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Food: 10/10 Service: 10/10 Ambiance: 8/10 Chico is a must visit for flavor! Each time, I get the green beans and the cumin lamb stir fry, and they are bursting with flavor. Seriously. The dishes have complex flavor profiles, and the dishes come out steaming hot and fresh within 10-15 mins. The price is super reasonable, especially for Capitol Hill area. Though not the nicest/cutest ambiance, I've always found a seat inside Chiko. It's a great place to go that doesn't require reservations. Definitely check it out!
It was pretty good. I got the Crispy Chicken Spring Rolls and Veggie Dumplings. I wasn't a fan of the dumplings but my boyfriend enjoyed them. We got the Korean chicken sandwich that was on the brunch menu as well. Nothing to write home about but it was still nice to try.
Came here for a girl's dinner and had a wonderful time! We did the tasting menu, where we were served multiple different things to try. The pacing of each dish was phenomenal, where I felt like my friend and I were able to try and savor each meal. It's elevated Asian food, so it's delicious while also getting to enjoy the cultural experience of it all. It's a casual dining place, so it has a nice relaxed feel. Located in a pretty active location so parking can be a bit tricky. Give them a try! I had ordered from CHIKO through uber eats before, but this was my first time dining in and I had a great time.
This place is DEFINITELY worth the hype. Yes, it's a little pricey for the vibe inside. However, the food is more than worth the price tag. Each and every dish had me saying "WOW!"after tasting it. The wings were crissssspy! The noodles were spicy and filled with very healthy portions of meat. The dumplings were bursting with savory and fresh flavor. The green beans were potentially the best vegetable dish I've ever had. I could eat 12 orders of the green beans alone. I will absolutely re-order those upon every visit. The staff was very kind and knowledgeable. They gave solid recommendations and made us feel comfortable about one of the diner's food allergies.
My husband booked their tasting menu with wine pairing which is why I was surprised when I walked in and saw what looks to be a fast casual spot. Uniquely, they have a bar next to their kitchen where we got to sit and watch, as our waiter said, a "dinner and a show". Our waiter was fantastic - attentive and explained every dish and wine pairing. He clearly has a passion for their food. We got to try most of their most popular dishes, starting with some "snacks" like their kimchi, sichuan cucumbers and daikon. We got a sampling of their best appetizers and entrees, ending with a great coconut custard. The standouts for my husband and I was the avocado salad, crispy chicken spring roll, garlic shrimp dumpling and double fried chicken. They do an amazing job with textures and seasoning. As our waiter explained, their tasting menu is a marathon not a sprint so to let him know if we wanted anything to go. We left with a good amount of food.
Really great food and a great overall experience at Chiko. I definitely recommend checking out the kitchen counter experience - it's well worth it! Chiko is a cozy space with a few tables up front and a counter that gives you a great view of the kitchen. We stopped by for dinner and did the kitchen counter experience, which is a muli-course tasting menu. It's a great way to sample a variety of dishes while watching the chefs work just a few feet away in the open kitchen. We were lucky this evening - it was just me and my friend at the countertop, so we basically had a private experience to ourselves with all the attention and great service! The stand out item for me were the pork & kimchi potstickers. I absolutely loved them and will definitely be coming back for more. I also loved the confit duck fried rice, orange-ish chicken and garlic shrimp dumplings. All were tasty and the overall meal was super filling - we ended up taking some food home because we were so full. Also kudos to the chef, who was amazing and provided impeccable service. He personally introduce each dish with great detail and made sure we had a great overall experience. Overall Chiko provided great food and a great kitchen counter experience. I will definitely be returning - especially for those tasty pork & kimchi potstickers.
4.5 Great spot! Ordered the orange-ish chicken, smashed salmon, and potstickers. All were delish! Smashed salmon was different than I expected, but super good. Portions were pretty big! Service was quick and servers were very nice and attentive! Good chill vibes, great music!!
