I LOVE that this place is close to the spa I like to frequent. Post massage tasty dinner? Yes, please. I sent my husband some restaurants to try and told him to pick one for dinner. He picked Chiko and I'm so glad he did. Pre-pandemic we were in South Korea and my husband grew up and spent a lot of time in Asia so he loves to try Asian places. Parking: easy. There's a dirt lot right next to the patio and I noticed some parallel spots in front of the place though unsure if that's for takeout etc. Ordering: easy. Scan a QR code on the table. Since it was our first time I was gazing at the menu knowing we wanted to try a bunch of things and ordering at the table took the pressure off. We opted for a table indoors. It was pretty empty when we got there and their patio was mostly full. The weather was gorgeous. But alas my husband is ginger and would perish in the sun. We tried some cocktails as well. I had a lychee cocktail and my husbands was coconut based. Both made of Soju. Both super tasty. Things we tried: Soy glazed double fried chicken wings (5/5). Wings were crunchy and saucy. Spicy but not crazy. Pickled daikon was ordered to pair with this. Great flavor. Wet naps came with. Much needed haha. Pork and kimchi pot stickers (4.5/5). Loved the apple kimchi. The sauce was a little too vinegary for my taste but loved the dumpling filling. XO shrimp lo mein (5/5) big portion. Wish I asked for hot sauce of some sort. Shrimps were charred (I think) and so tasty. All the veggies inside were well cooked. This was tasty. We didn't finish but I attribute that to the range of things we tried. Read: we ordered a lot. Chili garlic cucumbers (5/5). My husbands favorite of the 2 sides we ordered. Excited to try the kimchi next time. Beef skewers with samjang (spelling def wrong)- 100/5. So so good. Meat was juicy. Sauce was amazing. Would order two of these next time. Lovely dinner near the beach and then a force up the coast was perfect. Staff was lovely. Thanks!! read more

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Great fresh quality Asian (Chinese & Korean) food. Open kitchen where cooks and chefs work together with enthusiasm to prepare great fresh veggie, steak or chicken, bowls and other creative dishes. Ryan the chef, Colin the sous chef and Randy all worked their magic to create hardy delicious dishes. We had the Garden Bowl with Rib Eye strips of steak. The meat was perfectly cooked on rice noodles with an incredible selection of fresh crisp veggies marinated in a tasty ginger sauce mixed with other savory flavors. One bowl is enough for two but it is so delicious, you may not wish to share. There is convenient parking and nice casual indoor and outdoor space. read more

Made my biking trek down from Anaheim to Encinitas to dine here AGAIN. I adore the avocado salad and the cumin lamb stir fry. I asked a table of wonderful ladies (Erin was one of them) what one of their dishes was. They replied the Orangeish chicken and kindly encouraged me to sample it which me and my rising partner did. It was great. The only disappointment I have coming here is that with only two people we can not try out many dishes without giving up our favorites as well! read more

CHIKO - Avocado Salad - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

This is one of those slightly hidden gems you find from time to time. The food is delicious and very creatively made. If you are looking for Asian food that's a notch above, CHIKO is awesome! Go try it out! read more

CHIKO - Chicken with Garlic crunch. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

the food is sooo good. I was concerned about the prices but the servings are big! Definitely shareable. We ordered too much but had leftovers for lunch. My fav was their salmon entree. So many veggies and super flavorful. I'll definitely be coming back if I am in the area! read more

Great chinese/korean fusion spot in Encinitas! Came on a Saturday night and I was surprised they weren't more crowded, however it looked like they had several orders ready for pick up. Service was great, you're supposed to order from QR codes but we had a gift card that wasn't allowing us to partially pay with a credit card so the waitress behind the register took our order and we paid up front. We both enjoyed everything we ordered! Started with the wok blistered broccoli and galbi beef skewers, both were so flavorful and delicious and although the galbi comes with a side sauce, it wasn't needed. Hubby got the orange-ish chicken and the portion size was massive, we could've easily shared and been full with potential leftovers. Nice light breading with a great orange flavored dipping sauce on the side. I had the Korean garden noodles which was essentially japchae and added bulgogi to it. Such a flavorful dish, very saucy and packed with veggies. We also had the 2 flavors of kombucha, both were good but I preferred the lychee lemonade flavor. They have parking spots out front and both indoor and outdoor seating. Highly recommend read more

