Ok that was totally sick Took my son for his bday and we just ordered everything . Even fed the vegan in the house Not one thing was bad All the flavors were just amazing g and the food was super fresh !! Cut little ambiance heated patio. Barely notice the 101 Traffic read more

Stopped here on a whim. It was busy and smells coming out of the restaurant were yummy so we gave it a try. Sadly, we were pretty disappointed. Pros: -Despite being busy, we were seated within about 15 minutes -Wings were delicious Cons: -It's quite smoky inside. You'll need to shower and wash your clothes after dinner unless you want to smell like takeout -Service is nonexistent. After seated, you scan a QR code and order/pay from your phone. No waiter to ask questions to about the menu, etc. After ordering they brought out a bowl of rice? No plates, just a bowl of rice? No idea what the rice was for since we each had noodle dishes. Ordered beer but they were just served in cans. No cups? No one to come to the table to ask how everything is, etc. We paid a 20% tip, but not quite sure what for. -While the wings were great, the main dishes were nothing special. Overly priced and overly spicy. -Outdoor patio is a nice space but I feel sad for the poor tree that is DYING because it's being burned by the outdoor heater that is touching it. Likely a fire hazard I imagine, as well. Please please consider moving it for the sake of the tree and the restaurant. read more

CHIKO, which is derived from "Chinese Korean", is a trendy establishment that serves Chinese and Korean inspired dishes. It's not an authentic Chinese Korean establishment, nor do they serve traditional Chinese Korean dishes. But, all the dishes incorporate popular ingredients and spices from both cuisines. I tried their orange-ish chicken, which was SO good. The chicken had a light crispy exterior that didn't feel oily or heavy. It was also extremely juicy and tender. The orange flavored sauce that accompanied the dish was the perfect dipping sauce for the chicken. My friend also enjoyed his Korean beef dish. Easy parking in the adjacent lot and efficient counter style ordering. read more

Love this place!!! The dessert is one of my favorites. I literally have eaten everything in the menu and it is all amazing. I wish there was more places like this in SD! read more

CHIKO - Beef skewers, Half - A - Cado Salad, Double-Fried Chicken Wings, Spicy Cumin Lamb Stir Fry, Potato and Egg Salad - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

Came here for lunch on Sunday. We got there around 1PM so it was not crowded at all. We ordered a bunch of things, all were tasty. I particularly like the Chinese Broccoli appetizer. The orange-ish chicken and the bulgogi were not bad either. They gave us so much rice in the rice bowl, nobody could finish the rice. A nice little place with good food. I'd say that the price is a bit on the pricey side but the quality is good so it's not so bad. read more

DELICIOUS! We ordered just about one of every item on the menu (literally) and everything was equally amazing! Our favorites were the noodles, the veggie dumplings and the pork dumplings. We also were a bit nervous to try the pickled daikon, but those ended up being amazing as well! This is a great restaurant for vegetarians and meat eaters alike! We are already planning on coming back (: read more

CHIKO - Veggie dumplings, sichuan spicy cucumbers, crispy Brussel sprouts, turmeric pickled daikon - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

5 stars all around. We sat at the bar, and loved watching the kitchen knock out dish after dish. The service was also excellent!

The food here rocks! Fun environment, great people, and top-drawer food? Haute Hat Trick of cuisine! The Korean Lamb was spicy shred with noodles and all off-the-hook good. We also tried the shrimp with the rice porridge. Perfect. The dessert was a clincher. Complex layers of custard, dragon fruit, crunchy bits and topped with blood orange sorbet topping it was contrast. A must-try. The partner of a DC based Korean-fusion eatery moves to Encinitas and brings his wonderful restaurant with him? How cool! read more

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My husband and I ended up here after being estimated a crazy wait time at a nearby restaurant. Definitely a lucky accident as I had saved Chico's, but another location to my Yelp collection to try later! There was still a waot time but as it was just my husband and I, we got a table quicker. The wait was still about 20 minutes and they line was a lot longer by the time we sat down. Cons: 1. Not enough veggie options so I had to settle 2. Seating chairs weren't comfortable 3. People were in close proximity to each other which made it difficult to not make frequent awkward eye contact 4. My husband's mains arrived 5-10 minutes before mine Pros: Friendly customer service The noodles I had were still flavorful but I was still hungry after my portion. For the flavor, I would return. read more