I stopped by because I was getting hangry, and wanted to split a meal with my boyfriend. I am so glad that I stopped by on a whim because I am dreaming about the day that I get to go back. I ordered the soy glazed brisket, and it was the perfect balance of salty and savory. The service was quick given. I literally only had 15 minutes to order and eat. There isn't much seating in the store, just a warning! I can't wait to come back!
Chiko hosted a pop up event for the Lunar New Year and it was absolutely incredible. Every bite was delectable and ambiance was 10/10. Waiter was super friendly and explained every bite and tea we had. Owner came over and said hello. Would absolutely come back. 10
Came in to grab a quick bite to eat in the afternoon. We ordered a dish, we're seated, served, and out the door within 15 minutes. We ordered a soy glazed brisket (over rice). The egg was delicious and the sauce was amazing. I will definitely be back for a more formal meal.
While strolling through Eastern Market, we stumbled upon CHIKO by chance. A quick check of their reviews solidified this as our pick for dinner based on all the praise they've received. On a Sunday at 4:00P, the restaurant was empty when we arrived, but more customers arrived closer to 5:00P. The host immediately handed us a menu which consists of small plates, large plates and sides (like Korean banchan). We placed our order at the counter and then selected a table. I noticed that many customers opt for takeout, so even if you dine in during peak dinner time, you may have a good chance of grabbing one of their few tables. An employee brought over some bowls for us to share the entrées, but they were basically the size of rice bowls, so you could really only put one food item in them at a time. I would have much preferred actual plates. + CUMIN LAMB STIR FRY ($19): So good! Tender shredded lamb, mushrooms and caramelized shallots were mixed with the noodles that had a savory, slightly peppery flavor. There was also a vegetable reminiscent of bok choy, which added nice crunch. While ordering, an employee warned us about the heat, saying it's a 7/10 on the spice scale, so we asked for mild and it turned out barely spicy. If you can tolerate heat, I'd recommend leaving it as is. + ROSE DDUKBOKGI ($17): Now, this was spicy (in the most pleasant way)! Chewy rice cakes were fully covered in a rich Gochujang cream sauce and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. It had a surprising hint of sweetness to it and a generous serving of mushrooms brought some earthy notes. + BLISTERED GREEN BEANS ($10): I love green beans and these had so much flavor from the toasted sesame oil, crispy garlic and smear of ssamjang on the side of the bowl. The beans were salty, crunchy and addicting. + NAPA CABBAGE KIMCHI ($4): I'm picky about kimchi, but this was great. It had an ideal spice level and wasn't too tart. The napa still had a perfect crunch, and I alternated bites of it with the lamb stir fry. + SPIKED PINEAPPLE LIME COOLER ($11): This drink was okay, but I wish the pineapple was more prominent... it was subtle compared to the lime. The drizzle of coconut cream on top gave it a light piña colada flavor. This amount of food was the right amount for three of us, and we enjoyed everything we ordered. I wish we could have tried more off their menu!
This is a longtime standard that I finally made it to. Their online menu shows vegetarian options that weren't clear in-person, which was a bit odd because the two menus actually offered a lot of things that looked different. Eventually, I ended up with a wok-charred green bean dish that I take to be one of their signatures, as well as some cold noodles and a mushroom salad. Everything was covered in chili oil, not the worst thing from my perspective. The noodles had some included vegetables that packed a nice punch. The freshly cooked green beans with just a hint of numbing spices were indeed the highlight. I could have done with a clearer menu and maybe something that wasn't quite so oily for contrast, but this place arose in an era where DC didn't have much in the way of fresh or original Asian cuisine, and it still stands out as having something to offer.
I brought my out-of-town friend here who was craving Asian food on a Saturday night. Since it is mostly a takeout place, we were able to secure seats for 2 people without difficulty. Orders are placed directly at the cashier before seating. We ordered and shared the brussels sprouts and Lamb cumin stir fry. The brussels sprouts were unexpectedly delicious 5/5! I highly recommend this dish if you want a veggie dish. I expected the lamb cumin stir fry to be succulent based on a rec from an acquaintance and I was not disappointed! Don't be fooled by the white color of the noodles. It just was not mixed properly. So, all the noodles were on top while the lamb was at the bottom. The lamb was so tasty and tender that we almost ordered another plate! By the time we got to the lamb, we wanted more noodles but they were sadly all gone. Definitely order the lamb cumin stir fry!