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This is the best Chinese / Korean / American fusion place I found in North County, even better than places I used to go to when living San Jose (where Asian cuisine is predominant). I went there 3 times, once with my old mom (when the restaurant just opened), once with a friend and finally, more recently, with the lady. It's a simple "hole in the wall" type of place with outdoor and indoor seating. It's an open kitchen concept (the smell always makes my mouth water!) and there is almost no service: You order at the counter, get your water and enjoy your food. Every time I went was a blast. The best fusion flavors in every dishes, carefully crafted, cooked on demand (which by the way allows you to customize salt, MSG and spices level). Food comes with rice. Much like in Asia, you'll put your food on top of your rice bowl and eat (some people complain there is no plate but then maybe go to an American restaurant or ask the cashier, they will help). I have tried quite a few items on the menu. Make sure you go for the full monty appetizer if you like cold snacks. Every one of them was on point. My favorite plate is the spicy lamb dumplings appetizer (even though every dish I tried was succulent). They do have quite some vegetarian options, a huge plus for the Chinese broccolis and the vegetarian stir fried noodles (it could be a bit less sweet though, 4 stars for that one). Highly recommended for a quick and tasty snack along HWY 101! read more

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Chiko stands for Chinese and Korean. All the dishes are fusion of the two. We came with a group of 6 adults and 5 kids between the ages of 3 to 8. We ordered family style to share and even had left overs to take home! Items that were listed under 'small plates' were actually decent serving size. They also offer gluten free and vegetarian versions. -Pork fried rice -Chinese broccoli -Korean fried wings (spicy soy glazed) -2 XO garlic shrimp stir fry which is a rice porridge. -Crispy Brussels sprouts -Spicy ribeye and rice cakes -Dak Jjim -2 kids chicken bowl Everyone's favorite were the shrimp porridge and dak jjim. I liked the vegetables dishes, broccoli and brussels sprouts. Also the spicy ribeye rice cake. Everything was packed with flavor. Too much flavor that it made me so thirsty from the sweet and spicy. The pork fried rice was super sweet with the house made hoisin sauce. Almost like honey or syrupy candy. Everyone has been here multiple times except for us so they knew what to order and said usually it's not this sweet. Food here is good but not enough for me to repeat. Especially the parking was terrible in a small gravel lot with no lines and 5 parallel spots on the curb on a busy intersection of highway 101. Also very limited indoor and outdoor seating. I was surprised we were able to snag a few tables for our large party. You seat yourself, order and pay through the app. read more

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Food was overall good. My friend and I came in a Sunday within the timeframe for the dim sum set. You can get 3 items for $20 from a selected menu. You basically get 3 pieces of each item. The portion was pretty good! I got the orange-ish chicken and the portion for this was a lot! Maybe it was the breading that made it look big too but I was surprised at how large it was. Overall it's a nice place to get some Asian fusion food. The ordering was also easy. You sit at the table and order form your phone! read more

CHIKO - Orange-ish Chicken - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

Overall a 3.5 star experience. With some adjustment, this can definitely be a 4 or 5 star experience. The restaurant is very casual right off of the main road. They have limited indoor seating and more outdoor seating. The menu offers a hybrid of Korean and Chinese items. The service is more casual. You can order at the register and they bring your food to the table. The entrees (around $15-20) and appetizers (around $8-14) are pricier than other Asian restaurants but their portions make up for it. I appreciated the food came right off of the stove to our table so the food was piping hot! The main issue is that the food is too sweet or too salty. The food was overdressed in sauce. I barely drink water and I was guzzling water all night and felt like there was salt and sugar coming out of my pores. If they can reduce the amount of sauce, the food would be perfect. One other issue was the flies in the restaurant. I understand they have an open floor ambiance especially with the hot stoves but it's unappealing trying to eat your food while swatting flies away. read more

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The Korean fried chicken was so crispy and the sauce paired with it is really unique. The spicy lamb noodles were also great, although I found the noodle portion to be way less than the vegetables portion, so towards the end it only felt like I was eating vegetables and meat. An appetizer and entree is enough for two people, saving space for some dessert on the side :) There was enough parking to the side of the restaurant as it is a bit isolated from the rest of downtown. It seemed like a lot of people stopped by on a Thursday night. This place is self serve for water, but they do have gratuity if you dine in. read more

