewers and the bulgogi hoagie. The hoagie, which is basically a kinda Korean-ish cheesesteak, was OUTSTANDING. The shrimp skewers were solid and came in a nice sauce. Very, very good food. read more

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Everything we ordered was delicious & the staff were very attentive and kind. I would highly recommend this restaurant. There is an outdoor space as well. read more

Shocking how I've yet to write a review for Chiko. Chiko has become a regular restaurant in our small rotation of places in north county. We've been here far too many times to count. We have even brought everyone we know here to introduce them to the deliciousness! If you're a first timer, I recommend the orangish chicken, the crispy chicken spring rolls, and the spicy cumin lamb stir fry. However, I always recommend trying their seasonal items. Whether it's the Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, corn, or whatever their specials are..you gotta try it! Service is always great here! read more

I thought I had already posted a review of this great place a few years ago after it opened. Well, better late than never. This place is a "go-to" for eat in, take-out or delivery through DoorDash. I want to stop getting it delivered on a lazy Thursday or any other day of the week but it is hard to stop. The spring roles, beef skewers and wontons are must try/repeat orders. As is the Orangish chicken and Spicy Rib eye with rice cakes. If you are a "rice cake" fan you will love the texture. If you have never tried them - you should! And the meat and spice are excellent. Lastly and not lastly is the pork fried rice. This is not your Chinese menu version. It comes chock full of shredded pork shoulder so if you are hanging for the red stuff you will be surprised. But if you love shredded pork in anything, you will be very happy. We recently tried the smashed salmon and were unimpressed with the confusing tastes and textures. read more

Came here after a long day of biking. Two people. Take out dinner. We didn't know what to expect. Chinese Korean fusion is specific - was Chiko going to be true to its name or a pan Asian restaurant? My take: mixed reviews but overall everything is tasty, high quality and flavorful. The two noodle dishes we got were rather bland; bulgolgi beef skewers were top; full Monty slides were top. The potatoe salad and creamed corn - super brave, adventurous and delicious. I'd recommend! read more

Add Chiko to your list of my must visit restaurants! We came here with a large group of 8 for lunch and had a great time. The restaurant had an open kitchen concept. And, you could order food at the counter after each course based on how hungry you felt. We ordered: 1.) Kimchi Stew (3 stars) 2.) Half-a-cado Salad (5 stars) 3.) Double Fried Chicken Wings (HUGE wings and a great sauce, 4 stars) 4.) Smoked Salmon Rice Bowl (4 stars) The food was fresh and innovative. We were given small metal bowls to use for our appetizers. I would say the best food value deal here would be getting a sandwich, tatertots and a drink. That being said, my husband ordered the Crispy Chicken Rice Bowl and I preferred that (mainly because of the sauce) over the Smoked Salmon Rice Bowl. I would come back here again only if I was eating with another large group of people, or I would come back to just try some more appetizers. read more

CHIKO - Smoked Salmon Rice Bowl - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

Looking for a bite to eat and didn't realize it was brunch at Chiko on a Saturday morning but glad we stumbled upon this place! The menu sounded really good and we left very full because we couldn't stop eating! Things we ordered were: (3 Dim Sum choices) Tempura Zucchini - I was very impressed with this, love the spicy Mayo sauce and the portion was huge! Cumin Lamb Dumplings - my bf loved these, I didn't mind them however only bc I was craving a more traditional dim sum dumpling Pork Belly Bao Buns - really good and sweet! Orange Ish Chicken - the tempura breading was sooo good and the sauce was different but delicious Kimchi and Rice sides - yummy kimchi and perfect rice I also had one of the soju cocktails and thought it was a great sweet brunch drink! We will definitely be adding this to one of our go-to places to eat! read more

CHIKO - Tempura Zucchini Orange-ish Chicken Plain Rice Pork Belly Bao Napa Cabbage Kimchi - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