7 years ago
So Chinese-Korean fusion is what I've been missing my whole life! Dined at the Capitol Hill location on a Thursday and was pleasantly surprised to find it was a fast-casual set up. A friend and I ordered a few things and were not disappointed. In order of favorite to least favorite: 1) marinated chilled clams-- to die for. In one small bite, you had ginger, garlic, nori, gochujang, soy. Just divine. 2) smoked catfish fried rice-- never would've thought to add CATFISH to fried rice, but this was genius. The smokiness is the catfish really popped without being overwhelming. 3) glazed sticky wings-- I'm a sucker for sticky wings glazed with an asian sauce. So needless to say these were bomb. 4) chicken spring rolls-- hard to go wrong here. These are served with a Chinese mustard sauce which had a honey taste to it. Would've like a sweet chili sauce or fish sauce option. 5) orange-ish chicken-- this was my least fave. It wasn't bad, but Ieft thinking I should've opted for something else. I did appreciate the candied/dried orange slices Definitely going back... and taking friends read more
5 years ago
Asian fusion (Korean and Chinese) food with excellent service and a trendy vibe. I appreciated how the staff member handed over the menu and went over the specials with us. They have vegetarian and gluten-free options. I really enjoyed the broccolini, the lamb stir-fried noodles, and the Korean rice wine. The kimchi rice stew was comforting and the Szechuan cucumber salad had a interesting addition to it (is that curry powder, I taste?) that I thought was bold. As other Yelpers have mentioned, the price point is a bit on the higher end, but I honestly wasn't disappointed in any of the dishes we had ordered. I would be happy to come back next time I'm in town. read more
3 years ago
Came by for lunch. Fairly new restaurant around me (Shirlington). We heard good reviews and decided to give them a try. A smaller place to eat inside. There is some outdoor seating. We ordered the lunch combinations. Half-a-cado salad (amazing), smashed salmon (delicious). Also had the pork and kimchi pot stickers, orange-ish chi ken, and double-fried chicken wings (probably my favorite). We also had an order of crispy chicken spring rolls. They are huge but I did not think they had much flavor. The sauce that comes with spring rolls is delicious. Worked well with the rolls. Overall delicious food. Great service with friendly staff. The restaurant is a little on the smaller side but comfortable. Outside dining is available for people-watching. Solid food and service. We did pRk in a parking garage and walked to the restaurant. I will say it is kind of pricy. read more
2 years ago
I went on a random foodie quest with a friend and we landed here not knowing what to expect. We were blown AWAY by the food at this place. We tried a lot of things on the menu so we could get a feel for the fare. There were two clear standouts. First, the catfish fried rice. Being a southern boy, I never once thought I would see these two foods together. Boy was I pleasantly surprised! It had an amazing lever if char in it's flavor profile that made it deliciously complex! Second, the littleneck clams. These were the stars if the night! They were so flavorful. Literally a contender for the best bite of DC. My friend and I literally had 3 orders of the clams each!!! read more
2 years ago
CHIKO dumpling brunch might be DCs best kept secret. To my knowledge it is only served at the Capitol Hill location on the weekends, and it is absolutely to die for. You order at the counter, and then they bring you your food at your table. My partner and I started with two dumplings, the fish and chips dumplings and the Japchae dumplings. They were both incredible, and could not be more different. The fish and chips dumplings were super crispy and filled with hot, flakey fish. Paired with CHIKOs take on a tartar sauce, these are a must order in my opinion. The Japchae dumplings were filled with glass noodles, and the texture and flavor was incredible. This was much more similar to a conventional dumpling, but both of these flavors were something I've never experienced in dumpling format before! Lastly, we got the Full CHIKO breakfast. This is a great way to try a variety of their menu items. The highlight for me was the soy glazed spam and the furikake butter rice. I don't think I've ever enjoyed rice more, it was addictive! The seaweed flavor of the furikake really took it to the next level. The eggs were also delicious, I love the addition of the tomatoes and scallions, and they had the perfect soft scramble texture. CHIKO is one of the most innovative DMV restaurants, and I absolutely loved their take on brunch. I can't wait to see what they do next! read more
