Disappointing! We loved the food here when we lived around DC 3 years ago. And we were looking forward to having it again on our visit back. But this time was truly disappointing. We ordered the Chicken and Egg Fried Rice and 2 orders of the Double Fried Wings, a Dry Spice and a Spicy Soy Glazed. The fried rice was very dry and just bland and wasn't tasty, even though there were a bunch of ingredients in it. The Dry Spice was also blend, like the dry spice was missing. And the Soy Glazed was ok, but wasn't spicy at all. Now we no longer crave Chiko's. read more

Ordered the bulgogi hoagie, shrimp dumplings, and kim chi. The kim chi was the best of the 3- flavorful and well-spiced. I enjoyed the hoagie, as well. The garlic shrimp dumplings were a little underwhelming; they lacked flavor and seemed to be under-filled. I would only go for their lunch combo or dim sum for pricing purposes. read more

Chiko - Bulgogi hoagie, kim chi, and garlic shrimp dumplings - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I love Chiko. Flat out. This place is like my favorite spot ever. Danny Lee killed it and I'm glad he did. If I'm within 10 miles of a Chiko, I'm in there shoving my face with the bulgogi tots which are the greatest thing since the Declaration of Independence. Since I live out in the ass end of Northern Virginia, I dont get to stumble across Chiko very often. The bulgogi tots are a no brainer and at least two orders happen every time we step through the door. Literally everything else is good. Dumpling happy hours is sick and the portions are huge for $5. They also serve booze and its always a good time to drink some soju. Bottom line, Chiko is the GOAT. read more

I got contactless takeout from Chiko due to COVID (they're doing takeout and delivery!) on a Friday evening. No issues with social distancing--they have it set up so that you just walk up to the door to tell staff your order number, then grab it from the table they have outside. Make sure you order online ahead of time so you don't have to stand and wait. I ordered the orange-ish chicken and chilled peanut noodles. The sauce for the chicken came separately, which I appreciated--the dishes came in cardboard containers so the sauce would've made it soggy if it wasn't in its own container. It also came with a small side of white rice, which was a nice surprise! And the portions were big enough for roughly 2.5 meals. It took me ~15 minutes to get home after I picked the food up and it was still warm when I got home. The chicken was crispy and the sauce tasted amazing! Somehow, it actually tasted better when I reheated the leftovers the next day. The noodles were good but not as nutty as I was expecting. Make sure you stir the noodles so the sauce doesn't collect at the bottom! All in all, a painless takeout process and yummy food. read more

Chiko - Chilled peanut noodles - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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BLUF: Small, delicious, filling, Asian fusion The place doesn't look like much but you'll have the option of sitting down at one of the 10 or so tables; it's a rather small place. I'd wait in line to try their food as they'll be quite yummy. This place is great for someone who wants to try something more than the Japanese, Chinese, Thai, or Indian cuisines since Chiko is more Korean cuisine inspired. The portions are large so go there when you have a big appetite! read more

I don't like to hype up places to myself too much in case I get disappointed. However, I had been looking forward to coming here for a while and finally did for lunch and was blown away. The location is a nice spot near Dupont Circle. At first I wanted to order the Cumin Lamb Noodle dish but they had ran out by 1pm already. So, I got the Crispy Chicken Rice Bowl which had pieces of chicken that were cut up into smaller bite sized pieces with a side of pickled vegetables. At first it didn't look like much food but once I dug in I realized it was actually a lot. Also I LOVED the seasoning on the chicken as it was spicy with a blend of spices that worked SOOO well together. My friend's shared the Spicy Sichuan Chicken Sandwich which comes with a side of tater tots that are seasoned with some spices and a sauce on top. I tried the bite of the sandwich a couple tater tots and it was super tasty. Good enough that I might get it again next time I come. In short, Chiko is a place that has shot up in my DC list as a place I'll come to frequently. For ratings in my book it'd be: Food: 5/5 Atmosphere: 4.5/5 Service: 4/5 Service was only marked down because the food took a longgg time to come out. Mostly because it was really packed and busy but also they probably could have been a bit more efficient overall. The waitress who took our order and helped us out though was 5/5 with her service and super sweet. read more