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I'm usually pretty hesitant when it comes to fusion food, but since there are lots of similarities between Chinese and Korean food, I was very excited to explore the menu. We ordered a variety of small plates, big plate and banchan. If you go between 4-6 PM, a few of the small plates are 5 dollars which is such a great deal! Everything was super tasty, my only remark is that it was a little too salty all around. We really enjoyed the banchan especially the kimchi and the pickled daikon that we even took it home since they were very generous with the portions. The service fast and friendly, and definitely more of a casual vibe. They even gave us free an complimentary bowl of rice to go with all the entrees and sides. They were out of the lamb stir fry so we're excited to go back and try it! read more

CHIKO - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

First time but had been looking forward to trying it out. Small spot, bare bones ambiance, but gets the job done. Pros: - guy behind the counter was friendly -vegetarian options as well - good beer selection - food came out hot - tofu bao and chilled broccoli was highlight - small outside area to eat outside at Could be better: - QR code ordering so I wasn't sure what to get, didn't have questions answered - seems like everything is in one of two types of sauces or a combination of both. Wasn't a wide range of flavors on what I got ( shrimp and rice porridge, broccoli and mushrooms, tofu bao buns, both dumpling options, chilled broccoli) - dumplings wrap was rather thick - no hot sauce at tables Over all, I'd give it a 3/3.5 read more

Food was delicious! Ambiance was also nice! Service was different because it's a self-service ordering experience, however when Christopher brought out our food he was very thoughtful & comprehensive helping me order a to-go order for my husband that was customized to his liking! You can definitely tell that he not only prides himself in his service towards customers, but he also practices empathy to make sure you have the best experience possible, & have all your questions & needs answered & met! Would definitely return next time we're in town! read more

CHIKO - Smashed Salmon - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

This place is so amazing, it's got great outside seating and the food is to die for. My girlfriend and I happily drive all the way from Huntington Beach to treat ourselves with the Brussel sprouts and spicy ribeye with rice cakes. As soon as I leave I always look forward to coming back, I hope this place never goes anywhere! read more

CHIKO - Brussel sprouts - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Food was awesome! Flavors was on point. Also, really like the outside patio seating. Came here for lunch one afternoon, ordered at the counter and got a number. Sat down at a table outside, which is doggy friendly. Very nice and sunny warm day. Self-serve water dispenser. The food came out pretty fast, we ordered a couple of items to share. The three dim sum item for $20 was a pretty good deal. We loved everything we ordered. For entrée we ordered the orange-ish chicken, that was so unexpectedly. Surprisingly tasty. Definitely not your average orange chicken from panda express. I love the open kitchen where you get to see the chefs make the food. Very cool. Definitely coming back. read more

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Was in Encinitas to do the Alice in Wonderland Scavenger Hunt with my in-laws and stumbled upon this place when Yelping somewhere to eat. This place is a quick service restaurant, so you order via QR code and they bring your food out to your table. It's a small location with a few tables inside, but lots of outdoor seating. The decor is modern with urban influence and the cuisine is Chinese Korean fusion. The waitress was very friendly and helpful the entire time. We had a group of 7 and ordered the following: - pork belly bao - crispy Brussel sprouts - loaded bulgogi tots (1 w/mushrooms, 1 w/o mushrooms) - sausage & egg fried rice - soy glazed brisket - pork & kimchi potstickers - strawberries & cream custard The pork belly bao was nice and balanced; pork was sweet and cucumbers were crunchy. The Brussel sprouts were cooked well and the gochujang aioli enhanced the flavor. Both versions of the bulgogi tots were great; the bulgogi was just sweet enough and the tots were CRUNCHY. The fried rice was nice and flavorful; the sausage was pretty peppery. The brisket had way too much sauce, it was practically drowned in it! The potstickers fell flat; not enough umami flavor. The custard was nice and creamy, the strawberry compote added just enough sweetness, and the chia seeds had a nice pop to it; it was DELICIOUS. I'd say my favorite dish was the custard, hands down! This was a surprising (and extremely satisfying) find in Encinitas. Our entire party agreed that we'd definitely return sometime when exploring Encinitas again! read more

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Great food. Dog friendly outside. You order on a QR code and the food is brought to you read more

CHIKO - Orange-ish Chicken The Full Monty - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