7 years ago
This place is the BOMB.COM of Asian Fusion! Expect flavors that remind you of both Chinese and Korean cooking, although I felt personally that the food leaned towards Korean flavors for me being Chinese. Anyways onto the good stuff... **GET THE WAGSHAL'S CHOPPED BRISKET** Yes it's $18 but please get over it because it's gonna be really good. With ingredients like Soy Brined Soft Egg, Furikake Butter, Rice, it's a combination of flavors and textures that make you uber happy when you squeeze that egg and bite into the deliciousness that is what makes CHIKO famous. Not to mention the seaweed butter is fun to eat and experience. Also got the Cumin Lamb Stir Fry which was made up of Wheat Flour Noodles, Caramelized Shallots, and pieces of lamb that were soft and well seasoned. Good complementary dish to the Wagshal's Chopped Brisket should you pick that dish of foodie champs. Both dishes were good but I think the soft egg oozing into the rice making it a buttery messy goodness is what made the experience more memorable for me. I noticed this place is also popular for to-go, as I saw quite a handful of customers coming in to pick up their orders. ...Guess you can't keep them away from good food. So yeah, this is the perfect Cap Hill foodie spot that is casual, quick, and no frills. Beware of limited seating. Bon apetit my friends~ read more
2 years ago
Came here on a budget! It's interesting that the vibes are hip, fast casual, food truck but the price point is still pretty high. Still, you get a lot of food. Love the process of ordering at the counter and getting a tray with all your utensils without having to ask for a water glass or extra bowl. Host was also super friendly, informative, and came by to give us to go boxes right when we needed them. Half a Vado salad - ok sesame ginger sauce with fresh cucumber. The sauce could have used a kick and there could have been more avocado. Maybe this should be renamed cucumber salad? This offered a really nice freshness to pair with the heavier dishes Xo duck fried rice - I think this was cooked in duck fat? Really decadent and the duck was cooked perfectly. Not dry or pungent. Loved this! Orange ish chicken - I usually don't like orange chicken bc it can be sickly sweet, but I loved how this came separate with chicken and sauce. This kept the chicken super crispy and I loved the spiciness of the sauce Custard - this was kind of like a panna cotta. Super decadent and creamy and I loved all of the fresh fruit and bitter sorbet to pair. My stomach was bursting after this I really want to bring my partner back to try the xo duck fried rice before it is no longer a special! read more
This has become our favorite delivery place. We love, love, love the orange-ish chicken. Delicious! Crispy & flavorful. (I warm it up for a few minutes once it arrives.) We're also huge fans of the potstickers. Delicious as well. read more
6 years ago
I recently placed an order through Doordash. I order the wing bucket, lamb stir fry (?), little neck clams and duck fried rice. Overall the food was pretty good. The spice level of the lamb dish was amazing! The little neck clams were a tease, the wings were okay - not the most flavorful and the duck fried rice was okay. I would definitely order from here again. read more
I came here on a Tuesday evening and it was pretty packed. My husband and I waited for about 10 minutes before the next available table. The concept here is casual "cool." You order your food at the counter and take a seat at a table. We ordered: - Half a cado salad: for $9 I thought it would be a tiny portion but this is good to share - pork and kimchi potsticker: the potstickers were fairly larger than potstickers you would normally get, so this is definitely great to share - Wagshal's chopped brisket: delicious flavor! Overall, the service was great, the food - delicious! You would forget it was a casual spot. In my personal opinion, the price is a little steep but it does justify the portion and flavor AND is comparable to a tapas spot with a smaller portion. Will definitely have to come back to try their fried chicken! read more
5 years ago
The shrimp with toast is fantastic. Could use more mustard sauce with the spring rolls (bc it is so good) but still great. Can't believe the clams are three for a dollar. Bulgogi was nice. Chicken wings were the only thing I wouldn't get again. A little undercooked and didn't have much flavor. I'd probably give this place four and a half stars but since I can't (and for the price) it's five stars. read more