CHIKO - Menu - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

Ordering via QR code. Food is excellent. We got the peanut noodle salad, the cauliflower, and the brisket noodles. The peanut noodle salad was Amazing and my favorite dish. The portion sizes are great. I was expecting them to skimp out but they did not. We could not finish all the food (and I eat a lot usually). They carry Rouleur Beer and I was not a fan. Food was soooo good though. And ambiance was nice as well. Its a small place with a nice outdoor patio shaded with trees. read more

3 stars is because of terrible execution on a delivery order and zero customer service (2 stars) and decent food (4 stars). Ordered through UberEats purely because we were hungry and the estimated delivery time would be 25-35 min. Boy, was that wrong. We ordered between 6-6:10 pm, kept getting the ETA pushed out again and again and again and didn't finally get our food until 8:04 pm. Our driver went back 3 times until the food was finally ready at ~7:55 pm. I left a message stating how disappointing it was to expect food in under 45 minutes (...I'm being generous) and it took basically 2 hours. Never got a call back and it's been over a week. You need to fix your estimated delivery times and address your mistakes (even if just to say, hey we're really sorry/short-staffed/big rush ahead of you etc. whatever you want to say but say SOMETHING) because that is not okay. Food is decent -- ordered a bunch because we were very hungry. - Korean glass noodles 5/5: tied for my favorite, flavorful and fresh - XO shrimp (just the shrimp, not the lo mein noodles it came with) 5/5: delicious fried sweet and spicy shrimp - orangish chicken 4/5: second favorite, interesting take on the classic Americanized orange chicken with candied mandarins and light and crispy panko breading. Didn't even use the sauce (tasted it afterwards and it would've been too sweet -- which I'm sure many would enjoy just not for me) because we were so hungry (at that point, very hangry) - Kalbi beef skewers 4/5: good flavor and fairly tender aside from one chewy bit. Would've been nice with more sauce, slightly too dry for my liking on the outside. Would get again - Two stir-fried noodles (one was XO shrimp) that tasted the same 3/5: one was spicy and the other wasn't (I adjusted one spicy level to none for my very hangry toddler). Prob wouldn't order again unless I just absolutely needed noodles, too wet for my ideal stir-fried noodles and not any depth to the flavor for how salty they were. - Wok blistered Chinese broccoli 3/5: drowning in a soupy mess, the pieces on top were good because the sauce had drained but the rest was way too salty/soy saucey soup. Looking at pics of other reviews, we must've gotten a rushed cook dumping the entire contents with liquidy sauce into our takeout container because the other pics look great Debating whether I want to give them another chance because there were some winning dishes but to have a 2-hr wait (when initially estimated to be 25-35 min) and zero callback is not how you run a business. Coming from someone whose family owned 3 quick-service food establishments growing up, and I know that is not how you address (or don't address) a customer. read more

We accidentally found this place!! What a happy accident. The food is. Amazing. I tried a bunch of dishes and they are all really good! My wife Lunar NY special .. and she is in heaven. Just try it.. !! The shrimp spring rolls w mustard aioli, chicken and eggplant longevity noodles, tangerine custard .. spicy ribeye and rice cakes, cumin lamb stirfry, and finished with creamsicle custard!! We had all of this.. and we are sad because we live in Vegas. We will be back. read more

CHIKO - Cream sickle custard - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

Awesome food in a quaint little place. I have wanted to try this for quite a while but never felt they had a good vegetarian menu. Well thankfully I looked at their menu again and they have more vegetarian options and separated them in the menu so it's easy to see choices. The food was fantastic. The wok blistered broccoli in garlic sauce was to die for! So fresh and yummy and big portion. My bf had the san ashes salmon and loved it. There are several more items I am dying to try so will definitely go back soon. Small patio and fills up quick so factor that in to your plans but we had no problem. Great hidden gem! read more