RUN do not walk to Chiko. Dinner here last night was one of the best meals we've had in a long time. Each dish is creative, was cooked and presented perfectly, and has an explosion of flavors. They also have gluten free and vegan options (you can add tofu to dishes in place of meat) which makes their menu very inclusive. The staff is also very attentive and helpful with any allergy questions which I really appreciate. We ordered the Half-a-cado salad, Korean Glass noodles with tofu, XO Shrimp with Rice Porridge, and Korean Fried Chicken. We recommend everything. The star of the show was undoubtedly their (GF!!) fried chicken. It is truly the best fried chicken I've ever had...which is saying something being from Louisiana. One thing to note is the portions are HUGE -- the shrimp bowl includes 5 large shrimp, and the fried chicken has 3 large, full wings (both are under "small plates"). Thank you Chiko for an incredible meal, we will definitely be back! read more

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I hate leaving a bad review. Though the place was almost empty, it was *really* dirty. The counters clearly hadn't been wiped in quite a while, the prep area was a wreck, and there were numerous tables inside and outside that needed to be bussed. We were so grossed out that we left without trying the food. Hopefully, this was a one-time thing, but I'm not sure we will try it again! read more

The menu sounded incredible, the staff were wonderful, however the execution of it all didn't quite sit right. Perhaps my mistake was take out but from our perspective... Flavor was good but everything was drenched in oil and way to greasy for me, I mean from Chinese food there is an expectation there will be some but everything was drenched as if left in oil for way too long from the little that was consumed felt horrible afterwards and the rest was thrown away. I had heard so many wonderful things, clearly have pretty good Yelp reviews however felt so disappointed and hoping that perhaps a new cooking option can be explored in making items less greasy... We ordered the chicken spring rolls, orange chicken and fried rice. read more

Food was good, but it took a while to get each dish. The dishes all came at completely different times. We got an entree first before the appetizers and then the 2nd entree at least 15 minutes after the first entree. We had ordered daikon which didn't come out right away, we had to request it. It would have been better if the entrees came out together. read more

Tough review for me because I really wanted to eat in at CHIKO on a Sunday during the Encinitas Holiday Street Fair, however it was a particularly brutal hot day and CHIKO does not appear to have any air-conditional (or it wasn't turned on this day). So, we opted to get some food to-go. Ordered the Pork Fried Rice ($16), and Potstickers and the XO Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry. The potstickers were great and the shrimp was so tasty, but I didn't like the pork fried rice at all. I think in all fairness, I really need to come back and try CHIKO again. Hopefully now that it's cooler. read more

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Ordered dinner to be delivered through Yelp. It was delivered on time. Ordered... Full Monty (variety of Korean side dishes) Brussels sprouts Rib Eye & Rice Cakes Wok Charred Wheat Flour Noodles Sesame Custard Everything was fresh and delicious. It's definitely not authentic Korean but it's definitely very close and equally delicious. We really enjoyed this Asian fusion deliciousness and will definitely be dining at this restaurant just to try other items on the menu. read more

CHIKO - Ordered via Yelp/Grubhub delivery - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

The service was prompt, and we never felt rushed, which made the evening even more enjoyable. Pricing was fair for the quality and experience. read more