4 years ago
6 years ago
Asian cuisine is my absolute favorite and I normally enjoy the classics as they are. However, I love trying fusions and tasting the chefs' interpretations of classic spices and flavors and seeing what they create. Reading the menu was an exciting adventure in itself. From duck to ribeye to brisket, it was really hard to choose just a few entrees for my first go. We went with some of the top recommended items by Yelpers: + Confit duck fried rice - Incredible dish with tons of flavor and plenty of duck throughout. The hoisin and sesame oil combo really pulls it all together without tasting overly heavy. This is not your typical fried rice and was a gourmet take on the dish. + Cumin lamb stir fry - Really loved the texture and thickness of the wheat noodles here, super chewy and coated with flavor. The lamb was delicious and tender, again with lots of lamb throughout. I personally would have loved to see the spice kicked up a notch (reminiscent of dan dan noodles). + Half-a-cado salad - I would pass on this dish. There was nothing super remarkable to me about it and would have preferred kimchi as my pre-meal crunch. + Crispy chicken spring rolls - Long and crispy bits on the end for some extra crunch. Loved how they held up the walk back from pick up. The hot mustard sauce worked really well here. I do want to echo the price sentiments of other Yelpers, particularly for a fast casual spot; however I was really impressed by the quality and complexity of the entrees. I can't wait for a second visit to pick up some other dishes. read more
The food here was amazing! We got the lamb noodles and the veggie rice bowl and both impressed us. The lamb noodles had a great grilled, smoky flavor, and nice tender pieces of meat. The veggie bowl had so many different textures of crisp tender veggies, rich tempura mushrooms, and spicy peppers, and a light sauce over white rice. We had trouble ordering on our phones but once we did order in person the food came in like five minutes flat. By the time we figured out our order we missed the dumpling happy hour by about one minute but otherwise would've loved to try the shrimp dumplings. Next time! read more
2 years ago
Really yummy chicken! I like that they give you a good portion size and that the sauce comes on the side. As a picky eater, I wish I had gotten it without the veggies on top, but I'll ask to remove them next time. read more
2 years ago
Walked in on a drizzly Saturday night at 7:30 after a Nats game and the place was fairly busy. We were handed menus and were pointed to the "hang-out-and-look-at-the-menu area by the ordering station. We gave it a quick glance, ordered and were shown to a table where a couple of guys were seated. They scooted over and we sat, sipped wine and waited for our food. As for the food: The Snacks is Chiko's elevated take on banchan. Tonight it included kimchee, potato salad, pickled daikon and clams among others. Clams were heavily sauced and buried any clam taste. But the others were good and definitely worth the small price tag. The house fried rice was very good. The spring rolls were light and huge and the chopped brisket bowl with soy egg was wonderful. Our wine was served in a highball glass. The menu is pretty big. We will be happy to return and try some new dishes. read more
Damn, I don't know if it's inflation or what but this place was super stingy with not only portion size for the price but the qualify. I ordered the cumin lamb stir fry and there was only literally 2 bits of lamb. $20 for some fried noodles! Not worth your time, give your money someone else! read more
Had a reunion with friends in DC area and ended up in Chiko. At first, the name sounded like it was a fired chicken joint, but it was a fusion Korean and Chinese food. It's a small joint with around six tables, few seating around the kitchen bar. You walk in, they give you menu, ask you to wait until a table is free. When a table is free, they will tell you which table to go, but you'll need to order your food and pay first before sitting down. Once you order, you'll get your utensils and a number sign to put on your table. So after careful review, we went with the following items to share: - Orange-ish Chicken - Cumin Lamb Stir Fry - Smashed Salmon - Double Fried Chicken Wings - Fried Asparagus Tempura - Deconstructed Crab Wanton It may look like a lot of food for four people but the portion size are small; so its just perfect, in fact this was just the right amount of food to settle your hunger and