My mouth is sore from eating here. Not in a negative way, but in the same sense that you'd be sore after an all night sex romp with the lover of your dreams. CHIKO is a legit contender for my favorite new restaurant in all of North County this year! It's location 2 of 2 with the original being right near the capitol building in DC. Knowing this now, it makes complete sense to me that Congress would have trouble getting legislation passed. With Cumin Lamb Stir Fry like theirs on the brain, I really can't blame anyone for being distracted from their day to day duties. We also had the tri-tip skewers and potstickers. Again, an absolute flavor explosion! Really can't think of an Asian fusion place I've enjoyed more than CHIKO in a long time. Hopefully this place is in for a loooong tenure at this recently jinxed location. read more

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Excellent service! I was really pleased with the food and the girls at the counter were amazing.

If you are unsure if you want chinese or Korean food, Chiko could be the spot for you. They serve up a fusion of both cultures. Not authentic to either but you can see and taste where the original dish came from. Prices are pretty high but I think the average for a place on pch. Just be ready to spend a little more than at normal asian places. Had 4 people and we order 4 entrees, 2 apps, and all the sides. Needless to say we had leftovers. The lamb and veggie noodles were good. Those were my faves. The rice and orange chicken not so much. The service was good. They were attentive but wonder if that is normal or if it is just because they are still new. They are right on the edge of encinitas. So you can eat and take a nice stroll to digest. There is alcohol so do you can enjoy it with your meal. And if it is a nice day/night, when is it not, there is outdoor seating too. I say it is worth a try if you are in the area. read more

CHIKO - Half the menu, haha. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

Whaaaaat? We STUMBLED over this place. I hadn't seen anything about them moving into this space, I didn't get a "hot and new" from Yelp, I hadn't heard any rumors...NUTHIN! We drove past and saw the line and BAM, we were in. After trying the broccoli, garlic shrimp, and veggie dumplings? I'm done. I'm DONE! I'm stuffed right now but my mouth is watering thinking about everything I just ate. And we didn't even eat most of the stuff that was recommended! The rest of the menu is sitting there waiting for me to dive in. The thing that blew me away was the fact that they had their operation down TIGHT AS A DRUM. It was swamped with people packing it solid, and the food was up in a timely manner presented beautifully- all without a hitch. I am so excited for something new to come in to this space and I hope they're here to stay. I WILL be back! read more

The Kitchen Counter Experience Is Awesome. We booked ahead for Chiko's informal version of a tasting menu and sat at the counter, overlooking the kitchen. The staff were friendly, the vibe was unfussy and relaxed, and the first wave of appetizers just blew us away. The crispy chicken potstickers deserve an award. Spicy cucumber, kimchi, littleneck clams, an amazing curry potato salad, pickled radishes: everything was unique and amazing. My date and I were laughing with delight every time we tried something new. We didn't think it could get any better then came the second wave of apps. Potstickers in a sauce so delicate and delicious you'd sell your granny's curlers for it! Tri-tip skewers, a citrusy avocado salad, a noodle salad with a heavenly peanut sauce. Each dish brought new flavors, aromas and texture to the table. Chef took time to talk to us about the food and ingredients. He had reason to be proud. And the food kept coming. At this point I believe we had tried about 12 small plates. Next we were served three dishes from the main course menu. Soy glazed chop brisket, whose sauce is rich, buttery and eggy, an amazing rice cake dish, and cumin lamb stir fry. All three dishes hit different notes: creamy, bright and tangy, smoky. We thought we were done, but then we were served a platter of orange chicken and fried chicken wings to share. The sauces, my god. The sauces!! The final course was a truly lovely and light-as-air custard creation with basil seeds and a blood orange sorbet. This was the fixed price menu, and my date and I agreed it was excellent value for money. Eighteen small-plate courses left us with enough leftovers to enjoy dinner and lunch the next day. For me the standouts were the potstickers, the spring rolls, the rice porridge (can't even begin to explain what happened to the humble grain here) and the orange chicken. Really, the one true standout is all the brilliant, piquant, spicy, creamy, sweet and sour sauces. By the time we were finished we were in a food daze. Relaxed, happy and loaded with leftovers, we headed home. It was the most unique taste experience I've had in San Diego. read more