Just north of Encinitas boulevard on the 101 lies a stand-alone restaurant and a dirt lot. If you're driving too fast you may miss it since isn't surrounded by hordes of restaurants or large crowds. But if you get the chance, it is one of the top foodie ventures in Encinitas. Outside, just north and behind the building is ample outdoor seating. QR codes make ordering a breeze and you can pay right there from your phone. Each dish has a picture next to it so you aren't blindly trying to order. There's also tables inside and a register to order for indoor dining. We arrived about an hour before closing and only had to wait 10 minutes or so before a spot opened up outside. There's heating lamps wedged between tables and benches, though the table we were at was a bit far from the nearest source of warm. The ambiance is inviting and friendly for small or medium sized parties. The food is simply spectacular. North county tends to lack more adventurous Asian food ventures, so we typically drive to Clairemont to satisfy our needs. However, Chiko grabs the baton and runs with bold but familiar dishes. 5/5 - Chilled peanut noodle salad. The star dish we ordered. It had so much flavor but was clean and refreshing. This is worth coming here for alone. 5/5 - Double-fried Chicken Wings 3 large drum + Wings, or 6 if you split them in a tangy potent soy glaze. It's messy and you'll needs tons of napkins to eat it, but the wings are crisp, meaty and great for sharing. 3/5 - Galbi Beef Skewers no frills, but cooked and seasoned well. The beef was really tender, but it wasn't as innovative other dishes. Taste wise it was fine, but it just felt like it was missing something. 2/5 - Soy Glazed Brisket it had a weird smell and taste. I personally wouldn't order this again. We took it home as leftovers and I was "that guy" who heated it up at work. I even hid in an empty office so I didn't stink up the area. It kind of had this weird corned beef meets wet fried rice vibe. Weird sounding? Well, that's the best way to explain it. 2/5 - turmeric pickled daikon. The turmeric and vinegar overpowered the freshness I was hoping for. It is definitely a palette cleanser between the dishes and is refreshing in that sense, but the flavor was a bit off for me. I'll update my review as we come back and try different things. read more

With me being Korean and my husband being Chinese, a restaurant like Chiko, which is supposed to be Korean-Chinese fusion, certainly piqued our interest. We arrived a little before 6pm and was quoted a 10-minute wait time (the wait actually ended up being 15 mins, but it was no problem for us). At one point, the constant influx of customers peaked the wait time to 1 hour so I'm glad we barely dodged the dinner rush. Upon entering, you'll notice the open layout of the kitchen so you can physically see your food be prepped and served to you piping hot and fresh. Ordering is actually done via the mobile app, which is kinda nice bc it's more COVID-friendly but the downside is, it'll be a bit harder to flag down the waiters. =====PORK AND KIMCHI DUMPLINGS===== As a Korean native who practically had kimchi running through her veins, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the kimchi they used. It was perfectly fermented to my taste (not too ripe, like some restaurants make it). The soy sauce dressing was also delicious--so much so that I ordered a side of rice (it's free!) to eat it with. Overall, a really yummy appetizer - I'd definitely order this again. =====SHORT RIB AND RICE CAKES===== The short rib was just bulgogi. The rice cakes were a bit overcooked (I personally prefer them to be chewier). But still, not a bad entree. =====ORANGE-ISH CHICKEN===== My husband claimed this dish to be his favorite Asian dish of all time. That's a big compliment coming from a foodie like him! I also enjoyed it - the candied oranges were such a nice addition and they really elevated the taste of the chicken. The chicken itself was fried twice, as is the typical method for Korean fried chicken and as a result, the fry was light yet crispy. This is a must order! TIPS: - Come early to avoid wait times. - Water is self-serve. - Rice is free! But unfortunately, the side dishes are not... - Use any leftover sauce (personally I used the soy sauce dressing that came with the dumplings) and pour it over the rice for extra flavor. read more

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Unique dishes, consistently tasty. Great for dining in or take-out. Everything we've tried has been great, though we keep getting drawn back to the cumin lamb stir fry, spicy bulgogi stir fry, or orangish chicken. Their salads like the half-a-cado are notable too. Never disappointed read more

So so so so good! It's like a party of flavors in your mouth. I love getting this on weekends. The crispy orange chicken is my absolute favorite. I often do take out. They are both quick and delicious. Their half avocado salad is super good too. I get this every single time. Great amd convenient location with parking also! read more

Extremely flavorful!! Everything was hot and tasted fresh. Personally, these are the most important qualities in food. The portions are big!! You can share one of those bowls with one other person. I wish there were more spring rolls in one order BUT portion control is important too. read more