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Holy moly flavor explosion at every bite! Came here thanks to the raving Yelp review and I was not disappointed. Everyone's promising words truly came to life at Chiko. From the moment we stepped in until we say our goodbyes, Chiko left a lasting kick on my tongue that I continue to savor until days later. I'll save you the detailed review of each dish, because everything was soooo good. Every item. Usually you'll come to a place and there's always something that just misses the spot. Nope, every single item exceeded my expectation. Not gonna lie, I have to name a favorite, and that would be the double fried Korean fried chicken. Holy smokes so crispy, tender, and flavorful all the way through. Juicy, juicy, juicy! Another huge plus is how kid-friendly this place is. Despite its teeny space, they're able to accommodate our group. They offered the kids bowl, which includes rice and fried chicken and came with a side of blackberries sprinkled with basil seeds. We also added a side of tater tots for safe measure. My kid loooooved it here. Staff were so friendly and fun, and really knowledgeable about everything on the menu. This spot is not too miss if you're ever in the area. Better yet, make the trip! You won't regret it. read more

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Stumbled across this gem today after leaving the Dupont Circle farmer's market and I was so happy with my choice to stop by for a quick lunch! I appreciated how easy it is to order your food and pay for your tab all in one from the table. I was also elated to see a restaurant week lunch menu being offered because I thought that was over. I have been trying to expand my palette and decided to trust the reviews here on Yelp. I chose the Pork and Kimchi Potstickers and the Cumin Lamb Stir Fry. Now, I will admit that I'm not a fan of spicy food nor do I eat kimchi. I also do not eat lamb but I was feeling adventurous and I am so glad that I did! Both dishes had heat but it wasn't overbearing for me. The potstickers were meaty and the kimchi was tasty while the apple slices gave the appetizer a nice sweet crunch in between the spiciness. The cumin lamb stir fry was amazingly tasty! If I had of not known that it was lamb, I would have thought it to be pulled pork. One bite and I was completely sold! The portions were large and the ingredients were fresh. The staff was super friendly and willing to accommodate if my dish was too spicy for me but my momma didn't raise no wimp so I toughed it out and gave the cook kudos for my meal experience! I will definitely return and encourage others to give them a chance if in the area! read more

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Good happy hour / casual eats spot! We got 2 cocktails and a few dishes. I really liked the cumin lamb and spicy bulgogi. The cold noodle was a bit bland so I was slightly disappointed. The chicken dumplings were also just alright, thought they could be more flavorful too. Some of the green beans were a bit too saucy and salty but the rest was fine. Overall fun and chill atmosphere which I really liked, food was decent and I wouldn't be opposed to trying out some other dishes there! read more

Chiko - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Don't ask me why I waited so long to get here because I have no idea. I've heard amazing things about ChiKo for years now, and the food goes above and beyond the hype. Expect modern twists on traditional dishes that'll wow your tastebuds, and make sure to book seats for chef's counter (a cray course menu that's only $55pp). The vibe's hip so it's a cool place to hang out with frands or have a chill date. My personal favorite dishes from the experience were the littleneck clams, marinated cucumbers, spring rolls, lamb noodles, dumplings and orangeish chicken. ...I know that's a lot, but that should tell you something about their food. I'm super, SUPER picky when it comes to Asian (especially Korean) cuisine so trust me when I say you need to go and experience the magic that is ChiKo STAT! read more

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Bottom line: If you're in the mood for some Korean/Chinese food with a twist and a lot of spice in a casual environment, look no further. Cumin Lamb noodles: Rich, spicy, must-order if you like lamb. Reminds me of dishes I had in China. Chicken fried rice: a classic and not as spicy as other dishes if it's too much. Wok fried green beans: crunchy, spicy, good Korean hot sauces on sides of bowl. Vegetarian stir fried rice cakes: I love Asian style rice cakes - they are chewy and soft in a good way. We weren't sure what to expect with this dish but it was full of veggies and good helping of tasty pepper. And the chef gave us complementary dessert!!! So kind! read more

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Review for takeout. We were looking for something different and wanted to give it a try. Surprise surprise yelp reviews hit all the marks in terms of tastiness and dessert was off the chart deliciousness. The salmon mash up was our favorite. Coconut milk dessert! Love this one. read more

What!! Soooo good... and it took an out of town visitor to introduce me to Chiko (she knows about it from their restaurant in SoCal). Owner Danny and his MOM (love that) have put together a terrific, fun Chinese-Korean (Chi Ko, get it?) menu. EVERYTHING was flavorful and fun. Service by Ashley was friendly and helpful... so enjoyed this place. Haven't been to their other locations but this DuPont Circle spot was hole-in-the-wall delicious. Go! read more