hit the spot. - Fried Asparagus Tempura - as name says, its sliced asparagus deep fried, served with wedge of a lemon and dipping sauce on a small hotel pan. Seasoning wise, the tempura was ok, the sauce is where the party flavor resides, make sure you dip into the sauce before eating! - Deconstructed Crab Rangoon - it is what it is... crab wanton stuffing served in Korean earthen bowl, served with 4 fried wanton wrappers. You definitely get that crab rangoon taste, the stuffing has actual crab meat inside. An interesting twist, but enjoyable dish. - Double Fried Chicken Wings - their take on Japanese style fried chicken "karaage", 3 whole wings are served per order. The seasoning is on the bland side, but the chicken is fried perfectly. If you order the fried asparagus tempura, dip it into that dipping sauce, the sauce goes well with the chicken. - Orange-ish Chicken - if you ever had Almond Boneless Chicken, then the chicken will look familiar to you, however it's chopped up into cubes. As for the sauce, that's where things are bit different, it's their version of orange sauce, which is served in a bowl. Served with a bowl of rice. - Smashed Salmon - as the name might suggest, you would think of bits of salmon served with seasoning, but it was actually whole cuts of salon, served on top with teriyaki flavored stir fry. This dish was excellent, seasoned very well, the fish was cooked perfectly (not over cooked) and I would call this a rice thief dish, as you'll eat couple bowls of rice. - Cumin Lamb Stir Fry - when I ordered this, I expected lamb stir fried with noodles and with lots of cumin seasoning, that wasn't the case. In fact, this dish has no cumin favor at all. While this dish was excellent, had mild spice (you can control the spice level) and it hit the spot, I was disappointed that it did not live up to the name of the dish "cumin", as I expected the cumin taste with each bite. Overall, not had on the first visit, the food was good, had good time catching up with old friends. If I were to come back and visit, I would try their other offerings, but I was told that their menu changes over time. Definitely worth visiting if you are in the area. read more
I have been coming to Chiko for several months now and am glad this is in the neighborhood. Although there is some fusion going on, the fusion is good. I love pure Korean food also, so if you are afraid to vere from that path, Chiko may be too confusing for some. My take is that the food is excellent starting with the lamb cumin noodle bowl; a very rich and flavorful dish worthy of eating every time. However, there is much more to choose from. The Szechuan special was just as tasty. I would also recommend the G&T as the tonic they use is excellent and worth the splurge. Lastly, be aware of the limited seating space so plan accordingly. read more
I was excited to try this place but was slightly disappointed. To me the food was trying too hard to be creative and missed the mark. We had the Brussels sprouts special, potstickers, and orange chicken. The Brussels sprouts were delicious. The orange chicken was deconstructed with rice separate from the orange chicken and sauce on side. This dish I could see the Korean and Chinese elements, but it would have been better if it was together. The atmosphere here was like fast food. It was discongruent with the price point. Service was friendly but supposed to get water, etc yourself. The app was given to us at same time as main dishes, which I didn't expect. Overall was interesting concept of Chinese and Korean cuisine but lacked single vision. read more
9 years ago
My friend wanted to come here last night for dinner and I didn't really know what to expect. The menu was pretty simple enough with a cursory glance, I knew what I wanted to order. The space layout is one where you go to to the cashier to order and food is prepared at the counter. There are seats by the counter area and only a handful of tables in the restaurant. I ordered the fried rice which came pretty fast and was a pretty generous amount. Also ordered the egg and potato salad with the clams as side dishes. My friend ordered the orange chicken and the broccoli dish. Everything tasted amazing and even the custard fruit dessert was pretty bomb. I never thought to caramelized dragon fruit but it just added so nicely to the tarte citrus sorbet on top of custard. A definite sweet ending to a lovely meal overall. But one thing I would like to add is I was a bit out off that some of the side dishes that I normally would get in Korean restaurants for free was something I had to pay in this one. It would be nice to get one or two free as part of your meal to complete the dining experience. Otherwise I'd definitely come back again. read more