The people working here were nice, but unfortunately the food here just didn't meet our expectations. We visited to get some quick takeout to enjoy for lunch, and ordered two things: the Loaded Bulgogi Tots ($14) and the Spicy Cumin Lamb Stir Fry ($19). The Loaded Bulgogi Tots were rather salty (especially the bulgogi) and our group ended up not finishing it as a result. I felt it was missing a sweetness that I typically taste in bulgogi - unfortunately the presentation wasn't so great either (it could've been because it was to-go though?) -- everything was just smushed and overfilled in a plastic container not suited for it's size. The Spicy Cumin Lamb Stir Fry wasn't as bad - it tasted good, but definitely could've used more spice to have that numbing flavor Cumin Lamb noodles typically have. In summary: decent service, very bad ventilation (expect a lot of smokiness lol), salty food - likely wouldn't come back :( read more

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Was so excited to find this place. Great gluten free menu. I had the shrimp juk and it was very rich and flavorful. We can't wait to return and try more items on the menu. read more

We've been here 3 times now and the food was absolutely delicious every time. The korean elotes were BOMB. Service was really great too read more

CHIKO - GF Mushroom Juk, Korean Fried Wings, Korean Elotes - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

Went here with my family today. It was pretty darn good. We got alot of different things. Everyone was happy. Lots of spice and flavor. I loved that it was pretty freshly made. Lots of veggies, lots of flavor. The guys were very nice. My daughter even got a free dessert because it was her bday! Highly recommend if you live in that area and like this kind of food read more

I found this restaurant on Yelp and was really looking forward to trying out the food. I checked in when I got to the front of the restaurant, walked in, and walked out to the outdoor patio. It was hot outside, but not as bad as it was inside. The restaurant was hot, and there was no AC. This is probably because it's so close to the beach and probably doesn't get too hot normally. Unfortunately, on the day of our visit, it was during the heat wave we had a few weeks ago, where it was crazy hot and humid! The staff was friendly and greeted us with big smiles. We proceeded to sit outside on the patio and were contemplating if we should eat there. The food looked good, but we were genuinely concerned about the many flies inside the restaurant. There were more flies than guests inside the restaurant. More concerning was the lack of preventative measures to keep flies away from the food ingredients to ensure a sanitary work space free of flies. Ultimately, we decided to leave, as we didn't want to risk getting sick from eating food that was prepared with flies swarming around the open kitchen. This review is not a reflection of the food or service, but more of a health concern regarding the restaurant's inability to control the amount of flies. It may be worth revisiting in the winter, when there are no flies. Or, if the restaurant can install fans to keep the pests out during the warmer months. I look forward to possibly re-visiting this restaurant under better conditions. read more

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My husband, son, puppy, and I went to Chiko yesterday for the very first time. From even before coming into the restaurant, I called to make sure we could bring our puppy. From even that phone call, I knew their service would be amazing. The person who answered the phone not only confirmed I could bring my puppy, but truly made me feel that they wanted our puppy there! The staff at Chiko was incredibly warm, attentive, and genuinely seemed to care. Our server was Hunter. Even though you order through a QR code, Hunter checked in just the right amount--not too much, not too little--and even offered great recommendations that turned out to be spot-on. They treated my puppy like their own puppy. Hunter talked to our puppy, checked in on our puppy a few times, and even gave her treats (after asking for our permission. We were so impressed with Hunter's service not only to us, but also to our puppy! Now, the food--DELICIOUS! We had their Korean fried wings, chicken fried rice, gyoza (so delicious we ordered a second order,) brussell sprouts, and fried chicken bowl. The chicken bowl was for my son who is a super picky eater and said it is his new favorite place to eat. We left full, happy, and already planning our next visit. If you're thinking about trying Chiko, just go--you won't regret it! Hopefully you'll be as lucky as us and get to meet Hunter. He's fantastic! read more

Orange-ish chicken was bussin. Service was nice and quick. Ambiance is not too loud and restaurant is nice and quaint. Would recommend to family, friends and co-workers read more

CHIKO - Orange-ish Chicken - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

Im posting this mid-meal! love it! I live in town and waited over 5 years to come - what an idiot I am! I ordered a wide array of menu items ; apps to entrees - amazing and blow away most of this towns cuisine - Will be back.... Haggo read more

Chinese Korean modern fusion kitchen with indoor and outdoor seating. Parking available on the side street and a little lot behind the restaurant. You seat and order for yourself through the Toast app. We tried the orange chicken, spicy beef rice cakes, and shrimp lo mein!!! Kind of a wait to get the food, but food came out hot, crispy and fresh. I like spicy food and I admit they were all on the spicier side. Had to frequently drink water and wipe my sniffly nose lol. The food was great, definitely worth a try, but on the pricier side ($17+ each). Definitely high quality, delicious food that you can share with your friends. One minus star because there's not really any service here, no one to help seat you or give you recommendations if you're new. read more