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Stopped by here for brunch/early lunch on Sunday and were seated right away because they had just opened. The service was pretty hands off--everything from ordering to paying is handled through a QR code on your table, so the only interaction you have with the staff is when they bring you your food. I would've liked to get some suggestions about what to get, but my friends and I ultimately decided on doing a family style meal. We got the set of 3 dim sum dishes (only available during brunch!) with cumin lamb dumplings, dan dan noodles, and veggie dumplings, as well as the orange-ish chicken and wok charred wheat flour noodles. The food was brought out pretty quickly, and the portions were really generous. Of the five dishes we got, the standouts were the lamb dumplings, orange-ish chicken, and wheat flour noodles. The lamb dumplings had a nice flavor and were doused in a not-too-spicy chili oil that added some heat, and these were probably my favorite dish of the meal. I also really enjoyed the chicken, which had a super crispy exterior, and I appreciated that they served it with the orange glaze on the side, as to not make the chicken too soggy before we ate it. I wasn't expecting much from the wheat flour noodles, but they were also seasoned well and had lots of veggies in them, which added a variety of textures and flavors. On the other hand, I was not a huge fan of the dan dan noodles, which were pretty one note flavor-wise and had a bad ratio of noodles to meat and sauce, and the veggie dumplings, which had Beyond Meat in them, also didn't have a great flavor and could've had a better balance of vegetables and Beyond Meat. Overall though, I really enjoyed my meal at Chiko and the twist that they put on traditional Asian flavors. I would come back to try their other dishes or see what they have to offer at dinner! read more

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I am so mad at myself for not eating here WAY sooner. This is my new favorite spot. Every dish is delicious, comforting, and filling. Everything is super affordable and an amazing bang for your buck. Anyone in your group will find something delicious here. I came here for a Tasting Collective dinner and every bite was better than the last. The Half-a-Cabo salad is fresh, crunchy, and marinated in a dressing with an umami punch. Truly craveable. We also had the Orange-ish chicken, wheat noodles, mushroom dumplings, shrimp and "grits" (it's actually juuk, a Korean rice porridge), the Wagshal's chopped brisket bibimbap, and coconut custard. I could eat the shrimp and "grits" every day - the flavors and the textures are so perfectly filling and comforting (while still being elevated) that I can't wait to have it again. The dumplings were very good, and you can tell the dough is handmade and the dumplings are hand formed; I really want to try some of the other fillings. The coconut custard, though, was a surprise standout. It's like a panna cotta and a chia pudding had a beautiful and delicious baby. The custard flavor is so exceptional that even the non-dessert folks with us were blown away. If you like coconut, you will be obsessed with this dish. I am so so so excited to go back to CHIKO. This is a must visit spot. Whatever you order, I doubt you will go wrong! read more

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Great food, and service! I had the Brussels sprouts (super crispy and flavor was on point), sea bass (with perfect sweet soy sauce seasoning) entree and lobster noodles (creamy seafood coconut base) . The food was fit for a high end restaurant without the price tag. read more

Best takeout in DC - hands down. Aside from the food, which is incredible, I want to commend whoever thoughtfully designed the way in which food is packaged for takeout. Have the orange-ish chicken sauce on the side is GENIUS! The chicken always arrives crispy, and being able to measure how much sauce you want makes the experience great. The fried rice, rice cake and green beans are some of our favorites. Their desserts are also bomb. read more

I came here during restaurant week and it was the highlight of my week. The sandwich was great, with just the right amount of spiciness and crunch. The potstickers were great and so were the veggies. I can't wait to go back and do the kitchen counter read more

Chiko - Spicy Chicken Sandwich & Potstickers - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I came here for lunch yesterday to get some comfort food, and I must say that this restaurant knows everything to stay relevant in the DC Restaurant World aka friendly service and good food. The hostess greeted me with enthusiasm, answered all my questions which was mainly what do you recommend here, and I can honestly say she could tell what I wanted- more like needed. I recommend the fried chicken bowl here- lots of rice (good texture), lots of fried chicken and some slaw. She even gave me extra peanut sauce. A must try for those who are trying to get over a stressful day- so good! I highly recommend Chiko. read more