Chiko is taking Barracks Row by storm. Replacing DC-3 in a tiny row house on the north side of Barracks Row near the Eastern Market Metro, comes a Chinese/Korean fusion fast casual. Open just a few weeks, it's already a favorite among locals and they are redefining fast casual food. When you walk in, it has a fast casual vibe. You walk by several community tables before going to the counter to order from their menu. As you read the menu, the items sold (and their price tags) make you realize you've stumbled upon something more. You are in a "fancy fast casual" restaurant. Once you come to grips with the fancy, fast casual concept, you're bound to stay and enjoy some of the best food Barracks Row has to offer. Order any of the dumplings or pot stickers for an explosion of flavors in some bold ways. The cold noodles are also very good and well prepared. Nothing was too spicy for my weak palate. If you want a unique DC food experience, come here. Here's to hoping Chiko is here to stay! read more
7 years ago
TLDR; I wasn't too impressed with my experience here. The combination of mediocre service + skimpy, uninspired, and "pretty good" food really didnt work for me. Chiko (pronounced chai-ko not chee-ko), with its own twist on korean/chinese fusion, really intrigued me when I first saw it, and my love for korean and chinese food drove me to give this place a try. (parking was relatively easy, there was plenty of meteree street parking.) My initial impression when arriving was that chiko had very comforting food, but sadly, my experience reflected anything but that. Upon walking in, I noticed that the place was a bit....dingy. I wasn't too impressed with the menu either -- nothing had really stood out to me as exciting or new. but I also didnt really care as long as our food tasted good. All together, we ordered a garlic shrimp dumplings appetizer, the house fried rice, the rib eye & rice cakes, and the cumin lamb stir fry. The house fried rice arrived first, and it tasted pretty good (but, anything drenched in sesame oil will taste good). More than 15 minutes later, they brought out the cumin lamb stiry fry. Then another 20 minute gap before the appetizer was brought out and the rice cakes followed shortly afterwards when I brought it to attention to the waitor. Turns out they had forgotten my order Comments on food: everything tasted pretty okay because, again, anything will taste good when it's drenched in sesame oil. The shrimp dumplings were pretty good, it seemed to be inspired by traditional szechuan chili wontons, but it honestly really missed that mark, flavor wise. I did, however, appreciate the amount of shrimp in each dumpling. The cumin lamb stir fry was horribly imbalanced with only a tiny portion of noodles, a few pieces of lamb, and whole lot of other fillers (onions, greens, etc.). My rice cakes were honestly pretty disappointing too. i counted a total of 5 slices of rice cakes, a few bites of rib eye, and the rest was just onions, carrots, and mushrooms. If I wanted a salad, I would've ordered one. They really skimped on the servings. Nearly $20 for a bowl of onions? Not worth at all. Service was also not the greatest. We got an early dinner that night and was first to order before the crowd rushed in. Despite being the first to arrive and order, I noticed that I was the last person in the entire establishment to get my food, which I had to remind the waitor about. The waitor even came by our table numerous times, but never even noticed that I was the only one without food. They were very polite though, and were very quick to clean up and take away dishes when we were done. Overall, I wasn't too impressed with my experience here. The combination of mediocre service + skimpy, uninspired, and "pretty good" food really didnt work for me. read more
4 years ago
Really loved the food here. This is a casual no frills kind of place. We had some HH drinks which were refreshing but not strong. I like strong drinks. The HH dumplings were good. We had a salad and noodles and rice shrimp dish. The lamb noodles were excellent. The salad was full of flavor. The shrimp rice dish was Delish. Shrimp was cooked perfectly. All the food was not too salty which I appreciate. You can taste the 'wok air' in each dish. The dishes are not too large so no sharing. And you don't want to share its soo good. read more