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This place is worth all the 5 stars reviews! The meals are delicious, healthy, flavorful and comes in great portions. We were super hungry and all the food came out looking so yummy that we didn't take time to take any photos and dove right in to eat. The only snap we got was of the avocado cucumbers salad. This dish was huge. We love the 3/$20 dim sum dishes. The lamb pot stickers, shrimp and chicken fried dumpling was yummy! Can't wait to come back and try others! It's close to moonlight beach so you can walk off everything you eat right after :) Recommend! read more

CHIKO - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

What an unexpected amazing find! We were hosted by Miller and Cambria and ate unique and delicious food. We will so be back! We ordered Pork Belly Bao, Half-A-Cade Salad, Chilled Peanut Noodle Salad, and couple beers from the local Carlsbad brewery. What a treat! All food was unexpected and fresh and delicious and the beers a yummy ice cold find that was more unique than anticipated. And everything was topped off with warm welcome and service by Miller and equally kind and gracious help from Cambria. We came at a wonky time in the middle of lunch and dinner which was perfect, as the food seems perfect for either or both. The atmosphere is casual and easygoing, and the patio open to pets and the parking spaces. I already cannot wait to return! read more

Really good flavor but priced high (especially for not being served on). My husband and I shared the: - Orangeish Chicken ($19) - Crispy Chicken Spring Rolls ($10) - Pork Fried Rice ($17) * our favorite Along with a glass of wine and a beer. After tip, our total was about $80 and we ordered from a QR code on our phone and never got water, etc. We enjoyed the food (our favorite was the fried rice) but we didn't feel the experience justified the pricing/value. I might go back for take out if I'm craving good fried rice but likely wouldn't dine here for a night out. read more

CHIKO - Pork Fried Rice, Orange-ish Chicken - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

My friend and I came for a late lunch. We were able to score a table inside and proceeded to order/pay on a tablet. If we had ordered in person, they might have told us that we'd over ordered. The crispy cauliflower was excellent! Not too bready, the sauce was multi-faceted and the fried shallots put it over the top. Next came the orange-ish chicken. It was not my favorite. Over breaded. The cuts were a bit too large. The sauce did not taste like orange and was pretty hot. I personally don't like thighs so that didn't help. The chicken skewers also disappointed me. The chicken meat wasn't flavorful and the sauce didn't accent the meat. The chilled noodle salad was excellent! The fresh veggies excellently cut along with just the right amount of noodles. The sauce was delicious and I wanted to lick the bowl. read more

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everything is amazing and the staff is so lovely! their soy glazed brisket is insane and so tender, we literally drove from LA to get it. The wings have a delicate yet robust fry read more

CHIKO - Soy Glazed Brisket - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

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I got the Korean Garden noodles with the beef and 2 of the grape soju, duh! Service: service was great, there's a bar code that you can scan on your table so no need to wait in a line or for a waitress. Super quick! Staff is super friendly. Food: Food was amazing. Big portions! The meal that I got was perfectly seasoned, as was all the entrees that we ordered. A perfect mixture of veggies, meat, and noodles. Would definitely come here again! Price: Reasonable for the portion that you get. One meal can definitely work for 2 separate meals. Ambiance: Vibes and atmosphere is great! Great place to spend a chill evening P.S. The seasonal custard is a MUST! Aiyu was an amazing waitress! read more

Spicy cumin lamb was really good. Has a smoky-ish flavor. Was definitely spicy. The white rice was astoundingly good. read more

We love this place so much! Fantastic staff and the food is always amazing and comes out piping hot and full of fresh ingredients! Our favorites are the pork fried rice and orangish chicken! 10/10 place!!! read more