Chiko - Fried chicken bowl - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Chiko was a great Korean/ Chinese fusion experience, possibly the best in D.C. Its fast-casual style did not hinder its quality and the flavors are outstanding and mouthwatering. The space is small and slightly chaotic, but for me, that only added to the experience. Service was friendly, but my food came out in an awkward sequencing and the chicken wings could use some improving. Besides that, the experience was almost flawless. I will surely be back for what I believe is the best fast-casual Asian food in D.C. Double Fried Chicken Wings (Spicy Soy Glazed): I have tried practically every Korean Fried Chicken the D.C. area has to offer. Chiko's wings rank towards the middle of the pack. They were too heavy on the sauce and this had several adverse effects. Firstly, it made eating them even messier than usual. Secondly, the sauce overload diminished from the crispiness of the chicken, making the crust slightly soggy. This should never happen with Korean Fried Chicken because a sharp crunch is its defining characteristic. Finally, the sauce was slightly too spicy. It is labeled as a "spicy soy glaze" but the spice was so strong that I could not taste the salty, savory, soy. Slightly less spice and a smaller portion of glaze would have made these wings perfect. Cumin Lamb Stir Fry: The best item on the menu. These mouthwatering noodles had a perfect chewiness and were not too oily, a common mistake of stir-fried noodles. I am not usually a fan of lamb but this lamb was tender and moist. It melted in your mouth along with the noodles. The shallots were a nice addition to the dish as well. This dish is spicy, but not so spicy that you begin to lose the flavors. Every flavor in the bowl hits your tongue with each bite. I would absolutely recommend this dish to any first-timer. Wagshal's Chopped Brisket: This rice bowl was also nearly perfect. For those who might not like the spiciness that comes with the Cumin Lamb Stir Fry, I would recommend the brisket. The brisket comes finely chopped atop a bowl of moist, sticky, Korean rice. The dish comes with a soy brined soft egg that gives the bowl a wonderful sweetness and savory flavor. The brisket is salty and slightly sweet, but thankfully wasn't tough or difficult to chew. I felt they used too much Furikake butter, but that was a very minor issue. In a city that seemingly has an Asian rice bowl on every corner, this one manages to stand out. All dishes were reasonably priced considering how large the portions are. Anyone can find a hearty, fast, and delicious meal here. Chiko is way above its competitors in the fast-casual space. It is truly in a league of its own. read more

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Very good Asian food with a unique twist on it. I have not been disappointed with this creative approach to cooking Asian cuisine.

I went here for their dim sum brunch and it was really great! We were seated pretty quickly and ordered through a QR code on the table. I got the wok charred wheat flour noodles and the veggie dumplings. The noodles were really flavorful and spicy and the vegetables were really nicely cooked. There was a good portion of veggies and it was seasoned well. I thought this was a really great vegetarian option! The veggie dumplings were okay, but I would have preferred if there were some vegetables instead of just Beyond Meat, since the flavor was lacking. Overall, I really enjoyed the experience and would love to come back to try more dishes on their dinner menu! read more

Chiko - veggie dumplings - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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A very chill and laidback spot. Love how the utensils and serveware give a vibe of Korean school cafeteria. We ordered the fried chicken with dry rub and cold noodles in peanut sauce. The chicken was very good - double fried crispy, juicy, and with the right amount of saltiness. Would be even better if there was more of a kick. The noodles were good but not outstanding. I loved the shredded cucumbers and pear that came with it but the sauce was a bit too sweet to my taste. The flavor profile was one-dimensional and did not showcase the fragrance of the peanut. I also got a mango cocktail, which was good but not very memorable. read more

Chiko - Cold noodles in peanut sauce - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This is my favorite place in DuPont. I work across the street and find myself ordering from here at least 3 times a week. I love the xo shrimp stir fry. I ask for it non spicy because my stomach can't take spice anymore but I got it the first time regular and it was just the right amount of spice and the flavor was on point. I love love love the Brussels spouts, I could eat these everyday. I've tried just about everything on the menu here and can say that there has been nothing that I wouldn't recommend. The service is fast and super friendly, Dylon the evening manager is very attentive and makes sure everything is running smooth. Because it's a little small and the good is so good it's a very popular spot, so you May have to wait a little bit, but it's definitely worth it. Give them a try you will not be disappointed read more

Chiko - Delicious - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Just ordered lunch - delivered via Caviar. I'm speechless. Wok blistered green beans have slivers of mushroom, just the amount of spice - with a slight soy sweetness. I mean, they're just delightful. And the halfacado salad is divine - a citrusy, crunchy, fresh salad - w/ a beautiful presentation - even poured out of the recyclable container! And the fried chicken wings are some of the best I've ever eaten - I got the spicy soy glaze. Not too spicy. Exploding with flavor. Wow --- what a total surprise. Easily one of the best lunches I've had in DC in years. Already can't wait to reorder what I had today - and try other stuff! read more