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Some of the tastiest food around. Incredible variety from meat dishes, seafood, GF and vegetarian. But no matter what you get, the sauces are simply amazing! Plus the folks are extremely friendly! read more

Dreams do come true, finally a great restaurant in this location! CHIKO is about a year old and it's no wonder they are earning rave reviews! We went for a birthday dinner during a week night. Surprisingly it was still really busy. We sat outside along the bar stools and the weather was perfect. Tonights dinner was fried Korean chicken wing appetizer, orangish-chicken, and rib-eye and rice cakes. The presentation was beautiful and the sauces that accompanied the dish were vastly different and delicious. I definitely will be back and I look forward to trying something else on the menu. read more

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So glad I finally made it here. And it did not disappoint. I love all sorts of Asian food and fusion style. This place has food that is most definitely going to bring me back. So many things I want to try. We had the Spicy Ribeye and Rice Cakes as well as the Soy Glazed Brisket. The Ribeye dish was my favorite - but I lean towards liking more spicy than sweet. It had just the right heat. Savory heaven! The Brisket was so crazy tender - honestly it was shocking how the texture just melted in your mouth. The glaze was a bit sweet and not spicy - so while I thought it was delicious, I personally prefer more savory spicy food. The person I was with likes less spice and loved the Brisket. Can't go wrong with either. And after eyeing my 'neighbors' dishes, there are other ones I want to try too! Will be back !!! read more

Ok so this place is SO TASTY but does anyone else get a belly ache EVERY TIME after eating here? I've tried multiple attempts, and always give it a 5 stars for flavor, but the next day you PAY! I wish it was just me or just one time, but the whole fam. We can't eat it but I hope you guys can (without issue) Probably just don't go here if you have something important the next day or in a date. We ordered: Beef skewers (ugh soooo good) Orangeish chicken Fried chicken (seriously so good) & the noodle salad stuff We have probably tried the entire menu, everything is yummy but is there MSG in this or something?? read more

CHIKO - Orangeish chicken - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

Great food and friendly service. Overall nice patio, but ambiance took it down one notch for me. Having said that, for the price in Encinitas, awesome place to stop for a different lunch/dinner. read more

Food was really good. Not a fan of ordering, paying and tipping all before you get the food. But we weren't disappointed even so. Can't wait to try other dishes next time and maybe that dessert. read more

The food was excellent. However I do wish like many of the Korean spots that I visit that they had the standard sides all inclusive and not a la carte. Alas, I see this is Chinese-Korean fusion so I guess things get lost in the fusing. I had the Pork & Kimchi potstickers to start and the Orange-ish Chicken for an entree. Both were good. I appreciated the slight crispy exterior of the potsticker as it aided in gripping them between my wood chopsticks. The Orange-ish Chicken was slightly breaded and crunchy enough. I wish that the pieces were smaller. It made it impossible at times to successfully dip them in the sauce. The rice was firm and easy to grip. read more

CHIKO - Pork & Kimchi Potstickers - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

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This place was delicious!!!!! We stopped in for a snack. Shared the pork friend rice and the pork belly boa. I got a side of the house chile and it had all the flavors I could ask for! Ended up buying a bottle of it!!! The service was perfect they each made sure we were taken care of. The setting was nice especially with the weather you could sit indoor or outdoor. read more

Such a cute spot in Encinitas. This restaurant was recommended by a friend and finally decided to try it since we were in the area. They just rolled out a new brunch dim sum menu on the weekends! I love the atmosphere of this place.  It's just so casual and suitable for families. We ordered tons of food... The food was delicious for a reasonable price and good portion. Here's my food recommendations: - Crispy shrimp - Pork & kimchi potstickers - kimchi pancake - Orange-ish chicken - Wok-charred wheat flour noodles - XO shrimp juk Wait staff was courteous and prompt. Go give their food a try if you haven't. You'll wonder why you waited so long. GO SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES!! read more

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Awesome food and great staff. Inventive, super fresh food! Had the Pork Belly Bao Buns and a couple salads. Can't wait to return!