Fascinating Dishes, Hit-or-Miss Came to ChiKo with a friend and we were both really excited to check out their interpretation on modern Chinese-Korean fusion. It was a good mix of interesting hit-or-misses. By far our favorite dish was the Rib Eye & Rice Cake, which featured bulgogi, carrots, and rice cake all thinly sliced, all tender and delicious. My friend's Cumin Lamb Noodles were apparently great as well. I don't like lamb, but I did sample a bit of it and found it to be really tender. It has a serious kick, so be prepared. Both of these dishes are worth coming back for, but I can't say the same for the following three. For instance, the Wagshal's Chopped Brisket has been highly praised in written reviews, but my friend and I disliked different aspects of this dish--he disliked the furikake butter-ed rice, I disliked the brisket which I found too close to corned beef. Even more disappointing were the Garlic Shrimp Dumplings and the Half-a-Cado Salad, which were neither tasty nor good value for money. The former sounded terrific in theory, but came out only as a whole shrimp that had no seasoning or flavor, and I could not discern any garlic or chili oil from the dumpling as a whole. At $10 for 5, this was bad value for money. The Half-a-Cado Salad is simply too large to share for even two people, not least because once you got past the lightly battered and fried yam slices, the rest of the salad mostly consists of cucumber filler. Overall, I think ChiKo is worth exploring for very specific entrées; I would definitely come back for the Rib Eye & Ric Cake. But other items--particularly its appetizers/sides--are far more questionable and/or need to be properly-sized to fit the meals of individual or smaller-party diners. read more
9 years ago
Been meaning to try this place and after making Tom Sietsma's best restaurants list, took the family for an early dinner after a day in DC. Very small space with about 8 or 9 tables but we were there by 4:30 for a 5pm open so no problem getting a seat. On to ordering: brisket bowl, bulgogi rice cakes, kids tempura chicken, kimchi stew, and the wings withe spicy soy. The verdict: wings were very crispy and tasted very good. Everything else was ok. The ingredients are all very fresh and you can tell are top notch but the sauces are a bit heavy handed (i.e. brisket and bulgogi bowls). For the price you pay ($75!)for everything, it may not be worth it. I would say go try it yourself...there may be other dishes that are better. As for us I asked the wife if she would go back and her answer was 'no'. read more
7 years ago
Amazing flavor! They sure know how to make "fast casual", taste and look like something super official! They have this one uber delicious item called stir fry Cumin Lamb noodles that explore the authentic taste of Xinjiang China. I've never been able to find a place in the states that could replicate this distinct flavor to a T. It's so spicy but I can't stop eating it! In fact, we order this dish for pickup on a weekly bases. Check out my pic of it. read more
2 years ago
This is my first review of 2019. I came here right after my workout yesterday and was craving fried Chicken. I love how they double fry the chicken and the seasoning it is so delicious. I was going to get the rice with the brisket, however they had a shrimp tempura rice dish on special. I have to say that it was so good and such an enormous portion that I could not finish it and had to bring it home. I wanted to order additional dishes but I didn't want to seem so greedy when it was just me. Note to self, always bring someone else to this restaurant so you can try multiple dishes and share. The last time I came here I did the tasty menu with four other friends at the bar. What an incredible experience. I don't want to spoil it for anyone, so you have to go and try it yourself. The courses were amazing and all I can remember was the special crab dishes we had which were truly delectable. I have yet to try the late-night menu events that they have occasionally, so I definitely have something to look forward to the future. Bravo Chiko for making your dishes so tasty and wanting more. read more
More info about CHIKO
423 8th St SE
Washington, DC 20003
Eastern Market, Capitol Hill
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(202) 558-9934
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http://chikodc.com
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What's on their normal tasting menu?
A smaller amount of 80% of the regular menu for tasting. At least this was our experience.
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16 reviews that are not currently recommended
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