Chiko - Wok blistered green beans - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Chiko had really great vegetarian appetizers. Those were my favorite part of my experience at Chiko and I definitely would come back for them. I did not enjoy the entrees as much, maybe because the appetizers really raised my expectations read more

Great little spot by Dupont circle with a blend of asian fusion on the menu. We shared two plates, an appetizer and ordered drinks the alcohol comes in mini 50ml bottles with a mixer in a can, nice concept a bit different but you know your getting a full shot plus. Start off with an appetizer the dumplings were moist and steamed it came with four. For entrees we tried the orange ish chicken and lamb confit, the chicken was cooked to perfection with a light crispy breading and peppers giving it a kick. The noodles had flavor and good portion size with alot of lamb we ending up taking to-go boxes. Great value and service it was busy around the evening with limited seating so there may be a wait. read more

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I stopped by Chiko to try the Dim Sum brunch menu and I'm not exaggerating when I say this is probably one of my favorite places I have eaten while living in DC. The restaurant itself looks pretty casual and has a pretty small dining space, but the service was very fast and the food was AMAZING. My group's original plan was to do the 3 for $22 on the brunch menu, but we couldn't decide what to get and ended up ordering 6 items plus one of the Chiko Classics. We tried the potstickers, egg rolls, crispy shrimp, Dan Dan noodles, lamb dumplings, and the kimchi pancake. All of them were delicious but when I visit again, I'll definitely be reordering the pork and kimchi potstickers, crispy shrimp, and the kimchi pancake. The star of the meal though was definitely the house fried rice. I could definitely visit the restaurant again and only order the fried rice. I would definitely recommend stopping into Chiko for a bite! read more

Chiko - Crispy Shrimp, Pork & Kimchi Potstickers, Dan Dan Noodles, Kimchi Pancake, Cumin Lamb Dumplings, Crispy Chicken Spring Rolls - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

What a great surprise with delicious Asian fusion food options. Very comforting and tasty. You should definitely try cumin lamb stir fry noodles and wok blistered green beans. Will stop by again to try other dishes. read more

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Oh, Chiko. I've been an avid Yelp lurker for as long as I can remember and loved this place so much that I finally decided to venture out of the weeds to give them my very first food review. For fast casual Asian food in D.C., this is as good as it gets. After hearing multiple positive reviews about Chiko, we arrived for a late weeknight dinner around 8:30 PM and were seated immediately. You order at the front counter, grab a table number and water from a self-service fountain, and get seated at the industrial-style tables. The atmosphere of the restaurant isn't particularly cozy or inviting, but it works. Our first dish came out within 10 minutes: ORANGE-ISH CHICKEN. It's their most popular dish, so I'd imagine the woks are always filled with orange-ish chicken at varying stages of finish. The dish had a great proportion of large meaty pieces combined with small crunchy bits of fried goodness. Instead of a traditional sauce-heavy dish, the chicken pieces were served dry, so we opted to individually dip each piece in the accompanying sauce to our own liking. The candied orange slices were what made this unique from other orange chicken dishes. The second dish that came out was WAGSHAL'S CHOPPED BRISKET. I was originally a bit more wary about this dish as I've never had Asian-style brisket (my loss apparently, as this became our favorite dish of the night). There's something about the furikake butter (I think house-made?) that made my taste buds dance. Plenty of "mmm's" to go around. Let the butter melt and spread over the generous heaping of rice in the bowl - take a rich spoonful of the buttery rice and warm tender brisket, and welcome to heaven. The third dish came about halfway into our meal - CUMIN LAMB STIR FRY. Let me preface this by saying I really dislike lamb and the gamey aftertaste that comes along with it, but my love of noodles surpasses all. I tried a few big chunks of the lamb and they were cooked beautifully, but I just couldn't stomach the lamb taste - an unfortunate personal preference. The noodles were only decent, because I've been spoiled by Rockville noodle dishes my whole life. My least favorite of the three dishes, but still a great dish. The final key to winning my heart was the end-of-meal service. We only finished half of our three dishes and asked for to-go boxes. Seeing as we had half of our orange-ish chicken left, they came back with to-go boxes and even packaged us separate to-go containers of rice and sauce on the side. Was it expected? No. Was it necessary? Not at all. But it's the little things - and Chiko delivered. As I was walking out, the brunch menu items caught my eye: Spam breakfast sandwich? Orange-ish chicken and waffles? Shrimp and porridge grits? I'm sold. I only wish they took reservations for big families like mine. I'll be back with my parents to show them this D.C. gem. read more