CHIKO - Just some of the dishes we enjoyed - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

The food I received is very small quantity. And the veges I ordered is just like slammy not fresh at all and the dumplings just taste like flour . I can't eat this at all! It taste really bad and I'm not happy about it! It cost me 32 dollar ! read more

CHIKO - The veges sucks slammy and the dumplings are just too soaked in the soup. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

Key points to my review: 1. The line is WORTH IT. 2. The ownership is highly involved, humble and happy to be living their passion - nothing more exciting than seeing that, especially when you can taste that energy in the food. 3. We ordered: Fried rice // ribeye & rice cakes // spicy soy wings // potstickers // orange-ish chicken // chopped brisket 4.Take your friends with you, it's the kind thing to do and then you can taste everything. We started with the wings and were not disappointed. They were not too spicy, but had a sufficient kick to them. The flavor profile was strong. I highly recommend getting these as a kick off for your ride to flavor town at Chiko. The potstickers were delicious as well, but the sauce that accompanied them was the real hero in this dish. Delectable! Orange-ish chicken was good, but not my absolute favorite. Different strokes for different folks. My fiance was OBSESSED with it and nearly polished off the sharing bowl before I got my chopsticks in there. There was nothing about this meal that wasn't full of flavor and complimentary to other items on the menu. Fried rice was different than any rice I have ever had in the past. With the squid ink, there was something different and yet scrumptious about this dish. We took leftovers home and used it with our eggs the next morning - HIGHLY recommend. Flavor was even more exemplified the next day. The granddaddy of them all.... the chopped brisket bowl was that type of dish that you want to hide from your fellow table-mates, inhale and then go back for more. It. Was. Psycho. Good. I will certainly be getting that again. read more

CHIKO - Fried rice // ribeye & rice cakes // spicy soy wings // potstickers // orange-ish chicken - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

Came here at 5:30 and we were able to get seated right then. They didn't take reservations but it wasn't too crowded for a Monday. We got their vegetarian dumplings, orangish chicken, and XO shrimp lo mein. The lychee drink was really good but the shrimp noodles felt a little too salt. Overall not bad and would come back to try some other dishes. read more

We found CHIKO on Yelp and decided to stop in one recent Friday evening...we're glad we did! Here is what we noticed: - You order at the counter and then are given a number which you take to your table so that they can deliver your food. We ordered Potstickers to start, but the food all arrives when it is ready so be prepared for that. - Three of us split several dishes and we all had plenty of food. Because of all the raves about the Orange Chicken, we got that...it was probably the best Orange Chicken I've ever had. The sauce was on the side so you could dip each piece of chicken in to get as much (or as little) sauce as you want. Breading was nice and light too. We also got the House Fried Rice, which was really good with small pieces of fish interspersed throughout. The shrimp in the San Diego Spice Bag were great. And, the Potstickers were excellent. - The place is pretty small and oddly shaped. There is a small outdoor seating area, but there were no patio heaters so we stayed inside. - Service is good...food comes out when hot/ready, which was great for what we wanted on a casual Friday night. - They serve alcohol...we weren't drinking this night (saving it for when we got home), but they offered several craft beers and we saw several people with bottles of wine (which were reasonably priced). - Prices are higher than your typical fast food joint, but the food is so much better. Bottom line: We're glad we found CHIKO and will be back to try some of their other specialties soon! read more