This place. First of all, it's tiny. I think there are literally 6 or 7 indoor tables plus a few seats at the counter. They have a rocky dirt lot on the side for parking, which their patio overlooks. The floor is always strangely sticky. It's a little confusing if you've never been. You roll up to counter and order, which is a little annoying because that means cashing out 2 or 3 times if you want anything else or another round. That said, the food is solid. I used to come and get dim sum but they did away with their special. I love their crispy shrimp dim sum. It's perfection. Light and crispy with just the right spice and a tasty aioli. 9/10 We had three other dumplings - the pork and kimchi, beef and veggie. The veggie didn't taste like veggies - very substantial filling with a nice vinegary sauce and bits of sautéed squash. I think these were my favorite of the 3. 8/10 The beef ones had a creamy mayo sauce. They were my next favorite. The filling was flavorful, the skins a little thick. 7.5/10 The pork and kimchi were my least favorite but still delicious. Very fermented black bean flavor, so skip unless you enjoy that. 7/10. We shared the orange-ish chicken even though we almost full after the dumplings. Each order is 3 pcs, so that's 6 each which is a good amount of food. But the people at the next table had it and we had seen it and had to have it. I'll say this is probably the most popular thing there and my least favorite thing I've had. 6.5/10. The chicken was beautifully fried but cut oddly with chunks of gristly bits. The candied mandarins were actually the size of orange slices and didn't add anything to the dish, nor did the red peppers that looked spicy but weren't. Overall it wasn't very flavorful and looked better than it tasted. Should have gone with the lamb...or another dim sum. Anyway, you have to get your own water and utensils and they have stainless bowls instead of dishes, which make eating certain dishes kind of awkward. The overall service vibe is meh, but the food is tasty and imaginative. read more

CHIKO - Dim sum and brunch menu Jan 2022. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Was recommended to this restaurant a coworker of mine who raved about this restaurant, but we were not impressed. We came on a weekday arrived a little earlier before 4 pm (like 3:55) so we just waited outside until they said we came in. About 2 minutes before 4 an employee came to us and said that they can start us off with drinks and then after 4 we could order the food through their online ordering system. After ordering drinks, and it now being 4pm, we saw that there was happy hour for drinks. While it was only a couple dollars extra, it would have been nice to be informed that they have happy hour (4-6pm) and give us the to wait to order or ordering anyway. Additionally there was a small discrepancy on the drink menu and online drink menu. The cocktails come with sparkling wine (not shown on their paper menu, but they will probably update it soon). However, it is shown on their online menu. So if you're not a fan of sparkling wine, be sure to let them know before they make your drink. Orange-ish chicken: chicken was super crunchy and had good flavor. The sauce was more tangy instead of a balance of both tangy and sweet. Pork and kimchi potstickers: these were good, one of our recommended items. Crispy chicken spring rolls: crispy for sure and were decent. Wrapped in eggroll wrapping opposed to rice paper. Galbi skewers: good flavor, pricey for the portions. We knew it wouldn't be 'authentic' chinese/korean food, but if you are coming here hoping it will be... this isn't the place to try. read more

Pros: -outstanding Chinese/Korean food -cool takes on traditional dishes -fast and friendly -good portion sizes/prices Cons: -small dining area, can get little cramped -can get busy FYI dishes are to be shared and it's modern/fusion so set your expectations appropriately read more

CHIKO - Orange-ish Crispy Chicken Spring Rolls Galbi Beef Skewers - Asian Fusion Near Me - Encinitas, California

The food was excellent and the fusion of the food was very creative. Will definitely be going back ! Only issue is that the train goes right by read more

My boyfriend and I were introduced to CHIKO during a pop up they did at Wild Barrel Brewery last year and had been wanting to come out to the store front as we were impressed with the food they served previously. In the past when I've had pop up foods vs the restaurant front, I notice a slight decline from the pop up to the brick and mortar shop, bur CHIKO did not disappoint! Soju smash was refreshing and the first to arrive. Pork and kimchi potstickers were delicious and paired well with the apply kimchi which was new to me! If I could order that separately as a side I totally would, and the sauce the potstickers sat in was well balanced between tangy, spicy and sweetness from the apples was amazing. Pork bao buns - we got 2 orders of these; mine were fine, a little dry on the exterior, but delicious and balanced. My boyfriend said his was a bit dryer than mine but the 2nd bun was much better. We'll balance with the green onions and cucumbers to cut down the fat content. XO Shrimp Juk was delicious and spicy! Growing up Juk was one of those go to meals for me and I'm amazed how much flavor they brought out in this dish. I don't know what else they did but it was amazing. For me, it was a lot spicer than the other dishes, but would definitely get this again. Last dish ordered was the sausage & egg fried rice. Another great, classic dish I grew up eating. The gooey egg yolk added so much more than your typical cooked egg mixed in the rice with chunks of sausage. I misread and assumed they were the Chinese sausage, either way, this was bomb and probably the least spicy dish ordered today. read more

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