Chiko - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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A dynamite spot for tasty takeout. It is not cheap and the food is wonderful. I ordered salmon smash an impressive savory combination of stir fry veggies and salmon. The garlic shrimp dumplings were spicy and delicious and the avocado salad was also quite good. read more

I missed the original Chiko train because ... #momlife but no more! Once I found out the new Dupont Circle location was serving lunch, I knew my time had finally come. I was a little bit confused on what to do when I walked in but I was set straight shortly. A friendly hostess greeted us with some menus and then we were instructed to order at a counter. Since we didn't have much time to look over the menu, I ended up panic ordering a basil gin and tonic, the orangeish chicken, wok seared chili green beans, and the chopped brisket. After we ordered we were shown to our seats. Food started coming out one after another and even though I literally had no time to process what I was ordering, I can safely say we made excellent choices! The brisket rice bowl was the perfect blend of creamy egg, rice, and the most tender brisket chunks in the world. It was very full flavored and my husband devoured the entire thing. I didn't know what to expect with my orangeish chicken but I was a fan! It's basically chopped up fried chicken in a pile with candied oranges and chili on top but DANG, whatever cloud like flour they are frying these babies in make every bite melt in your mouth. The orange sauce is served in the sauce for dipping. My daughter and I shared this dish and we loved it very much. The basil gin and tonic came with a scoop of basil seedsl aka: fish eyes, an airplane bottle of tanqueray and tonic water. It was cool to be able to adjust the drink to my preference and honestly made two healthy servings. I was very impressed how family friendly the restaurant is. They have a stack of high chairs, all of the staff stopped by to say hello and play with my daughter and the chef even dropped with a plate of blackberries and gelled basil seeds for her which she loved. Thanks Chiko for a great experience! I'll be back to try those rice bowls and shrimp toast. read more

From looking at the reviews I was looking for a good meal. I had my meal delivered. I ordered two apps and two entrees to give their DuPont location a good try. I ordered the lamb dish and a shrimp dish. The lamb was the best reviewed item on the menu. It was just ordinary or worse. I can't believe all the five star reviews were wrong so perhaps it was just a bad night. Maybe I will try their Bethesda location to check again. But maybe not. read more

I had lunch here with a friend yesterday. We both enjoyed the food - cumin lamb noodles, served not too spicy at my friend's request (I would have ramped that up, but can't blame the place for honoring her request), orange-ish chicken, and a side of string beans. Even though it is a tad expensive for a fairly fast lunch, there was a good deal more on the menu that I should like to have tried, and for which I am tempted to come back. But the problem is that I cannot imagine actually eating there, because it is so noisy. It is a small space, and not only have they done nothing to tamp down the noise, such as by using baffles or soft things on the walls, but they make things worse by using metal tables. Talk with raised voice-- no, talk by shouting across a small table. Yuck. For me, I come to restaurants not only for the food but to TALK with a friend. So I can't rate this place higher than a three. Fine in good weather when you can take your food to the nearby Heurich House garden. read more

If you like Asian, Chiko is required eating. Finally, Chiko is in my neck of the woods. I first ate at their chefs counter at the Capitol Hill location. If you are looking for a stunning multi-course meal, you absolutely have to try the chefs counter. To this day, it's probably the best and MOST food I've ever eaten, but the dishes are delicious. Even the pickle tower appetizer is incredible. If you're celebrating a special occasion and love to eat (and aren't going for ambiance), try the chefs counter and watch them prepare your food right in front of you. Plus, they have high quality take out containers (underrated feature) when you can't eat it all. Here is what you get with Chiko. You walk up and order from the cashier. The cashier gives you a table number and estimate of how long until a table gets up. There are no reservations (besides chefs counter), so it's first come first serve. However, since the food comes out fairly quick, and since there's not really a waiter, tables turn over pretty quickly. One tiny qualm is that it was very loud since it's a small room. I've tried the wagyu chopped brisket, orange-ish chicken, lamb cumin noodles, half-o-cado salad, and kimchi stew. I'd say that I LOVED the chopped brisket and salad. I liked the cumin lamb noodles, but it all had a singular flavor. Chiko is awesome at mixing in bright/diverse flavors across their menu, so maybe I was looking for more depth in that dish. Some pickled peppers? Who knows. Kimchi stew is also incredible with juicy chunks of tofu and pork belly. I will say, you would expect prices to be lower at a place that looks like this. But the food is outstanding and worth every penny. And it's DC. Lord knows it costs a fortune to run a restaurant here. I respect that they don't give into fancy plating or presentation here. Food is served in metal bowls with chopsticks. But portions are very generous, so you won't leave hungry. Can't wait to try everything else on the menu. read more