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Chinese and Korean? Yes please! This place is easily found off the 101. The opposite way of D street, so not as busy and there is a parking lot available next to the restaurant. Came here a bit before 4pm (opening time) because I heard it gets pretty busy. We ended up being the first people in line. Sidebar: One of the waitresses recommended eating around 8p if you don't want to wait. Apparently it's one of their less busy times and reservations are not yet available. We pretty much sampled everything - full monty snacks (or banchan), Chinese broccoli, pork and kimchi potstickers, orange-ish chicken, Korean sweet potato noodles, soy glazed chopped brisket, and the sesame custard desert. The brisket entree was a bit too rich, probably due to the furikake butter. I recommend sharing this dish, asking for an extra egg, or asking for less butter. The orange-ish chicken comes with a side of rice. It's good flavor, but I should have opted for the waitress' recommendation to try the salmon entree instead. Salmon entree takes a bit longer to come out though, and I was hungry! All the other dishes I enjoyed, especially the clams in the full monty and the sesame custard dessert. If anything, order the dessert. Overall food was good. Service could have been a bit friendlier. Most of the staff were just talking and standing amongst themselves. read more

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Not only did we love the food at Chiko, the service was exceptional. Although the restaurant is small, the seating arrangements worked out great and we had actual conversation with each other without yelling. (Isn't this something only old people talk about?  Shit.).  This is the finest dining you will find at a walk-up counter.  This unique, funky, tasty little spot is exactly what Encinitas needs on the 101. We didn't just have a great meal.  We had a great night.  Come here with friends.  Try something new.  Order the desert.  Come for lunch, because of the new sandwiches and because there is daylight for when it's time to leave. Chiko= Chinese + Korean CaWaToCoB= Can't Wait to Come Back Read my full review at www.diningonthe101.com read more

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The food was so incredible I forgot to take photos. Great friendly service. Food was on point. Amazing flavors. Fresh. We shared the fried wings which were incredible. The sauce was good but we also liked them dry. Broccoli appetizer was so fresh and not expected but tanager very good. Pork fried rice. Lamb curry and rib eye on rice cakes. All three were very tasty and fresh. I cannot recommend this place enough. The only draw back was that they need better ventilation inside. The smoke factor was strong but the food was forth it. There is a patio but it was full. Very friendly staff. Great music!!! This is a gem. read more

10/10 highly recommend I will definitely be back, great food, great service, great outdoor patio Definitely do yourself a favor and check it out Food was tasty, good quality, flavorful, very much appreciated read more

We come to North Country 2 times a year and coming to Chiko is always a must! I crave it!! The lamb noodles are to die for!

Easy to miss while driving up the road but definitely worth popping in. Food was extremely flavorful. Absolutely delicious...think i ate too much but whatever. Hit this place for some noodles, dumplings. Does not disappoint. read more

So blown away by this place. I live hours away but will come back again. I tried the tri tip skewers and they were so moist, tender, and full of flavor. The stir fry shrimp porridge had great fragrant spices in the chili oil. My favorite dessert is pana cota and I fell in love with theirs since it comes out in a big bowl... almost didn't share all of it with my boyfriend. They have an omakase and I cant wait to return and have that! read more

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CHIKO is definitely among our favorite spots to eat while in SD and we are frequenting it multiple times while here. The xo garlic shrimp stir fry porridge was so unique and totally to die for. Loved the depth of flavors and only wish there would be more in the bowl--it goes fast! The cold peanut noodles were also good, my kids enjoyed it. Other fellow diners raved about the chicken wings and the fried shrimp and tots. The dessert is so unique with many layers, creamy custard, basil seeds, sorbet; didn't know what to expect but it was amazing. Other things on the menu sound great and I'm looking forward to trying them. Not to forget, they gave us white rice and a seaweed, sesame butter gratis for the kids which they loved and gobbled up. They created a nice little outdoor space with greenery and heated lamps, enjoyed the ambience although it was simple. Random positive: the bowls were made of plastic/steel so we weren't worried about the kids breaking anything. I'm looking forward to the franchise opening in NY, please! read more