I wrote this review with a 4 star rating and just held it for some reason...for about a week or so. Then it dawned on me, I was the reason for the 4 stars not the restaurant. So tip one is when you walk in and look at the menu.... don't be all ADD like me and just take a breath and read. Absorb... think. We got two chicken dishes that were very similar and I walked out feeling I just eaten in a basic spot. But, I hadn't. The corn is fantastic and the avosalad is fresh, light and great. Wonderful texture. The orange chicken was great, just not with another chicken dish. The noodles wandered by and looked great as did the beef. And the spring rolls were so unique and the sauce was spot on. But more chicken for me? What was I doing???? So, note to myself is slow down and enjoy the whole experience not just dine and dash. It's a welcome addition to our growing culinary scene!!! read more

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I love the food here, but I've had it with having to tip ahead of getting poor service. If I have to place my order on my tiny phone screen; get my own water, extra napkins and bowls, and takeaway containers; and ask for a bag, what service did I tip for other than someone walking the food to the table with barely a word? I remember the first time I dined here back in 2019. The server was phenomenal. Encouraged us to get the custard, which is now my favorite dessert on the 101. I tell everyone to get it. I wish I could go back and tip him again rather than tip now when I'm ordering, wondering if I'll get even worse service if I don't. read more

I added one star for their good service. First of all, The floor, table and cups are all greasy and sticky. They don't have good ventilators so it was smoky inside. Secondly, we brought kids so I didn't order anything with spicy in the name, but everything that came was ALL spicy. So be aware of that! Last but not least, the food had a weird after taste, like the oil has been used for many times. We took a few bites and decided to leave because we were afraid of getting a diarrhea. They offered to refund the last food item that had not been served yet, so I added one star. read more

CHIKO - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

Meh. I wanted to like this place but it just isn't worth it and the taste is just meh. Not that not memorable. We ordered the chicken wings and Galbi beef skewers. If you want genuine, this isn't. If you want fusion, this is a meh. To boot, it's a little bit pricey for meh. I'd drive elsewhere for better. Maybe because it's a beach city, why this is expensive, but nonetheless the tastes is just meh. read more

Service should basically be a 0/5, food was 4.5/5. Unfortunately, I paid for a 20% tip on an order while we made our order ourselves on our phone, expecting something in normal service after that. We had our food dropped off and never saw the server again. So, you order at your table, fill your own waters, get up to get your own napkins then pay for a tip beforehand......yeah that's the only reason I'm giving this place 3 stars. Food was really good. We got the cold noodles, veggie dumplings, pork/kimchi dumplings, pork belly bao, and tofu bao. Everything was quite tasty although portions are pretty small for the cost we still left belly happy. One other thing, when the food was dropped off they placed the pork dumplings and veggie in that order, but said "veggie and pork" in that order. Not a huge deal except the pork dumplings we're slid over to the vegetarian in our party who took a bite and said, "this is pork". Pretty bad on the food deliverer's part. Honestly, I'd recommend the restaurant to someone if I explicitly told them about the zero service aspect and they could expect it. It's basically the service you'd get at McD's and you end up paying for a $10 tip. read more

Super, super good food. Met for dinner based on personal recommendation. Had the impossible pot stickers and the smashed salmon. Both were so full of flavor. Everything that came by our table looked amazing too. Outdoor seating was perfect. Ordering on the app was super simple. read more

CHIKO - Smashed salmon bowl. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Food was definitely a 5 star. We had the Half A cado, broccoli, brussel sprouts, fried chicken wings, and smashed salmon. All very good! It is a self serving place- ordering through QR code. Not much interaction which is fine. I wished that they would have been more welcoming and explained menu for new comers. We had a choice of sitting indoor or outdoor. We sat in and it was fine. read more