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C'mon, Yelp. If there's a reason to let me award a place an extra quarter or half star, it's this great little casual Chinese-Korean joint in DuPont Circle. Me and the ladyfriend stopped there after a couple hours at the Phillips Collection, a gnawing "I can't look at art anymore, I'm so hungreee" in our guts. The upstairs space is deliberately no-frills industrial looking - gray bare floors, gray walls, gray tables shoulder to shoulder with each other, open kitchen. You order via QR code on your table. The food's good. Our orange-ish chicken was big hunks of fried battered chicken with a mandarin-y sauce on the side. Not knowing what the sides and appetizers might be like size-wise, we ordered three. And we were stuffed. We both really dig the wok-blistered green beans. The pork and kimchi potstickers were a little greasy, but satisfying. A nice garnish. The shrimp juk was a simple rice porridge but the place didn't skimp on shrimp. Total bill was $42. We waddled out. Mask-wearing staff was ridiculously friendly and attentive. Our water glasses were never empty. When we got there, it was fairly crowded but we decided to dine in. Glad we did. Quintessential 4.25- or 4.5-star place. read more

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Stopped in here to give it a try and was blown away by the food. Inside is laid back and casual but wow the food is amazing. They have so many great options on the menu as well. It was so great that I actually had to go back the next day and try it again. I ordered different menu items and they were all incredible. I'll definitely be going back. My favorites were the shrimp toast and orangish chicken. read more

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Loved it. Walking around DuPont Circle, looking for a new place to dine. Consulted Yelp, of course, and found this newish place. 4.5 stars and $$ was what we were looking for. Love Korean, not hot on Chinese. So we decided to give it a shot ... and how happy we were. You chose your dinner first, then they seat you. We ordered the Kim Chi bowl with pork belly and the Lamb Stir Fry. Both were delish, a bit on the spicy side as we like it. A couple of Modelos and we were good to go! We will come back. read more

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(4.5 stars) Chiko is the real deal. It's not cheap but it's a must-try. The menu is extensive and honestly hard to choose from, with lunch and dinner listing different offerings. Lunch was so impressive the first time that we ended up returning the next day to try other dishes. The dishes aren't just tasty but also elegantly plated, definitely food for the camera. The orange-ish chicken is a complete twist on the traditional dish, replacing the heavy orange sauce with thin orange peels while also only lightly breading the chicken. Add the accompanying (fsauce, a thin layer of rice, some homemade hot sauce (which has killer flavor and a little bit of heat) and it's a treat. The cumin lamb noodles are practically irresistible. The lamb is off-the-bone and as far from chewy as meat gets. The noodles are a tad oily but filling and just as good the last bite as the first. Again, adding some hot sauce is the way to go. read more

Chiko - Orang-ish Chicken - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This is a prime example of not judging a book by its cover -- or a restaurant's food by its ambiance. On the surface, Chiko is a fast casual restaurant that merges Korean and Chinese food. I was imagining a sort of Millennial-friendly Chinese takeaway. Nope. The interior is certainly fast casual with benches and the need to order and pay before you sit (seat yourself in a very small space), but the food is...elevated. I can't speak to it being the MOST authentic of either cuisine (but also, how can it be? it's meant to be a fusion!), every single item felt fresh, spicy (if you want it to be) and carefully and thoughtfully prepared. We ended up coming back for their $50 per person "taste the menu" experience -- one of four coveted seats right at the kitchen. I did not regret it. The service was wonderful, we had food for days (literally, we had to take a few boxes home), and everything was delicious! Particular standouts were the cumin lamb noodles, Wagshal chopped brisket, and orange-ish chicken, and literally every sauce they offered us (made on premises). Hearing their servers describe exactly what was in each dish -- and watching them cook it fresh right in front of us -- had me asking my fiancee multiple times, "so, when are we coming back?" read more

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