We went to CHIKO after hearing about the hype. Looking at the menu, it's mainly an Asian-Fusion restaurant rather than the typical Chinese-Korean Restaurant. We ordered the Pork and Kimchi Dumplings, Orange-ish Chicken and the Full Monty, totaling about $45. The Pork and Kimchi dumplings came with chopped kimchi and green onions as garnish. I'm not sure if kimchi ever made it inside the dumplings as they tasted just like your usual pork dumplings. They did have the pork scent, so if you're not into that then avoid it. Overall, the kimchi and the sauce gave it some nice tartness and was very enjoyable to eat. I feel like I could've eaten a 100. Their Orange-ish Chicken was also good. The chicken itself was just a simple chicken katsu that's been chopped and stacked on top of each other. However the even breading, the tenderness along with the juiciness is reminiscent of eating some chicken nuggets rather than the traditional orange chicken. The sauce was also a good balance of tart and sweet. The orange pieces garnishing it was a nice addition. The Full-Monty was a slight disappointment. Their pickled radish was...interesting. The kimchi wasn't really up the quality of other restaurants. Their furikake rice was delicious and their potato salad was amazing. The cucumber slices were good in their own way. CHIKO won't disappoint unless you want actual Chinese-Korean cuisine. CHIKO is aimed for the American palette and to introduce Asian cuisine, specifically Korean, to the American market. I do think they should do a version of Tangsuyuk and Jjangjangmyeon, two quintessential Chinese-Korean dishes. No one has been able to introduces these dishes to San Diego and would help win over the Korean-American population here. read more

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The open seated restaurant asked us to order from the QR code on the table, which was reasonable in these days. But it asked us to tip them before we were serviced. I tipped, and the food came in a long wait. The first one came was the spring roll, which is great because it's still sizzling hot when it reached our table. The 2nd was the vegetable glass noodles, with a lot of burnt vegetables and salty noodles. The rest came after the 2nd was finished quite some time. Very disappoint with the food and service. read more

Went there for the first time with friends. Casual ambiance. Order at counter, then grab a table and wait for food to arrive. Brussel Sprouts app was great. Meals were very flavorful. Delightful blend of Asian spices. Will def come again. read more

We've dined in and had take out many times- so good! Must have the half a cado salad!

The chilled peanut noodles are to die for. Seriously refreshing, giving the best summertime light taste. Takeout presentation is always beautiful, with big portions. An order of orange chicken (also yum) and the noodles leaves 2 adults STUFFED. Worth the $30. Heard about this restaurant on Food Network after living in Encinitas for over 20 years. So happy I finally decided to try. read more

Exceeded my expectations. A Chinese Korean fast-casual joint may sound too good to be true here in North County San Diego, but it is in fact, happening. And they hit a home run! From everything we've ordered, here are my faves: - Korean chicken wings - Pork and Kimchi potstickers - House fried rice (smoked with mahi) - Chiko-lada I can't wait to try more as they all sounded delicious. It's one of those menus that make you go "Can I get one of each?" If I had three more stomachs, I totally would. Since they just opened, it gets a bit crowded but it's so worth the wait. Note to Encinitas locals: It is a serious upgrade from the place that was in this location before -- not just in food (obvi), but also in decor, ambiance, and staff expertise in the food/service industry. It's not even on the same level. Yea!!! read more

First time I've heard of a "take out surcharge". Damn bro where's all the money from your $18 noodle dishes going? Foods good. read more

I think this place is interesting and fun, but I feel like every time they change the menu they get rid of the things I really like. For example, right now there's just nothing that really appeals to me on the menu. And, sometimes, the wok blistered and other dishes have a smoky almost burnt flavor that's a bit too much for me. That being said, when they get something right it can be truly exceptional. There was a period of time last year when they had an amazing cauliflower dish that I think is the best vegetable option they've ever offered. At the same time, they had cold peanut noodles with pears that was also excellent. I probably ordered those two items five times over a couple of months. So, I'll continue looking at their menu periodically and will definitely order again anytime I see a new menu item that seems worth a try. read more

The ambience is good but definitely the food was Not as good as we expect. We ordered the pork fried rice and cucumber salad and it was good, but we also ordered The orange chicken as our main dish we where a little disappointed. needed more salt and the sauce was not sour sweet enough. read more

Extremely hot inside an not ventilated. Smoky. Just overall unpleasant to be in. Limited patio seating.